Manor Pond was originally the upper reservoir for the Village of Irvington, feeding into Halsey Pond, then the Irvington Reservoir, and eventually the Hudson River.
In 1996, the Village transferred ownership of Manor Pond to RR Irvington Associates, which later developed 67 homes on the surrounding property. As part of this agreement, the reservoir was deeded to the developers, and today 10 homes share ownership of the pond area.
Under the Planning Board’s Resolution of Subdivision Plat and Limited Site Development Plan Approval (dated June 1, 1994), several specific provisions were established for the development then known as Irvington Manor (now Legend Hollow):
Transfer of the Reservoir Area:
Within 35 days of the subdivision filing, the Village agreed to convey title to the “High Reservoir Area” to the developer, subject to an easement allowing the Village to maintain access for any water supply facilities (Resolution §6.2).
This arrangement followed a Settlement Stipulation and Order (December 18, 1989) that resolved earlier litigation related to the property.
The Phase 1 Subdivision Map (Map No. 25239-2, dated July 6, 1994) shows the lots that include Manor Pond.
Creation of the Homeowners Association:
The developer was required to establish a Manor Pond Homeowners Association (HOA), filing a Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions with the NYS Attorney General. This Declaration was filed on June 7, 1996 (LIBER 11443 PAGE 141), and the HOA was officially incorporated on August 4, 1994 (DOS ID #1841910). It is still listed as “Active” in state records.
Under this Declaration:
All property owners surrounding the pond are Members of the HOA.
The 25-foot area around the pond, called the “Buffer Zone,” is a No Disturbance Zone where vegetation cannot be added or removed except to replace dead plants.
No fertilizers, pesticides, biocides, or chemical treatments may be applied within this zone.
The HOA is responsible for maintaining Manor Pond and its immediate surroundings, and it may assess costs to members for this maintenance. Both the HOA and individual lot owners have the right to enforce the covenants and restrictions in the Declaration.