Letter to the Editor on the Proposed Changes to the Building Code
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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(This letter was written by Jim Detmer of Woods Lane)
To the Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees:
A few thoughts on the recent land use proposal:
The initial land use proposal put forth by BFJ is a compromise where neither side of the issue gets everything they want. That is to be expected. So I would say an initial step with a lot of work still to do.
BFJ was very clear in that the desired improvement would be the aggregate effect of all their recommendations. The Mayor was very clear that this analysis is multi-faceted with historic preservation and aesthetics still to be considered in the near future.
While new ideas like maximum lot coverage and site disturbance sound good, I am not sure how it translates to reducing bulk and mitigating storm water issues… very difficult to visualize. Is there any way to model how these proposals might impact a building parcel? Or , for example, take a lot like 25 Taunton Rd., which in the opinion of many is over built ,and show a comparison between what has been built and how the new proposal would have impacted such a building.
Similarly, is there anyway to measure the impact of these proposals, along with the other Village storm water projects, might have on flooding in our high prone flooding areas?
Including gravel and asphalt as impervious materials is a good stroke
The empowerment of the Planning Board early in the process will hopefully mitigate issues with cross messaging. The whole permitting process needs to be laid out so the public understands it.
The proposal positively increases side yard setbacks in most residential zones. Yet there is no notable decrease in allowable FAR. FAR remains the same. FAR remains a problem . Why do we need building bonuses? FAR incentives? Surrounding communities have no such thing. FAR is the biggest contributor to bulk appearance.
Further it seems a modified version of a sky exposure plane needs to be introduced for smaller lots. You won’t be able to see the sky in A-5 and A-4 zones. Otherwise, you have 32 foot side walls 10 feet apart creating a townhouse effect. Perhaps toeing to the original building plot for demolitions is a solution in the A-5 ,A-4 zones
Tree and tree canopy damage need to be recognized as a major issue in all these discussions. Many of us think of the trees as an afterthought. Yet they are integral to our health 'the earth’s health and the beauty of our community. We need to ensure they are center in our decisions.
Monitoring and consequences for compliance failure need to be developed. Fines need to be substantive.
Thank you for your work.
Respectfully,
Jim Detmer
29 Woods Lane
A Dramatic Rescue for Casey the Cat
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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A cat caught high up in a tree for days, brought neighbors together for a heartwarming rescue on May 2, 2024.
Carolyn Earthy of Fenimore Road resident heard a cat’s cries, coming from a tree between her house and her rear neighbors on Cohawney Road. The cat was up in the tree for several days before it was so exhausted that it stopped calling for help but could still be seen on a branch high above the roofline.
Concerned that the cat would die in the tree, Earthy and neighbor Shilpa Spencer called the fire department who recommended that they place a can of tuna under the tree to see if the cat would be lured down. Apparently the fire department does not send firefighters up trees to rescue cats in case the cats get nasty – and potentially cause an accident.
Another neighbor remembered seeing a post about a missing cat on Facebook and was able to track down the owner who turned out to be a Cooper Road woman.
When the Fire Department declined, some contractors who were working in the neighborhood came to the rescue. Franklin Rodriguez of Frank R. Home Improvement said he would help. He placed a very long ladder on the tree, first to see if the cat would climb down. When it did not, he went up himself, and rescued the cat whose name turned out to be Casey.
Neighbor Shilpa Spencer said, “This was such a fortuitous turn of events for little Casey the cat. First he was spotted by a vigilant neighbor even though he was very high and hard to see. Then through phone conversations and the very effective use of social media, the owner was located. Finally, it took the bravery and willingness to help of a wonderful group of men, to risk their own necks to save Casey’s.”
Historical Society to Premier, "The Village: A History of Downtown Scarsdale"
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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The Scarsdale Historical Society will be premiering its newest documentary, The Village: A History of Downtown Scarsdale, at the Scarsdale Public Library on Tuesday, May 14thst at 6:15 PM and 7:30 PM. This half-hour film explores how Scarsdale’s business district grew from a train depot and a few wooden buildings into today’s iconic Tudor Revival-style commercial center.
