Town board meets up with Millwood Task Force at Westorchard
JOINT MILLWOOD TASK FORCE + TOWN BOARD MEETING Tues. March 13
Monday, March 12, 2012
Editor’s Note: The town board’s regular meeting this week will take place at Westorchard, with the Millwood Task Force, at 7:45 p.m. On the agenda are the PPS report as well as sewers, a proposed cell tower at Amsterdam, sidewalks and the sign at the A&P corner. In “Read more…” we’re reprinted an NCNOW article containing some details of the PPS report—for example, Millwood’s population and income—and a link to the entire report.
Town board reviews PPS report on Millwood and ponders next steps
February 10, 2012
by Christine Yeres
At its work session last Tuesday, the town board members began their discussion of the newly-completed Project for Public Spaces (PPS) preliminary report on suggested improvements to the Millwood hamlet. “It’s a great start,” said board member Jason Chapin. “I’m anxious to hear what Millwood residents have to say about it and then talk about next steps.”
The PPS report included demographic and income data taken from the 2010 Census, calling Millwood “an extremely wealthy community. The median household and per capita incomes are significantly higher in the area immediately surrounding Millwood than in Weschester County,” with “a predominance of families with young children.”
PPS identified three trade areas, with Millwood as the center (and wealthiest)—containing around 2,000 households with a median household income in 2010 of $177,000 and median per capita income of $77,000—ringed by two others. This center Millwood population is described as “highly educated. 77% of the adults over 25 have a college degree and over half of those also have a graduate or professional degree.”
Most-visited destinations, shops and services that are lacking, suggested goals for the hamlet and a useful summary of the 1999 “Millwood Design Guidelines” are all included in the report.
Development of bike trail seen as big economic boost
The PPS report had much to say about the economic advantages of developing the County bike trail as a defining feature of Millwood.
This struck a chord with board member Robin Stout. “I use the bike trail weekly,” he said, agreeing that “it’s a tremendous resource and we have to figure out a way to beautify it, put more retail and connect it to other retail.” But he was also critical of the PPS report. “Having seen a number of [such reports], I think some points in the report are relatively self-evident.” Supervisor Susan Carpenter agreed. “They do an economic analysis and a walk through, but not a lot of questions were answered. We really need to get a handle on who uses the hamlet,” she said, “what they use it for, and what they want that they don’t find there.”
“I disagree with the two of you,” said board member Elise Mottel. “PPS’s scope of work was quite limited. We did not engage them for a full-blast study,” she said. “We wanted to do this first, to jump start it very quickly. This is only Phase 1. We need to figure out how to go forward.”
PPS consultants walked the Millwood hamlet with town planner David Brito and several members of the Millwood Task Force over the summer. PPS was paid around $6,000 to work up their “Phase 1” report. Phases 2 and 3 are outlined in the Phase 1 report [a link is below], though no cost is specified.
Are enough people aware yet?
“I’m not convinced,” said Carpenter, “that the report’s particular view of what comes next will work in Millwood. When PPS worked on a plan for the Chappaqua hamlet several years ago, they got people to come to visioning sessions at the Bell school. There had been a huge amount of discussion for a long time before that. We have to see how we can get that going.”
“But we didn’t engage them to do that in this report,” said Mottel.
“My point is,” said Carpenter, “that we have to have residents engaged and I don’t think they are right now.”
Board members suggested reaching out to such groups in Millwood as merchants and condo residents at Pheasant Run and Ledgewood Commons. Board member John Buckley suggested the town produce a map of the Millwood hamlet “to help focus on what we’re doing” and that the town and Millwood Task Force set up meetings with merchants. “Let’s get the names of all the merchants on that side of town so we can keep them in the conversation we’re having.” Mottel suggested publishing the report on the town’s website, mynewcastle.org.
Town Board holds its March 13 meeting at Westorchard
The town board will hold a joint meeting with the Millwood Task Force on Tuesday, March 13, at 7:45 p.m. at the Westorchard Cafeteria. The PPS report will be on the agenda.
