Thursday, March 27, 2014
Yeshiva in Chester cited for a litany of health, building violations
A property operating as a boys' yeshiva has been cited by Orange County and Town of Chester officials for a variety of violations, ranging from food-safety and sewage issues to operating without the proper certificate of occupancy or building permits.
The yeshiva, called Ohel Torah, at 158 Greycourt Road, sits adjacent to the former Camp La Guardia property as well as homes, fields and wetlands. A sign posted on the front door indicates the county Health Department ordered the yeshiva closed March 12. That order followed an investigation of neighbors' weeks-old complaints of a foul smell, Chester Supervisor Alex Jamieson said Wednesday.
Health Department officials cited the school for spilling raw sewage and serving food without the needed permits, Chester Building Inspector Joseph Mlcoch said. The Health Department has been investigating the yeshiva since last year, he said.
“Orange County routinely investigates public health violations in order to safeguard the well-being of all county residents. Any repeat non-compliant entity would be subject to additional county fines or other actions,” Deputy Commissioner of Health Christopher Ericson said via email Wednesday. “A Department of Health inspector visited the school on Wednesday morning to follow up on our March 12 code-violation issuance. The Department of Health will continue to monitor compliance pending further proceedings.”
The town issued its own stop-work order against Ohel Torah on March 10 because the yeshiva lacked a certificate of occupancy and building permit to operate the school, Mlcoch said.
Despite these notices, dozens of young Hasidic men could be seen inside the building Wednesday, their black coats neatly hanging side-by-side in an alcove. School officials were unavailable to comment.
Mlcoch said the yeshiva sits in an office park zone, which permits “schools of special instruction.” But, he said, the school needs site plan approval, which it has not received.
“All they had to do was go before the board,” Jamieson said. “We don't ask for a lot. But there are rules, and people have to follow the rules.”
Ohel Torah, purchased in 1996 by Abraham Strauber, originally was said to employ 20 people who worked at restoring Jewish holy books, Mlcoch said. The site was formerly a plumbing warehouse. In roughly 2009 or '10, he said, it began operating as a yeshiva, attended by “significantly more” people than the original 20.
The property has a history of running afoul of regulations. As far back as 2005, Strauber was cited for putting in a septic system without a permit, town documents show. The case languished for years and was eventually dismissed after the town attorney failed to prosecute.
The current case, on the Town Court calendar for April 14, will almost certainly be postponed because it falls during the Passover holiday, Mlcoch said.
The yeshiva, called Ohel Torah, at 158 Greycourt Road, sits adjacent to the former Camp La Guardia property as well as homes, fields and wetlands. A sign posted on the front door indicates the county Health Department ordered the yeshiva closed March 12. That order followed an investigation of neighbors' weeks-old complaints of a foul smell, Chester Supervisor Alex Jamieson said Wednesday.
Health Department officials cited the school for spilling raw sewage and serving food without the needed permits, Chester Building Inspector Joseph Mlcoch said. The Health Department has been investigating the yeshiva since last year, he said.
“Orange County routinely investigates public health violations in order to safeguard the well-being of all county residents. Any repeat non-compliant entity would be subject to additional county fines or other actions,” Deputy Commissioner of Health Christopher Ericson said via email Wednesday. “A Department of Health inspector visited the school on Wednesday morning to follow up on our March 12 code-violation issuance. The Department of Health will continue to monitor compliance pending further proceedings.”
The town issued its own stop-work order against Ohel Torah on March 10 because the yeshiva lacked a certificate of occupancy and building permit to operate the school, Mlcoch said.
Despite these notices, dozens of young Hasidic men could be seen inside the building Wednesday, their black coats neatly hanging side-by-side in an alcove. School officials were unavailable to comment.
Mlcoch said the yeshiva sits in an office park zone, which permits “schools of special instruction.” But, he said, the school needs site plan approval, which it has not received.
“All they had to do was go before the board,” Jamieson said. “We don't ask for a lot. But there are rules, and people have to follow the rules.”
Ohel Torah, purchased in 1996 by Abraham Strauber, originally was said to employ 20 people who worked at restoring Jewish holy books, Mlcoch said. The site was formerly a plumbing warehouse. In roughly 2009 or '10, he said, it began operating as a yeshiva, attended by “significantly more” people than the original 20.
The property has a history of running afoul of regulations. As far back as 2005, Strauber was cited for putting in a septic system without a permit, town documents show. The case languished for years and was eventually dismissed after the town attorney failed to prosecute.
The current case, on the Town Court calendar for April 14, will almost certainly be postponed because it falls during the Passover holiday, Mlcoch said.
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