Elmwood Country Club Update

At Wednesday's Town Board meeting (4/13/22), Mr. Feiner read a statement that the Board will comply with the 2016 Town Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Ordinance in making its decision in regard to the former Elmwood Country Club.

NO INCREASE IN DENSITY IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

NO DOWNZONING IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

The Town will support ALTERNATIVE (H) - 113 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES with the required land transfer.

He stated that there was an extensive amount of documentation received by the Town Board. Letters and emails on this project were sent to the Town by the following:

Involved Agencies: Conservation Advisory Council, Westchester County Planning Board, NYS Dept. of Transportation, Greenburgh Planning Board, Greenburgh Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.

Interested Parties - Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations, Elmsford School District, Fairview Fire District, Worthington-Woodlands Civic Association, Fulton Park Civic Association, Secor Homes Civic Association, Ardsley-Sprain Road Civic Association, Historic and Landmarks Preservation Board.
Residents of Greenburgh.

The Commissioner of Planning with the Town staff and the Planning Consultants will draft the Town’s Findings Statement within 2 weeks. The official resolution will be voted upon in MAY after the Town accepts the Findings.

It is apparent that the responses from Greenburgh residents were instrumental in the Town Board arriving at its decision. Thank you to all who participated in the SEQR process (Scoping Committee), sent emails and attended and spoke at the Public Hearings.

– Dorinne Livson, WWCA

Elmwood Preserve — Honor Promises to the Community

As Town Board members, I trust you will be discussing in public all of the issues before arriving at a decision regarding which Alternative should be approved for development at the site of the former Elmwood Country Club. The public deserves to know how and why the Board arrived at its decision regarding this application. Executive Session discussions would be inappropriate.

The community learned on April 5, 2022 that the applicant is now urging your Board to adopt Alternative 1 “as the best and most viable alternative.” Alternative 1 would include 159 townhouse units, sold as “fee simple,” with 15 units set aside as affordable and 14.2 acres of land dedicated to the town for recreational purposes. It would be helpful for the public to know whether it was the Town Board who urged the applicant to include an alternative with affordable units, since the applicant summarily ignored the public’s request in the Scoping Document to study the possibility of affordable units and totally dismissed any discussion in the DEIS. It would also be helpful to know why affordable housing units were not introduced in the other Alternatives.

In its March 14, 2022 letter, the Westchester County Planning Board stated it supported Alternative I, in part, because of the inclusion of affordable units. However, Alternative I was not the County’s first choice. The letter made it very clear “we would have preferred that Alternatives C, D and F could continue to be considered.” The County’s letter also questions the number of affordable units and notes that work is necessary to ensure these units are properly marketed and integrated. In fact, Greenburgh has no regulations in place to deal with marketing or integrating affordable homes in One-Family residential zoning districts or in Planned Unit Development districts. The way the applicant has placed these proposed affordable units in three buildings of five units each while all the other buildings of luxury housing contain four units shows a total lack of integration and any understanding about how not to stigmatize those who would be living in these affordable units if Alternative I were adopted.

We learned on April 6, 2022 that the Planning Board is now stating that Alternative I “provides the greatest overall benefit to the Town.” Interestingly, the Planning Board’s recommendation doesn’t ring 1000% in favor of Alternative I, and it readily endorses Alternative H (113 one family homes) as a second choice. The Planning Board’s recommendation makes very clear “its disappointment that only one of the five alternatives contains affordable housing.” The Planning Board “strongly recommends that affordable housing be included in any approved alternative.”

We noted with interest the email to CD&C Commissioner Garrett Duquesne, dated April 5, 2022, from the Westchester County Department of Planning mentioning that all of the FEIS Alternatives “would generate more than 150 gallons per capita per day” which is the limit defined in the County’s sewer law. The public needs to know how this issue will be addressed.

We are also aware of the New York State Department of Transportation letter, dated April 7, 2022, regarding the Elmwood Preserve project. The DOT letter refers to traffic issues with each of the Alternatives in the FEIS and indicates six mitigation measures which have not been addressed. The letter states: “It is critical that these mitigations be included in the SEQR process prior to final determination.”

How can the Town sign off on the SEQR process if issues with sewage and traffic have not been adequately addressed?

As a multi-decade resident of Greenburgh, I believe “planning and zoning” are the foundations of a community. That is why from the date of being appointed to the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee (CPSC) in March 2007 until the plan was adopted in September 2016, I had unmatched attendance at CPSC meetings and devoted an untold number of other hours working with CD&C Commissioner Duquesne to refine the plan. The CPSC made promises to the community. When the Town Board adopted the Comprehensive Plan, it too made promises to the community.

