NEW CITY -- Former Airmont Deputy Mayor Brian Downey has been sentenced to a year in the county jail for illegal possession of weapons Downey's sentence will run concurrently with his separate federal prison term of eight months for illegal possession of an unregistered firearm Downey's sentencing in Rockland County Court on Wednesday for six illegal gun possession counts had been delayed since 2023 as he recovered from broken bones and other serious injuries from a motorcycle crash after federal and local authorities arrested him during a raid on his Airmont home He came under investigation based on information that he had received a mailed package containing a firearm silencer The United States Customs and Border Protection intercepted the package disguised as a motorcycle noise reduction exhaust pipe Investigators found arsenal of weaponsDuring the raid investigators removed what they called an arsenal of weapons from a basement room They also found numerous false federal law and state enforcement credentials His plea forced his resignation from the Airmont Board of Trustees Downey had worked as a court officer for several justice courts and had worked for the Ramapo highway department and later the building department Downey pleaded guilty in Rockland County Court on Feb to six felony counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon He faced a maximum of two years in the county jail Downey's sentence became a year in the county jail with the potential for early release for good behavior Judge Anne Bianchi sentenced Downey on Wednesday following the prosecution by First Assistant District Attorney Doreen Lloyd Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com Twitter: @lohudlegal Read more articles and bio Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers Rockland County Business Journal situated on the banks of the Saddle River in Airmont a full adventure course with a rock wall and zip lines But if a Monsey-based developer is successful the former day camp at 434-444 Saddle River Road will soon become the site of 105 semi-detached senior housing units met with the Airmont Planning Board to review scoping for a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) part of the lengthy land use process that will facilitate the transition from day camp to senior living Scoping is essentially the process of identifying what aspects of the development may have potentially significant adverse impacts on the environment It is also the step prior to public input on the DEIS applicants usually seek what is known as a “negative declaration” – an acknowledgement from the Planning Board that the project will not have an adverse impact on the environment that adequate mitigation of those impacts are addressed by the developer the developer voluntarily acknowledged that there may be significant adverse environmental impacts and agreed to a “positive declaration” – a precursor to a more complete and thorough environmental review LLC purchased the former day camp site for $8 million A fire last month at the day camp caused some damage to the existing structures The site sits adjacent to the Town of Ramapo Saddle River pool and is being considered for redevelopment into a park The 18-acre day camp site sits partly in Airmont’s  R-35 and RR-50 zoning districts in response to a shortage of housing for seniors amended its Village code and created the RSH (Specialized Housing Residential) district The district is essentially a floating zone that allows senior housing by Special Permit from the Village Board of Trustees Based on the criteria established in the Airmont code – frontage on Saddle River Road and proximity to an NS (Neighborhood Shopping) zone — the Blue Rill site is eligible for a special permit  Several variances will also be required for the project There is also some confusion about whether the units are considered multi-family or detached townhomes The preliminary plans call for duplex units with each 2,000 square-foot unit having its own driveway and garage the interior roads of the development will be private and ingress and egress will be on Saddle River Road with walking trails for passive recreation Eighteen potential items were on the developer’s scoping document including traffic concerns and stormwater management and revealed to the Planning Board those items that could be either quickly discounted as having no impact or those requiring further study The next step is for the developer to prepare and submit a DEIS to the Airmont Planning Board addressing the potential environmental issues and their significance and plans for mitigation where appropriate The Rockland County Department of Planning as part of the GML (General Municipal Law) review had significant issues and disapproved the plan saying the application “demonstrates a significant overdevelopment of the parcel increasing both density and the amount of development coverage on an environmentally constrained site.” The review went on to say the “proposal has the potential to have significant adverse impacts to on-site wetlands as well as exacerbate flooding” and that the plan “lacks the open space necessary to create recreational amenities for a senior community.” while the County recognized the need for additional housing was tantamount to overdevelopment of the site and said the proposal must be scaled back to better comply with the RSH zone and its bulk requirements The day camps and bungalow colonies that once dotted rural Rockland County are ripe targets for redevelopment Often situated on large lots in rural locations these sites are being acquired for future development The 9-acre Camp Merockdim/Champion on West Clarkstown Road was acquired in 2022 for $3.35 million by a developer who has proposed 121 units of senior housing is under review by Clarkstown’s land use boards Plans to build 228 units of market rate housing at the former Oak Tree Lane bungalow colony in Haverstraw received approvals from the Town of Haverstraw and incentives from the Rockland County Industrial Development Authority one and two-bedrooms in four buildings and a 10,000 square foot one-story community center with outdoor pool and gym A playground and dog park are planned as well as 471 parking spaces a 7.2 acre 22-unit bungalow colony at 149 West Clarkstown Road In New City sold for $4 million No specific plans have been submitted to the Town of Clarkstown yet for the redevelopment though a building loan was secured to construct multiple multi-family structures on the site The property is in a residential R-40 zone so there are various special permit options available to the developer A cluster development is also possible on the 7.2 acre parcel Rockland News - It's Local that Matters NY – The Ramapo Police Department has arrested two suspects in connection with a bomb threat that led to the evacuation of a Walmart in the Village of Airmont on Sunday witnesses reported that two males entered the store and claimed they had a bomb before leaving the premises prior to officers’ arrival authorities evacuated the store and launched a coordinated investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies Explosive detection K9 units were deployed to search the building Following an investigation by the Ramapo Police Investigations Division the two suspects were identified and taken into custody on Wednesday Both individuals have been charged with Making a Terroristic Threat They were arraigned before Village of Airmont Justice Straus and released without bail pending future court appearances The Ramapo Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from officers assigned to the FBI Task Force the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit and the Town of Clarkstown Police Department K9 Unit Authorities have not released the names of the suspects as the investigation remains ongoing Filed Under: Airmont, News, Town of Ramapo Copyright © 2025 · RockWeb Systems Inc. · All rights reserved. · Privacy Policy Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates Two men have been arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat after allegedly claiming they had a bomb inside a Walmart in Rockland County prompting a full evacuation and law enforcement response The threat was made at the Walmart in Airmont when officers received a report of a bomb threat at the Walmart in Airmont Witnesses told officers that two men had entered the store and stated they had a bomb They then left the premises before police arrived including K9 units specializing in explosive detection conducted a thorough search of the building authorities were able to identify the two suspects involved both were arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat The suspects were identified as Spring Valley resident Francky Charles Both men were arraigned before Village of Airmont Justice Straus and released without bail A 7-year-old boy remains hospitalized Thursday after he was struck by a vehicle in Airmont on Wednesday Chris Franklin said the boy ran westbound across New County Road toward Woodland Place into traffic around 5:16 p.m Wednesday when he was struck by a vehicle traveling in the southbound lane Franklin said Hatzolah EMS responded to the scene and transported the child to Good Samaritan Hospital Ramapo police were informed that the boy had been airlifted to Westchester Medical Center where he remains Thursday morning in stable condition Franklin said the driver of the vehicle remained on the scene and was cooperative with police during the investigation The driver is not suspected of any criminality and is not facing any current charges at this time April 23, 2025- The Village of West Haverstraw Planning Board, as lead agency, has made the Final Scope for the proposed Grassy Point Bend Wholesale Storage and Warehousing Facility available. The Final Scope is available at the following address: 130 Samsondale Avenue, West Haverstraw, New York 10993, from the contact below and online at: https://www.westhaverstraw.org The action involves the approval and development of a 454,000 ± square foot warehouse facility with accessory office space trailer storage spaces and related infrastructure improvements and lighting on three lots (proposed to be merged) totaling 34 ± acres located in the Village’s Planned Light Industrial (PLI) zoning district The project site is a former Construction and Demolition Debris Landfill that will be capped as part of the development process The project is located at East Railroad Ave 62 & 63 on the Tax Map of the Village of West Haverstraw) 2025  – The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has determined that the proposed US Route 9W at Oak Tree Road will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves obtaining a permanent easement from one property listed on the National Register of Historic Places and another permanent easement from a property that is over 50 years old and unevaluated for eligibility on the National Register of Historic Properties New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) found that the project will have “No Adverse Effect” upon historic resources The project will provide geometric and operational improvements to this intersection that will relieve congestion at the intersection and lower the number of accidents along the corridor The project will also improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians The preferred alterative is to replace the existing signalized intersection with a modern single-lane roundabout intersection The project is located at the intersection of US Route 9W and Oak Tree Road in the Town of Orangetown 2025 – The Town of Ramapo Planning Board has determined that the proposed Torne Valley Vineyards will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves the Ramapo Planning Board has received an application from JSF Associated Inc (applicant/owner) for a Special Permit Request to operate Torne Valley Vineyards as a Country Inn Torne Valley is submitting this permit in order to legalize their operation as a Country Inn The application is for the existing conditions of the site and no construction is proposed The Vineyard is in zoning district R-40 and resides on approximately 14.9 acres of land The project is located at 1-9 Torne Brook Road in the Town of Ramapo Notice of Acceptance of Draft EIS and Public Hearing  The project is located on Letchworth Village Road in the Town of Haverstraw atorres@townofhaverstraw.org has determined that the proposed New 26-100 Fire Headquarters will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves the construction of a new fire district headquarters on land located north of the existing fire station three (3) of which are occupied by existing residential homes and two (2) of which are vacant lots In addition to the construction of a new fire headquarters the Proposed Action will include construction of site improvements for drainage in addition to parking and site circulation It is also anticipated that a fueling station will be installed as well as an emergency generator which is intended for emergency use only to allow for continued uninterrupted operations in the event of power outages The new fire headquarters building will be two-stories in height and will provide sufficient space for the mix of uses needed in a modern fire headquarters including: five (5) double apparatus bays; storage facilities; office and conference room facilities; common areas; exercise areas; kitchen and bathroom facilities; and standby facilities for storms The existing fire station located at 99 West Ramapo Road approximately 1,000 foot south of the Proposed Action Site would remain active during construction of the Proposed Action in order to allow for the District to continue providing emergency services throughout the duration of the construction period the District intends to sell the existing fire station and use the new facility for the entirety of their operations The project is located at 65 West Ramapo Road in Garnerville 2025 – The Village of West Haverstraw Planning Board has determined that the proposed Grassy Point Bend Wholesale Storage and Warehousing Facility may have a significant adverse impact on the environment and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement must be prepared The project is located on East Railroad Avenue and Beach Road in the Village of West Haverstraw Notice of Acceptance of Draft EIS and Public Hearing The action involves a proposal for Blue Rill Estates an approximately 18-acre parcel of property The action includes applications (i) to the Town Board to apply the RSH overlay zone to the subject property; and (ii) to the Planning Board for subdivision approval (to merge the three tax lots) and site plan approval to construct approximately 105 residential units for senior citizens and related amenities internal roads and recreational facilities The project is located at 444 Saddle River Road in the Village of Airmont a senior housing complex proposed for an approximately 18 acre parcel of property January 15, 2025 – The Clarkstown Planning Board, as lead agency, has made the Final Scope for the proposed Cedar Corners available. The Final Scope is available from the contact below and online at: https://www.clarkstown.gov/planning/downloads/ The action involves the proposed merger of 15 tax lots and re-subdivision into 3 new tax lots The proposed development on Lot #1 will be considered for site plan approval while the development on lots #2 & #3 are conceptual in nature and illustrative only Lots #2 & #3 are being included to ensure a comprehensive and unsegmented environmental review Lot #1: The proposed construction of two buildings consisting of 383,652 square foot of warehouse/office space with 404 parking spaces Lot #2: The conceptual plan consists of an 1,800 square foot fast food restaurant with 36 parking spaces Lot #3: The conceptual plan consists of a two story 147,600 square foot warehouse/office building with 209 parking spaces The property is located on 38.3 acres of CO COS and LS zoned land on the west side of NYS Route 303 bordered by the CSX railroad to the west and an existing shopping center and existing dwellings off Meola Road in Congers The project is located in the area of Old Orchard Road and Meola Road in Congers has determined that the proposed Heights Subdivision will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves the receipt of an application from Sarah Israel (applicant) and Benjamin Israel and Sarah Israel (owners) The development area consists of 2.12 acres ± on the east side of Heights Road approximately 140 foot east of Stemmer Lane The two lots currently have single-family homes The applicant is proposing to subdivide the two lots into four and have single-family dwellings on each lot and Lots 3 and 4 will have access via access easements The application is within the Town’s Scenic Overlay District and subject to the requirements of Chapter 215 of the Town Code Stormwater will be designed to achieve zero net increase in runoff Area variances are required for each lot and will be requested from the Zoning Board of Appeals The project is located at 3 and 5 Heights Road Highview Road in Suffern 2024 – The Town of Ramapo Planning Board has determined that the proposed Talmud Torah Ohr Yochanan Site Development Plan Special Use Permit will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves an application from David Kalisch (applicant) and Talmud Torah Ohr Yochanan (95-97) / Cong Gam Zhe Le’toiva (93) (owners) represented by Civil Tec Engineering and Surveying for Special Use and Site Development Permit approval The project area consists of 4.23 ± acres on the south side of Highview Road approximately 311 foot west of Dalewood Drive The applicant is proposing the expansion of 2 different schools across 3 lots for a total of 640 students and 39 staff A subdivision is proposed to abandon the lot line between 56.05-1-8 and 9 to create a single parcel for Talmud Torah Ohr Yochanan The existing school is proposed to be expanded by constructing a 37,200 square foot yeshiva is to remain with a 26,400 square foot addition proposed An additional 20 parking spaces will be shared between the two parcels for a total of 99 spaces The project is within the Scenic Road District The applicant requires variances on all lots which will be requested from the Zoning Board of Appeals 2024 –  The Town of Orangetown Planning Department has determined that the proposed 622 Route 303 – Project Al Foxie will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves a proposal by 622 Rt 303 LLC (Applicant) to merge two lots and construct a 160,120 square foot warehouse and distribution facility The proposed action would merge Tax Lot 65.14-1-11.2 (5 Al Foxie Way) (14.87 acres) with Tax Lot 65.14-1-11.3 (622 Route 303) (3.63 acres) (Project Site) which are undeveloped and total approximately 18.49 acres (Proposed Project) The Project Site is located within the LI (Light Industrial) and LIO (Light Industrial-Office) Zoning Districts The Proposed Project includes approximately 7,000 square foot of office space within the warehouse The Proposed Project requires site plan approval from the Town of Orangetown Planning Board a stream diversion permit from the Town of Orangetown Town Board and a height variance and a variance to allow trucking movements at all hours from the Zoning Board of Appeals The project is located at 622 Route 303 in the Town of Orangetown jslavin@orangetown.com has determined that the proposed Ramapo Cheder will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves the subdivision of 30.778 acre lot (Tax Lot #49.14-1-21) into a 5.618 acre lot (Lot 1) and 25.161 acre lot (Lot 2) located in the R-40 zoning district of the Town of Ramapo Proposed action for Lot 1 consists of a 51,593 square foot (footprint) school for religious instruction The school shall serve children in grades pre-school through 8th grade with an accessory day-care center Approximately 440 students and 5 day-care attendees will utilize the facility Lot 1 will have ingress/egress via a one-way entrance and one-way exit connected to West Maple Avenue The site will have a 75 space parking lot and 13 bus parking spaces Proposed action for Lot 2 consists removal of an existing shed to comply with R-40 zoning regulations The existing dwelling on Lot 2 is unoccupied and no further action is currently planned for the lot The eventual disposition of the structure will be determined in the future it is uninhabitable and no improvements to it are currently planned The project is located at 667 New Hempstead Road in Spring Valley 2024 – The Town of Haverstraw Planning Board has determined that the proposed Eastgate will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves an amendment to the zoning map to rezone a portion of the site from the R-40 District to the C–Commercial District thereby placing the subject property entirely within the C–Commercial District site development plan approval is being sought to construct a two-story 15,500 square foot office building on the property The project is located at 321 Route 202 in the Town of Haverstraw The action involves the development of 300 residential rental units within seven (7) 3.5 story buildings situated on a 22.93 ± acre parcel of land The site is within the R-120 “Rural Residence District” and the proposed actions requests a rezoning to the LA-17 “Luxury Apartment Multifamily District” where multifamily residential uses are principally permitted Associated site improvements are proposed including access driveways recreation areas (such as tennis or pickleball courts October 9, 2024 –  The Town of Clarkstown Planning Board, as lead agency, has made the Draft Scope for the proposed Cedar Corners available. The Draft Scope is available at the Town of Clarkstown Planning Department, 10 Maple Avenue, New City, NY 10956, from the contact below and online at: https://www.clarkstown.gov/planning/downloads/ The action involves a proposal to merge 16 tax lots and re-subdivide the property to create three new tax lots Only Lot 1 and Lot 3 is proposed for site plan approval There are no specific development plans for Lot 2 The uses on Lot 2 are conceptual and illustrative only They are provided to ensure that this environmental review is comprehensive and unsegmented but are not proposed to be constructed at this time No variances are required as a result of the Proposed Action Proposed Lot 1 consists of two warehouse/office buildings connected by a common corridor The proposed southern building consists of 198,000 square foot of warehouse space on the lower floor and 2,500 square foot of office space on the upper mezzanine floor for a total building area of 200,500 square foot The proposed northern building consists of 178,252 square foot of warehouse space on the lower floor and 2,500 square foot of office space on the upper mezzanine floor for a total building area of 180,752 square foot the total area of all of the buildings on Lot 1 is 383,652 square foot The maximum height of the building is 40 foot While 402 parking spaces are required per Town code for the proposed buildings 404 parking spaces are provided along with 71 loading berths The expected tenants are larger users such as interstate trucking companies that may need store-housing or warehousing space Proposed Lot 2 consists of a conceptual fast food drive-thru restaurant with a building area of approximately 1,800 square foot The maximum height of the building is 35 foot Approximately 36 parking spaces are proposed while 27 parking spaces are required per Town code The expected tenant is a small eatery chain Proposed Lot 3 consists of a two-story building also proposed to be used for warehousing The building consists of approximately 187,200 square foot of warehouse while 188 parking spaces are required per Town code The expected tenants are small users such as machine and automotive repair workers there is open space proposed with a conservation easement (Tax Lot 35.19-2-6 comprising of 2.5 acres) The project is located at Meola Road and Route 303 in Congers September 25, 2024 – The Village of Airmont Planning Board, as lead agency, has made the Final Scope for the proposed Blue Rill Estates available. The Final Scope is available at the following address 251 Cherry Lane Tallman, New York. 10982, from the contact below and online at: https://www.airmont.org/resources/public-notices/ The action involves a proposal to conduct a project on three parcels of land with a total area of approximately 17.99 acres located on the west side of Saddle River Road approximately 78 feet south of Long Meadow Drive The land is currently being used as the Blue Rill Day camp which includes various existing structures The Project includes removal of the existing structures on the site and construction of a senior housing project The Sponsor proposes 105 units of semi-attached The site will be served by two entrances on Saddle River Road The development will also include two community centers as well as active and passive recreation areas to be used by the residents The development will also include off-street parking The project is located at 444 Saddle River Rd in the Village of Airmont Availability of Draft Scope and Public Scoping Session  A public scoping session on the Draft Scope will be held on August 22 The action involves a proposal by the applicant for the construction of a senior housing development consisting of 106 semi-attached two-story homes The site will have access via two entrances onto Saddle River Road and will be served by municipal water and sanitary sewer with a total lot area of approximately 17.99 acres 2024- The Town of Haverstraw Planning Board has determined that the proposed Garnerville Mini Storage will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves the proposed amendments to the zoning code to regulate self-storage facilities within the C – Commercial District and place the subject property in the C – Commercial District and obtaining site development plan approval to construct a three-story self-storage facility at the subject property The project is located at 3 West Ramapo Road in the Town of Haverstraw atorres@townofhaverstraw.org  A public scoping session on the Draft Scope will be held on August 14 The action involves an approximately 23 acre portion of the former Letchworth Property (Tax Lots 19.16-1-14) for (i) the Town Board to consider rezoning the applicable portion of the Letchworth Property from the R-120 zoning district to the LA-17 zoning district; and (ii) the Planning Board to consider subdivision approval (from the remainder of the former Letchworth Property) and site plan approval to construct approximately 300 residential units in seven buildings and related amenities 2024 – The Town of Orangetown Planning Board has determined that the proposed 125-155 South Greenbush Road may have a significant adverse impact on the environment and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement must be prepared The action involves a proposal by the applicant for two separate projects: an expansion of an existing warehouse at 125 South Greenbush Road as well as a new warehouse at 155 South Greensburg Road Alexander Properties proposes renovating and expanding an existing 318,652 square foot warehouse to 411,400 square foot (3,600 square foot less than the previous site plan) with 188 on-site parking spaces (previously 468) The Project Site is comprised of tax lot 74.07-1-15.1 a 24.53-acre property located at 125 South Greenbush Road in the LI Zoning District The Project Site is presently improved with both warehouse and office space of which the office space would be demolished to accommodate the expansion of the warehouse facility Alexander Properties proposes to construct a 117,120 square foot warehouse (10,880 square foot less than the previous site plan) with 92 on-site parking spaces (previously 152) The Project Site is comprised of tax lot 74.07-1-15.2 an 11.9-acre property located at 155 South Greenbush Road in the LI Zoning District The Project Site is presently improved with a small parking lot used by 125 South Greenbush Road that would be reconfigured The project is located 125-155 South Greenbush Road in the Town of Orangetown Availability of Draft Scope and public Scoping Session  June 5, 2024 – The Village of New Hempstead Board of Trustees, as lead agency, has determined that the proposed 103 Brick Church may have a significant adverse impact on the environment and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement must be prepared. The Draft Scope is available from the contact below and online at: https://newhempstead.org/?page_id=2407  A public scoping session on the Draft Scope will be held on June 25 The action involves the a Zoning Code Amendment to create a new 1R-10 Residential Zone which would permit Single Family Residences to be built on lots that are a minimum of 10,000 square foot The proposed Brick Church Road Community would include up to 325 single family The proposed project site is approximately 149.7 acres The site is currently being used as the NY Golf Club The proposed residences would replace the golf club operation The project site is connected to existing municipal water and sewer service Site development plan will require Subdivision approval from the Village of New Hempstead  The project is located 103 Brick Church Road in the Village of New Hempstead has determined that the proposed WPT Acquisitions LLC Proposed Warehouse will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves a proposal by WPT Acquisitions (Applicant)  to construct a 175,760 square foot warehouse with 150 on-site parking spaces and 34 loading bays (Proposed Project) on a 13.805 acre property in the CC and Route 303 Overlay Zoning Districts (Project Site) The Project Site comprises three tax lots: 74.07-1-36 (12.07-acres) and 74.07-1-2 (1.34 acres) which would be merged as part of the Proposed Project The Project Site is presently improved with a vacant approximately 106,000 square foot church which would be demolished to accommodate the Proposed Project The Applicant proposes to widen Mountain View Avenue from the Project Site entrance to its intersection with NYS Route 303 The Applicant would install a dedicated left turn lane from Mountain View Avenue to NYS Route 303 The Applicant would be responsible for any necessary upgrades to the existing traffic signal at NYS Route 303 and Mountain View Avenue The proposed roadway and intersection improvements require Highway Work Permits from the New York State Department of Transportation and Town of Orangetown Highway Department The Proposed Project requires site plan and re-subdivision approval from the Town of Orangetown Planning Board The project is located at 518 NYS Route 303 and 13 & 21 Mountain View Avenue in the Town of Orangetown 2024 – The New York State Office of Parks has determined that the proposed Aerial Application of Btk to Control Spongy Moth Infestation at Bear Mountain State Park will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves the Since 2015 Palisades Instate Park Commission (PIPC) and NYS OPRHP biologists have observed severe spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) infestations within Bear Mountain State Park which have lead to repeated tree defoliation events and even wide spread tree mortality in areas surrounding key infrastructure as well as in forested uplands of the park In 2024 using the NYSDEC “Field Protocol for Sampling Spongy Moth Egg Masses” NYSOPRHP natural resource staff quantified that within their survey areas spongy moth egg masses totaled >1000 per acre (a management threshold likely to produce widespread tree mortality) In an effort to prevent further forest degradation and potential unsafe recreational opportunities NYSOPRHP and the PIPC are proposing to conduct two aerial applications of Foray 48B or like product (Bacillus thuringiensis Subsp.Kurstaki(Btk) an organic bioinsecticide specific to lepidoptera) via helicopter approximately a week apart with the first application scheduled for when oaks are observed at 40-60% leaf out and while spongy moth larvae are actively feeding Previous applications of Btk have been performed within areas adjacent to Hessian Lake as recently as 2018 The helicopter would be staged in an open field area within an area of Iona Island that was previously utilized for this purpose Approximate total area of application would be up to 1,395 acres of Parkland in 2024. The project is located in multiple Upland Areas within Bear Mountain State Park at 3006 Seven Lakes Drive in Tomkins Cove April 24, 2024 – The Town of Clarkstown Planning Board, as lead agency, has made the Draft Scope for the proposed Cedar Corners available. The Draft Scope is available at the Town of Clarkstown Planning Department, 10 Maple Avenue New City, NY 10956, and online at: https://www.clarkstown.gov/planning Lot #2: The conceptual plan consists an 1,800 square foot fast food restaurant with 36 parking spaces April 10, 2024 – The Town of Ramapo Town Board, as lead agency, has made the Final Scope for the proposed Harriman Meadows available.  The Final Scope is available at: 237 Route 59 Suffern, New York. 10901 and online at: https://www.ramapo.org/page/harriman-meadows-seqra-documents-168.html for the construction of a residential project consisting of 479 dwellings on 196.4 acres with primary access from US Route 202 and NYS Route 306 The proposal includes an amendment of the Town Comprehensive Plan and a map change of 61.3 acres from R-40 to MR-8 to meet the continuing need for diversity in available housing in the Town  The project is located on US Route 202 (Haverstraw Road) and NYS Route 306 in Pomona 2024 –  The Thiells Roseville Fire District has determined that the proposed Public Bond for Property Purchase and Construction of a New Fire Station will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves a public bond referendum to fund the construction of a new fire station on land located north of the existing fire station which Thiells Roseville Fire District intends to purchase (Proposed Action) The Proposed Action Site is comprised of five (5) adjoining tax lot Three (3) of the lots are occupied by existing residential homes and two (2) are vacant lots The Proposed Action includes the purchase of the above referenced properties and the demolition of all existing structures on the site In addition to the construction of a new fire station An emergency generator will be installed for emergency use only to allow for continued uninterrupted operations in the event of power outages The new fire station building will be two stories and 28 foot in height approximately 22,225 square foot in gross floor area (GFA) and will provide sufficient space for the mix of uses needed in a modern fire station including: three (3) single apparatus bays two (2) double drive through apparatus bays; multipurpose meeting room; administrative suite; kitchen and bathroom facilities; and fitness/training facilities would remain active during construction of the Proposed Action in order to allow Thiells Roseville Fire District to continue providing emergency services throughout the duration of the construction period the district will sell the existing fire station and use the new facility for the entirety of their operations The project is located  at 63 West Ramapo Road; 63A West Ramapo Road; 65 West Ramapo Road; 69 West Ramapo Road; 1 Angelus Drive in Garnerville March 13, 2024 -The Village of Haverstraw Village Board, as lead agency, has accepted a Final Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed The Haverstraw Chair Factory Site. The Final EIS is available at the following address: 40 New Main Street Haverstraw, NY 10927 and online at: https://voh-ny.com/chair-factory-development/ The action involves the adoption of zoning amendments to establish the a new form based code overlay district for the Chair Factory Redevelopment Site The zoning will facilitate the development of 450 residential units (at 441,500 square feet) 15,000 square feet of community serving facilities and commercial/retail as well as 563 parking spaces in a mix of structured space (192,700 square foot) and surface parking spaces the project proposes to include shoreline stabilization and the development of a waterfront multi-use trail. 