Cochecton development draws critics

By TOM KANE

COCHECTON, NY - A Rockland County developer wants to build a 42-lot development on 108 acres on a narrow and partially unpaved road in the Town of Cochecton. He introduced it as an environmentally positive “conservation subdivision” to be built on New Turnpike Road which ensures that 50 percent of the property will be forever open and undeveloped.

The only problem is that most of his neighbors are against it. About 30 of them jammed into the planning board meeting on August 31, but couldn’t sound their protests because it was not a public hearing.

“When can we speak against this bad idea?” a resident yelled.

“Maybe at the next meeting of the planning board,” said planning board chairwoman Sharron Cardone.

“We’ll be here,” was the answer.

The developer, Paul Savad, an attorney and land developer who was not present, was represented by Monticello attorney Martin Miller. Savad, who does not yet own the property, asked the town board last month to take over the maintenance of roads once the project was completed. The town board refused.

“We are not against development,” said resident Reid Badger. “We want to see it done in a way that will not destroy the environment. Fifteen percent of the property is buildable. The rest is forest and stones.” Badger, whose property is surrounded on three sides by the development, said the development would draw too many cars to the narrow road.

“That’s a lot of homes on land whose drainage is poor for so many septic systems,” said neighbor Woody Schlegel. “When they dug test wells on the property, we had dirty water. It would have a bad effect on the water table. The ground won’t take 42 septic systems.”

Miller attempted to have the board accept a sketch plan, a preliminary layout, for the development but the board refused the request as being too early. “We want you to come next month for a scoping session,” Cardone said.

A scoping session “addresses environmental issues that the project may raise such as traffic or storm water control and other environmental matters,” Miller said. “We’ll be ready.”

The meeting will be held on September 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the town hall on County Road 116 in Cochecton.