“It’s a nice culmination of eight years work trying to get moving on something here in Maybrook.”

Maybrook Deputy Mayor Robert Pritchard was obviously pleased at Galaxy Limited’s presentation of a lengthy Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) and amended Annexation petition at Monday’s Village Board meeting. The company is seeking to develop two parcels currently in the Town of Montgomery with a business park with numerous buildings. Annexation to the village will enable the company to access Maybrook municipal water and sewer services.

“An outstanding job has been performed,” Pritchard said of the EAS and amended petition. “It covers all the bases and I am very pleased with the results we were given.”

Other board members agreed. “It’s a great presentation,” Trustee Daryl Capozzoli said.

The land in question lies to the southeast of the village and includes the former Maybrook rail yard. One parcel lies west of Barron Road and the other east of Rt. 208.

The Village Board is currently in the (SEQR) process, having taken the lead, to determine any environmental impacts of the project. The EAS will be used to determine this. Mayor Dennis Leahy said Monday’s information meeting “will be the first of many”. Several concerns were expressed by village officials and Village Attorney Kelly Naughton said the village will be working with Galaxy to resolve these concerns. Another review of all the documents, she said, will be coming.

The amended annexation petition reconfigures a road Galaxy will build on the site, south of the current Main Street in Maybrook so that it will run parallel to the railroad right-of-way. The road will dead-end near New Haven Road on the parcel off Rt. 208 and run through to the second parcel where it will dead end off the east end of Main Street. There will be a walking path parallel to the new road.

The EAS includes sections addressing grading, utility plans, flood plain mitigation and addresses impacts to groundwater, open space, noise, light, traffic, archaeological and other concerns. It also outlines connections to the village’s water and sewer systems.

“It’s a pretty extensive document,” said Ross Winglovitz, principal engineer with Engineering and Survey Properties and consultant to Galaxy.

Village Engineer Sean Hoffman distributed an extensive written review of the annexation amendment and EAS and expressed concerns about the traffic impacts. Galaxy expects to develop the property in two phases, one for the parcel off Rt. 208 and one for the southerly parcel off Main Street.

“There could be traffic impacts with the phasing,” he said, “so I have asked for more information.”

Hoffman also asked for more information on Galaxy’s proposed participation in the New York State Dept. Of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Brownfield Cleanup Program, which offers incentives — including financial — to private sector cleanups of brownfield sites where a contaminant is present at levels exceeding the DEC soil cleanup objectives. The program is to promote the redevelopment of these sites to revitalize economically blighted communities. In response to Hoffman’s question if Galaxy would still continue with its project if it is not accepted into the DEC program, officials promised they would.

Traffic concerns were also expressed by the village’s Traffic Consultant Andrew Connell who worried about trucks using the Galaxy road to connect with Main Street and then to Homestead Ave. (Route 208). It is difficult for large trucks to make the turn from Main onto Homestead. Connell is also concerned with heavy traffic on Main Street.

Galaxy officials promised to address all the issues raised by village officials in revisions to the EAS.

While all relevant documents are available for review by residents at Village Hall, Mayor Leahy promised there will be a link on the village’s website (www.villageofmaybrook.com) to the documents.

The Village Board also asked Attorney Naughton to create a timeline of actions to be taken by the board on this annexation and project, including the current consideration of SEQR status, acceptance of EAS and annexation petitions and public hearing to be held jointly with the Town of Montgomery Town Board.