Transcript
SOURCE TRANSCRIPT
This transcript is downloaded from the source you provided but we haven't reviewed it for accuracy. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record. You can also request an AI-transcription of the audio file with the button to the left.
These are YouTube's auto-generated captions, not a human transcript — expect occasional errors, especially with names and technical terms.
[0:05]
good evening everybody and welcome to
the town board meeting for January 28th
[0:09]
2020 we have a full agenda but we're
gonna take just a moment to start with
[0:16]
something special this evening so
yesterday of course marked the 75th
[0:21]
anniversary of the liberation of
Auschwitz which also coincided with the
[0:25]
Holocaust Memorial Day we have all seen
disturbing reports of incidents of hate
[0:31]
specifically anti-semitism in
neighboring communities tonight the town
[0:36]
board has a for us a resolution to stand
with other municipalities in West
[0:40]
Chester County to firmly oppose
anti-semitism in all forms as New
[0:46]
Yorkers and as citizens of the world we
are called upon to remember the stories
[0:50]
of the Holocaust and to vow never to let
what happened over 75 years ago happen
[0:57]
again tonight we have with us Allie
Rosenberg the co-chair of the New Castle
[1:03]
Holocaust and Human Rights Committee and
a founder of enough which stands for
[1:08]
educate now on understanding genocide
and hate at Horace really high school as
[1:13]
well as her son Sam Rosenberg is a
member of an often and they're going to
[1:18]
speak to us briefly about this
resolution and also give us an update on
[1:22]
what they've been up to longer committee
[1:28]
good evening Tim board thank you
so this evening as I be Senate this is
[1:36]
just an incredible resolution we feel so
proud to live in a county that has
[1:42]
decided to take a strong stand to oppose
not only anti-semitism but intolerance
[1:50]
of all kinds with that said the New
Castle Holocaust and Human Rights
[1:56]
Committee had its formal first meeting
last month we are now a committee of 10
[2:02]
people along with two student members of
enough they are the student liaisons we
[2:09]
are working right now so with the
commemoration we are bringing next month
[2:14]
on February 25th world renowned
historian and author David Marr well who
[2:20]
just published a newly released book
mangling unmasking the Angel of Death
[2:24]
the event will be free to the community
but we are asking for RSVPs and the
[2:29]
publication of publicity is starting now
we're also working on our young ho Shoah
[2:35]
service which the save the dates went
out for that and that will be April 28th
[2:39]
at 6 p.m. at the New Castle Holocaust
Memorial and I'm gonna turn it over to
[2:44]
Sam Rosenberg one of the co-presidents
of enough hi I'm Sam Rosenberg
[2:52]
co-president of enough at Horace Greeley
High School and our latest project right
[2:57]
now is we are trying we're working on
bringing and anti-hate workshop to the
[3:03]
students at our discretely high school
[3:07]
we're working this year on hopefully
bring some more events some speakers to
[3:14]
the school of the students we have Alan
Moscone who is a liberator
[3:28]
of Auschwitz coming to the school and
he's coming on Thursday February 27 at
[3:34]
the moment we haven't he's definitely
speaking to the 10th graders and we're
[3:38]
seeing if he can speak to more more
students he is 93 years old and is like
[3:44]
so booked this spring it's pretty
amazing so we are here to say that we
[3:50]
feel very strongly about rise of this
resolution we hope it is passed in our
[3:55]
tone and to stand in solidarity with the
other communities in Westchester County
[3:59]
thank you thank you thank you so we're
gonna skip ahead and we're actually
[4:07]
gonna go ahead and introduce this
resolution now so that Allie and Sam can
[4:12]
think so I'm adopted following
resolution whereas our nation was
[4:18]
founded on the principles of religious
freedom we win all people to life
[4:23]
liberty and pursuit of happiness and
whereas contrary to those principles
[4:26]
that they're part of me there has been a
significant increase of violent
[4:30]
anti-semitic attacks throughout the
United States and particularly New York
[4:33]
State's Hudson Valley region and whereas
the FBI notes a nationwide in 2014
[4:39]
609 anti-jewish hate crime incidents
were reported by 2018 the number
[4:45]
increased nearly 40 percent and whereas
the FBI reports that nationally in 2018
[4:52]
there were seven thousand 36 single
biased related incidents that involved
[4:57]
8327 offenses of those 59.5 stem percent
stem from a race ethnicity ancestry
[5:06]
biased 18.6% were motivated by religious
bias and 16.9% resulted from sexual
[5:15]
orientation bias whereas according to
the anti-defamation league ADL which
[5:20]
tracks anti-semitic and other hate crime
incidents reported that anti-semitic
[5:25]
incidents were at historic levels in the
United States in 2018 occurrences of
[5:29]
assault
alone 105 percent from 2017 to 2018 and
[5:35]
whereas the ADL states that preliminary
analysis of truth
[5:39]
90 data shows that New York I've
recorded the most anti-jewish hate
[5:44]
crimes since 1992 and whereas in
December 28th 2019 five people were
[5:51]
tragically stabbed at a Hanukkah
celebration
[5:53]
celebration in Muncie New York a
neighboring Rockland County and whereas
[5:58]
here in 2019 in Westchester County
we were enraged and heartbroken I'm the
[6:04]
eve of Yom Kippur the highest of holy
days of the Jewish faith anti-semitic
[6:08]
materials were discovered at our
Holocaust Garden of Remembrance and
[6:13]
whereas Westchester County has a long
history of standing up speaking out and
[6:17]
protecting human rights in 2000
Westchester County Human Rights
[6:22]
Commission was created to ensure that
prejudice intolerance bigotry and
[6:26]
discrimination will not threaten the
rights and privileges of its people and
[6:30]
that all are treated with dignity and
respect that is necessary to give effect
[6:35]
to the equal rights for all assured by
the Constitution and laws of the United
[6:40]
States New York State in this county now
therefore be it resolved that the town
[6:47]
of New Castle is appalled by the
anti-semitic attacks here at home and
[6:51]
Iraq encounter neighbors we stand in
solidarity with the people of Yorktown
[6:55]
and Muncie and rejecting all forms of
bigotry hatred or discrimination of any
[7:01]
kind and be it FURTHER RESOLVED and hate
will have no home in the town of New
[7:06]
Castle we are committed to promote
openness inclusion freedom and mutual
[7:12]
understanding by ensuring all people of
New Castle regardless of race religion
[7:16]
sexual orientation gender identity
national origin or immigration status
[7:22]
may live free from violence harassment
or prejudice our County will make every
[7:28]
effort to ensure that our community is
one where all people are welcome
[7:31]
included and respected and being further
resolved to work with local communities
[7:35]
the Westchester County Human Rights
Commission told public learning sessions
[7:40]
for combating hate to educate young
people and the public at large about
[7:44]
unity and acceptance
and through the Human Rights Commission
[7:47]
work with the westchester county
community as a whole to combat hate and
[7:52]
be it further resolved that the town of
newcastle will work with all other
[7:55]
levels of government and community
groups to root out hate and promote
[8:00]
understanding we encourage
municipalities that join this resolution
[8:03]
to join forces and ensuring that the
vile history of anti-semitism and any
[8:07]
other forms of intolerance in Newark and
around the world ends now and ends here
[8:13]
and be it further resolved that this
that a certified copy of this resolution
[8:17]
shall be forwarded to westchester county
and any others deem necessary and proper
[8:22]
so that the intent of our county elected
leaders is widely known so we'll move on
[8:49]
I just have a couple of more
announcements and then Jill Shapiro will
[8:52]
give her telling this report tonight the
Town Board also has before it a
[8:59]
resolution to recognize the moms demand
action national gun violence survivors
[9:03]
week which will take place from February
1st through 8th of 2020 to honor and
[9:07]
remember all victims and survivors of
gun violence and uplift the resilient
[9:11]
voices of survivors across the nation
across the country municipalities are
[9:16]
working to end the senseless violence by
advocating for common-sense gun safety
[9:20]
legislation biomemory national gun
violence survivors week we join with
[9:24]
these communities and raising awareness
about gun violence and honoring the
[9:27]
lives stolen by gun violence in doing so
we also renew our commitment to reduce
[9:32]
gun violence and pledge to do all that
we can to keep firearms out of the wrong
[9:35]
hands and to encourage responsible gun
ownership to help our communities safe
[9:42]
next in December of 2019 the town
switched its water source temporarily
[9:48]
from the Catskill aqueduct to the new
Croton reservoir and due to a scheduled
[9:53]
shutdown of the Catskill aqueduct by the
New York City Department
[9:56]
Environmental Protection to allow DEP to
make necessary changes to the aqueduct
[10:00]
on Wednesday January 22nd the Catskill
aqueduct shutdown ended but please keep
[10:07]
in mind that it does take a few days for
the water to cycle back through the
[10:11]
pipes and tanks when our sword switched
back during the shutdown some residents
[10:16]
did notice a difference in the taste and
smell of their water due to the change
[10:20]
in the water source throughout this time
Newcastle's water was and still is
[10:26]
tested and treated at the mill wood
water treatment plant and greatly
[10:30]
exceeded and still does all New York
State do H and EPA water quality
[10:35]
standards please note that similar
10-week shutdowns are planned by DEP for
[10:41]
winter 2021 this coming year and 2122 as
we learn more about the dates for the
[10:49]
coming year we will let residents know
in advance and I would personally just
[10:54]
like to thank the Newcastle Department
of Public Works and the mill wood water
[10:59]
treatment plant for their stewardship of
our drinking water as well as their
[11:03]
focus on the health and safety of all of
our residents community event teen
[11:09]
vaping crisis did you know that one in
four teens is addicted to vaping and
[11:13]
that over 40 people have died leaving
get the facts and find out what you can
[11:18]
do to help stop this crisis from
spreading Northern Westchester hospital
[11:22]
is hosting an event on Thursday January
30th that's a car crossing among the
[11:27]
presenters dr. Richard stew mocker is a
renowned expert who has presented in our
[11:31]
community before I've heard him speak
he's an accomplished speaker on this
[11:36]
important topic so please join us last
week on Wednesday January 22nd I was
[11:43]
pleased to join with other concerned
residents across Westchester County for
[11:46]
the FAA airport noise forum at the
Newcastle community center we obviously
[11:52]
thought to bring the FAA to our
community to begin a dialogue about what
[11:58]
solutions may exist to mitigate mitigate
the impacts of increased noise and other
[12:02]
environmental impacts for communities
like ours that are close to H p.m. it
[12:06]
was great to see so many thoughtful and
concerned residents at this event as a
[12:12]
community with deep concerns about the
noise and other environmental impacts
[12:15]
our next step is to review the scope of
work for the county's Airport consultant
[12:21]
hmmh Harris Miller to ensures that the
questions that will be asked and
[12:26]
answered as a part of this study
adequately address the concerns of our
[12:30]
community to this end and fall of 2019
the town of Newcastle engaged in
[12:35]
independent aviation expert and we will
be working with the airport steering
[12:40]
committee to advance our experts
analysis of the phase 2 scope and
[12:45]
continue an independent our partnership
for the county last but certainly not
[12:51]
least the topic of tonight's meeting so
tonight we have our public scoping
[12:57]
session for the Chappaqua Hamlet for
may's code and you'll hear in just a
[13:02]
moment from our expert consultant from
Kim Lee horn as well as our town planner
[13:07]
Sabrina Charney hall beginning just take
everybody step back for just a moment
[13:12]
beginning in May of last year the town
of Newcastle launched a project to
[13:16]
rezone the Choctaw Hamlet and to create
a forum based code traditional zoning
[13:22]
ordinances regulate land use by
dictating where certain uses can occur
[13:26]
for example residential versus retail
versus industrial a form-based code by
[13:33]
comparison is an innovative approach
that considers how zoning relates to
[13:37]
infrastructure and parking and open
space and design and architecture among
[13:42]
other topics and focuses more on the
form of the building as opposed to
[13:47]
mandating its use this project to create
a foreign-based code as you'll hear
[13:52]
tonight
reflects the goals of the town as set
[13:55]
forth in the 2017 comprehensive plan and
I quote to preserve the town's bucolic
[14:00]
residential character and its historic
resources while promoting new mixed-use
[14:04]
development and Hamlet's to meet the
community's housing needs and foster
[14:08]
