In a split decision, a judge ruled Wednesday that the annexation of Town of Mamakating land for a 396-home Hasidic development in this tiny village was illegal, but construction of the controversial town houses could continue.
Sullivan County Supreme Court Judge Stephan Schick basically agreed with the claims of the Rural Community Coalition and the Town of Mamakating that the annexation of the land on Winterton Road violated the state constitution because it occurred without a vote of the residents of that land. But he also ruled that because the annexation took place in 2006, and construction of the homes is well underway, too much time elapsed to stop it.
The developer of Chestnut Ridge, Shalom Lamm, said he would appeal the part of the decision that said the annexation was illegal. He referred to a June state Appellate Court decision that said the RCC and Mamakating failed to prove they could win their challenge.
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