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CUPON Chestnut Ridge: Meeting Tuesday Jan 14

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There is a CUPON Chestnut Ridge meeting Tuesday night, Jan 14, at 7pm at the William Faist Ambulance Corps. There are six items on the agenda:

  1. Updates on the two lawsuits.
  2. Brief update on the Bluefield Extension lawsuit and the court’s decision .
  3. Cease and desist program and the results from the NYS Dept. of State.
  4. Update on the Consumer Affairs work in the Village and the issue of the Village’s failure to act on even the simple issues. How to motivate the Village?
  5. Discussion about the Comprehensive Plan for the Village.
  6. Upcoming elections.

Appeals panel: Pomona discriminated against Tartikov as rabbinical college plans move ahead

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“A federal appeals court Friday upheld a judge’s ruling that village officials adopted discriminatory zoning to block an Orthodox Jewish congregation from building a dormitory college for rabbinical students and their families.

As a result, Congregation Rabbinical College of Tartikov Inc. plans to file site plans and seek variances now that it has clear sailing for a college amid 130 acres straddling Routes 202 and 306, the congregation’s attorney, Joseph Churgin of Nanuet, said Friday. [Read more…]

Chestnut Ridge Wants Planning Board Approvals for Home Burials in Village Neighborhoods

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That headline is not a misprint. At this Thursday’s Village Board meeting (July 18, 8pm–Village Hall) the Mayor and Board will consider allowing residents to bury human remains on their property with little more than an application to the Planning Board, such as you might submit for putting up a shed on your property.

The following letter was sent out by CUPON explaining the proposed change to the municipal law and also recent controversies created by local school buses. [Read more…]

Support Kunow and Valenti next Tuesday for Suffern School Board

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Jeanette Kunow and Cheryl Valenti are candidates for the Suffern School Board in the upcoming Election, Tuesday, May 21.

The reasons for our endorsements follow here:

This year there are two open seats on the Suffern School Board and four candidates running for those seats. The candidates are Jeanette Kunow, Cheryl Valenti, Matt Kern, and Dr. Chris Nicpon. All four candidates willingly agreed to an interview and described their qualifications, positions on the issues, and motivations for running in an honest and open manner,  without reservation. We believe that all four candidates are valued members of the community with good intentions who will make excellent school board members if elected.

It was a tough decision but after much discussion we ultimately decided to endorse Jeanette Kunow and Cheryl Valenti. [Read more…]

Topsy-turvy Start for new Government in Airmont

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The Rockland County Times
by Joel Grossbarth

“The newly elected mayor and trustees in Airmont had a tough first day in office following their close March 19 victory over the write-in campaign led by former mayor Phil Gigante.

The newly elected Mayor Nathan Bubel took the oath of office at noon and then presided over his first Board of Trustees meeting hours later. However, few could have foreseen what was coming. [Read more…]

Chestnut Ridge adopts hotly debated zoning law for houses of worship

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Chestnut Ridge Board Photo: Carucha Meuse/The Journal News

“During a contentious and emotional meeting, the Board of Trustees adopted a three-tier zoning law that allows houses of worships in residential neighborhoods.

The law adopted Thursday night before dozens of people will be challenged in court by CUPON-Chestnut Ridge, an attorney for the grassroots group said Friday.

Steve Mogel said the board ignored basic environmental impacts on residents by essentially allowing unlimited houses of worship and crafting the law to cater to the Orthodox Jewish Coalition, which suggested the zone and has since filed a civil rights lawsuit accusing the village of violating religious rights.

“I think the way they crafted the resolution defined their bias,” Mogel said. “What they did … throughout the whole process is they made it clear that they would pick and choose among the statements made to support their pre-conceived determination to pass the resolution regardless of how bad it might be for the overall community.” [Read more…]

Airmont: Judge tosses Hasidic congregation’s legal action against village

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Congregation’s legal action against Airmont is dismissed by state judge

“An acting state judge rejected an Orthodox Jewish congregation’s legal action claiming Airmont violated its own zoning laws involving a synagogue hit with violations during a village wide building moratorium.

Mayor Philip Gigante applauded the village’s vindication in state Supreme Court, as he also has denied allegations made in two separate federal lawsuits claiming the village discriminates against Orthodox and Hasidic Jews.

The congregation’s legal action – called an Article 78 – has nothing to do with the two civil rights lawsuits. [Read more…]

Lawsuit accuses Chestnut Ridge of discrimination vs. Orthodox and Hasidic Jews

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“Even as local officials consider a hotly contested zoning law that would permit houses of worship in houses in residential neighborhoods, a coalition of ultra-Orthodox Jews filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Ramapo village.

The legal action – filed hours before Tuesday’s fourth public hearing on the proposed law – states the village’s five-acre minimum for a house of worship was “onerous” for religious freedom. [Read more…]

CUPON: Special Chestnut Ridge Board Meeting, Tues. Jan 15

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Special Village Board Meeting, Tuesday January 15 at 7:30 PM at the Chestnut Ridge Middle School, 892 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Spring Valley. This meeting is another continuation of the special hearing on proposed large scale zoning changes.

We want to thank everyone who attended the previous meetings, we had 1000 people at the first and over 600 at the second meeting

We need to attend this meeting because the board is getting close to making a final decision! [Read more…]