OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Yorktown Town Board Meeting - October 21, 2025

Town Board — Tuesday, October 21, 2025
BodyYorktown, New York
SessionTown Board
DateTuesday, October 21, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:31:03

Transcript — Verbatim
0:12

Good evening and welcome to the town board meeting on October 21st, 2025.

0:16

If we could stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:24

To the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:36

Adam seat standing for a moment of silence.

0:40

Uh as we uh keep in our heart and prayers, our first responders, our military, and those that are fighting for our freedoms and our safety.

0:57

Thank you.

1:03

We'll start with introductions to my right.

1:05

Good evening, Diana Quas, Town Clerk.

1:07

Good evening, Luciana Howitt, Councilwoman.

1:10

Town Supervisor Ed Lacterman.

1:12

Sergio Esposito, Deputy Supervisor.

1:14

Patrick Murphy, Councilman.

1:16

Susan Siegel, Councilwoman.

1:18

Adam Rodriguez, Town Attorney.

1:21

All right.

1:23

I'm gonna actually start with reports from town officials.

1:26

Lou, why don't you start?

1:28

Great.

1:28

So we had a wonderful.

1:30

Oh, Pat, I won't plug it, but I just want to say that we had a wonderful ribbon cutting.

1:34

I'll have Pat describe the rest of it.

1:36

Um today at the library.

1:37

It was quite inspirational.

1:39

We heard that a family donated some funds, which I thought was incredible.

1:44

They're actually have a plaque on a leaf.

1:48

And after I left, I was able to tell them that each leaf can lead to a seed, and each seed grows new experiences here in Yorktown, and it was really beautiful.

1:56

And also, I just want to make a statement on the record that I wanted to take a moment to clarify what was discussed yesterday at the planning board.

2:05

The meeting took place on October 20th regarding the AMS project.

2:09

I believe there was a misinterpretation of the recreational fee and the requirements during that discussion.

2:16

The recreation facility proposed by AMS is private.

2:21

It's for the residents at the development, which means it doesn't qualify for any exemption under our town code.

2:30

As you all know, we've been discussing this rec fee.

2:33

Our town board and our legal council have both reviewed the law, and it's clear that AMS is required to pay the full recreation fee.

2:41

And at this point, it's out for referral.

2:44

So I believe that the section was read incorrectly and would hope we could pause this action under the law of referrals.

2:51

Once they come back, we can have another open discussion about it.

2:54

And once that's finalized, we can revisit this matter.

2:58

But my position is firm.

3:08

It does not support the rest of the community.

3:11

And in order to authorize that, we need a clarity around the language that's in our law that's right now out for referral.

3:18

So once we have that, we will create a discussion board around it.

3:22

And I just wanted to let you guys all know.

3:24

Thank you, Lou.

3:25

You're welcome.

3:26

Sergio.

3:27

Pat, you want to go?

3:28

Sure.

3:29

Well, it's good to be back.

3:31

And uh I just went over to the ribbon cutting for the modernization of the children's center over in the library.

3:41

They did a great job.

3:43

And the assessments were very, very generous to donate a you know some of the uh funds for that.

3:51

And Brian and Mary Ann did a great job.

3:54

And uh other things happen in library.

3:56

They have uh the haunted house that goes Friday, this Friday through Sunday, and they're looking for volunteers for the high school.

4:04

So anybody out there, any high school kids need volunteer hours, please get in touch with the library.

4:10

They could use the help.

4:12

And uh Colin, which is one of the guys that works there, he did a whole redesign.

4:17

So if you went last year, you're gonna see a total different haunted house.

4:20

So everybody go out there and check out the haunted house.

4:24

They do a unbelievable job.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Regulations███████████████15%
Procedural██████████████14%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Stormwater Management██████████10%
Public Hearings████████8%
Community Engagement███████7%
Noise Ordinance███████7%
Arts And Culture█████5%
Public Health███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Yorktown Town Board Meeting - October 21, 2025

The Yorktown Town Board met on October 21, 2025, at 7:30 PM. The meeting included proclamations, reports from town officials, public hearings, and resolutions. Key topics included a dispute over the AMS project recreation fee, the status of the town-owned Strawberry Road parcel, and a site plan amendment for Tanto Irrigation. The board also set public hearing dates for changes to the recreation fee law and solar power regulations, with a split vote on the recreation fee hearing.

Proclamations

  • Diwali: Recognized as the Festival of Lights, celebrated on October 21, 2025.
  • Domestic Violence Awareness Month: October 2025 proclaimed to raise awareness and support survivors.
  • German American Heritage Month: October 2025 recognized.
  • Italian American Heritage and Culture Month: October 2025 recognized.
  • Down Syndrome Awareness Month: October 2025 proclaimed, with special guests Anna and Gianna.
  • Poet Laureate: John submitted a poem read by Sergio Esposito.

