NEXT STEPS IN THE DOVER KNOLLS APPLICATION PROCESS

 

UPDATE ON THE HARLEM VALLEY PSYCHIATRIC CENTER REDEVELOPMENT

 

The Town of Dover continues to work with Dover Knolls, LLC on developing a sound plan for the most important and ambitious development project in the Town's history.   Some 850 acres of land is under consideration for a combination of redevelopment, open space preservation, and development of a new transit-oriented hamlet center at the Harlem Valley-Wingdale commuter rail station. 

A major breakthrough occurred in October, 2006, when the developer began working on an alternative plan, as required by the Town Board as part of the environmental review process required by state law ("SEQR").  This alternative plan should focus more of the development close to the train station and within the historic campus of the former Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center, preserving more open space and as many as possible of the historic buildings.  This will create a vibrant, walkable village atmosphere, surrounded by open land, with needed retail and civic uses as well as offices and homes above the shops on a new main street.  Dover Knolls has retained Torti Gallas and Partners of Silver Spring, Maryland, a nationally known town design firm with extensive experience in planning traditional town centers.  Torti Gallas is in the process of creating a plan for the HVPC campus and surrounding area that will attract residents, shoppers, and employers who want to be in a lively village setting where they can comfortably walk to shops, neighbors, and jobs, as well as to transit and nature. 

The work on an alternative plan comes as a result of lengthy negotiations between Town officials and the developer to ensure that the redevelopment of the HVPC campus meets the Town's planning objectives, as stated in its Master Plan and Zoning Law, to turn the HVPC campus into the retail and civic center of the southern part of Dover, taking maximum advantage of its large acreage, existing water and sewer facilities, nine-hole golf course, and location along Route 22 with a train station on site.  In addition to these development amenities, the site includes and is surrounded by environmentally significant features that must be protected and preserved, including the Great Swamp, the Swamp River, marble knolls, Deuel Hollow, and the Appalachian Trail.  The site is unique in the entire New York City metropolitan region because of its size, environmental amenities, access to commuter rail service, and water and sewer infrastructure. The Town wants the right combination of sustainable mixed-use development, outstanding town design, and environmental preservation on the site. 

The developer can continue the SEQR process by completing a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that analyzes the environmental impacts of both the proposed alternative plan and original plan proposed by Dover Knolls two years ago.  The DEIS, which was put "on hold" by the developer while the alternative plan is being developed, should be completed and released to the public most likely sometime in late winter or early spring.   These dates will also be posted on the website.  There will be an extensive public review process for the new plan and the DEIS, and no decisions will be made until there have been numerous public meetings and hearings to listen to public comments to the plan and make adjustments in response.

At the same time that Torti Gallas develops the alternative plan, a nationally known economic consulting firm, Economics Research Associates, is testing the market feasibility of the plan to make sure that it will be economically feasible and that it will have a beneficial effect on the Town's property taxes.   The result will be the best possible plan for the site that can succeed in the marketplace and also benefit Dover's taxpayers. Once preliminary design and economic feasibility work have been completed, the proposed alternative plan will be presented for discussion at a public meeting.  The date of this meeting will be announced on this website once it has been determined.  

The requirements for the alternative plan were spelled out by the Town Board in a written "Scope," which was adopted in June 2006, following two public scoping meetings in April and May.  The alternative plan that Dover Knolls has been working on and is presenting at its own public meeting on February 26 differs from the one required by the Town Board in the Scope. This alternative plan has been discussed in several meetings with the Town Board, which has asked for changes so that the plan will comply with the Scope. This is necessary for the process to move forward.  Instead, Dover Knolls has chosen to present this plan to the public without making the required changes.   The Board intends to convene a meeting to discuss alternative plans once the developer has submitted a plan that meets the requirements of the SEQR Scope. 

The developer can move the SEQR process forward very quickly by completing a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that includes an alternative plan that meets the requirements of the Scope.  The DEIS will analyze the environmental impacts of both the proposed alternative plan and original plan proposed by Dover Knolls two years ago.  The DEIS may also analyze other alternatives, such as the one Dover Knolls is presenting on February 26.  The Town Board will review the DEIS for completeness and for compliance with the Scope.  Once the DEIS is deemed complete and in compliance with the Scope, the process can move forward. All dates of Town meetings and all releases of approved documents will be posted on the Town's website.  There will be an extensive public review process for the alternative plan and the DEIS, and no decisions will be made until there have been numerous public meetings and hearings to listen to public comments to the plan and make adjustments in response.  The Town Board is hopeful taht the DEIS will be completed and released to the public this Spring.

Please check this website for updates and announcements of meetings as they occur. 

Click Here for recent correspondance from the Dover Town Board 

 

 

Click here to review the Final Scope for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to be submitted by the developer