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[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
WELCOME TO OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING.TODAY IS, UH, WEDNESDAY, JULY 9TH, AND IT'S 7:42 PM UM, SO WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO 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.]
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND MEMORY OF THOSE AROUND THE WORLD HAVE PERISHED AS VICTIMS OF WAR, DISEASE, AND NATURAL DISASTER.OUR HEARTS ARE WITHOUT ALL THOSE WHO NEEDLESSLY SUFFER.
[ ROLL CALL: Town Clerk Lisa Maria Nero]
DO THE ROLL CALL.COUNCILWOMAN HABER PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN HENDRICKS.
WHICH ONE YOU ANSWERING TO? I KNOW, RIGHT?
[ PRESENTATIONS (Maximum 10 minutes each) Certificate of Achievement - Adam Hacker (becoming an Eagle Scout) Recognizing Malaye and Gabby Marsh, Community Center Without Walls Youth Poetry Finalists Recognizing Joy Thaler, Edgemont resident and owner of The Pod in Dobbs Ferry, for generously donating her space, staff and time to the Community Center Without Walls.]
WE'RE GONNA START THE MEETING, UH, BY PRESENTING, UM, A YOUNG MAN, UM, WITH A CERTIFICATE.HACKER IS A EAGLE SCOUT, AND, UM, HE CREATED A POLLINATOR GARDEN AT WOODLANDS COMMUNITY TEMPLE, WHICH WILL ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO CONSIDER POLLINATOR GARDENS AND HELP OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT AWARE OF THE SCOUTING, UM, YOU KNOW, PROCESS, BEING AN EAGLE SCOUT IS VERY, VERY PRESTIGIOUS.
A LOT OF, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY BECOME SCOUTS AND PROBABLY LIKE 99% OF THE, UH, THE SCOUTS NEVER ACHIEVE THE RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT, UH, BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF, UM, PERSISTENCE.
UH, YOU HAVE TO SHOW LEADERSHIP, UH, YOU KNOW, QUALITIES, UH, GREAT TEAMWORK.
AND, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN EAGLE SCOUT.
BUT, UM, ADAM, UM, IS ONE OF THE HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WHO, UM, UM, HAVE ACHIEVED THE TOP RANK, UM, AS AN EAGLE SCOUT.
AND WE JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOU.
UM, YOU HAD, UM, UH, A CEREMONY, UH, RECENTLY AND I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO, UH, SALUTE YOU AT, AT THIS, UM, TOWN BOARD MEETING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PRESENT YOU WITH A CERTIFICATE AND MENTION TO YOU THAT I'M A LITTLE JEALOUS BECAUSE I WAS A SCOUT, BUT I NEVER GOT P****D.
YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? YOU WERE GONNA SAY BOBCAT
I AM A, UM, EGO SCOUT WITH DREW HARSDALE 67.
UH, MY PROJECT WAS ON A POLLINATOR GARDEN, WHICH IS NOW ON THE GROUNDS OF WOODLANDS COMMUNITY TEMPLE.
UM, MY PROJECT WAS A VERY AMBITIOUS ONE.
I WASN'T SURE WHAT I WAS GONNA BE DOING AT FIRST.
IT WENT FROM BIRD FEEDERS TO A POLLINATED GARDEN.
THAT'S WHAT I STUCK WITH THE ENTIRE TIME.
UM, ONE DAY, UH, OUT OF A WEEKEND, I HAD NINE BOYS FROM TWO TROOPS WHO WERE ABLE TO COME OUT AND HELP ME BUILD IT.
SO WHAT A POLLINATE GARDEN DOES IS IT ATTRACTS MY GARDEN, ATTRACTS BEES AND BUTTERFLIES TO POLLINATE AROUND THE AREA SO THAT IT CAN GROW FLOWERS, MAKE HONEY, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, DO WHATEVER IT DOES.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I BUILT IT WITHIN A FIVE BY FIVE FRAME, A SMALL ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TOO BIG.
UM, IT'S ALSO RIGHT NEXT TO A VEGETABLE GARDEN, WHICH IS NICE BECAUSE IT, THAT VEGETABLE GARDEN DOES HAVE AN AUTOMATED WATERING SYSTEM.
SO THAT WATERING SYSTEM DOES HIT MY GARDEN A LITTLE BIT WHEN IT COMES TO VERY HOT WEATHER LIKE TODAY.
UM, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE THIS GARDEN GROW? UM, THAT WAS A VERY, THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, WHAT INSPIRED ME TO BUILD THIS GARDEN WAS BECAUSE, UH, I ACTUALLY WORK AT ANTHONY AT VETERAN PARK AS A LIFEGUARD,
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AND, UM, I SAW THE BIG POLLINATOR GARDEN THERE, SO I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? LET ME MAKE SOMETHING SORT OF LIKE THAT, BUT A LITTLE BIT SMALLER.AND MY TEMPLE WAS LIKE, WE SHOULD BUILD ONE.
SO THEY'VE BEEN SAYING THAT EVERY BOARD MEETING THEY HAD, BUT THEY NEVER HAD ANYONE TO TAKE ON THE ROLE.
SO I DECIDED TO TAKE ON A ROLE AND BUILD IT.
AND WHAT YEAR OF SCHOOL ARE YOU IN? UH, I AM GOING INTO MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE.
WHERE ARE YOU ATTENDING COLLEGE? I WILL BE GOING TO FARMINGDALE STATE COLLEGE IN LONG ISLAND.
UH, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO SCOUTS LIKE ME WHO, UH, QUIT BEFORE BECOMING AN EAGLE SCOUT? YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DOES IT REALLY, UH, TAKE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT QUALITIES, UM, DOES IT TAKE FOR SOMEBODY TO, UM, GO ALL THE WAY AND BECOME AN EAGLE SCOUT AND, YOU KNOW, WHY SHOULD, UM, OTHER SCOUTS NOT GET DISCOURAGED? BECAUSE I GUESS MOST PEOPLE WERE LIKE ME AND THEY GOT DISCOURAGED.
SO WITH ME IT WAS, UH, JUST A BIT OF A GRIND GOING THROUGH ALL THE RANKS FROM SCOUT ALL THE WAY UP TO EAGLE.
UM, WHAT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IS KEEP GOING.
SHOW UP TO MEETINGS, DEFINITELY, BECAUSE THOSE WILL HELP YOU RANK UP, SCHEDULE YOUR SCOUT MASTER CONFERENCES AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE SO YOU CAN KNOW LIKE AHEAD OF TIME IF YOU GOT THE RANK OR NOT.
BECAUSE IF YOU DO YOUR SCOUT MASTER CONFERENCE AHEAD OF TIME, THEY CAN SCHEDULE YOUR PORTAL REVIEW PRETTY MUCH RIGHT AWAY.
SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS A BIG THING IS ALSO, UM, JUST BUILDING LEADERSHIP, JUST KNOWING WHAT YOU CAN FOCUS ON MORE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO MORE.
LIKE IN MY TROOP, I WAS THE KNOT TYING GUY FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND THEN I DECIDED TO TAKE ON THE ROLE OF TRIP INSTRUCTOR THIS PAST YEAR.
SO I WAS TEACHING THE YOUNGER SCOUTS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERNAL FRAME PACKS AND EXTERNAL FRAME PACKS, UH, HOW TO PACK FOR A CAMPING TRIP, AND, UM, HOW MANY PAIRS OF CLOTHES THEY SHOULD HAVE, HOW MUCH WATER THEY SHOULD HAVE ON THEM AT ALL TIMES.
SO THEN THEY CAN REALLY MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN STAY HYDRATED ON CAMP.
IT'S NOT ONLY WHILE HIKING, BUT ALSO IN THE CAMPSITE PLAYING FOOTBALL, BALTIMORE FRISBEE, WHATEVER WE GET TO DO THAT DAY.
ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT BEING AN EAGLE SCOUT IS IT'S ONE OF THE, UH, FEW THINGS THAT YOU COULD PUT ON YOUR RESUME FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY'S APPLYING FOR A JOB, UM, AND IF YOU KNOW THERE'S AN EAGLE SCOUT AND A NON EAGLE SCOUT, MY GUESS IS THAT PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY WOULD HIRE THE EAGLE SCOUT.
UM, BECAUSE YOU SHOW THE QUALITIES THAT ANY EMPLOYER WOULD WANT.
SO YOU HAVE REALLY A LICENSE TO BE, UH, VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE.
AND I'M SURE THAT YOU'LL BE GETTING A LOT OF FUTURE AWARDS, BUT YOU MANAGED TO GET HIRED A FEW TIMES, SUPERVISOR WITHOUT YOUR SKILLS.
NEXT, UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
UH, TWO YOUNG LADIES WHO ARE TWIN SISTERS, GABBY AND MALAYA MARSH ARE BEING RECOGNIZED AS FINALISTS IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER WITHOUT WALLS 2025 POETRY SERIES, WHICH WAS HOSTED BY THE POD IN DOPPS FERRY.
AND WE WANT TO PRESENT THEM WITH CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION FROM THE TOWN, AND HOPEFULLY HEAR, HEAR THEM RECITE THEIR POEMS AS PART OF THE PROGRAM.
THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH ANOTHER SPECIAL GUEST WHO IS HERE WITH US, WESTCHESTER COUNTY POET LAUREATE, UM, FELICIA VVA.
BUT BEFORE THAT, WE ASKED CLIFF ABRAMS, THE FOUNDER OF COMMUNITY CENTER WITHOUT WALLS, TO COME UP AND BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE PROGRAM AND THE PARTNERSHIP.
SO, CLIFF, COULD YOU, UH, SAY A FEW WORDS? GREETINGS, UM, SUPERVISOR FINER AND THE TOWN BOARD.
UM, SUPERVISOR FINER AND JOY FOR, UM, SUPPORT ME.
YOU KNOW, IT IS RESPECT FOR, UM, RECOGNIZING THE TWO YOUNG LADIES.
UM, WE STARTED OFF OUR PROGRAM WITH 15 KIDS.
IT WAS A CREATIVE WRITING BY OUR LA UM, AZAR.
I MET PHILLY AND, UM, I WAS THE COORDINATOR AT THE CLUBHOUSE IN YONKERS, YMCA.
AND I TOLD PHILLY THAT I HAD A GROUP AND I SAID, UM, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO COME ABOARD.
AND, UM, SHE SAID, CLIFF, I CAN DO BETTER THAN I'M GONNA COME ABOARD.
I'M GONNA VOLUNTEER THREE MONTHS FOR YOU.
YOU KNOW? AND THEN SHE WENT AND SAY, JOY, JOY IS SO HUMBLE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, AND JOY GAVE US THE POD.
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MAKE THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES,AND JOY, UM, CAME FOR THE THREE MONTHS.
SHE SAID, YOU COULD COME AND PHILLY, UM, SHE LED IT RIGHT WITH CREATIVE FRIGHTEN.
BUT, UM, I WANT TO SAY ABOUT, UM, MALAYA AND GABBY, I MEAN, THEY STARTED A PROGRAM OFF WITH 15 KIDS.
AND THEN THEY END UP FINISHING OFF WITH THE TWO POEMS. AND THAT, UM, COMMUNITY CENTER OUT WALLS IS A ORGANIZATION THAT WE DEAL WITH, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, PEOPLE CALL 'EM AT RISK KIDS.
I CALL 'EM CHILDREN WITH POSSIBILITIES, YOU KNOW.
AND WHAT HAPPENED IS WE DO POETRY WRITING FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS.
IT'S, IT IS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR'S, POETRY WRITING FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS.
THE SECOND THREE MONTHS WE DO, THEY WRITE THEIR OWN BOOKS.
AND THEN THE LAST THREE MONTHS WE DO, UM, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, TEACHING THEM TO GET INVOLVED WITH DAY TO DAY WHAT GOES ON AND TO GET INTO POLITICS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, TO JOY AND PHILLY, AND I WOULD LIKE KEISHA HOPE TO COME UP, PLEASE.
KEISHA HOPE IS THE CHAIRPERSON FOR, UM, COMMUNITY CENTER, WILD WAR INC.
AND, UM, LAST YEAR, UM, AT, UM, GEORGE LATIMER AT THE TIME, HE WAS OUR COUNTY EXEC.
BUT HE FOUND OUT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR PAPER, RIGHT? SO HE WAITED UNTIL 24 TO GIVE US THE MONEY, TO GIVE US THE MONEY UP FRONT.
AND I GOTTA BRING UP KEISHA, BECAUSE SHE MADE SURE ALL THE PAPERWORK WAS CORRECT.
YOU KNOW, SHE MADE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THE I'S WERE DOTTED AND THE TS WAS CROSSED.
AND, UM, WHEREVER I NEED HER, SHE THERE.
I GOT ANOTHER COUNCILWOMAN OVER THERE.
UM, INE, WHOEVER I CALL HER, SHE'S THERE.
AND MS. MANN IS THE, IS THE MOTHER OF THE TWO YOUNG LADIES.
AND MS. MANN IS, UM, ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND SHE TOOK, SHE DROPPED THE KIDS OFF EVERY TIME AT, UM, AT THE PLACE.
UH, GOOD EVENING TO, UH, SUPERVISOR FINER INTO THE TOWN BOARD.
UH, WE JUST WANNA, AGAIN, REITERATE WHAT CLIFF SAID.
WE WANNA THANK, UH, SUPERVISOR FINER AND THE TOWN BOARD FOR RECOGNIZING, UH, THE, THE PROGRAM AND FOR RECOGNIZING THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE POD, BETWEEN, UH, THE OWNER OF THE POD AND TO OUR MAGNIFICENT, UH, WESTCHESTER COUNTY LAUREATE PHILLY.
UH, SHE'S AN AMAZING YOUNG LADY WHO CONNECTS WITH THE YOUTH IN SUCH A SPECIAL WAY.
UM, WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO BRING THE COMMUNITY, THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. WE HAVE SOME EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING IN THE FALL, UM, AND WE JUST APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE TOWN AND THE TOWN BOARD.
AND OUR, UM, POET, UH, LAURIE COULD COME UP AND JUST SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT HER ROLE AND THE PROGRAM.
UM, JERRY AND, UM, CAM, COME HERE.
THESE ARE TWO OF OUR GENTLEMEN THAT SAID THE PROGRAM TOO.
THAT SHOWS UP, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, THEY SHY, BUT I WANTED THEM TO COME UP AND THANK GOD
IS, IS, UH, OUR POET LAUREATE WITH US.
UM, REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE POETRY AND COMMUNITY AND COMING TOGETHER AND THESE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADIES.
IT'S SO AMAZING TO SEE YOU GUYS HERE IN THIS ROOM TOGETHER.
I KNOW WE KNEW THE PLAN AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT THIS IS, UM, A REALLY BEAUTIFUL MOMENT AND JOY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME.
THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN, UM, THIS, THIS, THIS IDEA.
UM, I COME FROM A PLACE WHERE I FELL IN LOVE WITH POETRY IN SCHOOL.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
BUT I FELL IN LOVE WITH POETRY IN SCHOOL, AND THEN I REALIZED QUICKLY THAT, UM, POETRY
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IS POWERFUL.UM, IT'S THE ANSWER, ARTS AND CULTURE, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA PUSH US FORWARD.
BUT THERE WAS NO PLACE IN MY COMMUNITY TO RECITE POETRY TO MEET OTHER YOUNG POETS TO EXPLORE POETRY.
SO I HAD TO CREATE THAT IN YONKERS.
SO I'M 16 RUNNING AN OPEN MIC, AND MY MOM'S SUPPORTING ME.
SHE'S BRINGING ALL THE SNACKS, AND IT WAS FOR TEENS.
AND THEN QUICKLY, UM, IT BECAME FOR THE COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE NOW WE HAVE GRANDMA IN THERE SPEAKING POETRY AND AUNTIES AND THEN COUSINS.
AND THEN NOW THE POETS ARE EXPLORING RAPPING OR EXPLORING WRITING LONG FORM ESSAYS.
SOMEONE PROPOSED TO THEIR WIFE AT MY OPEN MIC, AND I THINK AT THAT POINT I'M LIKE 18.
UM, SO I FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT, UM, COMMUNITY BUILDING AND COMMUNITY ARTS DEVELOPMENT.
AND TO BE ABLE TO FIND PLACES, LOCAL BUSINESSES, LIKE THE POD IN DOBBS FERRY, THAT IS MORE THAN JUST THE BEST PLACE TO GET A CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE.
AND YOU WALK IN THERE AND IT FEELS LIKE, UM, A STEP FORWARD.
AND FROM THE MOMENT I WALKED IN THERE, I FELT THAT PULL AND PUSH TO BE GREATER, TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO LISTEN THE WAY THAT JOY TALKS ABOUT HER WORK IN HER STORE.
SHE IS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS WORK.
AND I WISH THERE WAS MORE PEOPLE AND, AND THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE.
UM, AND WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER, UM, TO DO MORE WORK FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE, BECAUSE YOU TEACH THEM POETRY, POETRY IS POWERFUL, AND THEY GO BACK INTO THEIR COMMUNITY AND THERE'S NO PLACE TO DO IT.
UM, AND THEN WHEN MEETING CLIFF, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS, UM, AMAZING, UH, THAT HIS PROGRAM JUST HAD NO BOUNDARIES OR BARRIERS.
AND I'M LIKE, SO WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO WITH THESE KIDS? YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WHENEVER I, UM, I'M AT A MIC, OR WHENEVER I'M LEADING A POETRY PROGRAM, I'M IN A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE.
SO WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE DO? 'CAUSE WE CAN DO GOOD WORK.
AND WHEN YOU'RE A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER AND YOU HAVE A STOREFRONT, YOU MAKE GOOD CHOICES.
YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR STOREFRONT AND FRONT IT AS WE SELL COOKIES,
SO, UM, THESE YOUNG LADIES, UM, TRUSTED ME.
I COME FROM YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND PREVENTION AND LEADERSHIP FIRST.
AND SO WHEN I APPROACH POETRY, I APPROACH POETRY THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE LENS OF LIFE SKILLS.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM INTERCONNECTEDNESS TO VOICE, TO ADVOCACY, TO LEADING AND, UM, ENDING IT WITH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND, UM, THIS WORKSHOP, WHICH, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'LL BE MANY MORE IS, UM, A PART OF A CREATIVE EXPRESSION SERIES.
AND THIS IS JUST THE POETRY PART FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE PART.
UM, AND, UH, THESE POEMS WERE, WERE SO, SO SPECIALLY CREATED.
I MEAN, WE WORKED THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS.
ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE IS WHEN I ASKED THE YOUTH, UM, I'M NOT FROM YOUR TIME, SO YOU GOTTA TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS? WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS AND ISSUES OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF TODAY? AND THE THINGS THAT ALMOST ALL OF THEM SAID WHEN WE HAD THAT GROUP OF 15 WAS ALMOST THE SAME THINGS.
AND THEY WERE HEARTBREAKING TO SAY HERE.
UM, BUT THE KIDS OF TODAY, THEY, THEY, THEY NEED THIS.
AND THANK YOU CLIFF FOR, UM, ADVOCATING FOR YOUR VISION AND YOUR DREAM AND JUST, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD AND, UM, AND, AND BRINGING IT TO LIFE AND, AND TRUSTING ME WITH YOUR YOUTH.
AND NOW WE HAVE, UH, THE TWO FINALISTS.
UM, UM, WHO WILL COME UP AND GET THEIR CERTIFICATES, OR I'LL GO, WE WILL GO DOWN AND WE CAN GIVE IT TO YOU.
PHILLY, CAN YOU STAY WITH THEM? THEY, THEY'RE A LITTLE NERVOUS.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR POEMS TO READ.
AND THEY'RE GONNA READ THEIR POEMS, BUT THEY WANT YOU TO STAY WITH THEM WHEN THEY COME UP.
SO ACTUALLY, SHOULD THEY READ THEIR POEMS FIRST AND THEN WE GIVE THEM THE CERTIFICATES? YEAH, WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO.
LOOK, WHEN I AM ALONE IN MY ROOMS, I SOMETIMES WATCH TV.
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OTHER TIMES I'M THINKING ABOUT LIFE OR MY CHILDHOOD.WHEN IT IS WARM, WHEN IT'S WARM OR HOT, THERE IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
WHEN I'M IN MY BED FROM MY BED, I CAN SEE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BED, LIKE A RED RABBIT OR DJ.
THEY REMIND ME OF MY CHILDHOOD.
THEY ALSO REMIND ME IT'S OKAY TO BE ME.
DO THE RIGHT THING AND SPEAK GOOD BEFORE IT'S TOO LATER GONE.
HAVE RESPECT FOR PEOPLE AND YOURSELF.
STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE.
HAVE INTEGRITY, STABILITY, AND KNOW IT'S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT.
SUPPORT YOURSELF, AND EXPRESS YOURSELF.
YOU'RE POWERFUL, YOU'RE BLESSED, YOU'RE MINDFUL, YOU'RE LOVED.
WORK HARD IN SCHOOL AND NEVER BACK DOWN.
HAVE ME TIME DURING DIFFICULT TIMES.
HAVE KINDNESS, HAVE COMPASSION, AND HAVE JOY.
AND LASTLY, NEVER FORGET YOUR IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, UM, I SPOKE TO, UH, SARAH BRALEY WHITE, WHO'S THE HEAD OF OUR ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, AND I ASKED IF WE COULD, UM, UM, UH, PUT UP YOUR POEM AND LEAVE IT AT TOWN HALL SO PEOPLE COULD SEE IT WHEN THEY'RE COMING, UH, UH, INTO THE BUILDING.
BECAUSE IT REALLY IS VERY INSPIRATIONAL.
AND, UM, WHEN YOU'RE FAMOUS, UH, WE COULD SAY WE KNEW YOU WHEN THEY, THEY COULD, WHEN YOU'RE EVEN MORE FAMOUS, THEN WE COULD SAY, COME TO TOWN HALL AND SEE, UH, SEE A POEM WHEN THEY WERE JUST GETTING STARTED.
YOU KNOW, I GOT A, I GOT A SNEAK PEEK AT THE POEMS WHEN THEY FIRST WALKED IN, AND I QUESTIONED THEM AND I SAID, DID YOU WRITE THESE? AND I, I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY.
COULD YOU MAYBE TELL US WHY IT, YOU KNOW, WHY YOU'RE SO SUCCESSFUL AND SO GOOD AT THIS WHEN SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE THE SKILLS THAT YOU HAVE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S THE TRICK OF BEING A SUCCESSFUL POET? SETTING YOUR MIND TO YOUR GOALS AND LIKE, NEVER GIVING UP.
OH, SETTING YOUR MIND TO SETTING YOUR GOAL TO YOUR MIND.
OH MY GOD, WHY ARE YOU SO THEY SHY.
BECAUSE I NEVER GIVE UP AND I TRY TO THINK STUFF LIKE, WHAT I'M I TRYING TO SAY? AND I'M NOT SURE.
SO WE WOULD THE TOWN BOARD WANT COME UP? WELL, WE, WE WE'RE GONNA DO ONE MORE.
AND THEN WE'LL DO A GROUP PICTURE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS PROGRAM WAS THE RESULT OF AN AMAZING THREE-WAY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNITY CENTER WITHOUT WALLS.
OUR POET LAUREATE, FELICIA VI VILLANUEVA, AND JOY THALER, OWNER OF THE POD AND LONGTIME EDGEMONT RESIDENT TOGETHER, THEY MADE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL HAPPEN.
THE POD IS COMMITTED TO BEING A HUB OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN DOBBS FERRY, WHICH IS WHERE I LIVE.