2024 – Rockland County – The New York State Office of Parks has determined that the proposed Rockland Lake State Park – Phragmites Herbicide Treatments will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves a proposal by NYS OPRHP which aims to control patches of invasive Phragmites australis that have colonized around Rockland Lake Greater than 2.5 acres of Phragmites australis would be controlled using a wetland approved herbicide – glyphosate (53.8%) at a spray concentration of 4-6% using low volume/ low pressure backpack sprayers in targeted areas of Rockland Lake State Park between September 1st and the first killing frost The occurrences of phragmites are representative of small patches found during the initial infestation of this plant into a native species dominated ecosystem NYS OPRHP intends to treat these patches before they become large monocultures that will outcompete the native vegetation species found adjacent to these locations dead standing biomass will either be cut using handheld sickle-bar cutters or left in place to fall and decompose on its own This will allow the herbicide to translocate to the rhizomes of the plant Herbicides will be applied by a New York State (NYS) licensed applicator in accordance with the herbicide’s labeled instructions and following agency Best Management Practices for the application of herbicides The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) reporting tool for glyphosate application will also be utilized when appropriate The project is located 299 Rockland Lake Road in Valley Cottage 2024 –  The Town of Ramapo Planning Board has determined that the proposed Bluefield Extension Amended Subdivision and Site Development Permit will not have a significant adverse environmental impact  The action involves an application from Yakov Grunwald (applicant) and Sunshine Gardens Realty LLC/ Yakov Grunwald (owner) represented by Civil Tec Engineering and Surveying P.C for a proposed amended Site Development Permit and Subdivision Plat at 11 The development area consists of 1.05 ± acres approximately 365 foot south of Eckerson Road The applicant is proposing a 4-lot subdivision two lots will have two-family residences with two accessory apartments The other two lots will have three-family residences with three accessory apartments A site plan was previously developed and approved at the project site for 10 principal dwellings and 5 accessory apartments under application No The applicant is seeking to construct an additional 5 accessory apartment units and 2 parking spaces The footprint of the building will remain the same as previously approved Public sewer and water will be utilized and stormwater has been designed for zero net runoff The applicant will be requesting area variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals Primary Contact: Hannah Ross, Town of Ramapo, 237 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901, Phone: (845) 357-5100, rossh@ramapo-ny.gov has determined that the proposed Route 202 Business Park Site Development Permit will not have a significant adverse environmental impact  The action involves an application from Hendel Grossman and Route 202 Professional Plaza LLC (applicant/owner) for Site Development Permit approval at 103 Ladentown Road The development area consists of 13 ± acres located on the north side of Ladentown Road approximately 450 foot east of Camp Hill Road The applicant is proposing to construct two one-story structures that overlap in the middle The middle section will be two stories and will include centralized mechanical and site services The application previously received a negative declaration in 2021 the project was no longer an allowable use within the new CC District (formerly PI) and the project did not receive final approval The applicant is seeking an amended negative declaration for the current proposal which is an allowable use within the CC Zone The current proposal is a less intense use than the previous iteration of the project which received a negative declaration from the Ramapo Planning Board Stormwater has been designed for zero net runoff The applicant will be requesting variances from the Town of Ramapo Zoning Board of Appeals has determined that the proposed Hempstead Road Subdivision will not have a significant adverse environmental impact  The action involves an application from 62 Hempstead LLC (applicant/owner) for (Major/ Realty) Subdivision Approval at 62-64 Hempstead Road in Spring Valley The project area consists of 0.99 ± acres of land on the east side of New Hempstead Road approximately 313 feet north of Williams Avenue within R-15 The proposal is to subdivide the parcel into four lots with single-family residential dwellings on each lot Area variances are being requested from the Ramapo Zoning Board of Appeals The action involves the adoption of zoning amendments to establish a new form based code overlay district for the Chair Factory Redevelopment Site The zoning will facilitate the development of 450 residential units (at 441,500 square foot) 15,000 square foot of community serving facilities and commercial/retail and the development of a waterfront multi-use trail Broad Street and Allison Avenue in the Village of Haverstraw has determined that the proposed Dykstra’s Estates Subdivision will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves the receipt of an an application from FFBB Nyack LLC (applicant/ owner) represented by Civil Tec Engineering and Surveying P.C and Terry Rice The development area is comprised of three parcels consisting of 2.46 ± acres of land located on the south side of Old Nyack Turnpike and is located within the R15A Zoning District The proposal is for a seven-lot subdivision with a two-family residence with one accessory apartment on six lots and a single-family residence on lot 7 with a gate provided to prevent through traffic The access from Old Nyack Turnpike will permit right turn in/right turn out only A sewer main extension and a water main extension are proposed Stormwater has been designed for zero net increase in runoff and will connect to the existing drainage system on Old Nyack Turnpike Area variances are required and will be requested from the Zoning Board of Appeals 2023 – The Town of Haverstraw Town Board has determined that the proposed Local Law No 13 of 2023 will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves the The proposed action consists of the consideration and adoption of a Local Law No 13 of 2023 amending Chapter 167 of the Town Code to regulate cannabis uses in the C Commercial District and the PIO Planned Industrial Office District within the unincorporated Town of Haverstraw. The project is located C Commercial District and the PIO Planned Industrial Office District Haverstraw The action involves a proposed redevelopment project to include the demolition of the existing 533,000 square foot Novartis pharmaceutical complex and construction of three (3) Class “A” industrial warehouse/wholesale distribution facilities The facilities will include 1,221,800 square foot of new warehouse construction with associated loading bays trailer storage spaces and other site improvements including but not limited to lighting utilities and stormwater management facilities The project site is located within the PLI-Planned Light Industrial Zoning District wherein warehousing uses are permitted as of right under the Village of Suffern Zoning Code The new industrial park will include three (3) warehouse with Building 1 consisting of 963,100 square foot Building 2 consisting of 170,500 square foot and Building 3 consisting of 88,200 square (Project) Access into and out of the site are provided by two driveways to Hemion Road a southerly access drive (proposed for cars only) and the northerly Old Mill Road access drive which would be used by cars and trucks The two access points traverse the portion of the property located in the Village of Montebello  The project is located at 25 Old Mill Road in the Village of Suffern Primary Contact: Joanne Cioffi, Village of Suffern, 61 Washington Avenue, Suffern, NY 10901 |  (845) 357-2600 Rockland County – November 22, 2023 – The Town of Ramapo Town Board, as lead agency, has determined that the proposed Harriman Meadows may have a significant adverse impact on the environment and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement must be prepared. The Draft Scope is available from the contact listed below and on line at: https://www.ramapo.org/page/harriman-meadows-seqra-documents-168.html The action involves a Rezoning and Comprehensive Plan amendment for a proposed planned residential development titled Harriman Meadows composed of 479 residential units of mixed types The project is located on US Route 202 (Haverstraw Road) and NYS Route 306 in Pomona Contact: Michael Specht, Town of Ramapo, 237 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901, Phone: (845) 357-5100, E-mail: spechtm@ramapo-ny.gov 2023 – The Town of Ramapo Planning Board has determined that the proposed Hickory Estates Subdivision (Major/ Realty) will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves an application from 48 Hickory Estates LLC (applicant) and Jacob Jeremias (owner) for Site Development Permit and Major Subdivision approvals at 46-48 West Hickory Street The project area consists of 1.01 ± acres on the south side of West Hickory Street approximately 49 foot east of Brook Street within the R-15 Zoning District The applicant is proposing a five-lot subdivision with detached single-family homes on each lot Area variances will be requested from the Zoning Board of Appeals The project is located at 46 and 48 West Hickory Street in Spring Valley Contact: Hannah Ross, Town of Ramapo, 237 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901, Phone: (845) 357-5100, E-mail: rossh@ramapo-ny.gov Rockland County – The Town of Orangetown Town Board has determined that the proposed Orangetown Comprehensive Plan Update will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves an update of the Town of Orangetown Comprehensive Plan for the first time since 2003 to establish a guiding framework for future sustainable development and natural resource preservation in the Town (Proposed Action) A Comprehensive Plan is a long-term planning document that establishes a community’s goals and aspirations for the future while providing a roadmap for how to achieve them Upon adoption by the Town Board of the Town of Orangetown the 2023 Comprehensive Plan will replace its predecessor the Town of Orangetown 2003 Comprehensive Plan The recommendations of the 2023 Comprehensive Plan are based on community feedback and are intended to balance a healthy economy with quality residential and commercial character protecting the integrity of natural resources The project is located throughout the Town of Orangetown Contact: Allison Kardon, Town of Orangetown, 26 West Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962, Phone: (845) 359-5100, E-mail: akardon@orangetown.com 2023 – Rockland County – The Town of Stony Point Planning Board has determined that the proposed Oak Ridge/Jessup Valley North Subdivision will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves an amendment to a Negative Declaration pertaining to an standard subdivision of a 14.06 acre property located at the northerly terminus of Jessups Lane creating 8 new building lots to reflect re-subdivision to a cluster subdivision creating 4 new building lots and including one lot with an existing residence and preserving 10.69 acres through conservation easement The project is located on the northern terminus of Jessups Lane in the Town of Stony Point Contact: Mary Pagano, Town of Stony Point, 74 East Main Street, Stony Point, NY 10980, Phone: (845) 786-2716, E-mail: mpagano@townofstonypoint.org Orange County – The Town of Cornwall Planning Board, as lead agency, has accepted a Final Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Star Warehouse Expansion. The Final EIS is available from the contact listed below and on line at: http://timmillerassociates.com/star-warehouse-expansion/ The action involves a proposal by the applicant for a 50,000 square foot addition to an existing 185,835 square foot warehouse building and other site improvements including four new loading docks The Project Site consists of 36.9 acres with access to NYS Route 32 via a private shared drive and emergency access to Star Road/ Creamery Hill Road The entrance road to Route 32 will be reconstructed as part of the project The site is served by private well and septic The project is located at 20 Industry Drive in the Town of Cornwall Contact: Neil Novesky, Town of Cornwall, 183 Main Street, Cornwall, NY 12518, Phone: (845) 534-9429, E-mail: Dhines@cornwallny.gov 2023 – Rockland County – The Town of Ramapo Town Board has determined that the proposed Millers Pond Planned Unit Development (PUD) will not have a significant adverse environmental impact The action involves an application from Mount Ivy The parcel consists of 143.7 ± acres of land located on the north side of Pomona Road approximately 0 feet west of Camp Hill Road and Station Road intersections with Pomona Road The applicant is proposing a mixed-use development under the Town’s Planned Unit Development District zoning regulations pursuant to Section 376-24 of the Town of Ramapo Zoning Code The project site is composed of three tax parcels that are currently zoned RR-80 The project site is the location of the former Minisceongo Golf Course The development proposes to include 637 residential units and approximately 67,000 square foot of mixed-use commercial space The commercial space is planned to include such uses as retail The project is located at 110-118 Pomona Road Contact: Hannah Ross, Town of Ramapo, 237 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901, Phone, (845) 357-5100, E-mail: rossh@ramapo-ny.gov August 30, 2023 – Rockland County – The Village of Haverstraw Village Board, as lead agency, has determined that the proposed Haverstraw Chair Factory may have a significant adverse impact on the environment and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement must be prepared. The Draft Scope is available from Village of Haverstraw’s Village Clerk’s office and on line at: https://voh-ny.com/chair-factory-development/ A public scoping session on the Draft Scope will be held on September 18 Public comments related to scoping will be accepted until September 22 The zoning will facilitate the development of 450 residential units (441,500 square foot) The project is located in the Village of Haverstraw AIRMONT -- A Fosse Court homeowner has dropped his lawsuit accusing village officials of allowing an illegal school and dormitory on his block but is continuing to pursue legal action against the rabbi who owns the properties Sharon Stern filed a New York State Supreme Court legal action in March claiming village officials and the building inspector were allowing a rabbi to illegally operate a school in single-family houses and convert a next-door residence into a dormitory Airmont had moved to dismiss the legal action as improper Stern signed a discontinuance filed Monday with Supreme Court Justice Thomas Zugibe Stern's legal action still seeks a permanent court order barring Rabbi Arash Hakakian from continuing what his lawsuit claims is unlawful use of the single-family houses at 2 and 3 Fosse Court as a private school and dormitory said Monday that "the law is pretty well-established that a resident cannot bring claims of this nature against a municipality when it comes to code enforcement." Nugent said the legal action can be taken against the property owner "Our decision to discontinue the action against the village and village officials was made as part of our overarching legal strategy I cannot delve into in greater detail," Mogel said and the Sephardic Heritage Center Charitable Trust at 2 Fosse Court Hakakian, who lives at 7 Balanchine Court in the village, could not be immediately reached for comment. He had posted a video discussing the school's need to expand and get donations and community support The rabbi has