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Open Space
April 8, 2008
Several members of the Open Space Committee addressed the board on a series
of issues.
1. Open space acquisition
Using a variety of criteria, the Committee has identified nine parcels that
it believes should be acquired by the town and retained as open space. The
first three properties have the highest priorities. The properties are
identified as follows on the Committee's list:
Granite Knoll, Stoney St, 125 acres
State Land, Crompond Rd, 99.6 acres
Sullivan, Route 118, 21.8
acres
Lockwood, Foothill/Lockwood,
34 acres
Sanctuary Golf Course, Route
118, 186.6 acres
Creative Living Development,
Route 6N, 49.1 acres
Hog Hill, Hog Hill Rd, 31.2 acres
Strawberry Knoll, Strawberry
Rd, 15.0 acres
Hill Property, Hill Blvd,
15.13 acres
The Committee recommends that the town use the $3.5M that remains of the $5M
open space bond issue to purchase the properties. (See below for an updated
figure on the balance of funds in the open space account.)
Councilman Bianco noted that some of the parcels
have major environmental constraints. Committee member John Schroeder also
questioned work that was currently being done on the Sanctuary parcel.
Mr. Schroeder also raised the question of who would negotiate potential land
purchases for the town. In the past this was done by former supervisor Linda
Cooper. He advised the board that both Ms. Cooper and the Westchester Land
Trust have offered to perform this service at no change; a third organization
would charge a fee. The board advised the Committee that it could initiate
discussions with landowners and then notify the board if and when further
negotiations were warranted.
2. Funds for open space acquisition
The Committee noted that there is now approximately $3.5M left in the open
space fund and that the town is paying off the $5M bond issue at the rate of
$400,000 a year, based on revenue from a flat tax of $30 per property owner.
The question the group raised was how to raise additional revenue once the
$3M was used up. Suggestions included
1. a
new bond issue
2. increasing
the $30 flat tax to possibly $60, possibly in $10 increments over a number of
years
3. utilizing
the Community Preservation Act which allows towns to impose up to a 2% tax on
the portion of real estate sales that exceed the average selling price in the
community (which for Yorktown in 2003 was $500,000.)
Councilman Metz said he would never okay the tax which he called a
"killer" in other communities that have such a tax. The tax was
also opposed by Councilman Bianco, although he did
say that he might consider a referendum that would increase the current flat
tax by maybe $5-$10. Councilman Metz asked if there could be different flat
tax rates for residential and commercial properties; no answer was
forthcoming.
There was also a brief discussion over the comparative merits of levying a
flat open space tax as opposed to an ad valorem tax that would be based on
the value of the property, e.g., the JV Mall would pay more than a typical
homeowner.
3. Town owned open space
The Committee showed the board a map that identified about 70 town owned
properties of various sizes, some of which the town is currently paying taxes
on and which should be reclassified as "parkland" and taken off the
tax rolls.
The board directed the Committee to go through the list of properties and
identify the ones that should be changed and report back to the board.
Councilman Campisi said that the Legacy Ballfield site should not be reclassified parkland until
the construction was completed. (Note: At a June 24, 2008 work session, in
the context of a discussion of another open space issue, a board member asked
Walt Daniels, a member of the Committee, about the status of this report and
was told that "it's in the hand's of Lorraine DeSisto (of the Planning Department.")
(See "Disposition of town owned vacant parcels" below.) 4. Hiring a
steward
Committee member Walt Daniels advised the town that the Committee would use
some of the funds in its budget to hire a steward who would walk town
property to check on vandalism, dumping, etc.
5. Membership
The board was reminded that the Committee has one vacancy. The board will
advertise the opening.
6. Hunterbook Forest Plan
John Schroeder asked the town to approve a proposed Forest Management Plan
for the Hunterbrook area where there is a need for
tree thinning and the elimination of invasive species. Another Committee
member noted that the town's forests were in "bad" shape and that
thinning was needed. He also pointed out that the town could generate some
revenue by selling off unwanted trees.
The Plan will be sent to the Planning Department and the Conservation Board
for review.
(See update, see summary for 4/14/2009 below.)
Hemlock Hill Farm
In a separate action, the board approved the expenditure of $226,000 from the
open space fund to finance its share of the $3.6M acquisition of development
rights for the Hickory Hill Farm (aka DiMaria
property). The acquisition took place in 2005. Yorktown and Cortlandt each paid 12% of the cost, Westchester County
25% and New York State 50%. Ten percent of the parcel is in Yorktown; the
remaining land is in Cortlandt.)
Yorktown Jewish Center/acquisition of paper road
May 13, 2008 work session
Eliot Senior, the Center's vice president of grounds and buildings appeared
before the board asking that it abandon a paper road (James St) that bisects
the Center's property and sell the land to the Center. He said that the
Center had no immediate plans to do anything with the parcel and that if
anything it would provide a larger buffer to the surrounding residences.
Councilman Campisi stated that it was town policy
not to sell town property; we buy property, he said. He didn't make any
distinction for land that was a paper road. He noted that the town had turned
down other requests to purchase small town-owned parcels.
A homeowner on the improved portion of James St expressed concern over what
the Center might do with the property if it acquired it.
