Thursday, July 05, 2012

Annexation, Segmentation, Aggravation






The property in question, more or less.






So, Woodbury assembled at the IBEW and denounced the idea of annexing town land into Monroe (by the way, if the annexation went through, the land would end up as being in the Town of Monroe, but would remain in the Village of Woodbury, aint New York State municipal law fun?).

The most compelling argument against the annexation petition had to do with SEQRA (the State Environmental Quality Review Act).

Under SEQRA a small action that has little or no environmental impact can be granted a “Neg Dec” (a negative declaration), meaning that a full SEQRA review is not needed. Since Brach’s petition claims that there are no plans to develop the land, he has requested a Neg Dec.

However, if he has no plans to develop the land, he has no reason to seek annexation. It is obvious that he wishes to build there.

By claiming that there will be no development now, while in fact planning to develop after annexation, he is breaking his overall plan into smaller parts, so as to avoid a full SEQRA review.

This is called “segmentation” and is a definite no-no under NYS law.

If a court looks at this, and IF they are honest, that should put an end to this annexation.

As to the meeting itself, some highlights.

The meeting was overseen by the Woodbury Town and Village Boards and the Town of Monroe Board. Every denunciation of the annexation was loudly applauded, but it seemed that the loudest applause followed each of the many attacks on the Monroe Board, with Sandy Leonard and Harley Doles the targets of choice.

That old gang of Ralph’s reassembled. It did the Uncle’s heart good to see Ralphie, the Ankle Biter, the Rump Roast and others.

Our personal favorite moment came when Ralphling Amy Fitzgerald spoke and then thanked “My Board and the Village Board.” A moment of honesty, Amy?

The prize for least persuasive argument probably goes to Brach’s attorney who spoke about ridge lines and “the Queen.” He did not make clear which particular queen he had in mind. He also said that town and village borders are not carved in stone. In that most old borders are in fact marked by stones, he might have gone for a more apt metaphor.

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sandy and Harley both deserve to be run out of the county on a rail!!!

Anonymous said...

. . . if the annexation went through, the land would end up as being in the Town of Monroe, but would remain in the Village of Woodbury. . . Does that mean our zoning trumps theirs?

Anonymous said...

A lot depends on who gets the lead agency status.

Anonymous said...

The land would NOT remain in the Village of Woodbury if annexed.

Anonymous said...

"Would our zoning trump theirs"

Like they would observe our laws even if it did!

Anonymous said...

I saw John Burke outside the post office again this saturday. He looked like he was sick. Why does he do that? So people will think he is doing something even though he is losing parts of Woodbury to KJ?

Why don't you all ask your annexation questions to John? I am sure he knows all the answers.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he thinks it's election time. Or just because Ralph told him to be there.

Anonymous said...

Rump roast ??

Uncle Betty said...

The Uncle Errs.

It turns out the annexation petitions are even screwier than I first thought. KJ and Ziggy have each submitted double annexation requests. From the Town of Woodbury to the Town of Monroe and from the Village of Woodbury into unincorporated outer space. Since Ziggy is claiming in the petitions that he has no plans to develop, he can't demonstrate any justification for the moves. And if the petitions, in and of themselves, are taken as evidence that he plans to develop, then he is guilty of segmentation (see above). Either way, it all depends on and competent and HONEST panel of judges.

Anonymous said...

so much souris!

Anonymous said...

Do you see where the property is, its already totally surrounded by KJ, or landowners that are from KJ, let them have it, oh yeah, like that area of land is really going to effect our view, give me a break, lets waste more money and have "it go all the up to the highest federal court" Dopes!

Anonymous said...

Who is "Rump Roast"

Anonymous said...

cricket.............

Anonymous said...

Hey, Skoufis will save us!!! He knows alot about annexation law and the process involved.

Anonymous said...

Skoufis is a friggin dope!

Anonymous said...

I suspect James' pinky finger has done more for this town since he's been involved than the idiot who is calling him a dope.

I don't know any other part-time councilman in recent history who has put in the time and energy to do good things for Woodbury like James has.

Only dope around here is you.

Anonymous said...

Okay, smart guy! How about a long list of good things he has done for Woodbury?

Anonymous said...

If you have to ask, you clearly have been living under a rock the past few years. Just off the top of my head:

-Hurricane relief. Lots of people helped, but no one in this town did more for those who suffered. James was NONSTOP every day helping your neighbors and mine.
-Greened town buildings. Saves us energy and $$$.
-Fought rest of town board to upgrade town IT.
-Takes time to send out a newsletter every single month. He doesn't have to do that but he chooses to to keep people like myself informed.
-Working with another board member to bring a program to town that will help with senior citizen transportation.
-Was ONLY member of town board to fight when board wanted to do away with children with special needs camp at Rez.
-He and Rob started spring cleaning day - one of best community events we now have.

And that's just stuff off the top of my head that he has done on his own or spearheaded with help as a PART-TIME councilman.

If you want to hang James from Big Ben because he voted "yes" for the new chief after supporting an internal candidate, no less (yea, screw the one guy who stood with you - see how willing he is to stick up for the police during contract negotiations after getting pissed on this time for standing with the police) - you're hurting Woodbury by doing so.

I will be PROUD to have James as my next assemblyman, especially after the joke we have there now. Keep up the good work, James.

Anonymous said...

And now I'd like a long list of things YOU'VE done for Woodbury.

Anonymous said...

Oh wait, that's right, you wont respond because you just like tearing down the few good people we have in our town by throwing anonymous bombs at them on this blog.

Anonymous said...

I've heard the new chief is very well liked. Even Artie, professional that he is, has taken things well.

