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Katonah, NY -- Stepping Stones officials said they will keep the lines of communication open with neighbors as they proceed with plan to create 14 parking spaces on the historic property.
Stepping Stones, which is located on 62 Oak Road, is the former home of Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and his wife, Lois, the founder of Al-Anon Family Groups. The home is open for tours year-round and officials also host an annual picnic and a community gardening day at the site.
Annah Perch, executive director of Stepping Stones. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and we appreciate that. But this is a very populated area and there are very few neighbors who are interested in being involved.
A little more than 1,000 visitors have come to the site this year as of June, according to Perch.
In 2007, the site built a welcome center and was forced to move parking to the grass. To correct this, site officials want to build 14 parking spaces on a portion of the property that will be hidden from neighbors.
But some neighbors are complaining that the site has had sudden increase in activity during the past several years and they worry that the additional parking spaces will only create more disturbances to the neighborhood.
During last weeks planning board meeting, neighbors presented a petition with nearly 30 names protesting the parking lot plan.
Diane Briganti, who lives across the street from Stepping Stones, said that shes tractor trailers drive through the road and cars parked all over the place during big events.
It has nothing to do with Stepping Stones, Briganti said. This type of activty just isnt appropriate in a resdiential neighborhood.
Briganti also expressed frustration because she feels that Stepping Stones officials did not do a good job of reaching out to neighbors when they built their welcome center.
Perch said the site went through all the proper channels when it applied for site plan approval for the center. That included notifying all interested parties.
Perch also believes the new parking plan will benefit traffic near Oak Road in the long run.
Stepping Stone officials are scheduled to appear before the town planning board and zoning board of appeals next month.
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