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TO OUR GREENBERG, UH, TOWN BOARD MEETING, AND WE'LL START WITH A PLEDGE
[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
OF ALLEGIANCE.TODAY IS JUNE 25TH AFTER SEVEN 30 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ MOMENT OF SILENCE In memory of those around the world who have perished as victims of war, disease and natural disaster. Our hearts are with all who needlessly suffer]
UM, A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND A MEMORY OF THOSE AROUND THE WORLD WHO HAVE PERISHED AS VICTIMS OF WAR, DISEASE, AND NATURAL DISASTER.OUR HEARTS ARE WITH ALL WHO NEED NEEDLESSLY SUFFER.
[ ROLL CALL: Town Clerk]
HAVE THE TOWN CLERK DO THE ROLL CALL.COUNCILWOMAN HABER PRESENT, COUNCILWOMAN HENDRICKS, PRESENT, PARLIAMENTARY AND TOWN ATTORNEY JOE DENKO PRESENT.
UM, I JUST WANNA START BY JUST SAYING IF ANYBODY IS WATCHING US ON TV AND THEY'RE NOT FEELING THAT GREAT, THIS IS THE SAFEST PLACE IN THE WORLD TO BE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ODDSLY, UH, SECRET VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE COURT.
WE HAVE A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM THE CORPS HERE, AND WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE FROM, UH, THE WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY ON HEALTH CENTER.
SO, UM, IF YOU'RE HAVING A PANIC ATTACK, COME TO THE MEETING
UM, UM, UM, BUT, UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UM,
[ PRESENTATIONS Vikki Simmons - honoring her on her retirement as Site Director for Westchester Community Health Center (formerly Greenburgh Health Center) Cleaning the lake behind RJ Bailey School / Police Headquarters - Parker Lebret]
TODAY, UH, MENTION THAT GREENBERG IS REALLY FORTUNATE.YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HONORED MANY, UM, PEOPLE, BUT, UM, THE, UH, WOMAN WHO WE'RE GONNA BE HONORING TONIGHT IS REALLY SUPER SPECIAL BECAUSE VICKI SIMMONS, FOR OVER 20 YEARS HAS HELD A PROMINENT LEADERSHIP ROLE AT THE GREENBERG SIDE OF THE WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER.
IT, UM, USED TO BE CALLED THE GREENBERG, UM, HEALTH CENTER, AND I FEEL SO BAD THAT SHE'S RETIRING BECAUSE SHE WAS EXCEPTIONAL.
ONE OF THE TOP, UH, LEADERS OF ANY NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT I'VE EVER, UH, YOU KNOW, WORKED WITH.
UH, SHE SERVED AS PERSONNEL DIRECTOR, RISK MANAGER FROM 2012 UNTIL 2019 AND ASSUMED THE DUTIES OF SITE MANAGER AND CO-DIRECTED THE DAILY OPERATION OF A FULL SERVICE, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, FEDERALLY QUALIFIED COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER.
SHE COORDINATES AND ADMINISTERS ALL SERVICES RELATED TO PATIENT CARE, PROVIDING MANAGEMENT AND GUIDANCE TO STAFF OF A D UH, SEVEN EMPLOYEES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE APPRECIATE HOW TERRIFIC THE HEALTH CENTER IS AND WHAT A GREAT ASSET, UM, THE HEALTH CENTER IS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WHEN WE HAD THE COVID, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, CRISIS, YOU KNOW, A WHILE BACK AND PEOPLE, UH, ASKED FOR, UH, VACCINATIONS, UH, VICKI ORGANIZED, UH, COD UH, VACCINATION CLINICS AT THE THEATER YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER DURING THE EARLY PANDEMICS FOR HUNDREDS OF SENIORS WHEN VACCINES WERE HARD TO, UH, COME BY.
AND SHE HELPED WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HIDING.
SHE WAS OUT THERE MAKING SURE PEOPLE WERE GETTING VACCINATED.
AND SHE HELPED, UM, ALSO ARRANGED FOR COVID AND FLU VACCINATION SITES ON EARLY VOTING DAYS.
SO WHILE PEOPLE WERE WAITING LIKE FOUR OR FIVE HOURS TO VOTE, UM, UH, DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, UM, PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A COVID VACCINE OR A FLU VACCINE, UH, RIGHT OUTSIDE.
UM, THE HEALTH CENTER FOR THREE YEARS IN A ROW HAS OPENED, UM, ON THANKSGIVING DAY TO HELP HOST THE DISTRIBUTION AND SERVING OF HUNDREDS OF WARM HOLIDAY MEALS DONATED BY CENTRAL TURF AND IRRIGATION, AND PREPARE PREPARED BY DEC CHICO AND SONS TO CLIENTS AND RESIDENTS IN NEED.
AND VICKI HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN OTHER ACTIVITIES SINCE 1992.
SHE HAS SERVED AS A FIRE COMMISSIONER FOR THE FAIRVIEW, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, SHE'S THE FIRST FEMALE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE APPOINTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY ELECTED AS FIRE COMMISSIONER IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
AND SHE HAS SERVED FOR OVER 40 YEARS ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE TDY AND HAS BEEN A LONG TIME MEMBER OF THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE N-A-A-C-P.
SO, IF WE HAD TO NAME, SAY THE TOP 10 VOLUNTEERS IN THE TOWN SINCE I'VE BEEN SUPERVISOR, UM, YEAH.
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I WOULD SAY SHE WOULD DEFINITELY BE ONE OF THEM.AND, YOU KNOW, SHE'S ALSO SERVED ON THE, SHE SERVES ON THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE THEODORE YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER IN GOOD STANDING AND IS A VERY, VERY ACTIVE, UH, VOLUNTEER ON THERE, HERE.
SO, UM, EVERYBODY AGREES THAT YOU'RE TERRIFIC.
AND, UH, THE ONLY DISAPPOINTMENT IS I CALLED THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND I TRIED GETTING AN INJUNCTION SO YOU CAN LEAVE, BUT I, I WASN'T SUCCESSFUL.
THAT'S THE LAWYER IN HIM WHAT? THE LAWYER IN YOU RIGHT? NO, BECAUSE I, I FORGOT THAT YOU CAN'T GET AN INJUNCTION TO STOP SOMEBODY FROM RETIRING
BUT, UM, BUT AGAIN, SUPERVISOR, I JUST WANNA PRESENT YOU WITH A PROCLAMATION AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR SERVICE AND HARD WORK AND YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY, UM, IT'S HARD.
IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO, UH, YOU TO REPLACE YOU.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT, UM, IN ABOUT 20 OR 30 YEARS FROM NOW, IF YOU RETIRE FROM ANY OF THE OTHER BOARDS, WE COULD GIVE YOU A SECOND PROCLAMATION TALKING TO YOU.
ELLEN HENDRICKS, HOW SHE, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU.
VICKY, VICKY, LISA HAS A FOLDER.
HOW COME WE NOT TAKING A PICTURE WITH HER? MM.
TWO AND A HALF YEARS,
I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
I HAVE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE, AND I HAVE LOVED LIVING HERE.
AND AS A CHILD, I WAS BROUGHT UP TO KNOW THAT YOU OWE A DUTY TO THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU LIVE IN.
SO YOU MUST ALWAYS VOLUNTEER TO DO THE BEST THAT YOU CAN.
I WANT TO THANK JUDITH WATSON, MY CEO, WHO I HAVE BEEN HERE WITH FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER AT THE HEALTH CENTER.
AND TOGETHER WE CAME FROM THREE 30
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TARRYTOWN ROAD TO 2 95 NORWOOD ROAD, A BRAND NEW BUILDING.I APPRECIATE THE HONOR, AND I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE,
[ SUPERVISOR & TOWN COUNCIL REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS Liaison Reports (Councilwoman Joy Haber, Councilwoman Ellen Hendrickx, Councilwoman Gina Jackson, Councilman Francis Sheehan) - (Held Over until next Town Board Meeting) GOOD NEWS...The Town continues (since 2008) to have the highest possible bond rating from Standard & Poors (AAA) and (since 2010) (Aaa) from Moody's. Less than 1% of communities in the nation have this record of financial stability. Most recently, on November 21, 2024, Moody's reaffirmed the Town of Greenburgh earned Moody's highest rating (Aaa) and Standard & Poors also reaffirmed the Town again earned Standard & Poors highest rating (AAA). Anyone interested in serving on a board or commission should send a resume to the Town Board via Lisa Maria Nero, Town Clerk, 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607. TownClerk@GreenburghNY.com]
UM, NEXT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, PARKER LABRET, UH, WHO HAS A PRESENTATION RELATING TO, UH, THE LAKE BEHIND, UH, RJ BAILEY SCHOOL AND POLICE HEADQUARTERS.DO WE HAVE SOMETHING TO STAND ON? HE NEEDS TO STOOL.
JUST PULL THE MICROPHONE DOWN.
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY FOR BOTH ME AND THE CHILDREN.
DEAR TOWN BOARD MEMBERS, IT HAS COME TO MY CONCERNS THAT THE, UPON THAT BORDERS RICHARD J. BAILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL I CURRENTLY ATTEND IS BADLY POLLUTED WITH LITTER.
IT IS HERE THAT THE PAINTED TURTLE, A NATIVE AND FASCINATING SPECIES OF TURTLE CALLS ITS HABITAT.
IN ADDITION, THESE HUMBLE CREATURES ARE STARTING TO BE FOUND, TRYING TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO THEIR HOME.
BUT SINCE THEIR HOME, THE POND IS BADLY LITTERED.
THEY COULD CHOKE ON THE LITTER AND DIE.
IF MY CASE IS HEARD AND AGREED UPON.
TOGETHER, WE COULD SAVE THESE POOR MAJESTIC TURTLES.
FURTHERMORE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF THESE TURTLES DIED BECAUSE OF THE LITTER, WHOSE FAULT WOULD IT BE? ALL OF US, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TAKE ACTION.
IF YOU LET US CLEAN THE POND, WE COULD BE THESE TURTLE SAVIORS.
IN CONCLUSION, WE COULD REVERSE THE DAMAGE DONE BY THIS LITTER.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO ATTENTION THE COMMUNITY'S POINT OF VIEW.
AFTER SEEING THESE TURTLES IN NEED, I WANT THE COMMUNITY STANCE.
I HAVE AN EXTREMELY LONG COLLECTION OF THE NAMES AND SIGNATURES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE ACTION I'M TAKING ON THE LIST.
STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, AND MY PRINCIPAL HAVE SIGNED TOGETHER.
WE PLAN TO CREATE A NEW HORIZON FOR THE PONDS INHABITANTS.
IN SUMMARY, THE COMMUNITY AGREES WITH THE PLAN TO SAVE THE TURTLES.
IT IS NOW IN YOUR HANDS TO DECIDE THE FATE OF THE PONDS INHABITANTS.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING TIME TO LISTEN TO MY PLEA TODAY AND CONSIDERING TAKING ACTION ON THIS MATTER.
I THINK WE HAVE OUR NEXT SUPERVISOR RIGHT HERE.
WHEN ARE YOU GONNA BE 18? GOING UNTIL SEVEN RIGHT NOW.
WHAT, WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN IN SCHOOL? SIXTH GRADE GRADUATING, UH, ON FRIDAY, TECHNICALLY.
AND HOW, HOW MANY YEAR, HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW? UH, 11.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOU FOR SEVEN MORE YEARS,
BUT, UM, BUT I, BECAUSE I WAS MENTIONING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS WATCHING THE NEWS YESTERDAY ABOUT NEW YORK CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT PEOPLE YOUR AGE ARE GETTING INVOLVED.
AND, YOU KNOW, I AM EXPECTING THAT, UH, HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN CLEANING UP THE POND.
AND, UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT, YOU COULD WORK ON OTHER ISSUES.
AND WE HAVE LIKE A YOUTH ADVISORY.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
THEY HAVE CABLE TV SHOWS, UH, NEWS SHOWS.
UM, UM, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE YOU COULD GET MORE INVOLVED AND HIGHLIGHT OTHER ISSUES THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AFTER, IN, IN SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, YOU COULD RUN FOR OFFICE
BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO, THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO GET INVOLVED.
AND I, I GOT INVOLVED WHEN I WAS 13.
UM, BUT WHEN, SO YOU'VE GOT A LEG UP RIGHT NOW.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS, I LIVED, I LIVED IN SCARSDALE AND THEY KICKED ME OUT, SO I HAVE TO MOVE TO GREENBURG.
SO WE, YOU HERE, PARKER, HOW MANY SIGNATURES DO YOU HAVE? 313 AND COUNTING.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE SUBMITTING THOSE TO THE TOWN CLERK? IMPRESS, ARE YOU GONNA BE SUBMITTING YOUR SIGNATURES TO THE TOWN CLERK AND YOU MIGHT WANNA SUBMIT, SUBMIT YOUR SPEECH AS WELL? PART OF THE RECORD? YES.
YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS.
IT'S EASY TO SAY CLEAN UP THE POND, BUT MAYBE WHEN WE MEET WITH OUR STAFF, HAVE A DISCUSSION, WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? UH, YOU SHOULD BE PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS AS WELL, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE.
SO IT'LL, IT'LL, IT'LL GET YOU TO FEEL, IT'S ONE THING TO ASK, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT
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INVOLVED IN ACTUALLY GETTING IT DONE, AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL LEARN THAT PROCESS MM-HMMAND YOU MIGHT WANNA MAKE COPIES OF ALL THE, OF THE PETITIONS OF THE SIGNATURES BEFORE YOU TURN IT OVER SO THAT YOU HAVE A RECORD OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I'M SURE YOU'VE THOUGHT OF ALL THESE THINGS BEFORE.
AND I JUST WANNA AGAIN, MENTION, YOU KNOW, WE, I WAS THINKING YESTERDAY, WE, UM, POSTED ON THE WEBSITE, UM, A TEENAGER, ASHLEY ROBINSON, UM, FROM, UH, ALEXANDER HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL'S HAD HER OWN, UH, CABLE TV NEWS PROGRAM ABOUT TEAMS, UH, BLAKE, UH, FEINSTEIN, UH, FROM EDGEMONT HAS HAD A STUDENT NEWS NETWORK.
AND YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER HOSTING YOUR OWN PROGRAM ON, ON, ON CABLE AND, UM, AND HAVE YOUR OWN NEWS PROGRAM WHERE YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING, UM, UM, ISSUES THAT PEOPLE YOUR AGE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND YOU COULD ALWAYS CALL ME AND WE COULD FIGURE OUT THE NEXT STEPS.
I MUST SAY THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BETTER.
IT JUST COULD NOT BE PRESENTED BETTER.
UM, NEXT, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, UM, AND ONLY ONE, THERE'S ONLY ONE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW, WHICH WOULD ESTABLISH ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND SPECIFIED ZONING DISTRICTS WITH RELATED UP, UH, UPDATES TO SECTION TWO 50.
[ TOWN CLERK COMMENTS]
BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, I THINK WE HAVE THE TOWN CLERK COMMENTS.UM, JUST A, A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS AWARE THAT THE HONORABLE ANNIE MAE BARNES, UH, SERVICE WILL BE HELD IN BARTOW, FLORIDA.
UM, IT'S GOING TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH AT 11:00 AM AT ST.
AND IT WILL BE LIVE STREAMED, UM, AS WELL.
UM, AND IT WILL BE ON FACEBOOK.
UM, THERE WILL ALSO BE A CELEBRATORY, UH, LIFE MEMORIAL, AND THAT WILL BE HELD AT ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 2ND, AT 11:00 AM AND MORE THAN LIKELY IT WILL BE HELD AT T-D-Y-C-C.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS INFORMATION ON THE ANDRE F BAKER FUNERAL HOME, UH, DOT COM.
UM, IN ADDITION, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS AWARE OF THE FUNERAL INFORMATION FOR ATLANTIC STAR FOUNDER WAYNE LEWIS.
UH, WILL BE HELD ON SUNDAY, JUNE 29TH AT WOODLANDS HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER CELEBRATORY, UM, EVENTS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING, HAPPENING, UM, A CELEBRATION OF LIFE AND THERE, BUT THE, THE MAIN ONE WILL BE HELD AT WOODLANDS HIGH SCHOOL, UH, 4 75 HARTSDALE AVENUE.
1:00 PM IS THE FUNERAL SERVICE, AND THE REFA REPAS WILL BE FOLLOWING IMMEDIATELY IN THE SCHOOL GYMNASIUM.
UH, DID THEY ACTUALLY CHANGE, UH, UH, CHANGE THAT? UM, LET ME JUST GET YOU, UM, THE, THE, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE, BECAUSE THEY EXPECT SUCH A LARGE, UH, YOU KNOW, TURNOUT, THEY'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO, UM, R-R-S-V-P AND HOLD ON FOR A SECOND.
CAN, YOU CAN FIND IT ON GREENBERG NY.COM AND YOU CAN GO INTO THE NEWS ALERTS AND JUST PUT IN SEARCH WAYNE LEWIS.
YEAH, BUT IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY THREE DAYS OF, UH, SERVICES.
LET ME JUST, UH, LET ME HOLD ON FOR 30 SECONDS.
UM, THERE'S GONNA BE, WOODLANDS IS GONNA BE, UM, UH, SUNDAY, UH, 4:00 PM TO 7:00 PM ON SATURDAY VIEWING AND WAKE AT CHRIST TEMPLE GREATER INTERNATIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, CHURCH.
UM, AND, UH, THEN ON MONDAY, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A BURIAL SERVICE, UM, UH, AT FERNCLIFF, UH, YOU KNOW, CEMETERY ON SEA CORPS ROAD, BUT RIGHT.
AND THEY, THEY ASKED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE BASICALLY ASK PEOPLE TO RSVP, UH, BECAUSE THEY EXPECT A LARGE TURNOUT.
AND THAT CAN BE ON EVENTBRITE ON THE WEBSITE, CORRECT? YEAH, IT'S ON THE TOWN WEBSITE TODAY.
I POSTED, AND THERE'S GONNA BE A MOTORCADE COMING FROM TOWN HALL OVER TO
I THINK THAT WAS, UM, THOSE ARE, I THINK THAT WAS, I HAVE TO TALK TO THE CHIEF.
I THINK THAT THERE WAS ADJUSTMENT.
I DON'T, MIKE, DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT? MIKE? I'LL, I'LL GET IT FROM THE, I'LL GET IT FROM THE CHIEF, BUT I THINK THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT MADE.
BUT ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT'LL BE ON THE, ON THE WEBSITE.
THE, THE GREENBERG PRIDE EVENT.
UH, THE PARADE STARTS IN ARTLEY.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE MAYOR WITH US TONIGHT.
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ARDSLEY AT 1:00 PM UH, BILION, IS THAT CORRECT? 1215.THERE'LL BE A MOTORCADE THAT GOES THROUGH ARDSLEY TO DOBBS FERRY WATERFRONT.
UM, SO THERE'LL BE A RALLY AT THE WATERFRONT, I BELIEVE AT 2:00 PM IS THE A FINAL, UH, DESTINATION.
AND TIME FOR THE ACTUAL RALLY FOR THE GREENBURG PRIDE EVENT.
AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION IS ON THE WEBSITE BY TOMORROW MORNING.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT I MISSED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ To consider a Local Law amending Chapter 440 "Taxation" of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh as it relates to real property tax exemptions for residents whose homes were affected by major or local disasters subject to the Climate Change Property Tax Assessment Relief Act (to be held over to July 9, 2025 meeting)]
BE BEFORE WE BEGIN THE, UH, ACTUAL LOCAL, UH, PUBLIC HEARING ON THE LOCAL LAW REGARDING ACCESSORY D DWELLING UNITS.IF ANYONE IS HERE TO, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER FOUR 40, TAXATION OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN GREENBURG AS IT RELATES TO REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR RESIDENTS WHOSE HOMES WERE AFFECTED BY MAJOR OR LOCAL DISASTERS SUBJECT TO CLIMATE CHANGE, PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT RELIEF, THAT RELIEF ACT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
SO IF YOU WERE WAITING FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, IT'S NOT GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE HELD OVER TO JULY 9TH BECAUSE THE LOCAL LAW IS STILL IN PREPARATION.
[ To consider a Local Law which would establish Accessory Dwelling Units in specified Zoning Districts, with related updates to Sections 250-19, 285-5, 285-10, 285-36, 285-38, 285-39 and 285-56 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh [TB 23-09]. Link this link for the proposed local law: https://www.greenburghny.com/DocumentCenter/View/14464/Local-Law-Chapter-285-ADU-Local-Law-for-6-25-2025-TB-PH-CLEAN]
SO I'D LIKE TO, UH, YES, MOVE THAT WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW WHICH WOULD ESTABLISH, UH, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND SPECIFY ZONING DISTRICTS WITH RELATED UPDATES TO SECTION TWO FIFTY NINETEEN, TWO EIGHTY FIVE, FIVE TWO EIGHTY FIVE, TEN TWO EIGHTY FIVE, THIRTY SIX, TWO EIGHTY FIVE, THIRTY EIGHT, TWO EIGHTY FIVE, THIRTY NINE TWO EIGHTY TWO EIGHTY FIVE, FIFTY SIX OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.UM, AND UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN UP THE HEARING.
UH, WITH THE BOARD'S PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE PRIOR SPEAKER AN APPLICATION TO BE ON THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR, FINER AND TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WELCOME TO EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT.
FOR THE RECORD, I'M GARRETT DU, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS RELATED TO A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT, WHICH SEEKS TO REGULATE AND PERMIT ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS OR ADU IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN PRIOR HEARINGS ON THIS MATTER, I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A BRIEF INTRODUCTORY TYPE REVIEW OF ADUS AND SEVERAL ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED LOCAL LAW.
AS MANY RESIDENTS LISTENING TONIGHT MAY BE PARTICIPATING FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THIS MATTER AS A RESULT OF THE TOWN WIDE MAILING ALERT THAT WAS SENT TO THEM FOR THIS HEARING.
TO ANYONE OUT THERE THAT ONLY RECEIVED THE LETTER FROM ME VERY RECENTLY, PERHAPS EVEN THIS WEEK, YESTERDAY, TODAY, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU IN ADVANCE.
WE DID OUR BEST TO COORDINATE OVER THOUSANDS OF THESE MAILINGS AND MY HOPE IS THAT THE BULK OF THEM WERE RECEIVED LAST WEEK.
IF ANY RESIDENTS ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROCESS, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE TOWN BOARD WILL NOT BE VOTING YES OR NO ON THE PROPOSAL TONIGHT PROCEDURALLY, AND TONIGHT IS, IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND THE BOARD LOOKS FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU, WHICH WILL BE IN A FEW MOMENTS FOLLOWING MY INITIAL REMARKS.
WHILE THERE WILL BE NO VOTE ON THE A DU LAW TONIGHT, YOUR COMMENTS ARE IMPORTANT AND WILL HELP THE TOWN BOARD IN EVALUATING THE PROPOSAL FOR ANYONE THAT SENT IN WRITTEN COMMENTS.
THE TOWN BOARD HAS RECEIVED THEM AND WILL BE CONSIDERING THEM AS CLOSELY PRESENTLY ADUS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH, APPROXIMATELY HALF OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY'S CITIES, VILLAGES, AND TOWNS ACTUALLY PERMIT ADUS ON SOME LEVEL.
AN A DU IS A SMALL SIZED DWELLING UNIT, EITHER A STUDIO OR ONE BEDROOM OR TWO BEDROOM UNIT THAT IS BUILT ON THE SAME LOT THAT CONTAINS A ONE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
ADUS GENERALLY COME IN ONE OF THREE FORMS. ONE FORM BEING IS ATTACHED TO OR WITHIN THE EXISTING ONE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
ANOTHER FORM OF A DU IS WHEN THE ACCESSORY GARAGE IS CONVERTED TO ONE.
AND THE THIRD FORM IS A SEPARATE A DU STRUCTURE IN ADDITION TO THE ONE FAMILY RESIDENCE, WHETHER HAVING A GARAGE OR NOT.
AND THE MAILING PROVIDED PICTURES OF A COUPLE OF THOSE EXAMPLES.
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS ADD TO THE SPECTRUM OF HOUSING OPTIONS IN A COMMUNITY AND ARE TYPICALLY SMALLER THAN TRADITIONAL RENTAL UNITS.
AND WITH APPROPRIATE ZONING PARAMETERS, ADUS HAVE FIT WITHIN THE EXISTING CHARACTER OF COMMUNITIES.
AND I SAY THIS AS EVIDENCED BY THE NUMEROUS COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE ADOPTED SUCH LAWS AND ACTUALLY STILL ALLOW ADUS.
NEW YORK STATE AND WESTCHESTER COUNTY FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS WITH THE BENEFIT OF INPUT FROM THE TOWN'S HOUSING COMMITTEE, THE PLANNING BOARD TOWN STAFF, AND INPUT FROM RESIDENTS TO DATE AS WELL AS TOWN BOARD MEMBERS.
THE TOWN BOARD CONTINUES TO EVALUATE THE PROPOSED LOCAL LAW.
AND AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NEW YORK STATE HAS FULL DISCRETION TO APPROVE, NOT APPROVE OR MODIFY THE A DU LOCAL LAW.
SOME OF THE MAJOR PARAMETERS OR CRITERIA OF THE A DU LOCAL LAW ARE AS FOLLOWS.
[00:25:02]
THE LOCAL LAW ASSIGNS A MINIMUM 10,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT SIZE, AND THAT'S ROUGHLY ONE QUARTER ACRE LOT.AND THAT'S FOR ADUS THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE WITHIN OR CONNECTED TO AN EXISTING RESIDENCE OR WITHIN A RETROFITTED GARAGE.
WHEN AN A DU IS PROPOSED IN A SEPARATE DETACHED STRUCTURE, THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE WOULD BE 20,000 SQUARE FEET, WHICH IS ROUGHLY A HALF ACRE SIZED LOT IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THESE ARE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENTS AND THEY'RE NOT SPECIFIC TO ANY ZONING DISTRICT.
THE A DU SIGN SIZE RANGE IS 400 ON THE LOW END TO 800 AS A HIGH WITH ONE VARIATION.
UH, THERE COULD BE UP TO 30% OF THE GROSS FLOOR AREA AS A HIGH END CAP, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMEWHERE IN THE 800 TO A THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT UH, RANGE.