To Robin, Cliff, and idiot Jimmy Booth: whether you agree or disagree with them, perhaps the board picked this guy because they thought he'd be a good chief for this town.

Anonymous said...

If you are admitting that Artie is a professional, then why was he not made Chief?

Anonymous said...

To the poster a few notes back:

Yes James has done some very good things for the town but guess what? that's his job as a councilman. And if the others aren't doing as much as he is, then they have to go!

In fact, James is doing such a good job as councilman that we should keep him here in Woodbury, not send him to Albany.

Anonymous said...

If by taking it well you mean that Artie is leaving the first opportunity he gets than sure he is thrilled about it.

Anonymous said...

The above post is priceless. Kudos.

Anonymous said...

Cry "Havoc" and let slip the dogs of war!

Uncle Betty said...

Thank the good Lord that at least one of you anonymi knows her (his?) Shakespeare better than Ted Koppel who, on the first day of the second Gulf War, said: "Wreak havoc and unleash the dogs of war." He then misattributed the misquote to Macbeth.

ABC was so proud of his erudition that they repeated the sound bite all night long.

Anonymous said...

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Anonymous said...

Ever since he gave up his Cadillac,
He has been planning his pay back!
His regime is far from benign,
John is a swine,
And now the PD will surely lack!

You see they did not hire his son,
Who shouldn't be allowed a gun!
His temper will flare,
With out any care,
And then he thinks it is fun!

So, guess who will apply,
Now, that there is a spot for another guy?
And he will do so with a smirk,
A name that rhymes with jerk,
A stab in the PD's eye!!!

Cry "Havoc" and let slip his canine,
A bully who will also whine:
"Dad, they did not let me join,
is there a way to purloin?
Some way, to make this job mine"?

And when they give this to his boy,
Surely there will be no joy,
if you are out on the street
You better pound feet
Because his gun, too much, he will enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Julius Caesar Act lll Scene l

Praise to the Uncle! He must be one of the few educated people on this blog.

Tempus omnia relevat.

Anonymous said...

man who farts in church sits in own pew.

Anonymous said...

Wait, didn't he get a much higher paying job in rockland? Yea, i guess your right, it was only a short ten years ago that good ole Bob said NO! and hired another. Nothing else to complain about so lets.......
Keep stirring the pot!

ps. What color pants did you wear two days ago? can't remember, didn't think so! most can't! and only a bitter man can!

Anonymous said...

Why would anyone think Burke does anything for the good of Woodbury? Don't you remember, he only ran for supervisor in the first place because Sheila Conroy would not keep Cosimos from building. He does things out of spite and retaliation, nothing more and nothing less. Why don't you ask Chief K why he retired. Ask him if he wanted to, or if Burke and his cronies forced him out. You might be surprised at the answer.

Anonymous said...

If everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn't thinking.

Jackwagon said...

By cronies, do you mean his buddies on the Town board?

Anonymous said...

His buddies on the town board and his buddies off the town board who give him his orders.

You know, we a surprised at the bald eaglette going along with John since John is really under Ralphie's thumb and we all know that Baldy hates Ralphie

Anonymous said...

He will go along with anything to not make waves. He is only on the board to get the benefits. And yes, thats by his own admission, not a usual conspiracy theory posted here.

Anonymous said...

wow! that's what I want in my representatives! A commitment to self service not public service!!!
There is a whole crowd that is in this category including the double dipping town/village clerk, the double dipping town/village tax collector and the former/future town board member Mr C.L.! Oh yeah, the village mayor is rumored to take the health benefits too!

Who needs to talk about Larkin and Calhoun?

Vote to fix the system! said...

Hey, don't be an idiot, If you could get free health benefits, you would take them also! Fix the system dummy! if not the new board members will just do the same thing!

Anonymous said...

Change is coming.

Anonymous said...

Change, isn't that half the promise of the 2008 presidential race! Yea, like that worked!

Anonymous said...

How about change the subject? Look at the corruption at the county! All the republicans covering up for Eddie Dians'a cover up.

Anonymous said...

Spoken like a true...or soon to be democrat!!
Remember last part of democrat is RAT, last part of republican is I CAN!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, RepubliCANS sure can close Valley View (compassionate conservatives?). They sure can spent $75 million on a new government center (fiscal conservatives?). They sure can stop at nothing to hide documents and evidence to the press and public.

Yes, keep voting Republican here in Orange County - one helluva bunch!

Anonymous said...

You know, there are good republicans in this county, just not the ones who follow that piss-head William Deprospo.

Saying all republicans are bad is just like saying all democrats are stupid.

In case you don't know, neither is true.

Let's just get some good people back in office, not the Eddies, the Johns and the Mikes.

Comphsig said...

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Brown said...

Gold Bar Investment Singapore Other Services. Turn your savings into physical Gold Bars TODAY & enjoy a guaranteed 18% 24% returns. Email to: events wealth studio.com to reserve a seat For more details: Other. Investing in Gold, Buying, Selling Gold Coins? Blanchard and. Investing in Gold, Investing in gold requires research and education and Blanchard and Company, Inc. can help you learn more about buying and selling gold. Investing. Golden Investment Programs (E gold Hyip Guide) Ebook. High. A few High Return Investments Baltimore products I can recommend: Golden Investment Programs (E gold Hyip Guide) Ebook. Beginners Guide To E gold Ba. UK Gold Dealers. United Kingdom Britannia?s USA Gold Eagles Collector Coins Investment Bars.9999 Fine Gold Ten Tola Bar.999 Gold Bars 2.5 gram Gold Bars 5 gram Gold Bars.