SO I'M VERY PROUD, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WITH A PROCLAMATION FOR JOYCE.
SO I'M GONNA PRESENT THAT TO HER.
CLIFF, CLIFF, THIS WAY, THIS WAY WE HAVE THE FLOWERS, SO IT'S HARD TO TALK INTO THE AUDIENCE AND TO THE CAMERA AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I'M JUST GONNA, WHATEVER YOU COME OVER HERE.
UM, I HAD NEVER MET, I LIVE IN DOBBS FERRY.
I HAD NEVER MET JOY, MY NAMESAKE RIGHT BEFORE.
AND I WENT IN ONE DAY AND WE SAT DOWN AND WHAT A CONNECTION.
I'M, I'M JUST NOT SAYING WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
SHE IS SO COMMITTED TO HUMANITY IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY.
SORRY, I'M GONNA GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL, BUT SHE DOES IT THROUGH CHOCOLATE.
LIKE, WHO DOESN'T LOVE CHOCOLATE? RIGHT?
AND HER CHOCOLATE IS DELICIOUS, BUT IT'S MORE THAN DELICIOUS.
IT IS A TESTAMENT TO, UH, SUSTAINABILITY, TO, TO BRINGING COUNTRIES FORWARD THAT ARE, THAT NEED IT, AND TO BRINGING PEOPLE FORWARD IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ALSO WHO ALSO NEED IT, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
SHE DOES OTHER WORK OTHER THAN THIS PROGRAM SHE
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DOES WORK WITH WITH NAMI.SHE DOES, UH, ART THERAPY AT HER POD.
YOU LIVE THERE, LIKE YOU'RE THERE ALL THE TIME.
I COME IN ON A SUNDAY, YOU'RE THERE.
HER FAMILY'S HERE, BUT SHE'S SO COMMITTED.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, YOU CAN BE THE PROCLAMATION, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS, BUT I, THIS IS FROM MY HEART, BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE JUST DID AN AMAZING JOB AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL.
CLIFF, YOU GAVE HIM, YOU GAVE HIM A PLACE, AN OASIS, RIGHT, TO DO HIS PRO TO DO THE PROJECT AND THESE GIRLS.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE, IT'S THE PERFECT SYNERGY OF LIKE, EVERYTHING, THE BEST OF GREENBERG IN EVERY WAY.
SO I FIGURED I'D BE EMOTIONAL.
SO I'M GONNA READ THIS 'CAUSE I'M FEELING VERY EMOTIONAL, BUT THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HABER, SUPERVISOR FINER, AND THE ENTIRE, UH, TOWN BOARD.
UM, I'M TRULY HONORED TO RECEIVE THE CITATION TONIGHT, AND MY HUSBAND'S THRILLED THAT IT WASN'T A PARKING CITATION
UM, I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THE POD BY COHO COMPASSION OVER THE PAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS HAS BEEN A JOURNEY OF PURPOSE, CREATIVITY, AND RESILIENCE.
UM, I WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT MY FAMILY.
UM, MY FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE REALLY KEPT ME GOING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS IN ONE PERSON OPERATION, TOTALLY BOOTSTRAPPED.
AND, UM, I'D SAY A BLESSING IN DISGUISE.
YOU KNOW, I, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MY 91-YEAR-OLD MOTHER WHO'S NOT HERE, UM, TONIGHT, BUT WAS IN TEARS WHEN SHE HEARD ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK ONLY BECAUSE THAT SHE WASN'T FEELING WELL, DID I REALIZE THAT I NEEDED SOME HELP.
SO FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS, I'VE BEEN REALLY HAPPY TO BRING ON A FEW PEOPLE AT THE POD.
UM, IT'S BEEN BEYOND A JOY TO COLLABORATE WITH FELICIA, UM, CLIFTON WHERE, UM, DAPHNE, KEISHA MOM, GIRLS, UM, AND EVERYBODY WHO WAS THERE.
IT IS THE BEST TIME WHEN PROGRAMMING HAPPENS AT THE POD, THE ART THERAPY WITH NAMI.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD JUST CRY ALL THE TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMITTED TO INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT BRINGS HEALING AND CONNECTION THROUGH CHOCOLATE, WHICH IS $160 BILLION INDUSTRY THAT, FOR THE MOST PART DOESN'T VALUE CHOCOLATE MADE WHERE IT GROWS.
AND THROUGH MY RESEARCH AND SPEAKING TO FARMERS, IT SEEMED ENTIRELY WRONG TO FOLLOW A MODEL, WHICH NOBODY SHOULD BE THROWN UNDER A BUS, BECAUSE ALL WORK IS GOOD WORK.
UM, WHERE WE SHOWCASE BEANS BY FARMERS.
THE FARMERS WANTED THEIR PRODUCT SHOWCASED IN AN ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THE HAPPY MEDIUM WAS WE DO MAKE BEAN TO BAR CRAFT CHOCOLATE, AND WE USE IT TO GIVE 20% BACK FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMMING AND, UM, TO BRING IN ONLY CHOCOLATE MADE BY COCOA FARMERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR PROGRAMS ARE ABOUT CONNECTING LOCAL AND GLOBAL MARKETS.
UM, AS SOMEONE COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY WELLNESS NEAR AND FAR, I DEEPLY BELIEVE IN CREATING INCLUSIVE SPACES THAT REFLECT THE NEEDS OF ALL MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ACROSS GENERATIONS AND LIVED EXPERIENCES.
SO THANK YOU FOR HONORING THIS MISSION AND ALLOWING US TO BUILD BRIDGES.
UM, AND I ALWAYS FORGET TO ENJOY CHOCOLATE, UM, AND COMPASSION COOKIES.
I SEEM TO FORGET THE PRODUCT, BUT, UM, THANK YOU.
BEFORE YOU GO AWAY, JOY, TELL US AGAIN WHERE IT'S LOCATED, WHAT THE ADDRESS IS, PLEASE.
WELL, IT DOESN'T HAVE A NUMBER, SO IT'S THE BEST KEPT SECRET.
IT'S 11 CEDAR STREET, UM, ANCHORED NEXT TO TOIA ACROSS FROM THE PARLOR.
SO AFTER YOU HAVE A GREAT MEAL, UM, IT'S, IT'S RIGHT THERE.
UM, AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN EXCEPT FOR MONDAYS.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, AND THANK YOU.
YOU MADE SUCH A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I THINK I'M GONNA LIKE CHOCOLATE NOW, BUT, UM, BUT YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR YOUR, YOUR SERVICE.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT IS REALLY GREAT THAT YOU, UM, YOU HAD FAITH IN, UH, THE, UH, THE INITIATIVE THAT CLIFF'S, YOU KNOW, STARTED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND IT REALLY COULD CHANGE LIVES FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BETTER.
[00:30:01]
VERY, VERY GRATEFUL.UM, THE COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, WITHOUT WALLS, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY A PROGRAM THAT IS NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU AND I BEG OF YOU TO ATTEND THESE PROGRAMS BECAUSE YOU, YOU CAN'T APPRECIATE IT UNTIL YOU'RE THERE AND YOU'RE SEEING HOW PEOPLE SLOWLY OPEN UP.
IT WAS A 12 WEEK PROGRAM, AND THINGS DON'T HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY.
AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE SMILES AND CONNECTION.
SO IT REALLY, IT REALLY IS GREAT.
AND I'M GONNA, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, STOPPING BY ALSO.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I I REALLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, THIS INITIATIVE.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, UM, TO GET THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, TOOK TIME.
BUT I THINK YOU'VE PROVEN, UH, TO ALL OF US THAT THIS IS A VALUABLE PROGRAM THAT SHOULD BE, UM, SUPPORTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
LET'S HAVE THE, THE, SORRY, I'LL, I FORGOT I DID IT LAST TIME.
[ SUPERVISOR & TOWN COUNCIL REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS Liaison Reports (Councilwoman Joy Haber, Councilwoman Ellen Hendrickx, Councilwoman Gina Jackson, Councilman Francis Sheehan) - held over until August 9, 2025 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]
WE HAVE A SURPR, A BIG SURPRISE THAT WILL MAKE EVERYBODY REALLY IMPRESSED.COLBY, UH, JENKINS, UM, IS ORGANIZING ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE, UM, INITIATIVES, UH, THAT I'VE, I'VE SEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN A TOWN SUPERVISOR.
UM, IT'S, UM, A A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FARMER'S MARKET THAT I THINK IS GONNA BE APPLAUDED BY THE COMMUNITY AND SERVES A GREAT NEED.
SO, COLBY, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP AND JUST TELL US WHAT YOU'RE DOING? AND YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF CREATIVE THINGS IN THE PAST AND THIS IS, UH, THIS TOPS EVERYTHING.
GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE GOD BECAUSE THAT'S FOR, UM, ALL MY BLESSINGS FLOW.
[00:35:01]
THE STRENGTH TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO BUILD UP, NOT JUST ME, NOT MY FAMILY, BUT EVERYBODY.UM, BECAUSE IT TRULY TAKES US ALL TO DO SOMETHING IN ORDER TO, UM, SEE AN OUTCOME.
JUST LIKE WHAT WE'VE SEEN HERE TODAY.
SO I'M PROUD OF YOU, BROTHER CLIFF, AND, UM, YOUR TEAM FOR, UM, ENSURING THAT OUR, UM, CHILDREN ARE GETTING THE ACCESS THAT THEY NEED TO THINGS THAT THEY NORMALLY WON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO.
AND I THANK THIS BUSINESS OWNER FOR OPENING UP HER DOORS AND THE, UM, TOWN BOARD FOR SUPPORTING IT AND EVERYBODY THAT CAME HERE TONIGHT.
UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UM, BUILD COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AT SUCH A TIME AS THIS WE ARE DEALING IN PERILOUS TIMES.
BUT, UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THE TOWN BOARD, TOWN BOARD MEMBERS, TOWN SUPERVISOR, A TOWN ATTORNEY, UM, OUR CLERK AND I, UH, WANT TO, UH, MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, MY NAME IS KOBE JENKINS AND I AM THE FOUNDER OF DARE TO B DIFFERENT WESTCHESTER.
AND WE ALSO ARE THE, UH, WE CALL, WE AFTER FOUNDED THE GREENBERG FARMER'S MARKET FROM THE INITIATIVE OF TOWN SUPERVISOR AND OUR HONORABLE, UH, JUDITH ORVILLE, UM, OUR PAST TOWN CLERK, UM, KEEPING THAT INITIATIVE, UM, GOING.
UM, SO I WANNA JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THIS SEASON.
UM, AT THE GREENBERG FARMER'S MARKET THIS SEASON, WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S VERY SPECIAL.
THIS SEASON WE'RE DOING SOMETHING, UM, TRULY VERY SPECIAL.
WE ARE LAUNCHING A FARMER'S MARKET TO GIVE ACCESS TO THOSE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE STRUGGLING TO COME AND RECEIVE UP TO $25 WORTH OF PRODUCE FREE.
UM, IT'S FREE FOR, THIS WILL HELP FAMILIES WITH THE GROWING NEEDS IN OUR TOWN, AND THAT THOSE THAT, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE STRUGGLING BECAUSE WE ALL STAND IN NEED OF THIS OR WE ALL STAND IN EITHER OF THAT.
RIGHT? UM, THE FRESH FRUITS PRODUCE AND THE ACCESS TO THESE, UM, PRODUCE WILL COME, UM, FROM THE FUNDS THAT WE WILL RECEIVE FROM DIFFERENT, UM, INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE WANNA THANK OUR LEGISLATORS, UM, JEWEL WILLIAMS JOHNSON, ALONG WITH OUR, UM, ASSEMBLY WOMAN, MARY JANESKY, AND ALSO OUR, UM, OUR MAJORITY LEADER, ANDREA STEWART COUSINS, OUR SENATOR, WHO IS, UM, HELPING US TO, UM, MAKE FUNDS AVAILABLE SO THAT WE CAN BRING THESE, UM, PRODUCE TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING ENTIRELY WITH, UM, BLACK FARMERS UNITED, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER FARMERS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SPACE TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY SPACE HERE SO THEY CAN HELP US TO GROW SOME PRODUCE TO GIVE OUT.
SO IF THERE'S ANY SPACE THAT YOU ALL HAVE, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR, UM, PLACE WHERE WE CAN, UM, BE ABLE TO GROW.
SOME FARMERS ARE LOOKING TO HELP US.
WE ALSO WILL BE WORKING WITH, UM, FAIRISH FARMS IN MOUNT VERNON SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO ACCESS OTHER PRODUCE FROM THE FARM IN GOSHEN, NEW YORK.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
UM, SOME DAYS WE MAY HAVE TO GO A HOUR AND SOMETHING AWAY TO KINGSTON, NEW YORK TO ACCESS THESE PRODUCE.
SO WE ARE REALLY WORKING HARD TO BRING THIS, UM, TO GREENBURG BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT THESE ARE TIMES THAT WE HAVE NEVER SAW BEFORE.
THE AVERAGE PERSON THAT'S WORKING, THEY'RE PAYING TWO, THREE, $400 IN RENT RENT, AND, AND THEY HAVE, THEY DID, THE LAST THING THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IS GETTING A WHOLE BUNCH OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FROM A FARMER'S MARKET OR SOME OTHER PLACE.
THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE AND THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP, KEEP CLOTHES ON THEIR CHILDREN'S BACK.
THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR RENT IS PAID AND THAT THEIR EDISON IS PAID.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL, UM, DRIVE BUSINESS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT MOREOVER, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CHAMPION HERE IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN, THROUGH OUR OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, THROUGH OUR OTHER COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, ANY BUSINESS OWNERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN WORK TO BRING THIS ACCESS.
LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE DIFFERENT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS COME OUT.
WE HAD THE LIBRARY SYSTEMS COME OUT, WE HAD THE IRS TO COME OUT.
WE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, THINGS THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT COULD, UM, BE A POSSIBILITY OF A NEED FOR THEM.
AND WE REALIZED THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T CARE HOW MUCH WE KNEW UNTIL PEOPLE SEEN HOW MUCH WE CARED.
[00:40:01]
OPEN A FARMER'S MARKET.SO, CORRECTION, PEOPLE ARE PAYING THREE AND $4,000 A MONTH IN RENT.
I WANTED ONE OF THOSE THREE OR 400 APARTMENTS.
'CAUSE I DO WANT TO STAND CORRECTED.
UM, AND THOSE, THOSE ARE THE REALITIES OF WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW.
AND ALSO A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN ARE STAYING HOME LONGER THAN EXPECTED.
A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT MOVING OUT BECAUSE THEY REALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO MOVE OUT.
THE ACCESS FOR, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN THIS TOWN HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I HAVE LOOKED TO CHAMPION.
UM, AND TO BRING AWARENESS TO, OKAY, SO THE GREENBURG FARMER'S MARKET IS GONNA BE SCHEDULED TO OPEN.
WE WERE SCHEDULED TO OPEN ON THE NINTH, BUT WE REALIZED THAT THE NINTH IS FAMILY DAY.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO, UH, CELEBRATE FAMILY DAY AT THE FARMER'S, UM, AT THE JOSEPHITE PARK WHERE WE'LL GIVE OUT PRODUCE THEN.
AND WE WILL HAVE KICKOFF OF OUR RIBBON CUTTING AND OUR, UM, BOOK BAG GIVEAWAY ON JULY, UM, EXCUSE ME, ON AUGUST 16TH.
UM, THROUGH THE SUPPORT AND THE LOGISTICS THAT WE NEED, WE, WE ASKED THIS TOWN TO THIS, UH, BOARD IF THEY WOULD HELP US TO ACCESS A POD OR SOME TYPE OF SHED THAT WE CAN HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUR ITEMS IN, BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT WE CANNOT KEEP CARRYING THESE THINGS BACK AND FORTH.
AND EVERY OTHER MUNICIPALITY HAS A SHED.
YOU GO TO TERRYTOWN, THEY GOT A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE SHED.
YOU GO TO, YOU GO TO, TO, UM, IRVINGTON, THEY HAVE A SHED.
YOU GO TO CHAPPAQUA, THEY HAVE ONE, AND WE DESERVE ONE HERE IN GREENBURG.
WE'RE WORKING ON, WE WE'RE WORKING ON, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT MM-HMM
SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO.
UM, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK, UM, EVERYBODY FOR SHOWING UP TODAY BECAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE AN EFFORT FROM ALL OF US IN THIS COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN RISE STRONG IN THESE TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY.
SO AGAIN, THE GREENBERG FARMER'S MARKET IS LOOKING TO, UM, GROW TO FLOURISH, TO THRIVE, AND TO BRING INNOVATION TO THIS COMMUNITY AND DO SOMETHING THAT NOBODY HAS DONE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, WHICH IS HAVE A FREE FARMER'S MARKET.
IT REALLY IS LIKE, SO, SO EXCITING.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, END DATE WHEN WE'LL EXTEND.
HOW, HOW LONG IS THIS GONNA BE GOING ON FOR? THE FARMER'S MARKET WILL END THE, UM, LAST WEEK, IT'LL BE EVERY TWO WEEKS.
WE LOOK TO USE THE LOGO OF THE TOWN AND OTHER LOGOS FROM OUR OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PUT THE BANNERS UP AND THE FARMER'S MARKET WILL END, UM, I WANT TO SAY IT IS THE, THE WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING, LIKE WE ALWAYS DO.
AND WE WILL END THAT DAY WITH OUR TURKEY GIVEAWAY LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR.
WE GAVE AWAY APPROXIMATELY, UM, 200 TURKEYS AND HAMS. UM, ALSO IN OUR BOOK BAG GIVEAWAY, WE GAVE AWAY 163 BOOK BAGS LAST YEAR WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT AND WE REALIZE THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.
AND BEFORE I GET EMOTIONAL, OH, LET ME JUST STOP THERE.
I JUST WANNA MENTION I SPOKE TO, UH, I, I'M GONNA REACH OUT TO, UM, JOE ESE, THE PARKS COMMISSIONER.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD FIND LIKE SURPLUS LANE.
I'VE ALREADY, I'VE SPOKEN WITH HIM THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD CREATE MORE COMMUNITY GARDENS.
WE HAVE THREE RIGHT NOW IN THE TOWN.
WOULD, I THINK YOUR IDEA OF HAVING ANOTHER ONE THAT WOULD BE SOLELY USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF, OF HELPING, UH, WITH FOOD, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY FANTASTIC.
[ TOWN CLERK COMMENTS]
YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOU WANNA MENTION? YOU HAVE, YOU CAN SEE ME AFTER THE MEETING.UM, THE ARC OF WESTCHESTER, UM, THEY'RE HAVING A, UH, JOB FAIR TOMORROW FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM THEIR LOCATION IS 2 65 SAW MILL RIVER ROAD, HAWTHORNE, NEW YORK, 1 0 5 3 2.
UM, AND AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW FOR TOMORROW, UM, YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT (914) 357-1037.
[00:45:05]
AND IT DOES SAY THAT WALKINS ARE WELCOME AND I WILL HAVE SUPERVISOR FINER ADD THAT TO THE GB LIST TOMORROW.[ 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].]
UM, WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING RIGHT NOW.UH, THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, TO CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW WHICH WILL ESTABLISH ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND SPECIFIED JUST TO, I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU SUPERVISOR, BUT ANY GUESTS WHO FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO LEAVE NOW BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING, FEEL FREE.
IF YOU WANNA GO AND GET ON WITH YOUR EVENING WHILE WE DO OUR PUBLIC HEARING, SO IT'S UP UP TO YOU.
'CAUSE IT'S OUR REWARD FOR YOU.
SOME, SOME YOUNG LADIES NEED TO GO TO BED FOR SCHOOL, FOR, FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS, WHATEVER.
I HAD TO CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW WHICH WOULD ESTABLISH ACCESSORY DWELLING, UH, UNITS IN SPECIFIED ZONING DISTRICTS WITH, UH, RELATED UP, UH, DATES TO SECTION TWO FIFTEEN 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 FIVE, FIFTY SIX OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE, UM, HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, HEARING.
ACTUALLY WE'RE CONTINUING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
CONTINUING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? DO WE HAVE A SECOND FAVOR? ALL AYE.
DID YOU, WERE YOU ABLE TO CATCH ALL OF THAT? OKAY.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR, FINER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD.
I'M GARRETT DUANE, 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 ADUS IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE PRIOR HEARINGS ON THIS MATTER, THE MOST RECENT BEING JUNE 25TH, 2025, AS A RESULT OF STRONG PUBLIC INTEREST.
I'M GONNA KEEP MY REMARKS SHORT THIS EVENING.
THE DRAFT LOCAL LAW HAS BEEN UPDATED SINCE THE JUNE 25TH PUBLIC HEARING TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING MODIFICATIONS, A REDUCTION, THESE ARE ALL PROPOSALS, A REDUCTION OF THE RECREATION FEE PER A DU UNIT FROM $4,320 TO $2,160 IN UPDATE OF THE TERMS SINGLE OR ONE FAMILY DWELLING TO INCLUDE THE PROSPECT OF CONTAINING AN A DU.
AND THIS WAS AN UNINTENTIONAL OMISSION PICKED UP BY THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, INTRODUCTION OF THE TERM TWO, FAMILY DWELLING.
DISTINGUISHING THIS USE FROM ONE FAMILY DWELLINGS WITH AN A DU, AN UPDATE TO THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY TO MATCH A DEFINITION ELSEWHERE IN A MUNICIPALITY IN NEW YORK STATE, WHICH IS WITHSTOOD LEGAL CHALLENGE.
A CLARIFICATION THAT A D'S PROPOSED IN A NEW DETACHED STRUCTURE MUST BE LOCATED IN THE REAR YARD.
THAT WAS ALWAYS THE INTENT, BUT IT WAS NEVER STATED CLARIFICATION THAT FAMILY OCCUPIED ONE, FAMILY RESIDENCES CONSISTENT WITH SECTION 19 ARE ACT, ARE NOT CONSIDERED ADUS AND UPDATES REGARDING FLOOR PLAN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN ADDED.
ASIDE FROM THE CHANGES NOTED ABOVE THESE CHANGES, THE BASIC PARAMETERS FOR ADUS HAVE REMAINED CONSISTENT AND INCLUDE EITHER A 10,000 OR 20,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT SIZE RESTRICTION, OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS, CONSISTENCY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER PROVISIONS, AND A ONE YEAR EXPIRATION OF THE LAW REQUIRING A TOWN BOARD REVIEW REVIEW FOR THE INITIAL ONE YEAR PERIOD.
I HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE TOWN BOARD HAS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC.
LET'S HERE FROM THE PUBLIC, DO YOU WANT TO ASK YOUR QUESTION? FIRST? WE HAVE MR. BOB PARMAN FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS TONIGHT FOR BOTH THIS PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL AS PUBLIC COMMENT.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE ARE CLOCKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROOM.
THIS IS, THIS IS ABOUT THE HEARING, NOT ABOUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I SHOULD WAIT FOR THE CALL.
SO, SO EVERYONE BEING CALLED NOW, YOU SHOULD BE COMMENTING ON THE PROPOSED DRAFT LAW.
WE'RE DEALING WITH A DU AS EXPLAINED BY COMMISSIONER DUANE.
JUST NOW, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OTHER, UM, ITEMS THAT WILL BE LATER ON IN THE MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFICATION, MR. PERGAM, YOU DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE A DU, THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, MAY I HAVE MR. WAYNE THOMAS QUESTION? UH, WAYNE, PERHAPS YOU WANNA ASK YOUR QUESTIONS AND THEN THEY CAN BE ANSWERED AFTER EVERYONE ELSE.
