Myrtle Blvd Parking Deck Construction To Begin in June

Train Station Parking Fees to Go Up

by Harriet Kline

(April 3, 2008) A lengthy Mamaroneck Town Board meeting on Wednesday, April 2 finally brought a resolution to the issue of extending a special permit for Forest City’s apartment project on Madison Avenue. The board also set new permit parking fees for the period of June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009, accepted a bid for Hommocks drainage improvements and awarded a contract for ambulance district billings. .

Myrtle Boulevard Parking Deck

After weeks of negotiations (and several public hearings), the board unanimously approved a three year extension to the special permit granted Forest City Mamaroneck (FCM) in October 2006 to build an apartment complex on Madison Avenue and a parking deck on Myrtle Boulevard. Forest City now has until April 2011 to apply for a building permit for the apartment complex.(See: Town Postpones Decision on Extending FCD Apartment Permit.)

Town Attorney Bill Maker made it clear that the permit was extended on the condition that FCM begins construction of the promised two-story parking deck no later than June 2, 2008 and completes the project by March 1, 2009 - whether or not the apartment complex is ever built. In essence, the Town gained a new parking facility for 118 cars at no cost to taxpayers.

Mr. Maker also indicated that failure to meet the deadlines will “cost” Forest City days on the extension. For every day past March 1, 2009 that the deck is not completed, the Town will deduct 2 days from the granted extension. Conversely, if the deck is completed earlier, the permit dates will be extended.

Joel Sacks, who represented Forest City in the negotiations was on hand to thank the board for the extension and said that Mr. Maker was “too good a negotiator.” Councilwoman Phyllis Wittner also praised Mr. Maker for accounting for every contingency.

Myrtle Boulevard resident Nicholas Sparkman urged the board to think seriously about the cars that will be displaced (from Lot #3) during the 9-month deck construction period. Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe, Councilwoman Nancy Seligson and Councilman Ernie Odierna assured Mr. Sparkman that the board had just spent considerable time during its work sessions to plan for this very event. Plans should be released shortly.

Permit Parking Fees to Go Up

Letters with parking renewals (in the mail this week) will include an unwelcome surprise – parking fees are going up for all Town lots for the period June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009. Last night the board unanimously adopted a resolution to increase all fees as follows:

According to Town Clerk Christina Battalia, the permit fees were last adjusted in the year 2002. She also announced that renewals must be returned to her by May 2nd and new permits will be considered as of May 19. Application forms for parking permits are available on the Town web site.

Hommocks Drainage Pipe

The board approved a $361,735 bid from Cassidy Excavating for improvements to the Hommocks drainage pipe running between Flint Park and Hommocks Field. Town Administrator Steve Altieri said that 14 contractors submitted bids and that the project is difficult because the pipe is subject to daily tides. The Town will borrow money for the project and a bonding resolution will be submitted to the board at a later date.

Earlier, at a weekend celebration of progress in Flint Park, Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe had reported that a portion of the old pipe that runs under the new artificial turf field will be filled with cement. This will avoid delaying completion of the field. (See: Flint Park Artificial Turf Field Now Expected to Open in May.)

Ambulance Service Billing

The board chose a new vendor to manage billing for the ambulance district. The new vendor, Evolution Billing Concepts, will issue laptops for the EMS staff so that patient information can be transmitted to receiving hospitals and that subsequent billing for services can be issued immediately.

Other Town Business

Approval of an easement agreement with Larchmont Acres East Associates to enable the Town to renovate the playground with CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) monies. The Town does not own the land so must lease it from Larchmont Acres.

Recommendations for parking changes on Colonial Avenue and Forest Avenue at Sheldrake Avenue were sent back to the Traffic Committee for a quorum vote

Approval of a contract for rebuilding and construction of concrete sidewalks, curbs and sidewalk curb ramps for $146,000

Proclamation honoring Patricia Miner-Sutherland who has spent 35 years teaching art at the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Senior Center. Her students are exhibiting their works at the Larchmont Library throughout April.

Upcoming Public Hearings

April 16, 2008 Proposal to make the defense of pre-existing non-conformity and “affirmative defense” in the prosecution
of zoning ordinance violations. Town Board waiting for Planning Board comments.

May 7, 2008 Consideration of new “Cold War Veterans” exemption
from Westchester County taxes.