What exactly IS Sleepy Hollow getting out of this storage facility? The question was asked on a Sleepy Hollow social media site by a site administrator. The below answer was posted and responded to by the person that posted the question. A person with the authority to remove posts removed the below response to the question. Therefore, in an effort toward transparency, below is what had been deleted:
The issue is not about what the Village gets but about private property rights. The previous owner had a right to sell their land just like a homeowner has a right to sell their house. The purchaser has the right to improve the land just like a developer has a right to build a house. Village codes are created as general principles, not written in stone, because not every situation can be fully anticipated. The request before the Board was no different than a homeowner that desired to put an addition onto their house but infringed on a setback rule or the homeowner that needed a barrier on their deck because of a medical issue. While the changes did not completely conform to the code, they made the private property more useful to the owner and was, therefore, approved. The storage unit is no different. While it would be better if a high sales tax business purchased the property and operated in Sleepy Hollow, none have come forward. The decline of Spring Hill Mall demonstrates that brick and mortar stores are not as profitable as they used to be. The slight modification of code allowed a private property owner to sell a piece of land and a business to potentially earn a profit. As a homeowner, you would want the same opportunity when you choose to sell or improve your property. If community members desired to keep the land wooded, they were free to purchase the land for that purpose.