Supervisor’s Report from Tuesday, October 14
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
~ from Supervisor Rob Greenstein
• More Town Events Coming
• Chappaqua Crossing Update
• Update on Westchester County Sewer Inclusion Project
• The ChapLine
• Master Plan Survey Update
During the Pace public outreach sessions for the Master Plan, participants expressed an interest in Town government hosting more events, such as parades and festivals. Here are a few such events being planned:
• New Castle Recreation & Park Department and Kiwi Country Day Camp are proud to present The Fall Festival is scheduled for Sat., Oct 25th from 11a-4p
• New Castle Halloween House Decorating Contest. Prizes will be given in two categories: family-friendly and scariest house. Email submissions to Samantha Levine from Chappaqua Hamlet Hub @ .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
• New Castle Recreation & Park Department and Kiwi Country Day Camp are proud to present “Downtown Chappaqua Halloween” on Wed, October 31st. Celebrate with your favorite local BOO-tiques. Trick or treat, photo booth, fun characters & giveaways.
Chappaqua Crossing Update
I’d like to provide residents with a brief update on the Chappaqua Crossing project. On September 8, the Town Board received several comment memos from our Planning Board that have been posted on the Town’s website. On September 23, the Town Board adjourned the public hearing on Chappaqua Crossing while we awaited receipt of further information and comments from our professional consultants and Town Planner. Specifically, the Town Board expects to receive an updated Competitive Effects Analysis from its outside planning consultant, AKRF, and review memos from its traffic consultant and Town Planner. Tonight, the Town Board intends to adjourn the public hearing to October 28. By then, I expect the Board will have received all outstanding materials on Chappaqua Crossing, which will be posted on the Town’s website. I encourage all residents to review the information that is available on the Town’s website and to attend our next public meeting on October 28, when I expect that our public hearing on Chappaqua Crossing will resume. Once the public has had an opportunity to review and comment on this final round of materials, I expect that the Town Board will entertain a motion to close the public hearing.
Update on Westchester County Sewer Inclusion Project
Westchester county sewer inclusion project involves the connection of Random Farms, Riverwoods, Yeshiva and Chappaqua Crossing to Yonkers’ treatment plant. The Town of New Castle has secured 16 million dollars in county and state funds to help defray construction costs of this major infrastructure project. Unfortunately, due to the county’s delay in approving this project – prior to County Legislator Kaplowitz assuming leadership of the County Board – the cost of this project has skyrocketed. Current construction estimates now project that diversion for these three districts will cost between $24 to $26 million dollars. This leaves the town with a $10 million shortfall. The Town has sought additional funding from the state and the county to further defray the cost of this project to these three districts. Needless to say, these additional funds are not easy to come by; we are one of many worthwhile applicants competing for limited state and county resources. We have explored state, federal and county grants that may be available to the Town for this project and have filed a number of state grants. We are hopeful that one of those applications will be granted.
ChapLine
Also during the Pace public outreach sessions, participants overwhelmingly expressed an interest in enhancing the pedestrian experience and improving trail and bicycle path connections. In today’s enewsletter there is a presentation from Daniel Googel regarding the ChapLine. There is an existing undeveloped pathway extending between Horace Greeley High School to downtown Chappaqua. Developing this path would create a great walking/bicycle path from the high school to downtown Chappaqua. You can also watch the presentation HERE.
Master Plan Update Survey
As you may have heard, the Master Planning Steering Committee is working with an outside survey research firm to gather input from residents about what they think is important to address in the updated master plan. In the near future, you may be contacted by a representative at PSB Interviewing to participate in the telephone survey. The phone interviews will be conducted over the next few weeks and should take you around 20 minutes to complete. This is a great opportunity to share your opinions and we would greatly appreciate your participation. After the survey results are collected, we will share the findings with the public. We are committed to keeping residents engaged and informed throughout the process.
You can also watch the Supervisor’s Report here:
Town of New Castle Supervisor’s Report 10/14/14 from New Castle Media Center on Vimeo.
Rob- over a month ago we were told that this telephone survey was being conducted “over the next few weeks”. It been 5 or 6 weeks so what’s the delay?
