The Dubos Property is a 30-acre piece of land located in North Castle on Baldwin Road between Route 22 and Byram Lake Road. The land
drains directly into Byram Lake Reservoir, the sole source of drinking water for
the 10,000 residents of Mount Kisco. The property is home to many
species of wildlife including bobcats.
In 1979 the property was bought by the Rene Dubos Center
for Human Environments, a non-profit organization, using money it
received from the Eugene and Agnes Meyer Foundation and the DeWitt
Wallace Fund (the Donors). In exchange for the money, the Dubos
Center signed an agreement with the Donors promising that the property
would remain as a nature preserve. However, in 2002 the Dubos Center
entered into a contract with Michael Cappelli, the brother of the
developer Louis Cappelli, to sell the property for $1 million.
Cappelli planned to develop homes on the property which passes directly
under Interstate 684. Because the New York State Attorney General
regulates the activities of non-profit organizations, the sale of the
property must be approved by the Attorney General and the Court. Dubos filed a petition in New York State Supreme Court, Westchester County requesting the
approval of the sale. On September 25, 2007, Judge W. Denis
Donovan denied the petition ruling that the proposed sale by Dubos to Cappelli for residential development of the land was "far removed from the donors' plain intention in donating the funds to the Center."
In November 2008 the Mount Kisco Village Board of Trustees agreed to a contract to purchase the 30 acre parcel for $475,000. The plan is to preserve the land. The Westchester Land Trust, which has played an instrumental role in preserving this property, will contribute $15,000 towards the purchase price.
On January 28, 2009, the North Castle Town Board voted unanimously to fund almost half the purchase price of the 30-acre Dubos property, by contributing $230,000 from North Castle's open space bond fund. Preservation of the Dubos Property
has long been a priority for North Castle.
It is vital that North Castle participates in the purchase of this property for many reasons. First, the land is located in North Castle. By helping to purchase it, North Castle will always have input in how this important parcel is used. Second, the property is vital for keeping the water in Byram Lake Reservoir suitable for drinking. Clean drinking water is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Third, the property provides important habitat to the many species in the area, including the bobcat. Fourth, the property will provide North Castle residents with a place to hike, ride and camp. Finally, the property will provide our children with an outdoor classroom in which to study science while connecting with the land.
Helping to purchase this land, will insure that North Castle residents now, as well as future generations, will be able to enjoy this beautiful property which so clearly exemplifies the rural character that makes North Castle such a desirable place to live.