thriving communities thriving commercial
and civil civic spaces
[14:13]
and you'll hear more about this tonight
I won't go through it all but I will
[14:17]
just say how pleased I am to see how
many people have shown up tonight for
[14:22]
the public scoping session this is truly
the beginning of our public engagement
[14:27]
around the environmental analysis
related to the form based code and I am
[14:33]
truly grateful whenever residents come
and provide us with our comments and
[14:38]
feedback so we're really looking forward
to hearing back to me thank you so on
[14:47]
just to switch topics for a little bit
this Friday January 31st is the last day
[14:52]
to pay the second half school taxes
without penalty if you as opposed to
[14:56]
your bank or responsible to pay property
taxes the 31st will be the last day to
[15:00]
pay without penalty the tax office will
be open on Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
[15:06]
if you're paying your tax bill in cash
believe it or not quite a few people -
[15:11]
we only accept cash during regular
business hours of 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
[15:17]
and payments must be in the exact amount
in cash otherwise 59 you can also pay
[15:38]
online at my new castle dot org and just
a reminder that the tax office accepts
[15:44]
us postmarked as proof of timely mailing
if you're mailing your tax payment
[15:49]
please make sure you actually see the
post office on post-market don't just
[15:53]
put it in the box and think she's gonna
it'll be fine
[15:55]
it won't be fine make sure that they
post before you and we do whole
[15:59]
post-dated checks update on Santa Pro
regarding Christmas treat pickup I don't
[16:04]
know I said the pros been so challenged
this year but old lime as well as owns
[16:09]
four and five will be completed tomorrow
Wednesday January 29th congratulations
[16:14]
to Chief Carol and the Newcastle Police
Department on their reaction we're very
[16:18]
proud of them not surprised but very
proud anyway congratulations to
[16:22]
controller Rob Deary Newcastle has once
again been awarded
[16:25]
certificate of achievement for
excellence in financial reporting by the
[16:29]
government financial officers
Association and a huge thank you to
[16:32]
Lauren cash cohen and christina peeps
for all of the help with last night's
[16:36]
inauguration ceremony it was a fabulous
ceremony and you guys I couldn't done it
[16:41]
without you thank you so much it seemed
like effortless anything but I'm sure
[16:46]
that Sabrina will on give us more
information after the presentation but
[16:51]
there is a sign in for anyone who would
like to speak and there's also cards
[16:55]
true for people to write comments on and
also with your contact information
[17:00]
Sabrina will go into detail as well
Bonnie about this but it's really
[17:04]
important and we're trying very hard to
make sure that everybody's comments on
[17:09]
the scope topics are properly captured
so if even if you don't want to speak
[17:16]
but you'd like comments to be included
please make sure that they're included
[17:19]
on the cards that are here so that we
make sure that we can include all the
[17:23]
things that you are interested we're so
excited to get started but before we get
[17:38]
started
any public comment or new business from
[17:41]
anyone other than I just have a
follow-up question about your comments
[17:57]
about the FAA meeting it occurred to me
that since everyone was there kind of
[18:01]
individually but representing the FAA
and we're all kind of scurrying around
[18:05]
asking questions I'm wondering if the
town would contemplate hiring or having
[18:09]
someone who's already an employee
facilitate a session with everyone who
[18:14]
attended to capture what each person
heard and find the themes because I
[18:19]
think we'd all have kind of a our own
individual sense of what we heard and it
[18:23]
might be interesting to kind of
synthesize everything
[18:25]
we can kind of add that to the time
strategy of how to move forward thank
[18:29]
you good evening um for those of you who
do not know my name is Sabrina journey
[18:49]
home the director of planning for the
town I'm here tonight with Vanya von
[18:53]
Olsen from our consultant team Kim Lee
horn and she will be sharing this
[18:57]
presentation with me and we're gonna
talk to you about what a farm basecoat
[19:00]
is we're gonna go through the state
environmental quality review act and
[19:04]
really drill down on what scoping is and
where you can comment so we'll start a
[19:11]
forum based code and I think the town
supervisor in the introduction tonight
[19:16]
really hit on what the difference of why
a form-based code but I'm gonna read
[19:21]
great right now within the chapter Hema
we have zoning which is based off of
[19:27]
principles which separate uses and she
very eloquently said you know
[19:31]
residential is separate from commercial
use is separate from industrial use so
[19:36]
that's kind of how you clean in zoning
works that's what's there today a
[19:40]
form-based code is a little bit
different it not only regulates uses cuz
[19:44]
it does separate uses to some extent but
it also looks at the relationship
[19:48]
between the building facades and the
public realm the streetscape the form
[19:54]
and mass of buildings and how that mass
relates to one it to each other a
[19:58]
building next to a building a building
across the treatment of the street from
[20:02]
a building and it also looks at the
scale of the development in relation to
[20:06]
these streets and the blocks within a
community so it's a little bit more
[20:11]
diverse there's more guidance in a form
based code the regulation right today
[20:17]
consists of what's written in our code
books it's all words a form based code
[20:22]
is not only the words but it also
includes our drawings it includes
[20:30]
diagrams it's called a regulating plan
and there are other visual indicator
[20:34]
within the text of the code that help a
reader to understand what it's trying to
[20:40]
do so it's a little bit more in depth
than the zoning code we have today so
[20:46]
just to get a sense of where we are
today
[20:49]
this is a map of the existing zoning so
if you look at the table we have retail
[20:54]
business which is the red we have
business retail parking which is the
[21:00]
pink color
we have a design business district which
[21:03]
is the brown and we have planned
industrial which is the pink over here
[21:08]
this is separation of uses you can do
certain things in the industrial plans
[21:12]
own that are different from the BR zone
there's different uses in the VRP zone
[21:18]
and there's different uses in the BD
zone when it comes to form based code
[21:23]
there's not a lot of discussion out
there and if that is about height and so
[21:27]
today within the BR zone our code allows
up to three stories maximum height the
[21:34]
business retail parking zone allows up
to two stories the BD district allows up
[21:40]
to two stories the IP district allows up
to two stories so that just gives you a
[21:45]
sense of what our code requirement today
looks like when we move to a form based
[21:52]
code we're looking at dimensional and
architectural standards we're looking at
[21:57]
changes in the code regarding the number
of stories today we have two and three
[22:02]
stories we're looking to go to three and
four stories and in some areas even five
[22:07]
stories to give you a sense of the code
the purple area this is two to four
[22:12]
stories the area in between along King
Street that is two to three stories the
[22:20]
red area and again this is the frontage
along the roadway is allowed up to five
[22:27]
stories very quickly the the area going
up King Street that currently is
[22:33]
permissible to three stories now
mistaken fine I want to say it is the
[22:39]
BRZ outdoors yeah there's three stories
thank you
[22:44]
I'm going back to the five stories I
think it's important to inform everybody
[22:48]
that the five stories is primarily
within areas that are currently held by
[22:53]
the town its town property with the
exception of areas that abut the bridge
[22:58]
on both sides of Quaker Street on the
bridge yeah both sides of the triangle
[23:03]
and there's a small area where the gas
station is today and down Woodburn
[23:07]
that's under private ownership and I
think that that's really important to
[23:11]
understand because the town property
right now is not subject to the same
[23:16]
requirements for development as private
property when we talk about legislative
[23:24]
changes we're talking about adhering to
the New York State Environmental Quality
[23:29]
Review Act or otherwise known as secret
right now any action that is undertaken
[23:34]
by any agency must look and examine the
environmental significance
[23:40]
okay so whether you approve an action a
town board as a lead agency would
[23:45]
approve the zoning legislation whether
you are funding something or whether
[23:50]
you're directly undertaking it yourself
in this instance you are the approving
[23:55]
entity and you're also undertaking the
legislative analysis yourself so this is
[24:00]
subject to secret secret requires you to
balance environmental impacts with
[24:07]
social and economic factors when you're
going to approve an action so I think
[24:11]
that that's really important so we are
subject to the New York State
[24:14]
Environmental Quality Review Act and for
folks who want to know more about seeker
[24:18]
this is the Dec website where you can
click on and there's a whole host of
[24:22]
background information easy to
understand information about this about
[24:26]
seeker and about the process that every
action must be considered under consider
[24:32]
this an umbrella that we need to look at
in regards to its environmental impact
[24:37]
so real quickly I'm going to go through
what we have done so far in relation to
[24:42]
the State Environmental Quality Review
Act and where we are today so we started
[24:47]
out where we where we looked at the
action and we said is this action
[24:52]
subject to
seeker legislation is typically not
[24:56]
considered a type 1 action or is not an
action that you would run through a long
[25:01]
seeker process because of the extent of
this rezoning the Town Board felt that
[25:06]
it was important that we did a full
analysis of the environmental impacts of
[25:11]
this action so we elected to say this is
a type 1 action and we prepared
[25:18]
environmental assessment forms right
here and we said do we think that
[25:24]
there's going to be any environmental
significance we said yes so we made what
[25:30]
was called a positive declaration saying
that there are areas within this
[25:34]
rezoning we feel could have significant
environmental impact which means we then
[25:40]
move forward and we do what's called a
draft generic environmental impact
[25:44]
statement to determine whether or not
there's an impact within the areas we
[25:50]
are examining in that study and that
brings me to scoping this red circle
[25:54]
here
this is where we are tonight so I'm
[25:57]
gonna turn it over to Bonnie who's gonna
talk about scoping in relation to a
[26:01]
proposed action and
dge is but I do want to point out we
[26:06]
have several other steps to walk through
okay
[26:10]
this is really the beginning think of it
as a table of contents of a much larger
[26:16]
process that we need to walk through to
get to the end before you can even
[26:20]
consider changing our legislation
changing or something so with that I'm
[26:26]
gonna turn it over Bonnie and we'll go
for the Sabrina just before that I just
[26:30]
wanted to make it clear because I've
seen and heard discussions that I think
[26:34]
are based on a little misinformation I
just wanted to make it clear that
[26:39]
because we're considering zoning and
increasing Heights for instance and
[26:44]
buildings it doesn't mean that the town
is mandating that buildings be built at
[26:49]
certain heights what we're saying is we
would consider what we would allow
[26:52]
buildings to be built up to assert yeah
investigating right now what it would
[26:58]
mean
if we were to change our existing zoning
[27:01]
code to allow a height increase but I
want to make it clear that we're not
[27:07]
mandating a height increase if somebody
privately owned a building it doesn't
[27:12]
mean they have to build up summaries or
for stories or at all correct hi
[27:23]
everyone
bond Olsen from Kim Lee horn and as you
[27:28]
know I don't know how much the community
knows but we've been working extensively
[27:32]
with the tam board and the design
working group over long period time
[27:41]
since last May really coming up with the
proposed action we've had some public
[27:45]
sessions or two over this summer or the
architect the other team members
[27:49]
presented their information which has
all been going into this proposed
[27:54]
legislation which at this point as
everyone has said is is just a proposal
[27:59]
to change the zoning and the purpose
sabrina put it very well as tonight is
[28:05]
to develop the environment the
environmental impact statements table of
[28:09]
contents decide what's going to be
studied what's most important to the
[28:14]
board focusing those issues and
thankfully the methodologies of how
[28:19]
those topics would be studied so this
actually is the draft of the code as
[28:27]
Sabrina was saying there's a lot of
color and pictures and illustrations
[28:32]