UM, MS. TRACY KING, YOU DID NOT SPECIFY WHETHER YOU
[00:50:01]
WANTED TO SPEAK DUR ABOUT THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT OR WHETHER YOU WANTED TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT OTHER ITEMS. HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.SO THEN YOU WANTED TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, CORRECT? THANK YOU.
UH, THIS IS MR. LEO PENNINE PENNINE, THE POP.
AND I DID CLARIFY, UM, COUNCILMAN JACKSON, DAPHNE MICKEL HEARING COMMENTS? PO OKAY, NO PROBLEM.
CAN I ASK, WE GO OFF THE RECORD.
I MEAN, WE WE'RE PAYING HIS STENOGRAPHER, YOU KNOW, BY THE PAGE TO FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT HEARING OR COMMENT YOU WANNA MAKE.
COULD YOU JUST RUN THROUGH THE LIST AND FIND OUT WHAT IT IS AND THEN CALL PEOPLE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THEY ALL SAID THANK HEARING AND I MADE SPECIFY.
REVEREND LANE, COBB NAME ANYBODY.
I'M NOT SAYING A DU, UH, WENDELL ORR.
THERESA TORE A DU DR. ALLEN A DU.
UH, CAN I HAVE PLEASE REVEREND UH, LANE COBB, THAT'S FOR THE A DU.
AND I BELIEVE THAT QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED AT THE END.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS DURING YOUR FIVE MINUTES, THE TOWN BOARD WILL LISTEN.
AND THEY, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER DUANE WILL ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS AFTER EVERYONE HAS SPOKE.
AND ALSO MAKE COMMENTS IF THEY'RE ANSWERABLE.
IF THEY'RE ANSWERABLE, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND MAKE COMMENTS AS WELL, AND ALSO PROVIDE COMMENTS.
SO REVEREND LANE COBB AND I AM, UH, RESIDENT OF TERRY TOWN.
AND I'M HERE IN MY CAPACITY AGAIN AS THE CO-CHAIR OF THE GREENBERG HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND ALSO AS A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING TEAM FOR THE GREENBERG RESTORATIVE CIRCLE PROJECT, WHO IS, UH, COLLABORATING WITH THE TOWN TO HELP FORWARD THEIR STATED COMMITMENT TO RACE EQUITY.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE AND I JUST WANTED TO DO SO BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY LAST OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS.
AND I REALLY, REALLY WANT THIS MEASURE TO PASS.
UM, AND I WANT IT TO REALLY DO WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO.
UM, I STILL HAVE A, A PROBLEM WITH THE LOT SIZE RESTRICTIONS, WHICH I THINK UNNECESSARILY LIMIT THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILES OF RESIDENTS WHO CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE A DU LAW SINCE OSTENSIBLY OWNERS OF LARGER PROPERTIES ARE NOT THE DEMOGRAPHIC WHOSE FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD BE EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSECURITY AND WOULD THEREFORE NOT NEED TO CONSIDER BUILDING AN A DU ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND I THINK THE 10,000 SQUARE FOOT RESTRICTION BLOCKED ACCESS TO THOSE RE RESIDENTS WHOSE INCOME AFFORDS THEM SMALLER LOTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE THE VERY DEMOGRAPHIC WHO THE LAW IS OPPOSED TO SUPPORT.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE BOARD, UH, THE GREENBERG HAS, UM, CONSISTENTLY EXPRESSED ITS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IN NOVEMBER, 2022, UM, THE BOARD PUBLISHED THE GREENBERG AGAINST SYSTEMIC RACISM HOUSING REPORT, IN WHICH THE STATED COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO FORWARD RACE EQUITY, AND ALSO TO ADDRESS THE DEMOGRAPHIC DISPARITIES THAT EXIST AMONG RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS IN GREENBURG.
AND I REALLY APPLAUD THE BOARD FOR, AND ESPECIALLY COUNCILWOMAN JACKSON FOR UNDERTAKING THAT ANALYSIS.
UM, THE STUDY FOUND SEVERAL THINGS.
IT DID FIND THAT THERE WAS A CORRELATION, OF COURSE, BETWEEN HISTORICAL PRO POLICIES OF SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION AND ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND RACIAL CLUSTERING AND DISPERSION AND ISOLATION IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
UH, ALSO THAT THE DEMOGRAPHIC WEALTH GAP CAUSED BY SUCH POLICIES CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN WHO IS AND WHO IS NOT ABLE TO AFFORD TO SECURE HOUSING IN MANY PARTS OF GREENBURG.
AND THIRD, THAT HOUSING STOCK SHRUNK SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, WHEN RENTAL UNITS TURN INTO CONDOS AND CO-OPS.
AND THERE IS MUCH LESS BUILDER BUILDABLE, UM, LAND AVAILABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO THE, I KNOW THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT IT, IT MUST THINK MORE CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS HOUSING INSECURITY THAN PERHAPS THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
THIS REPORT ALSO GOES ON TO POINT OUT THE TOWN'S HISTORY OF SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TALKS ABOUT THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WHICH I THOUGHT WERE AMAZING.
ONE, ENCOURAGE A TOWN THAT IS AFFORDABLE FOR ALL.
TWO, ALLOW FOR A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL INCOME LEVELS AND DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS.
AND THREE, ENCOURAGE A CLEAR, FAIR AND EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL PROCESS TO MY WAY OF THINKING, A LAW THAT APPLY ALLOWS FOR THIS CONSTRUCTION OF ADU IS EXACTLY IN LINE WITH THESE STATED PRINCIPLES.
[00:55:01]
I WAS REALLY PROUD AND HAPPY WHEN THE TOWN ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS CONSIDERING THIS LAW, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN IS EXACTLY FAIR.AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE, THE REPORT ALSO MAKES MENTION OF A FOURTH PRINCIPLE ADDED TO THE COMP ADDED BY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE THAT THE TOWN MID MAY WORK AGAINST ADDRESSING HOUSING NEEDS.
AND THAT IS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT THAT COMPLIMENTS AND PRESERVES THE CHARACTER OF EXISTING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WHEN I, UNDER, I UNDERSTAND THE, AND RESPECT THE SENTIMENT BEHIND THIS PRINCIPLE.
AS SOMEBODY WHO STUDIED THE HISTORY OF HOUSING IN THIS COUNTRY, MAY I SAY THAT SIMILAR STATEMENTS HAVE APPEARED IN THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS OF EXCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY TO KEEP OUT CERTAIN POPULATIONS.
AND I WOULD REALLY URGE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE RESTRICTIONS OF THIS A DU LAW NEGATES THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW BY KEEPING PEOPLE FROM BUILDING THE HOUSING THAT THEY SO DESPERATELY NEED BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WILL CHANGE.
I LIKE MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I GET IT.
BUT PEOPLE NEED A PLACE TO LIVE.
AND IT ISN'T CHARITABLE OR EQUITABLE TO SAY, I'M SORRY, I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO LIVE, BUT YOU CAN'T LIVE HERE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO CHANGE.
RIGHT? IT'S JUST HOUSING INSECURITY NEGATIVELY AFFECTS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLBEING, ESPECIALLY IN CHILDREN.
IT AFFECTS JOB SECURITY AND REDUCES PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO ENGAGE MEANING FULLY IN SOCIETY.
SPEAKING TO ALL OF YOU NOW, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU CARE ABOUT EVERY RESIDENT IN GREENBURG WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
I KNOW THIS AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO NAVIGATE THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT SPEAKING FROM A HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE, THERE COMES A TIME WHEN THE NEEDS OF THE HAVE NOTS MUST OUTWEIGH THE NEEDS OF THE HAVES.
AND I SUBJECT SUGGEST THAT THE A DU LAW AS IT CURRENTLY READS, WORKS AGAINST THE TOWN STATED COMMITMENT TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS FOR HOUSING IN GREENBURG.
AND I WOULD ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER WHETHER IT IS APPROPRIATE TO PUT THIS LAW THROUGH WITH THE CURRENT RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE, AND SPECIFICALLY TO CONSIDER EASING THE LOT SIZE RESTRICTION CLAUSE OR REMOVING IT ENTIRELY.
WENDELL, DID YOU GET YOUR QUESTIONS, WENDELL OR HUH? UH, GOOD MORNING BOARD WENDELL, OR, UH, I'VE OWNED THREE HOMES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND BETWEEN PARKWAY HOMES AND PARKWAY GARDENS, I GREW UP HERE.
MY CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED HOW TO SWIM AT THE GREENBERG COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, AND MY FAMILY BOUGHT THE HOUSE THAT I GREW UP IN WHEN BANKS WERE NOT EVEN LENDING MONEY TO AFRICAN AMERICANS TO BE ABLE TO BUY HOMES.
YOU BOUGHT IT BASICALLY AT CASH.
SO MY PARENTS BOUGHT OUR HOUSE PRETTY MUCH 80% OF IT DOWN AND THEN WE'RE CHARGED AN EXORBITANT INTEREST RATE AT THE TIME TO, UH, BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE YOUNG LADY WHO WAS JUST HERE, THE SACRIFICE THAT HAS BEEN MADE BY MOST PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA.
UH, WITH THAT, UM, ON THE A DU I'M GONNA ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND THROW IN A FEW STATEMENTS WITH THAT AS WELL.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
UH, WHEN IT'S ACCOMMODATING, UM, JUST HOW DID THE 20,000 SQUARE FOOT BECOME DETERMINED? I MEAN, SO THAT'S JUST ABOUT A HALF AN ACRE.
IF I LIVE ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS SLIGHTLY BIGGER THAN 15,000 SQUARE FEET, BUT LESS THAN 20,000 SQUARE FEET, IF I HAVE THIS CORRECT, I SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUBDIVIDE MY PROPERTY AND BUILD TWO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, WHICH FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON 15,000 SQUARE FEET OR MORE, IS WAY MORE IMPACTFUL TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND ITS GREEN SPACE AND ITS COMMUNITIES BY BUILDING A HOUSE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO A NEIGHBOR THAT NEVER HAD A HOUSE THERE.
NOW, IF I TAKE THAT SAME COMPONENT AND SAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT OR FIVE TO 10,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT, AND I SAY, I'M GOING TO, THE TOWN OF GREENBURG IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO AN ADDITION AND NOT DO A STANDALONE.
THE FIRST STATEMENT I JUST MADE WAS BASED ON US HAVING, BEING BETWEEN 20,000 SQUARE FOOT AND HAVING THE ABILITY TO PUT A STANDALONE A DU IN, NOW I'M DISCUSSING AN ADDITION FOR A HOME.
SO IF I'M IN A HOUSE THAT HAS, THAT'S ON A FIVE OR 10,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT, AND THE TOWN SAYS, HEY, I'LL ALLOW YOU TO DO AN ADDITION.
AND THAT ADDITION IS BUILT TO THE MAXIMUM SIZE, WHICH I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM SIZE HOUSE THAT
[01:00:01]
I CAN BUILD ON A LOT, INCLUDING A SECOND STORY.IF I'M ABLE TO DO THAT, I COULD TECHNICALLY BE SHADOWING OVER THE TOP OF HOMES THAT ARE RIGHT NEXT TO ME.
WHEN I USED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK OUTSIDE MY HOUSE AND SEE A SLIGHT SKYLINE, AND NOW I CAN'T BECAUSE THE PERSON NEXT TO ME DID WASN'T ABLE TO BUILD AN INDEPENDENT PROPERTY OR AN INDEPENDENT A DU IN THE BACK OF THEIR HOME.
THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO RAISE THEIR HOMES UP.
SO THE VERTICAL SPACE, UH, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE ACCOMMODATIONS, I THINK AGAIN GOES TO MY FIRST QUESTION OF HOW WAS THE 20,000 SQUARE FOOT DETERMINED? WAS IT JUST BASED UPON THOSE LOTS THAT WERE AVAILABLE? AND IF SO, THAT IS MAYBE NOT THE MOST ACCURATE WAY TO GO ABOUT ACCOMMODATING THOSE.
NOW I'VE GOT FOUR CHILDREN AND THEY ALL LIVE WITH ME, SOME OF THEM NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S A STRONG PROBABILITY THAT THEY WILL RETURN WITH A VENGEANCE.
ALL OF THAT BEING SAID AND DONE MINE TOO, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY AND ANYBODY WHO'S ON THIS BOARD, OKAY? UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE PROBABLY LESS APPRECIATED HERE THAN YOU ARE AT HOME IN MOST CASES, GIVEN THAT YOU WOULD DO MORE FOR YOUR FAMILY IF YOU HAD THE ABILITY TO DO SO.
WE'RE JUST ASKING THE TOWN TO LOOK AT THIS WITH A SLIGHTLY BROADER PERSPECTIVE.
THE PERSPECTIVE BEING WHAT MORE CAN WE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE AS OPPOSED TO IMPACTING OTHERS IN A WAY THAT THEY THINK WILL WORK.
UM, SO IS THERE A POSSIBILITY, OH MAN, I'M ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF TIME.
UM, ADUS VERSUS MOTHER DAUGHTERS, IS THE TOWN LOOKING TO STILL DO BOTH OF THOSE AND MAYBE DO THE MOTHER DAUGHTER WITHOUT A KITCHEN AND HAVE A, UH, A DU IN THE BACK THAT DOES HAVE A KITCHEN? COULD THAT BE ANOTHER POSSIBILITY OF US, UH, MOVING FORWARD AND HAVING THIS, UH, WORK? ARE THE UTILITIES FOR THIS GONNA BE INDEPENDENT? MEANING THE ELECTRICAL SEWER, UH, WATER, ARE THEY GONNA BE MADE TO BE, UH, INDEPENDENT OF YOUR EXISTING HOME? DO YOU HAVE TO NOW DO CONSTRUCTION TO ACCOMMODATE THAT? UH, THAT KIND OF CONCLUDES MY TIME.
HOW ARE THE TAXES BEING EVALUATED? ARE THE TAXES GOING TO BE EVALUATED BASED UPON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE A DU OR ARE THEY GOING TO BE, UH, EVALUATED ON THE ADDITION OF THE HOME AND THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT'S ADDED? THANK YOU.
SHERRY, I FORGOT TO SAY THIS EARLIER.
I THINK EVERYONE'S DONE IT SO FAR, BUT PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM.
UH, I LIVE ON STEVENS LANE ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, ACTUALLY MY LITTLE STREET, THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT.
SO IT'S, UH, WHICH IS THE OTHER SIDE OF MY STREET, IS ACTUALLY ZONED FOR TWO FAMILY.
UM, SO I WANT TO RESTATE MY SITUATION, UH, JUST BECAUSE I THINK SITUATIONS ARE IMPORTANT, UM, IN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, BEFORE THE BOARD TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT OF ADUS.
UM, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, UH, LIVED WITH US IN A, IN-LAW TYPE SETUP FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS.
SHE MOVED TO A NURSING HOME VERY EARLY THIS YEAR, AND UNFORTUNATELY SHE PASSED, UM, LAST MONTH.
ALL IN ALL, THERE WERE DIFFICULT MOMENTS, BUT SHE HELPED PUT MY KIDS ON THE BUS THERE.
AND NOW THIS SPACE IS EMPTY AND IT'S WASTED.
AND EVERYBODY SAYS THERE'S A NEED FOR HOUSING.
WELL, I HAVE, I HAVE A POTENTIAL A DU THAT IS SO CLOSE IN, ALL I WOULD NEED TO DO IS CONNECT A STOVE.
UM, SO I JUST HAVE THREE QUESTIONS THAT HOPEFULLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE, THE ANSWERING SESSION, UM, WHEN I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE, SO I WANNA SAY THIS APPEARED ON PAGE TWO.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE EXACT SAME PRINTOUTS AND WHAT WAS HANDED OUT, BUT I SAW SINCE THE LAST TIME, IT'S A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THIS CRAZY FEE OF 4,000 SOMETHING DOLLARS WAS MOVED TO 2,160.
IT'S A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY 'CAUSE AS I, AS I WAS READING THIS, THIS IS EITHER FUNDS THAT YOU PAY OR YOU DO, UH, LAND IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT SOME PLAN USE DEVELOPMENTS DO.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, SINCE THE KNOWS, ASSISTED LIVING IN, IN THAT'S BEHIND ME, COULD DO HORSESHOE PITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, CAN I USE THIS $2,000 IF THIS LAW IS PASSED TO UPGRADE MY OUTDOOR GRILL
[01:05:01]
AND PUT A PICNIC TABLE? WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT SUFFICE? I'M, I'M ASKING, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE WISE BECAUSE FROM THE WAY I READ IT, IF A PLAN USE DEVELOPMENT CAN DO THAT, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO.AND, BUT I ALSO WANNA KNOW IF I DO THAT, DOES, DO I HAVE TO LET ANYBODY IN THE TOWN COME OVER AND USE MY GRILL? SO THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
UM, MY SECOND QUESTION WAS ON PAGE SEVEN AND THE RENTAL DURATION.
I THINK THE INTENT HERE IS WE DON'T WANNA HAVE AN AIRBNB, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA LIVE NEXT TO SOMEBODY DOING AIRBNB, BUT A YEAR.
AND IF IT, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY, YOU CAN'T RENT IT FOR THE REST OF IT, I THINK YOU'RE SETTING UP MORE PROBLEMS THAN YOU'RE SOLVING HERE.
I MEAN, IF YOU MADE IT MUCH LESS, LIKE EVEN SIX MONTHS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE AN AIRBNB.
'CAUSE WHAT IF YOU NEED, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GET RID OF SOMEBODY AND THEN THEY'RE AFRAID, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, IT, IT, IT COULD CREATE A LOT MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT SOLVES IF YOU HAVE TO.
IF SOMEBODY LEAVES, MAYBE YOU WANT THEM TO STAY, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU COULD CREATE MORE PROBLEMS IN YOUR THAN YOU'RE SOLVING THERE.
I THINK SIX MONTHS WOULD BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE.
AND MY LAST QUESTION IS, WHEN I WAS READING ABOUT THE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS, UM, IT SAID THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SITE PLAN AND ELEMENTS ACCEPTABLE TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
I HOPE SINCE I DON'T REALLY HAVE TO DO ANYTHING HERE, I'M GONNA GO TO THE DRAWER IN MY BACK OF MY OFFICE CLOSET, DIG OUT THE PLANS FROM 20 YEARS AGO, MARK IT UP AND SAY, PUT STOVE HERE.
AND I HOPE THAT THAT WOULD SUFFICE BECAUSE I ALSO SAW THAT FOLLOWING THAT, UM, I HAVE TO SUBMIT A BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION THAT'S SIGNED BY A NEW YORK ARCHITECT AND ENGINEER.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THE LANGUAGE IN THIS BILL COULD BE CLARIFIED TO SAY IF APPLICABLE, BECAUSE I CAN FEEL IT.
AND THIS IS THE KIND OF RED TAPE PEOPLE SOMETIMES RUN INTO WITH WELL-INTENTIONED THINGS THAT I DON'T COME BEFORE AND AND SOMEBODY SAYS, NO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A, HAVE A ENGINEERED, I SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS GETTING AN ENGINEERED SIGN DRAWING TO SAY, PUT STOVE HERE WHEN I'M NOT DOING ANY TYPE OF BUILDING AND DON'T EVEN NEED A BUILDING PERMIT.
SO I KNOW LANGUAGE CAN BE VERY IMPORTANT IN THESE THINGS.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
UM, BUT ALSO THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS LAW.
I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS FOR A WHILE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW HAS PASSED, UM, AND I JUST HOPE IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AND I HOPE THIS CAN PASS BEFORE I FIND MYSELF GOING TO A NURSING HOME.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER MY SUPPORT TO EXPAND THIS TO, UH, SITES LOWER THAN 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE REQUEST.
SCHWARTZ EDGEMONT, TOWN OF UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
UM, I MADE SOME COMMENTS THE LAST TIME AND I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS I'D LIKE TO BRING UP TONIGHT.
AGAIN, I, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE LEGISLATIVE OF INTENT, I THINK IT ACTUALLY MISSES THE POINT BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT TWO THINGS.
IT'S ONE ABOUT, UH, OFFERING DIFFERENT KINDS OF, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO PEOPLE, SINGLES, FAMILY, ET CETERA.
BUT IT'S ALSO TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR HOMEOWNERS, WHICH IS WHY I AM SO AGAINST THE LOT SIZE RESTRICTIONS.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS 5,000 SQUARE FEET, WHICH IS THE MINIMUM LOCK BUILDING LOCK SIZE ANYWAY, FOR CURRENT, UH, FOR, FOR ANYTHING WITHIN THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT AND 7,500 FOR ANYTHING OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT, UH, THAT YOU COULD DO.
OR MAYBE YOU DON'T BUILD OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT AT ALL IN THE FIRST YEAR.
MAYBE WE JUST, IF YOU WITH A LOT, I READ ALL OF THE, ALL THE THINGS IN THE, IN THE, UH, ON THE SITE TODAY, ALL THE LETTERS, IF THAT'S A CONCERN, JUST KEEP IT INSIDE THE FOOTPRINT.
IT, YOU WOULDN'T, YOU'D HAVE A MUCH LESS OF A PROBLEM WITH CHARACTER THAN YOU DO NOW.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ANY OF THESE OTHER ISSUES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND EVERYBODY WOULD BE ON EQUAL GROUND.
IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO BUILDING OUT OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT, THE FAMILY LAW, I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT GARRETT HAS CHANGED IT TO.
BUT THE ONE THAT I READ IS MUCH TOO SPECIFIC AND IT ALSO DOESN'T WORK 'CAUSE IT REQUIRES PEOPLE TO HAVE LIVED TOGETHER WITHOUT THE A VU FOR YEAR FIRST.
UM, THE LAW IS TOTALLY UNN AND IT'S TOTALLY UNNECESSARY.
[01:10:01]
MY SUGGESTION.AS THE FORMER CHAIR OF THE PLANNING BOARD, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAD WHEN WE SAW THE LAW ORIGINALLY IS THAT WE WOULD BE BURIED WITH THESE APPLICATIONS EVEN IF IT'S ONLY 20 TO 25.
IT'S THREE MEETINGS PER APPLICATION.
SO HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE FIX THAT AND STREAMLINE IT? IF THE A DU IS WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT OF THE, UH, OF, OF THE CURRENT, CURRENT STRUCTURES THAT COULD BE AN ACCESSORY STRUCTURE OR THE HOUSE AND DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL WORK OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT, INCLUDING PARKING AND MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SPECIAL PERMIT, UH, WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT, THEN JUST SEND IT TO THE BUILDING INSPECTOR.
THEN YOU STILL GET THE FAMILY THING THAT EVERYBODY WANTED.
BUT OTHER PEOPLE CAN DO IT TOO, BECAUSE I THINK THE FAMILY THING IS VERY PROBLEMATIC AND AS WRITTEN, AND AS I SAID, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE NEW ONE AS WRITTEN.
IT IS MUCH, MUCH TOO SPECIFIC AND DOESN'T WORK.
THREE, UM, IN TERMS OF THIS, THE LOT, THE SIZE OF THE, THE UNIT ITSELF, I WOULD KEEP IT SIMPLE TO FOUR TO 800 SQUARE FEET AND GET RID OF THE 30%.
'CAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE 30% DOESN'T WORK EITHER, WHETHER IT'S LESS THAN OR MORE THAN IF IT'S LESS THAN RIGHT.
AND YOU HAVE A SMALL HOUSE, A 1200 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE, YOU CAN'T EVEN BUILD AN A DU IF IT'S MORE THAN, AND YOU HAVE A MCMANSION, YOU CAN BUILD ANOTHER HOUSE ON THE PROPERTY.
SO LEAVE IT AT FOUR TO 800 SQUARE FEET.
I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT MR. SHEHAN RAISED, AND I CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND IT.
AND I DROVE DOWN DOSER ROAD AND SAW WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, MR. SHEEN, ABOUT BUILDING PARKING IN THE FRONT.
PUT INTO THE LAW THAT THEY CAN'T PUT ADDITIONAL PARKING IN THE FRONT YARD WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT IN FRONT OF THE FOOTPRINT OF THE EXISTING BUILDING.
THAT WAY YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM MR. SHEEN RECOGNIZED, WHICH IS A VAL, A VALID CONCERN, PARTICULARLY ON A SMALLER LOT.
AGAIN, I THINK THIS LAW IS GOOD.
I DON'T THINK PASSING IT WITH YOUR CURRENT RESTRICTIONS SHOULD BE DONE AT ALL.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S A GIANT CHECK CHECK MARK THAT DOES NOT ACHIEVE WHERE THE TRUE OBJECTIVES OF THE LAW AS WRITTEN BY THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE WHO WROTE IT, WHICH WAS THE ACCESSIBLE VIABLE LIVING COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
THEY WROTE THE LAW WITH THAT LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SHARE MY SUGGESTIONS WITH, WITH THE BOARD OR, OR WITH, WITH MR. DUANE, UH, IN WRITING, IF THAT WOULD HELP.
I'M AT 21 RIDGE ROAD IN HARTSDALE, UH, AS LONG TIME RESIDENTS OF GREENBURG, UH, WE HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL.
THIS AMENDMENT TO THE CODE WOULD EFFECTIVELY CHANGE THE ZONING FROM ONE FAMILY TO TWO FAMILY, EXCEPT THAT, UH, ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES WOULD NOT BE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES WHILE UTILIZING TOWN SERVICES AND SCHOOLS.
YOU SHOULD BE ALSO AWARE THAT THERE IS A PENDING BILL IN THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE THAT WILL PROVIDE TAX EXEMPTION ON ANY INCREASE IN VALUE TO THE PROPERTY AS A RESULT OF THE ADDITION OF AN A DU.
GIVEN THAT THE GOVERNOR IS ENCOURAGING A DU DEVELOPMENT AND THE LEGISLATURE IS DEMOCRAT CONTROLLED, THE BILL WILL MUST CERTAINLY PASS.
AND THE TOWN DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO OVERRIDE A STATE LAW AS, AS, AS YOU KNOW, UNDER THIS LOCAL LAW PROPOSAL, AN OWNER OF A 4,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE COULD CONVERT A THIRD OF HIS HOUSE INTO A SIZABLE 1200 SQUARE FOOT UNIT HOUSING, FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE OR WHATEVER.
AND WOULDN'T THIS IN EFFECT, BE A TWO FAMILY HOUSE IN A ONE FAMILY ZONE, WHETHER YOU CALL IT AN A DU OR NOT.
AND MY NEIGHBOR, FOR INSTANCE, WOULD BE ALLOWED TO BUILD A STANDALONE 800 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE ON THE BACK OF HIS PROPERTY ADJACENT TO MY REAR YARD, AND EXTEND HIS DRIVEWAY TO HIS, TO
[01:15:01]
THE STRUCTURE WHICH COULD ALSO BE USED FOR PARKING.NOT ONLY WILL THIS NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT WILL ALSO DIMINISH THE VALUE AND MARKETABILITY OF OUR HOUSE, WHOSE EQUITY WE RELY FOR OUR FUTURE WELLBEING.
WHEN MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE 40 YEARS AGO, WE SELECTED THE RIDGE ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF THE OPEN SPACE AND PRIVACY IT AFFORDED IT OFFERED IT WOULD, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESERVE THIS.
THE STATED INTENT OF ITS LOCAL LAW IS TO PROVIDE MORE, QUOTE, AFFORDABILITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE HOUSING STOCK AND PROVIDE ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO RESIDENTS.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT GREENBERG ALREADY HAS THE MOST DIVERSE HOUSING STOCK IN ALL WESTCHESTER AT ALL PRICE LEVEL, INCLUDING PUBLIC HOUSING.
AND SPEAKING WITH PAUL AND GARRETT, I WAS TOLD THAT BASED UPON THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER SURROUNDING TOWNS AND VILLAGES, THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE MANY APPLICANTS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHY THEN REWRITE THE BUILDING CODE FOR THE BENEFIT OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE JUST A SMALL NUMBER OF HOMEOWNERS? UH, I WOULD SUPPORT ADUS WITHIN THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE ONLY AND LIMIT THEIR SIZE TO 800 SQUARE FEET.
THIS WOULD BE FAR LESS PROBLEMATIC TO ME THAN ALLOWING FOR SEPARATE DWELLING STRUCTURES ON A PROPERTY.
UH, THIS SCENARIO WOULD STILL ALLOW FOR A BUILDING OWNER TO ACCOMMODATE FAMILY MEMBERS OR SMALL FAM OR A SMALL OR RENT TO A SMALL FAMILY, UH, COMFORTABLY.
UH, GOOD EVENING, WALTER SIMON, UH, 100 HIGH POINT DRIVE.
UM, I CANNOT EXPRESS MORE ELOQUENTLY THE STATEMENTS MADE BY ELLIE AND COBB, SO I WON'T ATTEMPT TO DO SO.
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING SHE SAID, AND SHE SAID IT QUITE ELOQUENTLY.
I ALSO AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS OF HUGH SCHWARTZ.
AGAIN, WHAT HE'S PROPOSING MAKES SENSE.
UH, HE OFFERS VERY REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES, WHICH I THINK SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED.
WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD JUST THEN LIKE TO FOCUS MY, MOST OF MY COMMENTS.
UH, IN TERMS OF THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY, THERE ARE SOME DEF SOME DEFINITIONS IN HERE I FIND TROUBLING.
FOR INSTANCE, IF WE GO TO TWO, IT SAYS, SHALL PRESUME OR SHALL BE PRESUMPTIVE EVIDENCE THAT FOUR PEOPLE CONSTITUTE A FAMILY.
HOW DO YOU COME TO FOUR, IF THREE PEOPLE DON'T CONSTITUTE A FAMILY? A A COUPLE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FAMILY.
SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE STRICKEN.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT I FIND IF YOU GO DOWN TO A, A GROUP IS ONE WHICH IN SIZE, A PARENT STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION RESEMBLE A TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNIT.
WHAT IS A TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNIT? HERE AGAIN, IT'S VERY AMBIGUOUS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IN, IN, UH, IN D THEY GAVE ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT ONE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO, FOR INSTANCE, MEMBERS OF A HOUSEHOLD THAT ARE EMPLOYED IN THE, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN THE AREA WITH PEOPLE WORKING AT HOME.
THAT DOES NOT, IT IS JUST NOT APPLICABLE.
ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS WORK IN ANOTHER STATE.
HER OFFICE IS IN ANOTHER STATE.
SHE WORKS MY A LOT OF THE TIME FROM HOME AND GO TO HER OFFICE MAYBE ONCE A WEEK OR SO.
[01:20:01]
SHE, A PERSON LIKE THAT IS NOT EMPLOYED IN THE AREA IF THE OFFICE IS IN, IN ANOTHER STATE.SO HERE AGAIN, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE DEFINITION MORE CLOSELY OF FAMILY.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE'RE GOING AROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND, UH, UH, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE MINIMUM SHOULD BE 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
UM, ALENE CARB INDICATED THAT IT SHOULD BE REMAIN A 5,000 SQUARE FEET OR SOME SORT OF RELIEF.
I DON'T WANNA MISQUOTE HER, BUT I SAID, OR EASE IT OR SOMETHING.
WELL, HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENT AND MAKE IT TO 7.5.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL ONLY BE IN PLACE FOR A YEAR.
AND YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
AND WE TALKING ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL AS IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ETCHED IN STONE AND WILL NEVER REEVALUATED AGAIN.
AND I, I, I SAID IT MANY TIMES AND I SAID IT, I WAS REPEATED, THIS CODE IS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE A DU, UH, CODE PROBABLY IN WEST, IN THE WHOLE OF WEST.
I KNOW IN ALL OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY, PERHAPS PERHAPS IN THE STATE, THE MOST RESTRICTIVE CODE, AND EVEN IN AREAS THAT THEY HAD MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE CODES.
THEY HAVE NOT SEEN AN OUTPOURING OF APPLICATION AND THEY DON'T HAVE A SUNSET PROVISION.
SO THE RISK TO THE TOWN IS THE MINIMUS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT.
AND AS THE POPULATION GETS OLDER AND OLDER, I MEAN, THIS REQUIREMENT WILL BE, WILL ONLY INCREASE.
WE HAVE A REVERSE MIGRATION OF OLDER PEOPLE COMING BACK TO LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILY.
IN THE SIXTIES, THEY MOVED TO FLORIDA, WHATEVER.
NOW THEY'RE COMING BACK AT THE AGE AND GET AND, UH, UH, AND GET ILL.
SO THAT, THAT REQUIREMENT IS A SOLID REQUIREMENT.
FORMER TOWN CLERK JUDITH VILLE.
TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN, TOWN BOARD, IT IS ALWAYS AN HONOR TO COME BEFORE YOU.
UH, IT IS, UM, PROPER TO ADDRESS, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS AS HONORABLE.
AND IF WE HAVE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO IS UNWILLING TO DO THAT, WELL, THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, DURING MY TENURE AS TOWN CLERK, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE WESTCHESTER MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION.
AND, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE A PART OF, OF MEETINGS IN THIS, WITH THIS, THIS DISCUSSION WITH, WITH RESPECT TO ADUS, UH, HAS BEEN ON THE TABLE FOR AT LEAST FIVE TO TO SEVEN YEARS.
AND IT, IT, IT IS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THE DEVIL IN THE DETAIL AND THERE'S ALSO A BOOK ON THE MARKET THAT YOU SHOULD GRAB AND READ CALLED THE HALF HAS NOT BEEN TOLD, BECAUSE THE HALF HAS NOT BEEN TOLD HERE ADUS ARE BEING PROMOTED AND PUSHED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO HOLDING MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
PEOPLE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH PRESENTING AN OPTION WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE BEAR THE BURDEN OF AFFORDABLE UNITS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
RATHER THAN SITTING DOWN WITH DEVELOPERS AND SAYING, WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE TOWN HAS PROPERTY WHERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN BE BUILT.
[01:25:01]
WERE COMMITTED TO A VARIETY OF HOUSING OPTIONS, THEN WE WOULD HEAR THEM SAYING, SIMULTANEOUS TO APPROVING THE ADU, WE WILL ALSO COMMIT TO BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INDEPENDENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT TO, TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR HOUSING IN OUR TOWN.THIS LEGISLATION WILL IMPACT SOME COMMUNITIES TO A GREATER EXTENT THAN OTHERS.
A FEW YEARS BACK WHEN I WAS TOWN CLERK, BUILDING INSPECTOR CAME TO, UH, A, A, A MEETING WITH THE BOARD AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I FOUND A HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET HERE ON HILLSIDE AVENUE THAT WAS DIVIDED UP INTO SO MANY COMPARTMENTS THAT IT HOUSED 65 PEOPLE.
NOW MY POINT IN MENTIONING THAT IS TO ASK, WILL THERE BE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THESE ADU AND THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT WILL BE PARKED ON STREETS AND COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN ZONED AS SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE COMMUNITIES? I READ SEVERAL OF THE COMMENTS ON, ON THE, ON ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE.
MANY OF THEM ADDRESS THE CONCERNS ABOUT ADUS PRESENTING A CHALLENGE TO THE ORIGINAL QUALITY OF LIFE IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THAT, THAT WERE DESIGNATED FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.
AND THAT'S A CONCERN BECAUSE WITH MORE PEOPLE LIVING IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DE WERE DE DESIGNATED SINGLE FAMILY COMMUNITIES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE CARS ON THE STREETS THAT MAY POTENTIALLY BLOCK EMERGENCY ACCESS TO EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE, UM, UH, UH, TRASH CANS THAT WILL POTENTIALLY ATTRACT MORE RODENTS OR INCREASE THE NUMBER OF, OF, OF, UM, RODENTS IN A, IN A COMMUNITY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF EVERYTHING THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE OR EXIST TO A, A MINIMUM.
I AM NOT, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I HAVE SAT HERE AT THAT TABLE DURING TOWN BOARD MEETINGS, TIME AFTER TIME, AND RALLYING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT I AM OPPOSED TO DUMPING THE BURDEN OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON RESIDENTS IN THE NAME OF ADU, THERESA TORI.
I'M THERESA TORY, 100 POST STREET HARTSDALE, NEW YORK.
I WAS A MEMBER OF THE MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE IN THE A VL THAT DRAFTED THE INITIAL VERSION OF THE A DU LAW.
IN THE PAST, I HAVE STOOD HERE AND ENDORSED PASSING A LAW WITH A FIXED CAP ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS AND NO RESTRICTION ON LOT SIZE.
TONIGHT I SAY I DO NOT PASS THIS LAW.
IN ITS CURRENT VERSION, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DESTROY THE TOWN'S SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS.
AFTER THE MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, I WAS STRUCK THAT THERE ARE TWO ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
UNDERSTANDING NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL THE DWELLING AN A DU, AN EXTENDED FAMILY UNIT, A MOTHER DAUGHTER HOUSE, IT'S A TWO FAMILY HOUSE THAT IS BEING INTRODUCED INTO A ONE FAMILY ZONE.
WHAT NUMBER OF THESE UNITS IN A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE CHANGES THE NEIGHBORHOOD? THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE LAW WOULD'VE ALLOWED A LIMITED NUMBER OF UNITS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF INTRODUCING TWO FAMILY UNITS INTO THE ONE FAMILY ZONES.
THE A DL COMMITTEE AND THE PLANNING BOARD VERSIONS INCLUDED MANY LIMITING ITEMS TO CONTROL THE IMPACT THE UNITS WOULD HAVE IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THE LAW FAMILY FRIENDLY.
THE LAW HAS BEEN WR REWRITTEN.
SECTION 2 85 36 Q 19 REMOVES RESTRICTIONS FROM THE PERMITTING
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PROCESS FOR A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PROPERTIES.THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY IS ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WANNA CALL THEMSELVES TO QUALIFY A FAMILY TO QUALIFY AS A FAMILY.
THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF WHO RESIDES IN THE DWELLING UNIT SHOULD NOT BE A FACTOR IN DETERMINING HOW THE LAW IS APPLIED.
IT SHOULD NOT BE FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUALS EMOTIONALLY CHARGED BACK STORIES.
THE LAW NEEDS TO FOCUS ON ZONING ISSUES, IMPACTS ON INFRASTRUCTURE, STREETS, SEWERS, ROADS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS IMPACT ON ASSESSED VALUATIONS.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT A HALF THE COMMUNITIES IN WESTCHESTER HAVE NOT PASSED AN A DU LAW.
I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHY THAT IS.
WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF TWO FAMILY DWELLINGS IN A ONE FAMILY ZONE THAT HAS MINIMAL IMPACT? IS IT ONE IN A HUNDRED, ONE IN 20 AFTER CONSIDERATION? IF WE PASS A REVISED LAW, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON SETTING A LOW CAP ON THE ALLOWED UNITS TO ASCERTAIN THE IMPACT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT I THINK YOU, SCHWARTZ MADE SOME VERY GOOD SUGGESTIONS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT A TIME OF ONE YEAR IS A NON WORKABLE PERIOD.
AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE I HAVE UNDERGONE A CONSTRUCTION TO ADD AN ADDITION ON MY HOUSE ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.
IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DO ANY SIGNIFICANT ALTERATION FROM THE TIME YOU HIRE AN ARCHITECT.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU FIND THE RIGHT NUMBER.
I WOULD SUGGEST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND 50 UNITS.
PICK THAT NUMBER, PUT IT IN YOUR CODE.
SEE WHEN YOU START TO REACH THAT NUMBER, ASSESSED HOW IT'S BEEN IMPACTING THE COMMUNITIES, AND THEN MAYBE LEAVE IT AT THAT CAP AND SAY, THAT'S ALL WE CAN HANDLE FOR THIS TYPE OF HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OR LOOK AT IT AND SAY, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A HIGHER RATIO.
BUT A TIME LIMIT DOESN'T SEEM TO ME TO BE A WORKABLE WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS JUST FROM THE NEEDS OF CONSTRUCTION.
AND YOU'D ALSO FIND IF YOU DID IT THAT WAY, YOU'D HAVE PEOPLE HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND I THINK TO DO IT IN SAY ONE YEAR IS LIKE NOT TO HAVE A LAW BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A BIG ENOUGH TIME PERIOD TO HAVE A SAMPLE TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
JUST EVEN IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS.
I DO THINK IT IS A REALLY SERIOUS CONCERN IN TERMS OF A SINGLE HOME OWNER COMMUNITIES.
IF IT HAS, THERE ARE TOO MANY UNITS BECAUSE YOU DO CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK ONCE YOU START, YOU HAVE A CYCLE WHERE YOU CAN SLIDE INTO NO LONGER HAVING SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS AND HIGH RATEABLES, WHICH THEN PROVIDE THE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAPPENING AND OTHER AREAS AS, AS, UM, JUDA VILLE POINTED OUT, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S THIS WHOLE TAX ISSUE, WHICH WE NEED TO BE KEEP IN MIND.
BUT YOU LOOK AT WHAT SOME OF YOU'S SUGGESTIONS.
I THOUGHT THEY WERE VERY GOOD.
19 BEACHWOOD ROAD HARTSDALE SECTION OF THE UNINCORPORATED TOWN OF GREENBURG
WE HAVE HAD SOME WONDERFUL COMMENTS THIS EVENING.
AT THE HEARING ON JUNE 25TH, I ASKED A STRAIGHTFORWARD QUESTION.
I SAID, WHAT IS YOUR GOAL IN PASSING THE A DU LAW AND HOW DOES THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE LAW WITH THE 10,000 SQUARE FOOT REQUIREMENT MEET? YOUR OBJECTIVE RESPONSES I RECEIVED WERE VERY DISAPPOINTING.
I EXPECTED THAT YOU WOULD'VE SAID THAT YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WERE TO INCREASE REASONABLY PRICED HOUSING IN GREENBURG TO MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO LIVE HERE, TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR MANY YEARS TO REMAIN IN RESIDENCE BY GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A HELPER SUCH AS A FAMILY MEMBER LIVE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, OR BY GIVING THEM EXTRA INCOME TO DEFRAY OUR EVER RISING TAXES AND OTHER COST OF LIVING INCREASES, OR TO PROVIDE REASONABLY PRICED HOUSING FOR YOUNG ADULTS WHO WERE RAISED IN GREENBURG AND WHO WANTED TO CONTINUE LIVING IN OUR WONDERFUL TOWN.
I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU WANTED TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN BY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE, WHO BROUGHT INTO A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE WITH AN EXPECTATION THAT IT WOULD STAY A SINGLE FAMILY ZONE.
AND HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH THAT WITHOUT IMPACTING THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE WORKING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS WHEN SO MANY OF US ARE COMING FORTH TO POINT OUT THAT YOUR 10,000 SQUARE FOOT ES REQUIREMENT ELIMINATES ELIGIBILITY FOR NEARLY THE MAJORITY OF THE TOWN RESIDENTS? IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PARKING NEEDS, YOUR BILL SHOULD
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SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THAT FACTOR.IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IMPACT ON NEIGHBORS, YOUR BILL SHOULD SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THAT FACTOR.
YOU SHOULD NOT BE TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE FACTORS BY SEVERELY RESTRICTING THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO CREATE AN A DU.
IT APPEARS THAT YOU'RE CREATING AN A DU BILL THAT FAVORS ONLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT PROPERTY.
YOU HAVE NOT PRESENTED ANY EVIDENCE TO THE PUBLIC TO SUGGEST OTHERWISE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE BOARD IS FACILITATING THE RICH GETTING RICHER AND THE REST OF US HAVING A DIMINISHING LIKELIHOOD OF REMAINING IN OUR HOMES AND CREATING GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR OUR OFFSPRING.
WE BOUGHT OUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WHEN WE HAD SMALL CHILDREN, SO THEY WERE FOUR TO FIVE PEOPLE IN EACH HOUSEHOLD.
NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERLY WHO ARE LIVING ALONE WITH JUST ONE PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
SO IF YOU ADD A COUPLE MORE THROUGH AN A DU, YOU'RE NOT CHANGING THE CHARACTER.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU BOUGHT INTO ZONING REGULATIONS WERE WRITTEN AS A WAY OF DISCRIMINATING AGAINST NON-WHITE RESIDENTS IN THIS COUNTRY.
AS WE REWRITE THE REGULATIONS, WE MUST REMOVE THOSE ELEMENTS THAT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST MINORITIES AND INCORPORATE ELEMENTS THAT WILL ALLOW THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF DISCRIM DISCRIMINATORY REGULATIONS TO BE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY.
WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND? WAYNE, DID YOU WANNA COME? NO PROBLEM.
UM, COMMISSIONER DUANE, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO READ INTO THE RECORD THE EMAILS RECEIVED.
UM, AS OUR RULE STATE, YOU CANNOT READ A PIECE IF THEY'RE NOT HERE.
HOWEVER, UM, I AM JUST READING WHETHER THEY'RE OPPOSED OR, UH, IN, UM, IN AGREEMENT.
UH, CAROL SAREL OPPOSED SAREL.
S-A-R-C-I-N-E-L-L-A, UH, THERESA TORI WHO JUST SPOKE OPPOSED.
G-R-A-N-T, THE HARTSDALE PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSED.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, SO ZOOM DISCUSSIONS? THERE WERE OTHER, THERE WERE OTHERS THERE, THERE WERE OTHER NO, I SAW OTHER EMAILS THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY.
MAYBE THEY WEREN'T SENT TO THE TOWN.
CLERK, CLERK WHAT THEY NEED TO BE SENT TO THE CLERK OR TO GARRETT.
EVERYTHING TODAY IS SENT TO THE CLERK.
I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU RECEIVED EVERYTHING TODAY, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
I THINK SOMETHING JUST CAME TO THE TOWN BOARD, UNFORTUNATELY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE NOTICE SAID.
I, I KNOW FORWARD THOSE TO THE CLERK AND MYSELF BOTH WORKING TOGETHER AS TEAMS. SHOULD I FORWARD SOMETHING NOW TO YOU? YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
YEAH, I'M SENDING IT TO HER NOW.
AND, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, ANYONE PARTICIPATING BY ZOOM? NO.
UM, SO GARRETT, DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSES? YEP.
BOARD WOULD LIKE, I CAN FOCUS ON THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED.
UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF GOOD COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS, UH, FOR THOSE.
UH, IT'S REALLY FOR THE BOARD TO PONDER, BUT LET ME FOCUS ON THE QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, THE BEST I CAN AS FAR AS THE FEE, THE RECREATION FEE, AS I MENTIONED, WAS PROPOSED TO BE LOWERED FROM THE 4,000 NUMBER TO ROUGHLY THE 2000.
REGARDING THE RECREATION FEE, IT IS STRUCTURED SO THAT ONE CONCEIVABLY COULD OFFER PARKLAND AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
THAT TYPICALLY ONLY COMES INTO PLAY ON LARGER SCALE PROJECTS WHERE IT'S A LARGER SUBDIVISION.
