Another Extension for Commercial Property in an Edgemont Neighborhood
Dear Edgemont Neighbors:
We hope you had a great 4th!
As we finalize our third petition seeking a vote on whether the Edgemont community should incorporate as Greenburgh’s seventh village, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on how the movement started and to reiterate why we believe Edgemont residents should vote on their preferred form of local governance.
For some, the Town’s granting of an unprecedented variance for the a commercial assisted living facility in an Edgemont neighborhood was an incorporation catalyst (click here for some background). The Town made numerous procedural mistakes, gave inappropriate backroom promises to the developer (click here), and dismissed safety risks and costs to Edgemont’s fire district, all while ignoring appeals by Edgemont residents. Now, years later, the unfenced property bears a “Coming Soon—Senior Living” sign amidst dilapidated structures, overgrown weeds, and other hazardous conditions.
Like us, you’re probably wondering what’s going on.
At the Town Planning Board’s May 15th meeting, it granted the developer a (third) two-year extension of the site plan approval, and the developer’s attorney represented that they are only a few months away from submitting the building permit application. Notably, the published agenda for that meeting failed to notify the community that the developer would be appearing before the Planning Board, although the minutes indicate that the Planning Board’s chairperson specifically requested the presence of the developer at the meeting.
Thus, despite the best efforts (and expense) of Edgemont community organizations over many years, this project is moving forward. It sets a troubling precedent that the Town can arbitrarily ignore land use laws and construct commercial facilities in residential neighborhoods without repercussions.
Unfortunately, sloppy zoning and planning is a hallmark of the Town of Greenburgh. Other expensive and careless examples include the embarrassing Fortress Bible and Dromore settlements paid by the Town for violating federal discrimination laws, as well as the long-abandoned and underutilized properties that line Central Avenue. Over the years, Edgemont’s main thoroughfare has been home to illegal brothels posing as massage parlors, smoke shops illegally selling marijuana, and decrepit, dangerous vacant structures.
As our neighbors in Greenburgh’s existing villages well know, zoning and planning is a critical aspect of local governance that affects a community's quality of life. Therefore, such powers–only attainable through village incorporation– should rest with accountable residents who care deeply about their community.
Since the incorporation movement began in 2016, our mission remains twofold: 1) to provide Edgemont residents with the best information possible about incorporation, and 2) to bring the matter to an election.
If you wish to sign the petition before we file, please contact Sharyn Lewis at sharynlewis24@gmail.com.
– The EIC
PS: Click here for recent financial and operational analysis of Edgemont's incorporation by an independent consultant, Center for Governmental Research.