architectural photos and examples so
that's that's really the difference
[28:36]
between this and if you went to the town
code today and looked at the zoning
[28:41]
section it's all words
[28:50]
so as has already been identified the
proposed action is the amendment of the
[28:58]
town of New Castle zoning law proposed
the hamlet chapel hand-like business
[29:04]
districts only none of the other hand
what districts no nothing in Mill wood
[29:08]
or anywhere else in town would be
changed to a new form based district
[29:12]
which is that document is in draft form
right now in order to make the zoning
[29:17]
consistent with the goals that the town
has already come up with in the
[29:20]
Comprehensive Plan the second paragraph
there just describes the limits of the
[29:26]
site which Sabrina already showed you on
a map it's approximately 72 acres along
[29:32]
Greely Avenue and King Street and the
currently zoned retail business retail
[29:38]
business parking business design
business and planned industrial and the
[29:43]
third bullet there really just outlines
the comprehensive plan the new zoning
[29:49]
district is intended to provide
flexibility for development with the
[29:53]
intent to revitalize the hamlet and
create a sustainable and successful mix
[29:58]
of commercial and residential uses
taking into account both current and
[30:02]
future real estate markets and rents and
the other members of the team who not
[30:07]
here tonight since I'm primarily the the
environmental impact review you know the
[30:12]
environmental state sorry secret portion
of the project which is just starting
[30:17]
now but we've had 40 galas and real
estate solutions group and Joel Russell
[30:22]
have all participated in these coming up
with the draft code that we've come to
[30:27]
to analyze in this yes so the proposed
action the code itself is it's basically
[30:38]
the form base owning which as Sabrina I
already said it has a regulating plan
[30:43]
and new regulations
it has development standards it has
[30:47]
architecture standards it has new
definitions so that everything is clear
[30:52]
and it describes a proposed development
review an approval process in order to
[30:59]
analyze what the potential in
packs of this new zoning would be there
[31:04]
has to be some level of build-out
arrived at so we will discuss come up
[31:11]
with a build-out scenario in order to
analyze the various topics this will
[31:17]
include the description of the
assumptions for the build-out scenario
[31:21]
it will include residential commercial
retail restaurant and of course via
[31:27]
killer pedestrian circulation and
parking the whole code will also in the
[31:34]
EIS will analyze the open space and
natural areas as well as the historic
[31:38]
features and community character in
Hamlet and also of course the utilities
[31:44]
the sanitary sewer the water supply
stormwater management the more technical
[31:49]
issues but they all have their own
limitations and thresholds that have to
[31:54]
be abided by and have to be analyzed in
any kind of build-out scenario for any
[31:59]
new development so the other point we
just wanted to describe here is the
[32:10]
process here will be a generic
environmental impact statement has the G
[32:14]
for GE is that just is different from a
site-specific as you might have a
[32:21]
private development that comes into town
and a property owner decides to propose
[32:26]
multi-family housing in a parking lot or
whatever it is that specific site will
[32:31]
be analyzed and in this case it's a more
broad focus because it's the zoning and
[32:38]
as I said the theoretical build-out
which we will have to describe all the
[32:43]
assumptions for and that will aid in the
lead agency and identifying and broadly
[32:48]
analyzing the cumulative impacts of the
proposed rezoning the public scoping as
[32:55]
husband said is too nice purpose and
that's a process by which the issues
[33:01]
will be addressed for the draft EIS
[33:08]
the purpose of scoping is to narrow the
issues and ensure that the draft EIS
[33:12]
will be concise accurate and complete it
has six primary objectives to focus the
[33:20]
draft YES on the potentially significant
adverse environmental impacts to
[33:26]
eliminate non significant and non
relevant issues so in other words every
[33:31]
everything that everyone brings up does
not have to be studied it really to
[33:37]
avoid a volume that's just hundreds of
pages and if it's not really relevant to
[33:41]
the decision-making process in the end
and the balancing of the impacts the
[33:46]
scope should really identify what's not
significant as well as what is
[33:50]
significant it should the scope will
identify the extent and the quality of
[33:55]
the information needed it will identify
a range of reasonable alternatives to be
[34:01]
discussed and it will provide an initial
identification of mitigation measures
[34:06]
that should be proposed and considered
and of course it provides the public
[34:10]
that the first opportunity to
participate in the identification of
[34:14]
impacts so this scope I know there's
copies available on it on the table over
[34:24]
there it's probably 13 or 14 pages long
and each of the primary sections the
[34:31]
topics are listed here will have
subsections for existing conditions
[34:37]
potential impacts and mitigation
measures so I don't think I need to read
[34:43]
them all but as you know some of the
most important ones obviously will be
[34:46]
zoning visual resources and community
character transportation of parking
[34:52]
cultural resources which is historic and
archaeological community facilities
[34:58]
which has fire schools police
socioeconomics
[35:05]
and number 15 as we said before there
are alternatives will be evaluated as
[35:10]
well so at this point unless the board
wants me to go through any of the
[35:19]
specific items that are already in this
scope or anything in any more depth we
[35:25]
can open it up to public comment but the
only other thing that I wanted to
[35:31]
mention before we open up to public
comment is I thought it might be useful
[35:33]
to review the list of agencies to whom
this to which this scope was sent so
[35:45]
this is also gone out for comment and
scoping questions back from the
[35:51]
following interested agencies we have
the the Planning Board the CBA our DPW
[35:57]
the Conservation Board the environmental
review board the architectural review
[36:00]
board the Newcastle Historical Society
the Newcastle recreation department CCSD
[36:06]
sivak Chappaqua fire department
Westchester County Planning Board
[36:11]
Westchester County DPW the New York
State Dec Metro North Railroad and the
[36:16]
New York State Department of
Transportation so I just wanted to
[36:20]
we added somebody else I reckon work
commission so both sorry both to the
[36:25]
wreck Commission as well as to the
department so just wanted to reassure
[36:34]
folks that in addition to the public
comments that we are eliciting here
[36:38]
tonight we are also getting professional
guidance of expertise from all of those
[36:42]
I just mentioned um so we do want to
hear from everybody do we have a list of
[36:47]
the folks who find in again the purpose
of tonight is to try to get relevant
[36:57]
questions relevant to the scope that has
been drafted if you can you know start
[37:04]
by stating your name stating your
interest in this coming up with the
[37:08]
particular issue upon which you are
commenting if you know of how frequently
[37:13]
this is to occur how likely this is to
occur that's valuable information
[37:18]
to take in as well and then if you have
in mind things you would like us to
[37:24]
study related to that issue or potential
mitigation measures you want Bonnie and
[37:30]
a team to consider that is all really
invaluable information okay we only have
[37:35]
three on the list so I know there must
be some other books in the audience
[37:38]
the first is Warren got Lee anything and
happy new year I think I still have some
[37:47]
substantial limitations everybody I have
first of all I appreciate that amount of
[37:55]
work that patent officials have done to
this point form base code and I
[38:02]
recognize that this endeavor began
probably before at least I know this has
[38:09]
been coming on for a while then the
comments and the inputs that I have are
[38:14]
really of two natures one is just sort
of the philosophical underpinning of the
[38:19]
backdrop to all this and the second are
some specific things that I would like
[38:24]
to see in the EIS you know the
philosophical concerns I have or that
[38:30]
you know I heard at the last working
session Bob Kirkwood on the Planning
[38:35]
Board observed that you know there is
tremendous value to public input in the
[38:39]
approval process and that the form base
code compromises and largely removes
[38:45]
that public input and that is something
I understand that that's backdrop to all
[38:51]
this but I really think that in parallel
to this process the Town Board really
[38:55]
needs to do a few things to make sure
that the public fully understands what
[38:59]
that means I know that the public was
engaged on the lot of what is in this
[39:06]
code about six years ago I got that and
I know that there were a lot of things
[39:11]
in that report but I don't think it's
necessarily clear to residents there as
[39:18]
part of this process they may be
legislated out of
[39:22]
and things they've come to expect in the
being a part of in the approval process
[39:26]
and I think that that needs to really be
explained in a much better way and I
[39:31]
have some suggestions as to that in
addition to the yes I did not
[39:36]
participate in that process so shame on
me I didn't participate in that process
[39:40]
because frankly it's you know I saw my
friends and neighbors were participating
[39:44]
and I generally trust them so what their
ideas are for downtown but had I
[39:50]
recognized at that time that the end
point to this would be that the type of
[39:56]
public engagement that we were seeing in
other controversial projects in our town
[40:01]
at that time confer a crossing with
potentially in these areas be shut out
[40:06]
and then push to in the agency I
would've been a lot more vociferous
[40:18]
because I basically have six suggestions
okay the first suggestion I hand and
[40:22]
this goes to the philosophical concerns
[40:27]
we're really trying to take comments to
[40:43]
the first thing is I think it's very
important that this town board in plain
[40:47]
English in a concise way in all the ways
that you communicate to this town
[40:51]
explain to them what exactly section 60
- 80 40 of the current version of the
[40:57]
forum base code will mean to their
public involvement in the approval
[41:00]
process going forward just explain it to
people so that they understand and then
[41:05]
engage with them to find out is this
what you're expecting philosophically I
[41:10]
think it's very important that residents
understand that before well one is
[41:19]
growth inducement okay because basically
what you're saying to the public is
[41:24]
they're not gonna have much of an input
anymore after this document so the
[41:28]
question you want us to ask
[41:34]
what would that be okay does this create
a situation where you're basically
[41:39]
giving it cudgel to developers who as
long as they conform to this code have
[41:44]
shut out public engagement and therefore
would have a lot more say in what
[41:49]
happens downtown than they currently do
and I think a lot of people would care
[41:52]
about that okay they don't they want
people understand that downtown has to
[41:57]
change it I'm one of them but I don't
think they want to runaway train and I
[42:00]
think what part of the concern here is
is that this may open up the door to all
[42:06]
inducing all sorts of development
downtown to the extent that if somebody
[42:11]
if you look at this code the way it's
written the current draft if the if you
[42:15]
have an issue with the development
department yes you can go to the
[42:18]
Planning Board but the Planning Board
has to consider the objections based
[42:22]
upon the criteria than that code which
means you're really handcuffed in a way
[42:26]
that people don't understand I don't
think fully understand and I think that
[42:30]
that could change the dynamics of what
and some may be some good ways but maybe
[42:36]
some bad ways that the public really
needs to think about what does that mean
[42:39]
public has to understand
yeah with respect to the EIS warnings
[42:43]
but I think it's important that the
public understands that for example it
[42:47]
would have sit still in theory the town
could make an effort to sell off the
[42:51]
parking lot as its own now light
industrial and as a matter of right
[42:55]
there would be light industrial there
certainly there could be a referendum
[42:59]
permissible so I think that this
protects that town as in one example to
[43:04]
not have that area zoned
so a future town board can make that
[43:08]
light industrial further I think we
learned and sometimes enforces
[43:12]
misinformation which people like to
share about housing projects but I
[43:17]
noticed this I'd like to say here
involving a statement you know about
[43:22]
building heights up you know
watch out building heights three stories
[43:25]
up King Street but in fact right now
we're zone as a matter of right to three
[43:31]
excuse what I want to respond to the
things you said so what are the pictures
