With a caveat that 2 sections of Washingtonville's New Comprehensive Plan need to be more detailed, the Plan is complete and ready to be reviewed by the Village Boards for their zoning and related code item descriptions. Deputy Mayor, Donna Jacaruso, who had organized much of the planning, told the public that she expects this to take several months. During that time, the Comprehensive Plan Committee will have time to meet one more time to fill in the areas of concern that they and several members of the public decided currently fall short regarding sufficient guidelines to implement appropriately in the future.
Foreground is the Washingtonville Comprehensive Plan Committe, with the Village Board seated behind and listening to Planner Bonnie Franson's Presentation. (left to right Trustee Steve Presser, Deputy Mayor Donna Jacaruso, Mayor Tom DeVinko, Trustee Vernon Coleman and Planner Bonnie Franson)
The two sections requiring further elaboration relate to the Casazza Farm's 150 acres, called the "Southern Gateway to the Village".
Over the past 2 years there has been agreement between the Committee and farm owners that the property would become "Mixed Use"; including Agricultural Business, Housing, Open Space and a limited extension of commercial use along Route 208. Both the public and owners have emphasized that they feel this property has an important place in the village, especially since there is very little land in the village proper remaining to build on. Months ago, a protective viewshed overlay was placed in the area where there is the iconic view from Route 208, through the fields and to include the view of Woodcock Mt. in the background. It includes a short list of what environmentally supportive things would be permitted in that space. With a total of 150 acres the committee, under the leadership of Planner Bonnie Franson (Nelson, Pope, Vorhis) felt that even though the remaining lands include significant wetlands, there would still be plenty of suitable acreage on which to build significant senior and affordable housing, especially since Mr. Casazza emphasized that they are not in favor of expanding the Village's Business Section along the Route 208 highway, feeling that it is more important to address the "Housing Crisis", especially for young couples with middle level income and working in the area to be able to settle in Washingtonville. His big concern is that having a "Viewshed Overlay" might cause "problems in the future if changes need to be made". But that is precisely why overlays are created. Over the past 2 years the public has emphasized the need for adequate space for the Washingtonville Community to gather, and certainly any use in the viewshed area would likely be a different buyer than the housing developer. Unfortunately, that will probably complicate the sale process for the owners. Last year the Village held a Public Session to find out what the public wanted the zoning to include in that area. They took surveys and filled out slips of paper tagged onto a large map. The most frequent uses were "Community Center" and "Recreation". Another use that currently would be allowed with this plan would be "Hotel" (a use that might also be able to be sold contingent on having gatherings, small festivals and community activities and recreation....and even a large hall for rental.
The Public Session was extremely successful, with serious participation by both residents, intently parsing the maps and sharing their opinions, and experts at the various stations to explain and answer questions
The Comp. Plan also allows for a lot of "Accessory" uses (like "Public Recreation" in the Overlay District as well as farm related businesses. While the attorney for the Casazza family emphasized that he thinks agricultural related uses in New York are disappearing, the states Ag Statistics vehemently disagree. This will be detailed in a separate article "The 2025 State of Agriculture in New York".
With owners who are concerned about making good on their economic investment by maximizing housing, the quality of the housing portion of development will be crucial. Some walking paths in the overlay district would be an advantage to members of the active senior housing area as well as affordable residences that would encourage young people to stay, especially if the overlay area offers entertainment and recreation.
It is clear that to find a middle ground between significant new housing, a view, and a Community Center area or hotel that could provide entertainment and recreation, need to be expanded in detail.
Just a few days after the Community's Comprehensive Plan was presented to the Village Board, the Village's Event Committee held an extended session to scope out the many events that they will hold during 2025. A significant concern for some of those events is "Where is a building or space that is large enough to hold them?"
How many Senior Units, and single-family homes, would they be in the quadrant by Woodcock Mt. Road with entrance and some houses just past the Village welcome sign? How many senior units could fit there comfortably and aesthetically and with some tree-lined walking paths. fifty?, one hundred, two hundred. Perhaps a few sample maps would help those involved to visualize how realistic the balance of different uses are.
If you think that credentialed developers would not even think of doing a really outrageous complex for seniors, check out this one in the Boston area (funny/not funny).
While deciding on appropriate numbers of housing, the Town Board will need to remember that there are 2 other large housing complexes in the works just off of Route 208 a few miles to the East, with issues providing sufficient clean water, and stormwater drainage to such an extent that they have had multiple state code violations, resulting in fines and stop work orders, and tainted water flowing into the Moona Creek (which is a Village of Washingtonville water source). The water issues became so severe that the Village of South Blooming Grove has to buy water from the Village of Washingtonville, and an esteemed world hydrogeologist warned that significant greater water usage could put the area's extensive aquifer's ability to recharge at risk. His commented related to the Clovewood development, but he emphasized that the underlying aquifer goes far beyond.
One of several tributaries that last week sent tainted water near where they merge with the Moodna Creek in Washingtonville. The Moodna is an important water source for the Village.
Residents in the Village of South Blooming Grove about 8 miles south as the Moodna flows, line up to store large Poland Springs jugs with water from an abandoned Great Bear Pipe that brings water down the mountainside.
An extremely high density development is under construction, on Prospect Road in the Village of South Blooming Grove. It has had multiple code violations and Stop Work Orders due to flooding caused by its developer's poor water management plan. Not all developers are untrustworthy, but a flip of a coin (sic) can cause big problems, so developers must be chosen and monitored very closely, and code written precisely.
Clearcutting all of the trees and vegetation is one of many mistakes that can cause turmoil in an extended area, because it leaves the surface and subsurface with nothing to absorb the excess water. Wetlands are particularly difficult to manage safely. The flooding below did damage to the roadway in VSBG.
Affordable housing can cause other environmental disturbances, such as scenic roadways now cluttered with electric poles and lines. These disrupted views cause people to wonder whether the remaining open space is worth saving.
.Current view of Woodcock Mt. toward the East from Round Hill Road West in the Town of Blooming Grove is still unobstructed as is the protected view of the Schunnemunk Ridge as seen from Route 94 and Round Hill Road.
Current View during development of Prospect Gardens Developmentin VSBG. It is worth noting that many area towns included provisions in their scenic overlay vista provisions that either prohibited housing above a certain elevation or required that the houses be in colors that blended into their background. Few municipalities have followed up on that requirement, with most houses becoming painted white either sooner or later.
The increased usage of Route 208 will also impact traffic waits, which are already significant at peak times, especially with the main intersection with Route 94 handling both school buses from several sources and major commuter traffic would that traffic be able to be mitigated. A shuttle? One Country Store near the corner for small necessities? Use of an alternate route from Woodcock Mt. Road to a side road of Route 94 farther North? One thing is certain, having the right developers will be crucial. A cramped mix of unattractive units will do the village and surrounding homes irreparable damage. And it is not unknown for complex ownership to change. How can the Village protect against that? This will be their "Challenge": Zoning code with, Details, Details, and more details.
Current views of Casazza 150-acre farm with Woodcock Mt. in the background.
Casazza Farm owner James Sr. protested the potential effects of a Scenic Overlay on some of the farm view, saying it could affect future housing plans on his family's 150-acre farm.
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