THE A DU MUST MEET ALL SETBACK, IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE AND OTHER LOT AND BULK REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE, UH, EXISTING ZONING.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE EXISTING ZONING DISTRICT DOES BECOME IMPORTANT.
THE DESIGN OF THE A DU MUST BE ARCHITECTURALLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING HOME AND HOMES IN THE AREA.
SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE PROHIBITED WITH A MINIMUM ONE YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT.
THE REQUIREMENT, I SHOULD SAY ONE OFF STREET PARKING SPACE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH PROPOSED BEDROOM OF THE A DU, WHICH IS IN ADDITION TO THE UNDERLYING TWO OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENT.
OWNER OCCUPANCY IS REQUIRED, DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE IN THE PRIMARY HOME.
IT COULD BE IN THE A DU, BUT THE OWNER OF THE, UH, PROPERTY MUST, UH, RESIDE ON THE SITE.
THE PLANNING BOARD WOULD BE THE APPROVING BOARD THROUGH A SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS.
THE LOCAL LAW IS STRUCTURED TO PERMIT THE TOWN TOWN BOARD TO PLACE A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF A DU PERMITS ANNUALLY AND CAN DO SO BY RESOLUTION FOR NEW ONE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD, THERE'S A PROVISION IN THE LAW THAT PERMITS ADUS TO BE INTEGRATED INTO SUCH A PROJECT, WHICH WOULD NOT CONTRIBUTE AGAINST THE CAP THAT I JUST REFERENCED, BUT THEIR PROCESS IN DOING SO WOULD EVALUATE ALL THE PARAMETERS OF A TYPICAL A DO TO DATE.
SEVERAL RESIDENTS HAVE COMMENTED THAT IN INSTANCES WHERE THE A D IS PROPOSED WITHIN A HOME AND TO BE RESIDED BY A FAMILY MEMBER, THAT SEVERAL OF THE REQUIREMENTS MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE AS A RESULT.
THE PROPOSED LOCAL LAW THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED TONIGHT IS CON HAS WHAT WE CONSIDER FAMILY FRIENDLY PROCESSES, WHICH, FOR EXAMPLE, DO NOT REQUIRE SUBMISSION OF A LEASE, THE NEED FOR DOUBLE LOCKING DOORS, AND WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS THAT WOULD BE EXCLUSIVE FOR ADUS THAT ARE ONLY INTENDED OR ARE UTILIZED BY A FAMILY MEMBER.
AND LASTLY, THE LOCAL LAW NOW INCLUDES WHAT IS KNOWN AS A SUNSET CLAUSE.
AND WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THE LAW WOULD EXPIRE ONE YEAR AFTER ADOPTION, AND THAT PROVIDES THE TOWN BOARD WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THE SUCCESS OR NOT OF THAT FIRST YEAR OF ADUS.
AND THEY WOULD LOOK TO MY DEPARTMENT FOR INPUT ON HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED, WAS THERE WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION TO APPLICATIONS, HOW MANY WERE APPROVED, HOW MANY WERE DENIED, THAT TYPE OF THING.
UH, SO I WOULD SHARE EXPERIENCES IN THAT FIRST YEAR WITH THE TOWN BOARD AND, UH, THE TOWN BOARD WOULD UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH A SIMILAR HEARING LIKE WE'RE HAVING TONIGHT TO EVALUATE WHETHER THE A DU LAW SHOULD CONTINUE ON.
SO YOU CAN THINK OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED RIGHT NOW AS SORT OF A ONE YEAR TRIAL, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THAT.
SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE TOWN BOARD HAS, UM, AS A RESULT OF THE LETTER THERE WAS, I RECEIVED A LOT.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW I RECEIVED A LOT OF PHONE CALLS.
I DID MY, I ANSWERED EVERY ONE OF THEM.
UH, WE PROVIDED THE ZOOM LINK TO I'D SAY AT LEAST A DOZEN RESIDENTS.
SO I KNOW THERE'S, UH, RESIDENTS OUT THERE ON ZOOM THAT WILL LIKE TO SPEAK.
AND I SEE WE HAVE A NICE PACKED ROOM, SO THAT'S GREAT.
BEFORE WE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER, I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE HAVE A STRICT FIVE MINUTE LIMIT FOR BOTH THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND PUBLIC COMMENT LATER TODAY.
LIKE COMMISSIONER DUQUE SAID, WE HAVE A PACKED ROOM.
WE WANT EVERYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
SO PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF THE CLOCKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROOM, WHICH WILL KEEP THE COUNTDOWN FOR THE FIVE MINUTES.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO READ EACH NAME BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF THEY ARE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING OR THE PUBLIC PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE FOLLOWING, UM, PROTOCOL.
STEVEN GREENFELD, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT OR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, GREG TRO COMMENT, COMMENT, UH, PAUL KLEIDMAN COMMENT.
[00:30:04]
AND WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE.SO GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THE LAST NAME IS KEIZ, AS IN ZEBRA, S AND I LIVE IN, I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HARTSDALE, UH, SINCE 1994 WHEN I MOVED HERE.
A LITTLE BIT LATE IN LIFE, BUT STILL EARLY ENOUGH TO ENJOY WITH MY NOW DECEASED MOTHER.
I LIVE AT 26 MAPLEWOOD ROAD IN HARTSDALE.
I, I, UM, I'M REALLY, UH, HERE TO SPEAK ON THE A DU AND IN FACT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SOME OF THOSE CLARIFICATIONS.
I WONDER ABOUT THAT ONE YEAR SUNSET, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT TODAY.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY NARROW WINDOW TO GIVE YOU TIME.
SO YOU MAY WANNA CONSIDER THAT.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO ADD MY VOICE TO THOSE TONIGHT.
AND I HEARD YOU'RE NOT GONNA VOTE TONIGHT, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.
SO THERE'S TIME FOR PONDERING, UH, THE PROPOSAL ON THE ADUS TO ALLOW ALL RESIDENTS, INCLUDING PEOPLE LIKE ME, TO EXERCISE THE RIGHT IF THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARISE TO BUILD OF SUCH A THING.
WHEN I FIRST READ THE PROPOSAL, I WAS REALLY ELATED THAT GREENBERG WOULD TAKE SUCH A PROGRESSIVE KIND OF STEP.
IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT I HAVE COME TO, UH, TO, TO, TO EXPECT FROM OUR TOWN AFTER ALL.
HOWEVER, AS I LISTENED AND READ MORE DEEPLY, I FOUND SOMETHING DISTURBING.
UH, THE IDEA CERTAINLY EMBRACES THE HOPE THAT SENIORS MAY STAY IN THEIR HOMES, IN THEIR BELOVED TOWNS, UH, INTO RETIREMENT IN A GOOD OLD AGE, IN A PLACE WHERE THEY HOLD VERY DEAR PEOPLE LIKE ME.
IT ALSO, OF COURSE, GIVES HOPE TO SOME OF THE YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHICS.
AND SO THE A DU CONCEPT REALLY CAN ADDRESS TWO ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM.
BUT AS WRITTEN NOW AND PRESENTED BY THE BOARD, IF I READ IT CORRECTLY, IT APPEARS THAT THERE'S THAT LIMITATION, WHICH TO ME IS A BIT OF A REGRESSION.
AND THAT AMENDMENT IN MY VIEW, IS NOT ONLY RE REGRESSIVE, BUT DOWNRIGHT, UH, UNFAIR.
I BELIEVE IF I HAVE READ IT INCORRECTLY, TO A MINORITY OF IT LIMITS THE OPPORTUNITY TO A MINORITY OF HOMEOWNERS WHO CAN MEET WHAT I CONSIDER THE HIGH BENCHMARK OF 10,000 SQUARE FOOT REQUIREMENT.
WHY DO WE NEED THAT? I REALLY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THAT.
AS A SENIOR WHO EXPECTS TO CONTINUE TO RESIDE IN GREENBURG AS I AGE IN PLACE, I URGE YOU NOT ONLY TO RETHINK THE AMENDMENT, BUT INDEED TO REVERSE IT.
BUILDING AN A DU IN AND OF ITSELF IS COSTLY.
IT'LL REQUIRE ARCHITECTURAL FEES, BUILDING PERMITS, OF COURSE, ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION.
THOSE INITIAL COSTS WILL LIMIT SOME PEOPLE RIGHT AWAY.
WHY NOT THEN LET THE HOMEOWNER DECIDE WHY TREAT US? NO, LET ME LEAVE THIS OUT.
WHY TREAT US LIKE CHILDREN? GIVE US THE CHOICE.
THE EMPHASIS FOR ME IS CHOICE FOR ALL HOMEOWNERS.
PLEASE, IN THE NAME OF FAIRNESS, REMOVE THAT 10,000 SQUARE FOOT REQUIREMENT THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF GREENBURG HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE.
CERTAINLY ALL THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS, AND I KNOW WE HAVE VERY STRICT REQUIREMENTS HERE IN GREENBURG.
I'VE EXPERIENCED THEM, UH, IN BUILDING WILL LIMIT AND WILL ASSURE COMPLIANCE.
SO DO THAT DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT END.
IN SOME, I URGE YOU ALL TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS.
I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA, BUT DO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THAT LIMITATION AND REVERSE IT.
RETURN THE LAW TO ITS ORIGINAL INTENT WHERE WE ARE ALL GIVEN CHOICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND I AWAIT YOUR RESULTS INTO COURSE.
TORY, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE HEARING OR THE, UM, COMMENT? COMMENT, UH, MR. FRANK DOHERTY HEARING OR COMMENT? UH, MR. JOHN, CLEAR HEARING OR, UH, COPY MARK KINLEY, UH, HEARING OR COMMENT? THANK YOU.
UH, ELVA BACA, COMMENT, COMMENT AND UH, LESLIE DAVIS HEARING OR COMMENT HEARING? YES MA'AM.
UH, TOWN SUPERVISOR, MICROPHONE DOWN.
[00:35:01]
TOWN SUPERVISOR, TOWN BOARD ATTORNEY, AS WELL AS THE COMMISSIONER.UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, I KNOW I ONLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME? LESLIE, I'M SORRY? LESLIE DAVIS.
AND SO I'M NOT GONNA ASK ANY QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END, HOWEVER, UM, PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH HOW I INTERPRETED THE NEW DRAFT LAW.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK THE ATTORNEY IF I AM INTERPRETING A WRONG, RAISE YOUR HAND SO I'M NOT WASTING TIME GOING ON ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT TRUE.
CAN WE MAKE THAT DEAL? I'M NOT SURE I WOULD BE THE RIGHT PERSON TO DO SO, BUT OKAY.
OR, UH, IS COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER GAR COMMISSIONER, CAN WE, SO I JUST WANT TO, UH, WORK ON THREE POINTS.
THE FIRST POINT BEING THE, UH, IMPACT OR, OR PARK FEE THAT'S PART OF THAT WAS WRITTEN AS PART OF THIS A DU LAW AS IT RELATES ALSO TO SENIORS AND AS IT RELATES TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
AND THAT'S THE SUBJECT MATTER THAT I'M GONNA STICK TO.
UM, THE PAR, UH, IMPACT FEE, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED FOR OPEN SPACE.
I SAW THAT THAT WAS ADDED TO IT.
I WASN'T CLEAR ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT, UM, IMPACT FEE WOULD BE ASSESSED ON RESIDENTIAL OR ESPECIALLY IN TURN, UH, WHEN SOMEONE IS BUILDING AN A DU INTERNALLY IN THEIR HOME, WHETHER OR NOT THAT I THINK IT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE 4,000 RANGE AND MAYBE DROP DOWN TO $2,000, WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS PART OF THE RESIDENTIAL.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHAT I WANTED TO SPEAK ON WAS, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT FLAT FEE IS ACTUALLY APPROPRIATE FOR, IN ALL CASES, UH, TO ASSESS A FLAT FEE FOR AS WE DO WITH DEVELOPERS OR SOMEONE WHO IS DOING A SUBDIVISION.
IF SOMEONE IS BUILDING SOMETHING THAT IS LIKE, OR, OR ALREADY HAS THE SPACE IN THEIR HOME, THAT'S 400, UH, SQUARE FEET TO ASSESS A $4,000 OR A $2,000 FEE ON TOP OF THAT.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THAT NECESSARILY MAKES SPACE, UH, UH, MAKES SENSE.
THE OTHER PART OF IT IS IF WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ADDITION OF ADUS, AND I THINK WE HAVE A LIMIT OF 20 OF THEM, UH, DON'T IMPACT OUR OPEN SPACES AND OUR PARKS BECAUSE IT HAS MORE PEOPLE COMING IN, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD ALSO CONSIDER THAT THE HOME THAT THE PERSON IS IN AS A RENTAL, THAT SPACE, THAT BACKYARD, THAT FRONT YARD WOULD BE CONSIDERED PART OF IT.
THE OTHER PART THAT I WANTED TO SPEAK ON WAS, UH, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE SENIORS, RIGHT? SO WE KNOW WE HAVE THAT TERM BABY BOOMER GENERATION.
THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE GOING INTO SENIOR HOUSING HAS INCREASED.
THEY SAY BY I THINK 2033, THERE'LL BE A 36% INCREASE.
AND THIS IS TO REALLY SATISFY THE NEED FOR SENIORS TO HAVE HOMES, HOWEVER, OR, OR A PLACE TO, TO LIVE.
HOWEVER, PEOPLE IN, LET'S SAY THE MIDDLE CLASS OR OR MIDDLE INCOME OR LOWER INCOME ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN A POSITION TO AFFORD A PRIVATIZED, UH, SENIOR CARE FACILITY.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THESE ADUS WOULD PROVIDE THAT FOR SENIORS AND AS WELL AS THE OTHER BENEFIT IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO BE WITH THEIR FAMILY.
HOWEVER, WITH SOME OF THESE RESTRICTIONS, UM, AS, AS THE WOMAN, UH, SPOKE BEFORE ME, THAT WON'T ALLOW FOR FAMILIES TO STAY TOGETHER.
IF IT IS DOWN TO, I MEAN, IF THE, IF THE BAR IS AT 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
NOW GOING ONTO THE PLANNING BOARD SIDE, GOING BACK TO THE OPEN SPACE, I WAS WONDERING IF IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF THIS PLANNING BOARD WOULD BE ABLE TO RE REVIEW ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
WHETHER OR NOT, UH, ASSESSING A FEE, IF WE MUST HAVE A FEE, IS, IS PART OF WHAT THEY SHOULD DO ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GRANDMA AND HER BROTHER, BOTH OF THEM, A WIDOW AND A WIDOWER DECIDE TO LIVE TOGETHER, SHOULD THEY BE PAYING AN AS AN ASSESSMENT ON OPEN SPACE? AND AGAIN, THAT'S ONLY IF I'M READING IT CORRECTLY ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, NOT THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE.
THE OTHER PART HAS TO DO WITH, AGAIN, THE, THE SIZE OF IT.
GOING BACK TO THE DECISION FOR, UH, OLDER FOLKS WHO MAY BE WIDOWED OR WIDOWERS OR, OR ALONE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE TOGETHER AND NOT, UM, HAVE TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES, BE ABLE TO LIVE TOGETHER, SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, AND THAT 10,000 DO, UH, THAT 10,000 SQUARE FEET MIGHT BE PROHIBITED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT SITUATION, WHICH WOULD BE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO A PRIVATIZED SENIOR CARE FACILITY.
SO THAT WAS MY WHAT I WANTED TO, SO MAYBE, UH, COMMISSIONER CAN CLARIFY IT.
WHERE IS ERIC? IS THAT POSSIBLE? CAN SOMEONE CLARIFY THAT OPEN SPACE ASSESSMENT? I THINK WE COULD ALSO ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS AFTER EVERYONE GOES AS WELL COME AT THE END.
UM, MS. NAISHA NA YOU FOR COMMENT OR THE HEARING, AND OF COURSE, DR. CAROL ALLEN.
[00:40:07]
GOOD EVENING.I LIVE ON BEACHWOOD ROAD IN HARTSDALE.
SO TONIGHT'S HEARING IS THE LATEST EPISODE OF SOLICITING INPUT FROM THE RESIDENTS OF GREENBURG ON THE PROPOSED LAW TO ALLOW THE ADUS IN OUR TOWN.
ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, MANY RESIDENTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT OUR DESIRE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE AN A DU ON OUR PROPERTY.
BUT THE LATEST VERSION OF THE LAW, WHICH WAS SHARED THIS WEEK, DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A MODIFICATION OF THE LOT SIZE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, MENTIONED AS BEING RESTRICTIVE IN LIGHT OF THE APPARENT UNWILLINGNESS OF THE BOARD.
TO MAKE THIS CHANGE TO SATISFY THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, I MUST ASK EACH OF YOU SPECIFICALLY, WHAT IS THE BOARD SEEKING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS CURRENT VERSION OF THE BILL AND HOW DOES THIS CURRENT V VERSION SATISFY THOSE GOALS? NOW, MR. FINER, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS, SO I'M NOT ASKING YOU, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THIS TIME.
DO WE HAVE TO, UM, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO ANSWER NOW OR YOU COULD WAIT TILL THE END TO MAKE A COMMENT, OR DO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RESPOND AT ALL? I THINK IT'S MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE WE HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.
I THINK IT'S MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT MORE PEOPLE HERE.
JUST ASK ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE'RE TAKING NOTES AND THEN WE'LL RESPOND.
AND I'M ASKING FOR THE RESPONSE.
SO THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE WILL RESPOND NOW OR AFTER ALL THE, ALL THE SPEAKERS? NO, WE'RE GONNA RESPOND.
WHAT? THAT'S WHAT I THINK THE CHAIR, YOU CAN CHOOSE EITHER WAY YOU WISH TO ANSWER.
DIDN'T WE SAY THAT WE WERE GONNA WAIT UNTIL LIKE EVERYBODY THAT'S FINE, FINISHES AND THEN, UH, ANYBODY COULD, UH, STATE ANYTHING? 'CAUSE OTHERWISE WE'LL NEVER GET THROUGH.
WELL, WHEN YOU DO CHOOSE TO RESPOND, IT IS A VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION.
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND HOW DOES THIS CURRENT VERSION ACCOMPLISH IT? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU CA COSMIC MODI, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE COMMENT? THANK YOU.
UH, JAMES HUGHES COMMENT AND LANE COBB, I DUNNO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEARING AND COMMENT.
THE HEARING IS FOR THE A DU UNITS AND PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND IS ANYTHING OPEN? OKAY, THANK YOU.
THAT CLARIFICATION, THAT'S I READ THE WHOLE LIST.
I'M LIKE, WHAT
SO I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING I READ.
UM, I AM, UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF ADUS.
I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE.
UM, I LIVE IN TARRYTOWN, BUT I'M HERE ALSO ON MY CAPACITY, THE CO-CHAIR OF THE GREENBERG HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE.
UM, AND IT, YOU KNOW, THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS LISTS DECENT HOUSING AS AN AN ALIENABLE, RIGHT? AND SO IF WE ARE NOT DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HOUSE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN BE MORE STABLE AND SO THAT THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE FABRIC OF THEIR SOCIETY, WE ARE REALLY NOT ONLY FAILING THEM, WE'RE FAILING LIKE ALL OF US, LIKE WE'RE JUST FAILING OURSELVES.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THE NEW, UM, PROPOSAL THAT DID STRIKE ME.
I MEAN, I DO THINK THAT, UM, DEMOGRAPHICS SUGGEST THAT PEOPLE WITH LARGER LOTS ARE PERHAPS LESS LIKELY TO EVEN NEED AN A DU, UM, THAN PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE SMALLER LOT SIZES, UM, FOR WHATEVER, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE REASON IS.
UM, BUT THEY MIGHT, THOSE SAME PEOPLE MIGHT BE MORE LIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM CREATING AN A DO IN THIS TYPE OF RESTRICTION, WHILE PERHAPS NOT INTENTIONALLY SO, UM, DOES HAVE POSSIBLE DISCRIMINATORY IMPLICATIONS, WHICH I THINK SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED BY THE BOARD.
I THINK THAT IF WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT EASING THE HOUSING BURDEN THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF AND ADDRESSING HOUSING INEQUITIES, UM, IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO EXAMINE WHERE RESTRICTIONS OF THIS TYPE OF COVENANT CONTINUES TO PLACE AN UNFAIR BURDEN ON MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, AND ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY AND THE WORKING CLASS.
MAYBE PEOPLE THAT THIS IS MEANT TO ACTUALLY BENEFIT ARE BEING UNFAIRLY BURDENED BY THE RESTRICTIONS.
UM, IT ALSO SEEMS, UH, STRANGE TO ME.
I READ THE, UM, DEFINITION OF FAMILY IN THE SECTION 2 85 DASH FIVE.
UM, I DON'T WANNA GO INTO ALL THE WAYS THAT IT MAY BE EVEN INSULTING AND PUNITIVE FOR PEOPLE WHOSE DEFINITION OF FAMILY DOESN'T FIT INTO THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY STRUCTURE,
[00:45:01]
RIGHT? UM, SO I JUST KIND OF READ THAT AND SAID, OKAY, WELL, I'M NOT SURE THIS APPLIES, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT I MIGHT BE REINTERPRETING, UH, MISIN MISINTERPRETING THIS.SO I WANNA BE PARTIC, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY, UM, TRANSPARENT IN THAT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED, UM, THE FEAR OF OVERCROWDING AND SO FORTH ABOUT ADUS.
AND I, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE VILLAGES THAT HAVE ADOPTED A DU COVENANTS HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED AN ONSLAUGHT OF APPLICATIONS.
THEY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED CRAZY, UH, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY OVERBUILDING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THIS IS NOT AN UNDERTAKING THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA TAKE ON WILLY-NILLY.
AND THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN, WHO HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, REALLY DO NEED TO BE MORE ACCOMMODATING TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.
UH, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE HOUSING, UH, IT, IT, IT REALLY AFFECTS OUR ECONOMIES, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY REALLY SUFFERS IF WE CAN'T GIVE PEOPLE A STABLE PLACE TO LIVE.
UM, AND AS IS SAID IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, AS DR. ALLEN WAS SAYING, LIKE, WHAT'S THE GOAL, RIGHT? IF THE GOAL IS TO ALLOW, UH, FOR AGING IN PLACE TO ALLOW YOUNG FAMILIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD OR CAN'T LOCATE, UM, DECENT HOUSING ON THE MARKET TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY WERE RAISED, IF IT DOESN'T ALLOW PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE, UM, AND ARE, UH, ESSENTIAL TO OUR ECONOMY TO ACTUALLY LIVE HERE AND RAISE THEIR FAMILY HERE, RIGHT? IF THE RESTRICTIONS ARE GONNA KEEP THEM FROM DOING THAT, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT? WE, WE OBVIOUSLY NEED THIS.
WE NEED TO GIVE PEOPLE THE CHOICE AND WE NEED TO NOT, UM, GIVE THEM SO MANY RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY ACTUALLY AREN'T ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM OF.
UM, DOREEN LIPSON, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE HEARING OR PUBLIC COMMENT? GOOD EVENING, DORE.
OKAY,
THE CONSENSUS AT ALL PAST MEETINGS DISCUSSING ADUS HAS BEEN A NEGATIVE ONE WITH ONE WITH ALL CIVIC REPRESENTED IN ATTENDANCE, WANTING TO PRESERVE OUR SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE THOUGHT OF PROVIDING HOUSING FOR YOUNG AGENT OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS FOUND FAVOR WITH THE CIVIC REPRESENTATIVES.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CONCERNS.
WE FEEL THERE IS NO NEED FOR A SEPARATE KITCHEN.
IF AN OWNER SEEKS TO ADD AN EXTRA BEDROOM TO A HOME TO ACCOMMODATE A FAMILY MEMBER, WILL THAT BE CONSIDERED AN A DU? WILL IT BE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THE TOWN PROOF THAT THE FAMILY MEMBER IS EMPLOYED IN THE AREA, SHARING EXPENSES WITH FOOD AND UTILITIES, ET CETERA? IF AN A DU IS CONSTRUCTED IN A SEPARATE BUILDING ON A 20,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT FOR A FAMILY MEMBER, WILL IT BE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE ALL THE PROOF LISTED UNDER THE DEFINITION OF A FAMILY MEMBER? AS THE CGCA HAS REPEATEDLY POINTED OUT SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION, THERE IS NO WAY ADDING AN A DU WILL MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR THE RESIDENT IN AGE OR PLACE, OR LIKELY AFFORDABLE FOR THE RENTERS COSTS INCLUDE THE INITIAL OUTLAY OF FUNDS FOR THE CONVERSION, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE HOOKUPS, ET CETERA.
AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES, IN SCHOOL TAXES, AND POSSIBLY HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.
THE RECREATION FEE, THE CGCA ALL HAS ALSO CONCERNS THAT A DU MAY HAVE ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENT ZONING WILL CHANGE TO MULTI-FAMILY ZONING, PARTICULARLY IF AN ADDITIONAL STRUCTURE IS ADDED.
THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN DENSITY TO A NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHEN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SPECIFICALLY ADVISED THAT THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS ARE AS DENSE AS THEY SHOULD BE, THERE WILL BE A CHANGE IN NEIGHBORHOOD
[00:50:01]
APPARENT, ESPECIALLY PARTICULARLY WITH THE ATTACHED OR THE DETACHED GARAGE CONVERSION TO TINY SEPARATE HOUSES.AGAIN, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADVISED THAT INFILL HOUSING MUST BLEND IN AND COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE CGCA CONTINUES TO HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER CONCERNS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF LOANS FOR CONVERSIONS TO CONSTRUCT AN A DU ARE AFFORDABLE AND READILY AVAILABLE FROM BANKS OR CREDIT UNIONS? DOES ANYONE KNOW IF REALTORS FEEL THEY CAN SELL PROPERTIES NEXT DOOR TO AN A DU OR THE A DU PROPERTY ITSELF AS ACCEPTABLE PRICE? HAVE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HELD DISCUSSIONS AS TO WHETHER AN INFLUX OF STUDENTS CAN BE ACCOMMODATED? ONLY ONE OR TWO STUDENTS IN A PARTICULAR GRADE MAY RESULT IN A NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL CLASS WITH AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER.
