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THE MEETING.TODAY'S WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH AT, UM, SEVEN 30.
WELL CLOSE TO 7:30 PM UM, AND, UM, WE'LL START WITH, UH, THE PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE, MY 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.
[ 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.]
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING.SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
UM, IN MEMORY OF THOSE AROUND THE WORLD WHO HAVE PERISHED AS VICTIMS OF WAR, DISEASE, AND NATURAL DISASTER.
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THOSE WHO NEEDLESSLY SUFFER.
[ ROLL CALL: Town Clerk Lisa Maria Nero]
NOW THE TOWN CLERK WILL, UM, UH, CALL THE ROLL.ROLL CALL TOWN SUPERVISOR PAUL FINDER.
HERE, COUNCILWOMAN GINA JACKSON.
PRESENT, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANCIS SHEEN, PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN JOY HABER.
PRESENT, COUNCILWOMAN ELLEN HENDRICKS PRESENT AND OUR TOWN ATTORNEY JOE DANKO, PRESENT.
[ PRESENTATIONS (Maximum 10 minutes each) Lucio DiGiacomo - Eagle Scout Recognize two spring interns, Jake Weiss and Stella Obasanjo Greenburgh Teen Task Force Mental Health Event Summary]
THE FIRST, UH, ITEM OF, UM, BUSINESS IS TO RECOGNIZE AN EXCEPTIONALLY, UH, TALENTED, UM, UH, UH, YOUNG MAN, UM, WHO RECENTLY BECAME AN EAGLE SCOUT.UM, AND THAT'S THE HIGHEST, UM, RANK THAT ANY SCOUT COULD, UM, COULD ACHIEVE.
UM, LUCIO D UH, DG CUOMO, UH, SUCCESSFULLY MET ALL THE RIGOROUS REQUIREMENTS.
UM, HE EARNED ALL THE MERIT BADGES THAT HE HAD TO, UM, EARN.
HE DEMONSTRATED, UM, EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER TO ACHIEVE THIS, UH, PRESTIGIOUS HONOR.
AND HE MADE 98% OF SCOUTS LIKE ME, FORMER SCOUTS JEALOUS BECAUSE, UM, HE ACHIEVED SOMETHING THAT I WOULD'VE LIKED TO ACHIEVE, BUT NEVER DID.
UM, UM, UH, BEING AN EAGLE SCOUT IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
UM, AND IT'S ONE OF THE HONORS THAT WILL HELP YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER IN LIFE.
I THINK ANY EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYER, IF THEY HAVE A CHOICE OF HIRING AN EAGLE SCOUT OR A NON-LEGAL EAGLE SCOUT, WOULD ALWAYS PICK THE EAGLE SCOUT.
SO YOU COULD PUT THIS ON YOUR RESUME IN 40 OR 50 YEARS, AND THEY'LL ALWAYS BE IMPRESSED WITH YOU.
UH, YOU CHOSE A DEEPLY MEANINGFUL INITIATIVE TO UPLIFT, UH, YOUR COMMUNITY BY LEADING AN EXTENSIVE BEAUTIFICATION AND RESTORATION OF THE STATUE OF JESUS.
A HOLY NAME OF JESUS CHURCH LOCATED IN VALHALLA.
UM, YOU MANAGED A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN, UM, UH, THE, THE STATUE RESTORE SPACE, UM, OVERHAUL THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPING AND PLANT SIX SOME, UH, UH, SHRUBS TO BRING VIBRANT NEW LIFE TO THE SACRED GROUNDS.
AND YOU JUST WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND AND, UM, INSTALLED A BEAUTIFUL, UH, NEW ALUMINUM SIGN, BEARING THE CHURCH'S NAME ALONGSIDE THREE CUSTOM BENCHES TO CONSTRUCT A PEACEFUL AND INVITING PRAYER, UM, SQUARE FOR THE PARISHIONERS.
UM, SO THE MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HONOR YOU ON THIS AMAZING, UM, ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WISH YOU GREAT SUCCESS AND AND LUCK IN ALL YOUR ENDEAVORS.
AND WE WILL FOLLOW YOUR CAREER WITH THE GREATEST OF INTEREST.
AND WE KNOW YOU HAVE A BRILLIANT FUTURE AHEAD OF YOU.
YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? THERE'S A PODIUM RIGHT OVER HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
CAN I TAKE A PICTURE? ABSOLUTELY, PLEASE DO.
WE COULD HAVE THE WHOLE TOWN BOARD COME DOWN.
YOU WANT ME TO PUT THIS? TERRANCE TERRANCE, CAN YOU SHUT OFF THE PROJECTOR PLEASE? UM,
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THANK YOU SO MUCH.THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUPERVISOR FINER AND THE TOWN BOARD FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
I AM REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS HONOR THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN ME.
I AM SO HAPPY THAT I ACTUALLY MADE IT TO THIS POINT.
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GONNA MAKE IT.
'CAUSE TO BE HONEST, I HONESTLY WAS GONNA QUIT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT LUCKILY MY MOM, YOU COULD SAY FORCED, BUT SHE DIDN'T FORCE ME.
I'M JUST BEING DRAMATIC, ENCOURAGED.
SHE FORCED ME TO SAY, TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE END, AND I AM SO THANKFUL THAT SHE HAD ME DO THAT.
IF I HAD ONE OR A COUPLE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO SAY, I'D SAY JUST, IF YOU THINK YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING, STICK TO IT.
JUST KEEP GOING UNTIL YOU MAKE IT.
EVEN IF YOU FEEL LIKE QUITTING AND YOU NEED A MOTHER LIKE YOURS.
EVERYONE NEEDS A MOTHER LIKE MINE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL MY, UM, PARENTS, MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, ALL MY SCOUT, MASTERS, SCOUT LEADERS, AND JUST EVERYONE WHO HELPED ME THROUGH MY JOURNEY.
AND I WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT THEM.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR A TOWN BOARD FOR HAVING ME HERE.
WE'LL IT BACK NEXT, UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, RECOGNIZE, UM, ONE OF OUR, UM, STUDENT INTERNS, UH, SPRINGS, UH, STUDENT INTERN, JAKE, UM, JAKE, UH, WORKED, UM, IN MY OFFICE, HAS WORKED IN MY OFFICE, UM, UH, DURING THE SPRING SEMESTER.
IT'S PART OF A EXTERN PROGRAM.
UM, HE'S A STUDENT AT EDGEMONT, UM, HIGH SCHOOL AND IS, SORRY, JUST MAY SUPERVISOR.
DO WE NEED TO PAUSE? ARE WE NOT? I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A VICTOR.
I WAS JUST WARMING UP, TAKING A LONG TIME.
OH, AND JAKE IS ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING, UM, INTERNS WHO'S EVER, UH, WORKED IN MY, UH, MY OFFICE.
I WAS, UM, THINKING, UM, EARLIER, UH, TONIGHT, UH, WHEN I FIRST, UH, GOT STARTED IN, UM, AS TOWN SUPERVISOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
UH, THERE'S A YOUNG MAN WHO HELPED ME OUT ON FERTILIZER AND THEN HE BECAME, UM, A CLERK TO, HE WENT TO LAW SCHOOL, BECAME CLERK TO JUSTICE GINSBURG ON THE US SUPREME COURT, AND, UM, NOW IS ATTORNEY GENERAL OF COLORADO AND IS THE LEADING, UH, CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR OF COLORADO.
SO JAKE SORT OF REMINDS ME OF, UM, OF HIM AND, UM, IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT IF I COULD PUT ON MY RESUME THAT, UM, UH, THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN MY OFFICE IF HE EVENTUALLY BECAME GOVERNOR.
UM, UH, SO, UH, I, I REALLY, UH, ONLY EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM, UM, UH, FROM JAKE.
UM, HE, UM, IS PASSIONATE ABOUT, UH, HUMAN RIGHTS, UM, UH, ABOUT, UM, INCLUSIVENESS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKES EVERY ASPECT OF HIS INTERNSHIP VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND, UM, I WISH THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY LIKE HIM AND I KNOW THAT HE'S GONNA HAVE A REALLY BRILLIANT FUTURE.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I HAVE A CERTIFICATE AND GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE TOWN BOARD FOR HAVING ME.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO TOWN SUPERVISOR FINER FOR GIVING ME THIS EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS REALLY GIVEN ME, UH, SOME GREAT EXPERIENCES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, TO MR. TERENCE BROSNAN AND MR. SAM SINGER, THE DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF, UH, CABLE ACCESS RESPECTIVELY FOR THEIR INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN PRODUCING THE CABLE SHOW THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO HOST HERE.
AND THANK YOU TO MS. KRISTA MADSON, MR. FINE'S ASSISTANT, UH, WHO WORKS WITH WORKS WITH ME DAILY AND GIVES ME THINGS TO DO WHENEVER I NEED THEM.
UM, THIS EXPERIENCE BEGAN FOR ME ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO WHEN I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I MIGHT WANNA DO FOR MY END OF YEAR, END OF SENIOR YEAR INTERNSHIP OR SENIOR OPTIONS, AS IT'S CALLED IN EDGEMONT.
[00:10:01]
VERY INTERESTED IN POLITICS AND THE POLITICAL PROCESSES.SO MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO REACH OUT TO MY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND SEE IF ANY OF THEM WOULD BE WILLING TO LET ME INTERN FOR THEM.
VERY QUICKLY THEREAFTER, I HEARD BACK FROM MR. FINER, WHO EXPRESSED GREAT ENTHUSIASM ABOUT HAVING ME INTERN FOR HIM.
AND HE LOOKED AT MY RESUME AND SAW THAT MANY OF MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT I'VE INVOLVED MYSELF WITH AND TELL, TRY NEW COMBAT HATRED AND BIGOTRY.
AND HE PROPOSED AN OPPORTUNITY THAT REALLY TOOK ME ABACK WITH ITS EXTRAORDINARY CREATIVITY AND THOUGHTFULNESS.
MR. FINER PROPOSED THAT I COULD HOST A TV SHOW ON THE GREENBERG CABLE CHANNEL DISCUSSING HOW TO COMBAT HATRED AND BIGOTRY.
I WAS TRULY STUNNED BY THIS OPPORTUNITY, WHICH WOULD NOT ONLY INDULGE ME IN MY INTERESTS AND PASSIONS, BUT WOULD ALSO GIVE ME A STAGE AND A SPOTLIGHT TO DO SO.
I HAD THE CHANCE TO TAKE TWO EPISODES OF MY CABLE SHOW, ONE OF WHICH, UH, HAS ALREADY BEEN UPLOADED TO THE TOWN'S YOUTUBE PAGE, AND THE OTHER ONE IS COMING SOON.
IN THE FIRST EPISODE, I INTERVIEWED MR. STEVE GOLDBERG, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AT THE HOLOCAUST AND HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION CENTER.
MR. GOLDBERG AND I DISCUSSED THE WORK THAT HIS ORGANIZATION DOES TO PRESERVE THE MEMORY OF THE HOLOCAUST AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS WORK TODAY AMIDST THE SHARP UPTICK IN ANTISEMITISM, AS WELL AS A SOCIOPOLITICAL CLIMATE THAT'S INCREASINGLY CONDUCIVE TO HATE OF ALL KINDS.
UM, IN THE SECOND EPISODE, I INTERVIEWED RABBI ANNIE TUCKER, THE SENIOR RABBI AT TEMPLE ISRAEL CENTER IN WHITE PLAINS, RABBI TUCKER AND I DISCUSSED, UH, AN ANTISEMITISM ITS MANIFESTATIONS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACKS AND THE ENSUING WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND HER ROLE AS A LEADER IN THE LOCAL JEWISH COMMUNITY.
I'M ENOR ENORMOUSLY GRATEFUL TO BOTH OF MY GUESTS AND FOR THE GREAT CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD TO WRAP UP.
I'VE HAD AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH OUR TOWN OFFICIALS TO HELP ADDRESS SOME ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US AND FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, I'M REALLY ENORMOUSLY GRATEFUL.
AND WHAT, WHAT COLLEGE ARE YOU GONNA BE GOING TO AND WHAT'S YOUR MAJOR GONNA BE? I'M PLANNING TO START NEXT FALL AT BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY AND MAJOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER INTERN, I DON'T THINK I DON'T SEE HER HERE, ELLA
UH, SHE WAS ALSO SPRING, UM, YOU KNOW, INTERN.
AND, UM, SHE'S FOCUSING ON HEALTHCARE, UM, ISSUES BECAUSE, UM, IT'S VERY, RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THE FEDERAL CUTBACKS, UM, IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GET THE HEALTHCARE, UH, THAT THEY NEED.
I KNOW THE GREENBERG, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE 300 EMPLOYEES FOR THE WHOLE UNIT OR THE HEALTH CENTERS, UM, THAT ARE MANAGED, UM, IN MOUNT MOUNT VERNON AND COVERS GREENBURG.
AND AS OF LAST YEAR, THEY LAID OFF, I THINK 50 OF THE 300 PEOPLE, PEOPLE.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY HAVING AN IMPACT.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT THE HEALTH, THE GREENBURG HEALTH CENTER, WHICH IS THE UNOFFICIAL NAME, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTHCARE TO PEOPLE WHO REALLY, UM, REALLY NEED IT.
SO THAT'S THE PROJECT THAT STELLA WAS WORKING ON.
AND, UH, DURING THE SUMMER, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR, UM, SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON MAKING SURE, DOING WHATEVER WE COULD TO HELP, UH, THE HEALTH CENTER, UM, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE EXCELLENT SERVICES THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, UH, NEXT, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS I LIKE I LOVE THESE PRESENTATIONS IS REALLY HIGHLIGHTS, UM, HOW SPECIAL OUR COMMUNITY IS BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, STUDENTS WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH, ARE DOING SO MUCH GOOD, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE WORLD, AND ARE REALLY ROLE MODELS.
AND IF YOU READ THE NEWS NEWSPAPERS, YOU COULD BE A LITTLE DISCOURAGED OR A LOT DISCOURAGED ABOUT THE WAY OUR WORLD IS.
BUT WHEN YOU, UH, MEET AND HEAR WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE DOING, IT MAKES YOU FEEL UPLIFTED AND MAKES YOU FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF, UH, OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.
SO WE HAVE SOME, UM, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GREENBURG TEEN TASK FORCE, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
THEY ORGANIZE A MENTAL HEALTH EVENT AND MAYBE COULD COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UM, AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHY WE ALL SHOULD BE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
HI, THANK YOU MR. FINER AND THE TOWN BOARD FOR HAVING US TODAY.
[00:15:01]
UM, YEAH, WE'RE THE GREENBERG TEAM TASK FORCE.I JUST GRADUATED FROM HACKLEY SCHOOL AND I'M ONE OF THE CO-LEADERS OF THE TASK FORCE.
UM, I'M NIMA, I ALSO GRADUATED FROM HACKLEY, UM, AND I'M ANOTHER CO-LEADER OF THE TASK FORCE.
I'M MARIANA, I'M AT 11TH GRADE AT HACKLEY, AND I'M ALSO ON THE TASK FORCE.
UM, I'M LEAH, I'M CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE TASK FORCE AS WELL.
SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE TEEN MENTAL HEALTH EVENT THAT WE HAD EARLIER IN MAY.
AND SO WE CAN START BY JUST INTRODUCING WHAT THE TASK FORCE IS.
UM, SO OUR TWO BIG GOALS ARE FIRST PROMOTING, UH, TEEN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN WESTCHESTER.
UM, AND THEN MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND SO, UH, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WILL TELL YOU A BIT MORE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS WE WORK WITH, UM, BUT WE DO A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS.
UM, AND YEAH, YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A SEC.
UM, SO SOME OF OUR GOALS ARE PROMOTING, UM, TEEN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN WESTCHESTER.
UM, AND SOME OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH, UM, ARE, LIKE SOPHIE SAID, THE HACKLEY SCHOOL, UM, AND ARDSLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AND THEY ALSO PARTNER WITH, UM, FRIENDS OF, UM, THEODORE, UM, DO YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, AND THEY WORK AND ORGANIZE AND DO ACTIVITIES WITH THEM AS WELL.
UM, AND WE HOSTED OUR MENTAL HEALTH EVENT AT, UM, GREENBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UM, AND WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH GOOD FOR GIRLS AND THE VERY INTERNATIONAL, WHICH ARE ALSO, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO SOME OF OUR PROJECTS INCLUDE FREE CYBERSECURITY CLASSES THAT WE HOSTED AT THE GREENBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY.
WE ALSO HOSTED A BUNCH OF DRIVES FOR DIAPERS, MENSTRUATION PRODUCTS, AND FOOD.
WE ALSO HAD A FUNDRAISER FOR THE THEODORE DE YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER GARDEN, AS WELL AS WRAPPING HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR KWANZA CELEBRATION.
I'M SURE AS A LOT OF YOU IN THIS ROOM KNOW, UM, SCHOOL CAN BE EXTREMELY STRESSFUL AND IT GETS EVEN MORE STRESSFUL DURING FINAL EXAM SEASON.
UM, ONE IN SEVEN PEOPLE AGES 10 TO 19 EXPERIENCE A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER.
UM, AND FINAL EXAMS CERTAINLY DO NOT HELP WITH THIS.
UM, SUICIDE IS THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR PEOPLE AGES 15 TO 29.
UM, AND OUR GOALS OF THE EVENT THAT WE WERE DOING ARE TO EQUIP TEENS WITH STRATEGIES TO PREVENT THINGS LIKE THIS AND TO DEAL WITH STRESS DURING THESE EXAMS, UM, TO PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE TO TALK, TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH WITH.
UM, AND WE ALSO GOT TEENS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO EACH OTHER AND, UM, THEY COULD TALK AND MAKE SURE THEY DON'T FEEL ALONE AND HA DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE THINGS ALONE.
UM, SO ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE DID DURING THIS MENTAL HEALTH EVENT WAS A BREATHING EXERCISE ALONG WITH A, UM, GUEST SPEAKER WHO WAS SORT OF LIKE WALKING US THROUGH THESE EXERCISES.
UM, AND SO THE GUEST SPEAKER THAT WE HAD WAS FROM AN ORGANIZATION CALLED WESTCHESTER BREATHES.
UM, AND SO SHE HAD US JUST DO SORT OF LIKE A 45 MINUTE, UM, VARIATION OF EXERCISES.
UM, WE ALSO HAD STUFFED ANIMALS AND LIKE SNACKS AND BLANKETS AND STUFF, AND IT WAS, IT WAS VERY RELAXING.
UM, I THINK PROBABLY HALF THE PEOPLE WERE CLOSE TO BEING ASLEEP BY THE END OF IT.
AND, UH, YEAH, BUT WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT TOOK PLACE.
UM, SO WE ALSO DID, UM, A PART WHERE WE DID JUST DANCE, WHICH, UM, WAS JUST A WAY OF GETTING PEOPLE MOVING AND ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN, UM, LIKE A FUN ACTIVITY.
LASTLY, WE DID A FUN SPEED FRIENDING EVENT.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE DID WAS WE ASSIGNED TEENS TO RANDOM TABLES, AND AT EACH OF THE TABLES THERE WAS A CONTAINER OF QUESTIONS.
AND SO WHAT WE HAD THEM DO WAS PICK ONE TO TWO RANDOM QUESTIONS AND HAVE THEM ANSWER THE QUESTIONS TOGETHER BEFORE ROTATING TO A NEW TABLE.
AND SO THE GOAL OF THIS ACTIVITY WAS TO INTRODUCE TEENS TO EACH OTHER TO HELP THEM TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH EVENT, UH, MENTAL HEALTH TOPICS, AS WELL AS FUN TOPICS.
SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE PRETTY FUN INCLUDED IS A HOT DOG IN A BUN, A SANDWICH,
SO IT WAS REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, GIVE THE SEVENTH GRADER A LITTLE BIT OF ADVICE BEFORE SHE GOES INTO HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS
[00:20:01]
HEARING FROM THE 10TH GRADER AND HER JOURNEY IN THE MIDDLE OF HER HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.AND SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO OUR PRESENTATION.
IF YOU ARE A TEEN OR IF YOU KNOW A TEEN WHO IS INTERESTED IN HOSTING EVENTS LIKE THIS, UM, WE WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO JOIN THE TASK FORCE.
AND SO HERE'S OUR INSTAGRAM AND EMAIL, AND IF YOU WANNA CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, YOU CAN ALSO SCAN THE QR CODE.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW TEEN, THEN YOU CAN DONATE TO OUR DIAPER DRIVE, WHICH WE'RE STARTING ON JUNE 18TH.
AND SO THOSE DIAPERS WILL GO TO THE WOMEN, UM, INFANTS AND CHILDREN PROGRAM OR WIC.
AND SO YOU CAN DONATE DIAPERS TO THE GREENBERG PUBLIC LIBRARY OR YOU CAN DONATE, UM, DIRECTLY THROUGH THIS QR CODE.
WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU IN OUR COMMUNITY AND YOU REALLY ROLE MODELS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
OKAY, UH, UH, NEXT, UM, UH, THE, THE ONLY, UH, BOARD DECIDED WE'RE NOT DOING THE LIAISON REPORTS.
[ TOWN CLERK COMMENTS AND PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS ]
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS? I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT THE, THE HARTSDALE UH, FARMER'S MARKET, UM, HE MENTIONED THAT IT'S BEEN A LITTLE SLOW.UM, SO IF WE WANT TO KEEP THE FARMER'S MARKET, WE HAVE TO, UH, SUPPORT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
SO I'M JUST ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY.
UM, IT'S A, THE FARMER IS VERY DEDICATED, HAS GREAT PRODUCE, UM, AND I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WILL, WILL BE SUPPORTIVE.
THE SUPERMARKET, UH, ON EAST TAR AVENUE, UM, UH, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THEY'LL BE OPEN AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY, UH, OR AT THE LATEST, PROBABLY MID-JULY.
UH, SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR THE AVENUE, BUT PLEASE SUPPORT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
DO YOU WANNA GIVE THE HOURS OF THE FARMER'S MARKET, ISN'T IT FROM EIGHT TO UH, UH, THREE.
AND WHERE FULL IT'S AT THE HARTSDALE TRAIN STATION.
NEXT, UM, NOW WE HAVE THE TWO MINUTE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT, LIGHTNING ROD.
UM, IF YOU DON'T WANNA WAIT AROUND FOR THE HEARING, YOU COULD SPEAK FOR TWO MINUTES.
IF YOU DON'T WANNA WAIT AROUND FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, THE PUBLIC HEARING'S, THE PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT DON'T, BEFORE WE DO THAT, DON'T WE HAVE A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT OUR EVENT ON FRIDAY? OH, YES.
SO I, UM, ON FRIDAY, JUNE 12TH, WE WILL HAVE OUR ANNUAL JUNETEENTH EVENT HERE AT TOWN HALL.
WE'LL BE STARTING AT FIVE 30 AND IT WILL RUN TILL EIGHT O'CLOCK.
UH, WE WILL START OFF WITH OUR ANNUAL FLAG RAISING AND THEN WE WILL GOING TO AN EDUCATIONAL LEARNING EVENT, UM, THEN FOLLOWED BY A CELEBRATION.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO COME OUT.
YOU COME IN, HAVE A GREAT TIME, BRING THE KIDS, LEARN ABOUT JUNETEENTH AND JUST FELLOWSHIP WITH YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
[ TWO MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT LIGHTNING ROUND (for anyone who can’t stay for the regular Public Comment session)]
THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE BRIAN LEVITON.
ONCE AGAIN, JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY YOU CHOOSE EITHER ROUND, EITHER THIS TWO MINUTE ROUND OR AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARINGS LATER TONIGHT, THE FIVE MINUTE ROUND, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION WITH STICKING TO THE TIME LIMIT.
AND WE ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT THERE'LL BE THE TOWN BOARD MEMBERS.
WE ALL AGREED THERE'LL BE NO, UH, COMMENTS FROM ANY TOWN BOARD MEMBER UNTIL AFTER EVERYBODY, UM, UH, SPOKE.
UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT, ANY BOARD MEMBER, UH, WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SPEAK FOR A MAXIMUM OF FIVE MINUTES.
AND WE ALSO AGREE THAT I WOULD GO LIST AFTER EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE TOWN BOARD, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, SPOKE AND NO, NO, INTER UH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THAT'S A, AND THERE'S A THREE MINUTE REBUTTAL IF NECESSARY.
AND THERE ARE CLOCKS ON BOTH SIDES.
WE'VE ALL SET YOU GIMME UH, MY NAME'S BRIAN.
UM, THE FIRST TOPIC WAS, UH, JUST THAT THE DECORUM OF THE BOARD MEETINGS.
I WANTED, THERE WAS TALKS OF, UH, RATIFYING AN OFFICIAL METHODOLOGY.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S BEING PUT IN PLACE AND ADHERED TO TONIGHT.
UM, IS THERE ANY, WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CONSEQUENCES OR WAYS TO CONTROL THE, ANY OUTBURSTS OR VIOLATING OF THE RULES.
UM, SO IF THAT COULD BE EXPLAINED.
UM, BUT THE ACTUAL THING I WANTED TO COMMENT ON IS, UH, TB ONE, WHICH IS THE REDUCTION OF THE MEDICAL INSURANCE COSTS TO THE TOWN.
[00:25:01]
THE NUMBER SHOULD BE ZERO.UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE PAY PEOPLE NOT TO HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE THROUGH ONE EMPLOYER AND NOT ANOTHER, UM, SORRY.
UH, IF YOU WORK MULTIPLE JOBS, IF YOUR SPOUSE HAS INSURANCE, OTHER INSURANCE, YOU ONLY GET ONE OF THEM, YOU LOSE THE OTHER BENEFIT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T PAY THE TOWN BOARD MEMBERS 8 CENTS A DAY FOR NOT USING THE WATER COOLER.
IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU DON'T USE IT.
SO, UH, THE CURRENT NUMBER BEING I THINK $22,000 SEEMS EGREGIOUS.
AND, UH, I THINK IT SHOULD JUST BE NOTHING.
WE DON'T PAY YOU IF YOU DON'T USE THE HEALTH INSURANCE.
IF YOU DON'T WANT THE BENEFIT, YOU DON'T GET IT.
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ASHLEY, ANDREW SAN.
UM, I WAS HERE AT THE LAST TOWN BOARD MEETING TO DISCUSS THE TRAFFIC ISSUES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AGAIN, I LIVE IN UPPER MANOR WOODS.
WE'VE HAD SEVERE SPEEDING IN OUR AREA.
UM, THE SERGEANT DID REACH OUT TO ME AND SAID THAT HE WOULD, UM, PUT IN SOME SAFETY CHECKS INTO WORK, I GUESS.
UM, BUT I'M JUST HERE TO FOLLOW UP BECAUSE IT'S BEEN INCREASED ACTUALLY SINCE THE LAST VISIT.
I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE ARE JUST OUT 'CAUSE IT'S SUMMER.
WE HAD SOMEONE TESTING OUT THEIR MOTORCYCLE IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSES GOING FROM ZERO TO 60 UP AND DOWN 'CAUSE WE LIVE ON THE STRAIGHTAWAY.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT NOW WALKING NOW EVEN MORE, ESPECIALLY UP FROM EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE DOGS, FAMILIES.
UM, EXHIBIT A IS RIGHT OVER THERE ON HIS SCOOTER.
AND SO WE'RE JUST, I'M JUST HERE TO FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING TO ALLEVIATE THAT SITUATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MONICA LEVY.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, TWICE BEFORE REGARDING, UM, AN INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE WHERE A TOWN TRUCK CRASHED THROUGH MY PROPERTY AND THE TOWN DECIDED NOT TO PAY AND USE A LAW THAT PROTECTED THEM.
SO, UM, I CAME HOME THE OTHER DAY AND THERE WAS A BIG DRILL IN FRONT OF MY HOME.
I ACTUALLY DID ALREADY, BUT I'VE GOT NO RESPONSE.
BUT I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT WITH YOU.
I'LL, THEY WERE GOING TO PUT A BARRIER UP.
AND SO I SENT THIS LETTER ON THAT DAY AND THE BARRIER WAS IN FRONT OF MY PICKET FENCE AND IT WAS IN REFERENCE TO THE ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED.
SO THE, WHAT I'VE WRITTEN IS THAT THIS MORNING THE TOWN ATTEMPTED TO CONSTRUCT AN UNSIGHTLY BARRIER, THE KIND YOU HAVE IN A, ON A HIGHWAY ON THE REAR OF MY PROPERTY WITHOUT PROVIDING ANY NOTICE OR OBTAINING ANY KIND OF PERMISSION.
NOW, DO THEY NEED TO OBTAIN PERMISSION? NO.
BUT WOULD NOTICE HAVE BEEN NICE? I, I BELIEVE SO.
UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE TOWN PREVIOUSLY REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT IN FEBRUARY WHEN A TOWN VEHICLE DROVE INTO MY BACKYARD CAUSE DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY, WHICH I HAVE FIXED MYSELF AT THIS POINT, RATHER THAN COMPENSATE ME FOR THE DAMAGE, THE TOWN RELIED ON A VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW 1103 TO DENY LIABILITY AND PAID NOTHING TOWARDS THE REPAIRS.
GIVEN THAT POSITION, I FIND IT TROUBLING THAT THE TOWN IS NOW SEEKING TO INSTALL A BARRIER INTENDED TO PREVENT A SIMILAR INCIDENT FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE.
IF THE TOWN TRULY BEARS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED, THEN THE NEED FOR SUCH A BARRIER RAISES OBVIOUS QUESTIONS.
I DO NOT MAKE THESE OBSERVATIONS LIGHTLY, NOR IS IT MY INTENTION TO EMBARRASS THE TOWN.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, I'M PREPARING TO FILE A SMALL CLAIMS COURT ACTION REGARDING THE DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY.
I HAVE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTATION, WHICH I WILL SHARE WITH YOU AS WELL AS EVIDENCE OF THE TOWN'S ATTEMPTED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES ON MY PROPERTY.
UM, I BASICALLY WENT OUT THERE AND TOLD THEM I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT ANYTHING WAS HAPPENING THAT, UM, I WAS HIGHLY
MAY I CONTINUE? OKAY,
THAT'S THE END OF TWO MINUTES.
ALRIGHT, TWO MINUTES TO CONCLUDE.
UM, I LEARNED HERE THAT THE TOWN WAS VERY, UM, I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO STICK FOR THE TWO MINUTES.
THERE'S A TWO MINUTES, TWO MINUTE ROUND AND A FIVE MINUTE ROUND.
SO I HAVE TO HOLD EVERYONE ALL THAT'S IT.
I WILL, I WILL SHOW YOU THE DOCUMENTATION.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE THOMAS FEAR.
I AM AM THE, UH, OWNER OF WESTCHESTER PADDLE AT 2 0 2, UH, WEST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
[00:30:01]
SPECIAL USE PERMIT ON MAY 15TH, AND, UH, EXPECTED A SERIES OF EVENTS TO OCCUR AFTER THAT.I DIDN'T EVEN GET ANY RECOGNITION BACK FROM THE TOWN UNTIL A FEW DAYS AGO WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE COMMENTS AT THE END OF THIS WEEK.
I'VE WAITED A ESSENTIALLY A MONTH FOR ZERO FEEDBACK ON A VARIANCE FOR SPECIAL USE FOR A PROPERTY WHICH HAS BASICALLY BEEN FALLOW FOR 10 YEARS.
I'M SUPREMELY DISAPPOINTED 'CAUSE I THINK THAT THIS COMMUNITY WOULD WANT TO SEE A CLUB FOR ATHLETICS PUT BACK INTO OPERATION THAT IS SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF HEART FAIL.
AND I WOULD VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE THE PLANNING BOARD WHOMEVER TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME.
SO WITH AS MUCH EMPHASIS AS I CAN PLACE ON THIS, I REALLY, UH, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME DISCOURSE WITH THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE ZONING BOARD AT THEIR NEXT EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.
AND THE BUILDING INSPECTOR SLASH FIRE MARSHAL, I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM AS WELL.
NO MORE SPEAKERS? NO, NO OTHER SPEAKERS FOR THE TWO MINUTES.
SO ANYBODY ON THE BOARD WANNA RESPOND TO ANY OF THESE ITEMS? OKAY.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST RESPOND TO A FEW THINGS.
UM, ONE IS, UM, I AGREE, UH, UH, WITH THE, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT THE BUYOUT.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT, UH, TOWN BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE GET, SHOULD BE GETTING, UH, BUYOUTS BECAUSE IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THE HEALTHCARE COVERAGE RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY NOT FAIR FOR PEOPLE TO BE, UH, DOUBLE DIPPING.
THE POINT OF HEALTHCARE COVERAGE IS TO PROVIDE HEALTHCARE COVERAGE, NOT FOR PEOPLE TO GET AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF, UM, OF MONEY.
UH, THE SECOND ITEM THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS RELATING TO, UH, THE MANOR WOODS.
AND I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE, THE SPEEDING ISSUES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO, UH, SIT DOWN WITH, UM, UH, UH, RESIDENTS AND TO, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TO SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A PLAN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, UH, SPEEDING, UH, CONCERNS.
UH, MONICA LEVY, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF, UM, A TOWN TRUCK THAT CRASHED INTO HER FENCE.
AND THE TOWN, UM, HAS SO FAR REFUSED TO, UM, REIMBURSE HER FOR THE DAMAGES.
SHE'S SHOWED US PHOTOS OF THE TOWN VEHICLE, UH, THAT DURING A SNOWSTORM THAT IS, THAT BROKE HER FENCE.
THERE'S NO DISAGREEMENT THAT IT WAS A TOWN'S FAULT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE SETTLE A LOT OF CASES WHEN WE'RE AT FAULT, AND I THINK IT'S OUTRAGEOUS.
THE TOWN IS NOT GONNA REIMBURSE YOU FOR, UM, UH, FOR THIS, FOR THIS DAMAGE.
YOU DIDN'T CAUSE A PROBLEM THERE.
YOU'RE NOT EVEN, IT'S NOT EVEN 1% YOUR FAULT.
THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, I POST IT, WOULD WE, MY SECRETARY, UM, AND I, WE CREATED A ONLINE, UH, YOU KNOW, PETITION.
WE POSTED A PICTURE, UM, OF THE TOWN VEHICLE ON YOUR PROPERTY, MESSING UP THE, THE FENCE.
AND I THINK EVERY TOWN RESIDENT, UH, WOULD BE REALLY UPSET IF, UM, THEIR PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED AND THE TOWN SAID, OH, WE'RE NOT GONNA PAY.
AND I THINK, UM, EITHER JOE, YOU OR SOMEBODY ELSE, UM, MAYBE ONE OF YOUR, A DEPUTY TOWN ATTORNEY SAID IF SOMEBODY GOT KILLED BECAUSE OF A TOWN TRUCK SKIDDED ON INTO THEM, THE TOWN WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE UNDER THE SAME LAW, WHICH IS TO ME A TOTAL OUTRAGE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO URGE THE TOWN BOARD, UM, TO PUT THIS ON A WORK SESSION AGENDA AND TO, UM, REIMBURSE, UH, MRS. LEVY FOR THE DAMAGES THAT SHE INCURRED BECAUSE IT WASN'T HER FAULT.
