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10 Point Plan to Fight Overdevelopment and Protect our Quality of Life By Thom Kleiner

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Photo by Thom Kleiner/Facebook

10 Point Plan to Fight Overdevelopment and Protect our Quality of Life By Thom Kleiner

1. Hire additional code enforcement officers to ensure our building and property maintenance codes are strictly enforced

The best way to ensure we stay on top of code violations in Orangetown is to ensure our building department is properly staffed. Too often, individuals seeking to skirt our laws take advantage of the fact that our hardworking building department is responsible for enforcing code on thousands of properties in town. When I am elected, I will immediately begin reviewing the department’s workload and identifying the proper staffing levels to accomplish what needs to be done.

2. NO DOWNZONING!

We adopted our zoning codes for good reason and the last thing we need to be doing is changing them to add new high density housing. That’s why I oppose the current proposal to rezone property in Blauvelt from commercial and single family residential to high density multi-family housing.

3. Increase penalties for repeat violators of our building codeβ€”fines cannot just be the cost of doing business

For some owners, paying fines to the town for code violations is just part of the cost of doing business. This is not acceptable. We need to increase penalties for people and companies that repeatedly violate our building codes so that they get the message: if you want to own property in Orangetown you have to follow our laws–no exceptions!

4. Buy vulnerable properties to protect them from the wrong kinds of development

Buying properties to protect them from irresponsible or inappropriate development is sometimes necessary. When I was Supervisor, the town purchased hundreds of acres on Clausland Mountain that would otherwise have been developed and preserved them as parkland for all to enjoy. If I am elected again, we will identify properties that may be important for the town to consider purchasing to prevent unwanted development. It will be important to work with the county, state, and other government partners to seek financial assistance for these efforts.

5. Conduct a comprehensive review of the town’s zoning code to ensure it appropriately protects our neighborhoods

If elected, I will immediately begin the process of reviewing the town’s zoning code, with outside planning experts if needed, to ensure that we have the strongest possible protections in place for our residential neighborhoods. For most of us, our home is our biggest investment and it is important we protect the value of that investment with zoning that limits inappropriate high density housing, or industrial development near single family neighborhoods.

6. Involve the community to develop long term plans for large properties such as Pfizer/IRG and Nyack College

Some of the biggest properties in town are going through transitions. With the impending closure of Nyack College, the possible sale of the former IBM Conference Center in Palisades, and Pfizer/IRG’s ongoing efforts to envision new uses for their site, Orangetown needs to take an active role in helping guide appropriate redevelopment of these sites. I believe we need to engage neighbors and community stakeholders, as we did with the Rockland Psych. Center property, in developing a positive vision for these properties and then work with current and future owners to make these visions a reality.

7. Aggressively prosecute anyone who violates the town’s Do Not Knock Law and engages in real estate solicitation

Former Supervisor Andy Stewart led the way in passing Orangetown’s Do Not Knock Law, but in order for the law to have its intended effect of protecting residents from unwanted solicitation, we need to make sure that violators of the law are prosecuted. I’ll make it a priority to ensure that anyone who violates our do not knock law faces the consequences. Residents should not have to live with people bothering them at home on a regular basis.

8. Improve public notification of projects going before the land use boards so neighbors have a chance to make their voices heard

Many other municipalities do a better job than Orangetown when it comes to letting neighbors know that a property in their neighborhood is the subject of an application before the Planning, Zoning, or other land use boards. We will increase the size and visibility of signage and make sure more information is distributed to residents of nearby properties so they can make their voices heard if they have objections to a proposed project.

9. Increase the minimum lot size for religious use so places of worship don’t burden residential neighborhoods with excess traffic

The town has already taken some welcome steps to address this issue, but we need to take another look at this issue to make sure we are doing everything possible to protect our neighborhoods.

10. Mandate disclosure of LLC owners before any land use proposal by an LLCs is considered

Too often, limited liability companies (LLCs) are used by individuals who would prefer not to be identified. We should change town code to require full disclosure of an LLC’s true owners BEFORE our building department or land use boards take the time to review an application for any property owned by an LLC.

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2024 Presidential Primary, Early voting is your right. Use it!

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Rockland voters have 8 days of early voting, including weekends and evenings. You may go to any early voting center, regardless of your town.

Saturday March 23rd from 9:00 – 6:00pm

Sunday March 24th from 9:00 – 6:00pm

Monday March 25th from 8:00 – 5:00pm

Tuesday March 26th from 11:00 – 8:00pm

Wednesday March 27th from 8:00 – 5:00pm

Thursday March 28th from 11:00 – 8:00pm

Friday March 29th from 8:00 – 5:00pm

Saturday March 30th from 9:00 – 6:00pm

Rockland has five Early Voting Centers:

Clarkstown Town Hall, 10 Maple Ave., New City, NY 10956
Haverstraw Town Hall, 1 Rosman Rd., Garnerville, NY 10923
Orangetown Town Hall, 26 W. Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, NY 10962
Ramapo Town Hall, 237 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901
Stony Point Kirkbride Hall, 5 Patriot Hills Ln., Stony Point, NY 10980

Know Your Dates
Saturday, March, 23, 2024 – Deadline for Board to receive application for an absentee ballot.
Saturday, March 23, 2024 – Deadline to register for the 2024 Presidential Primary.
Monday, April 1, 2024 – Deadline to apply for an absentee ballot in person at the Board.
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 – Deadline to postmark/mail your absentee ballot.
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 – Pres. Primary Day. Poll sites are open at your usual poll site from 6AM – 9PM.

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Politics

Clarkstown Councilman Patrick Carroll Announces Candidacy for NYS Assembly District 96

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NEW CITY, NY – Town of Clarkstown Councilman Patrick Carroll announces his candidacy for New York State Assembly District 96, to replace Assemblyman Ken Zebrowki who recently announced that he wasn’t seeking re-election. Councilman Carroll currently represents Ward 4, which encompasses Bardonia, New City, Nanuet, Spring Valley and West Nyack. He lives in Bardonia with his wife Natalie and their four daughters: Madelyn, Lily, Paige and Hailey. He is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and Wesleyan University, a licensed attorney, and currently works as an Administrative Law Judge for New York State.

β€œAfter speaking with community leaders, I have decided to seek election to the New York State Assembly. Filling my good friend Ken Zebrowski’s shoes will be no easy task, as he has been an outstanding and effective advocate for Rockland families. I hope to build on Ken’s substantial achievements and will work to protect the suburban quality of life that exists in Haverstraw, Nyack and Clarkstown.” said Councilman Carroll.

Since his announcement, Carroll has received key endorsements from democratic leaders from retired Legislator Harriet Cornell and Legislator Beth Davidson.

“When you knock about 3,000 doors alongside someone, you get to know them pretty wellβ€”what they believe in, what they stand for, whom they fight for. While I am so grateful to Ken Zebrowski for his 17 years of admirable and effective service as our Assemblyman, I am thrilled to endorse my friend Clarkstown Councilman Patrick J. Carroll for AD-96. I stand ready to knock another 2-3,000 doors to secure your election, Patβ€”and I know no one will work harder to help Dems up and down the ticket in November!” said Legislator Beth Davidson.

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