WHAT METHODS CAN BE USED TO PREVENT AN A DU FROM BECOMING AN AIRBNB? THE C-C-G-C-A BELIEVES THE ADUS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE TOWN.
THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND THE CGCA URGES THE TOWN BOARD.
ADJOURN THIS HEARING UNTIL ALL ANSWERS ARE OBTAINED.
SUBMITTED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF MADELINE K OSHA, DOREEN LIPSON, TREASURER, AND ELLA PRIZE SECRETARY.
LEON, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE HEARING OR PUBLIC COMMENT? COMMENT.
CAN I JUST ASK LISA, UH, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE COPIES OF ALL THE, UM, ALL THE, UH, COMMENTS? COMMENTS? SO THIS WAY THE BOARD COULD LIKE REVIEW IT BEFORE THE WORK, BEFORE THE WORK WORK SESSION? THAT WAS
I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST SAYING COULD WE JUST, SO THAT'S YEAH, YOUR, IT ALL DEPENDS ON HIS SCHEDULE AND WE HAVE COPIES OF ALL THE LETTERS, CORRECT.
MAYOR BULLION, HAN RA COMMENT.
JUAN WILEY, YOU, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE HEARING OR FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
ARE YOU HERE FOR THE A DU? UM, OKAY.
UH, MY NAME IS FRANCO LIO AND I LIVE ON SPRING VALLEY ROAD IN SCARSDALE SECTION OF, UH, I GUESS IT'S LIKE THE UNINCORPORATED SECTION OF SCARSDALE EDGEMONT.
UM, I'M HERE REALLY TO PRETTY MUCH SAY THAT I'M FOR IT.
UH, WE HAVE A PRETTY MUCH, UH, I MANAGE REAL ESTATE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
SO I THINK WITH THE RISING COSTS THAT WE HAVE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE, THAT WE LET THE PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS BE ABLE TO USE SOME OF THE SPACE IN THEIR HOMES.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY WIFE AND I ARE NOW EMPTY NESTERS AND WE HAVE A BASEMENT.
AND I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT, WHY CAN'T WE RENT IT OR HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER MAKE BETTER USE OF THE, OF THE SPACE? SO I THINK IT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD IDEA.
UM, I THINK SOME OF THE STUFF THAT THEY PUT IN THE LAW THAT I QUICKLY LOOKED OVER, I THINK IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, ONEROUS.
I, I THINK SOME OF THE STUFF YOU SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO, UH, EASIER TO GET THE PERMIT.
AND I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED JUST TO POINT OUT THAT MAYBE THEY WERE ANSWERED ALREADY, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE LAW.
UH, ONE OF THEM BEING, UH, WILL MY PROPERTY TAXES GO UP? IF SO, MORE OR LESS, HOW MUCH, UM, IF AND WHEN THE PROPERTY OWNER SELLS, IS IT TRANSFERABLE? UM, WHAT ELSE? I HAVE SOME NOTES HERE.
UM, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE APPLICATIONS, LIKE THE 20 APPLICATIONS LIKE PER YEAR.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE TOO LOW.
UM, UM, YEAH, THERE IS GONNA BE AN UPFRONT COST WHEN YOU DO THE WORK.
SO MY CONCERN ALSO IS, LET'S JUST SAY THE TOWN DECIDES NOT TO DO IT ANYMORE IN THE FUTURE, BUT SOMEONE HAS A PERMIT SPENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
[00:55:01]
DOLLARS UPGRADING THEIR BASEMENT OR A DU, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT BE THE BASEMENT OR A GARAGE.UM, AND I HAVE TO SAY, JUST FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, I, I HEARD SOMEONE SPEAK AGAINST IT.
UM, I HAVE, UM, UH, MY, MY WIFE AND I VACATION OR VISIT A LOT ANNAPOLIS AND THEY HAVE ADUS THERE AND THEY DO VERY, VERY WELL.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM.
AND I THINK, I DON'T SEE A LACK OF COMMUNITY.
I THINK I SEE A BETTER, MORE VIBRANT COMMUNITY PERSONALLY.
I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANKS MS. MS. THERESA MAY TORI, UH, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE HEARING OR FOR THE COMMENT? THANK YOU.
GET THIS BACK DOWN TO THE SHORT PEOPLE LEVEL.
THERESA TORY, POST STREET, HARSDALE, NEW YORK.
IN THE PAST I'VE COME HERE AND ASKED EVERYONE TO KIND OF LISTEN AND WORK TOGETHER ON THIS.
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT, UM, I JUST VERY BRIEFLY PERUSED THE LAW THIS EVENING 'CAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE IT HAD CHANGED SO MUCH.
AND WHEN I LOOKED AT IT I SAID, WAIT A MINUTE.
THERE'S SOME THINGS HERE THAT HAVE CHANGED QUITE A BIT AND IT HAS CAUSED ME TO HAVE REAL CONCERN.
AND THERE'S SOME THINGS I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT AND IT'S GONNA BE SORT OF STRANGE 'CAUSE I'M GONNA BE TALKING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE QUESTION BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT AFFECTS ME.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS I VERY STRONGLY WANT TO STAY IN A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I DO NOT WANT MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO BECOME A TRUE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE LIVED THERE MY, SINCE I WAS A VERY SMALL CHILD.
IT'S A VERY LOVELY NEIGHBORHOOD.
HAVING A AN A-D-U-D-U OR TWO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL NOT CHANGE THAT.
HAVING MULTIPLE A D WILL MAKE IT A TRUE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE ON THIS SUN SETTING, AFTER A YEAR, I WOULD BE MUCH HAPPIER TO SEE US PUT A QUANTITATIVE NUMBER TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW UP TO X AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO REVIEW THE IMPACT AND MAKE THAT NUMBER RELATIVELY LOW SO THAT IT DOESN'T GET OUTTA HAND.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE AS SOMEONE INDICATED IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO CONSTRUCTION IN A YEAR, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER APPROACH THAT WE COULD GET A REAL LEVEL SET AT THAT POINT.
TO SAY, WE'VE BUILT OUT 30 OF THESE.
NOW ARE THEY CLUSTERING IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD? HOW ARE THEY WORKING ON THE SUBJECT OF THE SIZE OF THE LOT? ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW THROUGHOUT OUR ZONING DISTRICTS, UNLESS THEY WERE AREAS THAT WERE DEVELOPED AFTER THE 1950S, THE LOT SIZES VARY TREMENDOUSLY WITHIN ANY ZONING DISTRICT.
YOU HAVE R TWENTIES AND R FIVE DISTRICTS.
YOU HAVE R FIVE LOTS AND R 20 DISTRICTS BECAUSE IF THEY WERE HISTORICAL DISTRICTS, THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD AS LOTS.
I PERSONALLY BELIEVE, AND NOW I'M SPEAKING WITH KIND OF MY HAT OF THE CHAIR OF THE CAC IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT IN OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
OUR EXISTING ZONING LAWS ARE FAR LOWER.
OUR IMPERVIOUS SURFACE LAW SEEMS TO ME TO BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO PROTECT FROM OVERBUILDING.
AND I THINK THE IDEA THAT WE RESTRICT THIS TO 10,000 SQUARE FEET IS NOT CORRECT.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE IT BE AT THE LEVEL.
IF THE HOUSE IS ON A SMALLER LOT AND IS A SMALLER HOUSE AND SOMEONE WANTS TO DIVIDE IT, THAT IS THEIR CHOICE.
AND I THINK WE TREAT EVERYBODY EQUALLY ON THE SUBJECT OF, UM, HAVING SPECIAL PROCESSES FOR FAMILIES.
WE'VE RUN INTO THE PROBLEM OF DEFINING A FAMILY, WHICH GETS VERY TOUCHY TO ME.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KIND OF UPSETS ME IS THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE TWO SETS OF LAWS WHENEVER WE DO THAT.
THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD I IDEA WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE FAMILY SELLS THE UNIT, DOES IT GO ALONG? UM, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE A LAW, WE SET IT UP SO IT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY AND WE HAVE THE SAME STANDARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME ALSO IS THE IDEA THAT THE PERSON BE RESIDENT IN THE BUILDING AND WE HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT THEY'RE GONNA SWEAR SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD BE SUED OVER.
WELL, WHAT ELSE ARE WE REQUESTING TO PROVE YOU'RE LIVING THERE.
WHEN I GO FOR MY POOL PERMIT, I HAVE TO COME WITH MY CONED BILL TO PROVE I LIVE THERE.
LIKE, AS SOMEONE WHO'S GONNA VIOLATE THE LAW IS NOT GONNA BE CONCERNED ABOUT LYING AND TO SAY THAT THEY LIVE THERE WHEN THEY DON'T LIVE THERE, I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL TO DEMONSTRATE THEY'RE LIVING IN THE HOUSE WHERE THE A DU IS.
[01:00:05]
I THINK THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH IT.I WAS REALLY THE A DU SIZE, THOUGH I AGREE WITH MANY OF PEOPLE WHO SPOKE, I THINK THAT SHOULD NOT BE RESTRICTED TO THE 10,000 FEET.
BUT MY, UH, FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS I JUST DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE OPEN SEASON ON AGUS.
I THINK WE PUT A LIMIT, HAVE EVERYONE COME BACK AND LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW IT'S WORKING OUT.
UM, MR. HUGHES SCHWARTZ, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE COM? THANK YOU.
MY NAME'S HUGH SCHWARTZ EDGEMONT, PROUDLY PART OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND STAYING THAT WAY.
UM, WHEN THIS LAW WAS ORIGINALLY, UH, DRAFTED, WHICH WAS ABOUT, I'M SORRY, WHEN THIS DRAW, WHEN THIS LAW WAS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO BY THE, UH, WHAT GARRETT REFERRED TO AS THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, IT'S ACTUALLY THE ACCESSIBLE, VIABLE LIVING COMMUNITY.
THERE WERE TWO, UH, REALLY OBJECTIVES LEGISLATIVE AND THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
THE FIRST ONE WAS TO GIVE, UH, MORE SOME MODEST OPTIONS FOR RENTEE DUE TO THE SMALL SIZE OF, OF THE PROPERTY, FOUR TO EIGHT, 8,800 SQUARE FEET.
AND THE SECOND ONE WAS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL RELIEF TO HOMEOWNERS BY GIVING THEM SOME RENTAL INCOME TO OFFSET THEIR HOUSING EXPENSES.
I THINK THE LAW DOES A GOOD JOB ON THE FIRST ONE, ALTHOUGH I DO QUESTION THE CHA ONE CHANGE YOU MADE FROM OUR LAW THAT WE ORIGINALLY WROTE IN THE A VL WAS THE 30% WAS CAP EIGHT, 800 SQUARE FEET.
AND I THINK YOU SHOULD GO BACK TO THE 800 SQUARE FEET, CAP IT AT THE 800 SQUARE FEET.
HOWEVER, ON THE SEC, ON THE SECOND OBJECTIVE, THE RESTRICTIONS ADDED, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SAME ONES.
EVERYBODY ELSE HAS THE LOT SIZE RESTRICTIONS.
UH, WE'RE OVER THE OBJECTION OF THE ORIGINAL, UH, FOUNDERS OF, UH, AUTHORS, THE A VL AND ALSO AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING BOARD BY A VOTE OF SIX TO ONE.
THE RESTRICTIONS AS, UH, TERRY POINTED OUT, ARE TOTALLY UNNECESSARY BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE UNDERLYING ZONING, WHICH WILL TAKE CARE OF ALL THOSE ISSUES.
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR THOSE RESTRICTIONS, ACTIONS, THE SUNSET LE LEGISLATION, AND USING THAT AS A WAY, WELL, WE'LL LOOK AT IT AGAIN IN, IN 12 MONTHS ISN'T THE ANSWER EITHER.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T GET EXPERIENCE FOR IT, FOR WITH IT NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA KNOW IN 12 MONTHS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW NOW ABOUT IT? SO THE SUNSET LEGISLATION DOESN'T HELP EITHER.
TO ME, THIS LEGISLATION AS IT STANDS, IS REALLY A WAY OF THE TOWN BOARD UNFORTUNATELY, JUST CHECKING A BOX.
EVEN WITHOUT THOSE LOT SIZE RESTRICTIONS, IT IS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE A DU LAW OF ANY OF THE MIN LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES.
'CAUSE WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THANKS TO SOME HARD WORK BY GARRETT, UH, HELPING US WITH THIS RESEARCH.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME RESEARCHING LAWS AND THE LAW, EVEN WITHOUT THOSE TWO RESTRICTIONS, IS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE IN THE STATE.
I BELIEVE PARTICULARLY THE PARKING WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE THE, THAT PARKING, THE EXTRA PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
TARRYTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, DOESN'T.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY.
I, UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE ONE OTHER POINT.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME COMMENTS MADE OVER THE TIME ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL JOB THE TOWN OF GREENBURG DOES ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
FACT IS, WE DON'T, WE DO A GREAT JOB ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH INCOMES.
LESS THAN 40% OF AVERAGE MEDIAN.
THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY, I LOVE THEM.
UH, THE EXPANSIONS I THAT THEY'RE DOING NOW ARE TREMENDOUS.
WHAT WE DON'T DO IS A GOOD JOB OF PEOPLE IN THE 40 TO 80% A MI RANGE, WHERE WE'VE BUILT THREE FACILITIES IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.
TWO WEST TAB FACILITIES, THE ONE AT WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE OTHER ONE ON ONE 19 NEXT TO THE COUNTY CENTER.
AND THE ONE THAT, UH, THE TOWN GOT, UH, DRAG KICKING AND SCREAM SCREAMING INTO, WHICH IS DR. MOORE ROAD, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A VERY BEAUTIFUL FACILITY IF YOU'VE SEEN IT.
UM, WE ALSO, AS PART OF THE A VL DID RESEARCH AND, UH, WITH WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND FOUND OUT THAT GREENBURG ALONE IS OVER 700 UNITS SHORT IN THE AREA OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS WILL ONLY SCRATCH THE SURFACE.
AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING TERRY SAID.
I THINK WE SHOULD LIMIT THE AMOUNT TILL WE GET A REAL GOOD FEEL FOR IT.
[01:05:01]
THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS GET RID OF THE LOT SIZE RESTRICTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND, UH, KEEP COOL EVERYBODY.
UH, SUPERVISOR, FINER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD.
MY NAME IS WALTER SIMON, UH, FORMER CHAIR OF THE PLANNING BOARD THAT WAS INVOLVED IN, UH, WRITING THE ORIGINAL LAW.
I WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE A BL CECIL VI LIVING, UH, COMMITTEE THAT ADVANCED THAT TO THE TOWN, TOWN BOARD.
UH, I WANT TO REEMPHASIZE MY SUPPORT OF ALL THE PREVIOUS, UH, SPEAKERS WHO TALKED ABOUT THE ONE REALLY BAD POINT IN THE LAW THAT I SEE IS THE RESTRICTION OF, UH, UH, OF ADUS TO TWO LOT SIZES OF 10,000 SQUARE FEET AND REMOVE THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE LIVING IN 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
LOTS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE, UH, UNIT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW THE LAW IS WRITTEN.
AND I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER GARRETT HAS DID HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB EXPLAINING THE LAW WITH ALL THE VARIOUS PROTECTIONS.
UH, THERE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE FROM PREVIOUS, UH, SPEAKERS, WE SEE THERE'S SOME DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, OF PARTICULAR POINTS OF IT.
BUT THE MAIN POINT IS THAT THERE'S UNIVERSAL SUPPORT FOR ALLOWING ADUS ON 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE REGARDING, UH, THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU HAVE THAT, THE FACT JUST DOES NOT BEAR THAT OUT.
UH, WE ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED THAT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF APPLICATION THE PLAN BOARD COULD HANDLE IN ANY ONE YEAR WAS 20.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT NUMBER 20 CAME ABOUT.
BUT AFTER DOING RESEARCH AND LOOKING AT ALL THE OTHER TOWNS, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN SOMEPLACE BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT APPLICATIONS.
SO THAT NUMBER 20 HAS NO BEARING ON WHAT ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE.
THE NUMBER IS CLOSER TO SIX OR SEVEN THAT WILL ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES THAT, UH, FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE INTERESTED IN, UM, ADUS, WE DID A, A A, WE HAD ABOUT 15 PEOPLE WHO HAD EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN ADUS, AND THAT WAS SPREAD ALL AROUND THE TOWN.
IT WAS NOT CONCENTRATED IN ANY PARTICULAR AREA.
SO THE IMPACT ON ANY PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT JUST ISN'T, IS NOT SIGNIFICANT BASED UPON THE HISTORY AND PER, AND THE PERFORMANCE OF BUILDING ADU IN, NOT ONLY IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, IN THE STATE AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
SO THAT IS A FALLACIOUS ARGUMENT TO SAY THAT WE, A NEIGHBORHOOD WILL BE FLOODED WITH ADU.
UH, OTHER AREA THAT WE, WE TALKED ABOUT AND, UH, UM, I THINK WE, I SPOKE TO, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN SHEEN ON THIS.
HE SAID ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS THAT, UH, PEOPLE IN THE SMALLER AREAS IN 5,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS MIGHT TAKE UP THEIR FRONT LAWN TO PARK THEIR CARS.
BUT THE LAW ITSELF PROHIBITS THAT.
AND, AND, UM, RIGHT HERE IN THE LAW ON SECTION 19, IT PROHIBITS THAT FROM, UH, FROM INCREASING THE IMPER IMPERVIOUS SURFACE FOR, UH, FOR, UH, OF YOUR DRIVEWAY, PLUS THE, BY PUTTING A BY YOU COULD REINFORCE THAT BY
[01:10:01]
INCLUDING THAT IN THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT RIGHT ON THE FRONT PAGE.IT GOES AWAY, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
PLUS THE FACT THAT THIS LAW SUNSETS IN, IN, IN ONE YEAR.
NOW, UH, TERRY HAVE A VERY VALID POINT WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO, UH, TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT AT THAT POINT.
BUT NEVERTHELESS, THAT'S ANOTHER SAFEGUARD IN ONE YEAR, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
SO I THINK THE WAY THE LAW IS WRITTEN NOW, YOU NEED TO REINSERT, UH, THE VIABILITY OF PEOPLE IN 5,000 SQUARE FOOT.
MR. PAUL FI, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE A DU HEARING? THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR FINER AND THE BOARD.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE IN, I, I'M IN THE TOWN OF GREENBERG, BUT, UH, THE CITY OF WHITE, UH, POST OFFICE OF WHITE PLAINS.
I'M UP THE STREET ON, OFF OF NORWOOD ROAD, AND I'VE LIVED HERE WITH MY FAMILY FOR 30 YEARS.
UM, I'M HIGHLY DISTURBED BY THIS, UH, THIS NOTICE WE GOT, UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'RE CALLING IT AN A DU.
AND WE PUT THIS WONDERFULLY PRETTY PICTURE OF AN A DU, UM, IN THE, UH, IN THE, IN THE FLYER THAT WE GOT IN THE NOTICE THAT WE GOT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, FOLKS THAT WILL DO THIS WILL CHOOSE IF, IF ECONOMICS ARE THE ISSUE, THEY'RE GONNA CHOOSE THE, THE CHEAPEST WAY TO DO THIS, WHICH IS TAKE THEIR GARAGE AND CONVERT IT.
UM, AND WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT DOES THE TOWN HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REALLY LOOK AT EACH AND EVERY SITUATION? I LIVE ON WHITEWOOD ROAD.
WHITEWOOD ROAD IS TWO CAR LENGTHS WIDE, AND WE, WE HAVE, UM, EXTENDED FAMILIES LIVING IN SEVERAL OF THE HOMES.
AND I SEE THE SCENARIO WHERE AN EXTENDED FAMILY LIVES IN A HOME AND THEY HAVE A DRIVEWAY, BUT CARS BLOCK OTHER CARS.
AND WHO NEEDS TO GET OUT FIRST IN THE MORNING? SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CAR? IT SPILLS OUT INTO THE STREET.
UM, WE HAVE A TWO CAR WIDE STREET, AND THEREFORE, HOW DOES THE FIRETRUCK GET DOWN? HOW DOES THE GARBAGE TRUCK GET DOWN? MR. FINER, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW GREAT IT WAS WHEN OUR TOWN GOT GARBAGE TRUCKS TO PICK UP AUTOMATICALLY.
AND THE, AND THE, AND THE, THE MONEY WE GOT FROM THE STATE FOR THAT, THAT PROGRAM'S GONNA STOP.
'CAUSE HOW IS THE GARBAGE TRUCK AND GET AROUND THE PARKED CARS.
UM, HOW ARE THE FIRE TRUCKS GONNA GET DOWN? HOW IS THE PLOW GONNA GET DOWN? AND, UM, AND I THINK WHAT THIS DOES IS IT FORCE FORCES RESIDENTS TO POLICE OTHER RESIDENTS.
AND I HAVE NO DESIRE TO DO THAT.
UM, I, I WOULD LOVE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO STAY SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
I'M NOT AGAINST ADUS IN THE DRAWING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, BUT IN THE DRAWING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN PREVIOUS COMMENTS THAT HAVE MADE THAT ARE VERY ASTUTE, THE ONUS OF, OF THE EXPENSE OF BUILDING ONE OF THESE UNITS AND TRULY PROPERLY PLANNING FOR IT.
SO THERE TRULY IS OFF STREET PARKING.
UM, THAT IS NOT GONNA CONFLICT WITH THE MAIN RESIDENT THAT LIVES IN THE HOME IS, IS VERY DIFFICULT, RIGHT? PEOPLE PLAN COMMUNITIES FOR A REASON.
UM, AND THIS TO ME, UM, HAS NOT ENOUGH DETAIL, UM, IN IT TO, UH, TO, FOR THE TOWN TO TAKE A DECISION.
UH, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE DETAIL THAT'S GIVEN TO THE RESIDENTS.
AND MY FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION IS, WILL THE BOARD, WILL THE TOWN BOARD CONSIDER THAT? IF, IF THIS DOES GO THROUGH THAT WHEN I DID SOMETHING TO MY PROPERTY AND, AND IT VIOLATED, I'M AN R 20 DISTRICT, I NEEDED TO SEND OUT LETTERS TO EVERYBODY ON BOTH HARTFORD LANE AND WHITEWOOD ROAD.
AND IF ANYBODY OPPOSED, I COULDN'T DO IT.
UH, I THINK THE SAME KIND OF THING HAS TO EXIST FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY KNOW ALL THE SITUATIONS THAT HAPPEN IN THESE, IN THESE LOCAL STREETS AND, AND HOW IT'S GONNA AFFECT, UH, THAT STREET.
I JUST WANNA MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON ZOOM.
WE'RE JUST CALLING ON THE PEOPLE.
WE'RE, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE CALLING ON THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE AUDITORIUM.
AND THEN WE'LL CALL ON THE PEOPLE WHO RAISED THEIR HAND ON ZOOM.
ARTHUR KAHANI, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE HEARING OR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? UM, CLIFF ABRAMS, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE HEARING OR THE PUBLIC COMMENT? AARON, STEP UP PLEASE.
[01:15:04]
I DON'T THINK EVEN SUPERVISOR FINDER AND THE TOWN BOARD, UM, I GOT HERE A LITTLE LATE, CAUGHT THE TAIL END, BUT I THINK THE A DU IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE CLIFTON ABRAMS LIFELONG RESIDENCE.
YOU KNOW, I'M LISTENING LIKE, BECAUSE WE NEED WORKFORCE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE WHO WORK CAN'T FIND NOWHERE TO LIVE.
AND I THINK WITH THE, UM, A DU, THE EXTENDING WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS, UM, I'M TALKING ON MY OWN THAT AS A HOUSING MEMBER AND I WAS THINKING I WAS IN SEATTLE AND, UM, THE DEVELOPERS, THE, THE TOWN BOARD, EVERYBODY WORKED THERE AS A TEAM BECAUSE THEY SAW HOW IMPORTANT THAT IT IS.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN BOARD NEED TO LIKE REALLY WORK WITH THE HOUSING, THE DEVELOPERS, AND WE NEED TO REALLY FIND SOME PLACES BECAUSE THERE'S, PEOPLE REALLY NEED PLACES TO LIVE AT.
I CAN UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WHO GOT HOUSES AND DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, BUT IT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST THINK THAT IF, UM, WE WORK TOGETHER THAT, UM, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
TARA PAVONE, UH, WHICH ONE IS SPEAKING? HI,
AND THE OTHER SPEAKER, OH, THIS IS MAC PAVONE.
SO, UM, WE WERE HERE A COUPLE OF MAYBE LAST BOARD MEETING OR THE MEETING BEFORE, AND WE SPOKE ON OUR STORY.
SO, UM, MY SON AND I, HE'S, HE JUST, HE TURNED THREE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
WE CURRENTLY LIVE WITH MY PARENTS.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, UM, MY PARENTS VERY GENEROUSLY TOOK US IN AFTER MY EX-HUSBAND, UM, ABANDONED OUR HOUSEHOLD TWO MONTHS AFTER MAC WAS BORN.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF A KITCHEN AND A, IN A HOUSEHOLD.
AND EXCUSE ME IF I GET, UM, THAT'S OKAY.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT NOT REALIZE, UM, THE DE THE DETAILS OF SOMETHING WHEN THEY'RE, UM, WHEN THEY'RE EVALUATING IT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE.
SO TO SAY THAT FAMILIES EAT TOGETHER IS, IS EASY TO SAY THAT MAX A, UM, IS THAT GRANDMA OKAY? MAYBE GRANDMA CAN HELP OUT.
SO, UM, MAC AND I, MAC AND I MOVED INTO MY PARENTS' HOUSE WHEN HE WAS FIVE MONTHS OLD.
UM, AND
UM, MY MAC AND I LIVE IN THE BEDROOMS UPSTAIRS NOW, AND SO WE DO SHARE A KITCHEN AND WE DO EAT TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.
UM, I WANNA BE ABLE TO GIVE MY PARENTS THEIR SPACE BACK.
AS MAC GETS OLDER, HE'S GONNA BE A VERY TALL,
AND SO WHEN HE HAS FRIENDS OVER, YOU KNOW, I WANT, FIRST OF ALL, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE PLAY DATES AT MY HOUSE BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA TAKE OVER THEIR SPACE EVEN MORE.
SO THE IDEA OF FINISHING THE BASEMENT AND MOVING IN WOULD, WOULD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HIS FRIENDS OVER.