Given the AKRF study ( part 2) and the overwhelming support for this development and the near certainty we lose a lawsuit this phone survey is a waste of time and taxpayer money. Even if the NIMBYs somehow corrupt this survey too we still lose tge lawsuit.
I realize you have to pander to your deputy supervisor but your waste taxpayer $$$
What is the impact of the cost of the sewer connections on the prospects for Chappaqua Crossing? Is the town going to borrow $10M or more for Chappaqua Crossing to have sewers? How does this fit in the economic and environmental impacts?
Editor’s Note: The existing buildings are sewer-connected already. The sewers must be extended for approved the residential and perhaps for any new retail construction.
It is in the Public record, as well as memorialized on video, and in news clippings, and through external reporting, that this project was paid for in full and with an amount of $61,000,000.00 dollars. “The money is just sitting their waiting for the political process to just to move it along and get the votes [2001].” So, after all these years and after all the registered comments, and an “Internet Road Map” that digs up all the discussions ever discussed and promised on this issue, where has the money GONE! How were the votes traded around like “baseball cards” at the County level in order to see other parts of Westchester County taken care of that has no threat of getting “Affluent Effluent” flowing down to Yonkers? I call for an independent investigation by the attorney general to piece together all the funds and the trail of funds that have ever been spoken about or paid out as it realtes to sewers in New Castle. The residents of Random Farms, Ushiva, Riverwoods, and the residents of NYC who are said to be drinking water laced with pharmaceuticals should be outraged and motivated to call for hearings on this topic. Enough is enough, and our New Castle Politicians are getting pushed around and off to the side, so now we need to help them, by demanding an investigation into these matters. This is not about Democrats vs. Republicans, this is about screwing over residents who are known to be affluent and those who are less successful not wanting to collect our effluent by design. A sewer designed to come into or expand into our area. Same mindset that surrounds the AFH matter. It’s time to stop this effluent filled matter and lay down pipe. The only way we get this done is to cause a stink by asking for an investigation, and this is how we actually will help enforce the promises made to us by politicians throughout the years. Go to Lake Road and look at the streams near Ushiva.
Assuming that you have a valid point, use your real name to make a complaint to the Attorney General or DA, public integrity unit. Unless you do that, your vague clap trap, is just that…vague clap trap. By the way, you could be right, but I am clueless on your points.
Chappaqua Crossing has nothing to do with the 10 million for a sewer extension. That is for the Random Farms, Yeshiva, Riverwoods connection that runs through Millwood. Most of the Chappaqua Crossing property is already in a sewer district and the developer will have to put in the new lines for its buildings- its part of the cost of development. The project has increased in cost substantially over the years while the County refused to approve it, so now it costs 10 million more than was allocated. Should DEP come up with some more money? Should the County come up with some money? Maybe- lets hope so, but this doesn’t cost the general taxpayer in New Castle anything- it costs the 3 areas in the new district a lot of money- and they will pay big sewer bills unless someone helps pay the overage. On the other hand- this housing should never have been built where and the way it was built- and Westchester County Health Department approved these failing sewage treatment plants to begin with.
Lets not make the same mistake over at the Legionnaires property with a huge development that drains into the Kensico River and will require expensive remediation itself some time in the future.
Peace meal, or piece meal, or meal ticket; this is the question? Why is it that every time its time to vote in New Castle we all start talking about affluent effluent in New Castle? Has anyone else noticed this? What is the connection in New Castle about heading into the voting booth and before doing so, we end up reading or hearing about matters that concern sewers or the expansion of sewers, or problems with all matters related to sewers? Are the issues of sewers really the concern of our Politcians or should it be about matters that serve the residents of New Castle in giving them the ability to safely and properly dispose of their effluent through the beauty and luxury of being able to be connected to a sewer line. Why in the highest property taxed land in the Nation, and in all of the Nation, can’t we simply dig a trench and start laying down sewer pipe where needed throughout Westchester County? Are we not shovel ready, or are we trying to shovel dirt on top of this topic until the next time we all need to vote someone into office? How will we see and hear the future Politicians, whomever they maybe, and from whatever party they will come from, try and use this topic to capture our…….votes?
