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OKAY.[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1500 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: JDudek@Greenburghny.com https://ny-greenburgh.civicplus.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING.TODAY IS OCTOBER 27TH AT 6 0 7, UH, PM AND THIS IS A WORK SESSION, UM, MEETING.
AND, UM, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS GONNA BE TO DISCUSS, UM, I GUESS THE TREE LAW.
TIM, I THINK THAT'S GARRETT AND OR GARRETT.
UH, AARON, DO YOU KNOW IF THE CONSULTANT'S HERE YET? UM, IF NOT, WE CAN CERTAINLY TRANSITION TO THE SECOND ITEM.
YEAH, SHE'S ATTEMPTING TO GET ON RIGHT NOW, SO IF WE WANT TO TRANSITION AND THEN CIRCLE BACK, THAT WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
THE SECOND ITEM IS WHAT, TIM? OH, WE HAVE STEWART, UH, MESSINGER FROM
OH, ACTUALLY, UH, SHE IS HERE NOW.
SO, UM, IF IT'S OKAY, IF WE CAN
WE'LL, WE'LL TRANSITION BACK TO THE FIRST ITEM AND I THINK AARON'S GONNA LEAD US OFF.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR FINER AND MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD FOR THE RECORD.
AARON SCHMIDT, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT IN 2018, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION AND THE BUREAU OF ENGINEERING, THE TOWN WAS AWARDED AN URBAN FORESTRY GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $59,280 WITH NO REQUIRED TOWN MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF HAVING A STREET TREE INVENTORY CONDUCTED ALONG WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN.
I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE SELECTED CONSULTANT, DAVEY RESOURCE GROUP, HAS COMPLETED THE TOWN'S STREET TREE INVENTORY AND COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND IS HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE INVENTORY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BOARD AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TOWN.
STAFF WILL UTILIZE THE INVENTORY TO QUICKLY LOCATE TREES FROM THE OFFICE AND IN THE FIELD, PRIORITIZE AND PLAN TREE MAINTENANCE AND KEEP MAINTENANCE RECORDS UP TO DATE, JUSTIFY ITS URBAN FORESTRY DECISIONS, INCLUDING TREE PRUNING, REMOVAL, AND REPLACEMENT.
EASILY AND EFFICIENTLY RESPOND TO CALLS ABOUT TREES, CREATE TREE RELATED REPORTS, AND SHARE THE BENEFITS OF OUR URBAN FOREST, AND PROMOTE THE VALUE OF OUR COMMUNITY'S TREES.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THINGS OVER TO SOPHIA ROD BELL OF DAVIE RESOURCE GROUP, WHO WILL PRESENT A BRIEF SLIDESHOW TO REVIEW THE RESULTS OF THE END THE GLORY.
I'M JUST GONNA TRY AND SHARE MY SCREEN HERE AS BEST AS POSSIBLE, AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT.
SO THIS IS, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE TOWN OF GREENBURG TREE, UH, STREET TREE INVENTORY RESULTS.
UM, IT IS A QUITE A BRIEF PRESENTATION, BUT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT ME AT ANY TIME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO GO OVER.
SO THE SITES INCLUDED IN THE INVENTORY WERE TREES, STUMPS, AND PLANTING SITES LOCATED WITHIN TOWN, MAINTAIN STREET RIGHT OF WAYS.
THE PLANTING SITES WERE IN SPECIFICALLY, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREAS, AND WERE LIMITED TO ROUGHLY 300 SITES.
HOWEVER, I BELIEVE WE COLLECTED A LITTLE OVER THAT JUST TO BE SAFE.
UM, THE DATA FIELDS THAT WE COLLECTED, UM, AT D'S GROUP WERE THE LOCATIONS, WHICH WAS THE ADDRESS, THE ON STREET AND THE SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
THE G P S COORDINATES SPECIES, UM, COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC, THE SIZE OF THE TREE.
SO THAT WAS D B H, WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS MULTI STEM, UM, TREE CONDITION, PRIMARY MAINTENANCE NEEDS, DEFECTS RISK ASSESSMENT BASED ON THE ANSI A 300 TRACK, UH, RESIDUAL RISK FURTHER INSPECTION, AND WHETHER OR NOT OVERHEAD UTILITIES WERE PRESENT.
AND THIS COLLECTION, UH, OCCURRED IN 2019.
SO THE INVENTORY RESULTS, UM, WE GAVE YOUR RESOURCE GROUP INVENTORY A TOTAL OF, UH, 16,773 SITES.
754 WERE STUMPS, AND 513 WERE AVAILABLE PLANTING SITES.
SO, MY APOLOGIES, IT WAS, UH, 500 BACON SITES, NOT 300 FOR DIVERSITY.
THERE WERE, UH, THE TOP FIVE GENERA WERE MAPLE, RED, CEDAR, SPRUCE, OAK, AND PINE, UH, MAPLE COMPRISING 26% OF THE TOTAL INVENTORY, UM, BASED ON THE 10 20 30 RULE.
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THAN 10% OF A SPECIES, 20% OF A GENIUS, AND 30% OF A FAMILY.UM, MAPLES FAR EXCEEDED THE 20% RULE IN THIS CASE, WHICH IS VERY, VERY COMMON FOR NEW YORK STATE, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA OF THE STATE FOR TREE CONDITION.
UM, GREENBURG HAD A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF TREES IN, UH, WHAT WE CONSIDER GOOD CONDITIONS.
SO THAT WAS 36% OF THE TOTAL INVENTORY AND ONLY 8% OF THE INVENTORY ACCOUNTED FOR, UH, POOR TWO DEAD.
UM, THAT IS EXTREMELY LOW IN, UM, FROM THE INVENTORIES THAT I'VE DONE IN THE AREA.
UH, MAINTENANCE NEEDS BY RISK, AS YOU CAN SEE, SINCE MOST THINGS WERE IN LOW RISK, YOU GREENBERG ACTUALLY HAD ZERO TREES IN THE EXTREME RISK CATEGORY.
BUT, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE WERE A FEW HIGH RISK REMOVALS AND, UM, SOME MODERATE RISK PRUNES AND REMOVALS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, AGAIN, THE INVENTORY CAME OUT TO, UH, LOW RISK GRADING.
AND TO BE CLEAR, UM, BASED ON THE A B A 300 TRACK SYSTEM, UM, UNLESS THE TREE IS REMOVED, UNLESS IT'S A SUM, THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE RISK.
UM, SO LOW IS AS LOW AS YOU CAN GET, UM, ON A RISK RATING.
THERE IS NO, NEVER NONE UNLESS YOU REMOVE THE TREE.
THE DIAMETER CLASS DISTRIBUTION FOR GREENBERG, UM, RARELY TENDED TOWARDS THE IDEAL.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT ORANGE LINE REPRESENTS, UM, SORT OF WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR, ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST COAST.
UM, MORE YOUNG TREES AND, UM, SORT OF GOING DOWN A PERCENTAGE ESTABLISHED, MATURING, AND MATURE.
AND AGAIN, I'VE SEEN THIS QUITE OFTEN IN THE NEW YORK STATE, UM, AREA IS MATURING.
TREES FALL SHORT OF THE IDEAL.
UM, AND THAT GOES FOR REALLY EVERYWHERE NEAR YOU, AUSTIN AND BEDFORD.
UM, PORT CHESTER, THIS SEEMS TO BE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THE DATA WAS DELIVERED IN DAVIES TREE KEEPER SOFTWARE.
UM, AND THAT CAN BE REACHED BY ANYONE IN THE TOWN.
THERE'S A GUEST ACCESS AT TOWN OF GREENBERG NY DOT TREE KEEPER SOFTWARE.COM.
AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THERE, UM, ON THE GUEST ACCESS IS REALLY JUST SOME, UM, IT'S NOT IN THIS MUCH DETAIL, THIS IS A LOGGED IN VIEW, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE ADDRESS, THE SPECIES AND THE SIZE AS WELL AS YOU SEE, UM, THE NICE GOOGLE, UH, AERIAL IMAGE AND THE GOOGLE STREET VIEW.
SO THIS IS A, UM, CORNICE FLORIDA, WHICH IS A, UM, DOGWOOD, A FLOWERING DOGWOOD IN SOMEONE'S FRONT YARD AT 11 SOUTH HIGH STREET.