AND WHEN HE IS, YOU KNOW, A TEENAGE BOY WHO'S LOUDLY PLAYING VIDEO GAMES, I WANNA BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO THAT IN A SPACE THAT'S INDEPENDENT OF MY PARENTS.
UM, AND A KITCHEN IS, IS THE HEART OF A, OF A HOME.
THE KITCHEN IS WHERE YOU MAKE FOOD FOR COMPANY.
THE KITCHEN IS WHERE YOU HOST HOLIDAYS.
YOU KNOW, MY MAC PUT THAT BACK.
UM, MY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAD, WE CELEBRATED MOTHER'S DAY THIS YEAR WITH, UM, AT MY SISTER'S PLACE BECAUSE SHE HAS A PLACE THAT SHE CAN HOST AND I WANNA BE ABLE TO HOST MY MOM ON MOTHER'S DAY.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA BE DOING THAT IN HER KITCHEN.
[01:20:01]
I WANNA BE ABLE TO ALSO BE THERE FOR MY PARENTS AS THEY GET OLDER AND, YOU KNOW, UM, HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN IF I CAN, BEING IN THE, IN THE SAME, UM, PROPERTY AS THEM.YOU KNOW, IF, IF I DIDN'T GET TO LIVE IN MY PARENTS', UM, BASEMENT, WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND AN APARTMENT WHICH WOULD COST A LOT MORE AND I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HELP MY PARENTS AS THEY GET OLDER, BOTH PRAGMATICALLY AND FINANCIALLY.
UM, AND SO TO, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THEIR HOUSE BACK AND TO HAVE OUR OWN SPACE AND FEEL LIKE WE ARE THRIVING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY WOULD BE NICE.
UM, BECAUSE SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN LIVING THROUGH THE CONSEQUENCES OF ONE PERSON'S ACTIONS.
UM, AND SO SORRY FOR GETTING EMOTIONAL, UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL, WILL MAKE JUDGEMENTS NOT REALIZING THE IMPACT OF WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE ONE LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO SPEAK ON THE A DU HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTED TO ADD THEIR NAME? YES, SIR.
UM, SO I'M GRANDPA AND, UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS TERRY PAVONE, AND I'VE SPOKEN SEVERAL TIMES ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, I THINK I CAN HELP EVERYBODY HERE AND HELP YOU GUYS AND, AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION FOR EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW.
UM, LET'S RIGHT AWAY SPLIT THIS IN TWO PARTS, UH, AND TRY TO SATISFY, UH, WHAT MY DAUGHTER'S TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS, WELL, TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE WHAT IN GREENBURG, WHAT'S CALLED A MOTHER-DAUGHTER HOUSE, RIGHT? UH, THAT GOES WAY BACK.
SO LET'S DO IT IN A LEGAL WAY BECAUSE THAT, THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
WE ALREADY HAVE MOTHER-DAUGHTER HOUSES, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND SO ALL WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO GO TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, WHICH I ALREADY DID.
UH, I'M COMING UP WITH SOME PLANS FOR THE BASEMENT FOR AN A DU IF THEY DO DO THIS, UH, WHERE SHOULD THE, UH, CIRCUIT BREAKER BOX BE, UH, IN, IN COORDINATION WITH WHERE A BEDROOM IS? AND I WAS TOLD WE DON'T KNOW.
WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE, THE BOARD APPROVES IT.
THE WHOLE IDEA HERE IS TO HELP US.
LET'S HAVE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS SAFE, HOW SHOULD IT BE DONE? INSTEAD OF PEOPLE ALL OVER GREENBERG ALREADY DOING IT ILLEGALLY,
SO LET'S ALL GET ON THE SAME PAGE AND HELP EVERYBODY.
OKAY? AND LET'S SPLIT IT INTO TWO PARTS.
NOW, THE OTHER PART, PEOPLE NEEDING TO RENT TO BECOME, UH, LANDLORDS AND RENTING, AND THAT'S, THAT'S A, A, YOU KNOW, A BIG DEAL AND YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, WORK ON THAT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, LET'S HELP ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY ARE IN THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE IN, UH, AND WE'RE COMING FORWARD AND SAYING, LET'S DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY.
LET'S FIND OUT FROM THE BILLING DEPARTMENT HOW TO DO THIS.
LET'S FIND OUT FROM THE ASSESSOR, HOW CAN WE DO THIS WHERE, UH, WE'RE NOT OVER ASSESSED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MAKING MONEY.
I'M NOT MAKING MONEY OFF MY DAUGHTER, YOU KNOW, SO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG SHOULDN'T BE MAKING MONEY OFF OF ME, RIGHT? SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S A, A, A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION.
WE SHOULD RIGHT AWAY LOOK TOWARDS TWO GOALS.
ONE GOAL IS TO, UH, FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO A MOTHER, DAUGHTER, UH, UNIT WITHIN THE HOUSE, WHICH IN MOST CASES IT, IT MEANS, UH, THE BASEMENT, RIGHT? UM, AND WE COULD DO THAT PROBABLY PRETTY QUICKLY, UH, WITH ADVICE FROM ALL THE EXPERTS, FROM THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, FROM THE TOWN ASSESSOR, ET CETERA.
UH, ONE QUESTION ON THE LEGAL, UH, PART, UH, IS IT 800 SQUARE FEET? UH, MAXIMUM OR 30%? WHICHEVER IS GREATER OR WHICHEVER IS LESS.
WE'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE CIRCUMSTANCE.
I I I HOPE THAT IT'S WHICHEVER'S GREATER.
IN OTHER WORDS, THAT WOULD BE, THE ENTIRE BASEMENT IS 800 SQUARE FEET.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE AVERAGE HOME, WHICH IS, UH, 1800 SQUARE FEET.
UH, SO A BASEMENT IS GONNA HAVE 800 SQUARE FEET.
[01:25:01]
IT TO 400 SQUARE FEET, THAT'S NOT REALLY MUCH ROOM IN THE BASEMENT, YOU KNOW, OR 30% OF THE HOUSE, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM.BUT IF IT'S, UH, 800 SQUARE FEET, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT THE, UH, REVISED LAW SAID, I HAD SEEN ANOTHER ONE SAYING LESS, UH, WHICHEVER IS LESS.
YOU WANT WHICHEVER IS GREATER.
UM, WHAT ELSE? SO I, I, I THINK THAT'S A SIMPLE SOLUTION JUST TO GO AHEAD WITH, UH, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN FOR A FAMILY.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT A FAMILY IS.
YOU JUST SAW WHAT OUR FAMILY IS.
I SAID THAT'S MY DAUGHTER, THAT'S MY GRANDSON, THAT'S MY FAMILY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO ONLINE AND WE WILL BE TAKING IT IN THE ORDER THAT THE, THAT THEY HAD COME IN VIA ONLINE.
THERE'S ONE ADDITIONAL IN-HOUSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
WE'RE NOT DOING RE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'RE STILL DOING PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE A DU? YEAH.
DID I CALL YOUR NAME, SIR? I'M, I THOUGHT YOU, I APOLOGIZE.
I HAD ASKED IF YOU WERE HERE FOR THE HEARING OR THE COMMENT AND YOU HAD SAID COMMENT, SO THAT'S WHY I WENT TO THE NEXT.
I APOLOGIZE IF YOU COULD PLEASE, PLEASE PROCEED TO THE PODIUM.
I APOLOGIZE TO THE PODIUM, SIR.
YOU CAN SPEAK YOU SO YOU CAN SPEAK.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF, UH, THE TOWN OF HARTSDALE, UM, FULL OF 40 YEARS NOW.
JUST MOVE THAT MICROPHONE TOWARDS THE CENTER.
UH, SO, UM, WHAT THE GENTLEMAN RIGHT BEFORE ME, UH, MENTIONED, UH, ABOUT THE, UH, IN-LAW BASICALLY MOTHER, DAUGHTER OR IN-LAW SET UP.
UH, WE'VE HAD THAT, UH, WHEN I MOVED IN AND THEN FOR WHATEVER REASON IT WAS DISCONTINUED AND THAT WAS MADE, UH, ILLEGAL.
UH, SO, UM, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A REASON FOR THAT.
MAYBE IT INCREASED TRAFFIC, UH, DENSITY, NOISE, WHATEVER, UH, THE GENERAL AREA.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE MORE PREFERABLE IF WE GO BACK TO THAT BECAUSE THAT AT LEAST LIMITS, UH, WHERE THE, UM, A DU COULD BE TO THE ORIGINAL FOOTPRINT OF THE HOUSE AND THEREFORE NOT INCREASE THE DENSITY TAKE AWAY FROM THE GREEN SPACE.
NOW, UM, I'M ALSO CONCERNED, UH, ABOUT THE, UM, UH, SEPARATE, UM, A DU UNIT STANDALONE, A D UNIT THAT, UM, COULD BE IN OUR 20, UH, THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT, UH, LOT, WHICH PERTAINS TO ME, FOR INSTANCE, BUT IT'S STILL A ONE, UH, ONE FAMILY AREA.
UH, IF, AND I KNOW I, I, I READ THE CAVEAT THAT, UH, IT'S LIMITED TO 800 SQUARE FEET OR 30% OF THE PROPERTY, OF THE ORIGINAL, OF THE, UH, BASE BUILDING, UH, OR, OR LESS.
AND I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT IT'S OR LESS, SO THEREFORE, IT WOULD BE A TWO BEDROOM, 800 SQUARE FEET.
THAT IN EFFECT, IF, IF SOMEBODY CHOSE THAT WAY, THAT ROUTE, IN EFFECT, THAT WOULD CREATE A TWO FAMILY AREA.
UM, WITH, UM, WITH THE DOWNSIDE THAT, THAT ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS WITH THE FAMILY WILL BE TAX EXEMPT, WILL NOT BE PAYING ANY TAXES.
CONCEIVABLY COULD BE A FAMILY WITH TWO CHILDREN WHO WILL BE GOING TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND NOT, UH, WILL BE EXEMPT FROM TAXES.
THERE IS, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THERE IS A NEW YORK STATE SENATE BILL RIGHT NOW THAT IN ALL LIKELIHOOD WILL
[01:30:01]
PRO WILL PA PROVIDE FOR THAT TAX EXEMPTION ON ANY ALSO INCREASED VALUE AS A RESULT OF THAT A DU.SO, UM, IT, IT'LL AFFECT, UH, THE TAXPAYER, UH, BECAUSE SOMEBODY, THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH, SOMEBODY WILL HAVE TO PICK UP THAT BURDEN, WILL PAY FOR THAT BURDEN.
UH, ALSO THERE IS NO RESTRICTION.
I KNOW THAT THE INTENT OF THIS LAW IS TO PROVIDE, UH, RELIEF, UH, FOR ELDERLY SENIORS TO STAY IN PLACE AND GET ADDITIONAL INCOME AND ALSO TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, UH, HOUSE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT THERE'S NO RESTRICTION HERE AS TO ANYBODY.
ANYBODY COULD, UH, FINANCIALLY WELL OFF, UH, PERSON COULD DECIDE THAT, HEY, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, GENERATE, UH, MONEY, INCOME AND, UH, RENT IT OUT, IT, AND IT'LL BE RENTED OUT AT MARKET RATES.
SO IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T HELP IN THAT REGARD OF AFFORDABILITY.
AND THEN AGAIN, UH, SAY AN ELDERLY COUPLE, UH, OKAY, IF, IF THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS, UH, THEM, UH, ONCE THEY SELL THE HOUSE, THAT RIGHT.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT, RIGHT? DOES THAT THEN, UH, DISAPPEAR ONCE THEY, AND WHEN ANOTHER FAMILY MOVES IN WHO ARE NOT IN THAT SAME PREDICAMENT? THEY WILL HAVE, THEY WILL HAVE, UH, THE RIGHT TO RENT IT OUT AT MARKET, AT MARKET RENT.
UH, SO I, I THINK ALL THIS SHOULD BE RETHOUGHT.
I THINK, UH, IF YOU MUST, UM, DO SOMETHING IN TERMS OF AFFORDABILITY, UH, CONSIDER THE IN-LAW ARRANGEMENT THAT WAS IN PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT, SIR.
WE ARE NOW GONNA MOVE TO THE ZOOM, UM, SPEAKERS.
UM, FIRST UP IS NICHOLAS CAVAL.
NICHOLAS, CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK? I SEE YOUR MIC UNMUTED.
WE'RE HAVING A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY THERE.
UH, I'M GONNA PUT A CHAT WITH MY CELL PHONE NUMBER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS O DILI BONILLA.
WELCOME OLIE, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE.
UM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, SUPERVISOR FINER, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS MOMENT.
UM, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOT OF CO-MINGLED FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN PLACE.
I AM A RESIDENT OF GREENBERG FOR THE PAST, I GUESS MAYBE 35 YEARS-ISH.
AND, UH, I'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS, I'VE SEEN THE PEOPLE THAT I KIND OF GREW UP WITH HAVE TO LEAVE THE AREA BECAUSE IT JUST GOT TOO EXPENSIVE.
UH, IT'S NO SECRET THAT WESTCHESTER COUNTY IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
WE SEE A LOT OF OUR ELDERLY HAVING TO LEAVE BEING FORCED INTO NURSING HOMES AND LEAVING THEIR HOUSES.
AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE TO DO THAT.
NOW, WITH THAT SAID, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
I LIVE ON YOSEMITE AVENUE AND WE HAVE NOTORIOUS PARKING ISSUES, UH, OVER HERE, NOT JUST IN THE SUMMERTIME WITH THE PARK TRAFFIC, BUT JUST IN GENERAL.
PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORING STREETS, THEY LOVE TO PARK ON YOSEMITE, UH, BECAUSE WE TEND TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PARKING SPACES.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES THAT JUST LEAVE THEIR VANS HERE FOR MONTHS ON END.
SO WITH THE RESTRICTIONS, HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP THE RESIDENTS OF OUR STREET? AND I'M SURE OTHER NEIGHBORS NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE OUR STREET, UM, WITH, IF THEY CHOOSE TO HAVE AN A UD, UH, A DU.
AND, UH, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD, THERE'S BEEN MANY PEOPLE THAT HAD A CONCERN ABOUT THE LOT SIZE, WHAT
[01:35:01]
HAPPENS WITH SMALL LOT SIZES THAT PERHAPS THEY DON'T WANT A STANDALONE UNIT AND HAVE THAT BASEMENT THAT THEY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CO-MINGLED FAMILY IN AND HAVE A KITCHEN IN.WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF HOUSES, I KNOW IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE'VE HAD TO REMOVE OUR STOVES, BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A SMALL HOUSE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PRIVATE DWELLING FOR AN ELDERLY PARENT OR, UM, MAYBE A YOUNG PARENT THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE LOT SIZE AND MAYBE GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THE SMALL HOMES TO BE ABLE TO, UM, REFURBISH THAT BASEMENT AND GIVE IT TO A FAMILY MEMBER.
OR IF THEY'RE TRYING TO RENT IT FOR EXTRA MONEY, WHERE DOES THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY END AND WHERE DOES IT BECOME A BUSINESS? AND WITH THAT, HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT OUR TAXES? UM, OUR ASSESSMENT, UM, JUST WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE IMPACT ON THE TOWN'S FACILITIES.
I THINK THIS IS THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
HOWEVER, I THINK WE STILL NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION, UM, BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND START ALLOWING ALL OF THESE UNITS TO BE PERMITTED TO OPEN.
UM, AND FINALLY, UH, I, I'M NOT SURE IF I'M NOT EXACTLY FOLLOWING THE LAW, BUT MY CONCERN IS, LET'S SAY THAT I APPLY FOR, UH, A UNIT AND IT GETS APPROVED, BUT WE'RE IN THE PILOT SEASON.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE YEAR IS, IS THAT PERSON GOING TO NOW BE FORCED TO CLOSE DOWN THEIR A DU BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER A LEGAL STRUCTURE, UH, WHEN THAT PERSON SELLS THEIR HOME, WILL THAT RIGHT BE TRANSFERABLE? UM, SO I DO, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION ON THAT IF MAYBE SOMEBODY COULD EMAIL ME THE LAW OR, UH, JUST SO THAT I COULD REREAD IT, UM, SO THAT I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M LOOKING AT AND MAKING A DECISION ON.
IF PEOPLE APPLY, UM, FOR A DU AT THE TIME THEY APPLY, EVERYTHING'S GRANDFATHERED, YOU KNOW, SO BASICALLY THEY, LET'S ANSWER QUESTION.
WELL, THAT'S AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION, BUT GARRETT, WE, I THINK NICK CASO IS, IS BACK UP? YES.
UH, MA'AM, ARE YOU CONCLUDED WITH YOUR COMMENTS? UH, MS. BONIA? YES, SHE SAID GOODNIGHT.
DO YOU WANNA GIVE IT A SHOT NOW? OKAY, SO STILL NOT HEARING YOU, SIR.
IF YOU COULD MUTE YOUR MIC, I'M GONNA CALL YOU.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE WHO, WHO WANTS TO COME UP.
OH, IS THAT RIGHT ON ZOOM? YEAH.
WE'LL GO TO THEM FIRST IN THE INTERIM.
NICHOLAS, IF YOU COULD, UH, JUST SHUT YOUR COMPUTER DOWN.
I'M GONNA CALL YOU IN A, IN A MINUTE AND WE'LL GET TO YOU.
LET ME SEND THEM A, ASK THEM TO UNMUTE MAYBE THAT HE WAS UNMUTED.
COUNCILMAN, YOU INDICATED THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE ON ZOOM THAT WANTED TO SPEAK, UH, THE PERSON.
IF YOU CAN PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
I CURRENTLY LIVE IN, UM, EDGEMONT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE STENOGRAPHER THANKS YOU FOR SPELLING BOTH NAMES.
SO, UM, I, I THINK LIKE THIS FOR THIS, UM, POLICY OR THIS PROPOSAL, IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OR MAYBE SLASH CONCERNS OR COMMENTS.
SO I'M, I'M, I WANT TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT KIND OF LIKE, RESOURCES, UH, AND IMPLICATIONS OR, UH, OF HAVING THE A, UM, A DU, UM, OR APPROVAL, THE A DU ON THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND ALSO SCHOOL RESOURCES.
UM, AND ALSO THE TAX IMPLICATIONS, UM, FOR, YEAH, FOR THE, UH, RESIDENTS.
AND THEN IF THERE ARE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, AN INDEPENDENT A DU OR, UM, FAMILY EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS LIVING IN THE BASEMENT.
SO THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE TAX IMPLICATIONS AND WOULD THERE BE MORE RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? UM, AND, UH, UM, FOR COVERING MORE STUDENTS.
UH, I THINK ONE OF THE PREVIOUS, UM, UM,
[01:40:01]
PERSONS ALSO KINDA MENTIONED THAT, SO I WOULD WANT TO LIKE, LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.AND I FEEL LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE HAVING MORE THOUGHTFUL AND THINKING ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS BEFORE, UH, IT TAKING IN, IN FACT.
UM, COMMISSIONER, DID YOU WANNA TRY MR. KAVALO? SURE.
COUNCILMAN, I BELIEVE YOU SENT, SENT HIM A PROMPT TO UNMUTE.
NICK, COULD YOU TRY TO, UH, SPEAK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS? I THINK HIS VOLUME IS REALLY LOW ON HERE, SO, OKAY.
THE ONLY THING I CAN OFFER IS A QUICK PHONE CALL, AND IF THERE'S NO ECHO, GIVE IT A SHOT.
IF NOT, WE'LL UH, HEAR FROM MR. CAVAL ANOTHER TIME.
YEAH, SIR, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YOU WANNA GIVE YOUR COMMENTS? YEAH, I'LL COME OFF ON MUTE.
I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T HEAR IF YOU'RE GONNA GO BY THE MICROPHONE, YOU HAVE TO SHUT OFF YOUR AUDIO.
YOU CAN QUICKLY TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND SPEAK LOUDER.
PUT THE BOTTOM RIGHT TO THE MICROPHONE.
UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YEAH.
UH, I SORT OF, UH, I, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES, UH, TO THE LAST MEETING.
IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO YOU GUYS.
YOU APPEAR TO, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING.
DIDN'T WANNA PROVIDE EXTRA HOUSING.
UH, I THINK THE WAY TO DO IT IS THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS, UH, UH, UH, INDICATED BEFORE, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE PUBLIC HOUSING.
LIKE I, I HAVE ON ONE WHO RUN 19 IS THE WAY TO GO.
WE, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS ONE GENERAL, I EVEN POINTED IT OUT IF I WAS, IF I, I'M IN A ONE, UH, I'M IN A JUST UNDER, UH, NINE, 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
IF I'M IN HERE, IF I WANTED MY BROTHER TO MOVE IN, I WOULD PROBABLY APPLY FOR A MOTHER DAUGHTER, UH, UH, SITUATION.
THOSE THINGS THAT ARE, UH, SEEM TO SEEM TO BE BANNED, BUT THAT'S THE WAY TO GO A MOTHER DAUGHTER OR GET A VARIANCE TO GET A FAMILY HOUSE.
UH, THAT'S THE WAY TO BE DOING THIS.
UH, IF YOU WANT TO GET HOUSING, UH, NOT TO TAKE IT.
I LIVE ON A STREET AND I, I DARE ANYBODY TO COME DOWN THE STREET IN THE SUMMERTIME RIGHT NOW.
UH, EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE, IT'S, I HAVE, MY HOUSE IS, UH, BASICALLY, UH, 1400 SQUARE FEET, WHICH, I'M SORRY, 1200 SQUARE FEET.
IT HAD, I HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING AT LEAST, UH, MY NEIGHBORS ALL HAVE THREE CARS HERE IN THE SUMMERTIME.
THEY'RE ALL OUT ON INWARD ROAD.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, PETTY THING.
YOU KNOW, THE WORLD NEEDS HOUSING, IT'S GREAT, IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT YOU CAN'T GET DOWN THE STREET AND THE FIRETRUCK CAN'T GET DOWN THE STREET.
SO THE WAY TO BE, AND, AND THIS, THIS PARTICULAR A GU THING IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING A MOTHER, DAUGHTER OR TWO FAMILY.
IF YOU WANNA DO THAT, PROVIDE A VARIANCE.
DON'T, DON'T COME UP WITH A NAME THAT, ANOTHER BUREAUCRACY THAT WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO BE HONEST WITH YOU THERE.
THERE'S NO PROVISIONS TO, UH, AS SOMEONE ELSE POINTED OUT TONIGHT, WE BECOME THE POLICE.
IF I HAVE A PROBLEM NOW, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE TOWN THAT'S GONNA, I HAVE TO GO.
IF I HAVE A NEIGHBOR DECIDES TO MOVE IN, UH, A, A NINE RELATIVE OR HAVE TWO OR THREE CARS OUT ON THE STREET, UH, THERE'S NOTHING, IT DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.
YOU HAVE NO, YOU HAVE NO PROVISIONS TO COME AND, UH, ONCE A YEAR, TWICE A YEAR TO CHECK TO SEE IF THESE, UH, THE A DU IS ACTING AS AN A DU.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, I DON'T, I DON'T NEED ANY MORE COMPLICATION.
I DON'T NEED TO BEGIN INTO ANY, UH, YOU KNOW, DEBATES WITH NEIGHBORS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE NOT FOLLOW THE RULES.
JUST PROVIDE WHAT YOU USED TO HAVE A MOTHER DAUGHTER THAT, THAT GENTLEMAN WHO'S GOT, HIS DAUGHTER WANTS TO MOVE IN.
I SEE NO REASON IN WORLD WHY HE SHOULDN'T BE GETTING A MOTHER DAUGHTER.
AND, AND THEN, AND, AND THEN IF, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU WANT HAVE SOME, SOMEONE WHO'S NOT A FAMILY MEMBER, GO FOR A VARIANCE TO GET A TWO FAMILY.
YOU DON'T NEED A WHOLE NEW BUREAUCRACY.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S MY COMMENTS OFF.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
[01:45:01]
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON ZOOM THAT WANTED TO SPEAK? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.YOU NEED TO DO IT ELECTRONICALLY SINCE IT'S A WEBINAR.
UM, NEXT I WILL BE ENTERING INTO THE RECORD THOSE WHO SENT IN, UH, RESPONSES TO PUBLIC HEARING.
AND IT WILL ONLY BE THEIR NAME AND THEIR DESIRE.
OPPOSED LANE COBB, COBB IN FAVOR, BLAZE.
B-L-A-S-E-N, LORETTA, L-O-R-E-T-T-A, SPIN, S-P-I-N-O-Z-Z-I.
OPPOSED TON, V-E-T-O-N, JI, J-G-J-O-N-B-A-L-A-J SUPPORT.
AND OF COURSE, NICHOLAS CAVAL, C-A-V-A-L-U, ZZ, ZZ WHO WE JUST HEAR FROM OPPOSED TO THE PROPOSAL.
STEVEN GOSICK, G-O-S-I-C, OPPOSED TO THE PROPOSED LAW.
JAN FIAL, F-I-E-G-E-L SUPPORT.
FUNG, F-U-N-G-L-I-N LYNN, LIN IN FAVOR, ARANA.
A-R-C-H-A-N-A, PAR, P-A-R-I-K-H IN FAVOR.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA CLOSE THE HEARING TODAY, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA BE RIGHT.
SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY WE'RE NOT GONNA CLOSE THE HEARING TONIGHT, SO WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN IT, WHICH MEANS THERE WILL BE NO SECOND ROUND, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TONIGHT ON THIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING COMMENT.
UH, BUT OUR COMMISSIONER OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION WILL ANSWER WHATEVER QUESTIONS HE CAN ANSWER.
A LOT OF GREAT COMMENTS TONIGHT.
I'M JUST GONNA FOCUS ON POINTS OF CLARIFICATION IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION IN GREATER DETAIL.
COUPLE THINGS, UH, CLARIFICATION WAS ASKED ABOUT RECREATION FEE.
THE LOCAL LAW INCLUDES A RECREATION FEE OF $4,320 FOR EVERY NEWLY APPROVED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT DONE SO BY SPECIAL PERMIT.
SO THAT IS WHAT IS PROPOSED RIGHT NOW FOR THOSE ADUS THAT WOULD REQUIRE A SPECIAL PERMIT IF THEY'RE APPROVED $4,320.
UH, THERE'S CERTAINLY BEEN MANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE VALIDITY OR NOT OF HAVING 10,000 SQUARE FOOT MINIMUM.
UM, I DID WANNA NOTE, UH, FROM THE LAST HEARING TOWN BOARD MEMBERS INDICATED THAT, UH, PART OF THE RATIONALE FOR A SUNSET CLAUSE, IF THE LAW REMAINS APPROVED WITH THE 10,000 SQUARE FOOT MINIMUM, THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY AFTER A YEAR TO IDENTIFY THE SUCCESS OR NOT, OF THE A DU PROGRAM.
AND IT'S AT THAT TIME, THE TOWN BOARD WOULD CONSIDER POTENTIALLY LOWERING THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, UH, BELOW THAT.
UH, SO THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
NOT THAT YOU DO NOT RESERVE THE RIGHT TO RECONSIDER AT THIS TIME, BUT I DO NOTE THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THE BOARD MENTIONED LAST TIME.
UM, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, CAN A FAMILY WITH A FAMILY FRIENDLY A DU THAT WAS DESCRIBED, CAN THAT BE AN ACCESSORY STRUCTURE, UH, THAT PROCESS FOR THE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT, UH, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD, UH, GO NOT HAVE TO GET A SPECIAL PERMIT, WOULD ONLY APPLY FOR ADUS WITHIN THE HOUSE? SO THAT WOULD NOT APPLY TO AN A DU, THAT'S A SEPARATE STRUCTURE.
UM, JUST GENERALLY, WOULD TAXES GO UP PER THE ANSWER IS YES.
I I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT FORMULA THAT I HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN RIGHT NOW, BUT THE VALUE OF A HOME WOULD RISE WHEN IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE.
THAT'S A GENERAL RULE OF THUMB.
AND CERTAINLY WITH INVESTMENT FOR AN A DU OF SOME SORT, UH, YOU SHOULD, IT WOULD BE PRESUMED, THE TAXES WILL DEFINITELY GO UP.
UM, AS FAR AS TRANSFER OR SALE OF THE HOUSE, WHEN ONE HAS AN A DU IN THAT HOUSE, THERE'S DISCLOSURE SECTION AND THANKS TO THE LEGAL TEAM ON FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
[01:50:01]
BUT THERE'S DISCLOSURE TO THE RESIDENCE WHEN THE HOUSE IS INTENDED TO BE SOLD.THERE'S DISCLOSURE TO FUTURE BUYERS.
UM, AND, AND THERE'S, THERE'S PROVISIONS FOR VARIOUS CONTINGENCIES THAT COULD HAPPEN THERE.
UH, HYPOTHETICAL APPROACHING THE ONE YEAR, UH, SUNSET ACTIVE APPLICATION, LET'S SAY IT GETS APPROVED BY THE PLANNING BOARD.
UH, AND LET'S SAY THE TOWNS BOARD DECIDES FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, TO, TO NOT, UH, CONTINUE ON WITH THE A DU LAW THAT APPROVED A DU WOULD BE CONSIDERED GRANDFATHER, YOU WOULD HAVE RIGHTS FOR UP TO A YEAR TO ACTUALLY BUILD YOUR A DU AND, UM, THAT A DU WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED.
SO IF THE TOWN BOARD CHOOSES AFTER A FIRST YEAR OF SUNSET, UH, TO NOT TO DISCONTINUE THE PROGRAM, THERE WOULD BE A GRANDFATHERING OF, OF, UH, THAT INVESTMENT THAT WOULD WOULD MAKE ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, UH, FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT GREATER THAN OR LESS THAN I DO WANNA JUST RECITE, AND THIS IS WITH RESPECT TO MAXIMUM, UH, A DUI INDICATED MY PRESENTATION, THE LOW END IS 400 SQUARE FEET.
THE HIGH END IS 800 SQUARE FEET.
THERE IS A, A PROVISION HERE THAT I WANNA READ.
THE MAXIMUM GROSS FLOOR AREA SHALL NOT EXCEED 800 SQUARE FEET GROSS FLOOR AREA OF THE PRINCIPAL DWELLING UNIT, WHICHEVER IS GREATER FOR ADU CONTAINED WITHIN THE PRINCIPAL DWELLING.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO STATE AT THIS TIME.
I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK EVERYBODY FOR PARTICIPATING.
YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING, UH, WHEN EVERYBODY'S WORRIED ABOUT DEMOCRACY, THIS IS LIKE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF DEMOCRACY AT ITS BEST BECAUSE EVERYBODY EXPRESSED THEMSELVES, PEOPLE HAD DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS.
UM, THERE WASN'T BOOING, YELLING, INSULTING EACH OTHER.
AND, UH, THIS IS THE WAY OUR, UM, DEMOCRACY, UH, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WORK WHERE WE COULD HAVE CIVIL, UH, DISCUSSIONS.
AND, UM, AND THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL REFLECT ON THE COMMENTS AND, UH, WE'LL MAKE A DECISION, UM, HOPEFULLY, UH, IN THE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT, WE WERE ASKED A DIRECT QUESTION.
UH, SO ACTUALLY THE LAST TIME WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING, WE HEARD QUITE A BIT ABOUT THIS MOTHER DAUGHTER TYPE SET UP INSIDE AN EXISTING HOUSE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE FAMILY FRIENDLY PROVISIONS WAS ACTUALLY ADDED.
THAT WAS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, UH, TO, UH, TO ADDRESS THAT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE TAKING IT EVEN FURTHER.
PERHAPS WE HEARD ONE OBJECTION TO GOING TO A FAMILY RELATED DEFINITION OF FAMILY, RIGHT? UM, BUT FRANKLY, THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE HAD IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG IS IF YOU HAVE ONE KITCHEN, YOU'RE A ONE FAMILY.
IF YOU HAVE TWO KITCHENS, YOU'RE A TWO FAMILY.
IF YOU HAVE THREE KITCHENS, YOU'RE A THREE FAMILY.
AND WE KNOW THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO IN, IN THEIR CULTURE, THEY HAVE A SECOND KITCHEN, GENERALLY IN THE BASEMENT, UH, THAT THEY ACTUALLY USE FOR COOKING.
UH, THERE ARE SOME RELIGIOUS REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE TWO KITCHENS.
UH, BUT THAT'S NOT ALLOWED IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
SOMEBODY SAID THAT THEY WENT, WENT, THEN THEY MOVED IN.
IT WAS A MOTHER DAUGHTER, BUT IT HAD TO GET RIPPED OUT BECAUSE I HAVE NO DOUBT THEY'RE IN A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE.
AND THE TOWN OF GREENBURG CONSTITUTES A FAMILY AS A KITCHEN, RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A DEFINITION OF FAMILY, WHICH IS IN OUR CODE, WHICH HAS SURVIVED COURT CHALLENGE, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, TO ADDRESS FAMILY.
SO IT MAY BE THAT WE'RE STILL THINKING THIS THROUGH, THAT YOU CAN HAVE TWO KITCHENS IF YOU'RE A FAMILY.
AND THE FAMILY DEFINITION OF FAMILY IS FAIRLY BROAD, AS YOU'LL SEE WHEN YOU READ THE LEGISLATION.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN YOU HAVE TO HAVE A, A, YOU KNOW, TWO SPOUSES OR, OR YOU KNOW, BY BLOOD.
UH, AT SOME POINT THERE'S A REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT YOU'RE NO LONGER A FAMILY WHEN THE THING GETS TOO BIG.
BUT FOR A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UM, THE DEFINITION, DEFINITION OF THIS FAMILY IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE A DOMESTIC PARTNER OR WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE MARRIED OR YOU JUST LIVE TOGETHER.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CON WE'RE ALSO THINKING OF.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO EVEN DEAL WITH THE IDEA OF A DU.
IF YOU CAN HAVE THE EGRESS, WHICH IS NOT GONNA BE EASY FOR MANY PEOPLE,
[01:55:01]
RIGHT? YOU THINK, OH, I JUST PUT A-A-A-D-U IN MY BASEMENT.IT HAS TO BE, IF IT'S, IF IT'S EXISTING, SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY'RE ILLEGAL ONES.
OUR BUILDING INSPECTOR IS GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT'S WAS DONE CORRECTLY, WHICH MAY MEAN YOU GOTTA TAKE DOWN THE WALLS AND EXPOSE THE, THE WIRING AND THE PLUMBING AND PUT THE WALLS BACK UP.
SO THERE'S NO EASY SOLUTION HERE REGARDING ASSESSMENTS.
THE AS ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON HOW MUCH IMPROVEMENT DID YOU DO TO THE PROPERTY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO MUCH IMPROVEMENT TO HAVE YOUR FAMILY FRIENDLY A DU WELL THAT'S GONNA GET TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT IF YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GUT THE BASEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, CARVE OUT WINDOW WELLS THAT YOU CAN GET EGRESS FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT GETS FACTORED IN.
SO ASSESSMENTS ARE DEFINITELY GONNA INCREASE.
I KNOW SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE JUST EXEMPT PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, TO MAKE THEM AFFORDABLE, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CODE ABOUT AFFORDABILITY FOR ADUS, NOTHING IN THE CODE.
UM, BUT WHY DON'T WE JUST EXEMPT THEM? WELL, THAT MEANS EVERYBODY ELSE IS PICKING UP THAT TAX, RIGHT? AND IF THEY HAVE TWO KIDS OR THREE KIDS, EVERYBODY'S PICKING UP, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL.
SO THERE'S A BALANCING ACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, AND, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO PUT SOME SAFEGUARDS IN THERE, AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST YEAR TO SEE ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK OR AREN'T WE? AND SO WHY ARE THERE LIMITS? IT'S BECAUSE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S APPROPRIATE, WHAT'S NOT, AS OPPOSED TO JUST GOING FORTH WITH, UM, JUST LET ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO, REGARDLESS SIZE OF THE LOT, UH, YOU START PUTTING ADUS ON, ON YOSEMITE OR YOSEMITE DEPENDING ON WHAT PART OF TOWN YOU'RE FROM.
UH, THERE'S NO PARKING THERE NOW.
SO WHERE ARE THEY GONNA GET THE OFF STREET PARKING? IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE.
BUT THOSE, ALL OF THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BUT I DID WANNA ADDRESS THAT THE BARONES GOT UP AT THE LAST MEETING AND THEY TALKED ABOUT EXTENSIVELY, YOU KNOW, FAMILY FRIENDLY.
AND WE MAY NOT QUITE YET, YET HAVE IT, RIGHT, BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER ONE.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO ADDRESS THAT ONE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THAT.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE AN OBJECTION TO HAVING A SECOND DWELLING IN THE BACKYARD, AND IT'S GOING, YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY GONNA, WHOEVER IS DOING, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA DO IT AS CLOSE AS THEY CAN TO THEIR NEIGHBORS, SO IT'S NOT SO CLOSE TO THEIR PRINCIPAL HOUSE AND IT'S ACCESSORY SETBACK AS OPPOSED TO A PRINCIPAL SETBACK.
SO, UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE WE CAN DO THIS PERHAPS IN STEPS, PERHAPS NOT.
UH, BUT LET'S SEE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE EVERY, ALL YOUR COMMENTS BACK, WORK ON THEM, HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING, AND YOU CAN TELL US WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, IT GOT BETTER OR GOT WORSE OR WHATEVER.
BUT I DID WANT TO ADDRESS PARTICULARLY, UH, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, THE MOTHER DAUGHTER TYPE OF THING.
SO WE'RE GONNA ADJOURN THIS TILL JULY.
SHE HAD A QUESTION FOR EACH OF US YOU SAID WE WOULD ANSWER AFTER THE HEARING WAS DONE.
BUT WE, THE REST OF US ARE HERE.
I DID, I EXPLAINED WHY WE HAVE SAFEGUARDS IN, IN THE, SUCH AS 10,000 AND 20,000 SQUARE FEET.
YEAH, I'M SORRY, BUT THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION.
WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT IS YOUR, YOUR, WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN PASSING THIS LAW AND HOW DOES THE CURRENT VERSION ADDRESS THAT PURPOSE? THAT'S THE QUESTION.
THAT WASN'T YOUR QUESTION, ACTUALLY, THAT WASN'T YOUR QUESTION.
YOU ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LOT SIZE.
YOU ASKED THIS, THAT WAS, IT WAS ABOUT, IT WAS ABOUT LOT SIZE, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LOT SIZE.
IT, IT WAS, IT WAS STATED, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS LAW AND HOW DOES THIS CURRENT VERSION WITH THAT 10,000 SQUARE FOOT REQUIREMENT TO MEET THAT INTENT? SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN BY MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE, WHO BOUGHT INTO A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE WITH AN EXPECTATION THAT IT WOULD STAY A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE.
HOW DO WE ADD A DS TO THAT SINGLE FAMILY ZONE WITHOUT IMPACTING THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? AS MR. SIMON SAID, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IS IF YOU HAVE OFF STREET PARKING, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT, ADDITIONAL OFF STREET PARKING, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA PUT IT, IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY, A FAMILY FRIENDLY A DU, AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIVING THERE, YOU DO, WHAT MANY PEOPLE DO IS EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO THE KEYS.
[02:00:01]
ONE BEHIND THE OTHER, IF YOU HAVE TO GET OUT, YOU TAKE THE KEYS OF THE CAR BEHIND YOU AND YOU JOCKEY THE CARS.IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY RENTING, YOU'RE NOT GONNA WANT TO GIVE YOUR KEYS TO THOSE RENTERS.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE CURB.
HOW DO YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT? WHICH YOU CAN DO IN THIS TOWN IS PAVE OVER THE GRASS IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE.
YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT UP TO 30 FEET, RIGHT? THAT DOESN'T MAINTAIN THE CHARACTER OF THE COMMUNITY.
NOW WE SAY, OH, BUT THE CODE ADDRESSES THAT BECAUSE THERE'S IMPERVIOUS SURFACE.
YEAH, YOU COULD HAVE A LOT OF OPEN SPACE IN THE BACK OF YOUR HOUSE AND THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE YOU NEED.
SO WHILE YOU PAVE OVER THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, WHICH IS WHERE IT'S GOING UP, AND QUITE FRANKLY, AND I NEED ME NO DISRESPECT TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON DOBS RAY ROAD BETWEEN ONE 19 AND A HUNDRED A AND A HUNDRED B, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
AND THAT WAS LEGALLY TWO FAMILY, IT WAS URBAN RENEWAL.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE FRONT OF THOSE HOUSES LOOK LIKE.
IT'S ALL PARKING SPACES DRIVING UP THERE.
YOU DON'T JUST GO OVER HERE, GO DOWN ONE 19, MAKE THE TURN ON DOPPS RAY ROAD, AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT IT, WHAT THE PARKING SITUATION IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TWO FAMILY.
AND I'M NOT FAULTING THEM BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ZONE AT THE TIME.
THE QUESTION IS FOR PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT INTO A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE, IS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU BOUGHT INTO? AND SO THAT'S A CONCERN.
IF WE COULD ADDRESS THAT CONCERN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WE JUST HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT OUT YET.
HOW YOU MIS QUOTE TO ME, I DID NOT MISQUOTE YOU, MISO.
WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE IT UP ANOTHER TIME.
THIS IS WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO.
WELL, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU START THE QUESTION, OKAY, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT DOING A DIALOGUE, WE'RE JUST RESPONDING TO DR.
UH, WELL, LET ME JUST ADDRESS THIS QUESTION.
IF YOU READ THE LAW, IT SAYS THERE'S A PREFERENCE.
IT DOESN'T SAY YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
I DON'T LIKE TO BE MISQUOTED IN WHAT I'M YOU SAYING, I'M MISQUOTING YOU.
I KNOW THE, THE LAW VERY WELL.
IT SAYS THAT THERE'S A PREFERENCE FOR NOT EXPANDING THE DRIVEWAY, ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF THE PRINCIPAL DWELLING.
I KNOW, 'CAUSE I ADDED THAT LANGUAGE.
IF YOU COULD AVOID IT, IF YOU CAN'T AVOID IT, PLANNING BOARD CAN DO THAT.
IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT, LIKE YOU SAID, UH, PUTTING A, A PARKING SPACE IN FRONT OF THE PRINCIPAL, UH, PRINCIPAL DWELLING.
THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN SAYING OUT YOU WOULD MISS.
OKAY, SO I, I'LL I'LL JUST MAKE IT REALLY QUICKLY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD MANY VERSIONS OF THIS LAW, AND THE INTENT IS IT'S A VERY GOOD INTENT.
'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER, UM, ADDITIONAL HOUSING OPTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE FAMILIES THAT ARE CHALLENGED, THEY'RE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE FAMILIES, THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF WHO COME HOME, YOU KNOW, FROM OUTTA STATE OR WANTING TO JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, OR, OR COME HOME TO TAKE CARE, MOM.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE CHALLENGE, THE CHALLENGE WITH THIS LAW IS BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS, WHAT CAN BE PERFECT, WHAT WE CAN MAKE TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.
AND WE KNOW THAT NO LAW WILL EVER DO THAT.
THIS IS WHY I DO APPRECIATE THE THE MANY PUBLIC HE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WE'VE HAD ON THIS LAW.
SO WE CAN DETERMINE WHAT IS GOING TO BE BEST.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE JUST WENT.
DR. ALLEN, YOU AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE LOT SIZE AND UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN AND UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS THAT A LOT OF US, A LOT OF, UM, THE COMMUNITY HAS BROUGHT TO US REGARDS TO THE LOT SIZE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT GINA, AND I'M SPEAKING FOR COUNCILMAN JACKSON, GINA WILL WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT, LOOK AT, ABSOLUTELY.
'CAUSE WE WANNA TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS BEST.
BUT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW ANY LAW THAT'S PERFECT AND THAT'S GONNA BE A PERFECT FIT.
BUT AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE THE DIALOGUE THAT WE ARE HAVING.
SO, DR. ALLEN, TO YOUR, TO YOUR QUESTION WITH REGARDS TO IS WILL THIS LAW DO IT? AND WILL THIS LAW PASS? NOT SURE YET, BECAUSE ONE, I'M LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS THEY'RE RECEIVING FROM YOU TO, AND YOU MEANING THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE WORKABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT WHAT I DO HOPE AT THE END OF ALL THIS, THAT WE DO COME TO SOME AGREEMENT THAT'S GONNA WORK FOR EVERYONE.
I WANTED TO COMMENT WITH REGARDS TO THE SUNSET CLAUSE IN THERE.
THE SUNSET CLAUSE IS SOMETHING THAT WE PUT IN THERE JUST SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE AT AND WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE.
[02:05:01]
THAT MAY CHANGE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT SUNSET LAW MAY BE EXTENDED BECAUSE WE MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE, WE MAY HAVE ENOUGH RESULTS TO SAY, ONE, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD, ONE, WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THIS OR WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THAT.BUT AGAIN, WE RESERVE THAT RIGHT TO DO THAT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE PUT FORWARD IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL AND IT'S GOING TO BE MEANINGFUL FOR EV EVERYONE WHO'S GOING TO BE IMPACTED IS THIS LAW.
AND I'LL GO BACK, NO LAW IS, BUT I HOPE AT THE END OF ALL THIS THAT WE DO FIND SOMETHING THAT ONE, AGAIN, REMEMBER WE DO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH WAS I THINK NINE, NINE YEARS IN THE MAKING.
NINE YEARS IN THE MAKING THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT WAS OUR BLUEPRINT OF WHAT DISUNITY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO I HOPE AGAIN THAT WE COME TO SOME, SOME CONCLUSION OR SOME AGREEMENT FOR EVERYONE.
UM, SO I THINK, UM, MY OPINION MAY DIFFER FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
I DON'T WANT TO BE THE MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE A DU LAW IN NEW YORK STATE OR IN THE COUNTY.
UH, I APPRECIATE THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS HERE.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADUS, THAT WE ARE WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT AND DO NOT GO EXTENDING WITHOUT THE FOOTPRINT THAT A LOWER THRESHOLD FOR SQUARE FOOTAGE MAKES SENSE.
AND I DON'T WANT US TO BE RESTRICTING FAM NOT JUST FAMILIES, PEOPLE.
I'M NOT GONNA, I I'M NOT GONNA DEFINE WHO YOU ARE AS A FAMILY OR THAT'S SO COMPLICATED, RIGHT? WHOEVER YOU ARE, WHETHER YOU WANT TO BE, HAVE SOMEONE RENT, WHETHER YOU WANNA HAVE IT AS A FAMILY, WHATEVER IT IS, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT GOING OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT.
BUT I THINK WE'RE BEING TOO, I DO THINK WE ARE BEING TOO RESTRICTIVE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOVE TO SOMETHING THAT IS LESS.
WE HAVE MODELS FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WHERE THEY'VE PASSED LAWS WITH NO RESTRICTION WHATSOEVER OF LOT SIZE, NONE, NOT PARKING RESTRICTIONS, NOTHING.
NOW I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE DENSITY ISSUES REGARDING PARKING HERE, AND WE HAVE TO ABSOLUTELY ADDRESS THAT.
AND WE'RE NOT LIKE ALL THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
WE HAVE TO BE WHO WE ARE AND LOOK AT OUR OWN THINGS.
BUT THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THEY HAVE RECEIVED ARE SO SMALL.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO, I, I HONESTLY DO NOT BELIEVE IN MY HEART THIS IS GOING TO INUNDATE US.
AND THAT'S WHY WE EXACTLY WHY WE HAVE A SUNSET CLAUSE.
BECAUSE IF IT DOES OVERWHELM US AND WE ARE FINDING THAT THIS IS NOT WORKING FOR US, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE IT.
SO I'D RATHER START WITH BEING A LITTLE MORE PERMISSIVE AND CHANGING THAT TO MAKE IT, IF THAT DOESN'T WORK MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN DOING IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
THAT'S, AND IF I MAY, MY VIEW, UM, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT A, A REFERENCING WHAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HAVER SAID, VIS-A-VIS THE NUMBER OF UNITS IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, A NUMBER OF THOSE MUNICIPALITIES ARE CONSIDERABLY SMALLER.
SO THE, THE 20 LIMITATION IS NOT UNREALISTIC.
AND, UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UH, JUMP ON WHAT COUNCILWOMAN JACKSON SAID AND SAY, NO, NO LAW'S PERFECT.
I'D RATHER I'D SAY THAT NO ONE IS GONNA BE COMPLETELY HAPPY WITH THE FINAL RESULT.
AND WE ARE JUST DOING THE BEST AND REALLY LISTENING AND HEARING WHAT EVERYONE HAS TO SAY.
AND WE WILL TRY, WE'LL USE OUR BEST COLLECTIVE JUDGMENT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE COMMISSIONER, UM, AND OUR ATTORNEY TO COME UP WITH THE LAW THAT CREATES THE BEST SOLUTION THAT WE CAN SEE FOR NOW.
AND THEN AS WE GO ALONG, UH, UH, REITERATING THE SUNSET CLAUSE, WE WILL LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE WHETHER THAT SUNSET CLAUSE, UM, IS JUST A YEAR'S DURATION OR MAYBE WE DECIDE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL DECIDE TO.
AND YOU KNOW, I BASICALLY, UM, WOULD JUST LIKE TO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, UH, ADU HAVE BEEN SUBJECT OF DEBATES, UH, IN MANY COMMUNITIES IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, INCLUDING, UM, UH, GREENBERG, UH, UNIT VILLAGES AND EVERY COMMUNITY THAT HAS CONSIDERED THIS IS ALWAYS CONTROVERSY.
AND WHAT I'VE FOUND, UM, IS THAT IN MOST COMMUNITIES, UM, AFTER THEY HAVE THE ADS, IT'S LIKE A NON, YOU KNOW, EVENT.
UM, UH, THE PROPOSED LAW WOULD HAVE, UM, A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF ADU THAT COULD BE APPROVED IN ANY GIVEN, UH, YEAR, WHAT'S THE NUMBER? UH, 2020,
[02:10:02]
RIGHT? BUT 20 WOULD BE LIKE THE MAXIMUM, UH, THROUGHOUT A TOWN OF OVER 40,000, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SO 20 OUT OF 40.SO IT'S NOT GONNA OVERWHELM, YOU KNOW, ANY COMMUNITY.
I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, IT SHOULD BE LESS RESTRICTIVE.
UM, BECAUSE I FEEL THAT, UM, WE, THIS IS SORT OF A TEST RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN A FINAL, UM, UNI VERSION.
AND I FEEL THAT IF WE, UH, IF WE APPROVE AN A DU LAW, UM, AND WE ALLOW, UM, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SMALLER LOT SIZES, UM, WE COULD THEN FIND OUT THE IMPACTS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A YEAR FROM NOW AFTER A SUNSET PROVISION IS, IS DONE, WE COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS WORKS, IT DOESN'T WORK, AND WE COULD DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, I WALK AROUND THE POOL AND I TALK TO PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY WEEKEND I CHAT WITH PEOPLE AT SUPERMARKETS AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS REALLY SURPRISED, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO STAY IN GREENBURG, UM, AND THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE.
UM, SO I SORT OF FEEL THAT FOR ME, UH, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL IS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY, UM, CAN'T AFFORD TO STAY IN THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, TO HELP THEM OUT BY GIVING THEM, YOU KNOW, SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
OR THERE'S SOMEBODY LIKE, YOU KNOW, TERRY PAVONE AND YOU KNOW, HIS, UM, HIS DAUGHTER.
IF WE COULD MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER, I THINK THAT IT'S WORTH AT LEAST TESTING IT OUT.
IT DOESN'T WORK, YOU KNOW, 20 HOMES IN ONE YEAR, OUT OF MAXIMUM, IT PROBABLY WOULD BE LIKE 10 HOMES OUT OF, UH, 45,000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GONNA DESTROY THE TOWN.
IT'S NOT GONNA HAVE ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT.
AND IF IT DOES WORK, UM, WE'VE REALLY MADE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION.
I DO HAVE A, A COMMENT 'CAUSE I WANT TO CLARIFY.
SO I'VE HEARD TWICE NOW TONIGHT THAT WE HAVE THE MOST RESTRICTIVE A DU LAW THERE IS IN NEW YORK STATE.
THE LETTER THAT WENT OUT SAID THAT 50% OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN WESTCHESTER HAVE A DU LAWS.