[43:37]
that were shown work in one of the
districts that was up at the top of King
[43:41]
Street
all the way up did didn't have they were
[43:43]
in purple and those couldn't go up to
five stories I mean I frankly had no no
[43:48]
only the red area you do make a good
point and this is what we talked about
[43:55]
at the planning and the purpose of the
form based code is to make it easier so
[44:06]
that you don't have a ten year
development coming in and we can sort of
[44:09]
set forth based on our comprehensive
plan and input from many of our
[44:15]
residents sort of what we want to see
going forward but you are Ryan and I
[44:19]
think the board is looking at it that
there does need to be some sort of input
[44:23]
and we talked about that last week so
okay can't be confined to whatever this
[44:27]
document says I mean that's what I think
that's a big concern I would like one
[44:31]
other thing in the name three things
that I wonder is the working group
[44:35]
composition I was a bit surprised to see
[44:46]
if you would allow me to finish I would
like to finish the working group
[44:50]
composition needs to include Realtors
from this town residential Realtors and
[44:54]
residents who are not town officials not
developers and not architects that
[44:59]
happen to live in the town you have to
include these people at the table going
[45:03]
which one of the 15 points in the
outline with regards the environmental
[45:07]
impact the impact on single-family homes
that are in the immediate and
[45:12]
surrounding areas I would like to know
what the impact is going to be flooding
[45:18]
or increasing in a significant way the
residential units downtown will be a
[45:23]
single-family residence in this town
residences in this town in the immediate
[45:27]
surrounding areas because I have a
concern and those are substance that
[45:31]
could be considered as substitute good
and they drew could be adversely
[45:35]
impacting single-family residential
owners if you increase the amount of
[45:39]
apartment space that you had downtown
and I think that needs to be looked at
[45:43]
very carefully I mean the town is still
not recover from 2008 real estate crash
[45:48]
and to go and then you
listen I would like to see livable space
[45:52]
down to downtown as well but I'm
concerned that if we go too far in there
[45:57]
that you're gonna hurt a lot of people
who have single-family homes there are
[46:01]
many I mean if you look at the
developments in the development in
[46:05]
Pleasantville where they put units I'm
their main street they're very
[46:08]
attractive and I can very easily see
somebody wanting to be in Pleasantville
[46:11]
schools in a nice luxury apartment for
4,000 plus a month and saying I don't
[46:16]
have to have everything that a single
family home has requires and that's fine
[46:20]
for some of it but if you introduce a
large number man to that stock I worry
[46:24]
that you're gonna hurt the residential
market and that really has to be looked
[46:26]
at and if you just I'm sorry I'm go off
a little bit here but my my
[46:31]
understanding and I think I'm correct
that chapelcross is gonna have two and
[46:35]
three-bedroom Apartments coming and I
believe a prior town boards of the
[46:39]
townhomes perfect I looked at this issue
about whether or not they would compete
[46:43]
with single-family homes and and
certainly I have not come to the point
[46:48]
where we have a development downtown to
have it in terms of terminus size of an
[46:52]
apartment but I think it's a reasonable
question to say well a two-bedroom
[46:56]
apartment compete with a 4-bedroom home
probably different person you're seeking
[46:59]
in terms of buying that put a reasonable
question but we want to create something
[47:03]
that doesn't exist because one of the
issues that I brought up repeatedly in
[47:11]
fact with the Planning Board and
Crossing is just that issue about how
[47:19]
bedroom townhouse is in effect a
single-family home so yeah I do think
[47:30]
that a four five family but pardon me a
four or five person families I'll only
[47:35]
need a two-bedroom apartment but go
ahead um just before you go along those
[47:40]
same points when we are looking at that
I don't know if it's part of the scope
[47:44]
but could we also look at potential
taxation methods so for instance a
[47:49]
chapel crossing we just we made the
decision the town board to tax
[47:52]
everything fees simple so that it would
be taxed the same as a regular home um
[47:58]
so maybe that's something we can look at
it
[48:01]
same time to potentially minimize any
impacts as well and also what we're
[48:05]
talking about tax impact that I would
like to know we get an answer from the
[48:09]
town board at some point what do we
expect the guy I assume that some of
[48:13]
this is being done for a tax benefit for
residents because residents are
[48:16]
complaining about the tax burden I would
like to understand you know what type of
[48:21]
you know tax burden reliever in the
quantifiable way are we expecting for
[48:25]
residents in the best case scenario
medium case scenario worst-case scenario
[48:29]
and finally if you could just give us
some comparables of where a forum based
[48:34]
code like this has actually weren't in a
simple similarly situated town so we
[48:39]
could have some sense as to whether or
not this type of concept even works I
[48:43]
know you are not happy that everything
did not need to fit into the yeah yes
[48:48]
here but you know and I think these are
all legitimate concerns of the community
[48:52]
I just I think you do know I will submit
to
[49:10]
Maariv and Lee my basic concern is I
live at the top of the hill and the
[49:21]
traffic is horrendous we have a blind
curve all of us sit and wait for an
[49:26]
eternity I have to go around my block to
go home I won't stop to make a left onto
[49:32]
my street just tell everything really
complain which is right after castle so
[49:40]
the traffic is definitely concerned I
hope there's a very comprehensive study
[49:45]
being done on that I hope that Falls
it's one of us thinks that's not only
[49:50]
amount of cars speed is important too
and the other thing is
[49:58]
Natural Resources up the hill we have a
lot of trees and the rainfall goes like
[50:04]
right down the hill what's going to
happen well if those get removed for
[50:09]
like a large-scale development and what
else you're not at your point of
[50:23]
mitigation for because you're involving
neighborhoods adjacent to it like the
[50:31]
dentist how cute is that building like
can we think of it property by property
[50:36]
and not you know it's not stories but
like density like it could each property
[50:43]
be remodeled or not like when we see the
picture of this giant development of the
[50:50]
hill everyone gets really scared so I
guess that's all I have to say right now
[50:56]
oh I also I can't understand the type of
building from yet but will that come
[51:02]
later like are they condos or the
apartments I'm not really sure of that
[51:09]
later on the process that that could be
explained is it so I don't know what
[51:14]
here I really can't figure it out so if
you look at the draft code just yet to
[51:19]
put your mind at ease yeah the intent is
not to have one giant like mega building
[51:27]
there are different setbacks there are
different architectural standards
[51:31]
there's a lot in there so that it would
look we we wouldn't want everything to
[51:36]
look the same
we the charm is to have things look
[51:39]
different and again it's not the Town
Board that would mandate how something
[51:44]
we built it's giving kind of guidelines
and then an individual developer of
[51:48]
their own property could come in and
then at least have guidelines to use
[51:52]
okay okay Dan prison escapes prison in
ski
[52:03]
let's pronounce your name rhymes with
Disney print is new dance Richard
[52:17]
Charles I had a question about how this
would be affecting the firehouse the
[52:24]
existing firehouse and the planning to
build an additional firehouse based on a
[52:30]
bonding bond issue that would be coming
up because I noticed that the property
[52:36]
is involved have you you know have you
thought about it what how does that
[52:42]
affect a bond issue how does that affect
the building another quick comment if I
[52:50]
were a landlord or if I owned the
property and I had the option of going
[52:55]
to or for floors
there's no question that I would go for
[52:59]
floors if I'm interested in making a
profit etc so as I understand it's not
[53:06]
mandated but I do think people will go
go as high as they can if you will and
[53:13]
it just I don't understand on a
different subject how going as high as
[53:20]
five storeys I was opposite Starbucks
today and I looked at the real estate
[53:27]
building and it's two stories and I just
doubled it and I could see how big that
[53:32]
was going to be then I 2 and a half
times went up and I know that's not a
[53:39]
own place but wow that's that's a tall
building and I just don't understand how
[53:45]
that preserves the the bucolic
residential character of of chapter 4
[53:50]
and I do hope we'll have a chance to
comment on a scope outside of this go
[53:55]
thanks very much thank you I just wanted
to mention to you Dan I just in regard
[54:04]
to your question about fire protection
and
[54:07]
and the impacts of the code is actually
[54:21]
but it is the section that has to deal
with community facilities and services
[54:28]
[Music]
okay Victoria um so thank you so much
[54:39]
for honest I do really want to echo
Warren's comment about community
[54:47]
awareness about this
my sense is as important as this is a
[54:52]
lot of people semantically in other
words it's not capturing the attention
[54:57]
of the community and I know it's hard to
do that in general on any topic I don't
[55:03]
know what verbiage we can use you can
kind of contemplate to get it out there
[55:07]
in a way that people realize just how
important it is or maybe even you know I
[55:12]
know when we did a comprehensive plan it
was like kind of marketed in a way that
[55:15]
people you know paid attention and came
downtown and it wasn't necessarily
[55:19]
connected to a town board meeting so I'm
hoping I know you're on a deadline in
[55:24]
terms of the February date for the
scoping piece but I do wonder if and I'd
[55:29]
hate to rewind and I'm gonna go to this
very specifically soon but I do wonder
[55:34]
if there's an opportunity to market it a
little bit differently earlier than
[55:39]
sooner than later just to get people
even understanding the step before this
[55:43]
of how this came to be and what it means
and the implications and them to kind of
[55:48]
figure out a way to get as much input as
you can starting now on this piece of
[55:52]
moving forward I don't have any magical
words around that but I do you know even
[55:57]
for me
I will say that you know I've seen this
[55:59]
up you know I finally sat down and I
finally got what it actually means and
[56:04]
you know and I've talked to a lot of
people and I just think it's it's not
[56:08]
getting on people's radar so whatever
you can do to kind of think about how to
[56:13]
make that communication happen
people engage would be wonderful I am a
[56:20]
little bit just in general concern about
this as a number of us are I think in
[56:26]
terms of wanting to retain that Hamlet
and you know make this a unique
[56:30]
community you know you know all of you
are trying to do the best work on this
[56:34]
possible that the piece around the
scoping and some of this is a question
[56:38]
some of it is a comment I'm wondering
you know I'm looking at I printed out
[56:42]
the documents associated with tonight's
meeting and the full environmental
[56:47]
assessment form that connects to the
scoping draft is that an editable piece
[56:52]
in other words is this in the official
form or do we have any ability at this
[56:59]
point the fullest the environmental
assessment form and you guys can jump in
[57:05]
because you're the expert but since the
Town Board sort of took the actions like
[57:10]
we took two weeks ago I'll try my hand
on it and you guys can correct me um the
[57:15]
environmental assessment form is
essentially a threshold it is
[57:19]
questionnaire that helps the Town Board
to determine whether to issue a positive
[57:24]
or negative declaration with regard to
whether there are potentially adverse
[57:27]
environmental impacts resulting from
[57:33]
past year and so having completed that
questionnaire having found it to be a
[57:40]
positive declaration we're now moving on
to the environmental impact assessment
[57:46]
which will be a broader and much more
intensive look at those issues that were
[57:52]
identified in the yeah every now and
then you get one right so thank you for
[58:01]
and does that mean that this form at the
13 page form is final as it is written
[58:08]
now okay um so I guess what I'm going to
say in the context of where we are today
[58:13]
I'm going to mention a few things that
stood out for me on that form even
[58:18]
though it's not editable but that
connect to these variables to put
[58:21]
certain things on the radar am I in
remember the conservation board
[58:24]
I haven't yet heard about this through
the conservation board but I know we're
[58:28]
meeting next week so hopefully we could
pull something together and share with
[58:30]
you so I'm really here tonight as an
individual but I do have a lot of