UH, AS EXAMPLE 113 HOME LOT SUBDIVISION DOBBS FERRY ROAD, THE OFFER WAS 14 ACRES THAT WAS DEEMED ACCEPTABLE BY THE TOWN BOARD AS A SUITABLE, UM, LAND DONATION PROPOSAL.
AND IN THAT INSTANCE, NO RECREATION FEE WAS COLLECTED.
AND INDEED, THAT IS DESTINED TO BE A PARK THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE TOWN OF GREENBURG RESIDENTS.
SO WHILE HYPOTHETICALLY ONE COULD OFFER PARKLAND, YES, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, BUT IT, IT'S JUST NOT PRACTICAL.
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ANY SCENARIO WHERE ONE WOULD OPT TO ACTUALLY DONATE LAND OF THEIRS TO THE TOWN AS OPPOSED TO PAYING $2,160.UM, REGARDING, UH, THE SITE PLAN REQUIREMENT AND THE NEED FOR A BUILDING PERMIT, UH, A BUILDING PERMIT WOULD BE REQUIRED IN ALL INSTANCES, A SITE PLAN WOULD ACCOMPANY THAT IN ALL INSTANCES.
AND THE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION WOULD INDEED NEED TO BE SIGNED AND SEALED BY A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL.
AND THAT'S REALLY, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ANY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN THE TOWN WHERE ONE SEEKS TO MODIFY THEIR HOME.
EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS DOING MINOR UPDATES, UH, FOR A KITCHEN.
AND THAT'S BORN OUT OF SAFETY AND NEW YORK STATE CODE.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S A REQUIREMENT.
THERE'S NO WAIVING OF THAT TYPE OF, UH, REQUIREMENT.
IF I COULD BE, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC, UM, MR. DUANE AND TO THE WOMAN WHO BROUGHT UP THE, THE CONCERN VIS-A-VIS THE STOVE.
THE STOVE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST INSTALLING A STOVE, IT'S VENTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, AND, AND THAT DOES REQUIRE AN ENGINEER.
YOU WANNA MAKE SURE IF IT'S A GAS STOVE, IF YOU HAVE THE GAS LINE, THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE GAS LEAKING INTO YOUR HOUSE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT SAFETY AND VENTING.
SO THERE ARE OTHER ASPECTS TO EVERYTHING, NOT JUST THE, THIS SIMPLE FUNCTION OF PUTTING SOMETHING IN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CREATE THAT PICTURE OF ANCILLARY, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT'S THE MAXIMUM THAT ONE COULD EXPAND THEIR HOME.
AND THIS WOULD COME INTO PLAY FOR EXAMPLES WHERE ONE SOUGHT TO EXPAND THEIR HOME FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN A DU.
AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO SPECIFIC NUMBERS, THE FORMULA IS ALWAYS A FUNCTION OF THE LOT SIZE.
SO AS THE SIMPLEST EXAMPLE, UH, 5,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT WOULD YIELD ROUGHLY, I WANNA SAY 2000 SQUARE FOOT HOME.
UH, WHICH IS FAIRLY GENEROUS FOR THAT SIZE OF A LOT.
UM, WHEN YOU GET UP TO LOT SIZES THAT ARE, SAY, AN ACRE, UH, ROUGHLY, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE ANYWHERE IN THE 4,500, UH, SQUARE FOOT.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A, THERE'S A CHART IN THE TOWN ZONING ORDINANCE THAT, UH, IDENTIFIES WHAT SQUARE FOOTAGE HOME IS ALLOWED ON SPECIFIC LOTS, NOT BY ZONE.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, UM, THE POINTS HE RAISED, HE WAS CLEAR, BUT I, I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE CLEAR.
SO THE GENTLEMAN THAT INDICATED THAT HE HAD AN 18,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT, UH, ONE THING HE DIDN'T MENTION WAS THAT HE'S IN AN R SEVEN FIVE ZONE.
SO HIS POINT WAS, UM, CONCEIVABLY WITH 18,000 SQUARE FEET, HE HAS THE LAND SIZE TO BUILD TWO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UM, HYPOTHETICALLY, UH, AT 7,500, THE LOT MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
SO THEREFORE, HIS POINT WAS, UH, IF I HAVE THAT PO, IF HE HAS THAT POSSIBILITY, UM, THAT'S WHERE HIS EXAMPLE CAME INTO THE, UM, ADVOCACY FOR LESS THAN 20,000 SQUARE FOOT, UH, FOR AN INDEPENDENT, UH, A DU.
SO I JUST, THE ONLY THING REASON I MENTIONED THAT, 'CAUSE I, THE GENTLEMAN DIDN'T MENTION THE ZONE, SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONNECTION.
WELL, NOT ONLY THAT, THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE 15,000, 18,000 SQUARE FEET DOESN'T MEAN YOU COULD SUBDIVIDE IT BECAUSE YOUR HOUSE MAY BE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
YOU'D HAVE TO KNOCK DOWN YOUR HOUSE TO DO THAT.
SECONDLY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FRONTAGE ON A TOWN IMPROVED ROAD.
SO THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A LONG BACKYARD DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE THE FRONTAGE FOR TWO, THERE'S MANY, MANY REQUIREMENTS TO DO A SUBDIVISION.
MY HYPOTHETICAL WAS OVERLY SIMPLISTIC.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR.
UH, THERE WAS SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FAMILY, UH, DEFINITION, UH, BEING TOO SPECIFIC.
UH, I GUESS THAT WAS MORE OF A COMMENT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THE COMMENT.
I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, THE DEFINITION WAS LOOKED AT CLOSELY BY THE BUILDING INSPECTOR, DEPUTY BUILDING INSPECTOR, AS WELL AS LEGAL, AND AS THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WOULD BE THE DEPARTMENT THAT REALLY MAKES THESE EVALUATIONS.
THEY FELT VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT DEFINITION.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, IT WITHSTOOD A CHALLENGE.
THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE NATURE OF THAT CHALLENGE AND, UM, THAT IS THE DEFINITION THEY FELT COMFORTABLE WITH.
THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONS SUCH AS, UH, I THINK THE GENTLEMAN MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE CRITERIA WITH THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY IS THAT, UM,
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YOU WORK IN THE AREA, BUT THE PRECEDING CLAUSE SAYS MAY.I HAVE JUST HAVE TO GO BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE, THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY.
SO THE TERM TRADITIONAL, UH, SEEMS TO ME A VERY SUBJECTIVE TERM.
I AM REALLY SURPRISED THAT THAT WOULD HAVE, UH, NOT BEEN CHALLENGED, UH, WHEREVER IT'S BEEN HELD UP.
WHERE, WHERE WAS IT ONE MUNICIPALITY WHERE THAT WAS HELD UP? IT WAS THE COURT.
IT WAS THE COURT THAT, YEAH, NO, YES, I KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S COME UP IN, IT WAS A CHALLENGE SITUATION.
IT WAS A, TO A LAW FROM ONE MUNICIPALITY AND IT WAS HELD UP IN COURT.
SO THAT WAS ONE PARTICULAR INSTANCE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE OVERRULED BY ANOTHER JUDGE IN ANOTHER COURT.
WAS THAT A LOWER COURT? IT WOULD BE PRECEDENT THAT IT WOULD BE PRECEDENT HERE.
WAS THAT A LOWER COURT? I BELIEVE IT WAS SUPREME COURT DETERMINATION.
I WOULD HAVE TO, I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
AND IT WAS A WHILE AGO, AND IT HASN'T BEEN, IT HASN'T BEEN APPEALED OR ED.
RIGHT? WELL, I DON'T THINK PE I DON'T THINK THAT'S A TERM THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN UTILIZED MUCH IN, YOU KNOW, CURRENT TIMES.
ALSO, ALSO SUPREME COURT CASES FREQUENTLY ARE, UH, THAT THEY'RE APPEALED.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE WELL, THE TIME TO APPEAL HAS PASSED.
I'M TALKING ABOUT IF THERE'S ANOTHER, IF IT COMES UP AGAIN, TYP TYPICALLY A JUDGE WOULD FOLLOW THE PRECEDENT SET IN THE PREVIOUS CASE UNLESS THERE WAS A NEW SET OF FACTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES, OR IF THEY TRIED TO MAKE NEW LAW, WHICH THEN LIKELY WOULD BE APPEALED.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YEAR THAT WAS? I DON'T.
I, A LOT OF TIMES I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT TOO.
BECAUSE CULTURE AND TIMES AND SOCIETY HAVE CHANGED QUITE A BIT, BIT OVER EVEN A SHORT TIME.
SO THAT, THAT TERM I FIND TROUBLING, QUESTIONABLE, MM-HMM
SO QUESTIONABLE I DID WHEN HEARING THE COMMENTS, UH, DID FLAG THE USAGE OF THAT, UM, TERMINOLOGY, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING I INTENDED TO SPEAK WITH OTHERS ABOUT.
AND THERE WAS A QUESTION, DOES THE LOCAL LAW, BUT IT DEFINES RIGHT UNDERNEATH THAT WHAT A TRADITIONAL FAMILY IS ACCORDING TO THIS CODE.
AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT REMOVING IT, BUT THERE'S ALSO DISCUSSION ABOUT IF WE REMOVE IT, THEN IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME DEFINITION THAT WAS UPHELD IN COURT.
AND WOULD THAT PUT US INTO SOME KIND OF JEOPARDY? YEAH.
BUT IT DOES SAY TRADITIONAL FAMILY AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT YOU WOULD DO FOR THAT USE FOR THAT.
I CLEARLY THIS MEANS NEEDS MORE DISCUSSION, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA BE CLOSING THE HEARING TONIGHT.
I I I THINK SOME CLARIFICATION ON TRADITIONAL MIGHT, EVEN IF IT'S APPEARS, IF WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE IT IN, EVEN IF IT, THE, UH, CLEAR DEFINITION APPEARS WITHIN THE DOCUMENT, PERHAPS THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF WAYS WE CAN LOOK AT IT PERHAPS.
CAN I, CAN I JUST ASK IF JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A COURT CASE THAT UPHELD THE TERMINOLOGY FAMILY DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE TOWN HAS TO ADOPT TRADITIONAL FAMILY, RIGHT? RIGHT.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WHEN WE ADOPT THE LAW THAT WE HAVE TO USE THE WORDING THAT THE COURT BASICALLY HAS USED.
BECAUSE SOMEBODY COULD ALWAYS CHALLENGE US, BUT WE COULD COME UP WITH ANY DEFINITION WE WANT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO CHALLENGE, WELL, CURRENTLY WE DON'T CONSIDER PEOPLE TO BE A FAMILY.
'CAUSE WE CONSIDER KITCHENS TO BE A FAMILY.
IF YOU HAVE TWO KITCHENS, YOU'RE A TWO FAMILY.
IF YOU HAVE THREE KITCHENS, YOU'RE A THREE FAMILY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT, WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PEOPLE ARE.
WHAT THIS IS TRYING TO DO IS TO GET A FAMILY DOUBT BACK LIKE MANY, MANY CODES TO BEING ABOUT PEOPLE AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF PEOPLE.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE MARRIED, IT DOESN'T MEAN TO HAVE TO HAVE A DOMESTIC PARTNER.
IT'S A VERY, IT'S A VERY, UM, AVOIDING THE TERM, BUT LIBERAL DEFINITION OF FAMILY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST, THE FIRST THING, AND IT SAYS ONE OR TWO OR THREE PEOPLE OCCUPYING A DWELLING UNIT.
IT DOESN'T SAY THEY HAVE TO BE MARRIED.
DOESN'T SAY THAT THERE HAS TO BE, BUT IT DOES SAY THAT THERE HAS TO BE A, IF, IF YOU'RE A SINGLE FAMILY, A FREE FLOW THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE UNIT.
YOU CAN'T SAY I'M ONE FAMILY AND CARVE IT OFF AND HAVE A DOUBLE LOCKED DOOR ON BOTH SIDES AND SAY, OH YES, WE'RE ONE FAMILY, BUT, UH, AND WE'RE NOT RENTING.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S A SEGMENTATION IN THE BUILDING ITSELF.
PEOPLE ALSO LIVE IN COMMUNAL ARRANGE OF, IN COMMUNAL ARRANGEMENTS, WHICH THEY CONSIDER TO BE FAMILIES.
AND THERE'S, AND THERE'S LOTS OF, RIGHT.
SO THAT'S WHY WELL, THAT'S NOT TRADITIONAL.
WE COULD, WE NEED YEAH, IT'S COMPLICATED.
OH, IT'S DEFINITELY COMPLICATED.
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YEAH, IT WAS, IT WASN'T COMPLICATED.WE WOULDN'T HAVE THREE HEARINGS ON THIS THING.
DOES THE LOCAL LAW CONTAIN PROVISIONS ON THE NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS? AND DOES IT, HAS, DOES IT HAVE SPECIFICITY WITH REGARD TO OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS? AND THE LAW DOES INDEED COVER THOSE AREAS IN SECTIONS, UH, 12 AS FAR AS OCCUPANTS AND SEVEN AS FAR AS PARKING, AND THAT'S OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THERE WAS A COMMENT, AND I DO, THIS WAS A COMMENT, BUT I DO WANNA ADDRESS IT.
UM, AND I AGREE ONE YEAR, UM, SUNSET CLAUSE, IT, IT'S IMPROBABLE POTENTIALLY FOR ONE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND COMPLETE THE BUILDING OF AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT WITHIN A YEAR.
I, THAT'S
IT COULD, IT COULD NOT HAPPEN, UH, IN SOME INSTANCES DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY APPLY.
BUT I WOULD NOTE THAT THE SUNSET CLAUSE MERELY STATES THAT THE APPLICATION MUST BE FILED WITHIN ONE YEAR FOLLOWING THE DATE OF ADOPTION.
SO THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE ESSENTIALLY GRANDFATHERED, AND THE PLANNING BOARD WOULD HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO RULE ON THEM WHILE THE TOWN BOARD IS CONDUCTING, UH, ITS REVIEW OF THE LAW.
SO I, I WOULD MAKE MAKE THE CASE THAT, UM, THE LAW'S CLEAR IN THAT RESPECT, AND IT'S NOT A, AT THE ONE YEAR PERIOD, IF YOU'RE NOT BUILT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT.
SO THERE IS A GRANDFATHERED ASPECT TO THAT.
AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, THIS IS JUST A GENERAL QUESTION.
UM, WHAT NUMBER OF ADUS CHANGES THE CHARACTER OF A SPECIFIC BLOCK? THAT WAS, UM, A QUESTION, AND CERTAINLY I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER FOR YOU, UH, TO, TO INDICATE THERE EVERY BLOCK IS DIFFERENT.
EVERY BLOCK IS SHAPED DIFFERENTLY, UM, AND HAS DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, ROADWAY CHARACTERISTICS.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THERE IS A PROVISION IN NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER THAT DOES TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, UM, THE, THE IMMEDIACY OF OTHER ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS.
AND, UH, IT'S A FACTOR THAT THE PLANNING BOARD HAS TO CONSIDER.
SO, UM, THE TOWN OF GREENBERG'S 18 SQUARE MILES, UM, IF IT SO HAPPENS THAT THERE'S TWO OR THREE A DU PROPOSALS ON ONE BLOCK ACROSS THOSE 18 SQUARE MILES, UM, WHILE HIGHLY UNLIKELY, I DON'T THINK IT'S IMPOSSIBLE IF THOSE, UM, TWO, LET'S SAY PREVIOUSLY APPROVED ADUS ARE ONLINE AND THEY'RE CAUSING SOME SORT OF, UM, NEGATIVE CHARACTER CHARACTERISTICS, WHETHER IT'S OFF STREET PARKING OR WHATNOT, UM, THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
AND THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S TWO ADUS APPROVED ON THIS BLOCK.
HERE'S, YOU KNOW, PHOTO DOCUMENTATION AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY WE FEEL A THIRD SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED.
SO I DO FEEL THAT THE, THE LAW IS STRONG IN THAT REGARD, AND THERE'S LANGUAGE IN THE LAW TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND UH, YESTERDAY, UM, WE ASKED, UH, ED MCCARTHY, UM, UH, TO EXPLAIN THE TAXATION, YOU KNOW, ISSUES IS TAXED AS RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL.
UM, DO YOU, UH, JOE, DO, DO YOU HAVE A SHE SAID IT WOULD BE RESIDENT.
WELL, SHE SAID IT DEPENDS, RIGHT?
SHE WENT, SHE WENT ON RECORD OFFICIALLY STATING UNEQUIVOCALLY IT DEPENDS.
I JUST WANTED MR. KAHAN REFERENCED A LAW IN THE, IN THE NEW YORK STATE, UH, SENATE ASSEMBLY.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT LAW WAS.
WHAT YEAR WAS IT THIS YEAR? UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE, LIKE TO LOOK INTO IT.
DO YOU HAVE THE LAW NUMBER? UH, I GAVE THAT TO PAUL.
YEAH, I'LL GET IT FOR YOU, PAUL.
OH, OH, COULD YOU SHARE IT WITH US, PAUL? YEAH, I'LL GET IT FOR YOU.
YEAH, YOU MENTIONED THAT LAST NIGHT.
AND JUST ONE LAST AND IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE TOWN BOARD, SEND IT TO TOWN BOARD@GREENBERGNY.COM.
JUST ONE LAST ONE, UH, QUESTION ABOUT THE NU THE 20,000 SQUARE FOOT REQUIREMENT.
UH, WHAT, WHERE WAS THAT DERIVED FROM FOR, UM, THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT WHEN THERE'S A STANDALONE A DU AND JUST IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM IS A ONE YEAR A DU LITMUS TEST, I'M GETTING THE SENSE THAT THE TOWN BOARD JUST WANTED TO ENSURE, UM, THAT THERE WAS A LOT THAT, UM, DIDN'T PLACE A CRAMPED FEEL, UH, WITH A SEPARATE STRUCTURE IN THE BACKYARD.
AND I GOT THE SENSE THAT, UH, THE TOWN BOARD FELT THAT 20,000 SQUARE FOOT WAS A, UH, ADEQUATE STARTING POINT.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S AS SIMPLE OF RESPONSES, UH, LESS WELL, I THINK NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER CONSIDERATION AND, AND, AND FOR CLARIFICATION, IT SEEMED TO BE A GOOD STARTING POINT BECAUSE UNTIL WE SEE WHAT, WHAT SOMETHING LOOKS LIKE IN THE FLESH, AND SO WE HAVE THAT WE
[01:55:01]
CAN'T REALLY COMPREHEND THINGS SO WELL.SO THE REASON WE PUT A, A SUNSET CLAUSE ON IT WAS THAT WE WANTED TO BE OPEN TO MAKE CHANGE SO THAT WE COULD PERHAPS THEN AFTER JUST A SHORT TERM DECIDE TO MAKE THAT RED REDUCTION IN SQUARE FOOTAGE, BUT WE'D HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR IT.
AND IT SEEMED, IT'S LIKE BEFORE YOU SWIM, YOU, YOU PUT YOUR FOOT IN THE WATER, YOU KNOW? SO THAT WAS IT.
AND, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE OTHER, WELL, I PROBABLY WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS, BUT I'M JUST GONNA MAKE ONE NOW.
UM, THE, THE, UM, AS REVEREND COBB SO, SO ELOQUENTLY EXPRESSED AND OTHER PEOPLE ECHOED, I, I AGREE AND I THINK WE, BUT I THINK WE SHOULDN'T, WE SHOULD MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ADU AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADU, WERE NOT REALLY CONSTRUED AS AFFORDABLE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT THE COMMITMENT OF THIS BOARD IS AS STRONG AS EVER.
UM, THE, THE COMPLICATIONS OF COURSE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, IT'S NOT QUITE AS SIMPLE AS THE, THE TOWN HAVING LAND.
IT'S, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE DEVELOPERS AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY TO BUILD THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY TO MAINTAIN IT.
SO IT'S NOT QUITE SO SIMPLE SINCE THE TOWN IS, FOR THE MOST PART, RUN BY THE MONIES THAT THE TAXPAYERS CONTRIBUTE TO MAKE THIS TOWN OPERATIONAL.
UM, SO I I I JUST WANT TO REAFFIRM THE COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT YOU HAVE SO WELL STATED AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ECHOED.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA CLOSE THE HEARING TONIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, ANOTHER HEARING ON THIS.
BUT WE HEARD SOME VERY GOOD COMMENTS AND I TOOK, UM, EXTENSIVE NOTES.
AND MAYBE THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT IF IT STAYS WITHIN THE PRINCIPAL BUILDING ENVELOPE, YOU KNOW, IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT EITHER IMMEDIATELY OR, OR, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE F1 YEAR, UM, UH, REVIEW, YOU KNOW, THE SUNSET PROVISION.
UM, BUT IT, IT DOES, IT MAY, WE DON'T KNOW.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AND DO SOME RESEARCH ON THIS.
IT MAY ADDRESS, UM, MANY OF THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE.
IT ALSO MAY NOT BE WORKABLE BECAUSE WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE AN A DU AS AN ACCESSORY, YOU'LL BE 15 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE, BUT IN SOME DISTRICTS, UH, FROM THE REAR PROPERTY LINE.
BUT IN SOME DISTRICTS, YOU HAVE TO BE 26 FEET TO BE IN THE BUILDING ENVELOPE.
UM, AND WE'LL SEE HOW, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW WORKABLE THAT IS.
BUT, BUT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, THOSE WAS NICE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE IT.
EVERYBODY WAS RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE ELSE'S DECISION.
THERE'S, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME SITUATIONS WHERE THERE'S REALLY NO RIGHT ANSWER OR, YOU KNOW, THE PERFECT ANSWER.
UM, BUT WE'RE TRYING, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT AND, UH, GIVING US YOUR COMMENTS.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GONNA CONSIDER EACH ONE OF THEM.
UM, ARE YOU SAYING YOU COULDN'T HEAR ME? DID YOU WANNA MAKE COMMENTS? I MEAN, I, FRANCIS AND ELLEN SAID EVERYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID.
I MEAN, WE CAN, CAN, WE CAN, I CAN REPEAT EVERYTHING, BUT YOU KNOW, IT IS 9 41 AND I DON'T WANT TO KEEP EVERYONE, BUT TO EVERYONE'S, I, I THINK REVEREND COBB, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE LANGUAGE AND I THINK EVERYONE SEES THAT THERE IS A CHALLENGE WITH THE WORDING.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA GO BACK AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE WORKABLE, IF YOU WILL, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE LOT SIZE, AGAIN, WE HEARD THE SAME THING AS RE AS WHAT WILL WORK IN THE PARTICULAR LOT SIZE.
AGAIN, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE WE GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS LAW IS NOT MADE TO BE RESTRICTIVE.
THIS LAW IS WE ARE TRYING TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT WILL WORK, THAT WILL ADD TO OUR HOUSING CHALLENGES.
THIS WAS NOT MEANT TO BE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT WAS, I MEAN, IT WAS MEANT TO BE AN A HOUSING OPTION.
UM, I DO, I DO, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING ANOTHER CONVERSATION AND REALLY HAMMERING THIS OUT AGAIN, TO REALLY ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WERE HEARD.
AND I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE COMING OUT.
[02:00:01]
WORK ISN'T EASY 'CAUSE WE CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR EVERYONE.BUT THE FACT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HEAR AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS JUST IT.
WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT'S GOING TO WORK.
SO AGAIN, JUST AS EVERYONE SAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS, I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN REALLY HAVE AN A DU THAT'S REALLY GONNA BE WORKING ACCEPTED BY EVERYONE.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, ADD TO, UH, COMMISSIONER DUQUESNE'S, UH, LIST OF COMMENTS.