UM, WE RECOMMEND DIVERSIFYING DISTRIBUTIONS OF VENUS AND SPECIES, UM, WHEN PLANTING BY NO LONGER PLANTING MAPLES.
UM, WE DON'T RECOMMEND GOING OUT OF YOUR WAY TO REMOVE HEALTHY MAPLES, BUT JUST TO LIMIT THE PLANTING AND, AND FOCUS ON OTHER SPECIES.
UM, PRIORITIZE A STRONG YOUNG TREE TRAINING PROGRAM TO CONTINUE WITH THE HEALTHY DIAMETER SIZE CLASS DISTRIBUTION THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.
AND THEN PRUNE YOUNG TREES NOW TO IMPROVE STRUCTURE, ENCOURAGING BETTER FORM AS THEY AGE.
AND THIS WILL THEORETICALLY, UM, SAVE COSTS DOWN THE ROAD.
IF THE TREE HAS GOOD FORM FROM A YOUNG AGE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE, UM, THE BIG ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE WHEN IT BECOMES LARGER AND, UH, FAIL IN WAYS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
AND THEN USE TREE KEEPER TO KEEP INVENTORY UP TO DATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND, UH, UPDATE IT AS WORK IS PERFORMED.
AND THIS IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OUTSIDE OF TODAY'S MEETING.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO STOP SHARING OR GO TO ANY SLIDES? UH, I THINK, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FINE.
UH, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FROM QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS OR ANY, UH, STAFF HAVE QUESTIONS? HOW OFTEN DO YOU AN ANTICIPATE, UH, A TREE, UH, SURVEY, SUCH AS THIS SHOULD BE DONE? SO I'M HAPPY TO JUMP IN HERE.
UM, WE CAN LET SOPHIA ANSWER AS WELL, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT NOW THAT WE HAVE A TREE SURVEY DONE, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN, IT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUALLY UPDATED BY STAFF.
SO WE HAVE STAFF ARBORISTS THAT WILL BE OUT INSPECTING THE TREES, LOOKING AND PRIORITIZING, YOU KNOW, THOSE HIGH RISK
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THAT WE HAVE, UM, TAKING CARE OF THOSE AND THEN WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE, UM, THE REMAINDER OF THE TREES.AND THROUGH THE TREE KEEPER SOFTWARE, WE'RE KIND OF CONTINUOUSLY UPDATING THAT INVENTORY.
SO, UH, IT'S NOT, NOT SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CIRCLE BACK ON IN 10, 15, OR 20 YEARS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT WORKS OUT WELL FOR THE TOWN AND KEEPS US IN GOOD POSITION TO CONTINUE WITH THE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY FOREST.
SO A COMMON THING THAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S A STORM IS A WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PERFECTLY HEALTHY TREE THAT EVERYONE WOULD, WOULD SWEAR IT SHOULD NEVER CUT DOWN.
IT FALLS OVER AND YOU SEE IT'S HOLLOW.
I I'M SURE THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CATCH THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IS THERE A WAY OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF HOLLOW TREES THAT APPEAR HEALTHY? SO, UM, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE TRY TO IDENTIFY THOSE TREES IS BY USING A SOUNDING HAMMER.
UM, SO IF WE SEE ANY SIGN THAT THERE COULD BE, UM, DECAY POCKETS WITHIN THE TREE, WE WILL SOUND THAT IT'S A LEVEL TWO INSPECTION.
SO WE USE A SOUNDING HAMMER OR A PROBE, UM, TO SORT OF POKE AROUND IN THOSE DECAY AREAS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY DOING OUR BEST TO LOCATE THOSE ISSUES.
HOWEVER, UM, IF IT CANNOT BE SEEN FROM THE GROUND ON A LEVEL TWO INVENTORY, UM, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE PREDICTED AND IT'S, IT'S NO ONE'S FAULT THAT IT WASN'T ABLE TO BE FOUND.
UM, SO, BUT THIS WILL HELP PREVENT THOSE INSTANCES FROM HAPPENING.
I'M SURE THAT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU GOT THAT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE WAITING FOR THE CHAZEN DISCUSSION, PAUL, THAT'S NEXT.
IF I CAN KICK THINGS OFF, I'M GOING TO SHARE SCREEN HERE AND, UH, DO A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM, UH, CHAZEN.
UH, THE SUBJECT MATTER IS, UH, THE ELMWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, WHICH, UH, WE KNOW HAS BEEN, UH, VACANT FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.
AND IT WAS PURCHASED BY, UH, RIDGEWOOD ELMWOOD OWNER, L L C, UH, WHO SEEKS TO REDEVELOP THE PROPERTY WITH, WITH RESIDENTIAL USES.
AND, UM, RIDGEWOOD SIKHS BROUGHT A CONCEPT TO THE TOWN OF A, UH, TOWNHOUSE MULTI-FAMILY STYLE DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, WITHIN THAT, UH, PROPOSED A ZONING CHANGE FROM THE PRESENT MIX OF R 21 FAMILY AND R 31 FAMILY TO THE R 20 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, AND THEN ALSO SOUGHT A REZONE TO THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, WHICH WOULD FACILITATE THAT, UH, MULTIFAMILY CONCEPT.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL SHOW SOME, UH, PLANS ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
UH, BUT WE'RE REALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT AT THIS POINT IS, UH, THIS EVENING IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
THAT'S NEW YORK STATE SEEKER PROCESS.
AND, UM, FROM WHAT THE, UH, APPLICANT BROUGHT TO US THE, THE 175 UNIT, UH, TOWNHOUSE STYLE DEVELOPMENT, UH, BASED ON THAT, THE TOWN BOARD IS LEAD AGENCY IDENTIFIED THAT, THAT THAT CONCEPT OF REDEVELOPMENT COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
AND AS LEAD AGENCY, UH, REQUIRED THE, UH, UM, PREPARATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE E I S PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN.
UM, CHAZEN WAS THE SERVICES OF CHAZEN COMPANIES.
THEY'RE AN ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ENGINEERING AND PLANNING PROFESSIONAL, UH, COMPANY.
THEY WERE, UH, THEIR SERVICES WERE ENLISTED BY THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, AND THEY'RE WORKING FOR THE TOWN, UM, TO OVER RE REVIEW THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL WORK THAT WAS DONE BY THE APPLICANT.
SO, UM, TO DATE A A, A SCOPING DOCUMENT WAS PREPARED, UH, AND A SCOPING DOCUMENT IS, I LIKE TO CALL IT THE TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
UH, SO THAT WAS PREPARED BY THE APPLICANT CHAZEN ASSISTED IN THAT, AND, UH, THE TOWN BOARD ADOPTED THAT TABLE OF CONTENTS OR SCOPING DOCUMENT IN SEPTEMBER, 2019.
AND WE'RE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OVER A YEAR LATER.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE INTERIM IS THE APPLICANT HAS DONE A LOT OF LOT OF WORK ON THAT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, WHICH, UH, IS REALLY, IS A, IS A, IS A DOCUMENT AND A PROCESS THAT'S GONNA HELP THE TOWN EVALUATE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REDEVELOPMENT CONCEPT, AS WELL AS ALTERNATE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES OF REDEVELOPMENT CONCEPTS.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, UH, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO CHASE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT, UM,
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THERE'S A VARIETY OF ENTITIES THAT ARE, HAVE OVERSIGHT HERE.UM, THE TOWN BOARD, AS I NOTED, IS, IS THE LEAD AGENCY COMMONLY KNOWN AS LIKE THE LEAD REVIEWER IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
HOWEVER, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF AGENCIES HERE, UH, THAT WILL ASSIST IN THE PROCESS, AND I'M GONNA LIST LIST THEM RIGHT NOW, OR SOME OF THE PRIMARY AGENCIES.
UH, THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL, UH, IS AN INTERESTED AGENCY.
THIS PROJECT IS ON A STATE ROAD, SO THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS REVIEW, UH, WE'RE INVOLVING THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE PROCESS.
UM, THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY PLANNING BOARD, UH, IS AN, IS IS IS AN AGENCY THAT'S INVOLVED HERE, THE HISTORIC AND LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD, UM, VARIOUS CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE VICINITY OF THE PROJECT.
