Planning Board Finalizes Proposed Code Regulating DAS Antennas
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Though DAS antennas are already installed on state-owned streets in Scarsdale, the Planning Board has been working on revisions to Village code to regulate their placement at additional sites around town.
Some residents were dismayed to learn that Next G, now Crown Castle had applied to place the antennas on utility poles on their front lawns and called on the Village to step in. Federal law prohibits the Village from banning the companies from installing the antennas but the Village does have the power to require special use permits and to regulate the appearance and placement of the antennas. In order to draft new code regarding these antennas the Village retained attorneys Best, Best and Krieger (BBK) to interpret the law and assist with the drafting of the new code. The DC based firm specializes in telecommunications cases and has handled disputes with NextG/Crown Castle in the past.
They have been working with the Planning Board on the new code for over a year and have now presented the final draft for the Planning Board to approve and send to the Scarsdale Board of Trustees to pass into law.
The consultants' goal was to advise the Village on:
- Protecting residential property values against the harm of placing obtrusive facilities on residential streets
- Maintaining community character
- Avoiding unneeded facilities
- Ensuring protection against RF radiation
After much deliberation they have made recommendations for requirements for telecommunications providers to obtain special use permits to place antennas in the Village right of way.
Among their recommendation are the following provisions:
- The applicant must hold a franchise authorizing use of village streets
- The facility must fill a service gap
- A new utility pole only if an existing pole is not available
- Applicant must comply with radio frequency standards dictated by the FCC
- No stand-alone towers will be permitted in Village streets
- The antennas can only be placed on major arterial roads where there are already aerial facilities (such as the Post Road, Weaver Street or Popham Road).
- The antennas must be a proscribed distance from other antennas
- The antenna cannot be more than 120 feet high
- The antenna itself cannot be larger than four feet tall
- The applicant must apply for an entire planned network to allow the Village to assess its overall impact.
- Permits will be limited to a term of five years
Links to all of their presentations and a draft of the suggested code can be found on the Scarsdale Village website on the Planning Board page here:
At the September 25 meeting, the Planning Board reviewed the final changes, heard comments from the audience and considered voting on the matter. However, Jospeh Van Eaton of BBK advised them that the FCC would soon issue new regulations that they might want to consider before passing on the proposed code. In addition, representatives from Crown Castle who attended the meeting asked for additional time to comment. Specifically they objected to the requirement that the antennas could only be placed on arterial roads as they wished to place the DAS antennas on smaller residential streets.
Planning Board members agreed to give Crown Castle a week to send in their comments and to hold over the vote on the matter until the next meeting.
Firefighter Sworn In at Scarsdale Village Hall
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Scarsdale's newest probationary firefighter, Timothy Duffy, was sworn in by Village Clerk Donna Conkling at Village Hall on September 19, 2013. He will begin an intensive seventeen-week training program at the Westchester County Career Fire Academy at the Department of Emergency Services in Valhalla, NY on September 23, 2013 and will return to the Scarsdale Fire Department as a Nationally Certified Level II firefighter in late January 2014.
Duffy was a volunteer firefighter in his hometown Stony Pointy before coming to Scarsdale, and continues to reside there with his wife and three children. Several on-duty Scarsdale firefighters attended the ceremony as well.
(Pictured at top) Fire Chief Thomas Cain, Probationary Firefighter Timothy Duffy, Village Manager Alfred Gatta, Village Clerk Donna Conkling
Photos by Trudy Zohn
Scarsdale School Board Presents Ambitious Agenda for 2013-14
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At their September 9th meeting, the Scarsdale School Board presented an ambitious plan to address the needs of the community and concerns expressed during the budget discussions in the spring of 2013. At meetings during the summer, the Board formulated plans to undertake several major initiatives to assess community views and do long term planning for the district. In addition, as Schools Superintendent Michael McGill will retire at the end of the school year, the Board has retained a search firm and defined the process to identify a new schools superintendent by March 2014.
To open the meeting School Board President Suzanne Seiden welcomed the community and urged wide-scale continued engagement. She invited everyone to air their views but also asked that the tone of the discussions be elevated. She asked people to be respectful and avoid side discussions during meetings.
Superintendent Search:
In order to identify a replacement for Dr. McGill a search firm has been retained to conduct a nationwide search to find a candidate who will provide leadership and enhance the school curriculum. As a first step, the firm will conduct focus groups with various members of the community on September 30 and October 1. In addition, a survey to assess the characteristics of the next superintendent has been posted online and the Board urges everyone to complete it. Click here to access the survey. Using the results of the focus groups and the survey the search firm will compile a profile for the new superintendent and then recruit and identify candidates. Following interviews and site visits, the Board plans to select the next superintendent by March 2014.
Strategic Plan:
In addition to the search, the Board will undertake three major initiatives. The first is a five-year strategic plan. To start the process, the Board will gather input from stakeholders in the community on their vision for the future and hopes to deliver their first report in January, 2014. Utilizing this information, the Board will do a five-year financial projection to allow residents to anticipate District plans and the associated costs.
