In another recent email blast, Mr Feiner all but admitted he and his Board have helped to hurt business along Central Avenue. He said, “The Austin Ave & Ridge Hill developments have hurt businesses located on Central Ave. And the soon to open up Rivertowns Square shopping plaza off the Saw Mill River Parkway will hurt local businesses even more.” Mr Feiner has never met a major project or developer he has not endorsed or supported. While these two examples were not approved by he and his Board, the Unincorporated Town is full of similar projects, showing his largess to developers by his actions. Although there is now one he's gone against, The Jefferson in Ardsley.
More importantly, many residents, business owners, the G10 and others concerned with all of the regulations, fees, fines, permits, etc., that business owners are faced with from the Town have warned of the ill-effects it will have on not only our retail businesses, but our service industries in general. One example several years ago was when the Town Board directly tried to create a fine through a “new regulation” addressed specifically against the Apple Farm.
It seems that one of the Board members had gone to the Apple Farm and saw the flimsy wooden and/or cardboard crates stacked on the sidewalk after being delivered that morning. Seizing on an opportunity to balance the Town’s budget given its lawsuit payments and fines, a discussion about safety ensued. Of course the end result was a new regulation with a fine. This was never about safety. And, the sidewalk is on private property and doesn’t even fall under the aegis of the Town.
There is little left in our Town that isn’t taxed, regulated, or fineable, has a fee attached to it or allows for simply something you can do without government overreach fondling our wallets. And when there does happen to be something not regulated, requiring a fee or is, perish the thought, free, there’s a politician researching how to write a new bill to allow government to tax it! Is it any wonder people are voting with their feet? But, it turns out Greenburgh is not alone.
The City of White Plains released their proposed budget several days ago. As do all politicians, they bemoaned the NYS 2% Tax Cap as the cause for their financial woes. The reality is the tax cap is superficial and the real issue is their lack of budgetary and financial savvy. Let’s take a look at a few of their budget changes. The low hanging fruit, if you will, are the successful businesses that won’t do more than balk a bit and then pay up. Case in point is the Cabaret Licensing that was just approved by the White Plains Council to the tune of a 400% increase from $500 per year to now $2,500 per year! In White Plains these cabaret licenses must be renewed yearly, effective July 1, 2016. Although, come election-time, you’ll hear them all profess, “I’ll fight for you!”
According to White Plains Common Council President James Kirkpatrick, “But we had a ridiculously low tax cap this year — one tenth of one percent — and we haven’t raised some of these fees in a long time.” So, there you have it, a valid reason to increase fees 400% - simply because it hasn’t been done in a while. He claimed that cabaret licensing required a significant amount of work by city staffers to review and administer these applications. Hello? This is why you have these staff members, to do the City’s work, review applications and paperwork. Why are some taxpayers being taxed a second time and forced to pay twice for services?
The state tax cap has limited the amount of money local governments can raise through taxes to two percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. For Greenburgh it is about the same as White Plains, which is 0.12 percent. However, all these various Boards must do is vote to go beyond the tax cap and then they can do whatever they feel the need to do. The real problem is fear. None of them want to be the bad guy who voted openly to raise taxes.
Fee increases are also coming for eateries that provide sidewalk seating and service during the spring and summer. Those businesses currently pay $7.50 per square foot of public sidewalk that is used. Beginning July 1, the rate will be $8 per square foot. Coin operated laundries in the city will see their annual licensing fee escalate from $50 to $150 for those with 30 machines or fewer, and from $100 to $250 for laundromats with 31 or more machines.
All businesses will be charged more for alarm permits, with the annual license renewal doubling from $100 to $200 a year. Businesses will also see an increase in the cost of the annual fire inspection required by city fire code, from $4.20 per $1,000 of assessed value to $5 per $1,000 — a 19 percent increase.