AND I REALLY, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDER, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL THESE ENTITIES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO INPUT ON, ON, ON THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS TURN IT OVER TO KAREN LAB, BRUTO OF CHAZEN TO REALLY, UM, FOCUS IN ON WHERE WE'RE AT AND SOME, SOME SUBSEQUENT STEPS, UH, IN THE SEEKER PROCESS.
I'M A SENIOR PLANNER WITH THE CHAZEN COMPANIES.
I'M JOINED HERE BY STUART MESSINGER, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF LAND DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE'RE THE TOWNS CONSULTANT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THIS PROJECT.
WE'VE COMPLETED OUR REVIEW OF THE D E I S SUBMITTED BY RIDGEWOOD ELMWOOD, OWNER L L C FOR THE PROPOSED ELMWOOD PRESERVE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OR PUD FOR A HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE FIFTY FIVE PLUS TOWNHOUSE DWELLING UNITS.
THE CHAS AND COMPANIES REVIEW THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT OR D E I S FOR COMPLETENESS, WHICH INVOLVED ASSESSING THAT THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE APPROVED SCOPE WAS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO EXISTING CONDITIONS.
INFORMATION TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS, A DESCRIPTION OF MITIGATION MEASURES, PROPOSED RESPONSES TO PUBLIC AND AGENCY CONCERNS, AND THE IDENT IDENTIFICATION OF ALTERNATIVES.
THIS REVIEW OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF EIGHT MONTHS AND INCLUDED MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS.
IT IS OUR OPINION THAT THE D E I S IS ADEQUATE TO UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION OF THE PROJECT.
HOWEVER, OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THE D E I S IS COMPLETE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE APPLICANT'S CONCLUSIONS TO SUPPORT THEIR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
SIMILARLY, IF THE TOWN BOARD DECIDES TO CERTIFY THE D E I S AS COMPLETE AT TOMORROW'S TOWN BOARD MEETING, THIS DECISION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AGREEMENT WITH THE APPLICANT'S CONCLUSIONS TO SUPPORT THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
SHOULD THE TOWN BOARD DECIDE TO CERTIFY THE D E I S AS COMPLETE AT TOMORROW'S TOWN BOARD MEETING, THEN WE RECOMMEND THAT PUBLIC HEARING DATE BE SCHEDULED.
THE DATE THE D E I S SHOULD BE CIRCULATED TO INTERESTED AND INVOLVED AGENCIES AS SPECIFIED IN THE APPROVED SCOPE.
D E I S SHOULD BE POSTED TO THE TOWN'S WEBSITE AND AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT THE LIBRARY BY APPOINTMENT OR TOMORROW.
WRITTEN COMMENTS SHOULD BE ACCEPTED FOR NO LESS THAN 10 DAYS FOLLOWING THE CLOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THE NEXT PHASE OF THE REVIEW IS THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT OR F E I S, WHICH WILL RESPOND TO ALL COMMENTS RECEIVED DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WRITTEN COMMENT PERIOD.
IN CONTRAST TO THE D E I S, THE F E I S IS THE LEAD AGENCY'S DOCUMENT, MEANING THAT THE F E I S DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE APPLICANT UNLESS THESE ARE SHARED BY THE LEAD AGENCY.
THE F E I SS MAY INCLUDE ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL REVIEW IF NECESSARY, AND PROJECT MODIFICATIONS TO AVOID, MINIMIZE, OR MITIGATE IMPACTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE PROPOSED ACTION WILL BE FURTHER ANALYZED AND OR MODIFIED UNTIL THE LEAD AGENCY CAN CONCLUDE THAT ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WILL BE AVOIDED OR MINIMIZED THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE BY INCORPORATING CONDITIONS OR MITIGATIVE MEASURES IDENTIFIED BY THE LEAD AGENCY.
NOTE THAT THE F E I S WILL LIKELY INCORPORATE THE D E I S BY REFERENCE RATHER THAN BY A DIRECT REVISION OF THE D E I S.
THE F E I S WILL UNDERGO A SEPARATE COMPLETENESS REVIEW, PUBLIC NOTICING AND CIRCULATION, FOLLOWED BY THE FINDING STATEMENT.
HERE'S THE SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED ACTION OR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, AND THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES INCLUDED IN THE D I S PER THE APPROVED SCOPE.
SO THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, A HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE FIFTY FIVE PLUS OR AGE RESTRICTED TOWNHOUSE SWELLING UNITS WITH DONATION OF A PUBLIC PARK UNDER CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP.
ALTERNATIVE A IS A NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE WHERE NOTHING HAPPENS ON THE SITE.
ALTERNATIVE B IS A DETACHED 119 ONE FAMILY RESIDENCES WITH NO AGE RESTRICTION AND NO PUBLIC PARK DONATION.
THIS ALTERNATIVE IS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME ZONING COMPLIANT DEVELOPMENT PERMITTED UNDER THE PROJECT SITE'S EXISTING ZONING, ALTERNATIVE CS DETACHED A HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX ONE, FAMILY RESIDENTIAL CLUSTERED SUBDIVISION OR P WITH NO AGE RESTRICTION AND DONATION OF A PUBLIC PARK.
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THIS ALTERNATIVE HAS A PUD OVERLAY SIMILAR TO THE PROJECT, EXCEPT THAT THE UNDERLYING ZONING REMAINS UNCHANGED AS R 20 AND R 30.SIMILAR TO THE PROJECT, THIS ALTERNATIVE WOULD HAVE CLUSTERED HOUSING, BUT ON INDIVIDUAL LOTS AS FEE SIMPLE HOMES NOT CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP.
ALTERNATIVE D IS DETACHED A HUNDRED TWENTY SIX ONE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL CLUSTERED SUBDIVISION PUD, WITH AN AGE RESTRICTION AND DONATION OF A PUBLIC PARK.
THIS ALTERNATIVE IS SIMILAR TO THE PROJECT, BUT THE UNDERLYING ZONING WILL REMAIN R 20 AND R 30.
SIMILAR TO THE PROJECT, THIS ALTERNATIVE WOULD HAVE CLUSTERED HOUSING, BUT ON INDIVIDUAL LOTS IS FEASIBLE HOMES, NOT CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP.
ALTERNATIVE E MULTIFAMILY PUD WITH 175 DWELLING UNITS, UNITS NO AGE RESTRICTION, NO DONATION OF A PUBLIC PARK LIKE THE PROJECT.
THIS ALTERNATIVE PROPOSES A REZONING FOR A MULTI-FAMILY PUD DEVELOPMENT UNDER CON CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP.
ALTERNATIVE F ZONING COMPLIANT MULTI-FAMILY PUD WITH 126 DWELLING UNITS, AGE RESTRICTION AND DONATION OF A PUBLIC PARK.
THIS ALTERNATIVE HAS A PUD OVERLAY SIMILAR TO THE PROJECT, EXCEPT THE UNDERLYING ZONING REMAINS UNCHANGED AS R 20 AND R 30, RATHER THAN REZONED TO ALL R 20.
SIMILAR TO THE PROJECT, THIS ALTERNATIVE WOULD HAVE CLUSTERED HOUSING UNDER CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AND OUR COMMENTS? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IN, IN, IN ONE CASE THEY SAID THAT, UH, WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES THEY DON'T, UH, WANT TO DO BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MEET THEIR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES? NOW THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THEY'RE GIVING AN ANSWER.
UH, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S MAKES IT COMPLETE OR NOT, BUT THEY'VE ANSWERED IT.
IS THAT, IS THAT AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY GAVE AN ANSWER AND IT MAY NOT BE AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER, BUT YOU FEEL THAT IT'S SUFFICIENT TO BE THE, UM, THE DOCUMENTS COMPLETE? THAT'S RIGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE SCOPING DOCUMENT WAS A TABLE OF CONTENTS.
WE ESTABLISHED THERE EVERYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE ANALYZED AND ALL THE DISCUSSIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE PART OF THE D E I S.
AND SO ONE OF THOSE THINGS WAS JUSTIFICATIONS OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE AND HOW THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES MAY OR MAY NOT MEET THEIR PURPOSE AND NEED.
