Monday's 6-17-24 City Council Workshop Meeting Agenda - What's On Deck
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Monday's 4-22-24 City Council Workshop Meeting Agenda - What's On Deck
/This week’s City Council Workshop Meeting is now available on ALBB. This is the same agenda found on the City’s website, but ours includes future video of the meeting, and is in the all-you-need format at ALBB. This Workshop Meeting is open to the public to attend, but there is no Public Comment. Public does not speak during Workshop Meetings, only listens.
On the Agenda:
Overview of Real Property Tax Assessment Process
Proposed Agreement with the Beacon Sloop Club for Floating Docks (backing documents forthcoming)
Proposed Dedication of Sewer Infrastructure from Scenic Beacon Developments, LLC
Announcement of Next Meeting: May 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m
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Monday's 3-25-24 City Council Workshop Meeting Agenda - What's On Deck
/This week’s City Council Workshop Meeting is now available on ALBB. This is the same agenda found on the City’s website, but ours includes future video of the meeting, and is in the all-you-need format at ALBB. This Workshop Meeting is open to the public to attend, but there is no Public Comment. Public does not speak during Workshop Meetings, only listens.
On the Agenda:
1. Amendments to the City Council Rules of Procedure
This is a review of the City Council Rules and Procedures that Councilperson Pam Wetherbee requested after more than 50 people spoke at Public Comment twice over a 6 week period during Beacon’s the Ceasefire Resolution debate for Palestine and Israel.
2. Proposed Local Law Concerning Minimum Parking Requirements
This is the ongoing debate to break down the requirements on parking that a homeowner or developer must match when building commercial or residential space. Reducing these requirements makes building easier, which some people both want and don’t want.
3. Ribbons on Main Street
This regards the NAMI Mid-Hudson PSA Campaign that they have done in Beacon from 2014-2022, and was blocked last year from hanging the ribbons. The ribbon campaign remains up for debate this year, due to a multi-year maintenance campaign done to the lamppost, said City Administrator Chris White, which ALBB reported on in this article.
It's OK To Park On Main Street This Weekend! Check The Blue Painter's Tape For Details
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Mayor Kyriacou robo-called the community today (Friday) to let everyone know that the milling on Main Street is complete, and that parking on Main Street is open until Monday, May 2, 2022, which is when the paving phase will start. At that point, parking on Main Street will be prohibited 24 hrs/day until Thursday, May 5, 2022. That pavement has got to dry.
For people not refreshing their City of Beacon website pages who are driving in the wild, relying on the bright orange No Parking signs on the lampposts, drivers will now see - on some of the signs - a new date written on blue painters tape covering the original. For those folks not on the robo-call signup (you can sign up here!) and who are visitors, they will be relying on the bright orange No Parking signs only. From afar, it looks intimidating, but pull over and squint to learn that you can park this weekend.
During the milling period, several businesses expressed appreciation for the enormous milling and paving project that was delayed from last fall. But several businesses did notice a dramatic drop in customers who avoided Main Street for the rough road and no parking.
Even after the Mayor’s robo-call and the limited amount No Parking signs that have been taped over, people from out of town are confused on where to park. While seated in one establishment, this blogger observed a couple asking the management about if they could park on Main Street today (Friday), and a very confusing conversation ensued, resulting in the couple being told they could not park. Bright orange signs that say No Parking are hard to not obey.
Many citizens expressed how quiet the street was when hardly any cars were driving on it (see video here) even though they could. Cars were generally avoiding Main Street for the no parking limitation, and the ripped up asphalt under their tires.
Today into this weekend, parking is back until Monday.
Readers have already written in to ask if parklets are possible once Main Street is paved. So far there has been no more discussion about parklets, but every day is different!
Once Bitten, Twice Shy: 344 Main Street Building + Parking Is Back In The News
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Once bitten, twice shy. The new construction building 344 Main that triggered the running and election of several board members and the current mayor is in the news again.