[58:34]
environmental pieces on my radar so
there are certain pieces in this form
[58:39]
that is already finalized but that don't
necessarily go as deep and wide as I
[58:44]
would hope they would and I think some
of those connect to the draft document
[58:49]
scoping document page 7 3c kind of
vegetation and Wildlife assisting
[58:58]
conditions wetlands and watercourses so
I'm gonna frame my suggestions comments
[59:04]
around those so on the actual form this
is a very traditional format I've seen
[59:11]
similar versions that talked about is
there you know when you think about any
[59:17]
wildlife you know I know we're talking
about downtown but we you know our
[59:21]
downtown is in woods you know as Mara
was saying I mean there are trees around
[59:25]
and there is habitat I think a lot of
folks you know we did replant a lot of
[59:29]
native trees but there is even habitat
downtown that we lost a lot of women
[59:34]
took down a lot of the trees so my sense
is in on page 5 of the original form or
[59:42]
it talks about you know anything that
affects wetlands you know I would like
[59:46]
us to do as much as possible when we're
talking about natural resources in terms
[59:52]
of is this a habitat there's a piece as
well on this form that talks about are
[59:57]
any endangered species impacted I know
on conservation board I'll just fix that
[1:00:03]
for a moment we have been talking in
Dennis Crowley has actually brought this
[1:00:07]
up a lot who's the environmental
coordinator that when we look at
[1:00:10]
environmental considerations we don't
only want to look at you know what's an
[1:00:15]
existing nesting habitat but what's a
potential nesting habitat so do we have
[1:00:19]
you know as wildlife and birds etc are
searching more and more for habitat
[1:00:24]
because so much is being taken away do
we want to be sensitive to not just
[1:00:28]
what's an existing
the tab for endangered species but
[1:00:31]
what's potential habitat that would be
lost if we took down that's where I
[1:00:35]
wanted to also point out the four
mentions wetlands and I know there are
[1:00:38]
state regulations around wetlands and
that's great one thing and I put weaken
[1:00:42]
correct me if I'm wrong on this they
believe that verbal pools are not
[1:00:46]
protected under state while those are
kind of those bodies of water that are
[1:00:51]
basically like divots in the ground that
when the springtime comes and they fill
[1:00:56]
with water the snow melts you suddenly
have a pool and in that pool of water
[1:01:01]
you have a lot of life happening you
have a lot of frogs laying eggs you have
[1:01:05]
a lot of reproduction happening and then
after the reproduction happens it's
[1:01:09]
fascinating actually the water dries up
and so it's a moment in time that you
[1:01:13]
have this body of water it's called a
vernal pool because it's spring and
[1:01:16]
those are critically important for
certain species that can't lay eggs
[1:01:20]
unless they have that habitat
unfortunately I don't believe that's
[1:01:24]
protected by the state so I would ask
you to and work if we have the capacity
[1:01:27]
legally to go beyond that to kind of add
in vernal pools I don't know if there
[1:01:32]
are any near downtown but they pop up in
places you'd never know
[1:01:35]
and right now developers don't have to
focus on those so if there's any way to
[1:01:39]
specifically enumerate that we might be
protecting some creatures that are very
[1:01:43]
vulnerable sorry you know what also
super helpful
[1:01:46]
um because I know we sent this to the
conservation board is one of our
[1:01:50]
interested agencies so if you with the
whole board oh yeah they're Monday not
[1:01:55]
many send us you know a list of all the
other things you want to look absolutely
[1:02:00]
yeah and I'm hoping we'll do that soon
with you thank you and the other pieces
[1:02:05]
wetlands always does get addressed here
another thing that's to put on the radar
[1:02:10]
is woodlands you know woodlands
interestingly aren't really regulated
[1:02:14]
and as we think about climate change and
the importance that that our trees
[1:02:19]
playing erosion control etc like Mary
was saying you know the trees up there
[1:02:23]
we want them to kind of hold hold the
water instead of it all tripping
[1:02:27]
downtown I mean there are some
interesting considerations around wet
[1:02:30]
woodlands protection in addition to
wetlands protection and along those
[1:02:35]
lines
be interesting to see the words climate
[1:02:38]
change specifically enumerated somewhere
like you know we do have air pollution
[1:02:41]
and you know it does kind of mention
pieces that we traditionally as
[1:02:45]
environmentally conscious people think
about but now that we're in this state
[1:02:49]
of really this you know increased
concern around climate change I wonder
[1:02:53]
if there's any language you know I
almost thought to myself
[1:02:56]
should it be specifically enumerated on
this piece or where you know well
[1:03:00]
everyone applying need to kind of
respond to you know what are the climate
[1:03:04]
change implications and again I haven't
thought this through enough to know
[1:03:07]
exactly what those would be
and to what kind of amendments already
[1:03:10]
being considered but it seems like a
timely something to think about so thank
[1:03:15]
you thank you
[1:03:21]
Chuck Napoli
[1:03:31]
congratulations I've put up there less
why sorry I missed some new ears on the
[1:03:35]
board I hope they listen really good um
Chuck Napoli is my name I've been here a
[1:03:41]
long time been at this mic a lot of
times and boy I would love to have to
[1:03:46]
Victoria my design team well I mean
surely we've come up with some real good
[1:03:51]
stuff even if there were developers
involved and even there were lawyers
[1:03:55]
involved and even if there were planners
involved I'm sure adding some of that
[1:04:00]
stuff to any design and but I'm gonna
focus on three and three only because
[1:04:05]
I'm looking at the character of the
coded area that we're working on and um
[1:04:12]
I'd like to ask Donnie a question and it
is as part of the consultant for this
[1:04:19]
town and for this coding I want to read
the specific these interviews I have you
[1:04:28]
know there's gotta be stakeholders
involved and I think a lot of people
[1:04:32]
have been talking about meeting
stakeholder input and at this point I
[1:04:37]
want to know if if you've included
groups and individuals included elected
[1:04:43]
officials which I know you have
nonprofit organizations I'm not sure you
[1:04:47]
have and leaders of those organizations
property owners I don't know if you've
[1:04:53]
included them neighborhood
representatives I wasn't asked local
[1:04:59]
design professionals developers business
organizations and municipal staff I know
[1:05:04]
staff has been involved but what I'm
really getting at here is that have you
[1:05:09]
taken on an initial review and analysis
with all of the stakeholders and all of
[1:05:14]
those people to begin the direction that
leads us to this list and so I don't
[1:05:21]
know have you have you spoken to your
scope is that part of school in the in
[1:05:32]
the beginning of this process we worked
with the
[1:05:36]
Design Review Committee and also with
the Tampa Ward and there were various
[1:05:41]
members that committee that Sabrina
helped put together was not just elected
[1:05:46]
officials it was also there are a couple
of you know there's representatives from
[1:05:50]
the Planning Board there's
representatives from the development
[1:05:52]
community but to answer your other
question when we first started this
[1:05:57]
process we did have a series of
interviews with DPW with a Historical
[1:06:02]
Society with various groups there were a
couple of days of interviews just to
[1:06:10]
start out to get initial input but at
this point we're at the most of the
[1:06:16]
other members or folks that you
mentioned would be really considered
[1:06:21]
members of the public and I think they
would you know we have a very broad list
[1:06:24]
that the supervisor listed already of
interested agencies plus the public is
[1:06:31]
one so all of these topics you know when
we talk about keeping new facilities
[1:06:37]
we're gonna have to write to the fire
department and go meet with them and I
[1:06:40]
know Stern about their issues
and with the schools and so forth so
[1:06:45]
that's how we gather our information is
by meeting with folks oh okay good so in
[1:06:50]
in my business that would be sort of
program the beginning of a program but
[1:06:54]
but also that's the first step in and in
the next the next step would be the
[1:06:59]
public design process which I I don't I
think the public design process is
[1:07:05]
number three the visual resources and
community character that has to come I
[1:07:11]
think from from the public and all
stakeholders involved which I'm not sure
[1:07:17]
that component has been set up yet and
and the reason I say that is that oh I'm
[1:07:26]
reading I'm reading the qualifications
for consultants to build the form based
[1:07:30]
codes and part of their job is to
describe a public to describe a public
[1:07:37]
process for generating the detailed
physical plan that underlines a
[1:07:42]
form-based code I've seen a plan but I
don't know where that came from because
[1:07:48]
I don't think it came
all of the people you wrote letters to
[1:07:52]
you wrote letters to all the people to
tell them where we are
[1:07:56]
but you haven't requested their
participation so in some circumstances
[1:08:02]
this step will already have been
completed and like and I think that's
[1:08:05]
where we are that the step for designing
has been completed and the code word can
[1:08:11]
begin without a full step of a new
planning Charette however in most cases
[1:08:17]
this critical step of planning must be
taken undertaken first and I think we're
[1:08:24]
at the stage now of hopefully second or
third number three planning or visual
[1:08:30]
resources in our community character I
think we put the horse before the cart
[1:08:35]
the cart before the horse that's what is
the cart before the horse so I'm looking
[1:08:41]
for a a I'm look for this board to to
make some requests of this community to
[1:08:50]
all get together and start looking at
how we want it to be downtown what were
[1:08:56]
uncomfortable with or what we're
comfortable with and then based on that
[1:09:02]
batch of information those that program
we then write a code around that or
[1:09:09]
continue the process I believe Sabrina
we had certainly two public outreach
[1:09:17]
sessions if not more we had that I'm
still have talked my head every session
[1:09:21]
is public we had a meeting if that's a
red term and here in the and here where
[1:09:26]
we laid out physically as much as we
could yeah right so many many and I
[1:09:43]
think actually I mean I'd like Sabrina
I'd like you to describe the process
[1:09:47]
that took place before we started
working that we were able to provide to
[1:09:54]
our consultants based on may I interrupt
for just a minute because I know what
[1:09:59]
you're gonna say we had the
comprehensive plan we
[1:10:02]
all those public engagement meetings and
we came up with and this was the pace
[1:10:07]
university assisting us in creating a
comprehensive plan which is that did get
[1:10:13]
adopted after a while and most
importantly at that comprehensive plan
[1:10:19]
presentation review we had four separate
options that the people talked about and
[1:10:28]
had we're looking at various options of
the amount of development that people
[1:10:33]
agreed on that they wanted a sound they
were looking at options and we had four
[1:10:38]
options and we even have an option from
Norwood and that's based on all of the
[1:10:44]
public input no problem but not once did
we all sit down together and come up
[1:10:48]
with option number five six or seven
somebody has come up with option number
[1:10:53]
six right now and it's called the forum
based code and this is the basis of the
[1:10:57]
formation code I'm just saying I don't
know if we had enough public input nor
[1:11:01]
do we have enough option thinking with
people of the community where we can
[1:11:06]
include the wetlands people we can
include residents we can include a lot
[1:11:12]
more people designing is found ourselves
not relying on somebody else right I'm
[1:11:17]
finished and I listen so what do you
want me to tell me were you gonna say so
[1:11:24]
I I just I think it's important for
folks to understand I mean Chuck you
[1:11:28]
100% right during from 2014 between 2014
and 2017 the town working with pace land
[1:11:37]
use Law Center did extensive outreach to
the community and all sorts of forms
[1:11:42]
whether it was public meetings afternoon
meetings evening meetings emailed work
[1:11:47]
groups you know Saturday morning
sessions high school lunch you name it
[1:11:53]
we did it we went to groups meetings we
went to the business community we you
[1:11:57]
know we we tried to get people's
opinions till the cows came home if you
[1:12:02]
will and that is how we formed the
comprehensive plan which includes
[1:12:06]
recommendation
and in which the Community Supported
[1:12:11]
which said we are single-family
neighborhoods alone put development
[1:12:17]
where development can go in relation to
infrastructure maintain the bucolic
[1:12:23]
character of our community enhance our
train station revitalize our Hamlet's
[1:12:29]
