For or Against, Southeast Board Gets Earful on Crossroads 312
The long awaited public hearing about the Crossroads 312 proposed project finally arrived Thursday night, and residents certainly made their thoughts about a possible zoning change loud and clear from both sides of the spectrum.
For more than two hours, the Southeast town board heard from a long line of residents that either wanted to see the possible zoning change—from rural commercial to highway commercial—go through, or those residents, the majority in attendance, that wanted the change denied.
The Crossroads 312 development plans to create 143,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space with a 100-room hotel situated on 50 acres of land between NYS Route 312 and Interstate 84. The residents that support the project voiced their desire to shop at big chain stores locally and believed the development would create jobs and lower taxes, while those
residents against the proposal don’t want to see the character of the town changed and expressed concerns over increased traffic, visibility pollution and the menial jobs it would produce, while being skeptical of the lower taxes promised by the development team.
Attorney for the development, Richard O’ Rourke, said the zoning currently permitted for the area has four principle uses, but none of them best maximize business opportunities or tax revenue potential. He said a kennel would be non-profit, there isn’t a demand for office buildings, and the 50 acres isn’t large enough for a recreational facility. The zoning also allows for restaurant space, which could already be included in the Crossroads development.
Councilwoman Lynne Eckardt countered, asking O’Rourke to list special permit uses of rural commercial that include a hotel, which is a focal point of the proposal. She also said under permitted accessory, some retail is potentially allowed.
“I can’t recall a special permit ever being turned down,” Eckardt said. “Within my memory I just haven’t seen it happen in terms of the possibility of the hotel.”
Near the end of public comment, even Crossroads developer Harold Lepler, a Southeast resident, spoke and advocated for a project he hopes to see go forward. He said while he believes the criticism from most residents is genuine, that same criticism had been leveled against other developments in town that are now welcomed in the community.
He added the number of jobs and revenue the project could create is not inconsequential.
Right now, the taxes from that land are approximately $27,000, according to town officials.
Despite Lepler’s plea, most residents came out against the project.
Samantha Jacobs, president of Residents for Responsible Development in Southeast, said she was disappointed that the conceptual plan for the hotel wouldn’t have a conference center or banquet room. The hotel wouldn’t have a community and family feel to it, Jacobs said.
“Don’t we want something for us,” she said. “There isn’t anything for us.”
When Jacobs asked how the developer was coming up with $860 off the average Southeast homeowner’s tax bill, Supervisor Tony Hay gave the development team a chance to respond, but instead there was complete silence.
“I wish you would answer it,” Hay said told the development team.
Rick Feuerman, the president of Concerned Residents of Southeast who was reading from a petition, said if the zoning change is approved, it would “set a dangerous precedent” for other parts of town zoned rural commercial.
The town’s comprehensive plan calls for rural commercial zoning, Feuerman said.
“Protect the rural character of this town, which is the most important thing you have,” he said. “This town is different than any other town and really most people moved here in the last 10 or 12 years because of the way this town was.”
Resident Steve Mattson, who is against the project, said once the zoning change is approved for Crossroads 312, there is no going back. If this zoning were approved, it would set a precedent for other developers to come into the town to build, Mattson said.
“Economic development should be three things: unique, not easily duplicated, and experiential, meaning something you do,” Mattson said. “Strip malls to not fit this bill.”
Resident Keith Napolitano, who is town volunteer firefighter, questioned whether emergency response times would be slower because of the increased traffic from the project.
“Response times matter more now than they ever have,” Napolitano said.
“This is my dream town,” another longtime resident said. “To change (the zoning) would be an insult to the people that live here.”
Some residents did voice support for Crossroads, including former Putnam County chief assistant district attorney Christopher York, who has lived in Southeast for two decades.
“I originally moved to Southeast over other towns in Putnam because I saw a potential in Southeast to have responsible commercial development,” York said, noting he didn’t want to live in a town like Kent where much of the tax burden falls on the homeowner.
Ruth Ayala-Quezada of the Putnam County Chambers of Commerce said the PCCC supports the project because the organization promotes any economic development, noting the construction and permanent jobs that could be created by Crossroads.
One resident said whether the project lowers taxes by $800 or just $8 per resident, she supports it going forward. Another resident said he wanted to see the project happen so he could shop locally, rather than traveling over state lines to Connecticut or to Dutchess and Westchester counties.
“We need the shopping here, we need the revenue, we need the jobs,” an older resident said.
Another resident, a college student, welcomed the project.
“I came home from college this summer in hopes of getting a job and there were none. I came home this Christmas hoping maybe it would change and still no jobs,” the student said. “I honestly wish more young people would get involved in a project like this because we are the future of this town and for me this project is a no brainer.”