During a City Council meeting, the board members were presented with the parking dilemma that resulted in the revoking of a parking lease years ago, a delayed COI (Certificate of Occupancy, needed for renting to commercial businesses), the big drama between two developers, and now possible new litigation. The process of how this building came to be is why Mayor Lee Kyriacou pushed through so many zoning changes, and with more planned, like the designation of several buildings as a way, in part, to act as pawns in the chess game of what is allowed in the city planning of a city and the new construction and expansion of buildings now.
This is a huge deep dive. Be sure to pick up the Beacon Free Press for Mark Roland’s weekly column, Beaconomics (of the blog Wigwam Economy), and Jeff Simm’s @jeff_simms coverage in the @highlandscurrent. ALBB has several deep-dive articles on other topics ahead of this (including HDLO) and will be transcribing City Administrator Chris White’s summary last night of what happened years ago to bring us to our point today, and his subsequent parking proposal. Currently, residents of 344 Main have no official place to park and park in free municipal lots (do what you need to do!). Chris’s proposal is to monetize the parking by charging the current developer/building owner for spaces in the free municipal parking lot ($50/space). The developer may or may not pass that on to tenants. Parking is a problem in Beacon, and Chris’s plan is to earmark the money for parking development. But the council was burned so badly by these developers years ago, they are hesitant to set a new precedent. Tenants are caught in the middle.
More to come. Pick up your newspapers, and support local media everywhere.
Parklets Are Here! And Homespun Is Open On Mondays
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Just months after Homespun’s new owner and sommelier, Joe Robitaille bought Homespun from its former longtime owners and founders, the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, and businesses and restaurants were forced to close. The rollout of Unemployment Insurance was rocky and overwhelmed almost every state in America including New York State. The subsequent business bailout, known as the PPP Loan, was a moving target in terms of who could apply and how the money could be spent if the business owner wanted the loan forgiven, leaving restaurants owners and staff in precarious situations between the PPP Loan and Unemployment Insurance but not both, with initial penalties to restaurant owners who could not bring all staff back (if staff stayed on Unemployment Insurance).
After the long, cold spring of 2020, the City of Beacon followed the trend of allowing street-dining in sectioned off “parklets,” where patrons, hungry for in-person dining, could come to gather around a table, and inspire a new round of photos prompting mask-judging as patrons could go mask-less as masked servers waited on them. The judgement passed, and diners continued to come, well into the fall, bundled in coats and all. Some speculated as to the safety of the parklets, but no reports of accidents emerged from the June - November season.
Homespun was one of the most cautious restaurants and delayed their opening, focusing instead on building their wine selection, to sell bottles of their highly researched wine selection. They invested in an online store to sell the wine, reflecting Joe’s training as a sommelier. Homespun eventually opened from Thursdays - Sundays for outdoor dining only in the patio out back, and just last week, announced that they had opened their small dining room for some indoor dining, and were adding Monday as an open day. This is great news for locals, who can enjoy Beacon without the weekend rush, and a win for businesses who need more business than just weekends.
City of Beacon Receives More Parklet Requests This Year
The parklet at Max’s On Main, which arrived this week to kick off the warm season.
This year, Councilmember George Mansfield announced the parklet applications, stating that the City had opened them to more business types, and for no fee. “I just wanted to let everyone know that for businesses on Main Street, we're accepting applications for the parklets for Dining or Hospitality or Retail. Applications are being accepted at City Hall. No Costs. Hope you use it because it was a successful attempt to assuage business last year. Looks like we're going to have a good spring. For now, the City is trying to do what we can to help those businesses on Main Street.”
Councilperson Mansfield is also a business owner in Beacon, having opened Dogwood. In December 2020, George temporarily closed Dogwood for the winter, and at the end of April 2021, re-opened on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning at 2pm.
During the April 19, 2021 City Council meeting, Mayor Lee Kyriacou stated that there had been more applicants this year, and that he supported no-fee. “More applications [came in] this year than last year. They should be without charge. We considered a charge, I will be coming to Council. We may need approval for additional funds. I think it's the right thing to do.” It is unclear at this time what those additional funds would be for the parklets.
