 |
| May 05, 2024 |
Welcome! Click here to Login
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Click to visit the
Official Town Site
|
|
|
|
|
|
General News: Sub-Division Planned for Village
|
| Karen Eremin (center) and other neighbors of the planned sub-division listened as Gerald Zimmerman described the proposed development. |
|
| Terry Murphy reads the notice from the planning board. |
|
| A view of the property on West Street. |
February 17, 2010
Cornwall-on-Hudson’s Village Hall was packed on Tuesday evening to hear a developer introduce plans for a 14-lot subdivision off West Street in the Homeland area. The seven-acre estate had been home to Dr. Gerald Jerry until his death about a decade ago and now his heirs are seeking to build 12 new homes on the property overlooking the Hudson River.
Despite the number of people at the meeting, many of them neighbors of the proposed subdivision, planning board chairman Jeffrey Small reminded the crowd that it was a preliminary hearing, not a public hearing, and the public would not be able to speak.
They listened instead to a description by Gerald Zimmerman of KC Engineering of plans to preserve the main residential building on the property, along with a two-story brick garage on West Street. Chairman Jeffrey Small said the developers should review the required street frontage for the some of the proposed lots and the limitations on the height of buildings under the view preservation law. The village’s engineer Jim Fitzsimmons added that they would have to pay close attention to restrictions on building on slopes, particularly on the steeper areas leading down towards the river.
Andy Bell, the contractor who would build the planned homes, says that he anticipates building “hamlet-style” homes, noting that the neighborhood is “a collection of everything in the world, with split-levels and bi-levels built in the 70s and 80s.” Explaining that he didn’t have any designs yet, Bell said he could see building ranch-style homes nearest the river to preserve the view and he said that he’d like to see a continuation of the pine trees along Pine Street in front of the proposed new homes.
The proposed development of a corner of quiet that has existed on the dead-end street has stirred up interest among neighbors. Karen Eremin, whose house looks out at the property, says she literally been having nightmares about this for years. "I don't begrudge an owner's property rights," Eremin said, "but I'm hoping his 14 total (lots) is just a bargaining point."
Another Cornwall-on-Hudson resident, Terry Murphy, was out walking his dog outside the brick garage on Monday when he stopped to look at the postings about the subdivision. He said he had done work on the house several years ago and appreciated the amazing views from there. “It’s a shame,” he said, shrugging, “but what can you do? You can’t stop change.”
The proposed projects will likely go through several sessions with the planning board before being presented at a public hearing.
Comments:
|
That's too bad. That little bit of open space up there was always nice to see amongst the crowded homes. I wish they would just find someone willing to keep the property as-is. But alas, money talks...
posted by J Klein on 02/19/10 at 7:55 AM
|
|
(From Jackie Skrzynski) Who of us living in the neighborhood hasn't appreciated this unique property? The old garage is in need of restoration, but still beautiful. I would be very unhappy to see the lines of dogwood and everygreen trees taken down. That's probably unrealistic, but the plantings on that property are truly special and took decades to create. Is there a way to add some homes without destroying what is uniquely special about "Dr. Jerry's"?
posted by thom munterich on 02/20/10 at 9:35 AM
|
Add a Comment:
Please signup or login to add a comment.
|
 |
|
|
|
