Millwood Task Force Members Like Small Fixes, But Feel No Sewers Limits Growth

While Millwood Task Force members expressed interest in smaller upgrades for an eventual hamlet plan, some felt that the lack of sewers limits what can be done or discussed for business development.

The talk, which took place at Thursday's task force meeting, was the first since New Castle Supervisor Susan Carpenter that members should come up with a list of improvements, with a focus on changes that are smaller in scale.

This stands in contrast to a desire from some western New Castle residents who want to see the county's existing sewer line be extended through the downtown as a way to promote business growth. While an extension for the Random Farms, Yeshiva and Riverwoods neighborhoods, Millwood's business district is not included.

Feedback from task force members was mixed, depending on how relevant the ideas on the meeting's agenda were to a sewer extension.

The topic that appeared to draw the most positive interest involves improving pedrestrian safety along Route 100, including a lower speed limit and better crosswalks.

Task Force Chair Dianne Kleinmann described the current speed limit as "pretty dangerous," referencing if people want to cross it.

Fellow Task Force member Michael Stern cited a stretch of Somers near Route 202 as an example where the speed drops, while Town Administrator Penny Paderewski noted how it's something already done.

Other examples of connectivity problems on 100 include the intersection with Station Place, which lacks a direct sidewalk, and the stretch near Millwood Park, which does not have a crosswalk. She also enquired about whether or not Station Place could get a crosswalk to connect the Devereux Learning Center to the A&P plaza.

Stern suggested setting up a walk sign for the Route 100/Station Place intersection and make it so that a police officer it not needed to provide traffic safety detail for people who cross the street to attend a nearby church.

In addition, Stern felt that extending an existing Station Place sidewalk that stops at the A&P plaza entrance to the 100 intersection would be a good idea.

“We’re talking maybe a couple hundred feet," he said.

Things appeared to stall when dialogue turned to development, with the hamlet's lack of sewers cited again as a reason.

Task Force member Lou Russo felt that businesses needing a lot of water are limited by only having septic systems. He also felt that extending sewers into the hamlet could provide relief for some residents who may be vulnerable to the impact of nearby septic failures.

Stern felt that there wasn't much to discuss other than beautification and safety issues.

“It’s really a dead end until we find out about sewers, any type of development in Millwood," he said.

Paderewski suggested an outline for going foward on the road safety topics. This would include laying out what people have suggested, putting costs on the ideas and go to the town board with them. She also explained that the town doesn't have control over a time table for changing state-owned roads, which includes Route 100.

Also moving forward, Kleinmann told Paderewski that she's trying to get a meeting set up for Pheasant Run residents, which is something that Carpenter expressed interest in and offering to meet with them personally. The supervisor was not a the task force meeting.