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Lawsuits: Ramapo bypassed county review, approved high-density housing without zone change

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Micheal Miller, Gordon Wren and Deborah Munitz of CUPON Hillcrest Photo: Peter Carr/The Journal News

Double-barreled legal actions seeking to void a high-density development accuse the town of bypassing a legally mandated county planning review and allowing the Union Road project to move toward final approval without an approved zone change.

The legal actions are asking a state judge to void or block plans for 10 townhouses with 15 to 20 units on 1.05 acres down a narrow driveway behind a four-story building and a single-family house. [Read more…]

Yehuda Weissmandl added to Ramapo Town Board; Pascack Ridge Public Hearings postponed to Aug 15

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Yehuda Weissmandl sworn in to Ramapo Town Board

At the Ramapo Town Board meeting Monday night, the President of the East Ramapo Central School Board, Yehuda Weissmandl, was unanimously voted to fill the vacancy on the Town Board left by Yitzchok Ullman who left to become the Town Receiver of Taxes. Weismandl and his school board, was severely criticized in a State report that found broken and ignored state laws, divisiveness, bias and fiscal irresponsibility.
The Board also decided to postpone the public hearing on the Pascack Ridge Draft Environmental Impact Statement and amendment to the zoning law from this Thursday, July 12, to August 15 at 7:00 pm.

 

Chestnut Ridge homeowners can say ‘no’ to real estate solicitations via state list

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“CHESTNUT RIDGE – As residents and officials debate zoning ground rules for houses of worship, they can say “No” to real estate sales people soliciting homes to sell.

Under a state law that took effect Sunday for Chestnut Ridge alone, residents can put their names and addresses to the state cease and desist list.

Those who sign up are telling real estate brokers that under penalty of fines and loss of license, they can’t send mail, call, knock on doors, email, text or in anyway communicate an interest to sell the person’s home. [Read more…]

Monsey real estate consultant pleads guilty to voter fraud scheme

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“A co-conspirator of a Monsey developer has admitted his role in a voter fraud scheme in a 2014 Sullivan County village election.

Volvy Smilowitz, also known as Zev Smilowitz, 29, of Monroe, pleaded guilty June 18 in White Plains federal court to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the Bloomingburg village electoral process by falsely registering numerous voters who don’t live in the community. [Read more…]

Ramapo ranked 2nd in NY State population growth

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“When it comes to recent population growth in New York State, Ramapo ranked second and Yonkers fifth among all municipalities, according to lohud.NYDatabases.com.

In total, New York State’s population has grown by more than 23,000 from 2010 to 2017. With a few municipalities, including Rochester and Binghamton showing a decrease, others posted significant gains, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates.

Ramapo’s 2017 population estimate was 137,510, up by 11,238 residents, or a 9 percent increase compared to the 2010 estimate of 126,272. [Read more…]

East Ramapo proves the failure of using property taxes to fund schools: Ex-trustee

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Spring Valley HS graduates

Spring Valley Grads     Photo: John Meore/ The Journal News

Letter published in the Sunday Journal News
Re “Dire times for East Ramapo as budget fails,” June 21 Perspective:

The state and its monitors will continue their dedicated efforts to ensure quality programs in East Ramapo. But the article ends with the statement: “District taxpayers have to show the state that they share such a commitment.” [Read more…]

Finding a Way

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Overdevelopment in Ramapo
From Rockland County Executive Ed Day

“Believe it or not, Rockland County is finding ways to curb overdevelopment. One of the tools we are using is General Municipal Law (GML) and while GML doesn’t sound that exciting, it is important.

Under the State mandated General Municipal Law (GML) application process the Land Use Division of the County Planning Department is allowed to review site plans, subdivisions, variances, zone changes, zoning code amendments, special permits and other land use, zoning or environmental actions. [Read more…]

East Ramapo Election Results

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From The Journal News:
“East Ramapo was one of 16 budgets across the state that were defeated, according to the New York State School Boards Association. Within the Lower Hudson Valley, the only other proposals that failed were in New Rochelle and Brewster.

About six percent of registered voters came out in Clarkstown and North Rockland. South Orangetown saw about nine percent of its registered voters and Suffern Central had a turnout rate of about 14 percent. In East Ramapo, the participation rate was 16 percent. All numbers were lower than 2017.

Statewide, fewer people voted Tuesday, a trend the state school board association has been tracking over the last few years. Since 2012, when New York implemented a tax-levy cap on school budgets, fewer people are hitting the polls each spring.”

The following table from The Power of Ten demonstrates how the bloc vote once again defeated the budget. The data linked to polling sites show how Proposition #1 (the budget) fared:

Power of Ten Election Results by Polling Place