Two-month moratorium placed on Second Mountain project

WASHINGTON — The Town of Washington (TOW) Town Board held its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, April 8, at 6 p.m. via zoom due to the health crisis with a large group of participants anticipating more discussion on Janet’s Farm LLC, also known as the Second Mountain project. 

Second Mountain seeks to redo the Migdale property at 3872  Route 44, Mabbettsville, as an upscale spa resort on roughly 350 acres with loads of amenities in the home built in 1927 by Roswell Miller Jr. for his wife, Margaret Carnegie Miller, daughter of magnate Andrew Carnegie, as submitted by applicant, developer and famed NYC restaurateur Will Guidaro. 

It was therefore a surprise to most when Washington town Supervisor Gary Ciferri announced he had received a letter from Guidaro’s attorneys, Mackey, Butts & Wise, rescinding a previous petition for the creation of an overlay district in the zoning district where the project is located that would have allowed for proposed mixed-use zone of the property, including four tax parcels. The original petition was submitted on Feb. 18, 2021 and created a furor among the community. 

Town Attorney Jeff Battistoni proposed a moratorium on the project, for a two-month period, the time he said it would take to collect public input and  hold two public hearings. 

Labelling the resolution, “No Further Review of the Janet’s Farm LLC Petition,” the attorneys for the project stated that the original petition named a narrowly defined area only for hospitality, and the petitioner should have an opportunity to amend his plans in regard to the TOW Comprehensive Plan.

The board approved the moratorium.

The Town Board will now form a committee to review the Comprehensive  Plan as it now stands; it stated that the project cannot go forward without the Comprehensive Plan being amended. 

A motion will be drawn up and introduced at the next meeting to form the committee, which will include at least one person who is against the proposal as it was submitted. 

Two community groups were formed and hired legal representation. One, the Friends of the Town of Washington, has more than 200 members. The other includes a small group of immediate neighbors of the Migdale property.

Members of the community felt there should be public participation on the Comprehensive Plan committee and wanted to know if its review would be done with an eye only toward the Second Mountain project or if it would be an overall review. 

The Town Board said the Comprehensive Plan will be carefully reviewed especially as it pertains to “hospitality” but also in general. 

Town Clerk Mary Alex said the Comprehensive Plan is on the TOW website, www.washingtonny.org, but that she would also post it for easier viewing. 

Ciferri then reminded those present that the meeting was a regular TOW meeting,with other business to address and ended the portion dealing with the Second Mountain project. 

The next meeting will be on Thursday, May 13, at 6 p.m. Go to www.washingtonny.org for details and the Zoom link.