The Town of Newburgh Planning Board will keep the public hearing on the Britain Woods development project open until their next meeting on September 5. Members of the public spoke at a public hearing on Thursday, August 1 with concerns about traffic safety, environmental impacts to the area and the need for review of the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS).

The final item for the town Planning Board’s agenda on Thursday night was a public hearing on the DEIS, site plan and the special use permit for Britain Woods. The project is a proposed housing development constructed along Little Britain Road (Route 207) with 11 multi-family buildings (258 units in total). It would be 148 two-bedroom units and 110 one-bedroom units. A recreational clubhouse with a proposed pool and athletic courts, exercise rooms and other multi-purpose facilities has also been proposed. During a time when road work was conducted was

Planning Board Attorney Dominic Cordisco explained to the public a positive declaration was previously adopted by the board. A positive declaration means that the project has proposed potential environmental impacts. A public scoping session was held in December 2022 at the Local 17 Meeting Hall where the public was given the opportunity to comment on the project. From that session, a final scope would become the outline for the DEIS. A draft of the DEIS was submitted and underwent revisions before the board accepted it as complete. Cordisco clarified with the document accepted as complete, it meant the document is adequate for public review.

Once the public hearing is concluded, comments from that night’s session and written comments would need to be addressed by the applicant in a final document called a Final Environmental Impact Statement. The document would be submitted to the town at a later date which would be considered the response to the comments made by members of the public, Cordisco clarified.

The notice of hearing was read into the minutes after Cordisco’s explanation and Engineer Ross Winglovitz of Engineering and Surveying Properties, on behalf of Farrell Building Company, briefly outlined the project again. The project is looking to be built on 48 plus or minus acres, located along Little Britain Road with an entrance across from the field in front of the Local 17 Meeting Hall. A secondary access would be in the City of Newburgh on the eastern end of the project, only used as an emergency exit.

Members of the public were asked to give their first name, last initial and general residence before speaking at the hearing. An hour of public comment took place on Thursday night. Stony Brook resident Joseph Smith sought clarification on the water and sewer usage for the project, which was claimed to come from the Stony Brook neighborhood. Winglovitz clarified that was not proposed for the project.

Concerns were raised about visibility of units from Stony Brook through the foliage. Winglovitz clarified that in leaf off conditions, buildings would be visible though screening would be provided. “We have a community that’s completely guarded by the foliage, trees, whatever you want to call it, and we’re very proud of that, and I think it keeps our property values high since we’re in a city environment,” said Smith.

Other concerns from Smith questioned the traffic safety of 207, a two lane road. “As part of our traffic analysis, we need to widen 207 in front of the site and install a dedicated left turn lane into the property so that we can get our traffic out of the way of the through traffic in each direction, so that people can safely turn in,” said Winglovitz. “That was part of the recommendations of the study and was concurred by the DOT [Department of Transportation] that that left turn lane improvement would have to be installed for safe access into the site and out of the site.”

Resident Matt Gallagher of Little Britain Road noted discrepancies within the traffic study, speaking on site distance measurements, current speed limits in the area, road curvature and seasonal factors such as snow removal and impacts of sunlight on drivers. Gallagher spoke on determining the entrance on the east end of the project to be the main entrance instead of the western entrance. He also noted that the applicant was asked for a determination of peak traffic hours to be used in various analyzes. Gallagher requested the board review the data presented as it appeared to him not to be accurate and not properly used in the DEIS, saying the selection was in bad faith. Gallagher submitted his entire statement for the record.

Resident David Brown, who shared traffic concerns, noted the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Little Britain and Old Little Britain Road but no signal for the Wisner Avenue Little Britain Road intersection, a three way intersection. He shared similar concerns about the development’s proximity to Stony Brook and for bald eagles protections that use Harrisons Pond as a feeding ground and runoff.

Resident Erika Gallagher thanked the board for the opportunity to speak but equally expressed her frustration on the study, noting that several recent accidents that happened within 2024 were not included. She also held back tears as she spoke on several accidents that have occurred in the vicinity or on her property. A petition with over 400 signatures has been collected opposing the project, she said.

John Conner, town resident and Chairman of Board of Fire Commissioners of the Good Will Fire Department, noted accidents from 2022 into 2024 were not included in the traffic study based on traffic data provided by the DOT. Conner also was critical of the point where there would be no traffic on D’Alfonso Road, which is already heavily traveled by drivers. “We’ve been waiting for a traffic light at that intersection since I was chief in 1983,” said Conner. “Traffic isn’t the only thing we’re worried about. We look at the site plan, some of these areas, I don’t know if I’m going to get a ladder truck in,” he said. “I don’t know how we’re going to access some of the back of the buildings.”

After public comments concluded, the town consultants provided their statements to the general public. Traffic Consultant Ken Wersted of Creighton Manning spoke on the intersection of Little and Old Little Britain Road. “Relative to the intersection of Old Little Britain Road and Route 207, I did reach out to a consultant that is working with DOT and give or take, six months to 10 months ago, DOT was reviewing that intersection and having their consultant analyze the options for it,” said Wersted. “They did look at a roundabout, which didn’t seem feasible, based on their analysis. They did look at a traffic signal, they did look at turning lanes. The consultant has summarized their findings and provided it to DOT. That report is now in DOT’s hands and they haven’t taken any action on it. It’s been in their hands since March and their consultant is anxious to finish that project.”

Patrick Hines of MHE Engineering stated that his office is reviewing various technical details of the DEIS and will provide written comments to be addressed by the applicant. The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan will need to be reviewed, water and sewer extensions are being reviewed, blasting and geotech reports are being reviewed and various other technical reports. The City of Newburgh is also being coordinated as the project moves along in the process.

Members of the planning board thanked the general public for their comments and their concerns brought forward at the meeting that night. A recommendation from a board member was to have sidewalks along the portion of the property in the town as the city had requested sidewalks on the city portion. Members of the general public can review the DEIS and all other site documents at the following link: https://dl.ep-pc.com/BritainWoods/. The document is also available at the town clerks office or available the Newburgh Free Library Town Branch location at 181 South Plank Road, Suite 2.