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Written by Diane Greenwald

Published: 25 July 2023

Created: 25 July 2023

Last Updated: 26 July 2023

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This week Scarsdale is in the news again. And the Village is not cast in a flattering light. Writing in The Atlantic, Richard D. Kahlenberg contends that restrictive zoning codes in well-to-do suburbs have deepened the divide between rich and poor and denied children from lower income communities the opportunity for the quality education offered in more affluent neighboring towns. He contrasts Scarsdale with Port Chester to analyze what underlies the inequalities.

Commenting on Kahlenberg's piece and Governor's Hochul's housing plan, State Assemblymember Amy Paulin said. “The Governor proposed a one size fits all plan that wouldn't work. That's why I opposed it then, and I oppose it now. The article unfairly demonizes Scarsdale residents for having the same opinion as most of Westchester and Long Island. It's a cheap shot, pure and simple.

We should instead be focused on finding solutions that will work. “

Below, local resident Diane Greenwald offers her view from the ‘Dale.:

Critic Lacks Nuance on Complex Issue; Scarsdale can Lead on Fair Housing Policies and Promote School Investment Statewide, without Destruction

I read Richard D. Kahlenberg’s article in the Atlantic with great interest (Liberal Suburbs Have Their Own Border Wall, The Atlantic, July 23, 2023.) I agree with many issues he raises; about how structural inequity is baked into suburban housing opportunities and undermines access to well-funded schools. It’s hard to be the example town (again), but we should face these issues with honest reflection. At the same time, Kahlenberg’s comments lack nuance. Given the historic nature of many of the zoning regulations around here, I am not sure his “gotcha” assessment of hypocrisy among “limousine liberals” is entirely fair. This is currently a welcoming community to many, if not economically diverse.

Let’s face it, Scarsdale may have a public school system, but in many senses, it’s a private town. Entry requires the ability to pay steep taxes that support our schools and keep our housing prices high for resale. Kahlenberg’s claim that this is “inflated” value does not ring true, it is actually value. We often talk about how lucky we are to live in such an enclave, and frankly, enclaves are good places to raise kids. On the flip side, entry to leafy suburbs may not be currently (or overtly) based on race or religious, but it once was, and those historic barriers remain part of our world and should be challenged, changed. Unfortunately, we as a community have seen evidence of Kahlenberg’s harsher assessments about what can be part of holding on to barriers.

A few years ago, I was disheartened by some local views expressed during discussions of Freightway, a transit-oriented development (TOD) project proposing multi-family housing along with parking, retail and services. First, a few loud voices levied accusations of (unfounded) corruption and incompetence against our Village Trustees, probably out of a misguided political agenda. Next, those nay-sayers unwittingly (I hope) unleashed a swell of fears and distrust, that dissuaded reasonable, needed dialogue. Finally, the possibility of apartments in the Garth Road area, meant to offset the replacement cost of the decrepit Freightway parking garage, unearthed anger and bias, particularly focused on “influx” in schools. It was a shameful moment for our community, tinged with racist/classist undertones that wrongly derailed viable explorations. But it does not have to be the end of our story.

Some version of development should be discussed again; it has potential to be revitalizing and revenue building for our community and could improve economic diversity. I believe most in Scarsdale are sincerely committed to expanding opportunity for others and interested in well-considered solutions. We could embrace building affordable housing, welcome middle-income families, and improve our downtown, without damaging what is truly lovable about this town, all in partnership with the school district. Couldn’t Scarsdale become the model for fair housing policies, rather than the example of NIMBY elitism?

As many know, Governor Hochul has tried to address NYS zoning laws in efforts to combat the housing crisis. Her housing proposal was not “moderate” as Kahlenberg claims; if it had been, I would have supported it. It was a blunt instrument, an inadequate policy for the complexities of change management. Hochul should not give up and should try again, seeking broad input. Meanwhile, we in Scarsdale can lead on improvements, not be the place to defeat.

In fact, “defeating” wealthy suburbs, as Kahlenberg calls, seems a misguided, cynical goal. Yes, we need more affordable housing, and ALSO, our goal could be to better fund all schools. Kahlenberg dismisses this as a liberal, NIMBY fantasy but it’s not. Everyone cannot move into a handful of towns, (more, sure, but not everyone) but schools in every neighborhood could improve, which would do good things for other communities and their housing values. Housing policy improvements ought to be a multi-pronged effort including funding underserved schools. Yes, funding.