During Tuesday Business meetings last year during the shut-down, where business owners could call in and discuss issues with the former City Administrator Anthony Ruggiaro, discussions were had on the purchase of the parklets by the City of Beacon, and how they would look in the street.
Parklets Arrive To Main Street Parking Spots
Business owners who applied for the parklets arrived at work today (Monday) morning to see them positioned out front of their establishments in the street. Some parklets occupy 3 on-street parking spots, which have some residents questioning how parking will be impacted in Beacon. On Sundays, the currently free municipal parking lot at the DMV, owned by Dutchess County, will be occupied by the Beacon Farmers Market, who was moved there by the City of Beacon for the 2021 season, years after a contentious and confusing negotiation to stay at their usual Veterans Place location in 2019, during which they encountered resistance from the Towne Crier, yet had overwhelming support from other surrounding businesses.
The DMV municipal parking lot is occupied by visitors in cars on Saturdays and Sundays, and has 2 electric car chargers. The small municipal parking lot across the street across from the gas station is also usually full on weekends, despite comments made during City Council Meetings that both parking lots are under-utilized. Below are photos of the parking lots taken on the past two Sundays, mid-day.
The Windows And Doors Stay Open
In order to have a safe and successful indoor dining experience for everyone involved, including staff and patrons, several restaurants are opting to keep their windows and doors open. Reports have come in that some patrons are requesting to have a window be shut, but the preference is to remain open for ventilation. The same practice is happening in Beacon schools, in addition to upgrades to ventilation systems.
Several restaurants on Main Street made upgrades to their ventilation systems, including Meyers Olde Dutch (currently under renovation, to open soon in May), and Dogwood. Owner George Mansfield says that Dogwood cannot take advantage of the parklet option because they have no on-street parking outside of their building. “We’re just trying to make our inside air as good or better than the outside air,” owner George Mansfield told A Little Beacon Blog. “We installed a high tech ventilation system that scrubs the air of 98% of pathogens. Hoping for the best.”
Editorial Notice: As a notice, Homespun and Meyers Olde Dutch are advertisers with A Little Beacon Blog.
No Parking On Main Street In Beacon Friday Night For Snow Removal
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Photo Credit: Kitchen & Coffee
The City Of Beacon has announced via robo-call that the Highway Department will be removing snow from Main Street throughout Friday (12/18/2020) evening. Therefore, all cars must be gone from Main Street. ”There will be no parking allowed on Main Street from Friday night at 11pm to Saturday morning at 10am. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Removing snow from the side of Main Street is helpful for many reasons, including giving cars on Main Street enough space to drive past each other, as well as to pedestrians who are walking between stores.
Winter Storm Warning: Snow Impacts On Parking, Bus, Garbage, School, Meals, 911 Extra Staffing
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Photo Credit: Dutchess County County Executive Office
According to a press release sent by the Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro’s Office, “the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning effective now through 1pm on Thursday, December 17th. Snowfall is expected to arrive late this afternoon (Wednesday) into the evening, continuing through Thursday morning, possibly into early afternoon.
“Prediction models vary widely for this nor'easter storm with heavy snow fall expected tonight through the overnight. Snowfall is predicted to be 1”-2” or more inches per hour with 12”-18” inches of accumulation expected, with some models showing projections up to 27” inches. The Thursday morning commute is expected to be impacted significantly and motorists are reminded to allow extra time and exercise caution on the roadways.”
Beacon Parking & Shoveling
The City of Beacon issued a city-wide robo-call, reminding residents to:
Not park on city streets due to plowing operations Wednesday night, into tomorrow Thursday.
Yes to park in public city parking lots. Parking lots will be plowed later, and the city will post a notice in the lots prior to plowing. See A Little Beacon Blog’s Guide to Free Parking Lots for pictures.