UM, SECOND, UH, RELATING TO THE, UH, THE COMPLEX, UH, ON WEST HARSDALE AVENUE, UH, THERE WAS A, A, A RECREATION FACILITY ON WEST HARSDALE AVENUE.
AND I FEEL THAT, UM, WHEN SOMEBODY, WHEN A BUSINESS APPLIES FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP, UM, WE SHOULD GO OUT OF OUR WAY TO MAKE EVERY BUSINESS FEEL, UM, WELCOME AND APPRECIATED.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IS WE SHOULD HAVE A, LIKE A, A OMBUDSMAN EITHER IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT OR A CITIZEN OMBUDSMAN GROUP THAT COULD HELP BUSINESSES NAVIGATE THE PROCESS.
BECAUSE I SPEAK TO A LOT OF BUSINESSES, BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, IN HARTSDALE, ESPECIALLY ON CENTRAL AVENUE OR EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
[00:35:01]
MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS.EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE, YOU HAVE A DELI THAT'S BEEN, IT SAYS COMING SOON, IT'S BEEN, THE SIGN'S BEEN UP FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS.
IT'S BEEN, THE SIGN'S BEEN UP FOR ALMOST, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, A YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO YEARS ON WEST HARTSDALE AVENUE, CENTRAL AVENUE.
THE FOUR CORNERS THE SAME THING.
AND I JUST SORT OF FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S NOT THE TOWN'S FAULT, BUT IT COULD BE, UH, THE BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE HOW TO NAVIGATE THE PROCESS AND I JUST SORT OF FEEL WE SHOULD BE HOLDING THEIR HANDS AND HELPING MAKE IT EASIER AND QUICKER TO, UM, TO GET THE APPROVALS.
IT'S LIKE RIDICULOUS WHEN YOU WANT EVERY BUSINESS THAT COMES HERE TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE APPRECIATED.
AND THAT THERE THERE'S NOT AS MUCH RED TAPE AS, AS WE'VE HAD.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY FEEL, UM, STRONGLY AND I THINK THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT SHOULD, UM, SHOULD ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING A, AN OMBUDSMAN.
SO WE WON'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT, UH, THIS BUSINESS IS HAVING ON WEST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY ONE THING.
IF WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES THAT WE'VE PASSED, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC TO, FOR US TO BE ACTUALLY TIMING, LUIS, THE, THE, THE REMARKS, UH, OF THE, OF THE TOWN PORT JOE, ARE YOU TIMING? YEAH, WE SAID FIVE.
I WAS TIMING THAT ON MY, ON MY PERSONAL PHONE.
BUT I I THINK IT'LL BE HELPFUL FOR THE, EXCUSE ME, WHAT WAS THE TIME? FOUR MINUTES AND 20 SECONDS.
SO, AND WHAT IS THE REBUTTAL? THREE MINUTES EACH.
BUT WE DIDN'T SETTLE ON WHAT I JUST SAID.
WHAT'S THAT? WHAT, WHICH IS THAT THE CLERK OR THE DEPUTY CLERK WILL ACTUALLY PUBLICLY SHOW THE TIME SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE IT.
WHAT? WE NEVER, WE NEVER VOTED ON THESE THINGS.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE NEVER VOTED ON THEM? OF COURSE WE DID.
WHEN DID WE VOTE? WE VOTED ON THE NEW RULES.
YOU SAID WE WOULD ABIDE BY THE RULES TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, BUT ERIC DOES NOT BEEN A FORMAL VOTE.
RIGHT? WELL THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, I JUST WANNA COMMENT BECAUSE WE KEEP HEARING THIS, YOU KNOW, MONEY GRUBBING, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE WE GET A BUYOUT, WHICH IS HALF THE PRICE OF WHAT THE SUPERVISOR COSTS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.
THE TOWN COUNCIL PUT FORWARD A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE BUYOUT.
THE FIRST IS IT REQUIRES ELECTED OFFICIALS IN TOWN WHO HAVE A MEDICAL INSURANCE PLAN AVAILABLE TO THEM THROUGH AN ALTERNATE EMPLOYER, SUCH AS ALL OF US, INCLUDING THE SUPERVISOR OR THROUGH A SPOUSE OR DOMESTIC PARTNER TO ACCEPT THE BUYOUT IN LIEU OF THE TOWN'S MEDICAL INSURANCE PLAN.
WHAT THE SUPERVISOR DOES IS HE HAS A FAMILY PLAN THROUGH HIS SPOUSE, BUT HE ALSO TAKES THE FULL COVERAGE $43,000.
AND AT THE SAME TIME HAS THE AUDACITY TO SAY TO THE REST OF US WHO TAKE THE BUYOUT, WHICH IS HALF THE COST THAT WE ARE MONEY GRUBBING WHEN HE IS TAKING TWICE THE AMOUNT UNNECESSARILY.
OUR PLAN WOULD STOP THAT CAPS THE BUYOUT FOR MEDICAL INSURERS, UH, FOR ALL EMPLOYEES DURING THE ROUND.
UH, WE'RE PLANNING TO DO THAT IN THE NEXT ROUND OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS.
WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
NOW OFFERS THE TEAMSTERS WHO DO NOT HAVE IN THEIR CONTRACT THE OPTION OF A BUYOUT.
SO THEY ARE GETTING THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE INSURANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THE INSURANCE AND WE'RE GONNA OFFER 'EM A BUYOUT 'CAUSE THAT'LL SAVE MONEY.
UH, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, UM, WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THAT THE BUYOUT BE CORRECTLY CALCULATED.
AND IN LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DATA REGARDING BUY BUYOUT, 'CAUSE THE SUPERVISOR HAS MADE THIS A, A MAJOR, MAJOR ISSUE IN THE NEWSPAPERS.
I LOOKED AT HOW IT WAS BEING CALCULATED AND IT'S NOT BEING CALCULATED CORRECTLY.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE BASED ON THE NET AMOUNT OF THE COST TO THE TOWN, NOT THE FULL AMOUNT OF WHAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS CHARGING THE PREMIUM.
BUT IF SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY IN 15%, YOU DON'T GET A BUYOUT OF HALF OF THE ENTIRE INSURANCE.
'CAUSE THE TOWN WASN'T ON THE HOOK FOR THE ENTIRE INSURANCE REGARDING THE FENCE AND THE SUPERVISOR, LET'S JUST HAVE THE TOWN PAY FOR IT.
IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF USING PUBLIC MONEY FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES.
OUR TOWN ATTORNEY HAS TOLD US IT'S BEEN WITH THE PRIOR ATTORNEY AS WELL THAT YOU, HE CANNOT BASICALLY GIFT TO A PRIVATE PRO, TO A PRIVATE ENTITY PUBLIC MONEY WHEN THE LAW SAYS THAT'S NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
IT WAS A VEHICLE LIGHTS ON PLOWING
[00:40:01]
HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS THAT WENT THROUGH THE FENCE.AND, AND AS, AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME, WE, WE, WE CAN'T PAY THAT BILL BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ON THE HOOK FOR SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR.
I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THE REST.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA, CAN YOU STOP MY CLOCK? SO WITH REGARDS TO MATTER, WOODS, UM, SPOKE WITH THE POLICE, THE CHIEF POLICE, THE POLICE OF CHIEF OF POLICE, NIXON'S ON THE BRAINS, I APOLOGIZE, CHIEF OF POLICE, UM, HE WILL HAVE A SECTOR CAR OUT THERE STARTING TOMORROW.
UH, AND THEN WITH REGARDING TO THOMAS FAIR, YOUR APPLICATION, I KNOW I, I ALREADY SAW YOUR EMAIL THIS WEEK.
I KNOW THE RE THE APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED ON 5 28.
IT'S A 30 DAY PROCESS REVIEW, UM, REVIEW PROCESS.
AND CURRENTLY I JUST FOLLOWED UP WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
IT IS NOW COMMON WAS SENT OVER TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
I BELIEVE SO LET ME JUST DOUBLE CHECK THAT 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK, UH, LIZ, UH, TO THE PLANNING.
SO, UM, I'M SORRY, ACTUALLY COMMENTS WAS SENT TO YOU.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I I'M NOT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE GARRETT, OKAY, SO THAT WAS, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE WAS I CLEAR ON THAT? 'CAUSE I KNOW I KIND OF FUMBLED ON THAT ONE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE, WHERE DOES MR. FAIR? I CAN'T SEE WITH MY GLASSES ON.
WHERE DID HE GO? JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE WERE CLEAR.
YES, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH MR. FEAR.
WE'RE PROCESSING HIS APPLICATION.
WE'LL MAKE SURE HE HAS ALL THE INFORMATION.
BUT HE'S IN, HE'S IN THAT REVIEW PERIOD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, LOU, DO YOU WANT THREE MINUTES? THREE MINUTES? RIGHT.
UM, WHEN MR. SUPERVISOR, YOU FIRST NEGOTIATED THE 40 AND THEN 50% BUYOUT THAT I, I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF US WERE ON THE BOARD AT THAT TIME.
UM, SO IT, IT WAS YOUR NEGOTIATION THAT CREATED THE 40 AND 50% BUYOUT FURTHER WHEN THE PRICES OF OUR, OF OUR, THE, THE COST OF OUR INSURANCE STARTED TO GO UP EXPONENTIALLY.
SO BETWEEN 2018 AND 2026, YOU SAID NOTHING UNTIL NOW.
NOW WE ALL AGREE THAT IT IS A BIT, IT'S EXCESSIVE.
UM, CERTAINLY THE FACT I DO PAY 10%.
UM, I DO HAVE GREENBERG INSURANCE.
I PAY 10%, ABOUT 4,000, A LITTLE OVER $4,000 A YEAR TOWARDS IT.
HOW MUCH DO YOU PAY? 800 AND SOMETHING A YEAR I THINK IS WHAT YOU PAY BECAUSE YOU PREDATED THAT.
I THINK IT'S, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK OUT A DEAL AND THAT'S WHY WE PREPARED A PLAN.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT WE HAD, YOU DIDN'T PROVIDE US WITH ANY, ANY DETAILS, ANY DATA THAT COULD HELP US MAKE THAT MAKE THE JUDGMENT.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ACCUMULATED UP TO A POINT.
BUT BY COMPARING IT TO, UM, OTHER PLANS, I THINK ONE HAS TO ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WHAT ARE THE PLANS THEY OFFER AND ALL, ALL THAT, UM, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IS THE AMOUNT OF THE BUYBACK FOR THEM, BUT NOT ABOUT WHAT KIND OF PLAN THEY GET.
SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT TOO BEFORE WE START MAKING SUCH RASH ALLEGATIONS.
UM, AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND, I AND MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, UM, ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING CARE OF THIS TOWN.
WE DO NOT WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TOWN.
THIS WAS A PLAN THAT WAS IN PLACE.
UM, AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE ALL COGNIZANT OF THE TRUE FACTS.
[ To consider a Zoning Map amendment petition and amended site plan application by Bethel Communities Management (“Bethel”) as it relates to a proposed expansion of an existing Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) located at 55 Grasslands Road, PO Valhalla [TB 25-05] ]
WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.WE NEED A MOTION TO OPEN THE FIRST HEARING.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE, UH, OPEN UP, UH, FIRST HEARING TO CONSIDER A ZONING MAP, AMENDMENT PETITION AND AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION BY BETHEL COMMUNITIES MANAGEMENT AS IT RELATES TO PROPOSED EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY LOCATED AT 55 GRASS SANDS ROAD, UM, IN VALHALLA.
[00:45:01]
I'D LIKE TO, UH, MOVE THAT WE OPEN UP THE HEARING.GOOD EVENING SUPERVISOR FEER, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD.
GARY TUCAN, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS RELATED TO ONE LOCAL LAW PROPOSED TO AMEND THE ZONING MAP OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FROM AN EXISTING DESIGNATION OF PUD PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO THE R 31 FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT TWO RELATED TO AN AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION FOR THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF THE KNOWLES, WHICH IS AN EXISTING CCRC CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A APPROXIMATELY 41,000 SQUARE FOOT ADDITION ONTO THE EXISTING K KNOWLES BUILDING, AS WELL AS THE ADDITION OF 74 INDEPENDENT SENIOR LIVING UNITS TO THE CCRC AND THREE, A SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION AMENDING THE CURRENT CCRC SPECIAL PERMIT UNDER GREENBERG TOWN CODE SECTION 2 85 10 A 4G, AND A 10 A FOUR C 11 WHICH RELATES TO RESIDENTIAL HEALTHCARE FACILITY.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 29.1 ACRES AND IS LOCATED AT 55 GRASSLANDS ROAD.
THE VAL HOWELL PORTION OF THE TOWN AND IS IDENTIFIED ON THE TAX MAP OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG IS PARCEL 7.2 2 1 98 11.
IN A FEW MINUTES THE APPLICANT WILL PROVIDE A PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT IN TERMS OF PROCESS, THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT PROPOSAL SITE PLANS AND APPLICATIONS WERE REVIEWED BY TOWN STAFF, WHICH INCLUDED THE DEPARTMENTS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION BUILDING DEPARTMENT ENGINEERING, WATER AND SEWER POLICE INCLUDE THE TRAFFIC AND SAFETY DIVISION AS WELL AS THE TOWN'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
THE PLANS WERE ALSO REFERRED TO THE TOWN'S HISTORIC AND LANDMARK PRESERVATION BOARD AND THE TOWN'S CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE FOLLOWING REGIONAL AGENCIES, THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, NEW YORK STATE PARKS, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, WESTCHESTER COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE FAIRVIEW FIRE DISTRICT.
IN ADDITION TO RESPONDING TO COMMENTS FROM THESE AGENCIES AND TOWN STAFF AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC, THE APPLICANT APPEARED BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD AS PART OF AN AMENDED SITE PLAN REFERRAL AND ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, WHICH INCLUDED WORK SESSIONS ON JULY 16TH, 2025, SEPTEMBER 3RD, OCTOBER 15TH, NOVEMBER 19TH AND DECEMBER 3RD, ALL OF 2025.
IN ADDITION TO THE TOWN BOARD APPLICATIONS, THE PLANNING BOARD IS REVIEWING A STEEP SLOPE PERMIT APPLICATION AND WETLAND WATERCOURSE PERMIT APPLICATION.
AND THE PROJECT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE ZONING VARIANCES FROM THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.
IN TERMS OF THE TOWN BOARD REFERRALS ON DECEMBER 3RD, 2025, THE PLANNING BOARD ISSUED A REPORT RELATED TO THE ZONING MAP PETITION AND ISSUED A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICANT'S ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, AGAIN FROM A PUD TO AN R 31 FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT.
THE CURRENT CCR USE ON THE SITE IS A SPECIAL PERMIT USE IN THE ONE FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICTS.
THAT'S HOW THE ZONING ORDINANCE REGULATES THAT USE.
AND THE PROPOSED ZONING MAP AMENDMENT WILL PROVIDE A ZONING DISTRICT WITH STANDARDS THAT REGULATE THIS USE.
THE PLANNING BOARD FOUND THAT THE AMENDED SITE PLAN SUBMISSION SATISFIED THE APPLICABLE SITE PLAN STANDARDS FOUND IN SECTION 2 85 54, UH, A THROUGH K SUBSECTIONS.
AS PART OF ITS FINDINGS, THE PLANNING BOARD PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE PROPOSAL.
THESE INVOLVED INCLUSION OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE RECOMMENDATIONS, LANDSCAPING RECOMMENDATIONS, EXPLORATION OF THE REDUCTION OF VARIANCES, AS WELL AS THE REDUCTION TO THE SCOPE OF INDIVIDUAL VARIANCES, THE USE OF PERVIOUS SURFACES FOR PARKING AREAS, AS WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE USE OF GREEN BUILDING FEATURES.
THE PLANNING BOARD ALSO MADE A RECOMMENDATION WITH RESPECT TO THE STEEP SLOPE REGULATIONS IN 2 85, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF DID INCORPORATE IT AS PART OF THE 2 85 ZONING AMENDMENT INITIATIVE.
I NOTE THAT THE BOARD'S TRAFFIC CONSULTANT, MR. JOHN CANNING OF KIMLEY HORN IS HERE THIS EVENING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD OF THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE.
AND AT THIS POINT I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO, UH, LEE LEFKOWITZ AND WHO WILL BEGIN THE PRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
GOOD EVENING, MR. SUPERVISOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M LEE LEFKOWITZ FROM Z AND STEINZ ATTORNEYS ON BEHALF OF BETHEL, WHO'S, UH, PURSUING A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT AND APPLICATIONS FOR A SPECIAL PERMANENT SITE PLAN, UH, RELATIVE TO EXPANSION OF ITS CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AT 55 GRASSLANDS ROAD, KNOWN AS THE KNOWLES.
UH, DAVID COOPER, MY PARTNER AT THE FIRM COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT DUE TO A FAMILY COMMITMENT.
I'M JOINED BY PAT MCDO, OUR ARCHITECT, COLETTE DELAURO, OUR ENGINEER
[00:50:01]
JAY MICHAEL OR FIJI, OUR PROJECT MANAGER, VINCENT PONE, AN ASSOCIATE IN MY OFFICE.AND BETHELS, CEO, ANDAS STASIO MARKIS.
UM, YOUR BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROJECT, UH, BUT, AND GARRETT DID A LITTLE BIT OF IT, BUT I JUST WANNA GIVE A LITTLE OVERVIEW JUST TO ORIENT THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE BOARD AS TO THE PROJECT WHEN WE PUT IN OUR APPLICATION BACK IN APRIL OF 2025 AND HOW IT'S EVOLVED SINCE THEN.
THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT ADDING 74 INDEPENDENT LIVING UNITS TO BETHEL'S EXISTING CCRC CAMPUS.
UM, YOU CAN, IS THERE A WAY THERE THAT WE CAN TURN? OH, THERE WE GO.
UM, SO THIS IS A CAMPUS, YOU CAN SEE IT FROM ABOVE.
UM, SO THE CAMPUS AS IT EXISTS TODAY IS THERE IN THE MIDDLE.
UM, THE NEAREST RESIDENTIAL AREA, YOU CAN SEE TO THE NORTHEAST HERE, THAT'S STEVENS LANE.
SO THERE'S SOME RESIDENTIAL HOMES THERE BETWEEN THEM YOU'LL SEE A LANDSCAPED AREA.
UM, I'LL DESCRIBE IT LATER, BUT WHEN WE WERE BEFORE YOUR CONSERVATION BOARD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE AGREED TO WITH THEM WAS THAT THERE'LL BE A 14 ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT PLACED IN THAT AREA ON THE EAST SIDE HERE.
UM, THE EXPANSION THAT I'M ABOUT TO DESCRIBE, WE'LL GO INTO THE SITE PLAN SHOWS AN ADDITIONAL BUILDING JUST TO THE NORTH OF WHERE, UM, THE EXISTING BUILDING IS.
UH, SO THIS APPLICATION PER THE TOWN'S DIRECTION IS TO, UH, FIRST TO REZONE THE SITE FROM PUD TO R 30.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY DUE TO A LONGSTANDING MAP ERROR FOR THIS LOCATION.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT OUR AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION AND OUR SPECIAL PERMIT.
THE PLANNING BOARD'S GOING TO HAVE APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR TREE REMOVAL AND STEEP SLOPES.
THE ZBA WILL CONSIDER WHAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL BE SEVERAL VARIANCES FOR THIS APPLICATION.
AND AS GAR INDICATED, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD, WHICH HAS ISSUED SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ZONING, ON THE SITE PLAN, ON THE SPECIAL PERMIT, AND ON THE VARIANCES.
UM, THE INITIAL PLAN, AND YOU CAN SEE IT HERE, THE INITIAL PLAN IS THE RED OUTLINE.
THE BLACK IS, UM, WHERE WE'RE OUR REVISED PLAN THAT WE'RE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
AND I WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT EVOLUTION.
SO THE INITIAL BUILDING WAS SET BACK 66 FEET FROM THE NEAREST NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTHEAST THERE.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD STORM WATER DRAINING ESSENTIALLY TO EXISTING STRUCTURES IN THE AREA.
WHEN WE FIRST PROPOSES, YOUR BOARD RECOMMENDED THAT WE SIT DOWN WITH THOSE NEAREST NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTHEAST.
THAT WAS IN JULY OF 2025 AND WE DID SIT DOWN WITH THEM.
WE ALSO UNDERWENT PLANNING BOARD REVIEW FOR SEVEN MONTHS.
WE HAD MEETINGS WITH THE CONSERVATION BOARD, THE HISTORIC AND LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD.
UM, AND ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS AND MONTHS OF WORK HAVE LED TO THE PLAN THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY AND ALL THE REVISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE TO IT, UM, WHICH WE THINK ADDRESS ALL THE COMMENTS, UH, ALL THOSE FOLKS HAVE MADE, AND I'M GONNA TAKE YOU THROUGH A FEW OF THEM NOW.
SO FIRST LET'S TALK ABOUT JUST, UH, THE, UH, SETBACKS.
THE NORTHERN BUILDING HAS BEEN STEPPED BACK, IT WAS 66 FEET FROM THE NEAREST NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTHEAST.
IT'S NOW 78 FEET FROM THE NEAREST NEIGHBORS.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED THE LANDSCAPE BUFFER.
WE'LL BE PLANTING 149 TREES AT PLANTED HEIGHTS OF 10 TO 16 FEET, UM, IN DIRECTLY IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE ADDITION AND THE NEAREST NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTHEAST.
WE'VE ALSO REDESIGNED, COMPLETELY REDESIGNED THE STORMWATER UM, MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
WE'VE, WE'VE RELOCATED, UM, THE BASIN, THE, THE, UH, STORMWATER BASIN 31 FEET FROM THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY LINE.
WE'VE INCREASED ITS CAPACITY SO THAT IT CAN ACCOMMODATE NOW 9.1 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD THAT IS REALLY ROBUST.
WE DID A STUDY OF ALL THE RAINFALLS OVER THE PAST YEAR.
NONE EXCEEDED 3.38 INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD.
TO ADD TO THAT, WE'VE INCREASED THE SIZE OF THE PIPES IN THIS STORM WATER SYSTEM TO ACCOMMODATE THE 100 YEAR STORM.
FOR REFERENCE, DEC REQUIRES THAT THESE PIPES BE DESIGNED FOR THE 10 YEAR STORM.
YOUR TOWN REGULATIONS REQUIRE THAT THEY BE DESIGNED FOR THE 25 YEAR STORM.
SO THE, THE 100 PER THE 100 YEAR STORM IS A REALLY ROBUST, SIGNIFICANT STORMWATER SYSTEM THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN HERE.
I WILL ADD THAT IN THE OFF CHANCE THAT SOMEHOW THERE IS MORE THAN 9.1 INCHES OF STORMWATER RAINFALL IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD.
THE TOPOGRAPHY IN THE AREA IS SUCH THAT ANY OVERFLOW FROM THAT STORMWATER BASIN WOULD FLOW DOWN TOWARD GRASSLANDS ROAD AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
UM, THESE ARE NOT MINOR PROJECT MODIFICATIONS.
THEY HAVE ADDED IN, THEY'VE INCREASED BETHEL'S, UH, PROJECT COSTS BY $650,000.
THEY HAVE REDUCED ANNUAL REVENUE BY $90,000 AND THEY'VE REDUCED ENTRANCE FEE INCOME BY $600,000.
SO THAT'S A NET OVERALL LOSS OF $1.25 MILLION TO BETHEL FROM THEIR ORIGINAL PROJECT
[00:55:01]
BUDGET.SO OVER THIS PROCESS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT BETHEL BEING RESPONSIVE TO NEIGHBOR CONCERNS TO THE TOWN CONCERNS.
THIS IS NOT AN APPLICANT THAT IS NOT BEING RESPONSIVE.
THIS IS AN APPLICANT THAT HAS TAKEN THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARDS AND THE AGENCIES THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH AND THE NEIGHBORS AND INCORPORATED THEM INTO THIS NEW PROPOSAL.
UM, SO I WANNA GO INTO, INTO EACH OF THOSE THREE ITEMS. JUST ZOOM IN ON THEM A LITTLE BIT AND THEN I PROMISE I'LL STOP AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS AND, AND YOU FROM THE PUBLIC.
UM, FIRST, WITH RESPECT TO THE SETBACKS, SO WE CAN GO TO THE GOOGLE EARTH.
SO THIS IS THE OVERHEAD OF THE SITE.
IT'S A DENSELY POPULATED SUBURBAN AREA.
UM, THIS IS THE, THE NEIGHBORS ARE IN THE R 20 DISTRICT.
THEIR SIDE YARD SETBACKS ARE 18 FEET.
SO YOU COULD SEE THE HOMES THERE ON THE NORTHEAST OF THE PROPERTY ON STEVEN'S LANE.
THE HOUSES ARE VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, AGAIN, 18 FEET, UM, SETBACKS, SIDE YARD SETBACKS BETWEEN THEM.
VERY LITTLE LANDSCAPE BUFFER, UH, BETWEEN THEM.
SO WHAT BETHEL'S PROPOSING HERE IS CERTAINLY CONSISTENT WITH THE PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.
IF ANYTHING, THEY'RE 78 FOOT SETBACK FROM THE PROPERTY LINE IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE AREA.
THEIR, THEIR NEAREST BUILDING WILL BE 190 FEET AWAY FROM THE NEAREST BUILDING.
SO IT'S MUCH FARTHER THAN ANY OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE AREA.
AND THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE, AS I SAID, LANDSCAPING BETWEEN OUR BUILDING AND, AND THE NEIGHBOR.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT LANDSCAPING A LITTLE BIT.
SO THIS WILL GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE LANDSCAPE DESIGN.
AGAIN, WE'RE ADDING 149 TREES BETWEEN THESE TWO PROPERTIES.
HERE ARE SOME RENDERINGS OF THOSE TREES THAT WILL BE PLANTING AGAIN, OUR ORIGINAL PLAN.
THOSE PLANTINGS WERE ORIGINALLY GONNA BE MUCH SMALLER.
THESE PLANTINGS ARE GONNA BE PLANTED AT 10 TO 16 FEET.
ANY LARGER THAN 16 FEET AND YOU, YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER RISK OF THOSE TREES NOT SURVIVING BECAUSE YOU'RE UPROOTING THEM AT A MORE MATURE STAGE.
10 TO 16 FEET IS THE APPROPRIATE BALANCE BETWEEN GETTING SOME IMMEDIATE SCREENING FROM THEM AND ALSO GETTING A GOOD CHANCE OF SURVIVAL.
I SHOULD ADD, WE ARE PLANTING 202 TREES.
202 TOTAL ARE GOING IN AGAIN, 149 IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
SO THIS IS AS THOUGH YOU'RE STANDING ON THE PROPERTY LINE FROM THE NEAREST NEIGHBOR LOOKING OUT TO BETHEL'S PROPERTY.
THE BOTTOM RENDERING IS OUR ORIGINAL PLAN.
UM, THE TOP RENDERING IS WITH THESE REVISIONS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE OBVIOUSLY FAR MORE PLANTINGS, MORE MATURE PLANTINGS, AND THE BUILDING IS STEPPED BACK.
AS I SAID, WE'VE MOVED THE, THE BUILDING ITSELF FURTHER BACK SO IT'S FAR LESS VISIBLE THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
UM, TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE TODAY, SO THESE ARE PHOTOS THAT WERE TAKEN.
TOP ONE IS IN MARCH AND THE BOTTOM ONE IS TODAY.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY FROM BETHEL'S PROPERTY LOOKING OUT TOWARDS THE NEAREST NEIGHBOR CURRENTLY WHAT'S THERE, BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE, THERE'S SOME LANDSCAPING THAT'S ACTUALLY MOSTLY INVASIVE, UM, VINES.
SO WE'LL BE REMOVING THESE AND WE'LL BE PUTTING IN NATIVE SPECIES MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE LANDSCAPING, BUT MOST, MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU CAN SEE THIS IS NOT PARTICULARLY WELL SCREENED.
IF YOU GO TO OUR RENDERING, THIS IS GONNA BE A, A MUCH BETTER OUTCOME FOR EVERYONE HERE BECAUSE IT'LL BE A FAR, FAR BETTER SCREENING EFFORT HERE.
UM, AND FINALLY, THE STORM WATER.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE SETBACKS, WE TALKED ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE SCREENING.
I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY ZOOM IN ON THE STORM WATER.
SO OUR ORIGINAL PLAN, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
SO THE YELLOW IS THE WATERSHED, ALL OF WHICH DRAINING TO THE NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTHEAST.
UM, THAT, THAT THOSE ARE THE EXISTING CONDITIONS RATHER, I'M SORRY.
SO ALL OF THAT AREA IS CURRENTLY DRAINING TOWARDS THEM.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAD SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT FLOODING.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
NOW IF YOU GO TO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, SO OUR NEW DRAINAGE SYSTEM, THAT'S THE ROAD AND CIRCLING THE ADDITION THERE ON THE BOTTOM DRAINING TOWARDS THE STORMWATER BASIN TO THE TOP LEFT OF THIS IMAGE THAT ABOUT HALVES MORE THAN HALVES THAT WATERSHED.
SO JUST BY VIRTUE OF INSTALLING THAT ROAD IN THE STORMWATER SYSTEM, THOSE NEIGHBORS ARE GONNA GET ABOUT HALF THE WATERSHED DRAINING ONTO THEIR PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S BEFORE YOU EVEN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHERE YOU CAN SEE ALL THAT, THOSE GREEN SPLOTCHES IN THERE.
THOSE ARE THE NEW LANDSCAPE PLANTINGS THAT WE'LL BE PUTTING IN.
SO BEFORE YOU EVEN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT THOSE TREES WILL ABSORB, THESE NEIGHBORS ARE GONNA BE FAR BETTER OFF WITH THIS NEW PLAN.
UM, SO THAT SORT OF TAKES YOU THROUGH ALL THESE CHANGES AND THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONES.
I'M HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS.
[01:00:01]
BUT I JUST WANNA CONCLUDE BY SAYING BETHEL REALLY IS ENDEAVORING HERE TO RESPOND TO TOWN COMMENTS, NEIGHBOR COMMENTS, AND CONTINUE TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.UM, AND WE THINK WE'VE REALLY ADDRESSED EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR FROM EVERYONE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU.
YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE ERIC LINLEY.
AND THIS IS FIVE MINUTES FOR ALL PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND AGAIN, CLOCKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROOM AND ONLY ON THE TOPIC AT HAND.
ERIC LINLEY, 43 LAWRENCE DRIVE.
I'M GLAD HE WENT FIRST BECAUSE WHAT YOU JUST SAID WAS, ANY WATER GOING AWAY FROM STEVENS WILL GO DOWN.
YOU HAVE YET TO CON TO CONTACT THE EDGEBROOK BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH HAS 160 APARTMENTS.
THIS IS A LONG OVERDUE CON UH, DISCUSSION REGARDING THE AREA, HILLSIDE AVENUE GRASSLANDS, LEGION DRIVE, VIRGINIA ROAD, LAWRENCE DRIVE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM WHERE WE ARE NOW.
I'M NOT HERE PRESENTING HYPOTHETICALS.
I'M HERE TO REMIND THIS BOARD OF THE CURRENT SEVERELY INADEQUATE AND COMPROMISED CONDITIONS OF THE THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM THAT, THAT ARE PRESENT TODAY.
WE'VE HAD THREE FLOODS THIS PAST YEAR.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM WAS INADEQUATE OVER THREE DECADES AGO AND IT HAS NOT BEEN IMPROVED.
ANY REDUCTION OF PERMEABLE LAND AT THIS TIME WOULD BE NEGLIGENTLY IRRESPONSIBLE IN THIS AREA WITH COMMON SENSE IN MIND.
I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT AGAINST THIS PROJECT.
I SEE THE NEED, I LOVE THE IDEA OF MORE JOBS AND YES, PROJECT PROGRESS BRINGS MORE TRAFFIC AND IT CAN BE INTELLIGENTLY CONTROLLED.
HOWEVER, GIVEN THE CURRENT STORM DRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE AREA OF GREENBURG AND THE DISASTROUS IMPACT IT WILL HAVE, WE SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE GIVEN THESE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE, THIS WHOLE PROJECT SHOULD BE A NON-STARTER.
THE CURRENT STORM DRAIN SYSTEM IS WORSE THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
IT DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE THE CURRENT RUNOFF FROM THE HEAVY RAINFALL.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE A HUNDRED YEAR STORM, THE 25 YEAR STORM OR A HURRICANE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT SIM SIMPLY HEAVY RAIN WEATHER.
IF THE WORDS CLIMATE CHANGE HAVE ANY LEGITIMATE MEANING TO YOU, THEN YOU MUST AGREE THAT WEATHER WILL HAPPEN.
THIS PROJECT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
IF THOSE WORDS HAVE ANY LEGITIMATE MEANING.
SO I, UH, NOW EVERY TIME THERE IS ANY SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL, THE STORM DRAINS GO WELL BEYOND THEIR COMPROMISED CAPACITY WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO RELOCATE BOULDERS, A BOULDER'S A ROCK WITH A DIAMETER GREATER 10 10 INCHES.
AND I HAVE PICTURES OF THEM THROWN ABOUT VIRGINIA ROAD LIKE M AND MSS.
MANHOLE COVERS ARE DISPLACED BY THE FORCE, HAVE BEEN DISPLACED BY THE FORCE OF THE WATER COMING OUTTA THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM FOR DECADES.
ANY SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL NOW IS RESULTING IN FLOODING AND IT RESULTS IN DAMAGES.
TOMORROW THURSDAY, THE RESIDENTS IN EDGEWOOD COOPERATIVE UNDER YOUR CARE, YOUR, YOUR REPRESENTATION ARE ALREADY PREPARING FOR FLOODING.
THE DAY AFTER I MOVED IN DECADES AGO, I BORE WITNESS TO AN THE INADEQUACIES OF THE CURRENT DRAIN SYSTEM.
AND IT HAS ONLY BECOME WORSE WITH THE STATE'S EFFORTS TO REMEDIATE THOSE INADEQUACIES ALONG GRASSLANDS.
ANYTHING INVOLVING THE ALBANY LEADERSHIP, THEY'VE MADE IT WORSE.
THE STATE SEVERELY COMPLICATED MATTERS BY PUTTING MASSIVE ROCKS IN THE COVERT ALONG HILLSIDE AVENUE GRASSLANDS FROM LEGION DRIVE TO VIRGINIA ROAD AND WITH THE IDEA OF A RUNOFF POOL AND VIRGINIA ROAD AT, AT LAWRENCE DRIVE.
THAT POOL IS ALSO FILLED WITH LARGE ROCKS AND IS CURRENTLY A MOSQUITO FARM AT BEST, RANDY HAS DISPLACED THOSE ROCKS INTO THE STORM DRAINS, WHICH PROMPTED THIS GLORIOUS STATE OF NEW YORK TO REPLACE THE DISPLACED ROCKS WITH WELL MORE ROCKS.
THERE IS A GATE TO THE STORM DRAINS AND YES, LARGE ROCKS CAN FIT THROUGH THE GATE.
AND FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THIS TOWN'S EMPLOYEES, THAT GATE HAS BEEN FOUND OPEN IN THE PAST.
THERE ARE LEGAL BATTLES BET ALREADY INVOLVING THIS TOWN, THE COUNTY, THE SCHOOL, THE COOPERATIVES IN THE STATE WITH EVERYBODY POINTING FINGERS AND THE COST TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE RESIDENT.
