WGXC-90.7 FM

Durham officials looking to hold Bosque public hearing in August

Jul 09, 2021 5:45 am

Andrea Macko is reporting for Porcupine Soup the Durham Town Board has tentative scheduled a public hearing on a controversial housing development in Cornwallville. On July 6, the board discussed holding the hearing August 31, to receive public comment on the Bosque Development. The location, time, and details for the hearing still need to be "ironed out," Supervisor Shawn Marriott said. “I don’t think we are going to be able to have a board meeting and public hearing on the same night,” Marriott said. “I don’t foresee that happening.” Marriott said he believes there will be "quite a few people" in attendance, and a second public hearing is likely. Bosque Development, LLC of Hudson, submitted in November its proposal to subdivide 95 acres near Strong and Cornwallville roads. The project calls for the construction of 12 new high-end homes and a farming operation. Durham does not have a planning board so the town board serves in that capacity. Public comment has been largely against the development. Dozens of “No Subdivision” lawn signs are posted throughout the town. Community members have various concerns, ranging from environmental and traffic impact to the effect the development will have on the historic character of the hamlet. Marriott said because town hall will not be large enough to accommodate everyone for the public hearing, possible alternative locations include the town highway garage or a Cairo-Durham school. The board is also considering a time limit on comments, ways to webcast the hearing, and having engineers present to address concerns as they come up. Documents submitted on the project can be found on the town’s website. Read more about this story at porcupine soup [dot] com.