STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING, Tuesday, October 16, 2001 7:30 PM

Minutes
Attended by:
LWRP Steering Committee : Erna Capetanopoulos, Bill Cassella, Holly Daly, Barbara Dannenbring, Suzanne Harwood , Judith Holzer, Francis Farrington, Charlotte Frankenthaler, Rob Lane, Elizabeth Martin, Charlene Paden (Chair),Peter Paden, Lenore Person, Stephen Tilly, Angelo Tisi, Gwen Thomas
LWRP Consultant: Jim Martin, The LA Group PC

Other Participants: Trustee Allegra Dengler, Susan King, Anthony Giaccio, Mary Wall

I. Discussion/Refinement of Draft Section IV - Proposed Land and Water Uses and Proposed Projects Law

Paden reported that few Committee comments on the Section IV draft were received before the meeting. The deadline for detailed comments on this verison of the draft is therefore extended to Friday, Oct. 26.
At the meeting, the Committee made the following recommendations to be incorporated into the next Section IV draft.

  • Origin of draft goals is not clear enough. Need to derive our goals more directly from the conclustions of the inventory and analysis section, the results of our surveys, and the state coastal policies.
  • Need an Exec Summary to present the overall downtown/waterfront plan.
  • Present proposed waterfront projects in a more unified manner, showing the waterfront plan as a whole.
  • Emphasize importance of replacing Dobbs Ferry's lost wildlife habitats along the river by establishing a natural area at the north end of Waterfront Park.

    ACTION: The Committee should submit their Section IV comments to Paden by Friday, October 26. All new information will be forwarded to the LA Gorup for their drafting of the next Section IV revision. (Next revision will be available for Committee review in early November.)

    II. Report on meetings with Trustees re: Section IV

    Paden reported on meetinw with the Village Trustees during the past week to discuss the draft Section IV. The Trustees were generally very supportive of the Committee's work so far on the proposed plan and their preliminary comments will serve to strengthen the draft as it is revised.

    Three Trustees expressed concern regarding the LWRP Committee's (as well as the former Waterfront Committee's) recommendation that the north end of Watfront Park (former DPW area) be used as a natural area for passive recreation. In light of the perceived shortage of athletic fields in the Village, the trustees asked the Committee to consider proposing an open area suitable for use as a soccer field for young children at the north end of the park, which could be used for a variety of other active uses and would have the convenient use of the parking lot by recreational permits.

    The LWRP Committee discussed this idea at some length at the meeting and concluded that we want to strongly affirm our support for the development of the north end of Waterfonr Park as a natural area (with appropriate topography and vegetation for wildlife habitats) reserved for passive recreation uses. This is a unique waterfront area - the only area that remains in Dobbs Ferry, after the developmenjt of Livingston Ridge and the Landing, that could serve as a natural riverfront and wildlife habitat. The Committee suggested, however, that the middle portion of the park -- the flat meadow area -- may be a suitable area for multiple active recreational uses, including informal, non-regulation sports activities.

    ACTION: Paden will forward of Trustee comments to the LA Group for incorporation into the next Section IV revision.

    III. Status of LWRP Inventories

    Paden reported that The LA Group Biodiversity Study of Wickers Creek is not complete and report's findings and recommendations will be incorporated into the LWRP Inventory & Analysis.

    Recent survey results will also be incorporated into the LWRP Inventory and Analoysis. Paden is integrating the results of five local public surveys conducted this year and in the recent past. These surveys from the 1999 Waterfront Committee Survey, Gateway Study Survey, April 2001 LWRP Public Meeting Surveys, 2001 LWRP Summer Survey and 2001 Open Space Survey.

    Within the next week, Paden will send each inventory subcommittee a copy of questions formulated by the LA Group to help them complete the specific inventories. Subcommittees should complete their inventory work within the next two weeks - deadline November 2nd.

    ACTION: Paden will email the inventory questions to each of the subcommittees.

    IV. LWRP Schedule (October 2001-April 2002)

    Jim Martin went over the proposed LWRP schedule for the next six months (attached), with submission of the LWRP Comprehensive Plan to the Board of Trustees in January 2002 and culminating in Board adoption by April 2002. Martin advised the Committee to submit recommended zoning revisions early (by December 2001) to progress on a parallel track with the LWRP review/adoption process. Paden added the Zoning/LandUse subcommittee is devloping proposals for revisions to the zoning code based on the LWRP planning goals being developed by the full Commmittee.

    V. Public Meeting on Public Access Issues

    Paden reported that Mayour Monahan had proposed a public meeting on November 15th to address the issue of public access to the waterfront. John Nolon had been approached about facilitating the meeting and the LWRP Committee was asked to be on hand to assist with the breakout group discussions.

    The LWRP Committee felt strongly that it is inadvisable to hold such a meeting so close to our previouly scheduled Nov 20th informational meeting on the status of our work. We're working extremely hard to get ready for Nov 20th, it is very important to our process, and we don't want people not to show up because they've been "meeting'd out." The Committee also felt it important that the work of the LWRP Committee not be so closely identified with the public access agenda. There was, in additional , a strong consensus that it is premature to have a meeting about public access, and in any event, unwise to encourage such a discussion "in the abstract." The time to have such a public meeting would be when there is a concrete proposal before the Village to take a step that would require an expansion of public access In that contect, the specific pros and cons of the proposal can be more meaningfully discussed and debated.

    ACTION: Paden will speak to Mayor Monahan immediately and suggest that the public access meeting be cancelled. [Update: I spoke to the Mayor and he agreed that the meeting will not go forward.]

    VI. November 20 Public Meeting on LWRP Section IV (**New Date - Nov 28**]

    Martin discussed purpose and preparations for the public meeting.
    Purpose: To inform the public on the progress of the dobbs Ferry's LWRP process and to solicit comments on the proposed plan. This will be the final opportunity for the public to comjment on the LWRP before it is finalized and submitted to the Village Board in January.
    Preparations: Martin and the LA Group will prepare the following:
  • Executive Summary of the whole plan, with a map
  • Powerpoint presentation and visuals
  • Series of large maps and drawings representing the overall waterfront/downtown plan

    The Committee suggested the following:

  • Use a series of diagrams reflecting our planning framework and the principles that the plan aims to embody
  • Include perspective renderings and examples of other waterfronts
  • Anticipate several questions that will be asked to challenge the plan
  • Meeting should be televised, asking viewers to submit written comments before a one-week deadline
  • Invite NYS Department of State representative
  • Be sure that the Mayor and Trustees can attend
  • The Committee should be able to see the presentation before the meeting.

    ACTION: Paden will check on Mayor Monahan's availability. [Update: The meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Nov 28th. Monahan will attend.]

    VII. Future Meetings

  • Informational meeting on the November 6th Open Space Referendum to be held on Wednesday, October 24th, 8 PM in the Middle School/High School Cafeteria. The meeting is co-sponsored by the Village and PTSA.
  • LWRP Public Meeting - Wednesday, November 28, 7:30-9:30 PM at the Embassy Club. Executive Summaries will be available at Village Hall one week prior to the meeting.

    VIII. Other Business

    Paula Marshman of the NYS Department of State will be our new state representative to work the Village the LWRP Steering Committee. Marshman is also the state DOS representative for Hastings' LWRP.

    The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM.