Proposed Sale of 19 acres of Town Land 

Background:

The Town of Carmel owns 19 acres of land on Route 6 in the Hamlet of Carmel.  It took possession of the land by eminent domain many years ago when it sought to be build a recycling center there.  The property was then tied up in litigation for many years when the prior owners, who had the land taken from them in the eminent domain proceeding, tried to get it back.  The court recently decided that the town can retain possession of the property even though the town was not using the property for the purpose for which it had taken possession.  Ridgefield developer Paul Camarda now seeks to purchase the property from the town.  

View a copy of the proposed Contract for Sale

Read the wording of the resolution from the public referendum 

The following are newspaper articles and letters from residents on the proposed sale:

• Hopes for Putnam resort remain high, Journal News, May 26, 2002
  Though not a shovel of dirt has been lifted on a prime commercial parcel along Route 6, plans for a much-touted hotel and convention center there are moving ahead, say the developer and local officials.

• Putnam developer awaits land price, THE JOURNAL NEWS, Feb. 08, 2001
  " Waldorf-Astoria. Ritz-Carlton. Hotel Carmel?  The third one is possible. Almost 61 percent of the Carmel voters who turned out Tuesday approved selling town-owned property to a local developer with a desire to build a luxury hotel and conference center on Route 6."
  
  
• Carmel voters OK sale of Route 6 land, Journal News February 7, 2001
  Residents yesterday voted in favor of selling town-owned property on Route 6 to a local developer who wants to build a luxury hotel and conference center.  By 761 votes, according to the Town Clerk's office, voters approved the Town Board's much-debated efforts to sell the 19 acres to Paul Camarda.
  
  
• Town of Carmel Council Woman Doris Stahl, February 4, 2001
  Nobody seems to realize that the land in question will be rezoned by the Town Board into a zone called Commerce,Business Park-- which will incorporate a variety of uses----including the right to build houses. It is a use now allowed in Light Industry, although you need 3 acres per house. Now add Shapiro property (68 acres)plus town land (19 acres), you get 87 acres. divide by 3 you have 29 building lots.
  
  
• Land Protest Planned Today Journal News February1, 2001
  At noon today Carmel residents who oppose the town's proposal to sell 19 acres to a local developer plan a rally on the Route 6 site in the latest in many efforts in the last three weeks to sway voters to say "yes" or "no" in a referendum.
  
  
• The Good, Bad and Ugly of My "YES" Vote By:  John Butler February 3, 2001
  My opinion is based on being a 17 year resident of the Kelly Ridge area in the Hamlet of Carmel, to be directly affected by development of this site; membership on the YMCA advisory board; acquaintance with Paul Camarda starting with my opposition to his "Links" project; an active proponent of high quality economic development (retail not included); and finally as a specialist in environmental insurance which involves me in projects run by real estate and development companies throughout the country.
  
  
• Journal News Editorial Endorsing No Vote February 1, 2001
  Too many questions and not enough answers about town land sale to warrant support
  
  

• Route 6 land value reduced Journal News February1, 2001
  A Dutchess County appraiser says that 19 acres on Route 6 that the town wants to sell to a developer for roughly $1 million has an $800,000 market value.  A 5-year-old appraisal placed the value at $1.1 million.

• Reasons to vote YES on the proposed sale of 19 acres of town land By: Paul Camarda January 30, 2001

• Reasons to vote NO on the proposed sale of 19 acres of town land By:Jerry Ravnitzky January 30, 2001

•  Appraiser hired for town parcel Journal News January 27, 2001
  By Monday, a Dutchess County land appraiser will reveal his assessment of the 19 acres of town-owned land that the Carmel Town Board wants to sell to a local developer.
  The board's sudden move Wednesday night to hire an appraiser came two weeks before a Feb. 6 public referendum on the land sale and after a year of public pressure — and days after the appraiser started the job.

