Lyons Realty Withdraws Soil Mining Application Opponents ‘Overjoyed’ Were Among the Mine’S Adversaries
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The Calendar: Depot Docs: Thunder Soul — You’ll want to dance | Page 7 FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012 69 MAIN ST., COLD SPRING, N.Y. | www.philipstown.info Lyons Realty Withdraws Soil Mining Application Opponents ‘overjoyed’ were among the mine’s adversaries. Various critics predicted a host of un- welcome byproducts, including water, By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong air and noise pollution as well as heavy traffic and destruction of the area’s tran- ine days after opposition to pro- quility; raised the spectre of “spot zon- posed soil mining in Philipstown ing,” and threatened legal action if the Nproduced riveting testimony ZBA approved the application. Covered within and outside Town Hall, the appli- by a soil mining overlay district in the cants behind the controversy withdrew updated zoning code adopted in May their request for permission, derailing 2011, the Lyons tract is currently the only the mining venture. site of potential mining in Philipstown. Philipstown Supervisor Richard Shea The zoning code states that “mining ac- Garrison School Class of 2012 Photo by Maggie Benmour announced the pullback by Nathan and tivities require a special permit and are Ernest Lyons, of Lyons Realty LLC, at a allowed solely in the Soil Mining Overlay news conference Wednesday morning District.” Graduation Walk at Garrison School (June 20) in the same room that had seen Shea said “I’m sure” that proposals will 27 students graduate Grade Commencement. If a prophecy had a crowd denounce the mining idea at a come before the Town Board to change been written about the Garrison School’s Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing the zoning code and outlaw mining en- Class of 2012 when many of the class on June 11. tirely in Philipstown. He declined to pre- By Mary Ann Ebner members entered the Garrison Union “Out of their concern for the town, dict the outcome. “That’d be a board de- Free School in kindergarten 9 years ago, concern for a lot of things, they’ve come cision. I would not speak for the board.” eady to meet life’s challenges and the prediction may have noted that the to the decision that they’re going to with- Nathan Lyons joined Shea at the news opportunities ahead, 27 gradu- classmates would succeed in their aca- draw their application for the mine,” Shea conference but let the supervisor do most ates took their final walk as mid- R demic endeavors, give back to their com- told the press and audience of about a of the talking. Lyons did say that the dle school students Wednesday evening munity, and (Continued on page 6) dozen. “There are no plans for that prop- family had incurred “quite a bit” of ex- (June 20) at the Garrison School’s 8th erty right now. That’s it for now.” pense in the approval process, though he Nathan and Ernest Lyons told Shea of disclosed no amount. He said that public their decision in a June 19 letter that suc- comments had contributed “a little bit” Butterfield Recommendations cinctly stated that “as equal partners of to the decision to scrap the project. Over- all, he added, he didn’t Reported by Planning Board expect the level of reac- Urges elected trustees not to a little further on, the report said: “The tion — some of which village code, the comprehensive plan and grew quite vitriolic. In be threatened by false claims public input are all valuable vehicles for trying to proceed with their plans, “we did ev- by Kevin E. Foley modulating property rights to benefit the community.” The report concludes erything according to what the state wanted hen the Cold Spring Village with, “Let’s keep Cold Spring special.” and the town wanted,” Board finally has a new But- The report makes clear that whatever he said. terfield proposal before it a confusion exists over roles and positions W Shea mentioned the number of thorny issues will confront taken so far, the Planning Board is not controversy in his open- the elected officials as they assume the sorry, rather it is proud its deliberations ing remarks and defined leadership role in determining the devel- slowed down the developer’s plan so the the hearing process as opment parameters of the site. issues involved can be more fully aired an opportunity for ap- A strong taste of those contentious and addressed. The board also strongly plicants to disseminate items emerged from the Village Board’s rejects the perception they might have plans publicly and for solicitation of the appointed Planning been expressing views on whim or in an residents to comment on Board’s views on the likely issues that ul- unorganized manner. Instead the report them. “That public hear- timately confront the entire village com- argues that board members used the vil- ing process is supposed munity as well as the