The Village will take viewers on a journey spanning more than 200 years, beginning with a colonial-era mill on the Bronx River. Archival photographs capture the development of Scarsdale’s earliest businesses and “downtown” streets, when horses clip-clopped on dusty roads. The film chronicles the factors that contributed to Scarsdale’s suburbanization, and the prominent, community-minded residents that developed the business district as it stands today.
The cohesive English design of the downtown area was carefully designed, down to the gabled roofs, elaborate stonework, and even the gas stations. Landmarks like the Harwood and Parkway Buildings were meticulously planned to meet the high aesthetic standards of the existing population and those they hoped to attract.
“Thanks to the remarkable foresight of Scarsdale’s founders, the heart of our village remains as a picturesque, thriving hub of commerce and culture today,” stated Randy Guggenheimer, President of the Scarsdale Historical Society. “In keeping with our mission to preserve and share Scarsdale’s history, we are pleased to present the story behind our distinguished business district.”
The title of the film, The Village, is a nod to the nickname used by Scarsdale insiders when referring to “downtown.” Guggenheimer continued, “Residents may not realize we have our own local vernacular when we say we’re “going into ‘the Village.’ It’s an expression that unites us as residents, and seemed only fitting as a title for this film.”
Perhaps the first real estate office in Scarsdale, The North End Land Improvement Company building was once on the corner of today's Popham Road at Scarsdale Avenue (on the right) around 1902.
Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the film’s participants: historians Jordan Copeland and Leslie Chang, and Peter Blier from Scarsdale Central Taxi.
This half-hour documentary is directed and edited by local filmmaker Lesley Topping. It is part of an ongoing series from the Scarsdale Historical Society on the history and neighborhoods of Scarsdale. All the previous films can be viewed here.
Admission to the film is free. The event is co-sponsored by the Scarsdale Historical Society, the Scarsdale Public Library and the Scarsdale Business Alliance.
The public can register for the premiere here.
Jordan at Harwood: Scarsdale Village Historian Jordan Copeland guides viewers through today’s Village center.”
Everything You Wanted to Know About Scarsdale But Didn’t Know Who to Ask
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- Written by Lauren Easton
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When will the pool complex be renovated? How many cars have been stolen this year? And will we ever have a dog park?
Those were just a few of the topics covered during the discussion at the Greenacres Town Hall meeting, which assembled Scarsdale’s top brass to the elementary school to meet with Greeenacres residents. The annual get-together, sponsored by the Greenacres Neighborhood Association, brought together leaders from the schools, the Village and public safety for honest talk about what is and is not happening in Scarsdale.
Community leaders responded to questions from residents.
Probably the best news for the community is that Greenacres will finally have a new playground to replace the antiquated equipment on the Village-owned portion of the field across the street from the school. GNA President Kristen Zakierski showed the photo above of a colorful complex of climbing equipment and swings that had been selected in a poll of residents. Also surprising was new information from Mayor Justin Arest that the long overdue project, estimated to cost $200,000, would be funded from a grant secured by State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.
Greenacres Principal Sharon Hill was proud to report that the school had been named a “Blue Ribbon School,” and invited everyone to take a look at the prominent sign that now stands outside.
School Board President Ron Schulhof was pleased to report that the board has agreed on the proposed 2024-25 school budget that will be put to a community vote on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. The budget includes funding to extend integrated co-teaching for special needs students in seventh grade and will add financial literacy and advanced calculus courses at the high school. Included in the facilities budget are funds to dredge the stream that runs through the high school parking lot and floods during big rain events. As the budget increase does exceed the state imposed tax cap, the budget will need to pass with a 60% vote and he encouraged everyone to vote yes.
Superintendent Drew Patrick, in his second year on the job, updated the ongoing work around belonging. You may recall a survey last winter about developmental relationships and equitable practices. Next steps have been formulated and the survey results will be shared at the May 13 meeting. Patrick also discussed technology in the classroom, sharing that the district has a three-year technology plan whose top priority is digital use and wellness. He said media and information competency – and mindfulness – are top of mind as school leaders contemplate computational thinking and the impacts of computer use. Parents also asked about district-wide support of the Wait Until 8th smartphone pledge, and Patrick said there would be more to say about that in the coming weeks.