DAVID, TO FIGHT THE TOWN GOLIATH HAS BEEN INSURMOUNTABLE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE SEEN THE PICTURES OF THE ROCKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE STORM DRAINS RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW LEGAL HAS, NO ONE WANTS TO STEP UP AND SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND NO ONE IS TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY.
IT MAKES IT A NON-STARTER AND I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU SAID THE WATER WILL FLOW DOWN GRASS LINES IF IT DOESN'T GO TO STEVENS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE GOING RIGHT INTO MY PLACE.
CAN WE PLEASE ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE, SORRY, I APOLOGIZE.
GREENWOOD WATER DEPARTMENT IS INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE MULTIPLE INADEQUACIES OF THE SYSTEM AND THE, AND THE BOULDERS THAT ARE IN CURRENTLY IN THE DRAINS.
THERE HAVE BEEN PILES OF ROCKS PULLED OUT ONLY TO BE REPLACED BY MORE IN THE REAR VIRGINIA WORLD SCHOOL.
THE PROPERTY IS NOW ELEVATED TO THE POINT THAT HAS CAUSED THE WATER TO, UH, POOL AND BACKFLOW OF IL WITH THE BACKFLOW OF IL DIRT DEBRIS AND IS SETTLED BACK INTO THE PIPES.
THIS BACKFLOW HAS REDUCED THE ALREADY COMPROMISED AND INSUFFICIENT SYSTEM TO ABOUT 35% AT SOME POINT IN THE EARLY OR, OR 40%, I'M NOT SURE WHICH THE NUMBER IS.
AT SOME POINT IN THE EARLY SPRING OF LAST YEAR IN THE AREA OF THE NOZZ
[01:05:01]
ALTERATIONS WERE MADE THAT CAUSED A NATURAL RUNOFF OF THE STORM WATER ON THAT HILL AND HILLSIDE OF A HILLSIDE IN LAWRENCE DRIVE THE SHIFT AND IT RESULTED IN A LANDSIDE THAT WE ARE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH.WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE WAS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED.
THOSE RESPONSIBLE ARE FORTUNATE THAT IT WAS NOT A NATIONAL NEWS STORY.
ACCOUNTABILITY WAS COMPLETELY ABSENT.
THERE'S A TRACK RECORD, RECORD ALREADY, NON-STARTER.
I HAVE HEARD THE WORDS LIKE EQUITY AND INCLUSION FROM THIS BOARD RIGHTFULLY AND CORRECTLY USED.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE COMMUNITIES DOWNSTREAM OF GREENBURG, DOWNSTREAM OF STEVENS THERE DOWNSTREAM OF GREENBURG WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY, UH, BY, BY THIS DECISION THAT ARE NOT EQUITABLY AND NOT EQUITABLY AND BEING INCLUDED IN THIS CONVERSATION, WHICH COMMON SENSE DISC.
THIS DICTATES THIS TO BE A NON-STARTER.
WE'VE ALREADY, WE ALREADY HAVE A SEVERE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HERBERT ROSE.
HERBERT ROSE, A RESIDENT OF THE KNOLLS FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
I AM FULLY IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITION OF 70 PLUS UNITS TO THE KNOLLS.
MANY CONSIDER THE KNOLLS TO BE A NURSING HOME.
IT IS IN PART, THERE ARE ABOUT 30 UNITS IN THE NURSING FACILITY AND 120 UNITS IN THE INDEPENDENT LIVING AREAS.
THESE 120 UNITS, HOUSE 140 INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE SHOP, DONATE AND VOTE IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
MY SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT IS BASED ON THE FINANCIAL ADVANTAGES OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE TO OFFSET INCREASES IN THE COST OF THE UTILITIES, SERVICES AND FOOD CLEARLY INDICATES AN ADVANTAGE OF AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF LIVING UNITS.
THEIR PROPOSED INCREASE WILL GIVE THE KNOWLES CLOSE TO 200 INDEPENDENT LIVING UNITS.
IN ADDITION, THE BUILDING OF MORE UNITS WILL PROVIDE FUNDING TO UPGRADE MANY PARTS OF THE CURRENT KNOWS FACILITY.
THIS WILL BENEFIT ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS.
IT IS PART OF THE KNOWLES CULTURE TO WELCOME AND SUPPORT NEW RESIDENTS SO THAT THEY DO NOT FEEL LEFT OUT.
THIS PROCESS IS FOLLOWED IN ILLNESS AS WELL AS IN HEALTH.
WHEN A RESIDENT IS ILL OR HOSPITALIZED, WE STAY IN CONTACT.
WE VISIT IF ADVISABLE AND MAINTAIN CONTACT WHEN THEY RETURN TO THE U TO THE FACILITY.
IF THEY GO TO OUR REHABILITATION UNIT, WE CAN CONTINUE CONTACT.
SOCIALIZATION IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN ATTRACTING NEW RESIDENTS.
EXPANSION HELPS LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY.
IN CONCLUSION, I HOPE THIS INFORMATION WILL BE HELPFUL TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHO WE ARE AT THE KNOWLES AND THE ADVANTAGES OF THE EXPANSION.
THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS AGING WITH DIGNITY AND INDEPENDENCE.
OUR THIRD SPEAKER WILL BE NANCY AXON.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND FELLOW GREENBERG RESIDENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD THIS EVENING A LETTER THAT WAS SUBMITTED PREVIOUSLY TO YOU.
I AM CURRENTLY A GREENBERG RESIDENT LIVING WITH RENEWAL IN VAL HOWA.
I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE YEARS AND BEING JUST 78 YEARS OLD IN VERY GOOD HEALTH, I LOOK FORWARD TO RESIDING HERE FOR MANY MORE YEARS.
I AM WRITING THIS LETTER BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE PROPOSED EXPANSION BE APPROVED.
THE NORMAL STAFF IS CARING PROFESSIONAL AND BOTH THE STAFF AND THE RESIDENTS FEEL LIKE FAMILY MANAGEMENT WANTS TO PROVIDE THE VERY BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS.
BUT WE ARE A SMALL COMMUNITY WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SECURE KEY SERVICES THAT WE NEED.
FOR EXAMPLE, MANY PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS A NURSE PRACTITIONER, CANNOT JUSTIFY HIS OR HER BEING FULL-TIME AT THE NURSE BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH RESIDENTS TO MAKE IT FINANCIALLY VIABLE FOR THEM.
THIS MAKES IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH THE OTHER FACILITIES IN THE AREA.
THE PROPOSED EXPANSION WILL ENHANCE OUR FACILITY WITH AN AUDITORIUM AND DINING FACILITIES TO BE EQUIPPED
[01:10:01]
WITH UPTODATE VISUAL AND ACOUSTIC TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS VITAL FOR OUR POPULATION.WITH THE EXPANSION, ADDITIONAL VOTING RESIDENTS WILL ALSO COME TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, AND THIS EXPANSION WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL WORKERS TO BUILD THE FACILITY AND MANY MORE EMPLOYEES FOR STAFFING.
THEREFORE, THIS EXPANSION IS CLEARLY A WIN-WIN BOTH FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBERG AS WELL AS THE MILLS.
IF THE NARROWS FAILS TO THRIVE IN THE QUICKLY GROWING COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY, THE TOWN OF GREENBERG WILL ALSO LOSE.
I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS EXPANSION AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE, UH, JOY WARDEN OR FAYE WARDEN.
I THINK THAT I DIDN'T PROPERLY EXECUTE THE SIGN IN SHEET.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, UH, PILOT PROOF.
SO THAT WOULD BE DURING THE NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT.
THERE'S NO PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT MATTER, SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIVE MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT ROUND, WHICH WILL COME AFTER ALL THE HEARINGS.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL CALL YOU UP AT THE RIGHT TIME.
IS THERE A PUBLIC HERE IN CAROLINA FOR BEST? OH, I APOLOGIZE.
YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT THAT THAT'LL BE COMING UP.
SO OUR NEXT ONE WOULD BE VIRGINIA CURRY.
I WAS THINKING HOW MANY SPEAKERS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THIS HEARING? JUST ASKING.
UH, 10 IN PERSON AND FOUR ON ZOOM.
GOOD EVENING SUPERVISOR, FINER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM PRESIDENT OF THE RESIDENCE COUNCIL AT THE KNOWLES.
WE'RE REACHING OUT TO YOU TO EXPLAIN HOW A CONTINUING CARE RE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY ENHANCES NOT ONLY THE LIVES OF THE SENIORS WHO LIVE THERE, BUT THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AS WELL.
WE ARE NOT JUST RESIDENTS OF THE KNOWLES.
WE ARE SOME 140 INDEPENDENT AND ACTIVE VOTING CITIZENS OF GREENBURG AND WESTCHESTER WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE IN A FULL SERVICE COMMUNITY.
WE CAME HERE BECAUSE THE CHORES AND EXPENSES OF HOUSES BECAME A BURDEN AND WE WANTED TO BE RELEASED FROM THOSE WORRIES.
MANY OF US DID NOT WANT TO BECOME ISOLATED IN OUR OWN HOMES, ESPECIALLY AS OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS LEFT.
OUR MOVE WAS FORWARD TO NEW ADVENTURES AND NEW FRIENDS.
WE CONTINUALLY CONGRATULATE OURSELVES FOR BEING SO SMART AS TO MOVE TO THE KNOLLS.
WE DO NOT HAVE HOME MAINTENANCE.
WE ENJOY MUSIC AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN WESTCHESTER.
IN MANY RESPECTS, OUR FREE TIME HAS ENABLED US TO EXPLORE TALENTS.
WE ARE LONG, THAT WE'RE LONG SET ASIDE FOR WORK.
OUR NEW FRIENDS ARE OUR FAMILY.
ONE OF THE REASONS MANY OF US CAME TO THE KNOLLS IS BECAUSE IT IS LOCATED IN GREENBURG.
A NUMBER OF CURRENT RESIDENTS MOVED HERE FROM WHITE PLAINS AND COMMUNITIES WITHIN GREENBURG ITSELF.
THAT MEANS WE CAN KEEP OUR CURRENT MEDICAL PROVIDERS EAT IN OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS AND SHOP IN FAMILIAR STORES.
OTHER RESIDENTS MOVE TO THE KNOWS TO BE NEAR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO LIVE NEARBY.
WE ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENTS AND SUPPORT LOCAL CHARITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS, RESIDENTS OF THE K KNOWLES HAVE DONATED 52,000 POUNDS OF APPLE AND ORANGE JUICE TO FEEDING WESTCHESTER.
WHEN YOU APPROVE THE KNOLLS PLANNED EXPANSION, OTHERS IN THE GREENBURG AREA WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE LIFE THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ROBERT STICKNEY.
UM, SO I HAVE HELEN, UH, FLAHERTY.
UM, LET ME START OFF BY, UH, INTRODUCING MYSELF AND GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE FIVE MINUTES.
MY NAME IS HELEN FLAHERTY AND MY HUSBAND AND I JAMES FLAHERTY RESIDE AT SEVEN STEVENS LANE, WHERE I'VE BEEN A HOMEOWNER IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG IN THIS PROPERTY FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
MY PROPERTY DIRECTLY BORDERS THE KNOLLS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO VOICE MY DISAPPOINTMENT AND CONCERNS
[01:15:02]
IN REGARDS TO THE PROPOSED 75 UNIT EXPANSION.MY LETTER TO YOU LAST AUGUST DETAILED, A HISTORY OF NO NEGLECT BY THE KNOLLS AND THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THAT HAS BEEN A HALLMARK OF THE KNOLLS.
WE HAVE DEALT WITH DANGEROUS TREES FALLING ON US ABANDONED PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN LEFT UNATTENDED FOR YEARS.
BUT TONIGHT I'M GONNA JUST FOCUS ON THREE CRITICAL ISSUES.
FIRST IS THE TRAFFIC ON GRASSLANDS ROAD.
MY ORIGINAL CONCERN WAS THE IMPACT OF THE 75 ADDITIONAL UNITS, BUT THAT HAS NOW BEEN MAGNIFIED RECENTLY, THE TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT APPROVED 170 BED BRIGHTVIEW SENIOR FACILITY.
WE ARE ALSO AWARE OF MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PLANNED FOR BLY DALE'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, ALL WITHIN A HALF A MILE OF STEVENS LANE, ALL OF IT IN ONE PLACE.
GRASSLANDS ROAD IS ALREADY A DAILY BOTTLENECK.
IT IS NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE CURRENT VOLUME, LET ALONE THREE MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO APPROVE THIS EXPANSION WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE IMMEDIATE NEED OF THE TRAFFIC CONCERNS ON GRASSLANDS ROAD IS JUST IT, IT'S, IT'S NEGLIGENT IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS ALTOGETHER.
WE, AS THE RESIDENTS ON STEVENS OR A LONG GRASSLANDS ROAD, ARE GONNA BE AFFECTED BY ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, ALSO KEEP IN MIND WE ALSO HAVE INCREASED TRAFFIC FROM WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BOCES AND THE CEMETERIES.
WE EVEN HAVE STUDENTS NOW PARKING IN FRONT OF THE ABANDONED PROPERTY OR HOUSE THAT THE KNOLLS OWNS.
THE UM, THE SECOND PERSISTENT DANGEROUS NEGLECT IS THE EXISTING PROPERTY.
THE MOST GLARING EXAMPLE IS THAT ABANDONED, SORE EYED HOUSE ON THE CORNER OF STEVENS AND GRASSLANDS, WHICH IS OWNED BY THE KNOLLS.
IT HAS BEEN LEFT TO ROT FOR YEARS.
OVER THE LAST YEAR WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS HOUSE.
TODAY IT LOOKS WORSE THAN IT DID IN AUGUST, SO NOTHING IS BEING DONE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE KNOLLS PUT UP CAMERAS BECAUSE LAST WINTER THERE WERE SQUATTERS MAKING THEIR HOME THERE IN A BUILDING OR A HOUSE WHERE OUR CHILDREN WALK DOWN THE STREET AND WAIT FOR A SCHOOL BUS.
JUST LAST THURSDAY, THERE WERE TWO MORE SITTING ON THE FRONT PORCH.
I DON'T EVEN BELIEVE THEY WORK.
THEY'RE JUST THERE FOR SHOW AND JUST LIKE THE WHOLE THING MAKES NO SENSE TO ME WHATSOEVER.
UM, THE MISMANAGEMENT OF THE PROPERTY AND THE WAY THE NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN TREATED IS, IS AWFUL.
AND TO EXPECT US TO AGREE AS VOTERS, AS TAXPAYERS IS, IS UNBELIEVABLE.
THE FINAL THING I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT THIS PROPOSAL WILL BRING YEARS OF NOISE, ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TREES, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING REPLACED, BUT YOU AND I BOTH KNOW I'LL BE PUSHING UP DAISIES BY THE TIME THEY'RE FULL GROWN.
THAT, THAT MAKES COMMON SENSE.
AND THE LAST COUPLE OF THINGS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT I AM NOT AGAINST A DEVELOPMENT.
I AM NOT AGAINST SENIOR CENTERS.
HELL, I'LL PROBABLY BE ASKING TO LIVE IN ONE SOON, BUT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORS AND HOW WE'VE BEEN TREATED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS TWO GROWN ADULTS, FORTUNATELY OR NOT, YOU KNOW, OR NOT, WHO ARE, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ALL WORK AT NIGHT WHILE WE'RE ALL IN OUR HOMES SAFE AND SLEEPING AND TIGHTLY THEY'RE OUT PROTECTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
GUESS WHEN THEY SLEEP DURING THE DAY WHEN THIS CONSTRUCTION WILL GO ON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE HECTOR UJI.
MY NAME IS HEC DE YUJI AND MY WIFE AND I LEAVE AT THREE STEVENS LANE, AS YOU KNOW, UH, DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE KNOW'S PROPERTY.
TONIGHT, SINCE I ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES, I WANT TO FOCUS ON TRAFFIC.
SPECIFICALLY THREE ISSUES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY ANALYZED OR THAT HAVE BEEN ANALYZED INCORRECTLY.
[01:20:01]
AS THE APPLICANT'S INCLUSION OF TRAFFIC DATA FROM 20 AND 21 IN THEIR STUDIES TWO YEARS WHERE THERE WAS HARDLY ANY TRAFFIC 'CAUSE OF COVID.SO FIRST LET'S MENTION BRIGHTVIEW GRASSLANDS, WHICH HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP A COUPLE TIMES.
THIS ISSUE CAME UP, UH, IN THE WRITTEN RESPONSES BETWEEN US AND THE APPLICANT.
WHEN WE ASKED WHETHER BRIGHTVIEW, UH, BRIGHT VIEW'S TRAFFIC WAS INCLUDED.
THE APPLICANT STATED, AND I QUOTE, THE TRAFFIC FROM BRIGHTVIEW IS FACTORED IN AS TRIP GENERATION WAS CALCULATED FOLLOWING BRIGHT VIEW'S OPENING THAT STATEMENT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED.
BRIGHTVIEW GRASSLANDS IS NOT OPEN.
CONSTRUCTION HAS NOT EVEN STARTED.
MY WIFE AND I REVIEWED THE SEPTEMBER 12TH TRAFFIC MEMO, WHICH I IS PART OF WHAT I JUST GAVE YOU FROM THE APPLICANT'S ENGINEER.
I JUST HANDED OUT A COUPLE COPIES AND REMIND YOU TO HIGHLIGHT THE ISSUE.
THE SEPTEMBER 12TH MEMO DOES NOT ANALYZE BRIGHTVIEW TRAFFIC AS STATED, THE SEPTEMBER 12TH MEMO JUST UPDATES THEIR TRAFFIC CALCULATION BECAUSE THEIR ORIGINAL MARCH 28TH TRAFFIC STUDY MISTAKENLY USED 55 UNITS WHEN THE APPLICATION WAS ACTUALLY FOR 74 UNITS.
I SUBMITTED A COPY OF BOTH THE 28TH AND THE SEPTEMBER 12TH, SO YOU COULD JUST TAKE A LOOK AND SEE.
I HIGHLIGHTED THE DIFFERENCES.
GIVEN THE OVERLAP IN COUNCIL BETWEEN BRIGHTVIEW GRASSLANDS AND THE KNOWS, THIS SHOULD BE EASY TO CLARIFY.
ZION STEINZ REPRESENTS BOTH DEVELOPMENTS.
WE ASKED THE TA WE ASK THAT BEFORE THE TOWN RELIES ON THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
IT NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT BRIGHTVIEW TRAFFIC IS ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE STUDY.
SECOND, LET'S LOOK AT LEGION DRIVING GRASSLANDS ROAD.
ANYONE, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE SPOKE WHO LIVES NEAR THIS PROJECT KNOWS THAT LEGION DRIVING GRASSLANDS ROAD IS ALREADY A TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE.
MAKING A TURN FROM ONE TO THE OTHER IS, IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.
YET AGAIN, THE APPLICANT'S TRAFFIC STUDY DOES NOT ADDRESS THIS NEARBY INTERSECTION AT ALL.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY PLANNING SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT THIS INTERSECTION BE ANALYZED AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
I SUBMITTED A COPY OF THE LETTER AS A REMINDER HIGHLIGHTED THE CLEAR REQUEST BY THE COUNTY.
ON PAGE THREE, I HIGHLIGHTED IN PAGE THIS REQUEST BY THE COUNTY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL THE NEIGHBORS, BUT IT SEEMS THAT IT WAS IGNORED OR MISSED.
THE APPLICANT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ANALYZE THE REAL WORLD TRAFFIC IMPACT AT LEGION DRIVE AND GRASSLANDS ROAD, THE INTERSECTION OF THE TWO TO COMPLY WITH THE COUNTY.
THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY'S CLEAR CONCERNS.
AGAIN, PAGE THREE OF THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY'S LETTER.
THIRD, THE PROPOSED CIRCULATION ROAD BEHIND MY OUR HOME.
AS SHOWN ON THEIR DRAWINGS, THIS IS NOT A SMALL DRIVEWAY, IT IS A CIRCULATION LOOP ROAD.
PROPOSED TO BE RUNNING BEHIND OUR HOUSE, ELEVATED AND APPROXIMATELY ELEVATED ON TOP OF AN APPROXIMATELY EIGHT FOOT RETAINING WALL, UH, TALLER AND ANA ABOUT 25 FEET FROM OUR PROPERTY LINE.
EARLY IN THIS PROCESS, WE WERE REPEATEDLY ASSURED THIS ROAD WOULD BE MINIMALLY TRAVELED.
THE IMPLICATION WAS THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A SENIOR COMMUNITY, THERE WOULD NOT BE MUCH ACTIVITY, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
BUT IT WAS NOT MADE CLEAR THAT THIS ROAD WOULD SERVE THE ENTIRE KNOWLES COMPLEX, NOT JUST THE NEW APARTMENTS.
THE QUESTION IS NOT AS PART OF THE APPLICANT'S REBUTTALS, WHETHER OLDER RESIDENTS DRIVE AT NIGHT.
THE QUESTION IS, TOTAL VEHICLE USE FOR THIS ROAD, INCLUDING RESIDENTS, STAFF AIDE, VISITORS, DELIVERIES, SERVICE VEHICLES, AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES, AS SHOWN BY THE APPLICANT'S OWN TRAFFIC STUDY.
THE KNOWLES HAS APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 250 VEHICLE ENTRIES AND EXITS BETWEEN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AT 8:00 PM AND 8:00 PM 8:00 AM EVERY NIGHT AS SHOWN IN THEIR SUBMITTED TRAFFIC STUDY BEFORE ADDING THE 74 NEW APARTMENTS.
AND THAT THE CIRCULATION ROAD BY OUR HOUSE WOULD BE THE FIRST ENTRANCE A DRIVER COMES TO WHEN ENTERING THE SITE.
EVEN SAY IF 25% OR SO OF THOSE VEHICLES USE THAT ENTRANCE AND YOU ACCOUNT FOR THE 74 NEW APARTMENTS, WE ARE EASILY TALKING ABOUT 75 TO A HUNDRED ADDITIONAL NIGHTTIME VEHICLES BEHIND OUR HOME.
THIS IS ALSO NOT JUST ABOUT VOLUME.
THIS ROAD INCLUDES SHARP CURVES AND INCLINE VEHICLES WILL BE TURNING AND ACCELERATING AT THE SAME TIME AND CLIMBING NEAR A HOME.
MANY WILL NOT BE STANDARD PASSENGER CARS.
NO ONE HAS ANALYZED THE PROPERTY LINE NOISE FROM THE ROAD OR THE HEADLIGHT SWEEP FROM THE VEHICLES ROUNDING THE CURB BASED LIKELY ON THE MIX.
THE CURB, THE INCLINE, THE SHORT DISTANCE FROM OUR PROPERTY LINE AS REQUESTED BY THE VARIANCE REPEATED NIGHTTIME EXCEEDANCES OF THE TOWN RESIDENTIAL NOISE THRESHOLD ARE FORESEEABLE.
THIS SHOULD ALSO BE A CONCERN FOR THE TOWN AND FOR THE KNOWLES'S OWN RESIDENCE.
BEFORE THIS PROJECT MOVES FORWARD, THE TOWN SHOULD REQUIRE A CORRECTED TRAFFIC ANALYSIS THAT INCLUDES BRIGHTVIEW LEGION DRIVE, GRASSLANDS ROAD, AND SPECIFICALLY ANANA ANALYZE THE CIRCULATION.
OUR OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE FOR RECORD IRISH SCHLINK
[01:25:01]
SLINGER SLINGER.CAN YOU PLEASE SPELL YOUR NAME WHEN YOU GO TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE? FREDDY STENOGRAPHER.
I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROPOSED PROPERTY PART OF LONG HILLSIDE AVENUE.
IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN TWO MAJOR TREES THAT FELL DOWN ON THE ROAD.
THE TOWN OF GREENBURG PAID TO HAVE THEM REMOVED BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE FOREVER FOR THE STATE TO DO IT.
BUT THESE ARE TREES THAT BELONG TO BETHEL.
THERE WAS ALSO A MAJOR LANDSLIDE OR AVALANCHE THAT CLOSED OFF HILLSIDE AVENUE.
IT TOOK MONTHS TO GET ANYTHING DONE AND THEY ONLY TOOK CARE OF MINOR PORTION OF IT.
EVERY TIME I DRIVE DOWN THAT ROAD, I HOLD MY BREATH IF IT'S RAINING, 'CAUSE I'M CONVINCED THERE'S GONNA BE A TREE THAT COMES DOWN AND GOES THROUGH SOMEBODY'S CAR.
IT ALSO TAKES A GOOD HALF AN HOUR WHEN CLASSES AT WCC ARE GETTING OUT TO GO FROM LEGION TO BRADHURST WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC.
WE CAN'T HEAR MORE TRAFFIC THERE.
IT'S JUST NOT FAIR TO ANYBODY, LET ALONE AMBULANCES THAT HAVE TO TRAVEL BY THERE TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL.
SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO A COM UH, SENIOR CITIZENS PLACE.
UH, BUT GIVEN THAT THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY NOW, OKAY, AND THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIVE TO FIX THINGS THAT HAVE NEEDED FIXING FOR YEARS, HOW CAN WE LET THEM BUILD MORE WITHOUT TAKING CARE OF WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY NOT TAKING CARE OF? THAT'S IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE HAL SAM BASED ON SOMETHING I HEARD DURING THIS HEARING, I WANT TO ASK GARRETT A QUESTION REGARDING THE HOUSE THAT'S BEEN VACANT FOR YEARS AND ABANDONED.
CAN YOU PLEASE JUST ADDRESS IT TO THE BOARD? WELL, YOU CAN RESPOND.
WELL, I'M TALKING REALLY TO THIS GENTLEMAN OVER HERE.
I I UNDERSTAND, BUT IF YOU ADDRESS IT TO THE BOARD, WE COULD HAVE HIM RESPOND.
CAN YOU NOT HEAR ME? IT WILL BE TROUBLE FOR THE PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME.
GARRETT, WHEN YOU ADDRESSED THE APPROVALS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WAS THERE EVER A QUESTION TO THE DEVELOPER ABOUT REMOVING THE ABANDONED HOUSE? BECAUSE IT SOMEHOW SEEMS SIMILAR TO A SITUATION AT ANOTHER PROPERTY WHERE THERE'S A SHED THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE REMOVED.
SO I'M WONDERING IF THIS WAS A SITUATION WHERE THE DEVELOPER WAS GOING TO REMOVE SOMETHING AND NEVER DID.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS ON ZOOM.
WE HAVE ARLENE GROWER ON ZOOM.
DID YOU SEE THERE WERE TWO EXTRA SPEAKERS AS WELL ON ZOOM? YEAH.
I THINK SAM, I THINK TERRANCE DOES IT RIGHT.
CAN I JUST READ THE NAMES OTHER I, ARLENE YOU MAY BEGIN.
UH, DEAR SUPERVISOR, FINER ARE MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD.
I'M READING FROM A LETTER I RECENTLY WROTE TO YOU.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE EXAMINING THE EXPANSION OF THE KNOLLS PROPOSAL.
BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND MY HUSBAND'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, WE'VE BEEN LIVING AT THE KNOLLS SINCE 2019.
WE FEEL THE EXPANSION WOULD BENEFIT THE GREENBERG COMMUNITY.
[01:30:01]
ENJOYED A SOCIAL LIFESTYLE AND SO LOVED OUR OLD HOUSE, WHICH WE ENTIRELY REFURBISHED.ALAS, WE SAW THE PAGES OF THE CALENDAR TURNING AND REALIZED THAT AS WE DID THAT, IN FACT, WE HAVE STAIRS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
WE HAVE NARROWED DOORWAYS AND SMALL BATHROOMS. ALSO, WE REALIZED AS WE AGED, WE DID NOT WANT TO BECOME PRISONERS IN OUR OWN HOME.
WE DISCOVERED THE NOLLS AND OFFERED EVERYTHING COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE IN-HOUSE, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, TRIPS, DINING, AND A COMMUNITY OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE.
THAT SAID, A FEW MONTHS AFTER WE MOVED IN, COVID HIT, WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS UNEXPECTED MANAGEMENT TOOK COMPLETE CARE OF US.
OUR DINNERS WERE DELIVERED TO OUR DOORS ALONG WITH THE MAIL AND PACKAGES, AND AN EMPLOYEE AGREED TO GO GROCERY SHOP FOR THE FEW ITEMS WE NEEDED THAT COULD NOT BE DELIVERED.
WE RECEIVED CONTINUAL UPDATES FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND WE RALLIED AROUND ZOOM.
EVEN THOUGH IN THE EARLY COVID DAYS WE STAYING IN OUR APARTMENTS, WE DID NOT FEEL ABANDONED NOR ALONE.
LATER WHEN THE VACCINE FIRST BECAME AVAILABLE, MANAGEMENT ARRANGED FOR ALL OF US TO BE VACCINATED HERE ON THE SAME DAY.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT WAS A PARTY ATMOSPHERE.
IN SHORT, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES.
WE'RE ACTIVE AND WE LOVE TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERVISOR, ER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE GREENBERG COMMUNITY.
OUR SECOND SPEAKER ON ZOOM WILL BE SHERRY UJI.
HOW FAST YOU COULD UNMUTE YOURSELF.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU INTENDED TO HAVE THE CAMERA ON, BUT WE CAN'T SEE.
I DO INTEND TO HAVE, OH, THEN WE DONE.
SHERRY YUJI THREE STEVENS LANE.
I RECEIVED THE PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE MAIL ABOUT TONIGHT'S HEARING AND I DID SOMETHING CRAZY.
I READ IT AND WHEN I DID, I WAS STUNNED BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC NOTICE, THIS PROJECT INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 41,240 SQUARE FOOT EDITION ONTO THE KNOLLS BUILDINGS.
BUT THE PROJECT THAT IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT PER THE SITE PLAN APPLICATION, IS A 149,447 SQUARE FOOT EDITION, ALMOST FOUR TIMES THE SIZE.
SO HOW ON EARTH DID THIS HAPPEN? THIS INCORRECT DESCRIPTION DID NOT BEGIN WITH THE TOWN.
IT DID NOT BEGIN WITH THE PUBLIC NOTICE.
IT BEGAN WITH THE APPLICANT'S COUNSEL'S INITIAL PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS, FORMALLY WRITTEN LETTERS TO THE TOWN BOARD ON APRIL 16TH AND MAY 13TH, 2025, AND IN THE JULY 19TH OFFICIAL INTRODUCTION TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
IN ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS, THE PROJECT WAS DESCRIBED USING THAT SMALLER NUMBER.
FROM THERE, THIS ERROR SPREAD LIKE A VIRUS THROUGH THE RECORD, INCLUDING SEPARATE MATERIALS, AGENCY REFERRALS, AND EVERY SINGLE PLANNING BOARD AGENDA SUMMARY.
THERE'S AN OLD SAYING THAT IF SOMETHING IS REPEATED, OFTEN ENOUGH PEOPLE BEGIN TO ACCEPT IT AS TRUTH.
AND IN THIS CASE, THAT SMALLER NUMBER WAS REPEATED AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL IT BECAME THE OFFICIAL FRAME.
THE CORRECT NUMBER WAS BURIED.
THE WRONG NUMBER WAS THE HEADLINE, AND THAT HEADLINE WAS THEN REPEATED BACK TO THE TOWN.
IN PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS, WESTCHESTER COUNTY RESPONSES AND DEPARTMENT REPORTS A FEW TIMES.
THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION DEPARTED EVEN FURTHER FROM REALITY REFERRING TO A 41,240 SQUARE FOOT AUDITORIUM, INCLUDING THE MAY 27TH
[01:35:01]
RESOLUTION FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.BUT I MUST ADMIT SOMETHING, I HAVE STUDIED THIS PROJECT INTENSELY FOR ALMOST A YEAR, READING THOUSANDS OF PAGES AND WRITING NUMEROUS LETTERS.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHY OFFICIAL DESCRIPTIONS MATTER.
A ROUGHLY 41,000 SQUARE FOOT EDITION AND A NEARLY 150,000 SQUARE FOOT EDITION ARE NOT THE SAME PROJECT.
SO I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT HOW AND WHY THE APPLICANT WOULD'VE FRAMED THIS PROJECT SO INCORRECTLY.
I CONSIDERED WHETHER 41,240 SQUARE FEET MIGHT BE THE EXPANSION FOOTPRINT, A STRATEGIC WAY TO MAKE THE PROJECT SOUND SMALLER.
BUT THE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT SAY FOOTPRINT.
IT SAYS ADDITION AND OTHER SENIOR HOUSING SUBMISSIONS BY THE SAME FIRM DO NOT USE FOOTPRINT.
IF 41,240 SQUARE FEET WAS INTENDED TO MEAN FOOTPRINT, IT NEEDED TO SAY SO.
FAILING TO INCLUDE THAT WOULD BE MATERIALLY MISLEADING.
THEREFORE, I WILL NOT ASSUME THAT THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE.
ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT THE SMALLER FIGURE CAME FROM AN EARLIER VERSION OF THIS PROJECT AND WAS ACCIDENTALLY CARRIED FORWARD.
I HOPE THAT IS THE EXPLANATION.
MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST THAT VERSION OFF.
SO I'M TRUSTING THE BOARD WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.
AND I AM TRULY UPSET BECAUSE THIS IS THE IMPACT ON ME.
EVERY CONCERN I HAVE RAISED ABOUT PRIVACY, DENSITY, VISUAL IMPACTS AND VARIANCES HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE VARIOUS BOARDS IN THE CONTEXT OF THAT SMALLER DESCRIPTION.
AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CHOSE WHETHER TO ATTEND TONIGHT BASED ON THE PUBLIC NOTICE.
A CORRECTED PUBLIC NOTICE ALONE WILL NOT CURE A ZONING PETITION, PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS, CONSULTANT REVIEWS AND AGENCY REFERRALS FRAMED FOR OVER A YEAR STATING THE WRONG NUMBER.
FOR THAT REASON, I ASKED THIS BOARD TO SEND THIS APPLICATION BACK FOR RE-REVIEW BY THE PLANNING BOARD AND ALL IMPACTED AGENCIES BASED ON THE ACTUAL PROJECT BEFORE YOU, A 149,477 SQUARE FOOT EDITION, THE REAL PROJECT.
AND I WONDER WHAT OTHER SURPRISES THE PUBLIC WILL DISCOVER ABOUT THE KNOWLES PROJECT.
OKAY, SO OUR NEXT ZOOM SPEAKER WILL BE MADELINE OSHE.
AS CHAIRWOMAN OF THE TOWN'S HISTORIC AND LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD, THE H AND LPV HISTORIC BOARD MEMBERS DID A SITE VISIT OF 55 GRASSLANDS ROAD.
THE TOWN'S CONSULTANT, EASTERN ARCHITECTS AND NEW YORK STATE PARKS AND REC HAVE SENT IN REPORTS.
UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG HAS A PROBLEM.
ONE, I'M CERTAIN THAT OTHER TOWNS WISH THEY HAD.
THE TOWN IS BURSTING WITH AND ALSO OVERWHELMED BY ITS HISTORY FROM FREE REVOLUTIONARY WAR TIMES TO PRESENT DAY.
IF H AND LPB WANTED TO LANDMARK EVERY HOUSE, BARN, TREE, STONEWALL, THE JOB WOULD BE ENORMOUS AND NOT ALWAYS PRACTICAL OR USEFUL.
