Tuxedo Farms land clearing seen from atop Torne Mountain. The Village of Sloatsburg Pine Grove Lakes neighborhood can be seen in the left foreground.

The yellow cats have been clearing away the far mountain top, where the Related Company is building Phase 1 of Tuxedo Farms‘ planned 1,195 mixed-housing units. The yellow dirt band of cleared vegetation, rock and soil is set to contain the Commons are for the development, as well as the Village Green and YMCA.

Row of construction and earthmoving vehicles at the Tuxedo Farms site. Photo by Geoff Welch

The Tuxedo Farms access road at Jessie’s Bagels in north Sloatsburg has also been expanded. The private access road, known as Quail Road, will loop around to another planned access road just north of the Tuxedo Apartments across the Town of Tuxedo/Sloatsburg line.

Local photographer and regional environmental advocate Geoff Welch said that New York, unlike New Jersey, doesn’t have any extra protection for the Federal Highlands Region.

A closer image of the Tuxedo Farms landclearing. / Photo by Geoff Welch

“We should be be reporting any water quality impacts to streams and wetlands and perhaps might be able to have the project downsize later phases,” said Welch. “While we saved most of Sterling Forest – this development slowly worked its way through the planning board process in Tuxedo.” 

In November of 2015, Tuxedo Farms proposed an enormous retail outlet for a 6 acre parcel it acquired in Sloatsburg adjacent to where Jessie’s Bagels is located. The development would require an assortment of zoning changes by the village, including a deviation from the village’s 2008 Comprehensive Plan that cited the village center as the preferred location for commercial development.

To date, Tuxedo Farms has not re-submitted its retail outlet proposal to the Sloatsburg Planning Board for review.

Master Plan of the Tuxedo Farms development, with Phase 1 in colored items.