HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020_07_07 Sustainability Collaborative Minutes Town of Mamaroneck Sustainability Collaborative
Meeting Notes,July 7, 2020
(Meeting at Memorial Park)
Attendees: Mitch Green, Sue Odierna,June Wallach, George Roniger, Elizabeth Poyet, Karen Khor, Mark
Kramer, Mark Manley, Karin Weisburgh, Matt Thomas, Steve Altieri,Arlene Novich, Kristin
Andersen, Kevin Crowe
Guests/new volunteers: County Executive George Latimer, Laura Wertkin,Jason Rudolph and Eliza Pertz, Sandra
Espada, Ruth Bradley,Vicky and Fabio Guidetti, Emma Thorpe (intern),Annissa Tan (intern)
Notes of June 9th meeting were accepted.
Leaf Blower Legislation
Mitch explained to the many new Collabs attending that the Town started work on revising the Leaf Blower Law
about two years ago, but in light of the VoL's environmental committee's suggested modifications to their law,
we are looking at the Town's law once again. George said he would like to send a letter to the Town Board that
the Collabs wish to strengthen the law, including options we would like them to consider.
Kristin, representing Larchmont's Environmental Committee suggested the Town follow their recommendations:
The proposed VoL law would include:
• banning of gasoline-powered blowers completely as of 1/1/2022 within the Village of Larchmont
• electric leaf blowers allowed only in the fall leaf season, November 1—December 15
• landscapers must register with the Village and pay a$25/year fee
• ticketing both the property owners and landscape company owners for non-compliance($250 each)
• increase fines to match ToM's fees
• no leaf blowing exceptions for VoL subcontractors(gov't follows same rules as residents/landscapers)
Kristin informed us that her committee's proposed new law goes to the VoL Board on Monday,July 20 and she
thinks it is a good idea for the Collabs to draft letter to the VoL Board.
Discussion ensued on what the Collabs think are important considerations. Steve A. noted that the Sanitation
Commission pays$6-$7/ton less to dispose of yard waste than typical trash. In addition, that mulching may be
difficult for larger yards,such as those found in the northern part of the Town. June suggested that homeowners
be incentivized to change landscaping practices, reminding them that leaf blowing is antithetical to creating
Healthy Yards. Eliza noted that hearing loss was likely to be a significant health issue for landscape crews, and
that switching away from gas-powered blowers would probably reduce hearing loss problems. Key points of
difference between Collab ideas and the Larchmont Village proposals were:
• Allow blowers after storms and more time than VoL recommends for the fall leaf season (Oct 15-Dec 15)
• Help to change perceptions about what an attractive yard looks like since blowing leaves to curbs is
counter-productive,focus on positive education for homeowners& landscapers
• Outreach to landscapers regarding their own health hazards from the blowers
• Very important to make information available in Spanish since most landscapers speak Spanish
• Instead of registration fee($25)proposed by VoL committee, require landscapers to take workshop;
they'd get a card showing they've completed training
• Create a longer"ramp-up"period toward the gas-powered blower ban, to avoid creating economic
hardships on homeowners and landscapers
• Some Collab members did agree that homeowners, not just landscapers,should receive fines
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Update: Mitch drafted a letter based on the evening's discussion,Collabs commented,and the revised letter
was sent to the Town of Mamaroneck Board,and then also sent along to the Village of Larchmont Trustees.
The letter is enclosed with these notes.
Native Plant Restoration—ToM Parks&Public Spaces Existing Conditions Census
Luke was unable to attend tonight but asked Mitch to check with the Town to see if he could get a map of town-
owned green spaces. (Update: Sue has emailed to Luke)Luke would like to work with summer interns to get an
inventory of plants(native vs nonnative)in these locations. From this map, Luke would create an action plan for
identifying plants. Mark M. recommended an app that identifies plants called "SEEK". Elizabeth P. also
recommended "SEEK"in addition to the "Picturethis"and "INaturalist"apps.
The Action Plan will include:
• Identify ToM properties to be surveyed
• Build and Train the Volunteer Census Team
• Do the Survey
• Show the Survey Results on a ToM Open Space Map
• Create a Native Plant Restoration Action Plan for 2021
Healthy Yards
June has been updating the HY webpage with new content;please take a look! www.lmhealthyyards.org
Interns will be working with HY leads in outreach initiatives promoting HY(as well as Food Waste Recycling and
Love Your Food programs)outside Larchmont Library and potentially by leaving flyers at homes(Larchmont
Gardens neighborhood for now). They will also be working with Luke on the Native Plants Census and working
on updating of databases(for indoor work at their homes or library on inclement weather days).
Discussion ensued about hanging a banner or laminated posters at Town locations or farmers market. June
suggested the Palmer/Weaver triangle for maximum exposure. Sue to get Highway Department to hang the HY
banner there. (Update: Healthy Yards banner is UP!)
Note: For the benefit of the many new Collabs,if anyone has NOT yet taken the healthy yard pledge, please
do so by clicking on this link: https://www.townofmamaroneckny.org/FormCenter/LM-Healthy-Yards-7/LM-
Health-Yard-Pledge-49 and taking the pledge.A lovely, little"This is a Healthy Yard"sign will then be delivered
to your home to plant in your yard or garden (see attached).
