Town Board - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Welcome to the Bedford Town Board meeting of May 5th, 2026. Cinco de Mayo. Uh, I'd like to call our meeting to order. And if you could please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Unfortunately, uh, town board member Catalado had, um, a family issue to tend to with his kid and so he, um, he may join us online if he has the opportunity, but he might not be able to to join us this evening. Um we would like to start with a presentation. Um it last week was Arbor Day and um we have uh a special guest here today, Marilyn Pini, who's on our tree advisory board and um she wrote a poem this year for as she has done in the past. I think last year she also wrote a poem. Um so if you would join us Marilyn to come up and read your poem, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for coming. I've been on the tree board for many years and every year they would hand me a copy of Joyce Kilmer's wonderful, beautiful poem titled Trees. Joyce Kilmer was a man and he was killed in the First World War and I believe that's when he wrote his famous poem. He was a Yale grad and after reading it for many years I thought I'm bored. Maybe everyone else is. Maybe I'll try my hand at writing something. I am not a poet. I I have had a couple of things published mostly in the local newspaper. So I would consider myself a poet. Um but I do write a column for the Katona Lewisboro Times. So maybe maybe I can call myself at least a writer.

Definitely. But anyway, I for the past three years I have decided to compose a poem of my own and this year's is called the fame of trees. A tree displays a face of grace. Treading skyward are elegant cedars while willows sweep edges of lazy lakes. Trees create oxygen to breathe, making a contribution so noble. They provide lumber to build homes, a place for lovers to carve initials. The spot birds divine for nesting and singing as evergreens for holiday traditions, even coloring their leaves just for beauty's sake. A tree endures its life cycles to carry out God's humble wisdom.

BEAUTIFUL.

Thank you so much, Marilyn. Really appreciate it. And congratulations. I know you're being honored as a woman of distinction at the uh assembly members presentation later uh next week. So, congrats. Um we have also um our official proclamation for Arbor Day which we uh adopt annually. Um I can read it. Whereas in 1872 the Nebraska Board of Agriculture established a special day to be set aside for the planting of trees. And whereas this holiday called Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska. And whereas Arbor Day is now observed throughout the nation and the world. And whereas trees can be the solution to cl a solution to combating climate change by reducing the erosion of our precious top soil by wind and water, cutting heating and cooling costs, moderating the temperature, cleaning the air, producing life-giving oxygen, and providing habitat for wildlife. And whereas trees are a renewable resource, giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products. And whereas trees in our town increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community. And whereas trees wherever they are planted are a source of source of joy and spiritual renewal. Now, therefore, we as the town board of the town of Bedford do hereby proclaim April 26, 2026 as Arbor Day in the town of Bedford. And we urge everyone to support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands. And further, we urge all citizens to plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of this and future generations.

So, I will make a motion to adopt this proclamation. Second. All in favor?

I. And we have uh lots of good information on our website that the tree advisory board has updated over the years about planting trees, tips for um what to plant where, especially if you're planting near utility lines. Um and also uh just for the climate and for the conditions um a lot of native recommendations there as well. So we encourage people to do that. and um our Arbor Day celebration, tree planting and educational efforts earn us the distinction of being a Tree City USA. We just uh updated the sign. I believe this is the 26th year as a Tree City. So, thank you to the Tree Advisory Board for all their help um in our maintaining that um that status. Okay, we will move on to the um consent agenda. We have a request by Comproller Connealy to approve the abstract of claims and paid priors uh in the amount of 9,538,39.74. Um some of that was paying out taxes. That's why it's so high, the taxes raised for the fire districts and the libraries and whatnot. Um the acceptance of the controllers monthly financial report. Uh the request um for the town board to approve um the submittal of the record of activities standard workday forms for elected and appointed officials Stephanie McCain, Bobby Picker, and Peter McCis. Do we have um motion to approve those three items on the consent agenda?

So moved. Second. Any questions? All in favor? I. Motion carries. Under new business, we have a request from DPW Commissioner Wyn to purchase three Western Star dump trucks. And with us is Commissioner Wyn to tell us more about these um vehicles. Hello. Thank you. Good evening, everyone. Hi.

So, the uh dump truck is a useful piece of equipment for kind of all seasons of DPW operation. They're designed with multi-purpose bodies, so they can haul material in the summer, haul winter materials, and spread salt and uh sand in the winter, and pick up leaves in the fall. So, uh they're kind of uh all season purpose vehicles. And our fleet is aging. We have a 2005 and a 2006 Sterling dump truck and a 2010 Mac, which is a 10 wheel, a slightly larger truck, all of which are beyond their useful life. We've had some downtime and uh substantial repairs on them. And each year we do budget money for upgrading our fleet. So basically this expenditure is a combination of the 2025 and 2026 funds. We have two trucks that we purchased last year. It takes a while. So we purchased them in January 2025. They should be arriving in the next week or two. It's about a 15-month pro plus process unfortunately. Uh so that will help but uh we need to continue upgrading the fleet so that we need the trucks that are available and uh don't break down and obviously don't have expensive repair costs.

Great.

So uh we looked at a different uh brand of truck. We shopped both Mac, which we currently have, and Western Star. Uh Western Star is a proven vehicle. It's uh seems to be a little easier to work on and slightly less expensive. So we're going to give that a try. We've talked to other municipalities that have been using them, have had success. Our mechanics have uh looked into it substantially. So, we think that's a good direction. So, we have uh three trucks listed here. A 10 wheel dump truck, a six wheel dump truck, and then a six wheel dump truck with an underscaper, which is the blade that grades our dirt roads. And the total between the three trucks is $1,86,17. So, it's a substantial investment, but these last us 15 to 20 years. 15 is about the anticipated life uh life range. And we do have existing projects. Capital project 25479 has a balance of 526,800. And then the remaining will be from 2026 capital for 55931760. So we do have capital funds that the board has approved for this purpose. So I recommend that the board authorize me to move forward with these with the understanding that we'll arrive mid year next year.

Next year. Yeah. Actually, probably third quarter next year. Okay. So, it's more than a year out. Yeah, it's about 14 to 15 months typically. Okay. How um are they custom? Is there custom elements to them or they're pretty much

They're not really custom. The bodies are manufactured by body, you know, standard body manufacturers. They're basically the truck is bought as a cabin chassis. So, it comes without a body. It then goes to a rigging company that puts the body on along with calcium tank. And in the case of the underscraper, it is a bit more custom that they're not as standard of a piece of equipment, but they're they're rigged onto the truck along with the hydraulic lines and everything needed to make them operate well. So, it's a two-step process basically. One through Western Star and then another through the company that does the the rigging of the bodies and other equipment and plows. Okay, great. And you said there's how many did you just get after two? We have two that are arriving in May. That's what's anticipated.

Okay. Okay. And our total fleet is 14, right? Okay. Any questions? You have anything? Thank you. Between the two. Okay. Do we have a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second. Any other discussion, questions? I think it's, you know, well planned that we have the capital funds to cover, you know, the three new trucks. It sounds like um just good planning for going forward and hopefully the maintenance costs on the three older trucks will um you know, we'll be able to keep them at bay.

Thank you and appreciate the board's support in the capital planning and approval process. Okay. All in favor? I motion carries. Uh we also have a request from Commissioner Wyn to approve um a change order and a contract extension for Boyd Artisian Well Company. Uh it would extend the contract through 123126 and um amend the contract the change order would be for $39,783.67. Do we have a request uh motion to approve before we hear more about it? So moved. Second. Okay. Hey, will you tell us a little more about the water project?

Absolutely. So, we've been exploring a new source of supply for the Bedford Village wells, which is what Boyd was involved with and uh the existing supply has POAS, which is uh kind of a forever chemical that was discovered several years ago or discovered as a contaminant and required sampling to begin in 2021. One of our wells in the existing farm supply which has two uh wells has been over that POS they call it MCL or maximum contaminant level. We only use that well when we have to sample which is four times a year. Other than that we use the second well which is slightly under those limits but uh is is at a level that uh is we need to correct basically and and not having a redundancy also is a problem. So uh rather than treatment which is extremely expensive uh and not only from a capital perspective but from an ongoing operations perspective we looked at the potential for a new source of supply. Uh we found these uh a record of these wells which had previously been installed in the land trust uh guardill reserve. We've done some testing and re rehabilitated two wells and installed additional rock well. And in addition to having good water quality, we'll have more capacity for the farms. We have had some situations where we've had water restrictions due to excessive uh demands, mostly due to long watering in the summer. So, we're moving along well with the project. Bids are currently out. The wells are installed. Bids are out for the necessary electrical and water connections both to the wells and then to the existing water mains and for a small treatment building. And uh we're working with the health department. We've gotten preliminary comments. need to get final comments. We also need DEC wetland approval, which we're working on. So, several several uh things are in the air, but we're looking to make this project move forward with the goal of having it completed by first quarter of 2027 and have that new supply online at that point. And we did receive a grant from the state for this for uh 60% of

the cost, which is great. We've also put some ARPA money to it. So, it's an important project. Happy to see it go forward. Fantastic. Thank you for the update and um it's it's amazing how all the um you know just all the moving parts. You know, it's like multiple years since we got the grant and we're still, you know, all of the things that have to happen. But yeah, groundwater is complicated. It's surface water is a little more simple. You know what you have groundwater, you can drill two wells within 100 feet of each other and have very different results. So, uh, we have a good geologist that we've been working with that has a good knowledge of this stuff, but still it's a it can be a little bit trial and error even with everything that you know. Yeah. Great questions. No, it's a great project. Great to see it come to fruition.

Absolutely. Quarter. So, the treatment plan will be on David Laps, the little in the culdeac of David Lapsley. Yes. On town property and then something a main will run under that road. There's already a main that runs down that road because the water tank is at the end of David Lapsley up up the hill by Sunnyfield. So, it's really just connecting to that existing main. Okay, great. So, it'll feed the the new facility would either feed the tank or the or the distribution system depending on water demands and what's going on in the system at the same time and it would just replace the existing source of supply. Right. So, would the former wellhouses go away?

We need to decide on the approach. It's uh we would I think we'd want to run this supply for at least a year and monitor it, make sure there are no problems or issues. There always is the option for treatment at the other location if we needed to. Mhm. Um kind of hate to give up supply. On the other hand, it's a decent piece of property that could be used for something else. Although abandoning it would be expensive. There's a lot of infrastructure both above ground and underground, right? Maybe good to have the redundancy. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, good to know. All right. Thank you. and um very good to have you know healthy water supply and more water. So I think this will be all around a great you know great opportunity for the farms and the old post district. Absolutely. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. All in favor?

I I motion carries. Thank you so much for all the updates. Appreciate it. Okay. Uh, we have a request by the police department to authorize um the 2026 contract with the SPCA for dogs and cats. Um, I'll make a motion to approve. Second.

So, this um, formerly we only covered dogs, but apparently a lot of cats are being brought to the SPCA. Um, so we've we negotiated um an opportunity for cats to be covered as well so that um they don't have to turn them away or um yeah so so that that it's covered by the town. So we worked out a pretty good deal so that um you know we have a rate for both dogs and cats and I believe initial holding of dogs um is at a shelter closer by correct in South Salem. Um, so this is only if they're not claimed and they need to go to the SPCA after um a week. Um, any questions?

All in favor? I I um Okay. And we also still do the um trap um neuter and spay program and release and those are for feral cats, right? Um okay. Um, we have a request from the town clerk uh for approval to sign the 2026 contract with Ouxen Ouxen International for Town Vehicles and Equipment Auctions. Um, do we have a a motion to approve? So moved. Second. And Madame Clerk, will you explain?

Yeah, sure. So, we use Auctions International to auction off town vehicles and surplus assets that are usually no longer being used or are at their end of life cycle with us. We're required to auction them so that we get fair market value for them. This maintains transparency and fairness. Um, auctions in my opinion has been a great partner with the town. We run several auctions a year with surplus inventory to them and it's always gone very well. Okay. Uh, questions. I guess I've had people ask like, "Hey, if you're not using that car out there, how could people like participate in an auction?"

So, I mean, we can certainly share like on our Facebook and stuff when we have town auctions if they want to acquire town inventory. That's uh I believe the only way that is proper for them to acquire it is to purchase it through an auction. But we can certainly as the town do a um more earnest job at sharing when we're auctioning things off, right? I have had people call and say like, "Oh, next time an electric vehicle is going or something." Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Great. Any other any questions, discussion? No. Okay. All in favor? I

I motion carries. Okay. Okay, we have a request um to approve the interim municipal agreement between the town and the county of Westchester for positive youth development. Um we have a motion to approve. So moved. Second. This is um basically grant funding because we provide opportunities for youth to work in our camp and it's um it's a great opportunity for teenagers and young adults to get work experience. Um so the county offers some grant funding to help support that program. So it just helps pay their salary. Yeah. Yeah.

Yep. For the youth development. And we are so fortunate we have, you know, 250 youth that work for the town during the summer. And uh it really is a great experience for them um to work on a team and um you know be professional and uh customer service and all the other things. So work with kids. It's a great it's a great experience. Okay. Any other questions? All in favor? I

I motion carries. Um number six, we have the notification of the retirement um of our senior bookkeeper. And here we have our controller. Um Alisa Alamo is retiring after many, many years. So Brian is here to say a few words about Alisa's service to the town. Hi Brian. Good evening. Thanks for coming. Thank you. Hope you're doing well.

Um yeah, I asked the supervisor to make some brief comments tonight. Um, has did Alisa call in? She mentioned she was good. No. Okay. All right. We'll watch tomorrow. Okay. Um, so when Alisa came in a few weeks ago to give a resignation notice, you know, it was a tough conversation for me to lose her, but for her it was very tough. You know, she's been here 25 years. Um, Bedford's a very special place. It's a unique place. You know that, you know, your your relationships with your co-workers and the residents develop over years. So I think it was very tough conversation for her to have. Um I just want to make sure that I and the town recognize her for her service. This would have been her 25th year completed with the town if she would have stayed. That's that's a long time. Um actually me and Alisa both worked at the same CPA firm before. Not at the same times but we're both there so we kind of share that. Uh just a little bit about Alisa in retirement. Um she's married to Tony who also has retired recently. They they're they bought a property down south in Tennessee. It's a beautiful property. Um they love the mountains. They love the outdoors. They love the country. So I think they're you know we're sad to lose her here, but I think they're very excited for the next chapter in their life, too. Uh just a little bit about Alisa when she worked at the office. She Alisa is the type that she like she doesn't like the spotlight, right? She likes to kind of work in the background, keep her head down, get her work done, but she does a great job and she's very dependable. Um, you know, when she started out, we were colleagues. I think now I can call her a friend. So, I just want to again congratulate her on 24 completed years and we're going to miss her.

Thank you. Thank you so much. She will definitely be missed. Um that's a long time and we really appreciate her service to the residents and to the town. Um and you know I know your office is um just the highest levels of professionalism and integrity and um she's been a big part of that and so we will miss her and um wish her and Tony all the best in her retirement. So thank you. Um so I guess we have a motion to acknowledge um Alisa's retirement move. Second. All in favor? Oh, yeah. All in favor? I. Motion carries.

Um, okay. Number seven, we have just a notification of submission of an application to the D for the fishing boat share program. Um, this is I'll make a motion that we just acknowledge its submission. Second.

Um, this is a program we've been talking to D about for a while. Um, there are all those fishing boats uh lined up along the reservoirs that people own and have licenses to use. And I have brought it up with D over the years, you know, hey, what about the town getting a couple of those boats so we can make the program more accessible to more people instead of um kind of you I think you have to wait a long time to get one of those boats. And so we've worked out an opportunity to make this more accessible to the public to get a to buy two boats and to keep them at the Muscuit reservoir and um the clerk and the recreation department have worked out um some rules and regulations that we've presented to D about how this program would work and um we've submitted our application. So hopefully it will be approved soon and we can provide more information to the public about um launching that program. Um it does require that you have a fishing license and that you be fishing. So it's not just a boat program. Um but there are um a couple of things that you steps that you have to take to participate. You know, you fill out a DP form and then you fill out our town form and make a reservation. But I think it'll um just be a great opportunity to make this program more accessible. So um any questions?

It's a great idea. Hopefully we'll have an info session um in to like help people understand, you know, how to use it, where to get the boat, how to pick up the life jacket and the ores and things like that. So, um question, will there be any other kinds of permits required or filing for somebody to access the boat or has that not been straightened out yet? So, there will be a you have to have a fishing license if you are in the boat. D police could stop you at any time and you have to have your fishing license, your D access permit, which I think you get one and it's good for multiple years, I think. Okay. Um,

and it's free. It's just a thing you have to do online. And then the town application to just hold reserve the spot and sign the waiver of liability and get your um we'll probably end up, you know, you have to sign up for a time and get the code to unlock the boat. Um, so that's the plan. Well, that's what we've submitted to D and um that should hopefully be approved um in time to start in June. So that's the plan. Um yeah, we're looking forward to it. Okay, second motion to accept. I second. All in favor? I

I motion carries. Um, okay. We have a request to adopt a resolution proclaiming military spouse appreciation day and this was brought to our attention um I believe through the clerk and town or I guess town board member Vicker and Aoria worked on the proclamation and um Bobby if you want to um explain and so I think originally this was brought to us by a family member. Oh that's right.

Yeah. a family member from outside of town contacted us and said that the um military spouse appreciation day is coming up and they didn't know whether the town did any kind of recognition and or you know awareness because they wanted it brought up because their daughter was a military spouse and they hadn't heard anything done about it and so this was brought to our attention and we did some research on it And we thought it would be a nice idea to do a proclamation. People would be more aware of it and understand really why and when military spouse appreciation day came to being. So we drafted this proclamation and we thought it would be a good idea for people to really understand what the role of a military spouse is because I don't think people really know what goes into that role. So this is a proclamation. Whereas President Ronald Reagan established military spouse appreciation day in 1984 recognizing the importance of spousal commitment to the readiness and well-being of service members. And whereas military spouses provide steadfast support to their partners while managing households, family commitments, careers, and community obligations, often setting aside their own personal and professional goals. And whereas the role of military spouse is a serious commitment requiring dedication, resolve, honor, and duty. And whereas military spouses, the backbone of military families, often endure long periods of separation, frequent relocations, navigating a world of unknowns. And whereas military spouses fake face unique challenges in service of protecting our freedoms. And whereas military spouse appreciation day is set aside to acknowledge those military spouses in our community who quietly sacrifice and contribute to our military

communities, some as service members themselves. And whereas the town of Bedford is home to milit military spouses and families. And whereas the town of Bedford recognizes the selflessness of these volunteers and honors the military spouses who serve our nation with strength, dignity, and resolve. Now therefore, the town of Bedford does hereby proclaim May 8th, 2026 as Military Spouse Appreciation Day and calls upon the people of the town to honor and express gratitude to military spouses for their extraordinary devotion, resilience, and sacrifice. Thank you. Very nice. Okay, I'll make the motion to approve or to adopt.

Second. All in favor? I I motion carries and um yes, we will put that out um and in hopes that people know about that holiday and um thank a military spouse. Okay. Uh we have a request from the town clerk to approve the kind hearts coalition move kona out in motion event on June 18th, 2026. This is um not going to be a road closure, right? But um no road closure and no um resource support needed for the event. So just an approval of the event occurring. Okay. So it'll be mostly on the sidewalks and visit

on the sidewalks and on along Katona Avenue. Okay. It's a strolling movement experience inviting residents and visitors to walk Katona Avenue and encounter a series of expressive dance performances along the way. So they'll be around Katona that day. Um, sounds great. I'll make the motion to approve. Second. Any questions? All in favor? I.

Motion carries. Uh, we have a request to approve and co-sponsor the KVIS road races on September 19th, 2026. Um, no change from prior years. Um, no major changes from prior years. Uh KBIS has offered to allow some town employees to run the race as part of the co-sponsorship in recognition of all of our support and partnership the last couple years and of the fact that several town employees were signing up anyway and running. Great. Well, the staff will be happy to be encouraged to run,

but routes routes are the same. Um resource needs are the same and everything. Okay, great. Um, okay. Um, I'll make the motion to approve. Second. Any questions? All in favor? Motion carries. Um, we have a request by Stepping Stones to use Bedford Hills train station commuter lots for parking and access to shuttle service for attendees of their annual picnic on June 6th uh from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. I believe no change from prior years that we've approved. Um, I'll make the motion to approve. Second.

I see that Sally Corbaturko is here. If she would like to come up and just say a few words. Um, she's also being honored as a woman of distinction next week and so congratulations. Um, want to thank the town because this is our 75th anniversary picnic weekend and invite everybody to look at our website steppingstones.org or because we will have a play at the community house uh co-sponsored by the town and thrive June 4 through 7 and then a movie the morning of um June 7th at uh Bedford Playhouse and of course the picnic on June 6th. So we hope that uh y'all will check out our website and come out and we thank you for all the support.

Wonderful. Thank you so much. Make one comment just a comment. Um, I really want to give a plug for this picnic. If people have not attended, I know a lot of people come from outside the area, but if you're in town and you've never been, it is absolutely amazing. Sally, you do an amazing job, you and all the volunteers, but it is just moving and absolutely just the most supportive event and people really really are thrilled to be there. It It was just fabulous. So, I wanted to give that plug and we loved having you last year. Thanks.

Oh, thank you. But it was amazing. I mean, you get people standing up to speak. Everyone from teenagers to really really um super seniors and it's just an unbelievable experience. Great. Thank you. Any other questions, comments? All in favor? I motion carries.

Okay. We have um as we had discussed at our meeting with our planner, was that last time? two meetings ago. Um we have a group that we appointed earlier this spring to look into housing and affordable housing to review kind of do a review of our laws, of our processes and opportunities for maybe recommendations for some changes to those laws so that we can make sure we're getting the kind of housing that our comprehensive plan contemplates and the kind of housing that you know we need and we want. So, um, we have asked our housing task force chair, David Kong Gorum, to come and just let us know. I know the task force has a lot on their plate and I think there were a lot of things to think about but maybe give us like a update on how it's going and um some of the things you've been talking about thinking about del delving into exploring um because I know you're probably not ready to propose any um substantive changes but um thank you for coming and joining us and um we'd love to hear how things are going.

Sure thanks for having me. Um, I have a prepared statement. It's under 35 minutes, so if that's okay. Um, just a few minutes. Uh, earlier this year, our town supervisor encouraged the launch of a working group to study the current state of housing in the town of Bedford to dig deeper so we might understand better the obstacles to responsible and meaningful development of various kinds of multif family, affordable housing, workforce housing, senior housing, as well as ADUs, and inevitably to make recommendations in this space. Leaning heavily on the support of Christina Warner, there she is, the economic development and housing consultant to the town who prior served in the role of town planner, we have been able to uncover a great deal of data in a short period of time related to our town's processes, systems, and organizational structure around zoning, planning, our systems of approvals, our laws, and methods of compliance. Christina has been successful in providing meaningful connections with other municipalities and experts in the field in order to discover best practices, lessons learned, and examples of successful development in other towns. We recently met with the mayor and deputy mayor of Croin Hudson uh to discuss some of their experiences with multif family development and affordable development. We also have planned meetings with county officials. Terry Flechman, the director of housing for the Westchester community uh county department of planning and Blanca Lopez, Westchester planning commissioner commissioner, as well as Tiffany Zula, deputy director of the land use law center at Pace University. This working group includes our town board's own MIJ Aorio. How are you, Mitch? Nice to see you. the town of Bedford housing chair and chair of Blue Mountain Housing Development Corp. Julie Stern, as well as Tom McGrath, exeicio of Blue Mountain and the Housing Committee and Prior, president of the Community Preservation Corporation. We've also been happy to work with directly with Meredith Black from Bedford Zanding Board of Appeals and Michael Tyranny from the planning board and finally Andrew Geranssky, a Bedford resident, local parent and real estate officer at West Hav, a notably

large Westchester Chesterbased nonprofit affordable housing developer. Having commenced this work in the middle of March of this year, we have already had numerous rigorous conversations about ADUs, local case studies on variances, recent developments both in Bedford and in the county, the history of housing in our county, and what thoughtful and responsible development looks like in a town of our size. The plan for this working group is to complete our research this summer hopefully and pro to provide recommendations to the town related to changes in zoning, systems, process, resources, and compliance. Our group is moving towards a balanced set of recommendations that will on one hand provide direction on how to establish incentives for responsible development while also working to button up our rules, our laws and our ability to ensure compliance from developers and owners. We aim to address the very real housing needs of our town which will impact our own vibrancy, health, and community community while also taking into serious consideration voices of concern around consistency and upholding zoning laws, maintaining town character, limiting congestion, and protecting our environment. In alignment with the town's comprehensive plan, we trust that these recommendations will contribute to some sensible residential development. That Bedford continues to be a place for young professionals and families to find new homes, for existing families to stay and grow, for older adults to remain as engaged members of our community, and for those who work here to also have housing options to live here. Simultaneously, our recommendations on how to seek compliance on restrictive covenants to enforce conditions and to track inventory should provide an environment of less ambiguity and thus more predictable and controlled development in our community. I'm almost done. We thank the supervisor for her vision and I thank all members of this high performance work working group, especially Christina, um uh as we continue a trajectory towards meaningful recommendations this summer. Sorry, I would have made more eye contact, but I wanted to get through it.

Very nice. And it wasn't just me. This is coming from the comprehensive plan and our discussions. You know, we heard from Adam Bosch from Pattern Progress. We heard we heard from the affordable housing blue mountain group and they did a forum um in the community talking about the affordable housing that we have and the needs that we have. Um so, and we you know have had a lot of discussions about this um reflecting on, you know, the needs assessment from the county and things like that. So, not me, everybody. um and everything is pointing in the direction of kind of figuring out how we can do better. And so, but I really appreciate how hard um I know your group is working, you know, meeting with all kinds of people, taking field trips, digging deep into um what's out there, um beyond and you know, what what our current challenges are. So,

it's a lot of fun. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Questions where we are this point. Great. I gave you everything you needed. Okay. Fantastic. Well, I know that um you know there will be plenty of opportunities for more people to engage in this conversation. Obviously, this is um sort of a hopefully a report of existing conditions, you know, challenges, obstacles, how we can overcome them, what how we might, you know, rectify some issues and then, you know, that will that will invite a community conversation about all of it. So, um, which is how we have to do things, of course. Um,

yeah, it's a it's a great committee. And I I guess I would just add to that list. I think there's a real spirit of how to, um, you know, invite the kinds of opportunities that that we want that, you know, that make sense for this town. And so, I think that we've been talking already to some, you know, some great um, people who who've done some things that would um, you know, that we can learn from.

Great. Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay. Um, so that sort of concludes the business portion of our meeting. Um, I thought that we could take um a little bit of time to have a work session, which um a lot of people may not know, but as a group, the town board can't have conversations about town policy um in groups of more than two um because that means there's a forum and we wouldn't be deliberating in public. So, um you know, a lot of times things come up, you know, someone will work on a project and then bring it to the board or we'll send it to our attorney and then we get to look at it here or look at on the agenda. But um the sign ordinance is something that I thought we could just touch base. Um there's been a little bit of um questions from the build from the business um community about some clarifications in the sign ordinance, some things that are missing in the sign ordinance or that they feel like maybe the sign ordinance is somewhat um out of date in certain areas. So we we've had some meetings and talked to people and I don't know MIJ if you want to kind of tee us up for the conversation but um or just that you met with the business community.

Yeah, sure. So um I we met with the business community and um they really you know welcome the opportunity to you know share ideas and and um opportunities to to make the sign ordinance um sort of maybe reflect today's Bedford. But I think the the code is old, maybe like 30 30 years old. And um and so I mean some of the kind of the highlevel things that really um they brought up was one just literally um you know how do you know how to having the code be sort of un decoded um you know how to really understand if I'm a business in this zone of the town you know what are the rules how do I get an approval um so I think you know real desire to and and maybe you know a lot of them the idea so could we actually include examples in our sign code you know visual examples of um some of this stuff um um the other really kind of three big areas um the other was when we we think about our community we've got our Hamlet business districts and then we've got our more commercial business district on 117 and how can the code reflect um the rules in the code reflect the differences of you know phys those physical physical differences of being a business in those two areas. Um, and then I think just the third thing was really considering some things that really aren't contemplated in the sign now, ranging from um, sandwich board signs to gas station signs to murals and public art. Um, so great. So, I think that um in moving some of this forward, I think it's just worth having conversation about, you know, what we're interested in digging a little deeper on and

pursuing versus, you know, not really considering. Yeah.

Um so that we can keep this ball rolling. Um it's just it's a lot to um even understand what the code you know currently allows or doesn't allow. Um, so you know I guess um it's hard to like so so something like sandwich boards, right? Like I think that we had um a community member put together some thoughtful information about sandwich boards and um what they're doing in other communities to make sure that they are uh safe, you know, for pedestrians. um they're not blocking view when you're, you know, traffic if you're driving and they're right on the sidewalk or something. Um and then there is some towns like require a permit for them

um or you know, insurance. There's so many things. So, I guess the question is, you know, is it worth going down that path um or finding the right sign, you know, another community that's doing it right and adopting some of those elements. Um there could also be design standards. Yeah. So that they aren't pink and neon. And are you are you primarily primarily looking at the signs in commercial districts rather than to Yes. This is all just commercial signage. Understood.

So our our law for people who don't know. Um because it mostly deals with storefront signage um which is your permanent um store identifier type signage um business identifier signage. And then you have to consult a chart that tells you which kinds of signage you're allowed to have. Um, and then you can go back, you know, and how many you're allowed to have. And each zone has a different It's hard. It's hard for, I think, business owners to know. You have to check the chart. Then you It's It like It does require like a law degree to um actually understand.

In all fairness, we I mean, it's taken we've taken, you know, we've taken a dive into this fivepage code and it was I think we've kind of figured it out, right? If you had a look and I don't need to be criticizing.

Yeah. It's very concise and it's written, but if you if you're just a small business and you're trying to figure out what you're supposed to do, it could be a lot easier to understand. Um, some codes just say if you're in the Hamlet, you know, district, you're allowed to pick two of the following kinds of signs and then it describes like what those signs are instead of kind of referring to like you can do A or C and then there's multiple places where there are AB or C's in the code. So, um, and then there's one part that deals with your storefront signs can be attached to the wall, a bracket sign coming out, um, a monument sign on the ground or a a freestanding sign. And then it says window signs, but they can't cover more than 20% of your window.

It doesn't say anywhere else in the code what else you can put in your window. Mhm. Um, and it's hard to know if certain graphics that aren't your storefront sign, um, or flyers or going out of business sale or, you know, um, just a graphic of something that you sell in your store, like if those are subject to the same restrictions as a storefront sign in your window. Um, and I think we just need to really drill down on what that should be. Yeah. Um I think there is a difference too that if you're in a walkable area

like a h like a hamlet a downtown hamlet like it's probably more important to see like to say that you you can't cover your windows with a bunch of stuff. Like you should be able to see in the stores and that's part of the charm of walking on the sidewalk. Um whereas if you're driving down 117, probably less important to, you know, see in your stores. Um but but but maybe 20% of your window isn't sufficient from 100 yards from 100 yards away from, you know, by

How is this affected by stores that are in historic districts? Do do the rules for historic districts um override those signage laws? Yes. And so in Well, it doesn't override it, but in I think it's just bedroom village there's this there's the code and then the historic district has an overlay, you know, some more rules on top of that, right? Because that sounds like it becomes even more complicated for those people. And I wonder if we can take that into account when we look at how we're revising this.

Yes. Um because I think well yes I think in Bedford Village and Clayton is here. He wants to come help us understand the process. I think you don't go to the planning board. You go to the historic district or you go to both. So maybe Yes, please. Yeah, that would be great. and he's the wonderful community member who did a lot of research and looked at other codes and and gave us a lot of good input.

That was easy. Um so so uh with regards to signage, uh the Bedford Village Historic District Review Commission does have um oversight over that. Uh and and and so we will look at, you know, somebody having a a bright pink covering 20% of their window and, you know, if that's not their corporate logo or corporate colors, they're like, that's not a good look. Um there's also the overlay of no temporary signs. And so the sandwich board idea actually uh was generated because Bedford Village Business Association and Bedford Historical Society said we have events. We'd like and and other commercial entities um you know we have a wine sale. We'd like to be able to, you know, market that. And so we'd get these lawn signs that get stuck in. I've got a trunk load of them literally right now that I picked up. once a week I go around um and they're just so ugly. And so the thought was if we could make sandwich boards consistent, you know, they look nice, people take their time and make them in chalk and it's kind of cute. Uh so the the sandwich board was a kind of a compromise between the no temporary signage and the business and uh community within the the district to have some sort of marketing opportunity. So when someone applies for a sign permit um for their storefront sign

because those are what's well yes that should come through us and then it goes to planning then it goes to planning or building the building okay to issue the permit. Um, and is there anything else aside from the sandwich board signs that you feel need would benefit from a change in the historic district? Because it's pretty tightly right there.

Yeah. So, so the one thing that uh both Liz uh with historical society and Brett with BBBA are interested in is having I don't know if you know the Presbyterian church, they have um two kind of nice white posts and they hang a nice sign for Easter or whatever they're commemorating. And the thought was for events that are community related within the Bedford Village that if we could erect two or three of these and be able to change out events that that would be a nice look that we could accomplish and you know not have more lawn signs. uh limit it to only things that are within the village, sponsored by folks, you know, within the town of Bedford. And that was the one thing that um I just caught up with Brett and Liz last week and you know that they they would like to see if there's an opportunity to look at that.

Okay, great. Because I know that there's an exception for like churches to have those kind of banners. So, that's a good recommendation. Okay. Um and I know we have your we have a little memo I think that um MIJ and I have about the 80 the sandwich boards. Yes. some other and I just I would add the meeting that Clayton would attended with me with the businesses. Um you all of the the Hamlet areas were asked about the the sandwich board signs and you sort of with the same discussion making them look nice, making of course making them safe and but really cited them as a as a

a great tool to drive foot traffic and to you know to to give your business um you know some marketing in in a in a way. I I think the Kona folks were equally interested and the sidewalk's wide enough so there's not like an ADA issue, but I'd certainly want to have legal look at the final if if you know that's adopted final dimensions if you Okay. So, you would you would re I would think we would want to basically establish like a size and a Yes. Yes. color like Yep. chalkboard white sandwich board. Yeah, like have a certain height and width and that's that's it,

right? And I think the the the one other thing is some municipalities do charge, you know, they renew license. Um there is an insurance question, right? So those are some other considerations. Okay. But they do look they they look good. I think a lot better than lawn signs. And so, uh, from an aesthetic perspective, folks have been interested.

Okay. Right. And I think back to Midget's point about the code doesn't really mention the Bedford Historic District Review Commission in the sign code, but it's in the historic commission code that signs have to go there. So, it's like kind of known internally, but maybe not if you're a business owner just wondering, right? So building or planning, whoever gets an application will send it back and then we'll take a look at it. And and the only other place in the code which is explicit is no temporary signs within both Kona and Bedford Village. Yes. Right. Right. Okay. Um thank you. Okay.

Yeah. Great. So I think the other um another thing to I think just you know for the board to think about um are these graphics in Windows I think we need to you know

do you want to just explain what you mean? Yeah. I like you mean like so this so the code very clearly says you can have two storefront signs or signs that are your main signs and there are certain types you can have but then there are just pictures of you know um I don't know if you wanted to just put a a window cling up of a bicycle that doesn't have your your company name on it. It's not necessarily being seen as a sign. It's a temporary thing in your window that I don't I think doesn't it's kind of falling between the lines. It's not it's not clearly not allowed, but it's not clearly allowed either. So, it's I mean maybe it is if it's

right. So, and so these are more I think these are more um in 117 where you'd see them. I'm I can't think of examples in the hamlets, but so a business that um I don't know is a gym maybe um you know has might have a big sign so that when you're driving by so you know what do we do what I mean sort of back to this is the there's things in today's world that weren't considered you know when the code was written

right you couldn't print beautiful graphics that were gigantic 30 years ago um yeah and So is it I think we need to treat what goes in windows maybe differently and maybe differently depending on the district if that makes sense. Um but um again something to pay attention to and maybe provide some feedback as to what um might be you know what you hear people think or say about those things. I mean it's I do know that you know retail is tough and people are trying to get attention of people driving by especially on Route 117 especially if a lot of stores are empty you know No one's looking. So, uh this sign situation has uh escalated in terms of you know people putting up more and more banners or signs in their windows and um they're temporary but um they need more regulation and I think we need to decide if that's something we want to tackle now especially under 117. Um, or do we want to, you know, I know we want to go ahead with an area plan for the redevelopment of 117 if we want to make sure signs are part of that? And, you know, we do have to figure out what we're going to do in the interim. Um, so, you know, just anything else that you want us to look into? Um, you know, I think something else that, you know, we're seeing is because retail is tough, like multiple stores are going into one shared space.

Oh, yeah. Um, that's also happening in Bedford Village and a couple places where um yeah, like what do we allow them to have more than two signs out front? Um, that's a question. Yeah. Is the window coverage issue actual, you know, a problem with windows or is it just a problem with how much of your front of your store is covered with signs and graphics? Um, regardless of the windows, you know, maybe there's an area that you can cover with

um that, you know, can't exceed 20% of the building, you know, not the windows. And I think one other thing that we need to talk about because this has also changed in 30 years is the type of lighting that

because now you can get LED lights. You can get so many kinds of lights that you can get much cheaper and they're much more accessible for anybody. And you know people will throw up lights temporarily and then take them down. And you can, you know, somebody can call the building department and say, "Hey, I need you to come check out these lights." And of course, the building department isn't there at night. And then somebody puts up lights and somebody tries to get a look at it and then they take them down and then somebody comes to check and then they put them back up. I mean, there are just so many issues with lighting, how the lighting is permitted. You know, in the holiday season, I think there's different kinds of lighting that we allow or if it's not designated that way, maybe it should be. Um, but you know, I know we've had conversations that, you know, neon lighting is not allowed, but neon lighting isn't much of a thing anymore. So, how do we regulate like

what what illuminated lighting is allowed? Exactly. You know, if it can't be and where is it allowed? So, our current zoning code um does not allow flashing or intermittently illuminated signs um which probably need some enforcement there. Signs where the source of illumination is visible, including neon type or LED type electric signs, except where such signs are less than two square ft in area and mounted on the inside of the window of a building. So, I think that's probably to put up like a little open

sign. Um, but how many? It doesn't say if you could have multiple of those. Um, you know, could you have 10 signs that say open that are less than two square feet or is that the full area of all the neon signs? Also, like neon has become more cool. So, there are some cool neon signs that have been approved, right? Well, like plank has a cool pink neon and it was approved because it's under two square feet. Um, strings of incandescent lights are prohibited signs. Mhm. But we do allow temporary holiday lights. Yes. Holiday lights are allowed.

That's a separate exception, right? Under exceptions, right? Um, but that is an interesting I have to go back to look at the definition of sign that we don't allow strings of lights. Um, moving or rotating signs, penants, streamers, or other eye-catching devices, signs on awnings. I think there are awnings. I don't know if they've been granted. They've been there for 50 years.

They've been there forever. So, and why, like, don't we allow signs on awnings? Um, I guess if it's printed on the awning, it's not like a sign hanging on an awning. Maybe that's we have to understand, you know, that's one maybe we present to see what the public thinks. Um, portable signs. So that's the sandwich A-frame sign. So that would be another one. Um, and roof signs. So um, yeah. So, we could dig a little bit into the awnings and the portable sandwich boards on there, whether that makes sense. Um, and we could look at

the lighted signs. Oh, and the lights. Yeah. Um, right. And then permitted signs. is mostly it it really is addressing storefront signs. That's mostly the commercial storefront signs, the permitted signs. Exactly. So if there were a separate thing for windows or for graphics or for right art or something have to be different. Some signs are permitted and some have to go before the planning board. Correct. I believe so. Yes. Yeah.

So, I think all permitted signs require Oh, no. Can't remember which ones you have to go before the planning board. You have to go for the planning board in the CB districts. That's the the hamlet business, right? Kona and Bedford Hills Hamlet areas. And then if you're in Bedford Village, you go to Historic District Review Commission. I don't know what you do if you're over by like Hunting Ridge Mall or on 117. I think you just Do you still get a sign permit? You still get a permit. You don't have to still you need to apply to for a permit from the building department.

So all permitted signs require a permit. I think that's the the thing except for the exceptions and then there's sort of a uh where's my exceptions page? The exceptions are Yeah. They're like signs required by for safety like safety and welfare government agencies.

Oh yeah. flag flags of the state, county or town government not exceeding 15 square feet which actually when you look around most people's American flags are bigger than that now like they're quite large the American flags that we have out out and about um they're larger than 15 square feet um banners and emblems um and names of meeting place signs they're allowed in civic philanthropic educational religious organizations So probably could do banners for the business association or the civic groups in Bedford Village if that was that's probably already allowed. Um we have the temporary signs in the public right away that are associated with events. Um memorial plaques, cornerstones, historical tablets are exempt. Sorry. Signs required to be posted. small non-elilluminated signs that don't exceed one and a half square feet in area that are for direction, safety, or convenience of the public. Um, you know, those that tell you where there's a public telephone. Uh, but also like, you know, location of the uh off streetet parking areas, things like that. Name and address signs. I guess you can have the principal use um and the address of the building that is exempt. Temporary construction signs signs in a window. Uh oh yeah, indicating the availability of a public telephone or a notary public

um public or the licenses required to conduct for a business. Um, holiday decorations in season and temporary signs for tag or garage sales. Okay. And no trespassing signs. So, if you, you know, it doesn't really say anything about if you have a vacant storefront, you know, can you put a for sale or for rent sign in the window? Silent on that. I guess you'd have to get a permit for that, but it's then it's not clear if you could get a permit for that.

Um, yeah, it's not permitted. It's not listed as a permitted type. um when we you know there's an art gallery going into Katona. They've had the building under construction for like two years and you know they it was kind of unsightly. So

I tried to figure out if we could get them to put up something that said what's coming or put some art in the window or do something. And basically I was told our sign ordinance doesn't allow them to do anything but put brown paper on the windows which was um disappointing but also there are lots of other places that have other things in the windows. So um just more clarity on that. If it's a vacant store maybe there's you know a little sign telling people what's coming is not a bad thing or um so we can look into that. That also leads in

to the art thing because a lot of times uh when there are vacant spaces that's a great opportunity for um artists to put up some work and beautify the area. So I do think that you know while it's not signs you know I do think we need to have that conversation about murals of art. So it is assign according to our definition of sign, right? So um if we wanted to allow non-ext, right, uh installations, right, we would need a section of the code allowing for that. So we can look into that as well. Yeah.

Um and yeah, who who gets to say yes or no to what that looks like? me and talk. Okay. Um Stephanie volunteers to be close to art committee. No, but they usually But I do think that yes, we need to like think about that and revisit. Yeah. Back when um like when there were so many empty storefronts in Kona, there was a whole like a committee of people that were putting art in windows in store. So nice.

Yeah. And you know, um it's something that literally White Plains when they were struggling, they reached out to Purchase College and have the art students, you know, um do it. We didn't when we did art in store, we didn't hang them on the windows. We installed them just behind the windows, which is sort of the workound. Um, right. Like when Spirit Halloween comes, they don't hang their big signs in the windows, but they prop them up really close to the windows and they, I guess, aren't considered signs. But if you really read the code, they probably are. So

if we also think about the spirit of the law and we want our hamlets to look nice and be attractive and to encourage people to come, it's counterintuitive to cover an entire storefront with brown paper when we could be putting in art that encourages people to look for an upcoming gallery. It just seems like it's just not very smart business-wise, but also aesthetically. No. So, I'd love to see some kind of section about signage that is, you know, like you said, you know, not non-ext

nonext or however installation. What were we calling it? Um, but I know graphic graphic or right but not graphic graphic. Yeah. Well, that that's always the other issue with all we're calling them decorative. Oh, sorry. Well, graphics. How do you discriminate between what's art and what's not appropriate for public display? So that's right. And if that is the other that is the slippery slope, put it that way. So yeah, there would need to be a review process of that. So, but in the code there's permitted signs, there's not permitted signs, and there's really no mention of this bucket of whether you call it decorative signs or

you know, and that could be anything from, you know, art on an empty storefront to some of those big decals, right?

Um Yeah. And I think it's pretty much seen that if it's not your store name and or logo, it's something else. Um, yeah. I mean, the zoning board had a request, I think WGI's wanted to put uh the silhouette of like a man painted on the brick building between like two of the windows. Um, and that was like Woji, I guess, you know, like just like a little silhouette of whoever they named it after. And they they they didn't give the variance for that. It was seen as another third sign, wall, you know, another wall sign on the building. Um, but, you know, I don't know. I I think um that could be seen as just something different, kind of giving a little bit of a different character. Um, but I don't know. there would need to be a review board of some kind and that um you know is we have to see how other communities might do that.

I think I think the zoning board also has asked for some yesation because of um you know the variances that

they're being asked for a lot of variances and people are applying to do things that I think they're pointing that other people are doing. So, there's also an enforcement issue that we have to crack down on. But at this point, I think we just need to review where we are. Um, and make sure we, you know, if we're going to change something, let's let's change it and then give people a couple weeks to come into compliance. Um, okay. So these are I mean I guess some other things in my notes were just some other sign ordinances I've looked at have some maintenance you know and upkeep requirements that like if your sign is falling apart you have to take it down or you can get a code violation. Um, some of them I think ours requires I think a survey and like you know I'm exaggerating but like architectural drawings and a PhD like it's like there's a lot to get

um whereas some of them just require um like a sketch and a sort of a picture of the building and where it's you know where it's going to go like a little more um low tech to show, you know, I guess if that's not enough and they can't really see um the measurements of the building and if it needs those, then I understand, but it seems like um just want to make it less expensive for these small businesses to get signage. Um

if they're, you know, have to go through a lot of hoops and expense doesn't um doesn't seem fair. Um, okay. So, anything else we should be exploring for bringing back? Maybe a draft or is there anything anyone in particular wants to look into? Mij and I will keep meeting and talking about it. I mean, I think one other thing that would I think would be super helpful is um like some very specific like definitions like almost like in some codes there's almost like a a glossery. It's not a glossery but um and I and I think some codes I think you even shared one with us Eric that had just some nice graphics even examples.

Yes. I think there was Yeah, I found one that had the Connecticut one. There's one. Yeah, I found one that had little They looked almost like AI generated uh you know, little Maybe maybe not. Maybe they were little drawings of what signs what we're talking about when you say a bracket sign or a monument sign like what that actually means. Um I can't find it. And then some of them had actual signs from their town in their code like what um what they mean by a wall sign or light lighted

sign. Oh, these are the these are the goose neck lights or something. Um so that's kind of nice if you want to really give people a sense of what pines should really look like. Take examples from our our own town. Um, okay. So, any other just things that we show? There they are. This one has just like little diagram type thingies. Yeah. Um,

did you also want to review the schedule of permitted signs that like runs through each type of business that that you know what type of signs are loc or permitted for each type of business? There's a separate schedule with respect to that. That's a an attachment to the sign ordinance. I don't know. I mean the the the zoning map that No, the the table of It's like a table. It's a Yeah, it's the attachment. It's zoning attachment 125, right? That one. Yeah, I think there were no there were there literally were no commercial zones that that didn't that allowed them, right? They that didn't allow them, right? That didn't allow two signs, right? Like they pretty much all said two signs. um

two signs for certain types of signs and then as needed for the E sign, right? So, well, for all the commercial districts, um yeah, I guess there was a little bit of difference like direction, uh ABC. Yeah, it allows it it allows two of the ABC D signs in each of the commercial districts, right? pretty much A, B, C or D signs. And what's E? E as needed. E is the directional sign.

Directional. Um I mean it if they're all exact if the you have this whole table, you have to find your zone and then they all basically say the same thing. Couldn't we just put it in the code that if you are a commercial establishment, you get two signs and if you need a directional sign, you can have that, too. Like that's basically what all of this says, except you have to go back and forth between the code and this table to figure it out. And a map, a zoom map, which is really hard to read on the online because it's so you have to zoom way in and figure out what district you're in. Um because these just say PBO, PBR, and then you have to figure out where you are. Um

they do have some special like sideyards that setbacks and and a few of them I think but I think those are residential. Um there's one one NBC and LII have that's for a hotel or motel for hotel and for auto mo and for automotive they have some certain requirements. Okay. So, we could look to that, right? Um, and then which districts allow them to be illuminated? Again, I can't do all the commercial districts are allowed to be illuminated except that automotive service stations can't

face any side or rear lot line or joining residential district within 50 sign. So, and I don't know if it's if this is possible, but I mean is there and mostly we're talking about commercial businesses that are going to be looking at this and trying to understand what they can do and is there a way to like call out like if you're a business, you know, this is what you're in this district and this is what you can do and this is what you can't do. I don't know if that's possible, but

yeah, I think like this I mean th this basically uh has these little tables. Um this is town of Winchester, Connecticut. I mean it just basically says there are six types of signs that may be allowed by district or use. Um you can choose from one of a certain number of sign types listed below in the following subsections. And then it just tells you what's allowed in each district. Um, some of them go by sign, type, and then which districts, and some of them go by here's the district and here's what's allowed. But that's easier. I mean, it's longer. It's a longer piece of code than what we have, but it is easier to follow.

Um, so we can look at that if it's better to do sign type and then where that type of sign is allowed or district type and what you can do there. But if they're all pretty much the same, then there's the question of how what you do about coming into compliance if we pass the new code. That's the other issue. So, right. Or if we don't or you just allow it to remain non-conforming. It's only new signs that go up. So, that's the question. So, right. Um, I guess the old code, the old code had the provision that said that you were supposed to come into compliance within three years or Oh, it did. Yeah, there's a provision in 125-123.

But whether I think that's been more the breach than the practice, so on that one. So, but I don't know what signs were in existence when this code was put into effect in 1984. That's the question. So, wow. Well, some of them may have gotten variances for Right. Right. Um I'm not going to I don't want to point to any particular signs because that may be out of compliance that were here prior to 1984 and now

1984. Um but I think we just need more clarity um and then some enforcement uh about what we right we have to say what the current code says because we don't we can't really say they were

prior conforming when they really aren't at this moment in time when we change the code. So, um, but we are going to need to make some some places come into compliance before we change the code. All right. Well, we will keep working on it. If um Stephanie's going to look into non-ext graphics, that would be helpful.

Either in windows or on buildings and how we might develop a process for that. Um, we will look at the sandwich board stuff that Clayton provided and um and then just keep plugging away at um a path a path forward simplify like Yeah.

Yeah. Um Yeah. I mean, look, I think for the most part in our hamlets, it's working really well. Like I think they're the buildings look really nice. Most of them they have the two signs. Um, some of them have gone a little overboard at what's in the windows. Some of them have gone, you know, some of them have stuff in the windows that isn't really signs, but just filling up the windows. But, um, yeah. Yeah. So, but for the most part, our hamlets, you know, look good. I I think the businesses, as probably what we've said in the beginning, just would like to be able to comply and know, you know, make it a little easier to know what they have to do. And yeah,

you know, some have maybe been turned down for things and don't exactly understand why. Right. And the zoning board is is would like to just make sure that Right. It is what we want it to be. So they don't have to give variances for things. Um because it's part of the code, which is how it should work. You know, a variance should really only be if it's like an unusually sized building that can't accommodate a sign. you know, like what if they need to change something or something very unusual shouldn't be. It's just it's difficult to turn down a variance when every other storefront in the area also has that number of signs. That's the that's the issue. So that's also the issue. So,

right. Exactly. um enforcement and we do, you know, we do need to do more, you know, if there's an opportunity to go talk to some of the those businesses, um you know, what would help get attention drawn to their establishments without um just putting up 25 signs, right? Yeah. That are all neon green that are right. Oh, not to call anyone out. Yeah.

Right. Um Yes. Okay. Any other thoughts on that? No. Okay. Um, any board announcements? Actually, any public comment on here? No. Uh, any board announcements? We have, um, there we go. Thank you to the our amazing civic partners who did all the litter cleanups this weekend and DPW and um the volunteers, the scouts, uh everyone who showed up. There was KBIS, the Katona Presbyterian Rumage Sale, Charter and Marching Tag Sale and Dump Day, the Bedford Hills Lions Club, the Conservation Board, and the Riverkeeper Sweep.

They had a great event.

They had a great event. Railroad Avenue looks so much better. And um so yeah, it was a a really good effort and we just really appreciate everybody who came out for that. Um the county has announced that um as Kevin was mentioning, PAS is a increasing concern um showing up in water supplies and they have just launched a program that provides um free POS testing for Westchester County residents who have private wells. Um, I think they're prioritizing places where um they may they may be in an area of risk, but um we do have a lot of residents with private wells and so that's something that's available. I think it's free. There's testing that may be free and then there may be rebates available for mitigation um type efforts that people can take. So, some funding there from the the county. We put a news flash up on our website which basically directs people to the county website. But if they can't find it on the county website, they go to our website and get a link to that. Um, also next Monday, May 11th, is our Sergeant Wade Police Memorial uh recognition service at the police station at 6:00 and then that's followed by the police department apprec uh awards ceremony. So, it's um the annual awards for 2025, their officer of the year and other unit citations and things. So, that is May 11th. Next Thursday is our Rev Up student video contest, which I keep mentioning, but we had a call today um with the panelists who are going to be commenting on the student videos and uh it's really it's going to be a great event. It's going to be uh I think inspiring and um revving up the the principles that we keep talking about of democracy and civic

participation and engaging our youth in that conversation and just I think it'll be a great event. So it's at the Bedford Playhouse on May 14th at 6:30. Students tickets are $5, adults tickets are $17.76. U so we hope a lot of people come. Um May 17th is the fishing derby. Hopefully by then we'll have more information about our fishing boat program to pass out to everybody coming to that at Lake Murray at noon. Um and at our next town board meeting, we've invited the building department to come and give a little demo of how the new City Squared online portal um works and how residents can register for that so they're ready when they want to apply for a permit for anything that they can do it through the portal, the property portal. Um and then on May 26th, uh we set a work session I think at our last meeting to happen on the 26th um at 6:45 for the permitting boards to come do a a training and then we'll have an appreciation event for all of our committee and board members starting at 7:45. So that'll be more of a work session um not an official meeting, but we will be welcoming all of our committee members to to attend that. and um appreciate them. Um pool fees go up on Friday, so Thursday is the last day to get the discounted rate for the pools. Um but Reck and Parks is open extra hours tomorrow from 4:30 to 7. So if people want to come get their pool passed, get their picture taken. Um do it in person.

They're open late. Um and I think that is all I have. Anything else? Okay, there being no further business, meeting is adjourned. Thanks everybody.