I urge the Town Board to uphold the promises made to the community. Do not downzone the existing zoning on the former Elmwood Country Club property and permit increased density and multifamily housing in this one-family residential neighborhood. Please uphold the existing zoning on the site and permit only one-family housing to be built with necessary land transferred for recreational purposes.

Members of the surrounding community have already publicly stated that they would support workforce one- family housing being built on the Elmwood site. Appoint a committee to amend the Zoning Ordinance to require workforce housing in one-family zoning districts. The amendments could be in place before subdivision plans are submitted for this property. Any reputable developer would accommodate building workforce homes.

The current owner, Jonathan Grebow bought the Elmwood property knowing what the existing zoning permitted. And it is not the first time he didn’t get everything he wanted. A Journal News article from 2017 noted that in 2014 Mr. Grebow bought a 108-acre former country club property in New Jersey for $10.4, planning to build 34 single family homes on the Mahwah site and 353 multifamily homes, including 71 affordable units on the Saddle River site. After long negotiations Mr. Grebow agreed to build 44 single family homes. After obtaining approvals he sold the project to Toll Brothers which paid $20 million more than he had paid for the property. Not a bad profit!!

– Ella Preiser

Rally At Town Hall Wednesday at 4PM

 

**RALLY TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT**

**RALLY TO SAVE JOBS**

**RALLY TO HOLD GREENBURGH TOWN HALL ACCOUNTABLE**

A Community Rally to demand the Greenburgh Town Board stand with minority- and women-owned small businesses to protect the environment and vote down a shady deal.

Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 4PM – 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh NY 10607

Participants: Community and civic leaders from Greenburgh and Elmsford, NY; environmental advocates; owners and employees of local gas stations and families; Elected officials. 

We Applaud WP Common Council’s Decision to Reject Platinum Mile Plan

Mr Feiner apparently doesn’t have a stand-alone stranglehold on spot zoning and bad decisions for development in our Town. Neighboring White Plains, a city – therein a significant difference – had a request from Senlac Ridge Partners to tear down an office building at 701 Westchester Avenue and build a five story, 360-unit apartment building. The overall presumed goal is to repurpose what had been a vibrant office space known as part of the Platinum Mile into residential property, as business occupancy has dramatically declined over recent years.

Similarly, there was another proposal for a project also on Westchester Avenue for a mixed use development of 175 apartments at 70 Westchester Avenue, including the failed model of street level retail space, a restaurant and amazingly, a car dealership sales space - now that’s original. However, by throwing in all of the various zoning caveats, could they be seeking to throw in the kitchen sink should one (or more) of these fail to materialize and something else be needed in it’s place? And, while 11 of the 175 units will be subsidized (re: low income), these units will be purchased by the government (White Plains Affordable Housing Assistance Fund) to dole out as they see fit, changing the dynamic of the project.

By blanketing the area to fall under the White Plains’ Planned Campus Development District overlay, encompassing their Comprehensive Plan, several City Council trustees wisely voted to wait before taking a vote.

“The Common Council takes its responsibilities very seriously, one might say soberly,” Council Member Victoria Presser said. “We listen to our constituents, we review all the documents, we make site visits whenever we can, and we take the time to think through these matters because it is our job to make decisions for the benefit of the entire community.” Frankly, this sounds like the platitudes we’ve often heard from the Greenburgh Town Board regarding almost every development placed before them that one or more neighborhoods might be against or are questioning, followed by their phony “due diligence” speech.

“In this instance, it is to the benefit of the community that we deny this proposal,” Presser said. Truer words have not been spoken in many of our communities. Although, if you follow developments throughout the County, there have been several communities that have not given into developer’s wishes and tried to maintain the integrity of their communities. Don’t get the wrong idea. We believe property owners, whether new or established should be able to build . But that right to build should be tempered within the confines of the zoning. We also don’t believe “spot zoning” such as Mr Feiner and his Board routinely do, helps anyone but the developer. Sure, the Board will enact new zoning to enable the developer before them to proceed and then say that it applies Town-wide, covering their political hides.

It’s refreshing to see communities around us slowing the developer gravy train and seeking to really represent the taxpaying residents and established businesses. Progress doesn’t have to disregard neighborhoods, Comprehensive Plans (real ones, not political statements such as Greenburgh has), zoning and community inputs. If only we could get this in the Town. It’s how we’ll get A Better Greenburgh.

