The petition
Please urge the North Castle Town Board to suspend its efforts to sell and develop the property at 48 Chestnut Ridge Road in North Castle. This 2+ acre parcel, which consists primarily of woodland and forest, sits squarely within an important wildlife corridor. We are increasingly concerned over the pace of development and diminishing open space that has increasingly threatened the unique rural character of North Castle. This parcel is an important recreational and environmental asset of our community and should be preserved for the following reasons:
1. Westmoreland Sanctuary has identified this parcel to be a critical part of a valuable “Greenway” or wildlife corridor connecting the Dubos Property on Baldwin Road and Westmoreland Sanctuary, and has asked the Town Board to preserve the parcel and leave it in its natural state.
·Developing the property will endanger the numerous wildlife habitats that are contained in this corridor, including that of the bobcat, the mascot for Byram Hills. Please protect the fragile habitat of these creatures so that the Byram Hills Bobcat can be a living symbol of North Castle's dedication to protecting the environment!
2. The parcel is not currently a buildable lot because of inadequate frontage and width. The Town is going to extraordinary lengths to attempt to make it a buildable lot, including hiring an outside consultant. Due to the parcel’s inadequate frontage, it would require a house to be built 550 feet from the road, directly in the middle of the wildlife corridor.
3. The Town hopes to sell this parcel in an effort to add to its depleted fund balance. Any short-term gain would be a relatively small one, with an unjustifiable and permanent cost to the environment. Once developed, this important resource will be gone forever.
4. It is not good fiscal policy to sell open space in order to increase the Town’s fund balance. The Board should investigate other methods of raising money to increase its reserves. Compromising the Town’s principles in this instance sets a dangerous precedent.
The value of this parcel to our community is priceless. Please do not sell 48 Chestnut Ridge Road. Please commit to permanently preserving this important asset.
This petition will be hand delivered to the North Castle Town Board. If you agree with this letter please sign below. Thank you.
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