UH, THERE WAS A COMMENT FROM, UH, KENNY HERZOG.
HE SAID HE WAS IN SUPPORT, UH, MARK, TRUSTEE.
TRUSTEE HERZOG, HERZOG
UH, MARK, HE MEMBER NEL AND I'M SORRY, HERZOG, H-H-E-R-Z-O-G.
HE'S A MEMBER OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISORY HUMAN RIGHTS.
UH, MARK KINNEL, K-I-N-N-A-L-L-Y.
HE STATED HE WAS OPPOSED, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HABER.
YOU HAD SENT ME NICK KALU, HOWEVER, I DID NOT SEE WHERE HE WAS OPPOSED, OR NO, NO, NO.
HE SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING AND HE WAS OPPOSED.
COPY, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE WE CAN CHECK THE RECORD.
UM, HE, HE HAD ALSO PROVIDED AN ARTICLE ON, UH, 3000 AFFORDABLE MODERN ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES, UM, WITH A $789 MILLION GRANT, UH, FROM, FROM THE STATE.
SO, UM, HOW IS THAT RELEVANT TO THE, UH, HE'S STATING THAT THIS MAY, MAY BE A, MAY A MORE OF A, UM, AFFORDABLE, UH, OPTION, THE WAY TO ADDRESS THE, UH, RIGHT, THE WAY TO ADDRESS IT.
UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, CELIA NOVO HARTSDALE RESIDENT IS ON THE LIST.
THAT WAS LAST WEEK SUPPORTIVE.
AND THIS, THIS CAME FOR THIS RAPE CLUB.
THAT WAS ONE THAT I, I'LL, UM, I'LL GET TO YOU.
AND I, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, A COUPLE DAYS AGO, COUNCILWOMAN HABER, UH, SENT THE BOARD A MEMO WITH, UH, SOME, UM, SOME SUGGESTIONS ON, YOU KNOW, ONE AND WHICH, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT WOULD BE REDUCING, UH, THE RECREATION FEE, UM, UH, WHICH I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, MADE SOME SENSE.
AND I ALSO, UM, SUPPORT YOUR, UM, YOUR RECOMMENDATION IF WE ADOPT AN A DU LAW.
I THINK WE SHOULD REDUCE THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE A WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT ADUS, MY PERSONAL GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE, UH, PEOPLE WHO HAVE MORE LIMITED, UH, INCOMES WITH THE ABILITY AND, YOU KNOW, WEREN'T AS WEALTHY WITH THE ABILITY OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A DU LAWS.
AND I FEEL THAT IF WE ADOPT A LAW, UM, IT SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR, UH, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT PAUL, WHAT CAN I, CAN I, SINCE HE'S REFERENCING MY RECOMMENDATIONS, I'D LIKE TO SAY WHAT MINE WERE
SO I, THIS VERY, VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
I RESPONDED IN AN EMAIL HOW I, UH, MY PERSPECTIVE.
SO I'M IN FAVOR OF REDUCING THE RECREATION FEE TO $2,160, WHICH IS MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE SCALE OF AN A DU, I'M IN FAVOR OF REDUCING THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR A NON DETACHED UNIT FROM 10,000 SQUARE FEET TO 7,500 OR EVEN 5,000 SQUARE FEET, FEET BASED ON CORRESPONDENCE AND TESTIMONY.
SOME VERY, UH, COMPELLING TODAY, UH, FROM RESIDENTS.
AND AS I'VE PREVIOUSLY STATED, THAT IS, UH, MY, MY BELIEF TO GIVE RELIEF TO RESIDENTS WHO REALLY NEED IT.
UM, I DO HAVE ALREADY SAID I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY, TRADITIONAL FAMILY, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH WE DISCUSSED ALREADY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS.
SO THAT'S ON THE RECORD, THOSE ARE THE, THAT'S HOW I FEEL.
AND SOME OF THESE CAME IN TODAY, SO IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO COORDINATE.
RICHARD GRANT YOU CORRECTLY NOTED WAS OPPOSED? YES.
UM, I JUST WANNA NOTE FOR THE RECORD, HE WAS OPPOSED AS A RESIDENT, AND THEN HE'S ALSO A CIVIC ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT AND ON BEHALF OF THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, UM, HE WROTE IN, IN A NEGATIVE FASHION FOR THE IDEA LAW.
W UM, I HAD, OR I DEFINITELY STATED IT.
IS THIS THE SAME ONE WHERE I SAID THE
[02:05:01]
HARTSDALE, OR IS THAT A DIFFERENT ASSOCIATION? JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE CAUGHT HIM TWICE.YOU MAY VERY WELL HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD ALSO DO, BECAUSE THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ADUS AND, YOU KNOW, I, AND ALL THE VILLAGES IN, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE VILLAGES IN GREENBURG HAVE A DU YOU KNOW, LAWS, AND THERE'S A DU LAWS IN SURROUNDING AREAS.
AND MAYBE BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT TIERING, WE MIGHT WANT TO REACH OUT TO, UM, THE VILLAGES AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ADU AND ASK IF THERE'S BEEN ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR THEIR ADUS.
BECAUSE I HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, I'M IN TOUCH WITH OTHER, YOU KNOW, VILLAGES AND I HAVEN'T, AND THERE'S ALWAYS, NO MATTER WHEN IT'S PROPOSED, EVERY COMMUNITY, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME CONTROVERSY JUST LIKE WE'RE HAVING.
AND FREQUENTLY, UH, AFTER IT'S IN PLACE, IT'S LIKE A NON-ISSUE, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T COME UP AGAIN.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL DO IS I'LL REACH OUT TO ALL THE, THE VILLAGES IN THE AREA, AND I'LL JUST ASK THEM FOR FEEDBACK FROM, UM, UH, FROM RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE.
AND I'LL PROVIDE, UH, THE INFORMATION NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, UH, TO THE BOARD.
UM, THERE'S ONE OTHER THING THAT SOMEONE, UM, DID ADDRESS A GENTLEMAN OVER HERE ABOUT THE HEIGHT.
I DON'T THINK, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU ADDRESS THAT, OR MAYBE I MISSED IT.
AND, UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, MAX HEIGHT, TWO AND A HALF STORIES, 30 FEET, UH, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT IF A STANDALONE CANNOT EXCEED 12 FEET IN HEIGHT.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS.
AND, AND I THINK, BUT I, I THINK HE ALSO MADE, UM, HE, HE, AS AN EXAMPLE, HE SAID BUILDING ON TOP OF A HOUSE.
SO, UM, THAT, SO THAT WOULD STILL COMPLY WITH THE 30 FOOT? YES, EXACTLY.
SO, UM, WHETHER THE EXPANSION IS ON THE FIRST FLOOR IS A FOOTPRINT, UH, EXTENSION OR BUILDING UP AS LONG AS ONE DOES NOT EXCEED SETBACKS, UH, FLOOR AREA RATIO AND THAT TWO AND A HALF, UM, STORY 30 FEET IN HEIGHT, THAT WOULD BE A PERMISSIBLE, UH, PROPOSAL.
WHAT HE WAS SAYING IS IF YOU MAXED OUT YOUR HOUSE RIGHT, BASED ON, ON THE CODE, IF THE, THE ADDITION COULD BLOCK THE NEIGHBOR'S SUNLIGHT OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
UH, BUT THAT WOULD BE ON A PRINCIPAL BUILDING.
AND A PRINCIPAL BUILDING HAS DIFFERENT SETBACKS THAN AN ACCESSORY BUILDING.
SO, AND WE'RE NOW REQUIRING IT WASN'T BEFORE, BUT WE'RE NOW REQUIRING THE A DU TO BE IN THE REAR YARD.
WHEN DO WE WANT TO, UH, HAVE THE HEARING? UH, WELL, YOU HAVE A GRANT COMING UP, RIGHT? ARE WE GONNA, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO ADJOURN TO THE AUGUST MEETING, BUT THEN IN THE INTERIM, DURING WORK SESSION, UM, DISCUSS SOME OF THESE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HEARD.
WE'LL GET THE TRANSCRIPT AND, UH, WE'LL GET A SENSE OF ANY CHANGES THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO THE LOCAL LAW OR NOT, SO THAT WE CAN PRESENT THOSE AT THE AUGUST MEETING.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE, UH, UH, ADJOURN THE HEARING TO AUGUST 6TH.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT Advanced 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 have 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.]
PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING.BOB PERGAMAN, JUST LIKE THE PUBLIC HEARING, PUBLIC COMMENT IS FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER, AND PLEASE STAY WITHIN FIVE MINUTES.
WE'RE NOT DISPLAYING I'M SORRY.
[02:10:01]
IN THE BACK WHO'S DISCUSSING COULD PLEASE EXIT TO THE HALLWAY, PLEASE.WHAT ARE WE? READY? TOWN SUPERVISOR, FINER TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU THE CASE TO PRESENT THIS AND DISPLAY THIS CONSTITUTION FLAG.
I, MY HOPE IS TO, TO DISPLAY IT IN FRONT OF TOWN HALL ON ONE OF THE FLAGPOLES.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LAST MEETING.
WHEN I LEFT A LITTLE BIT EARLY, I WAS UNDER THE WEATHER, BUT I'M BACK HERE TODAY.
I LIVE IN NORTHERN YONKERS, JUST A FEW STEPS AWAY FROM HASTINGS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THIS FLAG BECAUSE THESE ARE UNUSUAL TIMES.
OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM IS UNDER ENORMOUS STRESS ON MULTIPLE FRONTS.
HABEAS CORPUS IS UNDER THREAT.
LAW FIRMS ARE BEING COERCED TO ALTER THEIR CLIENT RELATIONS.
UNIVERSITIES ARE THREATENED WITH FUNDING CUTS AND OTHER MEANS.
MEDIA COMPANIES ARE THREATENED, ELECTED LEADERS ARE BEING MURDERED, SOME PHYSICALLY, OTHERS PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED.
THIS IS, THIS IS NO SECRET TO ANYBODY HERE.
SO OUR CONSTITUTION IS CURRENTLY BEING SHREDDED.
AS THOMAS PAYNE SAID, THESE ARE THE TIMES THAT TRY MEN SOULS.
WE ARE IN A DESPERATE NEED OF A PARTISAN SIM, A NONPARTISAN SYMBOL THAT RECONNECTS US TO THE DOCUMENT THAT ENSHRINES OUR LIBERTIES AND THE BALANCE OF POWERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS FLAG SIMPLY SAYS, IN A NONPARTISAN WAY, THAT REVERENCE FOR THIS DOCUMENT IS PATRIOTIC.
THE CENTRAL IMAGE IMAGE OF THIS FLAG, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION OUTLINED BY THE ICONIC OUTLINE OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST THE VERY SUBTLE, MUTED RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BACKGROUND.
IT IS UPLIFTING AND IT IS POSITIVE.
NO SUCH NATIONAL IMAGE EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY.
NOTHING THAT SAYS IT'S PATRIOTIC TO REVERE THE CONSTITUTION.
SO THIS HAS A UNIFYING AND CIVILIZING MESSAGE BEHIND IT.
IT SENDS A MUCH NEEDED MESSAGE TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TOO, THAT THIS CONSTITUTION IS THE REAL ESSENCE OF WHO WE ARE.
CIVICS SADLY, IS MISSING FROM EARLY EDUCATION IN AMERICA THESE DAYS.
THIS HAS A BEAUTIFUL CIVIC MESSAGE, SO IT SUPPORTS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
THE CONSTITUTION IS THE SCAFFOLDING.
THIS IS PURELY A LABOR OF LOVE.
I PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO IT, BUT THAT'S MY PLEASURE TO DO SO.
GREENBERG'S HISTORY DOVETAILS WITH THE RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION IN 1788.
THERE IS A REAL HISTORICAL SYNCHRONICITY HERE, AND IT'S A POWERFUL PART OF THE STORY FOR YOU.
OUR FOREFATHERS CREATED SYMBOLS THAT SPOKE TO THE PUBLIC TO PROTEST BRITISH OCCUPATION AND OPPRESSION.
NOW WE HAVE A GENTLE IMAGE TO REMIND US OF WHO WE WERE MEANT TO BE A CONSTITUTIONAL COUNTRY.
SO THIS FLAG IS IN THE US CONGRESSIONAL RECORD IN THE MANHATTAN BOROUGH.
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE LAW FIRMS DISPLAY IT IN THEIR LOBBIES BUSINESSES.
AND NOW INDIVISIBLE IS ABOUT TO START USING IT AS OF AS OF NEXT WEEK ACTUALLY.
SO GREENBERG HAS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO LEAD THE WAY.
IT CAN BE THE FIRST TOWNSHIP TO LEAD OTHER TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
MY FEELING IS, IS THAT THIS IS GOING TO CATCH ON IN A VERY, VERY POWERFUL WAY, GIVEN ALL OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FACING.
LIKE NOTHING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY 72 YEARS OF LIFE.
AND I WOULD GUESS THAT NONE OF YOU HAVE SEEN IN YOUR YEARS OF LIFE.
SO IT CAN BE FLOWN ON A SEPARATE FLAGPOLE.
MY ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION IS TO FLY BENEATH THE STARS AND STRIPES, BUT IT CAN BE FLOWN SEPARATELY TOO.
IT SENDS A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE.
THIS IS A COMPELLING MESSAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED TO OUR COUNTRY.
AND AGAIN, SADLY, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE IT.
SO LOOK, WE WERE, WE'RE ALL CITIZENS BEFORE YOU WERE TOWN COUNCIL
[02:15:01]
PEOPLE, YOU WERE JUST CITIZENS AND YOU'RE STILL CITIZENS.AND AS CITIZENS, WE HAVE TO SAFEGUARD THIS.
THIS IS A TIME AGAIN, THE LIKES OF WHICH WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
IF THERE'S ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE, THE FLAG CODE WITH THIS, I WOULD ASK THE TOWN BOARD FOR A RESO RESOLUTION FOR CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE LEGALITY OF THIS IMAGE.
I I THINK WE UNDERSTAND AND WE, SORRY, WE DO NEED TO MOVE ON.
YOU'VE EXCEEDED THE FIVE MINUTES, SO, OKAY.
UH, THEY'LL TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION.
AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE THE FLAG LAST PART THAT I JUST MENTIONED IN TERMS OF SOME SORT.
NO, WE DO, WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE.
THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WAITING FOR THEIR FILE.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF THE BOARD COULD, UH, WOULD AGREE TO PUT IT ON THE WORK, A WORK SESSION FOR, UH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF SEEING IF WE COULD ASK FOR A CLARIFICATION AS TO WHETHER THIS IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I, WHO WE ASKING? WELL, WE, I THINK WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION AND I THINK OUR, AND, AND THE, UM, TOWN ATTORNEY GAVE US THE, UM, THE EXECUTIVE LAW NUMBER 4 0 3.
THAT, SO WHY COULDN'T YOU STATE THAT? AND SENATOR SCHUMER'S OFFICE, HIS COUNSEL, LUKE POWELL, HAD ALSO SAID, NO, NO, NO, NO.
LUKE POWELL IS NOT HIS COUNCIL.
AND HE VERY SPECIFICALLY SAID, I DIDN'T SAY IT'S HIS COUNCIL.
I SAID, A, HE SAID, REGIONAL COUNCIL.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS COME UP AND SAY, WE GAVE YOU MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES.
BUT I THINK THIS IS, I'M SPEAKING NOW IF I MAY, AND PLEASE HAVE A SEAT.
PARLIAMENTARIAN SAYS, PLEASE HAVE A SEAT.
I AM, I'M JUST RESPONDING TO, TO PLEASE SIT DOWN AND THEN, AND LET ME RESPOND.
PLEASE TAKE YOUR FLAG, PLEASE.
DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THE LAW? YES, PLEASE.
EXECUTIVE LAW 4 0 3, NO ONE SHALL PLACE UPON THE FLAG OR ANY PART OF IT, OR ATTACH TO IT.
ANY MARK INSIGNIA LETTER, WORD FIGURE, DESIGN, PICTURE, OR DRAWING OF ANY NATURE.
THAT IS THE LAW I SENT TO THE TOP.
AND PLEASE, SIR, YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING.
YOU AND, AND, AND LET ME SPEAK.
IT'S BEEN DONE THOUSANDS OF TIMES.
PLEASE, SIR, WE'RE NOT HAVING A, SIR, WOULD YOU PLEASE SIT DOWN? WE'RE NOT HAVING A DIALOGUE.
CLIFF ABRAMS AND THE SUPERVISOR SAID HE WOULD FLY HIS, HE WOULD HANG IN HIS OFFICE.
JUST LIKE YOU SAID, SOME OF THE MUNICIPALITY HAS IT IN THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, HE'S WILLING TO DO THAT.
AND I, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, PLEASE, IF I MAY, UM, PLEASE, MR. ABRAMS, IF YOU GIVE ME A MOMENT.
I TOLD, I TOLD HIM TO WALK OVER.
UM, BUT JUST, SO MR. POWELL IS A DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
AND HE VERY SPECIFICALLY SAID, AND HE SAID IN HIS STATEMENT THAT, UM, THAT WHILE IT HAS NOT BEEN CONTESTED OR HELD UP NECESSARILY IN THE COURT, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS, HE SAID, THIS BEING SAID, HE CANNOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE.
BUT NUMBER TWO, THE POINT OF IT IS THAT WE AS A MUNICIPALITY CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO COURT, EVEN IF IT'S NOT CLEAR.
AND THAT, AND BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE COULD BRING CHARGES AGAINST, WE DON'T WANNA TAKE THAT RISK.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SENTIMENT.
AND, AND I REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW STRONGLY YOU FEEL, AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPALITIES AS A MUNICIPALITY WE'RE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD.
AND, AND SO WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO THAT.
I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SENTIMENT, AND I THANK YOU FOR, UM, EMPATHIZING SUPERVISOR.
BUT WE ALL DO, ALL I'M, ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS LIKE, I SAW PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FACE ON TOP OF THE AMERICAN FLAG.
YOU KNOW, YOU READ THE NEWSPAPERS, YOU SEE IMAGES ALL OVER THE FLAG.
SO ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS FOR THE TOWN.
I UNDERSTAND THE TOWN BOARD FEELS THAT, UM, THEY WANT TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD THAN OTHERS.
SO I'M WONDERING IF, UM, WE COULD DISCUSS SENDING, UH, LIKE A RESOLUTION TO IT COULD BE, I DON'T KNOW.
THERE MUST BE SOME AGENCY IN WASHINGTON, UM, WHERE WE COULD WRITE TO AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION.
WE WANT, WE ALL BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA SEE IT ERODED.
AND WOULD THERE, WOULD THERE BE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THIS? I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF THE FL IF
[02:20:01]
YOU REALLY CAN'T EVEN SEE THE FLAG, UM, YOU KNOW, ON YOUR IMAGE.SO I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT IT IS A VIOLATION.
SO IF WE SHOW IT, SEND IT TO SOMEBODY IN WASHINGTON, THEY COULD SAY, YOU COULD DO IT.
AND THEN WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE A PICTURE OF THE CONSTITUTION? NO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WHY HAVE TO BE OVER A FLAG? I THINK THIS IS NO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, ALL I'M ASKING, THIS IS THE WAY IT WAS.
WE, WE, WE'VE GOTTA MOVE ON WAITING.
NO, BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IT ANGERS ME THAT YOU AND THE SUPERVISOR WANTED TO FLY THIS UNDERNEATH THE STARS AND STRIPES, WHICH IS RESERVED SOLELY THE SPACE BELOW THE OURS AND STRIPES IS RESERVED SOLELY FOR MIA AND POW.
NO, I NEVER, I SAID, WE, WE SAID A DIFFERENT POLL FOR THAT.
WE SAID A DIFFERENT, THERE'S, THERE'S THREE POLES.
THE TOWN, YOU, YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT THERE'S A FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHAT TRUMPS FACE AUDIT AFTER THAT FLAG COMES DOWN, HOW DO WE STOP THE FLAG WITH TRUMP'S FACE GOING ON IT? THE ONLY ANSWER IS WE'RE REGULATING CONTENT.
I DON'T WANT TO OPEN UP, IF YOU WANNA HANG IT IN YOUR OFFICE, HANG IT IN YOUR OFFICE, BUT I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THIS TOWN INVOLVED IN MORE LITIGATION, NEEDLESS LITIGATION BECAUSE YOU THINK, HEY, THIS MIGHT BE A NICE IDEA.
IF YOU WANT TO HA PAUL, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT YOU HANGING IT IN YOUR OFFICE, NOT ON A FLAGPOLE.
WHEN I HEARD THE LIST, I DIDN'T HEAR A LOT OF FLAGPOLES.
OKAY, SO I PUT IN YOUR OFFICE, OKAY, THAT'S AN OPTION.
OKAY? OKAY, MR. ABRAS, MRS. BUT NOTHING, NOTHING IS GOING TO FLY BELOW THAT.
BESIDES, YOU SAID YOU'D LIKE TO FLY BELOW THE AMERICAN FLAG, NOTHING IS GONNA FLY THERE.
BUT OTHER THAN POW AND MIA, MR. ABRAMS, SO DEMEANING, UM, CLIFF ABRAMS, I PROMISE I WOULD NOT BRING THIS UP.
UM, SUPERVISOR FINDER, TOWN BOARD, UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK Y'ALL FOR, UM, RECOGNIZING COMMUNITY CENTER, OUR WALLS AND THE TWO YOUNG LADIES AND THE OTHER JOY, WHO WAS VERY SPECIAL WOMAN AND, UM, PHILLY, YOU KNOW, WHO FELT IT, WHO FELT THAT IT WAS A NEED TO BE A PART OF THE PROGRAM TO HELP OUT THE YOUTH.
UM, LIKE I SAID, PEOPLE CALLING CHILDREN AT RISK.
I CALL 'EM CHILDREN WITH POSSIBILITIES BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THEM.
UM, TO FRANCIS AND PAUL, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP TO THE RIVER, CUTTING AT THE HOUSING, UM, PLAYGROUND.
I TELL YOU, FRANCIS, YOU NEED TO SHOW THAT MORE.
FRANCIS GOT SLICK WHEN WE WAS TALKING AND SLID DOWN THE SLIDING BOARD.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT DIDN'T BREAK.
HE DIDN'T, PAUL KLINE THE MONKEY BARS AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, AND I GOT A PICTURE OF PAUL, BUT I WONDER FRANCIS SO BAD, JUST TO REMIND HIM THAT LIGHTER SIDE, MAN, I NEVER SAW THAT WITH YOU.
AND THEN AFTER WE HAD A NICE RECEPTION AND FRANCIS SHOWED ASIDE, I NEVER SAW IT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT YOU NEED TO SHOW IT ONCE IN A WHILE.
I KNOW YOU DOT YOUR I AND CRUSH YOUR TS AND YOU'RE DILIGENT WITH WHAT YOU DO.
BUT SHOW THAT SIDE ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU KNOW,
I MEAN, HE STAYED DOWN WITH HIS HANDS UP LIKE, LIKE THIS.
I WISH YOU'D GOTTEN PICTURE WISH.
WISH WOULD'VE GOT THAT ON CAMERA.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, ANOTHER, UM, THING IS THAT UNDER THE UNDERPASS, UM, ON MANHATTAN AVENUE WHERE THE MERRILL'S AT, RIGHT? I'M NOT REALLY BRINGING UP THE MERRILL PAPA.
I AM BRINGING UP THE PLATFORM.
YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE IN EDGEMONT, HEART STEEL, IRVING, IRVINGTON, DS FERRY LEY THAT A PLATFORM OR WHAT, OR OR WHAT THEY CALL IT, A SKEL, A SCULPTURE IS UP TO BUILD SOMETHING.
