Inventory Workshop -- Wednesday, November 21, 2000 8:00 PM

Minutes
Attended by:
LWRP Steering Committee : Erna Capetanopoulos, Gina D'Agrosa, Eileen Cronin, Holly Daly, Ellen Davis, Mark Leggiero, Elizabeth Martin, Jeanne Mikelson, Charlene Paden (Chair), Padriac Steinschneider, Stephen Tilly, Angelo Tisi, Nancy Vitagliano
Village Board of Trustees: Joseph Bova, Allegra Dengler, Frank Farrington, Vikki Jones, David Mintzes,
Other Village Participants: Bill Cassella, Sara Cashin, Susan King , Lenore Person, Anthony Giaccio, Judy Holzer, Barbara Dannenbring, Charlotte Frankenthaler, Donna LoPinto, Gwen Thomas, Celeste Meneses

(The LWRP Steering Committee invited a number of interested Dobbs Ferry residents to participate in the Inventory Workshop led by Jim Martin, the Village's LWRP Consultant from the LA Group. Each participant was given a map of the Village, while Martin worked from an enlarged aerial photo of the Village taken in 2000.)

I. DISCUSSION CONCERNING THE WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION AREA BOUNDARY
What are the parameters:
Dobbs Ferry's LRWP must focus on a designated waterfront area of the Village that will include all of the important elements to be included in the final comprehensive waterfront plan. Currently, Dobbs Ferry's waterfront area boundary is defined by the State (Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources) to fully extend to the northern, southern and western boundaries of the Village, with the eastern boundary at 1500' east of the Saw Mill River (SMR) Parkway and the western boundary at 1500' beyond the shoreline. (This current area boundary does not include portions of the Saw Mill River that flows south along the SMR Parkway toward Hastings. If the LWRP Committee deems it necessary to reduce or expand the boundary to address all appropriate areas in the planning process, and can justify such a change, it may appeal to the Village Board and the State of New York for approval of a new boundary.

Needs to be considered: As a useful exercise to introduce the Area Boundary discussion, Martin asked the group to identify the important elements, facilities and unique aspects of the Village (past, present and future) that relate to the waterfront. He asked to include considerations of both the natural and "built" environment. The group's responses included the following:

  • Viewsheds: There are places all around the Village where current views of the river could be obstructed. Viewsheds of the Hudson go as far as the northeast corner of the Village along Cyrus Field Road. Also views from Beacon Hill.
  • Watersheds: Dobbs Ferry hosts tributaries to the Hudson -- north and south branches of Wickers Creek (with upstream ponds), the Saw Mill River (passes along eastern boundary and empties into Hudson in Yonkers.) The Hudson River currents and tides impact on our shoreline.
  • Points of access to the Village from the North, South and East: Impressions upon entering the Village, including signage, should relate to the Village's identity as a waterfront village and correspond with the regional and historic resources along the Hudson River.The Gateway gives a key to the character of the Village.
  • Waterfront Park: The Village park should remain a quiet place for enjoyment of waterfront related activities. It is not appropriate for athletic fields and other facilities that may interfere with the park 's natural setting.
  • Points of access to the waterfront: There are currently four points of access to the river: a vehicle bridge and a pedestrian bridge at the train station, a vehicle bridge at 145 Palisade St. and a pedestrian bridge (currently closed) at the Landing. The Planning process needs to address how the Village topography can accommodate additional points of access to the waterfront specifically for pedestrians.
  • Trailways/linkages: The Old Croton Aqueduct and the South County Trailway (Putnam Railway) link Dobbs Ferry to points north and south. Ways to link pedestrians to the waterfront from these and other trailways should be addressed.
  • Hudson River Valley wildlife corridors and flyways should be within the Village's LWRP area boundary.
  • The impact of Hudson River PCBs on Dobbs Ferry should be addressed in the LWRP, as well as that of the proposed Millennium Pipeline that is slated to run along the south County Trailway.
  • Open space: The Village Conservation Advisory Board completed an Open Space Inventory in early 2000. It identified many open parcels in the Village that are related to the waterfront and the institutions along the river. These include 145 Palisades Street, St Christopher's, Masters and Mercy College which should be within the LWRP area boundary. These and other open parcels have a direct relationship to water quality.

    • Suggested delineation of waterfront area boundary:

    The group discussed the pros and cons of defining the entire Village boundary as the LWRP area boundary. Because the Saw Mill River and the South County Trailway are not currently in the defined area, the argument to include the entire Village was compelling. However, the group was concerned that Committee's efforts would be diluted if steered too far from the actual waterfront. Martin considered the entire Village to be very manageable in size for an LWRP -- with the movement of people, the east-west routing, and the north-south connections to the region -- compared to many upstate communities.

