In 1973, the Chappaqua Central School District (CCSD) purchased the 20.3-acre forested Buttonhook property for $125,000.
But without a need for new schools, in 2010, they listed it for sale.
In hopes of a $7M payout, CCSD hired an engineering firm to design a plan to subdivide the parcel into six lots for the construction of $2M homes.
These plans were presented to the town of New Castle Planning Board and after four years, in 2019 the preliminary plans were approved.
This project has cost more than $645k of school funds on expenses, which were diverted from our children’s education.
This project been in the works for years because CCSD has required eight extensions on the submission of the final engineering plans to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Because the Buttonhook Property is on a ridge that impacts two watershed systems, the DEP has grave concerns about the impact of construction on storm runoff.
UPDATES
- In late December 2021, Chappaqua Central School District submitted their revised Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for the Buttonhook site to protect the New York City Watershed, for approval by New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This application is currently pending.
- February 22, 2022, an article was published in The Examiner – “Chappaqua’s Buttonhook Project Would Desecrate Sacred Site“
- March 11, 2022, Members of Preserve Buttonhook submitted a package of information to the Town of New Castle Planning Board and the Chappaqua Central School District with reports from Native American Researchers and an Archeology team who have verified the Ceremonial Stone Complex and call for further investigation and study of the Buttonhook property before the Final Subdivision can be approved.
- Many local, regional, and national organizations have signed on to the Preserve Buttonhook effort as Endorsers who support this effort. Please see the list of Endorsers on our website at www.preservebuttonhook.org.
VIDEO MESSAGE ON SAVING THIS SACRED NATIVE AMERICAN CEREMONIAL SITE – Film Clip
We encourage you to please watch this brief but powerful video clip – and to please share it with your friends, neighbors, and personal networks to convey to them the importance of this effort and what’s at stake – and why we need their help to raise the funds necessary to purchase and preserve this land ASAP. [We offer our gratitude to Tyler A. Chase and L’ORAGE Productions for creating and authorizing the use of these footage outtakes from her feature documentary film in development production, tentatively called, Always Here. All imagery and sound from this footage is the sole property of L’ORAGE Productions.]
