Saddle Rock synagogue rebuild dispute escalates in court filing

A group of residents has escalated their opposition to the Saddle Rock Minyan’s reconstruction, filing a hybrid Article 78 proceeding in Nassau County Supreme Court to annul the village’s recent project approvals. The lawsuit, filed in early April, brought by Concerned Citizens of Saddle Rock LLC and resident Sigalit Sanilevich, alleges that the village Board of Trustees acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” when it granted a special use permit and site plan approval for the site at 115 Greenleaf Hill on Feb. 4.

The petitioners, represented by attorney Kenneth Allen Brown, argue the village bypassed essential safeguards. Central to the complaint is the claim that the board failed to conduct a proper traffic impact study under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.  The suit also claims a 2014 law used to measure property setbacks is invalid because it was never officially filed with the state. This mistake could cast doubt on every building approval the Village has issued over the last 10 years.