THAT MEANS 50% DO NOT, THE MOST RESTRICTIVE A DU LAW IS TO NOT ALLOW THEM AT ALL.
WE ARE ENTERTAINING THE POSSIBILITY, THE LIKELIHOOD OF ENTERTAINING THEM TO HAVE THEM.
SO WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO BAN THEM.
I THINK THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A DESIRE FOR SOME FORM OF A DU, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE MISLED THAT OF ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES IN IN NEW YORK STATE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE MOST RESTRICTIVE BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY CONSIDERING ADOPTING SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS THEM, WHERE AT LEAST IN WESTCHESTER, ACCORDING TO WHAT WE PUT OUT, 50% OF THE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, I THINK IT WAS CLEAR THAT OF THE ONES WHO HAVE LAWS, NOT THE ONES WHO DON'T, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE ONES WHO DON'T, DON'T HAVE LAWS.
SO THAT'S THE MOST RESTRICTIVE FRAME.
NOW WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DID YOU CLOSE NEED TO CLOSE THE HEARING? UH, WE'RE NOT CLOSING THE HEARING.
WE'RE ADJOURNING THE HEARING AJOUR, YOU NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION THE MOTION MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN THE HEARING TO JULY 9TH.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT Advance signup is required. A continuous five minute limit per speaker will be strictly enforced. The clock will start when a speaker begins speaking and will not be stopped for any reason until the speaker is finished or five minutes has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Interruptions by Town Board members, the Town Clerk or the public will not be permitted. If a speaker insists on an immediate answer, should an answer be provided, it shall be part of the speaker's five minute allocation and not be interrupted. There will not be a second five minute round. Any written comments sent to PublicComment@GreenburghNY.com by 4 PM the day of the hearing will be forwarded to all Town Board members in advance of the meeting for their consideration. Written comments will not be read at the meeting unless the original author is present to do so.]
NOW WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING.AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, STEVEN GREENFELD.
AND, AND JUST A REMINDER, THE FIVE MINUTE RULE APPLIES TO PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL, AND THERE WILL BE ONE ROUND.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
AND, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, BEARING WITH US.
WHILE IT'S A VERY LATE EVENING FOR ALL OF US, UH, MY NAME IS STEVEN GREENFELD.
I'M TALKING TO TALKING TO YOU TONIGHT AS A RESIDENT OF ARLEY, BUT ALSO AS THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE ARDSLEY C CORPS VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS, WHERE I AM ALSO A, AN 11 YEAR MEMBER, ALMOST AN 11 YEAR MEMBER, AS WELL AS I SIT ON THE EMS ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR KEN JENKINS.
AND I PREVIOUSLY SAT ON THE EMS ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR GEORGE LATIMER AND I PARTICIPATED, UH, QUITE A BIT IN GETTING THE RECENT REAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION LAWS PASSED FOR VOLUNTEER FIRST RESPONDERS ACROSS WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
TONIGHT WE WANT TO TALK WITH YOU AND YOU CAN SEE I HAVE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE WITH ME ABOUT, UH, THE EXEMPTIONS THAT WE FEEL THAT WE'RE ENTITLED TO, THAT THE TOWN IS NOW DENYING FOR OUR MEMBERSHIP THAT RESIDES IN THE ARDSLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT NOT IN THE VILLAGE OF ARDSLEY.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE WE HAVE THE WORD ARDSLEY IN THE NAME OF THE AMBULANCE COURT, WE ARE IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH THE VILLAGE OF ARDSLEY.
WE ARE SEPARATE 5 0 1 C3 CORPORATION NONPROFIT, AND WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST
[02:15:01]
SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTEER AGENCIES OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.AND WE ARE NOT BOUNDED BY THE BOUNDARIES OF THE VILLAGE OF LEY.
OUR BOUNDARIES ARE DECIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OF NEW YORK STATE.
AND NEW YORK STATE HAS PROVIDED US AN OPERATING CERTIFICATE, WHICH SPECIFICALLY DENOTES OUR OPERATING AREA AS THE ARDSLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SEVERAL MILES OF THE NEW YORK STATE THROUGHWAY.
SO FOR OVER TWO DECADES, WE HAVE RECRUITED AND PROVIDED TAX RELIEF BENEFITS UNDER GREENBERG'S REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR OUR MEMBERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE ARDSLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SUDDENLY THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT IS BEING TESTED, UH, FOR OUR MEMBERS WHO RESIDE OUTSIDE OF THE VILLAGE, BUT WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY OUR MEMBERS ARE BEING DENIED, UH, THEIR BENEFITS THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO UNDER THE LAW BY A PHONE CALL WITHOUT GETTING ANY WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF WHY THEIR, UH, EXEMPT, WHY THEIR EXEMPTIONS ARE BEING DENIED.
WE'VE PROVIDED THE TOWN WITH THE OPERATING CERTIFICATE THAT DEMONSTRATES WHAT OUR BOUNDARIES REALLY ARE, AND WE'RE PROVING THROUGH PROPERTY CARDS THAT OUR PEOPLE RESIDE WITHIN THE AREA THAT THEY SERVE.
UNDER YOUR CURRENT REAL PROPERTY LAW THAT GREENBERG ADOPTED, WE HAVE A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE IN, SERVE IN THE SAME COMMUNITY.
THE COUNTY, THE STATE, AND THE COUNTY HAVE ALREADY ENACTED LAWS THAT ACTUALLY EXPAND THAT.
AND EVERY COMMUNITY AROUND US IS TRYING TO EXPAND PARTICIPATION OF VOLUNTEERISM IN FIRST RESPONDERS.
BUT YOUR CURRENT LAW SAYS THERE'S A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT.
OUR PEOPLE ARE MEETING THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT OF BEING WITHIN, LIVING WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND VOLUNTEERING WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO ALL OF THE PEOPLE YOU SEE WITH VEK SHIRTS HERE ARE REPRESENTED BECAUSE WE ARE VERY, VERY DISTURBED.
WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT VOLUNTEER AGENCY.
WE RELY ON PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IN ORDER TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN OUR VOLUNTEERS AND PROVIDE A VERY STRONG PUBLIC SAFETY COMPONENT TO NOT JUST THE VILLAGE OF ARDSLEY, BUT THE ARDSLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND WITH MUTUAL AID TO EVERYONE AROUND US, WE NEED YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS SITUATION.
I'M GONNA GO AS FAR AS TO SAY THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH EXEMPTIONS IS ILLEGAL UNDER THE CURRENT LAW.
AND I WOULD LOVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THAT PRIVATELY WITH ALL OF YOU AND NOT TAKE UP THE TOWN'S TIME.
BUT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR WEEKS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, AND THIS WAS THE ONLY AVENUE AVAILABLE TO US.
SO I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT, NEXT WE HAVE GREG OV WE, BASED ON THE HEARING, I THINK WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEER AND BASE AGENCIES AS POPULATION GROWS.
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD, UM, SUPERVISOR FINER.
I'M A PAST CAPTAIN OF THE LEY C CORPS VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE COURT, ASZ VK FOR SHORT, AND I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT ASZ V TONIGHT.
FOR OVER 20 YEARS, ASZ V VOLUNTEERS WHO LIVE IN ARDSLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN THE VILLAGE OF ARDSLEY PROPER, HAVE RECEIVED A MODEST PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION WHILE SMALL, IT WAS A MEANINGFUL GESTURE.
ONE OF THE ONLY WAYS THAT TOWN HAS SHOWN APPRECIATION FOR THE CRITICAL WORK THESE VOLUNTEERS DO.
AZ ANSWERS EMERGENCY CALLS 24 7 THROUGHOUT THE ARDSLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT VOLUNTEERS.
EVERY ONE OF US DOES THIS ON TOP OF FULL-TIME JOBS.
WE GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, LEAVE OUR FAMILIES AT MOMENT'S NOTICE AND RESPOND IN THE WORST CONDITIONS.
ALL BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS, THE LEAST THE TOWN CAN DO IS TO SAY THANK YOU.
WE ALSO TRADE COUNT TRAIN COUNTLESS YOUNG PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM GO ON TO BECOME DOCTORS, NURSES, EMTS, AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS.
WITHOUT SUPPORT THAT MENTORSHIP PIPELINE RISKS FADING AWAY TOO.
THIS IS A SMALL TOWN, PEOPLE KNOW ONE ANOTHER, AND WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG, THERE'S A COMFORT IN SEEING A FAMILIAR FACE, A NEIGHBOR SHOWING UP IN UNIFORM.
THAT CONNECTION CANNOT BE REPLACED BY RANDOM PARAMEDIC FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD, DON'T TAKE THIS AWAY.
STAND WITH THE VOLUNTEERS WHO NEVER HESITATE TO STAND UP FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS.
I AM AN LEY RESIDENT AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE AZ AQ BOARD OF GOVERNORS.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY JUST ADD TO THE COMMENTS, UH, PUT FORTH BY MY COLLEAGUES.
UH, I SPECIFICALLY WANNA HONE IN A LITTLE BIT ON THE LAW
[02:20:01]
ISSUE SO WE COULD GET TO THE CRUX OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.UM, THE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION BENEFITS FOR VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS MEMBERS IN NEW YORK STATE IS FAIRLY CLEARLY SET FORTH IN SECTION 4 66 A OF THE NEW YORK REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW.
UH, THAT'S A LAW THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED BY GREENBERG AS WELL AS ALL SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO STATE AND SUGGEST THAT THAT'S THE CONTROLLING STATUTE THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT HERE FOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BENEFITS THAT WOULD APPLY OR NOT APPLY TO VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF AVAC AND OTHER VS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE SECTION OF THAT PROPERTY TAX LAW THAT DEALS WITH THE BENEFITS SPECIFICALLY IMPOSES A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT.
AND THAT RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT SIMPLY SETS FORTH THAT THE VOLUNTEER'S PROPERTY NEEDS TO BE SITUATED IN THE CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE SERVICED BY THE AMBULANCE CORPS IN WHICH THEY ARE A MEMBER.
WE RECENTLY HAD TWO PETITIONS BY AVAC MEMBERS DENIED FOR EXEMPTION BENEFITS, PRESUMABLY ON THE BASIS OF RESIDENCY.
WE'VE NEVER GOTTEN A A CLEAR STORY AS TO WHY THE TOWN WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR APPLICATIONS, BUT WE'VE HEARD ANECDOTALLY THAT THAT'S THE CONCERN.
WE'VE NEVER FACED THAT ISSUE BEFORE.
IT'S CLEAR, AT LEAST TO THE MEMBERS OF ASBA, THAT THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS WERE EASILY MET BY THOSE MEMBERS.
IN FACT, BOTH OF THEM MAINTAIN RESIDENCES SQUARELY WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE SERVICE AREA.
THAT'S, UH, THAT'S SERVICED BY ASBA, THAT SERVICE AREA SET FORTH SPECIFICALLY BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN OUR OPERATING CERTIFICATE.
UH, AND IMPORTANTLY THAT OPERATING CERTIFICATE ESTABLISHES THAT OUR SERVICE AREA, AS, AS STEVE POINTED OUT, THE JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDS OF THAT AREA, ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE VILLAGE OF LEY.
THEY CLEARLY ENCOMPASSED THE ENTIRETY OF THE LEY SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS SURROUNDING AREAS.
AND IF THERE WERE ANY DOUBT TO THAT FACT, YOU COULD SIMPLY LOOK BACK TO THE SERVICE RECORDS OF LEY, UH, OF THE YARDLEY VAC.
GOING BACK TO 1962, WE CLEARLY COVER MORE THAN THE VILLAGE.
JUDGE GREENBERG HAS CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD AND APPLIED SECTION 4 66 A FOR OVER TWO DECADES WE'RE DISHEARTENED AND PUZZLED BY THE TOWN'S SUDDEN MISINTERPRETATION OF THE LAW.
WE WOULD ASK THAT THE BOARD REVISIT ITS INTERPRETATION OF SECTION 4 66 A AND RESTORE THIS CRUCIAL RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION BENEFIT FOR BOTH AS AQ AND OUR VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION, MR. ERIC LINSLEY.
I LIVE IN HARTSDALE NEW YORK IN, UH, MANOR WOODS.
UH, I'D JUST LIKE, I WOULD THANK YOU MR. SHEEN FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING CLEAR ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THE INTENT WAS HERE AND ALL THAT.
UH, I JUST WANT TO FUR, YOU KNOW, FURTHER SAY THAT THIS, THIS SHOULD BENEFIT THE TAXPAYERS IN GENERAL, NOT JUST A FEW.
UM, AND THE, MY OTHER QUESTION WAS ABOUT WHAT WILL THE NEIGHBORS HAVE A SAY IF, IF MY NEIGHBOR WANTS TO DO THIS? WILL I, WILL I HAVE A SAY IN IT? I'M SORRY.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE A DU LAW.
OH, THIS STENOGRAPHER IS LEFT.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO EITHER PUT YOUR COMMENTS IN WRITING AND SUBMIT THEM OR COME TO THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAD CALLED FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE A DU, LIKE THAT, THAT WAS THE COMMENT SECTION.
NO, NO, BUT IF YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR COMMENTS, YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR COMMENTS.
IT WON'T BE IN THE RECORD THEN.
IT WON'T, WHY DON'T WE, UH, UH, HE COULD MAKE THE COMMENTS AND WE COULD MAKE A MOTION THAT HIS COMMENTS COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD.
WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST, BUT WE DON'T HAVE NO, WE COULD, THEY, THIS STENOGRAPHER COULD TAKE A LISTEN AND THEN WE'LL PUT IT IN THE RECORD.
WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST, UH, DOWN ATTORNEY.
I, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE FINE AS LONG AS YOU REVIEWED A RECORD AND SAY, STATE THAT, THAT WHAT THE WORD SAID AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT SUBMITTED TO THE RECORD.
BUT YOU'RE, WE ARE GOING THROUGH TIME QUICKLY HERE, SO, ALRIGHT.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO STILL WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE A DU LAW? OKAY, I DID LET HIM SAVE IT FOR THE NEXT.
WELL, IS EVERYONE CLEAR? WE CLOSED THE HEARING ON THAT.
YOU COULD CONTINUE AND THEN YOU COULD, YOU COULD REPEAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AT THE NEXT MEETING ON JULY 9TH.
YOU COULD SAY IT TWICE, BUT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S NEW AND NOVEL WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO HEAR IT SO THAT WE COULD WORK IT INTO WHATEVER CHANGES WE HAVE.
SO WHEN YOU WANT TO CUT A TREE DOWN, YOU HAVE TO GET THE NEIGHBOR'S APPROVAL.
I THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT'S DONE.
[02:25:01]
THAT THIS WOULD BE THE SAME IN THIS CASE? UH, IS THAT, IS THAT TRUE? IS THAT IN THE LAW? IS THAT IN, IN THE PROPOSED LAW? YOU FINISH YOUR COMMENTS.I'LL ANSWER IT WHEN YOU'RE DONE.
WHAT THAT I'M, IF YOU, IF YOU ASK ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, I'LL ANSWER IT AT THE END.
UM, SINCE OUR COMMISSIONER SEEMS TO HAVE, UH, OKAY.
GOTTEN ON THE ROAD, MAYBE NOT.
AND IS THERE, IS IT TOTALLY UP TO THE, THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER TO PAY FOR ALL THE UPGRADES TO ELECTRIC, GAS AND WATER AND SEWER, I GUESS IS THE OTHER THING I HAD TO ASK.
IF YOU'RE DONE WELL, WE WILL ANSWER ONCE YOU YIELD YOUR TIME.
SO THE ANSWER IS THAT, UH, THE NEIGHBORS DON'T GET VETO POWER OVER WHETHER OR NOT THE, THE NEIGHBOR NEXT TO THEM, UH, PUTS UP AN A DU OR NOT.
YOU DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD WHO WILL BE REVIEWING THIS AND MAKE YOUR COMMENTS TO THE PLANNING BOARD AND MAYBE CONVINCE THEM IT'S NOT IN THE CHARACTER OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT THE NEIGHBORS DON'T GET, AND THE NEIGHBORS WILL GET NOTICE BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A, UH, A SPECIAL PERMIT, UM, IF YOU LIVE WITHIN 250 FEET.
BUT, UH, DON'T THINK THAT YOU, IF YOUR NEIGHBOR WANTS TO PUT UP AN A DU, YOU CAN JUST SHOW UP AND SAY, I DON'T WANT IT.
AND THEY CAN'T HAVE AN A DU REGARDING WHO PAYS FOR THE UPGRADES.
THE OWNER IS GONNA PAY FOR ALL THESE UPGRADES.
IF THEY WANT AN A DU, THEY, THEY'VE GOTTA PUT IT IN.
AND THE MORE IT ENHANCES YOUR PROPERTY, THE MORE IT WILL, UH, THE MORE IT WILL, UM, RAISE, LIKELY RAISE YOUR TAXES IF IT, IF THE ASSESSOR THINKS IT'S GONNA RAISE THE, UH, SELLING PRICE OF YOUR, OF YOUR, OF YOUR HOME.
THE VALUE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ALSO CONSIDER WHEN WE FINALIZE, UH, THE SECOND ANOTHER DRAFT, UM, SAYING THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY, IF WE DO IT, IT'S GONNA BE A TEST AND THERE'S GONNA BE LIMITS, AS THE COMMISSIONER SAYS, IT'S GONNA BE A MAXIMUM OF 20 HOMES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE, UH, TOWN.
SO WE MIGHT WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, UH, FOR THE FIRST YEAR, UM, THERE COULD BE NO MORE THAN ONE SAY IN A, ON, YOU KNOW, ON A STREET.
AND THEN WE COULD SEE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE COULD LIMIT THE, THE NUMBERS.
SO THIS WAY IT'S NOT GONNA OVERWHELM, UH, YOU KNOW, A, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT DOING A BRAINSTORMING.
NO, BUT I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, HE MADE A SUGGESTION.
I'M, I, I, YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TALKING OUT LOUD BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A VALID POINT.
DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? ANYTHING DIFFERENT? I, I JUST WANT, BECAUSE ARE WE GONNA HAVE A BACK AND FORTH OR WE HAVE THE C COURT HERE AM POLICE COURT.
ARE YOU SURE? BECAUSE YOU PLEASE 'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN HERE ALL NIGHT.
I JUST PURCHASED A HOME IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE A DI AM IN SUPPORT OF THEM, BUT ONE OF MY ISSUES IS THE LAW REQUIREMENT.
I UNDERSTAND NO LAW IS PERFECT, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME.
I'VE WATCHED THE VIDEO RECORDINGS ABOUT THE WHOLE HEARINGS, AND I'VE HEARD THE COMMISSIONER'S EXPLANATION OF WHY IS 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND PER MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PARKING CONCERNS.
BUT THEN I HAVE A SITUATION WHERE MY HOME IS, WE HAVE THE SAME STREET AS A HOUSE THAT HAS 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
I MEAN, IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT MINE DOESN'T IN TERMS OF THE LOT.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT, IS IT DIFFERENT ABOUT THE SAME STREET THAT WE'RE SHARING THAT WOULD ALLOW MY NEIGHBOR TO HAVE ONE AND NOT MYSELF.
BUT THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
SO IT'S A LITTLE UNFAIR IN THAT SENSE, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
SO IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO DO AS WELL.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE TAX IMPLICATIONS.
UM, IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT SOME HOMES ARE CLASSIFIED ALREADY AS TWO 15, MEANING SINGLE FAMILY WITH AN ACCESSORY APARTMENT.
WHEN THERE ARE NO TWO KITCHENS IN THAT HOME IN THE TAX SHEET, IT DOES READ TWO KITCHENS, EVEN THOUGH THE HOME DOESN'T HAVE ONE IN SINGLE FAMILY ZONES.
THEREFORE, IF THIS GOES THROUGH, HOW ARE THOSE HOMES GONNA BE HANDLED? ARE THOSE HOMES GOING TO INCREASE IN TAXES AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ALREADY ARE LOOKED AT BY THE TOWN AS HAVING AN ACCESSORY APARTMENT? SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK OUT.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANTED TO CLARIFY.
SO WE DON'T CURRENTLY ALLOW ACCESSORY APARTMENTS.
IF SOMEBODY HAS AN ACCESSORY APARTMENT, IT'S LIKELY ILLEGAL.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO DO IS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR TOWN ASSESSOR.
UM, WHO, I DON'T, I THINK SHE'S AWAY NEXT WEEK, BUT SHE'S, IF YOU COULD, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER AND SHE COULD EXPLAIN ALL THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE THINGS, UH, BETTER THAN WE CAN DO IT FROM THE DAY.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND FROM LIKE TAX PERSPECTIVE, WHY IS IT OKAY TO CLASSIFY A HOME LIKE THAT ONE? YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CLASSIFIED THAT WAY.
[02:30:01]
AT THIS POINT, IT'S NOT A DISCUSSION, SO, OKAY.BUT THAT'S, I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD BE HANDLED.
NO, BUT, BUT, BUT AS COUNCILMAN SHEHAN SAID, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE ASSESSOR BECAUSE SHE HA SHE, SHE HAS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO BREAK DOWN AND UNDER AND HAVE YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR ASSESSMENT AND WHAT'S, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SHE HAS AN AMAZING COMPUTER WITH, WITH AN AMAZING SCREEN, AND SHE CAN PULL UP EVERYBODY'S ZONING AND EVERYBODY'S WHAT THEY HAVE ON THEIR PROPERTIES.
IF WE, LISA, GET BACK TO THE C CORPS.
AT LEAST I'M EARLIER THIS TIME.
I WAS HERE 20 YEARS AGO WHEN THIS WAS GOING IN.
AND IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO LOOK BACK THROUGH THE RECORDS, IT WAS ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING WHEN IT GOT APPROVED.
WE HAD, ODDSLY HAS ALWAYS BEEN OTHER AREAS.
WE HAVE PARTS OF DOPPS FERRY, WE HAVE PARTS OF SCARSDALE.
THERE'S LIKE FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND OUR LICENSE HAS ALWAYS SAID FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOW, FOR SOMEBODY TO, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S BEING DONE OR WHO'S DOING IT, BUT IF THEY CUT OFF A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR, I MIGHT BE BACK HERE AGAIN IN A FEW YEARS AND TELL YOU THEY CUT OFF A FEW MORE BLOCKS THAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE US HAVING A FEW MORE PEOPLE.
IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO GET VOLUNTEERS AND KEEP THEM WITHOUT SAYING EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, GREENBERG'S GOING TO MAKE UP ANOTHER MAP.
IF ANYTHING, EVERYBODY IS USING THE SAME THING, THE LICENSE FROM THE STATE.
YOU HAD IT 20 YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD IT, AND AS SOON AS THIS DISCREPANCY CAME UP, YOU WERE GIVEN ANOTHER COPY OF IT.
SO WE HAVEN'T CHANGED OUR AREA, BUT SOMEBODY IS CHANGING, IS NOT ACCEPTING OUR LICENSE.
SO IT'S ABOUT TIME, YOU KNOW, GIVE THIS, IT'S NOT A BIG EXPENSE FOR GREENBERG BECAUSE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE, THEY'RE NOT RESIDENTS OF GREENBURG.
THEY'RE RESIDENTS OF OTHER, OTHER VILLAGES.
AND THE SOONER YOU CAN CORRECT THIS, THE BETTER WE WILL BE AND THE BETTER YOU'LL BE.
I REMEMBER YOU AT A MEETING WITH YOU AND YOU SAYS, AS LONG AS THE VOLUNTEERS ARE DOING MORE, LET THEM DO IT.
IT'S LESS, IT'S LESS WORK FOR OUR GUYS.
SO WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO, YOU RUN THE TOWN, CORRECT THE MISTAKE AND HOPEFULLY WE WON'T SEE ANOTHER MISTAKE FOR 20 YEARS.
I'LL BE WAY TOO OLD TO STAY UP TO THIS HEIGHT.
YOUR HONOR, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I AGREE WITH YOU AND I FEEL WE HAVE TO, AS A TOWN, FIGURE OUT A WAY OF PROVIDING THE TAX BREAKS FOR EVERY VOLUNTEER, UH, WHO IS SERVING, UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE AN EMBARRASSMENT BECAUSE THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE GOTTEN THE BREAKS FOR YEARS.
AND I FEEL THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE, IF WE DON'T HAVE, UH, IF WE DON'T, UH, CONTINUE, UH, WITH THE BREAKS, IT'S GONNA BE HARDER, UM, TO ATTRACT AND KEEP VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AND IT'S GONNA COST TAXPAYERS, UH, MORE MONEY.
AND I COULD ALSO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SERVED BY THE ALEY, VOLUNTEER SEEKER AMBULANCE CORPS, ALL, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK DAYS, NIGHTS, EVENINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, I SEE THE UH, UH, THE AMBULANCES ALL THE TIME AND I KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, THE TIME WHEN
[02:35:01]
THE AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET A RESPONSE IS, IS EXCELLENT.UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE DEFINITELY SAVED LIVES.
SO I THINK THAT THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T SAY MAYBE WE CAN'T JUST KEEP PUTTING THIS OFF.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OF MAKING THE BREAKS HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL VERY, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
NO, BUT I, I HAVE A RIGHT TO SAY WHAT I WANT.
AND YOU DO ALSO, I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS AND YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN BRINGING THIS UP, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR WEEKS AND, YOU KNOW, THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE ASKED FOR MEETINGS WITH THE TOWN BOARD, UH, FOR AT LEAST A MONTH OR WHATEVER.
WE HAVEN'T, UH, HAD GIVEN THEM THE COURTESY OF THE MEETING.
CAN I RESPOND? WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I, I JUST SORT OF AM REALLY UPSET ABOUT THIS.
AND WE ARE ALL VERY CONCERNED THAT YOU DON'T GET WHAT YOU DESERVE.
THERE'S NOT ONE TOWN BOARD MEMBER WHO DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY.
OUR TAX ASSESSOR, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS, WHICH JUST ENDED.
AND NOW SHE'S ON A VERY WELL DESERVED VACATION.
WE WANT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
WE WANNA GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU DESERVE, BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S A SENSE THAT SOME, THERE WAS SOME DISCREPANCY IN THE LAW SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS IT PROPERLY.
WE DON'T WANNA TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM YOU.