Most business owners never saw it coming. Commuters and residents won’t be spared from fee increases either, with the price of city parking permits going up by varying amounts, depending on type of permit and location of the lot or garage. The residential alarm permit application fee remains the same at $50, but the annual permit renewal cost has been doubled from $25 to $50. Also going up, from $7.50 to $10, is the cost of obtaining a police accident report. The price of a police Good Conduct certificate, which is sometimes requested by potential employers, is rising from $5 to $25. Look around in White Plains when you are searching for a parking space. There is no place you can park for free. Frankly, many have stopped shopping in White Plains for that reason alone.
So why does all of this matter? It’s simple really. Again, in his daily email blast, where Mr Feiner discussed Austin Ave & Ridge Hill developments and the impending Rivertowns Square shopping plaza off the Saw Mill River Parkway, his solution is to shut down one lane or one side of Central Avenue and treat it like a street fair once a month. Not only is this absurd, it would be a logistical nightmare from a safety, traffic, travel and crowd control standpoint. Frankly, it’s not a solution, it’s another Feiner deflection away from the real issue – over-development. Plus, all we need is one senior to drive the wrong way or get confused and turn into the wrong area and it was all for naught.
Here’s a better idea. Plan a budget that works within the amount of money the Town takes in through all of its current revenue streams. Then start reviewing those that have been inactive, unused or ignored and delete them. Then begin to incorporate a Comprehensive Plan for each city, town, village and community and adhere to it. Most important, however, is to have the politicians, who know nothing about operating a successful business, get out of the way of business and let them do what they do. They are the experts and they will figure out the solution.
Finally, Mr Feiner, as you approve these major building proposals throughout the Town, you have been told by many how these projects will affect business. Sadly, while you and your Board refuse to listen, many residents, especially those with kids, are too fearful to take a bike ride on our streets because you have over-developed the area and there is just too much traffic. There is no cohesive planning to develop and more importantly maintain walking and biking throughout our Town. Why fix it when you can talk about it? This has to stop. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Memorial Day Remberence
On this Memorial Day weekend, we remember those who sacrificed their
lives for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Our thoughts
and prayers are with all those who are grieving. May we, as Abraham
Lincoln famously said, “highly resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain–that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of
freedom–and that government of the people, by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Please watch this tribute: Just A Common Soldier
Please watch this tribute: Just A Common Soldier
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Zoning Proposal Nightmare
This past Thursday night, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
met to discuss several applications before them. The first one on the agenda
was from Foundation Shelbourne (Shelbourne) – again. They had already been
before the Board hawking their proposed assisted living facility at 448
Underhill Avenue, which is the current home of the Sprainbrook Nursery, and were turned down. Their
proposal in a residential neighborhood is simple. They will purchase the
property from Al Krautter and his family for several million dollars. They will remove
everything there and build their proposed 80-unit, four story facility in the middle of a residential neighborhood. According
to the lawyers for Shelbourne, they only need a few variances to conform to
code. If you don’t listen to the lawyers, the project violates the new Town
Assisted Living facility code recently written (by Brightview Assisted Living)
and adopted by the Town Board several years ago! According to them, however, they are making a residential proposal.
As mentioned previously, the Assisted Living Zoning code was written by the attorneys for the
Brightview Assisted Living facility and custom tailored for their then-proposed
Glenville takeover. They specified the height requirement, the acreage needed,
the need for a State or County right-of way within 200ft and so on. There are other
points, but these are the most salient and what was again being regurgitated to
the ZBA this night. To their credit, even though the lawyers droned (more on drones in a
moment) on, the ZBA members appeared to pay attention. The ZBA is actually the
last line of defense for homeowners to not lose their neighborhoods. However,
with the last few appointments made by Mr Feiner, that privilege is slowly
being lost.
The fact that Mr Feiner wants this project to move forward
for whatever reason and at any cost is more than troubling. This project is
very much reminiscent of another inappropriate commercial project in a
residential neighborhood that he endorsed and even held a phony referendum for:
the GameOn 365. With that project, he claimed an 8-story sports bubble placed
in a residential neighborhood was perfectly acceptable! While Mr Feiner enjoys
a relatively unscathed lifestyle in his gated community, he has no qualms about
devaluing your home or neighborhood to satisfy the financial needs and wants of
his developer friends.
