After a July 24 meeting at Munger Cottage, the Town Board asked its planning consultants to review the Cornwall Commons request for a zoning change.
Originally, the residential portion of the development was zoned as a Planned Adult Community (PAC). People who lived there would have to be age 55 or above.
Last August, however, the developer asked for a change, so that only 22 percent of the development would be age-restricted. He said that the market for a PAC had shrunk, because seniors have postponed their retirements after seeing their homes and stock portfolios decrease in value.
Deputy Supervisor Mary Beth Greene Krafft suggested the zoning review, which passed by a 3-2 margin. Randy Clark and Al Mazzocca voted against it. Mr. Clark didn’t see what the study would accomplish. “I’m in favor of the project,” he said, “but not the 78-22 mix.”
In conducting the study, Garling and Associates will determine if the change requested by the developer is consistent with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, if it meets the housing needs of the community and if it is consistent with the character of the surrounding community.
In addition to the zoning review, the board plans to meet with representatives of the school district to determine three things:
(1) Is there reason to believe that a development in Cornwall will attract more public school children than the amount suggested by the Rutgers study that was used by the developer?
(2) If enrollment goes up, will state aid remain the same?
(3) Is the recent decline in the student population likely to continue?
If the Town Board wanted to change the zoning after getting this information, it wouldn’t be a quick procedure. Town Attorney Steve Gaba said the board would have to introduce a local law, review it, and then hold a public hearing on it.
The format of the July 24 meeting surprised at least a few people in the audience, who expected that the developer (Joe Amato) would be asked to respond to concerns raised by the public and the planning consultants. (He had started to do that at a Town Hall meeting that was cut short because of a lack of space and microphones.)
Before the July 24 meeting, Supervisor Kevin Quigley had said that he doubted there would be time for public input. But after an introductory statement from Mr. Amato, the board entertained questions and comments from the floor for almost two hours.
Eventually, Supervisor Quigley said that the time for audience participation was over, but he would accept questions in writing. The developer has provided written responses to several questions raised by the public. His answers can be found by visiting the Town’s website, www.cornwallny.gov, clicking on “Download forms” and scrolling down to “Supervisor’s office.”
While questions were still being accepted from the floor, Doug Land asked if the Town Board could share its reaction to what it has heard. That prompted Mr. Clark’s comment on the 78-22 mix, and Ms. Krafft’s motion to request a zoning review. “We have a lot more to do,” Mr. Quigley said. And he appeared to be right.