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$1.5 million Spectra Survey

Town Board

March 4, 2014

1. Courtesy of the Floor

a. Trump Park sales building. George Brink advised the board that the Westchester Land Trust has initiated a lawsuit against the developer to enforce the conditions of the development’s site plan approval that required the eventual removal of the sales building that was erected as a temporary measure on a conservation easement and the construction of a walking trail and gazebo. Calling on the town to enforce the conditions of the site plan and the easement, he asked the town to protect the integrity of the site plan process and not bail out a developer. He said that when the Town of Cortlandt was informed about the lawsuit, it withdrew its request to use the building.

b. Town Board liaisons to advisory boards. In response a question from Jennie Menton, a member of the Senior Advisory Committee, about the role of liaisons to advisory boards and why the Town Board wasn’t getting back to the Senior Committee, Supervisor Grace said the liaisons were supposed to report committee issues to the Town Board. When Ms. Menton stated that she felt it was a conflict of interest for a relative of a Town Board member to be a liaison to an advisory group, Councilman Bianco said that his sister was the liaison to the Senior Committee and that he wasn’t aware that there was ever a problem of Town Board family members being involved with any advisory group.

c. Town Board vacancy. Noting that the board has known for five months about the vacancy, Dan Lefkowitz asked the board what it planned to do about filling the vacancy which he said should be done. In response, Supervisor Grace said that he planned to have a discussion with the board next week and hoped there would be a consensus on an appointment.

2. Redemption of foreclosed property

Revised as of 4/11/2014 after relistening to the video of the meeting. . Supervisor Grace advised the board that even though the redemption period for paying back taxes had expired, the former owner of 1360 New Road has paid the back taxes. He also said the foreclosure could lead to litigation as the former owner was claiming that there was an issue with notice, adding, "They’re (the property owner) claiming that the notices didn’t get -or something was amiss with our records .”

The board then voted unanimously to do a quick claim deed to give the property back to the previous owner.

3. YCCC Generator

In response to a question from Councilman Patel, Supervisor Grace said that the emergency generator for the YCCC has been received and the town is reviewing who will install the equipment. No decision has been made about the emergency generator for town hall.

4. Convalescent home at 482 Underhill Avenue – public hearing

At 11pm, after a 3-hour hearing that included a presentation by the applicant, followed by about 18 speakers, mostly against, but some for granting the special permit, the board adjourned the hearing to April 1. The people who had signed up on a first come, first serve basis to speak, will be the first people given an opportunity to address the board when the hearing is reconvened.

(Note: The Zoning Board will hold a public hearing on March 27 to address questions relating to the interpretation of sections of the Zoning Code dealing with convalescent homes and nursing homes.)

While those in support of the sober home cited the need for such a facility, those opposed said they understood the need for sober homes but questioned whether the proposed facility met the requirements of the Zoning Code and whether the Underhill Avenue house was the proper location for such a facility.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Supervisor Grace said that a “middle ground” could be issuing the special permit with conditions.

(A video of the meeting is available on the town’s web site, yorktownny.org.

Supervisor Grace announced that the packet of supporting documents provided by the applicant, as well as all correspondence the town has received on the issue, will be scanned and made available on the town web site.