Smith farm development to get a hearing

Changes to Gilbert Street neighborhood needed to accommodate growth, By Claudia Wysocki MONROE — The neighborhood of Gilbert Street and Route 17M is getting crowded as developers ramp up their plans. An 181-unit housing development proposed for the Smith farm on Gilbert Street languished before the village planning board for years, with numerous requests for extensions along the way. But the project is now ready to roll, and a public hearing will be held next month. At the same time, Crystal Run Health Care is jumping into the fray. These planned projects join the newly established YMCA, which opened in February. The 80-acre Smith farm property overlooks the ShopRite Plaza. Twenty acres are in the village, and the remaining 60 in the town. The town and village planning boards met recently to bring the project up to speed. The developers, Borden Maio Group, tried to get the village to annex the town parcel, arguing that the village would be providing the new houses with most of their services. They were denied, twice. The village was eventually declared lead agency. The project received preliminary approval in 2006, which allowed the applicant to seek approval from outside agencies, including the state departments of environmental conservation and transportation, the county departments of health and environmental facility, and the village and town of Monroe. Sewer and water service remain outstanding problems. The applicant will have to install a bypass above the existing sewer system because the Mill Pond Parkway interceptor is at full capacity. To alleviate the drainage problem at the intersection, project engineer Dave Lombardi said three areas were set aside to retain stormwater that will be discharged into storm sewers and into Orange & Rockland Lake. A new culvert may be installed under Route 17M to handle the extra flow. The public hearing will be held at 8 p.m. on Monday, June 13, at village hall on Stage Road. A pedestrian makeover The proposed Crystal Run medical facility, just up the road on Route 17M past Chase Bank, will be 127,000 square feet and four stories high. It is expected to create hundreds of new jobs. Already in the mix is the new, 23,000-square-foot YMCA. This project exceeded enrollment expectations, with 3,000 children and adults signing up. Access and egress to the recreational complex is an ongoing topic. On the table are two options: open Orange & Rockland Road, which runs along property the town purchased for a new municipal complex; or allow traffic to cross the Heritage Trail to Route 17M. Taking into consideration the additional traffic in that area, Gilbert Street will be getting a pedestrian and vehicular makeover. Sidewalks will be built on the north side of the street, which will be widened to allow for right and left turns at the Route 17M intersection. A traffic light will be installed at the corner of Gilbert and Route 17M.