Letter to Editor - Impact of College Proposed Near Sterling Forest/Old Forge Road, Warwick

Old Forge Road adjacent to Sterling Forest -

Site that was a Research Facility has Proposal for a College

Honorable Ben Astorino, Chairman, and Planning Board Members

Town of Warwick Planning Board

Warwick Town Hall, 132 Kings Highway Warwick, NY 10990

 Re: Beth Medrash Meor Yitzchok College

Dear Chairman and Board Members,

I am writing to the Warwick Planning Board, and copying elected representatives in New York and New Jersey who have a responsibility to safeguard the nearly $80 million Federal, NY and NJ investments made since 1998 to secure 22,000 acres of land and establish Sterling Forest Park for the critical environmental purposes of watershed protection, protection of 27 rare and endangered wildlife species,  and further securing  the safety of a a strategically located north-south migratory route (H.R. 2741 , 103 Congress).  The strategic objective and rationale in establishing the Park was and still needs to be to preserve the land in the open space and undeveloped state that it was in and today so remains, and thereby ensure that the many streams and  headwaters from this watershed that serves more than 2 million New Jersey residents (via Monksville and Wanaque Reservoir systems), and tens of thousands in Orange and Rockland Counties, remains a reliable and sustainable safe drinking water supply.

 And equal in importance, that the Park’s environs and existing low impact community (less than 40 single family homes/cottages), narrow Park entrance roadway (Old Forge Road), not be compromised and create land and area use that would change the entire character of the Park and existing Community. The proposed development of a full time residential Campus for Beth Medrash Meor Yitzchok College at the site of 61 Old Forge Road (formerly NYU Environmental Medicine Research Center that was a 5 day daytime use only, typically less than 30 staff facility), will increase the areas full time in residence population by 500% , increase limited potable water demand by more than 60,000 gallons per day and produce wastewater and considerable solid waste that will impact and flow into streams that feed the Ramapo River water supply system. Further, emergency services (Police and Ambulance services, already distant from this community 30-45 minutes away in good weather), would be further taxed and endanger the health and well- being of the existing community.

This entire College construction development project needs extremely careful and critical review. It is absolutely critical that the NYS SEQR process be followed and a full Environmental Impact Review study be performed. $80 million of taxpayer funds expended on achieving what today exists in reality…..a safe land buffer zone achieving critical environmental protection, and stabilization of this Park’s area and community in the state that it was deemed to preserve when the Park was created, should not be carelessly degraded by an unwarranted approval of a project not needed, or wanted by the existing community and the broader Conservation and Environmental advocate communities that helped establish this important safe zone.

Let me add also some other areas that should be meticulously reviewed that go beyond just environmental and community concerns:

*The property for development into a college in question currently consists of three interconnected two and three level buildings totaling 87,000 sqft with 220 rooms on 7.01 acres (https://www.realty.com/commercial-listings/325617453/57-61-Old-Forge-Road-Tuxedo-Park-NY-10987) .  How is such a small footprint expected to safely house, provide food services, have instruction rooms and other minimal common living areas for an expected or greater number of 300 students/faculty/support staff? As per SUNY standards:  (https://www.suny.edu/sunypp/documents.cfm?doc_id=347), C.1.d.    campuses shall provide at least 70 square feet of net floor space for singly occupied rooms and at least 50 square feet of net floor space per person for multiply occupied rooms as required by §404.4.1 of the Fire Code and Property Maintenance Code of New York.  THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT OF THIS PROPERTY FALLS DRAMATICALLY SHORT IN MEETING ANY OF THE NEEDS IT SEEMS INTENDED FOR AND POSES REAL SAFETY AND HEALTH RISKS TO ENROLLED STUDENTS.

In conclusion the Warwick Planning Board, and all interested parties need to pay very close attention to this very questionable project that portends serious degradation issues to a very sensitive environmental area, poses a direct negative change to the surrounding low impact community environment, and also is unrealistic and dangerous for space/instructional and safety reasons for any full time student population housed at this site.

Sincerely,

Denise & Steven Ostrega

13 Harriman Court

Tuxedo, NY 10987

Concerns about threats to Sterling Forest State Park

We know that you are a person who utilizes and appreciates Sterling Forest State Park. The Sterling Forest Partnership has been a watchdog for the sanctity of the park since its inception. We have been active to prevent several development attempts that would have negative impacts. There is now a development being considered for a parcel of land in the center of the park, a short distance away from the visitor center. We would like your assistance in trying to counter these impacts.

An organization called Old Forge Road LLC is currently before the Town of Warwick Planning Board with a proposal to utilize that former NY University Research Laboratory just down the road from the visitor center to build a residential college for 200 young men. The Warwick Planning Board is currently reviewing this project. The Warwick Planning Board is currently reviewing this project, and may be teetering on the brink of approving it. We think there should be much more input from the community and residents."

We are concerned that their review so far is not recognizing this project as a significant change in use or that 200 residential college students could have a substantial impact on a park whose staff leave at dusk.

We are asking interested people to take one or two actions. The first is to send an email to the Planning Board (planning@townofwarwick.org), expressing your concern for Sterling Forest and asking for a full environmental review of the project that includes community scrutiny. The second would be to prepare a few words to say at the Warwick Planning Board meeting of April 16, potentially a public hearing. (Members of the Sterling Forest Partnership can assist you with this process, if needed.) In any case, please attend that meeting at Warwick Town Hall, 132 Kings Hwy in Warwick, Wednesday, April 16, at 7:00 PM. See you there!