Greenacres Neighborhood Association Presdient Kristen ZakierskiJeff Coleman, Superintendent of the Department of Public Works, made clear that flooding in the Village is a top priority, as is the ongoing work with Con Edison throughout the neighborhood. He assured residents that roads will start to be resurfaced soon.
A recurring theme throughout many of the presentations was communication and the vast array of methods for residents to stay connected to Village news and information. Mayor Justin Arest urged residents to sign up for emergency alerts through Everbridge. Acting Village Manager Alexandra Marshall promoted the Village newsletter as a way to stay informed about crucial deadlines.
Mayor Arest acknowledged that the 2024-25 Village budget exceeds the tax cap due to mandated costs, and that the deferral of projects over many years has negatively impacted infrastructure. He said there are plans to repair or replace fields, tennis courts and playgrounds. He also noted the work session on the land use moratorium on May 14, and made clear the moratorium will expire at the end of the six months as intended. Additionally, he shared that the Village is working with State Assemblywoman Paulin as it continues its tax investigation.
About the renovations to the pool complex, Mayor Arest said work is underway, and that the Village has onboarded a construction manager. The pool will open Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and will operate as usual. Arest said the pool would operate as usual in 2025 as well and would not be renovated until after the 2025 season. Asked about the potential of a Scarsdale dog park, Arest said the Village would continue to look for a suitable location.
Acting Village Manager Marshall cited significant drainage improvements to Supply Field 2 and a joint field study with the schools, the findings of which will be shared on May 23. Trustee Jeremy Gans underscored that the fields are a top priority. Marshall also shared that the Scarsdale Farmers’ Market will return on May 12, run by Down to Earth Markets, and that the Village will kick off a partnership with Westchester County for Bicycle Sundays on the Bronx River Parkway.
Police Chief Andy Matturro provided crime statistics for Scarsdale. There have been four burglaries this year across the Village, compared to nine in 2023. There continues to be a regional increase in car thefts, but there is a downward trend, with three stolen cars in Scarsdale this year compared to seven last year. None were in Greenacres. The police department continues to do daily walkthroughs of elementary and nursery schools and participate in active shooter training.
Fire Chief Christopher Mytych reminded residents that there are always nine firefighters on duty for whatever residents need, big or small.
Matt Chesler of the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps reminded residents that trained staff are available 24/7 to respond to emergencies and provide vaccines.
There are several free programs available to residents through police and fire:
• RU Okay program, where senior citizens can register with police to receive an automated call each morning. If there’s no response, an officer will come by and check.
• Dark House program, where residents can alert police if they’ll be away for a week or longer. Police will watch the home and look for any issues.
• Knoxbox.com provides home lock boxes to residents who would like the fire department to have access to enter their home in the event of an issue. This allows rapid access to the home, even when the residents are away.
(Written by Lauren Easton)
County Executive George Latimer Explains What He Can Do For You in Washington
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Westchester County Executive George Latimer is a familiar face around town – showing up at Scarsdale events and supporting the Village in many ways. Now he is vying to move his office from White Plains to Washington D.C. by challenging incumbent Democratic Congressman Jamaal Bowman for representation of New York’s 16th Congressional District. The hotly contested seat is being watched locally, around the state and even nationwide. The election will be held on Tuesday June 25, 2024, and since the district leans Democratic, the winner of the primary will be the front runner in the general election in November.
We asked Latimer why he decided to run and for his views on a wide range of issues and here is what he shared:
Tell us how you will leverage your years of experience to be effective in Congress.
I am a lifelong Westchester resident who has built a career in public service by delivering unparalleled progressive results for local residents. I have a track record in making Westchester the most progressive County government in the state including successfully cutting regressive taxes, fighting for civil rights and racial equality, defending a woman’s right to choose, standing up to the NRA to keep guns off our streets, voting for marriage equality, and smartly investing a Green New Deal style infrastructure projects across the County.
