NEW TOWN MASTER PLAN
The Town of Carmel is developing a new Master Plan. The Master Plan will specify how the Town will be developed. It will evaluate whether and in what areas the Town can safely accommodate future development.
The Master Plan will consider traffic conditions, water supply, recreational facilitates, open space, sewerage capacity and school overcrowding.
The Carmel Town Board has hired Buckhurst FIsh & Jacquemart, Manhattan-based planning and engineering consultants, to prepare the master plan.
The Master Plan is being developed to comply with the Watershed Agreement with New York City. New York City will pay $125,000 of Buckhurst's $147,000 fee.
As part of the development of the Master Plan, the Town is also expected to rewrite Town's zoning and subdivision laws.
Residents' participation in the development of the master plan is essential. It will effect how much and the type and quality of development will occur in your neighborhood. Participation in this process is the best way you can protect the property value of your home and the quality of life in your neighborhood.
Resident Mary O'Toole offers the following comments and has requested that they be forwarded to the Town Board and their Engineering consultants, Buckhurst Fish & Jacquemart.
As a lifelong citizen of Carmel, I have always been concerned with the condition of the water supply and the surrounding areas. The development in which I live, Red Oak Ridge, consists of 100+ homes on the side on a hill overlooking the Croton Reservoir. We are part of Water District number 2; yet, several years ago we were told we would not be part of the sewer expansion in this district. Many homes in this development are close to 40 years old and all have septic fields to dispose of their waste water. The soil in this area is mostly a clay mixture which doesn't allow for the adsorption of water during wet times. Water can be seen running down the hillside at many times during the year. This causes concern about the contaminant the water is bringing to the
reservoir. One solution to this contamination problem would be sewers in our development.
Resident Scott Friedman offers the following:
Q: Is there currently is a Master Plan?
A: Yes, a Master Plan was prepared in 1986.
Q: Did the 1986 Master Plan consider the capacity of our
roads, water and supply?
A: Yes it did and it concluded that the development potential in the Town was
limited due to the narrow roadways, steep hills and limited sewerage capacities.
Q: Did the 1986 Master Plan recommend that the zoning laws
be changed - "upzoned" - to control the development in our neighborhood?
A: Yes it did.
Q: Then why haven't heard before of the 1986 Master Plan
and why didn't out Town Board act upon it recommendations?
A: Despite outcries from residents of the negative impact that new development has
had in our Town, including the overcrowding our roadways and water shortages, the Town
Board elected not to follow the recommendation contained in the 1986 Master Plan.
Instead, it has remained an essentially secret document. Now that Concerned
Residents have obtained a copy of it, the Town Board is denouncing the 1986 Master
Plan as flawed.
Q: Can I get a copy of the 1986 Master Plan.
A: Yes you can go to Town Hall and request a copy or read it there free of charge.
Q: What can I do to insure that the new Master Plan
protects my property value and the quality of life in the Town?
A: BE VIGILANT - GET THE FACTS - ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT THE TOWN WILL HAVE
WHILE THE MASTER PLAN IS BEING DEVELOPED. EMAIL TO THIS WEBSITE AND SHARE WITH US
AND THE TOWN BOARD YOUR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS.
Resident Josh Rikelman offers the following comments
There can never be a more important time to get involved in the
process of local
government then now. With the construction of the new MASTER PLAN, we, both
the long time and the new to this beautiful hamlet, are being given the opportunity
to place our marks on helping the Town Board make the right choices for our
town's future.
I first got involved with the process of local government when problems regarding
the street that I live on was effecting my quality of life. I found out that
this problem has existed for years and not much attention was paid to it over
that time.
I began to call and push to get the answers I needed to correct the problems
that existed and with the help of local town and law enforcement officials,
the change for making Fair St a little safer came to be. New Speed limit and
limited weight restriction's were put into place. This year, the process of
repairing the obvious problems to the original construction of some dangerous
sections of Fair St. will begin from Rt. 52 to Simpson Rd.
Many people along the way had told me that nothing will come of my efforts,
that it will all fall on deaf ears. Well, they were wrong. The process of
getting something done takes perseverance, to participate in the process and
to stand by what you believe is right and not give up until you reach your goal.
The point here is that before the community is a plan, a MASTER PLAN that will
determine how our Hamlet will grow into the 21st Century. We, as a community
must give the Town Board all the assistance it needs in the way of our thoughts,
concerns, our input both pro and con in order for this plan to work.
Poor planing, the lack of referring to any part of the existing master plan
has led us, in my opinion, to where we are today. Community services and emotions
are strained to the point where some neighborhoods are at each other over issues
that should not exist. Our Hamlet is at a crossroad, put there by projects
that were too ambitious, over development that continues to contribute to an
already overloaded infrastructure that is ready to burst.
Join your community groups, participate in all form of local government. Don't
be intimidated by any one person or persons because you speak out for what you
believe. Work with your local groups and residents, give the Town Board all
the information you can so they can plan and build the best Master Plan for
our community.
Thank you.
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