Monroe to preserve more land with Franklin Ave. purchase

The Village of Monroe Board of Trustees seems to have one thing on their mind this year: preservation. That was clear at the second meeting of the year, held on January 16. At the previous meeting of the new year, the Village began the long process of taking ownership of the former Roscoe Smith home on Lakes Road via eminent domain. This evening, the board looked to preserve property that abuts another gift Roscoe Smith left to the village: Smith Clove Park.

During this evening’s meeting, the Village discussed purchasing 155 Franklin Avenue, which is located just off Forest Avenue and backs up into Smith Clove Park. The village’s stated goal for the purchase of the Franklin Avenue home is to preserve open space for village residents. As previously reported, the Franklin Avenue home is not too far from the proposed site of the 208 Business Center — slightly less than a mile, to be exact. The 208 Business Center, owned by 208 Business Center, LLC, is a proposed mixed-use retail and office building that — according to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement approved by the village planning board — will see a 47,500 square foot business center built next door to the South Orange County YMCA. Mayor Neil Dwyer stated that the Franklin Avenue property’s .39 acres, “will serve as a buffer between the park and the surrounding development.”

The purchase price was given as $550,000 for 155 Franklin. The trustees voted to approve the resolution which would allow the mayor to negotiate the purchase of the property from John A. Farrell, sole trustee of the John A. Farrell and Rosemarie F. Farrell Living Trust. Rosemarie Farrell passed away in April 2022 and served as an active member at the Sacred Heart Parish for over 51 years, according to an obituary posted online.

The Monroe Village Board then voted to approve the issuance of bonds, not to exceed the price of $550,000, to make the purchase of the home, $27,000 of which will likely come from other line items in the village budget, as needed.

Other business

The village board will hold a public hearing to update some of the rules governing park regulations within village borders. Specifically, this resolution would clarify the time of park access — which includes Crane Park, the pocket park behind Webster Bank, and Millpond Park. The goal is to ensure hours of operation will be from dawn to dusk. The amendment will also add language to ensure there is no loitering or otherwise unauthorized access to the parks beyond their intended use.

Late last year, The Photo-News reported that the playground and other parkland was reportedly being used by members of the local unhoused population. These proposed changes would not necessarily impact the time of operation of Smith Clove Park, which is governed by the joint Parks and Recreation Commission along with the town.