We know from Scarsdale and other school districts like it, that resources ensure success. Yes, I have to say that obvious truth out loud! We have been living for decades with the Reagan-crafted mantra, one based on his calculated misuse of the 1984 report, A Nation at Risk. He twisted data to “prove” a ridiculous notion, that investment into inner-city and struggling schools would not improve them, even while suburb schools are well-funded and successful. That wrong idea lives under the surface of many policies and discussions about education today, and it must be stamped out, like the lantern flies we are finding in our yards. In Scarsdale, we keep class sizes small; offer unique programs that serve small clusters of students and all sorts of needs and interests; and attract top-tier teachers with high salaries. That is why our per pupil costs are $5,500 more than Port Chester, as Kahlenberg points out, and that can and should be rectified.

I get that we here in Scarsdale are an easy target for Kahlenberg. Our expressed values and our actions are not perfectly aligned, and we can do better. But also, Kahlenberg has his own hypocrisies to contend with, as reported by the New York Times. He may have some points, but he is prone to all-or-nothing views that do not yield solutions or build on favorable existing factors and this undermines his credibility.

Scarsdale residents, a majority of whom vote Democrat, still have some positive priorities to offer. Many in Scarsdale genuinely seek to change housing policies to be fairer and prioritize schools for allocating funds not only for our own, but for others too. Many believe that this privilege is a responsibility, not an entitlement and want to build bridges, not barriers. As I think of these complex issues, I consider our school motto, non sibi, not for self alone. We can look out for our own interests and also support others on their paths, including with some sacrifices. I think (hope) Scarsdale can do that, before it is done for us.

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 08 August 2023

Created: 08 August 2023

Last Updated: 07 December 2023

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When we saw that someone reported sighting a bobcat in their yard a few weeks ago, we assumed they were mistaken. But now we know that the report was probably true.

Jeremy Gans spotted this bobcat in his yard in Quaker Ridge and caught him on his camera. Gans said, “We had one in our backyard about a month ago. It was definitely a bobcat and it had apparently gone hunting in the yard." Gans called police who said it is not unusual to see a bobcat in Westchester but they are usually nocturnal. He was told that as long as the bobcat was healthy it should not bother people, but pets would be at risk.

This one looks like he has a rabbit in his mouth!

DEC Wildlife Biologist Mandy Watson said bobcat attacks on humans are very rare, however it is still important to exercise caution. If you see a bobcat, do not approach it and make sure to supervise small pets, especially at night. Always walk dogs on a leash and anyone who has poultry or other livestock should make sure they are in a secured, predator-resistant area.

Here’s what the NYS Department Environmental Conservation says about bobcats:

Bobcats are about twice the size of a domestic cat and usually smaller than the Canada lynx. Their fur is dense, short, and soft-is generally shorter and more reddish in the summer but longer and more gray in the winter. Spotting occurs in some bobcats and is faded in others. The face has notable long hairs along the cheeks and black tufts at the tops of each ear. Males are, on average, one-third larger than females. Both sexes can be greater than 30 pounds; however, averages for males and females are 21 and 14 pounds, respectively. Body length for males is 34 inches and 30 inches for females. Tail length is usually between 5 and 6 inches for both sexes.

You can scare away a bobcat by yelling or making other loud noises. These tips will also help prevent conflicts with coyotes.
Bobcats are solitary animals and may be active at any time, day or night. Males have larger home ranges than females, and they travel greater distances on a daily basis. The average home range of a male in the Adirondacks is 136 square miles. The average female home range is 33 square miles. In the Catskills, the average male home range is 14 square miles, while the female average is 12 square miles. Home ranges are smaller in areas of good habitat than in areas of poor habitat. Scent marking using feces, urine, and scrapes of fluid from their anal glands have all been documented as ways they mark territory, and are commonly found on the underside of leaning trees, logs, shelter rocks, or stumps.

Bobcats will use multiple strategies while hunting. They may approach stealthily, using any form of cover available between them and their prey, attempting to get close enough to pounce and strike. They may also use an ambush technique where they will sit and wait for prey to pass by, to strike undetected. Smaller prey items such as mice and birds are consumed whole. Larger animals taken and stored are eaten in the position they lay, and can be identified as a bobcat cache (food stored for future use) if the upper parts were consumed, while the portion of the cache in contact with the ground may be untouched.