RATHER, THE HISTORIC BOARD PRIORITIZES THESE ENTITIES THAT SHOUT TO BE LANDMARKED.
THE BOARD HOPES THAT OWNERS OF OTHER HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY DESIGNATION WORTHY PROPERTIES, RESPECT THAT HISTORY.
IT ALSO PERTAINS TO THOSE LIVING IN HOUSES WHERE DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS LIVED, WHO THOSE WHO MADE CONTRIBUTIONS TO GREENBURG AND BEYOND.
THE HOUSES OF GORDON PARK AND CAMP CALLAWAY COME TO MIND.
55 GRASSLANDS ROAD IS SUCH A NOTEWORTHY PROPERTY.
BUILT AS A 19TH CENTURY GENTLEMAN'S HOUSE WITH GARDENS DESIGNATED DESIGNED BY ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
RATHER THAN DEMOLISHING THE HOUSE, INCORPORATING THE FACADE AND INTERIOR FEATURES INTO THE PLANNED BETHEL, EXPANSION
[01:40:01]
IS THE WAY TO GO.YES, THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL COST TO INCORPORATION WHICH WILL BE EARNED BACK.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING AND THE SALE OF THE MANY ARTIFACTS WILL ALSO BE COSTLY, TIME CONSUMING, AND OF NO BENEFIT TO THE TOWN.
HAVE YOU PASSED THE SITE RECENTLY? ITS CURB APPEAL IS MAGNIFICENT.
THE SITE SHOWCASES WHAT THE FRONT GARDENS MUST HAVE BEEN AND WHAT THE FACADE COULD STILL BE.
ISN'T IT BETTER FOR THOSE ENTERING THE TOWN TO SEE SOME RESTORED LANDSCAPE AND THE WARMTH OF THE HOUSE PERCHED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL? OR DOES ANYONE THINK AN INSTITUTIONAL LOOKING BUILDING PRESENTS THE SAME? PICTURE? INVITATION IS THE HIGHEST COMPLIMENT.
THE LAST EXPANSION OF THE OSBORNE IN RYE WAS TOUTED AS BRILLIANT IN THE NEWSPAPERS.
WHY? BECAUSE OSBORNE'S CONNECTIONS ADDED TO THE REAR OF THE BUILDING, HAVING THE ORIGINAL BUILD, LEAVING THE ORIGINAL BUILDING ALONE, THE ELEGANCE, A SENSE OF HISTORY, RESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY IS APPARENT.
WHY CAN'T GREENBERG DO THE SAME? PRESERVE BEAUTY AND SENSE AND A SENSE OF HISTORY.
THERE ARE CIVILIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT, DESTROYED BY NATURAL DISASTERS OR WAR.
THERE ARE ANIMALS THAT ARE EXTINCT NOW OR WILL BE 50 YEARS IN.
DOES ANYBODY WANT GREENBERG'S HISTORY? GONE? DEMOLITION IS FOREVER THE HISTORIC AND LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD.
ASK THAT YOU THE TOWN BOARD HELP PRESERVE GREENBERG'S HISTORY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ON ZOOM CALL.
ESTEEMED, UH, TOWN SUPERVISOR, ER I TOWN BOARD.
UH, MY NAME'S CARL RIO, RIOB LIKE BOY O I'M A RESIDENT OF, UH, EMONT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC AND LANDMARK PRESERVATION BOARD.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A FALSE BUYING AREA OR A FALSE CHOICE THAT I THINK WILL BE PRESENTED WITH, WHICH IS THAT IN ORDER FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD, THE HISTORIC 1870S ITALIANATE FARMHOUSE ON THE PROPERTY HAS TO BE DESTROYED.
AS MADELINE OSHA, OUR CHAIR JUST NOTED, THE OSBORNE AND I WOULD ALSO ADD OTHER PLACES SUCH AS CHAPPO CROSSINGS MANAGED TO INCORPORATE BUILDINGS THAT HAVE HISTORIC CHARACTER INTO PLACES WITH MORE MODERN NEEDS.
THIS BUILDING, WHICH SITS AT THE TOP OF A BEAUTIFUL GRASSY GNO, IS FROM THE 1870S AND REPRESENTS A VERNACULAR OF WHICH WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD.
IT'S KNOWN AS THE HUDSON BRACKETED STYLE.
THE HUDSON RIVER BRACKETED STYLE TO BE SPECIFIC, HAS TO DO WITH THE BEAUTIFUL BRACKETS, THE OVER, UH, SIZED PORTHOLES THAT WE CAN SEE ON THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
IN FACT, IT WAS SUCH A FAMOUS STYLE THAT EDITH WHARTON, THE AMERICAN AUTHOR, PANNED HER LAST NOVEL IN 19, ONE OF HER LAST NOVELS IN 1929, AND SHE CALLED IT HUDSON RIVER BRACKET.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD SEEK TO PRESERVE BECAUSE IT MARKS US AS HAVING UNIQUENESS, NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK TO ELIMINATE.
IN ONE OF ITS FIRST REPORTS TO THE GREENBERG COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION, UH, OFFICE EASTON, THE, UH, ARCH EASTON ARCHITECTS, THE CONSULTANT THAT WAS PAID FOR BY THE APPLICANT, WROTE, AND I QUOTE FROM PAGE THREE, THE BUILDING RETAINS THE CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES THAT CONVEYS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
AS A 19TH CENTURY ITALIAN AGE DWELLING, THEY GO ON TO SAY IT HAS
[01:45:01]
AN INTACT CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES.AND IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH, THE BUILDING'S PRIMARY SIGNIFICANCE IS ITS ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER AS AN ITALIAN DWELLING ASSOCIATED WITH REGIONAL A AGRICULTURAL HISTORY.
IN ANOTHER LETTER THAT EASTERN ARCHITECTS WROTE, DATED JANUARY 22ND, 2026, THEY WRITE ON THE FIRST PAGE IT, AND THEY REFER TO THIS HISTORIC BUILDING AT 55 GRAND GRASSLANDS VALHALLA.
IT REMAINS OUR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION TO REHABILITATE THE EXISTING HISTORIC BUILDING FOR REUSE WITH A PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION OR FOR RELOCATION.
THE H AND LPB VOTED UNANIMOUSLY ALSO TO PRESERVE THIS BUILDING, A BUILDING THAT IS ROUGHLY 115 YEARS OLD, A BUILDING THAT HAS A BEAUTIFUL WOODEN PORCH WITH BRACKETED CORNICES.
HENCE, UH, IT'S, UM, BEING A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HUDSON RIVER BRACKETED STYLE AND HAS BEAUTIFUL INTERIORS AS WELL WITH PLASTER CEILING MEDALLIONS, MARBLE SURROUNDS AND FIREPLACES WITH CAST IRON GRILLS, WIDE PLANT HARD HARDWOOD FLOORS, AND ELEGANT MAIN STAIRCASE WITH WOOD RAILING, BALLISTERS AND WOODHOLE, AND VERY TALL CEILINGS.
WE HAVE VISITED THE SITE AND WE'VE SEEN IT.
IF THOSE OF YOU ON THE BOARD, ON THE TOWN BOARD WHO WOULD MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THIS BUILDING HAVE NOT VISITED, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT IT.
I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE APPROACH WHEN YOU GO UP THE GRASS KNO.
THAT LANDSCAPING WAS CREATED BY ELLEN LOUISE PAYSON, BORN IN 1894, AND A PIONEER OF AMERICAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
NOT JUST THE PIONEER OF AMERICAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AS SUCH, BUT ALSO AS A WOMAN.
IT WAS RARE TO HAVE WOMEN ART LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AT THE TIME.
AND HER WORK, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL, IS PART OF OUR HERITAGE AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF IT AND WE SHOULD SEEK TO PRESERVE IT, NOT TO DESTROY IT.
OKAY, SO OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE, UH, JUDITH.
UH, I'M JUDITH BEVELL, FORMER TOWN CLERK OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, 2008 TO 2023.
I LIVE ABOUT ONLY, CAN YOU PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS? I, I WROTE ABOUT THREE MINUTES AWAY FROM THIS AREA THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
AND, UM, AND ONE OF MY DOCTORS IS UP AT, AT, AT BRADHURST.
I LIVE THREE MINUTES FROM THERE.
IT COULD TAKE UP UPWARD OF A HALF AN HOUR TO GET TO THAT BUILDING JUST DUE TO THE TRAFFIC.
AND I SHARE THIS TO, UM, CONCUR WITH SOME COMMENTS THAT MANY OF THE RESIDENTS HAVE MADE IN THAT, UH, WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA THAT IT, IT, THERE IS A ABSOLUTE NEED FOR, UH, TRAFFIC ANALYSIS STUDY BETWEEN THE TWO MUNICIPALITIES THAT BORDER THAT AREA.
AND ALSO, UM, WITH THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT, THERE WILL BE A DISTURBANCE OF THE NATURAL HABITAT IN THAT AREA.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THIS YEAR I HAVE SEEN AN AA UNPRECEDENTED PRESENCE OF SQUIRRELS AND RABBITS AND, AND, AND CHIPMUNKS AND OTHER WILDLIFE IN MY COMMUNITY, WHICH IS JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF, OF VAL MAR, WITH THE DISTURBANCE OF THE NATURAL HABITAT.
RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA MAY NEED TO, UM, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THE POSSIBLE NEED FOR HIRING EXTERMINATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT POTENTIAL ENTRANCE SPOTS IN THEIR HOMES AND THEIR CEILINGS IN THEIR, UM, JUST AROUND THEIR PROPERTY ARE SEALED BECAUSE THE AREA IS GOING TO BE DISTURBED AND THERE WILL BE A PROLIFERATION OF WILDLIFE COMING OUT AND AROUND.
AND I'M JUST SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT TO BE NEGATIVE.
IT'S BE TO BE REALISTIC AND TO, UM, UH, BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITIES OF, OF WHAT WILL, UM, UH, OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THE DISTURBANCE OF
[01:50:01]
THIS NATURAL HABITAT AS A, AS WELL AS THE TRAFFIC INCREASE IN, IN THE AREA.UH, SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS.
NEXT ONE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, MR. SUPERVISOR, YOU COULD JUST RESPOND TO A FEW OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED.
UM, SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ITEMS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEALT WITH AND WILL BE IN THE MEMO THAT WE'VE PRESENTED TO YOU, AS WELL AS OUR UPDATED SITE PLANS.
I'M NOT GONNA HIT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WAS SPOKEN ABOUT TODAY.
ONE IS THE ABANDONED HOUSE THAT WAS DISCUSSED ON THE PROPERTY AND ITS DEMOLITION BETHEL HAS
IT'S BEEN BOARDED UP, THERE'S SECURITY THAT'S GOING OUT AND CHECKING IT REPEATEDLY.
IN ADDITION, OUR SITE PLAN DENOTES THAT UPON APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT, THAT STRUCTURE WOULD BE DEMOLISHED.
SO YOU HAVE THAT ASSURANCE THAT IF THIS PROJECT WERE APPROVED, THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
IT'S EVEN IN THE BUILDING INSPECTOR'S MEMO, THERE'S THE BUILDING INSPECTOR HAS REVIEWED THIS PROJECT MULTIPLE TIMES.
IT ISSUED FIVE DIFFERENT MEMOS.
SO HE HAS ALSO INDICATED IN HIS MEMO THAT UPON APPROVAL THAT STRUCTURE WILL BE DEMOLISHED.
UM, THE ADEQUACY OF THE NOTICE OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING WAS BROUGHT UP.
I JUST WANNA TOUCH ON THAT, BOTH AS A MATTER OF LAW AND AS A MATTER OF FACT.
SO THE 41,000 SQUARE FOOT, UM, INDICATOR, THAT IS THE FOOTPRINT OF THE ADDITION.
NO ONE'S TRYING TO HIDE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
IF YOU WERE TO CALCULATE EACH FLOOR, EVERY ONE OF OUR SITE PLAN DRAWINGS HAS THAT NUMBER ON IT.
UM, SO FOR PURPOSES OF NOTICE, IT IS LEGALLY PROPER.
THERE'S TREMENDOUS BODY OF CASE LAW, WHICH SAYS THAT A NOTICE YOU ONLY GENERALLY DESCRIBE A PROJECT DOES NOT NEED TO BE SPECIFIC.
AND EVEN ERRORS IN, IN A NOTICE ARE ACCEPTABLE AS LONG AS THE PROJECT IS DEFINED.
UM, GENERALLY STORMWATER YOU WOULD AGREE THOUGH THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADDITION AND A FOOTPRINT.
AND WHAT THIS LETTER SAYS IS AN ADDITION.
THE ADDITION IS 41,000 SQUARE FEET.
THAT IS THE FOOTPRINT OF THE ADDITION.
THE STORM WATER ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
UM, THE, UH, IT WAS BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF WATER, UM, GOING ON THE GRASSLANDS.
THAT IS ONLY ON THE OFF CHANCE THAT THE BASIN THAT'S BEING POINTED TO RIGHT NOW, IF THAT WERE TO OVERFLOW, THAT WOULD ONLY OCCUR IF A STORM OF MORE THAN 9.1 INCHES AND 24 HOURS OCCURRED, HOURS OCCURRED, WHICH AS I SAID, HAS NOT HAPPENED ALL OF THE ENTIRE LAST YEAR.
IN THE EVENT THAT WOULD, THAT WATER WOULD GO TOWARDS GRASSLANDS, THAT'S INTENTIONAL BECAUSE THERE ARE COLLECTORS ON, ON GRASSLANDS THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE THAT OVERFLOW.
UM, THE HISTORIC PROPERTY THAT WAS BROUGHT UP A MOMENT AGO, UM, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE, YOU CAN SEE THAT.
SO THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS CALLED HISTORIC.
UM, IT'S NEVER BEEN DESIGNATED HISTORIC.
THAT'S THAT HOUSE SLIPPING STRUCTURE TOWARDS THE, TOWARDS THE TOP.
SO THIS PROPERTY HAS NEVER BEEN DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC BY ANY AGENCY.
IN THE NINETIES, IT WAS DENOTED AS ELIGIBLE, UM, FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
IN FACT, IN 1994, THIS TOWN BOARD APPROVED DEMOLITION OF THAT STRUCTURE AND ALL OF THE STRUCTURES ON THIS SITE, WHICH WAS FORMALLY ST.
MARY'S IN THE FIELD SCHOOL, ALL THOSE OTHER STRUCTURES WERE DEMOLISHED.
UM, BUT BACK THEN, IN 1994, THIS BOARD ISSUED SECRET FINDINGS OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HISTORIC RESOURCES FOR DEMOLITION OF ALL OF THESE STRUCTURES, INCLUDING THAT ONE, THAT STRUCTURE IS CURRENTLY SITTING UNUSED.
UM, IT WAS AT ONE TIME USED AS AN ADULT DAYCARE CENTER, BUT IT HAS UNEVEN FLOORS, STEEP STAIRWELLS.
IT'S NOT A DA COMPLIANT, IT CAN'T BE USED.
THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST TO DEMOLISH IT.
UM, DEMOLISHING IT I'LL ADD IS THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE ALL OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT I'VE DISCUSSED TONIGHT HAPPEN.
SO UNLESS THAT BUILDING IS REMOVED, WE CAN'T PUT IN ANY ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING THAT I'VE DISCUSSED.
WE CAN'T PUT IN THE STORMWATER SYSTEM.
I'VE DISCUSSED, WE CAN'T MOVE THE BUILDING BACK AND CREATE A LARGER BUFFER AND SETBACKS.
AS I'VE DISCUSSED, UM, THE HISTORIC BOARD WHO UNDERSTAND THE CHAIRWOMAN SPOKE, UM, THEY RESPECTFULLY DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THIS ASPECT OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A DESIGNATED HISTORIC BUILDING.
UM, NEVERTHELESS, DURING THE PROCESS OF OUR PLANNING BOARD REVIEW, UM, WE, UH, CONSULTED BOTH WITH THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE HISTORIC BOARD.
THE TOWN HIRED A HISTORIC RESOURCES CONSULTANT, UM, TO REVIEW THIS, WHO ASKED
[01:55:01]
THAT WE DO AN ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS, WHICH WE DID.UM, WE ANALYZED THE IDEA OF PICKING UP THE BUILDING AND MOVING IT OR LEAVING IT THERE, WHICH ARE NOT, NEITHER OF WHICH IS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.
THE BUILDING WOULD JUST SIT THERE VACANT.
SO THE ALTERNATIVE THAT BETHEL PROPOSED WAS TO, UPON DEMOLISHING THE STRUCTURE, PRESERVE ANY SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES, REUSE THEM IN THE ADDITION OR DONATE THEM.
UM, BETHEL IS AGREEING TO DO THAT, UM, TO DO THAT PROCESS, TO MEMORIALIZE THAT STRUCTURE.
UM, I'LL ADD THAT THAT ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS WAS PROVIDED TO SHIPPO, WHICH AFFIRMED THE ACCURACY OF THAT ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS AND APPROVED THAT PROPOSAL TO PRESERVE THOSE UM, ELEMENTS AND ALLOW THE DEMOLITION AND THE TOWN'S CONSULTANT WHO REQUESTED THAT ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS AND WHO HAD US SUBMITTED TO SHIPPO DEFERRED TO THAT RESULT.
SO THAT IS WHY BETH WAS PROPOSING TO DO THAT.
UM, THE FINAL THING THAT I'LL TOUCH ON IS THE TRAFFIC, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP A NUMBER OF TIMES.
I'M GONNA HAVE OUR ENGINEER COME UP AND DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE BIT SO THAT YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, BUT TO SUFFICE SAY THAT THE TRAFFIC ISSUES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY STUDIED AND THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON TRAFFIC AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT.
HI, CIVIL ENGINEER, UH, COLLECT LAURA FROM LANGAN.
UM, SO A COUPLE THINGS THAT I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT, UH, THAT WERE STATED.
THE TRAFFIC STUDY COUNTS WERE FROM MARCH, 2025.
THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC INTO THE SITE WAS 16 CO VEHICLES IN A PEAK, UH, TIMEFRAME.
AND WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THIS INTERSECTION.
THE GROWTH FACTOR THAT WAS ADDED TO OUR COUNTS WAS 2%, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE NEW YORK STATE, UM, PROJECTIONS, WHICH WAS 0%.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE ARE PROJECTING FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREA.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SOME CLARIFICATIONS THERE.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT TIME PERIOD IS? THAT THERE WERE 16 VEHICLES? I MEAN, IF IT'S FIVE, IF IT'S FIVE MINUTES, IT'S SOMETHING AN HOUR? IT'S AN HOUR.
AND WOULD YOU PLEASE CLARIFY WHEN YOU SAY THAT, UM, THAT THE ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION IS ACCOUNTED FOR, THE ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION THAT IS BEING ANTICIPATED IS ACCOUNTED FOR, OR JUST A MORE GENERALIZED NUMBER THAT FALLS WITHIN THE PERCENTAGE? GENERALIZED.
UH, BUT WE'LL RESPOND FORMALLY TO THE BLYTHEDALE CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WE DID LOOK AT AND IT ADDS VERY MINIMAL VEHICLES TO THIS INTERSECTION.
BUT WE WILL RESPOND FORMALLY IN YOUR STUDY.
PERHAPS YOU, YOU'D KNOW THIS, I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE IT'S NOT ACTUALLY TRAFFIC STUDY, BUT, UM, THE, THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE INDEPENDENT CARE, UM, HOW, HOW MANY VEHICLES DO THEY HAVE? ARE, DO THEY ALL HAVE VEHICLES OR ONLY A FEW? WHAT I THINK AN EXPLANATION MM-HMM
OF WHAT KIND OF TRAFFIC COMES OUT OF THE KNOLLS WOULD BE HELPFUL.
YES, CERTAINLY TO UNDERSTAND AND THE ANTICIPATED, YES.
SO I DON'T WANNA GO RATTLING OFF NUMBERS.
WE DID, OUR STUDY INCLUDES THE NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND SITE DRIVEWAY.
SO IT ACTUALLY SHOWS YOU ON, I BELIEVE A 15 MINUTE INTERVAL, UH, HOW MANY VEHICLES ARE EXITING AND ENTERING.
UM, AND MOST OF THOSE ARE EMPLOYEES.
SO THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED ABOUT DELIVERIES AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS ALL ACCOUNTED FOR.
SO WE HAVE TRUCKS AND BUSES DELINEATED IN THAT STUDY AS WELL.
OH, IT ALSO BREAKS DOWN OVERNIGHT HOURS.
SO IT DOES LOOK AT EVERY HOUR IN THE DAY.
UM, AND THERE'S, DURING THE EVENING HOURS, THERE'S MAYBE IN AN HOUR 30 VEHICLES, UM, I THINK 200 WAS STATED AT SOME POINT, BUT IT'S AGAIN, THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GETTING OFF THEIR SHIFTS.
IF I COULD JUST A COUPLE REMARKS ABOUT THE, UH, THE BUILDING AND THE, THE DISCREPANCY WITH THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UM, THE FOOTPRINT AS WAS STATED IS THE 41,000 AND CHANGE.
AND MY REMARKS, UM, I SHOULD FOCUS ON BOTH THE FOOTPRINT AS WELL AS THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UH, THE ONE THING I DO WANNA GO BACK AND ENSURE IS, IS, IS IS CORRECT IS THAT, UM, THE EXISTING FLOOR AREA RATIO ON THE SITE IS 0.18 IS PROPOSED TO BE 0 2 3.
THAT NUMBER MUST BE A FUNCTION OF ALL OF THE STORIES PROPOSED AS OPPOSED TO THE FOOTPRINT.
[02:00:01]
I BELIEVE IT IS A FUNCTION OF ALL OF THE STORIES.UM, AND I JUST ALSO WOULD NOTE THAT THE APPLICANT, UM, CAREFULLY STAKED THE PERIMETER OF THE PROPOSED BUILDING.
UM, AND I BELIEVE SOME RESIDENTS THAT WERE INTERESTED CAME OUT TO THE SITE AND SAW EXACTLY WHERE THAT FOOTPRINT WAS GOING TO GO.
AND THE DRAWINGS ALL ALONG HAVE BEEN ACCURATE IN TERMS OF SETBACKS FROM THE PROPERTY LINE AS THEY VARIED OVER THE EVOLUTION OF THE PROJECT.
AND THE, UM, UM, ELEVATION DRAWINGS HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT HOW MANY STORIES ARE PROPOSED.
SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING MISLEADING ABOUT THE APPLICATION AND WHAT IS PROPOSED, BUT I DO AGREE WITH THE, THE COMMENTER AND I PERSONALLY, UH, THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR DOCUMENTATION AND REMARKS THAT I MAKE.
AND ANYONE ELSE TO REFERENCE THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE, THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU GO AWAY, COMMISSIONER, UM, THERE WAS CONCERN EXPRESSED ABOUT WATER NOW IS GOING TO BE DIRECTED AWAY FROM THE HOUSES TO THE, UM, TO THE SIDE THAT ARE CLOSE TO STEVENS LANE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, AND WHAT KIND OF FLOODING THAT MIGHT POTENTIALLY CAUSE THERE.
CAN YOU CLARIFY HOW CLOSE THOSE HOMES ARE AND HOW THE REMEDIATION AND, AND FLOOD CONTROL IS, IS TAKING THEM INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL? YEAH, I, I, I WOULD PREFER TO DEFER TO THE, TO THE ENGINEER OF RECORD ON THAT.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I ROUTINELY HEAR IN ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT UPSTAIRS, WHETHER IT'S HERE OR ANY OTHER LOCATION, WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO INTRODUCE A NEW STORMWATER BASIN WHERE ONE DOES NOT EXIST, THAT'S, THAT'S THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY TO, UM, YEAH, MINIMIZE FLOODING.
IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO, UM, CORRECT THE PROBLEMS THAT THE GENTLEMAN CORRECTLY NOTED.
UM, WE, WE ALL KNOW WHEN WE DRIVE UP VIRGINIA ROAD AFTER, UM, NOT NECESSARILY A HUNDRED YEAR STORM, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, THE MORE ROUTINE STORMS, UM, THE STONE RIP WRAP THE STATE INSTALLED AT TIMES IS NOT, YOU KNOW, HANDLING IT.
BUT, UM, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE INTRODUCING A, A STORM WATER BASIN IN THE AREA IS IMPORTANT.
AND AS I SAID, ENGINEERING ALWAYS LOOKS WHERE CAN, WHERE CAN THE TOWN WORK WITH SOMEONE TO INSTALL BASINS? THAT'S ALWAYS LIKE THE FIRST GOAL THAT ENGINEERING LOOKS AT IN TERMS OF, UM, STORMWATER CONVEYANCE AS OPPOSED TO JUST MOVING IT FASTER.
UM, BUT ABOUT DETAILS AND PROXIMITY TO OTHER FEATURES, I, I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO THE ENGINEER RECORD.
JUST THE ONE THAT'S HERE BEFORE YOU GO, WE'VE REFERENCED TWO DIFFERENT STRUCTURES.
CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC THE DIFFERENCE AND WHAT THE INTENTION IS FOR EACH? YES.
AS DISCUSS THE, THE, THE, IF YOU REFERENCED THE SHED, IT'S WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN THERE? UM, IT'S, IT'S TO THE NORTH OF MS. JI'S HOME.
UH, IT'S OBSCURED BY THE TREES THERE, BUT IT'S UM, I MEAN I GUESS IT'S A, IT'S IT'S A SMALL HOME THAT IS IN, UH, DISREPAIR THAT THE APPLICANT HAS REPRESENTED.
IT INTENDS TO DEMOLISH, UM, AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE IN CONNECTION WITH THE APPLICATION.
UM, THE HISTORIC BOARD'S REMARKS AND FOCUS WERE ON THE 1870S BUILDING THAT'S, UH, UP ON THE HILL THAT IS PROPOSED, UH, TO BE DEMOED TO FACILITATE THE PROJECT.
DO YOU MIND THE OF THAT SHED OR HOLD? SURE.
IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER? NO, I JUST DON'T WANT CHILDREN TO BE HELD HOSTAGE BY THE NOSE OR THEIR SAFETY.
SO, SO I, I HAVE A QUESTION 'CAUSE WE HEARD ABOUT NOISE.
AND WHAT PLANS, UH, OR DESIGN, UH, DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO MINIMIZE THE USE OF BACKUP? THE NEED FOR BACKUP ALARMS ON VEHICLES, UH, PARTICULARLY IN EARLY MORNINGS AND THE AFTERNOONS, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE WHO WORK AT NIGHT MAY BE SLEEPING
CERTAINLY VINCENT, CAN YOU ZOOM OUT? UH, PATRICK MCDO, EGA ARCHITECTS, UM, THE ADVANTAGE OF THE, THE TWO DIRECTIONAL LOOP ROAD THAT WE'RE INSTALLING, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A RELOCATION OF THE EXISTING LOOP ROAD, MEANS THAT THERE, THE ONLY BACKING UP THAT OCCURS WILL HAPPEN AT THE EXISTING LOADING DOCK, WHICH, WHICH ON THIS IMAGE IS ON THE, BASICALLY ON THE LOWER RIGHT PORTION OF THE EXISTING CAMPUS, THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
SO THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR VEHICLES TO BACK UP IN ANY PROXIMITY TO THE, TO THE NEAREST NEIGHBORS IN ANY DIFFERENT WAY THAN THEY CURRENTLY DO IT BECAUSE THERE'S, THEY DON'T HAVE TO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO REVERSE COURSE.
THERE'S A FULL LOOP AROUND THE BUILDING.
THEY GO TO THE LOADING DOCK, WHICH IS NOT MOVING FROM ITS CURRENT LOCATION,
[02:05:01]
DOING THEIR THING AND THEN LEAVING THE SITE.THE ONLY BACKING UP HAPPENS AT THE LOADING DOCK, WHICH IT DOES TODAY.
I MAY HAVE ASKED THIS, UH, PRIOR, UH, PRIOR, UM, EVENT, BUT ARE THEY ENCLOSED LOAD LOADING DOCKS? IT IS NOT AN ENCLOSED LOADING DOCK.
IT'S RECESSED INTO THE GROUND.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT AS FAR SOUTH ON THE PROJECT.
IT'S, IT'S ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE EXISTING PROJECT FROM NORTH TO SOUTH.
UM, AND SIGNIFICANTLY IT'S 600 FEET FROM THE, THE NEAREST NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, I WOULD GUESS.
BUT IT IS NOT AN ENCLOSED LOADING DOCKET.
IT'S JUST A SIMPLE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S RECESSED IN THE EARTH BUT NOT OTHERWISE.
ENCLOSED YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO, UH, I DO HAVE, I GUESS I DO HAVE ONE BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING A STORM WATER, YOU SAID FOR A HUNDRED YEAR STORM AT SOME POINT IT HITS MUNICIPALS, UM, YOU KNOW, STORM WATER PIPES, WHICH ARE A 25 YEAR STORM.
WHERE, WHERE DOES THE BACKUP COME AND WHERE DOES THE WATER GO? I'M SORRY, COULD YOU ASK THE QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? YOU SAID YOU WERE BUILDING YOUR, YOUR SYSTEM TO A HUNDRED YEAR STORM, BUT ONCE IT LEAVES YOUR PROPERTY THROUGH, THROUGH, UM, STORMWATER SYSTEMS, THEY'RE GOING TO LIKELY BE 25 YEAR STORMS. IS THERE A BACKUP AND WHERE, WHERE WILL THAT WATER GO? THAT'S NOW LEAVING YOUR PROPERTY AT A HUNDRED YEAR STORM? UNLESS IT'S NOT, SO GO AHEAD.
SO THE SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY DESIGNED SO THAT NO WATER LEAVES THE SITE.
THIS IN, THIS IS AN INFILTRATION POND THAT IS DESIGNED FOR AN A HUNDRED YEAR STORM.
SO THAT MEANS THAT ALL STORM WATER FROM NINE INCHES OF RAIN OVER 24 HOURS, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN GREENBURG EVER WILL INFILTRATE INTO THE GROUND.
AND THERE IS NO CONNECTION, DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE MUNICIPAL SYSTEM.
SO WE'RE COMPLETELY OFFLOADING THIS.
I KNOW THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT GREATER STORMS AND GREATER INTENSITY.
THIS IS NINE INCHES OVER 24 HOURS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT COMES IN AN HOUR, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT COMES OVER 24 HOURS, RIGHT.
THE HIGHEST STORM WE'VE SEEN IS THREE AND A HALF INCHES IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
BUT THERE WE HAD, THERE'S RAIN GAUGES IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT THAT YOU CAN DO RESEARCH ON THAT INCLUDES THE HURRICANES, THAT INCLUDES ANY RAIN EVENT.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO WESTCHESTER COUNTY'S AIRPORTS RAIN GAUGE SYSTEM, BUT THESE ARE MONITORED SYSTEMS THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE BY THE STATE.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S NO OUTLET FROM THESE AND THE ONLY WAY YOU SAY THERE'S NO DIRECT CONNECTION, WHICH MEANS IF THEY OVERFLOW, THEY OVERFLOW, UH, AND IF THEY DO OVERFLOW, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE, THAT THE UH, WATER WILL NOT GO TOWARDS THE HOMES BUT IT'LL GO TO THE MAIN ROAD? YES.
AND THIS THING SHOULD NOT OVERFLOW, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT IT DOES, THAT IS CORRECT.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE AN OVERLAND FLOW PATH.
SO THEN IT WOULD GO TO GRASSLANDS ROAD.
THERE'S A CATCH BASIN ACTUALLY RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION WITH OUR DRIVEWAY.
JULY 10TH WAS THE TOTAL JULY 10TH.
SO UNLESS THERE ARE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, LIKE I SORT OF SAID WHEN I BEGAN, WE HAVE BEEN AT THE PLANNING BOARD FOR A LONG TIME DELVING INTO THESE ISSUES AND YOUR BOARD HAS IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL MEMO.
WE'VE ADDRESSED MANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT, WHICH WE'VE HEARD BEFORE.
UM, AND WE'VE INCORPORATED A LOT OF THEM, ALL THE PLANNING BOARD'S COMMENTS INTO THIS.
UM, AND IT, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO FURTHER REVIEW BOTH AT THE PLANNING BOARD AND AT THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.
SO WE DO THINK AT THIS TIME THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE A RESOLUTION AND WE'LL BE ASKING FOR A NEGATIVE DECLARATION UNDER CR.
DON'T WE USUALLY ON HEARINGS AS MAJOR AS THIS? USUALLY I'LL LEAVE PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH A SECOND HEARING, HEARING DATE.
UH, WELL I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO LOOK INTO THE NOTICE ISSUE.
YEAH, SO THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT CAME UP TODAY THAT IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS FURTHER, YOU CAN ADJOURN TO THE NEXT MEETING, JUNE 24TH OR OR FURTHER IF YOU BELIEVE IT'S WARRANTED.
AND THEN THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AS WELL,
[02:10:01]
UM, FOR ANY FOLLOW UP.AND WE WOULD NEED A MOTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TO SEE WHAT THE TOWN BOARD WOULD PREFER.
WOULD THE BOARD LIKE TO, UH, WOULD YOU WANNA MAKE IT JUNE 24TH OR THE JULY MEETING? IT'S YOUR PREFERENCE.
THE JULY MEETING'S NOT TILL THE 22ND.
UH, ADJOURN THE HEARING TILL JUNE 24TH AND THEN WE COULD SEE IF THE BOARD WANTS TO, UM, IF THERE'S OTHER INFORMATION THAT WE NEED, WE COULD ALWAYS ADJOURN IT AGAIN TO, UH, YOU JULY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE IT AT THAT TIME.
AND YOU ALSO COULD LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN FOR A LONGER AMOUNT OF TIME IF YOU FEEL THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN THE HEARING TO JUNE 24TH.
[ To consider an amended site plan application by 1 Lawrence Ardsley LLC (“1 Lawrence St. Applicant”) as it relates to the proposed construction of an approximately 110,000 sq. ft. contractor storage yard for a scaffolding business and an unrelated off-street parking area for separate cargo truck storage located at 1 Lawrence Street, PO Ardsley [TB 25-03] ]
FOR THE NEXT HEARING? I'D LIKE TO, UH, LEMME GET THE AGENDA.MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO OPEN UP, UM, A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION BY ONE LAWRENCE LEY, UH, ONE LAWRENCE STREET APPLICATION AS IT RELATES TO THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF AN APPROXIMATELY 110,000 SQUARE FOOT CONTRACTOR STORAGE YARD FOR A SCAFFOLDING BUSINESS.
NONE UNRELATED OFF STREET PARKING AREA FOR A SEPARATE CARGO TRUCK STORAGE LOCATED AT ONE LAUREN STREET OR I SAY I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN UP THE HEARING.
YEAH, GOOD EVENING SUPERVISOR.
FINER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD.
GARY TUQUE, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS RELATED TO A SITE PLAN APPLICATION, WHICH IS A TOWN BOARD APPROVAL.
INCLUDED A REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD, INCLUDES A TREE REMOVAL PERMIT, WHICH IS A TOWN BOARD APPROVAL.
IT INVOLVES THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF AN APPROXIMATELY 110,000 SQUARE FEET CONTRACTOR STORAGE YARD ASSOCIATED WITH A SCAFFOLDING BUSINESS, AN UNRELATED OFF STREET PARKING AREA FOR SEPARATE CARGO TRUCK STORAGE.
