The controversial Thompson Education Center, or TEC, must complete an environmental impact statement, the Town Planning Board decided Wednesday evening.
The private international college is proposed for 573 acres off Wild Turnpike in the towns of Thompson and Fallsburg.
The project calls for the development of 80 acres of land and the preservation of 493 acres of open space, according to the environmental assessment form filed with the Planning Board.
Plans include 732 dormitory units for more than 2,500 students and 52 units to house 276 faculty members. A “founding trustee village” would add another 22 homes.
Planning Board members previously expressed concern about having so many buildings.
The plans also call for four classroom buildings, three dining halls, two community centers, a library, an art center, a conference center, a museum, three recreational buildings, three outdoor recreation areas and an inn for visitors.
The TEC project is sponsored by China City of America, whose CEO is Long Island developer Sherry Li. In 2013, Li introduced China City, a project that met widespread criticism because Li planned to use the federal EB-5 immigrant investor program to fund it. The program allows wealthy foreign investors to receive conditional green cards in exchange for job-creating investments.
Now, the applicant will complete a scoping document and prepare a generic environmental impact statement, according to Jim Carnell, director of building, planning and zoning.