Rockland News - It's Local that Matters NY – The long-awaited roundabout at the bustling intersection of Suffern Lane and Letchworth Village Road is officially open for vehicular traffic—well While North Rockland residents can finally test their skills in navigating the circular wonder ongoing construction and temporary traffic patterns are keeping things a little spicier than anticipated the Haverstraw Police Department announced the opening of the roundabout Suffern Lane…and most importantly – people’s undivided attention for the past 4 months The Town of Haverstraw today revealed the following detailed points of detail for residents to further critique on the North Rockland Community Facebook Group: the consensus on social media has been anything but partial the roundabout has already sparked a range of commentary: who has experienced roundabout life in Indiana the secret to embracing it is all in the adjustment: “At first I was scared to approach these when we moved 2 years ago but now I see it makes so much sense and keeps things moving Rocky Alexander provided the following Rock Report: “The wheels on the bus go round and round round and round… the wipers on the bus go… back to you in the studio!” “I just completed my first roundabout commonly known as “firetrucks” tested out the newly minted road on Monday November 18th several golfers were also seen hiking back and forth from Rotella Golf Course to Patriot Hills indicating that they were looking forward to using this new fangled road configuration – a circle – to bridge the divides that separate us in North Rockland We commend all those who were involved in this detailed engineering process Now back to your actual news…here Filed Under: News, Town of Haverstraw Copyright © 2025 · RockWeb Systems Inc. · All rights reserved. · Privacy Policy RAMAPO — A neighbors' lawsuit asks a state court judge to derail a proposed 637-unit housing enclave with businesses and open space at the former Minisceongo Golf Course The legal action claims Ramapo Town Board members violated New York state environmental regulations when approving a higher density zone in March that would allow for the Miller's Pond development amid 143.6 acres outside Pomona The neighbors claim town officials failed to take the "requisite hard look" at the development's potential environmental impacts on the surrounding areas including a condominium complex and the 172-acre Samuel G "Petitioners request the court make declaratory judgment decisions as necessary on the lawfulness and applicability of certain aspects of the process in order to provide the relief requested ..." according to the Article 78 legal action filed on July 15 in the New York Supreme Court in New City Article 78 is used to challenge actions or nonactions by a governing body or its agencies Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht said town attorneys are reviewing the petition and will respond “The Article 78 doesn't stay the applicant from proceeding through the Town's land use boards if they choose to proceed with their application while it is pending," he said Acting Supreme Court Judge Keith Cornell has been assigned the case Specht and the four other Town Board members adopted a higher-density zone change after a public hearing and the town's creation of a specialized zoning district for the northeast area of town. Previous related coverage: Ramapo officials approve zone change for development on former Minisceongo Golf Course The Miller's Pond development plans call for 535 townhouses and 102 apartments with 103,000 square feet of retail space across 143.6 acres outside Pomona The self-contained community would include parks the developer would have been limited to 122 homes under the former zoning A high-density housing development has been anticipated since the property was sold in 2016 for $32 million to Joseph Kazarnovsky of Monsey and Mark Mandelbaum of Toronto The company and Lindifrim Limited Partnership of Lakewood New Jersey bought the property from the Bergstol family which designed and opened the 60-acre golf course in 1994 The former golf course is one of the last remaining large swathes of open space in Rockland County Areas have been designated Environmental Sensitive Areas by the federal Environmental Protection Agency The legal action challenging the Miller's Pond zone change was filed by environmental attorney Susan Shapiro on behalf of the Kearsing and Edwards American Legion Post 1600 and Marilyn Schwartz Schwartz and Froman live in the Cambridge Heights Condominiums The neighbors are challenging the legality of the Town Board's approvals and the environmental review conducted before the zoning change Officials voted to permit a maximum of five residential units per acre with a maximum allowable density in any multifamily zone of 12 units per acre The Miller's Pond developer sought the upgraded zoning under Ramapo's Planned Unit Development District The Miller's Pond zone comprises three parcels generally bounded by Samuel G Fisher Mount Ivy Environmental Park to the north The Town of Ramapo approved the rezoning and adopted the Millers Pond PUD in March after more than a year of public comments looking at possible environmental impacts and their significance the town found that likely impacts on the environment were not significant and a “Negative Declaration” notice was published by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on Sept The Article 78 filing incorporates a legal action filed in December 2023 by Fromen and Robert Ball They wanted the court to annul decisions made by the town claiming residents were not properly notified of a public hearing and that the board made an "arbitrary and capricious negative declaration" on the environmental issues The legal action claims the Town Board failed to consider environmental impacts and impacts on community character including on undevelopable land like environmentally sensitive areas The action states officials also didn't properly review the ability of the public water supplier to meet the needs of the proposed development Ramapo officials have countered that their planners and legal advisors followed the regulations The legal action asserts Ramapo violated New York's environmental review laws by: ∎ illegally segmenting its environmental review ∎ failing to make either a negative or positive declaration determination requiring the preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement ∎ failing to conduct a new or Supplemental Environmental Impact Study for the site-specific PUD Preliminary Plan it appears that the Town colluded with the Applicant to circumvent state environmental regulations," the legal action states The legal action requests the court find that the town failed to comply with several public notice and public hearing requirements Shapiro has filed several legal actions over the years challenging Ramapo decisions on development and zoning often citing violations of codes and environmental regulations The Article 78 asks the court to either annul vacate or set aside the Town Board's amended findings resolution for being arbitrary and capricious and for failing to provide substantial evidence of its findings Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers Rockland County Business Journal Another iconic diner has changed hands for the second time in less than two years The Mount Ivy Diner All American Diner on Route 202 in Pomona has been sold for $2.23 million to Karina & David LLC of New City Rockland County Supermarket owner Wilson Bermeo signed on behalf of Karina & David LLC Archie Ligeras of 202 Can Do LLC sold the 1.32-acre property and the restaurant at 1663 Route 202 “very much appreciated the loyalty of our customers for the last 25 years as the original owners of the diner and wishes the new owner much success.” Bermeo is the owner of Huerto del Eden at 116 Maple Avenue in Spring Valley, Spring Valley Supermarket at 210 North Main Street in Spring Valley, and the soon to be opened Nyack Fresh on Main Street in Nyack Bermeo anticipates the opening in October in the long-darkened Riverspace Theater He said he bought the diner because it was a “good commercial real estate investment” and because it grows his holdings in Rockland County He plans to maintain the classic menu for now but said the 27-year-old diner needs an upgrade The seller financed the acquisition with a mortgage loan in the amount of $1.33 million 202 Can Do LLC bought the property a year earlier in February of 2021 for $1.2 million Ligeras also owns the Four Corners Shopping Center in Bardonia on Route 304 has purchased 6 acres of property located directly across from the Good Samaritan Hospital at 250 Lafayette Avenue in Montebello for $2.8 million which was subdivided and sold by Montebello Crossing LLC Paul Adler, Esq. SIOR of Rand Commercial represented both the buyer and the seller “The FilBen Group has distinguished itself as a premier provider of assisted living services in the TriState area,” said Adler “They are a welcome addition to the healthcare corridor on Route 59/Lafayette in Ramapo.” FilBen builds senior living facilities that “provide affordable high-quality health care services in luxurious facilities,” according to the company’s website FilBen has built over 5,000 nursing-home beds of which they own 1,300 and operate over 800 RW175 Realty LLC has sold 175 West Clarkstown Road in New City to One75 LLC for $3.35 million A mortgage loan was provided by Northeast Community Bank in the amount of $1,675,000 From contract to closing took more than two years The buyer’s LLC is managed by Gabe Alexander The seller purchased the property in December of 2016 for $2.65 million The 8.9-acre parcel is the former site of Camp Merockdim or single-family houses on half acre parcels If the developer were to build housing without seeking a permit or zone change he would be able to build about 15 to 17 houses A multi-family housing project would require a zoning amendment though senior housing would only require a special permit Recent changes in the Clarkstown zoning code affecting senior housing will likely reduce the number of units that can be built at the site Alexander plans to appear before Clarkstown’s Technical Advisory Committee on August 24th and plans to propose: “demolition of all existing site features of the Champion Day Camp and construction of a 62,774 SF 3-story Senior Housing Facility The property is located on 9.18 acres of R-22 zoned land on the east side of West Clarkstown Road and approximately 320 ft south of the intersection of West Burda Lane and West Clarkstown Road in New City.” 2023 at 3:00 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Two new businesses are moving into Mount Ivy Plaza (courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield)POMONA NY — A new dental practice and a pediatric practice are opening in the Mount Ivy Plaza in Pomona where one of the storefronts had been empty for two years said broker Samuel Hartstein of Gemstone Realty Group LLC in West Nyack Williamsburg Pediatrics is renovating the space for their seventh location Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Palisades Mall Is Hosting The Rockland Arts Festival February 9th Don’t Miss: “Steel Magnolias” A Story Of Strength Resilience And Friendship February 7th “The Death Of King Shotaway” A True Story In Celebration Of Black History Month February 1st At Harmony Hall-Jacob Sloat House “Steel Magnolias” A Story Of Strength Resilience And Friendship “Significant Other” A Funny Bittersweet Rom-Com At The Elmwood Playhouse Nyack January 17th – February 8th Clarkstown High School Seniors Celebrate College Decisions on 2025 Decision Day Lakewood Students Walk the Runway for a Greener Planet CBS Sports Reporter and Clarkstown North Alum Tracy Wolfson Visits Alma Mater Give Back – Donate Gently Used Items and Help Reach 1,000 Bags for a Great Cause A Message From “Dom Togo” New City No One Should Go Hungry – We’re Here to Help Nyack Chamber of Commerce Presents Spring Fest Street Fair April 13th Happy National Puppy Day Shower Your Furry Friend with Love and Consider Adoption American Cancer Society Relay For Life Rockland County Dominican University April 11th Bold Rock Your Socks for World Down Syndrome Day March 21st Rockland Community College Your Gateway to a Career in Construction March 27th Free Breast Cancer Screening Montefiore Nyack Hospital May 9th Stay Cool This Summer with HEAP Cooling Assistance – Apply Today Rockland County Legislators Approve Firefighters’ Memorial George Hoehmann Shares Update: West Nyack Road Temporarily Reopened as Project Nears Next Phase PHOTOS: Rockland County Executive Ed Day Hosts Fundraiser Announces Re-Election Bid to Enthusiastic Supporters Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann Announced His Re-Election Campaign New City Attorney Nabeela McLeod Announces Candidacy for Rockland County Family Court Judge Senator Bill Weber Sworn in for a Second Term New City Attorney Nabeela McLeod To Run For Rockland County Family Court Savor the Flavor: Nyack Restaurant Week Returns April 23 – May 1 Turiello’s in Nyack is Celebrating 45 Years in Business Supervisor George Hoehmann Talks Construction At New Site For “Chick-fil-A” In Nanuet Down to Earth Living Is Offering Free Workshops To Get Your Garden Ready For Spring Down To Earth Living The Many Benefits of Indoor Plants for Health Don’t Miss: North Rockland Verse The Harlem Wizards Charity Game May 8th Haverstraw Police Join Forces with Community for Annual Sports and Law Enforcement Day Officer Genito and The Ramapo Police Department Were Honored for Excellence in Impaired Driving Prevention Car Crashes Into Webster Bank in Nanuet for Second Time in Recent Months; No Injuries Reported Rockland County Sheriff’s Marine Unit Upgrades Fleet with New High-Tech Patrol Boat Rockland County Sheriff’s Office and Consumer Protection Joint Investigation Leads to Arrest in Fraud Case Haverstraw Police Department Arrests Pomona Man on Weapon and Drug Charges Stony Point Police Department Needs Your Help in Identifying This Individual Rockland County Teams with NYS Police to Take Down Online Child Traffickers in Bold Operation RCDAO Arrest a New City Man for Possessing a Ghost Gun and High-Capacity Magazines More Than a Game: North Rockland Lacrosse Stands for Mental Health May 3rd Tommy Linehan Makes History with 300th Point Becomes Tappan Zee Lacrosse’s All-Time Leading Scorer Suffern High School Hockey Team Are New York State Champions North Rockland Varsity Girls Bowling Team Capture The Division 1 Championship with Thrilling Final Victory Sacred Heart CYO Girls Basketball Team Wins Rockland County CYO Championship NY – The Town of Haverstraw Detective Bureau concluded its investigation into the fatal hit and run motor vehicle accident that occurred on Thiells Mt Ivy Road during the early morning hours of January 26 It was concluded that the victim was struck by 2 vehicles One vehicle stopped at the scene and called 911 reporting the incident and requested medical personnel to the scene The other vehicle fled that scene southbound on Thiells Mt Ivy Road The investigation was able to identify the second vehicle by specific vehicle parts recovered at the scene and the driver was identified as Rosana PelaezDipaolo 25 years old of Pomona PelaezDipaolo was arraigned on the below listed charges in the Town of Haverstraw Justice Court and Released on her own Recognizance Ramapo PD Make 5 Alcohol Related Arrests Over Super Bowl Weekend NYS Police Investigating Crash That Resulted in Two Fatalities on Route 6 in the Town of Woodbury NY — Authorities in Rockland County have arrested a Nyack resident in connection with the use of a fake home improvement license following a joint investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and the County Department of Consumer Protection faces felony charges of Second-Degree Forgery and Second-Degree Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument Investigators allege that Kolarz created and attempted to use a counterfeit Rockland County Home Improvement License to fraudulently secure financing for a construction project The forged document came to light thanks to a coordinated effort by the Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Consumer Protection investigators He is scheduled to appear in court again on May 12 Rockland County Executive Ed Day praised the collaboration between agencies “This joint effort is a prime example of how working together keeps Rockland safe It sends a strong message: fraud will not be tolerated.” emphasizing the importance of interagency cooperation in protecting residents from scams “We’re committed to pursuing those who attempt to take advantage of our community,” he said Consumer Protection Director Kimberly Von Ronn added that the misuse of official county documents is a serious matter “Let this serve as a warning—we will take action to protect families and businesses from fraud.” Volunteer Firefighters Save New City Home from Fire on Scott Drive Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday She lived in Maryland for most of her life She was the loving wife of Walter Valentini she was employed at Super Giant and Entenmann's Thrift Bakery Store in Rockville Ivy loved to spend time with family and friends  She was known was an excellent cook and hosted many wonderful dinner parties  She loved the beach and going to Ocean City  She will be deeply missed by all who knew her  She is also survived by nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews A celebration of Ivy's life will take place graveside at Pine Grove Cemetery in Mount Airy on Monday Father Paul Sparklin will officiate.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association Expressions of sympathy may be offered to the family at StaufferFuneralHome.com Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Detectives say it happened on Thiells Mount Ivy Road around 6:30 a.m Police closed a section of the roadway for hours as they investigated the incident Police had not found the vehicle nor did they have a description as of Friday evening Police are asking anyone who witnessed the accident to give them a call No other information about the victim is being released until the family has been notified Ramapo police and the Rockland County Sheriff's Office were at the scene to help Haverstraw with the investigation RAMAPO - A fire damaged the Mount Ivy Diner on Tuesday night near Pomona and the border between Ramapo and Haverstraw It started in the front exterior soffit area around the roof a spokesman for the Hillcrest Fire Department That section of the building contained lighting that lit up the front and rear roof line The fire did not extend into the main areas of the diner but it did damage the front portion of the building SPRING VALLEY: Female security officer killed at library NYCLU: WhatsApp reveals behind-the-scenes effort by Jewish leaders RICHARD BREGA: Judges reject Rockland bus mogul's conviction appeal and all workers and patrons were outside when firefighters arrived Ramapo police said Route 202 was closed until about 11 p.m The cause of the fire is under investigation Firefighters from Thiells and West Haverstraw also responded as well as the Spring Hill Community Ambulance Corps and the Rockland County Sheriff's Office's Fire Investigations Unit It was not immediately clear what effect the fire would have on the diner's operations Twitter: @MattSpillane In a second victory for Khal Bnei Torah (KBT) of Mount Ivy a religious corporation that owns property at 62 Riverglen Drive in the Town of Haverstraw a federal court dismissed a complaint brought by its neighbors that sought to have the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act (RLUIPA) declared unconstitutional The neighbors also sought to have KBT’s future occupancy of the property declared a public and private nuisance under state law Tina Coritsidis and Kareen McKenzie filed suit in federal court in the Southern District of New York challenging RLUIPA as violating the federal constitution because it discriminates in favor of religion in violation of the Establishment Clause which guarantees the free expression of religion but also prevents the government from passing laws that favor a particular religion and other religious institutions from discrimination in zoning decisions by local governments and land use boards RLUIPA prohibits zoning laws that: (1) treat churches or other religious assemblies or institutions on less than equal terms with nonreligious assemblies or institutions; (2)  discriminate against any assemblies or institutions on the basis of religion or religious denomination; (3)  totally exclude religious assemblies from a jurisdiction; or (4) unreasonably limit religious assemblies In an earlier suit, when the Town of Haverstraw Planning Board denied KBT approval to convert the house at 62 Riverglen into a house of worship, KBT sued the Town in federal court under RLUIPA. Haverstraw ultimately settled with KBT “There was no rational basis for the planning board denying the application The homeowners in close proximity to KBT’s property had filed a separate suit to have RLUIPA declared unconstitutional and KBT’s operation a nuisance naming both the United States of America and KBT as defendants Based on their description of how KBT previously operated at 56 Riverglen (a property also owned by KBT) plaintiffs charged that KBT congregants “frequently park on both sides of the street overnight” and “walk in the middle of the street in dark clothing with no reflectors in dimly lit Riverglen Drive and the surrounding streets because members of Defendant Congregation cannot operate vehicles at various times.” Plaintiffs alleged the anticipated operation of a house of worship at 62 Riverglen Drive would amount to “an intentional unreasonable interference substantial in nature with Plaintiffs’ use and enjoyment of their land” that “creates a serious health and safety problem.” United States District Court Judge Cathy Seibel dismissed the suit against the United States of America based on its claim of sovereign immunity – that is the United States government can only be sued in limited circumstances where it agrees to be sued under a federal statute (such a for civil rights violations) or where it waives its sovereign immunity Judge Seibel found the United States had not waived its sovereign immunity and that no legal exceptions to waiver applied She dismissed the suit for lack of “subject matter jurisdiction” – the legal basis that allows a federal court to exercise its jurisdiction the court lacked the ability to hear the neighbors’ federal claims and without the ability to hear the federal claims it also dismissed the neighbors’ state law claims for public and private nuisance The nuisance claims were dismissed without prejudice meaning that the neighbors are free to file a case in state court “We are pleased with the Court’s decision to grant our motion to dismiss,” said Yehudah Buchweitz “This dismissal is the latest example of a court rejecting an attempt to stop people from living or worshiping in a particular neighborhood simply because of the religion they practice the case was dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and the court did not address other aspects of the case KBT also sought attorney’s fees from the neighbors under New York’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) statute – a law designed to dissuade frivolous suits filed for harassment purposes or to interfere with a party exercising its rights KBT argued the neighbors brought the suit to punish KBT for relying on RLUIPA to secure its approvals saying New York’s anti-SLAPP did not apply in federal court The neighbors were represented by Elliot Louis Pell of New York City KBT was represented by Yehudah Buchweitz of Weil Gotshall & Manges Click to view the Court’s Decision here. Residents wanting to weigh in on what looks to be the green-lighting of the Millers Pond Planned Unit Development at the former Minisceongo Golf Club on Pomona Road can send written comments to the Ramapo town clerk until November 3rd The town board gave residents an extra few days to respond to the review done by the Rockland County Department of Planning issued on October 23rd Under consideration is an amendment to the town code establishing a FOPUD (Flexible Overlay Planned Unit Development) to replace the RR-80 zoning at the shuttered golf course In 2022, the Town of Ramapo amended its comprehensive plan and focused on what it called Ramapo’s Northeast Corridor – several different areas where land was available for residential and mixed-use development Rather than establish fixed zones: residential The goal of the FOPUDs was to create walkable The lands were targeted as suitable for functional neighborhoods instead of just residential developments One area specifically designated as “Area D” in the plan and targeted for development was the former Minisceongo Golf Course at 110-118 Pomona Road the Hi Tor Animal Shelter and near Boulder Stadium The golf course was constructed in the mid-1990s and ceased operating in 2016 the property was used as a school and orphanage known as the Happy Valley School – Institution for Needy Children and served children in grades 1 through 8 from the 1800s to 1974 A short window remains for written public comments on the rezoning of the golf course from RR-80 to what will be called the Millers Pond Planned Unit Development – the first FOPUD established under Ramapo’s new comprehensive plan amendments submitted a plan to preserve the existing clubhouse on the 143.6 acre property and allow the construction of 637 residential units (4.5 units per acre) and 103,000 square feet of commercial space The commercial component was later reduced to 67,000 square feet it would be developed in stages with a reservation for future expansion and additional development there are a raft of proposed uses including residential dwellings not every single use will necessarily be part of the final project Because the plan calls for the residential units to be clustered approximately 39 percent of the property will be preserved as open-space and mixed-use residential and commercial buildings Primary access will be through Pomona Road into an interior network of privately owned roads Existing ponds and wetlands will be preserved Townhome height will be limited to 45 feet and mixed-use building height 60 feet Extensive walking paths will be preserved and created Some 102 of the units will be apartment-style residences Units are expected to sell for between $642,000 and $1,050,000 with some units as large as 3,600 square feet The developer’s traffic study also contemplated a 48-room hotel but it’s not on the site plan The application for the zoning change was filed in Jan determined the Millers Pond Planned Unit Development (MP-PUD) will not have a significant adverse environmental impact and gave a negative SEQR declaration to the project The negative declaration precluded public involvement in scoping a more intensive environmental impact statement Ramapo Town Code