POUGHKEEPSIE – Concerned
Citizens for Hudson Valley won a temporary restraining order in the Appellate
Division, Second Department of State Supreme Court preventing the Town
of Goshen from selling any town-owned land to Merlin Entertainments for
construction of Legoland.
The grassroots organization contends the public lands should not be sold before a referendum of town voters. The group submitted many more valid signatures to qualify for a binding referendum, but a Dutchess County State Supreme Court justice ruled the petitions invalid.
The judge in Poughkeepsie found that the petitions did not specifically
state the reasons for opposition to the conveyance of the eight parcels.
The Concerned Citizens group maintains those reasons don’t have
to be contained in the petition and theirs conforms with the requirements
of state law.
“Stopping the sale of these properties before resolution of this issue is critical,” said the lawyer for the group, Michael Sussman. “We look forward to litigating our appeal on the merits and insuring that voters in the Town of Goshen can express their view on the sale of these parcels.”
The town has approved the children’s theme park. Company officials hope to start construction soon and have it open by spring 2020.
