Navajo Fields (aka Hidden Valleys). (See Town Board June 10, 2025,) After 3.5 hours, the Town Board closed the hearing on including the 50 acre Navajo Fields parcel into the Lake Osceola Overlay District. But, it left open a 28 day written comment period. (The Town Board is waiting for memos from the Planning Board and Conservation Board. Your comments can be sent to individual Board members and the Town Clerk.)
At the start of the hearing, Councilman Esposito explained the multi step overlay process:
- Step one would be adding the parcel into the existing overlay district.
- If that happens, step two would require a subsequent Town Board resolution granting “overlay status” to the project.
- If that happens, then step three would be for the Planning Board to review a detailed site plan and SEQRA reports.
While a majority of the speakers were opposed to adding the parcel into the overlay district, many citing traffic as their prime reason, some residents spoke in support of the project, with many voicing support for the existing athletic facilities on the site. Some also supported the project because it would enable them to hook up to sewers.
There were also comments about which properties would have access to the sewer line (not the existing houses north of East Main Street) and what the hook up and ongoing maintenance costs would be for those who did hook up. Councilwoman Siegel also questioned whether a sewer trunk line would lead to the actual development of the hamlet’s three major undeveloped sites given the fact that all have significant environmental constraints that limit their development potential.
The hearing become somewhat contentious at times when Supervisor Lachteman interrupted comments from some speakers – who happened to be opposition candidates in the November local elections.
Councilwoman Siegel was the only Board member who stated her position: she opposes adding the Navajo site to the overlay district. The other Board members did not express an opinion, one way or the other.
See the link below for a video of the hearing.
Sewer Pump Station Upgrades. (See Town Board, June 17, 2025) After a brief public hearing, the Board authorized borrowing $7.2 million to upgrade five pump stations: four in the Hallocks Mill sewer district and the Farmwalk station in the Osceola district that is part of the greater Peekskill sewer district. Supervisor Lachterman explained that the town will not have to borrow that amount as the town was awarded a $5.76 million grant in 2021 to cover most of the cost and that it will receive funds from the state’s Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) on a rotating basis as funds are needed.
Councilwoman Siegel supported the borrowing but raised questions about the accuracy of the cost estimates; the same $7.2 million estimated cost was used in 2021 to cover four pump stations. She also expressed frustration that the Board had not been kept informed about modifications to the Hallocks Mill pump stations that reduced their cost and enabled $1 million to be used for the Farmwalk pump station that was not part of the original grant award.
A video of the meeting is available at
yorktownny.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=1978