Arrogance of One Party Rule

The November elections have concluded; all voting challenges are concluded, absentee ballots have been counted and the early voting strategy terminated. When reviewing the outcomes and wondering if anything has changed, the answer is a resounding “No!” What has changed is the arrogance of the newly elected and re-elected candidates. They know that their schemes to distance themselves from the Trump effect can now be pushed even farther left, whether it’s good for us or not.

Locally, we’ve watched Mr Feiner maneuver his self-appointed Ethics Committee members, which in Greenburgh is easily considered a contradiction of terms, to abandon ship prior to the election, allowing Town Councilman Ken Jones to “skate” on the two ethics violations charges that have been brought against him by two Greenburgh residents before his preordained reelection. For the uninitiated, all “citizen committees” are crafted by Mr Feiner with their creation by him and his Town Board rubber-stamping hand-chosen members. The purpose of these committees is to ultimately do Mr Feiner's bidding or to rule in favor of a decision he will be making.

Mr Jones, however, has two ethics violations brought against him that have languished because the Ethics Committee chair has been ill and two of its members have resigned. Without a quorum, and basically without a committee, Mr Jones got the green light to run for reelection unencumbered by pesky facts. Keep in mind, this is Greenburgh, and the taxpaying residents really don't have anyone in government looking out for them like the Village elected officials do.

During the last local election campaigns, Mr Feiner’s challenger for Supervisor posed numerous suggestions and ideas that he would try if elected. None were to raise his salary. But the Democratic stronghold dismissed any new, good or innovative governance either from fear or ignorance by skulking away from change, granting Mr Feiner an unprecedented 29th and 30th year as Supervisor. Some of the voting public have never even known a different Greenburgh supervisor. That also goes for the Council members. We’re confident that this was not what the founders anticipated government to be. In fact, you know these politicians have been in office too long once they insist that they need a raise and vote themselves one.

The current 2019 salary for the Town Supervisor is $156,363 - up 2% from 2018. This year Mr Feiner and his Board will increase his salary for 2020 to $159,803 - up 2.2% from 2019. Town Council salaries are also being bumped up from 2019 to $34,714 - up 2% from 2018. The Board will also increase their salary in 2020 to $35,478 - up 2.2% from 2019. What about the 2% tax cap or doesn’t that apply to these one-percenters? All receive FULL Medical Benefits or can opt out for $10,000 if covered by other job or if covered by a spouse or domestic partner. So while our elected officials didn’t even let the election dust settle, they’re voting themselves raises. You re-elected them and sanctioned this so they won’t even need to use the excuses of how it’s necessary because it’s a cost of living raise or they are underpaid for the work they do or that this is really a full-time amount of work. Frankly, those tired excuses are just plain crap. If they don’t like the salaries, step aside. There are plenty of people willing to do the work for that money and provide an honest days work!

Speaking of raises, we are now being fed the same crap from the County Legislators who are decrying their paltry $49,200 for their part time job and are seeking an increase in their salaries to the tune of a 52% increase to $75,000! The last raise they received was in 2005. The proposed half a million dollars would be coming from the $2 billion dollar budget County Executive Latimer has proposed for 2020. The icing on this untasty crap cake will be the increases in stipends for “serving” on committees – whether they meet or not. Also slated are significant raises for department heads and non-union personnel. Claims have been made by Chairman Boykin to offset some of the nearly half a million dollars in expenses for the Legislators raises but hasn’t given any facts. This certainly does not appear that these Legislators have the best interest of the public at heart, only their wallets – which get stuffed by emptying ours.

We’re not saying that there should never be raises but believe that any raise enacted through legislation for any elected position should become effective after that voting candidate has left office. And, regardless of the song and dance excuses about cost of living and the like, the position pays what it pays. Don’t like the pay? Then don’t take the job. If you do take the job, there should also not be any appointments to committees or appointment as the head of a committee until a certain amount of time has been spent doing the job. We understand that these are done-deals or at least the opening salvo. If the public protests, then the amounts might be reduced. It will help to make A Better Greenburgh.

Four Corners - Next Steps

Eric Zinger, President of the Hartsdale Neighbors Association has announced this information related to the 4 Corners revitalization efforts.

We wanted to give everyone who signed the 4 Corners Petition an update on the efforts to revitalize the Four Corners in Hartsdale.

