Yeshiva trailers not allowed for schooling

Chester —A yeshiva coming to Chester has so far refused to sign an agreement that would prohibit trailers on its property from being used as classroom space. At the outset of the project, the Chester Planning Board gave Yeshiva Toras Chemed permission to bring temporary trailers to the school’s new property, said Joe Mlcoch, the town’s building inspector. But, he said, the agreement came with the condition that the trailers be used only as office space and for storing construction materials. The yeshiva has yet to sign the agreement. While the property is zoned for possible use as a school, the trailers are not, Mlcoch said. “I will not issue work permits for the project until this problem is resolved,” he said Wednesday. If the yeshiva wants to use trailers for schooling, it must first obtain a variance from the zoning board of appeals, he said. Another option is for the school to request a special-use permit to use the trailers for classrooms until its building is finished. The yeshiva will be located at the former Inn at Chester on Route 17M. Burt Dorfman, a lawyer representing the yeshiva, appeared before the Chester Planning Board last week to obtain approval of its plan to build a school and dormitory that would serve 100 students. While significant progress has been made on the project, the town engineer said Chester cannot give the go-ahead until it receives paperwork back from the state health and transportation departments and Orange and Rockland Utilities. The public hearing stage of the approval process is still in effect. Several members of the public last Wednesday objected to the trailers, saying they had been moved in illegally. “That is not the subject of this meeting, which is for site plan approval,” Dorfman responded. Alex Jamieson of Chester said he saw a trailer getting wedged in the driveway of the property last week. “How can we expect you to be good Chester neighbors if you are breaking rules before you start?” he asked. Dorfman said he would not answer the question. David Donovan, the town’s planning board lawyer, said the “issue of the legality of the trailers is currently being addressed by the building department.” Mlcoch said that the safety of the children who will be attending the school is at issue. The town does not want to be responsible for allowing an illegal use of the property, he said.