During the ZBA meeting many points were made by the
attorney’s for Shelbourne, although many if not most were simply their opinion.
In fact they showed a flyover video recorded by a drone of the property. They claimed to have unanimous Planning Board and Town Board support. This
point is correct. Mr Feiner wants this project and these two Boards’ members
know not to go against him or be “Sonya’d”. So they are for it. They claim there
will be less impervious space and they are remediating the existing flooding on
the northwest corner. Perhaps, but remediation usually entails regrading and
altering the terrain, ultimately moving the water from one location to another.
A key point, then, is who will get stuck with the water? They plan to extend
the sewer lines into the existing ones in the area. New, larger sewer piping
will be linked for these 80 units into the smaller existing sewer lines already
in place. With a failing infrastructure throughout our Town being ignored by
this administration, we don’t think this is a very good plan. Finally,
attorneys claimed they worked closely with emergency responders at their other
facilities to respond to alarms without lights and sirens. We know this cannot
be correct.
The Shelbourne attorney’s tag-team presentation insisted
multiple times that the residents for this facility will come from our
Greenburgh neighborhoods. They will not be welcome if they are on Medicaid or
have no assets to pay their way into this high-end facility. They also claimed
to have ten facilities operating elsewhere and three of them are on less than
the required 4-acres of property. Yet they have never said where these
facilities are. Why does this matter?
Because as you agree to insert any commercial facility in a
residential neighborhood, it sets a precedent that then allows any commercial
facility to appeal for a variance and build where they want, whether
appropriate or not. Likewise, when you have a Town Board who refuses to follow
the zoning and dare we say Comprehensive Plan for the Unincorporated Town,
you’ll get fractured neighborhoods, lack of continuity with looks, traffic and
feel all being compromised. Is that what our homeowners signed on for when they
purchased their home? We doubt it.
At issue are the same two points Shelbourne refuses to
accept and know they don’t have to, mostly because they have Mr Feiner on their
side fighting their fight. But the Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals, as we
mentioned before, is the Town’s and its residents’ last line of defense. This
proposed facility needs variances because the property is too small at
3.79-acres instead of the required 4-acres and is over a mile away from the
State or County right-of-way that is required to be 200ft or less. The Town
allowed Brightview’s attorney’s to write the current Town Zoning ordinance.
That ordinance was tailor written for their facility at Rt. 119 and Benedict
Avenue. It overwhelmed the rest of the neighborhood, is exclusionary to Greenburgh
residents on Medicaid or without any money to purchase a space and doesn’t
blend in with the surrounding area.
If you’re not sure that the size really makes a difference, go
there and see how their facility looms over the edge of the property and overpowers
the area. Shelbourne’s requests for variances will probably be approved by the
newer half of the Zoning Board. However, this request is cut and dry. The
variances should be refused because the variances are bigger than a simple
variance such as moving a set back distance from 50ft to 40ft. Shelbourne is
looking to cavalierly overturn Town Zoning code for their financial benefit.
This must not be allowed to happen. If Shelbourne truly wants to build an
assisted living facility in Greenburgh, they should seek a different location.
Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Armed Forces Day!
We would like to thank all our Men and Women who are on Active
Duty and our Veterans - For their Service to this great Country!
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Benefit Car Show
The Westchester Corvette Club is having their Annual Spring Dust Off Classic Car Show at Arroway Chevrolet in Mt Kisco this Sunday. The car dealership usually clears out all of their inventory to allow the classic car owners room to display their vehicles. This year, the Westchester Corvette Club is donating a portion of the proceeds to the Just Imagine Making Miracles Yours Foundation (J.I.M.M.Y.). The J.I.M.M.Y. Foundation has a ten-year legacy of helping sick children and the families.
