Editorial
Affordable Housing or Spectacular Views & Parkland?
The Correct answer is BOTH!
Casazza fields and newly cut hay as seen from Washingtonville's Welcome Sign
Village of Washingtonville residents will have their first chance to see and weigh in on the completed Draft Comprehensive Plan for the village this evening at 7pm. The meeting MAY be held over for additional public reviews before finalization, or it MAY NOT, depending on the public's response this evening. So, it is incumbent on residents to let officials and the village's planner know what they like about it or not ...and to let them know whether they think additional public review is necessary.
The plan is complex, with many components. It has been worked on for 2 years, and every month has included meetings scheduled specifically for the public, so they could participate in the process.
This editorial focuses on two aspects, and the other major aspects will be covered in a story later this week, following the presentation.
CREATION OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT
First, is a relatively simple question. That is, whether the public wants the plan to include a "Historic District". Deputy Mayor, Donna Jacaruso and Trustee Susan Cohen-Walski along with other board members and a volunteer committee have spent a lot of time researching the options for this. Any site can be 'called' historic, or 'a landmark'. But if it becomes part of a 'Historic District' it will have certain protections and certain prohibitions as to what changes can be made in the site's future. What the public should know is that if implemented this "Historic District" will NOT necessarily be composed of an adjacent collection of buildings in "Village Center". Participation will be voluntary, and there may be a limited number of buildings included that are not in the very Center, i.e. Route 94 and Route 208 crossroad intersection.
150+ ACRE CASAZZA FARMLAND ON ROUTE 94 - Affordable Housing or Protection of the Village's "Gateway" views and some Parkland, OR BOTH?
It is true that "acre for acre" land zoned for open space or agriculture is often priced less on most markets than land zoned for high density or affordable housing. However, land that is adjacent to a park where its residents can live a healthier and active lifestyle and fun social life is generally worth a lot more than a high-density housing lot. Furthermore, it is congruent with maintaining a land use where the land retains its health. Thirdly, the "BRAND" of the Washingtonville Community as a sought-after location by individuals looking to move to a rural community with scenic views would not only be maintained, its appeal would be enhanced, thereby bringing in families who can contribute to the community's tax and business base. THIS IS WHY THE CASSAZA FAMILY'S SPECTACULAR FIELDS AND VIEWS OF THE 150+ ACRES AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE VILLAGE IS KNOWN AS "THE VILLAGE GATEWAY" and why the Village chose to put its Welcome Sign there. Having it truly remain an example of the Casazza Family contributions to the Village would be fitting.
Now, there are those who think it would be horrific to ruin what is probably the most iconic view in the Village of Washingtonville. Others think leaving it as open land would be wasteful. With 150+ acres, I believe there is plenty of acreage for both open space, parkland and an appropriate and sufficient fiscal amount of housing?
The Casazza family has been agreeable throughout the development of the Comprehensive Plan and for it to become a "Mixed Use Plan" But last month their attorney. claimed that the amount of land on the current map shown as an Open Space Overlay is excessive and that this would "amount to a taking" of land whereas the Casazza family should have the right to develop their land as they want", adding that farmland is quickly disappearing in New York because it is not fiscally prudent, and so it doesn't make sense to zone land as "Agriculture", thereby decreasing its value.
This might be true in some instances, but there are in fact dozens of farm operations with accessory uses that are right now some of the most flourishing enterprises in New York, and indeed in Orange County. If a section of "The Viewshed" were to become a Cidery,and/or or Farm to Table, or Eco-Ag Education, or community garden with a few gazebos or one large one that could hold limited music events and a Community Center, well that is a very different story than maintaining it for cattle/and hay (and believe me, as a horse owner for 40 years I know the value of available good hay and the work that the Casazza family put into it.) Before jumping the gun and saying that unless it becomes mostly housing there is excessive "Taking", the plan needs a much closer look. And, at the end of last month's meeting the Casazza family said they in fact have drawings for an alternate plan that would be submitted to the board the following day and would be available to the public at tonight's meeting. This being the first time the public has a chance to see it does not really give adequate time for fair evaluation by the public. The current plan is, however, available for viewing at the Village website.
