BCSD School Board passes resolution

The BCSD Board of Education passed the following Resolution at their meeting last night 7/5/17:

Resolution 20170705A:
Whereas the Beacon School District is obligated to serve all school-age children resident within its bounds, and
Whereas the number of actual and potential resident students at present and in future years is of practical concern to the board, staff, taxpayers and voters of the district, and
Whereas the Board of Education is aware that enrollment projected by the Cornell Program on Applied Demographics do not consider sudden deviations from past trends, and
Whereas the City of Beacon has granted and is currently considering variances and site plan approvals for new multi-unit residences that will create a surge in it’s population, and
Whereas such surges in population may create a negative impact,
Therefore, be it resolved,
That the Board of Education feels that it is prudent and responsible that we voice our concern to the City of Beacon’s governing body, planning board, and zoning board of appeals on the pace of the growth that can be overwhelming, and
Formally request that the Beacon School District be designated as an interested agency under SEQR and provided with ample time to review and comment prior to variance and site plan approval the projection of school-aged children for the multi-unit residences being considered,
And directs the District Clerk to forward this resolution upon it’s approval to the Mayor of Beacon, to the Chair of the Planning Board of the City of Beacon, and the Chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals of the City of Beacon.
Whereas, the Beacon City School District is keenly aware of its obligation to provide a quality education to school-age children residing in the District while addressing its fiscal obligations to its residents in consideration of the constraints imposed by the current tax cap structure; and
Whereas, sudden and unanticipated increases in student enrollment will adversely affect the financial and physical capabilities of the District to educate its students; and
Whereas, the municipalities served by the District, including the City of Beacon and the Towns of Fishkill and Wappinger, have recently experienced an increase in housing construction and development proposals that would significantly increase multi-housing units and the corresponding population; and
Whereas, the Board of Education, in proactively planning for such future increases, has initiated an enrollment study in order to project the potential student population and impact on infrastructure and staffing over the next ten years; and
Whereas, in addition to the enrollment study, the District must also closely monitor and collaborate with the municipalities served by the District in order to identify areas of potential growth.
Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Board of Education of the Beacon City School District hereby authorizes the Superintendent to request that the City of Beacon, Town of Fishkill and Town of Wappinger identify the District as an interested agency in all reviews under the State Environmental Quality Review Act for multi-family developments and residential subdivisions of land; and
Be it further resolved, by the Board that the Superintendent is further directed to request that said municipalities notify the District when such applications are received for review; and
Be it further resolved by the Board that the school attorneys are hereby directed to review and draft a response on behalf of the District to the School Impact Study dated June 26, 2017 for the multi-family Edgewater project in the City of Beacon, to be presented to the City of Beacon Planning Board at its meeting on July 11, 2017.