AND AS SOON AS SHE IS BACK AND WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE HER PRESENT TO US WITH OUR TOWN ATTORNEY, WE ARE GONNA DO THAT.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU OFF.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH GRIEVANCE, PERIOD.
HE WAS THE ONE THAT, SO SHE WASN'T TRYING TO IGNORE YOU.
SHE WAS NEW HERE AT THAT TIME.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE HER PRESENT TO US AND EXPLAIN ALL OF THESE DETAILS OF WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED BEFORE WE SPEAK TO YOU AND SAY ANYTHING.
WE CAN'T GIVE YOU INFORMATION WE DON'T HAVE.
AND SO WHY DON'T WE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THE NEXT WEEK? SHE'S ON VACATION NOW.
SHE'S AWAY AFTER THE GRIEVANCE PERIOD.
IN THE MEANTIME, I COULD ALSO, WHEN DOES SHE COME BACK? I COULD ALSO REQUEST BEFORE SHE ARRIVED, GETS BACK.
I CAN REQUEST HER DEPUTY TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED WITH TO HER OFFICE SO I CAN BEGIN THE LEGAL REVIEW PRIOR TO HER COMING BACK.
BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH IAN MCCARTNEY.
SO THIS ALSO WAS DISCUSSION WILL WITH HER, WILL BE AN OPEN SESSION.
SO THERE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE C CORPS.
HARDLY AMBULANCE CORPS, NO ONE'S QUESTIONING THAT.
YOU KNOW, I COULD STAND, I I COULD BE UP HERE IN GRANDSTAND SAYING HOW GREAT YOU ARE.
THE BOUNDARIES HAVE NOT CHANGED.
MAY I SPEAK OR MAY I NOT? GO AHEAD.
AND SO IT'S EASY IF YOU'RE UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG, YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERS THERE.
DOBBS FERRY, HASTINGS, THE ALL PASSED LAWS DEALING WITH THEIR OWN VOLUNTEERS.
WHAT MAKES THE C CORPS? ARDSLEY? AMBULANCE CORPS CORPS DIFFERENT ARDSLEY.
UM, THE C CORPS S BUT I'M NOT COVERED BY YOUR DISTRICT, BY THE WAY.
'CAUSE I'M NOT IN THE DISTRICT.
UH, WHAT MAKES THAT DIFFERENT IS IT CROSSES BOUNDARIES, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT ANY OF THE VILLAGES OR WE HAVE DEALT WITH.
IT'S MOSTLY, AND WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, A LOT OF THEM UPSTATE THAT DO THAT CAN.
BUT WE DO IT AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE.
SIR, CAN YOU PLEASE LET THE COUNCIL MEMBER FINISH HIS COMMENTS? PLEASE? CAN YOU PLEASE LET THE COUNCIL MEMBER FINISH? OKAY.
IF EDIE CAN'T COME BACK, CAN YOU LET HIM FINISH HIS COMMENTS? FRANK, WE'LL GO.
JUST GIVE US A FEW MOMENTS IF HE CAN LET YOU CAN.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AND WE HAVEN'T WORKED IT FULLY THROUGH, AND IF THE TOWN ATTORNEY DISAGREES WITH ANYTHING I SAID, SUCH AS THE LAW CHANGED, UH, BUT YOUR BOUNDARIES HAVE STAYED THE SAME.
IS MAYBE WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO ASK THE STATE TO CLARIFY WHEN IT CROSSES BOUNDARIES SUCH AS YOURS, THAT IT BE CONSIDERED ESSENTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO A MUNICIPALITY BASED ON YOUR, YOUR DOCUMENTS AS TO WHAT YOU ARE CHARTERED AT.
AND THAT WOULD ADDRESS IT AND IT WOULD PUT IT IN TO ANY OF THIS POTENTIAL AMBIGUITY OF THE PEOPLE WE'RE TALKING TO ARE SAYING THERE IS NO AMBIGUITY, BUT, AND THESE PEOPLE, WE WANT, WE WANT YOU TO GET THE EXEMPTION.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT AND DO THAT LEGALLY, WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE LAW.
TO ME, THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THAT IS THIS IS NOT GONNA TAKE EFFECT UNTIL NEXT APRIL 1ST ANYWAY.
WHO'S, WELL, WHO'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF THEM FOR THE I GIVE LAST YEAR? OH, MR. DOUGHERTY, I'M SO SORRY.
AND I KNOW I'VE EXHAUSTED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
THE LAW HAS ACTUALLY BEEN CONSISTENT ON THIS FOR OVER TWO DECADES.
IT'S BEEN NO CHANGE IN EITHER.
[02:40:01]
IS STARTING LAST YEAR, A COUPLE OF APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN REJECTED FOR EXEMPTION BENEFITS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN FOR LITERALLY DECADES.THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT EITHER.
AND THAT HASN'T BEEN BEFORE US.
'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S NOT OUR PURVIEW.
RIGHT? THAT'S THE ASSESSOR'S PURVIEW.
WE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH.
WE SHOULD LET EVERYONE HEAR THAT.
WELL THAT, THAT'S WHY WE WERE ASKING YOU TO GIVE US SOME GRACE SO THAT YOU JUST KEEP DOING, WHEN, WHEN OUR ASSESSOR COMES BACK, WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
WE COULDN'T HAVE IT BEFORE BECAUSE SHE WAS IN THE GRIEVANCE DOING THE GRIEVANCES.
AND YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS, UM, WE CAN, WE'LL GET A JUMPSTART AS THE ATTORNEY SAID FOR THE, I'M TAKING A LOT OF NOTES RIGHT NOW AND I'M MAKING A REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTATION TO BEGIN REVIEW.
TONY TI HI, MY NAME'S TONY TI.
I'M LOOKING AT ALL THESE GUYS.
I HAVE TRAINED, I HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH THEM.
I ADMIRE THEM DURING COVID WHEN PEOPLE WERE RUNNING AWAY, THOSE VOLUNTEER NON-PAID FOR NOTHING.
IF YOU TELL ME THERE IS ANGEL, THESE ARE, I AM NOT ONE OF THEM BECAUSE I GET PAID WHEN I GO TO WORK, WHEN I GO DOWN IN BROOKLYN, I GET PAID.
THESE GUYS, THEY DON'T, THESE GUYS CAME INTO HARTSDALE.
THESE GUYS CAME INTO GREENBURG.
I WAS SO AMAZED WHEN I SAW YOU EARLIER WHEN YOU BROUGHT THAT LADY UP AND YOU ACKNOWLEDGED HER.
SHE WAS SO HAPPY BY THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT YOU GUYS GAVE HER.
SHE'S BEEN THERE VOLUNTEER FOR 20 YEARS.
WHEN THESE GUYS COMES UP TO ME AND THEY SAY, WHAT'S GOING ON? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL THEM.
IS THIS IS THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT YOU'RE GONNA GIVE THEM? ARE YOU GONNA SEGREGATE BETWEEN LEY AND GREENBERG? WHEN WE GET UP IN THE MORNING, WE DON'T SAY, THIS CALL IS
WE GET UP, PUT OUR PANTS, AND WE RUN, WE GET INTO THE HOUSE AND OUR GOAL IS TO HELP.
I AM NOT ASKING HIM, ARE YOU FROM HARSDALE OR FIFTH GREENBERG? DON'T LOOK AT THEM AS THIS ONE IS LIVING IN HARTSDALE.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU DON'T HAVE A VOLUNTEER AGENCY IN HARTSDALE AS EMS. IF A VOLUNTEER IN HARTSDALE WANTS TO COME, I GO SOLICIT HIM.
IF YOU COULD SEE THAT HE'S 16 YEARS OLD AND THERE HE IS, 18 AND 22.
I GO TO MERCY COLLEGE AND I GET VOLUNTEERS.
WE DO 800 RUNS WITH TWO AMBULANCES.
WE GET UP AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING FOR A ROLLOVER AT THE 87 PEOPLE WE DO NOT KNOW.
AND GUESS WHAT? 75% OF THESE CALLS, WE DON'T GET REVENUE RECOVERY.
WE'VE BEEN SUSTAINING THIS AMBULANCE SINCE 1962.
THE ONLY BENEFIT WE GIVE, WE GET IS WHAT YOU GIVE US.
THAT LITTLE BENEFIT THAT YOU GIVE US IS, THAT'S HOW I RECRUIT.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU ABOUT GREENBERG AND ANYTHING.
I HAVE 68 MEMBERS AND THEY ARE FROM ALL AGES FROM 16 TO 84.
SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT DOING IT.
YOU, YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE LAW.
BUT TRUST ME, WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF DOBS, BURY HASTINGS, TARRYTOWN, ELMSFORD.
AND YOU COULD ASK YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU COULD ASK YOUR EMS. WE ARE A VERY RELIABLE AGENCY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE THROUGH THE YEARS.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SAYING THAT.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU THE WAY I LOOK AT THEM.
SORRY, HE STILL HAD ONE MINUTE AND 45 SECONDS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CLOCK.
JOHN CLEAR, 1 96 SPRING ROAD, GREENBURG.
[02:45:01]
MINE? I'VE BEEN 42 YEARS IN THE AMBULANCE CORPS.WHEN GREENBERG AND THE VILLAGE DREW UP THEIR BOUNDARIES, IF THE VILLAGE HAD EXPANDED 100 FEET TO THE CURB ON SPRAIN ROAD, I WOULD BE IN THE VILLAGE.
ALSO, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? SHOULD I RESIGN FROM THE AMBULANCE CORPS AND JUST MAINTAIN MY MEMBERSHIP IN THE ALEY FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PAST 23 YEARS? YOU, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE ME IN A GRAY AREA.
I'M A 52 YEAR MEMBER OF THE, UH, TOWN AND IT'S BEEN GOOD.
I WANT TO MAKE A, I WILL BUTTON HOLE, MR. FINER IN THE OFFICE.
I WILL CATCH, UH, MR. HAN, I'LL GO TO EVERYWHERE.
I'LL GO TO THE 12 O'CLOCK MASS INSTEAD OF EIGHT O'CLOCK MASS.
UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA GET A FAIR SHAKE AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, ALL THE TIMES THAT THE ASSESSOR HAS WORKED AND INTERVIEWED, BEEN VERY SATISFIED.
WHEN I MOVED IN, I REALIZED HOW UNFAIR THE TAX SYSTEM IS.
AND THIS IS PART OF THE TAX SYSTEM, BUT GRADUALLY WORK ON IT AND DO THANK YOU.
UH, I HAVE A LOT OF POINTS ON THE UNITS FROM A FIRE DEPARTMENT POINT OF VIEW WITHIN THE TOWN, THE SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY IS A DISASTER WAITING TO KILL PEOPLE.
SO I HOPE THE A DU WILL, UH, HELP THAT OUT BY INCLUDING IT IN THE ZONING.
AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I WILL BUTTONHOLE YOU.
CAN I ASK YOU THE QUESTION, JUDGE? UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD IT, WOULD IT MAKE SENSE SINCE THE ASSESSORS AWAY UNTIL AFTER JULY 4TH, IF WE COULD PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR JULY 8TH, THE TOWN BOARD WORK SESSION.
UM, AND, UM, THEN BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 8TH, YOU COULD REACH OUT TO THE STATE AND YOU COULD TRY SPEAK OUT, SPEAK TO THEIR ATTORNEYS AND SEE IF WE COULD RESOLVE THIS.
AND IF WE RESOLVE IT, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE MEETING ON JULY 8TH.
UM, BUT, UH, BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL THAT EVERYBODY ON THE TOWN BOARD WANTS TO GIVE THE EXEMPTIONS.
AND IF WE, IF YOU COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY OF MAKING IT HAPPEN LEGALLY, THEN UH, THEN IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE TOWN VERSUS THE AMBULANCE COURT WILL ALL WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OF MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
OKAY? UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING A TIMEFRAME ON IT AROUND A HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND WELL, AND PARTLY, WELL, THE, THE ASSESSOR IS AWAY, SO IT COULD BE AS MUCH AS IF YOU WANNA MAKE A CALL ON TUESDAY, FINE.
I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT MEETING IS JULY 15TH.
WAIT, IS THAT 15TH? 15TH? JULY 5TH.
IF WE SAY JULY 15TH AT TWO 30, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION IN BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 15TH.
UH, WE'LL TRY, UM, UH, FIGURING OUT A WAY OF MAKING THE EXEMPTIONS, YOU KNOW, HAPPEN.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE TWO 30? WHAT, WHAT'S 2 35? NO, FIVE 30.
I JUST NEED TO, BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M THERE.
I CAN'T COME IN THE AFTERNOON.
SO THE THING IS A LITTLE EARLIER, I'M NOT IN A RUSH.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M PRESENT FOR YOUR MEETING.
I, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT THIS BOARD IS THE APPELLATE BOARD FOR THE ASSESSOR.
WE ARE NOT, WE'RE NOT, I DON'T THINK YOU'D WANT THIS BOARD TO BE THE APPELLATE BOARD FOR THE ASSESSOR.
WE JUST HAD GRIEVANCE DAY WHERE PEOPLE APPEARED BEFORE AN INDEPENDENT BOARD, BOARD OF ASSESSMENT REVIEW.
AND IF ED DENIED YOU AND THEN THEY DENIED YOU, YOUR RECOURSE IS IN COURT.
I DON'T WANNA GIVE ANYONE HERE AN IMPRESSION.
I DON'T LIKE GIVING FALSE IMPRESSIONS.
HEY, WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS WORK 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET EDIE IN A ROOM AND WE CAN'T DO THAT.
RIGHT? IT'S HER CALL INITIALLY.
AND THEN THERE'S A, THERE'S A WAY OF DEALING WITH HER CALL, BUT IT'S NOT WITH US SAYING, EDEDIE, WE INSIST YOU DO THAT.
SHE HAS A SEVEN YEAR APPOINTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT POLITICAL INFLUENCE IS NOT USED ON HER.
RIGHT? SO I HEAR, LET'S BRING EDEDIE IN AND LET'S SEE.
AND WE'RE GONNA WORK THIS OUT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HEAR WHAT ED HAS TO SAY.
WE HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT IS IT ABOUT THESE EXEMPTIONS? WAS IT THE CHANGE IN LAW? DOES SHE THINK THERE WAS A, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
UH, WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT I JUST WANNA BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT MY ROLE, AT LEAST ON THIS BOARD IS.
[02:50:01]
NOT THE APPELLATE BOARD OF ANYONE WHO GETS THEIR TAXES, UH, GRIEVE, GRIEVE THEIR TAXES, THAT THEY THINK THEY CAN COME TO US AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS UNFAIR.WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT EDIE? YOU HIRED HER.
UM, I'M GONNA RECALL ERIC LINSLEY.
I HAD TO RUN OUT AND GET MY SON.
UH, ERIC LINSLEY, L-I-N-S-L-E-Y.
UH, I LIVE AT 43 LAWRENCE DRIVE RIGHT DOWN THE BLOCK.
UH, AND IN THE EDGEBROOK COOPERATIVES, UH, THE REASON I'M HERE TONIGHT IS TO, TO ASK FOR A LITTLE COMMUNICATION IN REGARDS TO THE NO PARKING SITUATION THAT'S HAPPENED ON HILLSIDE.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWARE OF THE MUDSLIDE THAT WE HAD, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, UM, RECENTLY, ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
NOW, I I KNOW IT'S A STATE ROAD AND EVERYBODY LIKES TO SAY IT'S A STATE, IT'S NOT TOWN AND IT'S STATES.
IT TOOK AWAY A LOT OF OUR PARKING IN EDGEBROOK COOPERATIVE.
WE, WE NOW, THERE, THERE ARE TWO COOPERATIVES THERE.
THERE'S THE ESTATES AND THERE'S EDGEBROOK IN EDGEBROOK.
THERE ARE 160 APARTMENTS, WELL COOPERATIVES, 160 FAMILIES.
NOW WE DO HAVE PARKING, WE HAVE PARKING LOTS, WE HAVE GARAGES.
WE WOULD NEED OVER 110 MORE PARKING SPOTS EACH YOUR FAMILY TO HAVE TWO.
YOU GUYS TOOK ABOUT 20 TO 30 PARKING SPOTS AWAY FROM US.
FOLKS COME HOME AT NIGHT AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY SLEEPING IN THEIR CARS NOW.
IT, IT IS A MAJOR IMPACT TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
UH, THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION AT ALL.
THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION TO THE BOARD.
'CAUSE I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT.
THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION TO OUR PROPERTY MANAGER.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
THERE ARE RUMORS THAT THEY DON'T WANT CARS PARKED THERE BECAUSE IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO HAVE A CAR PARKED THERE.
BUT IF IT'S THAT DANGEROUS, THEN THERE SHOULDN'T BE CARS TRAVELING.
'CAUSE THESE FOLKS WILL ATTEST THAT AN OBJECT IN MOTION STAYS IN MOTION.
INTE ACTED ON UPON BY ANOTHER FORCE, BY ANOTHER FORCE.
NOW, IF THERE'S A CAR THERE AS FAR AS ANOTHER MUDSLIDE HAPPENING, IT, IT WOULD HELP TO, TO NEGATE THAT GETTING INTO THE ROAD.
UM, THERE'S, UH, THERE, THERE'S NO PARKING ON ONE SIDE OF LAWRENCE DRIVE AND IS A, THAT, THAT, THAT ROAD IS, IS MUCH WIDER THAN MOST OF THE, THE ROADS IN, IN, UH, THE TOWN OF GREENBURG THAT ALLOW PARKING ON BOTH SIDES OR ON ON ONE SIDE.
PERHAPS WE CAN COME TO SOMETHING THAT'S MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL, WHERE IT COULD BE NO PARKING ON, ON ONE SIDE OF LAWRENCE DRIVE, AND THEN FROM 9:00 PM TO 6:00 AM ALLOW PARKING.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU, YOU LITERALLY HAVE PEOPLE SLEEPING IN THEIR CARS BECAUSE THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE TO PARK.
THE ESTATES NEXT DOOR HAD GARAGES THAT ARE, THAT ARE CONDEMNED, THAT PUT MORE CARS OUT ON THE STREET.
UH, THERE, SO AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S 160, SO YOU, WE WOULD NEED 110 MORE SPOTS ON, ON PROPERTY.
WE WE'RE, AND THERE, THERE'S JUST NO ROOM.
AND WHEN YOU COME HOME LATE AT NIGHT FROM A SHIFT WORK, AND IT'S THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND THERE'S NOTHING TO BE HAD, THERE'S, THERE ISN'T ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD TO JUST DRIVE DOWN THE BLOCK TO FIND A SPOT.
UM, IF, IF WE COULD JUST GET A LITTLE COMMUNICATION AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON, IT, IT WOULD ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, HELP TO, TO LIMIT THE STRESS OF, OF SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT LIVE THERE.
UM, I I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHO, WHO DO I, WHO DO I TURN TO, TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON? DO YOU MIND THE QUESTION? DO YOU MIND? I'M SIR.
DO YOU MIND THE QUESTION? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT WOULD YOU PROPOSE OF US FINDING 108 SPOTS WHEN THERE IS NO LAND? NOT TAKE ANY MORE SPOTS AWAY.
YOU JUST, YOU JUST TOOK ABOUT 20 TO 30 SPOTS AWAY, UH, ON ONE SIDE OF HILLSIDE AVENUE.
BUT SO IT, IT JUST, IT JUST, IT JUST MADE THE PROBLEM EVEN A, A, A BAD PROBLEM.
BUT YOU UNDERSTAND, JUST LIKE I, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT THE APPELLATE BOARD FOR THE ASSESS.
NO, I KNOW THAT BUTS, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I APOLOGIZE.
BUT IT'S JUST, THE REALITY IS IT'S A STATE ROAD AND THEY TRUMP US AS TO WHETHER AND THEY'RE TOWN SIGNS.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE STATE ASKING A ANOTHER, ANOTHER ENGINEER FROM THE TOWN.
HEY, I WANT PERMANENT SIGNS THERE, RIGHT? YEAH, I'LL GET 'EM.
SO THIS, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
IF YOU SEND ME AN EMAIL, ABSOLUTELY.
I COULD HAVE THE ENGINEERS PUT TOGETHER A STATEMENT THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE OR WE CAN PROVIDE TO THE RESIDENTS TO EXPLAIN.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON TRYING TO GET IT SO THAT IT'S NOT UNSAFE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.
I, WE COULD ALSO HAVE, UM, OUR TRAFFIC SAFETY OFFICER, UH, SERGEANT ELLIS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD MEET.
YEAH, HE, HE WAS, HE WAS DOWN.
UH, WHEN, WHEN THE, WHEN THE, WHEN THE LANDSLIDE FIRST HAPPENED? NO, BECAUSE I REMEMBER RIGHT.
[02:55:01]
I'M SAYING MAYBE THE ATTORNEY TOOK CARE OF THAT ALREADY, PAUL.AND THEN WE COULD FIGURE OUT LIKE A WAY OF, I HAVE SERGEANT FONT ON THIS EMAIL CHAIN AS WELL.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS CONCERN.
APPRECIATE WE HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN.
MARK, DID MARK LEAVE? MARK, HE, HE LEFT? NO.
I AM THE NEW INCOMING CAPTAIN FOR THE LEY CAR.
I'M SO PROUD TO BE REPRESENTING ALL THESE, UH, FOLKS OUT HERE.
YOU HAVE HEARD EVERYTHING SO FAR.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING ADDITION I CAN ADD, BUT I DO RE I DO WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE GROUP.
UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD BE PROUD OF BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF, UM, THESE CORES AROUND, RIGHT? UM, AND THIS MEANINGFUL BENEFIT HELPS US IN ATTRACTING AND RETAINING OUR VOLUNTEERS.
AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE LIGHTLY.
VOLUNTEERS HAVE TO SPEND A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH US, AND THEY HAVE TO BE IN GOOD STANDING IN ORDER TO EARN THIS BENEFIT.
IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE GIVE RIGHT THROUGH THE DOOR.
RIGHT? UM, SO, UM, SIR, YOU SPOKE ABOUT COVID, YOU KNOW, AND HOW, UM, PEOPLE WILL LOCKED IN.
PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AT EVERYONE SITTING HERE.
THESE WERE THE FOLKS WHO STOOD UP AND STEPPED OUT AND SERVED OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO EVEN TODAY.
UM, AND AS WE GATHER HERE TO LOOK FOR CLARITY, AND IF YOU SAY THIS IS THE LAW THAT HAS CHANGED, UM, NONE OF THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THAT DECLINE HAVE RECEIVED ANYTHING IN WRITING.
IF, IF YOU COULD, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD SHARE WITH US OR WITH THE MEMBERS MAYBE, IF THAT'S THE PROCESS.
UM, WHAT IS THE REASON OR THE RATIONAL WHY THIS WAS DECLINED SUCH THAT WHEN WE COME BACK IN JULY, WE CAN HAVE A PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION AROUND, OKAY, WHAT ARE, WHAT IS THE SCENARIO AND HOW, HOW DO WE PARTNER AND WORK TOGETHER, UM, TOWARDS MAKING THIS MUTUALLY BENEFITING FOR BOTH GREENBERG AS WELL AS ARDSLEY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND HAVE A NICE EVENING.
THERE MUST BE A, YOU KNOW, SORRY.
BUT I'M, I'M HAPPY TO BE COSMIC AS WELL.
SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD EVERYTHING.
UH, WE STARTED THE SESSION WITH THE SUPERVISOR SAYING THAT THIS WAS THE SAFEST PLACE BECAUSE OF SO MANY VOLUNTEERS, EMS WORKERS THAT, THAT WERE HERE.
YOU ALSO WERE SO EMPATHETIC TOWARDS THE PROPOSAL OF SAVING A TURTLE, UH, BY CLEANING UP THE POND.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT IN CONTINUING THIS TAX BENEFIT THAT, UH, ALLOWS ALL OF US VOLUNTEERS TO REMAIN IN, UH, THE, THE TOWN THAT WE LIVE IN AND SERVE AND ALSO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT THE VOLUNTEERS AND CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR TOWN SAFER.
UH, JAMES HUGHES, UM, IN ARLEY, UM, PROUD MEMBER OF THE ARLEY C CORPS VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS.
UM, PAST CAPTAIN, I'VE BEEN A MEMBER FOR 21 YEARS, AND, UM, JUST, JUST GREAT, GREAT PEOPLE.
UH, VERY PROUD TO, TO BE A MEMBER.
UM, UH, MR. SUPERVISOR, YOU HELPED US WHEN I WAS CAPTAIN TO GET A NEW AMBULANCE, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, GETTING THE GRANT FROM NEW YORK STATE, AND THAT REALLY MEANT A LOT.
I KNOW YOU'RE A FRIEND OF THE AMBULANCE CORPS, UH, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, HELP US AND, UH, JUST DO THE RIGHT THING.
I'M LOOKING FOR PAGE TWO HERE.
PATRICIA LEON, MAYOR, NANCY CAB BULLION.
I KNOW IT'S LATE, UM, BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME THAT YOU'VE GIVEN.
I'M THE MAYOR OF THE VILLAGE OF ALEY.
[03:00:01]
I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO LISTEN TO THE ALEY SEA CORPS AMBULANCE CORPS.I'M HERE NOT JUST AS MAYOR, BUT I HAPPEN TO BE AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE ALEY SEA CORPS AMBULANCE CORPS.
AND I, I'VE HEARD WHAT THE COMMENTS ARE FROM THIS BOARD, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO A DEEP REVIEW INTO THIS.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS ELECTED OFFICIALS IS EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT OUR VOLUNTEERS.
UM, WE HAVE AN ALL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
OUR AMBULANCE CORPS IS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORES IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE RECRUITMENT AND THE BENEFITS THAT THEY GET FROM THE VILLAGE AND FROM OTHER ENTITIES.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO A VERY DEEP REVIEW INTO THIS SO THAT YOU COULD POSITIVELY RESPOND TO THEM IN A VERY GOOD AND AND POSITIVE FASHION.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT FOR THAT.
THE SECOND ITEM I WANNA SPEAK TO ABOUT IS THE RE RESOLUTION ON THE BOARD TONIGHT, AUTHORIZING THE PARTIAL CANCELLATION OF THE TAX LEADS OF THE PROPERTY OF TWO 20 AND ZERO HEATHERDALE ROAD.
