Council to vote on plan to build apartments
Neighbors of Troy site oppose housing project
The full City Council will review a resolution in June to handle the environmental review of a proposed rezoning that would permit the construction of up to 240 apartments at the city’s far north end instead of 36 single-family houses.
The council’s Planning Committee voted 2-1 Tuesday night to refer the resolution to the sevenmember council.
Developer Kevin Vandenburgh requires the nine-acre site at 1011 Second Ave. along the Schaghticoke line and the Hudson River to be changed to planned development zoning if he is to build the three apartment buildings with underground parking. Another acre in neighboring Schaghticoke is part of the project and would be used for runoff from the site.
The project is opposed by many neighbors and the Friends of Friends of the Mahicantuck which organized to battle the rezoning. They’ve made it clear they would prefer to see the 10 acres remain undeveloped. The location has been identified as having archaeological remains from indigenous people using it in the past millenia.
Councilwomen Kim Ashemcpherson of the 2nd District and Sue Steele of the 3rd District voted to send the matter to the full council. Councilman Anasha Cummings of the 4th District, who is the committee chairman, voted against it.
“We should have the full council vote on this,” Ashe-mcpherson said. Steele concurred with Ashe-mcpherson.
Cummings said he would prefer the site not be developed or, if it does move forward, to see the construction of new single-family homes in the city rather than apartments. The City Council will have to determine whether it wants to consider rezoning the property, which the city comprehensive plan envisions as being the site of single-family homes. The city Planning Commission voted 4-1 in January to recommend against changing the zoning for the site to planned development from single-family residential. The City Council had requested the commission’s opinion on rezoning the parcel.
Opponents to the development requested that the Planning Commission be the lead agency for the required state environmental quality review for the project. The development team was pushing for the City Council to take on this role.
Cummings asked Corporation Council Richard Morrissey for an opinion on an amendment to possibly be presented at the City Council’s June 3 meeting which would leave the decision on the governmental body responsible for the environmental review up to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Stockbridge-munsee Band of the Mohican Indians back the opposition to the proposed development. Leo Matteo Bachinger, who spoke regarding environmental review requirements for the Friends of the Mahicantuck, also conveyed opposition by other Native Americans.