The main questions are then, "Is it not possible to locate as much housing as they want on 100 acres and reserve 30 for Parkland with an essentially unobstructed view of Woodcock Mt.? Secondly, clearly the overlay area needs to be further defined. Must it remain untouched, or is there at least consensus for an extensive walkable park area that can be further detailed? And can a section of the area with no housing on it be used for some kind of community activities, (and again, "Yes" that would have to be further described.) The wishes of the Casazza family are laudable with respect to not having the Business District expanded much if business in the Village is already not quite thriving as it might. But a small music festival and a few of the Event Committee activities that are currently being held in cramped quarters could get a good boost by public that could be enticed to attend, not only from within the Village, but from others who would hear about the site, as it is with public coming to weekend festivals from the other villages in the area to Warwick, Chester and Sugar Loaf. They have several tremendously successful festivals 2 to 3 times each year, ones that bring new people in and introduce them to the hamlet's shops, and it has encouraged people to want to live nearby
One other thing.... we should remember that the Schunnemunk Rail Trail will be coming right through the Village, just about at the edge of Casazza land in bigger and bigger numbers starting this Summer. There are nearly 20- hiking groups in the Rockland-Orange-Hudson area, and we are now part of Hudson Heritage Preservation. There are hopes and a likelihood that certain businesses in the Village will adapt to offer things that will appeal to all of those hikers and environmentalists. As the Hiking and Environmentalist visitor numbers grow it help grow the healthiest and most fun aspects of living in Washingtonville.
As far as whether farming activities, as the attorney said, no longer being fiscally sound, that is simply not true. Statistics from both Orange County and New York State detail the many millions of dollars that farms make in NY annually. Apples and onions rate in the top 10 nationally. Just a few of our local farms nearby, within 15 miles, are still used as growing farms along with accessory activities, that are lucrative, including Blooming Hill Farm, Pine Hill Farm, Roe Orchards, C. Rowe Farm, Lincolndale Farm, Wright Family Farm, and many others. Two farms that I personally know of bale 20,000 bales per year of hay and sometimes have to turn away customers to save hay for their "regulars". Certainly, relatively small farm cattle ranching is a big challenge these days. But there is a new generation, especially after the health scares of COVID, that are rushing to places in our area to find safety and health, and many of them want gardens and even small livestock. They are building greenhouses to grow their own safe food, they are bringing their kids to meet goats and sheep and have pony rides, pick apples, strawberries, blueberries and pumpkins and mom and dad are stopping at local wineries and cideries for local brews in eye-opening numbers. Such "farmettes" are a growing market. While livestock may not be suitable for the homeowners at the Casazza site future residences, a community garden and a Fall and Spring festival with a few alpacas and pony would be sure to bring a lot of smiles, and residences who spread the word that "This is a great place to live".
Later this week, along with information from tonight's Village Hall Presentation I will list the hugely successful farm finance summaries from Orange County and New York State.
Yes, affordable housing is needed, but think it through, "Not only would a blend of the 2 functions of housing and Parkland be a healthy "mixed use" for those who live there, it would provide a healthy social and recreational space for their children and the senior active adult population.".
And the wishes of residents have already been made clear. In an earlier public session, the public voiced its wishes in both verbal and written notes along with a rating of priorities in which repeatedly emphasized the need for a space for community activities near the village center, so it could help grow walkable business nearby.
There is some truth to the claim that having the zoning label of "Agriculture" is limiting. However, when the draft is nearly done, it would be possible to parse out sections marked for viewsheds, and detail more fully how the space can be used ....Childrens' choir or small teen orchestra event,..... the options are many! But if it is zoned for housing or commercial it would likely NEVER be able to be changed back.