We hope everyone will come out to what promises to be a terrific car show based on previous ones they’ve held and help to support the J.I.M.M.Y. Foundation in the quest to help sick kids and the families.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Town Board Makes Mockery of Process
We’ve previously written that Mr Feiner, and naturally his Town Board, favor the Foundation Shelbourne Assisted Living facility proposed at the site of the current Sprainbrook Nursery. Sadly, once Mr Feiner wants something, he’ll do whatever it takes to be successful. He previously tried to stop the Fortress Bible Church of Mt Vernon from building in State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti’s former backyard. He, and ultimately we the taxpayer, was subsequently sued in Federal Court and found guilty of discrimination, lying under oath, destroying evidence and four other counts. Town Councilwoman Diana Juettner was also found guilty in that action. No stranger to violating the law or bastardizing "the process" for his own gain, Mr Feiner and his Town Board has done it again.
At the last Town Board meeting, Mr Feiner prematurely held a public hearing for the SEQRA process, calling the hearing “optional”. The G10, as well as others, were out in force and all of them questioned why this SEQRA hearing was being done? SEQRA stands for State Environmental Quality Review Assessment analysis. The analysis is usually done once a project proposal has been approved. This one was not - except by Mr Feiner, which in bizarro-Greenburgh, is enough.
At issue for the proposed 4-story, 80 unit assisted living facility, is that it does not meeting the zoning requirements for the location and would require numerous variances to be allowed. You may recall several years ago when Brightview Assisted Living proposed their facility overlooking Rt 119 at Benedict Avenue (across from Stop and Shop), they wrote the zoning code for the Town. ABG and others protested it but were overruled when the Town Board adopted it almost verbatim. The code they submitted included every nuance that they had put in the plans for their facility. ABG cannot help wonder why the Town has a legal department that cannot write our own codes, regulations and laws?
This proposal requires a proper use variance. It does not have one. The Zoning Board of Appeals issued a determination on April 21st regarding an appeal by the Edgemont Community Council of then-Building Inspector John Locido’s ruling that the project did not need any variances to build its facility on the nursery’s location. One factor in play here is that the facility must, by the Brightview-written Town code, be 200 feet from a state or county right of way. That condition was easily met by Brightview with Rt 119. Shelbourne’s nearest state/county roadway is Central Park Avenue, which according to the Town Building Department is 6,025 linear feet away. The attorneys for Shelbourne have stated it is less than that if you go in a straight line. Another major issue requires another variance as the property itself is 3.79 acres and the code, again written by Brightview to accommodate Brightview’s own project, requires 4 acres! And, while maximum height shall not exceed 3-stories or 40 feet, this proposal tops out at 56.7 feet. There are several more variances and issues that the project would need to proceed. The Town Board’s myopia at the time Brightview was attempting to take over the Glenview neighborhood didn’t allow them to see any of this as an issue because Mr Feiner wanted Brightview’s project to go through. They all ballyhooed the G10 when these points were challenged. In fact, they went out of their way, as did others in the Town, to stand firm and say numerous times that there were no other parcels that could accommodate an assisted living facility anywhere in Unincorporated Greenburgh!
The Town Board’s myopia at the time Brightview was attempting to take over the Glenview neighborhood didn’t allow them to see any of this as an issue because Mr Feiner wanted this project to go through. They all ballyhooed the G10 when these points were challenged. In fact, they went out of their way, as did others in the Town, to stand firm and say numerous times that there were no other parcels that could accommodate an assisted living facility to be built anywhere in Unincorporated Greenburgh!
At last week’s Town Board meeting, many residents spoke favorably about the the Krautter family and their contributions to the neighborhood over the years. This is exactly why this “hearing” was being done and what Mr Feiner had hoped would happen. It would validate his position to move forward with this project. Others noted that this isn’t about the Krautter family and is about an inappropriate proposal for that particular location. Tor Krautter, the son, spoke passionately about the nursery being at that location long before the homes were built there and that this was his parents one shot to sell the property. We agree that the nursery was there first and will willingly concede them that property as long as it remains a nursery.
