August 23rd, 2013

Dear Neighbor,

Over the past several weeks many of you may have received inflammatory e-mails from a new group bearing the name “Responsible Development in North Castle, LLC”. The group described its mission as one that “…hopes to strengthen the Town’s approval process by utilizing the skills and experience of local residents who have experience in real estate development and finance – and by keeping in touch with residents’ wishes.”

As its first “analysis”, this entity has embarked on a mission to scuttle the proposed re-development of the Brynwood club into an active adult community for affluent empty nesters. Regrettably, in email after email, this group has disseminated mis-information that is designed to cause confusion and unwarranted anxiety about the project.

As the late U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan so eloquently stated during one of his debates: “…one is entitled to his own opinions but one is not entitled to his own facts.” Here are the basic facts about Brynwood drawn from expert analyses submitted to the Town in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS):

• Brynwood’s plans call for the creation of a world-class country club community designed for affluent “empty nesters” and retirees. With a renovated golf course and new clubhouse, the residential community will offer a new housing alternative to baby boomers who want to stay in the area after their children have grown up and they have sold their large homes. Please click on www.brynwoodvision.com for more detail.

• The project will generate (on a recurring basis) over $1 million of gross revenue and almost $700,000 in net revenue to the school district without any meaningful increase in school-age children.

• Notwithstanding the fact that  Brynwood  has drilled test wells and established its own water supply, it has offered to explore  joining the Windmill Farms water district and may contribute over $1 million for that privilege – this would help reduce Windmill residents’ debt costs on their existing project to replace their water pipes  and improve their service.

• The combination of condominium property taxes and the club-house’s property taxes paid to the Town will be approximately equal to the property taxes anticipated for single family homes — which are the alternative plan to the Brynwood country club community. However, on a net basis, the condominium plan generates far more to the town and the Byram Hills schools than a single family home subdivision.

• The proposed plan calls for the preservation of over 140 of the 156 acres of green open space forever and the upgrade of an out of date facility.  It will maintain a valuable local amenity that has been fixture in North Castle since the 1960’s.

• An active adult community with affluent residents who have substantial disposable income, will be an economic boon for Armonk’s merchants and other service providers in the surrounding area   Brynwood also happens to be one of largest employers in the area of local teenagers.

Should you have any further questions or comments, please contact us so we may respond to you directly. We believe in the Town of North Castle, deeply respect its careful approval process (through which we are currently navigating), and are committed to improving the lives of all who call it home — our success is closely tied to the Town’s and vice-versa. We hope you agree and see the merits of the Brynwood plan.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeffrey B. Mendell                Edward Baquero jbmendell@gmail.com         ebaquero@corigin.com