SHCA expresses some preliminary concerns to the Planning Board on the Westgate Farm development.
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SECOR HOMES CIVIC ASSOCIATION, Inc. P.O. Box 550, Ardsley, New York 10502 March 24, 2005 Frances McLaughlin, Chair Re: Westgate Farms, Agenda item for discussion at the March 30, 2005 Planning Board Dear Ms. McLaughlin, I wish to advise you and the Planning Board of several community concerns regarding the above-referenced project. On December 15, 2004, Secor Homes Civic Association, Inc. ("SHCA") met with the entire Town Board, as well as with Mark Stellato, regarding some of our preliminary concerns about the proposed development of Westgate Farms. As you are aware, this development will abut Jennifer Lane, part of a cul-de-sac of Jean, Jennifer and Barbara Lanes in the SHCA area. This cul-de-sac has existed in our community for over 50 years. Parents walk with their children around the three lanes in baby carriages, on bikes, etc. It is a close-knit community and enjoys a high degree of neighborly interaction. The community is deeply interested in maintaining this strong cohesive spirit. Our major concern regarding this project, at the present time, is the proposed single access road from Dobbs Ferry Road. We are concerned that the Fire Department, or some other entity, would require a secondary access road to the development. The community does not want either a primary, secondary, or emergency access road to be connected through Jennifer Lane to Dobbs Ferry Road. This would invite an invasion of traffic from/to Secor Road, as a shortcut to Dobbs Ferry Road and the Sprain Parkway. A potentially dangerous situation could exist if such through traffic were permitted into the historically quiet streets of Jean, Jennifer and Barbara Lanes. We request that the Planning Board, prior to approving this project, assure that no such access road through Jennifer Lane would be permitted. The community has other concerns such as the potential destruction of mature trees and woodlots now abutting homes on Jennifer Lane. We would seek to preserve as much of this forested area as possible. We are cognizant that over the years the Planning Board has been very responsive to community concerns, and we trust that such attention will continue to prevail as it reviews this project. SHCA understands that the March 30th discussion is only the first step. The foregoing comments represent our preliminary concerns, based on the information at hand. We reserve the right to comment further at Planning Board discussions and the Public Hearing as the process of review goes forward. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, /signed/ Carol A. Wielk, President cc: Mark Stellato, AICP,
Commissioner |