Whether good or bad, the zoning and the Town have changed and while everyone seems to support a nursery at that location, the Town should not allow an inappropriate assisted living facility there. While he and others see Shelbourne as their best option, there other developers who may be willing to purchase the property and build within appropriately zoned requirements. If Shelbourne is truly committed to this project in Greenburgh, they can find another location which conforms to the Town’s code. It’s time to stop giving developers carte blanche in our Town. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
At the last Town Board meeting, Mr Feiner prematurely held a public hearing for the SEQRA process, calling the hearing “optional”. The G10, as well as others, were out in force and all of them questioned why this SEQRA hearing was being done? SEQRA stands for State Environmental Quality Review Assessment analysis. The analysis is usually done once a project proposal has been approved. This one was not - except by Mr Feiner, which in bizarro-Greenburgh, is enough.
At issue for the proposed 4-story, 80 unit assisted living facility, is that it does not meeting the zoning requirements for the location and would require numerous variances to be allowed. You may recall several years ago when Brightview Assisted Living proposed their facility overlooking Rt 119 at Benedict Avenue (across from Stop and Shop), they wrote the zoning code for the Town. ABG and others protested it but were overruled when the Town Board adopted it almost verbatim. The code they submitted included every nuance that they had put in the plans for their facility. ABG cannot help wonder why the Town has a legal department that cannot write our own codes, regulations and laws?
This proposal requires a proper use variance. It does not have one. The Zoning Board of Appeals issued a determination on April 21st regarding an appeal by the Edgemont Community Council of then-Building Inspector John Locido’s ruling that the project did not need any variances to build its facility on the nursery’s location. One factor in play here is that the facility must, by the Brightview-written Town code, be 200 feet from a state or county right of way. That condition was easily met by Brightview with Rt 119. Shelbourne’s nearest state/county roadway is Central Park Avenue, which according to the Town Building Department is 6,025 linear feet away. The attorneys for Shelbourne have stated it is less than that if you go in a straight line. Another major issue requires another variance as the property itself is 3.79 acres and the code, again written by Brightview to accommodate Brightview’s own project, requires 4 acres! And, while maximum height shall not exceed 3-stories or 40 feet, this proposal tops out at 56.7 feet. There are several more variances and issues that the project would need to proceed. The Town Board’s myopia at the time Brightview was attempting to take over the Glenview neighborhood didn’t allow them to see any of this as an issue because Mr Feiner wanted Brightview’s project to go through. They all ballyhooed the G10 when these points were challenged. In fact, they went out of their way, as did others in the Town, to stand firm and say numerous times that there were no other parcels that could accommodate an assisted living facility anywhere in Unincorporated Greenburgh!
The Town Board’s myopia at the time Brightview was attempting to take over the Glenview neighborhood didn’t allow them to see any of this as an issue because Mr Feiner wanted this project to go through. They all ballyhooed the G10 when these points were challenged. In fact, they went out of their way, as did others in the Town, to stand firm and say numerous times that there were no other parcels that could accommodate an assisted living facility to be built anywhere in Unincorporated Greenburgh!
At last week’s Town Board meeting, many residents spoke favorably about the the Krautter family and their contributions to the neighborhood over the years. This is exactly why this “hearing” was being done and what Mr Feiner had hoped would happen. It would validate his position to move forward with this project. Others noted that this isn’t about the Krautter family and is about an inappropriate proposal for that particular location. Tor Krautter, the son, spoke passionately about the nursery being at that location long before the homes were built there and that this was his parents one shot to sell the property. We agree that the nursery was there first and will willingly concede them that property as long as it remains a nursery.
Whether good or bad, the zoning and the Town have changed and while everyone seems to support a nursery at that location, the Town should not allow an inappropriate assisted living facility there. While he and others see Shelbourne as their best option, there other developers who may be willing to purchase the property and build within appropriately zoned requirements. If Shelbourne is truly committed to this project in Greenburgh, they can find another location which conforms to the Town’s code. It’s time to stop giving developers carte blanche in our Town. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Fast Tracking Senior Living Facilities, the Latest Green-Light Buzzword
As
a developer, if you want to build in Greenburgh, what could be better than to
have unfettered access to parcels of land that are otherwise inappropriate for
certain zoned usage? Several years ago the active buzzwords needed for approval
morphed from homeless shelters to workforce housing and now to assisted living.
This new solution is simply to propose an Assisted Living facility and offer
all kinds of tax revenue that Mr Feiner will be able to trumpet on the
developer’s behalf. The first meeting will be behind closed doors in the corner
office. The next step will be an informal proposal at a Town Board Work
Session, followed up with a proposal at a regular Town Board meeting. By then,
all of the various departments will have gotten in line and the “sails” will
have been raised by Mr Feiner enough for the deal to be ready for Town Board
consummation. Such emerges the case with the Shelbourne Formation, Inc., also
know as Shelbourne Assisted Living Facility.
Is
justification really necessary for the consummation of this project or will a
preemptive act with the Town Board’s heavy handed stamp-of-approval suffice? As this is one of Mr Feiner’s pet projects, approval is
not really necessary – it has been mandated and will go through with minimal
resistance. We’ve seen when he wants a project to happen, it’ll be the
proverbial “done deal”. He will send an email blast from his much-coveted
GBList, professing the advantages of approving this project, regardless of the
merits or accuracy of the conjectured information. A court has ordered him to
share the list with a local civic association but he has still refused to
surrender it! Why is this important? Because as he spreads misinformation to residents, the civic association is seeking to inform its members of the rest of the story – something that hasn’t happened in years.
The
Town Board will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. It is
regarding the environmental review process (SEQRA) associated with special
permit applications submitted by Shelbourne Senior Living. ABG believes this to
be a phony justification hearing strictly for the purposes of slanting the
application forward on Shelbourne’s behalf. The assisted living facility is
proposed to be built at 448 Underhill Road, the current home of the Sprainbrook
Nursery. The Sprainbrook Nursery, which was opened on Underhill Avenue in Edgemont
by Al Krautter's parents in 1944, has been struggling for the past few years,
reducing its staff from about two dozen employees to just Krautter, his wife
Heidi, and a handful of others.
The
Shelbourne Senior facility is proposed as a four story, 80-unit, 70,000 sq.-ft.
assisted living facility building, with off-street parking, landscaping and
related amenities. Numerous approvals are required for this project to move
forward. Special permits are needed from the Town Board, which will encounter
little, if any resistance and be granted post haste. Area variances from the
Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals seem to be in flux now that the Zoning Board of
Appeals ruled against the former Town Building Inspector John Locido, who
retired last month, overturning his determination that no variances were
required to construct the 80-bed facility. New Town code, written and submitted
by the Brightview Assisted Living Facility’s attorneys, created a customized
path to allow assisted living facilities in residential neighborhoods only if
they are within 200 feet of a state or county right-of-way, excluding parkways
and interstates. The nearest state or county right of way is nearly a mile
away. The code also requires the property to be 4-acres, which this is not. And,
while the Planning Board must also approve the site plan and steep slope and
watercourse permits, we see little, if any, resistance there. Interestingly,
when a homeowner seeks to make small additions to their homes, a years worth of
permits and approval processes along with other hurdles often make moving a more
viable alternative to remodeling.
Some
like assisted living facilities because it offers the chance to encourage
elderly family members an option to remain local while seeking to remain
independent. Some see that as a win for the school districts as it promises
revenue without the school district having to invest in more children.
Discussing the tax revenue for the Town and various agencies involved with the
operation of the facility within its neighborhood offers conflicting thoughts.
In
fact we’ve been promised over a 10 year period that the Shelbourne facility
will generate approximately $5 million in total property taxes – which would
include $3 million to the Edgemont School District, $500,000 to the Greenville
Fire District and $900,000 to the town. Of course, let’s not forget that Mr Feiner promised the Town $5million if we approved the GameOn 365 sports bubble arena in a residential neighborhood – which was proven a figment of his imagination.
While $3million would be a windfall for the school district, the $500,000 to the Greenville Fire District may turn out to be an inadequate amount of money for the amount of alarms generated by the facility. How so? There will certainly be fire alarms from that location. But there will also be ambulance calls, known as aided cases for that location. Greenburgh Police will provide the bulk of the medical services per se, but the fire department will also respond and assist, as will volunteer ambulance corps (who will receive no money). As seen with the Hebrew Home and the Fairview FD, their responses are almost daily and in fact sometimes more. As with all fire departments, volunteer and career, if there is an alarm, they will respond, regardless of the money generated through taxes.
While $3million would be a windfall for the school district, the $500,000 to the Greenville Fire District may turn out to be an inadequate amount of money for the amount of alarms generated by the facility. How so? There will certainly be fire alarms from that location. But there will also be ambulance calls, known as aided cases for that location. Greenburgh Police will provide the bulk of the medical services per se, but the fire department will also respond and assist, as will volunteer ambulance corps (who will receive no money). As seen with the Hebrew Home and the Fairview FD, their responses are almost daily and in fact sometimes more. As with all fire departments, volunteer and career, if there is an alarm, they will respond, regardless of the money generated through taxes.
Other
impacts related beyond the projected requests for emergency services, is the
location and delivery times coupled with traffic issues during their normal
course of a business day. Subsequently, the impacts of the proposal to
surrounding properties should be a significant concern.
While the
desire to build assisted living facilities appears noble at first blush, the
apparent tact here for the developers is nothing more than finding a legal way
to construct four-story apartment buildings in inappropriate locations
throughout the Town. Additionally, numerous assisted living facilities
throughout the state are running into financial difficulties. Sadly, most of
the seniors who have moved into them have signed over their estates to do so,
leaving them with little or nothing to fall back on should the facility fail.
One such facility is operated by the Hebrew Home on Grasslands Road next to the
Westchester Community College campus. They, and now their residents, are in
financial distress as they are experiencing significant difficulties with their
model. Likewise, The Esplanade in White Plains which has failed as an assisted
living facility is being converted into a multi-family housing unit. Was that the plan all along?
There is a public hearing this Wednesday on May
11th at Town Hall to discuss whether or not to move forward with the Shelbourne
Assisted Living Facility. There are too many issues, questions and problems
with this proposal for it to move forward. We hope many residents will
recognize this and come out to tell the Town what they think about this. Only
then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Sports Authority Announces All Stores Closing
We originally posted an article on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 that the Sports Authority chain had filed for bankruptcy protection. Sadly, they have announced plans to close all of their stores and liquidate their inventory and assets.
Sports Authority has changed direction and decided to try to sell off its assets rather than trying to reorganize under bankruptcy protection. Initially, the sporting goods chain, said it would close or sell about a third of its 463 stores but stay open as a more streamlined company. The company’s lawyers said it had changed its approach.
In addition to a Yonkers store at the Cross County mall, Sports Authority has a store in Elmsford.
Sports Authority has changed direction and decided to try to sell off its assets rather than trying to reorganize under bankruptcy protection. Initially, the sporting goods chain, said it would close or sell about a third of its 463 stores but stay open as a more streamlined company. The company’s lawyers said it had changed its approach.
In addition to a Yonkers store at the Cross County mall, Sports Authority has a store in Elmsford.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Town, County and Fire District Taxes Due Monday Night
TOWN, COUNTY AND FIRE DISTRICT TAXES DUE MONDAY NIGHT BECAUSE APRIL 30TH FALLS ON WEEKEND
The town, county and fire district taxes are usually due on April 30th. However, because today falls on a weekend you have till Monday night to pay your tax bill! The office of the Receiver of Taxes will be open Monday till 7 PM at Town Hall. You can also pay online or by credit card.
Welcome to the Greenburgh Tax Office Website
Town/County bill mailed on March 31, may be paid by April 30 without penalty
School bill mailed on August 31
177 Hillside Ave.
Greenburgh, NY 10607
Sales Tax in the Town of Greenburgh is 7 3/8%
The town, county and fire district taxes are usually due on April 30th. However, because today falls on a weekend you have till Monday night to pay your tax bill! The office of the Receiver of Taxes will be open Monday till 7 PM at Town Hall. You can also pay online or by credit card.
Welcome to the Greenburgh Tax Office Website
This
office collects annually, over a quarter billion dollars for the
County, Town, Fire districts and 10 School districts located in
Greenburgh.
It is the largest municipal collection agency in Westchester.
Please feel free to look over our website, for information that may be of importance to you.
Anne M. Povella
Receiver of Taxes
Click here for tax information available on the GIS mapping system
Receiver of Taxes
Click here for tax information available on the GIS mapping system
ON-LINE TAX PAYMENT BY CHECKING ACCOUNT (ACH DEBIT)
The Town of Greenburgh now has the ability to accept tax payments by ACH Debit of your checking account via the website.
This is a direct debit of your checking account for payment of your tax bill. There are no fees or surcharges associated with this type of payment.
To make a School or Town/County tax payment click here (Checking Acct)
The Town of Greenburgh now has the ability to accept tax payments by ACH Debit of your checking account via the website.
This is a direct debit of your checking account for payment of your tax bill. There are no fees or surcharges associated with this type of payment.
To make a School or Town/County tax payment click here (Checking Acct)
ON-LINE TAX PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD
The Town of Greenburgh now has the ability to accept tax payments by credit cards via the telephone (1-800-272-9829) and internet.
Since the town cannot absorb the service fee charged by the credit card companies, (these companies will not allow us to pass this fee along to the public) an outside firm had to be retained. Please be aware that this firm charges a significant 'convenience fee' to process your tax payment.
Official Payments Corp. is the same company that is utilized by the IRS and several State tax collection agencies.
For more information about 3rd party internet online payment click here
To make a School tax payment click here (Credit Card)
The Town of Greenburgh now has the ability to accept tax payments by credit cards via the telephone (1-800-272-9829) and internet.
Since the town cannot absorb the service fee charged by the credit card companies, (these companies will not allow us to pass this fee along to the public) an outside firm had to be retained. Please be aware that this firm charges a significant 'convenience fee' to process your tax payment.
Official Payments Corp. is the same company that is utilized by the IRS and several State tax collection agencies.
For more information about 3rd party internet online payment click here
To make a School tax payment click here (Credit Card)
Tax Office General Information
Dear Taxpayers,
Please make note of the following important points regarding payment of taxes. DUE DATES:Town/County bill mailed on March 31, may be paid by April 30 without penalty
School bill mailed on August 31
1st half must be paid by September 30
2nd half must be paid by January 31
NO BILL IS MAILED IN JANUARY
MAILING ADDRESS:
Greenburgh, NY 10607
Checks should be made payable to:
Greenburgh, Receiver of Taxes
Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm
Last day of collection ONLY 9:00am - 7:00pm April 30, Sept. 30 and Jan. 31
All National Holidays Closed
Christmas Eve ½ day- 12:30pm
New Years Eve ½ day- 12:30pm
NOTE:
If you reside in a Village, please contact the Village Hall for due dates.
If you are a new owner or have recently satisfied your mortgage please contact the Tax Office immediately.
Failure to receive a bill does not allow us to waive penalties for late payments.
We honor the U.S. Post Office Postmark only, not meter stamps.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or a member of my staff at (914) 989-1550.
Very truly yours,
Anne M. Povella
Receiver of Taxes
Anne M. Povella
Receiver of Taxes
Sales Tax in the Town of Greenburgh is 7 3/8%
The following zip codes are at least partially located in the Town of Greenburgh or one of it's Villages:
Ardsley 10502
Ardsley-on-Hudson 10503
10522 Dobbs Ferry
10523 Elmsford
10530 Hartsdale
10706 Hastings-on-Hudson
10533 Irvington
10583 Scarsdale
10591 Tarrytown
10595 Valhalla
10603 White Plains
10607 White Plains
Ardsley 10502
Ardsley-on-Hudson 10503
10522 Dobbs Ferry
10523 Elmsford
10530 Hartsdale
10706 Hastings-on-Hudson
10533 Irvington
10583 Scarsdale
10591 Tarrytown
10595 Valhalla
10603 White Plains
10607 White Plains
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