Mohegan Lake Update: 2/22/16

First, it must be noted that the appeal we have pending in the 2nd Appellate Division (highest court in NYS) has a return date of March 4, 2016; Yorktown and The Church owe a reply to my brief about a week before.  That's exciting and incredibly scary.  I requested 15 minutes of oral arguments (you can request up to 30 mins.).  I pray, in the legal sense--and spiritual, that the court grants me my 15 minutes.  It's pretty straight-forward. And it's right; and what's right is right, am I right?

Second, you should go to tonight's Town Board meeting tonight where they will discuss our treatment plan for the lake this summer.  They were very supportive last time around.  Here's a note from Ken:

The Yorktown Town Board has to vote to authorize the contract for copper sulfate treatments to Mohegan Lake in 2016.  They have placed the matter on their work session agenda for Tuesday February 26th.  We will know the time once they post the agenda tomorrow morning on the Town website.  I plan on attending, but would appreciate any moral support.  Not to mention that it would be good for the new Town Board members to see that there is support for the lake in the community.  The agenda item should take no more than five minutes, once they get to us.  Ken

Third, what a strange winter.  While we initially speculated it would be an abbreviated skating season, it's proved to be about 6 weeks strong with potential for more; all without nearly as much child labor, relative to last year!

Fourth, the Yorktown Town Board is considering a radical rezoning proposal and there is a public, working session being held on March 8.  This is an issue we all need to pay attention to.  Live in a residential zone? Next to someone with an acre parcel?  If so, you could easily be living next to 12 apartments, if the Board keeps moving in their current direction.  Very scary to the residential integrity of Yorktown, so pay attention. 

Lastly, Think Cold.   Looks like this week holds yet another natural Zamboni for us.  The question is, will the cold be cold enough to allow us any more skating on this sweet, sweet Mohegan Lake ice?

 

 

Public Hearing Tuesday 2/16/2016 For Lexington Ave. Major Up-Zoning

Update 2/16/2016:  The Town Board has not released and agenda for tonight's meeting, but the word on the street is that there will be a work session on March 8th, 2016 regarding the Lexington Avenue re-zoning proposal.  Please adjust your calendars accordingly and--remember--work sessions are NOT televised.  

So this is what we know:

The Town Board is considering a major re-zoning of a single acre lot.  It goes from R1-20 (Yortown's smallest relative to lot area, single family zone) to R-3 (the densest, most multi family you could imagine). 

The Town Board appears to have been lulled by the developer of unknown origins (certainly not from Yorktown) looking to FIT TWELVE (12) APARTMENTS ON A SINGLE ACRE (1) ON A SINGLE BLOCK OF SEVEN (7) SINGLE FAMILY HOMES (SOON TO BE 6).  Excuse me.  I think my caps lock got stuck there.  You can watch the February 2 video here.  

The red square is an island of 12 apartments amongst a sea of single family homes.  Please remember, our Town Board are elected officials and remember how they vote on this application.

My inclination is to layout my entire argument against such a radical re-zoning here, in this space, because it's such a crazy, crazy proposal, but that's not the proper way to convey such sentiment to the Town of Yorktown Town Board.  You can do that yourself by showing up on Tuesday night and educating the Town Board on  the finer points of how this rezoning is basically a handout to a developer to create a dozen section 8 apartments next to George Washington Elementary School (I have 4 girls in the district, so I'm a bit biased).  Or you could just email the Town Board your comments; this link has their email addresses. 

It's bad for the homeowners on the block.  It's bad for GWES. It's bad for Yorktown as a whole.  There are a lot of R1-20 zones around town.  You may live in one.  Imagine if some random lot on your block, say it's an acre--give or take, and then all the sudden you HAVE TWELVE APARTMENTS LOOKING INTO YOUR BACK, SIDE, OR FRONT YARD.  Sorry, caps lock is malfunctioning tonight.  Imagine if the proposed 9+ acre subdivision on Hunterbrook, instead of going from a single family home to 9 single family homes, was going to a nine acre lot with 108 apartments.  Never gonna happen.  Shouldn't happen here--if our elected officials do their jobs.

In summary, pay attention to the Town of Yorktown Town Board.  Especially up here in Mohegan Lake. It's frustrating that we even have fight something like this.  You would expect the Town Board to have our back, not some faceless developer looking to allow blight to bleed into Yorktown.