Plan for city subdivision irks town residents

Town of Port Washington residents living on Groeschel Road and Keelson Cove last week told the Town Board they don’t want the additional traffic in their neighborhood that would come with the proposed Whitetail subdivision to be developed on city land to the north.

Plans for the subdivision on land formerly owned by the Weiss family show one of its streets connecting to Groeschel Road, and six of the eight families living there signed a petition asking the town not to open Groeschel Road to city traffic.

“We don’t want the road open to the city on the other side,” Robert Jackson, 3557 Groeschel Rd., told the board, adding that better access to the subdivision would be off Highway LL. “We all moved there for the quiet, the privacy. There is no reason in the world to do this. It should remain a closed road.”

That’s especially true when the subdivision, which is in the City of Port, is being built, he said, noting residents fear construction equipment will use Groeschel Road and destroy it.

“We object, we violently object,” he said.  

But town officials noted that Groeschel Road already extends to the edge of the former Weiss property, even though the north end of the gravel road is overgrown and doesn’t appear to be built out.

“The road is open today and it has been since the 1950s,” Town Chairman Mike Didier said. “It’s a gravel road. Anyone here can travel the road today, can travel the road tomorrow. This board has no right to tell anyone they can’t drive on it.”

And, he added, “the town can’t stop them (the subdivision developers) from building a road on their property” even if it connects to a town road.

Several residents questioned how the road connection would benefit the town.

Didier noted that the city may opt to run sewer and water to the Whitetail subdivision through the road, which would give neighbors the opportunity to hook into these utilities in the future.

“No need,” Jackson said. “We have wells and septic systems.”

Didier also noted that the town has been working with the city for years to get sewer and water service into Knellsville, and this extension would facilitate that project.

“If it goes through there, sewer and water is on the town’s doorstep,” he said. “That’s advantageous to the town.”

He also noted that the land where the subdivision is to be built has always been earmarked for development.

Didier said he would talk to city officials regarding an intergovernmental agreement about street access during construction and future maintenance.

But that didn’t appease the neighbors, who continued to object to any connection with Groeschel Road.

“What do we have to do to preclude any further aggravation?” Jackson asked. “I want you to say you won’t allow sewer and water into the middle of our road.”

Didier said the residents can petition the board to abandon the northern end of the road.

“I don’t see any other way,” he said.

Supr. Greg Welton noted that the town could discourage use of Groeschel Road by construction equipment and heavy vehicles by imposing weight limits, something the Town Board is likely to consider in the coming months.