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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September 11 Tribute

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. September 2, 2016 UPDATED SEPTEMBER 3, 2016:

The city and The French American School of New York have reached a settlement agreement in the ongoing appellate court appeal by the city of FASNY’s Article 78 suit filed September 3, 2015

The council will consider approving the settlement plan on Tuesday night. No money settlement involved. However, the city agrees to a strict timetable of review of a new site plan from FASNY

As of Saturday morning, the all  important agenda packet which usually contains the very revealing backup material which should contain the substance of the agreement has not been posted on the city website, even though it is usually posted the same time the agenda is posted. Since the Gedney Association was apparently given an advance copy of the backup material containing the agreement (otherwise they would not have been able to offer an informed opinion on it), it seems an oversight on the part of the city not to post the Stipulation of Settlement and details of it. 

As part of  the settlement agreement, (on the agenda for Tuesday evening’s Common Council meeting), FASNY will submit a new site plan and special permit approval within 7 weeks after the city takes 2 weeks to itemize the documents needed to make the  new site plan complete.

The new plan was apparently developed in discussions with the city to solve the problem of the city vote not to close Hathaway Lane last August 5, 2015 that stalled city action on voting for the original site plan closing Hathaway Lane

As an alternative, the new site plan sketched in Exhibit A in the settlement papers, (above)repositions entrance to Hathaway Lane off Ridgeway; reduces the size of the project in footprint, the number of students to 650, and eliminates the North Street Road and entrance.

The conservatory nature preserve is also reduced. The Theatre has been removed from the parcel. Hathaway Lane remains open and the campus entrance is gained through a gatehouse off Hathaway. The Lower School (Nursery through 5^th grade is eliminated, reducing the building square footage by 35 percent and traffic by 42%.

This will require a new Public Hearing to be started on the new site plan within 75 days after the new site plan is deemed complete. The Public Hearing would then continue again 15 days later (should it need to be continued).  Apparently there is no more extensions.

The settlement requires that “the city should endeavor to vote on the Alternative Plan Application within 30 days but no later than 45 days after the approval of the storm water plan or the close of the public hearing, whichever is later.

FASNY ISSUES STATEMENT

In a news release issued by the French American School of New York Thursday evening at 10 PM, the Chairperson of the FASNY Board of Trustees, wrote, that “despite being confident that it(FASNY) would ultimately prevail in the ongoing litigation” :

“Our Board of Trustees has carefully considered all options and concluded that it is in everyone’s best interests to reach a compromise versus wasting more time and taxpayer money on years of unneccesary litigation. We believe we put forth a proposal that works for our school and addresses the most contentious issues that have been raised by some of the neighbors. We expect that the Mayor and Common Council members will agree.”

The date of the settlement becomes effective has not been set by the court, from my  reading of the papers, rather it depends on when the ultimate vote on the new plan is taken…as much as a year and a half from today.

The settlement requires the city meet a series of time frames to consider the plan…but does not preclude any further suits by FASNY if the new plan is turned down.

John Callahan the White Plains  Corporation Counsel has been asked by WPCNR for a statement, but as yet has not issued one.

 Table It! Gedney Says.

The Gedney Association (consisting of property owners owing homes surrounding the Ridgeway Country Club, issued a statement to members of their Association Thursday evening, saying in part:

“In the limited time we were given to review this settlement (over the (upcoming) holiday weekend), the Gedney Association believes this is simply a way to do what FASNY originally wanted to do by getting around the requirement of the supermajority vote. Not only did FASNY carve out the development of the lower school in PARCEL D to preserve it for future development, they still have the North Street access driveway, they have removed parcels B and C from the conservancy and the provisions of the agreement allow them to sell the property whnever they want.”  (WPCNR is in process of confirming this)

We urge everyone to tell our Council and Mayor NOT to settle with FASNY on such a one-sided agreement that gives us absolutely nothing and gives FASNY a backdoor entrance to do exactly what they planned on doing. If FASNY wants to drop their lawsuit because they see it for, a loser for them, then they should drop it. We expect our council and mayor to fight for us, not to give in to FASNY. At the very least instead of jamming this settlement down the public’s throat on a holiday weekend (when FASNY operatives mysteriously had ample time to review and organize) this should be tabled for 60 Days.”

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WPCNR PLAYLAND-GO-ROUND. By John F. Bailey. August 31, 2016:

Playland attendance for the 2015 summer season is down 8% according to Westchester County figures going into last weekend.

A total of 400,057 admissions have attended through August 26 compared to 436,010 in 2015 at the same date. The decline has resulted in a $546,570 dollars less revenue than last year at this time: $7,761,159 through last Friday compared to $8,307,729 the same time in 2015.

Despite this Parking Revenues were up by 1/3: $1,064,029  to $798,246. This could be due to the higher $10 parking fee, which WPCNR was not in effect at the beginning of the season.

The hottest summer ever in Westchester County accounted for sharply increased pool and beach admission revenue—up 22% — $401,504 to $329,133, even though attendance at the pool and beach was down 9,580 compared to 2015. This summer through last Thursday, the pool and beach attracted 61,549 compared to 71,129, a 13% drop.

A Westchester Crowd

Who goes to Playland? County Executive Robert Astorino when he first came to office expressed the feeling that Playland had to appeal more to Westchester residents.

This year attendance figures show 197,834 of the 400,057 admissions up to last Friday were residents of Westchester County (50%)

Non-resident admissions including Riders only, Spectators, and Non-Resident Junior  Admissions, and Non Resident Spectator Senior Passes numbers accounted for 120,017 or 30% of admissions.

Group admissions (65,105) made up 16% of the total admissions and Promotion admissions 4.2% (16,867).

Trends

Senior admissions both resident and non-resident made up  14,000 or 4% of the total admissions. It would seem this is an underserved market. Either the reduced Playland admissions prices for seniors are not low enough, or the Parking is too high for the seniors’ wallets.

Group admissions seem to be not exploited enough as a growth market, but perhaps are given too much a revenue break. One also does not know if the park is given over to groups exclusively. It’s an item that Standard Amusements the new manager of Playland has to look at.

The graduated admissions policy does not seem to hurt the interest in riding the rides.  Half the attendance 198,888 rode the rides, 74,435 were spectators (non-riders). Riding Juniors (Kids) numbered 30,640, but oddly maybe 16,909 non resident juniors rode compared to 13,731.

There were 5,039 Season Pass Sales sold of varying price levels,  and 14,122 visits from those holders of season passes, an average use of  3 visits per season pass.

Concessions

The county paid $734,578.42 cents in revenues to concessions based on the weekly usage against revenue from licensing fees paid by concession licensees (food, games, arcades, lake boating rentals) . The County receives $638,851.30 in concession license fees, the difference between license fees and 60% revenues paid to the concession licensees was $95,727.03.

10 Days to go

The biggest days of the summer so far, no surprise: Memorial Day weekend and July 4^th weekend.

Memorial Day saw 15,295 admissions.

The July 4^th weekend drew 7,969 on Saturday, 11,337 on Sunday and 14,646 on Independence Day

Special Days the last 10 days

Tonight, Wednesday and on Thursday there are $15 Admission from 5 PM to close.

September 2^nd, Friday is Fireworks night.

On Labor Day, there is $15 Rides Admission all day

On September 10 and 11, the last weekend of the Playland Season Grandparents’s Weekend will let Grandparents ride the rides for free, with $15 admissions all day for everyone else.

