HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025_03_04 Sustainability Collaborative MinutesTown of Mamaroneck Sustainabitity Collaborative/CSC Task Force
2025.03.04 Meeting Notes
TOWN OF MAMARONECK SUSTAINABILITY COLLABORATIVE
March 4, 2025 -- MEETING NOTES
Attendees: Jaine Elkind Eney, Mark Kramer, Mark Manley, Sue Odierna, Arlene Novich, Andrea Hirsch,
Mitch Green, Roger Weiss, Hugh Collins, Allen Reiter, Kevin Crowe, Frank Owens, Chris Hofstedt,
Irene Ochs-Lilien, June Wallach
Approval of the Meeting Notes
The Notes from the 2025 February 4 Sustainability Collaborative Meeting were approved.
Climate Smart Community Task Force Update - Supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney
Update on CSC Status from our submission in January2025. Jaine reported that the HVRC reviewers
are still checking the Town's submission. In the Town's efforts to get to "Silver"status, which requires
reaching 300 points -- by showing evidence of conducting dozens of environmental actions — we
currently have 235 approved points and 35 more waiting to be reviewed. Collab asked for copies of
the spreadsheet showing actions that have been approved/denied/further work needed (see att.)
Following the CSC update, there were various questions to Jaine about sanitation: could we consider
food scrap pickup and pick up trash one day/week instead of two? If Sanitation switched to a fee -
based system, religious institutions and the school district (who don't pay taxes and currently do not
pay for sanitation) would pay. Currently, residents' taxes pay the costs for Sanitation pickups from
commercial, religious and district schools located in the Village of Larchmont and Town of
Mamaroneck. Jaine explained that Meredith is trying to figure out sanitation solutions, including fee
structures, personnel allocations, pick-up route adjustments, etc.
EV Charger Parking Spaces - Proposed law with an increased fine of $50 if an exclusive gasoline
vehicle is parked there. A public hearing will be held at an upcoming Town Board meeting. Discussion
about the fines -should they be higher? Big, noticeable signage should be located at the location.
Update: Public Hearing will be held on April2.
Gasoline -Powered Leaf Blowers - Mark Kramer
Collab reported that a landscaper was out using a leaf blower for two hours. How do we get the word
out better? We need an English/Spanish flyer to go out to neighborhood associations. We need
signage at Palmer/Weaver. Mark collected and incorporated names of additional landscapers to
Sue's spreadsheet. He submitted those with contact information to Sue for follow-up with the Town
letter.
Update: Flyers have gone out to neighborhood associations, landscaper companies, libraries,
nurseries and the flyer (English/Spanish) has been posted to social media and the Town website.
There is an alert button on the homepage of the Town website as well reminding people that there is
a year-round ban on the gas blowers. Sue is ordering banners for Memorial Park and the Senior
Center and there is an electronic sign (message board) located at the Palmer/Weaver triangle.
Earth Day Celebration (4/26/2025) - Mark Kramer
Mark reported that Katherine thinks it would be a good idea to have an activity of interest to
children/students at the Earth Day event. Arlene said that we usually get Healthy Yard signups at this
event, also can have Leaf Blower flyers/posters. Flyer promoting Repair Cafe and the collab. Hugh,
Allen and Arlene (part time) volunteered to help.
Town of Mamaroneck Sustainabitity Collaborative/CSC Task Force
2025.03.04 Meeting Notes
EV Fast Chargers for Public and Resident Use - Mark Manley, Mitch Green and Frank Owens
NYPA has a program to install Fast Level 3 Chargers and Town Engineer Rob Wasp has told us he
would like to have something ready for the Town Board by the 3/19 Town Board meeting. County
funding is working with the Town to install more Level 2 chargers, so we need to figure out which
chargers go where. Also, Frank mentioned that zip code 10538 is the 4t' largest EV-owning
municipality in New York State by percentage of households owning EVs. There are 946 EV's
registered in the 10538 zip code, which equals 14% of households!
Tree Photography Exhibit - Arlene
Arlene has gotten approval from laine to have the exhibit at Town Center, second floor. We still need
to work out how to get the word out about the contest. (Sue to check email from Hugh/Arlene re:
contacts to send to.) Need to submit photos by 5/22. They'll be up on the walls in June, up for two
weeks. Could we keep Town Center open on Tue/Thurs eves as well?
Update: Flyer is out on Town FB pages. Jaine to include in March (3/31/2025) Supervisor's E-
newsletter and April "This Month in Mamaroneck." Hugh and Arlene are sending the flyer to schools,
PTA's
NYS Goals 25 million trees planted by 2033, and publicizing the new tree law- Mitch
This is a new NY State initiative, with the goal to get all communities in the State involved and
participating. Mitch calculated that this would require the Town to plant 1,333 trees per year based
on the Town's population as a percentage of the NYS population, or about 330 trees per year to be
planted based on the Town's land area as a percentage of NYState's entire land area. Mitch contacted
the NY State DEC, and so far, the DEC has not established what each community's "fair share" of the
25 million trees would be.
Also, how many residents know about the new Tree Law and its requirements? How can we get the
word out? Kevin reported that when he was a resident of Larchmont Gardens, their newsletter
promoted preserving trees.
Upcoming Events/Other - Mark Kramer
• Town Cleanup —Saturday, 4/26/25 from 10 a.m.-12p.m.—Leatherstocking Trails (flyer attached)
• Earth Day Celebration — Saturday, 4/26/25 from 1 p.m. —4 p.m. at Constitution Park, Larchmont
• Compost Giveaway Day— Saturday, 5/3/25 from 8 a.m. —1 p.m. (flyer attached)
• Tree Photography Exhibit— Exhibit in June (exact dates TBD), Matted Photos needed by 5/22/2025
at Town Center Lobby (flyer attached)
The meeting ended at 8:00 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 1st