Ann Gallelli

Decoding Village Agendas – January 17, 2017

Regular Meeting of the Village Board

8:00

 (Open to Public  – Televised)

NOTE:  This meeting is on Tuesday due to Martin Luther King Day

PUBLIC HEARING: Public Hearing to consider the formal adoption of the Village’s Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is a written document that contains goals, objectives, and strategies for the future development and conservation of the community.  The Village Board has previously declared itself Lead Agency on the proposed adoption of an updated Comprehensive Plan.  An earlier public hearing on the plan was held in June 2016.  Both the Planning Board and the Waterfront Advisory Committee have been asked for recommendations on Part 1 of the EAF (environmental Assessment Form) and the CAF (Coastal Assessment Form) for the plan.

CORRESPONDENCE:

• Chris Kehoe, Deputy Director of the Planning Division, Town of Cortlandt: re; Notification of a Public Hearing at 7:00PM on January 24, 2017 at Cortlandt Town Hall, 1 Heady Street, Cortlandt Manor, NY to consider amending the Zoning Ordinance to create an M1A zoning district in the area of Roa Hook Road and to create a definition for organic waste composting and to permit said composting in said district. The Town is proposing a zoning change as described above and, as a Village in the Town, we are being notified of their public hearing.

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS:

a.      Village Board issues and adopts the EAF parts 2 and 3 Determination of Significance attached hereto, and adopts a Negative Declaration in connection with the application for an  amended special use permit from Hudson National Golf Club to construct a 12 room cottage building for overnight guests and a caddy storage building on their property located at 40 Arrowcrest Drive.  The Board had previously reviewed the SEQRA documents and meeting and requested the staff to complete the appropriate Part 2 and Part 3 EAF SEQRA documents, the Board will consider a Negative declaration as to the environmental significance of the proposal.

b.      The Village Board declares itself lead agency for SEQRA purposes related to proposed amendments to the Village’s zoning code regarding walls, retaining walls, fences and accessory uses, and it authorizes the circulation of the Environmental Assessment Form and Coastal Assessment Form to the Planning Board and Waterfront Advisory Committee. The purpose of this amendment is to more clearly define certain terms such as walls, height, and accessory structures. The law also limits the height of fences in front yards to 4 feet.  The Zoning Board has requested for some time a better definition of some terms in the law to help with their processing of variances.  Currently fences up to 6 feet in height can be installed anywhere on the lot and fences less than 25% solid (chain link, etc.) have no height restrictions other than the maximum height of an accessory building which is 15 feet.  The proposed amendment would limit the height of fences and walls in the front yard to 4 feet and limit the height of fences that are less than 25% solid to a maximum of 8 feet.  It is also proposed that the finished side of the fence face the street or the abutting lot which is currently not covered in the code.

c.       The Village Board calls for a Public Hearing on February 6, 2017 at 8:00PM in the Meeting Room of the Stanley H Kellerhouse Municipal Building to consider amending the Local Law regarding signage in Village rights-of-way. The amendments would limit the type of signage that can be located in the Village’s right-of-way.   The proposed law would amend Chapter 197, Section 8  regarding posting signs in the Village’s Right of Way (ROW).It would prohibit any signs from being put in the ROW.  It also amends Chapter 230, Section 44 (K)(1)  regarding the definition of temporary signs.  This does not apply to political signs.

d.      Board of Trustees adopts Fund Balance and Debt Policy. The fund balance policy recommends setting the unassigned general fund balance to 17-22% of the total appropriations and creating reserve accounts with any surplus on a yearly basis. The debt policy recommends limiting overall general fund debt payments to within 16% of total appropriations and planning to reduce the overall debt by not issuing more debt per year than is retired each year,  Both the Fund Balance Policy and the Debt Policy are policies recommended by the NYS Comptrollers office , NYCOM (New York Conference of Mayors) and the Village Fiscal Sustainability Committee.  The recommendations in both policies generally follow the guidelines provided by those organizations.  Both policy proposals are available on the Village website under Meeting Agendas.

e.       The Village Board repeals the previous authorization of serial bonds dating back to June 22, 2015 and August 15, 2016 that were to provide financing for various capital improvements. The Village has determined that all or a portion of the financing authorizations will not be required for these capital projects and proposes to repeal the serial bond authorizations.    This pertains only to past resolutions supporting potential bonds that were never issued.  In some cases, projects or purchases were postponed or paid for in another way such as through the General Fund operating budget or through a trust account.  The Manager and Treasurer are recommending this action.  It does not affect any existing bonds.

f.        Authorizing the Village Manager to award the contract to WD Excavation and Contracting Inc. of Croton-on-Hudson, NY in the amount of $555,500 to replace the bridge and culvert at Pump House Road. This infrastructure provides access to the Village’s Water Department building.   This work has been under consideration for several years.  It would fix the two entrances to the well field location including the culverts.  One of the entrance suffered extreme damage in Hurricane Irene.  Twelve bids were received for this work.

g.      Authorizing the Village Manager to award the contract to Provident Design Engineering of Hawthorne, New York in the amount of $5,900 to evaluate the traffic flow and safety at the intersection of Old Post Road and Grand Street.  The memo from the DPW Superintendent says that this is to address public comments and concern about pedestrian safety and traffic impacts at this intersection.  The study will include traffic engineering protocols as well as a public meeting  to present their findings.

h.      Board of Trustees authorizes the Village Attorney to execute the Tax Certiorari Settlement with Verizon New York Inc. for property located at 85 North Riverside Avenue (67.20-4-39).  The Village and Verizon have reached a settlement which calls for the Village to reimburse Verizon in the amount of $15,935.01 for their challenges to their Village property assessments.

i.        Authorizing the Village Manager to accept the proposal from Buckhurst, Fish & Jacquemart (BFJ Planning) in the amount not to exceed $10,000 to complete work in order to update the Village’s Comprehensive Plan.  BFJ has been working with the Village in developing its updated Comprehensive Plan.  It completed its previously contracted work in December 2016.  There are a few more steps involved in completing the process which BFJ will be involved in, including the public hearing at this meeting, a work session with the Board, a revised document and SEQRA and Coastal Zone documentation.

j.        Authorizing the Village Manager to sign a change order in the amount of $262,206.79, pending the approval all of necessary permits, for the installation of  a water main at Elliott Way. Hietkemp Inc. has been contracted by the Village over the past three years to perform extensive cement lining and water main work to upgrade the Village’s distribution system, and they have agreed to install the proposed 1,200 feet of  8 inch water main along Elliott Way for the current pricing within their current cerement lining / water main installation contract.   As described above, Heitkemp has been involved in extensive water-related work for the last three years in the Village.  They have agreed to do this proposed work at their current contract prices.   This work had been included as part of the Elliott Way improvement bid which came in very high.  This aspect of the Improvement project has been removed from the project and would be contracted with Heitkemp.  This work will provide an important loop for service to Half Moon Bay as well as Senasqua Park,  Croton Yacht Club and Croton Landing.

k.      Authorizing the Village Treasurer to amend Capital Projects 16311 in the amount of $215,613.17 for PAVE NY, Extreme Winter and CHIPS monies received from NYS for roadway and curb improvement projects.  This is a budget housekeeping resolution to record monies received under these two programs.

l.        Authorizing the Village Treasurer to amend the General Fund 2016-201717 budget in the amount of $ 6,786 for monies received by building permits over budget. This surplus was due to the permit fees received from ShopRite for their expansion project.   This reflects a surplus in the Building Permit fees (over the budgeted expectation) due to the Shop Rite expansion.  The Village used an consultant to help it review the application.  This surplus money would be used to pay for the  consultant costs.