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 If you have an air conditioner….says how it feels in White Plains NY USA

Oooh this hot summer has got me down,
You can fry an egg on the street
Heatwaves awigglin’ on the sidewalk,
Cops are droppin like flies on the beat,
I need a new lover to take me in,
Protect me from this humid air,
Be you from Brooklyn, Staten Island or Queens,
I don’t care

It don’t matter kinda lovin’ you’re into,
Or how big your apartment might be,
All you need’s an air conditioner,
And you’re the man for me

You can pour me a glass of Perrier,
You can fan my fevered brow,
You can rub me down with alcohol,
That ain’t enough!
No how

You can lay me in a tub of ice,
you can stand me in a cold shower, too,
But if you don’t have an air conditioner,
I will not go home with you

It don’t matter kinda lovin’ you’re into,
Or how big your ego might be,
All you need’s an air conditioner,
And you are the man,
You are the man,
You are the man,
You are my man,
You are the man for me

Bye, bye,
Bye, bye,
Buh buh buh badadadada,
Aooh aooh

What’s that you say?
You live by the Hudson river?
And a breeze blows through your door?
Well, honey, if you don’t have
a Freidrichs in your window,
I don’t want to hear anymore

You say you live in a penthouse,
You got a terrace with a view of the night,
Well, that’s swell,
But I really must tell you,
An air conditioner is a much prettier sight

It don’t matter kinda lovin’ you’re into,
Or how big your apartment might be,
All you need’s an air conditioner,
And you’re the man oh,
You’re the man,
I don’t care what kinda lovin’ you’re into,
Or how big your … might be,
All you need’s an air conditioner,
And you’re the man oh,
You’re the man oh,
You’re the man for me

Sutton Foster the Broadway Diva, sings the above song in her club act and it is most appropriate!

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On Thursday, the Board of Legislators (BOL) Litigation Committee met with County Attorney Robert Meehan to discuss Westchester County’s response to the Article 78 court action brought against Westchester County by Rye City Mayor Joe Sack.

Among other things, the City of Rye’s complaint claims that the County should not be the lead agency in certifying compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and that Mayor Sack and the city of Rye weren’t aware that Westchester County was conducting the necessary SEQRA analysis for the redevelopment of Playland.

The majority of the Litigation Committee meeting was conducted in executive session because the discussion took place between Legislators and the County Attorney about litigation strategy, which means it is protected as communication between an attorney and his clients and exempt from the state’s Open Meetings Law.

Matt Richter, spoksperson for the Board of Legislators said the county would respond to the City of Rye lawsuit within two weeks with either a motion for the court to dismiss the lawsuit  and a point-by-point rebuttal to the Rye complaints.

Asked by WPCNR if Standard Amusements, the organization headed by Nick Price, which is on the point of taking over Playland operation next year, has given any indication they would withdraw as a result of the Rye suit and prospects of continuing litigation, Richter said “No, they recognize this is just another hurdle that is part of the process.”  Right now, he said the county was just in the “engineering stage,” and no construction or changes were started.

Asked how Playland attendance for the summer 2016 was doing, Richter said attendance was “down,” and he would get the figures.

Playland Parking–$10– Plus admission to the park.

WPCNR noted today that the parking admission charge has gone up to $10 (during the week), and Richter said he would look into when that  price went into effect.

Following the meeting, Legislators expressed confidence that the County fully complied with SEQRA and sharply disagreed with Mayor Sack’s claims.

Legislator Lyndon Williams (D) Mount Vernon is a practicing attorney and chair of the BOL’s Litigation Committee.

“The City of Rye’s contention that Westchester County should not be the lead agency for the SEQRA review associated with the work at Playland is not supported by arguments made in the City’s complaint nor by any precedent.”  Williams said, “Playland is a County Park on County-owned property which makes Westchester County the party responsible for the environmental review.  If the County were to cede that responsibility to the City of Rye it would establish an improper and likely deleterious precedent for all the other county park properties throughout Westchester. This precedent could greatly increase the timeline for all county renovations and repairs.”

Legislator Gordon Burrows (R) Yonkers, Bronxville is also a practicing attorney and a member of the Litigation Committee.

“The City of Rye’s claim that they were unaware of the County Planning Department’s ongoing SEQRA review and that the review did not take ‘a hard look at’ environmental impacts is, frankly, preposterous.”  Burrows said.  “Not only were the County’s activities well documented in local media, the Mayor’s office accommodated public hearings on the matter in the Rye City Council’s own chambers.  The notion that Mayor Sack could have remained ignorant to the County’s protracted review process strains credulity.  I am confident that the County will prevail in court.”