Planning Board Approves Patrick Farm Plan—Opposition Lawsuits Will Go Forward in Appellate Court—DEC Approvals still Missing

December 28, 2011 Last night at the Ramapo Planning Board meeting there were three 7-0 votes granting board approval to three propositions related to the Patrick Farm plan of developer Yechiel Lebovits to place 500 housing units on the rural site in Pomona.
 

The three separate issues were:

Motion to Approve was made by Brendel Logan seconded by Yakov Basch.

There were loose ends that were not tied up before this vote. The Journal News reported, "The Department of Environmental Conservation issued a letter to Monsey-based developer Yechiel Lebovits of Scenic Development LLC, the town Planning Board, and Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, warning that several additional permits must be obtained from the state before any work can begin." Alan Berman, first deputy Town of Ramapo attorney, told the newspaper "the board’s action Tuesday is conditional upon Scenic Development’s obtaining those permits. Failure to do so under the current development plan would force the developer to make changes to the project and again bring it before the Planning Board." There is also a planned meeting with local fire officials to discuss their objections to the current plan.

There are three lawsuits headed to appellate courts, and those contacted assured us that the actions will go forward.

This is a very strange final approval. It is a final approval that still requires approval by the DEC.　 And then, of course, we must ask why are consultations with local fire officials going on now when the same problems were raised by these officials many months ago.

Local volunteer firemen have privately suggested that they are afraid the huge increased burden on their resources will lead to the resignation of many firemen. If this indeed turns out to be true we will face a huge new tax burden, a full time paid fire department.

Dozens of residents who live along the Mahwah river and who now rely on well water, and that includes my family, can now look forward to installing expensive ultra-violet systems to protect their water from the inevitable contamination from sewage leaking from the sewer pipes in Patrick Farm directly into the gravel aquifer that feeds the Mahwah river.

Note also that United Water said nothing about contamination of a major part of its well field which is also located along the Mahwah River. United Water should be celebrating for this threat to our county's water supply will help it justify its desalination plan on the Hudson.

What will now happen to the 1,000 plus acres, much of it environmentally sensitive land, that St. Lawrence has bought with our taxpayers money? The answer is obvious. He will now be selling it to his developer friends at bargain rates so that they can make HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.　 I am sure that they will show their appreciation with most generous campaign contributions.

When the Patrick Farm project is built for a single religious group will there be a federal lawsuit against this discrimination, or will section 8 funds be denied? I doubt it.

Dear ROSA Supporters,

Words that are important to remember today -　 "don't be discouraged" - "our advocacy is clearly working" - "we will prevail".

DON'T BE DISCOURAGED:　　 When we set out on this long and difficult journey we expected our clear, thoughtful, truthful, expert and professional presentations would fall on deaf ears and we would be in this fight for the long haul. So we planned accordingly. We knew we would need our elected officials, and local, State, and federal law and the people who represent all of the permitting agencies to work with us on this very complicated issue of developing the Patrick Farm.　 We knew slowing down the process would be part of our plan and we have not only done this, but we have had an influence on a number of important items of the approvals already given.

OUR ADVOCACY IS CLEARLY WORKING:　 The trees are still standing and will continue to stand.　 Because of our hard work on all fronts, late yesterday the Developer and the Town received a stern warning from the NY DEC stating that the developer would be in violation of Environmental Conservation Law if he is to touch a single tree, piece of soil or do ANY work on the property at this point.　 The DEC, ACOE, and DOT are meeting with us and considering every aspect of this project before issuing the necessary permits.　

WE WILL PREVAIL:　 Our goal is to ensure, and we believe we can do it, that this project will not look anything like what is planned currently. Buying us time on the ground allows us to file another lawsuit while simultaneously appealing our first case outside the confines of Rockland County in the Second District Court of Appeals.　 Injunctive lawsuits have the ability to stay the work on the property until decisions are made in the courts.

Best,
Suzanne

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Suzanne Mitchell
Director
ROSA

Ramapo Organized for Sustainability and a Safe Aquifer

rosa4rockland.org