The 20-page report is also available in pdf form by clicking Project for Public Spaces Phase 1 Memo. If you are a gmail user, NCNOW has reproduced the PPS report in Google docs, which enables any number of users to read and comment in sidenotes in the text. Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to request authorization for your email address to both access the report and to comment on it. If you do not have a gmail account, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll provide you with an address and password to use.
Here are some excerpts from the report:
• Notably, household size in the primary trade area is significantly larger than in the secondary and tertiary trade areas and even in Westchester County as a whole. The relatively large household size would indicate a predominance of families with young children. p. 4
• As would be expected given the relatively large proportion of families with children, the percent of the population of the primary trade area under the age of 18 is greater than in the surrounding areas. However, less predictably, the median age is older – 43.7 years in 2010, and compared to 39.9 in Westchester County. This is due to a population that is skewed toward the 35-65 age group, a population that tends to be in the prime of professional life and at the peak of earning potential. p. 5
• Millwood is an extremely wealthy community. The median household and per capita incomes are significantly higher in the area immediately surrounding Millwood than in Westchester County, with the highest income households in the primary trade area. p. 6
• Population in Primary Trade Area: 6,400 in 2,000 households, about 3.09 persons per household
[Median household income and median per capita income are very close to—approximately the same as—those of Chappaqua]
Median Household Income in 2010: $177,000
Median Household Income in 2015: $216,000Median Per Capita Income in 2010: $77,000
Median Per Capita Income in 2015: $91,500• The population in the primary trade area is highly educated. 77.8% of the adults over 25 have a college degree and over half of those also have a graduate or professional degree. p. 6
• On p. 8 of the report, see where you fit in the demographics—and what your group’s characteristics are:
• Top rung
• Connoisseur
• Wealthy Seaboard Suburbs
• Urban Chic
• City Lights
• On p. 12, see a list of suggested uses and goals, and on p. 13 an extensive list of “primary destinations in the area.” See if you agree.
Also find a concise explanation of the town’s Millwood Design Guidelines, 1993, Amended 1999 on p. 16 and F.P. Clark’s 2009 Millwood Hamlet Center Zoning Analysis and Area Site Plan Study on page p. 17
By Susan Carpenter’s comments, the report is useless moving forward because the Board did not engage PPS in the same way it did in Chappaqua. They took the cheap route and now aren’t sure what to do next. I really hope this report wasn’t election year lip service
Dear Skeptical, No one said the report was useless. Nor was there any suggestion that we didn’t know what to do next. We were clear that the next step is to get the Millwood community engaged in discussing the report and providing iinformation that can be used to create a plan for the hamlet. If you care about this issue, why not be constructive and provide some feedback. Do you shop in Millwood? If so, where? What services would you like to see there that are not being provided? The Town Board and Millwood Task Force will be holding a joint meeting on March 13 at Westorchard and this will be a major topic of discussion- come and listen and share your ideas.
Of course this was election year lip service. But I do recognize that the spending was under Barbers Gerrard’s reign. I look forward to seeing if the current board is able to put together and enact a plan that has the best interests of our town, and not just our town board, in mind.
SC,
Thanks for responding to my message. It is a great sign that you are monitoring what is being written. By this effort alone, I am less skeptical
Please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Thanks
Christine Yeres
I think the majority of people that live in the “West End” of New Castle would like to have the same kind of treatment as the rest of the town. Many of the people that live there have Ossining post office addreses, Ossining ambulance, Millwood fire, a private company picking up their garbage, Ossining library, etc. The connection with New Castle, besides our excellent police services, seems limited to paying taxes to the town and not getting much back. The town made a beautiful park at the Amsterdam property, but none of the children that live in the West End attend the Chappaqua school system. It always seems like we are the forgotten part of the town.