these were all of the policies and they
run the gamut all the way to
[1:12:32]
environmental protection so the the
action items in relation to those
[1:12:38]
policies said look at rezoning the
Chappaqua hamlet to meet the needs of
[1:12:43]
the Comprehensive Plan this is that look
at rezoning the traffic or Hamlet to
[1:12:49]
meet the needs of the Comprehensive Plan
got it my only comment is is that not
[1:12:53]
enough people are looking at it that's
all and not enough stakeholders and
[1:12:59]
other important groups are not talking
together they're getting letters but
[1:13:04]
they're not sitting in the room talking
together
[1:13:06]
give me a weekend with 10 tables and a
bunch of people and see what we come up
[1:13:10]
with thanks I would request to you which
is that you know if you can please
[1:13:18]
review the draft scope it's about the
draft code that's out there and think
[1:13:24]
about the questions that we need to
include in our scope in order to be more
[1:13:31]
professional view as well as your view
as a resident community member would be
[1:13:36]
incredibly valuable to us well thank you
very much but again the the end the end
[1:13:41]
result would be hey if I saw a bunch of
people sitting around on a Saturday
[1:13:44]
afternoon working out how we want our
town to be I'd be really happy and
[1:13:49]
facilitated by an expert
[1:14:00]
let me get through the two folks who did
sign up on the list of men so we have
[1:14:05]
Laurie Morton hi so I have a few
questions that I think are relevant to
[1:14:17]
this document but I don't fully
understand the scope of everything that
[1:14:20]
needs to go into this so I apologize in
advance if I'm referring to elements of
[1:14:25]
policy change that doesn't exactly apply
so certainly one of the things that I
[1:14:31]
think could be quite important is
assessment of quality of life disruption
[1:14:36]
during the construction of new projects
and in particular adjacent residents
[1:14:44]
I'm a small business viability during
periods of construction and and also
[1:14:51]
public use right can you know functional
commuting to the train station and
[1:14:55]
throughtout that not sure if that is
conceived in this planner if this is
[1:15:02]
about the end product or getting there
then then some other I think concerns of
[1:15:10]
interest for this particular area is the
total area of impervious surface not
[1:15:16]
just from the perspective of stormwater
runoff but having lived adjacent to
[1:15:23]
downtown and had my house flooded on
multiple occasions it's flooding
[1:15:29]
sensitive area for sure but also just
limiting waterway contamination that is
[1:15:33]
a product of runoff impervious service
and I think also we setting the goals
[1:15:41]
high enough in the sense that we now
have acres of pavement downtown and can
[1:15:48]
we do better than that right so not only
like how does this prevent potentially
[1:15:53]
limit the increase of impervious surface
but could we actually decrease from
[1:15:57]
where we are right now and related to
that I think also thinking about raising
[1:16:02]
the bar for increasing green
space downtown can these things be
[1:16:05]
achieved seems feasible I said as I said
given that we have acres of pavement
[1:16:12]
does this include energy efficiency
guidelines into the building guidelines
[1:16:19]
so as an addition to shape and form and
style do we have criteria for for energy
[1:16:27]
efficiency and then and then also how
does the impact of hormuz code support
[1:16:34]
the viability of small business downtown
both existing small businesses that may
[1:16:40]
not privileged to the new construction
space and of course attracting new
[1:16:45]
viable small business some of the things
are in there and for example the
[1:16:49]
environmental issues you raised are
built in to the poor mix code we can
[1:16:54]
serve a look at those and obviously
expand and we can but yes those are big
[1:16:58]
issues that that are not ignored thanks
to what you said is we should be looking
[1:17:04]
at our building codes in general to go
and create greener building codes which
[1:17:08]
which absolutely will tie into what we
what we wind up approving at some point
[1:17:13]
in time but it will all come together
[1:17:19]
Sabrina - to Laurie's point can we put
something in the code that would
[1:17:27]
restrict the amount of acreage that can
be developed at any given time so for
[1:17:34]
instance if everybody in town decided
they were gonna redo their building at
[1:17:38]
the same time obviously that would be a
disaster so is there something we can
[1:17:45]
put in it with limit the amount of
construction that
[1:17:48]
at any given time I tried it it's a
lawyer it's on page 22 also page 13 of
[1:18:07]
the actual page 22 of our send out but
effects in use of the conservation of
[1:18:13]
energy resources one of the things that
identify and describe the general types
[1:18:16]
amounts of sources of energy for the
project and any measures to be
[1:18:20]
incorporated you to reduce energy
demands and then I read D which is
[1:18:24]
irreversible and irretrievable
commitment of resources and identify any
[1:18:28]
natural resources that would be consumed
converted or made unavailable for future
[1:18:31]
use by the proposed action so just off
the top of my head these are some of the
[1:18:35]
things that you address that are built
in to protect
[1:18:44]
good evening guys Mike Weinberg I live
on the west side of town just south of
[1:18:49]
the high school I am on the board of the
Chappaqua Millwood Board of Chamber of
[1:18:56]
Commerce but I am speaking just for
myself as wealth by other that's just my
[1:19:01]
professional career I do small business
consulting so my interest from both the
[1:19:06]
chapel had chamber as well as my
professional career is more about
[1:19:11]
businesses and how we develop the
downtown to be sustainable and I've been
[1:19:17]
thinking about that on the social Sochi
economics section I'm a little confused
[1:19:24]
at how we do that since we don't quite
know what or are we looking at what
[1:19:30]
percentage will be affordable housing
what percentage would be okay and and
[1:19:35]
also density so if someone wants to
build like in other Northern Westchester
[1:19:40]
areas are thinking about building micro
hotels or micro apartments which would
[1:19:45]
have way more people then you would have
you built 1,500 square foot a purpose I
[1:19:50]
just don't know how that fits into this
[1:19:59]
if you can build for example four
storeys but you want to have a loft and
[1:20:03]
a giant space and also four storeys
looks like nine stories and making this
[1:20:07]
up and the code would be built to
protect from something like that
[1:20:10]
happening so in terms of micro housing
so they're not familiar off the top of
[1:20:14]
my head but that's something we should
certainly look at to make sure you can
[1:20:17]
other they're a bit were tráfico that
that's that's that's part of our
[1:20:20]
analysis here is is to look at traffic
look at pedestrian flow and circulation
[1:20:24]
these are all you know things to
consider which directly relates to if
[1:20:28]
you squeeze in seven as opposed to what
should be - that's what I'm asking is
[1:20:32]
how you how you calculate the traffic
because if someone built a micro
[1:20:36]
apartment then there's 15 people versus
three that's gonna dramatically change
[1:20:42]
the parking I mean I've seen those kind
of developments in Northern Westchester
[1:20:46]
just something to think about I'm not
pro we're currently just so idea it so I
[1:20:54]
assume the EIS then assume
a maximum build-out to figure out these
[1:21:00]
things as opposed to a minimum so okay
assume that but I wasn't sure and then
[1:21:06]
back to that question I kind of asked
the other day about this mix how we keep
[1:21:11]
a sustainable downtown to prevent owners
Builders decide destined best and
[1:21:20]
maximum use for their money is to build
up our offices and we end up with a
[1:21:25]
whole downtown of just offices and we
don't have a usable downtown for to
[1:21:31]
build restaurants retail stores nail
salons grease we don't have any of those
[1:21:39]
so just again I'm not quite sure I
wouldn't want to code that would somehow
[1:21:47]
allow the owners to only have offices or
only have apartments or only have
[1:21:53]
something um you know so that's what I
was thinking about that response rate
[1:22:02]
the market with offices it's simply not
gonna work but it's interesting to know
[1:22:06]
it as well
I know there's a one building owner
[1:22:08]
downtown at least to whether or not he
is the opportunity to potentially call
[1:22:11]
right now it is not interested in that
so you might be surprised that everyone
[1:22:16]
is looking and may not be feasible or
viable in a particular lot so it's gonna
[1:22:20]
need you know a combination of people
together get together so you know what
[1:22:25]
does the market bear what does the
person of the means to do there's a lot
[1:22:29]
of factors going in right but it adjusts
the price of that building because that
[1:22:33]
building if you I want to buy a little
lot to build a two-story office building
[1:22:37]
but it's zone for a 12-story office I'm
not going to afford it because the the
[1:22:41]
owner is gonna praise it to thee for a
developer within the code it's very
[1:22:48]
limited but there are certain areas
where retail is required on the ground
[1:22:52]
floor and that is to try to maintain at
least some retail presence such that it
[1:22:57]
doesn't become all office or all
residential and so I guess the question
[1:23:00]
then
just be for us to ensure that that's the
[1:23:03]
right balance that we've we've got it
right in terms of market demand and the
[1:23:09]
real estate right and it's been changed
it is restaurants considered service or
[1:23:15]
restaurant considered retail okay I
would assume that I'd never assume
[1:23:21]
things like that one last piece of that
you know there's there is parking
[1:23:27]
requirements that are going to limit
what people can do sure and then we can
[1:23:32]
consider a minimum the maximum size
units I mean these are things I can be
[1:23:37]
examined one would assume right here's
something to think about my travels I
[1:23:41]
see different developers different thing
people doing different things so I think
[1:23:49]
my scribble notes I'm sure we'll be
doing this again thank you my name's
[1:24:08]
Kelly on the president of King Street
homeowners association and number one
[1:24:15]
we've lived through the rebuilding of
the downtown I think it's a great job
[1:24:19]
but I do understand that we have to do
more but I have a real concern for our
[1:24:23]
complex I don't know if anybody's really
come down and talked to a lot of people
[1:24:28]
who live close to downtown we live
[1:24:33]
[Music]
[1:24:40]
so I live as close to downtown I think
it's anybody mr. moon does and I have
[1:24:45]
some real concerns it's gonna be the
impact to our nineteen units if in fact
[1:24:52]
four-story or five-story units are built
up the street what's gonna happen is it
[1:24:57]
gonna be how is that going to affect our
complex is it going to erode further the
[1:25:02]
property that we have what's gonna
happen or property value as a major
[1:25:07]
concern I have for our 19 units in
addition where we live
[1:25:12]
I can literally look over and see Rite
Aid okay so if you build a four-story
[1:25:21]
unit there I'll be looking into
somebody's bedroom as well my neighbors
[1:25:26]
and that's a huge concern for us so I
would hope you would even consider
[1:25:31]
reconsider that area and consider it
through three stories instead of four
[1:25:36]
stories I know they I know it says three
or four stories but I would hope that
[1:25:41]
you'd reconsider that and use a maximum
of three stories but again I think that
[1:25:47]
it'd be a great idea if you really do
told you some of the people who lived a
[1:25:51]
little closer to downtown I've already
been through the rebuilding of what's
[1:25:55]
going on so far and I would hope you
consider that thank you
[1:26:09]
that's everybody who signed up so I'm
just curious to follow up is there and
[1:26:27]
is there any Ridgeline consideration
building on what this person just said
[1:26:30]
about the visual from their own property
are there any considerations of
[1:26:35]
Ridgeline I know there have been a
number of situations around town in
[1:26:38]
general where suddenly someone will take
down a lot of trees and then yourself is
[1:26:47]
exactly that what is the view and so now
that we've taken your address down 149
[1:26:53]
Kings Street we can look at what would
the sightlines be from those properties
[1:26:59]
specifically to give you a sense of what
you'd be looking into more or less is
[1:27:05]
that does that answer your question yes
I just think it's really important and
[1:27:09]
to the point a couple of points that
were made earlier are you thinking of
[1:27:13]
coming up with a proportionality not
test but looking at really what the
[1:27:18]
ideal proportionality between
residential you know I'm housing retail
[1:27:26]
etc in other words can we envision I'm
just trying to get a sense of how much
[1:27:31]
will be preordained versus how much will
be in the moment I know this is more of
[1:27:34]
a holistic look at the whole town so to
the points earlier about how much retail
[1:27:39]
there will be are you hoping to come up
with an equation around that in other
[1:27:44]
