Legoland Proposal Splits Community

A new Legoland theme park proposed for the town of Goshen, north of New York City, has received a mixed response from the community.

1 minute read

January 5, 2017, 7:00 AM PST

By jwilliams @jwillia22


LEGO Land

davebloggs007 / Flickr

A mid-December community meeting to discuss the proposed construction of a new LEGOland theme park just north of New York City in the town of Goshen had supporters and opponents turn out dressed in red and yellow-green shirts. The supporters in yellow-green cited the economic benefits and jobs from the new theme park while opponents in red cited traffic, noise and quality of life issues. Ginny Privitar of The Chroniclereports that the community meeting to discuss the 153 acre park was attended by 900 people, many strongly expressing their opinions over choruses of boos and loud applause.

Business owner Amanda Woods said opponents have a "utopian ideology that's anti-capitalism."

"Business people have been bullied by the opposition with ferocious attacks," she said.

Woods said people are "sick and tired of ideologic protesters. Just look what happened in November, we elected a businessman to fix our country, to make America great again," adding, as applause nearly drowned out her remarks: "Now let's make Goshen great."

The town of Goshen must approve a zone change for the proposed site from residential use in order to let the project move forward. However, opponents believe the decision should be left to residents through a referendum. Comments on the project will continue to be taken through January 10th.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016 in The Chronicle

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

6 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

7 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

July 14 - Los Angeles Public Press