Wyncrest Park District News

This in from Ken Constable:

It is time to have a Park District meeting to discuss future projects that we want to complete this year. We will also have a discussion on the new development that is going in on the old berry farm. There are some major concerns surfacing that will affect the District as a whole, in regards to this development. Lastly, I want to let everyone know that I am officially retiring as Park District Liaison, so if anyone is interested in taking on this position, please come to this meeting (or contact me directly) so we can discuss the transition of duties. If no one is willing to take the reigns (it does not have to be just one person) then our park district will be dissolved into the Knolls Park District which Jeanne Cornell fought so hard to get us out of.

Bring ideas or projects that you are interested in discussing.

The meeting will be April 18 at 6:30 pm and will be held at my house, #27. If anyone would like to e-mail your ideas before the meeting please feel free to at konstable@nycap.rr.com.

Thank you.

-Ken Constable

The following information about the new development comes to us from Jim Quinn:

The proposed development for the former Oronacah Farms has been revisited by the Clifton Park Planning Board.

Jeff Knox, the engineer from NY Development, stated that nothing had changed on the proposed design since the August 2005 public hearing. The major hurdles crossed since 2005 that allowed for the current presentation to the board were:

1. the Department of Environmental Conservation has approved a rebuild plan and issued a construction permit for the dam at the east end of the pond. Rebuild of the dam to code was a requirement of the Town in 2005 before they would approve the project, and
2. NYS Historic Preservation has signed off on the development. NY Development will need to do an archaeological dig of sorts on two (2) lots in the middle of the farm before they can build on those lots.

After a lengthy discussion between the Board and the engineer, the Board granted preliminary and final approval of the project and waived any need for a final hearing.

To date, no garbage has been removed from the farm, as promised, but the developer will take responsibility to do so. The developer still does not own the property so he cannot do work there yet.

The final conceptual design seems to be an 8-foot wide paved pathway from Redfield Park with 16-foot wide gravel sides. This allows emergency vehicles to use it without creating “a landing strip.” Methods of preventing (motorized) vehicle access along the path were discussed, with the preferred methods seeming to be breakaway bollards, but it was not clear to me whether the location of the bollard(s) would be adjacent to Redfield or along the fence line by the farm. I believe they were leaning toward the street side to prevent cars from driving down the path and parking by the fence. The Board seemed very concerned with vegetative screening of the pathway from the adjacent neighbors.

After significant discussion of various possibilities, the Board seemed content with the future existence of a “natural path” (i.e. dirt) around the pond for public access. From the discussion, I gather that it would be little different than today, as several in attendance noted the current existence of a dirt path around the pond. A parking area may be constructed by the Redfield Park pump house, and a gate into the pond area created at that point. Some on the Board were pushing for a formal gravel path on the north side of the pond, just on the other side of the fence from the Redfield property, because access to a southern path would be limited by the steep drop-off from Vischer Ferry.

The possibility of a pathway exiting the eastern border of the new development to connect them (and us) with Clifton Knolls was discussed. As in 2005, the developer plans to construct a gravel roadbed to the eastern border of their property where it will dead end adjacent to their storm water basin. Clifton Park is welcome to use this in the future to construct a pathway east; none is anticipated at this time.

Should our Park District continue to exist on its own and not merge with Clifton Knolls, the cost of dam maintenance may be charged directly to the Wyncrest Park District … residents of both Wyncrest & the new homes. Since residents outside of Wyncrest and the new development will also have access to the pond and property between us and the new development, we may want to look into what financial responsibility we have versus what the Town should have. For example, who pays for the maintenance of the park properties within Clifton Knolls?

NY Development will retain project ownership/management through construction (will not sell the project permit at this point). Knox also said that he did not have a good idea of a construction time frame, but guessed at eight (8) months. He said that they wished to do the dam work and development infrastructure (including roadways) concurrently and first. So my best guess at this point is: paving and dam construction this summer/fall. Houses up in the winter.

There was no opportunity at this meeting for public discussion or input. The opportunity for formal public comment on this project ended with the close of the public hearing in August 2005.

If you have any questions you want to ask NY Development, please let us know. We also plan on meeting with Town reps in the near future. Any ideas of relevant points of discussion would be welcome and appreciated.