News and Events for Larchmont Residents
From the Mayor

Dear Fellow Larchmonters,

As the days grow shorter, the air gets colder, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner, my thoughts turn to a few of the things I am thankful for this month.

Our Veterans
I had the honor to speak at the Veteran’s Day ceremony at the Flint Park American Legion Post 347, where I was joined by our County, State and Federal representatives, including Congressman Engel, State Senator Mayer, State Assemblyman Otis, County Executive Latimer, and County Legislator Parker. Spending time with our brave veterans always reminds us how lucky we are to call America our home. 

Constitution Park
Breaking ground on the Constitution Park Project on October 24 th was the realization of 4 years of sustained effort. I am grateful for the hard work of the many volunteers who planned and fundraised for this project and for the generosity of a community that believes creating a Village Green where we can gather together is an important and essential goal.

Sharrows
Yes, sharrows. This spring, members of the Village recreation committee and concerned parents came to the Board to ask about marking a safe bike route for our kids to ride to Hommocks. We agreed and recently the sharrows were painted. For those who don’t know, sharrows are NOT a bike lane. They are an indicator that vehicles and bikes must “share the road”. They show the kids a preferable route to follow and remind drivers to remain attentive to the presence of bicyclists. When we first created the bike lanes and sharrows on Larchmont Avenue, we created a brochure with rules of the road. You can view it here https://villageoflarchmont.org/bicycling-in-the-village/ . Perhaps you will share it with the drivers and cyclists in your home.

A Walkable Village with over 200 Storefront Businesses
We’re so lucky to have our local businesses, where the owners know us and our families and provide amazing personalized service. This past month, the Board and I welcomed two new businesses with ribbon cuttings – Circle 7 Framing and DIY Slime. Good news, I have already arranged for several more in the coming months. Remember to shop local, this holiday season and always!

The Water Department
OK, here I’m going to get a little wonky, but I’m so proud of the progress we’ve made over the past 4 years I can’t help it. It has been a long slog, but we are turning a corner in our plan to bring the Village’s water utility into the 21 st century.
•   Over 1500 new water meters outfitted with radio-transmitters installed, removing the need for manual, labor-intensive reads.
•   State-of-the-art software system implemented. Among other things, we can monitor usage in real time, create customer leak-alert letters and issue quarterly water bills.
•   Reinstituted annual fire hydrant flushing. Each hydrant has been marked with a color-coded flag indicating flow data and had their location and data placed on the GIS system used by the fire department.
•   Improved oversight by creating a Water Infrastructure and Management Advisory Group (WIMAG). WIMAG meets regularly to discuss operational and financial issues.
•   Improved leak detection operations, resulting in a significant reduction in lost water.
•  Attended to long-delayed infrastructure needs (see Capital Improvements box), such as a new water tank and pump station, water main and lead service line replacements.
•   FINALLY – we are introducing online water bill payment and paperless billing with your December bill! Watch for the insert with your statement.

A Community that Celebrates Together
The lighted garland and wreaths will be going up soon all around the downtown, creating a festive atmosphere to brighten the long nights of winter. Come out and enjoy yourselves in our Village at the annual Shop, Sip & Stroll and Light Up Larchmont events. See below for additional information.

The Larchmont Board of Trustees and all the committee volunteers
who help make our Village hum
So much of what happens in Larchmont is accomplished through the hard work and dedication of volunteers. I am especially thankful for the 4 members of the Board of Trustees, Carol Casazza Herman, Sarah Bauer, Malcolm Frouman and Peter Fanelli, for their tireless work on behalf of our Village.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Mayor Lorraine Walsh

Upcoming Events
LIGHT UP LARCHMONT
December 7 from 3-5:30pm all are encouraged to join the Larchmont Professional Fire Fighters and the Larchmont Police Benevolent Association for the 6th Annual Light Up Larchmont !!

Rain or shine, this years FREE event returns outdoors in front of Larchmont's Village Hall, with instant print and digital pictures of your family and Santa! Backdropped on a colorful holiday scenescape, these photographs are taken by professional photographers and will capture the feeling of the season for you to take home and share with loved ones! We will also be featuring local choirs and jazz bands performing seasonal tunes from the Larchmont Music Academy! Warm up with hot cocoa and pastries, and get creative with do-it-yourself arts and crafts!
SHOP, SIP AND STROLL
Please also join our local merchants for Shop, Sip and Stroll on December 20 from 5 to 8pm.
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
The Larchmont Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force, which operates a Food Pantry in Mamaroneck, will be conducting its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive on Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24. Volunteers will be outside the Stop & Shop and DeCicco’s in Larchmont asking holiday shoppers to purchase various food items to donate for distribution to struggling families in our communities. For more information about the Task Force click here .

Committee Updates
Parks and Trees Committee
This past spring the Village Parks and Trees (P&T) Committee launched a local campaign, “Trees-4-Larchmont”, with the goal to start restoring Larchmont’s tree canopy.

At the center of the campaign was a challenge for the Village to plant 50 new trees and for the community to meet (or double) this effort by planting trees on private property. With the first public Village tree planted on Arbor Day in Turtle Park, P&T is planting their 50th tree in Pine Brook Park this week! We received confirmation of our 60th private tree planted on Mayhew Avenue in October, as well. The challenge results were announced before the Village Recreation Department sponsored Flint-to-Sprint fun run. All in all, Trees-4-Larchmont has been a true community effort.