UM, AS I EXPLAINED BEFORE, THE D E I S IS KNOWN AS THE APPLICANT'S DOCUMENT, WHEREAS THE F E I SS IS THE LEAD AGENCY'S DOCUMENT.
AND SO NOW THE F E I S GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY, NOW THAT WE'VE CERTIFIED THAT THE D E I S IS COMPLETE, THERE'S AN ESTABLISHED BASELINE, THERE'S AN ANALYSIS, THERE'S DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT AND ALL THE ALTERNATIVES.
YOU HAVE INFORMATION NOW UPON WHICH TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS.
NOW IS THE TIME TO ASK THE QUESTIONS, THE SUBSTANTIVE QUESTIONS THAT YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY ANSWERED AT THIS, THIS PHASE.
JARED, WHEN WOULD YOU, UH, SUGGEST THAT WE, UH, SCHEDULE A HEARING OR THE NEXT STEPS, OR, YEAH, SO TYPICALLY, UH, WELL WOULD THE SEEKER REGULATIONS INDICATE ARE THAT ONCE, UH, D E I S IS CERTIFIED IS COMPLETE, THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING SHOULD HAPPEN WITHIN A WINDOW OF 15 TO 60 DAYS.
UM, WE, WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE APPLICANT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH, WITH THE PANDEMIC, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT BRINGS ABOUT COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS LIMITED LIBRARY HOURS, WHICH IS ONE MECHANISM, UM, THAT RESIDENTS, UH, TRADITIONALLY USE TO, UH, VIEW THE DOCUMENT.
OBVIOUSLY WITH TOWN HALL, TOWN HALL CLOSED AT, AT THE MOMENT TO THE PUBLIC, UM, THAT, THAT BRINGS ABOUT A CHALLENGE.
SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, REALLY NO OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENTER TOWN HALL AND VIEW HARD COPIES OF THE DOCUMENT.
AND IF YOU COUPLE THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HOLIDAYS THAT ARE COMING UP, WE HAD HAD, WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE APPLICANT TO SEE IF THEY WERE, UH, AMENABLE, UM, TO, UH, A, A LATER DATE.
AND WE, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT JANUARY 20TH, AND, UM, AND THE APPLICANT IS ON, I DID WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND ALSO OBVIOUSLY GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, POSE ANY QUESTIONS OR MAKE ANY COMMENTS.
BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND, AND, AND PART OF THAT, UM, THAT TIMEFRAME, IF IT'S AGREEABLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE HELPFUL WOULD BE IN THE INTERIM TO FACILITATE, UM, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT AS TOWN STAFF TO FACILITATE MEETINGS WITH, UH, SEVERAL OF THE INVOLVED AGENCIES THAT I MENTIONED.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, POTENTIALLY HAVING THE APPLICANT APPEAR BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD AT A WORK SESSION.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, HAVING THE C A C HOST THE APPLICANT AND, YOU KNOW, A TOWN STAFF WOULD BE PRESENT, CHAZEN WOULD BE PRESENT, UM, THE PARKS AND REC ADVISORY BOARD, UM, AT, AT ONE OF THEIR MONTHLY MEETINGS.
SO, UM, WE THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER UNDERSTANDING AMONGST BOARDS AND, AND, AND
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AGENCIES IN THE TOWN.AND BY THE SAME TOKEN, UH, I ABSOLUTELY, UH, WANNA MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO, UH, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR ZOOM MEETINGS, I COULD GO TO THEIR MEETINGS, UM, ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DOCUMENT, INVITE THE APPLICANT.
SO, UM, WE, WE, WE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING A JANUARY 20TH DATE, AND I HAVE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE APPLICANT AND, UM, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY HAVEN'T PUSHED BACK, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THEM.
UM, BUT WE WERE TARGETING A JANUARY 20TH DATE WITH ALL THESE, UH, VARIABLES.
ONE OF, UH, THE THOUGHTS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES VERSUS TOWNHOUSES IN TERMS OF THE TAXES.
AND, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF THE BOARD WOULD, UM, INVITE SENATOR COUSINS AND SOME OF THE AVAN TO, UM, A WORK SESSION DISCUSSION, AN ASSESSMENT, WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THERE'S A REALISTIC CHANCE THAT THE STATE WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD CHANGE THE LAW TO ALLOW, UH, NEW CONDOS TO BE TAXED AT, UH, RESIDENTIAL, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, AT AT SINGLE FAMILY HOME, UM, YOU KNOW, RATES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW CONDOS, NOT, UM, EXISTING ONES.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A FACTOR IN, UM, SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, DECISION MAKING, YOU KNOW, PROCESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF THE LEGISLATURE ISN'T INTERESTED, THEN WE WOULD WEIGH THAT AS A FACTOR, JUST THE TAX IMPLICATIONS.
I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DEEM THE DOCUMENT COMPLETE TOMORROW NIGHT, UH, BASED ON SEEKER TIMELINES, BUT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO DO THAT, TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN EXTRA TWO WEEKS, UH, RATHER THAN IT'S HOLDING OFF TO THE NEXT MEETING AT WHICH TIME WE WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, COMPLETE OR REJECTED.
SO THAT ONLY WORKS IF THE APPLICANT IS WILLING TO STATE THAT THEY WILL NOT OBJECT TO THE JANUARY 20TH, 2021, UH, PUBLIC HEARING DATE.
UH, AND AS I SAID TO YOU, GARRETT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING BEFORE WE VOTE TOMORROW, SO THAT LATER THEY DON'T CHECK BASED ON SEEKER THAT WE MISSED THE DEADLINE BY HOLDING OFF UNTIL JANUARY 20.
BUT IF IT'S OKAY WITH THE APPLICANT, UM, THEN I DO BELIEVE IT WOULD BE BETTER SO THAT WE COULD GET THE DOCUMENT TO THE PUBLIC BY VOTING TOMORROW.
AND I SEE, UM, THE APPLICANT'S ATTORNEY IS AVAILABLE TO SPEAK, UH, MAX, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK NOW? YES, GOOD EVENING.
UH, SUPERVISOR FINER AND MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD, MAXIMILIAN ALAK WITH THE FIRM OF ZAIN AND STEIN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
I KNOW THAT MR. STEIN AND GARRETT HAVE BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS IN RECENT DAYS REGARDING TIMING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, VIS-A-VIS OTHER VARIOUS MEETINGS, UM, TO HELP PREPARE THE INTERESTED AGENCIES PROVIDE THEIR INPUT.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THE JANUARY 20TH DATE IS AGREEABLE, UM, KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE'LL BE REALIZING THE TIME IN BETWEEN TO, UH, MEET WITH VARIOUS OTHER ENTITIES, AGENCIES, UM, TO HAVE INPUT, UH, PROVIDED AND TO RECEIVE COMMENTS, UM, I WILL, UM, GO BACK TO MY TEAM TO HAVE SOMETHING PUT INTO WRITING TO THAT EXTENT.
UH, BUT THAT IS WHAT I'VE BEEN DIRECTED, UM, TO IN REGARDS TO DATES.
AND YOU DO UNDERSTAND WE'RE COMING UP TO THE HOLIDAYS, WE'LL STILL HAVE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL CONCENTRATING ON, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF, AND THEN WE HAVE A PANDEMIC.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A WORST TIME TO SUBMIT IT.
OF COURSE, YOU'RE GONNA SUBMIT IT WHEN IT'S READY.
UM, AND OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE SAID IT, IT, UH, SATISFIES, UH, THEIR, THEIR DECISION MAKING.
UH, BUT WE'RE GOING INTO, UH, REAL SERIOUS BUDGET, UM, ADOPTION TIME AS, AS WELL AS THE HOLIDAYS, WHATEVER THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIKE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND A MAJOR ISSUE FOR US IS HOW DO WE, FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS, GIVE THEM REASONABLE ACCESS WHEN WE HAVE LIMITED HOURS IN OUR LOGIC.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH ALL OF IT.
AND I WILL DEFINITELY, UM, TAKE THIS BACK TO OUR TEAM AND WE WILL DETERMINE EXACTLY THE, UM, THE WORDING TO BE PUT IN WRITING, AND WE WILL CIRCULATE THAT BACK TO THE TOWN BOARD.
AND, UM, YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE ON THAT FRONT.
UM, I, I DO KNOW, UM, THAT THERE WAS A COMMENT REGARDING, UH, THE ALTERNATIVES.
[00:30:01]
UM, WHEN WE, UH, ADDRESSED THE ALTERNATIVES, I BELIEVE THAT THE, THERE WAS A PRELIMINARY STATEMENT SAYING THAT THE ALTERNATIVES DID NOT MEET THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF OUR CLIENT.UM, FURTHER ON THOUGH, IN THE ANALYSIS OF EACH ALTERNATIVES, WE GO INTO A DEEPER ANALYSIS OF WHY THAT IS FOR EACH ALTERNATIVE.
SO I JUST WANNA LET THE BOARD MEMBERS KNOW THAT THAT ANALYSIS IS THERE.
AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO WE'RE GONNA DEEM EVERYTHING COMPLETE.
UH, IT'LL BE, IT WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR A VOTE FOR TOMORROW NIGHT AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT WE GET.
DOES EVERYBODY, UH, ON THE BOARD AGREE WITH THAT? I WOULD LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL WE SEE WHAT COMES IN WRITING ON THE AGENDA FOR TOMORROW ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S THERE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DELIBERATELY PUT ONTO THE AGENDA A DATE THAT VIOLATES THE SECRET DEADLINE, UH, BECAUSE WE COULD ACTUALLY MINIMIZE THAT, THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SECRET DEADLINES BY JUST NOT FEELING IT COMPLETE FOR ANOTHER THREE WEEKS.
WE WANNA GIVE THE PUBLIC THREE WEEKS MORE TO READ THE DOCUMENT AND COMMENT.
I THINK IT'S AN UNREASONABLE REQUEST.
IT'S JUST I HAVEN'T SEEN IT WRITING AND I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, WE THEN WE WILL HAVE THAT IN WRITING PRIOR TO TOMORROW'S MEETING, THEN I WOULD BE PREPARED AND I WOULD, I WOULD URGE OTHERS TO VOTE TO BE MORE COMPLETE SO THAT WE GET IT INTO THE HANDS OF DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S A VERY STRANGE SITUATION, IS THAT, UM, THE WAY SECRET SEEMS TO BE SET UP IS THAT IN ORDER FOR THE DO THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT, WE HAVE TO DEEM THE COMPLETE, AND YET IF THEY FOIL IT, WE WOULD HAVE TO TURN IT OVER BASED ON THE NEW SECRET REGULATIONS, REGULATIONS.
SO IT'S A CATCH 22, BUT BY VOTING THEM TOMORROW NIGHT, IT, IT ADDRESSES ANY OF THOSE, THOSE ISSUES.
SO I JUST BRING THAT BACK TO YOUR CLIENT AND I'M SURE THEY'LL WORK IT OUT.
AND, UH, I DO HAVE WITH US, UM, JONATHAN REBA, UM, HE'S THE PRESIDENT OF REAL ESTATE, UH, RIDGEWOOD REAL ESTATE PARTNERS, UH, WHICH OWNS THE APPLICANT, UM, AND, UH, I BELIEVE HE UNMUTED HIMSELF.
SO I DON'T KNOW, JONATHAN, IF YOU HAVE ANY, UH, ANY OTHER INPUT TO PROVIDE? NO, I JUST, UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR HAVING US AND, AND IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS IN A VERY WEIRD TIME.
SO, UH, YOU'LL, WE, WE AGREE EVERYTHING THAT MAX SAID IS ACCURATE AND APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE, THE FOLKS FROM CHAZEN AND GARRETT AND, AND STAFF AND, UH, YOU KNOW, GIVING THE COMMUNITY AN EXTRA THREE WEEKS AND GIVING US A CHANCE TO GO AND MEET WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOUR OTHER, UH, UNDER BOARDS AND COMMITTEES AND, UH, I THINK WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
IT IS A RATHER LARGE DOCUMENT AND STARTING TO EXPLAIN CERTAIN SECTIONS THAT PERTAIN TO IN PARTICULAR GROUPS, I THINK WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN, IN MAKING THE PROCESS SMOOTH ONCE IT GETS IN, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU IN JANUARY.
SO YOU'LL HAVE THAT LETTER TOMORROW AND, AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR GETTING TOGETHER IN PERSON.
WOULD IT MAKE, UH, SENSE TO HAVE LIKE SMALL, YOU KNOW, INVITE LIKE RESIDENTS TO, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A MAJOR, YOU KNOW, PROJECT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, INQUIRE ABOUT OR SPEAK TO ME ABOUT IT, WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO, UM, INVITE, UM, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY TO, UM, HAVE LIKE SMALL, LIKE ZOOM MEETINGS WITH SOME OF THEIR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS? YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, UH, MEETINGS WHERE YOU COULD DISCUSS, UM, UM, WHERE YOU COULD SORT OF DISCUSS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TWO OPTION, YOU KNOW, THE TWO MAJOR OPTIONS, UM, HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE INTIMATE, UH, DISCUSSIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
AND THIS WOULD GIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITIES HAVE, YOU KNOW, A REAL DIALOGUE AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO TWEAK, UM, AND IMPROVE THE, YOU KNOW, APPLICATION BEFORE THE JANUARY HEARING.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I FIND FROM MY EXPERIENCES, UM, AND IT'S, I GUESS A LITTLE UNORTHODOX IS WHEN THE MORE YOU INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, THE, THE MORE WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, GET LIKE A SENSE WHAT THE AVERAGE PERSON REALLY, YOU KNOW, THINKS MR. FINER WE AGREE.
SO WOULD YOU BE, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY INTERESTED IN THESE? UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A WHOLE BUNCH OF THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS AND THEN FROM THAT WE'LL
[00:35:01]
REALLY BE ABLE TO GET A CONSENSUS WHAT THE, WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS.WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM HAVING MEETINGS AND MEETING AND AGREE THAT IT, IT WILL MAKE THE PROCESS SMOOTHER.
SMALL GROUPS, SMALL DISCUSSIONS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH GARRETT ON SENDING THOSE UP.
AND YES, PAUL, WE ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA, UM, YOU KNOW, INVOLVE CITIZENS, RESIDENTS AND, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, PUT THEM IN THE BEST, YOU KNOW, BEST KNOWLEDGE BASE ON THIS DOCUMENT.
AS JONATHAN MENTIONED, UH, IT'S, IT'S A LARGE DOCUMENT, SO, UM, TO THE EXTENT WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, BE HELPFUL AND, AND FOCUS IN ON AREAS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO RESIDENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
OKAY, NEXT, UM, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, NOW'S THE TOWN BOARD, UH, AGENDA REVIEW.
UM, I BELIEVE WE'RE OKAY
YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE OUR LEAVE.
JUST SET IT UP A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN A RELATIVELY SHORT AGENDA.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE PLEDGE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, THE MOMENT OF SILENCE, AND THEN WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND, UM, WE HAVE, UM, OH, AND YOU HAVE PRESENTATIONS, PRESENTATION.
WAIT, WHICH ONES DO WE HAVE? WE COULD JUST MOVE IT UP.
SO WE HAVE, UH, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, THREE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, PRESENTATIONS, UM, UM, THE ARDSLEY HIGHWAY GARAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, I GOT SOME EMAILS FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, OFF HAWTHORNE.
AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
YOU KNOW, I, I MENTIONED TO PEOPLE THAT ARDSLEY, UM, YOU KNOW, IS DETERMINED TO, UM, TO BUILD A HIGH GARAGE, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE IT OR NOT, UM, BECAUSE THEY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.
UM, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS RELATIVELY, UM, YOU KNOW, ACCURATE? NO, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF TOMORROW NIGHT TO GO FIND OUT THE MARZA.
UH, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, WE WERE AT THE MEETING, UH, ABOUT RELOCATING THE EASEMENT THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT, UH, GOING STRAIGHT THROUGH THE PROJECT, UM, THE PROPERTY, SO THAT, UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE TWO EXITS OUT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE OUR STAFF IS, IS REVIEWING THAT AND HASN'T BEEN REVIEWING IT.
UH, BUT THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF TOMORROW I PUT THE PRESENTATION.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA SAY? UH, WE DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE FROM JIM JACKSON THAT, UH, THE GREENBERG AGAINST SYSTEMIC RACISM.
OH, AGAIN, I, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A TV MONITORED, UM, LIKE I NORMALLY DO, SO YOU CAN'T, I JUST WANT TO GIVE, UM, THE BOARD, UH, JUST A VERY QUICK UPDATE, LIKE A ONE SECOND UPDATE ON THE BUDGET.
THE BUDGET IS DUE, UM, ON FRIDAY.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, ROBERTA, UM, ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE BUDGET.
UM, AND IT SEEMED, I THINK THERE'S A, UM, A POSSIBILITY, ALTHOUGH NOTHING'S FINAL RIGHT NOW, THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO PROPOSE, UM, A 0%, UH, UH, TAX INCREASE IN BOTH THE A AND B BUDGET, BUDGET WOULD ADD, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY TAX INCREASES.
UM, THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, FINAL RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT IS, UM, THE GOAL.
UM, AND I, I, I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME PEOPLE, I'M NOT PUTTING IN, UM, ANY SALARY INCREASES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK, AND I FEEL THAT, UM, PEOPLE ARE, EVEN THOUGH I THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A PROPOSED BUDGET WITH A 0%, UH, TAX INCREASE, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL THAT WHEN ELECTED OFFICIALS,
[00:40:01]
UH, GET INCREASES DURING, UM, VERY DIFFICULT TIMES WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK, I THINK IT WOULD RUB A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, THE WRONG WAY.AND I THINK THE TOWN BOARD, UM, AND ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS DESERVE IT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT I'M SEEING ON THE VOTING LINES WHO ARE JUST OUT OF WORK, AND, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE MENTIONED IT, AND I JUST FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, AND THIS APPLIES TO ME AS WELL.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY WOULD WANT AN INCREASE, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE UNEMPLOYED, THEY CAN'T FIND WORK, UH, BUSINESSES ARE GOING UNDER, AND I SORT OF FEEL THAT WE SHOULD, UM, SEND A MESSAGE THAT WE'RE, UM, WE UNDERSTAND THEIR PAIN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE ARE, IF WE COME IN WITH A BUDGET WITH A 0% INCREASE, I THINK PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, PLEASED.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S ALSO SENDING A POSITIVE MESSAGE THAT WE HEAR THEIR, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW AGGRAVATED THEY ARE ABOUT, ABOUT TAXES DURING THIS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, TIME.
SO PAUL, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THERE ARE NO INCREASES FOR, UH, ANY OF THE, UM, PROFESSIONAL, UH, STAFF AS WELL IN, I JUST, I JUST TOOK OUT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, AND THE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE BOARD COULD DIS THE BOARD COULD DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, COULD DISCUSS IT.
AND IF THE BOARD WANTS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, REVIEW THAT BETWEEN NOW AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND DECEMBER, IT'S THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVE, BUT I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT I'M GONNA COME UP WITH A GOOD BUDGET, AND I WANT TO REDUCE THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE BUDGET.
AND I KNOW THAT SALARY INCREASES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS IS GONNA GET A BIG UPROAR WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND LOOKING FOR JOBS.
UM, SO I'M JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THIS IS MORE THAT, UM, I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, UH, DOING THE INCREASES.
YOU KNOW, GENERALLY WE'VE INCREASE THE SALARIES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE, AS DEPARTMENT HEADS AND C S E A MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK A NUMBER OF TIMES WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES WEREN'T RIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE DID, WE DID NOT DO IT, I THINK AT LEAST FIVE OR SIX TIMES, UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN IN, WE HAVEN'T GIVEN INCREASES, BUT, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TIME WE DO.
AND AGAIN, I JUST SORT OF FEEL THAT WHEN THE ECONOMY IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER, THEN IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, MORE APPROPRIATE.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY I, I CAN CERTAINLY AND APPRECIATE AND AND RESPECT, UM, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHY YOU THINK THAT RESIDENTS WOULDN'T THINK THAT THAT SHOULD APPLY TO EVERYONE ACROSS THE BOARD.
YOU KNOW, WHAT THE BOARD, THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, UH, UNION, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO TYPICALLY GET THE UNION, UM, UH, CONTRACT, YOU KNOW, INCREASES.
AGAIN, THE BOARD COULD BASICALLY, UM, DISCUSS THIS, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE, MY BUDGET'S ONLY A PROPOSAL AND, YOU KNOW, I SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL COMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, PROPOSING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING, UM, YOU KNOW, SALARY INCREASES AND DEPARTMENT HEADS AREN'T GETTING IT.
SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES COULD BE MAKING MORE THAN THE DE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
UM, SO I THINK IT CREATES, YOU KNOW, IT CREATES, YOU KNOW, OTHER PROBLEMS. BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS MY THINKING, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY COULD REALLY REVIEW IT.
I THINK WE SHOULD POINT OUT IF ANYBODY IS ACTUALLY WATCHING THIS ON, ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH, THAT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS ALLOWED THE VOTING TO CONTINUE FOR AN EXTRA HOUR, UH, EACH, EACH DAY.
BUT FOR TODAY, IT WOULD BE INSTEAD OF EIGHT O'CLOCK TO NINE O'CLOCK.
SO YOU DID WANT TO BE PART OF THIS, UH, TREMENDOUS MASS OF HAD, UH, COMING TO TOWN HALL AND, UH, VOTING EARLY, UH, YOU COULD CONSIDER DOING IT, UH,
AND THEN JUST IN GENERAL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE DATA THAT I'M GENERATING, THE LONGEST LINES OF LONGEST LINES ARE THE PEOPLE WHO COME BEFORE THE POLLS OPEN, THOSE WHO COME LATER IN THE DAY.
THEY HAVE HAD SHORTER WAITING TIMES.
NOW, OF COURSE, IT'S ALL RELATIVE.
YOU KNOW, A TWO HOUR WAIT TIME IS RELATIVELY SHORT COMPARED TO A FIVE HOUR WAIT TIME.
THE LONGEST WAIT TIME IS SATURDAY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARRIVED PRIOR TO NOON.
WE HAD ABOUT 450 PEOPLE IN THE PARKING LOT, AND THEY HADN'T OPENED THE DOORS YET.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ACTUALLY AT THE END OF THAT LINE TOOK THE
[00:45:01]
LONGEST DEBATE.IT BECAME LATER IN THE DAY, IT DECREASED, UH, FAIRLY SEVERE.
BUT AGAIN, FOR TONIGHT, IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE WATCHING THIS ON OCTOBER 27TH, UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S 6 52, THE POLLS ARE NOT GOING TO CLOSE AT EIGHT O'CLOCK, CLOSE AT NINE O'CLOCK.
AND THAT'S COMING FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTION.
THE TOWN BOARD HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE OPERATION OF THE ELECTIONS.
WE'RE HELPING A LOT, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO MAKE IT LESS PAINFUL TO BE IN THE PARKING LOT WAITING ON LINES, BUT IT'S PORTABLE THAT CONTROL.
I WANNA THANK THE GREENBURG HEALTH CENTER FOR ALSO, UM, UM, ORGANIZING THE, THE FLU, OUTDOOR FLU SHOTS.
PEOPLE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT AND WE'LL MAKE PEOPLE HEALTHIER.
WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THAT'S THE FLU SHOT FOR PEOPLE UP TO 64.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE SUPPLY OF THE VACCINE THAT GOES FOR PEOPLE 65 AND HUNDRED.
THEY, THEY PUT THAT INTO THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE MISSED IT.
IT'S FOR PEOPLE UP TO SIX PEOPLE.
SO WE HAVE A DECISION, WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING LAST TIME ON THE HASTINGS ON HUDSON FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES FOR THE DONALD PARK PROTECTION DISTRICT RESOLUTION,
WHAT TYPE OF, UH, SO THIS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS ADJOURNED FROM THE LAST MEETING, AND THE QUESTION WAS RAISED REGARDING THE FORFEITURE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT'S LEGAL.
AND SO I HAD ASKED, UH, THAT THE TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO LOOK INTO, UM, GIVING US A, A DEFINITIVE ANSWER AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN ACTUALLY FORFEIT, UH, VEHICLES ON, ON, UH, CENTRAL AVENUE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE MANY PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING.
AND SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT ANSWER.