5G—Environmental Health Issues
Eliza Pertz and Vicky Guidetti(who have been working with Ellen Martin on the 5G issue)explained their
backgrounds and their interest in the 5G(5th generation technology standard for cellular networks, the planned
successor to 4G)and what they believe to be its risks to our health. 5G signals are similar to 4G, but add a
"millimeter wave"to assist in high-speed transmission of large amounts of data. To achieve the transmission
speeds, high capacity and even coverage, 5G requires more antennae than 4G, and requires more of a "network"
than 4G. As a result, 5G distribution is likely to require more antennae that are lower to the ground.
Eliza and Vicky feel the health risk of the resulting microwave radiation outweigh the benefits of faster download
speeds and greater connectivity.
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Participant Sandra Espada discussed the cellular equipment installation at her apartment building in Larchmont
and that she feels she is at risk due to the proximity of the equipment/wires/etc. to her apartment. She felt it
was important to ensure there is a protective telecommunications code in place in municipalities because
otherwise the companies "steamroll"into towns.
Mark M. had concerns about some of the discussion and negative research saying it was possibly based on much
higher power levels or frequencies outside typical 5G. He asked if we could view the peer-reviewed research.
Eliza said she would send to Sue to distribute to the group.
Eliza noted that the Town has not updated our Telecommunications regulations since 2000, well before Google,
iPhone,streaming music and entertainment and even 3G service. She noted that municipalities around the
country, including governments on Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and the Town of Rye, have strengthened
their regulations to create more structured application processes, require more comprehensive technical
information,provide for assessment of visual impacts, and stipulate annual re-certification that the antennae are
operating within approved parameters.
The Collab agreed that members should study the research and various model regulations already gathered by
Eliza, Vicki and Ellen. The Collab also agreed that the Collab should advise the Town Board that we are studying
this issue, and that the Collab may have recommendations for the Board as early as mid-August.
Update: Eliza sent the link to the 5G peer-reviewed research to Sue and Sue forwarded (link here again for
those who missed it:https_.//www.5gcrisis.corn/scientific-studies ). Eliza,Vicki &Ellen's three-page summary
memo is enclosed with these notes.
Town Comprehensive Plan—As a reminder, in our last meeting, Nancy reported that the Town Board had put
the Comprehensive Plan on hold since COVID-19 has made life uncertain in terms of schools, work, etc. and that
having community input in the form of meetings would be difficult. Some Collabs have responded that they felt
differently and thought it best for TB to proceed with the next stage, being Community Outreach. Nancy said the
Collaborative could send a letter to the Town Board encouraging them to proceed. Tonight Mitch asked the
Collabs what topics they thought the Town should work on. Suggested ideas were:
• Social Equity, including improving multi-lingual processes,programs,feedback loops, and perhaps even
community gardens,particularly for multi family housing residents, who could do community gardens as
part of their ground-level landscaping or even create raised planters on rooftops
• Intergenerationality, in the context of Housing Affordability for Workforce and Empty Nester residents,
providing opportunities for both to live closer to the community they are strongly tied to
• The Collab's suggestions ought to target specifics, but keep our focus on Resilience,Sustainability and
the Quality of Life
• Perhaps the Town should commit to 100%renewable energy sourcing in a relatively short time(faster
than NYState's 2040 goal), including maximizing solar on Town property...and perhaps,since "Solarize
Larchmont-Mamaroneck"was more than five years ago...perhaps it is time to run this program again for
our newer residents
• Community Engagement is an issue...how do we get more residents to find ways to get involved,
especially busy parents
• Boston Post Road should be an important part of the Plan...what sort of retail may exist in the future?
What sort of retail do we want?What would be most beneficial to the Town?Should the changes in
parking and traffic that have become part of the pandemic response be continued?
• Schools is another important discussion area, even though the Town is not directly responsible. Steve A
mentioned that the two newest school campuses, Central and Hommocks, both resulted from gifts of
land from the Town to the School District. Hommocks was the Town Municipal Yard, and Central was
vacant land. If the schools need more space, even without any future growth in enrollment, can this be
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created in non-traditional ways,such as leveraging new housing developments to include either indoor
space or perhaps field space for sports?
• The Collab will continue these discussions in August, and encourage the Town Board to move forward
with Community Engagement
• The three governments and school district should work together to find a space for indoor learning and
outdoor recreation. Suggestion that builder may have to construct a new building;where would a good
location be?
Update:The Collab will continue our discussion on the Comprehensive Plan at our next meeting,with the goal
to agree on the content of our letter to the Town Board urging them to proceed with the Community
Engagement phase of the Comprehensive Plan
The meeting was adjourned at 8:20pm.
The next meeting will be held on:
Thursday,August 6,2020,6PM—8PM,OUTSIDE,socially distanced at Memorial Park—on the OTHER side of
the tunnel(N.Chatsworth side of the park)
Please bring a chair. In the event of rain, we will meet under the tunnel at Memorial Park. Sue will bring a table
with individually wrapped snacks. Please BYOB, and let's have fun!
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