• Opinion piece on the sale of Proposed 19-acres of town land Jerry Ravnitzky January 17, 2001
  On February 6th, the residents of the Town of Carmel will have an opportunity to vote on a referendum regarding the proposed sale of 19 acres of town-owned commercial land.  Our Town Board never advertised that the land was for sale, and they tried to keep residents from voting on this issue. 

• Town Board defines rules for vote on land deal Journal News January 18, 2001
  With the help of residents' comments, the Carmel Town Board last night clarified procedures for the special town election next month to decide whether or not to sell 19 acres of town-owned land to a local developer.  
  
  
• Land sale vote scrutinized  Journal News January 12, 2001
  "With a referendum less than a month away, Carmel town officials are still debating procedures for a public vote on whether to sell 19 acres of town-owned land along Route 6 to a local developer.
  Like the proposed sale itself, establishing voting guidelines for the Feb. 6 referendum has proved contentious."

• Vote sought on sale of land Journal News December 1, 2000
  "Community activists filed an 872-signature petition at Carmel Town Hall yesterday calling for a referendum on a controversial Town Board decision to sell 19 acres along Route 6 to a developer who has said he wants to build a hotel and conference center on the site."
  

Town Clerk takes stand on land deal November 5, 2000 "In 23 years working in Carmel Town Hall, Connie Munday has seen her share of contentious local issues. She has usually stayed out of the fray, but last week, Ms. Munday, the town clerk, threw herself into the debate over whether to sell a 19-acre parcel of town-owned land on Route 6 in Putnam County to a local developer."   Carmel clerk urges vote on land deal October 31, 2000 "Carmel's town clerk has taken the unusual step of writing to town residents to urge a referendum on the sale of a 19-acre parcel of town-owned land to a local developer. "We need complete and factual information; not kinda, or a little, or a smidgen," Town Clerk Connie Munday wrote in her undated letter distributed by hand throughout town. Clerk: Board out for revenge  November 14, 2000 "The ruckus at Carmel Town Hall that started when Town Clerk Connie Munday chided the Town Board for rushing the sale of a 19-acre parcel of town-owned land has taken a new twist. Munday said the board has retaliated against her by cutting a proposed new employee in her department from next year's budget."

• Journal News Article regarding Town Board's refusal to hold a public meeting on the proposed land sale - September 13, 2000
  " While the Town Board discusses contract clauses in the sale of 19 acres of town-owned land to a local developer, some residents are demanding the town take a step back and have a public hearing.
  "There is no other town-owned land of this caliber," said resident Laura Colella. "Residents should have input by way of a public hearing. Then the Town Board can make its decision. It would be a show of good faith."
  
  

• Read residents' request for the appraisal. September 2000
  " We are writing in regard to our August 18, 2000 request to se e all appraisals of Town Property, Rt. 6, 19  acres, which was discussed as item #22 on the August 16, 2000 Town of Carmel Town Board Meeting."
  
  
• Read Town's rejection of resident's request for copy of appraisal. August 2000
  "This letter is to inform you that the above request for public access is denied based on the attached memorandum which is self-explanatory.   I am also bound to inform you that you have the right to appeal to the Supervisor of the Town of Carmel."
  
  
• Developer wants Carmel property for hotel, stores - Journal News Jan 30, 2000
  "A Carmel developer is offering $720,000 for 19 town-owned acres on Route 6 near the Southeast border to build a hotel and shopping center.  If Paul Camarda has his way, a Hyatt, Marriott or Hilton hotel could come to Putnam County, along with a Gap, a Barnes & Noble Bookstore, an Outback Steakhouse and, perhaps, a Circuit City. The site is on the north side of Route 6, not far from Route 312 and its exit from Interstate 84."
  

• Developer wants to bring quality hotel to Carmel -Putnam Courier Feb 3, 2000
  " Imagine a Hilton hotel, a Marriott or a Hyatt in Carmel? How about a Barnes and Noble Bookstore, a Gap Outlet Center or an Outback Steakhouse in Putnam County?  If developer Paul Camarda has his way, 19 acres of town-owned land along Route 6 near the Southeast border will be used to construct an upscale shopping center and luxury hotel."