WELL, I CAN GET THAT ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
IT IS LEGAL TO FORFEIT THE VEHICLES AGAIN, YOU KNOW, ONCE A PERSON IS STOPPED AND EITHER GIVEN A SUMMONS OR A, UM, OR ARRESTED, YOU KNOW, THE VEHICLE, YOU KNOW, MAY BE IMPOUNDED, AND THEN THERE'S A FORFEITURE PROCEEDING THAT TAKES PLACE IN, UH, WHITE PLAINS IN SUPREME COURT OR COUNTY COURT.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY LEGAL TO, UH, FORFEIT SOMEONE'S, UH, TO IMPOUND SOMEONE'S VEHICLE AND SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE PROCEEDINGS.
THE QUESTION IS, UH, THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE THAT'S BEING FORFEITED AND, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THAT FORFEITURE, UM, IS JUSTIFIED BASED ON A PARTICULAR OFFENSE.
AND THAT'S A MATTER OF THE DETERMINATION OF THE JUDGE, YOU KNOW, WHO'S OVERSEEING THE FORFEITURE PROCEEDING.
BUT THE PROCEEDING ITSELF IS, IS DEFINITELY LEGAL.
UM, DEPENDING ON THE, UM, THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE, UH, FORFEITURE MAY BE EXCESSIVE IN A, IN A PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.
SO IF YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN IN THE LAMBORGHINI, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA LOSE IT.
YOU, YOU MIGHT PAY A VERY SIGNIFICANT, UH, FINE IN LIEU OF FORFEITURE, BUT YOU PROBABLY, UM, YOU PROBABLY WON'T LOSE THAT LAMBORGHINI UNLESS YOU'RE REALLY DOING SOMETHING THAT A JUDGE FEELS IS, IS SO EGREGIOUS THAT YOU SHOULD, UH, FORFEIT THAT VEHICLE.
SO THE LAMBORGHINI COULD BE IMPOUNDED AND THEN THEY WOULD'VE TO PAY TO GET IT BACK.
IS THAT THE IDEA? BUT NOT AS MUCH, NOT AS MUCH AS THE VALUE OF THE CAR.
CAN WE BASICALLY, UM, COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LIKE A THREE STAGE, YOU KNOW, PROCESS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST DEFENSE, IT'S THIS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SET WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE FAIR.
THE SECOND OFFENSE, WE MAKE IT TOUGH FOR THE THIRD OFFENSE.
WE RECOMMEND FORFEITURE OF THE VEHICLE, THE, TO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY TAKING IT AWAY.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, I NEGLECTED TO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID MAKE SOME MINOR REVISIONS TO THE LOCAL LAW AS IT PERTAINS TO FORFEITURE.
AND, UH, WE DID INCLUDE KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, A FIRST OFFENSE, SECOND OFFENSE, THIRD OFFENSE, A TYPE OF ADJUSTMENT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO NOT MAKE IT SO HARSH.
AND AGAIN, THERE ARE, UM, SOME HARDSHIP PROVISIONS IN TERMS OF FORFEITURE, UH, THAT MAY GO TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, UH, WHO, WHO NEED THE VEHICLE FOR WORK OR, OR FOR PEOPLE WHOSE VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE.
AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN BY THE PERSON WHO WAS DRIVING IT.
SO THERE ARE SOME HARDSHIPS PROVISIONS SO THAT IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT SO HARSH, UH, TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FORFEITED IF IT'S WARRANTED.
SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD, UM, LATER ON TONIGHT.
ARE YOU SAYING WITH THE NOISE, HAS THE NOISE BEEN REVISED AT ALL? I DON'T BELIEVE THE NOISE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN REVISED, BUT I GOTTA TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
AND WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC COMMERCE
[00:50:02]
AND WE HAVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH,SO HERE'S THE RESOLUTION, ADOPTING THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT CONTRACT FOR CASE STUDIES.
AND, UM, THIS IS, UH, GARETH, DO YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THIS OR
UM, SO THE, THE, UH, THE LOCAL LAW FOR THE NEW, THE NEW TREE LAW WAS, WAS APPROVED BY THE TOWN BOARD, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED ALL OF OUR LIVES AND IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE TO, UH, HAVE THAT LAW GO INTO EFFECT.
UM, BASED ON THE, THE, THE, THE LAW AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE INTERACTIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE WITH RESIDENTS, UM, BUT ULTIMATELY WITH, UM, TOWN HALL, UM, HOPEFULLY TO OPEN NEXT YEAR, UM, WE FEEL THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE SUCCESS OF ZOOM, WE CAN SUCCESSFULLY COMMUNICATE WITH RESIDENTS.
SO, UM, ULTIMATELY WE DO FEEL WE WOULD BE AS A TOWN AND A DEPARTMENT IN A, IN A GOOD POSITION TO EFFECTIVELY, UH, MANAGE THE NEW TREE LAW.
AND THE OVERARCHING PREMISE OF THAT NEW TREE LAW IS THAT, UM, TREE REMOVALS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO, UH, A TREE PERMIT, UM, REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY, WHEREAS PRESENTLY THERE'S THE ONE ACRE THRESHOLD.
SO, UM, SPOKE WITH AARON AND, UH, WE HAVE A PART-TIME STAFF FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT, UM, WE CAN DO THIS SUCCESSFULLY.
AND, UM, THAT THAT'S WHAT, UH, TB TWO IS ABOUT.
NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT A TAX SEARCH, BUT A ONE IS A TAXER, UH, A TWO IS THE RETENTION OF A LAW FIRM TO ASSIST US WITH A PARTICULAR LAW.
A T THREE IS, UH, AUTHORING, AUTHORIZING THE, UH, CONTINUED RETENTION OF THE CUL LAW GROUP RELATED TO THE ONGOING CHANGES THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE F C C IS PRODUCING, BASICALLY TYING THE HANDS OF MUNICIPALITIES AND REGULATING MANY OF THE IMP ANTENNAS.
UM, IF WE'RE, IF, IF WE'RE BASICALLY, UM, NO, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, YOU KNOW, LEGAL RIGHTS, NO, WE DON'T.
I DIDN'T SAY THAT IT'S JUST, OR LIMITING THE LEGAL RIGHTS.
WHAT'S THE VALUE OF, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HIRING, YOU KNOW, VERY HIGH POWERED, UM, YOU KNOW, LAW FIRM WHEN, UH, WE ALMOST JUST TO REALLY CONFIRM BASICALLY WHAT WE KNOW IS A LAW.
I'M JUST, WE, WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO, I'M SORRY TO THINK SUCH A SCREAMING, UH, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOT HAVING ANY RIGHTS, UH, OR HAVING THE RIGHTS WE USED TO HAVE AND HAVING NO RIGHTS.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE, AND WE HAVE DRAFTED, UH, LOOKING AT MANY, UH, LOCAL LAWS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, LIEUTENANT BOARD WHO'S DONE MUCH OF THIS, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE COHEN LAW GROUP IS WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN STILL DO THAT DOESN'T JUST GIVE THEM CARTE BLANCHE TO GO WHEREVER THEY WANT, WHENEVER THEY WANT, AS HIGH AS THEY WANT.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME CAPABILITY OF DOING THAT.
IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS IT USED TO BE, BUT IT IS, IT IS, UM, UH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE WE DON'T SAY THAT'S JUST, UH, DELETE THE ANTENNA LAW ON OUR, ON OUR, UH, SO BASICALLY LIKE THE ISSUES SAY FOR IN EAST IRVINGTON WHERE, UM, WHERE RESIDENTS, UM, SOME RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POLES IN FRONT OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR HOMES.
THIS WOULD BE, UM, USING THIS FIRM TO BASICALLY CONFIRM THAT THE TOWN DID EVERYTHING RIGHT.
OR PERHAPS RESPONDING TO, UM, RESIDENTS QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
AND HAVING SOMEBODY WHO'S BASICALLY INDEPENDENT, A LITTLE BIT MORE INDEPENDENT AND A SPECIALIST IN THE LAW SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT THE FEDERAL LAW IS.
[00:55:01]
ASSURANCES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, THE TOWN IS BASICALLY TRYING HARD TO BE, UH, UH, TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, TO BE RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS.THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE CAN SAY THEY CAN'T GO UP.
