SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PARKS & RECREATION

MINUTES

MAY 6, 2002

MEMBERS:  MOSIELLO, SPRECKMAN, PINTO, ALVARADO

LEGISLATORS:  ABINANTI

STAFF:  ETTERE & NEGLIA

OTHERS:  BILL RANDOLPH (CE OFFICE); JERRY MULLIGAN, PAUL GISONDO (PLANNING); COMMISSIONER STAN MOTLEY (PRC); FRANK JAZZO (GREENBURGH)

The meeting was called to order at 1:10 p.m.

Legislator Pinto made a motion to approve the minutes of April 22, 2002 and was seconded by Legislator Spreckman.  The vote was 4-0.

Jerry Mulligan, Planning, opened the meeting informing the Committee of the findings of research he had done since the last meeting.

Ø Most of PROW is @ 65 ft. wide.

Ø Ponds, licensed areas, wetlands & rock outcroppings will affect the amount of usable parkland if you were to dedicate it all.

Ø Reviewed 1984 Planning Board minutes and 1992 report which both studied the pros & cons of dedicating the PROW as parkland or keeping it as general municipal land.

-One of the reasons of the purchase was to have a trailway that

would connect parks throughout the County.

-Also concluded was that fact that the PROW was a unique

opportunity to have a continuous right of way from the north to

south end of the County but that other options could be for the use of transportation, utilities, infrastructure & economic development none of which could be done if the PROW was dedicated parkland.

-Original intent was in fact to maintain flexibility for use of the land.

(Mr. Mulligan will provide this Committee with copies of said report & minutes.)

Legislator Abinanti stated that the idea of his proposal was not to just have 14 ft. of a paved area but to preserve the natural environment (such as

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PARKS & RECREATION

MINUTES – MAY 6, 2002

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ponds, wooded areas, rock outcroppings) around it as well.  He would like to avoid any further development of the area adjacent to the pathway (i.e. bus routes, Millennium Pipeline, etc.).

Frank Jazzo stated that the position of both the Town of Greenburgh Parks & Recreation Committee and the Ardsley Greenway Committee was that they would like to everything that is not under lease in the area of the Town of Greenburgh to be dedicated as parkland.

Jim Robertson, Deputy County Attorney, briefed the Committee on the legal opinion submitted (on file).

Ø Licenses

-Most licenses issued recently have a standard clause -

                    “termination for convenience”.  The County is required to give

                    an average of 30 days notice on most leases.

Ø Utilities

-The Federal Natural Gas Act appears to provide a natural gas

provider condemnation powers.

                    -There are currently some utilities lines that run across the

                    PROW (which are not of concern).

Ø Easements

          -We would be subject to honor those easements.

Ø 1984 Planning Board Resolution referred to at the last meeting is attached.

Ø Dedication of leased land in the northern part of the trailway can only be dedicated by owner (NYS) of said property.  The Board of Legislators could do send a home rule message asking that the State dedicate the land.

There was a brief discussion on the history of Conrail’s ownership of the PROW and leases that existed even then.

Legislator Mosiello asked that a more map concentrating on the area of Barney Street, Yonkers down to the NYC line detailing current encroachments would help the Yonkers Legislators in determining a solution for this area.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:43 p.m.