Facilities Plan:
Also in the works is a facilities plan to explore options for maintaining, updating and improving district schools. Last year, in heated discussions about a proposal to build a new fitness room at the high school, residents asked for a long term plan for all construction projects and the board will now provide one. Architectural firms were interviewed during the summer and the public will have the opportunity to see presentations from the finalists this fall. Once a firm is selected, planning will begin with the goal of holding public discussions about a bond offering in June 2014.This bond offering would be voted on in November 2014. Given low interest rates and the retirement of current debt service the administration believes this would be an opportune time to undertake improvements to the facilities.
Revisions to Budget Process:
After the rancorous discussions last spring and the defeat of the first budget, the board has also decided to re-examine the budgeting process. Calling last year a "watershed year" for the schools, Board member Jonathan Lewis said that "the budget process needs to be more transparent," and that the district should consider "rebuilding the budget from the ground up." Given the constraints posed by the tax cap he believes the Board needs to look for ways to achieve their goals without spending more money. He called for the process to begin earlier, perhaps this fall and to evaluate how it can be improved.
Enrollment:
In other business, Joan Weber provided an analysis of school enrollment, reporting that the district now has 4,789 students and 448.6 faculty members. The district had projected 105 elementary school sections and currently has 103, though two grades in Edgewood and one grade in Greenacres have sections that include more than the maximum number of students. The population at the Middle School declined by 33 students, while high school enrollment is up by 80 students, due to an unusually large 9th grade class. Overall, the district is up 36 students over last year. The district tracked home sales in July and August and reports that during the summer months 127 families moved in and 60 moved out.
Facilities:
Linda Purvis said that the budget defeat in May set the district back on their plans to make improvements and renovate facilities during the summer. As they were not certain that funding would be available, they had to hold off on ordering materials.
Thus, the asbestos abatement was not done in the high school and the installation of new door locks from classroom doors that lock from the inside has not yet been completed. Purvis anticipates that all of the new looks will be installed in the next seven weeks.
The district also planned to relocate the office at the Greenacres School so that visitor traffic could be monitored from the office. That project had to be put on hold as the late bidding resulted in higher pricing. This project may be included in the bond referendum in 2014.
However, bathrooms were renovated at the Middle School and at Heathcote School and asbestos was removed from the Middle School. Roof work and masonry was done throughout the district. The high school cafeteria expansion was completed and another lunchroom for freshman has been set up in a gym.
Security:
The district has retained a security firm to staff three entrances to the high school. All traffic is directed to these three doors and all visitors are now being asked to report to the office. The new personnel are friendly and so far people are happy with the new procedure. There is also a greeter at the Middle School
Curriculum:
Lynne Shain, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, reported that the district continues to work on the Scarsdale Education for the Future and has designed assessments to measure critical thinking and complex problem solving skills. These assessments have been designed by grade and by subject. The project has excited much interest among educators who often request visits to see how their schools can follow Scarsdale.
In addition, there is a review of the K-12 physical education curriculum underway. The district is surveying parents, students and teachers and examining best practices.
Technology:
Technology Director Jerry Crisci reported that Chrome Book, which are pared down laptops, have been purchased for all 5th grade students. They are low cost laptops with no local storage capacity and are ideal for doing internet research and using google docs, google tools and learning circles. Chrome books will also be purchased for some students at the Middle School and teacher training is now underway to determine the best way to integrate the new devices into the curriculum. The Board approved $135,000 for the purchase of the devices. Work continues on many of the projects funded through the Center for Innovation. An e-Journal showing progress on these projects will be posted online for your review.
State Test Results:
During the public comments section, comments were made about class size at Greenacres and state test results. The district said that they would mail out the results of the state tests the week of September 23, pending resolution of a reporting glitch from the state. Lynne Shain told the group that test scores were 30% lower than last year with more students scoring 1's and 2's than in previous years. Once the district is given the information to interpret the test results they will determine if students need extra support.
10 Great Places to Pick Apples, Pumpkins and Grapes (!) in Our Area
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The cooler weather is the perfect time to pack up the kids and head to one of the many orchards around our area. Make sure you call ahead to confirm hours, availability and attractions. Leave your pets at home; they aren't allowed at most farms. If you're thinking of packing a picnic, call ahead to make sure the farm allows you to bring your own food. Apple picking season started around Labor Day and lasts through October. However, if you go too late, there often aren't many apples left on the trees. The pumpkin picking season starts about October 1. As the best pumpkins go fast, don't wait until the day before Halloween to get yours or you risk disappointment. When you arrive home with your apples, make sure to keep them in a cool spot (basement, root cellar, crisper, etc.) to get the longest life possible out of them.
Westchester County
Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard – North Salem, 914-485-1210
130 Hardscrabble Road; www.outhouseorchardsny.com
Formerly Outhouse Orchards, this family-run farm allows visitors to pick their own apples daily throughout the season. Easy drive up I-684 and good choice for young children. Afterward, stop off at Muscoot Farm (free admission) to visit a working farm (muscootfarm.org) or walk around charming Katonah.
