We appreciate everyone’s interest, as well as their input, in the proposed housing development inside Paramount Country Club. Our goal is to build a long-term sustainable residential development that will offer a wide array of buyers the opportunity to enjoy an amenity-rich lifestyle not currently found in Rockland County.
Younger and older residents alike will find it attractive to remain part of the Clarkstown community. The project will help address a growing housing gap in the county and will help retain older residents in the community by allowing them to effectively downsize and stay close to their roots. The project will also preserve open space and add roughly $5 million per year to the tax base for Clarkstown. The approval of this project assures the people of Clarkstown that the land will not be sold to a developer for another use that is not aligned with the community.
- Who owns Paramount?
The owner is a fourth generation New Jersey real estate investment family that purchased its first property in Newark, NJ in the 1930s (which it still owns today). The family purchased Dellwood Country Club nearly 20 years ago in 2007. The club was failing and in imminent danger of closing. Faced with deteriorating conditions and a shrinking membership, ownership invested millions of dollars improving every facet of the club’s facilities. The family owns several other properties in Clarkstown and the surrounding communities including residential and commercial buildings that it has held for decades.
- Will the current owners remain the owners of Paramount after the housing development?
Yes, the current owners intend to retain ownership of the Club, further upgrading and operating the facilities once the project is completed.
- How does the density compare to other golf clubs that have been purchased?
It’s important to note that other clubs in the area have sold their property to developers, eliminating the golf club completely. This is NOT what is being proposed at Paramount. The plan is to keep the club intact, improve the golf course, add new amenities, and utilizing a small portion of the grounds for housing. For example, compared to the proposed project at Minisceongo GC which plans to build 637 units, Paramount is only looking to build 230 units, roughly 1/3 the number, while also maintaining and improving the open space golf course and amenities at the club.
The plan for Paramount includes 128 Townhouses, 70 Condominiums, 30 Golf Villas and 2 single family homes.
- How will these units be priced?
The pricing of the units will be in line with current market rates at the time they are listed for sale. There will be a mix of sizes and unit types at different price points, including golf villas, townhomes and condos.
- How will the increased housing affect traffic?
The club has invested in an independent traffic study that conducted both extensive on-site manual traffic testing of existing traffic volumes, arrival/departure distribution, and regulatory capacity analysis based on Clarkstown’s 2028 projections. The study concluded that the proposed residential development traffic is not expected to cause any significant impact in overall traffic operations at the studied intersections. We have submitted this study to the Township engineers for their review.
- What about the views from the surrounding neighborhoods?
The vast majority of the homes will be closer to the middle of the property, not at the perimeter, thus minimizing any disruption to the views from the neighboring homes. Throughout the proposed development areas, Paramount will preserve as many trees as possible to ensure that the views are impacted as little as possible. Extensive landscaping and berm construction, where necessary, will be an intricate part of the plan.
- Are the homes available to just members or anyone?
The homes will be available for purchase to anyone. You do not have to be a member of the club. This is in no way a restrictive community of any kind.
- Will homeowners have access to the club amenities?
Yes, the current plan is to make the tennis courts, pickleball courts, pool, dining, gym and other amenities available to homeowners and included in the HOA fees. Golf access would be an additional fee. The club will also be developing a plan, in partnership with the Clarkstown Recreation Department, to offer local, non-member citizens some, albeit limited, access to golf at select times during the year.
- What happens if this project doesn’t get the zoning change it needs?
It’s important to note that ownership originally proposed this project years ago and has been working with your elected officials and local community to incorporate feedback. They have redrawn the plans and accommodated changes based on local input. The goal is to provide much needed housing in Clarkstown as well as preserve the golf club and the land in perpetuity, which is why they have agreed to an permanently deed restricted the golf course as open space to prevent ANY future development or use for other purposes once the town approves the zoning change. This preserves the single largest and most beautiful green space in the town of Clarkstown. However, as this process has been ongoing for many years, if not rezoned this time, one option is for the family to entertain offers from the highest bidding parties. This is NOT the desired plan whatsoever. The goal is to enhance the viability of the club, add additional housing to Clarkstown, and keep a large employer in the community.
- How will this impact my taxes?
A study done by a professional planner reveals that the development will create approximately $5 million per year in new tax revenue for Clarkstown and will provide the town and schools with more than $3.3 million per year of net additional funds for its operations. While some younger families may well become purchasers (i.e. the golf villas), the predominant prospective buyer’s audience is expected to be somewhat older and as such, professional planning studies suggest the development would see a minimal increase of children in the local school system.
- Will a zoning change here impact other areas that want a zoning change?
This is an important question. Zoning changes are made all the time. Original zoning rules were based on usage of land at the time. As community needs change, zoning can and should change to accommodate new uses*. You are likely living in your home or shopping at a local store because of a zoning change in the past. Just because one piece of land gets a zoning change doesn’t mean that another piece of land in another area will receive a change. Each project is evaluated individually by the town council, planning board, and zoning board to determine if a change makes sense for the community. There is no reason to believe that changing the zoning for Paramount would make it easier or harder for another parcel of land to get a zoning change. It is not the same as legal precedent. The Zoning board’s job is to ensure that each project and parcel is evaluated on its own unique proposed uses and total impact on the town and the community. It is unlikely that any other future project in town can offer such a meaningful community benefit as done by Paramount including the dedication of most of the property as open space.
*In June 2019, the Town of Clarkstown updated its zoning rules in Nanuet to make it easier to build more housing near the train station and Main Street. The Town created four new zoning areas specifically for Nanuet that allow apartment buildings and mixed-use projects, like homes built above shops, in places that were previously more limited.
- Does the deed restriction remain even if the club is sold?
Paramount has offered to deed restrict roughly 2/3 of the entire property to be preserved as open space in perpetuity. This will ensure that it will remain undeveloped and protected as open space by preventing future development regardless of if the club were to be sold in the future.
- When would the project be completed?
Currently, the project has begun appearing before the Clarkstown Planning Board. They would then review all plans, ask questions, check for compliance, and gather as much information as possible to make an informed recommendation for consideration by the Town Council for the specific zoning change. If approved for a rezoning, the project then goes back to a variety of township committees. This process could take 2-4 additional years for the project to be approved. We do not anticipate shovels in the ground any time before 2028-2029.