Sidewalks should be cleared by residents no later than 24 hours after the snow stops falling.
Do not throw snow into the road when shoveling the sidewalks and driveways. The snow plow will push it back onto your sidewalk because that is all that the truck can do. No matter how sharp a side-eye you give a plow truck. So give a wink and a smile as you throw that snow into your own yard.
Garbage Pickup In Beacon Delayed 1 Day
The City of Beacon also announced via robo-call that due to the pending snow storm, garbage pickup will be delayed by 1 day. Thursday pickup will occur on Friday and Friday pickup will occur on Saturday.
Beacon City School District Calls Snow Day
Important to Beacon’s Superintendent, Dr. Matt Landahl, and his own children in the district, were “good old fashioned snow days.” He has called his first one this evening in anticipation of the bad weather and possible power outages, impacting remote learning. The kids can go sledding, while staying safe. No Morning Meets.
Dutchess County Experiencing Staffing Shortages For Snow Management Due To COVID-19
Dutchess County Public Works highway crews have loaded trucks with materials, and salt will be applied to County roadways as the storm begins, according to the Dutchess County press release. Crews will be out through the duration of the storm to clear roadways. However, County Executive Marcus Molinaro urged patience “as this will be a significant storm and response efforts are complicated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused staffing shortages and continued safety concerns,” he said.
County Executive Molinaro said, “This first storm of the season looks to be a significant event. The forecast of rapid accumulation of snow, combined with ongoing concerns for the safety and shortage of staff because of the pandemic will make this storm very difficult. We urge all residents to be extremely cautious, avoid travel if possible. If you must travel, leave plenty of extra time for safety. Importantly, please be patient as it will take crews added time to clear roadways for safe travel.”
9-1-1- Center and Emergency Operations Center Increased Staffing
Dutchess County Emergency Response has increased staffing at the 9-1-1 Center and the Emergency Operations Center has been activated with representatives from County DPW, State DOT, New York State Police, County Sheriff, County Health, Central Hudson, NYSEG, and Red Cross for the duration of the storm, according to the Dutchess County press release.
Public Transit Bus Suspended Starting 7pm Wednesday
Dutchess County Public Transit will suspend service beginning at 7pm today, Wednesday. Bus passengers can check for delays or schedule changes at www.dutchessny.gov/publictransit, on the DCPT mobile app, or call 845.473.8424, TDD/TTY: 711.
Residents needing MTA service should follow the MTA on Twitter who posts updates.
Meals Delivered To Dutchess Seniors And Beacon Students
Dutchess County Office for the Aging staff and volunteers have delivered extra meals to Home Delivered Meals recipients.
Students in the City of Beacon School District who opted into Remote Delivery were given food today via the Beacon School Buses and runners who deliver the meals, which include hot meals, like pizza slices and chicken nuggets, as well as fruit and muffins.
Dutchess County Government Offices
Dutchess County Government offices will open at noon on Thursday. Individuals who have DMV appointments in Poughkeepsie and Wappinger from 9am to 12pm will be rescheduled for the same appointment time on Friday, December 18th
Residents can stay up to date on the County’s storm response online at dutchessny.gov or on the County’s social media pages on Facebook or Twitter.
SCHEDULE: Parking and Retail Therapy Guide 10/16/2020
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Tree Trimming Happening Friday - No Parking On That Side Of The Street
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Tree trimming (not the Christmas kind - but actual clippers) is happening on Friday in Beacon. Parking on one side of the street is restricted while the trucks go up to do their work. No trees will be cut down, says the City of Beacon. But limbs will be pruned back.
With the new “parklets” going up in front of restaurants, where restaurant seating is in a parking spot to help restaurants accommodate customers to increase business, it’s something to keep up with now when parking is amended temporarily.
Rejoice! New Mini Free Parking Signs At City Of Beacon's Free Public Parking Lots
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At last…there is a modern looking, conversational-style Free Parking sign at Beacon’s free municipal parking lots. This is something we have dreamed of for years, and is why A Little Beacon Blog created our Free Parking Guide.
Granted, there is the traditional and official green P sign that stands for “Free Parking,” but when was the last time you studied for your drivers license test to remember what that sign stands for? Granted, you don’t forget what the red STOP sign looks like, but a green P can be a little vague and un-mememorable. Let alone un-noticable.
In addition to this little parking sign, you’ll notice the fancy new Dutchess County sign, where you’ll find the DMV, Family Services, Astor Services, Office of Probation and Community Correction, and other county offices. For years, this sign was pretty trashed and tired. Last year, it got a makeover. This particular parking lot is owned by Dutchess County, so is only free on the nights and weekends.
Reader Question: Where To Park In City Parking Lots During Snow Plowing
/A reader wrote in via Comment in A Little Beacon Blog’s Free Parking Guide to inquire where to park cars that would normally be parked on the street during a snowfall, while the City of Beacon trucks are plowing.
According to the City of Beacon, when the City is plowing and salting the streets, residents can park in the free lots if there is a spot. But the 24-hour rule still applies, and you must move your car when time is up. Which also means digging it out. There is otherwise no designated overflow lot for cars avoiding street snow removal.
Parking Fee Hikes At Beacon Metro-North Train Station Almost Happened, But Vote Postponed
/Apparently parking rate hikes at Beacon and Poughkeepsie’s Metro-North (MTA) train stations were to be voted in today, according to a press release issued by Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104). According to the release, Jacobson and 11 of his legislative colleagues learned about the proposal to increase the daily and yearly parking rate, and to add a new charge for otherwise free parking on Saturdays, via regular local media when it was reported on this past Saturday, November 9, “in the middle of a long holiday weekend,” according to Jacobson’s press release. The proposal was to be voted upon today.
What Parking Prices Were Going To Increase?
The MTA’s proposal would increase daily, monthly, and annual parking rates as well as implement charges on Saturdays, when parking is currently free.
The proposed fee hike would increase the daily parking rate in Poughkeepsie from $3.75 to $4.50 and the annual rate from $358 to $394. In Beacon, the daily rate would increase from $3.50 to $4.25 and the annual rate from $298 to $328 for residents and from $358 to $394 for nonresidents.
“Charging parking fees on Saturday will also hurt riverfront tourism and depress attendance at many of Beacon and Poughkeepsie’s riverfront festivals, since most attendees park in MTA lots,” noted Jacobson.
Had There Been Talk Of A Parking Increase Before?
On November 1, Jacobson attended a meeting between Metro-North leadership and members of the Assembly, but the proposed increases were never mentioned by Metro-North.
After learning about the rate increase via local news, Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104) issued a joint statement with 11 of his legislative colleagues opposing the MTA’s proposed parking fee hikes at dozens of train stations, including Beacon and Poughkeepsie.
“The new charges are penny wise and pound foolish,” said Jacobson. “Instead of encouraging more people to use the trains, this proposal encourages people to drive to Manhattan, especially on Saturdays.”
The Vote To Increase The Parking Rate Hike Was Delayed
“I am happy to report that due to the outrage expressed by me and my colleagues, any decision on these parking fee increases has been delayed to December at the earliest,” said Jacobson.
Street Parking During Snow: 2" Inches of Snow Means Move Your Car
/The City of Beacon issued an alert reminding people of the street parking rules during snow fall. Cars parked on the street are subject to being towed if there is 2 or more inches of snow.
You can find a free parking lot here in A Little Beacon Blog’s Free Parking Lot Guide.
The message from the City, via Friday’s Emergency Alert sent via phone/email/text, reads like this - just so that you have the details straight from the source:
“This is the Mayor's Office with a weather update. Snow is expected to begin mainly after 5 pm on Saturday with 6-12 inches of snow expected for Dutchess County. Remember your vehicle is subject to removal at your expense if it is parked on a city street after two inches of snow. Also please remove your vehicle from any city parking lot within twenty four hours after the end of the storm. The Doctor Reverend Martin Luther King Junior Parade and Events have been rescheduled for February sixteenth. For more information, call 845 420 1232.”
Sign up here for the Emergency Alert Messages if you haven’t yet.
Keeping You In The Loop: Recap of City Council Meeting 8/20/2018
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Every week or thereabouts, usually on Monday evenings, the Beacon City Council meets for one of two types of meetings:
- An official meeting, where City Council members can vote things into law that impacts Beacon residents - for better or worse.
- A Workshop, where they talk about recent issues typically raised by citizens at those meetings or by phone calls or emails, and hash out what might become a law.
The City Council meetings are where all of the things get decided. It's how rules end up in the code books that you wade through when trying to figure out if you need a permit to build a new porch, or if a large new building on Main Street needs to have a sign with its permit posted in public (just like houses do when under construction).
Meetings On TV
You can watch all of these meetings on TV on your Public Access Municipal Channel (if you still have cable). But if you miss a single meeting, you fall behind on a lot of meat. Fortunately, the Highlands Current sends a beat reporter, Jeff Simms, to regularly cover the meetings and report back on recent developments. He condenses an impressive amount of information into one short roundup article. Unfortunately, he is restricted by available print space. In the blogosphere, however, we can go on... and on...
The Easy Access Government Meeting Section
Here at A Little Beacon Blog, we have our handy-dandy Easy Access Government Meeting section where you can do an easy search for anything, and find Agendas and Videos of the meetings all on the same page. For instance, if you saw that "Kearney Realty" was on the agenda for something, and you can't remember who they are or what property they own, you can do a Search on our website, and you'll get all the times they were mentioned in City Council, Planning or Zoning Board meetings. You can also run this search at the City of Beacon's website. We do get all of our info from the City of Beacon's website, so it's wonderful that they put it up there.
Recaps of City Council Meetings
We're going to start to produce very short recaps of the City Council Meetings to help you stay current. Sometimes, the issues in these meetings may bubble to a larger article here on A Little Beacon Blog. Like when we took a deep dive into the Airbnb legislation exploration.
Each of these meetings is linked to in full on their own pages. Just like on the City website, each line-item has been linked to any corresponding documents that have been attached to it (thanks Marilyn for all of this work you do each week on this!).
Here are the CliffsNotes for the most recent meeting, on 8/20/2018.
Click here for the full City Council Meeting 8/20/2018 agenda page.
Presentations
Junior Police Academy Graduation Presentation
This was a camp listed in our Summer Camp Guide that provided an opportunity for local kids to learn about law enforcement for one week during the summer. Local eateries donated lunch, and students did everything from obstacle courses to going on field-trips to different offices. Before the meeting got started, a different student spoke before the council to describe what they did each day.
Public Comment Heard That Night
This is when anyone from the public can speak for three minutes on anything they want. We do take notes about who spoke about what, but we'll leave it to you to listen to the video. Sometimes comments made here make it into articles on A Little Beacon Blog, or into law for the City of Beacon.
Public Hearings Heard That Night
Public Hearings are your chance to voice your concern right before the City Council is going to write something into law.
PUBLIC HEARING HEARD THAT NIGHT:
On a local law to create Chapter 97 and amend Chapters 192 and 223 of the Code of the City of Beacon concerning Driveways
Sounds boring, right? Driveways - just another thing to get permission to fix! Turns out, Beaconites did need to adhere to some code before creating their driveways, but they didn't need to get a permit aka official permission. Plus, the regulations that residents did need to adhere to were located in three different places. The Council wanted to change that and make it easier to find and read.
According to Mayor Casale, "The only thing that was ever on the books in the City Of Beacon was that if you wanted to put a driveway in, you had to be a certain amount of feet from the property line. Over the last year or so, [new] driveways were put in [by residents] and it became controversial. So we decided, like other communities, to have a permit to put a driveway in that would be addressed in our code, and reflect the zoning law."
The Council wanted to know when a driveway could cut into their own streets, and that it adhered to some rules. They hammered out what the condensed and simplified law would look like in a Workshop Meeting back on June 11, 2018, and this August meeting was the Public Hearing on it to hear from the public to see if the public brought any ideas to the table. No one came to this Public Hearing, so it's moving on into the next stage of getting voted on to be turned into law.
Reports
Next come the reports from each City Council member, including the Mayor and the City Administrator. This is where you learn things like what events they attended, what issues they were alerted about, or if we're in a drought. We'll let you listen to the video for these.
Future Public Hearings
Mark your calendar, because if you want to hop into the discussion about a major issue being made into law or amended, this is your big chance. If you want it or don't want it, come on down. Sometimes, only the side that doesn't want it comes down, or vice versa. So if you support an issue or don't, come down to the Municipal Building (near the train, overlooking the Hudson River) to say why.
PUBLIC HEARING September 4, 2018:
1. A resolution to schedule a public hearing on September 4, 2018 to receive comment on proposed resolution to amend the language in Section 223-41.21 B(1)(b) of the Code of the City of Beacon concerning the Linkage District
This means that rules governing the area down near the train station - which is hot for development right now - have been worded in such a way that they are keeping a type of company that the City wants to be there, from being there. The example company that triggered this is Docuware, a document management company. Originally, Docuware wanted to relocate to the first building on Main Street that currently houses the Beacon Creamery.
As an aside, according to Ron at the Beacon Creamery, his landlord was going to move him up the street for a year during construction, and then move him back into a space that would have been made larger for his ice cream shop. Ron had been looking forward to the change.
Now Docuware is looking at property in the Linkage District near the train station, specifically where the auto shop is, and Spire Studios, the studio workspaces of several artists. You may have stepped inside this building during this year's and previous Beacon Open Studios.
The original language was written to keep out big box-type stores, but it has had the effect of keeping out other types of business that the City does want. According to Anthony Ruggiero, the City Administrator: "When we looked at the regulations, it was disjointed as to how it was adopted. Intent was to have mixed-use development. The way it was written, it was required to have two buildings. Total of buildings would be 25,000 square feet. When John [Clarke, the City's Planning Consultant] looked at it, the Comprehensive Plan was trying to prevent Big Box, but not mixed-use. The proposal coming to the Council would be two floors commercial, two floors residential."
PUBLIC HEARING September 4, 2018:
2. A resolution to schedule a public hearing on September 4, 2018, to receive public comment on a proposed local law to amend Chapter 211 of the Code of the City of Beacon concerning Parking and Traffic Issues
This translates to proposed Stop Signs and No Parking Signs at the following places, as requested by citizens who wrote in:
- Stop Signs on Monell Place (near Tompkins Terrace)
- Adding No Parking to Dewindt and South Chestnut Street (near St. Rocco's)
PUBLIC HEARING September 4, 2018:
Last Minute Addition: A special Public Hearing to discuss proposed new apartments for 21 South Avenue.
This is the former Martin Luther King Center and is now owned by St. Andrew and St. Luke Episcopal Church.
Local Laws and Resolutions
3. A resolution to approve a memorandum of understanding for intermunicipal collaboration to promote sustainable water and wastewater systems
4. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or City Administrator to sign an agreement authorizing and supporting the joint municipal land use review for the future redevelopment of the Beacon Correctional Facility.
This just means they can review proposals for this land. According to the City Administrator, eight ideas have come in, and one RFP that didn't work.
5. A resolution awarding the contract for a Concentration Tanks Drive replacement to Rebuild-It Services Group, LLC.
Translates to: You're Hired!
6. A resolution awarding the contract for the South Ave Sidewalks Project to Ben Ciccone, Inc.
Translates to: You're Hired!
The sidewalks along South Avenue by South Avenue Elementary are getting paved! Some funding came from Dutchess County. We reached out to City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero by email to hear more. He told us, "The intention is to go from Main Street to the School. It was viewed as safety for the kids. There is no cost to homeowners, however, they are responsible for maintenance and upkeep."