IN TOTAL, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES 48 OFF STREET PARKING SPACES FOR THE CARGO TRUCKS AND 64 OFF STREET PARKING SPACES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAR CONTRACTOR USE.
THE SITE WAS THE SUBJECT OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION THROUGH THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND THAT WAS THEIR BROWNFIELD CLEANUP PROGRAM, WHICH WAS CERTIFIED AS COMPLETE MAY 15TH, 2025.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 10.7 ACRES AND IS LOCATED AT ONE LAWRENCE STREET IN THE LEY PO PORTION OF THE TOWN AND IS IDENTIFIED ON THE TOWN TAX MAP AS PARCEL ID 8.3 7 0 2 65 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR.
THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE GI GENERAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
A FEW MOMENTS THE APPLICANT WILL PRESENT THE PUBLIC WITH A PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT.
IN TERMS OF PROCESS, THE SITE PLAN AND APPLICATIONS WERE REVIEWED BY TOWN STAFF, WHICH INCLUDED REVIEWS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION BUILDING DEPARTMENT, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, POLICE TRAFFIC AND SAFETY DIVISION, AS WELL AS THE TOWN'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
THE PLANS WERE ALSO REFERRED TO THE TOWN'S CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE FOLLOWING REGIONAL AGENCIES, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WESTCHESTER COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND THE CHAUNCEY FIRE DISTRICT.
IN ADDITION TO THE TOWN BOARD APPLICATIONS, THE PLANNING BOARD IS REVIEWING A STEEP SLOPE PERMIT APPLICATION AND A WETLAND WATERCOURSE PERMIT APPLICATION.
THE PROJECT ALSO REQUIRES A SPECIAL PERMIT FROM THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.
IN ADDITION TO RESPONDING TO COMMENTS FROM THE PRIOR REFERENCE AGENCIES AND TOWN STAFF, THE APPLICANT APPEARED BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD AS PART OF SITE PLAN REFERRAL, WHICH INCLUDED WORK SESSIONS ON JANUARY 21ST, MARCH 18TH, MARCH 30TH, AND APRIL 15TH, ALL OF 2026.
ON APRIL 15TH, 2026, THE PLANNING BOARD FOUND THAT THE AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION FAILED TO SATISFY THE APPLICABLE SITE PLAN STANDARDS SET FORTH IN SECTION 2 85 54 STANDARDS A THROUGH K.
THE APPLICANT AS PART OF ITS PRESENTATION, WILL PROVIDE UPDATES ON HOW THEY'VE SOUGHT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE DEFICIENCIES AS PART OF ITS FINDINGS.
THE PLANNING BOARD PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE PROPOSAL.
THESE INVOLVE DRIVEWAY MOVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS, SIGNAGE AND SITE LINE ANALYSIS AT AREA INTERSECTIONS, BEST PRACTICES RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE VICINITY AND THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAP THAT'S ON THE SITE.
AND ALSO RELAYED RECOMMENDATIONS WITH RESPECT TO FILL IN THE CONTEXT OF STORMWATER AND FLOODING THAT OCCURS IN THE AREA.
I NOTE THAT JOHN CANNING OF KIMLEY HORN IS HERE ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
AND AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. JACOB AMIR, WE'LL BEGIN THE PRESENTATION.
[02:15:08]
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.UM, SUPERVISOR, FINE BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JACOB AMIR FROM THE LAW FIRM OF ZAN AND STEIN, PLEASED TO BE ON THIS APPLICATION WITH, UH, THE APPLICANT TEAM, UH, INCLUDING MARK PETRO FROM JMC, AND CRAIG RETA FROM CP ENGINEERING.
UM, I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT WHAT, UH, MR. DUKIN ALREADY SAID, AND I'M SURE YOUR BOARD IS FAMILIAR.
THIS HAS BEEN A SOMEWHAT OF A LONG PROCESS THAT HAD GONE THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW BY THE PLANNING BOARD FOR REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION.
IN A MINUTE, I'LL GO THROUGH JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT THE PLANNING BOARD WENT THROUGH, UH, AND ISSUED IN THEIR REPORT THAT THE APPLICANT TEAM HAS EXHAUSTIVELY UM, ADDRESSED.
JUST TO FRAME THIS A LITTLE BIT, THIS IS A 10, 10.7 ACRE LOT, BUT APPROXIMATELY FOUR ACRES, JUST SHY OF FOUR ACRES.
IT'S UNUSABLE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
MARCO'S GONNA, IS GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE SITE PLAN ELEMENTS.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST THE SIX ACRES ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE THAT IS GONNA BE USED 110,000 SQUARE FEET FOR A CONTRACTOR'S OUTDOOR CONTRACTOR'S YARD, AND THEN A SURROUNDING, UH, MOTOR VEHICLE STORAGE, UH, AS WAS SAID, 48 CARGO AND LOADING SPACES AND 64 OFF STREET PARKING SPACES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK MARK, MARK CAN TOUCH ON MORE, BUT I JUST WANNA SORT OF OVERVIEW IT, IS WE WENT THROUGH AN EXHAUSTIVE TRAFFIC REVIEW AND ANALYSIS, UH, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF TURNS FROM NINE A TO LAWRENCE ONTO THE SITE, AND SORT OF PLANS FOR HOW BEST TO ACCOMMODATE THIS DIFFICULT SITE, RECOGNIZING THERE ARE CONCERNS WITH, WITH TRUCKS AND VEHICLES GOING UP AND DOWN NINE A AND ON LAWRENCE STREET AND RIGHT NEAR THE SAWMILL RIVER PARKWAY.
AND THROUGH THAT EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS, BOTH BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD AND THEN WITH TOWN STAFF, UM, SORT OF A PLAN CAME UP TO RESTRICT SOMEWHAT TO RESTRICT, UM, EGRESS OUT OF THE SITE ON THE WESTERN CURB.
SO IF YOU'RE ON LAWRENCE STREET, THERE IS AN EASTERN DRIVEWAY AND A WESTERN DRIVEWAY.
WESTERN DRIVEWAY IS CLOSER TO SAWMILL PARKWAY AND THE APPLICANT TEAM IS GOING TO RESTRICT MOVEMENT OF, OF TRUCKS AND VEHICLES OUT OF THE WESTERN DRIVEWAY TO RESPECT THE TRAFFIC FLOW.
AND AGAIN, MARK, WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT.
BUT THE OVERALL POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS THIS WENT THROUGH MONTHS OF SORT OF REVIEW AND ANALYSIS WITH THE, WITH THE PLANNING BOARD.
UM, LET ME JUST GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF THE POINTS THAT THE PLANNING BOARD MADE THAT THE APPLICANT TEAM HAS GONE THROUGH AND IMPROVED ON AND CONSIDERED AND INCORPORATED.
UM, FIRST, AS I SAID, THE UH, PLANNING BOARD, UH, ASK THAT THIS BOARD, UM, RECOMMENDS THAT THIS BOARD THOROUGHLY REVIEW THE RIGHT TURN MOVEMENT FROM, UH, NINE A SOUTHBOUND FOR IMPACTS TO THE NINE A NORTHBOUND AND LAWRENCE STREET EASTBOUND TRAFFIC.
WE AGREE TRAFFIC FLOW SHOULD BE REVIEWED, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY, BY THIS BOARD.
A TRAFFIC STUDY HAD BEEN PROVIDED.
UM, AND THE PLANNING BOARD HAD ALSO ASKED THAT THIS BOARD THOROUGHLY REVIEW THE, THE FEASIBILITY OF PROHIBITING LEFT TURNS FROM WE FROM THE WESTERNMOST DRIVEWAY.
AS I SAID, THE APPLICANT IN PART AGREES WITH THAT.
SO ON THE HIGH CONCENTRATED TIMES OF I THINK SEVEN TO NINE, THREE TO FIVE THEREABOUTS, THERE'S GONNA BE A RESTRICTION ON LEFT TURNS OUT IN TANDEM WITH THIS, THERE ARE SAFETY MEASURES, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MEASURES THAT ARE GONNA BE PUT IN PLACE.
THE, UM, THE, THE PLANNING BOARD HAD RECOMMENDED THAT THE APPLICANT CONSIDER SURVEYING LAWRENCE STREET, UM, THAT CAN BE DONE IF, IF APPROPRIATE, AND THAT PEDESTRIAN WARNING SYSTEMS IN REVIEW, UM, IF WARNING OF VEHICLES OF ONCOMING PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING CAUTION SIGNS WITH SENSORS, THERE'LL BE STOP SIGNS AT EXIT POINTS AND THERE WILL BE, UM, PERSONNEL WORKERS ON SITE.
SO THIS IS NOT, THIS WILL NOT BE AN UN, UM, UNMANNED SITE.
SO ALL DAY THERE'LL BE STAFF ON SITE TO HELP NAVIGATE WITH THE, WITH THE TRAFFIC FLOW.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE SITE MITIGATION PLAN UNDER THE BROWNFIELD CLEANUP PROGRAM, WHICH OF COURSE, UM, WE WILL DO.
AND THAT LENDS TO THE, UM, NEGATIVE DECLARATION THAT THE APPLICANT WILL BE, WILL BE ASKING FOR AND THAT A STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, UM, BE PROVIDED TO CAPTURE AND TREAT RUNOFF.
AND WE HAVE PROVIDED THE, UH, A STORMWATER MAN, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT,
[02:20:01]
UM, PLAN IN THERE.UM, I'M GONNA ASK THAT IF MARK CAN TAKE A, TAKE US THROUGH THE SITE PLAN APPLICATION A LITTLE BIT SO YOU CAN SEE THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO DO, UH, UNDER THIS, UH, PROJECT, WHICH IS PERMITTED UNDER THE CODE.
AND AS WAS SAID, INITIALLY, UH, WE'RE ASKING THIS BOARD TO EVENTUALLY ISSUE NEGATIVE DECLARATION GRANT SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR THE OUTDOOR, FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLE OUTDOOR STORAGE.
AND WE STILL NEED TO GO BACK TO THE ZONING BOARD FOR SPECIAL PERMIT FOR THE OUTDOOR STORAGE FACILITY.
SO WITH THAT, LET ME TURN TO MARK.
MARK PETRO FROM JMC AS WAS ALLUDED TO.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING EVERYONE UP TO SPEED AS FAR AS SOME OF THE, UH, DESCRIPTIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY PRIOR, UH, WITH THE COMMISSIONER AS ALSO WITH COUNSEL HERE FOR THE APPLICANT.
UM, WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU ON THE SCREEN IS THE AERIAL OF THE PROPERTY OUTLINED IN RED AND THE DEVELOPMENT AREA IS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE, UH, KIND OF THE, IT'S ALLY, THE SOUTHERN AREA.
'CAUSE NORTH IS ACTUALLY POINTED TO THE LEFT ON THE, TO THE RIGHT ON THE SCREEN HERE, YOU HAVE SOME RIVER PARKWAY ON THE LEFT YOU HAVE LAWRENCE STREET, UH, SORRY, YOU HAVE SOME PARKWAY PLAN NORTH, BUT THAT'S ON THE WEST SIDE.
YOU HAVE LAUREN STREET ON THE PLAN LEFT, WHICH IS ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE, AND YOU HAVE SOME OVER ROAD, WHICH IS TO THE EAST, WHICH IS ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE PLAN.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, AS WAS NOTED, UH, ROUGHLY ABOUT FIVE ACRES OR SO IS, UH, UNDEVELOPED ON THE NORTH END END OF THE PROPERTY, AS WELL AS YOU ALSO HAVE SOME UNDEVELOPED AREAS ON THE EASTERN END, UH, WHICH BORDER THE, SOME OVER PARK SOMEWHERE OVER A ROAD.
UM, AND THE DEVELOPMENT IS MORE LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWESTERN CORNER OF THE PROPERTY.
AND WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL JUST ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE DEVELOPMENT AREA SO YOU CAN JUST SEE IT A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, SO AS WAS MENTIONED, IT'S, WE'RE PROPOSING AN OUTDOOR STORAGE AREA, WHICH WOULD BE A GRAVEL MATERIAL, UH, TO STORE THE CONTRACTOR'S EQUIPMENT, UM, AS WELL AS 48, UH, MOTOR VEHICLE STORAGE, WHICH ARE, UH, THE PARKING SPACES ARE ON THE NORTHERN END PLAN, NORTH END THERE THAT YOU SEE.
THE PLANS, UH, PARKING SPACES ON THE SOUTHERN, UH, OF THE PLAN.
THOSE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE, WITH THE CONTRACTOR STORAGE AREA.
UM, SO THERE ARE TWO EXISTING CURB CUTS ON STREET CURRENTLY.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO RECONSTRUCT THOSE.
UM, AS WAS MENTIONED, WE ARE PROPOSING, UH, TURNING RESTRICTIONS AT THE DRIVEWAYS.
AND THIS WAS, UH, BASED ON COMMENTS WITH THE TRAFFIC TOWNS TRAFFIC CONSULTANT AS WELL AS, UH, COORDINATION AFTER THE PLANNING BOARD REFERRAL WITH THE CONSULTANT AND PLANNING STAFF.
UM, SO AT THE WESTERN DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS ON THE NORTHERN END OF THE PLAN HERE, UH, SORRY, THE PLAN NORTH END OF THE, OF WHAT YOU SEE HERE, UH, THE LEFT TURN IN WOULD BE PROHIBITED.
SO PEOPLE COMING FROM THAT DIRECTION WOULD HAVE TO USE THE EASTERN DRIVEWAY OR THE PLAN SOUTH ONE.
UH, AND EXITING OUT OF THAT DRIVEWAY, TURNING LEFT, UH, TRUCKS WOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM MAKING LEFT TURNS, UH, BETWEEN SEVEN 30 AND 9:30 AM AS WELL AS BETWEEN 3:00 PM AND 6:00 PM UH, TRUCKS WOULDN'T BE PROHIBITED FROM MAKING THAT MOVEMENT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THERE'S SIGNAGE THAT WE HAVE SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS, WHICH YOU DON'T SEE ON THIS PLAN, BUT THERE IS A SIGN THAT PROHIBITS TRUCKS FROM TURNING RIGHT OUT OF THERE TOWARDS THE SOMERVILLE PARKWAY.
OBVIOUSLY, TRUCKS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE PARKWAY, SO WE'RE REINFORCING THAT THAT PROHIBIT PROHIBITION.
UM, AT THE EASTERN DRIVEWAY OR THE PLANNED SOUTHERN DRIVEWAY, UH, THAT WOULD BE A FULL MOVEMENT DRIVEWAY.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, SAME, UH, TRUCK PROHIBITION FOR RIGHT TURNS WOULD ALSO BE IMPLEMENTED ON THAT DRIVEWAY AS WELL.
UH, BOTH DRIVEWAYS, UH, ARE PROPOSED TO HAVE, UH, PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES THERE.
WE HAVE A BRAND NEW SIDEWALK WE'RE PROPOSING ON THE LAUREN STREET FRONTAGE, UH, REPLACING THE EXISTING, UH, SIDEWALK THAT'S THERE, CURB RAMPS, PEDESTRIAN CROSS CROSSWALK MARKINGS.
UH, THE DRIVEWAYS WOULD HAVE A STOP SIGN VISIBLE FOR VEHICLES TRYING TO LEAVE.
AND THERE, AS WAS MENTIONED, THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN WARNING, UH, SYSTEM THERE AS WELL.
UH, BASICALLY THERE'S A, UH, SIGN THAT WOULD FLASH IF A VEHICLE'S ATTEMPTING TO, UH, EXIT THE, THE DRIVEWAY.
IT WOULD ALERT THE PEDESTRIANS AS WELL.
UM, SO JUST TO, UH, HIT ON SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF THE SITE PLAN STANDARDS THAT WAS MENTIONED.
UH, SO I MENTIONED ABOUT THE LEFT TURN RESTRICTIONS.
UM, THAT'S BASED ON, UH, QUEUING DATA THAT WAS, UH, PROVIDED AND COLLECTED.
[02:25:01]
THOSE ARE HOW THE HOURS WERE DEFINED.UH, UH, THOUGH, UH, MINIMAL TRUCK TO TRACTOR TRAILER DELAYS ARE EXPECTED FOR THIS.
MOST OF 'EM ARE ASSUMED TO BE, UH, PROJECTED TO BE, UH, SINGLE UNIT TRUCKS, UH, WITH A FLAT BED IN THE BACK TO ALLOW FOR THE EQUIPMENT TO GO ON AND OFF.
UH, SO, BUT THERE WOULD BE MINIMAL TRACTOR TRAILER DELIVERIES.
AGAIN, THE APPLICANT IS WILLING TO RESTRICT THOSE DELIVERIES DURING THOSE SAME TIME PERIODS OF SEVEN 30 AND, UH, AM AND 9:30 AM AS WELL AS THREE TO 6:00 PM UH, THOSE ARE MORE OF THE, THE BUSIER TIME PERIODS FOR THE ADJACENT ROADWAYS THERE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, IN COORDINATION WITH STAFF AND THE TOWN STAFF CONSULTANT, UH, AFTER THE REFERRAL, UH, FROM THE PLANNING BOARD, UH, IT WAS DETERMINED AND RECOMMENDED THAT A STOP HERE ON, SORRY, A NO TURN ON RED SIGN BE, UH, INSTALLED ON THE LAUREN STREET APPROACH TO ROUTE NINE A TO, UH, ADDRESS THE, A CONFLICT THAT'S CURRENTLY EXISTING WITH LARGER TRACTOR TRAILERS OR, OR VEHICLES MAKING RIGHT TURNS ONTO LAUREN STREET FROM SOMAR ROAD OR ROUTE NINE A.
UH, SO THE APPLICANT'S WILLING TO IMPLEMENT THAT, THAT RESTRICTION 'CAUSE THE STOP BAR IS STOPPED BACK FURTHER TO ALLOW FOR THOSE TURNING MOVERS FOR THOSE LARGER VEHICLES CURRENTLY.
UM, AND AS ALSO WHAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE, IN THE REFERRAL WAS THE ASPECT OF CUT AND FILL ANALYSIS THAT WAS PROVIDED AFTER THE REFERRAL WAS PROVIDED TO YOUR BOARD.
UH, SO THAT CUT AND FILL ANALYSIS WAS PROVIDED, UM, AND IT SHOWS A NET CUT IN THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AREA AS WELL AS A NET CUT IN THE FLOODPLAIN AREA.
SO THERE'S NO, UM, THERE'S NO REDUCTION IN THE NET STORAGE AREA WITHIN THE FLOOD PLAIN AS PART OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, UH, A SWIP WAS PROVIDED, UH, THAT WAS ALSO PROVIDED AFTER THIS REFERRAL WAS PROVIDED TO YOUR BOARD, UH, THAT WAS BEEN REVIEWED.
AND, AND WHAT IT SHOWS IS THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A NET REDUCTION IN THE PEAK STORMWATER RATES DURING ALL ANALYZED STORMS, WHICH IS 1 10, 25, AND A HUNDRED YEAR STORMS. THE RATES AND THE VOLUMES ARE PROPOSED TO BE REDUCED.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A REDUCTION IN IMPERVIOUS AREA, UH, OF ABOUT 6,885 SQUARE FEET.
UM, SO THERE'S A REDUCTION IN THOSE ASPECTS OF ALSO, THERE'S, UH, MAINTENANCE MEASURES OF ALL THE STORMWATER FEATURES IN THAT SW AS FAR AS HOW DOES TO BE MAINTAINED, UH, PERMANENTLY AND THE TEMPORARY EROSION CONTROL MEASURES THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT.
THE ONE THING I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT SINCE THIS IS A BROWNFIELD SITE, THERE IS A, UH, SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT'S ON FILE WITH THE STATE FOR ANY ACTIVITY THAT'S TO OCCUR ON THE PROPERTY.
SO THOSE MEASURES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS, WHETHER IT'S DIGGING INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAP OR GOING FURTHER, THERE'S PROCEDURES IN PLACE ALREADY TO FOLLOW IN THOSE MATTERS OF ACTIVITY ON THE PROPERTY.
THE STATE DOES NOT WANT TO IMPEDE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY.
SO THERE ARE MEASURES TO ALLOW YOU TO DO THOSE ASPECTS AND ACTIVITIES ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO THERE WAS IN THE GROUND, FIELDS ARE CLEANED UP.
YEAH, IT WAS COMPLETED UP TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
THE, THE BROWNFIELD CLEANUP WAS COMPLETED.
HOWEVER, THERE'S A SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN IN PLACE FOR ACTIVITIES AFTER THAT CLEANUP WAS COMPLETED.
SO SAY YOU WANT TO GO FURTHER DOWN INTO THE CAP OR GO DOWN FURTHER BELOW THAT, THERE'S MEASURES IN PLACE OF PROCEDURES IN THE SITE MANAGEMENT P THAT'S ON FILE TO ALLOW YOU TO DO THOSE ACTIVITIES AND WHAT PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW FOR THOSE ASPECTS OF IT.
UM, AND THAT'S, I DON'T WANNA GET TOO FAR AHEAD 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GOT A LONG AGENDA.
SO, UH, THAT'S BASICALLY IT, UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH, MY CONCERN WAS, UM, ACTUALLY I'M SUPPOSED TO GO LESS SO ANYBODY ELSE WANNA TALK? THANK YOU.
I DO, I, UM, HAVE SERIOUS, UH, CONCERNS BECAUSE I DO LIVE NEAR THERE AND USE THAT ROADWAY, BOTH NINE A LAWRENCE STREET QUITE OFTEN.
UM, AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE RESTRICTING TURNING TRUCKS TURNING DURING THE MORNING, THE RUSH HOUR HOURS BECAUSE PEOPLE ROUTINELY GO DOWN IN THEIR IMPATIENCE, GO DOWN THE STREET GOING THE WRONG WAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T, THEY'RE TOO IMPATIENT.
UM, BUT YOU'RE SAYING YOU RE RESTRICTING THE TURNING, WILL THAT RESTRICT THE TRAFFIC? REALLY? I MEAN, I I JUST AM CURIOUS ABOUT THE DISTINCTION.
WELL, THE, WE ARE RESTRICTING THEM, UH, HOWEVER, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY RESTRICT THEM JUST BECAUSE OF THE MANEUVERABILITY OF TRUCKS TO GO THROUGH THE DRIVEWAYS THERE.
IF THAT, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE, SAY THAT AGAIN, I'M SORRY.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO PHYSICALLY, WE ARE PROPOSING SIGNAGE TO RESTRICT THOSE MOVEMENTS.
SO PROHIBITING LEFT TURNS OUTTA THAT WESTERN DRIVEWAY AT ALL TIME, UH,
[02:30:01]
SORRY, AT THOSE TIMES SPECIFIED FOR ALL VEHICLES AND PROHIBITING TRUCKS FROM TURNING RIGHT, UH, OUT OF THOSE DRIVEWAYS AS WELL.BUT IT DOESN'T STOP TRAFFIC FROM ENTERING.
IT JUST RESTRICTS TRAFFIC FROM EXITING THE PROPERTY.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? AT THE WESTERN DRIVEWAY? THEY'RE PROHIBITED FROM TURNING LEFT AT ALL TIMES AT THE WESTERN DRIVEWAY.
BUT I'M THINKING OF DURING THE HOURS THAT THEY'RE RESTRICTED, YOU'RE RESTRICTING THE TRAFFIC GOING OUT OF THE SITE, RIGHT.
MAKING THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT TURNS, YOU'RE RESTRICTING THAT.
BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT TRUCK TRUCKS ENTERING, ENTERING MM-HMM
SO I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION ON THAT BECAUSE, SO TRUCK THERE WOULD, WE ARE SELF IMPOSING AND BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE TOWNS TRAFFIC CONSULTANT AND MEETINGS WITH STAFF THAT WE'VE HAD RECENTLY, WE ARE RESTRICTING TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCKS DURING THOSE HOURS.
DELIVERIES IN GENERAL, HOWEVER, SINGLE UNIT TRUCKS, THE SMALLER TRUCKS WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE IT MORE EASILY, UH, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO COME IN, UH, INTO THE DRIVEWAYS.
HOWEVER, THEY WOULD BE ONLY MAKING A A RIGHT INTO THE DRIVEWAYS.
THEY CAN'T BE MAKING LEFTS INTO THE DRIVEWAY 'CAUSE THEY WOULD BE COMING FROM THE PARKWAY AT THAT POINT.
UNDERSTOOD THAT YOU ARE RESTRICTING THAT, BUT YOU'RE NOT RESTRICTING MORE TRAFFIC ON LAWRENCE STREET AND ON SAWMILL RIVER ROAD BECAUSE EVEN IF THEY ARE THE SMALLER TRUCKS, THE USE DURING THOSE HOURS, THE USE GENERALLY IS A LOW VOLUME, LOW IMPACT KIND OF USE COMPARED TO RELATIVELY OTHER USES THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED ON THE PROPERTY THERE.
THE CARGO TRUCK, UH, STORAGE AREA THAT'S THERE, UM, WHAT'S PROPOSED AND INTENDED FOR THAT IS MORE OF A U-HAUL STORAGE AREA OR RIDER TRUCK STORAGE.
SO IT'S NOT TO BE TRANSACTIONAL, THIS IS JUST A LOCATION FOR THE STORE TRANSACTION WOULD BE DONE OFF THE PROPERTY FOR THEM TO COME AND RECEIVE IT AND BRING IT TO THEIR OFFSITE LOCATION.
SO IT'S MINIMAL ACTIVITY FROM THE CARGO STANDPOINT AND THE OUTDOOR STORAGE USE, UM, HAS SMALLER TRUCKS.
IS IS THE MAIN, UH, DELIVERY VEHICLE THAT'S ANTICIPATED FOR THIS USE HERE? WELL, I GUESS MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE STARTED WITH THE QUESTION AS HOW MUCH TRAFFIC, HOW, YOU KNOW, JUST IN GENERAL, HOW OFTEN ARE DELIVERIES MADE AND, UM, AND HOW OFTEN BOTH FROM YOUR PRODUCT AND THEN ALSO THE U-HAUL, HOW OFTEN IS THAT? AND BECAUSE THE, AS I SAID, IT'S, IT'S DANGEROUS.
I, I'M SO SURPRISED THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN MORE ACCIDENTS THERE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT PEOPLE DRIVE.
AND IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, OTHER CONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO, YOU MIGHT'VE GATHERED BECAUSE YOU'RE LISTENING TO ME ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAFFIC AT BRIGHTVIEW.
BUT
UM, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE MORE DATA ON THAT.
WE DID PROVIDE A TRAFFIC STUDY AS PART OF THIS.
IT WAS REVIEWED BY A TRAFFIC CONSULTANT.
HE AND HIS, ONE OF HIS LAST REVIEW LETTERS SAID HE HAD NO FURTHER COMMENTS.
UH, ACTUALLY I'M LOOKING AT HIS LETTER FROM MARCH 12TH, 2026.
UH, HIS, THE STUDY'S BEEN REVIEWED, BUT THE TRAFFIC CONSULTANT AND HAS NO FURTHER TRA NO FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
UM, BASICALLY WHAT WAS DETERMINED, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, OF EXISTING, YOU KNOW, CONDITIONS OUT THERE AND AND SUCH, UM, BASICALLY WHAT WAS DETERMINED IS THAT WE WOULD NOT, YOU KNOW, HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF IT.
'CAUSE IT CURRENTLY IS, IS OPERATING AS THIS.
BUT WHAT IT WE HAD PROJECTED IN THERE IS, UH, ABOUT 60 TRIPS IN THE AM AND ROUGHLY THE SAME IN THE PM HOUR.
BASICALLY WHAT WAS ANALYZED IN THE TRAFFIC STUDY, UM, WHAT WE ARE DOING IN CONJUNCTION WORKING WITH THE TOWN, BECAUSE IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY THE CONSULTANT, WAS, UM, THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN WOULD FACILITATE OR MAYBE LOOK INTO FURTHER.
BUT WE PROVIDED, WE ARE PROVIDING A SURVEY OF, UH, LAUREN STREET, UH, RIGHT OF WAY UTILITIES, ALL THE OTHER ASPECTS ALONG LAUREN STREET, UM, IN THE TOWNS, UH, TO REVIEW IF THERE'S POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN LAWRENCE STREET AS FAR AS WHETHER IT'S WIDENING TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL LANE OR, OR SUCH.
UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE TOWNS TRAFFIC CONSULTANT.
AND WE WILL BE FACILITATING THAT.
IT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, IT JUST HASN'T OFFICIALLY BEEN PROVIDED TO THE TOWN.
I DID PROVIDE IN A MEETING WITH ENGINEERING AS WELL, THE CHILD TRAFFIC CO CONSULTANTS SHOWING THOSE, THOSE REQUESTS THAT WE WOULD DEPLOY.
[02:35:01]
THE CONSIDERATION OF TRAFFIC FROM OTHER, OTHER ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC FROM CONSTRUCTION GOING ON FOR THE REP ON NINE A OUR TRAFFIC STUDY CONSIDERED THAT.AS FAR AS OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREA, I HAVE OTHER, ANOTHER QUESTION, ANOTHER LINE OF QUESTIONING, BUT IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO ASK SOMETHING FIRST, PLEASE DO.
UM, SO KNOWING THE STREET ALSO AS I DO, 'CAUSE I TRAVERSE IT A LOT, I DON'T SEE IN ITS CURRENT, UM, CONFIGURATION HOW ANY TRACTOR TRAILERS GO INTO AND OUT OF THAT, THAT LOT.
I JUST DON'T, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE WIDE.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S BARELY ENOUGH ROOM FOR TWO CARS ON EACH LANE THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, AND THEY ZIP AROUND EACH OTHER.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IT IS, IT IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS IF YOU WERE TO WIDEN LAUREN STREET IN SOME WAY, MAYBE.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST, I DON'T, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THAT HAPPENS.
THE TRACTOR TRAILERS ARE CURRENTLY UTILIZING LAUREN STREET AND ACTUALLY THEY, SOME OF 'EM DO GO INTO THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET ON LAUREN STREET, WHAT TO LIFE.
THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER COMMERCIAL BUSINESS IN THAT BUILDING AS WELL.
UH, BUT WE DID OBSERVE, UH, BASED ON VIDEOS OF TRACTOR TRAILERS USING IT CURRENTLY UHHUH, UM, BECAUSE THEY DO MAKE THAT RIGHT TURN FROM NINE A TO LAWRENCE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY THAT STOP BAR HAS BEEN PULLED BACK IS TO ALLOW THAT MANEUVERABILITY.
IT OCCURS CURRENTLY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REINFORCING AND ADDRESSING THE CONFLICTS THAT OCCURRING OUT THERE, UH, RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS WHAT ONE OF THE TRAFFIC CONSULTANTS COMMENTS WAS.
AND WHEN YOU SAY TRACTOR TRAILER, WHAT KIND OF LENGTH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHAT KIND OF LENGTH OF TRUCK ARE YOU TALKING? UH, LIKE A WB 50, WB 62, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YEAH, IN FEET, UM, 62 FOOT WHEEL BASE, 50 FOOT LONG WHEEL BASE, UH, THOSE BOX TRUCKS THAT YOU SEE, UM, THOSE ARE USUALLY AROUND 30 OR 40 FEET, WHICH IS WHAT'S ANTICIPATED FOR THIS.
THEY DON'T HAVE A TRA A TRACTOR IN FRONT.
ONE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IS I HAD A LOT OF, UM, PERSONAL EXPERIENCES BECAUSE MY WIFE AND I, WE HAD MOLD IN OUR KITCHEN, SO WE WERE STAYING AT THE DUFFS FERRY HILTON FOR, UH, FOR TWO MONTHS.
AND, UM, SO I BASICALLY, WE BOTH USED, YOU KNOW, LAWRENCE AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE'S NO, UH, BUS STOP AT THE RIVERTOWN SQUARE.
UM, AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES, UM, YOU KNOW, WALKING ALONG LAWRENCE STREET, YOU KNOW, UH, AND I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY, THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PEDESTRIANS.
WE ARE, WE ARE PROVIDING, UH, WE ARE REDOING THE SIDEWALK ALONG LAUREN STREET, ALONG THE PROPERTY FRONTAGE THERE.
SO FROM THE EXISTING, UH, CULVERT ON LAUREN STREET TO THE WESTERN END BY THE TRAILWAY, WE ARE PROPOSING NEW SIDEWALK THERE, NEW PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.
UH, I BELIEVE IT'S, YOU KNOW, A SMALL WIDTH SIDEWALK.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO UPGRADE THOSE FACILITIES ON WHAT ABOUT HAVING A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER THE SUN RIVER? UM, YOU KNOW, PARKWAY, BECAUSE I SORT OF FEEL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, IT REALLY IS VERY DANGEROUS.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO BUS STOP, UH, IN THE SQUARE.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I, I MENTIONED THIS TO GARRETT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IMPACTING, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS SHOPPING, YOU KNOW, PLAZA.
AND IT REALLY IS VERY, IT REALLY IS VERY HOW, YOU KNOW, I, I SAW IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE HAD A PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT ON A RESIDENT OF HASTINGS ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO.
THE TRAFFIC, UM, CONSULTANT, CONSULTANT IS ON ZOOMS. CAN WE HEAR FROM HIM? SO YOU CAN GIVE SOME COMMENTS.
HI JOHN, MR. CANNON, HOW YOU DOING? GOOD EVENING.
SO, UM, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT CORRIDORS AND, UH, INTERSECTIONS IN THE TOWN.
UM, WE'VE GIVEN IT A LOT OF STUDY.
THERE ARE A FEW POINTS I WANT TO, UM, HAVE MR. PETRO CHECK OR CONFIRM FOR ME AND, AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, OBVIOUSLY THE APPLICANT OWNS SOME REAL PROPERTY HERE.
UM, IT IS THEIR DESIRE TO DEVELOP IT, AND IT'S THE TOWN'S RESPONSIBILITY, BOTH YOUR BOARD AND THE PLANNING BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S HIS RIGHTS ARE GRANTED, HIS DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ARE GRANTED, BUT ONLY IF IT'S SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS, IS BALANCE DEVELOPMENT AGAINST SAFETY.
UH, THEY'VE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR A CONTRACTOR'S YARD, OBVIOUSLY WITH, UH, A U-HAUL STORAGE AND PICKUP LOCATION AS WELL.
THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT THEY PROVIDED,
[02:40:01]
AND I'D LIKE MR. PETRO TO CONFIRM THIS, INDICATED THAT AT THE PEAK R THERE WOULD BE 40 TRIPS AND HE JUST MADE A STATEMENT THAT IT WOULD BE 60.UM, SO WE WERE EVALUATING IT BASED ON 40 TRIPS, NOT 60.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE THAT CONFIRMED.
UH, HE MADE A STATEMENT, UM, MAYBE I MISHEARD OR MAYBE HE MISSPOKE, UH, THE WESTERN DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS ON THE TOP OF YOUR PICTURE THERE, THAT THE LEFT TURNS WOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM SEVEN 30 TO NINE 30 AND THREE TO SIX FOR TRUCKS.