I can deliver in Congress because I know how to build coalitions, find common goals, and win tough fights. That’s how we flipped Westchester, a formerly solid Republican County, into a blue firewall that has withstood multiple red waves in recent years. It’s how we’ve governed, it’s how I kicked the gun shows out of the County center, it’s how we defended reproductive health clinics when they were under attack.
Why did you decide to challenge a Democrat incumbent for his seat in Congress?
My opponent spends too much time on divisive rhetoric, alienating the people he is supposed to serve, and votes against the interests of our district. He voted against President Biden’s infrastructure bill, he voted against the debt ceiling, he even voted this year to shut down the federal government. That’s not governing. And at the same time, he’s been caught in scandal after scandal, and has been forced to walk back comments on 9/11 truther conspiracies, his embrace of known Anti-Semites, and his words falsely accusing rape victims of making up propaganda.
Right now, our democracy is under attack. We need to elect people who are ready to make the tough choices needed to govern, to keep our government functioning, to serve all of their constituents. Through my three decades of public service, my work has been defined by my deep commitment to local community needs, and my ability to deliver real results for the constituents I represent. From my tenure on the Rye City Council to the County Legislature to the State Legislature and my current role of Westchester County Executive, I am a proud progressive champion who fights for the rights of all people while passing smart, effective policies that make a real difference in people’s lives.
On what issues do you and your opponent most disagree?
As I said, he voted against infrastructure funding for Westchester County (although he then took credit for the funds he tried to block), he voted to shut down the government, he voted against the debt ceiling. I would not. He has engaged in promoting baseless conspiracy theories and false narratives about the victims of the 10/7 terrorist attacks. I would not. And he is of course openly hostile to Israel and favors capitulation to terrorists, while I favor a 2-state solution and a return of hostages as a condition of stopping the fighting.
I have been working as a public servant for more than 30 years, improving the quality of life of the people I serve in Westchester County. From securing millions of dollars in infrastructure to supporting abortion rights, reducing gun violence, building more affordable housing, to strengthening our democracy, I am committed to go to Washington to fight for what’s really important – the families of working New Yorkers.
How has redistricting in NYS affected your campaign?
While the Westchester portion of the district remains the same, there are some minor changes to the Bronx portion so it now includes Bronx families in Wakefield, Baychester and Co-op City. I need to introduce myself to those voters and we’ll be organizing aggressively through those regions and across the entire district. I’ve already started meeting with residents, community leaders, faith leaders and others to hear their concerns, I have made it clear that I will re-open the Bronx constituent services office that the incumbent closed down after taking office, and my track record on education funding, tenant’s rights, infrastructure, reproductive rights, transit and common sense gun laws all resonate well with voters there.
Why is the critical election the primary in June rather than the general election in November?
As with many districts in New York, the 16th CD has an overwhelming Democratic enrollment edge and the primary is the only place where an incumbent can be held accountable for his votes and actions as a public official. Many politicians, like my opponent, feel that they are above being challenged and deserve to be returned to office automatically; I believe that elections are an important place for voters to have choices about who represents them.
With these uncertain times, where a woman’s right to choose and plan a family hangs in a balance, hate crimes are rising, guns are far too available to those who should never have them, we need someone who can bring our communities together and vote for the things we need in Washington.
Tell us about the differences between running for County Executive and US Congress? Are you hearing from people all over the country?
As the first Democratic Chair of the County Legislature, I cut property taxes three consecutive years while passing ground-breaking legislation including creating Westchester’s Human Rights Commission, passing Smoke Free Workplace Laws, Waste Haulers reforms, and establishing the first cable TV coverage of Board of Legislators meetings.
As a former tenant organizer, I was a leader on housing in the State Assembly, championed critical environmental issues, and he proudly voted to pass Marriage Equality, defend a woman’s right to choose, and keep dangerous guns off our streets. I also cosponsored the New York Health Act to bring universal health care to all New York residents. After several years in the Assembly, I won a tough battle to win a seat in the State Senate in November 2012, before defeating a MAGA Republican in 2017 to become the current County Executive.
