Critics Press for More Enviro Study on New Castle Pediatric Home Plan
Opponents of a pediatric nursing home’s proposed major expansion urged the New Castle Zoning Board of Appeals last Wednesday to call for an environmental impact study citing disappearance of wetlands and increased traffic as chief concerns.
Critics of the 128,000-square-foot addition sought by Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehab Center on Spring Valley Road called for the more detailed environmental inquiry because a facility in a rural setting that would expand drastically from its current 19,000 square feet is likely to negatively impact the area.
“To move forward without an environmental impact study, claiming that a facility of this size would have no environmental impact on this area, is simply unconscionable,” said Karen Wells, who heads the opposition group Concerned Citizens for Responsible Sunshine Home Development.
The ZBA is considering whether to grant two variances to allow the project to proceed. One variance is required because nursing homes in New Castle’s residential districts must have frontage or direct access to a state or county road. Spring Valley Road is a town road.
Also, under the town code only 83 beds are allowed at Sunshine Children’s Home, which is situated on a 33-acre parcel in the far western portion of town. The applicant is seeking to increase the number of beds from 54 to 122 because of high demand for a facility that cares for children with medically acute conditions. The facility reports a waiting list of about 70 names.
Attorney Mark Weingarten, representing Sunshine Children’s Home, said the lengthier study is unnecessary because the expanded building would be much more efficient in its water use and some water would be able to be recycled.
“The applicant has submitted a plan that ensures the water use will not exceed current levels and that may be, in fact, reduced,” said Weingarten. “That is the quintessential example of no impact. We guaranteed the status quo of the existing facility. That should be the end of the inquiry in our opinion in regard to environmental significance.”
There would be no wetland disturbance and traffic would not appreciably increase during or after construction, he added.
ZBA Chairman Kenneth Cooper said the board is awaiting the submission of a hydrology study from town environmental coordinator Steve Coleman, which board members hope will help them determine the mystery surrounding what at one time appeared to be a significant wetland on the property.
Cooper said the study is expected to be submitted to the board within the next two weeks.
Greg Fleischer, a professional wetland scientist retained by some of the plan’s opponents, said aerial photographs taken as recently as eight to 10 years ago clearly show the existence of water on the site. It appears that a wetland has been filled in, he said.
“People who grew up in that area used to (ice) skate there,” Fleischer said. “You can’t say that there’s not water here, there’s not hydrology here. It’s there. The proper analysis needs to be conducted in order to assess that.”
Coleman, however, said he has researched the property back to the 1940s and there were no violations or complaints on record. He said there appears to be changing conditions at the site.
“It seemed to fluctuate depending on the decade and I think it’s correlated to the types of land use practices that occurred as part of the history (of the site),” Coleman explained.
If the area is going to continue to be used for parking, then more modern practices regarding stormwater, filtration and water quality should be a benefit, he said.
Meanwhile, opponents also charged that the project would overburden Spring Valley Road and other area thoroughfares during construction and afterwards. The applicant’s traffic engineer said that there would be only four trucks per work day during construction and an increase from 35 to 55 to 60 vehicles per 15 minutes after expansion.
But opponents said whether it’s Spring Valley Road, Cedar Lane or other nearby roads, they are too narrow to accept any traffic increase.
“I don’t know if there is any good route,” said attorney Steven Barschoff, representing one of the residents. “It’s a real problem with this site.”
Others said that if Sunshine Children’s Home’s ownership wants to expand it should find a more appropriate site, such as part of a medical complex.
The ZBA closed oral comments but will accept written comments through Nov. 16. Additional comments will be allowed on the hydrology study at the Nov. 23 meeting. Should the study not be completed by then or if the board or public need more time to read the report, comments will be accepted at the subsequent ZBA meeting.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/