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 12 July 2023

Created: 12 July 2023

Last Updated: 13 July 2023

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A new noise ordinance was passed at Village Hall on Tuesday July 11 – but the timing was too late to save a local resident from legal action.

According to Jeffrey Singer of Hazelton Drive, ever since the Fenway Golf Club did a renovation and moved their parties to a tent the noise from weekend events has been a nuisance.

After numerous calls to the Village, Singer was advised to call the police whenever the noise was too loud, which he did. Police would regularly come to his house and then proceed to the club to ask them to turn down the volume.

However two weeks ago he was shocked to receive a strongly worded cease and desist order via certified mail from Fenway Golf Club. It accused the Singers of using the police force to harass and harangue the members of the club and the people who were paying for their parties to have their night ruined. The complaint said, “We are a potential threat to their revenues,” and if they continued to call the police the club would “initiate further action against us.”

Singer said he called the Village but did not hear back from Village Manager Rob Cole over the year that he has brought this up. Mr. Ward Willis told singer that he was the counsel for the village but not for the Singers, and “that I would need to lawyer up.” Singer said, “I was hoping there would be a resolution soon. That was massively disappointing. I followed the Village’s advice and was left twisting in the wind by the Village. I have spent half my life here because I like it. It was never about decibels. I know about sound engineering… It bothers us a lot. I have lived in harmony with this country club for three decades. It is only when they pivoted to outdoors. They could just move the parties back indoors where they always were and where they belong.”

(Ward Willis said that Mr. Cole got back to Singer on June 28, 2023.)

Later at the meeting, Trustees passed a new noise ordinance that has been discussed for two years. Trustees also asked the police to continue to collect data about noise complaints that can be used for further amendments to the noise ordinance. Commenting on the code change, Mayor Justin Arest said, “It takes a village. This has been two years in the making. There is a meaningful improvement. It is not necessarily finished. The Police Department will continue to collect data.” The new law defines the many kinds of noises experienced in the Village, specifies hours that various noises are prohibited and proscribes penalties for violations. You can see it here.

Does the new noise ordinance prevent Fenway Golf Club from playing loud music at night? Though there is no definition of "nighttime hours" in the new code, it does appear to bar the club from playing music that is audible inside neighboring residences. The code says, "Loudspeakers and public-address systems mounted or placed outdoors: Using or operating any loudspeaker, public-address system or similar device in such a manner that it is Plainly Audible inside the dwelling of an Affected Person, with all windows and doors closed is prohibited, unless it is for the purposes of safety.

So will loud parties in the tent be silenced? Who will need to cease and desist? The neighbors or the club?

Safety

Deputy Village Manager Randy Whitestone made a statement on pedestrian safety. He said, “I will briefly read a few tips that seem like common sense and obvious. But folks should be reminded of those from time to time. And this is from the New York State Department of Health Governor's Traffic Safety Commission Committee and the Department of Transportation. Drivers should yield for pedestrians in crosswalks and intersections. Slow down and obey posted speed limits. We now have a 25 mile an hour speed limit on most village roads. Take extra care around schools, playgrounds and neighborhoods. Always look out for pedestrians especially before turning at a green light or making a right turn on red. Never run red lights. Be careful in passing stopped vehicles. They might be stopping for pedestrians. Pay attention. Do not text and drive. Sharing the road. It is your responsibility to look for others. Pedestrians also need to be responsible. They should cross in marked crosswalks and at intersections. They should use sidewalks. If there are no sidewalks, which is true of many of our roads, they should walk facing traffic. So if you see vehicles and drivers make eye contact with drivers so they see you and stay visible after dark and in bad weather wear light colored or reflective clothing."

Dog Licensing

Also at the meeting, Deputy Village Manage Alex Marshall urged people to get a dog license for their dogs. She said licensing is required for all dogs four months or older. Rabies vaccinations are required as well. Watch a video on how to license your dog here.

Band Concerts

She said there will be free band concerts on Thursday nights at Chase Park and invited people to come down. The Westchester Band Summer Concert Series are at 8 pm and people can bring chairs and a picnic dinner.

Farmer’s Market

The Mayor asked residents to support the Farmer’s Market which is being held in the Village on Sundays from 9 am to 1 pm. He said, “buy something and support it.”