While Parks and Trees is happy with the Trees-4-Larchmont effort, this is just the first step to restoring Larchmont's tree canopy. In past years the Village alone has cut down more trees than planted, and with the large storms the trend has been the same on private property. The Trees-4-Larhcmont goal is to reverse this trend by educating the community as to the many benefits trees bring to Larchmont. As a coastal community, trees are key to both managing the flow and filtering the run-off into the LI Sound, plus trees clean our air and provide us with oxygen, not to mention they help retain our Real estate value.

Photo: Trees in the DPW Yard waiting to be planted!
Larchmont Environmental Committee
Are you interested in the environment and making a difference? If so, please email [email protected].
Recreation

Larchmont-Mamaroneck Town Tennis Team Crowned
2019 League Champions
This year marked the first year (in at least a decade or so) that Larchmont formed a women’s tennis team in the Westchester County Town Tennis League. Our home courts were Flint Park. We had 18 players and finished first in the regular season standings, then it was onto the playoffs where we battled the rainy spring, as well as our opponents. Our team was crowned “A Team Champions” for 2019. I know we are looking forward to defending the title next year. For more information about tennis, or if you are interested in captaining a “B” or “C” team next year, please reach out to [email protected] .
 
Paddle Tennis Anyone?
The cold weather is here, but that’s no reason to stop playing racquet sports outside. Paddle, or platform tennis, is played outside in the colder months on a smaller court surrounded by wire ‘screens’ off which the ball can be played, similar to squash or racquetball. It is easy to learn, highly social, and don’t worry, you warm up quickly!
 
Flint Park has two paddle courts which are available for use by anyone with a permit (see below). In addition, the Village will also be offering lessons and clinics beginning in January, as well as some evening events that proved so popular last year. No permit required for clinics or events. If you have a group of at least four that would like to coordinate a clinic time, please email r [email protected] .
  
To purchase a paddle permit, click here .
Historic Preservation Task Force

The Historic Preservation Task Force hosted its Survey Kick-off Party on October 29. There was a great turn out for the event and if you'd like to see the presentation, please click here .

In addition, Village Trustee Malcolm Frouman participated in the Local Live on LMCTV to discuss the Historical Protection Task Force. To watch the video, please click here .

Photo: “The Mermaid’s Cradle” in Fountain Square
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REPORT
FROM JUSTIN DATINO, VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR

Flint Park
The Village has initiated a capital project to replace the water main that runs through Flint Park. The existing water main experienced multiple leaks over the years and in October of 2017 a section of the main broke under the American Legion building, which caused extensive flooding to the basement. Because the main broke under the building a typical point repair could not be made and the water main had to be isolated. Since that time the Village has applied for grant funding to assist in the cost of replacing the main, and alternative solutions to replacement, such as pipe lining.
 
The Village’s attempts to secure grant funding have been unsuccessful and the cost of lining the pipe are very close to the cost of replacing the pipe with a new one.  With water quality and property maintenance a main priority of the Village Board, the decision was made to proceed with the water main replacement. Once completed the new water main will improve reliability of the system, restore irrigation to Flint fields A&B, and allow for better circulation of water in that section of the Village’s distribution system.
 
In 2019 the Village Board entered into an Engineering Design and Construction Administration agreement with Woodard and Curran, for the replacement of the water main in its entirety. To keep costs down the Village’s Public Works and Water Departments are expected to perform most of the work, with some assistance from outside contractors for technical connections, pipe testing and disinfection. Although replacing approximately 1,100 feet of water main is a very big job, access to Flint Park will be maintained. 
  
Turtle Park
The well-known but awkward intersection at Palmer and Hall Avenue, otherwise known as the Turtle Park Intersection is under review. The intersection came under increased scrutiny as work was organized and completed for the Turtle Park Playground renovation. On October 8, 2019 the Village entered into a professional services agreement with Provident Design Engineering for the purposes of re-designing the Turtle Park intersection. The scope of the redesign will essentially eliminate the existing island and create a peninsula.  Hall Avenue will then have two-way traffic directly to Palmer Avenue. Upon completion traffic exiting Hall Avenue onto Palmer will have a left and right turn lane, a single lane will allow vehicles to enter Hall Avenue from Palmer.
 
Final design documents are expected to be completed over the next few weeks.  Once approved by the Village Board, construction may begin in the spring of 2020. The revised traffic flow, improved signage and crosswalks are aimed to improve turning movements for vehicular traffic and improve access to Turtle Park for the pedestrians. 
Parking Permit News
Semi-annual permits expire November 30 th .
Please renew them now at Village Hall.
Village Calendar
12/3 Traffic Commission Meeting
12/4 Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting
12/7 Light up Larchmont
12/10 Planning Board Meeting
12/11 Board of Trustees Work Session
12/12 Parks and Trees Committee Meeting and Larchmont Environmental Committee Meeting
12/16 Board of Trustees Regular Meeting
12/18 Architectural Review Board Meeting
12/24 Village Hall Closes at Noon - Christmas Eve
12/25 Village Hall Closed - Christmas Day
For times and locations of meetings, please visit the Village Website: villageoflarchmont.org/calendar