Don't Waste My Taxpayer Money, Support Renewable Energy

THE EMINENT DOMAIN TAKING OF 180 SOUTH BEDFORD ROAD

A BIT OF HISTORY AND SOME ACTUAL FACTS

The Village of Mount Kisco has opened a public hearing into the eminent domain "taking" of 18o South Bedford Rd. This property in Mount Kisco contains 25+ acres of land that was formerly developed with a mansion, rolling lawns and gardens. The property is bounded by the Town of Bedford, one residence in Mt. Kisco, and the Marsh Sanctuary which is located on land largely located in the Town of Bedford.

Twice in the past several years, the land was offered for sale. At those times there was no interest in buying it expressed by residents of the Chase, nor by supporters of Marsh Sanctuary, or even by the Village government. Currently a community solar farm is proposed on the site.

The effort to stop the solar farm project by buying the land flies in the face of the solar law, which clearly states that Mt. Kisco supports the establishment of solar facilities and generating solar energy, recognizing that renewable energy is essential rather than relying on carbon-based fuels or nuclear energy.

And, suddenly there has been an effort by residents of the Chase and supporters of Marsh Sanctuary in having the Village buy it as a "park." This effort is a blatant effort to oppose the solar farm and cell tower and does not propose a project meriting the expense of Village monies, taxpayer money, to provide a “public benefit.” Moreover, the Village already owns over 50-acres of land on Kisco Mountain that it could designate as a park and that land already has beautiful walking trails throughout it.

The solar farm will maintain as open space almost 18 of the 25-acres of land for the duration of the lease, which is approximately 35-years. This open space could include walking trails and is beautifully forested. The solar farm is only proposing to remove about 3+ acres of trees on previously developed fields and the woods' edge. The cell tower would take down another few dozen trees, leaving 18 acres of forest untouched. These 18-acres will be available to the public without cost, instead of the Village spending multiple millions of dollars to buy the land.

The Village believes that the appraised value of the land may be about $2.5 Million dollars. It is estimated that the net present value of the leases on this land may be in excess of $10 million dollars. If the village were to use eminent domain to seize the land for a purported “public purpose” the property owner could sue the Village for the value of those leases, which would increase the value of the property to $12.5 Million or more.

So, the effort to have the Village “take” this land by eminent domain would have public funds used to buy an extra 7-acres of green space for nearly $2 million dollars an acre. This would produce the most expensive parkland ever considered by the Village, which absurdity is compounded by the fact that 18 of the 25 acres have been offered by the solar project to be maintained as open space at no cost to the public.

If the residents of Mount Kisco Chase or supporters of Marsh Sanctuary want to purchase the 180 S. Bedford Road property, they should make an offer, or they should ask the Village to create a special taxing district to buy it for them, rather than using Village funds and taxpayer money for their personal benefit. The creation of a special taxing district previously has been used to create other pocket-parks in the Village.

The irony of this effort by Chase residents is that the real green space of Mount Kisco was the Mount Kisco Chase property. When Toll Brothers clear-cut the hundred plus acres and thousands of trees to create that development, a beautiful forest was destroyed. By contrast, the land which is being argued about at 180 S. Bedford Road was previously developed with an old mansion. It was never a pristine forest like the Chase. The solar farm project contrasts positively with prior as-of-right residential development proposals for the property that would have removed far more trees for a housing development with far greater impacts.

None of those impacts will occur with the solar project. Instead, it will add native pollinators which will bring butterflies and bees. It will remove acres of invasive species and instead plant native trees, shrubs, and flowers. And most importantly it will create enough clean, renewable energy to power hundreds of homes each year with nothing but the sun. The solar power produced will provide the CO2 offset equivalent of thousands of acres of forest each year.

Somehow, a small solar farm that is silent and nearly invisible from its neighbors has been turned into a "monster." Mount Kisco, it's time to use facts, not fear-mongering. If we expect to have a planet to live on, we all must do our part to lower or eliminate our carbon footprint. Creating clean, renewable energy in our towns is part of that process.