IT WAS MY INTENT THAT ALL LEFT TURNS WOULD BE PROHIBITED AT THAT LOCATION FROM SEVEN 30 TO THREE 30, UH, TO NINE 30 AND THREE TO SIX BECAUSE, UM, THE ISSUE IS THAT YOU GET QUEUING THERE AND IF YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN OUT AND SOMEBODY STOPS GOING WESTBOUND AND LETS YOU SORT OF SNEAK OUT, THEN YOU'RE SNEAKING OUT BETWEEN CARS AND YOU CAN'T SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING EASTBOUND ON LAWRENCE STREET.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN UNDESIRABLE CONDITION.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ALL MOVEMENTS THAT WOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM SEVEN 30 TO NINE 30 AND THREE TO SIX AT THAT LOCATION.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY AGGRESSIVE DRIVING THERE.
WITH REGARD TO THE TRACTOR TRAILERS, THE LONGEST TRACTOR TRAILER THAT WE HAVE EVALUATED IS A WB 50 VEHICLE, WHICH IS, UH, 55 FEET LONG.
THAT'S THE LONGEST VEHICLE THAT'S PERMITTED ON THE LOCAL ROADS IN NEW YORK CITY, IF THAT HELPS ANY OF YOU.
IT IS NOT THE 73 FOOT LONG WB 67 VEHICLES THAT MOST OF THE BIGGER COMPANIES USE TO DELIVER.
YOU KNOW, AMAZON, THEY'RE BIG TRAILERS, TRACTOR TRAILER.
SO IT IS STILL A VERY BIG VEHICLE.
AND, UH, THE APPLICANT HAS INDICATED THAT IF SUCH A VEHICLE COMES DOWN TO THE SITE, IT WILL BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
AND IT HAS BEEN OUR POSITION THAT IF IT'S FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, IT SHOULD BE SCHEDULED BETWEEN 7:00 PM AND 7:00 AM SO IT'S NOT THERE AT ALL WHEN IT'S BUSY.
UM, SO, UH, THAT'S A MATTER THAT'S BEEN ON A MATTER OF ONGOING DISCUSSION BETWEEN OUR OFFICE AND THE APPLICANT.
SO THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING PERMISSION TO DEVELOP HIS PROPERTY.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT IN A REASONABLE MANNER.
THE DATA THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED INDICATED THAT IT'S 40 ADDITIONAL TRIPS PER HOUR.
UM, I THINK PROBABLY OF THOSE 30 GO EAST TOWARDS SELMA RIVER ROAD AND 10 GO WEST TOWARDS THE PARKWAY BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY A, UM, IT'S A, UH, CONTRACTOR'S YARD, BUT TRUCKS IN THAT, THE, THE TURN PROHIBITION OUT OF THE SIDE DRIVEWAY, WESTERN SIDE DRIVEWAY WOULD BE FOR ALL TRUCKS FOR THOSE HOURS, AND THE TRACTOR TRAILERS WOULD BE, UH, IN THE OFF PEAK HOURS BETWEEN 7:00 PM AND 7:00 AM.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
ALSO, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE SOUTH COUNTY? YOU KNOW, IT'S RIGHT NEAR THIS ON THE BORDER OF THE SOUTH COUNTY AND, UH, TRAIL, AND THERE'S A LOT OF BICYCLISTS AND JOGGERS, UH, THAT, UH, THAT USE THAT'S LIKE THE, A MAJOR, UH, ACCESS POINT, UH, TO AND FROM BOTH TRAILS.
AND I'M WONDERING IF, UH, YOU'VE, UH, TAKEN A LOOK ABOUT SOME OF THE SAFE SAFETY ISSUES, UH, FOR THE CYCLISTS AND JOGGERS AND WALKERS WHO USE THE SOUTH COUNTY TRAIL, MR. RIGHT.
SO, I'M SORRY, I INTERRUPTED YOU.
SO, UH, YEAH, WE, WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE SOUTH CAM TRAIL.
IT IS VERY BUSY, UH, BOTH FROM, UM, UH, VEHICULAR GOING ON LAWRENCE STREET AND BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS ON THE TRAIL.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THERE'S REASONABLY GOOD VIS VISIBILITY AT THAT LOCATION.
UH, THERE'S A MARKED CROSSWALK AND THE APPLICANT WILL BE INCREASING TRAFFIC VOLUMES BY ABOUT 10 VEHICLES IN THE BUSIEST HOUR.
SO, UH, IT'S OUR OPINION THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE CONDITIONS SIGNIFICANTLY AT THAT LOCATION.
UH, THE CROSSWALK IS POSTED WITH SIGNS AND IT HAS GOOD VISIBILITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A CROSSWALK WITH NO TRAFFIC, BUT WE LIVE IN A REAL WORLD.
I, THE FINAL QUESTION I HAVE IS I REALLY BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, BASED ON, YOU KNOW, MY EXPERIENCES OF BEING AT LIVING THERE WITH MY WIFE FOR TWO, FOR TWO FULL MONTHS, WE JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, I SAW IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I'M SORT OF WONDERING IF, UM, IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE COULD PUT, WE COULD WORK WITH THE STATE, UH, TO HAVE A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, BUILD POSSIBLY WITH APPLICANT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SUPPORT OVER THE SAWMILL RIVER, UM, YOU KNOW, PARKWAY BECAUSE IT IS REALLY SO HAZARDOUS.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A LOT OF, UM, EMPLOYEES WALKING EVERY SINGLE DAY FROM THE BUS STOP ON SAWMILL RIVER ROAD.
AND I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO TAKE
[02:45:01]
ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT THERE'S A PROPOSAL THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK, UM, AT, AT THIS MAJOR, UH, YOU KNOW, SHOPPING PLAZA.BUT THAT WOULDN'T SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS OF THE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC THAT'S THERE, THAT WOULD THAT SOLVE THE PEDESTRIAN PROBLEM, MAYBE.
BUT THERE'S THE, THE VEHICLES, RIGHT.
BUT I'M MIKE, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THE PEDESTRIANS, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN SO MANY PEDESTRIANS, YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT BOTH, UM, WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.
AND AGAIN, THEY, THEY'RE WALKING FROM SAW RIVER ROAD, I KNOW ALONG, UM, LAWRENCE, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO CROSS OVER, UM, YOU KNOW, RIVER TA CROSSOVER TO GET TO THE SHOPPING, YOU KNOW, PLAZA.
AND, UM, AND IF YOU HAVE THESE TRA MAJOR TRACTORS, UH, THE ODDS OF AN ACCIDENT ARE GONNA BE, I THINK, ENHANCED THAT, THAT'S MY MAJOR, THAT'S MY MAJOR CONCERN.
SO, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE TOWN CAN APPEAL TO, UH, THE STATE AND, AND TRY AND GET A PROJECT, UH, PUT FOR EXPIRATION ON THE STATE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
UM, I'M, I'M NOT SURE HOW THE TOWN COULD, UM, SOLICIT, UH, THE HELP OF THE APPLICANT IN THIS REGARD.
UM, THE NUMBER FIVE BUS DOES GO DOWN SAWMILL RIVER ROAD.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THAT'S AN ARTICULATED BUS OR, UM, IT'S A, ONE OF THE SHORTER BUSES.
I, I DO COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU, UH, SUPERVISOR FINER THAT THERE SHOULD BE A BUS STOP AT CHAUNCEY SQUARE.
THERE CAN BE, THERE'S A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THERE, AND THEY, UH, WOULD AVAIL IT.
UH, IT WOULD BE PROBABLY PRUDENT IF WE COULD ASK THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
WE'VE DONE THAT, WE'VE DONE THAT YEARS AGO.
WE WENT THROUGH THAT STUDY AND IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE.
A BUS CANNOT GO AROUND THE CIRCLE THERE.
WE STUDIED IT WITH THE, WITH THE COUNTY.
THE RADIUS IS TOO TIGHT MM-HMM
FOR THOSE, THOSE BUSES, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S, AND ALSO EVEN MAKING, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, BE PLANNING BECAUSE THE VILLAGE APPROVED THIS SHOPPING CENTER WITHOUT A BUS STOP, AND WE ALREADY HAD ONE, AT LEAST ONE PEDESTRIAN RECENTLY WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS WHO GOT HIT, UH, CROSSING THE, THE STREET.
AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, MY FAILING IS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE ANOTHER TRACTOR AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE, AND THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION FOR, THE ONLY OPTION FOR EMPLOYEES IS TO TAKE THE BUS, UM, IS BASICALLY TO GET OFF ON OMO RIVER ROAD, WALK ON LAWRENCE, AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THESE MAJOR TRACTOR, UH, YOU KNOW, TRUCKS, UH, DRIVING AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT A DRIVER OR A PEDESTRIAN WILL GET INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.
AND THAT'S, AND I SORT OF FEEL THAT IF WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE'RE PROTECTING THE, THE, THE SAFETY OF, UM, OF THE EMPLOYEES AND PEDESTRIANS WHO, WHO WALK THERE, WHO DON'T HAVE CARS.
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE DON'T HAVE CARS OR A GOOD CHUNK OF THEM.
SO, UH, JUST TWO THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT.
SO BASICALLY YOU LOOK, IF YOU LOOK AT THE AREA THAT'S ON HERE RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN SEE OUR TRACTOR TRAILER ON LAUREN STREET, JUST ON THE NORTH WEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY, UH, THAT'S IN THE AERIAL.
SO IT IS BEING USED BY TRACTOR TRAILERS.
I KNOW THERE'S A DISCUSSION BEING TALKED ABOUT WITH TRACTOR TRAILERS FOR THIS USE.
AS MENTIONED, MOST OF THESE DELIVERIES ARE GONNA BE BOX TRUCKS LENGTH, NOT TRACTOR TRAILERS.
SO WE'RE NOT ADDING A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF TRACTOR TRAILERS TO LAUREN STREET.
UM, AS FAR AS, UH, PEDESTRIANS, WE'RE DOING NUMEROUS, UH, SAFETIES MEASURES FOR PEDESTRIANS.
OBVIOUSLY I MENTIONED THE SIDEWALK ALONG OUR FRONTAGE, BUT HERE I JUST PROVIDED A, A LAYOUT PLAN WITH A VISUAL OF THE ASPECTS TOO.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE, THE STRIPING ON THE ROAD, BUT WE HAVE STOP SIGNS FOR PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THERE.
WE HAVE THE INDICATIONS OF THE RESTRICTIONS OF WHEN AND WHO CAN'T DO WHAT AS FAR AS TURNING MOVEMENTS.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE, YOU CAN SEE IN THE BLACK WITH THE CAUTION VEHICLE EXITING, THAT'S A, THAT'S A MESSAGE MORE TOWARDS THE PEDESTRIANS, JUST LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THERE IS A VEHICLE EXITING THE DRIVEWAY.
THERE'S A SENSOR THAT'S ON THE DRIVEWAY THAT'S PROPOSED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL WARNING TO PEDESTRIANS OF THE VEHICLE.
OBVIOUSLY THE PEDESTRIAN HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY, BUT THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO STOP AS THEY WOULD AT A STOP SIGN LOOK FOR PEDESTRIANS AS THEY MAKE THEIR MANEUVERS THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION AT THE SITE DRIVEWAY.
I I, I JUST HAVE TO RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENT THAT THERE IS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH, A TRUCK ON NINE A YES, THERE ARE A LOT OF TRUCKS ON NINE A, LAWRENCE LAWRENCE ON LAWRENCE, I'M SORRY, IF YOU LOOK RIGHT HERE ON THE NORTHWEST PORTION OF THE SCREEN, A NORTHWEST PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.
IT'S A RED CAB WITH THE TRACTOR TRAILER BEHIND IT.
BUT THE, YOU KNOW, IN MY EXPERIENCE, THERE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY FEW TRUCKS THAT THAT JUST HAPPENED TO BE, BUT REALLY, UM, WE
[02:50:01]
DID CATCH 'EM.AND OBVIOUSLY EVEN AN AERIAL SHOWS IT BASICALLY, SO IT'S THERE, IT'S, YEAH, I'M SURE THAT, I MEAN, THERE ARE, IT'S NOT AT ALL, BUT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, MAKING DELIVERIES TO RIVERTOWN SQUARE PERHAPS SO.
BUT, UM, I, I'M, I'M GOING TO SWITCH FROM TRAFFIC FOR MOMENT 'CAUSE IT'S ALSO FLOOD ZONE.
SO I, I REALLY HAVE A QUESTION.
I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT THE, THE, UM, THE FOLIAGE, THE AREA THAT YOU DIDN'T DEVELOP BECAUSE THEY'RE WETLANDS.
UM, THERE'S NO, UH, STATE WETLANDS ON THE PROPERTY.
SO THERE'S AN AREA THAT'S UNDEVELOPABLE MM-HMM
UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE THERE IS FLOODING, WE TALKED ABOUT RETENTION, A RETENTION POND AT BRIGHTVIEW.
SO THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS A, THE, THE NEWEST, UH, WAY OF, OF NOT THE NEW HAS RISEN IN POPULARITY AS A REMEDIATION FOR FLOODING.
UM, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY ON THAT UNDEVELOPED AREA? AND I, AND I, UM, ANCILLARY TO THAT IS, I KNOW THAT OF COURSE SINCE IT WAS A BROWNFIELD THAT MIGHT CREATE RESTRICTIONS, BUT THAT SEEMS TO ME RIPE FOR BEING ABLE TO, UM, CREATE SOME FLOOD REMEDIATION, WHICH CER, WHICH CERTAINLY COULD HELP YOU AND ALSO HELP THE REST OF LAWRENCE STREET.
WELL, RIGHT NOW AS IT IS, WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A, A NET CUT IN THE FLOODPLAIN AREA.
SO IF ANYTHING, WE'RE ACTUALLY PROVIDING ADDITIONAL STORAGE AS PART OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
SO THERE IS A, A, A NET CUT OF 712 CUBIC YARDS AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN.
OVERALL, THE DEVELOPMENT HAS A, AS A, A NET CUT AS WELL.
SO THERE ARE STORMWATER MEASURES AND PRACTICES THAT ARE PROPOSED AS PART OF THIS APPLICATION.
UH, DRY SWALE, POROUS PAVEMENT, UM, AS WELL AS UNDER DRAINS, UH, TO COLLECT THE WATER AND CONVEY IT TO THE DRY SWALE, WHICH PROVIDES LENGTH AND DURATION, UM, TO, TO THE, THE STORMWATER, UH, THAT WOULD BE COLLECTED ON THE PROPERTY THERE.
SO IT PROVIDES THE REDUCTION IN STORMWATER RATES WHEN YOU COMPARE IT FROM EXISTING TO PROPOSED, AS WELL AS STORMWATER VOLUMES ARE REDUCED AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT FROM EXISTING TO PROPOSED.
UH, I CERTAINLY WAS THINKING OF IT FOR YOU, BUT I WAS ALSO THINKING OF IT AS A GOOD NEIGHBOR KIND OF, UH, EFFORT IN, IN TERMS OF HELPING TO REMEDIATE FLOODING OUTSIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO MUCH OVER THERE WITH THE RIVER THAT RUNS THROUGH THAT AREA, BASICALLY.
SO, BUT WE ARE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL BENEFIT ON OUR SITE AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT AS MENTIONED, UH, REDUCING RATES AND, AND RUNOFF.
WE'RE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL, UH, STORAGE IN THE FLOODPLAIN, UH, WHERE WE CAN.
I ALSO HAVE YOU, UH, I WROTE TO, UH, THE VILLAGE OF LEY AND, YOU KNOW, DOBBS FERRY.
HAVE WE HEARD, LIKE ANY, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS FROM, YOU KNOW, EITHER VILLAGES, UH, RELATING TO, YOU KNOW, THIS APPLICATION AS IT, BECAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE VILLAGE MIGHT HAVE BEEN, SAY ORLEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, POSSIBLE TRUCK TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN ORLEY, OR, YEAH, THE MAYOR OF LEY DID POSE A QUESTION, WHICH I RELAYED TO THE APPLICANT, AND I DID PROVIDE A RESPONSE THIS MORNING.
THEY WANTED TO KNOW, UM, ESTIMATED NUMBER OF TRIPS OF VEHICLES THAT WOULD BE ENTERING THE VILLAGE NORTH OF THE 2 87, UH, ON RAMP.
UH, SO THAT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED.
WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE HEARING? UH, NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS.
SO DO WE WANT TO CLOSE THE HEARING OR, UH, UH, GIVE PEOPLE A SECOND CHANCE UNTIL, UH, THIS SECOND MEETING IN JUNE? WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER? UM, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YEAH.
UH, GOOD EVENING SUPERVISOR, FINER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.
UH, I AM DYLAN PINE AND I AM CHAIR OF THE PLANNING BOARD.
UM, I I JUST WANTED TO SHARE TWO THOUGHTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER DUQUE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE PLANNING BOARD, UH, WAS UNABLE TO OR MADE A NEGATIVE RECOMMENDATION ON THE SITE PLAN.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE
[02:55:01]
THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PLANNING BOARD FOUND IT, YOU KNOW, UNUSUAL THAT WE WEREN'T PROVIDED THE DOCUMENTS TO ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE SITE PLAN.UM, THOSE, THOSE DOCUMENTS HAVE SINCE BEEN SUBMITTED TO YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE WERE UNABLE TO, TO REVIEW THEM IN THE DETAIL THAT WE NORMALLY WOULD.
UM, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, IF, IF YOU KNOW, AS YOU ALREADY HAVE, BUT TO REALLY TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AND ENSURE THAT SITE PLANS, UH, THE SITE PLAN REQUIREMENTS A THROUGH K WERE SATISFIED.
UM, I KNOW ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE PLANNING BOARD HAD, AND, AND I I THINK IT'S BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT I JUST WANTED TO REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE A POINT TO IT.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS CONCERNS THAT TRUCKS, UH, ENTERING THE SITE HAD TO CROSS THE COMPETING LANE OF TRAFFIC TO, TO ENTER THE SITE.
I KNOW THERE WAS SUGGESTION THAT THE STOP BAR HAS BEEN ADJUSTED.
UM, IT WAS UNCLEAR TO ME IF THAT WAS ADJUSTED SINCE THE PROJECT WAS IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING BOARD.
UM, BUT I WOULD ASK THE TOWN BOARD TO, TO CONFIRM AND CLARIFY, UH, THAT NO VEHICLES ENTERING THE SITE WOULD HAVE TO CROSS THE COMPETING LANE OF TRAFFIC, UH, TO ENTER THE SITE.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, REGARDLESS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, LIMITATIONS ON THE HOURS IN WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN TURNING, TURNING MANEUVERS CAN BE MADE ONTO THE SITE, UM, IF, IF THE, IF A VEHICLE HAS TO CROSS A COMPETING RATE OF TRAFFIC, UM, THAT IS UNSAFE REGARDLESS OF, OF THE TIME OF DAY.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I HOPE APPLICANTS IN THE FUTURE, UH, PROVIDE THE PLANNING BOARD WITH THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR US TO MAKE A FULL RECOMMENDATION.
UM, THAT IS THE INTENT OF THE TOWN BOARD REFERRAL PROCESS.
UM, AND THE FACT THAT, THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO DO SO WAS, WAS DISAPPOINTING.
AND, UM, WE MADE THE, ULTIMATELY MADE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE, BUT BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE AS, AS THOROUGH OF A RECOMMENDATION AS WE NORMALLY WOULD, UM, I'D ASK THE TOWN BOARD TO, TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS EVEN MORE CAREFULLY, UH, IN, IN THE ABSENCE OF OUR ABILITY TO DO SO.
WE CAN'T, WE, UH, REFER THIS BACK TO THE PLANNING BOARD? UM, WELL, I'M, I'M NOT NECESSARILY, NO, I'M JUST, I'M JUST ASKING IF THE PLANNING BOARD HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A THOROUGH, UM, REVIEW, WHY CAN'T WE, UH, REFER THIS BACK TO THE PLANNING BOARD AND GIVE THE PLANNING BOARD LIKE A A A MONTH OR SO TO IF, IF YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION NOW? I MEAN, I, I WOULD LIKE TO BENEFIT FROM, UH, THE PLANNING BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION BEFORE, UH, BEFORE WE MAKE DECISIONS BECAUSE YOU, THIS IS, THIS COULD, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A REALLY MAJOR, YOU KNOW, PROJECT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OR WE COULD HAVE A JOINT MEETING OF THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE TOWN BOARD TO DISCUSS IT.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
WHY DIDN'T THEY HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTS? SO WE, WE WENT THROUGH, UM, A REALLY EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS IN TERMS OF, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TIME, UM, JUST, JUST TO FRAME THIS, THE APPLICANT HAD TRIED, UM, TO AT LEAST TEMPORARILY USE THE SITE, UM, WHILE THIS APPROVAL PROCESS IS GOING ON FOR LIMIT FOR OTHER LIMITED PURPOSES TO, TO, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S COSTING A LOT OF MONEY EACH MONTH, EACH WEEK, SO AT LEAST TO TEMPORARILY USE IT.
AND, AND THE APPLICANT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
IT HAD BEEN EXTENDED, EXTENDED BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD.
THE EXTENSION OF TIME FOR REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION WAS CONSENTED TO, UM, THE, THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH I THINK IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PLANNING BOARD DID NOT GET WAS PROVIDED RIGHT AFTER THIS IS THIS BOARD IS A BOARD THAT WOULD DETERMINE CCRA AND UM, AN ISSUE DECLARATION.
SO WE TRY TO WORK WITH THE PLANNING BOARD.
I'M NOT FAULTING IN ANY WAY THE PLANNING BOARD, THEY WENT, THEY WENT THROUGH A LOT, BUT THEY HAD ASKED FOR I THINK A STILL MORE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
I THINK MARK CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS AND, AND MAYBE I'M, I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT OFF, BUT THEY HAD ASKED FOR THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE PROCESS AND WE NEEDED TO, WE NEEDED TO MOVE, UH, WE NEEDED TO MOVE BEYOND, BEYOND THAT WE NEED, AND, AND SINCE THIS BOARD IS GOING TO CONSIDER CCRA, UM, WE PROVIDED THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
UM, PUTTING THAT ASIDE, THERE WAS A LOT THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE PLANNING BOARD OVER SEVERAL SESSIONS.
I MEAN, A LOT OF MATERIAL, A LOT OF REVIEW COVERING EVERY FACET OF THIS PROJECT.
SO I THINK EVERYTHING WAS LOOKED AT AND THEIR REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION WAS RATHER EXHAUSTIVE WITH A, A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS BOARD.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT THEY, THEY THINK THEY MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED EVERYTHING, BUT THEY PRODUCED A VERY EXHAUSTIVE REPORT AFTER A VERY LONG PROCESS THAT COVERED NEARLY EVERY PART OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, MARK WANTS TO ADD, ARE YOU GOOD?
[03:00:02]
I, I JUST REALLY CAN'T, CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T, WE SAY TO THE PLANNING BOARD, TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS AND YOU HAVE SAY 30 OR 60 DAYS TO GIVE US A, UH, UH, YOUR, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.BECAUSE THE WHOLE POINT OF THE PLANNING BOARD IS THE, THE PROCESS IS TO GET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PLANNING BOARD BECAUSE THAT COULD HELP US MAKE A, A, A MORE THOROUGH, UH, YOU KNOW, DECISION IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PLANNING BOARD WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND.
COULD I, COULD I, CAN I JUST, LEMME JUST, YEAH, JUST WHAT, UH, AND, AND I, I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT, BUT I, I THINK BY CODE, UNLESS I'M CORRECTED, THE PROCESS IS THIS BOARD REFERS IT TO THE PLANNING BOARD, PLANNING BOARD ISSUES A REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION.
THIS BOARD THEN TAKES THAT REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION, EVEN IF THERE WERE A COUPLE, SOME ASPECTS THAT THE PLANNING BOARD MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED AND THE PLANNING BOARD LOOKS NEGATIVELY ON THAT, IT, THE PROCESS STILL IS, IT GOES TO THE PLANNING BOARD, IT COMES HERE.
IF, IF THE THOUGHT IS, WELL, LET'S, LET'S SEND IT BACK FOR A SECOND TIME TO THE PLANNING BOARD TO GO THROUGH THAT ENTIRE PROCESS, NOT ONLY DOES IT UPEND THE CODE, THE SEQUENCE THAT THE CODE PROVIDES, BUT IT ESSENTIALLY SUGGESTS TO APPLICANTS WHENEVER THEY GET AN UNFAVORABLE OR LESS THAN FULLY FAVORABLE PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATION, ALL THEY'LL DO IS COME TO THIS BOARD AND SAY, HEY, SEND US BACK FOR A REDO AND A REDO AND A REDO.
I DON'T, THIS IS BECAUSE I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.
I DON'T, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT AT ALL.
WE'RE SAYING 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD NEGATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE AND WE'VE ACTED ON IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A FRONT TO THE PROCESS THAT IF WE GET AN APPLICATION, WE'RE REQUIRED TO SEND IT TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
IF YOU'RE NOT PROVIDING THE DOCUMENTATION THAT THE PLANNING BOARD NEEDS, AND THEN YOU SAY, OKAY, JUST MAKE WHATEVER RECOMMENDATION YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN GET IT TO US.
AND NOW YOU PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU COULDN'T HAVE PROVIDED IT TO THE PLANNING BOARD BECAUSE THE, I IF, IF, UNLESS, IF I'M RECALLING CORRECTLY, FOR INSTANCE, THE STORM ORDER MANAGEMENT PLAN, I THINK CAME LATER IN THE PROCESS AFTER WE HAVE GONE THROUGH NEARLY EVERY ASPECT OF THIS, OF THIS PROJECT.
AND SO WE, WE NEEDED TO MOVE THE PROJECT, UM, FORWARD AND NOT BE STUCK WITH ANOTHER 60 DAYS OR, OR LONGER BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD.
AND JUST RESPECTFULLY, HAD WE PROVIDED THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN TO THE PLANNING BOARD, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD'VE CHANGED ANYTHING, QUITE FRANKLY.
UM, WE'RE NOT BUILDING ON THIS SITE, JUST TO BE CLEAR.
WE'RE NOT IMPROVING IT WITH A STRUCTURE.
WE'RE USING AN EXISTING VACANT LOT AS A, AS A CONTRACTOR'S OUTDOOR CONTRACTOR STORAGE PORTION AND MOTOR VEHICLE SEARCH.
NOW THE, THOSE, THOSE ARE PERMITTED USES ONE WITH A SPECIAL PERMIT, BUT WE'RE NOT IN CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING ON THIS SITE.
SO HAD WE BEEN DOING THAT, I MIGHT TEND TO AGREE WITH YOU, BUT, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SIT.
IS THAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WAS LEFT? I, I WON'T NEED, I NEED 30 SECONDS.
UM, YEAH, THE, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO SHARE BEFORE I WAS INTERRUPTED WAS THAT, UH, THE PLANNING BOARD SPENT SIGNIFICANT TIME, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF OUR STUDY, UM, REVIEWING THE, THE BROWNFIELD REMEDIATION AND THE SUGGESTION THAT THE APPLICANT WAS GONNA BREAK THE CAP IN ORDER TO CONDUCT THE WORK.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE PLANS HAVE CHANGED SINCE, UH, THE, THE APPLICATION HAS EVOLVED, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE TOWN BOARD TO, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT RELATED TO BREAKING THE CAP AND, AND, UM, ANY REMEDIATION THAT MIGHT NEED NOT, MIGHT NEED TO BE, UH, DONE AS A RESULT OF THAT.
DOES THE APPLICANT AGREE THEY'RE GOING TO BREAK THE CAP? ANOTHER, UH, OH, I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST.
UM, YES, THERE ARE PORTIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE GOING THROUGH THE CAP AND AS WAS MENTIONED, THERE ARE MEASURES IN PLACE CURRENTLY ON FILE.
AND THIS WAS CONVEYED WITH THE MEETING THAT WE HAD WITH THE TOWNS ENGINEERING STAFF RECENTLY AS WELL.
AND WE TOLD THEM THE PROCESS THAT IS ON FILE WITH THE STATE ALREADY TO ALLOW THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AND HOW TO GO AND FILE THE PROCEDURE OF THAT.
THERE IS A WHOLE METHOD THAT'S AS PART OF THAT, AND IF YOU WANT MORE DETAIL, WE CAN GET INTO IT, BUT I DON'T SPECIFICALLY DEAL WITH THAT.
THAT'S SOMEONE ELSE THAT'S THAT'S HERE THAT CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
BUT THERE ARE MEASURES IN PLACE THAT ALLOW YOU TO GO AND GO FURTHER THAN THE CAP OR JUST GO INTO THE CAP.
BUT BASICALLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS OVER EXCAVATE AND THEN DISPOSE OF THE SOIL AT THE PROPER LOCATIONS, UH, APPROPRIATELY BY AGENCIES AND SUCH.
AND THEN YOU NEED TO REPLACE THE CAP IN KIND SO YOU OVER EXCAVATE AND PUT BACK THE CAP IS WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING
[03:05:01]
IS.SO THERE IS A PATH FORWARD IN DOING THAT ASPECT AND ACTIVITY OF WORK, UM, ON THE SITE.
AND THIS WAS CONVEYED TO ENG TO YOUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT RECENTLY, AND THEY'VE, UH, BEEN ACCEPTABLE OF THE FINDINGS AND THEY DID DO A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF THE SW AS WELL THAT WAS PROVIDED AS WELL.
SO DO WE HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION NOW? ALL THE AGGREGATED, THE BIGGER, THE BIGGER ITEMS THAT ARE REQUESTED BEING THE CUT AND FILL ANALYSIS AND THE SW AND SUCH, THOSE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED.
UM, WE HAD RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TOWN TRAFFIC CONSULTANT, THE PLANNING STAFF AND ENGINEERING, WHICH WE WERE RESPONDING TO, BUT THOSE ARE MORE MINOR IN NATURE.
UM, BUT WE DID RESOLVE A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES AS OF RECENTLY WITH MEETINGS WITH THEM ON THOSE ASPECTS.
BUT THE MAJOR MATERIALS THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR HAVE BEEN PROVIDED.
THE, THE, THE AND THE ITEMS THAT, UM, THAT WERE NOT SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING BOARD HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED.
HERE AND ENGINEERING HAS ALREADY, WE'VE SENT THEM TO YOUR BOARD AND ENGINEERING DID LOOK AT THE SWIP AS WELL.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE TRAFFIC STATE WAS PROVIDED A WHILE AGO AND THAT'S BEEN REVIEWED.
UH, THE CUT AND FILL ANALYSIS WAS ALSO PROVIDED AS PART OF THE SUBMISSION TO YOUR BOARD AS WELL TOO.
SO THOSE ASPECTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED.
I THINK IT, IT'S GONE TO DI IN DIFFERENT AREAS, SO WE NEED TO TAKE A, A LONGER LOOK AT IT.
BUT DOES THAT REQUIRE US GOING BACK TO THE PLANNING BOARD AGAIN? SO AS I ASKED COUNCIL HIN, I'M JUST UNSURE OF THE PROCESS.
SO HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? BECAUSE ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE THAT YOU COULD KEEP THIS BEFORE YOUR BOARD, BUT SEEK AN ADJOURNMENT AND SEEK ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY TO BE PUT IN THE RECORD BY THE PLANNING BOARD INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY REFERRING IT BACK.
WE COULD BASICALLY ADJOURN IT TO THE JULY MEETING AND THEN PROVIDE THE PLANNING BOARD WITH AN OPPORTUNITY BETWEEN NOW AND THEN IF THEY WANT, UH, TO GIVE US, UH, LIKE FEEDBACK AND JUST, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A FORMAL REFERRAL, BUT AT LEAST THIS WAY THE PLANNING BOARD WANTS TO WEIGH IN AND WRITE A NOTE OR SPEAK AMPLE TIME.
THEY COULD DO THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND NOT ONLY THE PLANNING BOARD, BUT ALSO THE APPLICANT IF YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS TO FOLLOW UP TIME.
SO YEAH, MONTH, JULY MONTH, JULY, JULY, JULY, MM-HMM
THAT'S WHAT I THINK MAKES IT, IT WOULD MAKE THE MOST SENSE.
DO YOU WANT, CAN I JUST, CAN I JUST INTERJECT IF I MAY JUST ASK FOR A ONE POINT OF SUBSTANCE AND ONE OF PROCEDURE, JUST THE POINT OF SUBSTANCE IN THE PLANNING BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION, IT, THEY, THEY DO REFER TO, UM, A FAILURE TO SATISFY CERTAIN APPLICABLE SITE PLAN STANDARDS, STANDARDS A THROUGH K.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE TWO DOCUMENTS, THE TWO RECORDS THAT THEY'RE, I THINK THEY'RE REFERRING TO ARE THE CUT AND FILL AND THE SLIP, WHICH MARK SAID IS, HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
UM, THE OTHERS ARE ITEMS WHICH ARE ITEMS FOR YOUR BOARD TO ADDRESS, SUCH AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, WHICH YOU ARE ADDRESSING CORRECTLY AND SCREENING AND, AND THOSE KIND OF ITEMS. IN TERMS OF SENDING IT OR KEEPING IT HERE AND SENDING IT TO THE PLANNING BOARD, AT LEAST FOR CONSIDERATION OF THOSE TWO, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT NECESSARILY.
WHAT I WOULD ASK IS IF THERE CAN BE AN EARLIER DATE THAN THE MID-JULY DAY, I FORGET THE DATE.
WE DON'T, AGAIN FOR THE JULY 1ST, THAT'S NEXT JULY 20 MATTERS ONE.
THIS BEFORE TWO WEEKS, I THINK JUNE 20 JULY.
WHAT I'M ASKING IS RESPECTFULLY, IF, IF, IF YOU'RE ASKING THE PLANNING BOARD TO TAKE A LOOK AT AT THIS, CLEARLY THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR, FOR A HEARING.
THAT'S THEIR INTERNAL AKIN TO CALL IT EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IF YOU'D LIKE, WHATEVER TERM YOU WANT TO USE.
I WOULD ASK IF THAT CAN BE, IT WOULD NOT BE EXECUTIVE, IT WOULD NOT BE CORRECT, BUT IT'S STILL WITHIN YOUR BOARD'S PURVIEW TO GET FURTHER RECOMMENDATION FROM THAT BOARD AS A RECOMMENDING BODY IF THAT CAN BE PROVIDED TO YOUR BOARD AND TO THE APPLICANT SUFFICIENTLY BEFORE JULY 22ND, SO THAT AT LEAST WE CAN LOOK AT IT AND COMMENT ON IT IF WE NEED TO OR ADDRESS IT IN SOME WAY.
OH, YEAH, BUT WE HAVE SOME SORT OF, I MEAN, WE WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT AGAIN TILL THE JULY 22ND, BUT WE WOULD HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION BE ABLE TO MAKE A, A DECISION AND CLOSE OUT EVERYTHING AND IT'S RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
IF, IF THE BOARD'S INCLINED TO ADJOURN TO JULY 22ND, WHAT WE COULD DO IS HAVE THE APPLICANT RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE PLANNING, UH, BULLET POINT ON HOW IT'S BEEN RESPONSIVE TO THE PLANNING BOARD COMMENTS, SEND THAT TO THE PLANNING BOARD AS A DOCUMENT SO THAT THEY HAVE IT FOR THEIR FILE.