had previous issues over zoning and code violations with Ramapo and tax exemption status on his other properties Hakakian bought 2 Fosse Court in 2013 and later received a building department permit from Zummo to make major renovations to the inside of the house Differing views on Airmont's code enforcementStern's lawsuit and Mogel's letter to the village stated the two properties were single-family homes and no evidence existed that the village land-use boards or a building inspector had approved a school or dormitory "YTT is operating as a school in violation of the Village's own code as well as New York State Law resulting in the creation of a private and public nuisance and welfare of its students and the neighboring property owners," Mogel's letter states Zummo had told NBC News that he was aware of what was happening on Fosse Court but he was backlogged with more than 630 business inspections and lacked staff The New York State Department of State's Division of Building Standards reviewed the village's code enforcement program and found nothing wrong The agency reacted to complaints from some residents that the government has been lax in enforcing state fire and building codes "The state did not raise any concerns or indicate that any further review was necessary," Nugent has said "The village and the state did also discuss the need for the village to implement some updates to its local building code administration provisions to incorporate changes that were made in the State Building and Fire Codes." The Ramapo village has had a history of zoning and enforcement issues since it was formed in 1992. That history includes divisiveness between secular residents and the growing Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish community — including three federal lawsuits that accused previous governments of discriminatory zoning AIRMONT ‒ The village failed to audit all its financial bills to ensure payments were proper, leading to overpayments involving tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money, a New York State Comptroller's Office audit determined. The audit ‒ looking at the period from January 2022 to March 2023 ‒ identified potential overpayments and payments that were approved with insufficient documentation The audit was completed in May and released publicly last week The Comptroller's Office said they reviewed 30 claims for payment totaling $883,765 of the $3.3 million in claims paid during the audit period and concluded all 30 claims were not audited by the Airmont Board of Trustees "There is an absence of a deliberate and thorough audit of claims by the Board as a whole," the audit said The audit found that six claims totaling $42,406 did not comply with the village’s purchasing policy These claims also did not contain sufficient documentation to ensure claims were appropriate one vendor was potentially overpaid $36,905 for snow plowing services Village officials disagreed with certain procedural aspects of the audit report but accepted recommendations for better oversight and planned to take corrective action according to the village's response to the audit An unattributed response issued Monday by the Village Clerk's Office stated: "Following a meticulous 14-month audit it was determined that any findings were minimal Identified minor errors were promptly addressed upon notification to the Village." newer board members have gained a more comprehensive understanding of their role in the auditing process and are committed to exercising increased diligence in reviewing all claims presented by the Deputy Village Clerk-Treasurer," the statement said Comptroller's Office makes recommendations to AirmontWhile the village has a treasurer who also is paid as the clerk, the Comptroller's Office recommended that the Board of Trustees conduct an independent audit of claims before approving payments The report recommended the board should ensure contracts and agreements have clear terms and conditions listedand ensure the village is being charged per the terms The board also should review potential overpayments identified in the audit and seek recovery The report states that auditors interviewed the mayor and some other board members Mayor Nathan Bubel and Deputy Mayor Shimon Moses responded that financial claims are available at Village Hall for review three days before the monthly board meetings The village's response in the audit report included that Airmont officials also would be moving to "fully implementing the Comptroller's recommendation regarding conducting an independent and thorough audit of claims prior to payment." The village took issue with the report's key findings describing some as a "subjective selection and summarization of report data that tends to characterize the actual information in a manner that may be misleading to the reader who does not choose to delve into the actual details of the report." Airmont's statement released Monday said the village "maintains a rigorous process for auditing claims adhering closely to the requirements set forth by the Comptroller and the Village's own policies .. Airmont's Deputy Clerk-Treasurer prepares all financial statements with final approval resting with the board following a thorough review (audit of claims)." A frequent critic of how the Airmont government conducts business and responds to taxpayer questions and concerns was not surprised by the comptroller's evaluation "Airmont has now been cited twice by a state agency in less than two years for financial irregularities," said Danielle Meehan who heads the local unit of Citizens United to Protect our Neighborhood While Airmont updated village procurement laws Meehan said it's evident the agreed-upon changes have not been implemented She said the Comptroller's Office examined just under 27% of the funds the Board of Trustees approved for the audit period Airmont is misappropriating taxpayers' funds and failing in its fiduciary responsibility to residents," she argued Meehan is not confident the village government will change its ways of doing business the crucial issue is what actions Airmont's elected and appointed officials will take," Meehan said "It doesn't appear promising any meaningful changes will occur Airmont residents can hope for positive change but Airmont taxpayers will most likely continue to foot the bill for this dysfunctional government." A 7-year-old Rockland County boy was hit by a car after allegedly running into traffic an investigation found that the boy ran west westbound across New County Road into traffic and was struck by a vehicle that was traveling southbound Franklin said that the child was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital and then airlifted to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla Franklin added that the vehicle's driver remained on the scene and was cooperative no criminality in regard to the crash is suspected," Franklin said A Reston man was killed last week after his motorcycle apparently veered off a rural Loudoun County road While the actual crash time hasn’t been determined yet appears to have been traveling north on a motorcycle when he drove off the right side of Airmont Road “before striking multiple trees and a stone wall,” the sheriff’s office said Detectives believe it was a single-vehicle crash, but an investigation is still underway. Law enforcement officials are now seeking witnesses who might have more information about the crash “The LCSO is asking anyone who witnessed this crash or may have any relevant information to contact Detective Lotz at (703) 777-1021,” the sheriff’s office said Based on preliminary state data this appears to be the first fatal crash involving a motorcycle in Loudoun County so far this year though the county had three such fatalities in 2024 and six in 2023 In Fairfax County, a motorcyclist died on Feb. 23 after apparently losing control on the ramp from southbound Route 28 (Sully Road) to the I-66 West Express Lanes in Centreville The county saw a staggering 11 fatal motorcycle crashes last year and seven each in 2022 and 2023 Screenshot via Google Maps 2025 at 10:48 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}After an investigation involving video footage Ramapo detectives were able to identify the driver as a resident of Airmont NY — Police are increasing their presence after parents expressed concerns about an incident at a school bus stop The Town of Ramapo Police Department says they received a report on Thursday from a concerned parent about an interaction that took place at a school bus stop in Airmont stopped at the bus stop and offered the woman's daughter a ride to school After an investigation involving video footage the man told police that due to the cold temperatures he had offered the student a ride to school something he said he has done in the area before he agreed that this type of behavior could be viewed as concerning nowadays A detective strongly advised the man to not offer this type of help under these circumstances in the future Police say the man's account of the incident matched up with the student's statement that a white SUV approached and the driver asked if she needed a ride to school "Are you sure?" She said "yes," and he drove away in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies confirmed that there were no previous reports of similar incidents involving the man They added that there is no provision in NYS law that would have authorized them to make a probable cause arrest based on the specific facts and circumstances of this case Ramapo police officers were at the bus stop in addition to their DFR Unmanned Aerial System which "serves as a force multiplier for public safety." Police say they will continue to patrol school bus stops as a routine police function "This incident may serve as a valuable opportunity for parents and guardians to speak to their children about school bus stop safety and 'stranger-danger' in general," police noted Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page 2025 at 6:40 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Ramapo Police Department says that it received a report of a bomb threat on Sunday at the Walmart located in the Village of Airmont NY — A tense scene at a Hudson Valley retailer this weekend has resulted in two suspects being arrested on Wednesday The Ramapo Police Department says that it received a report of a bomb threat on Sunday Witnesses told police that two men had entered the store and said that they had a bomb The building was quickly evacuated and law enforcement agencies from surrounding agencies responded to the scene After a search of the building by K9s specializing in explosive detection The Ramapo Police Investigations Division then conducted an investigation and was able to identify the two suspects Both suspects were charged with felony making a terroristic threat They were arraigned before the Village of Airmont and released without bail with a future court date scheduled Ramapo police were assisted in the investigation by their officers assigned to the FBI Task Force the Rockland County Sheriff Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation the Rockland County Sheriff Office K9 Unit Ashley LLC has sold the shopping plaza at 70 East Route 59 in Nanuet to Georgia-based Chick Fil A Inc The selling price for the 2.7 acre parcel was $8.3 million The property has been under contract The quick-service eatery known for its chicken sandwiches originally submitted plans to the Town of Clarkstown to build a 5,625 square foot Chick-fil-A restaurant with two drive-thru lanes The original plan also included a second quick service restaurant on site covering an additional 1,000 square feet with a single drive-thru lane but the second outlet was eventually abandoned by the buyer The plan has gone through several iterations at the Town of Clarkstown’s land use boards The revised plan consists of a slightly smaller building at 5,288 square feet Several variances were secured from the Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals for front yard setbacks and buffers The site currently has two commercial buildings; the front portion is a two-story building with mixed used commercial tenants and the rear building is a two-and-a-half story office studio Chick-fil-A intends to raze both buildings on the site the Town of Clarkstown scrubbed a zoning rule that prohibited locating restaurants (limited-menu or otherwise) drive-ins or food dispensing establishments in the RS (Regional Shopping) zone within 200 feet of any church Anthony’s Parish and School at 34 and 36 West Nyack Road is situated directly across West Nyack Road and within 200 feet of the Chick-Fil-A site The change in zoning cleared the path for the Chick-fil-A location An assemblage of five separate tax lots along Ramapo Road in Garnerville sold for $3.25 million The buyer is the Thiells Roseville Fire Department The location will be the site of its new fire house The sale included five separate tax parcels (1 Angelus Dr 65 W Ramapo Rd and 69 W Ramapo Rd) totaling 4.88 acres Thiells-Roseville Fire District taxpayers voted overwhelmingly to approve the 30-year bond to finance the purchase of 4.88 acres and construct the firehouse The $24 million dollar bond will cover the cost of acquiring the land and constructing the new facility The building style will reflect Haverstraw’s brick manufacturing history Earlier development plans for the site included an assisted living facility but approvals for the project could not be secured from the Town of Haverstraw Paul Adler of Rand Commercial was the sole broker on the deal NJ sold an industrial property at 25 North Airmont Road in Airmont to Airmont Thruway The buyer’s LLC is managed by Moses Goldberger The 5.79 acre property is improved with a 34,000 square foot industrial building and serves as a location of Interstate Waste Services Airmont Park LLC sold a commercial building at 377 Route 59 in Airmont to Spring Valley-based 377 59 Airmont LLC for $2.7 million The 4,852 square foot commercial building sits on a .53 acre lot Financing in the amount of $2.16 million was provided by Buffalo-based CNB Bank Snowy and slippery conditions on Rockland County roads caused numerous vehicles to lose control and crash on Sunday night A car slammed into rocks near the area of South Monsey Road and Saddle River Road in Airmont The crashes occurred during a weather system that arrived in Rockland at around 6 p.m on Sunday and brought around an inch of snow One such incident happened in Airmont near South Monsey Road and Saddle River Road, where a vehicle slid off the road and struck rocks. The car was eventually safely removed, The Monsey Scoop reported.  Another crash happened in Monsey at the intersection of Ralph Boulevard and Route 306, where an SUV struck a pole after sliding off the road. Video of the crash's aftermath was posted on Instagram by The Monsey Scoop: A third wreck occurred in Airmont, where a vehicle lost control and hit a fire hydrant on Christmas Hill Road. The Monsey Scoop posted a video of the crash scene:  More information about the crashes was not immediately available Police have ramped up patrols after a series of car break-ins in the Hudson Valley over the weekend Ramapo Police have extra patrols following a series of car break-ins in the Airmont area.  