The road to a new library

Warwick - Here’s the dilemma: In order for any work to begin on the proposed new library off Forester Avenue, the 2.2 acre property donated by Leyland Alliance must be subdivided from its original parcel. In order to subdivide that land, the village must accept the yet-unfinished McFarland Road, which means to provide complete maintenance of that road. And that’s not how things are usually done. The village does not take on maintenance of roads until they are complete. What is necessary to complete this road is a two-inch topcoat of blacktop, something the developer is willing to do after his Warwick Grove development is completed within the next two to three years. Until then, he wants it to stay the way it is now. “We fully intend to be responsible for the deterioration of the road while we use it,” said Lou Marquet of Leyland Alliance. “It is 14 months old. Forty to 50 ton trucks are on it everyday. It was built for it.” The library is caught in the middle. It outgrew its current home at the corner of Main Street and Colonial Avenue years ago. Leyland donated the 2.2 acres of land to the library two years ago. It is located off Forester Avenue on the newly built McFarland Road. Building projects take time — years from concept to completion. Well, until the land is subdivided, which cannot take place until the road is dedicated, the library can’t do a thing to the property in order to prepare for a new library. “I’ve heard you can’t build a public building without public access,” said Albert Wisner Public Library director Rosemary Cooper “We could begin SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review Act) if this (road dedication) is approved tonight. We can’t begin SEQR until the road is dedicated.” The library intends to put a referendum to the voters to see if they are willing to pay for a new library. According to figures announced earlier this year by the library and its architect, plans include a state-of-the-art 27,000-square foot library with room to grow. The estimated cost was somewhere between $7.5 million and $8.5 million Nothing can be done, though, until the public has access to the site. “We shouldn’t own and maintain a road until it is complete,” said Village Trustee George McManus. “It’s not complete and ready to take over. It’s terrible we have to hold up the library, but that’s not our fault.” Trustee Roger Metzger thought the road might be maintainable without the two-inch topcoat, but wanted to confirm that before agreeing. The village could enter into an agreement with Leyland, taking ownership of the road but having Leyland maintain it for no charge. Otherwise, if the village accepts the road dedication. Leyland is under no obligation to maintain it. Marquet said there are currently 16 residents in the development who would like the village to own the road. Five more homes will soon be closing and Marquet said there should be another house closing every month from the end of January on. The village has a $4 million bond from the developer on the property. The entrance road paving is the last entry on the bond so even if the bond decreases as work is completed, paving the entrance road would remain. Dedicating part of the road was discussed. And Bob Krahulick, asked if the board would look at the road through Memorial Park as an access road until Leyland’s road is completed. “Think creatively,” he suggested. The Village Board made no decision on the road. “The library board must have control of the land before going to state education,” Marquet added. “If we want the library to have a chance, let them go out to the voters and see what they want. This road was built for this traffic. It is a perfect road in many regards.”