Citizens for an Informed Yorktown

 

Town Board

February 3, 2015

 

1`. Spectra Pipeline Project

A board update on the Spectra AIM pipeline project is tentatively set for the work session on Tuesday, Feb 10.

 

Issues to be discussed include the pigging station that’s now planned for the ROW at Stoney Street, a proposed MLR (mainline regulator facility), also at Stoney Street, wetlands issues and  the location of the construction ware yard so that we will know what local roads trucks will use to get to the pipeline site.   The board also needs to prepare written comments by Feb 27 on the pending DEC air quality and water quality permits.

While I had hoped that Spectra would be able to send a representative to the meeting, or to the February 17, meeting to provide the town with additional information, Supervisor Grace reported that Spectra would not be able to attend  a meeting with the board until March at the earliest, too late to provide information that  could be incorporated into the DEC comments .

 

In the absence of a direct meeting with Spectra, the board will prepare a series of questions at next week’s work session that will be sent to the company.

 

Commenting on the changed location of the construction ware yard, Supervisor Grace said he heard that it will now be located in Cortlandt and that Cortlandt will get the recreational  facility that Yorktown has now lost.  He also said that the pigging station, aka a launcher/receiver station, would only be a launcher facility and that changes would be made after the completion of the Atlantic Bridge phase of the pipeline project that would expand the pipeline through the rest of Yorktown to the Somers border.

 

2. Jefferson Valley Mall

I reported that in 2014 Simon Properties spun off the mall to a new entity, Washington Prime Group and that this year, Washington merged with another company to form WP Glimcher, a company that owns over 100 shopping malls. Supervisor Grace added that Simon spun off its “B” malls in order to raise funds to upgrade its “A” malls. He also said the mall was working out leasing issues with its current tenants.

 

(Note: Although the Town Board approved the amended site plan in 2013, the company has still not paid for the building permit that would be the first sign that it is moving ahead with the renovation plan.)

 

3. Courtesy of the Floor

Teatown/Croft House: Several people spoke in support of preventing Teatown from demolishing the house and the need to find an adaptive reuse for the property. In response, Supervisor Grace said he would ask representatives of Teatown to attend a board work session.

 

Yorktown Small Business Association: Bob Giordano, president of the association, once again asked the board to make more parking available for businesses in the Front St/Kear St area by erecting 2 hour parking signs at the parking lot abutting the highway garage and the space next to Yorktown Glass.  He again suggested that  town employees and the employees of the local businesses park in the commuter lot so that more parking in the vicinity of the stores would be available.

 

4. Compass Westchester

Supervisor Grace and Town Attorney Koster explained that according to current law, the 2-1 vote  on January 20 could be viewed as the board not taking any action as opposed to it being a denial, a position that was supported by the Compass Westchester attorney,  but challenged by Al French and a  letter from the attorney representing the homeowners who have challenged the application.  Ms.Koster did acknowledge, however, that the case law is “messy” as some of it relates to Zoning Board decisions and others to Planning Board decisions. None related to Town Board decisions. Both she and the supervisor said there should be a second vote on the application.

 

I stated my position that I believed the 2-1 vote was a valid board action and that a second vote was not needed.

 

When the supervisor told Councilman Patel that he needed to state his reasons for voting against granting the permit, the councilman replied that he had no comment.

 

I advised the board that based on earliler comments I had made, I have been working on revisions to the zoning code as they relate to the definition of family and also the need for a new special permit for community residential facilities. I asked that a discussion of the proposed revisions be put on the a genda for the February 10 work session.

 

5. Miscellaneous resolutions

Police officer Scott Sage was assigned as a detective in the Police Departrment at an annual salary of $109,496.