Stuart's Farm – Granite Springs, 914-245-2784
62 Granite Springs Road; http://www.stuartsfarm.com/
The Stuart family farm, the oldest in Westchester, offers nine types of apples. Also, pick your own pumpkins from the vine through November.
Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm – Yorktown Heights, 914-245-5111
1335 White Hill Road; www.wilkensfarm.com/
Apple picking began the first week of September and there are dozens of varieties. Wilkens offers pumpkin picking beginning October 15 and cut-your-own Christmas trees starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Dutchess County
Fishkill Farms – Hopewell Junction, 845 897-4377****top pick****
9 Fishkill Farm Road; http://fishkillfarms.com
The farm's store stocks pies, donuts, pasture-raised eggs, locally produced ice cream, maple syrup and more. Apple varieties grown on the farm include Cortland, Spartan, Empire, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Mutsu, Jonagold, Idared, and Stayman Winesap.
Mead Orchards – Tivoli, 845-756-5641
15 Scism Road, off Rte. 9; www.meadorchards.com
Mead Orchards is a 185-acre fruit orchard and vegetable farm. Its orchards produce Fortune, Northern Spy, Senshu, Suncrisp, Cameo, Crimson Crisp and Ruby Frost, among others.
Orange County
Pennings Orchard – Warwick, 845-986-5959
Route 94 & Warwick Turnpike; http://penningsfarmmarket.com
Offers 15 different varieties. Probably the biggest and one of the best orchards around. The trees tend to be low to the ground, so you don't need a pole to pick them. Good for small children.
Apple Ridge Orchards – Warwick, 845-987-7717
101 Jessup Road; www.appleridgeorchards.com
Located in the picturesque Warwick Valley, the views are worth the whole trip, not to mention being able to pick pumpkins right off the vine. This is a great place for kids as they have dwarf apple trees. An added attraction is the glass honey bee observation hive where kids can watch honey bees at work and learn about pollination.
Slate Hill Orchards – Slate Hill, 845-355-4403
2580 US Route 6; www.slatehillorchards.com
Starting every Saturday and Sunday the third weekend in September, Slate Hill gives its guests the opportunity to not only explore the farm, but to also pick apples (15 varieties), pumpkins and, a treat we don't usually see in our area as pick-your-own, grapes.
Rockland
Dr. Davies Farm – Congers
306 Route 304; 845-268-7020
This historic 35-acre orchard is home to 4,000 trees and is open for picking daily. One of the oldest continually working farms in the area.
Nearby New Jersey
Riamede Farm -- Chester, 908-879-5353
122 Oakdale Road. www.riamede.com
Bring your own scissors and snip a pumpkin right off the vine starting September 28! The farm offers a complimentary hayride to the picking field on weekends and Columbus Day. You can also pick your own apples in several varieties including heirlooms.
Candidates Needed for Scarsdale Citizens Nominating Committee
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The Scarsdale Procedure Committee invites eligible Scarsdale residents to run for election to the Scarsdale Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC) on Wednesday, November 13, 2013. The CNC is a non-partisan group of residents that each year nominates candidates for Village office (i.e., Mayor, Trustees, and Village Justice) where an incumbent office holder's term will end the following year. The CNC is one of two venues for citizens to participate in the non-partisan electoral process in Scarsdale (the other being the School Board Nominating Committee election).
There are 30 voting members of the CNC. Ten CNC members retire and are replaced each year. So there will be 10 new voting members elected in November.
CNC members are expected to attend four or five meetings, to serve for three years and to serve on the Procedure Committee for one year after their retirement from the CNC. The meeting dates for 2013-2014 will be Sunday, Dec. 8; Sunday, Jan. 12; Sunday, Jan. 19, Wednesday, Jan. 22 and, if necessary, Sunday, Jan. 26.
Eligible CNC candidates have to be registered voters and to have lived in Scarsdale for at least two years. In addition, CNC candidates cannot be currently on the School Board Nominating or Administrative committees, the Scarsdale Board of Education, the Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees or the Procedure Committee.
Candidates run for one of two CNC positions in their respective elementary school districts. A minimum of two candidates are needed per position, four candidates for each of the five elementary school neighborhoods and a minimum total of 20 candidates to run for the ten CNC positions to be filled this year.
To run, candidates must file a nominating petition with 10 signatures of registered voters from their elementary school area, as well as a short biographical sketch. Forms for both are available as downloads from the Procedure Committee website: http://scarsdaleprocedurecommittee.org/forms.php. They may also be obtained at the Scarsdale Library, Village Hall, and from the Procedure Committee's chair (Eli Mattioli, elimattioli@gmail.com, 472-6558) and vice-chair (Howard Nadel, hlndln@aol.com, 722-6608).
The deadline for filing both forms is Sept. 30; after this date, candidates for any school area will only be accepted if there are fewer than two candidates for that district. The nominating petitions must be filed as hard copy with original signatures, while the biographical sketches must be filed as MS Word or text files, preferably as email attachments.
