Planning Board to Prepare Statement on SEQR Findings

Wed, Nov 30, 2011 • Sherman Avenue

The second public hearing on the Sherman Avenue Subdivision Proposal’s FEIS occurred and was closed on November 29, 2011. However the written comment period remains open, and remarks, concerns and questions can be submitted to the Town Village Harrison Planning Board to the attention of Rosemarie Cusumano, Planning & Zoning Board Secretary, via email: RoeCusumano@harrison-ny.gov until December 16, 2011.

PEPA applauds the Planning Board for voluntarily opting to hold the recent public hearings on the FEIS; thereby promoting discussion and soliciting public input. This action demonstrates the Board values hearing the concerns and views of residents in a public forum and recognizes public hearings are essential in reaching the most fair and reasonable decision possible.

What’s next? In accordance with State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) the Planning Board, as the lead agency, must prepare or cause to be prepared and must file a final EIS, within 45 calendar days after the close of the hearing/comment period. The findings will be shared with the public at an upcoming session of the Planning Board and the public will be noticed.

"The Findings must:

  1. consider the relevant environmental impacts, facts and conclusions disclosed in the final EIS;
  2. weigh and balance relevant environmental impacts with social, economic and other considerations;
  3. provide a rationale for the agency's decision;
  4. certify that the requirements of this Part have been met;
  5. certify that consistent with social, economic and other essential considerations from among the reasonable alternatives available, the action is one that avoids or minimizes adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable, and that adverse environmental impacts will be avoided or minimized to the maximum extent practicable by incorporating as conditions to the decision those mitigative measures that were identified as practicable.
    1. No state agency may make a final decision on an action that has been the subject of a final EIS and is located in the coastal area until the agency has made a written finding that the action is consistent with applicable policies set forth in 19 NYCRR 600.5.”

Further SEQR info can be found here.

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