Town Board

November 10, 2020

 

 

CLOSED SESSION

Personnel (Police Department), negotiations

 

OPEN SESSION

 

1. 1952 Commerce Street/ Boutique Hotel

A conceptual plan to demolish the current building at the corner of Commerce Street and Veterans Road, and construct a 16 room “boutique hotel,” to be called Hotel Gardena, on the site was presented to the board. The site is currently zoned for mixed use to allow commercial on the first floor and residential on the upper floors but will have to be amended to allow a hotel use.  As presented, the plan would also need variances for building height, parking and lot coverage. The plan calls for 17 parking spaces with additional parking along Veterans Road,

 

In addition to the guest rooms, the plan includes a lounge and café on the first floor, a rooftop grill with fire pits and water feature and a clock tower. The plan also calls for a narrowing of Veterans Road in order to construct a sidewalk along the site while preserving the existing trees.

 

The latest plan is the result of discussions involving the Planning and Building Departments and the Supervisor’s office.

 

The board was supportive of the plan and directed the property owner to continue working with town staff on the needed amendments to the Zoning Code.

 

2. Facilities Assessment

Representatives of the Laberge Group, the company hired to write grants for the town, presented an outline for a three phrase facilities assessment of town hall, the Recreation Department trailers and the highway garage that would include 1) identifying building deficiencies; 2) outlining options for how those deficiencies could be dealt with to increase efficiencies; and 3) a capital plan for implementing the corrective opotions based on priorities.  The possibility of including the AACCCC in the study was raised but appeared to have been dismissed for the time being.

 

Supervisor Slater noted that the town’s last facilities assessment was done in 1995.  Referring to the previous plans for a new highway garage, he said that the current assessment, that would be done by an outside independent group, would take the politics out of the issue.

 

The board appeared undecided on whether to proceed with all three phases or just the first, or first two phases.  A resolution to hire the company may be forthcoming next week.

 

3. Norwest Services

(Norwest is a joint effort, in effect for 47 years involving Yorktown, Cortlandt, Peekskill and Ossining, that provides recreational services to disabled persons.)  The town hasn’t paid its 2020 annual $38,232 bill to Norwest that was due in February. According to Parks Superintendent Martorano, the delay was due in part to the covid related spending freeze but also to bureaucratic complications resulting from changes to the Norwest agreement made several years ago. A Norwest representative advised the board that the other three municipalities have paid their 2020 assessment

 

Supervisor Slater directed the town attorney to “fix”  the Norwest agreement so that it could be streamlined and the 2020 bill paid.

 

4. Mohegan Lake Audi

The building inspector was asking the board to approve a temporary certification of occupancy (TCO) for the new building that he said was 99% complete and was safe to be used by sales personnel.  As per the town code, TCOs can be granted for one year, and the building inspector can grant one 30 day extension.

 

Before voting to approve the TCO, possibly next week, the board asked the building inspector to provide a punch list of the items that still need to be completed. 

 

5. Drag racing legislation

(See Town Board 10-13-2020.) The item was tabled. Supervisor Slater advised the board that more work had to done on a draft that was prepared by the Police Department.

 

6. Covid 19 policy for town recreational facilities

Members of the Rec Commission voiced concern that some of the people using the Granite Knolls facilities are not wearing masks which are required.  The problem mostly involves groups not affiliated with the town’s sports organizations that are following the requirement, as well as unsupervised teenagers who are being “dropped off” by their parents and are there at night.

 

The town will be installing a gate at the entrance to Granite Knolls in about two weeks, and a gate already exists at Legacy, but it was explained that no one is responsible for actually closing the gates when no games are scheduled. Staff will look into this issue.

 

While there was general agreement that while enforcement was what was ultimately needed, in reality, as the likelihood of more enforcement was not likely to happen, what was needed was a mind set about why it was important to wear masks. 

 

The board was reluctant, at this time, to close down all park facilities, and passed a resolution that signs requiring masks be installed at all town facilities along with signs saying that town parks close at dusk.  The board will continue to evaluate the situation but will begin to plan for a possible closure if and when needed.

 

7. Miscellaneous resolutions

Appointments: Robert Garrigan, currently an alternate member of the Planning Board, was appointed a full member to fill out the remaining term of John Savoca who resigned.  Lynn Briggs and Adam Fetzer were reappointed to the Heritage Preservation Commission.

 

Destination Yorktown. The board approved a $40,700 budget transfer from the general fund contingency line to professional services to pay for Thompson and Bender, the firm hired to carry out the Destination Yorktown outreach campaign.

 

CLOSED SESSION

Interviews