Durst rep says no change to DEIS

PINE PLAINS — Despite numerous requests from the public for changes to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Carvel Property Development, Jordan Barowitz, The Durst Organization’s director of external affairs, said the group would not change or alter it.

"The detail and breadth of comments received during the DEIS hearings indicated that the public has sufficient information to ask informed questions and express opinions," Barowitz wrote by e-mail. "None of the issues raised in any way warrant the redoing of the DEIS. We welcome the input of the public. Per SEQRA [State Environmental Quality Review Act], all questions will be responded to in the FEIS [Final Environmental Impact Study]."

Barowitz disagreed with criticisms that the project does not comply with proposed zoning.

"However, clustering is not addressed in the current town law," he stated. "The final plan will comply with any land use regulations passed by the Town Board."

As for criticism that the analysis of the financial impact of a full-time police department and a paid fire department was incomplete, Barowitz wrote the application so far has followed the DEIS, the scoping document and SEQRA "to the letter."

"...Which included multiple methods for evaluating impacts on public safety agencies," Barowitz wrote. "We expect to receive formal DEIS comments from the respective emergency services which will be responded to in the FEIS."

During the public hearing, Jane Waters of Pine Plains United said the development does not preserve contiguous open spaces for wildlife found currently on the property and the habitat would not nest on a golf course.

"The proposed plan preserves more than 54 percent of the site as open space, much of which is contiguous," Borowitz wrote. "The habitat studies that are provided in the DEIS demonstrate that the plan is protective of the environment and the habitat for each of the species that currently occupy the property."

In response to comments that there would be no market for the type of housing planned for the Carvel property, Barowitz disagreed.

"Local real estate agents are limited by the types of homes and properties that are available in the marketplace," Barowitz wrote. "This is not indicative of the proven demand within the [New York] metropolitan region which is the largest market in the United States for weekend master planned community homes. Appendix 14.4 of the DEIS addresses the depth, strength and characteristics of that market."

At the hearing, Matthias Kessemeir proposed that The Durst Organization start a "Durst Land Conservancy" to protect area wildlife.

"[We] will work to develop a program that is right for the Carvel property," Barowitz wrote in response.

Pine Plains United board member Susan Crossley asked Durst representatives at a recent hearing to restore a historic schoolhouse on the property as well as preserve other possible historic structures.

"We had been planning to execute a restoration, renovation and demolition program after project approvals were received," Barowitz wrote in response to Crossley’s question. "However, given the extended period of time it has taken to achieve approvals, we have begun to demolish select structures. In the near future, we may elect to restore some structures that have not become irreparable."