Unexpected changes to Stony Point waterfront project lead to delay in public hearing

BY KATHY KAHN

As natural luck would have it, several acres of waterfront property in the Town of Stony Point have a beautiful view of the east side of the Hudson.

Wayne Corts, who owns 30 acres of waterfront property where he’s owned a marina and boat slips for decades, has a vision that’s yet to come to fruition: an upscale condominium complex with 200-plus units and 12,000 ft. of retail with a restaurant thrown in for good measure.

The project, known as The Breakers, has been before the Town of Stony Point Planning Board for more than half a decade in one form or another. Corts is trying to get his of vision off the ground, but unfortunately, the plans keep changing and getting rearranged, leaving Corts, his attorneys, planner and engineer going back to the drawing board.

At the Thursday, September 22 meeting of the Planning Board, Corts’ attorney came with a plan that did not match the one that the Board had reviewed weeks earlier. Thus the board ruled that the public hearing Corts hoped set that night for The Breakers project must be pushed back.

“The plan his attorney presented Thursday night did not match the one we had agreed upon,” said Gubitosa, telling Corts the board needs the final plan that will be adhered to presented to all concerned for final approval before he can move forward and get a date for a public hearing set.

“We try to make it as easy for the applicant as possible by having them meet with our staff and hammering out what would be needed, either from the DEC or a variance,” said Gubitosa. “It is difficult when we are presented with a different plan prior to scheduling a public hearing.”

Corts is scheduled to go on a site visit with the Planning Board on Saturday, October 1, along with his attorneys and engineer and then meet with the board later in the month. The board only has two more meetings during the calendar year 2016, so if Corts hopes to get to work on the project any time soon, his plans need to get cleared for public hearing at the October meeting.

Corts has faced some mild opposition to the project by owners of surrounding properties who fear they will lose their million dollar view, as well as the proposed project’s proximity to the CSX rail line and drainage concerns near the waterfront.  The overall consensus in town, especially amongst the political community, however, has been supportive. The Breakers, if it ever gets off the ground, promises public access to the river as well as space for new shops and restaurants.