Hurricane Sandy recovery continues, New York Rising to meet with Beach Road community of Stony Point

STONY POINT – This evening, Wed., Dec. 7, members of the Beach Rd. community in Stony Point will be told by state regulators what options exist to limit damage caused by future floods in the neighborhood. The state’s Hurricane Sandy recovery initiative “New York Rising” will host the meeting 7:30 p.m. at the RHO Building and accept input from the residents and property owners only from Beach Rd.

One homeowner on the block told the Rockland County Times, “I understand it is for Beach Rd. residents only. None of the other neighborhoods are being addressed in this meeting. That being said, I’m not sure if it’s a closed meeting or not.”

The state confirmed that the issues being discussed by New York Rising at the meeting involve only 23 properties stretching from River View Park on Beach Rd. to the road-under-rail tunnel where Tomkins Ave. meets Beach Rd. The state does not intend the meeting to attract the general public, although it is not clear whether there is a strict policy forbidding observers from dropping in.

The state has contemplated many options for flood mitigation in Stony Point and other communities devastated by Sandy since NY Rising held public input sessions in 2013 and 2014. On Wednesday, Beach Rd. residents will learn which of those options the state deems feasible and within budget. One option no longer on the table is the creation of an artificial structure in the Hudson that would divert potential flood waters.

While impending changes to River Rd. may temporarily disrupt the lives of dozens of residents and property owners,’ hundreds of lives could be impacted by the potential closure of the adjacent Ba Mar mobile home community.