UH, WE CAN, WE CAN, FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR LAW, THEY CAN'T GO DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE OR IN FRONT OF THE WINDOW.
UH, BUT WE CAN'T SAY THAT THEY, THEY CAN'T GO UP IF THEY HAVE DETERMINED IN ORDER TO FILL THEIR GAP THAT IT HAS TO GO ALONG THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY IN CERTAIN, IN A, IN A CERTAIN LOCATION, PLUS OR MINUS, SAY 10 OR 20 FEET, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
AND SO FAR THEY'VE BEEN WILLING TO WORK, UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, 10 OR 20 FEET IS NOT GONNA MAKE SOMEBODY HAPPY, WHO DOESN'T WANT IT ANYWHERE, UH, IN FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY.
AND, UH, AND, AND, AND THAT'S JUST THE REALITY OF WHAT WE BEING FACED BY, FRANKLY, ONCE THE PACIFIC ASSOCIATION SAID TO THE TOWN THAT WE HAVE A SERIOUS ISSUE, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
WE CAN'T MAKE NINE ONE ONE CALLS ON OUR CELL PHONES.
AND WHEN WE HAD THE BLACKOUT THAT LASTED EIGHT DAYS, THEY DIDN'T HAVE, AND YOUR VERIZON OR FILES OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER SERVICE YOU ARE USING, THEY HAVE BATTERIES, BUT THEY DON'T LAST A WEEK FOR YOUR PHONES BECAUSE NOW YOUR PHONES ARE TIED TO YOUR, YOUR CABLE, YOUR CABLE CONTRACT.
ONCE THOSE DIE, YOU RELY ON YOUR CELL PHONES AND THEY COULDN.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN, WHEN THE ANTENNA BOARD WAS OVER THERE, MYSELF AND OTHERS, UH, WE WERE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER AS TO WHERE ARE WE GOING TO MEET.
AND WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T MAKE A CALL ON OUR CELL PHONE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, PAUL, I RECALL YOU STATING THAT YOU WERE AT A CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING OVER THERE AND YOU WANTED TO CALL D P W AND YOU HAD NO CELL SERVICE TO MAKE THAT CALL.
SO THERE WAS, ONCE THERE WAS AN IDENTIFIED SAFETY, THE CELL PROVIDERS, UH, WE DON'T STAND A CHANCE GOING INTO COURT AND SAYING, YES, THERE'S A SAFETY NEED.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE CELL SERVICE, BUT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GO UP IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW ANTENNA BOARD IS MEETING WITH RESIDENTS ON THURSDAY, UM, IS THAT, THAT THEY SEE THAT WE HAVE AN OUTSIDE COUNSEL, UM, AND THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.
WE COULD HAVE SOMEBODY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO'S A NATIONAL SPECIALIST, REVIEW WHAT THEY SAY AND SEE AND HELP THEM, UM, DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A LEGITIMATE, UM, YOU KNOW, A A A LEGITIMATE LEGAL ARGUMENT.
THERE'S A SCHEDULING PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE NOVEMBER 24TH, 2020.
UH, GARETH, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, EAGLE ENERGY STORAGE? YEAH, SURE.
THAT IS A PROPOSAL ON, UH, NORWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, AND IT'S, UH, FENCED IN ENCLOSURE OF BATTERY STORAGE.
AND, UM, WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS RECEIVE POWER FROM THE GRID, UH, IN TIMES WHEN THE, THE GRID IS NOT STRESSED AND HOLD THAT POWER.
AND THEN AT TIMES WHERE, UH, THE GRID DOES BECOME STRESS, IT IT'S, IT'S A SOURCE OF ENERGY.
SO, UH, THIS WOULD TAP INTO THE CONNET, UH, TRANSMISSION, UH, FACILITY ON ROUTE ONE 19 VIA, UH, UNDERGROUND AND OVERHEAD WIRES, MOSTLY THROUGH THE VILLAGE OF ELMSFORD.
AND, UM, ULTIMATELY, LIKE AS I MENTIONED, ABOUT A HALF ACRE ENCLOSED AREA OF, OF BATTERY, UH, STORAGE ON THE GOLF COURSE, THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE GOLF GOLF COURSE.
UH, THEY'VE IDENTIFIED A LOCATION THAT, UM, IS KIND OF TUCKED AWAY AND, AND, AND OUT OF VIEW.
UM, SO THIS IS, UH, THE TYPE OF APPROVAL THAT REQUIRES A SPECIAL PERMIT OF THE TOWN BOARD.
AND THE TOWN BOARD WOULD MAKE A FINDING THAT THERE'S NO OTHER ZONING DISTRICT THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS TYPE OF STORAGE, UM, OR AT THAT, AT A BETTER LOCATION ON THE SITE.
SO, UM, THAT'S A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE, THIS, UH, SITE PLAN AND SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION.
TOMORROW NIGHT IS NOT WHEN WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS IS SIMPLY SCHEDULED IN A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THEN THIS IS WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
IF YOU WANT TO, PRESUMABLY WE'LL GET A LETTER TOMORROW.
THIS WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA IN ANTICIPATION OF
I'LL CIRCULATE THAT LETTER AS SOON AS I RECEIVE IT TO THE, TO THE BOARD.
[01:00:02]
IS THE, UH, THAT THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT? YEP.SO THE CD ONE IS THE, UH, ACCEPTANCE OF THE D E I S, WHICH, UH, AS, AS WAS NOTED EARLIER, TRIGGERS THE PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD, START OF THE PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD.
I ASSUME YOU DON'T WANT TO HANDLE THE BUDGET ISSUE, SO MAYBE THE BURDEN IS ON, WHAT WAS THAT? UH, C O ONE.
YOU WANT US TO APPROVE YOU O'CONNOR DAVIES ORDER FOR FISCAL YEAR FOR 2020? YES, PLEASE.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE TOWN.
WHAT WAS THAT? WE HAVE TO HAVE AN AUDIT.
AREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO SWITCH THE AUDITORS EVERY FEW YEARS NOW? AND DOESN'T IT SEEM LIKE WE'VE BEEN USING O'CONNOR DAVIES? YEAH, WE DO NEED FOR SOME TIME NOW.
WE DO NEED TO GO OUT FOR AN R F P SOON.
WHAT'S, HOW LONG IS THAT GENERALLY THAT WE USE ONE AUDITOR BEFORE WE SWITCH AND WELL, YOU CAN ALSO DO IT WHERE YOU DON'T SWITCH THE FIRMS, BUT YOU SWITCH THE, UM, PARTNER THAT IS ON THE JOB.
I JUST, I JUST THOUGHT THERE WAS A PERIOD OF, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDED PERIOD OF TIME WITHIN WHICH, UM, NO, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU'RE RIGHT.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY SWITCH IT UP.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA KEEP, YOU DON'T WANNA KEEP THE SAME PEOPLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WHAT WAS THAT, WHAT'S THE TIME? I'M SORRY, ROBERTA.
THERE ISN'T A SPECIFIC, THERE IS NOT A SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME.
MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT.
MAYBE EVERY TWO YEARS OR MAYBE SOMETHING SO MM-HMM.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE COST AND THEY'RE DOING THE COURT ORDER.
UH, I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THE PORT IS IN SUCH GOOD SHAPE.
I THINK THEY'RE DOING THE, UH, COURT ORDER AT AT NO COST.
AND BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND ALL THE REST, THEY'RE NOT.
SO NOW WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE, THEN WE GO INTO THE EXEC EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS SOME PERSONNEL AND BUDGET ISSUES.
UM, WELL THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME, UH, LEGAL ISSUES INVOLVING ONGOING CASES AND THE PERSONNEL ISSUES INVOLVING, UH, INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.
THAT FEW SAFETY ISSUES AS WELL.
BUT IF YOU'RE STILL WATCHING THIS ON OCTOBER THE 27TH AT SEVEN 10, YOU UH, YOU CAN COME OVER TO TOWN HALL WILL BE OPEN AS LONG AS YOU'RE IN THE PARKING LOT.
UH, FIRED TO NINE O'CLOCK, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FIRST TIME VOTERS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FIRST, WHENEVER WE FOUND A FIRST TIME VOTER, WE JUST APPLAUDED AND APPLAUDED THE FLORIDA AND WE GOT KICK OUT.