words we're aiming for you know 30
percent residential forty percent retail
[1:27:50]
any kind of holistic equation around
that I made clear about that question I
[1:27:56]
don't think we don't have a specific
number do we but it's more there's
[1:28:00]
certain requirements to make sure that
there are retail so that it's not all
[1:28:04]
residential but I throw into that
equation because nothing really exists
[1:28:10]
on an island that there are traffic flow
pedestrian flow parking issues that all
[1:28:15]
come at the play that would certainly my
we used term Pro
[1:28:19]
or eight things more difficult it's not
in fact prohibit maybe everything in the
[1:28:24]
same particular mold
moreover the market can only bear so
[1:28:29]
much in the bark you know someone
mentioned it was all offices for example
[1:28:33]
I really said that but you know if it
doesn't matter said it but the point
[1:28:36]
being it you know is that the market of
bear that there was someone gonna sell
[1:28:40]
their property develop it into just
offices but in terms of the ratio I
[1:28:45]
don't put there just specifically asking
for center 26% yeah just I just wanted
[1:28:52]
to put that out there because you know
if we wind up with a really strong
[1:28:54]
imbalance is there any turning back or
you know how will we along the way if
[1:28:59]
suddenly all the applications we're
getting from developers or let's use the
[1:29:02]
office space for example and we suddenly
really headed towards a eighty percent
[1:29:06]
all you know how we put the brakes on
that and redirect and summers I think
[1:29:09]
I'm a flippin lock yourself into
something that's not feasible then it
[1:29:13]
just can remain just downtown that
doesn't thrive and we started this
[1:29:29]
process and and encourage people to come
into our town and open retail shops and
[1:29:38]
open restaurants I mean that I think
everybody in this room agrees that
[1:29:43]
that's what we're looking for
thank you and you know I'm thinking
[1:29:47]
about suddenly the vision I'm you know
on the extreme side that I'm seeing in
[1:29:52]
my own mind is all of this development
and businesses buildings and I'm trying
[1:29:58]
to connect it with a very specific so
cultural resources is there a way you
[1:30:02]
know there's been talking the peasant
having community speak other community
[1:30:06]
centered presence downtown teen centers
places for young people to go in other
[1:30:11]
words I wonder if there's a way to
incentivize developers to come in with
[1:30:15]
some connected connective piece for the
community you know whether it's on their
[1:30:20]
property that would be trees and benches
and somewhere you know to kind of have
[1:30:25]
people convene or part of their
storefront I'm just trying to think
[1:30:28]
creatively about not just becoming a
town that feels just jam-packed with
[1:30:34]
business even though of course we want
to incentivize them and have you know
[1:30:37]
business downtown but some way to have
the community feeling there and I'm not
[1:30:42]
quite sure what that looks like but I
just wanted to put that out there and I
[1:30:46]
think it certainly doesn't look like the
way it is now
[1:30:48]
meaning not physically in terms of its
beauty of the town we needed to thrive
[1:30:52]
it's not thriving nearly as much as it
could and then you write it as a balance
[1:30:56]
how you gonna make it work with
environment with lifestyle with with
[1:31:01]
keeping the bucolic nature but keeping
the status quo at least in my opinion is
[1:31:06]
something not gonna work it's just it's
it's not gonna work
[1:31:11]
so things have to move and have to
change and the whole purpose this is to
[1:31:15]
engage people and help us come to that
bright place so what fair think I mean
[1:31:23]
I'm just thinking if we want it almost
like how we wanted to how are we going
[1:31:27]
to market our town to be different and
bring developers here who have a mindset
[1:31:32]
that wants it to still be this community
small-town feeling and with an eye to
[1:31:37]
that I guess you know I'm thinking of
you know the different tracks of
[1:31:41]
developers who will come if we can
articulate something that we're looking
[1:31:45]
for in terms of community facilities
culturally like I don't
[1:31:50]
again know exactly what that is I've
never been part of a process like this
[1:31:53]
before but it kind of begs the question
of how can we siphon in you know
[1:31:58]
developers who have an eye to the things
that make this community what we want it
[1:32:01]
to look like can also be a thriving
place this is this is for the has
[1:32:15]
anybody gone back to the people who
participated in this process in 2014 and
[1:32:21]
before and asked them if this is
reflective of what every point was I
[1:32:24]
mean I suspect we know what those people
are maybe there should be some attempt
[1:32:29]
to reach out to them to make sure this
is reflected
[1:32:42]
Janet purse Cantelli and I guess my
concern airing Janet where do you live I
[1:32:48]
live same place is my husband 149 I
[Laughter]
[1:32:55]
guess my concern you're listening to the
plan is that if every space is maximized
[1:33:08]
if every building that can be two or
five storeys becomes five and every two
[1:33:14]
to four building the level becomes four
that it seems like a massive amount of
[1:33:20]
construction if we maximize every space
so I just hope you would consider
[1:33:27]
putting some parameters on some of the
maximization of the building size
[1:33:32]
because it's hard for me to visualize
every maximum you know every building as
[1:33:39]
tall as it could possibly be so I just
hope that you will take that into
[1:33:43]
consideration when you offer space to to
developers to please keep that in mind
[1:33:48]
thank you and certainly when we're doing
this study
[1:33:52]
we're actually analyzing it exactly he
just said as if everything was developed
[1:33:57]
to its maximum capacity how would that
impact because it can only be less and
[1:34:03]
that raises another issue that I wanted
to make clear and some people may have
[1:34:07]
actually got an email with false
information sent out by somebody
[1:34:11]
basically we don't have know any torn
book probably any Town Board have the
[1:34:17]
authority to say this has to go to a
public referendum first you can't kick
[1:34:22]
our responsibility it's a permissible
referendum so future town board in
[1:34:27]
theory could do something this town bird
could do something but you have a public
[1:34:29]
referendum it's a right so if for
example tell me if I'm wrong Nick if we
[1:34:35]
wanted to sell the train station which I
don't believe it
[1:34:38]
something to do but if we wanted to just
sell the train station and build out
[1:34:42]
maximum five-story buildings as a matter
of right in a matter of law the we can't
[1:34:50]
just kick that over to town but the town
residents whatever right to have a
[1:34:54]
referendum which 25 20 30 percent of the
voters in the prior election would then
[1:34:59]
have to say whether or not so it's
important to understand that this can't
[1:35:21]
happen just because the town wants it to
there has to be public input it doesn't
[1:35:27]
go to the public first but the town
always has a right to challenge that
[1:35:31]
you're just talking about because that's
the sort of I think the big ugly that
[1:35:38]
people see of where the most of the
five-story building potential is would
[1:35:42]
be in the trains train station parking
lot most of that will be there so that
[1:35:46]
that's not necessarily happening and
assuming the red is that is in the south
[1:35:52]
parking lot the train station and then
you'll see the north parking lot and
[1:36:03]
behind that just so you know that's
actually what conifer is going to be and
[1:36:08]
I'm not saying this because you want to
block that but just in terms of size
[1:36:11]
there's a bridge there and that building
will actually be exceed the height of
[1:36:15]
that bridge or around the height of that
bridge so I think perspective is
[1:36:18]
important it's cuz we need people at
home can't hear you I'm sorry I'm just a
[1:36:35]
question if a referendum is presented to
the public then it would be very
[1:36:40]
specific as to which buildings and what
height would be so healthy I'm sorry to
[1:36:46]
be cleared and if you want to take it
sure the referendum
[1:36:50]
only apply me then that the town decided
to sell its property that it owns the
[1:36:55]
only question then would be the town
board adopts a resolution that has been
[1:37:00]
subject to a permissive referendum the
question would be should that town sell
[1:37:03]
X property for X dollars that's the
issue before the public should be a
[1:37:08]
public referendum okay thank you yeah so
I think I think that's very important to
[1:37:13]
understand that and what you may have
seen in terms of the maximum build-out
[1:37:17]
bylaw tell me if I'm wrong Nick my law
we're supposed to and required to share
[1:37:23]
with the community what the maximum
build-out for locally that doesn't mean
[1:37:27]
it would happen that's assuming again
for example the town said yeah we want
[1:37:31]
you to sell this property and build it
out to look like this so I think you
[1:37:38]
would as well we sold the parking lot
and the town agreed to sell that parking
[1:37:42]
lot behind your development and then put
up buildings that would just be smack
[1:37:47]
into your back window it simply wouldn't
be feasible so that's why we're building
[1:37:53]
it out because we have to show what
could happen and whether it would work
[1:37:56]
or wouldn't work so please don't
construe that what you see is in fact
[1:38:00]
what is going to happen that's important
to understand and people should always
[1:38:05]
be involved and we want people to be
involved and I brought this up before
[1:38:08]
where there was some sort of talk about
projects up that up on King Street
[1:38:12]
three-story building you're entitled now
to have three story buildings so even
[1:38:17]
with this kind of scary tack to come out
come out respectfully to the public
[1:38:22]
there's not a lot of people here tonight
I mean there's a lot but not tons of
[1:38:25]
people so we want people to come and
this is what it means to get people here
[1:38:29]
to ask the right questions we're happy
to do it but it's important to make sure
[1:38:31]
to understand what is happening what is
not happening
[1:38:35]
I just want to rewind for just one
second and then I want to hear your
[1:38:38]
question just with regard to this this
question about what would or would not
[1:38:43]
be subject to a public referendum you
you made a comment earlier that I just
[1:38:47]
wanted to make sure that I I spoke to
which is that you said when the town
[1:38:51]
offers up these parcels for development
right and I think it's important to be
[1:38:57]
clear that when we're talking about the
properties that are in Jason
[1:39:01]
to your home to where you live those are
not publicly owned land with the
[1:39:07]
exception of the parking lot that's down
on North Greely which is publicly owned
[1:39:11]
right with the exception of that those
are all privately held properties and so
[1:39:15]
you know if the private property owner
wanted to seek redevelopment of those
[1:39:19]
properties right that doesn't come up
for a public referendum and so part of
[1:39:23]
what we're trying to do tonight is to
make sure that in our environmental
[1:39:28]
analysis we look at an answer all of the
questions that you have that would make
[1:39:35]
you feel comfortable than with the
result in code so your husband mentioned
[1:39:40]
he wants us to take a look at what would
the views look like what would the
[1:39:43]
sightlines be from your property to the
neighboring properties down on North
[1:39:48]
Greely if we they were able to build to
a four-story height that's a perfect
[1:39:53]
example of the kind of question that we
want to be able to elicit from the
[1:39:57]
public and so you know as you guys are
taking this back this evening and you're
[1:40:02]
thinking more about it if you have those
kinds of specific questions that help
[1:40:06]
you to give you the peace of mind and
the comfort that what we're talking
[1:40:10]
about in terms of rezoning is not going
to adversely impact your quality of life
[1:40:16]
in the homes that you live in in that
neighborhood Maura asked a great
[1:40:20]
question about what's gonna happen if
the trees are removed and their storm
[1:40:24]
water that's flowing towards her
property as a result of development that
[1:40:28]
happens adjacent to where she lives
another great example of the kinds of
[1:40:33]
questions that were trying to get from
people so again as you go back tonight
[1:40:37]
you think more about this and you have
the opportunity to look at the code when
[1:40:42]
you look at it please help us come up
with that specific list of questions and
[1:40:46]
you know to be fair we think we've done
a pretty good job we've put together an
[1:40:50]
outline bonnie is an is an expert and
has been working with the downtown
[1:40:53]
working group to come up with that
outline so we hope and we believe that a
[1:40:57]
lot of those questions are going to be
addressed in that outline but again we
[1:41:01]
want to make sure that we're hearing
from all of you because your opinions as
[1:41:05]
property owners and as residents and our
hamlet are the ones that we absolutely
[1:41:09]
need to be able to answer to before we
