Expanded Parking Application at Blind Brook Lodge
Dear Editor,
The May 24, 2013 issue of The Rye Record included a letter regarding Blind Brook Lodge’s (BBL) request to Rye City for a permit to expand their parking lot at 75 Milton Road, which has not been altered since the mid-1940s. I am writing to correct misinformation in that letter.
First, BBL has not yet received permit approval from the City Planning Commission. As of May 30, it is still a work-in-progress.
Second, BBL is requesting an additional 54 spaces, not 80. Also, only one current garden will be lost but replaced after construction with the shareholder’s consent.
Third, BBL engaged Maser Consulting P.A. to conduct a professional traffic study and we are following their recommendations for added safety: increased crossing signage, upgrade of crossing ramps, and installation of a flashing signal light for the pedestrian to activate via push button. These measures have the endorsement of the Planning Commission.
In conclusion, the BBL Board of Trustees has been working with the City since January 2012 to implement this project, which will serve all shareholders while maintaining as much permeable land as possible. Safe crossing from 66 Milton to 75 Milton for all has been a prime consideration.
Sincerely,
Donna Hogben
President, Board of Trustees
Blind Brook Lodge Owners, Inc.
Don’t Rush to Judgment on Claims of Test Coaching
Dear Editor,
Congratulations are in order to the parents who continue to support the teachers who have been accused of improper coaching during the state assessments. Rye teachers are known to be dedicated professionals and any rush to judgment regarding these allegations will be harmful. Instead, we should plan to avoid any similar situations in the future by assigning two proctors to each class being tested, a practice that is common in many school districts.
I am confident that a thorough investigation will prove that there was no misconduct on the part of the teachers, and that some miscommunication regarding proctoring procedures prompted these questions and the resulting actions.
Sincerely,
Clarita Zeppie, former Osborn School Principal
Bramson Wrong on HUD, Wrong for County Leader
Dear Editor,
Democratic candidate for County Executive, Noam Bramson, has taken the position that County Executive Rob Astorino is deceiving us about HUD’s intentions towards Westchester County; going so far as to accuse the County Executive of creating his own “imaginary threat.”
Either Mr. Bramson has no understanding of what HUD is trying to do to our county, or he is attempting to purposefully mislead us for his own (and, perhaps, even HUD’s) political ends.
We move to Westchester County for a number of reasons. Not the least of these is the suburban residential setting provided by our municipalities’ single-family homes and the thoughtful placement of its apartment or garden type housing. That setting is protected by our local zoning ordinances which require certain minimum lot sizes and restrict multi-family homes to certain of our community’s neighborhoods, in accordance with our community’s specific culture and land planning. Some of us want and are able to afford large homes on spacious lots, but many of us achieve our piece of the “American Dream” on more modest lots of 10,000 square feet (a common suburban lot size of less than a quarter of an acre), or by renting or purchasing an attractive apartment in a pleasant suburban surrounding.
Unfortunately, what HUD is attempting to do to us is far more than an “imaginary threat.” It is a planned assault on our communities, our suburban culture and our individual pieces of that “American Dream.” In this regard, HUD has taken the position “that 10,000 square-foot zoning, regardless of municipality, may have an exclusionary effect”; which, in turn, would require a forced Federal remedy. (HUD’s letter of March 13, 2013 to Westchester County.) HUD is also demanding that the County override local zoning ordinances “that directly or indirectly limit the number of bedrooms in a unit, restrictions on lot size or other density requirements that encourage single family housing or restrict multifamily housing.” (HUD’s letter of May 13, 2013 to Westchester County.)
In other words, without regard to the fact that there is no proof of local racial discrimination, HUD’s social engineers want to bully Westchester into demanding that its individual communities change their respective landscapes to conform to HUD’s idea of racially diverse housing patterns.
Mr. Bramson’s campaign column informs us that, unlike our County Executive, he does not “get it” or, worse yet, he does not care. However, if we care about our suburban way of life and our piece of the “American Dream,” then we should clearly understand that he is the wrong leader for Westchester County.
Very truly yours,
Peter Lane
P.A. Upgrade Needed At City Hall
Dear Editor,
For far too many years and far too many excuses, the Public address system in the Council Chambers of Rye City Hall has needed an upgrade to furnish a comfortable level of hearing for all who attend Public meetings held in the Council chambers. The time has come to spend enough of the current City surplus to recognize the need to provide clear voice transmission of all who serve on the Council or who sit on Commissions deliberating matters of concern to residents. The cost will be the thanks from all who are interested enough to attend meetings.
Sincerely,
John G. Carolin
