The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Inside Press

Gov. Cuomo: At 11 p.m., a Travel Ban in 13 Downstate Counties Go into Effect

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MTA Completely Closing all Public Transit Systems at 11 p.m.

Ban on Tandem Trailers on Major Highways Remains in Effect

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo this afternoon announced a travel ban on all state and local roads in thirteen downstate counties effective at 11 p.m. tonight. All MTA and Port Authority public transit systems will also be suspended beginning at 11 pm. until further notice.

The Governor urged commuters and motorists to get home well in advance of the 11 p.m. closures as the storm intensifies throughout the evening and travel conditions worsen. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for the greater New York City metropolitan area effective today and through Tuesday night. The National Weather Service forecasts snow accumulation of at least 1 ½ to 2 feet combined with wind gusts of up to 70 MPH on Eastern parts of Long Island. People in the region should continue to closely monitor weather forecasts and advisories.

“This blizzard is forecasted to be one of the worst this region has seen, and we must put safety first and take all necessary precautions,” Governor Cuomo said. “Commuters and drivers need to get home as quickly as possible before the storm completely cripples our transit networks and roads. The State will close all roads and public transportation effective at 11 p.m. and we urge all New Yorkers to prioritize safety and be patient as we wait for this storm to pass.”

Details of the road and transit closings are as follows:
•For all local and state roads, a travel ban will go into effect at 11 p.m until further notice in the following 13 counties: Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Ulster, and Westchester.
•New York City subways and buses will operate only local service beginning at 8 p.m. and service will be suspended beginning at 11 p.m. until further notice.
•Long Island Rail Road, Metro North, Staten Island Railroad service will be suspended beginning at approximately 11 p.m. until further notice.
•PATH service will operate on a weekend schedule beginning at 9 p.m. and be suspended at 11 p.m. until further notice.
•A ban on tandem trailers on I-84, the Long Island Expressway, and the Thruway from Exit 17 to the New York City line, including on I-287 and I-95, went into effect at 4 p.m. and remains in effect until further notice.

On closed roads, only authorized emergency vehicles will be permitted. A violation of the travel ban is punishable as misdemeanor that includes fines of up to $300. The Governor today signed an Executive Order authorizing the State to institute the travel ban on local and state roads.

For more information or to keep up to date with the most recent information, New Yorkers can visit: http://ny.gov/blizzard2015.

Metro-North and LIRR customers can visit MTA.info and monitor MTA email and text message service alerts, or @LIRR or @MetroNorth on Twitter for information about train resumption schedules. LIRR station waiting rooms will remain open around the clock through Friday, January 30.

For road updates, New York State provides a travel advisory system that features real-time travel reports and road conditions, which can be accessed by dialing 511 or online at www.511ny.org. Thruway motorists are encouraged to sign up for TRANSalert e-mails which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway. Motorists can sign up for TRANSalerts by following this link: http://www.thruway.ny.gov/tas/index.shtml. Thruway travelers can also get real-time updates by following @ThruwayTraffic on Twitter or by visiting http://www.thruway.ny.gov to see an interactive map showing traffic conditions for the Thruway and other New York State

Potential Dog Park at Gedney Considered: a Possible “Haven from Coyotes”

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By Eileen Gallagher

During a work session Tuesday, town board members and town administrator Jill Shapiro discussed the possibility of a dog park at Gedney. Two possible locations are the area behind the pond and the area further back in the park, adjacent to the restroom area.

Councilwoman Elise Mottel questioned if the purpose of the plan was to no longer allow unleashed dogs in the park. Shapiro explained that unleashed dogs are still allowed at certain times in specified areas, and at all times on the trails, but that this would be one way to eliminate having dogs on the ball fields which are currently prohibited.

Supervisor Greenstein added that a benefit of a dog park would be to give people and their dogs the opportunity to socialize, while board member Lisa Katz agreed that the park would provide space for dogs to run off-leash. Councilman Adam Brodsky added that it would be a “haven from coyotes.” Additionally, Greenstein mentioned the possibility of a memorial for those wishing to commemorate their deceased pets with something like an inscribed brick or stone.

gedney playground

Pace Consultants re Master Plan: “Here to Empower, Not Steer.”

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By Eileen Gallagher

In a joint meeting on January 20, the town board and master planning steering committee listened to a presentation by Tiffany Zezula and Kevin Dwarka of Pace Land Use Law Center.

As one of five respondents to the town’s November RFP (request for proposal) for a master planning consultant, Pace was the recommended firm, per town planner Sabrina Charney Hull. The $59k pricetag would require another $20k to include a “Downtown Revitalization” study, recommended by the steering committee members as the presentation concluded.

Zezula and Dwarka will “hone in on moving this community forward.” According to Zezula, she and her colleague will serve as close advisors, giving “clear guidance” and helping the town to navigate the master plan process. “We are here to empower,” she continued, “not steer.”

