Proposed Hotel in the Pine Bush
Action Alert! |
Hear the Oral Arguments in the
NYS Appellate Division |
Friday, May 30, 9:30 AM |
Location: The Appellate Division is in the Justice Building at the Empire State Plaza on State Street. |
Dear Save the Pine Bush Supporters,
The State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) is in crisis. Save the Pine Bush recently lost our case against the Town of Clifton Park over "standing" - the right to bring a case to court.
In the NYS Supreme Court, we won our case against the City of Albany over the proposed Hotel in the Pine Bush. However, the City of Albany has appealed our win.
The City of Albany is saying that Save the Pine Bush has no standing, no right to sue to protect the Karner Blue.
Arguing the case on behalf of Save the Pine Bush will be Save the Pine Bush attorney, Steve Downs.
The court session begins at 9:30. (I do not know yet where our case is on the agenda, so, its best to arrive by 9:30.)
The Appellate Division is in the Justice Building at the Empire State Plaza on State Street. For information about the court and directions, see
http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ad3/
If you would like to come, but do not know where to park, arrive at my house, 223 S. Swan Street Albany (near the intersection of S. Swan and Morton Avenue) at 8:30 and we will walk over to the court house together.
If you have never heard a case argued in the Appellate Division, this is a good opportunity to see our justice system at work.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 518/434-1954.
Thank you for your support.
Lynne Jackson
Read the court papers:
Save the Pine Bush Response
Save the Pine Bush Appeal
For more information see:
Stop the Hotel! - Ask the Governor and the Mayor To Do the Right Thing, Jan/Feb 08
City Can’t Decide! - More about the Hotel Case, Jan/Feb 08
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Read articles about the proposed Hotel:
Crossgates Wants to Build a Hotel in the Pine Bush, Will they never go away?, Sept/Oct 04
Crossgates Hotel Proposal in the Pine Bush - Scoping Document, Oct 04
Residence Inn Hotel Proposal is Back! Attend the Public Hearing, Monday, April 18, 2005, 7 pm, Albany City Hall, April/May 2005
Environmental Report Omits Essential Letter, November/December 2005
Another Missing Letter -- Save the Pine Bush Comments on Residence Inn FEIS, November/December 2005
Common Council Ignores Pine Bush Preserve Commission , Jan/Feb 06
Save the Pine Bush Sues City of Albany Over Rezoning of Land, May/June 06
Save the Pine Bush Wins a Round - Wins Standing in Lawsuit Against the City over the Hotel, September 06
Save the Pine Bush Wins the Hotel Case, Apr/May 07
Save the Pine Bush Wins Second Round - Win on Hotel Case Upheld by Supreme Court, Aug/Sept 07
The Hotel is Back and Badder than Ever! Some Common Council Members Support Save the Pine Bush, Oct/Nov 07
What is Missing? Why is the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Hotel Incomplete?, Oct/Nov 07
Stop the Hotel! - Ask the Governor and the Mayor To Do the Right Thing, Jan/Feb 08
City Can’t Decide! - More about the Hotel Case, Jan/Feb 08
Read the court papers:
Filed in State Supreme Court:
Order to Show Cause (28 KB)
Verified Petition ( 136 KB)
Affidavit (152 KB)
Memorandum of Law (116 KB)
Affirmation ( 80 KB)
Exhibits (15 MB)
Clifton Park Wood Road
DGS Development Corporation owns Karner Blue habitat in the Town of Clifton Park. The Town approved a light industrial park on this Karner Blue site. Below are articles that describe the fight:
Appellate Division Decision
Save the Pine Bush loses on standing! The Court says we have no right to protect a species. Read the decison here.
Read more about the decison here.
Court Decision
Save the Pine Bush loses standing in Save the Pine Bush v. Town Planning Board of Clifton Park - industrial development proposal on Karner Blue site. Today, NY State Supreme Court Judge Kramer ruled that Save the Pine Bush does not have standing to sue over the Karner Blue butterfly. If Save the Pine Bush cannot sue protect the Karner Blue, then who can?
Read articles about Clifton Park:
Building called threat
to butterflies, published in the Times
Union May 2, 2006
Save the Pine
Bush Barred from Court, Dec 06/Jan
07
Massive Empire Zone
in Clifton Park's Wood Road Corridor Set for Review ,
Jan/Feb 06
Environmental Study Requires
Restoration of Karner Blue Habitat in Clifton Park, May/June
06
Proposed Office Complex
in the Pine Bush
Papers
filed with the Supreme Court (4.5 MB)
Woodlawn Area in the
Schenectady Pine Bush
The City of Schenectady owns the Woodlawn Area,
130 acres of Pine Bush which is contiguous with the main part
of the Pine Bush. The City is considering selling the land to
developers to build 240 houses. Please call or write to the Schenectady
City Council members to ask them to make this land into a Preserve
for all residents to enjoy.
Download
a flyer for the hearing (Adobe Reader Required).
Download
a petition to sign and give to the City Council.
City
Owned Land Up for Grabs, Pine Bush in Schenectady
threatened by development, (May/June 03 Newsletter)
City
of Schenectady Considers Selling Pine Bush for Development,
(June 03 Newsletter)
Speak Out
for Pine Bush Preservation, Public Hearing on Woodlawn, July
14, 2003
In the News:
Crossgates Maul!: Read a Series of Articles about the mall
that won't allow patrons to wear peace T-Shirts. "When Bush
asked us to shop to stop terrorism, he didn't tell us there was
a dress code." - heard on WAMC 3/5/03
Lupe Property,
The proposed "Woodsfields Estates"
Current status: We are currently waiting for the developer to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
Learn more about this proposed
development.
The DiCaprio Farm
The Town of Guilderland should be congratuled
for purchasing the DiCaprio Farm and the DiCaprio family should
be acknowledged for wanting to preserve the land rather than
sell it to a developer.
Soccer Fields Planned
However, the current plan is for the Town to make the DiCaprio
Farm into soccer fields. Save the Pine Bush feels that from
an ecological point of view, it would be best to add the DiCaprio
Farm parcel to the Preserve rather than develop the farm into
soccer fields.
Currently, the Town of Guilderland has hiredan envrionmental
consultant and a archeological consultant.
Become informed! Learn more about the issue:
- View ariel photograph
of site
- Read reasons
why the site should be preserved
- Read speech given
by Candace Lider at the Guilderland Town Borad Meeting on
4/17/01
- For more information, or to received information on the
DiCaprio Farm, email pinebush@aol.com.
Guilderland Comprehensive Management Plan
The Town of Guilderland is in the process of creating
a master plan. There has been much discussion about the plan.
The next public hearing on the Plan is Tuesday, May 15 at 7:45
pm.
Please read the plan. It can be found from the
main page on the FORCE
website or click to go directly to the Guilderland
Comprehensive Management Plan.
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