UM, THIS IS A MATTER THAT CAME BEFORE THE VILLAGE OF ARDSLEY IN APRIL OF 2024, WHERE WE LEARNED THAT THERE WERE SOME UNPAID TAXES ON THE PROPERTY THE VILLAGE PURCHASED AT HEATHERDALE AVENUE, UM, IN 2017.
CURRENTLY, I UNDERSTAND THE ACCRUED INTEREST.
WE'RE NOT ARGUING THAT WE DON'T OWE THE TAXES.
THE ACCRUED INTEREST ON THIS PROPERTY IS APPROXIMATELY $75,000.
UH, THE VILLAGE OF LEY HAS ASKED THE TOWN BOARD TO WAIVE THAT INTEREST IN PENALTIES, WHICH IT'S ALLOWED TO DO UNDER THE LAW AT ITS DISCRETION.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE TOWN IS NOT INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, EVEN THOUGH I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT, AND YOU SHOULD DO THAT FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIT.
BUT WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IN THIS RESOLUTION IS A PARTIAL CANCELLATION FROM APRIL 1ST, 2024 TO PRESENT.
I DON'T ACTUALLY CONSIDER THAT A CANCELLATION.
I CONSIDER THAT JUST ENDING THE ACCRUING OF THE INTEREST ON APRIL 1ST WHEN THE VILLAGE OF LEY FIRST LEARNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE WAS UNPAID TAXES ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND WE TRIED TO GET THIS BOARD TO ENGAGE WITH US IN FAIR NEGOTIATIONS FOR OVER A YEAR.
SO ALL YOU'RE DOING IS JUST CUTTING THIS OFF AT THE DATE WHEN THIS REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED ALMOST A YEAR AGO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M A RESIDENT OF EDGEMONT AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE RZC CORPS AMBULANCE CORPS, AS IS MY WIFE, MELISSA.
UH, THERE'S REALLY ONLY TWO THINGS THAT I'D ADD.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD QUITE A BIT ON THE TOPIC.
UH, THE FIRST ONE I WOULD BRING UP IS THAT I'VE CERTAINLY HEARD POSITIVE INTENT, WHICH IS MUCH, UH, MAKES ME A LOT HAPPIER THAN WHEN I CAME IN TONIGHT, BECAUSE I THINK, UH, THE BOARD IS RESOLVED TO, TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ISSUE.
UM, BUT WHILE I HEAR THE POSITIVE INTENT, THE THING THAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THAT, UH, UH, SUPERVISOR FINER REFERRED TO EARLIER IS THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS HAVEN'T BEEN SUPER TRANSPARENT.
FOLKS HAVEN'T BEEN CLEAR WHY SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN WORKING FOR SO LONG IS NO LONGER WORKING.
AND I WOULD JUST URGE YOU IN WHATEVER POWERS YOU HAVE TO, TO ENSURE THAT IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE COMMUNICATE TO VOLUNTEERS ABOUT THESE BENEFITS, THAT IT'S DONE SO IN A VERY TRANSPARENT WAY.
AND THE SECOND POINT I'D RAISE IS PROBABLY A, A FACT THAT YOU ALL KNOW ALREADY, WHICH IS THAT VOLUNTEERISM IS ACTUALLY IN DECLINE, UH, NATIONWIDE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATS, IT, IT KIND OF PLUMMETED AFTER COVID, AND IT REALLY HASN'T REBOUNDED TO THOSE LEVELS.
UH, AND SO CRUCIALLY, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT BENEFITS LIKE THIS TO ENGAGE AND RETAIN VOLUNTEERS, AND I'VE BEEN HONESTLY, UH, FLOORED BY, UH, THE IMPACT IT'S HAD ON ME AND MY FAMILY.
I'VE BEEN SUCH A PROUD MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND, AND IT'S ALLOWED ME TO CONNECT IN WAYS THAT I HADN'T BEFORE, UH, LIVING THROUGHOUT ELSEWHERE IN WESTCHESTER AND CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK.
I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BE PROUD OF IT, AND WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT IT.
TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HABER ABOUT GREENBERG NOT WANTING TO BE LAST IN THIS REGARD, BUT POTENTIALLY WANTING TO BE BETTER.
THAT WAS, IN THE OTHER MATTER, WANTING TO BE FIRST.
UH, THIS IS ONE PLACE WHERE I THINK IF WE COULD LEAN EVEN FURTHER AND TRY TO DO BETTER THAN OUR SURROUNDING, UH, AREAS IN, IN PROMOTING AND ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS, I THINK IT WOULD DO US ALL A A GREAT SERVICE.
[03:05:03]
HI.UM, WELL, I THINK, UH, MY FELLOW MEMBERS HAVE SAID MOST THAT THERE IS TO SAY.
I'LL JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT MYSELF.
I'M A RESIDENT OF, UH, GREENBERG SINCE 2019.
UH, A COUPLE YEARS AFTER THAT, WE GOT OUR PLACE IN DOS FERRY.
UM, I'M A VOLUNTEER EMT WITH VAC FOR A LITTLE UNDER A YEAR.
I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS BENEFIT.
I ACTUALLY DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF TIME.
I WISH I COULD DEDICATE MORE TIME.
I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I WILL BE IN CO CONSISTENTLY IN GOOD STANDING.
I, I FEEL LIKE I, THERE'S THIS, UH, THRESHOLD THAT I, I I STRIVE FOR.
UH, I WANNA CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, ASBA GIVES, GIVES ME A SPACE TO DO THAT.
I DIDN'T HAVE THAT BEFORE I ACTUALLY GOT CERTIFIED BEFORE JOINING ASBA.
I, I DID IT BECAUSE, UH, SOMEBODY PAID FOR A COURSE, AN EMPLOYER.
IT WAS, IT WAS SOMETHING HELPED ME DEVELOP A SKILL, DEVELOP A DISCIPLINE.
ASBA GIVES ME THAT OUTLET, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
UM, I'M NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY.
UH, I REALLY, I JUST STAND HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH MY FELLOW MEMBERS AND, UH, URGING THE, THE BOARD TO DO WHATEVER, HOWEVER LITTLE OR MUCH YOU GUYS CAN DO WITHIN YOUR POWER TO A ASSIST IN THIS SITUATION.
UH, DEFINITELY HELPING SORT OUT ANY COMMUNICATION ISSUES.
I UNDERSTAND FROM MY, MY FELLOW, UH, MEMBERS AS WELL.
UH, THAT, UH, THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AS WELL.
SO, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE TIME TO SPEAK HERE.
I STAND WITH YOU GUYS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS SORTED OUT.
UM, ARTHUR KAHANI, CLIFF ABRAMS COURT.
UM, YOU WANNA JOIN? FIRST OF ALL, THANK Y'ALL.
YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERS.
I KNOW IT AIN'T EASY, YOU KNOW, BUT UM, AND IT JUST GIVES MY HEART WARM TO SEE SO MANY OF YOU HERE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
I'M GONNA STAY ON THIS POSITIVE ENERGY, BUT I GOTTA SPEAK TRUTH, YOU KNOW, AND I'M SITTING BACK THERE AND I'M LIKE SAYING, OKAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PUBLIC OF COMMON, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GOT A PLACE THEY GOTTA BE AT, THEY GOTTA GO.
AND THEN WHEN CERTAIN PEOPLE GET MORE TIME THAN THEY DESERVE TO GET, HI, YOU KNOW, I'M, THIS IS ME TO SPEAK.
YOU CAN SHAKE YOUR HEAD, BUT, AND I'M SITTING BACK THERE, I'M LIKE SAYING, HEY, IT IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
LET THE PEOPLE GET THERE FIVE MINUTES, THEN CALL THE NEXT PERSON UP.
YOU KNOW? BUT WHEN SOMEBODY HAVE TO WAIT EXTRA TIME TO SIT BACK THERE, THAT'S WHERE I GOTTA BE AT.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M GONNA STAY POSITIVE.
I'M NOT UPSET, BUT I JUST NEED YOU TO SPEAK THAT TRUTH.
UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT AFFORDABLE.
HOUSING, HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHAT Y'ALL CALL THE PROJECTS, PEOPLE PAY 2300 A MONTH.
OKAY? SO THAT AIN'T AFFORDABLE.
THIS IS A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT.
I AIN'T TALKING ABOUT TWO AND THREE AND FOURS, YOU KNOW? AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE LOOK AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SOMETIMES THEY TRY TO LOOK DOWN ON PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BUT PEOPLE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY FOR SMALL SPACE, RIGHT? THEN THEY MAKE ME, ME THINK, LIKE I SEE THE CIVIL ASSOCIATION, I REMEMBER ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO I WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT AND THEY SAID, OH, YOU CAN'T 'CAUSE YOU IN, YOU KNOW, YOU IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
RIGHT? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I'M PAYING JUST AS MUCH AS THEY PAYING FOR MY RENT AS THEY PAYING FOR THEIR MORTGAGE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO I GOTTA SEE OR WHAT WE GOTTA DO.
I THINK PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SHOULD HAVE JUST AS MUCH RIGHTS AS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMEOWNERS AND THEY IN THE CIVIL ASSOCIATION.
SO, UM, BECAUSE IF I GOT TO SEE WHAT THEY GOT DIFFERENT FROM ME, THEY COMING WITH THE CIVIL ASSOCIATION AND THEY GOT BACKING.
YOU KNOW, I COME UP HERE SINGLE HANDED, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S LIKE, YEAH, I AM, I'M SINGLE HANDED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN I SPEAK ABOUT ISSUES IN GREEN BOY JOY, I WANT YOU, YOU'VE GOT THE WHOLE GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY.
BUT YOU RIGHT HERE, I'M NOT COMING AS A, I'M COMING AS A, AS A CITIZEN, RIGHT.
JOY, CAN I FINISH MY COMMENT PLEASE? SURE, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
UM, WHAT YOU HEARING IS THAT I'M COMING HERE ADVOCATING FOR FAIRVIEW AND I'VE BEEN COMING HERE AND PAUL CAN TELL YOU FOR A WHILE IN FRANCIS, AND I DON'T SEE NOBODY ELSE BACK UP IN HERE, YOU
[03:10:01]
KNOW, SO WHERE THE BACKING, YOU SAY, I GOT SO MUCH BACKING AND WHERE, YOU KNOW, AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T COME BECAUSE OF THIS REASON.HERE IT'S ALMOST 11 O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS, THIS AIN'T USUALLY Y'ALL DO THIS LATE, BUT IT DO HAPPEN.
SO PEOPLE COME, THE MEETING STARTS SEVEN 30, AND THEN PUBLIC CONGRESS DON'T START TILL 10 O'CLOCK OR SO AT NIGHT AND PEOPLE GOT KIDS, THEY GOTTA GO TO WORK.
SO IT AIN'T EASY AS THESE PEOPLE STICKING TOGETHER AND DOING WHAT THEY GOTTA DO, 'CAUSE FOR A GOOD CAUSE.
BUT WE HAVE GOOD CAUSES TOO, IN FAIRVIEW.
AND PEOPLE DON'T THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHT JOB.
YOU MIGHT KNOW YOU LEARNING, YOU COMING, BUT WE COULD GET TO THAT MORE BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T COME BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL THEY BEING HEARD.
AND I WAS WATCHING HOW PASSIONATE Y WAS TO WHEN THEY WAS TALKING.
AND I KNOW WHEN WE COME UP HERE, WE MIGHT DON'T HAVE THE EASY CONVERSATION AND I DON'T FEEL THAT SAME PASSION WHETHER IT IS TRUE OR NOT, BUT I'M LETTING YOU KNOW THAT'S HOW IT FEELS, YOU KNOW? SO MAYBE WHEN WE COME WITH SOME UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN CONVERSATION, MAYBE I COULD SHOW THAT SAME PASSION.
I, I'D LIKE TO REPLY BEFORE YOU CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER.
THERE WERE ABOUT 50 INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
AND OUT OF ALL OF THEM, I ALLOWED TWO INDIVIDUALS TO SLIGHTLY GO BEYOND THE FIVE MINUTE MARK WHEN THE BUZZER WENT OFF AND I LET THEM FINISH THAT ONE SENTENCE.
I WOULD'VE GIVEN THAT GRACE TO ANY OTHER SPEAKER HERE TONIGHT.
I SHOW NO FAVORITISM TOWARD ANYBODY HERE.
AND WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS OFTEN I'M KEEPING TIME ON THE CLOCK WHEN THERE'S AN INTERRUPTION.
JOE, RESPECT, I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE.
YOU COULD LET ME FINISH SPEAKING LIKE I LET YOU HAVE YOUR FOUR AND A HALF MINUTES.
UM, I KEEP TRACK OF TIME WHEN A SPEAKER'S INTERRUPTED AND HAS NOT ASKED A QUESTION, AND I APPRECIATE THE TOWN CLERK KEEPING TRACK OF THAT TIME AS WELL.
SO SOMETIMES IT MAY SEEM TO GO BEYOND THE FIVE MINUTES, BUT IT DOES NOT ACTUALLY GO BEYOND THE FIVE MINUTES.
ANYONE COULD GO BACK AND WATCH THE MEETINGS.
FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, SINCE I'VE BEEN TOWN ATTORNEY AND PARLIAMENTARIAN, I'VE TREATED EVERYONE EQUALLY AND FAIRLY THE ENTIRE TIME.
I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE ON THIS BOARD HAS REFERRED TO THE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS PROJECTS, BUT THAT WORD HAS NEVER COME OUT OF MY MOUTH.
IN RESPECT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
THE PROJECTS ON THAT LAST WORD LIKE THAT PEOPLE DO CALL THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND STUFF.
THE PROJECTS NOT SEEING YOU PER SE.
YOU SAID THE BOARD USED THIS IS THE TERM THAT THE BOARD USES IS THE PROJECTS.
I SAID IF PEOPLE CALL THE HOUSE AUTHORITY PROJECT, LISTEN TO THE TAPE BACK.
SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING.
DON'T, IT WAS RECEIVED THIS WAY.
IT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT YOU THOUGHT I SAID THAT.
I WOULD'VE SAYING THAT ABOUT THE BOARD, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT HOW REFERRED.
WE DO, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS.
PAUL, IS THERE ANYBODY ON ZOOM? HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
PAUL, IS THERE ANYBODY ON ZOOM WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? UH, I'M SURE TOWN STAFF DOESN'T, BUT DARLENE RITTER WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? IF YOU DO RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE WILL PROMOTE YOU.
OTHERWISE YOU CAN JUST ENJOY THE REST OF THE MEETING PROCESS.
SO THERE'S AN AGREEMENT THAT JULY 15TH WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION ON, UH, THE LEY.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO, UH, JUST SO EVERYBODY WALKS OUT KNOWING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
JULY 15TH AT FIVE 30 AND WE'LL HAVE E WHICH IS UH, HOLD ON SECOND.
YOU KNOW, WE CHECK WITH THE ASSESSOR, MAKE SURE WE NEED TO CHECK THE ASSESSOR.
I'M JUST SAYING WE NEED TO HAVE THE DATA BEHIND IT AND THE DATA IS YEAH.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR OVER A MONTH AND NOTHING GETS RESOLVED.
MY IS PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
I'LL BRING WHATEVER SUPPORT I NEED.
UH, BEFORE YOU, JUST LET US KNOW THE WEEK OF THE EIGHTH I ANY OUT OF TOWN.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY OCCASION, BUT, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE REPRESENTATION HERE ON THE 15TH.
SO LET US FIND OUT FROM THE ASSESS HER AVAILABILITY.
AND THEN, AND THEN WE CAN, AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW.
'CAUSE WE JUST, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO GIVE YOU A DATE.
AND THEN WE, AND THEN WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE DATE SO WE CAN, AND IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING, WANNA CLEAN YOUR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER ON, DO YOU HAVE A CARD THAT YOU CAN LIVE, LIVE WITH SECRETARY, LEAVE WITH US.
YOU CAN EMAIL IT TO, TO THE TOWN BOARD.
ALL FIVE OF US GET IT IF YOU DO THAT.
BUT WE JUST WANNA, I JUST DON'T WANNA SEARCH.
BUT WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT,
[03:15:01]
I MEAN YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE NEXT MEETING IS PRODUCTIVE.SO LET'S JUST MAKE SURE WE CONFIRM WITH THE ASSESSOR HER AVAILABILITY AS WELL.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET IN WRITING THE EXPLANATION OF PREPARATION FOR THAT MM-HMM
AND I'M HOPING IF ANYONE WAS, WAS DENIED THAT THEY ACTUALLY FILED A GRIEVANCE BY GRIEVANCE DATE.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE WE WOULDN'T HAVE RECORD FORM.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THEN BEFORE THE BOARD OF ASSESSMENT REVIEW.
DID YOU SPEAK OR YOU JUST SENT IN LETTERS? OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY MORE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
DYLAN, DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND?
[ TB 1 - 6/25/2025 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh authorizing the partial cancellation of tax liens on property owned by the Village of Ardsley designated on the Town’s tax roll as 220 and 0 Heatherdell Road (Section 6.40, Block 17, Lots 1.1 and 1.2 in an amount not to exceed $12,374.19, which represents the penalties and interest accrued between April 1, 2024 to the present]
TIME.SHOULD WE GO THROUGH THE AGENDA? YES, PLEASE.
WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
SOMEONE LEFT A PIECE OF PAPER.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S NEEDED.
SO, AND I DO WANNA THANK YOU THE AGENDA.
AUTHORIZING, UH, THE PARTIAL CANCELLATION OF TAX PROPERTY OWNED BY THE VILLAGE OF VARLEY DESIGNATED ON THE TOWNS TAX.
I CAN'T EVEN HERE, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE AS TWO 20 AND ZERO HEATHERDALE ROAD, UM, UH, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 12,003 $74 AND 19 CENTS, WHICH REPRESENTS THE PENALTIES AND INTEREST ACCRUED BETWEEN APRIL 1ST, 2024 TO PRESENT.
[ AT 1 – 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing settlement of claim/litigation personal injury related claim, File No(s).: 236/18C & 237/18C, in the matter of Lakiesha Walker and Otte Armstrong v. Town of Greenburgh, for an amount not to exceed $185,000]
FAVOR? AYE.UH, A T ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF CLAIM LITIGATION, PERSONAL INJURY RELATED CLAIM, UM, IN THE MATTER OF LA KEISHA WALKER AND OT ARMSTRONG VERSUS TOWN OF GREENBERG FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $185,000.
[ AT 2 – 6/25/2025 Resolution approving the continued retention of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP to represent the Town and requested Greenburgh police personnel in the matter of Kristin Stein v. the Town of Greenburgh, et al., for an amount not to exceed $50,000; $850,000 in total]
AYE.UH, A T TWO, UM, RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF VOLSON ELER, MOSCOWITZ, ELMAN AND DICKER TO REPRESENT THE TOWN AND REQUESTED GREENBERG POLICE PERSONNEL IN THE MATTER OF CHRISTINE STEIN VERSUS TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 50,850,000 IN TOTAL.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE PAID BY INSURANCE, RIGHT? YES, IT'S PAID BY, THAT'S CORRECT.
[ AT 3 - 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing tax certiorari settlement with petitioner 19 South Broadway Owners Corp. for property located at 19 Broadway. The Town’s share of the refund is $417±; the County’s share is $2,580±; the Saw Mill Valley Sewer District’s share is $565±; the Union Free School District of the Tarrytowns’ share is $19,175±. Refunds from all sources total $22,737±]
A T THREE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX ARY SETTLEMENT WITH PETITIONER 19 SOUTH BROADWAY OWNERS CORP FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 19 BROADWAY.THE TOWN'S, UM, SHARE OF THE REFUND IS $417 REFUND FROM ALL SOURCES 20 2007 37.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND ONE FAVOR, AYE.
[ AT 4 - 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing tax certiorari settlement with petitioner K. Ahmed LLC for property located at 10 Grove Street.The Town’s share of the refund is $157±; the County’s share is $972±; the Saw Mill Valley Sewer District’s share is $213±; the Union Free School District of the Tarrytowns’ share is $7,229±. Refunds from all sources total $8,572±]
T FOUR RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX TERTIARY SETTLEMENT WITH PETITIONER AHMED.UM, FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 10 GROVE STREET, THE TOWN'S SHARE OF THE REFUND IS $157 TOTAL AMOUNT 8,000 5 72.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND ON FAVOR, AYE.
[ AT 5 - 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing tax certiorari settlement with petitioner PMG Hartsdale Corp. for property located at 13 Hartsdale Avenue. The Town’s share of the refund is $4,222±; the County’s share is $2,054±; the Bronx Valley Sewer District’s share is $400±; the Consolidated Sewer Mtc. District’s share is $146±; the Hartsdale Fire District’s share is $4,004±; the Greenburgh Central School District’s share is $11,304±. Refunds from all sources total $22,131±]
AYE.A T FIVE, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TE TAX S SETTLEMENT WITH PETITIONER PMG HARTSDALE COURT FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 13 UM, HARTSDALE AVENUE.
THE REFUNDS FROM WALL SOURCES INCLUDE 20 2001 31.
[ AT 6 - 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing tax certiorari settlement with petitioner MUFHH Inc. 80% and Yun Mo Park 20% for property located at 1 Division Street.The Town’s share of the refund is $301±; the County’s share is $1,981±; the Saw Mill Valley Sewer District’s share is $393±; the Union Free School District of the Tarrytowns’ share is $13,985±. Refunds from all sources total $16,660±]
IN FAVOR, AYE.UH, A T SIX RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX ARY SETTLEMENT WITH PETITIONER M-U-F-H-H INCORPORATED 80% AND Y MOE PARK, UH, 20% FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT ONE DIVISION STREET, UH, REFUNDS FROM ALL SOURCES TOTAL $16,660.
[ AT-7 – 6/25/2025 Resolution approving the continued retention of Thomas J. Troetti, Esq., to represent Town of Greenburgh Police Officers in the matter of Kirk Beckford v. Town of Greenburgh for an amount not to exceed an additional $25,000, $75,000 in total]
AYE.UM, A SEVEN RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTINUED, UH, RETENTION OF TOM TRADY TO REPRESENT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG POLICE OFFICERS AND THE MATTER OF KIRK BECKFORD AND TOWN OF GREENBURG, UH, UH, FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 25,000 TOTAL IS 75,000.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ AT 8 - 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing an agreement with WestCop to provide social services to the Town of Greenburgh for calendar year 2025, at a cost not to exceed $16,837 plus up to $400 reimbursement for meal delivery mileage expenses documented to the satisfaction of the Town Comptroller ]
AYE.88, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT WITH BUS CUP TO PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025 AT A COURSE NOT TO EXCEED HUN 16,837 PLUS UP TO $400 REIMBURSEMENT FOR, UM, MEAL DELIVERY MILEAGE EXPENSES DOCUMENTED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THIS TOWN CONTROLLER.
[ CD 1 - 6/25/2025 Resolution (1) declaring the intention of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh to be Lead Agency with respect to SEQRA for a Zoning Map Amendment petition and amended site plan application by Bethel Communities Management (“Bethel”), to rezone its 1,271,261 sq. ft. site at 55 Grasslands Road, PO Valhalla, from PUD - Planned Unit Development to the R-30 One-Family Residence District in connection with a proposal to expand its existing Continuing Care Retirement Community with 75 additional independent senior living units, an auditorium, and related on-site improvements; (2) referring the petition to the Planning Board for review and recommendation in accordance with the requirements of Section 285-64 of the Town’s Zoning Ordinance; and (3) referring the amended site plan application to the Planning Board for review and recommendation]
CD ONE RESOLUTION DECLARING THE INTENT OF THE TOWN, UH, BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG TO BE LEAD AGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SEEKER FOR ZONING MAP AMENDMENT PETITION AND AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION BY BETHEL COMMUNITIES MANAGEMENT TO REZONE.UM, IT'S 1000 271 2 61 SQUARE, UH, FOOT SITE AT 55 GRASSLANDS ROAD, UH, FROM POD PLAN UNION, UNION DEVELOPMENT TO THE R 38 1 HOUSE ONE RESIDENCE, ONE FAMILY, ONE FAMILY, UH,
[03:20:01]
RESIDENCE DISTRICT IN CONNECTION WITH A PROPOSAL TO EXPAND ITS EXISTING CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY WITH 75 ADDITIONAL INDEPENDENT CIVIC SENIOR, UH, LIVING UNITS AND AUDITORIUM AND RELATED ONSITE IMPROVEMENTS.REFERRING THE PETITION TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 2 85 64 OF THE TOWN ZONING ORDINANCE REFERRING, UH, THE AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION.
[ CO 1 - 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing Fiscal Year 2025 budget transfers]
AYE.CCO ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FISCAL YEAR 2025.
[ CO 2 - 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Transfer]
A AYE, UH, CO2, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FISCAL YEAR 2024.[ CO 3 - 6/25/2025 Resolution approving a budget amendment to the Town Outside Village Fund for the accepted grant of $3,000 for the Juneteenth Celebration]
AYE.UH, CO THREE RESOLUTION APPROVING BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN OUTSIDE VILLAGE FUND FOR THE ACCEPTED GRANT OF 3000 FOR THE JUNETEENTH, UH, CELEBRATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ PR 1 - 6/25/2025 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute an agreement to award the Hart's Brook Housing Licensing Agreement to town employee, Daniel Mejias.]
AYE.UH, P ONE, UH, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT TO AWARD THE HARTSBURG HOUSING LICENSE AGREEMENT TO TOWN EMPLOYEE DANIEL MIA.
SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ PW 1 - 6/25/2025 Resolution awarding the contract for Professional Consultant Services related to the Sheldon Brook Resiliency planning project (through the NYS Office of Resilient Homes and Communities) to Tectonic Engineering Consultants, Geologists and Land Surveryors, D.P.C, as the best qualified and most responsible proposer, as well as the lowest bidder, for an amount not to exceed $199,682, with the cost to be paid using a $200,000 grant]
FAVOR, AYE.UH, PW ONE RESOLUTION AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES RELATED TO THE SHELDON BROOK RESILIENCY PLANNING PROJECT THROUGH THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF RESILIENT HOMES AND COMMUNITIES TO, TO ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, GEOLOGISTS, AND LAND SURVEYORS.
UM, AS A BEST QUALIFIED AND MOST RESPONSIBLE PROPOSER, AS WELL AS THE LOWEST BID IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 199,062 WITH A COST TO BE PAID USING A $200,000 GRANT.