Sterling Place Settlement Revisited: The Benefits | May 2, 2008
Development in and around Tuxedo Park has always been contentious. We fight to preserve our tranquil surroundings. Unfortunately, legal approvals from the Town of Tuxedo are obtained eventually and we need to make the best of an unpleasant reality. It seems surprising that some people are extremely focused on the development of 63 homes on our northern border while at the same time a 1200 home development right on our eastern and southern border gets little notice from the same group. The demographics are the same and the impact on our schools and taxes will be dramatic; the only difference is that it 20 times larger.
The Sterling Place Settlement ends an expensive lawsuit and appeal in the New York Supreme Court and a lawsuit in the U. S. District Court. The Village will provide water service to Sterling Place at rates up to 16% in excess of the rates charged to Village residents. Sterling Forest will construct the water system, bear the entire cost and then dedicate it to the Village. In addition and perhaps most important is that lots 29,30 and 31 which border Tuxedo Park will be left “forever wild” and deeded to the Village. Sterling Forest will make an additional contribution of $25,000 for landscaping, fencing and screening to protect viewshed and protect unauthorized access to the Village and a contribution of $350,000 for improving the WeeWah Dam. The Mayor and Trustees, and especially Larry Darby, should be congratulated for their efforts.
Even if the unlikely outcome had occurred and the Village won an appeal in New York Supreme Court and won in U.S. District Court, Sterling Forest could go up Warwick Brook Road for their water at a cost that would not stop their development. You can only imagine how agreeable they would be about protecting our viewshed and protecting the Village border if that had occurred. We are better protected and compensated with the settlement.
See Legally Blunt/April 24, 2008
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