WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR RINKSIDE. January 26, 2007 UPDATED January 27, 2007:: The Skyliners, Westchester, Connecticut and New Jersey’s national synchro skating contender, skate in the Eastern Synchronized Skating Championships this weekend in Providence Rhode Island. The four teams of the Skyliners have been practicing hard to perfect those twizzles, mohawks, spread eagles and footwork to climb the ladder against the east.

In Friday’s Opening Night, in the Preliminary Division, Team Image of  Yonkers Figure Skating Club won the Gold Medal, reaching charming heights of technical precision and The Skyliners Preliminaries, finished third, with their expected strong skate. In the Juvenile division, The Colonials took first over the Syncroettes of Essex, New Jersey, the Ice Cubes, and Team Image of Yonkers skating their NASCAR program the best they’ve ever done it finishing fourth. The Skyliner Juvies who had dominated the Juvenile Division finished a close 5th.

The Junior Skyliners in the Junior Division finished 1.09 points behind The Lexettes of Massachussetts in their Proud Mary progam setting the stage for a dramatic finish Saturday evening. The Lexettes two intersections at the close of their dramtic program were the difference, and the finessed their technical work beautifully. The Junior teams skate again this evening in the long free skate which will be close.

Team Image, the Syncroettes and the Skyliners put out great skates in the three divisions.

Skyliners Junior team practicing at Playland for the Big Easterns this weekend under watchful eye of their coach, Josh Babb.

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. January 25, 2007: The North Street Community senior condominium and assisted living project received acceptance of its Final Environmental Impact Statement tonight by a vote of 4-1 from the Common Council, with Dennis Power the lone “No” vote on the basis that the project was still too dense.

Steve Kass presented the FEIS unvieling that the developers, C. J. Follini, Alfred Caiola and Andrew Green had agreed to cut the number of condominium units from 390 to 335 and limit the height of  the condos to 65 feet. Kass said the FEIS had been shipped to Menelaos Rizoulis, presently in Florida,who heads the Wyndham Close Association, the adjacent condominium project that has been extracting concession after concession from the developer.

Kass said they had not hard Mr. Rizoulis’ reaction yet to the units and height concession. C.J. Follini, one of the principals, was asked by WPCNR if they could not afford to any more units from the project, and Follini said “absolutely.” Follini also told WPCNR the price of the units would remain in the $400,000 to $900,000 range. The FEIS is scheduled to be available to the public on the White Plains website next Tuesday.

The council nitpicked the FEIS for an hour and a half, then accepted the FEIS and zoning resolution creating a Senior Living District, and scheduling a public hearing for February 5, while extending the comment period for the public until February 20.

Condos Live!

In other news, The Bobker Group sought and received an extension of their site plan for their condominium project on Maple Avenue, and also reported they had secured financing for the project and planned a spring start. Mark Weingarten, representing the Metropolitan, the condominium project planned for up the street from Mr. Bobker’s project, requested and received a site plan renewal, because Mr. Weingarten, the Metropolitan had not arranged their financing as yet.

Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti explained the need for a replacement generator at the city’s main pump station because of the pump age. He also explained the need for security devices such as cameras and surveillance and alarm equipment. The cost of generator and security equipment was $750,000, and would be bonded for and paid out of the Water Fund.

“Nicoletti Bypass,” Sewer for the Rich and Famous, delayed by Cold Weather

In response to a question by Benjamin Boykin about the progress of the “Nicoletti Bypass,” the exclusive sewer being created for the Ritz-Carlton Westchester at 221 Main, to take the load off the Main Street Sewer,  Mr. Nicoletti said work has stopped due to cold weather. Mr. Nicoletti gave rosy news that now that the sewer has moved down Main Street and is ready to “turn in” and down William Street, going would be easier. He said the sewer pipe had be laid deeper than thought on Main Street on the way to the William Street turnoff and was a little bit of a problem. He said the project is on schedule and going along fine.

Mayor  Mayoring  with the other Mayors in Washington, D.C.

Mayor Joseph Delfino was spared the FEIS review because he was attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C.  Councilman Benjamin Boykin chaired the Work Session. Ms. Malmud was not present.

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The holiday splurge made up for the soft first quarter in which White Plains collected $10 Million in sales taxes (down from $10,367,332 in 2005-2006).  With the First Half of “Fiscal Bowl” 2006-2007 completed, the  sales tax collected is $21,977,063 ($22M).  White Plains had an incredible December, raking in over $5 Million in sales tax in the holiday sales month.

The city 2006-2007 budget plans on collecting $42.5 Million in sales tax this fiscal year, and with $22M in the til, they are on target to collect $42 Million in sales tax if they match last year’s second half (when Wal-Mart was not part of the retail mix).

