A more than 70-acre property in Pomona could soon be a yeshiva campus.
The town of Ramapo wants to sell three parcels of undeveloped land on Concklin Road to a nonprofit that can build more than 10 schools with a modern, environmentally friendly design.
"We have a growing population every year that needs private schools. We need 1,500 more seats in classrooms. Schools are being formed to fill that need,” says Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht.
Some of those schools popping up have been in temporary trailers or converted from homes and illegal buildings.
Many residents say they wonder how environmentally friendly knocking down the site is. Some of the open land contains trees, streams, wetlands and wildlife that many neighbors and environmentalists don't want touched. Supervisor Michael Specht says he can subdivide the property and keep the schools separate.
Carol Bowman lives in Skyview Acres, adjacent to where that campus would be built. She says developing the property could do major damage.
"Subdividing is not enough. That was a green space purchased by the town of Ramapo,” says Bowman. "The cleanliness of the water and the air will be affecting every resident of the area here in Ramapo and beyond.”
The proposal was discussed at a town board meeting Wednesday night.
Deborah Seidman was there. She's for the yeshiva campus, but believes the public should decide where it’s built.
The board postponed its decision. Specht says they're addressing concerns, but believes this is the best site for the schools.
There's no set date on when the town board will make a decision to surplus the land. The supervisor says they now plan to look at all of their properties.