📣📣📣 RELEASE AND STATEMENT 📣📣📣
Next week (January 28th, 6pm), the Planning Commission is expected to vote on its recommendation about the request for rezoning.
Today, we submitted a report to the Troy City Council, Mayor Patrick Madden and the Planning Commission.
You can review the report here: https://issuu.com/save1011/docs/2021_01_22_sacred_forest_report
In our report we detail the Sacred Forest's significance and community value, and we recommend to the City of Troy:
‼ Making the preservation and protection of the “Sacred Forest” at 1011 2nd Avenue the City of Troy’s highest priority
‼ Elected officials take the necessary steps to ensure that proper procedural steps are followed and potential inconsistencies with the law are remedied
‼ The Planning Commission recommend against the rezoning for a) the significance of the site; b) anticipated adverse environmental impacts of a change in zoning code as well as of a potential development; and as c) a positive recommendation would be premature until SEQRA review is completed;
‼ The City Council to follow such a negative recommendation in its subsequent decision about rezoning;
‼ The Members of the City Council to introduce action initiating process to designate the site as CSA at the next regular meeting on February 4, 2021.
‼ The City of Troy designate the site at 1011 2nd Avenue as Critical Environmental Area (CEA) to ensure the adequate consideration of its environmental significance in any future actions on this site and as this site meets and exceeds all necessary criteria for such a designation as outlined in CRR-NY 617.14(g)
🌿 SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REPORT 🌿
- Developing this natural site would undermine the city's ability to develop the many vacant/abandoned sites in need of development. This is reaffirmed by a US HUD report that shows a limits in housing demand.
- The site is National Register eligible for its archaeological significance.
- The site qualifies for designation as "Critical Environmental Area".
- We documented several county-rare and at least one state-rare species on the land, along with a beaver lodge and Bald Eagle feeding in the river along the forest.
- Additional public service costs far outpace any increased tax revenue associated with the proposed development.
🚨🚨🚨WHAT YOU CAN DO NEXT 🚨🚨🚨
- Speak at the NEXT HEARING on January 28th, 6pm: http://www.troyny.gov/government/boards-commissions/planning-commission/agenda-minutes/
- Send your written statements to James.Rath@troyny.gov
- Join our virtual Town Hall on Monday (Jan 25, 7pm). Register here: https://forms.gle/YQdigqEo44dQuKta6
- Help us continue our work: https://gofund.me/708f5332 ... See more