Mr. Senior explained that the Center has had some discussions with the Jewish
Community Center (JCC) in the Parkside Shopping Center about using some space
at the Center once its current lease is up. Also, there is some possibility
that the one story building used for the Center's nursery school might be
enlarged by adding a second story and having the JCC use the building for
classes for disabled children.
Councilman Metz advised Mr. Senior to return to the board with more
information on how and what the Center might want to use the paper road
property for in the future.
May 20, 2008
During the Courtesy of the Floor portion of the meeting, John Schroeder,
speaking on behalf of the Yorktown Land Trust, Putnam Land Trust and
Westchester Land Trust advised the board that the Danner Family (note:
spelling may not be correct) has given a conservation easement of
approximately 28 acres on Indian Hill Rd (roughly half in Yorktown and half
in Putnam Valley) that will be owned by the Westchester Land Trust. The
parcel is at a high point on Indian Hill and includes both a wooded area and
old farm fields.
Open space land swap
June 24, 2008 work session
A representative for the owners of an 18 acre parcel off Stony St and Quarry
Dr made an informal presentation of a possible land swap between the owner's
parcel and nearby town-owned on Stony St or any other parcel in town.
The 18 acre site was once planned as a second section of the existing
subdivision on Stony and Quarry. Access to the site would be over an easement
that would go through town-owned land. Based on the proposed new master plan,
four units would be permitted on the site which was generally considered to
be without any environmental constraints.
The representative, Maury Carpenter explained that while the owners could
develop the site, the town might want to do the swap in order to link
existing parklands and also to avoid the possibility of access to a
subdivision through town land.
In response to Councilman Bianco's question: why
would the town want to do this and bail the owner out of a bad mistake, Mr. Carpenter
explained the potential benefit of linking adjoining parklands, a point that
was supported by planning director John Tegeder.
Walt Daniels of the town's Open Space Committee said that the group had
written a memo in opposition to the swap idea although he did not explain why
and it appeared that the board had not seen the memo.
It was noted that part of the possible town owned land fronting on Stony St
that could be swapped contained wetlands and steep slopes although Mr.
Carpenter said he thought four units could be sited on environmentally
acceptable areas.
There was no discussion of other town owned land that could be used for the
swap.
December
9, 2008, work session (open space acquisition)
Town Assessor Harold Girdelstone and Walt Daniels
of the Open Space Committee gave the board a list of vacant town owned
properties that the town is currently paying school, county and town taxes
on. The parcels range in size from over 100 acres (off Stony St) to a 0.01
acre sliver of land alongside a road. The assessor and Open Space Committee
are working together to gather more information about each parcel before the
board decides to convert them to parkland. Mr. Girdelstone
said that some of the parcels are “no brainers,” such as those
that adjoin existing town parkland. Once declared parkland, the parcels are
taken off the tax rolls and only pay sewer and water taxes. By converting the
parcels to parkland, Councilman Bianco estimated
that the town could save about 90% of the current $103,000 in taxes that are
paid for the parcels. In order for the properties to be taken off the tax
rolls for 2010 taxes, the town board must act by June 1, 2009.
April
14, 2009, work session
Possible land acquisition/Stony Street
John Schroder speaking for the Westchester Land Trust, and Walt Daniels,
representing the town's Open Space Committee, advised the board the one of
the town's high priority parcels (aka Granite Knolls) for acqusition
was currently on the market for $6 million. The parcel is divided into two
sections: 125 acres on the east side of Stony Street that backs up to the
Taconic Parkway, and a 75 acre site on the west side that backs up to the
Phoenix House property. They said that both parcels were flat, with few
wetlands and very developable. Mr. Schroder added that he had heard rumors
that Toll Brothers (developers) had been “snooping” around.
Mr. Schroder said that the Westchester Land Trust wanted to set the possible
acquisition process in motion by getting the parcel appraised and doing a
title search at a cost of about $5525. He requested the board to prepare a
letter authorizing the WLT to proceed. The letter will stipulate a $6,000 cap
for the two measures. Funds will come from the town's open space fund. The
board will approve the resolution at the next meeting.
It was noted that the current property owners are in arrears – for
several years – on their taxes and that there is a mortgage on the
property.
There was some discussion over how much money was left in the town's $5
million Open Space Fund that is financed by the $30 a year tax on property
owners. Some of the money was used to acquire the Solomon's Farm parcel and
also to pay for a portion of the development rights on the DeMaria farm that straddles Yorktown and Cortlandt. Councilman Campisi
initially asked whether the town should wait before authorizing the appraisal
until it knew how much money remained in the fund. Mr. Buckley will find out
how much money remains in the fund and let the board know.
(Note: Mr. Schoeder met with the town board in
closed session on April 29, 2009 to continue the discussion.)
Planting
project at Hunterbrook Preserve
John Schroeder, speaking for the Westchester Land Trust, explained that the
group wants to do a forest management plan on the 45 acre preserve for which
it holds a conservation easement. Because the town is a co-holder of the
easement, the group needs town approval, plus it will also need a wetlands
permit.
The group's plan includes new plantings as well as removing invasive species,
measures which Mr. Schroeder explained, are
consistent with the conditions in the easement. He added that in February,
the Yorktown Land Trust reviewed the plan and was satisfied that it was
consistent with the easement.
Councilman Campisi said that before he voted to
approve the plan, he wanted to read the easement and Councilman Metz
suggested that Mr. Schroeder speak with Bruce Barber, the town's
environmental consultant and town planner, John Tegeder.
Mr. Schroeder will provide copies of the easement as well as an executive
summary of the plan to the board in advance of a follow up discussion at the
April 28th work session.
April 29, 2009, work session
John Schroeder of the Westchester Land Trust and a second representative of
the Trust had earlier submitted an executive summary and map of the proposed
forest management plan to the board. The board had no problem with the plan.
Councilman Bianco advised them to touch base with
the Conservation Board, adding that he was sure that group would agree with
the plan. The board gave the WLS the go ahead on the plan; a formal
resolution will not be required.
Mr. Schroeder added that the plan could serve as a model for other wooded
areas in town.
In response to questions from the board, he said that the linear park was
being used and that it was included in both the Yorktown and Westchester
“walk books.” The stream, which is a native trout stream, is
accessible for fishing.
The project will not cost the town any money, and it was noted that NYS has a
grant program for eliminating invasive vines.
As an aside, Town Clerk Alice Roker and Councilman
Matt Metz both noted that more information has to be made public about some
of the town's lesser known recreational and open space facilities. Mr. Schreoder will explore whether a town board meeting can
be held at the park.
April
21, 2009
Possible land acquisition/Stony Street
As a follow up to the discussion at last week's work session, John Schroeder,
speaking on behalf of the Westchester Land Trust and the Yorktown Open Space
Committee, asked why there was no resolution on the board's agenda
authorizing the expenditure of money for an appraisal and title search for
the Granite Knolls property on Stony St.
In response, Councilman Campisi said that after
reviewing the documents relating to the possible acquisition, he had some
additional tax related questions and that more discussion was needed. He advised
Mr. Schroeder to attend next week's work session and that if the board wanted
to proceed with the appraisal after the discussion, it could vote at that
meeting.
August 11, 2009, work
session
Appraisal for 3000 Stony Street property
The board decided not to authorize the appraisal of the property until the
current owner paid the back taxes that are due. The parcel is being
considered for possible acquisition. The only price mentioned to date was $6
million.
Disposition of town owned vacant parcels
(See April 8, 2008 above)
April 21, 2009
Linda Miller, speaking on behalf of Citizens for an Informed Yorktown, urged
the board not to make a blanket decision to designate all town owned vacant
parcels as parkland but instead adopt criteria that could be applied to each
parcel individually. She asked that the public be given an opportunity to
provide input on the criteria before the board made any decision, which she
said, was likely to be made within the next two months.
She noted that the parcels varied in size, location and environmental and
recreational value to the town and that one solution wasn't appropriate for
all parcels. She cited some of the financial costs associated with
designating all the parcels parkland.
In response, Councilman Martorano agreed that all
the sites should be looked at individually but stressed the need to preserve
as much open space as possible. But, he added, we may be able to
“unload” some parcels.
May 19, 2009
With no discussion, the board approved the reclassification of approximately
120 town owned vacant parcels. Most of the parcels were reclassified to a
“parkland” designation which took them off the tax rolls. Others
were classified as 'open space” which keeps them on the tax rolls.
(Town owned properties that are on the tax rolls pay school and county
taxes.)
After the vote, Councilman Bianco said that the
reclassification has added approximately 400 acres of parkland and will save
the town approximately $103,000 He didn't know why anyone would be opposed to
such an action. Councilman Martoranoa said he
supported any measure that would preserve open space for our future and for
our grandchildren.
During Courtesy of the Floor (which came after the board voted on the
resolution), Susan Siegel, speaking on behalf of Citizens for an Informed
Yorktown (and the person writing this summary) stated that her group was
surprised that the board had voted on the reclassification that evening
without any prior discussion at a work session. She reminded the board that
approximately a month ago, in a statement to the board, the group had asked
that the public be given an opportunity to provide feedback on the issue
before any vote was taken. She said the group was not questioning any
specific reclassification but rather the rushed process.
In response, Councilman Bianco said that the town
was under a June 1st deadline to make the changes.
When the board reviewed the list of properties during its pre-meeting
session, it was decided that before changing the classification of
approximately 10 parcels, adjoining property owners would be given the
opportunity to purchase the parcels.
Land Purchase
September 1, 2009
The town approved the purchase of land from Eugene Antini
for $20,000 and designated the land as parkland. No details about the
location of the property were given, but it was noted in the agenda that the
board had approved a resolution relating to the purchase of the property on
November 16, 2004. The parcel is located at Section 16.14, Block 1, Lots 20
and 27.
Donation of property at Parmly Road
September 8, 2009, work session
The board voted to accept the donation of a small dock lot on Parmly Road that would provide public access to Mohegan
Lake. The parcel, which will be designated parkland, currently pays about
$60-$70 a year in taxes. The offer of the donation came in the form of a
letter from the property owner to the town.
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