UPDATED: This has been updated since the original publishing of this article on this website and in our newsletter.
7. A resolution awarding the contract for the Churchill Parking Lot and Pocket Park Project to Butler Construction Group
Translates to: You're Hired!
8. A resolution awarding the contract for the Kristy Drive Storm Drainage Slip Lining to Skanex Pipe Services, Inc.
Translates to: You're Hired!
9. A resolution amending Condition 6 of Schedule B on the deed for Lot 2 of the West End Lofts Project
This is a technicality of who is the payee. From the Coversheet:
"WHEREAS, the construction lender for the West End Lofts Project has requested that the borrower be a single payer entity and not the current owner, Kearney Realty Group, Inc; and
WHEREAS, Kearney Realty Group, Inc. proposes to form an affiliate of the Kearney Realty Group which will be a single payer entity; and
WHEREAS, the present members of the Kearney Realty Group are Ken and Jean Kearney; there have not been any changes to Kearney Realty Group since the closing and there will be no changes to the members until such time the closing of construction and a certificate of occupancy is issued for this building,"
Some Highlights From Previous Summer Meetings
Even though most of us were on vacation or doing summer things, the City Council marched on and hashed out topics. Some highlights of what happened:
- The metal trash cans on Main Street have been an issue with the public, in that they overflow. This was discussed months ago when Royal Carting, the city's trash collector, attended the meeting to present their estimate for trash and recycling pickup. New designs of trash cans were discussed. A most recent decision was that the tops of the trash cans would be replaced, so that there will be a larger hole for trash only, and not recycling.
- Recycling is becoming problematic and is now costing the city money. It used to be that the City of Beacon actually received money for their recycling. But now the city is paying money to have the recycling done. According to James Constantino, the attorney representing Royal Carting: "The cost of recycling materials primarily from China has dropped dramatically," he stated at a City Council meeting on May 29, 2018. Plus, "contaminated" recycling, which is when trash (like food or plastic bags) gets into recycling, costs more to get rid of because it needs to be sorted. According to Mayor Casale also at that meeting: "The whole recycling market right now is topsy-turvy... Most of the county is not considering doing recycling anymore." A Little Beacon Blog covered this in greater detail when Beacon went to weekly recycling pickup in 2016.
- Two new police officers were hired, including one woman. One new fireman was hired full-time after being a volunteer for several years.
- New apartment and office buildings at 248 Tioronda had representatives back at the podium presenting their vision. Details can be found in this article.
- New free bus service! The Dutchess County bus that goes west down Main Street, circles around the train station, then heads all the way to the mountain may be free starting Wednesday, August 22, 2018. It used to be called the G Line and now is called the Free Line. One of the buses is wrapped in a cheerful light blue decoration. This has BeaconArts' stamp on it, and we'll be producing an article to shed more light. Basically, this bus is free, and apparently you can hail it from any safe spot on the street.
- Council Person Amber Grant wanted the people in her Ward 4* to know that the polling location for them to vote in the Primaries has changed. The new polling location is 50 Liberty Street, which is the First Presbyterian Church near the Lofts at Beacon Falls. The new voting date for everyone is Thursday, September 13, 2018. Not sure what ward you are in (i.e. which district you live in and which city council member represents you)? Visit this link to see where you need to go to vote:
https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/VoterSearch.aspx
Dates for other election-related things are here:
https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/law/2018PoliticalCalendar.pdf
However, if you have questions for the Board of Elections, their phone number
is this, but isn’t working today: (845) 486-2473. Their main page that lists the polling locations by county is currently blank.
*CORRECTION: We incorrectly typed the wrong ward number in the Newsletter sent out for this article. The correct ward is 4.
So there you have it. Until the next meeting!
If you want to browse, because there are still a lot of other things that are discussed, visit A Little Beacon Blog's Easy Access Government Meeting section.
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