Yorktown Town Board Work Session - May 12, 2026
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Yorktown Town Board Work Session - May 12, 2026
The Yorktown Town Board held a work session on May 12, 2026, beginning at approximately 7:30 PM. The meeting covered a range of agenda items including public hearings, proposed local laws, a driveway variance request, a field naming compromise, and routine resolutions. Notable outcomes included approval of a dock permit for Mohegan Colony Association, passage of a temporary certificate of occupancy law by a 3-2 vote, denial of a driveway slope variance, and adoption of a naming compromise for the Jack DeVito Veterans Memorial Field.
Consent Calendar
- Wetland Permit WP010-26 (Mohegan Colony Association): Approved unanimously for a 220-square-foot floating dock extending 30 feet into Mohegan Lake, with mitigation planting of native species. The presentation included site plans, DEC approval, and mitigation details.
- Stormwater & Tree Removal Permit (1425 Sunflower Drive): Approved for filling the rear yard and removing 11 trees (8 regulated). Board members suggested adding perimeter tree plantings as a condition, and the applicant agreed to consult with the town engineer.
- Resolutions (Adopted unanimously): Authorized school resource officer agreement with Lakeland Central District (2027–2031), accepted resignations, appointed Justin Foley as police captain and Moses Pablon as temporary assistant building inspector, authorized attendance at conferences, released escrow for completed work, paid unused time to retiring employees, and authorized a structural engineering contract for Shrub Oak Park pool (not to exceed $1,800).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were offered during the hearings for the Mohegan Colony dock, the Sunflower Drive permit, or the Foothill Street application.
Discussion Items
- Sign Law Amendment (Temporary Opinion Signs): Discussion was removed from the agenda. Councilmember Susan expressed disappointment, stating the board refused to discuss a critical issue ahead of an election year. Other members clarified that they intend to review the entire sign law rather than a single piece, citing legal complexities. The issue was postponed indefinitely.
- 3766 Foothill Street (New Home Construction): The applicant presented plans for a 6.06-acre conservation area, a 2,900 sq ft house, and a detention basin. Councilmember Susan and Councilmember Lanny raised concerns that planning board recommendations from August 2025 had not been addressed, including wetlands flagging verification and stormwater plan revisions. The board adjourned the public hearing and referred the application back to the planning board for updated submissions.
- Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) Law (Local Law Amendment): After debate, the board voted 3-2 to adopt the law. Councilmember Sergio argued it would streamline the process and increase accountability (e.g., bonding requirements). Councilmember Susan and Councilmember Lanny opposed, citing insufficient notification (only to the supervisor), a three-day comment window, and risk to buyers who might purchase property with outstanding TCOs. The law now allows the building inspector to issue TCOs with advice from departments, with mandatory notification to the supervisor.
- Lamp Subdivision Driveway Variance: The applicant requested a 12% driveway slope (above the town’s 10% maximum). The fire prevention bureau initially appeared to accept the 12% grade, but after discussion, the board decided to deny the variance, citing fire apparatus safety concerns (especially in inclement weather). The existing 10% approval stands.
- Jack DeVito Veterans Memorial Field Naming: Following a 32-year debate, the board adopted a compromise naming the field “Jack DeVito Field, Veterans Plaza.” The resolution passed 3-1 (Supervisor Ed Lachman recused himself due to membership in Lions Club and Sons of the American Legion). Councilmember Susan voted against, arguing the field should reflect veterans only. The DeVito family agreed to fund a new sign.
Key Outcomes
- Mohegan Colony Dock Permit: Approved unanimously.
- 1425 Sunflower Drive Permit: Approved with a suggestion to plant perimeter trees.
- 3766 Foothill Street Application: Adjourned; applicant must address planning board comments before rescheduling.
- TCO Law: Passed 3-2 (Sergio, Patel, Lachman in favor; Susan, Lanny opposed). Will take effect after a seven-day waiting period.
- Driveway Variance: Denied; keeps 10% slope.
- Field Naming Resolution: Adopted 3-1; field becomes “Jack DeVito Field, Veterans Plaza.”
- Proclamations: Issued for National Police Week (May 15–21) and Serafina Mastro Day (May 9, 2026).
- Resolutions: All consent calendar items and the structural engineering contract were approved unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the uh town board work session for May 12th, 2026. If we could all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Let's talk. Mr. Brady, can you lead us on this? Which it stands. One nation, another God, individual. Liberty and justice for all. And if we could have a moment of silence, um as we remember all of those that uh that stand for our freedom, our first responders who keep us safe, and um all of our military past, present, and prayers for those in the future as well. Thank you. All right. Um I just want to there will be a change to the agenda. Uh we had been uh discussing some of the law change uh that we'd like to look at, and I think uh it's gonna be a little a little more um a little well, a little more uh complicated than originally intended. So uh we are going to scratch the discussion today for the amendment to chapter 300 for the town code, town of Yorktown temporary opinion signs. I would like to and we're going to look at the entire sign law as a whole. I would like to comment on that. I am very disappointed that the town will not even entertain a discussion about that. This has been a concern. Um the concern about the need for the sign uh changes in the sign law, which is very outdated. Do you realize that the digital signs that we have are all illegal, you know, in town, as is the current code, which is many many years out of date. In 2021, 2022, the town board said we're gonna get staff to write to revise the code and not nothing was done. All right. It is a man myth undertaking. Right now, the critical problem is the temporary opinion signs. That's what people have been complaining about. All right. There's a separate issue about code enforcement, but that's a code enforcement issue, the the banner signs, those wavy banners, banana signs. Susan Susan, may I may we can't do that? And there's no reason why we cannot we cannot discuss the temporary opinion signs, which people are more and more concerned about. And I am just very disappointed that this board will will not even discuss it. I I uh I I don't I think it needs to be discussed, but I don't believe uh what we discussed uh tonight uh earlier um in any way indicates that we are not willing to discuss this. We uh that we believe, I think, that there is some legal issues that need to be resolved uh before uh that discussion can be fully explored. And my feeling is uh I think it's miscarri you uh uh mischaracterized that we failed, we refuse to discuss it. I think hold on a second. I I was prepared to offer that we look at the entire law needs to be revamped. You just said that. And and and for us to go down and and look at one piece that you know may not even be constitutional. We could get into that discussion when we look at the uh at the at the at the sign law, but to go down and only only pick out one little piece that you wanted to see, and I I understand that, and now look at the entire law, which you just said needs to be revamped. It would be a waste of time. I mean, we might as well, if we're gonna look at it, and we're gonna do it, and that we might we might as well look at the entire thing because it really does need an update. And and and that's all that's what we were talking about tonight. And that's why Ed is taking it off and saying, hey, let's look at the whole thing. Now, whether you think it's gonna be a long time or whatever it is, that's a whole other matter, but I mean it really does need to be looked at. You just said it did. Patrick, and folks, Patrick. The only problem the only problem has to do with the temporary opinion signs, aka the the political signs. And there's no other issue with even the out-of-date signs because it's frankly it's just been ignored, and that's not a critical, that's not a critical issue. The critical issue is the political signs that we're coming up to to um to an election year, and that's the concern that people have. As far as the legal issues, that's a whole can of worms. Believe me, it's it's a can of worms.
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