Westender,
What exactly do you want? This study is about downtown Millwood. It has nothing to do with areas further west. When you are part of one town but belong to another school district, there are going to be things that you pay for but get no benefit from. You knew this when you purchased your house. There are people in Millwood who are thrilled that there is a park at Amsterdam and no longer have to travel east for soccer fields.
I think when you say there are things you are going to pay for but get no benefit from you prove just how unfairly the Westend is treated.
Last, but certainly not least, why should the people that live in the Westend of New Castle want to remain part of the town? Lines on a map that were drawn by humans can always be “undrawn”. Perhaps we’d get a better deal being part of Yorktown or Ossining or Briarcliff. The deal we have now stinks, and I can tell you after 15+ years here, it is only getting worse!
Westender,
Why ever did you move to your home in the first place ? And why do you stay ?
Bob
Westender,
A good question was posed by Bob. You didn’t realize that there were disadvantages to living in one Town but not going to the school district there? You have every right to join the Town programs including the sports activities. Arguing that your children would rather play with kids in their own school district is not a valid argument. The opportunity for your involvement is there. If you choose not to utilize them, then you moved into the wrong situation
Is it futile or backwards to prefer to keep Millwood as the quaint little hamlet that attracted us to want to live here in the 1st place? How many residents are suffering from lack of sewers,sidewalks,or street lights? If we need any change,it would be to divert Rt 100 to bypass the village.It has become a traffic nightmare on some days;and will likely get worse.
@by AM - If you think traffic is bad now, just wait till you see the traffic when the Taconic northbound bridge is closed starting March 26. Does anyone really think cars will exit at Pinesbridge Rd. and take that over past the bike path to get to Rt. 100 when they can more easily just get off in Millwood and get directly onto Rt. 100? Did the town have any input into this crazy plan?
The residents of New Castle have demanded SEWERS for the past 50 years; stop saying only the past 8, 10, or 16 years. The Hamlet of Millwood wanted Sewers before the A & P shopping Center was built. The current problem is, NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN DONE. Looking forward, lets ask how the actual SEWER PIPE will be installed? When will it be installed? Who can hook up to it? What restrictions will be put in place? When will TRENCHING BEGIN? More IMPORTANTLY, does Town Hall know how important sewers are to the Hamlet of Millwood? What long term Planning has Town Hall concluded upon for the Hamlet of Millwood based on years past Taxpayer expenditures and completed studies? What happened to all the work that BEAN & BEAN Engineering completed? What happened to all the studies that Frederick P. Clark produced? It all comes down to the availability of SEWERS. Please revisit Mr. Anesi’s remarks; former Planning Board Chairman. What Real Estate Investment Funds has the current Administration of New Castle met with, to welcome their investment into the Municipality? What introductions or outreach is The Town of New Castle conducting or making with Pension Funds, Union Funds, Insurance Companies that invest their collected premiums; to promote and spark investment? How does New Castle PLAN TO ATTRACT the RIGHT INVESTMENT and DEVELOPMENT. The Town of New Castle needs to launch POSITIVE SIGNALS, and proactively put out the RED CARPET. Get SEWERS, and Millwood will change before your eyes. The Town Board needs to SING OUT LOUD, that they want New, Beautiful PROJECTS. What 10 Developers would Susan Carpenter invite into Town Hall and promise approvals in 6 months or less. Investment money goes, where investment dollars are welcomed.
Open message to The Town of New Castle. In an effort to eliminate positions, cut down cost, and streamline expenses; New Castle should make contact with Mt. Kisco to consider merging back together. It is true, Mt. Kisco use to be part of New Castle. How can we get this conversation going?? Mt. Kisco has budget problems, New Castle has budget problems; merging together would make sense. They do this on Wall Street during tough times. We can set a sunset provision to trigger in 20 years, or renew the merger agreement. Both Towns are going to once again be firing people, merging can save some jobs and bring long term stability back. When things get better, we can split up again. Do we do this with Mt. Kisco, or Mt. Pleasant??