THEN ONCE IT'S FINISHED, IT'S TAKEN DOWN.
[02:25:01]
I DON'T KNOW WHY NOBODY ELSE IN THE FEAR AREA DON'T SEE THAT'S A PROBLEM.AND I UNDERSTAND WE GOING THROUGH WHAT WE GOING THROUGH WITH IT, RIGHT? I'M NOT SAYING THAT PART.
I THINK THAT IT SHOULD COME DOWN AND THEN ONCE WE FIGURE WHATEVER IT'S GOING TO BE, IT'S GOING TO BE, BUT IT'S A EYESORE THAT IT NEED TO COME DOWN.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL GOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT ON THE SIDE, THAT'S NOT DONE.
BUT THE SIDE WHERE THE MURAL'S AT IT STAY DARK.
UM, AND I I'M NOT SAYING Y'ALL GOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
I'M GONNA ASK, UM, RICHARD FOND COMMISSIONER.
SO, YOU KNOW, ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT I KNOW IT'S A TOUCHY, TOUCHY SITUATION, BUT I JUST THINK THAT THE PLATFORM NEED TO COME DOWN AND THEN WE DECIDE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT'S, IT IS A WOODEN PLATFORM.
IT'S ALWAYS LIKE, REBUILD IT ONCE, UM, A DECISION COME.
Y'ALL BEEN FIGHTING ALL NIGHT.
YOU DON'T WANT HIM TO STAND NEXT TO YOU.
THIS IS CONCERNING THE, UH, SIDEWALKS ON, UH, TAXI ROAD.
MY NAME IS GWEN BENZENE AND MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED ON TAXI FOR 50 YEARS.
WHERE ARE THESE SIDEWALKS STARTING? WHERE ARE THEY ENDING? WE HAVE NO IDEA.
IT WILL BE COMING ACROSS ON OUR LAWN, WHICH IS ABOUT 50 FEET PURSUANT TO A CODE.
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS NOW? THE START AND THE, THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF THE SIDEWALK.
HAVE YOU DONE ANY COMPREHENSIVE TESTS ON WALKERS? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IT'S MINIMAL.
A LOT OF KIDS, A LOT OF WALKING.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S UNNECESSARY.
WHERE IS THIS SIDEWALK GOING TO GO? WHERE IS IT GOING TO END UP WHEN YOU GET UP TOWARD ISLA LANE? IS ANYBODY IN THE AREA ON, DO YOU LIVE IN EAST IRVINGTON? NO, BUT YOU'RE NOT, WE'RE FAMILIAR.
THE GRANITE WALL GOES RIGHT TO THE CURB.
I CAN'T IMAGINE PAST THE OLD, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE OLD SCHOOL BUILDING ON TAXER? SURE.
RIGHT? BUT PROBABLY YOU CAN GO ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOUSES UP.
OTHERWISE YOU CAN'T PUT A SIDEWALK.
IS THIS A SIDEWALK THAT GOES NOWHERE? AND WHY AFTER 50 YEARS, IS THERE ONE IN PLACE OR ARE YOU DOING IT? IS THIS A DONE DEAL? WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT.
AND IS THIS A THING OF LET'S BUILD A SIDEWALK AND THEY WILL WALK? YEAH, WE HAVE WALL.
WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.
I CHECKED ALL THE LAWNS, BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET FROM PINE LANE UP TO THE SCHOOL YARD.
ANYWAY, THE OLD SCHOOL YARD, NOT ONE LAWN HAS A, HAS THE GRASS WORN AWAY.
PEOPLE, PEOPLE DON'T WALK ANYMORE.
WE HAVE THREE DOG WALKERS, TWO ELECTRIC SCOOTERS, AND A KID COMING, A CAMP COUNSELOR COMING HOME.
THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WALK.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS EVEN AN ISSUE FOR AN AREA WHERE THERE'S NO TRAFFIC.
MY HUSBAND AND I WERE BORN IN BIG CITIES.
WE CHOSE WHERE WE CHOSE BECAUSE OF THE COLLEGE SETTING.
WE ARE SO CLOSE TO HUGE CITIES.
WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN THE COUNTRY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULD CHANGE FOR SIDEWALKS WHERE THERE JUST ISN'T THE ACTIVITY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF GREENBERG HAS EVEN PUT UP CAMERAS TO CHECK TO SEE.
THERE'VE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS THAT I KNOW OF FOR YEARS ON TAXI PEDESTRIAN WAS, THERE WAS A HUGE ACCIDENT WITH A, HAS THERE BEEN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THERE WAS A, UH,
[02:30:01]
ACTUALLY THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO, UH, UM, SPOKE TO US AT A TOWN, PREVIOUS TOWN BOARD MEETING.THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT ON, ON TAXI THE ROAD WHERE, UM, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE, BUT IT WAS ON TAXI ROAD AND HE SPOKE AT A, A TOWN BOARD MEETING AND, UM, WITH A LOT OF SUPPORT.
WELL, FIRST, YES, HE WAS HIT BY A CAR AND VERY, VERY POORLY.
WHEN, WHEN WAS SERIOUSLY HURT? SERIOUSLY HURT.
WELL, HE CAME BEFORE US A FEW MONTHS AGO.
IN FACT, HE, UH, JUST EMAILED ME FIVE YEARS AGO.
I REMEMBERED SOME, A KID ON A BIKE HIT UP BY THE OLD SCHOOL YARD.
OTHERWISE, CERTAINLY NOT BETWEEN OUR AREA, WHICH IS I'M SAYING THE OLD SCHOOL AND PINE LANE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, I ASKED, YOU KNOW, ONE OF, UM, I, I ASKED, UH, THE, WE SHOULD PAUSE MIS DEPARTMENT OF THE TOWN.
I THINK WE SHOULD PAUSE TO DO A COM, A COMPUTER SEARCH OF ALL THE EMAILS, YOU KNOW, THAT WERE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS.
UM, AND WE DID A TIMELINE, UM, THAT I COULD SEND YOU.
I, UH, WELL, I SENT SOMETHING IN, WE HAD A FORM AND I
SO BASICALLY, UM, IN JUNE OF 2022, UM, UH, THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, THE EAST IRVINGTON CIVIC ASSOCIATION ASKED FOR THE SIDEWALK.
UH, WE HAD A COMMUN A DI WE HAD SOME DIRECT OUTREACH.
WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, WALK, UM, IN 2010.
I, I SAW THE NEIGHBORHOOD WALK, RIGHT? BUT, BUT, AND WE BASICALLY SAID WE WERE GONNA DO, DO THE SI YOU KNOW, WE HAD WITH RESIDENTS.
UM, I HAVE IT, I HAVE EMAILS FROM, UM, UH, BOTH CINDY COLLINS AND TOM GRAY, COLLIN NEIL, UH, GREENSTEIN OF THE EAST IRVINGTON, YOU KNOW, CIVIC GROUP SAYING SHE WROTE NO ON TEXT.
THESE WERE ALL, NO, DAN, I'M JUST, I'M JUST TELLING YOU, I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT YOU KNOW, WHILE WE DID.
SO WE BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE REACHED OUT TO THE EAST ARLINGTON CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
THERE WERE NUMEROUS EMAILS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SENT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SENT TO US SAYING WE WANT THE SIDEWALK.
UM, WE HAD VARIOUS TOWN BOARD MEETINGS.
WE, WE PUBLICIZED THIS AS MUCH AS, AS WE COULD.
THERE WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THE SIDEWALK.
AND THEN WE HAD THE, UM, THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DESIGN, UH, THE SIDEWALK.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS IF IT WOULD BE OKAY WITH YOU, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE ONE OF THE ENGINEERS MEET WITH YOU AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN BUILT, WE'VE BUILT OVER 12 MILES OF SIDEWALKS IN THE TOWN IN THE PAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS.
BUT MR. FINER, THERE'S NOBODY WALKING.
NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WE'RE NOT HAVING A DISCUSSION.
WHY DON'T YOU, WHY DON'T YOU, UH, GIVE ME YOUR EMAIL.
I'LL SEND YOU WHAT I HAVE AND WE'LL SET UP A MEETING.
COULD YOU JUST EMAIL JEAN, YOU HAVE MY EMAIL.
WELL, COULD YOU EMAIL ME LIKE TONIGHT OR TOMORROW AND THEN I'LL HAVE ENGINEERS MEET WITH YOU? OKAY.
ASIDE FROM ALL THAT, WHY SHOULD WE BE RESPONSIBLE? WE HAVE AT LEAST 50 FEET IS GONNA BE SIDEWALK ON OUR PROPERTY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE CARE OF IT.
COULD I ASK A QUESTION? AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION? WOULD YOU BE OPPOSED IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE SIDEWALK AND IT WAS JUST THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT NEED IT? NO.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU, UNLESS YOU PUT A CAMERA TO SEE, I DON'T CARE WHO SIGNED WHAT, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A RESUME.
WELL, WE'LL FUDGE IT A LITTLE BIT.
THERE IS NOBODY WALKING BECAUSE IT'S NOT SAFE.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT WALKING.
SO WHY IS IT NOT SAFE,
WAIT, WE'RE THERE 50 YEARS AND YOU'RE TELLING ME ONE PERSON GOT HIT BY A CAR AND THAT CONSTITUTES A, THAT CONSTITUTES A SIDE, I'M SORRY, BUT LINE WITH A SUPERVISOR LIKE TOMORROW OR WHATEVER.
I DO WANNA SAY THOUGH, THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT THE TOWN IMPOSES A SIDEWALK ON SOMEBODY WHO'S ON A HEAVILY USED ROAD, PARTICULARLY FOR SENIORS, AND THEN EXPECTS WHEN THE HEAVY PLOW GOES BY FOR YOU TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
AND IF YOU DON'T CLEAR IT IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, YOU GET A VIOLATION.
AND IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT, AND SOMEBODY SLIPS ON IT, THEY'RE NOW SUING YOU.
SO, UH, I I THINK IT'S REALLY LAUDABLE THAT THERE ARE SIDEWALKS, BUT I, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE SIDEWALKS, WHICH I IS WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU, IS GONNA BE AN UNDUE BURDEN THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE, PARTICULARLY ON THESE HEAVILY USED ROADS.
[02:35:01]
BY THE WAY, IN THE TOWN.THOSE PLOWS COME DOWN AND THEY ARE PUTTING, YOU KNOW, THREE OR FOUR FEET HIGH CAN, CAN, BUT I THINK THIS IS A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER TIME.
LET, LET'S HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ANOTHER TIME.
WE, WE APPRECIATE, WE'VE HEARD YOU CAR PULLED AND NEVER GOT AN ANSWER BACK FROM GREENBERG.
THANK YOU DAPHNE MICKEL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND FOR WAITING AND NOBODY GOT NOTHING.
AND I JUST WANTED TO STOP BY TO ANNOUNCE TO THE PUBLIC, THE VIEWING PUBLIC AND THOSE THAT REMAIN MM-HMM
UH, THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A BIG EVENT HAPPENING IN TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK, WHERE ONE OF THOSE FINE VILLAGES ATTACHED TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, UM, FOSTER MEMORIAL.
AMY ZION CHURCH IS ONE OF THE ELDEST CHURCHES IN THE COUNTY, POSSIBLY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK AS A BLACK INSTITUTION, A BLACK CHURCH, UM, OF CONTINUOUS USE.
SO WE'RE HAVING AN EVENT THERE.
UM, AND THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO ALL, WE ARE SHOWCASING MR. DARIUS MCCREARY FROM FAMILY MATTERS, UH, AS WELL AS HIS CO-STAR SEAN HARRISON.
AND WE'RE JUST SIMPLY, WE WANNA SHOWCASE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GO TO CHURCH AND WE GET SPIRIT FILLED, BUT THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS MYSELF AND OTHERS WHO HAVE CAREERS BEYOND CELEBRATING THE LORD ON SUNDAY, RIGHT? SO WE WANNA USE ALL OF OUR ABILITIES TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND HAVE A GREAT TIME.
MY BACKGROUND'S FILM AND BROADCAST.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA BRING THESE INDIVIDUALS IN, AND IT'S A FUNDRAISER THAT'S FUN RAISER AS WELL AS A FUND RAISER.
OKAY? SO PLEASE JOIN US, AND I REALLY WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S JULY 18TH, IT'S A FRIDAY, UH, IT STARTS AT 5:00 PM UM, AND IT'S A SIZABLE PRICE.
IT'S ABOUT $75, UH, BUT IT COMES WITH A HARDY MEAL.
I MEAN, FAR MORE THAN YOU'RE EXPECTING FOR A SUMMERTIME MEAL.
BUT, UM, WE'RE EXCITED, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING NEW AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU GUYS TO STOP BY AND TO JUST SHARE THIS GOOD TIME WITH OTHERS.
SO IF I COULD LEAVE A FLYER OR TWO HERE, I'D APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA KEEP US IN SUSPENSE AND LET US GUESS WHEN IT'S GONNA BE.
WIPE THEM UP OR GET TO THE CLARK.
YEAH, I GREW UP ON THIS SHOW TOO, RIGHT? WASN'T IT FUNNY? YEAH.
WELL, WALTER SIMON FROM HEART STEEL.
I'D JUST LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMENT OF THAT YOUNG MAN, THE YOUNG MAN WHO TALKED ABOUT RILEY POND LAST WEEK AND THE BENEFITS OF RESTORING THAT POND.
UH, THE BOARD DID MAKE A COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW THROUGH AND HELP THAT YOUNG MAN.
I SERIOUSLY HOPE THAT YOU DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ASSET FOR THE TOWN THAT IS REALLY UNDERUTILIZED.
UH, YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS ON THE PLANNING BOARD, UH, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL, UH, TO BUILD THE CELL SHUT DOWN THAT NURSERY AND TO BUILD, UH, UH, DUNKING DONUTS THERE.
UM, THEY GOT APPROVAL BECAUSE IT MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT SOMEHOW IT WAS NEVER DONE.
BUT DURING THE PROCESS, UH, I SUGGESTED, UH, DO YOU EVER CONSIDER BUILDING A RESTAURANT THERE AND WITH THE BACK GLASS IN THE BACK AND YOU COULD HAVE SEATS OUTSIDE AND THEN WORKING WITH THE TOWN AND, AND, UH, AND, UH, AND THE STATE, UH, UPGRADE THAT WHOLE POND WITH SEATS AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND EVEN MAKE IT A, UH, UH, UH, EDUCATIONAL, UH, UH, SITE.
BECAUSE WE DID THAT, UH, WHEN THE HACKLEY SCHOOL CAME IN WITH THE 10 YEAR PLAN, THEY HAVE A, THEY HAD A POND AND THEY WANTED TO BUILD A, A WALKING DECK FOR THE KIDS TO WALK MAYBE 20 OR 30 FEET
[02:40:01]
INTO THE POND SO THEY COULD RUN THEIR EXPERIMENTS.BUT THAT WAS, THEY NEEDED A WETLAND PERMIT TO DO THAT.
BUT WHAT THE PLANNING BOARD DID AT THAT TIME, THEY SAID, OKAY, IT'S FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
YOU'RE MAKING A VERY SMALL, UH, WALKING DECK.
YOU'RE ONLY PUTTING A NU SOME, UH, DRIVING, I GUESS.
SO ABOUT SIX OR EIGHT PILES INTO THAT.
AND WE SAID, WE WILL GIVE YOU APPROVAL TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, UH, UH, THERE WERE A REQUIREMENT FOR HACKLEY SCHOOL THAT WHEN THEY DO THE EXPERIMENTS, THAT AT THE END OF EACH JUNE, THEY HAD TO WRITE A LETTER EXPLAINING THE EXPERIMENTS AND WHAT THE CLASS AND ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THAT, THAT THAT CLASS DID.
AND THAT WOULD BE SENT TO, UH, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND ALL THE SCHOOLS IN, IN, IN THE TOWN WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT REPORT.
SO IF THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT, THEY CAN DO IT.
AND I SAID, SO IT IS A COMBINATION THAT WHATEVER, IF THE BAILEY SCHOOL OR, OR DECIDE, OR IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DECIDE TO PUT A LITTLE WALKING PAWN IN THERE, SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS DONE IN HACKLEY, IT WOULDN'T BE PRESIDENTIAL.
WE WOULDN'T BE SETTING A PRECEDENT.
AND YOU ONLY BE PUTTING SOME POLES IN THAT.
SO THE KIDS COULD GO OUT AND DO SOME EXPERIMENTS, UH, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, UH, IF THAT SITE COULD EVER BE SOLD TO SOME SORT OF A RESTAURANT WITH OUTDOOR SEATING AND THAT WHOLE AREA COULD BE UPDATED WITH ADDITIONAL SEATS AROUND IT AND CLEANED UP IT, IT'S A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES FOR THAT POND.
SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO EVERYTHING WITHIN YOUR POWER TO SEE AND SUPPORT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE BAILEY SCHOOL SO YOU COULD GET, UH, UH, REVITALIZATION OF THAT PART, BECAUSE THIS IS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE FOR THE TOWN THAT IS SEVERELY UNDERUTILIZED.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON FIXING UP THE, UM, THE COLLAPSED RETAINING WALL.
THAT, WHICH IS OUR HIGH PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.
UM, I APPRECIATE THIS TOWN BOARD MEETING.
UM, MY COMMENT IS DIRECTED TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I LIVE IN, UH, ONE FEBRUARY CIRCLE, UH, HERE IN GREENBURG.
MOVED IN HERE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
WHAT WOULD CONCERN ME ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, TO ENTWINE WITH ALL THE OTHER RESIDENTS.
THERE WAS A FEW RESIDENTS THAT WAS IN HERE THAT WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THAT, AND IT JUST CONCERNED ME A LITTLE BIT THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN GREENBURG AND EVERYWHERE ELSE AS WELL.
UM, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT SINCE THEY WAS MAKING THOSE SUGGESTIONS TO Y'ALL, THAT THERE'S ANY KIND OF WAY THAT YOU CAN MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO WHOEVER ELSE ABOUT PROMOTING THAT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR HAVE YOUR DISCUSSED THAT, YOU KNOW, BESIDES THE RESIDENCE DELIVERING THAT MESSAGE TO YOU.
DID YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS SAYING? I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT, NO, I, SO I HAVE A COMMENT.
I'M SORRY YOU NO, WAIT, I'LL WAIT TILL YOU, I'LL WAIT TILL YOU FINISH.
NO, SHE WAS SHAKING HER HEAD AND LOOKING, TRYING, WASN'T SURE WHAT HE MEANT.
YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MEANT.
HE'S, HE'S ADVOCATING FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YEAH, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT PART.
I DON'T, YOU SAID ABOUT I DON'T, ABOUT ANOTHER RESIDENT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
I SAID THERE WAS OTHER RESIDENT RESIDENTS OF GREENBURG YEAH.
THAT HAD MENTIONED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND HE WANT TO KNOW WHAT Y'ALL AS A BOARD TO PLAN ON DOING.
LIKE, ARE Y'ALL LOOKING OR MAKING SUGGESTIONS TO WHOEVER PRINCIPALITIES THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE? SO HE WANNA KNOW WHAT Y'ALL FEEL, WHAT YEAH.
WHAT JOE FEEL ABOUT IT AS FAR AS YEAH, OKAY.
WELL, WE HAVE A PROVEN RECORD OF IT.
IT'S NOT, HEY, WE SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT DOING, WE HAVE A PROVEN RECORD.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT ONE OF THE RESIDENTS WHO SAID I SUPPORT
[02:45:01]
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHEN THAT ONE WAS PROPOSED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HER HOUSE, SHE WAS VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED AT A TOWN BOARD MEETING.NO, THERE WAS A FEW, YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT? YEAH.
BUT THERE WAS A COUPLE OF OTHER HAS MENTIONED ABOUT WHY THERE WASN'T AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CAN I, CAN I, CAN I COMMENT? I WANNA COMMENT.
MA'AM, COULD YOU STOP? CAN I JUST COMMENT REALLY QUICKLY? I JUST WANNA COMMENT.
SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES.
SO WHEN I GOT INTO OFFICE, WE CREATED SEPTEMBER AGAINST RACISM.
CLIFF, YOU WERE ON THAT, YOU WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
GARY DUQUE HOUSING, UH, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER OF PLANNING THAT PLANNING, RIGHT? SAY, I'M SORRY.
THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT, 'CAUSE I'M ON HIS PHONE, WE TALK PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR TIMES A WEEK, ABOUT SEVEN 30 IN THE MORNING.
AND I'M ASKING HIM, WHERE CAN WE BUILD THE ISSUE IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE LAND TO BUILD.
SO EVEN WHEN WE LOOK AT, AND I ASK ABOUT RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET HERE, RIGHT BY THE CHURCH, I SAID, WHY CAN'T WE BUILD IT? IT'S CALLED WETLANDS.
SO IT CANNOT HOLD ANY TYPE OF STRUCTURE ON THAT LAND.
SO EVEN WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR OFFICE PARKS, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY AT OUR OFFICE PARKS? AND I'M HOPING THAT THE, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WILL OWN THOSE OFFICE PARKS ON WHITE PLAINS ROAD WILL MAYBE THINK ABOUT CONVERTING THOSE INTO APARTMENTS.
I'VE, I'VE LIVED IN, I LIVED DOWN SOUTH, I'VE SEEN THE AREAS, IF IF ANYONE HAS BEEN TO ATLANTA, THEY'VE HAVE BUILT UP ALL THE TIME.
AND THEY TAKE AREAS SUCH AS BY WHITE PLAINS, WHITE PLAINS ROAD, RIGHT HERE GOING TOWARDS TERRYTOWN, THEY'LL RECONVERT OFFICE PARKS WHERE YOU HAVE HOTELS AND GROCERY STORES AND HOUSING.
SO YES, TO YOUR POINT, IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN PUT MORE HOUSING HERE AFFORDABLY.
WE EVEN HAVE TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPERS TO EVEN COME INTO THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S CHALLENGING.
IT'S BEEN EVERY, EVERY MUNICIPALITY IS FACED BY THIS.
AND WHEN IT'S NOT JUST GREENBURG, AND WHEN AND WHEN YOU DO HAVE THESE DEVELOPERS COME IN, YOU KNOW, THEY ONLY GIVE ABOUT 15 OR 20% MM-HMM
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSES IN THESE APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
AND, UM, IF THAT, IF THAT, AND WHEN THEY DO, WE IT MANDATORY AND WHEN IT IS MANDATORY, BUT WHEN IT, WHEN THEY DO, YOU KNOW, THE RENT IS NOT EXPECTING WHAT YOU THINK IT IS, BECAUSE THE PRICE IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO YOUR CONDITION OF YOUR FUNDS MM-HMM
SO I DON'T SEE HOW ANY WAY THAT THESE THINGS CAN TURN INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE STARTING OUT WITH $2,000 FOR ONE BEDROOM.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR, UH, FOR A WHILE WITH VOICE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER HEARD OF THEM.
YOU KNOW, I GO UP TO ALBANY AND WATCHING DC AND OUR MAIN ISSUE IS ALWAYS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU KNOW, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T REALLY AFFORD ANYTHING, THEY ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE IN BEING HOMELESS, YOU KNOW, AND WITH THE GOVERNMENT, WITH IMMIGRATION AND SO FORTH AND SO ON,
THAT THAT IS UNFORTUNATE OF NOT HAVING THE STABLE LIVING CONDITIONS, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE, STABLE LIVING CONDITIONS.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, MENTION, I, I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
YOU KNOW, GREENBERG, UM, AS COUNCILMAN, SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE DONE MORE THAN A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITIES.
