Clarkstown Acquisition of Traphagen Property Expected in July

Clarkstown Town Attorney Amy Mele said the town is in contract and expects to close on the former Traphagen property in West Nyack in mid July. The 9.23-acre parcel is being purchased by the town for $900,000.

Since the property includes a house and a historic building that may be one of the oldest structures in the county, the town board is considering the possibility of subdividing the parcel. Mele explained Tuesday night that the thought is the town would keep and preserve seven acres as open space while the two remaining acres with the buildings on it could be sold as a subdivision. 

Mele said the proposal for the subdivision could include a restrictive covenant that the owner would have to restore and maintain the historic building and could not develop the property but would have to keep it as open space. A stream runs through the acreage and there are some stone walls behind the house otherwise the property appears undeveloped.

Clarkstown Principal Town Planner Joe Simoes told the board members that a subdivision would have to go before the planning board.

The owner of the property on Germonds Road, , had given the town the right of first refusal to purchase the property after his death. He passed away in December 2010. The town exercised its right to purchase the land earlier this year.

The town board previously authorized the issuing bonds for $925,000 to cover the property purchase and financing fees.

After the passage of Clarktown's Open Space Referendum in 2000, the Open Space Committee had identified the Traphagen property as first on its acquisition list.

The town currently has 10 properties with 195 acres of open space. The properties range in size from one acre to 70 acres.