The Town of Ramapo is asking for public comment on the Draft SEQRA Scoping Document (https://www.ramapocompplan.com/_files/ugd/bbff33_f7dcc86f8a5d4dbc9eb7f2144cb2166d.pdf)for the Comprehensive Plan Update for the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo areas. The public hearing was not on the Draft Comprehensive Plan itself. The Draft SEQRA Scoping Document outlines the topics and issues that will be studied as part of the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for the Comprehensive Plan update, such as land use and zoning, transportation, parks and recreation, etc. The preparation of the Draft SEQRA Scoping Document is a procedural component of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). No action can be taken by the Town on any Comprehensive Plan update without first starting and then finishing the SEQRA process. The Comprehensive Plan update process is being combined with the SEQRA process and these processes are happening concurrently. Town Law allows for this, and it is an approach to not only complete the update but also be in compliance with SEQRA. In this approach, environmental impacts will be evaluated during preparation of the Comprehensive Plan, rather than preparing a Plan first without consideration of the potential environmental impacts. Scoping is an early step to identify areas of concern and ensure that the environmental review focuses on the issues that matter most to the community. Public comments received during the hearing and public comment period for the Draft SEQRA Scoping Document will be reviewed and evaluated by the Town Board, which will then determine whether any adjustments to the Draft Scope are needed before adopting a Final Scope and proceeding with development of the Comprehensive Plan/GEIS. Nothing was approved or changed at the public hearing on January 7th and the public is encouraged to submit written comments to clerk@ramapo.gov (mailto:clerk@ramapo.gov)by January 20, 2026. Additional information about the Comprehensive Plan Update for the Monsey, Hillcrest and Western Ramapo Areas is available on the Town website.(https://www.ramapo.gov/) Residents are encouraged to submit any additional questions or comments through the project webpage. Once a Draft Comprehensive Plan Update/Draft GEIS have been prepared, there will be ample time for the public to review and provide feedback. Additional public workshops are also anticipated as the Comprehensive Plan Update/Draft GEIS are prepared but have not yet been scheduled.

No action can be taken by the Town on any Comprehensive Plan or Comprehensive Plan update without first starting and then finishing the SEQRA Process. The Comprehensive Plan update process is being combined with the SEQRA process and these processes are happening concurrently. Town Law allows for this and it is a proper approach to not only complete the update but also be in compliance with SEQRA. In this approach, environmental impacts will be evaluated during preparation of the Comprehensive Plan, rather than preparing a Plan first without consideration of the potential environmental impacts.

The Town continues to be served by its existing and experienced professionals in this Comprehensive Plan update process. M.J. Engineering and Land Surveying with Camoin Associated are working closely with the Town to develop the Comprehensive Plan and assist with the SEQRA process. Attorney Ben Gailey, with extensive experience in planning, is also working closely with the Town on the update process to provide the Town legal advice. Coordination of the professionals is being done by the Town Supervisor’s Office.

Information about the Comprehensive Plan update for the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo areas can be found at a link on the Town’s website. The project webpage is regularly updated with information about the planning process and opportunities for public input. There is also a place on the page where all comments specific to the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo planning effort can be provided.

As part of the Plan update process, an Existing Conditions inventory was developed with updated information for the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo areas. This inventory is an update from the Townwide Inventory completed as part of the Comprehensive Plan Update for the Northeast Corridor. It includes relevant information, data, and mapping for relevant areas and will help to inform the Plan update and DGEIS. This document is referred to as the draft “Existing Conditions Report” and can be found on the project website.

The Town previously completed a Comprehensive Plan update for the Northeast Corridor and accepted a Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) for this area in July 2022. The Comprehensive Plan update for the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo areas will complete the update for the Town’s entire unincorporated area.

The Town is required by law is reviewing its Comprehensive Plan. The last such Town wide review took place in 2004. The Town is certainly due for that review. As authorized by Town Law, this plan review update is taking place within the SEQRA process known as a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS). The Town Board will also consider potential Code Amendments during this same process.

When the Comprehensive Plan update for the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo areas is finished, the Town Professionals will evaluate the need for any related zoning amendments for consideration.

