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Previous prop under similar name stalled out following townwide moratorium
SELKIRK—A new proposal to develop 63.87 acres at 548 Elm Avenue came before the Bethlehem Town Planning Board under a familiar name on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Kimmey Pointe, the conservation subdivision plan submitted by Jericho Acres LLC and Barbera Homes & Development, Inc., is to create 108 single-family homes and dedicate nearly half the site to open space preservation.
The project shares its name and location with a previous development plan withdrawn in 2023.
The current proposal reimagines development on a property previously targeted for residential subdivision. Between 2018 and 2020, Michaels Group Homes, LLC, proposed an 87-lot plan for the same site. That plan was eventually abandoned due to regulatory hurdles, including a townwide residential building moratorium that lasted from 2020 to 2022.
Jericho Acres LLC purchased the property in late 2023 and, in partnership with Barbera Homes, has introduced a revised vision. Unlike its predecessor, the new proposal incorporates a seven-acre parcel along Elm Avenue that had been excluded from the earlier plan. This parcel now serves as the primary access point for the development, allowing for a more cohesive site design.
The plan features 28 townhomes near the Elm Avenue entrance and 80 detached single-family homes, all serviced by public water and sewer infrastructure. Roads would connect the site to Elm Avenue, Springridge Drive, and Kimmey Drive, a future east-west collector road designed to alleviate traffic on Feura Bush Road.
In line with Bethlehem’s conservation subdivision regulations, the new Kimmey Pointe proposal designates 26.75 acres as open space—well above the 40% minimum requirement. These preserved areas include wetlands, wildlife corridors, and steep slopes.
The site contains 4.89 acres of wetlands, with 0.29 acres proposed for disturbance to accommodate road crossings. The developers have committed to restoring 0.87 acres of wetlands in the northern portion of the property to offset this impact. The project will be subject to updated New York State Department of Environmental Conservation wetland regulations, which took effect this month, potentially altering jurisdictional oversight.
The proposal also incorporates stormwater management systems that meet state and federal standards. Grading plans aim to preserve natural topography where possible, minimizing disruption to the site’s ecosystem.
While the new proposal represents a fresh start, it draws on lessons from the earlier application. The traffic analysis and drainage study prepared for the 2020 plan will remain relevant, although updated evaluations will be conducted to reflect the current design.
One significant change is the inclusion of sidewalks connecting Kimmey Drive to Elm Avenue, addressing public calls for improved pedestrian safety. Additionally, no driveways will connect directly to Kimmey Drive, in keeping with its intended role as a collector road.
The property’s development history includes its classification as a Type I action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act due to its proximity to a site eligible for the State Register of Historic Places. The earlier plan included a historic barn on the seven-acre Elm Avenue parcel, which was removed in 2024 after being sold by its previous owner. The current proposal, classified as an Unlisted action under SEQR, is not subject to the same historical concerns.
The Planning Board will coordinate SEQR review with agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NYSDEC, and the Selkirk Fire District. These reviews will assess potential impacts on wetlands, traffic, and other aspects of the proposal.