Consent Calendar

  • Accepted retirement letter of Police Officer Robert Dore, effective October 17, 2025, with thanks.
  • Appointed Christopher Tyrell to Intermediate Accountant Clerk in the Finance Department.
  • Authorized release of $2,654.92 to Underhill Soundview LLC for professional consultant review.
  • Authorized scrapping of a obsolete vehicle from the central garage.
  • Set public hearing date for November 18, 2025, to consider amending Chapter 300 (Zoning) to add "beverage container redemption center" definition. (Passed unanimously)
  • Set public hearing date for November 18, 2025, to consider a local law to amend Chapter 381-4 (Solar Power Generation Systems). (Postponed after election due to controversy; motion to adjourn carried)
  • Set public hearing date for November 18, 2025, to consider a proposed local law amending Chapter 321 C3 (Recreation Fee). Passed 4-1, with Councilwoman Siegel voting no.
  • Set public hearing date for November 18, 2025, for the application of John Borrelli Pan Bar Realty for tree and stormwater permits.
  • Authorized release of erosion control bonds to Paul and Elena Davis LLC ($500) and Dominic Dabrino ($500).
  • Authorized librarian Colin Russell to attend the NYS Library Association conference, not to exceed $1,500.
  • Authorized the supervisor to enter into intermunicipal agreements for Stop DWI patrol and firing range use with Westchester County.
  • Authorized refunds for duplicate 2025-26 first half school tax payments.
  • Authorized the Town Clerk to advertise a Request for Proposals for affordable housing program services.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • J. Copstein: Urged the board to create educational materials on town finances (fund balances, bonds) and cautioned against discussing specific names in open session, which could undermine town attorney and planning board.
  • Mel Townsman: Criticized election signs and a candidate meet-and-greet event at Winwood Oaks senior housing, questioning partisan activity in state-funded housing.
  • Howard Gould: Emphasized the importance of civility, respect, and listening during public meetings, especially for younger generations.
  • CJ Divin: Addressed stormwater management issues in the Osceola Corridor, including Jefferson Village and Bogdanor's Pond, and urged the board to create a meeting with engineering and planning to address lack of stormwater management.
  • Jan Mirchendani: Thanked the board for recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month and provided resources (National Hotline 1-800-799-7233, Westchester County website).
  • Sarah Wilson: Announced the 27th Repair Cafe on October 25 and the Mohegan Community Food Pantry's Thanksgiving distribution, accepting donations through November 21.

Discussion Items

  • AMS Project Recreation Fee: Councilwoman Luciana Howitt clarified that the AMS project's private recreation does not qualify for a fee exemption, and the full recreation fee is required. Councilwoman Susan Siegel noted the planning board approved the site plan with a $225,000 recreation fee, less than the $720,000 calculated at $4,000 per unit, due to on-site recreation. The board plans a public hearing on November 18 to amend the recreation law.
  • Strawberry Road Parcel (Fieldstone Manor): Councilwoman Siegel presented a detailed timeline of the town-owned parcel, including illegal parking, indemnification agreement, and plans to sell. Supervisor Ed Lacterman responded that the town is negotiating with the developer and that a vacate order was issued for October 22. A heated exchange ensued over executive session confidentiality and the proper process for selling the land.
  • Public Hearing - Frank Criolo (436 East Main Street): Application for a single-family house. Conservation board raised concerns about steep slopes, stormwater, and tree removal. Engineer Dan Ciarcia explained the review process. The public hearing was closed; the board will wait for a resolution.
  • Public Hearing - Tanto Irrigation (Front Street): Site plan amendment to remove one building, add fencing, and change use to irrigation business. Neighbors Matthew and Beth Ross expressed concerns about noise, visibility, and screening. The board discussed soundproofing, fencing height, and landscaping. The board voted to approve the amendment 4-1 (Councilwoman Siegel opposed), with conditions to be addressed in the resolution.

Key Outcomes

  • Personnel and administrative resolutions passed unanimously.
  • Public hearing for recreation fee law approved 4-1 (Siegel opposed).
  • Public hearing for solar power law postponed until after the November election.
  • Tanto Irrigation site plan amendment approved 4-1, with conditions for soundproofing, fencing, and landscaping to be finalized.
  • Frank Criolo house public hearing closed; resolution pending.
  • Strawberry Road parcel: The board acknowledged the vacate order and ongoing negotiations; no formal vote taken.
  • Early voting reminder: starts October 25, election November 4.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the town board meeting on October 21st, 2025. If we could stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Adam seat standing for a moment of silence. Uh as we uh keep in our heart and prayers, our first responders, our military, and those that are fighting for our freedoms and our safety. Thank you. We'll start with introductions to my right. Good evening, Diana Quas, Town Clerk. Good evening, Luciana Howitt, Councilwoman. Town Supervisor Ed Lacterman. Sergio Esposito, Deputy Supervisor. Patrick Murphy, Councilman. Susan Siegel, Councilwoman. Adam Rodriguez, Town Attorney. All right. I'm gonna actually start with reports from town officials. Lou, why don't you start? Great. So we had a wonderful. Oh, Pat, I won't plug it, but I just want to say that we had a wonderful ribbon cutting. I'll have Pat describe the rest of it. Um today at the library. It was quite inspirational. We heard that a family donated some funds, which I thought was incredible. They're actually have a plaque on a leaf. And after I left, I was able to tell them that each leaf can lead to a seed, and each seed grows new experiences here in Yorktown, and it was really beautiful. And also, I just want to make a statement on the record that I wanted to take a moment to clarify what was discussed yesterday at the planning board. The meeting took place on October 20th regarding the AMS project. I believe there was a misinterpretation of the recreational fee and the requirements during that discussion. The recreation facility proposed by AMS is private. It's for the residents at the development, which means it doesn't qualify for any exemption under our town code. As you all know, we've been discussing this rec fee. Our town board and our legal council have both reviewed the law, and it's clear that AMS is required to pay the full recreation fee. And at this point, it's out for referral. So I believe that the section was read incorrectly and would hope we could pause this action under the law of referrals. Once they come back, we can have another open discussion about it. And once that's finalized, we can revisit this matter. But my position is firm. It does not support the rest of the community. And in order to authorize that, we need a clarity around the language that's in our law that's right now out for referral. So once we have that, we will create a discussion board around it. And I just wanted to let you guys all know. Thank you, Lou. You're welcome. Sergio. Pat, you want to go? Sure. Well, it's good to be back. And uh I just went over to the ribbon cutting for the modernization of the children's center over in the library. They did a great job.

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