Community Garden
The courtroom was packed with standing room only for both the Work Session and the Regular Session of the Board of Trustees (BOT). The Work Session began with a presentation by Dan Kushnick, Chair of the Committee for the Environment, to change the community garden from Bub Walker Park (near I-95 off Fenimore Road) to a plot at Harbor Island Park. Reasons include the limited space for additional gardens at the current site along with the ever-present invasive and troublesome plants (poison ivy, etc.), no easy access to water as well as issues of flooding. The new location would provide 40 plots and be near the pickle ball courts adjacent to the tennis courts. The cost is estimated at $30,000 which includes water spigots. The presentation was well received by the BOT and next steps include presenting the proposal to the Parks and Recreation Commission and then to Harbor Coastal Zone Management for a consistency determination.
Traffic and Safety
In light of the recent tragedy at Mamaroneck Avenue School Ryan Buck, Chair of the Village’s Traffic Commission, described the role of the Committee and made a presentation about safety issues in the Village. See Article HERE.
Public Hearing Scheduled for PLL-L – Food Service Special Permit Reform
An effort to streamline and simplify regulations for food service establishments may have unintended consequences. Former Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) member Meg Yergin told the BOT that the proposed law, as written, is based on a misunderstanding of what the current law requires. (See letter HERE.) According to Yergin removing the current special permit requirements (review by the ZBA before opening and again only once three years later and not annually as incorrectly described) would remove local oversight over the business’s exterior lighting, traffic issues, parking and noise among other neighborhood concerns. At a time when pedestrian safety, traffic and parking issues are front and center Yergin urged the BOT to not schedule the public hearing as it was premature. Trustee Lucas wanted to send the proposed law back to the work session, but the majority of the board voted to schedule the public hearing for August 12.
Proposed Fire Department Benefits
Budget Committee member Ellen Hauptman presented findings of an analysis of LOSAP (Length of Service Award Program) for volunteer firefighters. See Article HERE.
Hunter Tier Resolution Discussed
Public comments are not generally taken at the Work Session, so the bulk of the lengthy meeting that spilled into the time for the Regular Meeting was a sometimes heated discussion about a resolution put on the Agenda by Trustee Rawlings to choose a preferred developer for the Hunter Tier Affordable Housing Project. See Article HERE.
River Cameras
A topic that has bounced around several recent agendas is whether or not the Village should cancel the contract for the “river cameras.” See Prior Article HERE. After some discussion the BOT decided to cancel the contract which requires giving the vendor 30 days’ notice.
Lopsided Garbage Pickup Policy
Trustee Lou Young reported that he looked into the pickup of commercial trash through the Village and found no prohibition against picking up non-residential garbage. He stated that some businesses had their trash picked up for free by the Village while others had to pay private carting companies. He asked the Interim Village Manager Chuck Strome to bring the Board a menu of options and that consideration should be given to having the Village pick up the commercial garbage and charge a separate fee. He went on to say the fee could be used to hire an inspector to enforce the law and also empower sanitation workers to write tickets. Strome agreed to present the BOT with information at a future date.
Flood Update
At the Regular Session Mayor Torres gave a brief flood report that everything outlined at previous meetings was moving along as expected. Grant proposals have been delivered to the consultants with instructions to have them finalized well before the deadlines.
Cancer Incidences in Washingtonville
Assemblyman Steve Otis is working with Washingtonville resident and advocate Tim O’Connor on next steps to have the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation present the results of their testing in the area and a plan to move forward at a public meeting yet to be scheduled.
Search for Change Proposal on Mount Pleasant Avenue
Village Attorney Bob Spolzino clarified that this project does not require any approvals by the BOT but will need various approvals by the land use boards. See Article HERE.
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