The incidents occurred in the Airmont area during the early morning hours of Saturday Higgins said there had been seven victims and several other attempted larcenies from locked vehicles "The majority of the victims had left their vehicles unlocked," Higgins said Police are reviewing security cameras in the area to identify the suspects involved Residents are reminded to lock vehicles and remove all valuables A Loudoun County barn burned to the ground after an electrical malfunction sparked a massive blaze that drew fire crews from multiple counties 20000 block of Airmont Road in the Little River District in Loudoun County Crews were called to the 20000 block of Airmont Road in Bluemont just after 8:00 p.m where they found a 50-by-50-foot barn fully engulfed in flames according to a Loudoun County Fire and Rescue spokesperson With no hydrants in the area and a large column of smoke visible from a distance with the Tanker Task Force activated to bring water to the remote scene Firefighters launched an aggressive exterior attack managing to keep the flames from spreading to nearby buildings The barn — primarily used for storage — did not have any animals inside The fire was under control within 20 minutes but not before threatening nearby propane and fuel tanks that had to be mitigated The Loudoun County Fire Marshal's Office later ruled the fire accidental blaming it on "an unspecified electrical arc in the barn’s electrical system." Want breaking news in the DMV as it happens, or want to contribute? Join the DMV All Incidents Facebook group. AIRMONT ‒ A New York state regulatory agency is assessing the village's code enforcement program amid claims by some residents that the government has been lax in enforcing state fire and building codes Representatives of the state Department of State's Division of Building Standards and Codes and Airmont officials have talked about the village's enforcement of state codes according to documents obtained by The Journal News/lohud The Department of State issued a statement on Thursday on its review "The Department of State’s Division of Building Standards and Codes has met with the Village of Airmont and it is currently assessing the status of their code enforcement program," the statement said "The Division of Building Standards and Codes investigates any complaints received regarding the Village's code enforcement program." Village: State 'did not raise any concerns'Airmont Village Attorney Brian Nugent said Monday that the state office wanted to confirm whether fire inspections had been completed The Board of Trustees has designated Nugent as the village spokesperson The village also faces legal action by a Fosse Court resident claiming the Building Department is allowing a school and dormitory to operate without permits Nugent said the state contacted the village based on a video of Fosse Court and a news report by a television station He said the village provided documentation to the state confirming that the required fire inspections had been completed He said the village also provided information regarding 2 and 3 Fosse Court "The state did not raise any concerns or indicate that any further review was necessary," Nugent said The Department of State can remove a municipality's code enforcement powers In November 2021, the agency took over Spring Valley's building department responsibilities The state deputized the Rockland County government to conduct inspections The decision came eight months after a village firefighter and adult home resident died in a massive fire and after years of dysfunction and lobbying by firefighters and some government officials There's no indication the state would take that drastic step in Airmont though the Spring Valley takeover set a precedent Some code enforcement advocates said that after years of lobbying and filing complaints they have little confidence in government enforcement across Ramapo a life member of the Hillcrest Fire Department and the retired coordinator of the Rockland Office of Fire and Emergency Services Wren has contacted state Buildings Standards and Codes Director John Addario and has taken state inspectors on tours of hot spots in Ramapo “The fact that the codes commissioner has allowed the town and villages to continue to avoid code enforcement places thousands of citizens in danger along with our firefighters," Wren said He and Justin Schwartz of the Rockland Illegal Housing Task Force said they have filed complaints about the lack of enforcement with the state including against the Airmont Building Department "It is not like we have not made him aware of the facts and there have been so many examples of the problem," Wren said There are many to blame but the commissioner should and must be held responsible along with those senior to him that may be forcing him to hold back on addressing the issues.” Schwartz said the lack of enforcement is not just in Airmont and Spring Valley but across Ramapo He said the death of Spring Valley Fire Department Lt Jared Lloyd and Oliver Huested in March 2021 at the Evergreen Court Home for Adults has not been a wake-up call “They have blood on their hands," Schwartz said "We’ve been complaining to the state since 2011 with case numbers Airmont is facing a lawsuit concerning zoning enforcement a local grassroots group has complained about the lack of enforcement by Building Inspector Louis Zummo who also inspects properties for the village of Pomona The legal action by neighbor Sharon Stern centers on houses at 2 and 3 Fosse Court He and other neighbors contend Rabbi Arash Nissan Hakakian operates a boys' school and dormitory in the single-family houses without permits and approvals Hakakian owns several properties and operates a school on Route 202 in Ramapo is seeking a permanent court order barring Hakakian from "continuing the unlawful use of the subject properties ..." More: Resident's suit accuses Airmont officials, inspector of allowing illegal school, dorm A village statement to residents said the lawsuit was discontinued, but Stern's attorney, Steven Mogel, said he made a correction to the suit by filing a notice of claim on March 22 with the Airmont Village Clerk's Office and that the lawsuit will continue with a hearing on May 29 Airmont documents contend Zummo has inspected the Fosse Court houses and found no evidence of a school or dormitory Zummo recently issued Hakakian temporary building permits Airmont has yet to release inspection reports and other documents sought by The Journal News/lohud under the Freedom of Information Law the village issued Hakakian and his Yeshiva Tiferet Torah permits for extensive construction at 2 Fosse Court The plans included gutting the house and removing structural walls adding two bedrooms and three basement bathrooms the Building Department issued a permit for windows and Dumpsters The village said in a statement on its website that Zummo inspected both Fosse Court houses which have certificates of occupancy as single-family homes The statement said neither a dormitory nor a school would be allowed on either property without approvals "No violations were observed at the properties during the inspection," the statement said The statement said that the village was aware of a video posted on social media and a news report that allegedly showed students at Fosse Court but said that violations must be based on on-site inspections "There was no evidence found of a school use within either structure and the internal layout was consistent with a single-family home," the village statement said some neighbors have complained to the village and Rockland Health Department since 2023 that 2 and 3 Fosse are being used as a dormitory and school without permits neighbors complained of "around 50-70 young men in the home and that these same individuals will run around the neighborhood at times until 1:00 A.M.," documents show told the inspectors they wished to remain anonymous because they feared retaliation The Health Department's Rockland Code Investigations unit has gone to the houses an RCI inspector wrote about meeting a neighbor who described worsening relations between neighbors and the property owner "He stated that the life of the neighbors and their families are being threatened and no one will volunteer any information for fear of their life and their families are being threatened .. He went as far as pleading with me not to go to his neighbor's house directly from his own house because they will think that he was the one that sent me to their house." The inspector's report stated the second floor had vacant bedrooms the finished basement was vacant and all closets were empty "No violation of the Rockland County Sanitary Code was observed," the report stated "Rabbi Hakakian who was visibly upset and angry felt he was being harassed and stated that the property is a synagogue He said no one sleeps or lives in the property He stated that some of his neighbors are discriminating against him because of their hatred for him." Inspectors on March 23 took video of cars arriving and adults entering 2 Fosse which is Hakakian's Sephardic Heritage Center 24 people were seen walking from 3 Fosse to 2 Fosse during the time we spent on site a spokesperson for County Executive Ed Day said while county inspectors went to Fosse Court the county cannot enforce building and zoning codes outside Spring Valley "The fact remains the lead on this issue falls to the Village of Airmont," Cefalu said "Any concerns or complaints relating to them not enforcing their local laws need to be directed to the secretary of state.” owned by Spring Valley resident Simon Werzberger who owns Furniture Village on Main Street in Monsey is considering turning the diner on Route 59 in Suffern into a furniture store The VC (Village-Commercial) zoning allows for retail though an applicant intending on opening a furniture store may need to come to the village for varied parking requirements The current zoning allows one parking space for every two seats for a restaurant; it also calls for one parking space for every 200-square-feet of retail floor area the closure of the Airmont Diner was a tough decision for former Airmont Diner owner “Dino” Costas Kyriacou whose family ran the eatery for four decades Many said the colorful and philanthropic restaurateur who bought the diner in 2011 for $1.8 million from landlord William Sichol collapsed under the weight of the pandemic RCBJ attempted to speak with Kyriacou but he did not return calls or emails seeking comment Werzberger has owned Furniture Village for about a decade He did not return calls or an email seeking comment “I understand what he was going through because I feel the same way,” said Ralph Bracco “The pandemic put an end to it,” said Bracco But he explained his 38-year-old diner had been in decline due to a changing demographic But you have to make choices to benefit your family Kyriacou’s decision to sell was difficult for him “He was doing everything he could to keep the diner going spending a lot of money on tents but it just wasn’t working,” said Village of Airmont building inspector Louis Zummo Kyriacou posted on the diner Facebook page “To All Our Friends Our best wishes to you and your families.” He added on the diner’s website; “The customers of Airmont Diner were not strangers I have enjoyed seeing the children grow and bring their families in to meet me We truly wish our friends a fond farewell.” health-department records show that there were half as many diners in the city as there were just 20 years ago there were a reported 398 diners in 2014 as compared to 1,000 a generation ago The classic American diner became rooted in the culture in the 1950s and ‘60s Every community had one; most people over the age of 40 remembers growing up in them Diners have been carved into our collective conscious through movies Rockland County’s Edward Hopper played a role in immortalizing the American diner with his painting Nighthawk in 1942 is credited to a man named Jerry Mahoney of Bayonne with their flashy neon signs and everything-but-the-kitchen sink kitsch But they have been more challenged to thrive in the last several years compared to any other point in history skyrocketing rents and the pressures of development have thinned the herd one version of plans submitted to the Town of Clarkstown have the Nanuet Diner being demolished as part of the redevelopment of the Rockland Plaza shopping center the restaurant industry – from mom-and-pops to chains – have succumbed to thinning crowds amid pandemic fears Diners in particular are destinations for business and community gatherings as much as they are a draw for their culinary offerings and the punishing costs of maintaining a War and Peace-length menu and Americans have an uncanny way to take what they have and twist it up for a new generation We shall see how that plays out in Rockland County and beyond; but the Airmont Diner is truly a thing of the past AIRMONT - The village's former deputy mayor has been sentenced to eight months in federal prison and fined $7,500 for possessing an unregistered firearm During Brian Downey's sentencing Wednesday in the U.S federal Judge Cathy Seibel ordered him to surrender to prison authorities on Jan Seibel also placed him on three years of supervision after his release Sentencing had been delayed because Downey suffered serious injuries in a May motorcycle accident Downey pleaded guilty in February to a federal count of possession of an unregistered firearm he obtained by mail in 2021 His felony guilty plea forced his resignation from the Board of Trustees He won election to a four-year term in March 2019 14 in Rockland County Court on six separate counts of weapons possession His sentence could run concurrently with the federal prison term Federal and local authorities had arrested Downey on Sept during a raid on his Airmont home based on an investigation by U.S Homeland Security and the Rockland District Attorney's Office investigators removed what they called an arsenal of weapons Downey came under investigation based on information that he had received a mailed package containing a firearm silencer The United States Customs and Border Protection intercepted the package that had been disguised as a motorcycle noise reduction exhaust pipe In what the federal criminal complaint described as a basement gun room authorities seized 17 unregistered firearms and 13 firearm silencers during the raid Many of the rifles were displayed on a rack hanging on a black wall Additional weapons were leaned against walls They also found fraudulent law enforcement badges In federal court, Downey admitted to receiving and possessing a PA-15 rifle that had been modified and had not been registered to him in the National Firearms Registry, according to a document filed with the U.S. District Court. The details involving the criminal charges were contained in a 10-page federal complaint dated Sept Downey had faced a maximum of 18 to 24 months in federal prison under federal sentencing guidelines outlined in his plea agreement with the U.S Attorney's Office for the Southern District The judge makes the final determination on sentencing Downey once worked as a Ramapo building inspector and part-time court attendant The federal complaint states Downey told the agents he believed he was permitted to modify short-barrel rifles Downey's federal sentencing had been delayed four times as he recovered from multiple broken bones suffered in a motor vehicle accident on May 26 in Rockland His attorney, Andrew Quinn of White Plains, outlined Downey's injuries in a letter to the judge on Oct Downey's injuries — multiple back fractures fractures to his left ankle and to his left wrist — have left him barely ambulatory Quinn asked Seibel to consider Downey's physical condition when deciding his sentence contending that no jail or prison "will serve as an adequate deterrence and provide just punishment in this case." Months after a federal-local raid on his house and seizure of weapons in September 2021 a Rockland grand jury indicted Downey in December 2021 on 120 felony counts He admitted before Rockland Judge Larry Schwartz to two counts each of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon: silencers The District Attorney's Office said Downey admitted possessing a Colt Carbine semi-automatic rifle and an Aero Precision semi-automatic rifle; Surefire LLC and an Advanced Aramet Coro M4-2000 silencers; and two large-capacity feeding devices: Magpul magazines that could hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com. Twitter: @lohudlegal Read more articles and bio This is not the RTO Insider site you are looking for.Unless it is There was a problem resetting your password The Panera Bread at 15 North Airmont Road in Airmont was sold by Panera to two investors: Shulammite The 1.59 acre property sold for $4.65 million buyers took an assignment of the 15-year Panera absolute NNN ground lease with four 5-year extensions Absolute NNN ground leases typically provide for the tenant operator to pay all costs related to the property maintenance on the 4,430 square foot building the lease terms include 8 percent increases every five years with the current monthly rent starting at $18,441 a restrictive covenant dating back to 1983 that precluded a restaurant from operating separately from a hotel at the location had to be removed When the Village of Airmont updated its zoning code to allow restaurants in the zone the covenant became unnecessary and was removed by the Village in 2018 Several variances were granted to accommodate the Panera construction and side setback and side yard area requirements The site formerly housed a Friendly’s Restaurant and was part of a Howard Johnson’s motel subdivision Existing buildings are being torn down and trees cleared on a four-lot subdivision at 15-17-19-21 Old Nyack Turnpike in Monsey in what seems like the never-ending redevelopment of the corridor just east of Saddle River Road abutting the New York State Thruway Mortgage financing and a building construction loan totaling $5.06 million dollars was provided by Northeast Community Bank of White Plains The loan agreement calls for construction of eight condominium units on the .95 acre site a medium density residential district that allows for single and two-family detached residences Multiple variances were granted in 2020 for maximum development coverage The Rockland County Planning Department in 2021 described the proposed project as “gross overutilization of the site.” Three parcels along northbound Route 9W in Congers NY is affiliated with Schultz Ford of 80 Route 304 The commercial building and vacant land was owned by Ruscon Truck Service and the Sandberg family The likely use of the property is for vehicle storage The acquisition was financed with a mortgage in the amount of $2.8 million dollars in favor of Connect One Bank of Englewood Cliffs Craig Schulz is listed as the member and director of Storage Lot Realty The property is zoned COS which allows for a bevy of office Attorney's Office and the village have ended a federal civil rights lawsuit involving discriminatory zoning adopted years ago ostensibly against Orthodox Jews The legal action from 2018 centered on the then-Airmont government revising the village zoning code to make it more difficult for Hasidic and Orthodox Jews to worship in their homes Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan The Airmont government's 2018 zone changes decreased the allowable space inside private homes for worship A consent decree reached with the current government increases the amount of space in homes that can be used for worship and removes restrictions