Putting forth a timeline of ten tasks, Zezula and Dwarka listed the following:

1- Downtown Revitalization Study (January through August)
2- Existing Conditions (January through April)
3- Goals and Objectives (January through May)
4- Original Planning Analysis (if necessary) (June through August)
5- Draft Planning Strategies and Implementation Tools (June through August)
6- Draft Master Plan (August through September)
7- Revision of Draft Master Plan (October)
8- Guidance on Environmental Review and Adoption (October)
9- Coordination with Master Plan Steering Committee (January through October)
10- Public Engagement (workshops) (February, May, September, October)

Addressing the downtown revitalization study scope, Dwarka (a planner and an attorney) indicated a “range of scenarios” for the downtown. He said that Transit Oriented Development, or TOD, could be about “optimizing existing retail, and enhancing connectivity to the train station, and might also be a financing strategy.” Per Dwarka, TOD offers appreciation in land values with resulting tax income to offset the costs of infrastructure.

Continuing the topic of downtown revitalization, Dwarka spoke of the demand for living, working, and shopping in one’s own community. Listing economic revitalization, environmental sustainability, and quality of life as reasons to pursue this area, he also acknowledged challenges such as land acquisition, parking, meeting the infrastructure demands, and financing.

Bob Kirkwood, a member of the steering committee, questioned whether Millwood would be included as part of this effort. Though the study is currently not scoped for both Millwood and the downtown area according to Dwarka, Kirkwood suggested that lessons gleaned from the study could then be applied to Millwood.

Board member Jason Chapin queried whether they had any reservations about the town going through with the planned infrastructure project. Dwarka replied, “I don’t think you should stop the process. You are mainly dealing with a sub-surface project.”

Supervisor Rob Greenstein suggested the possibility of taking “baby steps” with the downtown rather than proposing big changes all at once. Dwarka replied that they would be able to develop a “phased approach” for any proposed changes.

In closing, Zezula said that they will be back on February 11, “raring to go.”

“Transit Oriented Development” to be Explored as part of Master Plan

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By Eileen Gallagher

During the town board meeting of Jan 14, the main topic was once again the master plan. Supervisor Rob Greenstein mentioned as part of his report that the town is considering hiring Pace to facilitate the next phases of the process.

This Tuesday, January 20, Pace will be presenting a proposal at the town board work session. Per Jill Shapiro, town administrator, they will be discussing a variety of strategies for the town, including, but not limited to, TOD (transit oriented development), which is a mixed use residential and commercial area designed to be walkable and highly accessible to public transportation.

Based on public outreach, Pace feels that the town should consider TOD as part of the master plan update, but they weren’t initially hired for that, per Shapiro.

Greenstein admitted that the board needs to do a better job of communicating to residents, saying that the master plan process has not stopped despite a slowdown in updates. “The public is not involved in every step of the process.”

Town attorney Nick Ward-Willis added, “There will be public hearings when the Master Plan Steering Committee proposes a plan.”

Resident John Ehrlich informed the board of the passing of longtime resident Penny Vane on December 27.

“She was an active contributor to so many projects,” Ehrlich continued, citing her involvement with the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, the Strawberry Festival, the former skating rink on South Greeley Avenue, and a popular soup bowl project making and selling ceramic bowls, proceeds of which went to feed the homeless.

The Crash

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By Grace Bennett

4 a.m.

I was having a lovely dream when “The Crash” happened. It was loud and frightening. And close. Downstairs, close. I bolted from my bed to my son’s room. “Did you hear that?” “Yes,” he said, clearly shaken too. “That was really loud. Is someone downstairs mom?” “I don’t know,” I said.

“Maybe some dishes fell; I don’t hear any footsteps…” “Mom,” he said. “Someone could be standing silent.” Right. I quickly peeked down the stairway. A lone dish, whole and not broken, sat at the bottom of the staircase, teasing us, inviting contemplation. “Maybe the dining room cabinet collapsed somehow,” I said, but we could not make sense of the whole dish either. “Or, maybe someone screwed up,” I thought.

Too scared to investigate, I dialed 911, and was transferred to New Castle’s emergency line. I explained the situation and the officer was very nice. I described what we heard, and added: “I have a glass door to my patio: could a deer have crashed through?” He said: “I’ve seen that too.”

I pictured a frightened or injured buck downstairs now as a possibility too. He told me he would stay on the line. “Two cars are on their way.” “Thank you” I said, “and do tell anyone to knock loud so I know it’s them.”

For the next three minutes, I contemplated our vulnerability and told my son that vast odds are that it was nothing serious. He agreed. Still, we both eagerly waited for help. When I heard the knock, I fought back a lingering fear, and scurried down the stairs, and then and there, I quickly saw “the cause”…the dining room floor was littered with all my best china; a few pieces survived a collapse of a shelf, that had given way.

Sheepishly, I answered the door. “It’s just the china,” I said. The two officers were very kind; they came in and inspected the mess, and pointed out the missing jack where the shelf rested, and as I suspected initially, the shelf gave way, and all the china came tumbling down, creating The Crash.

I apologized profusely, but they were having none of it. “You were right to be concerned,” the male officer offered. “That must have been very loud.” Yes, it was. Some more discussion. “Maybe you used the set for a holiday gathering shifting the balance on there finally?” the woman officer asked. “No, I said, no holiday gatherings here. I almost never touch that china anyway”(thinking suddenly now of this metaphoric break and the final fate of the pretty gold rimmed dish set I got to keep). I apologized again; the woman officer offered: “That’s what we are here for.”