can make any kind of decision
[1:41:34]
and so the point that was made just for
folks who maybe couldn't hear you was
[1:41:39]
just to try to canvass others along
North Greely Avenue regarding the
[1:41:43]
question of the building height anybody
else before we close tonight okay
[1:41:53]
certainly so this is a public scoping
session so it's not a hearing there's no
[1:41:56]
need to close the theory you have
indicated that never stated that written
[1:42:01]
comments would be received by February
8th so the next step would be to wait
[1:42:05]
until February age 2 whatever comments
come in after that then the consultant
[1:42:09]
and staff was review comments from the
public from the board and then present a
[1:42:14]
revised draft for the town board's
consideration that would be after your
[1:42:17]
February 8 date for the close of
diversity of public comments um I don't
[1:42:23]
know how others feel about this I'm
concerned that we haven't gotten all of
[1:42:26]
the questions that we may need to get
based on this this dialogue just now I
[1:42:32]
want to make sure that people feel
really comfortable that they've had a
[1:42:35]
chance to give us detailed specific
questions so important to consider you
[1:42:41]
know are the vernal pools going to be
going to be included even even better to
[1:42:45]
say there's a vernal pool that's located
here on this piece of property and we
[1:42:50]
want to make sure that you're thinking
about so the more specific and detailed
[1:42:54]
these questions can be I I'm not
comfortable
[1:42:57]
I'd like to have another public hearing
[1:43:01]
great for our next scoping session with
comments accepted until noon on the 14th
[1:43:10]
that works for me we'll just need a
motion from the board to direct town
[1:43:16]
staff to notice a trouble scoping
session for February
[1:43:20]
and that the date or receipt averting
the comments is being extended from
[1:43:23]
February 8th to February 14th
second thank you everybody for coming
[1:43:34]
out you're welcome to stay for the rest
of the meeting or you're welcome to go
[1:43:40]
have dinner
you do have written comments you can
[1:43:44]
still send them in and actually it's
critically important that we receive
[1:43:51]
them in a written format or by email not
on social media that puts us into the
[1:43:57]
public records family
it's Town Board at my Newcastle dot org
[1:44:03]
very easy to remember
[1:44:10]
fortunately I understand you know that
was sent out was from Jim Smith was that
[1:44:21]
that the first time that warrants on is
Republican Jenny and justice advocates
[1:44:29]
was not the first time they hit his
emailing hours so that was my point
[1:44:34]
nothing in fact it is it read pressed
end so unfortunately how to leave
[1:44:55]
all right
I move to set I'm moved to set a public
[1:45:06]
hearing on a local law to include
awarding competitively in purchase
[1:45:10]
contracts on the basis of best value as
an alternative to lowest responsible
[1:45:15]
bidder to be held on February 28th 2020
at Newcastle Town Hall at 7:00 p.m. I
[1:45:26]
moved to adopt the following minutes
January 7 2020 organizational meeting
[1:45:31]
January 7 2020 work session and January
14 2020 Town Board meeting certain I
[1:45:42]
move to authorize the hiring of marshes
sea McCraw for the position of
[1:45:46]
recreation attendant within the
Recreation and Parks Department at the
[1:45:50]
hourly rates over $13 per hour effective
February 3rd 2020
[1:45:54]
all in favor I moved to authorize
increase in hourly rate for the
[1:46:01]
following employees to 40 miles per hour
on their anniversary dates kathy
[1:46:05]
Colavito effective January 1st 2020 and
Janet green effective Jenni January
[1:46:10]
twenty third twenty twenty second all in
favor I'm going to approve the
[1:46:15]
embarrassment of New York State Bar
Association's conference expensive to
[1:46:18]
Joseph here in the amount of $25 second
all in favor
[1:46:21]
thank you I moved to authorize Albert
iku zo Christian gray Brittany and
[1:46:27]
leader Donna s burrito and Doug Scott
which in the 2020 annual New York State
[1:46:32]
recreation park society state conference
were able 26:20 2020 in Tarrytown New
[1:46:38]
York at a cost of twenty twenty-five
dollars for three staff members and 300
[1:46:41]
for two staff members for total $1,275
plus lodging for two staff members for
[1:46:46]
two nights at the amount of six hundred
twenty dollars and mild reimbursements
[1:46:50]
of personal
[1:46:54]
we accept the resignation of chip rook
Shaun in the conservation ward effective
[1:46:59]
retroactivity to December 31st 2019 and
we also strongly Bank important service
[1:47:04]
second all in favor I move to accept the
resignation retirement of sergeant
[1:47:11]
Raymond Burr beau from the New York
Newcastle Police Department effective
[1:47:15]
February 24th 2020 the town would like
to thank him for his years of dedicated
[1:47:20]
service second I moved to authorize
issuance of a request for proposals for
[1:47:27]
community center roof repairs second I
moved to adopt the following resolutions
[1:47:36]
this Proclamation declares the week of
February 1st 2022 figure-eight 2020 to
[1:47:43]
be national gun violence survivor week
in Newcastle New York to honor and
[1:47:48]
remember all victims and survivors of
gun violence and to uplift the resilient
[1:47:53]
voices of survivors across the nation
whereas every year over 36,000 Americans
[1:47:59]
are killed in acts of gun violence and
73 thousand more are shot and wounded
[1:48:03]
whereas by early February more Americans
are killed with guns that are killed in
[1:48:08]
our peer countries in the entire
calendar year whereas a gun violence
[1:48:12]
survivors
anyone who's personally experienced gun
[1:48:14]
violence whether you've witnessed an act
of gun violence been threatened or
[1:48:18]
wounded with a gun or it's someone you
know and care for wounded or killed
[1:48:22]
whereas forms of gun violence can
include but are not limited to guns
[1:48:26]
suicides homicides domestic violence
involving a gun shootings by law
[1:48:31]
enforcement and unintentional shootings
whereas 58 percent of American adults or
[1:48:36]
someone they care for has experienced
gun violence in their lifetime
[1:48:39]
demonstrating the reach and impact gun
violence has in communities across
[1:48:43]
America whereas firearms are the second
leading cause of death for children and
[1:48:48]
teens and the first leading cause of
death for black children and teens in
[1:48:52]
America whereas Americans and cities
across the nation are working to end the
[1:48:56]
senseless violence by advocating for
common-sense gun safety legislation
[1:49:00]
whereas by commemorating national gun
violence survivors week on February 1st
[1:49:06]
to February 8th cities across America
will raise awareness about gun violence
[1:49:10]
and honor the live stolen by gun
violence and whereas we renew our
[1:49:15]
commitment to reduce gun violence and
pledge to do all we can to keep firearms
[1:49:19]
out of the wrong hands and to encourage
responsible gun ownership to help keep
[1:49:23]
our communities safe now therefore be it
resolved that Newcastle New York
[1:49:28]
declares February 1st to February 8th
2020 to be national gun violence
[1:49:33]
survivors we we encourage all citizens
to support their communities efforts to
[1:49:37]
prevent the tragic effects of gun
violence and to honor and value human
[1:49:41]
lives thank you that the supervisor
being hereby is authorized to execute
[1:49:54]
the following petition to the county of
Westchester to remove the Saw Mill
[1:49:58]
Valley sanitary sewer district the real
property located at three colony road
[1:50:04]
traffic on new york also identified a
section 93.9 - - - 22 on the newcastle
[1:50:10]
tax maps and to take or cause to be
taken by town staff or any other work
[1:50:16]
necessary to implement this resolution
the petition of my people as town
[1:50:21]
supervisor for the town of Newcastle
respectfully submits to the to the
[1:50:26]
Westchester Board of County Board of
legislators at the town of Newcastle is
[1:50:31]
a Municipal Corporation Julie organized
and an existing under the laws of the
[1:50:36]
state of the New York and located in the
county of Westchester in the New York
[1:50:40]
State that the town submits this
petition requesting that three colony
[1:50:45]
Road Chappaqua New York also to identify
the section thank you
[1:50:48]
Oh point nine - two - 22 on the
Newcastle tax maps a single-family
[1:50:52]
residence residential property of more
than 40,000 square feet property class
[1:50:57]
210 consisting with one point zero six
nine acres to be removed from the Samba
[1:51:02]
Valley sanitary sewer district
the Town Board concluded that this
[1:51:07]
property is not receiving services from
the Saw Mill Valley super district nor
[1:51:12]
is there any likelihood of the
properties receiving any such services
[1:51:15]
in the future and the property is
located more than 100 feet from the
[1:51:18]
nearest sewers said property would
benefit from its removal from the
[1:51:22]
sawmill salmon Valley sanitary sewer
district
[1:51:25]
therefore the town of Newcastle hereby
petitions the county the Westchester
[1:51:30]
County Board of legislators pursuant to
a resolution duly adopted by the New
[1:51:35]
Castle Town Board to remove three colony
Road check also identified a section
[1:51:40]
93.9 - - - - on the Newcastle tax maps
and to take all steps that may be
[1:51:46]
necessary all in favour
I moved to authorization of fire New
[1:52:13]
York leak detection or twenty $1,950 in
accordance with their proposal dated
[1:52:19]
January 10 2020 for leak detection
services second all in favor aye
[1:52:24]
I move to approve submitting a letter of
intent to participate in Westchester
[1:52:30]
County multi-jurisdictional Hazard
Mitigation plan update and agrees to
[1:52:35]
meet the minimum requirements of
municipal participation second all in
[1:52:40]
favor
I move to purchase the following list of
[1:52:44]
equipment and truck off of the New York
State contract for the amounts as listed
[1:52:49]
below John Deere compact utility tractor
40 2005
[1:52:54]
seven dollars 78 cents John Deere bunker
and field 13 thousand three hundred and
[1:52:59]
sixty dollars in four cents and frontier
pendler spreader five thousand seven
[1:53:03]
hundred and twenty three dollars and
forty seven okay frontier economy core
[1:53:09]
aerator 3038 sends super cab jump body
sixty four thousand seven hundred and
[1:53:15]
eighteen dollars second all in favor I
moved to authorize extending the senior
[1:53:22]
nutrition program contract for
additional years rebel first twenty
[1:53:25]
twenty two martially first twenty twenty
two at an increase of no more than the
[1:53:29]
Consumer Price Index to continue
wellness and nutrition services to the
[1:53:31]
town Newcastle residents and current
price per meal is five dollars and
[1:53:35]
eighty cents second all in favor
I moved was issuing a bid for
[1:53:39]
replacement of the soldier Johnson one
stage vertical turn turbine pump at any
[1:53:43]
would pump station second all in favor I
moved to authorize the purchase of the
[1:53:57]
following vehicles from the buyer Ford
is set forth in the resolution second
[1:54:02]
all in favor I moved to a point lori
morton and catherine o'connor to the
[1:54:08]
beautification advisory board for a
three-year term effective january twenty
[1:54:12]
eighth twenty twenty second all in favor
i'm I only want to appoint Catherine
[1:54:19]
O'Connor I'm staining with regard to
Laura Morton and I want the record to
[1:54:22]
show that I applaud her volunteering but
I think she has such passion and
[1:54:29]
interests and expertise I really feel
like they would be better utilized on
[1:54:32]
another board another volunteer board so
I'm seeing two people serve on multiple
[1:54:42]
boards sure so you could both approver
for this and also encourage
[1:54:52]
and I move to approve additional
services from Barton and Logan tcha as
[1:54:58]
outlined o
juice as outlined them in a letter dated
[1:55:02]
December 19th 2019 for the amount of
3,100 $27.50 for additional work
[1:55:09]
required for task 8 preparation of
construction Medoc mints and past nine
[1:55:14]
projects bidding process
second I moved to accept the retirement
[1:55:21]
of Jacqueline McMahon from the position
of assessment clerk at that very
[1:55:24]
effective February 28th of 2020
the town would like to thank Jackie for
[1:55:29]
24 years of service the following
resolution now therefore be it resolved
[1:55:52]
in the town board authorizes the town
staff to undertake those steps necessary
[1:55:56]
it's a process and a one thousand two
one thousand twenty eight dollars and
[1:56:01]
one cent tax refund in accordance with
the terms of the Foreman's consent
[1:56:07]
judgment I moved to approve the change
order number three for DeRosa sports
[1:56:15]
construction Inc and the amount of
eighteen thousand nine hundred fifty
[1:56:19]
three dollars and forty three cents for
low reinforced concrete retaining wall
[1:56:23]
that was required due to field
conditions second I moved to approve
[1:56:29]
voq change order number 38 to the chapel
on infrastructure and streetscape
[1:56:34]
improvement project in the amount of
twenty eight thousand five hundred and
[1:56:38]
twenty six dollars and sixty cents for
steel handrail and powder coat finish
[1:56:49]
I need a babysitter or we don't I move
to adjourn