 In the Jan-Feb-Mar 3^rd Quarter of Fiscal 2005-2006, the city collected $11.4M.  In the 4^th quarter, they collected $9M, for a total of $20.4 Million in the second half without Wal-Mart in the retail mix. It is likely the city can expect more than the $42 Million with Wal-Mart sales contributing.

Should the $42 Million- plus  materialize, since  the new development that came on stream in 2003-04 with the opening of City Center, sales tax will have increased about $9 Million with the official beginning of “The White Plains Renaissance” in 2003-2004. Sales taxes hit a low of $34,413,440 in 2002-2003.

2006-2007 FISCAL BOWL

The City  Sales Taxes at Halftime:

2006-2007         Swing             2005-2006

1^st Quarter

July $3,255,057                        $3,111,675

Aug  $3,092,183                       $2,950,442

Sep   $3,690,460                       $4,305,215

       $10,037,700                (-3%)             $10,367,332    

2^nd  Quarter

Oct    $3,547,030                         $3,337,487

Nov    $3,355,523                        $3,391,158

Dec     $5,036,810                        $4,088,064

          $11,939,363     + 10.4%     $10,816,709

TOTAL $21,977,063   +3.7%       $21,184,041

3^rd  Quarter  To Come              $11,327,539

4^th Quarter    To Come                    $9,374,687

TOTAL                                           $41,886,267

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. JANUARY 24, 2007: The Common Council of the City of White Plains has announced a work session for Thursday evening at 6 PM. On tap will be scheduling of public hearings on the North Street Community Senior living zone on North Street, and a zoning change in the Miles Avenue area, as well as requests by The Metropolitan and the Hale Avenue Condominiums for site plan renewals. The agenda:
 

1.                  Communication from Commissioner of Planning in relation to the scheduling of a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance with respect to re-zoning certain properties in the area of Miles Avenue, Albemarle Road, Beverly Road and Sherill Court.

2.                               Communication from Planning Board.

3.                               Resolution scheduling a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, entitled, “The Zoning Ordinance of the City of White Plains,” with respect to re-zoning certain properties in the area of Miles Avenue, Albemarle Road, Beverly Road and Sherill Court from the R1-5 Single Family Zoning District to the R1-7.5 District Single Family Zoning District. 

4.                  Communication from Commissioner of Planning in relation to the scheduling of a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map with respect to single family residential density classifications and the land use classification of certain properties.

5.                               Resolution scheduling a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan, Section 2-I-G, the Land Use Plan Map, as amended, with respect to (A) single family residential density classifications; and (B) the land use classification of certain properties located in the area of Miles Avenue, Albemarle Road, Beverly Road and Sherill Court. 

6.                  Communication from Environmental Officer with regard to the Final Environmental Impact Statement in relation to the petition submitted on behalf of North Street Community LLC.

 7.                               Environmental Findings Resolution accepting the Final Environmental Impact Statement regarding the petition submitted on behalf of North Street Community LLC, in relation to an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance and site plan approval to permit the construction of a Planned Senior Development at 215-315 North Street.

 8.                  Communication from Commissioner of Planning in relation to the scheduling of public hearings to amend the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map to include a new land use entitled “Planned Senior Residential Development” and on an application submitted by North Street Community LLC for an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance of the City of White Plains to create a new Zoning District entitled “Planned Senior Residential Development District.”

 9.                               Communication from Planning Board.

10.                          Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains scheduling a public hearing for February 5, 2007 in relation to a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance of the City of White Plains (“Zoning Ordinance”) with respect to a petition, submitted by North Street Community, LLC, to amend the Zoning Ordinance to create a “Planned Senior Residential Development District.”

11.                          Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains scheduling a public hearing for February 5, 2007 in relation to the proposed amendment to the 1997 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map, as amended, with respect to including as a permitted land use on the former St. Agnes Property a new land use entitled, “Planned Senior Residential Development.”

 DISCUSSION:

12.             Request for an extension to the site plan approval in relation to The Metropolitan.

 13.             Request for an extension to the site plan approval in relation to Hale Avenue Condominiums.

 14.             Capital Project – Water System Security. 

15.             Entertainment of motion to enter into executive session for the purpose of discussing pending litigation.

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WPCNR BUMPER-TO-BUMPER. January 24, 2007 UPDATED 3 PM EST: Deputy Police Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson has delivered an update on the gasoline spill at the Citgo station at the corner of Lex and Fischer Avenues this morning. He writes, “The clean-up has begun. The time frame is still to be determined. I’m hoping we can get it opened up by rush hour at least. It (the spill) made it to the Bronx River. It appears to be operator failure on the part of the station or the truck operator. Estimates are approx. 1000 gallons of gas was spilled.