Amenia Planning Board gets a history lesson

AMENIA — Accepting an invitation from Planning Board Chairman George Fenn, former town Supervisor and President of the Amenia Historical Society Arlene Iuliano spoke to the board during its meeting Thursday, Aug. 7, about the history of DeLavergne Hill.

Iuliano said she was making the presentation on behalf of the society and as part of the Silo Ridge Country Club’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for its planned expansion.

"I submitted a letter in March that included my doubts about the developer’s claim that [the project] would have a ‘minimal visual impact’ to DeLavergne Hill," Iuliano said. "At this time I would like to talk about the history of the ownership of the land and the significance of the view shed bearing this name to us local folks, and other folks, for over 300 years."

As Iuliano was starting her talk, board member Joseph Fontaine interrupted her and questioned whether or not she had a right to speak.

"The process we’re going through now, is this something for anyone who wants to do it?" Fontaine said.

"You don’t want me to speak?" Iuliano said.

"I didn’t say that," Fontaine said.

"But the public comment period has ended," board member Bill Flood said.

Planning Board Chairman George Fenn explained to the board that Iuliano was making her presentation on behalf of the historical society. Therefore, she was not there as a resident, but rather as a representative from a town group, which was permissible.

"A little history won’t hurt any of you," Iuliano told the board. "Relax.There’s too many lawyers around saying everything. When does an average, everyday person come up here? You need another side."

Iuliano opened her talk by saying the town spelled "DeLavergne" wrong on the agenda and showed the original crest of the DeLavergne family to the board.

"The actual land in question [on DeLavergne Hill] may date back to the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War, that took place from 1756 to 1763," Iuliano said. "The war resulted in France ceding all of its land east of the Mississippi River to England."

She said that, sometime in the later part of the 1700s, a Lewis DeLaVergne came to Amenia from Washington, D.C., and purchased 1,000 acres of land.

"The names Joseph and Lewis DeLaVergne were among the Amenia signers of a pledge in 1775 opposing the oppressive acts of the British government," Iuliano said. "The definition of the word ‘view,’ as it pertains to a landscape, according to Webster’s Dictionary, is a ‘sight regarded for its pictorial quality.’ The DeLavergne Hill view shed appears to meet and always has met that definition."

After Iuliano spoke, Fenn then waxed nostalgic about his memories of DeLavergne Hill.

"I’m probably not alone in being one of those whose first view of Amenia was from the top of that hill," Fenn said. "I remember driving east on Route 44 in 1964 and coming around in a circle on the hill. There was a little sign that the Phillips family had some real estate. I then visited the Phillips family and never left. I personally would think the proposal to construct a restaurant on that patch of land [should be] abandoned and the land to remain undeveloped and as open space."

After the meeting Silo Ridge Country Club General Manager Robert Caeners said he understands residents’ concerns about the impact the possible expansion might have on the hill.

"We are concerned about it, too," Caeners said. "That is one of the reasons why we are doing this expansion, in order to have people enjoy the great views. We feel that by putting an artisan’s park, for the first time ever, people will be able to enjoy the view from the hill in a safe way. The restaurant will be tucked into the woods and it will not block the view. We realize it’s the most significant [views] from Harlem Valley, that’s one of the reasons why we want to build it, so people can stop and enjoy the view."