Land donation still in limbo after 2 years

The school district is reviewing whether proposed conditions for the donation of a 50-by-200-foot piece of land will keep it from accepting the property, which connects Charles M. Riccardi Elementary School to the Bishop’s Gate housing development.

Board of Education President Robert Thomann said the donation, first offered nearly two years ago, is back in the hands of lawyers after the owner renewed the request for a decision.

“It’s not a straight donation of property,” Thomann said on Tuesday. “There are several restrictions on it . ... So I sent that out to our attorney for review, and the attorney advises the board whether we can accept it with those restrictions on it . ...

“If there were no restrictions, it would be fine. We would probably take it right in,” he said. “But with those restrictions, there’s some question as whether we can accept the property.” Bishop’s Gate co-owner James Bruno, a former Saugerties Town Board member, said Sunday that the property donation is contingent on having bus transportation continue for students in the subdivision.

“We would deed the land over to the school district, but it could only be use for emergency purposes, not as a thoroughfare for vehicular traffic,” Bruno said. “The access way would have to be gated, with keys being provided for the Glasco Fire Department, town police, Diaz Ambulance, the school district and any other emergency services that were deemed necessary.”

Bruno said neighbors of the parcel support the donation.

“They said OK, as long as there will not be any drainage problem ... due to a road being put in,” he said. “Also that some kind of screening with some kind of trees be put in along the property line abutting the proposed road.”