TOWN OF GOSHEN – The final environmental impact statement for the proposed Legoland New York theme park was filed with the Goshen Town Planning Board Thursday night.
The report will now be placed under the microscope by the municipal officials,
said local company representative Phil Royle.
“The process now is the town planning board will take their time with their consultants and their engineers to make sure it is acceptable and only at that point when it is deemed as acceptable will they look to find it complete, but they may come back with questions or wanting to know additional information that perhaps hasn’t been included or is not as easy to find as they might like,” Royle said.
The more than 700-page document looked at everything from the “economic boon” through a 20-year PILOT, an outline of the expanded host benefits for Goshen, jobs created, buying and sourcing local, and the investing millions in the area.
The FEIS talks of reconfiguring exit 125 on Route 17 that “reduces traffic on local roads,” and exit 131 improvements to further ease conditions. The document speaks of sensitivity to surround neighbors by reducing the amount and height of retaining walls, buffered areas to provide natural distance and keep the park secluded from view, and remain sensitive to noise and light. It also said Legoland will have a 24-hour security team at the park.
Looking at ecological and environmental sensitivity, the FEIS said it understands groundwater and wastewater issues and a new conservation easement creates permanent wooded areas while preserving trees and planting thousands of new ones.
The document also looks at water benefits, charitable giving, educational benefits, says there will be no negative impact expected on property values.
