NDN New Middltetown Police Station Concerns

NDN online 3/6/07

By Matt Sheley/Daily News staff

John and Kathleen Woodhouse see the need for a new Middletown police station.

It's just the location of the new facility and the process being used by the town to build it that they and others in the Haymaker Road neighborhood are concerned about.

Local officials, however, have said the $8 million project is being handled like any other proposal in town and survey work at the former Christmas tree farm on Valley Road across from Middletown High School is ongoing so construction can start this spring.

During a meeting Monday night in Town Hall, the Town Council continued until March 19 a public hearing on a plan to rezone the new police station lot and other town-owned properties to bring them more in line with the Comprehensive Community Plan.

"Ideally, I'd like it to still be a park," John Woodhouse said. "A lot of other people in the area want that, too. If it's a done deal, we want to make sure all our issues are resolved, but the language for the bond doesn't say anything about a location."

After Monday's meeting, Police Chief Anthony M. Pesare said everything would be done to accommodate the neighbors.

"We've been working with all the neighbors," Pesare said. "Like everyone knows, environmentally, the project will meet all the requirements from DEM (the state Department of Environmental Management), the traffic will comply with the DOT (state Department of Transportation) and all other standards, just like anyone else would have to."

In November, voters overwhelmingly approved a bond for the project, after the Police Department had launched a townwide campaign to educate residents about the need to replace the station at the corner of Wyatt Road and Berkeley Avenue.

Before that early November vote, the Kempenaar family waived a deed restriction on the Christmas tree parcel, which was given to Middletown in July 1997, around the time the town approved a BJ's Wholesale Club project on nearby East Main Road.

The Woodhouses said the reason they're now speaking up about their concerns is because nowhere does it say approval of the bond equals a new police station in their backyard. They also said the way the town was able to use the former Christmas tree lot just doesn't seem right.

They would like the town to instead examine other options, such as possibly obtaining the former Navy Lodge site at the corner of Coddington Highway and West Main Road as a home for the new station.

The couple said a group of about 40 nearby residents shared their concerns with local officials during a meeting in late November, and the Woodhouses said the town officials at that meeting - including Pesare and Town Administrator Gerald S. Kempen - seemed to get the message.

Still, the Woodhouses said they would like the town to make sure it follows the process it requires with other building projects.

"It's a town project and it seems to me they're not taking it through the same steps as everyone else," John Woodhouse said. "I know people are watching this very closely."

In the wake of the decision to use the Valley Road property for a new police station, the council adopted a new policy governing the use of open space, including implementing rules requiring the replacement of such land somewhere else in town.

Kempen and Pesare said the use of the Christmas tree lot was well advertised throughout the Police Department's campaign for a new station.

"It was in our fliers, it was part of two open houses, it was in all the advertising and in the press," Pesare said. "I don't know what more we could have done, but it's important for us to be mindful of our neighbors and work together with them."


	Middletown police station location concerns neighbors NDN online 3/6/07 By Matt Sheley/Daily News staff John and Kathleen Woodhouse see the need for a new Middletown police station. It's just the location of the new facility and the process being used by the town to build it that they and others in the Haymaker Road neighborhood are concerned about. Local officials, however, have said the $8 million project is being handled like any other proposal in town and survey work at the former Christmas tree farm on Valley Road across from Middletown High School is ongoing so construction can start this spring. During a meeting Monday night in Town Hall, the Town Council continued until March 19 a public hearing on a plan to rezone the new police station lot and other town-owned properties to bring them more in line with the Comprehensive Community Plan. "Ideally, I'd like it to still be a park," John Woodhouse said. "A lot of other people in the area want that, too. If it's a done deal, we want to make sure all our issues are resolved, but the language for the bond doesn't say anything about a location." After Monday's meeting, Police Chief Anthony M. Pesare said everything would be done to accommodate the neighbors. "We've been working with all the neighbors," Pesare said. "Like everyone knows, environmentally, the project will meet all the requirements from DEM (the state Department of Environmental Management), the traffic will comply with the DOT (state Department of Transportation) and all other standards, just like anyone else would have to." In November, voters overwhelmingly approved a bond for the project, after the Police Department had launched a townwide campaign to educate residents about the need to replace the station at the corner of Wyatt Road and Berkeley Avenue. Before that early November vote, the Kempenaar family waived a deed restriction on the Christmas tree parcel, which was given to Middletown in July 1997, around the time the town approved a BJ's Wholesale Club project on nearby East Main Road. The Woodhouses said the reason they're now speaking up about their concerns is because nowhere does it say approval of the bond equals a new police station in their backyard. They also said the way the town was able to use the former Christmas tree lot just doesn't seem right. They would like the town to instead examine other options, such as possibly obtaining the former Navy Lodge site at the corner of Coddington Highway and West Main Road as a home for the new station. The couple said a group of about 40 nearby residents shared their concerns with local officials during a meeting in late November, and the Woodhouses said the town officials at that meeting - including Pesare and Town Administrator Gerald S. Kempen - seemed to get the message. Still, the Woodhouses said they would like the town to make sure it follows the process it requires with other building projects. "It's a town project and it seems to me they're not taking it through the same steps as everyone else," John Woodhouse said. "I know people are watching this very closely." In the wake of the decision to use the Valley Road property for a new police station, the council adopted a new policy governing the use of open space, including implementing rules requiring the replacement of such land somewhere else in town. Kempen and Pesare said the use of the Christmas tree lot was well advertised throughout the Police Department's campaign for a new station. "It was in our fliers, it was part of two open houses, it was in all the advertising and in the press," Pesare said. "I don't know what more we could have done, but it's important for us to be mindful of our neighbors and work together with them."