Dear Friends,
Silence is consent and unless you speak up NOW Leeds Pond will be harmed.
We need your help... our deadline of June 29, 2023 is just one day away!!
On July 20, 2023, the Village of Plandome Manor Zoning Board of Appeals (BZA) will be voting on whether to approve the pending "compromise" proposal to grant the Developer and new Owners of 1362 Plandome Rd a variance for the 300 cubic yards of fill (which is SIX TIMES the amount of fill allowed under our Village laws which allows issuance of permits for only 50 cubic yards), down from the 500 cubic yards (which is TEN TIMES that legal amount) that is currently on the property because the Developer just dumped it there without a permit or any prior notice to this Village!
As noted in our prior Updates, and as the photo above shows, this un-permitted fill, as well as other activities of this Developer on that property, including clearcutting of trees and vegetation, etc., has resulted in erosion and silt which is detrimental to Leeds Pond in many documented ways!
Yes! ... the facts show that this has been an obvious case with a pattern of the Developer blatantly acting first, then engaging in a series of misrepresentations and excuses to both the VIllage and NYDEC (which actually issued Notice of Violations for such actions) for why the initial egregious, non-permitted acts should somehow now be allowed. And, we have witnessed our Village Officials seeming to attempt to allow that to happen (even going to the extent to send an email to Village residents downplaying the actual facts of this case) without accountability or exercise of their duty to protect Leeds Pond for this and future generations ... and despite being provided with expert testimony regarding potential longterm environmental damage, as well as evidence of detrimental impact on Leeds Pond already being witnessed!
This whole process has been fraught with deception, misrepresention and/or gaslighting from both the Developer and Village Officials which does NOT constitute responsible development practices and certainly does NOT exemplify the "highest standards of environmental stewardship for the protection of our invaluable natural resources," such as Leeds Pond, that our Mayor purported to be engaging in, and that the Residents of the Village of Plandome look to our Mayor, Board of Zoning Appeals and other Village Officials to provide.
The current status is that the ZBA closed its upcoming July 20, 2023 Meeting for any further Public Comment. Our last opportunity to be heard is to submit written comments to the Village by the imposed June 29, 2023 deadline!
Leeds Pond still needs your help and a short email today can save the pond!
We need more emails to the village. Please ask your friends and contacts to email the BZA and save Leeds Pond before it is too late:
Some ideas for a simple email include:
1) Reject the developer's proposal by removing ALL landfill now and restore Leeds Pond to its natural condition
2) Leave Public Comment open until after the next meeting on July 20 2023 ... including ability to make comments at that meeting!
3) Protect and save Leeds Pond now for the future
4) Subject line "Public Comment for the Village of Plandome Manor BZA Meeting on June 15, 2023-Leeds Pond"
Please send your emails to clerk@plandomemanorny.gov with a copy to contact@saveleedspond.org.
THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED HELP ...
TOGETHER WE CAN SAVE LEEDS POND!