[03:10:01]
THEY CAN REVIEW IT IF THEY OPT TO, UM, SEND ANYTHING TO, TO THE APPLICANT OR MYSELF.WE'LL SHARE IT WITH THE BOARD IN THE INTERIM.
UH, IT WOULD ALLOW PROPER TIME TO, UH, I THINK THE, THE MAIN THING WITH THIS APPLICATION, AS WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT, UH, IS A BIT STORM WATER, BUT THEN, UH, TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS GEARING UP FOR SEEKER.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MEMORIALIZE A LOT OF THESE MITIGATIONS.
SO I THINK THE APPLICANT HAS IDENTIFIED HOW THEY CAN BE RESPONSIVE TO A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.
THOSE INHERENTLY RESPOND TO THE PLANNING BOARD'S QUESTIONS.
SO I THINK IF WE HAVE THAT DOCUMENTED ON PAPER, UM, WE'LL BE IN A CONDITION, WE'LL BE IN A POSITION ON JULY 22ND TO, UM, MOVE INTO SEEKER IN COMPLETE SEEKER.
COULD I JUST ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION? UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, AGAIN, MY CONCERN FOR AT LEAST A FEW YEARS SINCE THE PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT HAS BEEN PEDESTRIAN SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO TAKE THE BUS.
UM, WOULD IT MAKE SENSE, UM, SINCE THIS IS SO CLOSE TO THE SOMO RIVER PARKWAY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, STATE, UH, AND SOMO RIVER ROAD IS WHERE THE BUS STOP IS, IS ALSO STATE TO ASK, UH, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WEIGH IN ON THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, APPLICATION AND TO GIVE US SOME OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR THOUGHTS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IF THEY'RE MORE INVOLVED IN THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MY GOAL, MY ULTIMATE GOAL OF GETTING A BRIDGE OVER A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE WOULD BE, UH, TAKEN, YOU KNOW, MORE SERIOUSLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL THAT IT'S NECESSARY IF WE CAN'T HAVE A BUS STOP, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'SS EXPENSIVE, BUT I I REALLY BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ANOTHER WAREHOUSE THAT'S PROPOSED ALONG, UH, YOU KNOW, LAWRENCE, UH, YOU HAVE, UH, NO ONE NINE A WAREHOUSE IN YONKERS.
THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE STATE BECAUSE IT'S IN THE VICINITY OF STATE ROADS.
THERE'S NO CURB CUTS PROPOSED FOR THIS PROJECT.
BUT WE WILL, WE WILL, WE CAN AGAIN, SEEK INPUT FROM THE STATE.
I MEAN, THE PROJECT YOU'RE INDICATING IS, UH, IMPORTANT.
UM, SOMEDAY IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE IS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A MEGA PROJECT.
AND, UM, I THINK THE TOWN CAN ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR THAT, EVEN IF THIS APPLICATION GOES AWAY.
UM, I'D LOVE TO SEE A RIGHT TURN LANE TOO FROM NINE A ONTO LAUREN STREET.
WELL, IT IS EIGHT MINUTES TO 11 AND WE STILL HAVE TWO MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO DO WE WANNA HAVE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THE HEARING TO JULY 22ND? YES.
MR. CAN WE DO NEED TO SPEAK ONE AT A TIME FOR THE STENOGRAPHER? I THINK I WAS PART OF THAT CONFUSION AS WELL.
[ To consider a Local Law, entitled “Battery Energy Storage System PILOT Program”]
TO OPEN THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING? CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO OPEN THE NEXT PUBLIC? YEAH, I'M, I'M MAKING A MOTION TO, UH, OPEN UP THE HEARING, UM, TO CON, WAIT.THIS IS TO CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW ENTITLED BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM PILOT PROJECT PROGRAM.
DON'T WORRY, I WON'T TAKE THAT LONG.
I'M JUST HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE LOCAL LAW THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
UH, IT'S BES AND THIS IS TO SUM IT UP, IT'S A LOCAL LAW THAT MANDATES ANY UM, NEW PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING IN, BATTERY STORAGE IN PARTICULAR TO, UM, BE MANDATED TO COME IN FOR A PILOT AGREEMENT, WHICH IS A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES.
SO THAT'S PRETTY SIMPLE THE WAY THAT LEGISLATION IS WRITTEN.
WE ALREADY HAVE LEGISLATION ON THE BOOKS FOR SOLAR PANELS TO COME IN FOR PILOTS.
COMMERCIAL SOLAR PANELS, EXCLUDING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
SORRY, I'M EDIE MCCARTHY AT THE TOWN ASSESSOR.
ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? I, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, OH, GO AHEAD.
TWO, TWO MINOR REVISIONS THAT I'D ASK THE BOARD TO REVIEW ON AMENDMENT, BUT THEY'RE NOT SUBSTANTIAL.
ONE IS FOR THE DEFINITION OF ANNUAL PAYMENT DATE.
UM, IT'S STATED THE REGULAR DUE DATE FOR TOWN AND COUNTY TAX PAYMENTS.
HOWEVER, ASSIST DISCUSSING WITH THE ASSESSOR, WE FELT END COUNTY WAS NOT ACTUALLY NECESSARY.
SINCE THIS IS A TOWN LAW DEALING WITH TOWN TAXES, THE COUNTY HAS TO PASS THEIR OWN, UH, RESOLUTION
[03:15:01]
IF THEY WISH.SO I WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE THE WORDS.
N COUNTY THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE TO, UH, THE LAW.
ALSO SECTIONS H AND I, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ANNUAL PAYMENT AMOUNTS, THEY WERE LEFT BLANK.
THERE WAS NO AMOUNT ACTUALLY PUT IN AFTER DISCUSSING WITH THE ASSESSOR, WE AGREE THAT EVERY PILOT PROGRAM IS, IS DIFFERENT.
IT WOULDN'T BE, IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE TO LOCK IN A RATE WHEN ALL THESE PROJECTS ARE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, DIFFERENT SIZES.
UM, SO WE'RE SEEKING TO ASK THAT YOU REMOVE THAT AS WELL SINCE THERE WAS NO AMOUNT ACTUALLY EVER PUT INTO THE PROPOSED LAW.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE AND IT WOULD STILL HAVE THE SAME OVERALL EFFECT.
HAVING PILOT PROGRAMS IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR ALL BEST COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
I WOULD JUST, AND ALSO IT HAS TOWN CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, AND THE FIRST TOWN IS REDUNDANT.
'CAUSE OUR CODE IS ACTUALLY CALLED THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
WE'LL MAKE THAT REVISION AS WELL.
WHEN AND IF THE TOWN BOARD JUST DECIDE TO PASS THIS LEGISLATION, I'LL BE NOTIFYING THE SIX VILLAGES AND THE 10 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THE VILLAGES WILL ALSO HAVE TO ADOPT THIS BY LOCAL OPTION, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL ADOPT THIS BY RESOLUTION IF IT IS NOT ADOPTED, THEN BY NEW YORK STATE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW, THESE PROPERTIES ARE EXEMPT FOR 15 YEARS FROM PROPERTY TAXES.
THEY BENEFIT FROM THE PILOT, THE, THE FUNDS FROM THE PILOTS.
DO THE VILLAGES, UM, ACCRUE ANY MONIES FROM IF WE ARE GETTING PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES, IF THE VILLAGE, IF THE VILLAGES, THE SIX VILLAGES AND THE 10 SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO NOT OPT INTO A SIMILAR LAW AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT, THESE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETELY TAX EXEMPT.
SO IF A PROJECT IS BEING, UM, PROPOSED IN ONE OF THE VILLAGES, THE ONLY FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE TO A VILLAGE IS THEIR BUILDING PERMITS UNLESS THEY ADOPT THE LAW.
SO IF THEY ADOPT THE LAW FOR THE VILLAGES, THEN THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THE PILOTS? YES, MA'AM.
RIGHT NOW, ANY BEST PROJECT IS COMPLETELY EXEMPT FROM PROPERTY TAXATION ACCORDING TO NEW YORK STATE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW.
THAT WAS PASSED A COUPLE YEARS AGO MM-HMM
WHAT THIS LAW WILL DO, THIS, WHAT THIS LOCAL LAW WILL DO IS MANDATE THESE BRAND NEW PROJECTS TO COME IN AND SPEAK WITH THE TOWN.
TO CREATE SOME SORT OF PILOT AGREEMENT FOR THAT 15 YEAR PERIOD MM-HMM
SO THAT WE GET THE REVENUE SO THAT WE WILL GET COMMUNITY BENEFITS, WHICH FROM PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES.
BUT YOU SAID, BUT IF THE, IF THE VILLAGES DON'T, UM, AGREE TO IT, SO THEN IT BECOMES TAX EXEMPT FOR ALL OF GREENBURG.
JUST, JUST SO THE VILLAGE, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED.
AND SO IF FIVE OF THE SIX VILLAGES ADOPTED THAT SIX VILLAGE, THEY WILL STILL BE EXEMPT.
OH, BECAUSE, OH, BECAUSE ALL OF THEM HAVE TO INDIVIDUALLY FOR THE VILLAGES MM-HMM
ALL VILLAGES, ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
BUT IF WE PASS IT, IT, WHAT THE VILLAGES DO DOES NOT AFFECT, AFFECT WHAT WE DO, WHAT WE GET.
THAT IS CORRECT WITH THE, I JUST WANNA REPEAT THAT.
WHAT THE, WHAT WE DO DOES NOT AFFECT THE VILLAGES AND VICE VERSA.
I HOWEVER, ADMINISTER ALL OF IT.
ALSO, WHEN WE'RE, UH, CORRECTING THINGS, THE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE USING BRACKETS WHEN THERE'S PARENTHESES, PARENTHESES WHEN, SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE IT STANDARD WITH WHAT'S, UH, CURRENTLY USED IN THE CODE.
WHICH NUMBER IS THAT? ANY MORE QUESTIONS? WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS.
UM, MR. WARDEN, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEXT GAME.
THANK YOU FOR STAYING SO LATE.
NO, THEY'RE DOWN, BUT THEY CAN COME BACK.
I'M A PARTNER IN THE TARRYTOWN LAW FIRM OF SNYDER AND SNYDER, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF CATALYZE ENERGY.
CATALYZED ENERGY IS A DEVELOPER OF BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS. BES IS THE ACRONYM THAT EVERYBODY USES.
I THINK IT'S IN THIS PROPOSED CODE.
THE REASON I'M HERE TONIGHT IS BECAUSE THEY, UM, RECEIVED APPROVAL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025 FOR A BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM IN THE VILLAGE, VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN, FIVE MEGAWATT WATTS AT ONE 20
[03:20:01]
WHITE PLAINS ROAD.AND SO THEY HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN THIS, UM, NEW TAXATION REGIME.
REGIME BECAUSE WE RECEIVED THIS SOME TIME AGO.
WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A WHILE, TWO YEARS.
UM, AND WE HAVE MORE THAN MORE THAN TWO YEARS.
AND WE'VE INVESTED A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY.
AND IT HAS, AND WE'VE, WE'VE WORKED HAND IN GLOVE WITH THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN TO ENACT A BEST LAW.
AND SO WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THIS NEW LAW, EXCEPT WE'RE HERE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT WE BE GRANDFATHERED FROM THIS NEW LAW.
JUST TO CLARIFY THAT THIS APPLIES, AS IT SAYS, MOVING FORWARD, THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEW LAW READS AS THOUGH IT MOVES FORWARD THAT IT'S PROSPECTIVE RATHER THAN RETROSPECTIVE.
AND WE WOULD LIKE THAT TO APPLY, TO APPLY TO US.
WE'D LIKE THAT TO BE CONFIRMED.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, WHEN YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT GRANDFATHERS, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE USUALLY LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST GONNA OPEN UP THE FLOODGATES HERE.
THERE MUST BE HUNDREDS OF THESE.
I, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE AREN'T ANY O OTHER APPLICATIONS.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT WE RECEIVED OUR APPROVAL A LONG TIME AGO.
AND WE ARE HERE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT WE BE, THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD JUST AS YOU'VE DRAFTED IT, BUT THAT WE BE GRANDFATHERED.
THE NEXT POINT I I WANNA MAKE IS IN FAVOR OF GRANDFATHERING, IS IT WOULD CLEAR UP A VERY CONFUSING THING HERE, WHICH IS THAT IT KIND OF READS, IT'S, IT'S UNCLEAR EXCEPT FOR THE PROSPECTIVE RETROSPECTIVE PART AS THOUGH WE ARE SUBJECT TO THIS LAW.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE'RE NOT, WE'RE EXEMPT, RIGHT? AS OF RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE UNDER RRP TL 4 87, YOU HAVE TO THE, UH, AN APPLICANT SUBMITS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO A POTENTIAL MUNICIPALITY THAT THEY WANT TO, THEY'RE GONNA BUILD A FACILITY AND THEY'RE OPEN TO A PILOT.
AND IF THE MUNICIPALITY DOESN'T RESPOND WITHIN 60 DAYS, THEN IT IS DEEMED EXEMPT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW.
IN NOVEMBER, WE SENT OUT OUR NOTICES, WE DIDN'T RE RECEIVE RECEIVER RESPONSE.
SO WE ARE TECHNICALLY EXEMPT ANYWAY.
AND WHY HAVE THAT CONFUSION, PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE GONNA, AS A MATTER OF JUST EQUITY AND FAIRNESS, GRANDFATHER THIS APPLICATION, WHICH IS THE THING THAT WE ARE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING, UM, THAT YOU, THAT YOU DO.
UM, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, THESE BEST FACILITIES ARE REALLY, ARE, ARE, ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND GRID STABILITY BENEFITS THAT THEY PROVIDE TO MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WHEN I SAW THAT THE, THAT THE, UM, LAW HAD BEEN POSTED WITHOUT ANY PER MEGAWATT PERCENTAGES AND WAS GONNA BE CALCULATED, I, I, I WAS SCARED.
WHY? BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT, THAT THESE FACILITIES COULD BE TAXED AT A RATE THAT THEY CAN'T HANDLE THEREBY EFFECTIVELY BANNING BESS IN THE TOWN.
AND THAT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN, THEY ENACTED A LAW, THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF THIS THING.
UH, THEY PUT THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY PUT THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS IN TO, TO DRAFT, TO DRAFT THIS THING.
I KNOW THAT WASN'T THE ONLY REASON, REASON THEY DID IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DECIDED.
AND THIS WOULD JUST POTENTIALLY A NO.
THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, UM, THE POLITICAL AND DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN, IN TART TOWN.
UM, AND THAT IS WHY, LASTLY, I I WANT TO SAY THAT THE, UM, UH, THAT I STILL THINK WE HAVE A MEETING DEFECT HERE.
UM, AND, AND REHEARD, BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT LAW.
THE FIRST LAW IS GONNA BE TAXED ON A PER MEGAWATT BASIS, IT SAYS, SO IT DOESN'T SAY WHAT THE, WHAT THE AMOUNT IS, BUT THE SECOND LAW SAYS IT'S GONNA BE TAXED ON AN AD HOC BASIS.
VERY, VERY DIFFERENT KINDS OF LAWS.
AND THE PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO, TO THAT, UH, TO HAVE, UM, UH, AN ADVANCED COPY OF THE, OF THE PROPOSED LAW UNDER, UM, UH, GENERAL, EXCUSE ME, PUBLIC OFFICER'S LAW, UH, SECTION 1 0 3 AND HOME RULE LAW SECTION 20.
AND I THINK I'M ABOUT TO GET BUZZED.
I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY WANTS IT.
SO HAVE YOU SAY AGAIN, HAVE YOU BUILT NO, WE HAVEN'T.
UM, JUST I'LL PAUSE FOR THIS THING.
UM, WE, WE HAVEN'T BUILT IT YET, BUT, UM, I THINK WE, WE HAVE OUR PERMITS.
I DON'T KNOW, MY, MY, YEAH, WE, WE HAVE OUR BUILDING PERMITS, WE GOT OUR SITE PLAN APPROVAL.
WE WORKED HAND IN GLOVE WITH THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN OVER THE COURSE OF A LONG PERIOD OF TIME FOR THEM TO ADOPT THEIR BEST AND REGULATORY REGIME.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, UH, MAYBE I'M JUST VERY IGNORANT IN WHAT YOU'RE EXPLAINING, BUT WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH US? YOU'RE IN FRONT OF TERRYTOWN.
WELL, I THINK BECAUSE THE TOWN IS PROPOSING TO TAX US.
BUT THAT'S ONLY IF, RIGHT, BUT THAT'S ONLY IF IT'S PASSED WITHIN THE VILLAGE.
[03:25:01]
NO, THERE, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE ASSESSOR TO EXPLAINEACH VILLAGE HAS TO PASS THEIR OWN LAW SIMILAR TO THIS THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU IN ORDER FOR A PILOT AGREEMENT TO BE IN EFFECT FOR THE VILLAGES.
MOSTLY WHEN WE PASS OUR LAW, NEW PROJECTS HAVE TO COME IN AND NEGOTIATE A PILOT OR DISCUSS A PILOT AND, AND CONFIRM THAT FOR TOWN TAXES ONLY.
IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, APPROVALS TO BUILD THE FACILITY HAS TO GO THROUGH THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN.
IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, THE VILLAGE OF TERRYTOWN HAS TO PASS A LOCAL LAW IN ORDER TO CREATE A PILOT MM-HMM
I DON'T UNDERSTAND, UNLESS THEY'VE DONE IT IN THE LAST THREE DAYS, FOUR DAYS.
UM, I WAS WITH TERRYTOWN LAST WEEK AND THEY HAD NOT PASSED A LOCAL LAW.
SO, UM, I, IT'S OKAY, I'M STILL TALKING.
UM, SO THAT'S, AS FAR AS I KNOW WHEN I WAS WITH ALL OF THE TRUSTEES, THEY'RE AWARE THAT THIS IS, UM, A POSSIBILITY FOR THE TOWN TO PASS IT.
AND THERE THEY WOULD LIKE A COPY OF WHATEVER WE DO.
SO I STILL STAND WITH, STAND WITH COUNCILWOMAN HABER.
I'M STILL NOT UNDERSTANDING IF THIS IS IN FRONT OF THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN, WHY ARE THEY IN FRONT OF GREENBURG? THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, THE PROJECT IS IN FRONT OF THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN, BUT THEY PAY TAXES.
ALL PROPERTIES PAY TAXES TO THE VILLAGE, TOWN, COUNTY, AND SCHOOL COUNTY'S ALREADY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COUNTY'S DONE, BUT WE HAVE NOT PASSED A LAW YET.
SO WE ARE SAYING TO THE PUBLIC THAT THESE PROPERTIES ARE EXEMPT FROM TAXES.
WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO BE, WE WANT THEM TO PAY A PILOT.
SO WHETHER THE PROJECTS IN ANY ONE OF THE SIX VILLAGES, THEY STILL PAY TOWN TAXES.
SO IN THAT REGARD, THAT PILOT WILL ONLY AFFECT TOWN OF GREENBURG.
TAXES THAT PORTION, THE A BUDGET.
BUT THEN WOULDN'T THE A BUDGET YES, THE, A BUDGET A, BUT WOULDN'T THEY THEN, UM, ASKED TO BE GRANDFATHERED BY TARRYTOWN? YES, PROBABLY SO.
AND I CAN'T ANSWER THAT 'CAUSE I'M NOT TERRYTOWN HE'S SAYING NO, HE'S SHAKING HIS HEAD NO.
WELL, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IN TERRYTOWN HAS A REQUIREMENT THAT, UM, I GUESS THEY NEEDED SOME ZONING CHANGES OR AS OF RIGHT.
OR WHATEVER THAT HAPPENS TO BE.
UM, AND IT'S CONTINGENT UPON CREATING A PILOT AGREEMENT.
SO THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AS OF LAST WEEK.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
ROUGHLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE GOT THE BROAD STROKES DOWN THE YES.
SO THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN, THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD GET THEIR OWN PILOT.
THE TOWN WOULD GET THEIR, THEIR OWN PILOT ASSUMING YOU OPT IN.
THE THING IS THAT WITH THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN, UM, AS YOUR ASSESSOR POINTED OUT, THEY HURT US FOR A LONG TIME IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CODE AND THE ISSUANCE OF SITE PLAN APPROVAL.
AS PART OF THAT PRO, UH, PROCESS, WE VOLUNTARILY OFFERED TO GIVE THEM A PILOT A, A PILOT, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT THING THAN THE A COMPULSORY PILOT UNDER, UNDER 47.
AND THEY MADE IT A CONDITION OF THEIR, UH, OF THEIR, UM, LAND USE APPROVAL.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON BEHIND THAT.
IF THAT'S, IF THAT CLEARS UP THAT AMBIGUITY AT ALL.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? IS THAT, I'M SEEING SOME PEOPLE, SO YOU'RE ASKING US TO GRANDFATHER YOU IN FOR THE TOWN PORTION OF THE PILOT? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? THAT'S IT.
WELL, WE, WE WILL HAVE, WE JUST HEARING THIS FOR THE FIRST.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE IT UNDER CONCERN.
AND I, YEAH, I GUESS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PART OF THE LAW.
AND I, I THINK THE, THE LAW NEEDS TO BE OKAY.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SPEAKER, SOMEBODY ELSE ON SPEAK.
YOU HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? YOU HAVE SAID TWO SPEAKERS? YES.
UM, SO LET ME, I HATE, I DON'T THINK THIS IS GONNA ADD CONFUSION THE WAY THE LAW READS WE'RE EXEMPT, BUT WE HAVE TO SEND OUT A DECLARATION SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA BUILD A SYSTEM AND WE'RE ASKING IF THEY WANT TO OPT OUT OF THAT LAW THAT SAYS WE'RE NON-TAXABLE.
WE SENT OUR DECLARATIONS TO TERRYTOWN, TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TO THE COUNTY, AND TO, UM, HERE MM-HMM
AND WE THE ONLY ONE THAT RESPONDED, THEY TOOK 60 DAYS.
BUT EVENTUALLY WE DID FOLLOW UP AND GREENBERG
[03:30:01]
RESPONDED.SO RIGHT BEFORE THIS LAW, OUR INTENT WORK WITH GREENBERG ON DEVELOPING THE PILOT, AND ALL WE'RE SAYING NOW IS THAT NOW THAT GREENBERG'S PUT FORWARD A LAW, WE'RE SAYING, CAN WE CONTINUE THAT PROCESS? CAN WE BE GRANDFATHERED TO CONTINUE THAT PROCESS AND NOT BE SUBJECT TO THIS LAW? BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT TIME WORKING IN THIS PROCESS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE FOR THE ONE PROJECT, FOR ONE PROJECT IN GREENBERG.
'CAUSE GREENBERG'S THE ONLY ONE THAT STEPPED UP AND SAID, LET'S TALK ABOUT A PILOT.
SO THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYING BECAUSE OUR OH, GO AHEAD.
BUT YOU HAD OFFERED TO DO A PILOT.
YEAH, NO, BUT WE HAVEN'T WORKED OUT THE DETAILS.
SO THIS IS GOING TO, IT STILL ENDED UP TO BE NOT WORKING OUT THE DETAILS.
SO THAT WASN'T KNOWN BEFORE WE WALKED IN HERE.
SO THIS WOULD OVERRIDE YOUR PREVIOUS, OKAY.
'CAUSE I WALKED IN HERE WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DE DELIVER LIKE A HERE'S THE PRICE FOR THE TAX MM-HMM
AND I WAS HOPING TO SAY NO, CAN WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH, BECAUSE THESE PROJECTS HAVE A DELICATE FINANCIAL AND PILOTS HAVE A BIG IMPACT AND IT'S BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY, IT'S BENEFICIAL TO THE TOWN.
AND IF WE CAN'T BUILD IT BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIALS DON'T WORK, YOU KNOW, IE THE PILOT'S TOO HIGH, THEN WE'RE OUT OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUT OF IT.
SO WHEN WE WALKED IN HERE, WE THOUGHT THIS LAW WAS GOING TO SAY, HERE'S HOW MUCH YOUR TAXES ARE.
AND WE WERE GONNA SAY, UH, THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOOD OR BAD FOR US, BUT I AM HAPPY TO CONTINUE WORKING AS WE WERE BEFORE.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT TRYING TO AVOID ANYTHING.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE PROJECT BUILT AND WE JUST THINK THE REASONABLENESS OF US WORKING TOGETHER IS, IS SOUND.
SINCE THERE WAS NOT AN AMOUNT PUT ON THE MEGAWATT HOURS, WHY CAN'T YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ASSESSOR IN THE MEANTIME BEFORE THE TOWN BOARD ACTS ON THIS LAW TO SEE IF THERE IS A NEGOTIATING POINT THAT YOU CAN REACH AND, AND EVERYONE BE HAPPY WITH? YEAH, WE, WE CERTAINLY CAN.
AND, AND WE'VE SHARED WITH THE ASSESSOR THE PRECEDENTS AND THE OTHER OCCASIONS WHERE PILOTS HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED.
SO ALL THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN SHARED.
SO THAT'S THE BASIS WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS.
IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULD HOLD OFF PASSING THE LAW UNTIL WE GET THIS FINAL, THAT DOES THE SAME THING.
BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE INTENT.
I THINK THE INTENT HERE IS IF THE EXPECTATION IS THERE'LL BE MORE BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE PROJECTS GOING FORWARD, RATHER THAN GO THROUGH THAT DIFFICULT, WHY DON'T YOU DECLARE TO OPT OUT OF A LAW, YOU HAVE A LAW.
SO GOING FORWARD, YOU MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOURSELF TO HAVE THIS BECOME, UH, AN AUTOMATIC THING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS CRAZY GYRATION.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK THIS, THE INTENT OF THIS DOCUMENT IS.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE TOWN BOARD DOESN'T VOTE TO APPROVE A LAW DENIED.
IT'S HEARD, IT'S HELD UNTIL AT LEAST THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
SO THERE WOULD BE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND PURSUE COMING TO AN AGREEMENT.
UM, WHEN, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP USING YOUR TIME, GO AHEAD.
NO, NO, I'M, NO, NO, I'M OKAY.
I, I MEAN I'M, I'M FOLLOWING THE SAME PRINCIPLE YOU ARE.
I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LAW'S GONNA END UP TO BE.
I'M SAYING I DON'T WANT TO BE SUBJECT TO IT.
I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AS WE'RE DOING IT.
WELL, SO IT'S IN BOTH OF OUR BEST INTERESTS FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO BRING IT TO CLOSURE BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING, RIGHT? YES.
SO WHY DON'T YOU MEET NEXT WEEK? YEAH.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN DIALOGUING WITH THE TOWN ASSESSOR.
WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH.
YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO BE ON THE, WE HAVE BEEN DIALOGUING AND WE'RE GLAD TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY ONE THING I THINK COUNSELOR YOU WERE, YOU WERE ASKING, WELL, CAN'T YOU WHAT? YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST, WHY CAN'T WE JUST PASS THE LAW? YOU'LL KEEP NEGOTIATING.
THE PROBLEM IS WE, WE DON'T WANT TO BE SUBJECT TO A COMPULSORY REQUIREMENT THAT WE ENTER INTO A PILOT IN THE EVENT WE DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE ON THE NUMBERS AND THE NUMBERS DON'T WORK FOR US AND WE CAN'T BUILD IT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'D LIKE TO BE GRANDFATHERED.
BUT WHAT BOB STICKNEY IS REPRESENTING IS THAT WE ARE WILLING TO EVEN DO JUST LIKE A VOLUNTARY PILOT, YOU KNOW, E EVEN IF YOU GRANDFATHER US, PROVIDED WE CAN GET SOME NUMBERS THAT WORK FOR US.
SO A SET AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD AGREE IS, IS NOT TOO ONEROUS.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YEAH.
SOMETHING CONSISTENT WITH WHAT ALL THE OTHER TOWNS ARE, THE BEST PREPONDERANCE OF THE OTHER TOWNS AROUND, UM, THE, UH, THE STATE ARE DOING.
AND ERTA MAY ADD SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT, ABOUT THIS AS WELL.
WELL, AND, AND LET'S BE CLEAR, THE TOWN
[03:35:01]
TAX IN A VILLAGE IS NOT VERY MUCH RIGHT? YEAH.YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, I MEAN, UNLESS, UNLESS WE GET NUMBERS THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY.
BUT IF YOU DO THIS ON THE BASIS OF THE NUMBERS THAT THE OTHER TOWNS AROUND THE STATE ARE DOING, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN ONE AND $3,000 PER MEGAWATT, THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY.
IT'S A FIVE MEGAWATT, UH, APPLICATION.
AND THEIR, THAT WINDS UP GETS GETTING SPLIT BETWEEN ALL THE VARIOUS TAXING JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE ELECTED TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AS OF NOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE THE VILLAGE IN THE TOWN.
I DON'T THINK THE SCHOOL HAS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST OR, OR THE COUNTY, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL DO OUR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.
SO WHAT, WHAT DOES TAR TOWNS BUY WOULD SAY? WE DON'T HAVE, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WE, WE, WE AGREED TO DO A, A PILOT WITH TARRYTOWN AND WHAT THEY SAID WAS, WE CAN'T DO ANY VALUATION UNTIL THE TOWN DOES IT.
GO, EXCUSE ME, GO TALK TO THE TOWN.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE, THE VALUATION, THE NUMBERS, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING YET.
WE'VE BEEN HOLD, I MEAN, THAT'S HOW COME WE GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, TARRYTOWN, THEY JUST, I DON'T THINK THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE TALKING ABOUT VALUATION.
IT IS KIND OF A NEW THING, RIGHT? THERE AREN'T LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF THESE, THESE PILOTS OUT THERE, BUT THERE'S ENOUGH THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH A GOING RATE.
I'VE JUST ARTICULATED WHAT THAT IS AND THAT'S ALSO SUPPORTED BY NICE CERTA, WHICH IS THE AGENCY CHARGE WITH, UM, UH, HANDLING ALL, EXECUTING ALL THIS.
THE VILLAGES ASSESSOR IS THE, THE IS THE TOWN ASSESSOR WHO'S SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO YOU? YES.
SO WHY DON'T WE, UH, OH, NO, I GUESS WE CAN'T CLOSE IT BECAUSE CAN WE HOLD THE HEARING? LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN WHILE THEY NEGOTIATE AND WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST ADJOURN THE HEARING RATHER THAN CLOSE THE HEARING BECAUSE, UH, THIS WAY IF YOU'RE, ISN'T THAT BETTER? YEAH.
AND YOU CAN, CAN I HEAR FROM THE ASSESSOR? OH, I THOUGHT SHE WAS TALKING TO ME.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO HEAR HER ANSWER.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD THE ASSESSOR RECOMMEND? THE, THE ASSESSOR RECOMMENDS NOT HAVING ANY MEETINGS NEXT WEEK DURING GRIEVANCE TIME, SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE WEEK AFTER.
HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE VILLAGE OF TERRYTOWN TRUSTEES AND THE VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR.
SO THEY ARE, UM, IN COMPLETE SUPPORT OF WHATEVER PROPOSAL I AM MAKING.
SO WITHIN, YOU KNOW, WITHIN REASON.
SO WHATEVER HAPPENS HERE WILL HAPPEN THERE AS WELL.
WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST WE DO ABOUT THE HEARING JULY TO ADJOURN IT TILL JULY TO THE JULY 22ND, 22ND.
I, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S MAKES SENSE.
I MOVE THAT WE, UH, ADUR THE HEARING TO JULY 22ND.
[ To consider a Local Law amending Chapter 605 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh as it relates to the composition and procedures of Zoning Board of Appeals]
HEARING NEXT.COME ON, JUMP OUT THE CHAIR,
WE HAVE I THINK 23 SPEAKERS ON THIS ONE.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO START IT UP AND THEN I'LL DO MY THING.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN UP THE HEARING, UM, TO CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER 6 0 5 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AS IT RELATES TO THE COMPOSITION AND PROCEDURES OF ZONING, BOARD OF APPEALS.
FINER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD.
GARY TUQUE, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS RELATED TO A PROPOSED LOCAL LAW, WHICH WOULD MODIFY CHAPTER 6 0 5, THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG TO EXPAND THE CURRENT COMPOSITION OF THE ZONING BOARD BY ADDING AN ADDITIONAL ALTERNATE MEMBER.
PRESENTLY, THE ZONING BOARD HAS SEVEN MEMBERS AND ONE ALTERNATE MEMBER.
THE PROPOSED LOCAL LAW WOULD HOLD TO THE SEVEN MEMBERS, BUT ADD THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ADDITIONAL ALTERNATE OR TOTAL OF TWO ALTERNATES.
THIS FLEXIBILITY IS HELPFUL TO ACCOUNT FOR VACATIONS, ILLNESSES OF MEMBERS, AND ALSO PROVIDES ALTERNATE MEMBERS WITH ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY TO ACCLIMATE TO THE FULL-TIME DUTIES OF A REGULAR MEMBER.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK, AND THIS WOULD BE THEN CONSISTENT WITH THE PLANNING BOARD
BUT RECALL, UH, AT PRESENT THE PLANNING BOARD HAS, UM, FIVE, OH, THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF TWO, SO FIVE, AND THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF TWO, TWO, BUT I, I BELIEVE THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE FUTURE ASPIRATION OF THE PLANNING BOARD.
IF THE BOARD TOWN BOARD APPROVES THIS SECOND ALTERNATE FOR THE ZONING BOARD, WE THANK YOU TO THE TOWN BOARD FOR SENDING OUT THE SOLICITATION FOR ADDITIONAL PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS.
THE ASPIRATION IN THERE IS TO HAVE GO BACK TO SEVEN FULL-TIME PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS WITH THE TWO ALTERNATE PLANNING BOARD.
[03:40:01]
OTHER, I THINK IN THAT WAS MY POINT.ANYBODY WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THIS? WE ANYBODY WANNA SPEAK? LAST OPPORTUNITY, UH, HAL S SPEAK, I'M SORRY, THIS IS BRIEF.
IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF THE LANGUAGE AS IT APPEARS ON THIS SHEET OF PAPER, WHICH IS THE BACKUP FOR THE RESOLUTION FROM OCTOBER FROM LAST MONTH.
UM, BASICALLY THIS IS A AMENDMENT TO AN EXISTING SECTION OF THE TOWN CODE, WHICH REALLY IS NARROWING IN ON THE ZONING BOARD.
NEVERTHELESS, IT DOES GIVE WITHIN IT AN EXPLANATION OF THE PLANNING BOARD MEMBERSHIP.
IT DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING REFERRING TO THE ZONING BOARD MEMBERSHIP AND BETWEEN THE TWO.
IT'S ODD IN THE SENSE, WELL, ACTUALLY, I, I TOOK THE SO PROPERLY WHAT IT'S CALLED IN THIS AMENDMENT PLANNING, BOARD COMPOSITION.
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT ABOUT THE ZONING BOARD.
NOWHERE DOES IT MENTION ZONING BOARD COMPOSITION.
NOWHERE IN THIS DOES IT MENTION THAT THERE ARE SEVEN MEMBERS ON THE, ON THE ZONING BOARD.
AND GIVEN THE SITUATION WITH THE PLANNING BOARD, I FIND THAT THE ZONING BOARD, THE THINGS THAT COME BEFORE IT AS A BOARD ARE ROUTINE MATTERS THAT THEY'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN, JUST NEW NAMES AND PLACES OCCURRING.
