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Before You Judge the Paramount Proposal, Consider The Facts
By Alan Katz
By now, many have heard or read about the proposed residential project on a portion of the Paramount Country Club property in New City.
Whether residents ultimately support or oppose the proposal, the project has four objectives:
- create new housing that addresses a local need;
- generate additional annual tax revenue for Clarkstown;
- protect open space without requiring town investment;
- secure the future of Paramount Country Club as a going concern.
The goals of the development are to build needed housing, preserve the club, and further improve the amenities offered. The cost of the townhomes, villas and condos will be competitive, and may attract empty nesters who want to remain in Clarkstown and Rockland County but want to downsize and enjoy resort-style amenities. Younger families may also find it an attractive entry into the community.
Rockland lacks sufficient housing options. Many lifelong residents move out of the county to nearby Bergen and Westchester, to communities like Edgewood Country Club in River Vale, taking their tax dollars, spending power, and community involvement with them. Paramount’s new housing will provide an alternative in Rockland, enabling long-standing residents to remain when they are ready to downsize.
Several presentations have been made to the Clarkstown Town Planning Board, but the Planning Board is not approving the project at this time, it is only reviewing the project to make an advisory recommendation to the Town Board about a possible zoning change to allow for more housing units than what is currently permitted.
Rather than build residential housing on the entire property, which has been proposed or accomplished on other large parcels in Rockland, the proposal is to concentrate the development in a small area of the property so the balance can remain as open space indefinitely.
While some will argue that a zoning change would open the doors for similar developments in Clarkstown, that is not how zoning changes are evaluated. Each parcel of land that needs a zoning change must be evaluated on its own merits, including the public benefit of the zone change.
Because Paramount houses a golf club and because the owners have voluntarily proposed a deed restriction on a significant portion of the property, this property is unique, and approval of this zoning change does not, and should not, open the floodgates for other approvals. Every application must satisfy its own planning, engineering, environmental, and public benefit standards. Approving one proposal does not automatically establish approval for another with different facts, locations, or impacts. Approvals should be based on facts, engineering, planning, environmental science, and public benefit, not fear and speculation.
This entire development focuses on approximately 36 acres of vacant land adjacent to the existing golf course. That means less than 17% of the parcel will have housing. In addition, the owners have proposed to permanently restrict the majority of the Paramount property through deed restrictions, preserving open space for generations. This accomplishes one of the current administration’s top priorities.
While we know there will always be individuals who oppose any type of development, we must remember that our homes wouldn’t exist if development was halted years ago. What we should embrace is smart development; well-thought-out development backed by a family-owned business with integrity and a commitment to ensuring that the property they own remains beautiful, valuable and a benefit to the community in which it exists. The Paramount project will enhance Clarkstown, offering beautiful housing, a country club worth joining, millions in new taxes, improved roads and infrastructure, and open space in perpetuity all without any cost to the town.
Alan Katz is not a part of the ownership group or an employee of any entity affiliated with the Project.
Editor’s Note: This letter has been edited and condensed for brevity.