residents of the rest lage’s comprehensive plan, the publicly to strike a balance,” he of the town. held planning charette and their own said. “What it’s not is a At a workshop meeting last Tuesday experience in examining developer site Richard Shea, left, and Nathan Lyons at the news time to level personal at- (June 19) the Planning Board finalized plans as the basis for positions taken. conference Photo by L.S. Armstrong tacks. And unfortunate- its report to the Village Board wherein At the heart of the Planning Board’s ly during this process it laid out what it believes are the signifi- concerns are questions regarding the we saw some of that. We cant challenges facing the community in long-term tax consequences of any hous- Lyons Realty we wish to withdraw our also saw some really thoughtful com- allowing development of the site as well ing proposals versus additional com- application to soil mine.” ments. That’s what it’s for. I would like as what it believes are the guidelines the mercial development; the preservation Lyons Realty had sought a special use to think that the decision the Lyons fam- Village Board should use to reach a nego- of open space on the site; the need for permit to open a soil mine along Route ily came to is based on those thoughtful tiated development plan. design harmony with the rest of the vil- 9, between Mill Road and East Moun- comments.” The Planning Board also put a stake lage; the traffic impact on the village tain Road North, in Philipstown’s up- He encouraged the public to consid- in the ground regarding the context for from the development; and the adequacy per fringe. There, the company owns er the implications of the withdrawal, any future consideration of Butterfield of the village infrastructure to meet new 137 acres and had intended to “disturb” touching upon the Lyons’ property rights, development plans. It candidly warned demands from the development. about 33 of them for the mine and ac- right to make a living in the town, and the Village Board “not to be threatened Taxes and Housing companying road. Now wooded, the site consideration for their neighbors. “Peo- by false claims of property rights viola- is zoned industrial in part and residen- ple need to think about the huge conces- tions for not having permitted Mr. Guil- The developer Paul Guillaro withdrew sion that’s been laro to build what he wants.” And then his application (Continued on page 4) tial in part — and nearby homeowners (Continued on page 3) Delicious and Nutritious—The BEST Frozen yogurt, coffee and food in Cold Spring! 116 Main St. www.frozenberry.net 845-809-5323 2 June 22, 2012 The Paper www.philipstown.info | Philipstown.info Meridian String Quartet to Hold July 1 Concert By Christine Simek be offered from composers ranging from Joseph Haydn to Ruth Crawford Seeger n Sunday, July 1 the Meridian (Pete Seeger’s stepmother), who was part String Quartet will present an of a string quartet in the 1930s whose Oafternoon of music at the Philip- aim was “finding an American voice and stown.info space. The group has earned a way to express modern classical music. international acclaim as winner of the It’s a slow movement with all kinds of af- Artists International Competition, as fect ... of sounds being layered over one semifinalists at the Evian International another ... that swells and dies away,” Ev- Competition and as regular performers ans says. at Carnegie Hall. This concert will mark She’s chosen Haydn’s Op. 20, No. 4, a their 20th anniversary. well-known selection, that showcases the Rachel Evans, the quartet’s violist who composer’s sense of humor and playful- lives Garrison, is thrilled to have the op- ness, as well as Dimitri Shostakovich’s portunity to present her music in the String Quartet No. 8, which he dedicated Hudson Valley, the place that she has to the victims of war and fascism and “is called home for over 15 years. Like many reflective of 1960s Russia and the oppres- local performers, Evans has found con- sion and the struggle for man to be an Members of the Meridian Quartet: from left, Rachel Evans, Sebu Sirinian, Lisa nection and kinship within the network individual and express [himself].” The Tipton, Deborah Assael-Migliore Photo courtesy of R. Evans of musicians and other artists who ame- group will conclude with a string quartet liorate the already bucolic hills and val- composed by local musician Art Labrio- with an array of ensembles, she can be “Made in America” series at Carnegie leys of our towns. “I’m happy to be doing la, a piece that Evans says is “full of joy” heard on more than 20 recordings, from Hall and recorded the Ives Sonatas this concert in a place like Cold Spring and will come around at the end of the new music with New York’s Continuum Hammers and Strings on Capstone Re- that has been so welcoming to me as an program to balance out the heaviness Ensemble to medieval music with Se- cords with pianist Adrienne Kim.