DEPENDING ON THE LAYOUT - The public should be aware that whatever the layout plan is decided on regarding this 150+ acres, it will have to be carefully monitored throughout its development. For 18 years I have followed negotiations on both commercial and housing developments along with frequent "necessary revisions to plans". In sum, there are reputable and unfortunately a significant number of developers who ended up not being so reputable. There are dozens of instances where a plan that was acceptable to the home community is "flipped" from Seniors only to general population if the units are not filled, or appeal to the state that 150 residences are not sufficient for the housing need or are not making fiscal sense, such as at the Prospect Gardens complex now being built in the Village of South Blooming Grove.
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Prospect "Gardens" (above), affordable housing under construction on Prospect Rd., Village of South Blooming Grove (snowy roofs obscured.) on just one of the enormous hills of dirt that caused flooding runoff, resulting in dozens of calls to the state DEC and code violations that are often ignored. Yes, environmental violations can be fought with lawsuits, but often the damage is done and never rectified, and court cases can end up costing taxpayer money.
Fil and fill and more fill dumped at the Prospect Gardens site last year.
It will be up to the Casazza Family, Washingtonville's Boards AND the public to monitor the progress of whatever development plan ends up being chosen. You cannot consider "One and Done" when a contract is agreed on. Just a few examples - There was the Mountco fiasco at the Camp LaGuardia site, where significant affordable housing was going to be balanced by a commercial section that would make up for the large impacts on school taxes and public services. At the last minute they changed the plan such that the Commercial development portion could be eliminated at their whim if there were not interested investors, thus leaving a huge new tax burden on the public. At the time, fortunately Blooming Grove and Chester were smart enough to read the writing on the wall and to turn the project down. Another interested LaGuardia buyer was turned down after my research showed him to be the "most notorious landlord in NYC". Clovewood and the DEC are currently in court to explain all of their code violations over the past 2 years to a judge. Then there was the "lovely" design found of the affordable housing that Mountco ultimately made in New York City. More recently, Prospect Gardens started collecting its own booklet full of code violations that resulted in washouts from another poor drainage plan. A half-mile downhill and across the road, at Lake Hildegarde in Blooming Grove a combination of displaced predators, dirty runoff from the million tons of dirt fill they piled on a hill with inadequate drainage and sewage work done nearly at the lake's edge without protective measures, along with a hot summer, resulted in toxicity from South Blooming Grove flowing into the Lake and the worst algae blooms in decades. Every year of the past 2 decades the Mute Swan family that lives there has had 5-6 cygnets (baby swans). This year as well they had 6. By a little over a month later only one survived.
I am NOT saying that a future developer at the Casazza Farm site would be unscrupulous. Rather, whatever developer is chosen needs to be carefully followed as the project progresses, because there are developers who are unscrupulous, and by their very nature their preference tends to be that more building is better than less. Things happen, and it is also not unheard of for a developer to not be able to complete a project, and a different developer take it over.
The bottom line is that Washingtonville's completed Plan and its associated conditions must be obsessively detailed!!!!!
Lastly, while Blooming Grove and the Village of Washingtonville have, in my view, ethical and knowledgeable leadership, people who can and will act, when necessary, next November will be an important election cycle. Trust you leaders and share your concerns. In November of 2025 at least TWO of the legislative districts covering Blooming Grove and Washingtonville will likely have new legislative representatives. They may bring new ideas that are helpful, but it will be essential that residents stay involved and in contact with both existing and new leadership!
There are many options to make this a true "Mixed Use". In this instance, for example, if there are not sufficient acres to be fiscally balanced with 2-story structures, would it not be possible to add a 3rd floor or even 4th to multi-
family structures that are placed where they do not impact the viewshed...the point being that with a little creative thinking alternative uses and layouts could result in a plan that satisfies significant housing needs as well as environmental protection, social and recreational desires of residents. A decade ago there was a big push for "Smart Growth" and "Smart Planning". This is exactly the kind of situation where Smart Planning is both possible and critical to the prosperity, and future health of the Village.
Respectfully,
Edie Johnson
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