After a lull in lawsuits between Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, both villages will head back to court soon.
On Monday night, the Board of Trustees for the Village of Tarrytown unanimously voted to reopen a lawsuit challenging Sleepy Hollow over the proposed General Motors development.
Tarrytown is challenging Sleepy Hollow over the traffic impact of the proposed development and the perceived lack of traffic mitigation plans.
"The primary concerns are traffic," said Village Administrator Michael Blau. "The board has come to the conclusion that the impacts have not been addressed.... Sleepy Hollow has decided to move ahead without addressing Tarrytown's concerns.
Sleepy Hollow trustees deemed traffic concerns a non-issue, and that mitigation plans were adequate, when they passed their environmental impact findings i (click link for documents). Sleepy Hollow Trustees agreed that the proposed GM development, which includes 1,177 residential units, "is one which minimizes or avoids adverse environmental effects to the maximum extent practical."
Tarrytown's lawsuit will be practically identical to a previous lawsuit filed in June 2007 over the GM/Roseland development.
In that lawsuit, Tarrytown took issue with traffic impacts, lack of traffic mitigation measures, and the overall size of the development – the village was pushing for a reduction in density to 800 residential units at the GM site.
Sleepy Hollow trustees in the past have said that traffic studies have already been conducted. Sleepy Hollow is also interested in pursuing a connection to the GM property via Continental Street, in the hopes of funneling traffic north to Route 117 to alleviate some vehicular stress on Tarrtown.
On Monday, Tarrytown Trustees agreed to hire the law firm Silverberg & Zalantis to represent the village in their disagreement with Sleepy Hollow. It is the same law firm that represented the village in 2007. That court case was ultimately ended because the proposed development with Roseland fell through.
However, the village will not be re-opening that old case, but will file an entirely new complaint to respond to the most recent incarnation of the proposed development at the GM site in Sleepy Hollow.
"It's a new lawsuit, but the same issues weren't resolved," said Village Attorney Jeffrey Schumejda. "It went to court, the lawsuits were filed and then it was put on hold."
Schumejda said that after both sides submit all documentation, and have a chance to respond, the court would issue a decision on the matter within 60 days.
Blau said he would be in contact with Sleepy Hollow's Village administration to let them know that the lawsuit is being revived.
"I'll be informing them of the action tomorrow (Tuesday) morning," Blau said
The reason the Village of Sleepy Hollow always ends up paying thousands of tax payer dollars to lawyers to defend them in court in every area of endeavor is that they do not act in good faith. Recall petition anyone.
Combining services is already under way from what I understand, so it can't be completely impossible. In any case, may not matter, since judgement day will apparently occur 6pm on Saturday, so maybe we'll have a very real chance to see god. After that, combining the villages should be a piece of cake.
There was always talk of building a roadway along the river to the thruway ect. Forget it that's not happening. Sooner or later that property is going to have to be developed.her is the real problem part time politicians they are not that bright and are often influenced by short sighted people. The village of Sleepy hollow was mis managed for many years back in the late 60's and 70's the fire department ran the town and politicians worked to keep the property taxes low so, by doing that they kept taxes low by raising General motors taxes and actually lowering village taxes! finally General motors smartened up and sued and left and Sleepy hollow became the dump that it is. the older residents now had to make up the taxe loss for the finacial wizards and thieves of the 70's and 80's this opened up tons of property to slumloards and most of your business and apartments became rooming houses for dirtbags and undesireables that's why sleepy hollow is having trouble rebilding today.