The Town, in coordination with its professional consultants, has undertaken a series of preliminary efforts to explore and advance amendments to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. Information collected prior to issuance of the Final SEQRA Scope is of the type typically included in a DGEIS and may also inform preparation of a scoping document. These activities are customary and necessary for defining and evaluating an action under SEQRA. The Draft Existing Conditions Report relies on known, available, and reasonably current secondary source data to describe existing conditions and update information contained in the Townwide Inventory prepared as part of the Northeast Corridor Comprehensive Plan update. This information is intended to characterize planning opportunities and challenges, support an understanding of key issues and their relative scale, and establish a baseline for analysis. The report also serves as a foundation for defining planning objectives and evaluating potential strategies for advancing community goals within the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo Area. The systematic collection of information is essential to informed decision-making regarding the potential environmental impacts of an action and is a critical preliminary tool for environmental review. The consultants’ work is ongoing, and additional information identified in the Final Scope will continue to be collected as the Town advances the DGEIS, Draft Comprehensive Plan amendments, and any related zoning amendments for consideration.

The “Draft Existing Conditions” Report is an overview and analysis of the Town’s existing conditions that our Planners have obtained from various readily available sources in the process of this Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo Study (“Study”). Existing conditions have been developed from a variety of sources and existing documentation. Should information be missing from the report, residents or others can request the Town include additional conditions and information in the report. The Town will review each request to determine appropriateness to include. This review and incorporation of Existing Conditions is an on-going process until the document is adopted. Anyone recommending that new or different conditions be included in the Existing Conditions report should provide that information via the “Comment” portion of the project webpage on the Town’s Website.

This is the most frequently asked question and the one which cannot be definitively answered at this time. The State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process for the Study requires the Town to take a “hard look” at the information being evaluated. The Town needs to take that required “hard look” and some issues may require more time to evaluate than others. Also, as noted above in the prior question, new information that might be added to the Study will need to be given that requisite “hard look”. The Town will proceed as expeditiously and efficiently as the law allows, with the understanding that having a complete DGEIS, FGEIS and SEQRA Findings Statement is the goal for the Town.

The Town previously completed a Comprehensive Plan update for the Northeast Corridor and accepted a Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) for that area in July 2022. As part of this effort, a Townwide Inventory of existing conditions was also prepared. The Comprehensive Plan update for the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo areas will complete the update for the Town’s entire unincorporated area.

The Town Professionals actively examine all areas in the Town, including activities in the Villages, when considering projections and other matters that must be reviewed as part of the Study.

The Fair Housing Act is a law created to prevent discriminatory practices. The Town has supported and will continue to support the goals of the Fair Housing Act. As part of any project approval process, the Town will also require all applicants to certify that they will comply with all Federal, State and Local Fair Housing mandates.

The “Draft Existing Conditions Report” is an overview and analysis of conditions in the relevant areas of the Town. The purpose of the report is to document existing conditions and serve as a baseline for future planning efforts. The Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo DGEIS is intended to evaluate potential impacts as well as identify potential mitigation of those impacts.

Adjacent municipalities are considered “Involved Agencies” for SEQRA purposes. Through the SEQRA process, the Town has been and will continue to notify adjacent municipalities of the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo efforts and seek feedback as the law provides. In addition, there are several intersections outside of the Monsey, Hillcrest, and Western Ramapo Area that will be appropriately evaluated through the traffic impact study.

The Town Planning Professionals have advised that multi-family housing can help support racial and economic justice goals, however a link to a 2019 New York Times article may provide a better understanding of this issue: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/opinion/biden-zoning-social-justice.html?unlocked_article_code=1.908.JdId.L3gDtwzxrooJ&smid=url-share (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/opinion/biden-zoning-social-justice.html?unlocked_article_code=1.908.JdId.L3gDtwzxrooJ&smid=url-share )

The DGEIS will be posted for public review once the Town Board has deemed the document adequate for commencing public review. There will be a formal public hearing and a public comment period following the public hearing in accordance with SEQR.

Zoning changes being considered include: - Streamlined and simplified requirements for the R-15, R-15A and R-15C districts

The professional team efforts are guided by the Final SEQR Scoping Document.

The Town is fully compliant with all SEQRA laws, rules and regulations on accepting public comment throughout the process. The Town is even going beyond the requirements of SEQRA regarding the length of the public comment period as well as the requirements for Public Hearings. For example, the Town Board intends to conduct a Public Hearing on the FGEIS even though that Public Hearing is not required by SEQRA.