The Town and Supervisor Feiner have given indication that they are supportive of the proposal but that hasn't translated into action. It is critical that the Town Board continues to see the overwhelming community support that has been shown for reinvigorating the Four Corners intersection.  We thank everyone who has emailed and attended meetings so far and we humbly ask that you continue to show your support.  We need the Town Board to see the support from the community for this and there are multiple upcoming opportunities to do so:

Tuesday, 9/25 at 9:30am at Town Hall, there will be a Town Board Work Session to discuss 4 Corners.  We are hoping that this will lead to the next steps in the process.  Join HNA representatives at the work session to show your support.

Wednesday 9/26 at 7:30pm at Town Hall, is the next Town Board meeting.  During these meetings, the public has an opportunity to address the Town Board directly on any issue they wish to raise.  We encourage you to come and show your support for 4 Corners revitalization.  We want as many people as possible to put on display the support that exists. 

If you can’t make one of the two above, and even if you can, please email TownBoard@greenburghny.com and tell them you want to see the 4 Corners addressed.  Interested in attending either of these events?  Let us know at info@hartsdaleneighbors.org so we can coordinate.

Traffic Woes Continue in Fulton Park

Old Kensico Road looking south (left pic) and north (right pic)

So today, Friday, sees construction of the soon to be all-blacktop deli property underway. Traffic, as usual, is backed up from the north heading toward Rt 119. Residents are held captive in their own neighborhood, unable to find an opening in the traffic congestion. We drove down our hill and parked at the new CVS to check out a phone tip we received. There was nothing happening at the County Center, nothing happening in the east or west bound lanes of Rt 119. One thing we did notice is that the deli has removed the No Left Turn and other signage placed on Town property prohibiting left turns from the CVS parking lot onto Old Kensico Road and no parking signs. Is anybody in the Town watching any of this? It appears not!

Looking in either direction at about 10AM, traffic can be seen until it literal disappears out of sight. It actually started at about 9AM and has continued up to this posting at noon. This is not because of construction at the deli, or construction and heavy traffic on Rt 119, or an event at the County Center. This is what the residents are stuck with because of the over-development by our various Boards, but in particular the Town Board. It was so bad, a County utility type truck drove south in the north bound lane, went around the traffic circle on the left and up County Center Road, where the driver made a right turn onto Rt 119. Unfortunately, he drove too fast for us to get a license number to follow up with.

As the Comprehensive Planning Committee gets stalled having to look into other tasks thrust upon them by Mr Feiner , there is no cohesive plan to help control the bastardization by Mr Feiner and his Board of the Town. There’s a saying often bandied about with the Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations that states, if it happens in one neighborhood, you can be sure it will happen in others. To all of Fulton Park’s  neighbors we say beware, you might be next. Our Town Board needs to listen and help all of its residents. Then we will see A Better Greenburgh

More Traffic Woes Once Deli Opens - You Could Be Next

When CompUSA moved into the corner location at Rt 119 and Old Kensico Road, the Fulton Park neighborhood was relieved that the space would not be used as another homeless facility. It felt the same when Staples moved in as well. Directly across the street was the former Kings Inn Motel that Mr Feiner vowed to fight to make a senior residence should it close. Then he reneged on that promise (simply an ad hoc crowd pleasing-lie at the time to protect himself). Subsequently he contacted a host of people and helped broker a carte blanche deal for Westhab, as extremly lucrative albeit not for profit corporation. 

Now still only partially occupied after being opened for several years, ABG’s guess is it will soon be turned into a  DSS Section 8 housing facility commanding $1400 for a 400-600 square foot “efficiency” apartment. Since the government has no limits on its spending, Westhab will rake in the Benjamin’s once their full business plan is finally implemented! Previously, Mr Feiner condoned the facility’s use as a transition location for just released convicts and crime in the neighborhood soared. The neighborhood nor their concerns didn't matter to Mr Feiner. They shortly learned the rest of the Town Board didn’t care either - mostly because Mr Feiner instructed them not to.

The deli next door complained about damage to the building, thefts and break-ins. Could it be directly attributed to the residents living at the transition facility? The politically correct won’t say so but the neighbors will. Mysteriously, when the facility was finally closed by the County, crime in the area all but vanished. Maybe the neighbors were right?

We believe the pseudo-abandoned deli, they continued using it behind the plywood encased windows and doors, had been illegally boarded up and had illegal signage installed on it. The Fulton Park Civic Association asked Mr Feiner and the Town to address it. We’re told by residents the deli made campaign donations to Mr Feiner’s re-election campaign. The Civic Association did not. The illegal signage went untouched for two years – no fines, no mandates to remove any of it and no repercussions. The “struggling” deli owner is really a real estate owner of numerous properties along with his brothers, one of whom owns RJT Towing and more.

He maintained he was losing thousands of dollars in lost revenue because he lacked a drive-thru window. Really – that’s the reason? It couldn’t be the asbestos-caused empty Verizon building across the street who had provided the majority of his customers? Or, an issue of quality with the food? Or, the disposition of the employees and owner toward customers? Or, the day laborers hanging out in the parking lot each morning? Or, well, it doesn’t matter any more.

The deli petitioned the Town Board, Zoning Board and Planning Board to allow it to build a drive-thru window. Making an teary-eyed plea, the deli owner feined weeping as he explained his parents had started the deli, he used his mother’s recipes and worked there as a teenager and he wants to keep this going in their memory. Oh my gosh, what a performance. It seemed so real. Give me a minute to dry the keyboard from my own tears. His act worked and they disregarded the neighborhood’s complaints of increased traffic, setback violations, encroachment onto state property - all of it.

The former Staples closed and a CVS reopened in its place. As an aside, the CVS building is in White Plains and the parking lot is in Greenburgh. We guess with that entire staff on board, sandwich sales at the deli should soar to what, maybe four more a day? But keep in mind we don't believe this was ever about sales or a deli or a parents legacy. Rather, it was about flipping the building with a drive-thru window grandfathered into the sale. We’re guessing Dunkin Donuts. Once the deli reopens, for however long or short a period of time, traffic woes promise to be worse. We need a Town Board willing to help its residents. Then we will see A Better Greenburgh.

Under the Guise of Revitalization

When the politically powerful and not the competitive marketplace, determine winners and losers in the Town’s business decisions, taxpayers take on all of the risk and crony companies extract the profits. The cycle of political profiteering was established once our politicians began to exchange public money in return for campaign contributions. This method of using the government to find a profit has become a trademark in our Town. Having an open door policy for developers, our Supervisor responds favorably to developers and law firms representing them while discarding the wants and needs of his constituents. 

Under the guise of some type of revitalization, their methods promise local governments that its development projects will generate desperately needed jobs, housing, economic development, and tax revenues. Utilizing well-funded public relations campaign teams, politically-connected and well-paid lobbyists, and campaign contributions to local politicians, they acquire subsidies, tax breaks, and property through eminent domain. However, they’ve received public financial support, renegotiations are the first order of business once they’re “in”, with implementation delays for the promised benefits quickly superseding the original promises. In short, they lobby, profit, and then bilk the taxpayers by breaching its public promise to the community and simply smile to our officials once again.

There are companies doing business in our Town that most taxpayers have likely never heard of, even though they, the public taxpayer, finance much of their revenue. Their business model is dependent upon political profiteering, relying on public money and government influence to reap millions in profit. Oft times operating as a Not-for-Profit organization to elicit a favorable context of helping the less fortunate, they thrive with highly paid personnel, lobbyists, back-room meetings and handshakes, cultivating political connections via campaign contributions, and even strategic hiring of local officials. The results? They obtain lavish public money, tax-exempt financing and seize desired private land from eminent domain, condemnations, spot-zoning and the like.

Contributing to the morass that escapes the average taxpayer, are the deal-making meetings, dinners, “winks and nods” and assurances that the public will never learn of, or find out about: the predestined outcome. In meetings unseen by the public, key personnel make directional and developmental decisions for an unsuspecting populace. The revamping of the Rt 119 corridor in the Unincorporated Town is a classic example of this change, as is Westhab’s latest future slum in Fulton Park. Under the guise of revitalization, Mr Feiner has sought the participatory nod of Town Planning Commissioner Thomas Madden to develop every parcel of land currently undeveloped. When broaching the topic of a building moratorium or a plan from the Comprehensive Steering Committee to better assess the increase in impervious space, Mr Feiner’s boilerplate response is a mere flick of his hand, similar to brushing an inconvenient piece of lint from a shirt, condescendingly brushing away those pesky taxpayers looking out for their best interest. What is his?

Collecting and assimilating data, utilizing news reports, studying specific cases, Town departments, and well-crafted press releases is not enough to expose the collusion in our Town – a hallmark of the Feiner administration. Controlled data can sometimes be found on our Town’s website although the average person’s detective abilities may often fail them as they seek answers. Without better transparency from our local government on the funding deals, it will remain difficult if not impossible to figure out how much public money developers are getting for their projects. Mr Feiner knows this and thrives on it. Financial benefits, such as full value, tax-exempt bonds, prime real estate giveaways, spot-zoning and the like, ensure continued revenue producing developments in his desperate hope of staving off million dollar guilty verdicts, acquiring new voters from the uninitiated, questionable campaign contributions and well, the list is almost endless.

Residents within the Town’s villages elect a mayor and village board to represent them and seemingly protect them from the Town’s overreaching wallet gorging. Unincorporated Greenburgh should have this same protection with our supervisor and town board but sadly, do not. The old joke about “kiss me first” comes to mind as the G10 publicly go against the town overlords twice a month. What we do have is a developer driven golden gate with Mr Feiner working the tollbooth! Accessing campaign contributions is said to be as transparent as Mr Feiner’s government and yet unarmed with specific information, even the Federal Election Campaign’s obscurity and subsequent searchable information will cloud legitimate efforts to uncover information. Between late filings, fines, political action committees, etc., searching money trails would challenge the seasoned tracker. How can the taxpaying public stay ahead?

Political diversity, term limits and vibrant citizen scrutiny are just three methods we can utilize. In a study spanning from 2002 through 2012, one organization we learned about spent $23 million on lobbying and campaign contributions, which returned $2.6 billion in subsidies and $533 million in net profits. A good return unfortunately proving its worth. Private real estate development shouldn’t be driven by political connections that are systematically purchased with campaign contributions. Yet, they are, bastardizing and compromising an already broken system. Taxpayer money shouldn’t replace the role of the market in ensuring what’s best for consumers, nor should it be used to line the pockets of real estate executives, developers and their law firms. Combined there are few public benefits on the amount of subsidies they receive.

If the Town is to improve, we need to rid the well-cultivated campaign system Mr Feiner has built of patronizing willfully ignorant voters. If a candidate can run unopposed garnering 10,000 votes, how can we ever expect to inject new ideas and better execution of more diverse programs into our Town? These same 10,000 voters, whom we believe executed their right to vote, need to become more learned as to Mr Feiner’s, his Town Board’s and our Town’s crafty manipulations of a broken system. Only then will they see the duplicity, lies, and back-room deals our stalwart G10 have come to decry bimonthly.

Term limits would be a long overdue benefit for the costly and sometimes extreme mismanagement of our Town. Arguments pro and con regarding term limits are futile. Yes, we will lose some good politicians when they are term limited out of office. Yet the system would also ensure bad politicians be shown the door before they can wreak too much havoc on the beauty of our Town and its finances. Our house of cards is wobbling and soon to collapse. What then? Will we return to our traditional yearly double-digit tax increases?

Variety beyond single party rule, regardless of which party it may be, would also contribute to a healthier decision making process and an infusion of fresh ideas beyond the fungus producing decisions to which we have been subjected. Tax increases every year, disguised as being within an arbitrary tax-cap that ultimately is not being adhered to through verbal chicanery, are open proof of why a change is needed. It’s as if Mr Feiner believes as long as he can say he has stayed within the NYS 2% tax cap, all is well. It’s not.

Open government, and dare we say good government, should be the goal of every resident, Town employee and elected official. Only then will be rid of illegal GameOn 365-like back room deals. As Mr Feiner struggles to maintain his upper hand in gifting the property at 715 Dobbs Ferry Road to his favored beneficiary, public diligence and a lawsuit crippled his blatant disregard for the law. But its not enough. It’s time to seek and deliver a major change to the Town Board, it’s decision-making policies and integrity. Only then will we start to see A Better Greenburgh.

Where’s Our Comprehensive Plan?

ABG knows there’s a committee at Town Hall, but all there has been from the administration is a lot of lip service as to the importance of having a Comprehensive Plan, without actually having one. Lately, along with comments that it’s due for a review, adjustments and changes and so on, will we ever receive any notifications from the Steering Committee that we’ll soon see some “rubber hitting the proverbial road”?

Mr Feiner rushes development proposals through the Town’s review processes as if being chased by the Steering Committee seeking his sign-off on their Comprehensive Plan. He’s cavalierly making numerous zoning changes, mostly recommending larger buildings in the Town at numerous locations before a plan can be adopted. An example is his convoluted efforts to make sure GameOn 365 is the only winner for the former Frank’s Nursery property at 715 Dobbs Ferry Road. He has instructed his Town Board to now have Planning Commissioner Thomas “Build It Bigger” Madden into developing a possible recreation district for the corridor where neighborhood civic associations have emphatically said their needs are to have it scaled down.

It would seem that a serious look at Greenburgh’s future is in order. Just last week County Executive Robert Astorino mentioned at a candidate’s debate that White Plains is likely to be the transportation hub for any mass transit coming off the new Tappan Zee Bridge and along the 1-287 corridor. Mayor Tom Roach has been heard saying the same thing. Mr Feiner has ignored the difficult traffic conditions and flooding in Fulton Park, which is the last touch of Greenburgh on the path into White Plains and their transportation parking lot. He routinely supported more mass transportation even though the infrastructure doesn’t support it or has been addressed for future improvements. The proverbial, “Build it and they will come,” mentality will give little, if no relief to traffic congestion in the area.

The CEO of White Plains Hospital has been very outspoken about the need for more real estate for a medical center that is bursting at the seams on its current campus. There are plans for more retail development on Bloomingdale Road and another on the Post Road. Central Avenue has been targeted by Mr Feiner and Mr Madden for even more development. Who will fill these businesses? Where will all these shoppers come from? How will an area already dying a slow death with overdevelopment survive even the smallest storm, where flooding practically happens when it gets cloudy? Can we work to fill the vacant store fronts and offices with more than Dollar Stores and Nail Spas? Parking that costs more than the merchandise being sold says volumes.

The traffic situation in the area is already overwhelming as our roadways and tempers are bursting at the seams. Mr Feiner and his Board blatantly ignore all traffic reports which reinforces the fact that all of our areas being expanded upon receive a failing grade. Numbers can be presented in many ways, assuring the outcome desired by the presenter. Every neighborhood that complains about traffic is pushed to the side so Mr Feiner can wave his “payoff wand”, granting another developer carte blanche over the beleaguered residents. We don’t count. But how much more can the Town of Greenburgh absorb? How much longer until a willfully ignorant electorate rises from the couch of indifference and begins to take note of the metamorphosis of their Town? Is this what they signed on for when they bought their homes? This explains why the expression of not being able to fight City Hall resonates among so many.

Mr Feiner talks about riding bicycles for moving residents but offers no bike paths, racks or ideas to improve biking throughout the Town. Traffic and cyclists, and lets not forget those pesky pedestrians, just don’t mix. Not all of us live in expensive gated communities such as his bucolic Boulder Ridge where riding a bicycle is a relatively safe adventure. It seems that much more thought needs to go into how much Greenburgh can do. Actually, ABG wonders if any thought has been given to what Greenburgh should and might do? We welcome a Comprehensive Plan for the Town. We trust it will slow or even stop our out-of-control Town Board from spot-zoning for every project and every developer.

It’s time for a Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Greenburgh. It’s also time for Mr Feiner to stop playing games with the Steering Committee and let them come forth with a proposal, have the review process and get this show on the congested road.

Lash Kia – Gone?

We’ve spoken to Lash representative Michael Basta (like pasta), about our original post that the Lash Kia was closing their doors. He insisted they were not. In a subsequent meeting with him he assured ABG that they were very much operational and not closing their doors. He explained and we wrote a follow-up article stating precisely that. He had explained that Lash Kia was selling the Kia dealership to one of the northeast’s largest Kia distributors. However, at the day of the closing for the sale, Kia USA put a stop to the transaction. One of our readers recounted her story of trying to get her car serviced there and was told they were no longer an active Kia dealership.

Mr Basta explained that our story was part of the catalyst the Lash attorneys were using in the struggle to move forward with the sale despite Kia USA trying to put a stop it. No explanation was given as to why it was being blocked by Kia USA. Mr Basta had explained how difficult it was to do business in the Town of Greenburgh between the Town’s regulations coupled with the landlord’s limitations. “I can’t put more than four cars out in the lot on display. I can’t put the cars on the grass median between the sidewalk and our lot. I can’t use balloons. I can’t hang signs. I can’t play music. This list is endless.” We sympathize with all of our Town business owners. It’s a daily struggle to just put the key in the door and we have written previously about Town fees, regulations, fines and penalties incurred just to try to make a living. Our Town Board is always seeking new ways to generate revenue through their parochial and exhaustive taxation.

Regardless, in driving by the Kia dealership location at the corner or Rt 119 and Manhattan Avenue, the showroom which previously had several new Kia models on display, several sales personnel at the desks, and customers milling in and out, is now vacant. We know Mr Basta is “safe” as his office was next door at the Lash Volkswagen dealership, but hope that the other employees continued to be employed. ABG hates to see any business close and sincerely hope the sale of the dealership is the reason for the vacancy and not that of excessive regulations, fees and fines forced another business from the Fairview area. It’s tough enough to operate a business without have the Town “pile on” business’ problems.

On an additional note, we still don’t have a retailer to take over the supermarket vacated by A&P about two years ago. There are numerous vacant stores throughout the entire campus of the Crossroads Shopping Center. The landlord has announced they will be giving the entire complex a facelift. County Legislator Alfreda Williams has coined the phrase for this Fairview area as “ghetto-ized by Mr Feiner”. We hope the facelift will attract new and unique businesses. We just have a hard time listening to proposal after proposal by developers, blessed by Mr Feiner and his Board, that continue to include whatever the developers want and then with the requisite “retail space”. With all these vacant storefronts available, why build more? Why not slow down the over saturation of buildings, lessening of green space and increase of impervious space and address the issues already at hand without adding to the problem?

There’s an election coming and ABG hopes the voters are seeing what’s going on and willing to make a long-overdue change. It’s time to transform our Town into something better.

Ferncliff Deal Rejected – Everyone Loses!

In a stunning, yet expected, upset, The Paul, the Town Board, County Executive Rob Astorino, County Legislator Michael Smith, CE Advisor Ned McCormack and a few lesser players, have failed with their bid to remove the WestHelp affordable housing from the Westchester Community College Campus – again! They fought it when it was proposed and even tried to secede from the Town and incorporate as a Village just to fight the Town’s acceptance of it! ABG will state that we honestly believe the Ferncliff School does great work, serves a vital community service and was most likely duped into believing The Paul with another of his convoluted schemes.

A letter posted below from the State, details the state’s rejection of Ferncliff’s request to proceed with the WestHelp project.

Over a year has gone by with The Paul-induced and Town Board supporting, the failure to live up to its contract with the County. You may recall the contract stipulated that the Town be paid $1.2M per year to house low/no income individuals and to maintain the facility. ABG believes The Paul ordered the facility to remain left abandoned and exposed to facilitate its rapid deterioration. ABG also believes there was a deal made between The Paul, Rob Astorino and Michael Smith for some return favor to be determined at a later date. Ultimately, ABG has maintained this has always been about The Paul acquiring votes in the next election. But The Paul’s intentional ruining of these apartments while the Greenburgh Housing Authority maintains a list of some 250 or so families in need of housing is the real  crime.

Only last week Legislator Catherine Borgia, D-Ossining said, “What happened between the end of the WestHELP lease and today? And why is Greenburgh still involved when provisions are not being met?” ABG wants to know why the all the county legislators weren’t demanding the answer to this same question for over a year? And, will the County be pursuing restitution for The Paul’s wrongdoings or are they going to let it just “disappear”? Could it be that everyone’s blind party affiliations and the partisan need to sit with one side or the other is more at play here than anything else? Were the democrats who favored the Ferncliff School deal simply representing their Yonkers-based constituents or trying to support The Paul – or both? Were the republicans siding with Astorino for similar partisan reasons? You decide.

In the end, nobody won. The Paul failed to buy his votes from Valhalla. Rob Astorino and Mike Smith haven’t endeared themselves any more or less with their neighbors but have proven they are still racist. The Ferncliff School loses because they are still no closer to relocating to a newer facility. The no/low income people and the Greenburgh Housing Authority’s families and individual members in need of housing are still in need of housing. The Town of Greenburgh loses to the tune of $1.2M each year (or $100K each month) because of The Paul’s corrupt and reprehensible decisions. The County loses because their facility was left vacant and forced to deteriorate and will require repairs to be utilized again.

Several RFP’s indicated that this $20M facility would require approximately $3M in renovations to make it habitable again. Let’s hope the County appropriates the necessary emergency funding to do these repairs immediately and get the housing back to it’s required condition for use. ABG doubts the County will decide to bring an action against the Town, as that may have been the deal made for The Paul’s participation in helping the Mayfair-Knollwood neighborhood. The Paul is no stranger to lawsuits against him. While the Town maintains a AAA Bond Rating it has never taken advantage of, the time for it’s unfortunate need is approaching. ABG doesn’t wish to see more lawsuits against the Town. What ABG would like to see is The Paul and his Board resign in an admission of their dereliction and illegal actions. We can only hope.