A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT AND GREENBURG WAS, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REQUIRED, UM, COMMUNITIES TO, UH, HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF AFFORD NEW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
GREENBURG GREENBERG WAS EXEMPT BECAUSE WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, SAID.
BUT WE WERE THE FIRST COMMUNITY TO MANDATE 10 IN NEW YORK.
I THINK TO MANDATE THAT 10% OF, UH, MULTIFAMILY HOUSING SHOULD BE AFFORDABLE FROM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SPOKEN, UM, AND DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF REQUIRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, HOME DEVELOPMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE APPROVED, UM, THE SENIOR HOUSING, UM, AT, UM, MANHATTAN AVENUE, WHICH WAS, WHICH OPENED, YOU KNOW, UH, LAST YEAR.
UH, THE, I'VE WORKED WITH THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, ON, UM, WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON, UM, HOPEFULLY CREATING, MAYBE DOUBLING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON WARREN AVENUE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THOSE ARE OLD UNITS.
[02:50:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT, UM, THE FOUR CORNERS IN HARTSDALE, UH, COULD, COULD HAVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WITH SOME AFFORDABLE, YOU KNOW, HOUSING OPTIONS.YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE, YOU KNOW, LONG RANGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT I ALSO, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, I SUGGESTED THAT, UM, SCHOOLS CONSIDER, UM, USING SURPLUS LAND AND CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR, UH, FOR FACULTY IN THE, IN THE SCHOOLS.
BECAUSE I FEEL THERE'S SO MUCH LAND.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UH, MR. SUPERVISOR, I, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST, CAN I MAY, MAY I JUST, THERE'S, THERE'S ONE MORE PERSON HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND SHE'S OBVIOUSLY VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, WHICH IS WHY SHE'S WALKING AROUND HERE.
THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THERE, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT ADDING OVER, I THINK 60 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MAYFAIR.
SO THERE'S STILL THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, BUT WE COULD DO MUCH MORE.
AND YOU'D LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON, ON THIS AND MAYBE YOU COULD GET MORE INVOLVED AND GET ON COMMITTEES AND KEEP PUSHING.
MR. FRANCIS, YOU HAVE MR. FRANCIS, MR. IF YOU DO HAVE ONE MINUTE ONE, IF YOU HAVE MORE TO SAY, YOU HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE TO GO.
WELL, I WAS JUST TAKING IN EVERYTHING THAT HE WAS SAYING.
UM, AND, AND GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING THAT I'VE SEEN A LOT OF OTHER, UH, BUILDINGS AS WELL MM-HMM
THAT THEY HAVE A FOR LEASE OR RENT.
AND SO FAR AS SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS BEEN THERE FOR TWO AND THREE YEARS AND NOBODY'S OCCUPIED THEM YET.
YOU KNOW, AND YOUR SUGGESTION TO THAT WOULD BE FEASIBLE TO TURN THOSE INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND WE'RE NOT MEAN BY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU KNOW, THE 10% OF BUILDING COMPLEX, I WAS TALKING ABOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S MY OBJECTIVE AS FAR AS PROMOTING THAT, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS SUGGESTING, OF COURSE, THE RIGHT ON THE SAME PAGE.
LITTLE LOWER 83 WINDHAM STREET.
I AM PRESIDENT OF THE WORTHINGTON WOODLAND CIVIC ASSOCIATION, KNOWN AS THE WW CA AND I'M PUTTING THIS UP HERE FOR A REASON, AS YOU WILL FIND OUT LATER.
UM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT CD THREE, WHICH IS THE 14 PLUS ACRES THAT IS GOING TO BE, UH, GOING TO THE TOWN.
AND, AND LET'S NOT, LET'S REMEMBER, IT WAS NOT A DONATION.
IT WAS A REQUIREMENT BY THE TOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUILDER FULFILLED HIS DUTY OF GIVING LAND TO THE TOWN.
UM, THE 14 ACRES, UM, I AM IN FAVOR OF THE 14 ACRES, THE 14 PLUS ACRES.
UH, MY COMMUNITY, THE WORTHINGTON WOODLANDS AREA, WHICH GOES UP AND THROUGH AND DOWN ALL AROUND, IS IN FAVOR OF HAVING THIS PARK DEVELOPED.
HOWEVER, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THE SIZE OR THE AMOUNT OF LAND GIVEN FOR THIS AREA FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS OF ALL ABILITIES AND INTERESTS.
IT'S WHAT WE PROPOSED WAS TO HAVE A UNIVERSAL PARK ON THIS PROPERTY.
NOW, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GONNA GIVE ME ALL 14 ACRES.
I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE ALL 14 ACRES, AND, BUT I'M REALISTIC TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE US ALL THE 14 ACRES.
I'VE BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
I TAUGHT REGULAR AND SPECIAL ED IN THE CITY.
I SAW, 'CAUSE I WAS, HAD TO DO LUNCH DUTY THAT THE SPECIAL ED CHILDREN HAD NOTHING TO DO AFTER LUNCH, DURING LUNCH.
THEY WAS LIKE SEGREGATED OFF TO THE SIDE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY APPARATUS, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
THERE WAS NO SOCIALIZATION FOR THESE CHILDREN.
THEY COME FROM ALL OVER IN NEW YORK CITY AND THEY'RE PUT ON A BUS AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND WE GET THEM, AND THEN THEY'RE PUT ON THE BUS AT TWO 30 AND THEY GO HOME.
THEY NEVER CAN MAKE FRIENDS AFTER SCHOOL.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TO HAVE SOME SORT OF A, A UNIVERSAL PARK FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS, WHICH WOULD FOR ALL INTEREST AND ABILITY IN THIS 14 ACRES, CALLING IT A UNIVERSAL PARK.
WHEN THE PARK, WHEN THE 14 ACRES BECAME AVAILABLE IN 2017 WHEN ELMWOOD CLOSED,
[02:55:01]
I SURVEYED MY COMMUNITY AND THEY LIKED THE IDEA OF A PARK THAT WOULD HANDLE CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ALL KINDS OF INTEREST.I'D LIKE TO READ TO YOU THE PLAN.
IT'S CALLED THE UNIVERSAL PARK.
IT'S AN ALL INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND.
IT'S A COMBINATION OF APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS OF ALL ABILITIES, INCLUDING HANDICAPPED AND DISABLED.
AN ALL INCLUSIVE AREA FOR CHILDREN OF ALL ABILITIES TO LEARN.
BICYCLE RIDING AND TRICYCLE RIDING USED WITH THE EYE SHINE, EYE BIKE CAMP, WALKING TRAILS AROUND THE PERIMETER WITH BENCHES INCLUDING FOR THE BLIND, THE DEAF, ET CETERA.
AND AUTISTIC AREA, ADULT, A FITNESS EQUIPMENT, AREAS FOR SHUFFLEBOARD, BOCE, BALL, BALL, GOLF, PUTTING GREEN PICNIC AREA FOR TABLES AND BENCHES.
AND INCLUDED ALSO WOULD BE OPEN SPACE FOR YOGA, KITE FLYING AND FRISBEE.
I'VE BEEN ON NOW THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
I THINK I JOINED IN, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER.
IT'S BEEN, I DON'T KNOW, A LOT OF YEARS.
AND EVERY TIME SOMETHING CAME UP FOR, WHETHER IT WAS FOR MISSER PARK, YOSEMITE PARK, SEACOR PICKLEBALL AT BROOK, TRAVIS HILL PARK EAST IRVINGTON, PLAYING GROUND, THE NATURE CENTER, THE LIGHTS OF THE LITTLEFIELD.
I SUPPORTED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
NOW I WOULD LIKE THIS TOWN BOARD TO SUPPORT THIS CONCEPT OF A UNIVERSAL PARK ON THOSE 14 ACRES.
WE NEED MORE SPACE AND APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT TO MAKE THE PLAN A VIABLE OPTION.
I PLAN ON CONTACTING THE 10 SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR SUPPORT.
I ALSO PLAN ON COUNT THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT AND GO TO THE STATE TO DO THE PLAN.
PLEASE DO NOT OVERLOOK THIS SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION THAT IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN HELPING ME GO THROUGH WITH THIS PLAN, YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT THE WW AT THE WW CA GREENBERG@GMAIL.COM.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS DOREEN LIPSON.
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN AND ADULTS THAT NEED SUCH A PLAN.
I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT YEARS AGO, A FEW NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN TOM ADANTE WAS ASSEMBLING THEM, YOU KNOW, HE WAS PUSHING FOR, UM, A SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, PARK AND, YOU KNOW, I BASICALLY, UH, LIKED THE IDEA AND I THINK WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF, UH, THE DISABLED.
I REMEMBER YEARS AGO WE, UM, WE BUILT A, A, A PART, A PLAYGROUND FOR THE DISABLED, UH, I THINK AT THE VIRGINIA ROAD IN A SCHOOL.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH HAVING THEM ON SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY.
YES, I LOVE YOU DOREEN, BUT WE CAN'T KEEP HAVING CONVERSATION.
I THINK THIS, THIS SHOULD BE OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND.
YOURS? ANYBODY ELSE? THIS IS MINE.
[ TB 1 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a Drainage Easement Agreement between the Town of Greenburgh and Lewis Masters Holdings, LP to modify and restate the existing Drainage Easement Agreement located on the real property at 320 Saw Mill River Road, P.O. Elmsford, New York]
OKAY.TB ONE, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN SUPERVISOR.
GOODNIGHT EASEMENT AGREEMENT, UH, BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND LEWIS MASTERS HOLDING, UH, TO MODIFY AND RESTATE THE EXISTING DRAINAGE EASEMENT AGREEMENT LOCATED ON THE REAL PROPERTY AT THREE 20.
[ TB 2 - 7/09/2025 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute an easement agreement between Osvaldo Lopez and Lauren Lopez, and the Town of Greenburgh related to property located at 40 Dalewood Drive]
TV TWO RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE AN EASEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN OZ VALDO LOPEZ AND LAUREN LOPEZ AND THE TOWN OF GREENBURG RELATING RELATED TO PROPERTY LOCATED AT 40 DALEWOOD DRIVE.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ TB 3 - 7/09/2025 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh authorizing the continued retention of Dorf Nelson & Zauderer LLP to represent the town in matters related to the NYS Chapter Amendment affecting potential village incorporation requirements for an additional $50,000; $200,000 total.]
RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AUTHORIZING THE ATTENTION A CONTINUED, UH, OH ACTUALLY THIS IS, UH, I'M GONNA BE, UM, WELL JUST, JUST SAY IT AND THEN YOU, IS NOT CONTINUED RETENTION OF DOF NELSON AND OUTER TO REPRESENT THE TOWN AND MATTERS RELATING TO THE NEW YORK STATE CHAPTER AMENDMENT AFFECTING POTENTIAL VILLAGE IN CORPORATION REQUIRED REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ADDITIONAL $50,000.WHO SECONDED YOU? I CAN'T HEAR, I CAN'T HEAR VERY LOW, I THINK.
[ AT 1 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the continued retention of Harfenist Kraut & Perlstein, LLP as special counsel to address town matters concerning labor contract negotiations for an additional $50,000; $250,000 total]
T ONE I'M ABSTAINING RESOLUTION[03:00:01]
AUTHORIZING, OH WAIT, WHO'S THE SUPERVISOR? GO AHEAD ELLEN.ELLEN, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE CORRECT A T ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF HAR UH, HARNE KRAUT AND PEARLSTEIN LLP AS SPECIAL COUNSEL TO ADDRESS TOWN MATTERS CONCERNING LABOR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS FOR AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 $250,000 TOTAL.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT, SORRY, I SECOND THAT WELL STATED RESOLUTION
[ AT 2 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the continued retention of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, LLP as special counsel for tax certiorari matters at a cost not to exceed an additional $50,000, $425,000 in total]
A T TWO RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING.WE CONTINUE TO BY ONE TIME TO SHINE, AVOID OSTERMAN AND HANNAH, A SPECIAL COUNSEL TO TAX TERTIARY MATTERS AT A REQUEST NOT TO EXCEED AN ADDITIONAL $50,000.
UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT 25,000 IN TOTAL.
[ CL 1 – 7/09/2025 Resolution scheduling a Public Hearing for August 6, 2025, at 7:30 PM, to consider an agreement between the Town of Greenburgh and the Village of Elmsford to provide Fire Protection Services to residents of the North Elmsford Fire Protection District, for the year 2025]
ONE RESOLUTION SCHEDULING A, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AUGUST 6TH, UM, AT 7:30 PM TO CONSIDER AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG VILLAGE OF ELMSFORD TO PROVIDE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF THE NORTH ELMSFORD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR THE YEAR 2025.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CL 2 – 7/09/2025 Resolution scheduling a Public Hearing for August 6, 2025, at 7:30 PM, to consider an agreement between the Town of Greenburgh and the Village of Elmsford to provide Fire Protection Services to residents of the West Elmsford Fire Protection District, for the year 2025]
TWO RESOLUTION SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AUG, UH, FOR AUGUST 6TH AT 7:30 PM TO CONSIDER AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND THE VILLAGE OF ELMER TO PROVIDE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF THE WEST ELMER FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR THE YEAR 2025.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CD 1 - 7/09/2025 Resolution endorsing the submission of a 2025 Celebrate America! grant application to the National Endowment for the Humanities for funding which will be used to create two exhibits to be displayed in the publicly accessible Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters located at 425 Ridge Road PO Hartsdale in the Town of Greenburgh]
ICD ONE RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE SUBMISSION OF 2025 CELEBRATE AMERICA GRANT APPLICATION TO THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES FOR FUNDING, WHICH WILL BE USED TO CREATE TWO EXHIBITS TO BE DISPLAYED IN THE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE ADEL ADELE HOUSE BOROUGH HEADQUARTERS LOCATED 4 25 RIDGE ROAD, HARTSDALE ON THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.[ CD 2 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the acceptance of $25,000 from the Friends of Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters for the purposes of matching a future grant from the National Endowment for Humanities related to the creation of exhibits to be permanently housed within the Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters]
TWO RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF $25,000 FROM THE FRIENDS OF ODELL HOUSE CEBO HEADQUARTERS FOR THE PURPOSES OF MATCHING A FUTURE GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT ENDOWMENT FOR HUMANITIES RELATED TO THE CREATION OF EXHIBITS TO BE PERMANENTLY HOUSED WITHIN DEL HOUSE ROSHAMBO HEADQUARTERS.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CD 3 - 7/09/2025 Resolution endorsing the submission of a 2025 application related to the development of East Rumbrook Park expansion in connection with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYSOPRHP) Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) grants program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage]
ENDORSING SUBMISSION OF A 2025 APPLICATION RELATED TO, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF EAST STROMBERG PARK EXPANSION AND CONNECTION IN NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF PARKS RECREATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FUND GRANTS PROGRAM FOR PARKS PRESERVATION HERITAGE.I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO MOVE THAT AS AMENDED SO THAT WE REMOVE THE WORD DONATION, WHICH IS REALLY, UH, CHLORINE IS CORRECT.
IT WASN'T A DONATION, IT'S A REQUIREMENT.
SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU MOVE IT AS AMENDED AND WE'LL TAKE OUT THE WORD DONATION AND PUT IT ANOTHER APPROPRIATE WORD.
I SECOND MOVING IT AS AMENDED.
[ CD 4 - 7/09/2025 Resolution endorsing the submission of a 2025 Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant application through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation related to the improvement of sanitary sewer infrastructure in the vicinity of 100 & 120 East Hartsdale Avenue]
CD4, UM, RESOLUTION GROSSING SUBMISSION OF A 2025 BOARD OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION THROUGH NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION RELATED TO THE IMPROVEMENT SANITARY SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE VICINITY OF A HUNDRED AND 120 EAST TAR.STILL A I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CD 5 - 7/09/2025 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh (1) affirming its status as Lead Agency with respect to SEQRA; and (2) referring a site plan application to the Planning Board for review and recommendation in connection with applications from BMR-Ardsley Park LLC, for property located at 410-460 Saw Mill River Road (P.O. Ardsley) [TB 24-01]]
RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AFFIRMING IT'S, UM, STATUS AS THE LEAD AGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SEEKER IN REFERRING A SITE PLAN APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH APPLICATIONS FROM BMR LEY PARK LLC FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT FOUR TEN FOUR SIXTY SWILL RIVER ROAD.LEY, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ CD 6 - 7/09/2025 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh referring a site plan application to the Planning Board for review and recommendation with respect to an application submitted by Thalle Industries Inc. (“Thalle”), as it relates to an existing rock crushing and aggregate reclamation facility located at 50 Warehouse Lane South, PO Elmsford [TB 25-06] ]
SIX RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG REFERRING A SITE PLAN APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING BOARD TO REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION WITH RESPECT TO AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY THE INDUSTRIES AS IT RELATES TO EXISTING ROCK CRUSHING AND AGGREGATE RE RECLAMATION FACILITY LOCATED AT 50 WAREHOUSE LANE SOUTH.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CD 7 - 7/09/2025 Resolution declaring the intention of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh to be Lead Agency for an amended site plan and related applications of Brixmor SPE 6 LLC (Dalewood Shopping Center II [353-371 Central Avenue North, PO Hartsdale] & III [401-425 Central Avenue North, PO Hartsdale]) and referring the amended site plan application to the Planning Board for review and recommendation [TB 25-08]]
SEVEN RESOLUTION DECLARING THE INTENTION OF TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENWOOD TO THE LEAD AGENCY FOR AMENDED SITE PLAN RELATED APPLICATION OF BRICKS MOORE, UH, DALEWOOD SHOPPING CENTER, UM, UH, AND UH, REFERRING, UH, THE, AND REFERRING THE AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION.[ CO 1 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing fiscal year 2025 budget transfers]
UM, CONTROLLER CEO ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FISCAL YEAR 2025.[ CO 2 - 7/09/2025 Resolution approving a budget amendment to the Consolidated Sewer Fund and the Capital Fund for the East Hartsdale Ave Sewer Main Relining]
CO2 RESOLUTION APPROVING A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO CONSOLIDATE A SEWER FUND AND CAPITAL, UH, FUND FOR CHARGE STILL AVENUE SEWER MAINLINING.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND ONE IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CO 3 - 7/09/2025 Resolution amending the 2025 operating budget of the Tax Increment Financing District by increasing appropriations Tax Adjustment Items and increasing Appropriated Fund Balance]
CEO THREE RESOLUTION AMENDING 2025 OPERATING BUDGET OF THE TAX INCREMENTAL FINANCING DISTRICT BY INCREASING APPROPRIATIONS TAX ADJUSTMENT[03:05:01]
ITEMS AND INCREASING APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ PR 1 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the Town of Greenburgh Department of Parks and Recreation to accept a $1,323.65 donation for the purchase of a park bench in the memory of Suzanne Willis from the Kiwanis Club of Hartsdale]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION TO ACCEPT THE 1,000,300, NO 1000 THOUSAND.THEY'D BE HAPPY YOU EXCEPT $1 MILLION, $3 65 DONATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF A PARK BENCH.
AND THEN IN MEMORY OF SUZANNE WILLIS FROM THE KIWANIS CLUB OF, UM, OF HARSDALE.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR.
[ PR 2 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the release of the Trust and Agency Parkland Fund for the development of a Welcome Center at the Nature Center at Greenburgh]
PR TWO RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE RELEASE OF THE TRUST AND AGENCY PARKLAND FUND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UM, UH, WELCOME CENTER AT THE NATURE CENTER AT GREENBURG.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ PR 3 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing a Five-Year Reciprocal Indemnification and Facility Agreement between the Town of Greenburgh and the Greenburgh Central School District from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2030]
UH, PAY THREE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A FIVE YEAR RECIPROCAL INDEMNIFICATION AND FACILITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND THE GREENBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM JULY 1ST TO, UH, JUNE 30TH.I I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT AS AMENDED.
THERE'S A CLAUSE IN THERE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT AMBIGUOUS REGARDING HOW MUCH INSURANCE, UH, THE TOWN ATTORNEY IS, IS WORKING ON THAT.
IT'LL BE A VERY MINOR MODIFICATION, BUT THE AMOUNT WILL STAY THE SAME.
THAT'S IN THE CONTRACT THAT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW.
[ PH 1 - 7/09/2025 Resolution accepting a grant in the amount of $5,000 from George and Rachel Gumina, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors designated for sponsorship of the Town of Greenburgh’s Student Summer Internship Program]
ONE RESOLUTION ACCEPTING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 5,000 FROM GEORGE AND RACHEL GAMINA ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS DESIGNATED FOR SPONSORSHIP OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG SUMMARY, UM, INTERN PROGRAM.WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ PH 2 - 7/09/2025 Resolution accepting a $5,000 grant from the Lanza Family Foundation for support of the 2025 Greenburgh Summer Internship Program at Greenburgh Town Hall]
TWO RESOLUTION ACCEPTING A $5,000 GRANT FROM THE LANDS OF FAMILY FOUNDATION FOR SUPPORT OF THE 2025 GREENBURG SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AT GREENBURG TOWN HALL.UH, UM, LET'S SEE, WHAT'S THIS? PPO ONE
[ PO 1 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a Professional Services Contract with Proclaim Services, Inc. for billing of Emergency Medical Services provided within the Town of Greenburgh]
ONE, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH PROCLAIM SERVICE IN CORPORATIONS FOR, UM, BILLING OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SUPPLIES SERVICES, UH, UH, PROVIDED WITHIN THE TOWN OF GREENBERG.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND ON FAVOR, AYE.
[ PW 1 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a sewer main easement agreement between the Town of Greenburgh and Central Westchester Tenants Corporation regarding the relocation of a sewer main on the real property located at 100 East Hartsdale Avenue, Hartsdale, NY 10530]
ONE, UM, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A SEWER MAINE EASEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBERG AND CENTRAL WESTCHESTER TENANTS CORPORATION REGARDING THE RELOCATION OF A SEWER MAINE ON THE REAL REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT A HUNDRED EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.[ PW 2 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a sewer main easement agreement between the Town of Greenburgh and 120 Hartsdale Corporation regarding the relocation of a sewer main adjacent to the real property located at 120 East Hartsdale Avenue, Hartsdale, NY 10530]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A SEWER MAIN EASEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND 120, UH, HARTSDALE CORPORATION REGARDING THE RELOCATION OF SEWER MAIN ADDITION TO THE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 120 EAST HARTILL AVENUE.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ PW 3 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing the Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering to issue a Request For proposal (RFP) for a study to evaluate alternatives for repairing a sewer main break located in and around the real property located at 100 East Hartsdale Avenue, Hartsdale, NY 10530]
PW THREE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THE BUREAU OF ENGINEERING TO ISSUE A REQUEST PROPOSALS FOR A STUDY TO EVALUATE ALTERNATIVES FOR REPAIRING A SEWER REMAIN BREAK LOCATED IN AND AROUND THE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT A HUNDRED EAST HARSDALE AVENUE.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND MONTE RYE.
[ PW 4 - 7/09/2025 Resolution authorizing approval of a Professional Engineering Services Agreement Amendment with Mott Macdonald for Consolidated Water District No. 1 service line improvements support for an amount not to exceed $82,000]
FINALLY, PW FOUR RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH, UH, MOTT MCDONALD FOR CONSOLIDATED WATER DISTRICT NUMBER ONE SERVICE LINE IMPROVEMENTS AND SUPPORT, UM, FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED A $2,000.