limiting who residents are allowed to invite into their homes to pray The decree also removes the village's arbitrary drawn-out application process designed to delay and effectively deny permits for even minor alterations to private houses said the lawsuit was settled without any admission or finding of wrongdoing on the part of the village "Rather than litigating over the actions of past VillageBoards the village looks to the future," the statement said "The Village has developed zoning regulations that go beyond the minimum requirements of federal law to facilitate religious practice while continuing to maintain the health Airmont has scheduled a public hearing for Nov. 6 on the zone changes to meet the agreed-upon consent decree, according to the board's agenda. has sued three times since the village formed in1991The legal action marked the third lawsuit brought by the United States against Airmont for discriminating against the Orthodox Jewish community since the village broke away from Ramapo and formed in 1991 Federal prosecutors brought legal actions based on civil rights statutes, including the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, known as RLUIPA. RLUIPA authorizes the U.S Department of Justice to take legal action against any local government that implements a land-use regulation that places a substantial burden on religious exercise or discriminates on the basis of religion Airmont came out on the short end of the previous two lawsuits costing taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees and fines The previous legal actions aborted zoning that blocked houses of worship in homes and dormitory housing The legal actions since 1991 also gave Airmont a reputation of being unfriendly to Orthodox Jews the Orthodox Jewish community has won a majority of seats on the Village Board as the community's voters became the majority Attorney’s Office alleged in 1991 that Airmont's founders had formed the village for the purpose of excluding Orthodox Jews from its boundaries by adopting zoning policies that would preclude Orthodox Jews from using their homes for prayer services More: Special report: Whose Airmont is it? “Zoning laws that intentionally make it more difficult to engage in religious worship and that are designed to impair the rights or obstruct religious communities violate federal law,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said Friday Clarke said the settlement "should send a message to officials across the country that we will hold them accountable when they abuse zoning restrictions to stop religious communities from freely exercising their faith." Airmont updated its zoning code in 2018 after a nearly two-year process during which the village government thrice extended a building moratorium that some Hasidic Jewish residents found restricted their plans to expand their homes More: Airmont slapped with another federal discrimination lawsuit Airmont consented to a preliminary injunction on March 15 barring enforcement of the same zoning code provisions  The consent decree makes this prohibition permanent in the context of a multiyear agreement that makes extensive changes to Airmont's zoning code Federal prosecutors used the prospect of legal action to encourage Airmont officials to change the zoning The zoning revisions came under the administration of Mayor Philip Gigante and board members who supported the Preserve Airmont movement Gigante and his supporters voraciously denied his administration acted with bias A letter from prosecutors to Airmont officials in 2020 said they could avoid a lengthy and expensive legal action if they were willing to negotiate a settlement Prosecutors warned that a pending legal action is "arising out of the design and implementation of Airmont’s zoning code and unreasonably limits the practice of religion by the Village’s Orthodox Jewish community." Control of village board has changedFederal efforts on a settlement became easier given that the board has five elected members with overwhelming support from the Orthodox and Hasidic communities Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York said Friday that the fact that this marked the third legal action over similar issues demonstrates prosecutors will be "ever vigilant in protecting the rights of religious minorities." “When religious intolerance poses a threat to the unity of this nation of many faiths and traditions it is vital to stand up for the First Amendment right to freedom of worship,” Williams said Litigation citing RLUIPA and Fair Housing laws have arisen in Ramapo LLC has purchased two more lots on the border of the Village of Montebello and the Town of Ramapo just off 33 North Airmont Road The purchase price for the two lots was $2,216,667 The two parcels total 2.22 acres and consist of vacant non-residential land according to the Real Property Transfer Report Hager closed on two other adjacent lots (55″08-1-13 Hager purchased lots 12 and 15 of the same subdivision The land is zoned LO-C (Laboratory Office-Campus District) His company Cornell Realty Management is a broad-based real estate development company Hager established his firm by partnering with larger players – such as Hudson Realty Capital Madison Realty Capital and L&L Capital Partners He has been involved in several controversial projects in Brooklyn and in recent times has been the subject of claims of fraudulently transferring millions of dollars from an entity affiliated with a bankrupt Williamsburg hotel project to shield the money from the property’s creditors Hager also lost his stakes in two high-profile properties to bankruptcy sales the office property at 69 South Broadway in Nyack (corner of Hudson) sold for $1,150,000 The Buyer is Simcha Schwartz’s Brookyn-based  Broadway SM LLC The ground floor office space is approximately 1315 square feet with apartments above The building on .06 acres sold for about $290 per square foot KO Realty purchased the building in 2016 for $950,000 Financing was provided by Brooklyn-based Elite Equity Holdings LLC in the amount of $875,000 at the rate of 12% per annum with no prepayment permitted for the first six months 77 South Broadway sold for $935,000 (about $220 per square foot) 40-42 Franklin Street sold for $1.9 million (about $320 per square foot) 66 South Franklin sold for $850,000 (about $240 per square foot) Ground floor rents on South Broadway run between $23 and $28 per square foot The property at 306 South Main Street in New City home of Back To Earth Organic Market for the last 26 years has sold for $1,100,000 to Spring Valley-based 306 South Main LLC The 6,600 square foot free-standing building built in 1970 on .59 acres has 144 linear feet of frontage on South Main Street The natural foods market has been in business since 1996 and plans to remain on as a tenant at the property Financing was provided my Buffalo-based M&T Bank in the amount of $780,000 The buyer has already listed the property for resale for $2,050,000 Approximately three years remain on the existing Back to Earth lease AIRMONT − A Fosse Court resident's lawsuit accuses village officials and a building inspector of allowing a rabbi to illegally operate a school in single-family houses and convert a next-door residence into a dormitory The legal action claims Rabbi Arash Nissan Hakakian has defied village zoning codes and officials have not acted to stop him seeks a permanent court order barring Hakakian from "continuing the unlawful use of the subject properties; and (b) the continuance of any activities constituting a public or private nuisance." The lawsuit also names the yeshiva and a charitable trust affiliated with Hakakian Deputy Mayor Shimon Moses referred comments on Tuesday to the village attorney a partner in Feerick Nugent MacCartney in South Nyack said the village received the legal papers on Monday night when the board met so the village cannot properly respond at this time." we do not see any cause of action asserted against the village or any relief sought from the village or its officials," Nugent said said he would quickly address the technical defect the true concern of the village should be the abject failure of the village to protect the residents of the Fosse Court neighborhood from the brazen and illegal establishment of a school and dormitory on property that currently only permits single-family usage," Mogel said Mogel said "written complaints about the illegal usage have been lodged for years yet the village has elected to turn a blind eye to the entreaties of its constituents The village administration should be ashamed.” One irony of the Fosse Court discontent is the Orthodox Jewish community has elected officials who campaigned on fair enforcement of fire Previous Airmont elected officials were criticized by Orthodox Jewish residents and had been sued three times since becoming a village in 1991 by federal authorities for enacting zoning and other laws that targeted Orthodox and Hasidic Jews The legal action states Stern received permission from some local Orthodox Jewish leaders to take on the village and Hakakian Orthodox Jews suing other Orthodox Jews in secular courts is usually frowned upon though opposition to development schemes has become more frequent in Ramapo in recent years Mogel had written letters to the village and Zummo in November and December informing them about the operation of Hakakian's Yeshiva Tiferet Torah at 2 and 3 Fosse Court and plans for a dormitory Hakakian bought 2 Fosse Court in 2013 and later received a building department permit to make major renovations to the inside of the house Mogel's letter and lawsuit state the two properties are designated as single-family homes The attorney said there's no evidence that the village land-use boards or a building inspector have approved a school or dormitory Mogel said a search of building department files reveals that 2 Fosse Court is not approved for any use other than as a single-family residence Mogel wrote the village "should take immediate action to remediate this dangerous and illegal project." He said the school and dormitory plans pose a "detriment to my client and other neighboring property owners It is incumbent upon the Village Building Department to investigate and enjoin the continued illegal usage." but he was backlogged with more than 630 business inspections He said he lacked the staff — a code enforcement officer and fire inspector The Board of Trustees dismissed the inspectors in 2023 ostensibly for cost-savings and hired an engineering firm to handle inspections and investigations after fires Danielle Meehan, the leader of the grassroots citizens organization CUPON, said the village government and Zummo are failing to enforce zoning codes, potentially endangering residents. CUPON stands for the Citizens United to Protect Our Neighborhoods noted the Board of Trustees shortchanged the inspection process when it eliminated the positions of fire inspector and code enforcement officer in April 2023 "Government's first obligation is to provide a safe place for its residents," Meehan said "One need only to drive through Airmont to see the village is grievously failing its obligations to their taxpayers." Meehan said CUPON-Airmont urges the Board of Trustees to "take responsibility for the safety and well-being of all its residents by equally enforcing all of the village laws." Meehan noted the importance of enforcement by citing the two fatal fires in Spring Valley and fires that have left dozens of people homeless New York State authorized the county government to inspect and enforce fire and safety codes in Spring Valley "The lessons of Spring Valley’s seven preventable fatalities due to fires since 2021 are not being taken seriously," Meehan said Meehan also cited recent apartment house fires in Spring Valley that have left dozens of residents homeless are a "reminder that code enforcement is not a choice but an obligation Airmont owes their residents." AIRMONT - The just finalized election tallies with 265 absentee ballots added extended the overwhelming victory by Mayor Nathan Bubel's team The village clerk first released the machine votes from the March 21 election without including the absentee ballots — a situation strongly criticized The absentee votes - usually tallied on election night - were counted a week later and finalized on March 30 The total tally came to 2,251 votes - 1,986 machine votes and 265 absentee ballots, Village Clerk Sharon Halon's final count released Friday states The absentee tally broke at 183 votes for the Bubel team to 82 for Ralph Bracco and his two running mates Bubel won a second four-year term with 1,504 combined votes to 737 for Bracco Trustee Morris Friedman and Lawrence Toole received a total of 1,504 votes to 738 for Marcal Matthews and 734 for Joseph Sferrazza must include all votes when certifying an election Airmont special counsel Brian Nugent said Halon didn't oversee the absentee vote count on election night on the advice of an election inspector assigned by the Rockland Board of Elections "She was relying on statements from the election inspector" when the decision was made not to count the absentee ballots on election night  The ballots counting takes time as inspectors need to check the absentees against those who voted by machine to ensure no double-voting Nugent said he disagreed with the advice of the election inspector  "My view is to count every vote," Nugent said "Count them that night and be done with it."  The Village of Airmont issued an unsigned statement through its Twitter account defending Halon and her staff: "The elections inspector, supplied by Patricia Giblin's @RCBOElections refused to stick around for an absentee count Village elections: Orthodox Jewish voters spearhead contested wins in Airmont and Pomona whose office has no control over village elections called Halon's false certification based on the machine votes disgraceful and a violation of a basic American principle that all votes matter Giblin said the Airmont Village Clerk's Office was supposed to count the absentee ballots on the night of the election before certifying the final vote and winners got correspondence from the Village Clerk's Office certifying the March 21 election "They were supposed to have that done that night," Giblin said "Once we found out they didn’t count the votes we were outraged and told them it's mandatory that every vote should be counted," Giblin said "It's not fair to those people who vote absentee It’s like upholding the myth we don’t bother with people's votes if we get them after the election." a village board political appointee who had limited experience didn't return a telephone call on Tuesday or respond to a Monday email seeking comment has not directly responded to questions during his first four years in office The village board has directed that Nugent speaks for the village said Tuesday he got the cold shoulder from Halon when he asked for the final tallies and the number of absentee ballots He noted vote totals and ballots are available to the public Bracco said his running mate Matthews filed an objection concerning the election results with Halon's office a move he acknowledged likely wouldn't get serious consideration "She refused to give me the election results," Bracco said "We have in my opinion a person who is not qualified to be village clerk-treasurer I've been in politics for a long time and this has never happened I believe election law has been violated by not opening up absentee ballots and certifying the vote." Bracco acknowledged the absentee ballots wouldn't change the outcome and he accepted the results He has been a critic of the government and has taken the village to court "Our point is elections are supposed to be open and honest," he said Bracco had served as village clerk as a 2019 appointee but was suspended in March 2020 by the mayor pending an investigation into allegations of workplace harassment Bracco denied any harassment and nothing was shown if there was an investigation Bracco sought reinstatement through the courts argued the village lacked the legal authority to suspend or dismiss an employee without holding a hearing under state law Bracco's term had expired amid the case and the judge dismissed aspects of the case and didn't rule on legal fees and other issues Bracco filed another legal action against the village in December seeking monetary reimbursements Airmont's attorneys through its insurance carrier have moved to dismiss the legal action No one should feel like they have to worship “underground,” hiding from the government or fearing punishment for what is supposed to be the free exercise of religion for those Orthodox Jewish neighbors meeting for prayer in the homes of Airmont Their faith prevents them from driving on the Sabbath so these neighbors live close by so they can walk to their prayer meetings The Village of Airmont has been the target of several lawsuits by the federal government for its discrimination against the Orthodox Jewish community But 30 years of discrimination are enough First Liberty Institute and Norton Rose Fulbright LLP filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of several Orthodox residents alleging that government officials in the Village of Airmont New York have engaged in a systematic discrimination to prohibit Orthodox Jewish residents from practicing their faith in the Village of Airmont That lawsuit was resolved in 1995 during the Clinton administration when the