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The Village of Kiryas Joel's Planning Board is seeking lead agency status for the state environmental review of Veyoel Moshe Gardens, a 70-acre parcel where the developer has proposed building 1,500 housing units.

The developer, MYM Management, is seeking site plan approval.

The property, now home to deer, squirrels, songbirds, raccoons, foxes, rabbits and groundhogs, is located at the intersection of Nininger Road (County Highway 64) and Bakerstown Road (County Route 105) in the Village of Kiryas Joel.

'Housing shortage'

"The project will meet the needs of a growing housing shortage within the community," Planning Board Chairman Gershon Neuman wrote in the board's correspondence with potential involved agencies. "Included will be accessory uses including places of worship. The project will be served by Village of Kiryas Joel municipal water and sewer facilities. Access to the site will be by means of multiple access points on County Route 705 and County Highway 64. The project will be funded by private funds."

The involved agencies include the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Orange County, the Town of Monroe and the Village of Woodbury.

There are more than 25,000 people living in the Village of Kiryas Joel. In the last two years, the village has sought to expand its boundaries through annexation and more recently by seeking to break way from the Town of Monroe to create a new municipality — the Town of North Monroe — north of the Quickway. 

Annexation issues are in court; the call for a new town is in the hands of the Orange County Legislature. 

Regardless of the outcome of the annexation cases, Kiryas Joel officials have indicated the community's population would double within 10 years.

Housing developments in the unincorporated sections of the Town of Monroe are on hold as the town updates its comprehensive master plan.

Meanwhile, Hasidic families with connections to Kiryas Joel have been buying homes in nearby Woodbury and Blooming Grove.

Details

Here are further highlights from the Planning Board's correspondence:

Veyoel Moshe Gardens will be located within the Kiryas Joel School District.

Protection will be provided the State Police, whose barracks are just across the street from the development, as well as Kiryas Joel fire and ambulance companies.

About 60 of the property's 70 acres will be developed in three phases, with the first phase to be completed in 2017 and will include 500 four-family houses. 

"Market demand will determine the timing of later phases," the report said.

The report states that the development will not create a demand for water. The report indicated 660,000 gallons per day would be needed and that will come from the Kiryas Joel municipal water system.

Meanwhile, the planning report indicated that 660,000 gallons of liquid waste would be generated daily and that that would be handled at Orange County Sewer District #1 at Harriman.

The report also indicated that sewer district does not need to be expanded. 

The report acknowledges that traffic will increase considerably and that may demand modifications to existing roads and the creation of new ones. 

There also will be the need for parking — up to as many as 1,500 spaces.

Access to public transportation already exists. Pedestrian and bicycle accommodations also will be made.