Brewster & Carmel School Boundary Line Adjusted

By Holly Crocco

Both the Carmel and Brewster school boards last week unanimously approved resolutions to make a boundary line change that would place an incoming development entirely within the Brewster Central School District. In exchange, Carmel Central School District will be gifted several properties.

Camarda Realty Investments is in the process of developing 185 acres between Putnam Plaza and Route 312 in the Town of Carmel, with Gateway Summit to offer age-restricted senior housing, and The Fairways to offer family housing. The location straddles the existing boundary line between the two school districts – not only dissecting streets, but in some cases, homes.

Carmel Town Tax Assessor Christopher Paleo recommended the districts’ boundary line be adjusted so that The Fairways falls entirely within the Brewster district, since an environmental assessment review predicted two-thirds of potential students residing at the future housing development would go to Brewster if the boundary remained.

Both districts were in agreement that all the kids who live in the development should attend the same schools.

During an October Brewster School Board meeting, Victor Karlsson, assistant superintendent for finance and operations at Brewster, noted that having actual homes divided by the boundary presents a logistical nightmare when it comes to taxation and school district designation.

“You may have a situation where a home is bisected by the boundary line – they may be assessed in Brewster Schools but are eligible to attend Carmel Schools,” he said. “They attend Carmel Schools. Carmel then bills Brewster, and Brewster has to pay Carmel the property taxes collected on that home… It is a very challenging situation to be in and we are trying to avoid it.”

It is anticipated that adjusting the boundary line will increase Brewster’s taxable assessed value by another $3 per $100,000. In exchange, Brewster will give over some commercially zoned land to Carmel.

During the Carmel School Board’s Feb. 24 meeting, Vice President John Curzio II. applauded both districts for working together. 

“This does benefit students,” he said. “Literally houses would have been split if there wasn’t a boundary line change, so this is what is best for our kids and again we thank all our partners.”