This petition calls on the Troy City Council to stop the proposed development of 1011 2nd Ave currently pursued by Kevin Vandenburgh. 

This land is the last untouched waterfront forest in the City of Troy, a site of particular historical and cultural significance to its original custodians, the Schaghticoke First Nations as well as the Muncee and Lenape Nations.

The land, the site of an indigenous settlement and arrowhead mine, is threatened by a proposed large-scale apartment complex.

Kevin Vandenburgh is seeking a rezoning of this property to allow for the development of a 240-unit apartment complex. 

However, we call on the City of Troy to prioritize the needs and will of their constituents over the interests of developers and the wealthy. 

Developing this land would:

• Destroy the last riverfront forest in Troy NY
• Destroy land of cultural and historical significance for the indigenous peoples of this area, literally paving over their history and culture 
• Destroy important waterfront and fishing access for the local community
• Destroy an important natural refuge and biological niche
• Disrupt the character of the Lansingburgh neighborhood (by increasing traffic, leading to a parking shortage, raising costs for the neighborhood, and significantly increasing noise levels)
• Diverts resources from the development of other, long vacant properties and plots in the Lansingburgh neighborhood that need more urgent development and reinvestment.

Currently, the City of Troy considers the development of this land, despite being aware of its significance and despite promises to preserve ecological niches, waterfront and green spaces, historical sites, and to not develop land in proximity to waterways (see Comprehensive Plan of 2018).

For this reason we demand of the Troy City Council and the Planning Commission to stop this development

We, the undersigned residents of the City of Troy, do hereby protest against any change of the Zoning Code which would zone the property at 1011 2nd Avenue to any classification other than R1, residential single family, detached. 

The development of the property at 1011 2nd Avenue in Troy, NY, would disrupt the neighborhood, irrevocably change the character of the neighborhood, destroy the city’s last undeveloped forest along the Hudson River, and put an historically, archeologically and culturally significant indigenous site at jeopardy.

We therefore urge the Troy City Council as well as the Planning Commission to not grant any change in the zoning of 1011 2nd Avenue.