U.S Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit concluded “there was evidence that the events leading to the incorporation of the town and the implementation of its zoning code ‘amply support a finding that the impetus [to form the town and implement the Code] was not a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason but rather an animosity toward Orthodox Jews as a group.” Another federal lawsuit against Airmont, filed in 2005, ended with a Consent Decree in which the Village promised the federal government that it would not use zoning laws to disrupt the religious exercise of the Orthodox Jewish community the Village has returned to its discriminatory practices Despite federal courts repeatedly penalizing Airmont city officials continue its policy of government enforced religious discrimination Orthodox Judaism prohibits believers from driving on the Sabbath or on holidays That is why worshippers gather in small numbers in homes that are within walking distance of one another The religious residents of Airmont simply want to be left alone to peacefully worship and coexist without fear of criminal punishment it appears that city officials in Airmont have returned to their old ways of discrimination against the Jewish community Residents forced to ask the permission of village officials to use their home for worship are put through a substantially burdensome process The application process devised by village officials forces residents to spend tens of thousands of dollars and several years to complete “Airmont’s actions are undeniably a burden on the religious exercise of our clients,” said Keisha Russell Associate Counsel for First Liberty Institute “The First Amendment and federal law protect the right of Americans to pray together in their homes free from unreasonable and intrusive government interference like we’ve seen in Airmont.” has paid more than $40,000 in related fees during a two-and-a-half-year process that has included multiple delays with no resolution faced the prospect of a year in jail for simply welcoming his neighbors into his home for prayer For several months, First Liberty investigated a number of potentially illegal practices of the Village, which lead to the filing of a lawsuit Despite repeated efforts by the United States Department of Justice and the courts over the past 30 years Airmont officials have used local zoning laws to deny Orthodox Jewish residents their constitutional right to pray together in their homes “Thirty years of religious bigotry are enough,” Hiram Sasser General Counsel of First Liberty Institute said “The Orthodox Jewish community of Airmont just wants to be left alone to peacefully worship and coexist but Airmont officials are openly hostile.” the United States Department of Justice filed its own lawsuit against the Village DOJ  announced the entry of a Consent Order of Preliminary Injunction requiring that the Village immediately cease enforcement of zoning code provisions adopted in 2018 A settlement with the Village was reached in 2023 Lawsuit Alleges Systematic Discrimination Forcing Orthodox Jewish Community Underground Religious liberty firm’s lawsuit asserts Village officials unlawfully denying local Jewish community use of their own property for prayer Airmont, NY—Today, First Liberty Institute and the international law firm Norton Rose Fulbright filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of several residents New York has engaged in systematic discrimination forcing Orthodox Jewish residents to practice their faith in hiding in a deliberate effort to dissuade them from staying in or moving to Airmont Read the lawsuit here The Application process devised by village officials forces residents to spend tens of thousands of dollars and several years to complete a never-ending approval process has paid more than $40,000 in related fees during a two and a half year process that has included multiple delays with no resolution “The actions of Airmont officials frustrate and outright deny the rights of its citizens to freely exercise their faith These actions are unlawful and egregious and cannot be allowed to continue.” Other First Liberty clients on the complaint include Rabbi Abraham Horowitz and Airmont resident Chaim Cahan First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans To arrange an interview, contact Lacey McNiel at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453 To download this press release, please click here Press Release – 12/03/2020 Press Release – 06/07/2018 9/30/2019 – U.S. Department of Justice Statement of Interest 5/6/2019 – Amended Airmont Complaint 12/10/2018 – Airmont Complaint 05/06/2011 – U.S. District Court Consent Decree 03/06/2018 – LOHUD / USA Today – Airmont extends building moratorium for three more months 01/09/2018 – OJPAC – Airmont and Discrimination Part 2: Law Changes Against One Community 12/26/2017 – OJPAC – Airmont and Discrimination Part 1: A Moratorium 05/09/2011 – Patch – Airmont To Allow Yeshiva And Dorms In Settlement of Discrimination Lawsuit 12/14/1993 – New York Times – Jury Finds Town Violated Rights of Orthodox Jews 06/03/1991 – New York Times – Orthodox Jews Battle Neighbors in a Zoning War No church should cower in fear of the federal government trouncing on their rights and removing their tax-exempt status Preventing a church from worshiping in a facility it purchased is flagrant denial of the free exercise of their religious activities AIRMONT – He did everything he was supposed to do to transform a large home into a synagogue paying the fees and getting the required certificate of occupancy Rabbi Eliezer Halberstam of Bais Hamedrash Radashitz a Hasidic Jewish synagogue on Echo Ridge Road says he faces $2.3 million in fines because he allows worshipers to park illegally on a lot he owns next door Halberstam says the parking issue is a red herring READ: A summary of the main points of this report COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Who are they? SURVEY: What do residents think of Airmont? Halberstam and others say the only purpose of a village building moratorium and local quality-of-life laws is to hamper lifestyles of Orthodox and Hasidic Jews “Every law affects the Orthodox community,” Halberstam said “We’re seeing excessive violations We don’t want over-zealous enforcement.” enacted in 2017 and extended for a third time earlier this month allows time for a review and updates to the zoning codes The ban could be lifted by the end of August Many Hasidic and Orthodox Jews say it’s just another attempt to prevent them from making alterations to their homes to meet their religious needs They point to the moratorium, a ban on overnight street parking and other "quality-of-life laws" as examples of the government trying to hamper their lifestyle.  MORATORIUM: Airmont moves closer to zoning code update, lifting building moratorium PREVIOUS: Airmont extends building moratorium for three more months AIRMONT DAY: Celebration's switch to Saturday rankles Orthodox Jewish residents Officials say they want to maintain strict adherence to state fire and safety codes and village zoning laws is to avoid becoming like other areas in the town of Ramapo, with willy-nilly development of high-density often illegal and unsafe housing, schools and synagogues that spring up in residential neighborhoods without required permits Airmont Building Inspector Lou Zummo said the goal of his department is to protect the safety of residents not to write up violations or collect fines “If something happens and you don’t have a certificate of occupancy your insurance company may not cover your losses,” he said Village officials refused to comment on the fines heaped on Halberstam over his temple’s parking situation Halberstam said he was aware of the parking issue but that the moratorium has stopped him from addressing it Claims from village officials that they're merely trying to keep neighborhoods safe and preserve Airmont's character "is exactly the issue,” said Nathan Ungar but it’s all with an agenda to hamper us.” Prevented from expandingAlthough he applied for the proper permits before the building ban was adopted Ungar said the moratorium was still preventing him from expanding his house and creating a backyard play area “There’s no over development in Airmont," he said "There’s no reason for a moratorium here.” It was the trees that attracted Ungar and his growing young family to Airmont in 2017 and the squirrels and the birds and the well-kept single-family homes surrounded by manicured lawns on spacious lots suburban atmosphere was a far cry from the dense traffic-choked streets of the Ramapo hamlet of Monsey where he lived for four years after he was married.  29. “No one living in Monsey in condos enjoys the lifestyle I hate (Brooklyn) with a passion with all the traffic and parking tickets.”  Airmont offered an escape from the urban chaos He bought a house within walking distance of a synagogue and private religious school After spending $30,000 on architects and fees for the expansion the project came to a standstill because of the moratorium “I felt the world falling down around me,” he said “There’s no excuse for them not to give me a permit I only asked for what I’m allowed to have under the zoning.” Zummo said Unger’s original application was incomplete and that “The moratorium had been approved and the clock on his permit application had expired,” Zummo said he never got an approved permit. It didn’t cost him anything The fact is he didn’t properly fill out the paperwork It’s a clash that’s being played out in other areas of Rockland and Orange counties and in northern New Jersey Airmont officials say they're trying to prevent the kind of unchecked development aided by lax zoning and quality-of-life laws that have created overcrowded — sometimes dangerous — illegal housing schools and houses of worship in surrounding communities.  Orthodox and Hasidic families moving to affluent Airmont say they want the single-family houses trees and quiet of a traditional suburban lifestyle but also need the flexibility to alter their homes to meet religious needs: double kitchens to facilitate kosher food preparation a deck for a hut during the holiday of Sukkot and a mikvah (ritual bath) They also want to add bedrooms for growing families Many say they are targeted for enforcement while inspectors ignore the same quality-of-life violations in the non-Jewish community Preserving 'character'Officials say moratoriums quality-of-life laws and enforcement are common tools used by governments throughout the state to “preserve the character” of a municipality They say the laws are applied equally and are not aimed at any particular group “We have nay-sayers,” said Mayor Philip Gigante who has heard catcalls and accusations at village board meetings “The board and I are fully committed to serving all residents in the village religious affiliation or sexual orientation Any suggestion to the contrary is unfounded.” That may be a hard sell in a village that was branded as anti-Semitic by the federal government when it was formed less than three decades ago who claimed it was really an attempt keep Orthodox Jews out Attorney’s Office sued Airmont under the Fair Housing Act contending that it had been formed to exclude Orthodox Jews through zoning restrictions on houses of worship and was ordered to rewrite its zoning to allow synagogues in residential areas and pay $1 million in legal fees after Congregation Mischknois Lavier Yakov  proposed building a yeshiva and dormitory on a 19-acre Hillside Avenue tract Attorney’s Office lawsuit claimed the village’s ban on boarding houses (including student housing) constituted discrimination based on religion and violated both the Fair Housing and Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons acts SPECIAL REPORT: Ramapo nears breaking point  HERRICK AVENUE: Microcosm of Ramapo EDITORIAL: Ramapo's shoddy governance is by design  After years of legal maneuvering and sometimes ugly rhetoric Airmont agreed to zoning changes permitting the school and dorm The one-two federal punch created a dilemma with which Airmont has grappled ever since: trying to preserve the nature of a village that’s already changing without trampling the rights of the ever-growing Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish population “What happened in this area is a new population has moved in,” said Laurie DiFrancesco a Realtor who has lived in Airmont for 30 years and raised two children there “Just as Harlem or Brooklyn Heights or any place gentrified There’s been a change in the neighborhood.” Comparisons to gentrification of poor urban areas mystify Orthodox and Hasidic Jews who spent big money to move into a village where the median home value is $460,000 and the median annual family income is $110,150 “We’ve come to Airmont to live in peace with our neighbors,” Halberstam said “We want quiet streets… We moved here to have our own property.” The tidy lawns and driveway basketball hoops still whisper of a simpler time but the signs of change are not that hard to find One barometer has been an enrollment decline in Suffern public schools — from 4,700 students in 2010 to 4,111 last year — as more families send their children to private religious schools VIDEO: Parking ban AIRMONT: Some see bias in overnight parking ban BUSINESS: Airmont's Drug Mart marks 50 years Another is the increase in tax-exempt properties as homes are converted into schools and houses of worship Tax exemptions were granted to 10 properties being used for educational purposes in 2013 The number of properties given religious exemptions also jumped The new suburbanites aren’t always aware of the social norms of small-town living Longtime residents describe their new neighbors as stand-offish They say Orthodox and Hasidic Jews stick to their own communities and don’t participate in village life They complain that they leave toys and trash strewn around their lawns park too many cars in their driveways and don’t properly maintain their properties RAMAPO: Takeaways   BUILDING: One developer invests millions in Ramapo's housing boom Orthodox and Hasidic families follow the letter of Jewish law and tend to distance themselves from more secular Men dedicate much of their lives to religious study They generally have large families and Religious obedience means modest dress for women Hasidic and many Orthodox men wear black hats Hasidic men grow distinctive side curls called payot While they may be perceived by some as insular and different Orthodox and Hasidic Jews interviewed by The Journal News/lohud say they want what everyone wants: to live their lifestyle in peace without being singled out or targeted by laws they say were written to impede them With home ownership likely the biggest investment most families will ever make every action by the village is scrutinized questioned and debated by Jews and gentiles alike “I didn’t move here to be discriminated against on a daily basis because I’m a Hasidic Jew,” said Yehuda Zorger He moved his family to Airmont from Brooklyn four years ago because “I liked the way Airmont looked who said he pays $19,000 a year in property taxes has become a frequent critic of village policies The laws don’t say 'Hasidic Jews,' but every single one affects the Hasidic community Every single Jewish application is being dragged down in the mud and they are not letting anyone build.” Zorger said Jews are singled out for enforcement of quality-of-life laws — cutting down trees without permits over-extended driveways and others — while gentiles who do the same things are not hit with violations is ticketed when they park on lawns up and down the street during events at the public Cherry Lane Elementary School or drop off and pick up children at the Camp Scuffy day camp “We don’t hear a single concern about that We always hear fake cries about children’s safety when it comes to us,” he said He was quick to slam the village for its efforts to find out what’s going on at the former Camp Regesh which was purchased by the Central United Talmudic Academy of Monsey The UTA wants to build two schools for as many as 2,000 students during a decade on the 22-acre property An estimated 80 to 90 buses would drop off and pick up children on narrow Cherry Lane SCHOOL: Airmont residents question 2,000-student religious school plan BAN: Airmont passes building moratorium, overnight parking ban The UTA has already been cited for overcrowding with Zummo saying it's only allowed to have 167 students under a 2006 approval by the village Planning Board “I’ve never been allowed on the site when students are there,” Zummo said “I don’t know if they have 400 students or 700 Zorger and others say Camp Regesh hosted 400 children They say the village destroyed documents showing that the school had approval for 400 students — an accusation denied by officials “The village has done everything in their means to slow down the process,” Zorger said “They’ve had 400 students for years all of a sudden it’s an issue.”  