Letter to the Editor Regarding Proposed Garden Road Subdivision

(The following letter was written by Steve Kessner concerning proposed development on Garden Road)

I appreciate your article on the 80 Garden Road subdivision. Many of your statements are correct, but there are some glaring misstatements. The 7 acre property is not swampland and never was. There is a 1/10 of an acre wetland in the northeast part of the property, which is the drainage area. We have cut back on the extent of the project from 8 homes to 5 homes. The landfill (as in any new construction) has been seriously reduced and is not adding four feet to the entire property.

Everyone is aware of the current drainage issues in the Garden Road/Cushman Road area. What some don't understand is that the current subdivision proposal before the Planning Board for Garden Road actually results in an improvement and enhancement to the drainage of this area. This result is not speculation or opinion. It is based on comprehensive and detailed analyses by the project professionals. In fact, the project design not only conforms to the Village Code requirements, in many respects it exceeds the requirements. And, the Village hired an independent consultant to meticulously review the project reports, data collection and analyses, to confirm these results. The Garden Road subdivision results in three new residential lots, which is similar in size to other developments in the Village. Each proposed lot is significantly over-sized and sensitive features on the property will be protected. All of these data supported facts will be revealed as the application moves through the approval process, which the appropriate forum for comments and concerns to be expressed and addressed.

Thank you,

Steve Kessner