Walden approves annexation

By Connor Linskey
Posted 12/23/20

The Walden Village Board approved a resolution to annex the Biagini property at their meeting last Tuesday although they are unsure of what will go there. At their meeting on Thursday, the Montgomery …

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Walden approves annexation

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The Walden Village Board approved a resolution to annex the Biagini property at their meeting last Tuesday although they are unsure of what will go there. At their meeting on Thursday, the Montgomery Town Board voted in favor of relinquishing the property, officially making it part of the Village of Walden.

Though the Walden Village Board is unsure of the project, they have an idea of what it will be. The 36-37 acre vacant land across the street from the Amthor property on Route 52 is in the R-3 zone, which indicates that it will likely be used for single-family residences.

“This is all about the property not the project,...” said Village Trustee Lynn Thompson. “I’m in favor of the annexation because I really feel like it’s a parcel in our village where there’s fairly high stakes and I feel that I would like the village to be able to have as much control as we possibly can. And if we annex the property, we then become the people that get a higher stake, more of a voice of what can be developed on that property.”

Village Trustees Brian Sebring and John Elliott were in favor of the annexation, as it will bring property tax revenue to Walden.

“I’m in favor of it because it is gonna put more tax in our base,” Sebring said. “It’s gonna give the town more tax base. As far as the sewer, that’s all in the planning stage of the planning board.”

Village Trustees Willie Carley and John Ramos were in favor of the annexation because it will allow more families to live in the village. These residents will be able to take advantage of all Walden has to offer, including water, sewer, trash pickup, street lighting and snow removal.

“The bottom line is that our property values will increase, which makes everybody’s home more marketable in the future,” Ramos said.

Ramos added that the annexation will improve the village’s recreation and parks programs. Children will move to the homes on the annexed property and will participate in the programs.

In addition to approving the annexation, the board also adopted a negative declaration under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. A negative declaration is given when a project is determined not to have significant adverse environmental impacts.

Overall, the board is excited to welcome the property into the Village of Walden.

“We will be in the driver’s seat,” Ramos said. “Our planning board will facilitate everything that’s going to occur on that parcel of land.”