Residents Lambast Chappaqua Crossing Retail Plan at Hearing

Opponents of the proposed Chappaqua Crossing retail plan at the former Reader’s Digest property unleashed a torrent of criticism Tuesday night against the project during the opening of the public hearing on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.

Before a packed meeting room at town hall, roughly 30 different speakers over more than two hours told New Castle officials the project would further snarl already congested roadways surrounding the site and jeopardize the health of downtown Chappaqua and Millwood by drawing shoppers away from the hamlets with a third business district.

Many also feared that a large retail development would permanently alter the character of the town.

“I don’t think we’ve talked enough about what we want for Chappaqua, about what we want for the site,” said resident Robert Lewis. “We know the existing roadways are already overloaded. I know that because I live on Bedford Road. It’s not just truck traffic, it’s not just the soccer games. The road is not wide enough.”

Developer Summit/Greenfield has proposed 120,000 square feet of retail space at the site, including a supermarket ranging between 36,000 and 66,000 square feet to serve as the anchor store. Other establishments could include a bank and a restaurant. Representatives for Summit/Greenfield said there would be no big box stores or fast food restaurants.

Two years ago, the town board approved 111 condominium units in another area of the campus.

Some in the crowd urged against the inclusion of a full-service supermarket that would be in the ground floor of the main cupola building, saying there is little enthusiasm among most Chappaqua residents for such an operation. A key motivator on the town board’s part in considering the proposal was the loss of the D’Agostino at Route 117 and King Street in 2011, leaving the hamlet without a supermarket. Officials have also hoped to increase the town’s minimal commercial base.

Virtually all of the residents who spoke at the hearing said they wanted no part of such a large amount retail or a new supermarket, especially since delivery trucks will only be able to use Route 117 and the daily rush hours and traffic from Horace Greeley High School on Roaring Brook Road will clog the roads even more than do now.

“I don’t think anybody thought that a 15,000-square-foot D’Agostino somehow morphed into a 66,000-square-foot super center,” said resident Brian Ratner. “This is not what we signed up for, plus another 60-something, 70,000 square feet of ancillary retail. This is not what the town wants.”

Resident Amy Pappas said she counted eight supermarkets within five miles of that location, including the Millwood and Mount Kisco A&P, Shop-Rites in Bedford Hills and Thornwood and the Key Food in Pleasantville.

“We are a small hamlet,” Pappas said. “We already have eight supermarkets. Putting another supermarket is ridiculous.”

“The only time I couldn’t get to a grocery store in 10 minutes would be during those peak traffic periods,” added resident Robert Bowen.

Other speakers questioned why the town board seems to be rushing toward a decision without considering all options. Some said they might not be against other types of operations that wouldn’t generate the volume truck traffic, such as a gym and fitness center.

“Is there such a need to have such a speeded process?” asked resident Victor Siber. “Why must we feel the residents of this town have been given a bum’s rush and push along a zoning change without due deliberation?”

As part of a settlement agreement with Summit/Greenfield stemming from lawsuits against the town before the residential component was approved, a calendar of target dates were established for the town to come to a decision. Officials need to take a vote by the middle of next year.

Several speakers pointed to how the plan would run counter to the town’s comprehensive plan by siphoning customers from the two hamlets’ downtowns. Officials announced late last year that they are moving ahead with a comprehensive plan update for the first time since 1989, but a few residents urged officials to finish that job before considering this proposal.

“It is not the chamber’s job to stifle competition. This is not about competition,” said Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce co-founder Robert Greenstein. “This is about creating a third business district. A third business district that is in direct contradiction to the existing master plan. A third business district that could negatively impact our existing business districts, our community and our quality of life.”

During a short presentation before the start of public comments, Summit/Greenfield representatives said two market studies that were conducted on behalf of the applicant revealed that Chappaqua could support a supermarket and additional retail without it hurting the Chappaqua and Millwood business districts.

Project planner Andrew Tung said the studies also show that residents who go to neighboring communities to do their grocery shopping are taking their spending dollars with them.

“Based on the stores in the area and the demographics of the population in the area this type of center could be located here and would satisfy that demand,” Tung said.

In a statement at the start of the session, Councilman Jason Chapin reminded the audience that Reader’s Digest once saw 7,000 employees come to the site each work day. Chapin also said the changed nature of the business world will make it nearly impossible for the 116-acre campus to be used by one large entity again.

One resident, Lisa Katz, criticized the town board for being unresponsive to the residents’ wishes.

“This whole scenario here concerns me because I feel–I feel probably a lot of other people do–I’m talking at you,” Katz said. “I don’t understand why we can’t sit down and you comment back to us and sit down and try to figure out the best uses for this property that makes sense to everybody, both residents and all your commercial (interests) as well.”

Councilman John Buckley said that some members of the community who have questioned whether the town board has reached a conclusion are off base.

“I have not made up my mind,” he said. “We’re going to do this fairly, reasonably and we’re going to see what’s in the best interests of our community as a whole.”

The hearing was adjourned until Monday, April 29 at 1:30 p.m. at town hall. A third session would be held on Tuesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. if the town board deems it necessary.