With experience as both an executive and a legislator, I bring a unique set of skills and an understanding of legislative and governmental operations that will position me to deliver the funds and policies our district deserves.
In your mind, what are the key issues for voters in this race?
A. First, we must ensure that the economy is working for all New Yorkers. We need more jobs and more wealth building opportunities for everyone. I am committed to making college and career technical programs more accessible and affordable as well as expand support for solopreneurs and small business owners.
In addition, I am a supporter of a living wage for working Americans, and sensitive to the impacts of inflation on food, gas and other essentials on New York residents. If elected to Congress, I would support increasing the national minimum wage to $17 by 2028 in order to help the most vulnerable working people manage ever increasing costs.
B. Gun Violence. The surge in shootings in America is frightening. The number 1 cause of death in children is death by firearms. Locally, I have stood up to the NRA both in the legislature and as County Executive, passing legislation to ban assault weapons and implement universal background checks here in New York, and banning gun shows from County Property. Now we need national legislation to do the same, keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and other dangerous individuals, shutting down the interstate trade in illegal gun trafficking, and banning ghost guns and bump stocks. I am committed to increasing gun back programs, fund more afterschool programs, and expand mental health services with our community centers. We need to strengthen partnerships with faith leaders and community organizers, and invest in grassroots organizations doing the hard work.
C. Safeguarding our rights and our democracy is vital right now. We live in uncertain times and our democracy and the great American experiment will be on the ballot, which is why we must all vote to re-elect the President and continue to undo the damage of the Trump administration’s stacking of the Supreme Court. We need to defend voting rights and fight all efforts at voter suppression and protect our elections from misinformation and manipulation. We must also restore abortion rights on a national level, comparable to what we have already done here in New York, to protect both those seeking abortion care and the health care professionals who serve them.
D. Climate. Climate change is an existential threat to our planet and our future, and we can no longer allow science denying extremists to control the debate. We need leaders who can pass a real Green New Deal that not only creates jobs, but also directly fights climate change by reducing atmospheric carbon while freeing us from dependency on fossil fuels.
E. Housing. As County Executive, I have been a leader in helping create affordable housing throughout a region with scarce housing options. Under my leadership, between 2018 and 2023, we have created 6,443 units of affordable housing in the County. Our aggressive affordable housing efforts continue with $5.7 million recently awarded for land acquisition to create 168 senior units, and I recently authorized the 2024 County Budget, which contains $100 million for additional new affordable housing. We have also sought innovative options for creating affordable housing for vulnerable members of the community, including the use of County property for future affordable units for LGBTQ+ seniors.
If you are elected, what would you advocate for to help local constituents?
Locally, we need increased school aid, increased housing support and NYCHA funding, further investments in infrastructure funding for our roads, bridges, transit, and anti-flooding systems. We need to invest in jobs and job training programs. And we need to protect Social Security and Medicare from republican attempts to gut these vital programs.
Do you think there is a chance to get back the deduction for state and local taxes for New Yorkers? Yes. Trump’s SALT tax hike on New Yorkers must be repealed, and I believe that our best chance of raising the SALT cap is to elect a Democratic majority to Congress and I would work to make that a reality.
Can the Federal Government help Westchester with environmental issues such as flooding?
Yes, the federal government is a key stakeholder to help Westchester mitigate environmental issues such as flooding. For example, currently, in the Village of Mamaroneck the Army Corps of Engineers is leading a $100M federally funded project to mitigate flooding along the Mamaroneck and Sheldrake Rivers, when severe damage was caused by Hurricane Ida. I would support more federal funding to remedy this and other flood mitigation projects. Federal "Superfund" money under the EPA has also been available for several decades to facilitate the cleanup of contaminated lands, these are the types of programs that I would strengthen and support continuing.
How can those who back you help with your campaign?
Anyone is welcome to join our growing grassroots campaign. Please visit https://latimerforny.com for information.
