The process is moving right along for a proposed annexation that will mean a 57.4-acre parcel zoned residential will become available for development in Maybrook. Existing wetlands will reduce the buildable acreage by nearly half.

At a meeting Monday, the Maybrook Village Board moved to declare itself lead agency for the state-required environmental assessment and, after Village Attorney Kelly Naughton noted many of the environmental impacts as small or none, voted unanimously to adopt the environmental assessment.

The so-called “Rakov annexation” will require public hearings by both village board and Town of Montgomery town board. Those hearings are expected to occur at a future joint meeting of both boards. The process will also include a future public hearing by the Maybrook board on a zone change for the entire parcel to R-4 (residential).

On behalf of the heirs of Dr. Daniel Rakov, J&G Law of Walden previously filed a petition requesting the annexation of just over 17 acres from the Town of Montgomery to Maybrook, a land-locked parcel that lies in the vicinity of Heard Ave. and Wiley St. The petition also requested the 17. 3 acres be merged with the 40.1 Rakov acres already in the village and the entire parcel be zoned R-4 residential. The property is expected to be developed, if all goes well with the steps leading to finalization. Such development would go through the normal village planning board process.