    [Note: Martin pointed out that although the LWRP must address all waterfront related elements in the Village, the final product will be a comprehensive waterfront master plan, not a master plan for the whole Village. The waterfront plan will parallel many elements of a full-blown master plan, but it is a very defined process that must address the 13 waterfront planning policies set forth by the State (see attached). The resulting waterfront plan can serve as a support document for the Village and make future Village planning activities easier.]

    Although the group consensus was to include the entire Village in the waterfront area boundary, it decided to postpone the decision to change the current area boundary until the upcoming inventory and analysis portion of the LWRP is completed. The study will define what areas of the village are truly related to waterfront revitalization. Any recommendation regarding the boundary will be proposed at the Village-wide meeting scheduled for April 2001 when the results of the inventory and analysis are presented.

    II. DISCUSSION OF INVENTORY NEEDS
    The LWRP process requires that an inventory be performed to describe the existing natural and man-made resources and conditions within the defined waterfront area. The resulting narrative, supporting maps and other documentation will analyze waterfront issues, opportunities, and constraints to development and resource protection needs. Martin and the group discussed the categories of elements to be addressed in the inventory. These include, but are not limited to: Land use and zoning (and other development controls) Water-dependent and water-enhanced uses (boating, fishing, swimming, etc.) Public access Park and recreation resources Scenic resources Historic resources Natural resources Archeological resources Erosion and drainage patterns Public services/infrastructure Transportation and pedestrian walkways Educational resources

    In performing the inventory, the group will look for trends and consistent patterns of land use and zoning in the waterfront area, as well as unique characteristics, relationship of the waterfront to the downtown area, and the economic impact of the waterfront on the commercial district. Although the State is rather flexible regarding the level of inventory information required by the LWRP, the group agreed that it is important to have a good base of information before we move on to the next phase of the process.

    Inventory Strategy

  • Universal Workplan: Martin will develop a flexible workplan to apply to the entire inventory process and guide participants in each of their specific areas of research. The inventory sheet will be available by the end of November.
  • Assignment of collection efforts: Martin handed out a list of potential sources of already existing information for each of the inventory elements. A GIS map with Real Property Service (RPS) data will be available from the Town of Greenburgh by mid-December. Over the next two weeks, Paden will contact each inventory participants for additional sources of information and to determine what role s/he will play in the collection process.

    ACTIONS: By December 19, Paden will draft a comprehensive list of resources to be requested from Village, Town, County and State agencies as well as other sources. The information will be collected in time for the next meeting of the group - Tuesday, January 16, 2001. Paden will request a shelf in the Village Library to serve as a repository for the duration of the inventory so participants will have easy access to the information resources.

  • Identifying and filling the gaps in information: During January and February, areas requiring new research will be identified. The LA Group will assist in the gathering of this new information. Because of the change of seasons, the natural resource inventory will be ongoing into the Spring 2001.
  • Drafting the summary narrative: The focus of the summary narratives will be on the analysis of the information collected for each element and the waterfront related issues that emerge from that analysis. The LA Group will assist in drafting these narratives during and after the data collection is completed. A target date for completed drafts will be by the March meeting (3/20/01).

    • III. DISCUSSION OF MORATORIUM ON WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT
    Background: On the LWRP Steering Committee's recommendation, the Dobbs Ferry Village Board is considering a waterfront land use moratorium pending adoption of a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP). A moratorium would temporarily remove development pressures (and the impacts of development) and allow Dobbs Ferry the time to consider and evaluate all available opportunities for a comprehensive approach to development and use of our waterfront. At the November 14 Board Meeting, the Board requested the Committee to recommend the area to which the moratorium would apply.

    Using the aerial photo of the Village as a guide, the group examined the following boundary options: All shoreline properties All property west of the Old Croton Aqueduct Trailway All property west of Broadway All property west of the line made by Livingston, Main, Cedar and Broadway The Waterfront Area Boundary determined by the State (Most of the Village)

    The group agreed that the Old Croton Aqueduct would be the most appropriate boundary as it provides a continuous, natural north/south boundary line that includes many undeveloped waterfront related properties, a significant trailway and state park, important drainage areas to the river, and many views of the river.
    ACTION: Paden will submit the Committee's recommendation to the village Board that the Old Croton Aqueduct be used as the waterfront moratorium boundary.

    Further discussion ensued regarding additional elements the Committee would like included in the moratorium to ensure the preservation of existing vegetation, prevent the irreversible impacts of development on viewsheds in the scenic Hudson River area, limit the effect of erosion and maintain water quality in the Hudson River drainage basin.
    ACTION: Paden will draft the recommendations for review by Martin and members of the Committee before forwarding them to the Village Board.

    IV. ADJOURN AND SET NEXT MEETING DATE
    Paden announced that there will not be a December meeting. The next meeting date for the LWRP Steering Committee and all other inventory participants was set for Tuesday, January 16, 2001.

    The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 PM.