Orange County says Kiryas Joel annexation EIS is “seriously flawed”

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GOSHEN – Orange County filed a 16-page response to the proposed annexations of 507 acres and 165-acres within that larger area, from the Town of Monroe into the Village of Kiryas Joel.
The study of the proposed annexations was launched by County Executive Steven Neuhaus with funding approved by the county legislature.
Kiryas Joel was earlier declared lead agency in the state-required environmental study of the proposed annexation.
The county study provided over 70 comments relative to the KJ draft generic environmental impact statement. They include:

Population growth is only projected 10 years out when it is obvious that such growth will continue for far longer than that.
The potential need to grow the Harriman Wastewater Treatment plant along with accompanying costs, which would be spread out to users across that district, is an important factor.
The proposed annexation uses out-of-date mass transit analysis, which may paint a more favorable pictures of the use of mass transit versus cars.
The DGEIS fails to properly contemplate ground disturbance on the land to be annexed and its impact on nearly communities.
The impact on emergency services is unclear.
Regional impacts during mass gathering times in Kiryas Joel should be considered.
Adequate water supply.

“Contemplating only a 10-year growth plan for a community known
for high density is wrong at every level,” said County Planning
Commissioner David Church. “From that one error, every other problem
with this DGEIS flows. Given that Kiryas Joel is one of the fastest growing
communities in the U.S., the DGEIS should be revised to reflect growth
over the next 25 years. Only then can we truly analyze traffic, sewer,
water, and social services costs.”
 




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