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YORKTOWN, N.Y. – A group home agency would like to build a home for physically disabled residents on a vacant piece of land in Shrub Oak.
The Richmond Agency has sent the town an informal notice of its intention to build the home on a 1.15-acre lot at 738 East Main Street. The house would have six residents, and the state has agreed to fund the agency $145,000 per resident, or $870,000.
The agency has already purchased and retrofitted two houses in Yorktown, but this is the first group home it would build from scratch to accommodate disabled residents. The house would be built into an existing sewer line, and the site was chosen due to the small amount of direct neighbors.
Once The Richmond Agency sends an official letter of intent to build the house on the property, Yorktown would have 40 days to agree to the plan, suggest an alternate site, or object to the plan and begin a legal process of review, according to Dan Luckett, chairperson of the town's Group Home Committee. Luckett said he was involved in the previous two group home processes, and said it can go smoothly if both sides work together.
“Richmond has bent over back to accommodate the needs of the community while protecting their own legitimate interests,” Luckett said at Tuesday night's Town Board work session. “And the needs of the community include trying to make peace.”
Yorktown has the option of holding a community hearing, but it is not legally obligated to involve the public on the proposal. Supervisor Michael Grace, who was not opposed to the proposal, said he wanted to avoid any public hearing that would attract community members that don’t live in the area.
“Set up an informal meeting with the neighbors. You can do it here,” Grace said, referring to Town Hall. “Just to advise them -- I don’t want to hold a public hearing on this.”
Grace said it made little sense to involve the general public on something that cannot really be voted down. Council member Nick Bianco, who also showed no objection to the proposal, disagreed with Grace on the process and said the public has a right to information.
“That’s democracy,” he said.
Luckett said the Group Home Committee will schedule an informational meeting for residents interested in learning more about the plan.
Comments (6)
So, in summary, this is probably a good thing that will happen. I will still keep an eye on the details of the proposal--for code and zoning reasons--cause I'm a dork like that.
Would this replace Mohegan Park or is it just another home? Mohegan Park is an eyesore!
Mohegan park is not an Office of People With Developmental Disabilities program. I believe it is an outpatient mental facility or something. I agree the premises could be maintained a little better, but think it's probably a good program.
Is this yet another group home that will be exempt from paying taxes?
Yes, the group said it has tax exempt status.
Just getting up to speed on the previous fecal storm that seems to have revolved around the last proposal.
http://yorktown.lohudblogs.com/2011/05/02/state-abruptly-spikes-group-home-planned-in-yorktown/
To be clear, there will be public hearings no matter what. This project is not exempt from the planning process which must have a public hearing. What the supervisor means when he says "I don’t want to hold a public hearing on this,” is that the project may not palatable be for the neighbors and the Shrub Oak/Jeff Valley residents at large and he'd like to keep it hush hush so there's not a long, drawn out approval process at the planning and possibly zoning board. So everybody, shhhhhhhh.
There is zoning and code which, IF they comply with it, can build a group home. I would be astonished if the job is fully as of right though. Way too early to say until we see plans.
The Office of People With Developmental Disabilities eems like a good state program that may overpay for housing, but I don't agree that we shouldn't talk about it. The town can object or suggest an alternate area, but seems from previous experiences, no court would allow the home to be blocked on such grounds.