Residents Call for Con Ed to Speed Repairs on Damaged Pipes and Board Approves Changes to Site Planning Code

Con Edison’s damaged to homeowner’s sewer lateral lines along Walworth Avenue remained top of mind at the Village Board meeting on Tuesday November 10, 2026.

The Mayor was more hopeful that Con Edison would begin work to repair the sewer laterals – estimated at about 70 homes. He said, “We last had a field meeting with Con Ed on October 9, 2026. To date, no work permits have been issued. But we have continued to reach out. As of today, “we are anticipating an application for sewer lateral work – hoping it will be a sound plan to repair the lines in a reasonable period of time.”

During public comments, Arnold Han of 81 Walworth called in and said, “I'm here representing several of my neighbors who have been in this category where we were affected by the sewer laterals, and for one reason or another, we paid to have them fixed, and we're all very frustrated right now because we've completely lost any communication with Con Ed.”

He went on to explain that when his house was undergoing a major renovation last March or April, the sewer line backed up three times. They assumed something had gone wrong with the construction but then learned that their neighbors were also having issues with the sewer lines. Their plumber confirmed that there was a break in their sewer line, 50 feet from the house in the middle of the street a very unusual spot for a line to break. The line was buried under four feet of concrete right near the installation of the new Con Ed gas line. They met with Con Edison’s attorney (Carlotta Cassidy) and provided a video that confirmed the break. During their renovation Han, at his own expense, proceeded with the sewer line repair as they also had to open up their driveway to upgrade their water line.

Initially, Con Ed appeared to be acting in good faith and acknowledged the damage. But since September 9 they have gone dark. He said, “Nobody wants to file a lawsuit over $20 or $30,000, but we're kind of at wit's end, and we're willing to escalate this further if they are completely ghosting us.”

Joe Lawrence of 7 Walworth Avenue also spoke about the damaged laterals. He said, “We're heading into winter months. Should any of these lateral lines break down in the middle of a winter month, we won't be able to inhabit our homes anymore because we'll have no lateral line….. I I think there should be more urgency in this matter.”

He thanked the Board for the new sidewalks, saying “they look super….I see people using them more and more now because it's a pleasant walk.”

The Board received another letter about the laterals from a resident who spent $67,000 repairing his sewer line due to Con Ed’s work on his property. He filed a claim with Con Edison a year ago and has not received a substantive response on the claim.

Other Business

Mayor Justin Arest thanked Deputy Village Manager Emily Giovanni and her staff for filling in for Village Manager Alex Marshall while she was on leave. Marshall is expected back before the next Village Board meeting.

Deputy Village Manager Emily Giovanni said that fall leaf collection is underway and will continue through December 4, 2026. She asked residents to place leaves on their property line and not in the streets. She also said, “Don’t put sticks and branches in the leaf pile.”

She alerted drivers that the New York State Department of Transportation is repairing the retaining wall on the Post Road. One lane is closed off for the work.

Village Election

The Board passed a resolution authorizing the Village Election to be held on Tuesday March 16 from 6 am to 9 pm at Scarsdale Library.

Holiday Observances

The Board approved two resolutions: One for the placement of Menorah in Boniface Circle by Westchester Reform Temple from 12/4-12/7 and another for the placement of a creche in Boniface Circle by IHM from December 19, 2026 to January 2, 2027.

A Credit Card for the Library

The Board approved a resolution to authorize Scarsdale Library to use a credit card to pay for goods and services for library operations. Because the Library's funds are held in trust by the Village, the issuance and payment of a Library credit card require coordination between the two entities.

Amendments to Village Code Regarding Site Plan Approval

Following months of discussion, the Board approved amendments to Village code that are intended to clarify and update site plan review procedures, including the applicability of site plan approval requirements, the sequencing of reviews by Village land use boards, and procedures for reviewing and enforcing approved site plans. See the code revisions here.

At the opening of the meeting, the Mayor noted many monthly observances including the celebration of Diwali, the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the 251st birthday of the United States Marine Corps, Native American Heritage Month and Veteran’s Day, which the Village celebration November 11, 2026.