required the Town Board to refer the application to the Planning Board for a recommendation the Board unanimously recommended the Town Board approve the MP-PUD which would make the development an “as-of-right” application The Rockland County Department of Planning also weighed in which is needed when County facilities are affected or when the proposed project is adjacent to a neighboring municipality The board had some concerns about state and federal wetlands permits and the density of up to five residential units-per-acre The written comment period was extended to allow residents to weigh in on any matter raised by the County Planning Department. Comments must be submitted to Sharon Osherovitz, Town Clerk, at Osherovitzs@ramapo.org or hand delivered to the Town Clerk’s Office RAMAPO - A Monsey-based company is the new owner of the Minisceongo Golf Club but what it plans to do with the property still isn't clear Earlier this month, Mount Ivy LLC bought a majority stake in the 60-acre course for $32 million from principal owner Eric Bergstol The limited liability company owns a 78 percent stake while another company according to its filing with New York's Department of State Its address is listed at 55 Old Nyack Turnpike in Monsey That's the same address as Congregation Ribnitz Binyan Torah complete with concrete pallets and backhoes Lindifrim is listed at an address in Lakewood LLCs are a type of corporate structure now commonly used in real estate transactions for privacy and shared ownership The only name connected with Mount Ivy LLC is Richard Rubin of Neuberger Quinn Gielen Rubin & Gibber a Baltimore-based law firm that specializes in commercial and residential real estate development and financing "I didn't even know a sale went through," he said 18-hole course at 110 Pomona Road could be developed have been spreading since rumors of the sale began circulating months ago Minisceongo opened in 1994 on land in unincorporated Ramapo the course had been suffering amid an economic downturn and shifting demographics and his family have a long history as developers in Rockland His proposed Minisceongo Park shopping center along the Ramapo-Haverstraw border outside Mount Ivy has received municipal approvals but has been challenged in court by local merchants and the village of Pomona Twitter: @alextailored is set to approve rezoning for the Millers Pond Planned Unit Development (MP-PUD) a mixed-use development of 637 residential units with 67,000 square feet of non-residential The MP-PUD consists of 143 acres of land on the former Minisceongo Golf Course property at 110 Pomona Road just west of the New York Boulders Stadium NJ and Lindifrim Pomona LP acquired the golf course in 2016 for $32 million the property was used as a school and orphanage known as the Happy Valley School – Institution for Needy Children from the 1800s to 1974 The petition to rezone the property was originally filed in January of 2023 as part of Ramapo’s rewritten Comprehensive Plan The Plan sought to foster development in several areas of Ramapo’s Northeast Corner and included several different areas where land was available for residential and mixed-use development Millers Pond is Ramapo’s first Planned Unit Development under the provisions of the revised plan the property needs to be rezoned from the RR-80 zoning district to the proposed MP-PUD Zone The Town Board will vote on amending the zoning code to create the MP-PUD and rezone the property accordingly the town must also approve an Open Development Area which will allow the inclusion of an internal network of roads and easements enabling access to the individual residential units as well as pedestrian and emergency vehicle use The MP-PUD zone allows a maximum of five residential units per gross acre of land with maximum allowable density in any multifamily zone within the PUD of up to 12 units per acre the Town issued a Negative Declaration under SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) finding that the rezoning would not result in any “potential adverse impacts that might arise or could not be adequately mitigated.” The negative declaration obviated the need for a full Environmental Impact Statement The development plan calls for the residential units to be clustered and approximately 39 percent of the property will be preserved as open-space Primary access will be through Pomona Road Additional access may be through Camp Hill Road and Station Road limited areas of floodplain and open space) adjacent to Rockland County Mt Final review of the actual infrastructure will be vested with the Planning Board Phases of development are subject to further review by both the Planning Board and the Town Board containing almost 150 acres at 103 Brick Church Road in New Hempstead was sold to Monsey-based 103 Brick Church A proposal pending before the Village of New Hempstead is asking to have the golf course re-zoned to R-10 which would allow for 344 single family homes on the property Existing ponds and wetlands on the property would be preserved The golf course’s previous owner proposed a development plan with the Village that included a mix of housing types under the Village’s optimized cluster development program THIELLS – A Pomona man who died in a one-car accident about 20 months ago will be remembered in the community with a road named after him the 2-mile long Thiells-Mount Ivy Road will also be known as "Anthony Amoros Way." A blue-colored street name sign will be installed under the existing green one Saturday afternoon Amoros died in January 2013 as a result of severe injuries he suffered in a car crash on Thiells-Mount Ivy Road a 2012 North Rockland High School graduate who turned 18 in October 2012 was on his way to his job as a cashier at Stony Point ShopRite when he lost control of his 2003 Mazda Protege on icy pavement a memorial plaque for Amoros will be dedicated at 1 p.m Rotella Memorial Golf Course on Thiells-Mount Ivy Road Amoros' car crashed just outside of the municipal golf course Al and Ivette Amoros, Anthony's parents, have been looking for ways — from establishing a scholarship in their son's name to organizing petitions to make the road safer — to keep their son's legacy alive Many of Anthony's friends and members of the community stepped in to help Al Amoros said naming the road after his son was important to the family "He did so many things here in this county," Al Amoros said He not only helped young people but also helped senior citizens as well." Anthony Amoros was known for being an independent thinker with a kind heart He was an altar boy at the Marian Shrine in Stony Point he attended Rockland Community College while taking BOCES classes on automotive services Amoros was among a group of the RCC students who helped restore a historic fence on Strawtown Road Amoros worked at ShopRite and saved enough to buy cars and auto parts he bought the bright-yellow Mazda Protege that he was driving at the time of the accident Haverstraw town Supervisor Howard Phillips said upon request from the Amoros family the town approved giving a second name to Thiells Mount-Ivy Road and installing the plaque at the golf course commemorating the young man "Our feelings and sympathies go out to the family," Phillips said "This is a small way that we can help them remember their son and his contribution to our community." Twitter: @LohudAkiko POMONA ‒ When you fill up through October at the Mt a slice of the profits will go to helping kids like 3-year-old Catalina Valenti That's courtesy of The Giving Pump an annual initiative by New York-based CPD ENERGY/Chestnut Markets and Shell Station operators designate what charity they support This is the fourth year of The Giving Pump, and it's the third year the Pomona station, operated by Dominique Valenti, has chosen to support Prader-Willi Syndrome Association USA so knows well the need for more research to enhance the lives of people with Prader-Willi and more support for families How 'The Giving Pump' worksDuring September and October Shell stations participating in The Giving Pump employ purple signage that designate the pumps and the cause the outlet is supporting Most stations only have one pump raising proceeds has all pumps giving back to the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association The price at the pump isn't boosted for the charity; the donation amount comes out of the company's profits Stations across New York and the nation are participating in this year's The Giving Pump initiative and supporting other well-known nonprofits, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Valenti said in a recent statement that parents and families who have children with PWS are usually the ones helping raise money for the research Enlisting The Giving Pump to support PWS research helps boost those efforts and eases the burden on PWS families “I wanted to help my child in the best way possible and now it’s being able to help other families struggling emotionally and financially with the conditions that come with the disorder,” Valenti said “The Giving Pump campaign allows me to reach even further.” is a rare disorder that occurs in approximately one out of 22,000 births The genetic disorder is characterized by chronic hunger growth hormone deficiency and behavioral challenges PWSA USA backs research projects to help fast-track better treatment options; raises awareness through advocacy for Prader-Willi syndrome at the state and federal levels; and provides education and training to medical providers and supports families "My daughter was born with PWS three years ago," Dominique Valenti said during a Customer Appreciation Day held at the station Sept Her station joined the Shell Giving Pump initiative three years ago "So we tied it together to help raise money for this cause." HAVERSTRAW Most everyone agrees that Thiells-Mount Ivy Road has been a problem for decades but a major overhaul of its most dangerous stretch may still be years away It’s a predicament that’s frustrating to Ilan Shulein who for the past decade has been lobbying for safety improvements on the hilly and windy two-lane road with poor sight lines and I don’t say that lightly,” said Shulein The county has received approval to overhaul a small section of the busy road between Rosman Road and Suffern Lane but the project can't advance until $2.5 million in transportation funding It could be years before any construction begins “We’re waiting for the go-ahead," Rockland County Highway Superintendent Charles "Skip" Vezzetti said Even though that part of road is just one-tenth of a mile local residents and officials consider it to be the most dangerous stretch Haverstraw Town Supervisor Howard Phillips said there have been numerous accidents there because the sight distance is limited A Journal News analysis of state crash data which includes accidents that occur on local roads found that the stretch of Thiells-Mount Ivy Road between Rosman Road and Suffern Lane has had 11 crashes over the past three years Seven mainly property-damage-only accidents occurred by the Rosman Road intersection while four — three involving injuries — happened by the corner of Suffern Lane A February 2014 report by county highway engineers called for wider shoulders and regrading the incline. The study, which found the road to be safe overall, came following the death of 18-year-old Anthony Amoros who was involved in a fatal crash on the road It also rallied area residents to put pressure on the county to take action Vezzetti said the county addressed "absolutely everything" in the study including recommendations to remove shrubs and trees to improve sight lines improve drainage to reduce standing water on the road and it examined all of the guiderails But Phillips noted that Thiells-Mount Ivy was built as a country road but now has transformed into a major thoroughfare serving or feeding into neighborhoods you’re not solving the real problem,” said Phillips who raised concerns about the road in the mid-1990s when he served on the Rockland Legislature The northern end of Thiells-Mount Ivy Road by Route 202 has been identified as one of the top 20 roadway segments in New York state with the highest number of crashes, The Journal News reported a few weeks ago Vezzetti noted that the engineer's study found that one of the biggest issues on the road was speeding It determined the average speed in the northerly section was 45 mph on the road About 75 percent of vehicles traveled between 40 and 59 mph "It’s obvious that the greatest problem along there is speeding," Vezzetti said Phillips said the town has increased enforcement on the road but said speeding is "an issue on every single road in Rockland." "That does not eliminate the fact that this road has remained the same for 50 years," he said Shulein said the county should find the money to make the safety upgrades a priority Are we waiting for the next casualty?" he said "It’s just a matter of time before it happens again." Twitter: @ksaeed1 A pedestrian was fatally hit by a motor vehicle on Friday morning in Pomona Town of Haverstraw police said a pedestrian was crossing Thiells Mount Ivy Road near Darian Court in Pomona around 6:30 a.m when they were struck by a vehicle driving on Thiells Mount Ivy Road The vehicle left the area and has not been located The victim was pronounced dead at the scene Town of Haverstraw police said the victim's identity will not be released until the family is notified Police said the crash is under investigation Anyone with information is asked to call the Town of Haverstraw Detective Division at (845) 942-3730 A 25-year-old Pomona woman was arrested Tuesday in connection with a hit and run that killed a village resident on Jan was crossing Thiells Mount Ivy Road in Pomona near Darian Court on Jan Police did not release the woman's name and have not yet responded to inquiries about why they haven't Asked by a Facebook user on a Haverstraw police post about why the woman's name wasn't included Additional information will be available when the investigation is complete." DeSerio, who was well-known in Nyack and Piermont for running a window-washing business for nearly 25 years The woman was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle She was also charged with leaving the scene of an accident causing death a class D felony and a misdemeanor count of circumventing an ignition interlock device Gould said the investigation is still ongoing Anyone with information is asked to call the Town of Haverstraw Detective Division at 845-942-3730 RAMAPO − The Town Board will likely vote Wednesday on approving the development of a self-contained community of 637 homes with retail space and parks at the former Minisceongo Golf Course The Miller's Pond developers requested a higher-density zone to allow the project on 143.6 acres outside Pomona The zone change permits a maximum of five residential units per acre with a maximum allowable density in any multifamily zone of 12 units per acre Plans for the development include 535 townhouses and 102 apartments Ramapo's current zoning for the property allows for 122 houses The Town Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m Housing plan: Miller's Pond presents plans for 637 homes at the former Minisceongo Golf Course Projected tax benefits from the housingRamapo estimates the property tax payment per unit is $11,084 annually Miller's Pond would generate $7,060,508 in property taxes for the county Additional taxes would be generated by commercial Specht said the total real estate taxes for the unimproved site was $197,214 in unveiling the project in 2023 told the Town Board it would be built in six phases over three to four years The first phase under consideration would be 142 multiple-family units and 102 apartments LLC and Lindifrim Pomona LP bought the 18-hole golf course for $32 million after its closure in 2016 Joseph Kazarnovsky of Monsey and Mark Mandelbaum of Toronto along with the Lindifrim Limited Partnership of Lakewood bought the property from developer Eric Bergstol The Bergstol family opened the 60-acre golf course in 1994 Miller's Pond: Ramapo documents on the development The development is opposed by the environmental group Ramapo Organized for Sustainability and a Safe Aquifer, known as ROSA 4 Rockland and allowing for major impacts to groundwater resources," said Deborah Munitz She said the Miller's Pond developer and town have made no effort to cluster the zoning and limit rezoning to areas not constrained by wetlands ROSA board members believe the "town is advancing the desire of the developer over the rights of the public by not correcting its environmental review process and by not considering alternatives to protect the neighbors from a limited number of identified impacts," Munitz said "The impact of this rezoning will have far-reaching consequences throughout the town of Ramapo since it sets a terrible precedent for the protection of existing residents in the face of future rezoning," she said ROSA also opposed the town's Northeast Corridor planned unit development zoning a developer needs Town Board approval for construction on 20 acres or more Specht has said that given the size of the former golf course property the number of townhouses and commercial businesses seems reasonable especially for its growing Orthodox Jewish community "We have a demand for housing in the town of Ramapo," Specht said when the development came before the board in 2023 "I wouldn't conclude at this stage it's too much." said after the 2023 introductory meeting that the apartments would be one- and two-bedroom units "We've spent a lot of time and money on the first phase," Kazarnovsky said in 2023 "We expect to have a tremendous benefit to the town." Lawsuits, including plaintiffs like ROSA, have stalled both housing developments. New owners have reintroduced the development plan for Patrick Farm Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com Twitter: @lohudlegal Read more articles and bio The victim of a hit-and-run incident last week in Pomona has been identified as Daniel DeSerio whose window-washing business made him a familiar presence in downtown Nyack and Piermont who had been friends with DeSireo since age 14 when they attended Evander Childs High School in the Bronx DeSerio's three sons and two grandchildren "were No John Gould said Wednesday said the investigation is ongoing Police have identified two vehicles that were involved but there are conflicting reports about what happened DeSerio was crossing Thiells Mount Ivy Road near Darian Court in Pomona around 6:30 a.m 26 when he was struck by multiple vehicles on Thiells Mount Ivy Road nicest person'DeSerio's window-washing enterprise had been keeping the windows sparkling at Nyack and Piermont shops for nearly a quarter century He also worked in sales for Archway Cookies and Drake's but kept up the windows washing business after he retired from those jobs One of his window-washing customers in Nyack was the Rock Shop He was well known among the business owners along Main and Broadway "Everyone in town knows who he is," said Jeff Spindel Obituary: Daniel DeSerio, 72 shake hands goodbye and DeSerio would head off to walk Rockland Lake going to venues like the Turning Point in Piermont and the Capitol Theater in Port Chester loading pizza slices with red pepper flakes "He did not have a bad word for anybody and nobody had a bad word for him." Gregg Ciabattoni; Nicholas (Kara); and Daniel; his grandchildren Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy for lohud.com and the USA Today Network New York. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com; follow her at @nancyrockland on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Threads the state’s largest nursing home that faces closure due to a long record of quality issues is suing the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) initiated the pending closure of The Ivy in June. The agency terminated The Ivy’s participation in the health care reimbursement programs after numerous inspections revealed unsafe conditions and lapses in patient care The Ivy informed residents June 27 that its license was suspended and that it would be moving all residents by August more than three weeks after it began removing people from the facility over claims that The Ivy had no opportunity to correct its noncompliance or review the termination according to the lawsuit filed in Cascade County District Court “CMS has declined further to review the matter or to order DPHHS surveyors to determine whether the Center has corrected any previously cited deficiencies says its hands are tied by CMS,” The Ivy’s lawsuit says While Medicare is fully administered by CMS Medicaid is jointly run by state and federal agencies State health department employees often inspect local facilities participating in Medicare on behalf of the federal government The state agency is also responsible for licensing health care facilities and nursing homes The Ivy’s lawsuit warns of “transfer trauma” among residents The phrase refers to the potential harm caused by an abrupt change in living situations and regular caregivers for people needing regular health care observation The lawsuit also provided statements from health care providers and one family member who are concerned about the impact on residents by the nursing home’s closure described in a declaration that her mother required memory care but had shown improvement at The Ivy Lewis wrote that she worried that the transition would lead to her condition worsening nearly two dozen residents had been refused by “nearly every other facility in the state.” The attorney representing The Ivy didn’t respond to a request for comment A spokesperson for DPHHS didn’t respond to a request for comment by Tuesday afternoon The Ivy’s troubled inspection history dates back years and has led to more than $235,000 in fines from the CMS related to specific violations patient dehydration and nutrition issues and one episode in which a resident fell in a janitor’s closet that had been left open For all of the documented inspections and complaints, The Ivy has submitted plans of correction, which are recorded and can be viewed on a state website A notice of termination from CMS said that DPHHS conducted surveys in March May and June and found the facility was “not in substantial compliance” with Medicare participation requirements The action was the “result of our concerns regarding the health and safety of residents,” according to the notice The Ivy had been on a federal list of noncompliant nursing homes for nearly two years The Ivy’s lawsuit briefly addresses its quality issues saying that it has had an “inconsistent survey history (at least partially due to its very large size and challenging resident population).” The Ivy is operating under a provisional license while it assists in transferring residents The facility is also being run by a temporary manager from a company called Vivage Senior Living Report a typo NY – Haverstraw Police Department announce the arrest of a 25-year-old female from Pomona in connection with the fatal hit and run motor vehicle accident on Thiells Mt Ivy Road in the early morning of January 26 The suspect was charged with the following: 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 – 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 (𝐃 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐲) 𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝐬𝐭 – 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐄 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐲) 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 (𝐔 𝐌𝐢𝐬) 𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐀 𝐌𝐢𝐬) This incident occurred on Thiells Mt Ivy Road in the area of the Hillcrest Firehouse Dan SeSerio was a well known and respected to the residents workers and business owners of the Towns of Nyack “The beautiful soul who brightened not only your windows but your day He was the victim of a hit-and-run accident as he was crossing the street in his hometown of Pomona BREAKING: Suspect in Hillcrest Shooting Takes Own Life During Traffic Stop in Connecticut NY – It is with great sadness that we share the passing of well-known Rockland resident Dan DeSerio Dan SeSerio was well known and respected to the residents, workers and business owners of the Towns of Nyack, Piermont and Spring Valley. “The beautiful soul who brightened not only your windows but your day, has tragically passed. He was the victim of a hit-and-run accident as he was crossing the street in his hometown of Pomona on Friday We know he would want you all to be assured that he didn’t consider this so much a job It gave him immeasurable joy to spend his days in your towns chatting and being a part of your lives over the past 25 years He cherished especially the memories of bringing his sons down to help him wash windows as he laughed and bonded with them He knew that time together with them was a special gift that a week didn’t go by where he didn’t say “I love my window business.” (Well He loved the shop and restaurant owners and workers he met In a world where personal contact is being replaced by electronics and genuinely gifted his radiant smile and time to everyone whose path he crossed we’d giggle over the fact that though he was 72 he would find a way to do this for another 20 years if he could February 1st from 4pm to 8pm at TJ McGowan and Sons Funeral Home in Garnerville Happy Groundhog Day Rockland February 2nd 2024 Rockland County High School Student Raises Money for the Homeless and proud smiles filled the campuses of Clarkstown High School North and South as the district celebrated Decision Day a nationwide event recognizing high school seniors’ post-graduation plans honors students as they announce the next chapter of their academic and professional journeys Known as “Decision Day,” the celebration gives seniors the opportunity to share where they’re headed after graduation—whether it be college Clarkstown’s Class of 2025 displayed their next steps with pride donning gear from institutions across the country and posing for photos with peers and teachers who supported them along the way Clarkstown Central School District made sure to remind them of where their journey began “No matter where our learners’ college and university selections may take them we are so proud to have been an important first stop on their academic journeys,” the district shared in a message to families and the community you were—and will always be—Rams and Vikings.” The event not only celebrated the achievements of the seniors but also served as inspiration for underclassmen showing them what’s possible through hard work Clarkstown continues to recognize the resilience Congratulations to all the Rams and Vikings—past HAVERSTRAW - Police on Thursday released the name of the driver whom they charged drove with a revoked license and caused the hit-and-run death of a well-known window washer of Pomona faces two felony counts and two misdemeanors in the death of Daniel DeSerio DeSerio got hit by two cars while crossing Thiells Mount Ivy Road near Darian Court Also: Teenage suspect among 3 charged in stabbing, assault in Haverstraw One of the drivers stayed at the scene and called the police via 911 while DiPaolo is accused of driving off southbound on Thiells Mt Ivy Road "The investigation identified the second vehicle through vehicle parts recovered at the scene," Gould said Fatal: Arrest made in hit and run that killed Rockland man who ran window washing business DeSerio was pronounced dead at the scene. He was well-known in Nyack and Piermont for running a window-washing business for nearly 25 years Police charged Pelaez Dipaolo with felony counts of leaving the scene of an accident involving a death and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operator - permanent revocation She also was charged with two misdemeanors - circumventing an interlock device and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation She had a court-ordered interlock device on her car based on a conviction for driving while intoxicated An ignition interlock devicerequires a driver to pass a breath alcohol content test before starting their car Pelaez-Dipaolo has been released without bail after being arraigned in Haverstraw Town Justice Court just not as historic as the one in December 1776 it could be goats taking on invasive English ivy which has been stunting the growth of native plants and endangering trees Spraying hasn’t gotten rid of the ivy at the Mount so the township is looking to enlist some goats to take care of business naturally by grazing on it It’s all part of a long-range plan to restore the 183-foot hill off High Street between Hillside Road and Evergreen Street that gives the town its name and was the site of a critical Revolutionary War battle The township’s environmental committee/green team is applying for a grant from the Wells Fargo and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s “Environmental Solutions for Communities” program More than $3 million in grants is available The Township Council on Monday gave the go-ahead for the committee/green team to seek the grant An application for about $70,000 will be submitted by the Dec English ivy and some smaller pockets of myrtle have essentially “blanketed the perimeter of the Mount” and cover at least 40 percent of the forest floor on the 10-acre site the ivy is a “major threat” to long-term conservation efforts at the historic site But the ivy should be no match for hungry goats the plan is to bring 60 prospects from Eco-Goats of Maryland next fall The goats will be given about 10 days to eat away the problem explained that what would be a difficult and time-consuming task for machinery or humans is no big deal for goats It can take from 300 to 1,000 hours for a human to clear an acre of ivy-infested ground and cost in excess of $30,000 an herbicide sprayed at the site by the New Jersey Invasive Species Team had a limited impact on the ivy they will be monitored daily and kept on the Mount by electric fencing erected by Eco-Goats Fencing will also prevent the animals from eating any desirable vegetation The droppings they leave will serve as fertilizer The goats are just the first line of attack After they are finished dining on the Mount’s ivy another herbicide treatment will make sure the growth is really gone Rothmel said grazing will rarely completely take care of the problem but will weaken the vegetation enough that spraying will be more effective The goats and the spraying should take care of 95 percent of the problem spot removal will be done by volunteers in spring 2014 Only when the ivy is gone can the real restoration efforts start Rothmel said volunteers are expected to plant up to 8,000 native herbaceous plants 400 shrubs/bushes and 100 trees to reforest the Mount in spring 2014 students and residents will be recruited to do the work long-term plans are to hire an intern to implement a stewardship plan install trail and tree identification signs and establish a “Friend of the Mount” organization to maintain the park Rothmel said $28,000 of the grant would pay for the intern and part-time workers to remove any remaining ivy before reforestation Workshops would be held to encourage neighbors to prevent ivy on their properties from re-infesting the Mount The reforestation is not the only restoration work planned at the Mount the township received a state grant to improve the walking and hiking trails and beautify the site Plans are to redo about 1.5 miles of walking paths with a "wood fiber" material The Mount is a historically significant site the Hessian army positioned itself and its cannons there during the Battle of Iron Works Hill who encamped across the Rancocas Creek at Iron Works Hill off Pine Street was important because it drew 2,000 Hessians away from the Battle of Trenton George Washington's soldiers were able to win the vital battle at Trenton The Mount also has an altar that is used for annual nondenominational Easter services Before being named for its holly-tree-lined highest point in 1931 the township was called Bridgetown and Northampton Rose Krebs: 609-871-8064; email: rkrebs@phillyBurbs.com; Twitter: @rosekrebs We’ll never know if the Town of Haverstraw Planning Board was on sound legal ground when it denied the application from K’Hal Bnei Torah of Mount Ivy to convert a single-family home into a house of worship at 62 Riverglen Drive in Thiells We’ll also never know what actually motivated three of the five members of the Planning Board to vote “No” on a resolution recommending approval of the conversion Whatever their motivation was in denying the application it resulted in a federal lawsuit against the Town claiming they had violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) “There was no rational basis for the planning board denying the application,” said Stein “This was not winnable on the town level.” the Town agreed to settle the multiple-pronged lawsuit for $235,000 to cover the applicant’s legal fees and to approve the original plan with minor modifications “The settlement saves a tremendous amount of money; millions in attorney’s fees – ten or twenty times the settlement,” said Kenneth Pitcoff along with town attorney Bill Stein and Town of Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips told a standing-room-only chamber of 200 residents that the town had no chance of winning the suit The plan called for one-acre parcel at the far end of a 62-lot subdivision on 43 acres to be converted from a single-family residence into a house of worship The applicant applied to the Planning Board to expand the home to 8,600 square feet and construct a parking lot that would encroach into an “unrecorded” conservation easement that surrounded the parcel on two sides Because the conservation easement was never recorded in the public records the Town had been treating it as a zoning restriction similar to a setback requirement or a buffer erasing the protections an easement would have had The applicant originally came to the board in January 2021 but it wasn’t until the Nov 10th meeting that the issue drew national attention over an antisemitic outburst from a Haverstraw resident wrote “opposition to the influx of Orthodox Jews into Haverstraw permeated and overshadowed all discussions at the public hearing sessions One outburst at an early session from a member of the public was so disgraceful that it made international news and drew condemnation from New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul.” RLUIPA is a federal law that generally prohibits a governmental entity from applying a land use regulation in a manner that imposes a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person or institution and a much used and much feared law that can topple a municipal government’s finances and requires the municipal government to pay the religious institutions’ legal fees if the municipal government is found to have violated the law “RLUIPA is upheld by the courts,” said Phillips They are entitled to have a house of worship After the Planning Board denied K’Hal Bnei Torah’s application on Aug the lawsuit was filed by Emanuel on November 15 2022 in the Southern District of New York seeking $3 million dollars in damages against the Town the Planning Board and each member of the Planning Board that voted “no” $1 million dollars in punitive damages against each member of the Planning Board that voted “no” and payment of its legal fees It also asked the court to order the Town to approve its plans as presented to the Planning Board The Town’s Zoning Board had previously approved seven variances K’Hal Bnei Torah needed for its project Both the Town Board and the Planning Board voted unanimously on Monday at a special joint meeting to accept the settlement The vote was taken before a three-hour hearing although it was not clear why residents were given a chance to speak after the decision was a done deal But that didn’t stop residents from letting town leaders know how disappointed they were in the town’s decision to settle the case They told public officials that caving into the RLUIPA lawsuit would set a precedent asking over and over “where does this end?” “The Town of Haverstraw caved to a threat by the congregation to have to pay money because of RLUIPA,” said Maddalena Harper The religious congregation came into a neighborhood with no houses of worship They upset a neighborhood and it is not right for a municipality to harm the safety garbage and parking nuisances that arise when residential homes are turned into public houses of worship said he lived next door to a house of worship for three years suffering constantly with “the destruction of his property repeatedly told the Board that calls to the Haverstraw and the Town’s Building Inspector either went unheard or have not cured the disruptions to daily life for those who live near houses of worship Many residents urged the Town to keep fighting They said over and over that by capitulating to this suit it would invite more lawsuits in the future Some thanked the Planning Board members for “their conviction” for voting against the proposal The Town never filed an answer or any motions challenging the complaint Based on the advice of the attorney representing its insurance company and the analysis of a law professor from George Washington University Law School the Town and Planning Board agreed to the settlement the town agreed to settle because it only carries $1 million in liability coverage Philips said the Town’s “Umbrella Policy” wouldn’t cover the claim “Why do we only have a policy for $1 million?” asked Garnerville resident Rachel Ammer RAMAPO - The new owners of the Minisceongo Golf Course property said Wednesday their plans to develop housing on the site will respect the area's atmosphere and history while providing much needed housing for young families and empty-nesters But they are releasing no details of the proposal saying that the specifics still have to be worked out Joseph Kazarnovsky of Monsey and Mark Mandelbaum met with The Journal News/lohud.com on Wednesday to discuss their development ideas for the 130-acre property The company — along with Lindifrim Limited Partnership — purchased the site for $32 million from the previous owner Mandelbaum is chairman of Lanterra Developments in Toronto EARLIER: Ramapo's Happy Valley alums worry history will be lost BUYER: Monsey company behind $32 million Minisceongo purchase SALE: Ramapo's Minisceongo Golf Club sold after 20 years The owners also held an invitation-only meeting with neighbors Tuesday night during which they heard an earful of concerns from locals who fear that the site may be turned into another high-density housing development "There were absolutely no specifics," said Pomona village Mayor Brett Yagel "They were just gauging how the audience is going to respond." the former president of the Yeshiva of Spring Valley he understands that people are worried about overdevelopment because of other high-density projects in the area He said his company's plan will be different something that hasn’t been done in the past We’re going to preserve as much of the area as we can yet put a housing component that’s sensible in this state and age," Kazarnovsky said "No one is here to preserve what things were 100 years ago the feel and the whole aspects of what this community is all about Kazarnovsky said the community would consist of townhouse-style structures along with some limited retail spaces The number of housing units has yet to be determined but it will probably be less than eight units per acre "We don’t have a plan that we can show you," Kazarnovsky said we are waiting for the input from the community." Ramapo Town Attorney Michael Klein said the owners haven't filed any applications yet with the town the owners will first have to come before the Town Board to seek a zoning change as well as a change in the town's comprehensive plan The current zoning for the site allows one home in every 50,000 square feet and the comprehensive plan does not allow multifamily housing there The property once was a residence for children from broken homes, known as Happy Valley an outgrowth of the Manhattan-based Five Points Foundation when it became the Greer-Woodycrest and later Crystal Run facilities The land was turned into the Minisceongo Golf Club in the early 1990s he turned the school's main building into his clubhouse and preserved some of its memorabilia Kazarnovsky said the company has reached out to Happy Valley alumni and given them assurance that they will not be forgotten "For them it’s very meaningful that this place will be preserved We’ll put together a memorial for them," Kazarnovsky said "We’re going to have a place where they can come periodically … reminisce and gather together." "They assured that we are going to have a place to exhibit the history of Happy Valley," Hancock said "They understand that there is a 'soul' that the property has." 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 Town Council members and Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce reps at the grand opening of Laser Periodontics & Dental Implants Laser Periodontics & Dental Implants offers an assortment of services Following the successful opening of Laser Periodontics & Dental Implants (LPDI) office in the Myrtle Beach area Neda Azadivatan is now making her mark in North Mount Pleasant with her new office LPDI officially opened its doors to the public on Oct 29 during a meet-and-greet event culminating in a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony With members of Mount Pleasant Town Council and Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce reps in attendance Azadivatan and staff walked guests through their newly-renovated dental center The cutting edge technology in use at LPDI is largely laser-based and non-invasive While many patients with gum disease often had negative experiences with their treatments in the past there's a lot more ways to get them comfortable," Azadivatan assured the medical venue offers anxious and/or reluctant clients sedation via monitored anesthesia care also comforts apprehensive individuals checking in for a surgical procedure their recovery has less downtime," she continued while pointing out that patients are generally better educated about the significance of caring for the whole body "Oral health ties into their own systemic health whereas in the past it was like your teeth and then your body a lot of your patients have diabetes or are immunocompromised or they have issues with Alzheimer's or with COVID so it affects the whole body," explained the Iran-born physician who formerly ran her first office in Upstate New York's Saratoga area A major part of healing all forms of periodontal ailments lies in dutiful maintenance in light of the fact that there isn't yet a cure for gum disease will see oral bacteria reemerge after 90 days which makes regular cleanings not only beneficial we tell patients to get a cleaning every three months," she stated Visit laserperiosc.com or call 843-650-7171 to schedule an appointment or for more information #NedaAzadivatan #MountPleasantBusiness #MountPleasantDentalCare #Periodontics #MountPleasantNews Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: William “Matt” George was something of a mystery Few seemed to know much about a man who lived alone in a Mount Ivy trailer park He apparently had no family in Rockland following the death of his father Matt George’s death Dec. 21 on a dark roadside is also a mystery Who was the driver who struck and killed him after he got off his bicycle along a narrow shoulder on Route 202 in Ramapo Where was he going on an unlit stretch of road about 11 o'clock on a winter’s night a reward of up to $2,500 and the efforts of Ramapo police detectives haven’t yielded any answers The vehicle’s front end or front passenger side may have been damaged Cops have been canvassing auto-parts and body shops in hopes of getting a lead on a customer who might have come in with one of those makes and checking registrations for those types of vehicles “We set up a couple of road checks for a few nights asking people if they saw anything,” Ramapo police Detective Lt The spot where George was struck — the Suffern-bound side of Route 202 between Sky Meadow and Old Haverstraw roads — is narrow with no streetlights and poor visibility even during the daytime But Emma’s not making excuses for the driver And he's not giving up as the trail gets colder Where George was headed that night when he set off with his bicycle also remains unclear He apparently was not riding when he was struck He may have been taking a break just before an incline “It looks like he was either sitting or standing next to the guardrail,” Emma said George belonged to the Ramapo Mountain Ski Club and attended its holiday party at the Knights of Columbus in Ramsey Ed George’s son.’ Then I remembered him,” said club member Frank Collyer of Stony Point “I remembered him from years ago when he was kid,” Collyer said went to North Rockland High School with George’s sister Dierderich recalled talking with Matt George at the ski club's holiday party “He was upbeat about his plans for doing the ski instruction and personal training,” Diederich said “The club membership liked him a lot,” Diederich said Anyone with information about the case should call the New York State Crime Stoppers at 866-313-8477 or Ramapo police at 845-357-2400 Robert Brum is a columnist and editor of The Rockland Angle, a nightly email newsletter exclusively for Rockland County news, features and other essential information. To sign up for The Angle, visit http://lohud.com/newsletters check the "Rockland Angle" box and submit your email address Twitter: @Bee_bob (WCIV) — UPDATE (4:30 p.m.): Police say Highway 17 at Ivy Hall is back open A crash Saturday afternoon caused southbound lanes on Highway 17 to be closed to drivers The Mount Pleasant Police Department tweeted at 1:21 p.m that all southbound lanes of the highway were closed at Ivy Hall for a traffic accident the department tweeted that southbound lanes at Park West Boulevard were closed due to the earlier collision News 4 reached out to authorities for more information and is waiting to hear back The Blue Bird Manufactured Home Park at 32-34 Theills Mt Ivy Road in Pomona sold to David Schassler’s Financing was provided by Middletown-based Orange Bank & Trust in the amount of $806,250 the property is .97 acres and features one mother-daughter style home with a long-term tenant nine existing tenant-owned manufactured homes and three additional pad sites for three more manufactured homes Ready-to-rent pad sites in and around Pomona rent for about $1,100 per month demand for mobile home parks is high as new mobile home parks aren’t being developed often due to government zoning changes well-managed park a solid investment especially as the need for affordable housing continues to grow and supply lags behind demand The 35,000 square foot former cigar factory building located at 15 North Cherry Street in Poughkeepsie sold for $1,300,000 acquired the property from Frank and Janet Redl subject to site plan approvals for an apartment building the 4-story property was once a factory that manufactured shoes and boots and later became home to the Consolidated Cigar Company the Poughkeepsie factory manufactured and shipped about 40 million cigars every year North Cherry Holdings obtained approvals for converting the building into 42 apartments — 36 one-bedrooms 6 two bedrooms — with on-site amenities The adaptive reuse required several variances though no changes were proposed to the original footprint of the building North Cherry Holdings LLC is based in Monsey Don Minichino of the HVNY Commercial Team at Houlihan Lawrence handled both sides of the transaction The multi-tenant office building at 52-54 South Liberty Drive in Stony Point sold for $1,105,000 5,100 square foot building on .71 acres sits on two tax lots an 800 square foot office leases for $1,100 per month LLC closed on the property at 761 East Chester Street in Kingston with 100% financing provided by the seller as per a public record search The seller was Murphy Brothers Properties LLC The two lots combined are 1.60 acres with 50 feet of frontage on East Chester Street The Subaru dealership is joining the Westchester-based portfolio of Curry automobile dealerships NY – The Haverstraw Police Department is investigating a fatal hit and run motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian that occurred this morning They are attempting to ascertain information regarding this incident and anyone who may have witnessed or has any information is requested to contact the Haverstraw Police Department Detective Bureau at 845-942-3730 NYPD Arrest Driver of Vehicle in Bronx Crash that Killed Rockland County Teen Ramapo PD Arrest New York City Man for Burglarizing Several Synagogues in Monsey Northfield Mount Hermon Basketball Facebook page opened Twitter and began drafting a familiar tweet He was more than 700 miles away from the Northfield Mount Hermon campus in Gill where he has turned the basketball program into a perennial prep school powerhouse during his seven years as head coach Carroll has used the team’s Twitter account, @NMHbasketball to stretch the team’s recognition beyond the 215-acre scenic campus and past the borders of Gill rural town on the banks of the Connecticut River located 10 miles south of where Vermont and New Hampshire meet Those 140-character updates are shared with his more than 4,300 followers which doubles Gill’s population combined with NMH’s enrollment The account is a must follow for college coaches with the most compelling of tweets beginning the same exact way " followed by the nickname of the college program his player just committed to scholarship offers from high-major to low-major schools ranging from coast to coast make their way on campus more times than not those college-bound tweets end up being only one of eight mascots “He’s a Quaker! Collin McManus ’15 commits to #UPENN.” “He’s a Bear! Chris Sullivan ’15 commits to @BrownBasketball.” “He’s a Quaker! Jackson Donahue ’15 commits to #UPENN.” when that trio joins their respective Ivy League programs there will have been 24 players - in only eight years - to pass through the Northfield Mount Hermon-Ivy League pipeline that Carroll has constructed “I think it’s the best league in the country when it comes to the whole package,” Carroll said “Having the academic program we have at Northfield Mount Hermon our kids are looking for that when they go to college it’s a really natural fit as far as Northfield Mount Hermon and the Ivy League and what the Ivy League was doing were lining up hand-in-hand The league was getting better as we were getting better The school’s academic structure has made it a hotbed for high-academic programs In order to get prospective student-athletes into school Carroll must make sure that each individual can succeed socially “We never sacrifice character or academics for talent,” Carroll said “Not every kid is interested in going to a school in that order positively in that order because they will be challenged in those areas.” formed in 1971 when the Northfield School for Girls and the Mount Hermon School for Boys merged offers a broader educational experience to its students under its own College Model Academic Program (CMAP) class periods are longer - 80 minutes - compared to other public and private schools which typically last up to 50 minutes NMH students take an additional core course while also completing a year’s worth of coursework in one major class in a single semester All in an effort to help students adjust to the college lifestyle “There are very few prep schools that prepare you as well as Northfield Mount Hermon does for the Ivy League,” said Sem Kroon a 2014 graduate who will suit up for Yale next season “Just the combinations of academics and athletics I felt comfortable going to the Ivy League because of how the schedule is here.” The influx of NMH players choosing the Ivy League has occurred simultaneously with the conference’s improvement The university that has tapped into the pipeline the most often has become the conference’s dominant program as of late the same year Carroll moved over one seat and became the head coach of his alma mater tasked with changing the culture of a program with no tradition as the Crimson have won at least a share of the last four Ivy League titles made three straight NCAA tournaments appearances and notched two tournament wins Every single one of Amaker’s teams at Harvard have included at least one NMH graduate on the roster a University of New Hampshire transfer in 2007 Zena Edosomwan and Laurent Rivard on this past season’s school-record had an impact on the Harvard program unlike any other NMH alum The senior connected on 287 3-pointers in his career -- five of which came in the 2013 NCAA Tournament Round of 64 game against No Harvard captured its first tournament victory in school history “It’s just shows that it’s possible to go to an Ivy League school which is not necessarily recognized as one of the best leagues in basketball yet you can still compete on a national level Harvard has gone from making its first NCAA tournament in 66 years to being a trendy upset pick come March Rivard’s former team was also reaching unprecedented heights Northfield Mount Hermon plays in arguably the best basketball league in the country the New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) which produced NBA lottery picks Nik Stauskas the most difficult of the NEPSAC divisions Northfield Mount Hermon ran into what Carroll regards as the greatest prep team he’s ever seen in Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) That team eventually sent four players -- Warren Semaj Christon and JaKarr Sampson -- to the 2014 NBA Draft; three of whom were drafted and five free throws to ice the game from Spike Albrecht -- a preview of future clutch postseason performances -- NMH upset Brewster who at that time had already committed to Harvard and soon-to-be Ivy Leaguers Pete Miller (Princeton) and Anthony Dallier (Yale) for the program’s first NEPSAC Class AAA championship but still had a shot at adding another banner in the National Prep Championship single-elimination tournament held at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven After thrilling finishes in the quarter and semifinals NMH found itself pitted against rival Brewster in the 2013 championship game The two teams had split the regular season series before Brewster avenged the previous season’s loss with strong performances from four Ivy-bound players “It’s mostly Ivy League guys against two Syracuse guys who enrolled at NMH for a postgraduate year in the fall of 2012 helped spark an early run to start the game with three 3-pointers Edosomwan was a force in the paint defensively against a physical and versatile frontline winning the New England championship was a breakthrough and the National Prep Championship was a confirmation,” Carroll said “It’s just further evidence that the talent in the Ivy League is growing by leaps and bounds.” Those two seasons were a culmination of Carroll’s work which began well before those players reached campus He joined the coaching staff in 2001 as an assistant both as an assistant for six years and the first few seasons as a head coach gave him ample time to learn the school and identify the type of players who would flourish in his system A prospective student-athlete must not only prove he can thrive socially and academically at NMH but also demonstrate a willingness to play a smart especially in a league as daunting as the NESPAC Class AAA which led to nine different players scoring 25 or more points in a game during the 2013-2014 season “They really cheer and pull for the other’s success,” Carroll added That high level of chemistry shifts to budding rivalries at the next level NMH will have former players on six different Ivy Leagues rosters there have been multiple guys committing to the Ivy League each season,” Carroll said The Northfield Mount Hermon Class of 2013 had seven Division I commits four of them enrolled in different Ivy League programs Its Class of 2015 currently has three committed to the Ivies that class could potentially have more on the way with rising seniors like point guard Daquon Ervin and sharpshooter Aaron Falzon still being heavily recruited by Ivy League schools or share a connection with a past NMH player bringing a level of familiarity and comfort to a program they are considering even the players I’ve never met before,” Brown After graduating from Northfield Mount Hermon in 1989 where he remains the program’s all-time 3-point shooter He isn’t forcing the Ivy League on any of his players the list of alumni includes plenty of high-major talent That pipeline is merely a combination of similar academic values and timing Carroll helps his players find the right fit entertaining an offer from Appalachian State to a meeting he had with the coaching staff at Williams College one of the top liberal arts schools in the country with one of the best Division III programs He became a late addition to Michigan’s recruiting class when John Beilein feared Trey Burke would bolt for the NBA Draft after his freshman season always envisioned himself at Boston College and ended up taking a preferred walk-on spot there in 2013 Carroll was on the last leg of a midwest barnstorming tour with four of his upperclassmen visiting 11 high-major schools in a week-long excursion The Ivy League has become a more viable option for basketball players in recent years and will continue to be one moving forward Recruits have taken notice of Harvard’s achievements Jeremy Lin turned “Linsanity” in February 2012 into a respectable NBA career it has given NBA front offices a reason to look at the conference’s star players Even exposure is better than in years past with 10 games aired on the NBC Sports Network during the 2013-2014 season the highest-rated recruit to ever commit to the Ivy League have realized what a world-class education and access to alumni networks can provide for them once the ball stops bouncing “Especially with the league being as competitive as it is now you get the best of both worlds,” Rivard said Harvard will be the favorite again next year but the conference is more than the Crimson Both Princeton and Yale have finished in the top half of the conference in each of the last six seasons Brown and Columbia have made strides in the last few years under new head coaches Cornell is four years removed from a Sweet 16 run the last of three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances Penn’s back-to-back losing seasons don’t overshadow its longstanding tradition on the hardwood And Dartmouth keeps landing NMH graduates with the same consistency as Harvard “I think this is the greatest group of coaches the Ivy League has ever seen,” Carroll said “I have confidence in all eight coaches who are in the league.” so will its pipeline from Northfield Mount Hermon Follow @terrence_payne A Division of NBCUniversal DISCLAIMER: This site and the products offered are for entertainment purposes only and there is no gambling offered on this site This service is intended for adult audiences No guarantees are made for any specific outcome If you or someone you know has a gambling problem COILA - A riding camp in Carroll County has taught nine girls to train horses that might otherwise have been euthanized Ride A Rescue Training Camp is a project of Mississippi Horse Rescue the nonprofit started in 2012 by Stephanie Billingsley Billingsley runs horse sanctuaries at two Mississippi locations both family homes: Muleshoe Ranch at Coila and Twelve Oaks outside of Madison She is the daughter of longtime former state Sen The purpose of Billingsley’s nonprofit is to take in unwanted horses and to train them in preparation for adoption dark storm clouds pile up over a low-slung barn and riding corral in southwest Carroll County sit lined up in high-backed oak kitchen chairs outside a riding ring cheering on rider Abby Donahoe of Clinton and her mount both trainer and rider constantly locking eyes with Ivy’s More: Kara Kimbrough: Kentucky Derby means Louisville recipe  A petite woman in short cutoffs and multicolored cowboy boots Galey wears a bright blue T-shirt that says: “Real Cowboys Ride Rescues.” Billingsley explains that Galey is teaching Abby how to establish herself as the alpha in her relationship with Ivy This method of natural horsemanship training comes from an Australian and it has spread rapidly in the United States Based on mutual respect and understanding of the power dynamic between horse and rider the method gives riders the confidence and knowledge needed to establish safety and consistency with their horses — in this case horses with troubled and compromising histories are alpha in this predator-prey relationship,” Billingsley said “Horses want to use their natural instincts and they want leadership more than they want friendship.” Galey won’t let Abby ride Ivy until their relationship has been established on the ground initiating specific movement with each flick “She’s desensitizing her,” Billingsley said “teaching her not to panic or spook when something touches her or comes into her line of vision.” Satisfied that Ivy knows what’s expected of her Galey allows Abby to mount the pretty reddish mare safely tethered to a rope lead that Galey will maneuver until it’s time to let her ride free “These girls will volunteer for me at Twelve Oaks and Muleshoes this summer riding and continuing to work with the horses they’ve been paired with during camp,” Billingsley said taking in unwanted horses and preparing them for adoption volunteers and donors do it for their love of horses and to assure that once an animal is placed then put on Facebook at a higher price — Billingsley calls it a ransom — for rescue Ivy would have been killed and used for human consumption in Europe and Asia “Someone bought her just to save her Other rescue horses may come from families that can no longer afford to keep them or whose riders have passed on Some are the result of irresponsible breeding resulting in too many animals Some come to Mississippi Horse Rescue abused by former owners “They’re scared of everything,” Billingsley said They have to get over seeing you as a predator who might hurt them.” The girls at this week’s camp are experienced riders who will be even more accomplished and comfortable with horses following the training Riding English style in shows and competitions the girls know the basics of managing an already trained horse is how to mold a horse that hasn’t been trained or that might have been traumatized and displaced “The horse wants and needs a leader.” These girls are going to have to learn to speak horse,” said Galey Abby Donahoe is riding Ivy without a lead now carefully interpreting Galey’s instructions on pressure and release “We keep it soft in this initial training,” Billingsley said pointing out that Ivy doesn’t have a bit in her mouth and is being guided strictly by touch “There’s a lot going on here,” she said This is only the second time she’s been ridden And it’s been raining and storming.” After several successful turns around the ring Abby dismounts and guides Ivy into the barn Another horse and rider prepare to take their place and Abby accepts congratulations from her cohorts and Ivy looks relieved as she stands steady next to Abby “These horses will help these girls be better riders.” RAMAPO - The developers of the former Minisceongo Golf Club are revealing portions of their vision for creating a townhouse community with as many as 700 units on more than 140 acres off Pomona Road Joseph Kazarnovsky and Mark Mandelbaum are rolling out their plans in a way they hope will ameliorate concerns through what they say is a process that's more transparent than their less popular predecessors elsewhere in town The developers acknowledge their Millers Pond concept has stirred suspicion in an area where residents complain that development proposals appear to be one thing but too often turn out to be another The former golf club is just a mile from Palisades Credit Union Park and close to the borders of the villages of Pomona and New Hempstead PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Townhouse community planned for Minisceongo Golf Course The principals of Mount Ivy LLC won't make a formal application to the town until later this spring but shared details Monday following a presentation they gave to about 100 residents on Sunday It was the second of at least three invitation-only gatherings with targeted neighbors A maximum of 700 townhouses clustered in four areas spread over more than 140 acres.Clusters of four two-story units featuring mostly three to five bedrooms each with basements and two-car garages.Some one- and two-bedroom units.Walking and bicycling paths open to the wider community.A retail strip featuring a convenience store.The widening of Pomona Road from two to four lanes in front of the community plus a turning lane and traffic signal.Access from two points on Pomona Road one on Station Road and one on Camp Hill Road "This is not Patrick Farm," said Kazarnovsky referring to a massive housing proposal about two miles away that has received town approvals but has been stymied by neighbors' legal challenges "We're doing things in quite a different way." The longtime Monsey resident and former president of the Yeshiva of Spring Valley said the proposed housing would be set back far enough from the road that it would not be visible to passersby He added they would preserve a cemetery dating back to the 1700s and silos that remain from when the property was home to the Happy Valley School for children from broken homes Kazarnovsky wanted to dispel a notion that Millers Pond would be constructed for the fastest-growing populations in the surrounding area — Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jews living in and around Monsey "This is housing that's available to anybody and everybody .. We're not looking to create a community for one segment of the population," Kazarnovsky said Monday morning during an interview in the former golf club's clubhouse that once served as Happy Valley's chapel He stressed that no school or dormitories would be constructed the developers said it’s too early in the process to speak with the East Ramapo school district The developers will need Ramapo to grant a zone change as well as a change in the town's comprehensive plan Current zoning allows one home per every 50,000 square feet Neighbor Naomi Blackman is fiercely opposed to anything except single-family housing being built on the former golf course which the new owners purchased for $32 million just over a year ago "We sold our house in Brooklyn to come and have country living in Pomona," Blackman said in a phone interview Monday afternoon "We didn't move here to come to someplace that is overrun with homes." Blackman said traffic from the ballpark already can be overwhelming leading to long backups at the nearby Palisades Interstate Parkway exit on game nights She said Millers Pond would add 1,000 more cars to the area remains suspicious of the developers' motives and doubted the sincerity of their outreach to the community She said whatever number of units they were proposing would double and triple because residents would seek to turn their basements into additional units "This is a religious person catering to the religious community," she said Kazarnovsky said he knows residents feel they've been lied to by developers in the past but promises transparency He also realizes the political and municipal complexities of moving forward with a proposal of this size in Ramapo where multiple officials who could be part of the approvals process face criminal charges "Many people would feel this a foolhardy venture," he said "'Why are you going into a situation that's fraught with controversy fraught with conflict?' But that's precisely one of the reasons why we are going forward We really want to show a path that we can do responsible development in this community and do it without doing harm to other members of the community." Kazarnovsky added: "Right now the way development works is that the developer thinks of what's in his best interest .. we believe we have be responsible citizens of the community." It's been a rough stretch for some of Rockland's most iconic institutions some of the county's best-known businesses houses of worship and other fixtures of everyday life have disappeared from a landscape that many longtime residents had come to cherish DEMOLISHED: Hotel Lafayette torn down WATCH: Grand View Village Hall demolition I should know: I've chronicled many a demise since I began writing this column It started last summer with the sadness felt by parishioners at St Mary's as their small Haverstraw church merged with St Then there was the months-long drama after the deal to sell Summit Park hospital fell through we saw Temple Beth El in Spring Valley succumb to declining membership and merge with another Reform temple These partings elicit a collective groan from Journal News readers and members of the Facebook pages that pine for Rockland's yesteryears the disappearance of the familiar may be especially tough for a generation that arrived during Rockland's biggest population boom — 1960 to 1970 when the county grew from about 137,000 people to almost 230,000 (Below: list of places lost in the past year) when housing subdivisions were sprouting up faster than the crops at Rockland's last remaining farms I remember buying clothes at Nat Kaplan's and Greenstein's Army-Navy in Spring Valley celebrating special occasions at the Boulderberg Manor in Stony Point and the Old Viking in Garnerville and hitchhiking to the Mount Ivy Pub whose family moved from the Bronx to Blauvelt in 1963 "It was country without being The Country," said Deeks executive director of the Historical Society of Rockland County being able to range around without urban restrictions "That's a big part of the nostalgia — people remember that ranging," she said Deeks remembers going to German American Club dinner-dances at Platzl Brauhaus in Haverstraw The closing of the once-popular picnic grounds and restaurant in January is symbolic of how Rockland has changed The corporate parties and civic get-togethers Platzl thrived on have fallen prey to economic and demographic shifts Its changeover to a day camp was much lamented by dozens of readers who spent many a happy occasion in the "little beer garden" off Call Hollow Road Deeks called this sentiment over Rockland's recent past "the longing for this place and what it meant to us but I also think there's a hard look at what we're losing: the historic buildings and at the same time people have a sense of the way they want the place to feel the mix of new buildings and old buildings," she added Perhaps no one is more in touch with Rocklanders' nostalgia for the past than Kato Hatch, whose Rockland County NY (Back in the Day) Facebook page is filled with vintage images memorabilia and personal reminiscences from more than 12,300 members scattered all over the world who lived in Valley Cottage but now calls Moscow home He says most members grew up or lived in Rockland from the 1950s through the 1980s "It seems people are constantly interested in remembering something of the past," Hatch wrote in an email as recent examples show 'Pakula’s Bake Shop,' which is brought up like 10 times a year." The page is filled with references to the recent past including defunct stores like Pergament and Shoppers Paradise "It's usually the more recent history from the '50s we can still share stories about," he said Reading the comments on lohud.com and "Rockland County NY (Back in the Day)," one senses a wistfulness about the days gone by and trepidation about the county’s future Said Hatch: "It's slightly a mixed feeling since there are the ones who have moved away from Rockland end up seeing a different Rockland County." So what will Rockland look like in the future and what will happen to its history "The county is becoming more congested and more developed very quickly," Deeks said I'd love to see some more attention and thought given to the choices we're making." Deeks said she favored adaptive reuse of historic buildings which someday may provide a home for senior citizens "It's a reference point for anyone who travels Western Highway "Wouldn't it be great to see it have a new life?" She continued: "I think what's interesting is that we are in a process of becoming I'm really interested to see what it's going to become in the next 10-15 years." Remembrance of things pastHere's a roundup of some of the well-known places we've said goodbye to within the past year: Congregation merged with Temple Beth Torah in Upper Nyack to become the Reform Temple of Rockland Robert Brum is a columnist and editor of The Rockland Angle, a nightly email newsletter exclusively for Rockland County news, features and other essential information. To sign up for The Angle, visit lohud.com/newsletters Twitter: @Bee_bob GARNERVILLE − First the Haverstraw Town Planning Board and then the Town Board voted 5-0 Monday to approve a settlement with an Orthodox Jewish congregation that paves the way for its synagogue and diverts litigation that officials said the town would likely lose and could cost taxpayers millions Some 140 of those taxpayers came to the special joint meeting mostly to express disappointment and frustration "You're caving into a threat," said town resident Maddalena Harper a single-family house that K'hal Bnei Torah of Mount Ivy plans to convert into a synagogue for local families That threat: RLUIPA, or the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 The dual board votes allow the town to enter into a settlement agreement to nix federal civil rights litigation filed by the congregation in the U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York That lawsuit relies on RLUIPA and state laws designed to protect the free exercise of religion Meanwhile, a countersuit by neighbors of the planned synagogue continues, said attorney Elliott Louis Pell. It aims to force a review of RLUIPA The neighbors' federal challenge was filed Dec The congregation has until later this month to respond The congregation filed its litigation in November 2022 after its synagogue plan had won key variances and environmental approvals over its two-plus years before town land-use boards but was ultimately denied final approval by a 3-2 vote in August by the Planning Board The congregation was seeking millions in damages from the town and the three Planning Board members who voted against the project None spoke during the nearly three-hour meeting beyond their roll-call vote to approve the settlement we have a board say this wasn't a problem and then come back and say it was a problem without explanation," Kenneth Pitcoff of Morris Duffy Alonso Faley & Pitcoff a law firm that specializes in insurance law He said the case was "not defensible; 100 out of 100 attorneys would have said the same thing." Haverstraw Town Supervisor Howard Phillips said attorneys have told town officials that if they chose to defend themselves against the case The synagogue zoning request garnered national attention and much ire in August 2021 after a nearby resident made a series of antisemitic comments He said that he would "of course" back up over any Orthodox Jewish children if he struck them with his vehicle Power of RLUIPA: Rejected Haverstraw synagogue cites fed law, while neighbors challenge it Ramapo: Illegal schools, businesses are allowed to continue operating. Here's how Clarkstown: Legal battle over term limits takes a step forward asserted that the failure to grant the synagogue's application was religious discrimination and a "capitulation to the discriminatory animus clearly voiced by the 'generalized public opposition' to the project." Several speakers and Phillips said during Monday's meeting that the comments were disgusting and didn't reflect Haverstraw blasted the board for its choice to settle Pomona has been embroiled in a 15-year-plus standoff of sorts with the Rabbinical College of Tartikov which owns about 130 acres in the village that straddle the Haverstraw-Ramapo border Tartikov wants to build a rabbinical college campus that would have dorms for students and their families Yagel asserted he had "stood up" to RLUIPA, "and won by the way." The rabbinical college continues its quest to build in the village later engaged in a verbal scuffle after Phillips noted that Yagel "never changed the law." Harper said neighbors would continue pursuing their own litigation against the synagogue proposal "Join our fight," she urged Phillips and the Town Board attorney for Riverglen residents John and Tina Coritsidis and Kareen McKenzie of Riverglen said the town should join the case that he believes will force a review of RLUIPA "My suit is continuing and continuing until it's resolved one way or the other," Pell said John Coritsidis said he had lived in his Riverglen home for 37 years "It's going to change my whole life," he said of the synagogue Tina Coritsidis said they are concerned about noise traffic and lighting after the synagogue is complete The settlement calls for the town to pay $235,000 of the congregation's legal fees and for a slight reduction in the synagogue's size The stipulation agreement also states that no one admits any wrongdoing Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy. Follow her on Twitter at @nancyrockland Click here for her latest stories about 45 goats and two sheep arrived at The Mount off High Street and got right down to business eating away at the English ivy and other greenery They were called to get rid of the invasive ivy so that native greenery can be planted and once again thrive at the historic site arrived early in the afternoon to let its crew get to work The company set up fencing the previous day the goats were corralled into the fenced-off area with the help of some residents who had stopped by to watch After one escapee was led back into the fenced area the electricity was turned on to keep the animals at bay Signs were erected to notify the public of the electric fencing and urge them not to feed “I am just so relieved that the project is actually going to finally be completed,” said Randi Rothmel “I wasn’t sure a few weeks ago if this was going to happen We’re just looking forward to watching them eat their way through The Mount.” The goats and sheep will be working for three to four weeks at a cost of about $8,000 to $10,000 the Environmental Committee/Green Team secured a $20,000 grant from the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program to help restore the site The plan called for the goats to attack the ivy on the hillside before herbicide was sprayed to make sure the nonnative invasive species were gone Herbicide spraying will be done about four weeks after the goats depart Walking trails have already been restored using other grants “They will have full bellies for sure,” said Diane Connelly The goats will be moved to various spots and eventually will eat away about 4 acres and some residents have offered to keep an eye on them and provide water The signs around the perimeter of the grazing area urge the public to not touch or feed the goats and also explain the purpose behind the animals’ visit They also point out that they have “unique and good-natured personalities” and will dine on a variety of plants “They’ll love it here,” said John Connelly Once the goats stepped out of the trailer Thursday they got busy on some poison ivy by the side of the road Connelly said that poison ivy is like candy to the goats and that the animals will clear greenery up to about 6 feet high “Repeated grazing” can be as effective as herbicide and is an environmentally-friendly way to get rid of invasive vines and they are here for a purpose,” John Connelly said but please do not go near the fence or feed the goats.” A few residents came to observe the animals’ arrival I like to see a green alternative to spraying,” Pfeiffer said The goats bleated while they surveyed their new home but Pfeiffer said she won’t mind her new neighbors “It brings a little bit of the farm to suburbia,” she said “They’ll just kind of disappear into the canopy,” John Connelly said Debbie Harner and her neighbor Emily Bell also stopped by to watch the goats and sheep start their battle against the ivy The group quickly remarked that it’s as good as going to the zoo decided not to send 60 of its goats to The Mount to defeat the invasive ivy Eco-Goats determined that its animals could not accomplish the task and there was concern about the public having access to the site while they grazed After media reports about the goats’ retreat The goats and sheep are part of the Environmental Committee’s efforts to revitalize The Mount the tree-lined highest point in town that was the site of a critical battle during the Revolutionary War The committee has said the English ivy is preventing other native species from growing Once the goats eat the ivy and the herbicide is sprayed