bristles at the suggestion that Jews are singled out for violations She said the codes need to be enforced and doing so is “not anti-Semitism It’s going after people who don’t follow the rules.” Sunshine said she’s lived in Rockland County for 50 years and I’ve never experienced anti-Semitism in going to school living in New City and now living in Airmont," she said "It personally offends me when I see anti-Semitism is the rallying cry of our Hasidic neighbors.” an Orthodox Jew who moved to Airmont for the scenic landscapes array of delicatessens and proximity to New York City "I don't find that Orthodox practicing Jews are treated differently by others in the village," he said "I believe there is a constant effort to treat everyone fairly and with respect." building and safety issues are too often ignored by Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish newcomers “The conflict here is about the failure to follow Airmont’s zoning laws when seeking to alter properties,” said Melissa Hess-Gelardi “Zoning permits schools and houses of worship to be built in residential neighborhoods but they have to adhere to the code… The conflict is escalated when some begin to operate illegally before gaining approval.” Airmont and other communities point to the high-density urban sprawl and illegal development in Monsey as an example of what they're trying to avoid It’s a sentiment shared by the village’s Orthodox and Hasidic residents or to be compared to Monsey,” Halberstam said.  Hess-Gelardi said she moved to Airmont for the quality of the public schools spacious homes in a semi-rural setting and the village’s racial and religious diversity so the village can straighten out contradictory and inconsistent sections of the zoning code which hasn’t been updated since she moved to Airmont a decade ago saying the codes exist for the village as a whole and regulate how far apart homes are “has been professional — issuing warnings rather than violations when appropriate giving residents a chance to become compliant. But those who break the law and fail to take steps to fix the problem should be fined.” Neighbors cite issuesWhile some Orthodox and Hasidic residents say Airmont's building ban and code enforcement efforts are aimed at their lifestyle more secular residents say their new neighbors hamper their quality of life by ignoring village laws.  Laura DiStefano’s family has lived on Rustic Drive for 25 years When the five-bedroom house next door was converted into a synagogue “We noticed many issues that began to negatively affect our own quality of life,” she said was converted with no permits or approvals DiStefano said Berger has made polite apologies and promises to take care of the issues she has raised but has not backed up his words with any action garbage and noise,” she wrote in a letter to the Planning Board asking the village to address the problems DiStefano also mentioned that the high-density lighting installed around the synagogue shines directly into her kitchen and living room Berger assured the DiStefanos that the synagogue would have a maximum of 10 to 15 congregants and would only be operating once a day foot traffic to the property has increased significantly As many as 12 cars are sometimes crammed onto the driveway PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Grassroots groups fighting development in Ramapo HOUSING: 'Blockbusting' pressures Rockland homeowners “Children have to board the buses between cars parked on the street and cars pulling into and out of the driveway” because of the increased synagogue traffic she said.  “While I respect my neighbor’s right to gather and practice their religion I also expect that my rights be protected as well My quality of life has suffered… The new neighbor does not respect us who has been issued more than 35 summonses for violations such as running the synagogue without permits "He has not come back to any of the boards to legalize his shul,” Zummo said which is defending Berger against the violations said he is the victim of “enforced religious discrimination” by the village.  Jennifer Groff and her husband moved to Airmont from Clarkstown in 2012 she was attracted by the schools and nearby shopping in New Jersey “We were attracted to the elementary school on Cherry Lane,” she said and as we were looking in the area we saw you got a lot more house for your money.” and Groff said she worries about the future of the school district as enrollment drops “The religious community is sending their children to private schools and that’s their choice,” Groff said there’s an unintended impact on the public schools.” is the potential impact on her property taxes as the proliferation of tax-exempt Jewish schools and synagogues lowers the tax base The Salvation Army and other religious groups also receive exemptions Groff said her ears burn at some of the thinly-veiled anti-Semitic comments she hears “There is some bigotry,” she said “It seems you can’t have a conversation with some people who are not open minded I don’t feel those people represent the rest of the non-religious community in Airmont.” Groff has a front-row seat to the very issues that upset many longtime residents Several houses on her block were sold and left vacant for months or rented by their new Orthodox or Hasidic owners Longtime residents and village officials say speculators are buying Airmont homes through anonymous limited-liability companies and renting them out as weekend sabbath retreats changes are made to the properties without permits Groff described village zoning board meetings as "a farce," with attorneys for developers demanding changes that go way beyond what’s allowed by the zoning code. In many cases renovation projects start without approvals or even applications “Then we will see yellow stop-work orders on the doors The village definitely seems to be enforcing the codes The yellow stop-work signs don’t come out of the blue.” has mixed feelings on how to address the issues emerging as the village struggles to find a happy medium “My preference is to keep the character of the neighborhood,” she said “I don’t know how letter-of-the-law you have to be I don’t want to see the houses become too large for the property... I don’t care who my neighbors are.”  Working on the front lines of code enforcement Zummo shrugs off being called a “Nazi” and worse when he issues a summons or stop-work order He said inspectors come across illegal accessory apartments and schools and houses of worship without certificates of occupancy even dangerous work done by unlicensed contractors Most major violations are discovered after a fire or police action although many come from complaints about parking on lawns uncovered garbage cans and other quality-of-life issues “There’s always people who don’t follow the rules and do whatever they want to do,” Zummo said “We don’t peer through windows We don’t usually know who the owners are or what’s going on until we investigate complaints." inspectors saw numerous cars parked at a home with nine garbage containers outside had previously failed an inspection of its ritual bath inspectors obtained a search warrant to enter the three-story Colonial on Larissa Court Zummo said they found a 130-seat synagogue two bathrooms for worshipers and a school for girls They also found an exit blocked by a refrigerator and non-covered electrical boxes with exposed wiring There were no working smoke detectors and no permits for any of the work that had been done “This is the extreme case,” Zummo said noting the blocked exit and electrical issues were potentially dangerous you are looking at total chaos if 100 to 130 people have to leave.” The synagogue now faces more than 35 violations overcrowding and other zoning and safety issues Officials there did not respond to requests for comment The divisions and accusations and mistrust are a constant but there are also small signs that the various sides want to find a way to co-exist without the rancor The village has been reaching out to residents inviting them to join newly formed Commercial and Business Community Outreach and Preservation and Open Space committees.  Airmont is also publicizing village board meetings which are now livestreamed and posted on YouTube Officials have also created a village newsletter The building moratorium is expected to expire at the end of the summer after public hearings and a final vote on zoning code revisions is a member of the committee working on the code She said members were trying to address the needs of all residents is that while houses of worship are permitted in single-family homes there will be requirements for fire-protection tools and other safety equipment if more than 49 people attend a religious service on a regular basis “Everyone has a right to worship,” DiFrancesco said “Other people also have rights to live in their neighborhoods without traffic and disruptions The issue with residential houses of worship is they create traffic problems in the community The Howard Johnson’s at 17 North Airmont Road has been sold by the Ratan Hospitality Group The buyer is Bronx-based Yisroel Eisenberg through a New York LLC Financing for the acquisition was provided by Popular Bank of New York in the amount of $8 million through a consolidation of the existing mortgage The 2.72 acre parcel is operated by Wyndham Hotels The hotel has 54 rooms and was last renovated in 2007 Pending before the Airmont Planning Board is a proposal for an amended site plan and special use permit to convert the former hotel to a school building with a dormitory and the addition to the side of the building for an assembly room The property has a total gross lot area of approximately 118,371 square feet (2 It is improved with a four-story hotel with 94 guest rooms and a parking lot with 131 parking spaces the school and dormitory would be for a maximum of 140 students aged 14-18 The school will operate 6 days a week from Sundays through Thursdays from 7:30AM to 9:30PM and Fridays from 7:30AM to 1 :00PM The site is adjacent to  and was once part of a larger parcel that included Friendly’s restaurant on Airmont Road The Friendly’s will soon be a Panera Bread The site at 15 North Airmont Road in Airmont was sold by Panera to two investors: Shulammite The 1.59 acre property sold recently for $4.65 million 168 and 184 Route 59 in Airmont sold to Suffern-based investor and developer Berel Karniol’s Airmont Gateway totaling 14.6 acres of commercial land sold for $9 million The sellers were Edward and James Cheeseman NY provided financing in the amount of $5,625,000 The parcels are zoned “LO” which allows for office and medical uses as of right and wholesaling and warehousing as well as houses of worship and hotels and motels by special permit The property is just south of the large Manhattan Beer Distribution Center the Raymour & Flanigan warehouse and can be accessed from Route 59 and Dunnigan Drive a staple in Rockland County for the last 37 years 21 and 23 Lafayette Avenue in Suffern were sold by Carolyn Russodivito to the American Dream Restaurant Corporation of Ramsey The seller financed part of the purchase and took back a mortgage in the amount of $575,000 Deputy Mayor Brian Downey's house held a range of powerful weapons has been arrested on multiple weapons charges after police discovered an arsenal of illegal guns in his house — including 16 assault weapons and 13 silencers according to the district attorney's office Investigators said they also found a stash of fake federal IDs now faces more than 30 state and federal criminal counts Department of Homeland Security agents recently alerted authorities in Rockland County, which includes Airmont, that Downey had bought an illegal rifle suppressor over the internet — information that led to a raid that uncovered a room full of guns and gun parts, the district attorney's office said "Our community is without a doubt safer today than it was yesterday," Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said in a statement about Downey's arrest noting the rise of gun violence around the United States One of the most serious charges against Downey accuses him of possessing unregistered firearms — specifically two items that require special licenses to possess: a short-barrel rifle and a sawed-off shotgun The rifle is a version of the AR-15 with a barrel shorter than 16 inches according to a federal complaint signed by a Homeland Security Investigations special agent The shotgun has a barrel less than 18 inches long Downey told investigators that he believed he was allowed to have a rifle with an illegal barrel "because he was a peace officer," the complaint said It added he was aware short-barreled rifles cannot be legally possessed without special authorization from the Bureau of Alcohol Investigators say they found fake IDs purportedly from the FBI and other agencies in Downey's house A portion of the credentials are seen here which they opened after Downey said he did not have the combination I located numerous federal badges and credentials," Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Daniel Suden said in the complaint These included a Drug Enforcement Administration badge and badge holder; a U.S marshals badge and holder; three FBI badges and badge holders; and three complete FBI credential sets Other credentials bore the imprints of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice All of the badges and credentials "are not authentic and not issued under the proper authority," Suden said investigators also found Downey's name and image on several New York Court Officer badges and IDs resulting in a state charge of possessing a forged instrument Downey's name and photo appear on what authorities say is a fake New York Court Officer badge None of the court documents released so far by county and federal authorities suggest an explanation for why Downey allegedly amassed an illegal trove of guns and forged documents. A local newspaper, the Rockland/Westchester Journal News describes the deputy mayor as "a Second Amendment advocate who has permitted handguns" and was elected in March 2019 The investigation that led to Downey's arrest involved several agencies from the Rockland County District Attorney's Office to the Department of Homeland Security and a U.S Become an NPR sponsor NEW CITY − Former Airmont Trustee Brian Downey pleaded guilty Tuesday to six weapons possession charges in a plea deal that carries a potential sentence of two years in the county jail Downey's jail sentence could run concurrently with his federal conviction the Rockland District Attorney's Office said in a release 10 to federal count of possession of an unregistered firearm He faces 18 to 24 months in federal prison Downey's county sentencing is scheduled for June 27 while his federal sentencing in White Plains is June 1 before U.S Federal plead: Airmont Trustee Brian Downey pleads guilty to gun charges, faces 2 years in prison Gun charges: Airmont Deputy Mayor Brian Downey arrested, accused of buying gun parts over the Internet Federal complaint: Brian Downey charged with illegal possession of weapons Arrest: What Airmont Deputy Mayor Brian Downey told federal agent during his weapons arrest Downey's federal conviction forced his removal from the Airmont Board of Trustees a part-time court attendant and suspended Ramapo building inspector won election to a four-year term in March 2019 a grand jury indicted Downey in December 2021 on 120 felony counts: • One count of first-degree criminal possession of a weapon• 12 counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon• 19 counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon• 85 counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon• three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument pleaded guilty Tuesday to six felony counts before County Court Judge Larry Schwartz He admitted to two counts each of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon: silencers The District Attorney's Office's release said Downey admitted possessing a Colt Carbine semi-automatic rifle and an Aero Precision semi-automatic rifle; Surefire LLC and an Advanced Aramet Coro M4-2000 silencers; and two large-capacity feeding devices: Magpul magazines that could hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition District Attorney Thomas Walsh has made illegal firearms a priority “Investigators from my office and many other law enforcement agencies were able to see this investigation through to a guilty plea," Walsh said "I commend them for their dedication and hard work striving to keep Rockland a safe community." Detectives of the Rockland District Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations Task Force executed a search warrant at Downey's Airmont home on Sept The raid was sparked by information that Downey received a mailed package containing a firearm silencer and in excess of 85 high-capacity magazines in Downey's basement They also found numerous false federal law enforcement credentials; two false New York State Court Officer Shields; and a New York State Court Officer identification card In federal court, Downey admitted to receiving and possessing a PA-15 rifle that had been modified and had not been registered to him in the National Firearms Registry, according to a document filed with the U.S. District Court in White Plains. The details involving the criminal charges are contained in a 10-page federal complaint dated Sept had been negotiating for months with federal prosecutors to avoid a grand jury presentation and a trial The complaint states Downey told the agents he believed he was permitted to modify short-barrel rifles a part-time court attendant licensed to carry a gun also stated he understood short-barreled rifles cannot be legally possessed without specific authorization Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com. Twitter: @lohudlegal. Read more articles and bio Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers.