July 12, 2021, Mayor's Column
I want to update everyone, as summer vacations fast approach for many, on some important legislation that has transpired or may transpire between now and our September meeting.
At the June Board of Trustees meeting, we adopted the following:
Smoking and vaping prohibited now in all Village owned parks and recreational facilities including the paddle and tennis courts. In addition, it is prohibited on all Village Hall and library grounds. Punishment, if convicted, is a violation punishable by a fine of no more than $250.00 and/or 15 days imprisonment.
The Board of Trustees’ final meeting before Labor Day is on July 22nd and the docket is full. The public work session convenes at 6pm in Village Hall in person and the regular meeting immediately follows at 7pm.
Items on the July agenda include a post COVID update from Justices Primps and Nordahl of the Village Court as well as an update on library operations from Library Director Greg Wirszyla and members of the Library Board.
A Public Hearing will be held on Local Law 9-2021 so called Opting Out of the Licensing and Establishing of Retail Cannabis Dispensaries and On-Site Cannabis Consumption.
The local law would be pursuant to the newly enacted New York State Cannabis Law #131 which expressly authorizes villages to opt out of allowing, “retail cannabis outlets and on site cannabis consumption establishments within their boundaries.”
The Village Board is considering opting out now because doing so preserves all options going forward for the Village. If we opt out by December 31st, we can choose to opt in anytime in the future, but if we don’t opt out at this juncture, establishments would be allowed in perpetuity.
In addition, the Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management which is charged to create the rules and regulations as to how dispensaries will be controlled is yet to be formed so there is a dearth of information as to how the distribution will be controlled and supervised. In essence, we need to preserve our options and be better informed.
Our Westchester neighbors in Eastchester, Larchmont, North Castle and Somers have either opted out or have Public Hearings scheduled while many others are reviewing the option as the communities have until Dec 31st to make their decision.
This local law shall take effect upon filing with the Secretary of State.
The Board of Trustees will also be holding a second Public Hearing on the submittal of two Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications to Westchester County for the purpose of applying for federal funding for the following projects:
#1 – Pedestrian and traffic signal improvements to the intersection of Midland and Pondfield. The purpose of the improvements is to make the facilities of the “four corners” and the downtown fully accessible by upgrading the existing signalization and also adding pedestrian crosswalk signals. Other ADA improvements including new curbing and handicap ramps will also be part of the project.
#2 – West Side Circle pedestrian and traffic safety improvements. The purpose of the project is to make the crosswalks at the Circle substantially more visible by adding rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) at the crosswalks to alert motorists of pedestrian crossing. Additional improvements include new handicap ramps and enhanced crosswalk striping.
The Board will also be scheduling a Public Hearing on proposed amendments to the Village’s existing seasonal ban on gas powered leaf blowers. Currently, the ban is in effect from June 1st to September 30th whereas the proposed revisions would extend the prohibition from December 15th to March 15th and again from May 15th through October 15th. We would join dozens of other Westchester communities who have either extended the duration of gas powered blowers prohibition periods or banned gas powered blowers entirely.
The Board of Trustees was prompted to revisit our current law in light of the multitude of resident complaints, many of whom were greatly affected by the noise in particular while trying to work and take business calls at home offices.
Since Bronxville requires all landscapers to register with the Village and each must display a registration number on their vehicles, residents should feel free to report a violation without directly confronting the worker who might not be aware of the law and may take his orders from an off-site manager. Photos of the violation and the registration sticker sent to Village Hall will prompt a letter of warning from the Village Administrator’s office followed by sterner warnings and a fine if the violations continue. By avoiding direct confrontations or involving the police, residents are encouraged to report violations. The Village and Green committee websites will post procedures for reporting violations.
We at Village Hall wish you all a healthy and happy summer and are here 9am to 4pm Monday through Friday to assist in any way.