Orange County’s Physical Services committee on May 28 approved using $2.2 million surplus money to purchase the Sugar Loaf Mountain from Orange County Land Trust.
The resolution awaits approval by the full legislative body on June 6.
The pending purchase of the 309-acre mountain in Chester is a major open space investment the county has planned this year, in addition to the preservation of Boehmler Pond in the Town of Deerpark and the expansion of the county Heritage Trail, according to its 2024 capital plan.
According to the legislative committee meeting, following the purchase, the county will design and construct recreational improvements, such as trails, at the property for public enjoyment.
“The intent will be for it to become a county park and to open it up for public access down the road,” county parks commissioner Travis Ewald told legislators at the meeting.
Orange County Land Trust purchased the mountain from the Palmer family, the longtime owner of the property, in January for $2.5 million.
It is the single largest land transaction undertaken by the land trust thus far, which was pulled off through a combination of private donations, nonprofit grants, and a $1 million or so loan from Walden Savings Bank.
Aside from the open space investment in Sugar Loaf Mountain, the county also plans to expand the Heritage Trail system by building a 10-mile Schunnemunk Trail between Chester and Salisbury Mills and constructing a new 2.5-mile segment in the City of Middletown.
The Schunnemunk Trail has the potential to be incorporated into the Heritage Trail system via Camp LaGuardia in Chester, which is likely to be turned into another new county park.
The county has spent millions of dollars securing and upkeeping Camp LaGuardia, an abandoned homeless shelter, since acquiring it from New York City for $8.5 million in 2007.
At the May 28 Physical Services committee meeting, legislators also approved a final environmental impact statement of the Harriman wastewater treatment plant expansion project.
The statement now awaits adoption by the full legislative body on June 6, one of the last steps in the multi-year environmental review process of the long-planned project.
According to the draft environmental impact study, or DEIS, the most preferred plan is to enlarge the sewer system’s capacity by half and put in place infrastructure allowing for a future double expansion, all while seeking variances from two state wastewater standards.
Discharge variances to be sought are for levels of dissolved solids and chloride.