WHEREAS THE PLANNING BOARD IS THE MORE PROGRESSIVE OF THE BOARD AND IT'S, YOU'VE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ON THE PLANNING BOARD.
THE PLANNING BOARD SETS PRECEDENTS FOR THE FUTURE.
THE ZONING BOARD IS ONLY DISCUSSING DETAILS, UH, AND INTERPRETATIONS OF SETBACKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE PEOPLE ASK FOR VARIANCES.
IT'S NOT ANY BREAKING NEWS, SO TO SPEAK, OF WHAT COMES BEFORE THE ZONING BOARD.
SO THE TWO BOARDS, I WOULD IMAGINE THE PLANNING BOARD SHOULD HAVE A FULLER BODY THAN THE ZONING BOARD, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER MATTER ENTIRELY.
ALL I'M SUGGESTING HERE IS THAT IN THE LANGUAGE OF THIS EXISTING AMENDMENT, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE COMPOSITION OF THE ZONING BOARD.
YOU SHOULD MENTION IN THERE SOMEWHERE THAT THERE ARE NOW SEVEN MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO IT.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THE HEARING AND LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN FOR SEVEN DAYS.
SECOND, AT WHICH TIME WE CAN WORK ON THAT LANGUAGE.
[ 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 or 15 seconds after reaching the podium, whichever occurs first. The clock will not be stopped for any reason until the speaker is finished or five minutes has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Interruptions by Town Board members, the Town Clerk or the public will not be permitted. If a speaker insists on an immediate answer, should an answer be provided, it shall be part of the speaker's five-minute allocation and not be interrupted. After 30 seconds of a response to a question asked, the speaker may reclaim any remaining time. The Clerk will ask for any comments from each Town Board member upon the completion of each public comment. There will not be a second five-minute round. Any written comments sent to PublicComment@GreenburghNY.gov by 3 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.UM, SO, UM, ANYONE WHO STAGE SHOULD GET EVEN EXTRA TIME BECAUSE IT SHOWS DEDICATION FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE, UH, ERICA.
FIRST OF ALL, WISHING A VERY HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE FATHERS OF THE WORLD.
AND MY NAME IS ERICA BCI AND I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THE VAL MAR COMPLEX.
SO BEING A VAL MAR RESIDENT FOR 26 YEARS NOW, FIRST, LET'S SPEAK ABOUT THE PROPERTY DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM MAR ON HILLSIDE AVENUE, WHICH IS SEEKING AN EXPANSION DUE TO THE SLOPE OF THAT PROPERTY.
VALLEY MAR COMPLEX RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET WILL SEE MORE LANDSLIDES, FLOODING, AND TREES COMING DOWN IN VALLEY MAR'S DIRECTION.
DESPITE GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION, VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE BY THE OWNERS TO IMPROVE THE MAINTENANCE AND MINIMIZE THE SAFETY ISSUES.
OUR SAFETY PROPERTY VALUES AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS CAN BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THESE ISSUES.
[03:45:01]
CAN MAKE A BAD SITUATION EVEN WORSE.BEYOND THESE, THERE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES RELATED TO THE ADDED TRAFFIC AT THE ALREADY OVERBURDENED INTERSECTION AT VIRGINIA ROAD AND HILLSIDE AS WELL AS THE SURROUNDING INTERSECTIONS.
WE PAY A HUGE AMOUNT OF TAXES AND WE DON'T DESERVE THIS PROBLEM, WHICH IS DIRECTLY HIT TO OUR PREMISE.
AND THE POINTS TO BE NOTED IS THAT WE ALREADY GET A LOT OF FLOODING.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY RESIDENTS OF VALLEY MAR THAT I HAVE NOTICED THAT PART PARTIAL, UH, PART OF THE ROOF HAVE COME OFF, HAS FALLEN OFF BECAUSE OF THE TORRENTIAL RAINS AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE STORM.
AND WE CANNOT REALLY CALCULATE OR DETERMINE A NATURAL CALAMITY IN AN ADVANCE.
A LOT OF THINGS LOOK VERY DELICIOUS AND JUICY CREATED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS PART COMPUTER GRAPHICS IS CONCERNED AND CONSIDERED, BUT IT, THEY ARE FAR FROM THE REALITY.
FOR AN EXAMPLE, ALTHOUGH IT IS OUT OF THE COUNTRY, THE NEON PROJECT OF SAUDI ARABIA WAS VERY, UM, HAPPILY ACCEPTED BY THE KINGDOM, BUT IT DID NOT EXIST BECAUSE WHAT APPEARS TO BE VERY TRUE BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND WITH THE BEAUTIFUL COM COMPUTER GRAPHICS, I MEAN, MAY NOT BE, UH, MAY NOT BE IN REALITY.
SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY REAL AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER AND BE EXTREMELY CONSIDERATE THAT WE CANNOT, UH, CREATE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF INCONVENIENCE TO THE LOCAL RESIDENTS OF THAT ENTIRE AREA.
AND THE OTHER POINTS TO BE NOTED ARE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HILLSIDE AVENUE, WHICH BECOMES GRASSLANDS AVENUE OR FROM THE OTHER DIRECTION, GRASSLANDS AVENUE, WHICH BECOMES HILLSIDE AVENUE, THEY ARE VERY NARROW, EVEN NARROWER THAN BRONX RIVER PARKWAY.
SO WE HAVE SEEN THAT EVEN THE B LINE BUS, WHICH GOES BUS NUMBER 40.
SO IT CREATES A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND, UM, INCONVENIENCE AND THERE ARE NOT MANY SHOULDERS.
SO ALL THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY MUCH PRO OF THAT.
THIS IS BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE, THEY LOVE TO BE IN A LAND OF FANTASY TO BE IN A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THEY HAVE TO COME DOWN TO REALITY FROM THAT LAND OF FANTASY, FROM THAT RIVER COURT AND SEE THAT, UH, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL REALITY LOOK LIKE? AND FOREMOST, IMPORTANTLY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TAXPAYERS AND HAVE BEEN, UH, BEING A
AND I HAVE PAID SO MUCH OF TAXES AND I DO NOT WANT ANY HIKE.
AND I HAVE VERY KEENLY MONITORED THE MAP AND THE LOCATION AND THE EXPLANATION AND THE SLIDE SHOWS AND WHATNOT TODAY.
AND I'M ONE OF THE LAST SPEAKERS TODAY.
SO JUST LOOK AT MY DEDICATION THAT I'M HERE AT 1130 AT NIGHT, JUST BECAUSE TO HELP THE VALIMA RESIDENTS AND TO PROTECT THE PRESTIGE AND PRIDE AND DIGNITY AND, UH, THE RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE UPCOMING TURMOILS AND PROBLEMS. SO PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE AND PLEASE, I APPEAL TO THE TOWN, TO THE TOWN CFO, MR. PAUL FINER, WITH WHOM I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN, AND HE HAS GIVEN ME A LOT OF HOPE AND OPTIMISTIC IDEAS, AND I HOPE THAT THE TOWN BOARD WILL ALSO BE, UH, CONSIDERATE AND, UH, HELP US TO NOT FACE ANY UNWANTED UNPLEASANT CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITUATION.
DO YOU HAVE COURT IN THE MORNING? YOU HAVE COURT IN THE MORNING? DO YOU HAVE COURT IN THE MORNING? OH, GOD BLESS YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JUDITH VILLE, THE HONOR OF ALL.
UM, FIRST POINT THAT I'D LIKE TO, UM, ADDRESS THIS EVENING TO THE TOWN BOARD AND ALSO TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, AND I I JUST WANT TO REITERATE TO THE PUBLIC THAT I WAS TOWN CLERK HERE FOR 15 YEARS, AND SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH EACH POINT.
EACH AREA THAT I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON THE FIRST HAS TO DO WITH, UM, IMPOSING A TIME LIMIT ON THE TOWN SUPERVISOR, UH,
[03:50:01]
A TOWN LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, DESIGNATES TOWN SUPERVISOR.AS THE INDIVIDUAL WHO PRESIDES OVER MEETINGS OF THE TOWN BOARD, I RECOMMEND THAT THE TOWN ATTORNEY AND ANYONE ELSE WHO IS INTERESTED ON THE TOWN BOARD, UM, CONTACT THE LAWYERS OF THE, UH, ASSOCIATION OF TOWNS, THE STATE OF NEW YORK, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, THE, UH, UH, COMMITTEE NEW YORK STATE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE LAW SAYS ABOUT ALLOWING THE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO TALK AS OPENLY, AS FREELY AND AS LONG AS HE WISHES TO.
NOW, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MAY WANT TO IMPOSE TIME LIMITATIONS ON EACH OTHER AS THE, THE, THE, UM, UH, OFFICIAL WHO PRESIDES OVER A MEETING.
I I, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN, UH, TELL HIM THAT HE HAS ONLY THREE MINUTES OR FIVE MINUTES, UH, TO SPEAK.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT THAT'S WHY I RECOMMENDED THAT YOU CONTACT THE ATTORNEYS OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER POINT HAS TO DO WITH FOIL.
UM, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW IS A LAW.
AND WHEN A MUNICIPALITY DOES NOT ADHERE TO THE TERMS OF THAT LAW, THEY ARE OUTSIDE OF THAT LAW.
THEY ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW.
NOW, I, UH, UM, SUBMITTED A FULL REQUEST, UM, IN MAY 16TH OF THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST, UH, DOES NOT REQUIRE A 20 DAY EXTENSION OR ANY TIME BEYOND THAT.
AND THE REASON WHY I I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME IT WOULD TAKE.
I KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO RESPOND TO THAT PARTICULAR FRAUD REQUEST.
I HA I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT THIS TOWN, UM, BRING IN A, A, UM, INTERN IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OR ANY DEPARTMENT, UM, TO, TO WORK THIS SUMMER AND TO LOOK AT THE FOIL REQUESTS THAT THIS TOWN RESPONDS TO PEOPLE WITH, OH, WE'LL NEED 20 DAYS MORE TO REVIEW THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST.
YOU DON'T NEED 20 DAYS TO REVIEW ANYTHING, AND I JUST HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU, YOU BRING IN AN, AN INTERN TO, TO LOOK AT THOSE REQUESTS THAT ARE GIVEN EXTENSIONS AND TO CONTACT THE, THE, UM, COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT AND SAY, DOES IS DOES THIS REALLY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN EXTENSION? BECAUSE YOU MAY FIND OUT THAT YOU ARE CONSISTENTLY OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
THE FINAL POINT THAT I WANNA MAKE IS SPECIFICALLY TO THANK PAUL FINER OUR TOWN SUPERVISOR FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH HE HAS MANAGED PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THIS TOWN WITH EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND ABILITIES AND DEMEANOR WITH PROFESSIONALISM BEING HIS NUMBER ONE CHARACTER TRAIT.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT THE TOWN BOARD DID NOT IMPOSE A TIME LIMIT ON THE SUPERVISOR.
THE TOWN BOARD IS SEEKING TO IMPOSE A TIME LIMIT ON EVERY MEMBER OF THE TOWN BOARD.
UH, BUT IT WAS A MEANS TO TRY TO DEVELOP, UM, DECORUM.
I DO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR 20 YEARS.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE PENALTY BY A COURT OF $37,000 FOR FAILING TO FILE FOIL REQUIREMENTS.
AND THAT WAS WITH THE FORMER TAR CLERK NOT COMPLYING WITH THE FOIL LAW.
AND THAT WAS DUE TO, YOU ARE SITTING ON THAT FO REQUEST.
NO, NO, I MIGHT BE OUT ORDER, BUT I'M IT'S OUT OF ORDER.
IT WAS, HERE'S WHERE WE GO WITH THE COURT,
[03:55:01]
RIGHT.SITTING ON, ARE WE DOING THIS? NO, WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
THE COURT, THE COURT MADE ITS RULING.
YOU KNOW WHY WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T JUST SAY JUDITH CAN'T SPEAK WHEN YOU WERE THE INSULT SITTING ON THAT.
SHOULD READ THE COURT ORDER, THE COURT ORDER, THE COURT, THE COURT JUDGMENT.
OKAY, I'LL, I'LL PUT A JUDGE CO UM, OKAY.
ANYBODY WANT? OH, PAUL, OPEN THE MEETING PLEASE.
OH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HAL, SAM.
NO, SHE HAD SPOKEN AND I THAT I SPOKE.
COMMENTS COME AT THE END OF YOUR IS RIGHT.
OH, I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WAS STILL UP.
JUST PULL THE MIC UP A LITTLE BIT.
AND I HOPE THAT ON THAT, MY RIGHT TO PUBLIC COMMENT THAT AL I WANNA APOLOGIZE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS ANOTHER SPEAKER.
UM, I HOPE I CAN SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMENT WITHOUT BEING CRIMINALIZED BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARDS.
UM, TB TWO, THIS IS VERY SIMPLY THE ONLY THING IS I THINK THE PUBLIC IS ENTITLED TO KNOW WHAT THE PRICES DO YOU RECEIVE FOR THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE ACTUALLY SOLD.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE RESOLUTION.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON CO ONE.
SORRY, I THOUGHT I HAD COPIES.
THIS IS PART OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT NO ONE EVER LOOKS AT AND THEY JUST VOTE FOR.
SO ON CO ONE, THESE ARE ON 2025.
BUDGET TRANSFERS, CREDIT CARD FEES BE BUDGET 2024, 194,000 AND IN, AND YOU MOVED IT UP TO 195,000 IN 2025, 162,580.
AND THE YEAR END IT WAS 315,175.
TO BALANCE THE 2026 BUDGET, YOU REDUCE IT TO 44,000 6 25, AND NOW YOU ARE TRANSFERRING 69,000 FROM CONTINGENCY FUNDS.
THIS IS JUST THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, AND THE IDEA OF BALANCING THE BUDGET HAS TO HAVE SOME TRUTHFULNESS BEHIND IT.
CO2 EQUIPMENT REPAIR BUREAU IN THE A BUDGET 2026, I MEAN TWO, I SHOULD HAVE READ 2020, 2026, 5,500 TRANSFERRING BECAUSE YOU HAD FOUR 14,000 FROM THE CONTINGENCY FUND.
TWO, NOW YOU'RE DOING 2015 5,000 FROM THE CONTINGENCY FUND.
BASICALLY, YOU CAN STUDY THIS LATER.
THE NUMBER'S NOT GONNA MEAN MEAN ANYTHING OVER THE AIR, BUT LOOK AT IT THEMSELVES.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE OVERALL PICTURE OF THE TOWN.
AND YOU'VE MADE CLEAR THAT $32 MILLION VANISHED FROM THE LIBRARY, FROM THE COURTHOUSE ALLEG COLLECTION IN ITS INDIVIDUAL FUND BALANCE.
AND IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED BY MR. FINER THAT THAT MONEY WAS USED TO OFFSET TAXES IN FUTURE YEARS.
ALL THAT REMAINS IS THE 7,000,004, WHICH YOU VOTED FOR.
THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, HOW DOES THIS TOWN WITH QUI YEAR AFTER YEAR FOR BALANCED BUDGETS ACCUMULATE $39 MILLION IN A COURTHOUSE FUND? THERE'S NO BUDGET LINES THAT SAY MOVE TOWARDS COURTHOUSE.
ARE YOU OVERCHARGING TAXPAYERS? ARE YOU FABRICATING EXPENSES AND INCOME YEAR AFTER YEAR? WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE MOVING MONEY TO BALANCE EACH YEAR'S FUND BALANCE OF EACH'S EXPENSES AGAINST REVENUES BY MOVING MONEY FROM THE CONTINGENT, FROM THE VARIOUS FUNDS THAT YOU'VE BUILT UP.
STAGGERING AMOUNTS OF MONEY, $14 MILLION, $11 MILLION, $9 MILLION EVERY YEAR.
[04:00:01]
COME FROM IN THESE FUND BALANCES? BECAUSE YOU ARE ESTABLISHING SAVINGS ACCOUNT WITH TAXES EITHER OVERTAXING, YOU ARE OVER UNDERESTIMATING REVENUE OR YOU ARE OVERESTIMATING EXPENSES, BUT THE ACCUMULATED MONEY IN THESE FUND BALANCES MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.AND I WOULD WELCOME AN EXPLANATION, YOU KNOW, OR GO BACK TO YOUR OUTSIDE ACCOUNTANTS FOR THEIR AUDITS AND COME UP WITH THE ANSWER.
NOW, TB ONE, THIS WAS ORIGINALLY ON AN AGENDA AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR BACKUP ON THE TOWN WEBSITE FOR IT TONIGHT.
SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT YOU WOULD HOLD IT OVER AS A GROUP.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANY ONE PERSON'S RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER SEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE.
$19,782,000 IS THE TOTAL THAT TOWN PAYS FOR INSURANCE, HEALTH, INSURANCE, MEDICAL, AND DENTAL TO BACK IT UP.
AND I'LL GIVE THIS TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY, HE'LL GIVE BACK TO ME AS IT'S MY ONLY COPY WHEN HE MAKES COPIES.
THIS IS ALL FROM THE SLIP SHEETS SUBMITTED BY THE COMPTROLLER.
WOULD YOU RE APPROVE THE BUDGET? WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE HOLD OVER CO ONE AND CO2? WHAT? NO, THEY'RE VERY SELF-EXPLANATORY.
BUT WHAT IT JUST SAYS IS THAT YOU'RE NOT BUDGETING RIGHT.
AND YOU'VE REDUCED, AND YOU KNOW, THE PITY OF THIS ALL IS WHY YOU'RE DEPENDING IN 2026 TO USE MORE CONTINGENCY FUNDS, YOU'VE REDUCED THE AMOUNTS IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU ASSIGNED FOR CONTINGENCY FUNDS.
OKAY? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, MR. PINE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK? MR. PINE? DYLAN? THANKS DYLAN.
DO YOU WANNA SPEAK? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK OR NO? NO.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SORT WONDERING FOR CO ONE AND C TWO, I MEAN, I THINK HOW RAISES SOME POINTS, UH, WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO ASK, UM, THE CONTROLLER TO, TO MEET WITH US, YOU KNOW, NEXT WEEK TO JUST DISCUSS, UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT, THAT HAL HAS AND THEN WE COULD, YOU KNOW, VOTE ON IT.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THESE TRANSFERS, UM, HAVE TO BE DONE TONIGHT.
I MEAN, I'M JUST ASKING THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I DO THINK WE WANT TO HAVE MAXIMUM OVERSIGHT.
WELL, ARE, ARE YOU, I DONE BECAUSE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK LAST.
BUT THE, UM, I, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE A VERY INFLATED FUND BALANCE AND IT'S INFLATED IN PART, NOT SOLELY, BUT IN PART BY THE $32 MILLION COMING DOWN.
NOW YOU SAID WE VOTED FOR THE $7.4 MILLION, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S PROP, THAT'S ACTUALLY PROPAGANDA BECAUSE THAT RESOLUTION WAS NOT NEEDED.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESOLUTION, THERE'S NOT ONE WORD OF RESTRICTED MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN THAT RESOLUTION.
I THINK THAT WAS PART OF A SCALE.
AND SO WE HAVE $32 MILLION THAT ACTUALLY 30, 37 POINT 39, 39 0.4, 39.4 THAT WE ACTUALLY VOTED FOR IN THE OFFICIALLY ADOPTED BUDGETS.
DID WE VOTE FOR 7.4 WHEN THE PIGGY BANK WAS EMPTY AND IT HAD ALL SLIPPED TO THE FUND BALANCES SO THAT WE KEEP OUR BOND RATING RIGHT AT THE EXPENSE OF HAVING A COURTHOUSE.
NOW WE HAVE TO GO TO REFERENDUM AND YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID THE VILLAGES DECIDE I'M NOT GONNA PAY FOR A COURTHOUSE TWICE, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BAIL IT ANYWAY BECAUSE IT'S A DA REQUIREMENTS AND, AND OTHER, OTHER REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, AND SO THEN IT'S GONNA COME OUT OF OPERATING MONEY AND WE DON'T HAVE IT.
A LOT OF WHAT'S IN OUR FUND BALANCE IS BUILDING PERMIT FEES THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO EXPEND WHEN WE DO THE INSPECTIONS, PARTICULARLY ON REGENERON IN YEARS 5, 6, 7, AND EIGHT.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S BASICALLY SHOULD BE SET ASIDE, BUT WE'RE NOT.
SO WE'RE LIVING DAY TO DAY BASICALLY SELLING OUT OUR FUTURE YEARS WHEN THE TAX INCREASES ARE GONNA BE SUBSTANTIAL.
AND WE GOT TO GET OURSELVES IN ORDER.
I RESPOND TO ONE PART OF THAT.
NO, WE'VE GOTTA MOVE ON WITH THE AGENDA.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO MOVE ON NOW, SORRY.
[ TB 1 - 06/10/2026 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh reducing medical insurance costs to the Town by capping medical insurance amounts for elected officials and basing buyout amounts on the net cost of medical insurance to the Town]
ONE WE'RE GONNA HOLD OVER.[ TB 2 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing the approval of 2013 in rem auction results under Westchester County Supreme Court Index No.: 2023/2022 for the following foreclosed properties: 0 Endicott Ave, 25 Tomahawk Dr ,33 Wayne Way and 0 Pinewood Rd, and rejecting the results of34 Windle Park Ave Unit 38G, which will be included in a future Town Foreclosure auction]
TB TWO, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF 2013 INTERIM[04:05:01]
ELECTION RESULTS UNDER WESTCHESTER COUNTY SUPREME COURT INDEX NUMBER 2 0 2 3 2 0 2 2 FOR THE FOLLOWING FORECLOSED PROPERTIES, UM, ENDICOTT AVENUE 25 TOMAHAWK DRIVE, 33, UH, WAYNE WAY AND, UH, PINEWOOD ROAD AND REJECTING THE RESULTS OF 34 WENDELL PARK AVENUE, UNIT 38 G, WHICH WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FUTURE, UH, TOWN FORECLOSURE AUCTION.CAN I ASK THAT THAT'S MOVED AMENDED AND I WILL ADD THE AMOUNTS OF EACH OF THE AUCTIONS INTO THE ZA.
NEED A SECOND? YOU SECONDED? YOU NEED A SECOND TO SECOND IT
UM, COULD WE ALSO ADD THE AMOUNTS OF EACH OF THE ONES THAT DIDN'T SELL? JUST SO WE KNOW WHAT WAS UP FOR THE AUCTION, JOE? UM, SURE.
I'M TRYING TO THINK HOW WE COULD AWARE IN A WAREHOUSE CLAUSE.
IS THE BOARD OKAY WITH THAT? YES.
IS YOUR VOTE STILL FIVE AYES? OKAY, THANK YOU.
[ AT 1 - 06/10/2026 Resolution approving the continued retention of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP to represent the Town and requested Greenburgh Police personnel in the matter of Kristin Stein v. the Town of Greenburgh, et al., for an amount not to exceed $50,000, $1,000,000 in total]
T ONE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF WILSON ZER, MOSCOWITZ EDELMAN AND DICKER TO REPRESENT THE TOWN AND REQUESTED GREENBURG POLICE PERSONNEL IN THE MATTER OF KRISTEN STEIN VERSUS THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000 1 MILLION IN TOTAL.[ AT 2 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing settlement of property damage related Claim, File No.: 68/26C, by Jasmin Beechum, for an amount not to exceed $10,481.33 (held over to Town Board Meeting of June 24, 2026)]
AYE.[ AT 3 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing tax certiorari settlement with petitioner 9 North Goodwin LLC for property located at 9 N Goodwin Ave. The Town’s share of the refund is $129±; the County’s share is 713±; the Saw Mill Valley Sewer District’s share is $168±; the Elmsford Union Free School District’s share is $4,736±. Refunds from all sources total $5,745±]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX TERTIARY SETTLEMENT WITH PETITIONER NINE NORTH GOODWIN FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT NINE NORTH GOODWIN.THE TOWN SHARE OF THE REFUND IS ONE IS 1 29, UH, THE COUNTY SEVEN 13.
THE SO RIVER SAWMILL VALLEY SEWER DISTRICT SHARE IS 1 68 ELMSFORD UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHARE 4 7 3 6 REFUNDS FROM ALL SOURCES TOTAL.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CL 1 - 6/10/2026 Resolution scheduling a Public Hearing for Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 7:30 PM, to consider Town Board use of limited immunity in connection with planned improvements at Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters, located at 425 Ridge Road (PO Hartsdale, NY)]
ONE RESOLUTION SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 24TH AT SEVEN 30 TO CONSIDER TOWN BOARD USE OF LIMITED IMMUNITY IN CONNECTION WITH PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS AT ODELL HOUSE ROCHE VU HEADQUARTERS LOCATED AT 4 25 RIDGE ROAD.[ CD 1 - 06/10/2026 Resolution issuing a negative declaration pursuant to SEQRA for Case TB 25-06 site plan application by Thalle Industries Inc. (“Thalle”), for property owned by EDC7, LLC (Robert Martin Co, LLC) located at 50 Warehouse Lane South aka 7 Warehouse Lane (PO Elmsford, NY), designated on the tax map of the Town of Greenburgh as Parcel ID: 7.180-52-20.SE]
ONE RESOLUTION IS SHOWING A NEGATIVE DECLARATION PURSUANT TO SEEKER FOR CASE, UH, TV 25 0 6 SITE PLAN APPLICATION BY THA, UM, INDUSTRIES FOR PROPERTY OWNED, UH, BY EDC SEVEN LLC ROBERT MARTIN LOCATED AT 50 WAREHOUSE LANE SOUTH AKA WAREHOUSE LANE DESIGNATED ON THE TAX MAP OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AS PARCEL ID.UH, TWO OH SC I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND ON FAVOR, AYE.
[ CD 2 - 06/10/2026 Resolution granting site plan approval, with conditions for Case TB 25-06 by Thalle Industries Inc. (“Thalle”), for property owned by EDC7, LLC (Robert Martin Co, LLC) located at 50 Warehouse Lane South aka 7 Warehouse Lane (PO Elmsford, NY), designated on the tax map of the Town of Greenburgh as Parcel ID: 7.180-52-20.SE]
C CD TWO RESOLUTION GRANTING SITE PLAN APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS FOR CASE NUMBER, UH, CASE TV 25 0 6 BY THE INDUSTRIES FOR PROPERTY OWNED BY EDC SEVEN LLC ROBERT MARTIN LOCATED AT 50 WAREHOUSE LANE SOUTH AKA SEVEN WAREHOUSE LANE.UM, AND PARCEL ID 7 1 8 0 52 20 SC I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND ON FAVOR, AYE.
[ CD 3 - 06/10/2026 Resolution accepting an amended 2023 no-match grant in the amount of $45,000 through NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities Grant Program for the purposes of utilizing the funds to supplement the Town of Greenburgh’s electric maintenance equipment fleet]
CD THREE RESOLUTION.ACCEPTING THE AMENDED 2023 NO MATCH GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 45,000 THROUGH ERDAS CLEAN ENERGY COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSES OF UTILIZING THE FUNDS TO SUPPLEMENT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG'S ELECTRIC MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT FLEET.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR.
[ CD 4 - 06/10/2026 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh accepting private easements in connection with the construction and implementation of traffic signal and sidewalk improvements at the intersection of Ardsley Road and Fort Hill Road]
CD FOUR RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ACCEPTING PRIVATE EASEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONSTRUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF LEY ROAD AND FORT HILL ROAD.[ CD 5 - 06/10/2026 Resolution adopting a Local Law amending the Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 285 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh, as it pertains to the definition of the term “Family”]
CD UM, UH, FIVE RESOLUTION ADOPTING A LOCAL LAW AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE CHAPTER 2 85 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AS IT PERTAINS TO DEION OF FAMILY.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CR 1 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing personnel from the Department of Community Resources to travel to Invest Fest in Atlanta, GA from August 5, 2026 through August 10, 2026, at a cost not to exceed $15,000 (Non-Taxpayer Funds)]
C ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PERSONNEL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO TRAVEL TO INVEST, UM, FEST IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.UM, UM, FROM AUGUST 5TH TO AUGUST 10TH AT A, AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $15,000.
UM, NON TAXPAYER FUNDS, IT'S NON TAXPAYER FUNDS.
WHAT'S THE FUNDS FROM? I THINK THEY'RE SAYING IT'S FROM A TRUSTED AGENCY ACCOUNT THAT, UH, DONATIONS WERE PUT INTO, RIGHT? YES.
UM, SECOND, I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE, IF WE COULD MAYBE JUST INVITE THE COMMISSIONER NO, NO, WE HAVE, THERE'S A WHOLE EMAIL.
HE YEAH, HE SENT A WHOLE EMAIL ABOUT IT.
HE CAN'T, HE EXPLAINED IT ALL IN THAT EMAIL.
[04:10:01]
OKAY.SO SECOND, SOMEONE HAS TO MAKE THE MOTION MAKE, OH.
SO WHERE AM I? ONE? LEMME SEE.
UH, CR CR ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PERSONNEL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO TRAVEL TO N INVESTS FEST IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA FROM AUGUST 5TH, 2026 THROUGH AUGUST 10TH, 2026 AT THE COST TO N TO EXCEED 15,000 TAXPAYER FUNDS.
ISN'T THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN DO ANNUALLY? YES.
[ CR 2 - 06/10/2026 Resolution accepting on behalf of the Department of Community Resources a $250 donation from the family of Kevin Franklin to help support the programs at the Theodore D. Young Community Center]
TWO RESOLUTION ACCEPTING ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY, UM, RESOURCES, A TWO 50 DONATION FROM THE FAMILY OF KEVIN FRANKLIN, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS OF THE YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER.[ CR 3 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing the expenditure of funds to provide music and entertainment for the Family Day of Jazz 2026 at the Department of Community Resources, Theodore D. Young Community Center on August 8, 2026, for an amount not to exceed $8,000]
C3, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES OF FUNDS TO PROVIDE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE FAMILY DAY OF GS 2026 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, THE YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER ON AUGUST 8TH, 2026 FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $8,000.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CR 4 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement between the Department of Community Resources and Westchester Community College for the use of space at SUNY Westchester Community College]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND WISHES TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE USE OF SPACE AT SUNY VERSUS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE.WAIT, I THOUGHT WE, I'M SORRY.
[ CO 1 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing Fiscal Year 2025 budget transfers]
ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET TRANSFERS.I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR.
[ CO 2 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing Fiscal Year 2026 budget transfers]
AYE.CO2 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FISCAL YEAR 2026.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ CO 3 - 06/10/2026 Resolution approving Fiscal Year 2026 Library Budget Amendment in the amount of $500,000 for Roof Replacement Project H2026L2]
UH, CO THREE RESOLUTION APPROVING FISCAL YEAR 2026.BUDGET AMENDMENT AND AMOUNT OF 500,000 FOR ROOF REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
[ PR 1 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing award to lowest responsible bidders, New England Property Maintenance, Inc and Ramos & V. Tree Service to provide for the pruning and/or removal of trees deemed unsafe in various town parks by the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Arborist, at a cost not to exceed $55,000]
PR ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AWARD TO LOIS RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS NEW ENGLAND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND RAMOS AND VERSUS TREE SERVICE TO PROVIDE FOR THE PRUNING AND OR REMOVAL OF TREES DEEMED UNSAFE IN VARIOUS TOWN PARKS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATIONS ARBORISTS THAT HAVE CAUSED NOT TO EXCEED $55,000.[ PW 1 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing the Department of Public Works to go to bid for Glass Beads, Pavement Markings, Reflective Sheeting & Miscellaneous Markings, and Traffic Signage & Hardware to be used in 2026]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO GO TO BID FOR GLASS SPEEDS, HAVEN MARKINGS, REFLECTIVE SHEETING AND MISCELLANEOUS MARKINGS AND TRAFFIC, SIGNAGE AND HARDWARE TO BE USED IN 2002 26.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND ON FAVOR.
[ PW 2 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing Absolute Auctions & Realty, Inc., the on-line auction company contracted with the Town, to conduct an auction, at no cost to the Town, to sell older vehicles and miscellaneous equipment considered surplus or needing significant repair]
UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ABSOLUTE AUCTIONS AT PW TWO TWO.ABSO RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ABSOLUTE AUCTIONS AND REALTY.
THE ONLINE AUCTION COMPANY CONTRACTED WITH THE TOWN TO CONDUCT AN AUCTION AT NO COST TO THE TOWN TO SELL OLDER VEHICLES AND MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT, UH, CONSIDERED SURPLUS OR NEEDED, UM, SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, REPAIR.
DO YOU WANNA ALL IN FAVOR? YEAH.
I'M JUST, WHAT'S WRONG? WHAT'S THE MATTER? WHAT'S WRONG? WHAT'S WRONG? I'M JUST NOT, I'M, I'M GONNA ABSTAIN ON THAT.
ON, ON ON WHICH ONE? ON PD TWO P TWO TWO.
RESOLUTION AUTHOR PD TWO RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ABSOLUTE AUCTIONS AND REALTY INC.
THE ONLINE AUCTION COMPANY CONTRACTED WITH THE TOWN TO CONDUCT AN AUCTION AT NO COST TO THE TOWN TO SELL OLDER VEHICLES IN MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT.
CONSIDER SURPLUS OR NEEDED SIGNIFICANT REPAIR, SOMETHING THAT WE DO ANNUALLY.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT, THAT'S MORE THAN ANNUAL.
[ PW 3 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing the acceptance of a 2008 Ford F 350 Pickup Truck from Hartsdale Fire District in exchange for lighting and striping services from the Town of Greenburgh Department of Public Works]
PW THREE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A 2008 FOUR F THREE 50 PICKUP TRUCK FROM HARSDALE FIRE DISTRICT TO EXCHANGE FOR LIGHTING AND STRIVING SERVICES FROM THE TOWN OF GREENBURG DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ PW 4 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing the Department of Public Works to publish a Request for Proposals (RFP) for design and construction management services for the replacement of the roofs at the Greenburgh Public Library and the Theodore D. Young Community Center (TDYCC)]
PW FOUR RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO PUBLISH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ROOFS, UH, AT THE GREENBERG PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE THEATER YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND ON FAVOR.
[ PW 5 - 06/10/2026 Resolution authorizing the Department of Public Works to publish a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a flood mitigation study of Manhattan Park Brook and Troublesome Brook]
PW FIVE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO PUBLISH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A FLOOD MITIGATION STUDY OF MANHATTAN PARK, UM, BROOKE AND, UM, AND TROUBLESOME, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, BROOKE, UM, I I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HOLD THAT OVER BECAUSE I WANT, WE DID TALK, WE DID TALK ABOUT WE, WELL, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO HOLD IT OVER.WE TALKED, I SAID WE DID TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD GET MORE INFORMATION.
[04:15:02]
AND WE COULD ASK, UH, THE COMMISSIONER TO SHOW UP AT THE MEETING, UH, NEXT WEEK AND EXPLAIN WHY WE NEED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND WHY WE NEED THE STUDY.I MEAN, WE, WE'VE BEEN STUDYING THIS FOR LIKE, WHAT IS THE, THEY NEVER, THEY NEVER DID THE STUDIES.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE THAT'S OKAY.
THEY NEVER DID THE WE HOLD IT.
YOU WANNA HOLD IT OVER? DEBATABLE.
CAN WE PUSH CAN WE MOVE THAT ADJOURN? SECOND.