News and Events for Larchmont Residents

From the Mayor Dear Fellow Larchmonters, On behalf of myself, Trustee Sarah Bauer and Trustee Peter Fanelli, I want to thank those of you who came out to vote at the long-postponed Village election on September 15. While the past six months have been quite stressful, we are excited about continuing our work on behalf of the Larchmont community. In addition to the elected officials vote, there was a referendum to move Village elections to November to coincide with the date of the General Election. Since the referendum passed, by a wide margin, all current elected officials’ terms are extended by 8 months and the next Village election will be November 2021 instead of March 2021.

This past Saturday I was thrilled to be able to cut the ribbon and officially open the New Constitution Park! This project has been a long time coming – originally presented to the Board of Trustees back in 2010, the idea was resurrected in 2015 by Celebrate Larchmont as a legacy project for the 125th birthday of Larchmont. Working closely with the Village Parks and Trees committee and the Board, the Friends of Larchmont Parks took over fundraising efforts in 2017 and we broke ground in September 2019. With a slight delay due to COVID shutdowns, the park was finally completed this fall. It will stand as a symbol of the Larchmont community’s generosity and dedication for generations. Please stop by and enjoy!

Another long-awaited project completed during the COVID shutdown was the reengineering of the Turtle Park intersection at Palmer and Hall Avenues. The changes have created a safer vehicular flow and allowed the addition of pedestrian crosswalks for those going to the train station, the park, or just walking downtown.

October has always been my favorite month – the beautiful leaves, cool mornings with sunny blue skies and Halloween - my holiday! Of course, this year we are still dealing with COVID and the regulations which are in place to keep us safe and prevent another outbreak. As the weather gets colder and we lose the ability to spend so much time outdoors, following the guidelines will be especially important. Please remember that large gatherings are limited by NYS (see below for specifics) and that at all gatherings social distancing and face coverings are required. The Village is not issuing permits for block party-type events, where people will mill around sharing food and beverages, for a reason – it is not safe. As we have recently seen, under the right conditions, even at outdoor events, this virus can spread quickly. I certainly understand the frustration we are all feeling by now, not being able to gather and enjoy each other’s company in the way we want, but for the good of the broader community, we all must do what’s right. I have asked the Larchmont Police to issue violations for large gatherings which don't comply with the Governor’s orders. Now, to my favorite holiday – unfortunately we must cancel the annual Ragamuffin Parade, but Halloween trick or treating will not be curtailed. (Of course, we would have to enforce any order from NYS). We expect parents will find ways to make this a fun and safe experience. There are a lot of good ideas floating around, from limiting who you visit, to using sticks and tubes to deliver treats, and not going around in large groups. Residents who don’t wish to participate this year should keep their porch lights off as a sign. Be creative and have fun! Please don’t have large parties though! In the downtown, we continue to work with the Chamber and our restaurant owners on getting ready for the cold weather and the holiday season! Once again, One Larchmont is hoping to give financial assistance to our restaurants to help partially offset the costs for cold weather outdoor dining structures. Watch for their community funding outreach! I happily cut the ribbon for three businesses in the past month! Enterprise Car Sales on the Post Road (originally planned for late March), Love Bella’s wonderful new location at Palmer and Chatsworth and Willett Vacuum of Larchmont (who moved from the Post Road to Myrtle Blvd.) We’ll be cutting the ribbon at The Grange on Larchmont Avenue on Tuesday the 6th! Coming soon to Larchmont – Bagels by Sofia and Lauren: Fashion & Accessories. Be well, Mayor Lorraine Walsh

NYS Rules on Non-Essential Gatherings: Pursuant to Executive Order 202.42 and 202.45, all non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reasons (e.g., parties, celebrations, or other social events) are limited to no more than fifty (50) people in regions that have reached Phase Four of reopening, so long as appropriate social distancing and face covering requirements are followed.   Any in-person celebration should occur outdoors or in a well-ventilated, covered area. All participants should remain outdoors or under cover at all times, with the exception of restroom use. Open-air rain tarps, tents, and other temporary outdoor structures are allowed for the purpose of protecting against adverse weather or for shade. There should be no sharing of food or beverages between individuals, unless they are members of the same household.  All celebrants must wear a face mask or face covering in public whenever and wherever appropriate social distancing (i.e., staying at least 6 feet apart) is not able to be maintained, unless an individual is unable to medically tolerate a face covering or an individual is under 3 years of age.  To the extent possible, all participants must remain 6 feet apart from other attendees at all times, excluding immediate family members or household members.

Village Notes Ragamuffin Parade: Unfortunately, the parade has been cancelled this year as a result of the pandemic. Dog Beach Update: Dog Beach remains closed. Due to Tropical Storm Isaias, a significant amount of erosion against the seawall and stairs has required the temporary closure of Dog Beach. The Village is working to obtain the guidance and approval of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on a plan to remediate the erosion. It is expected the beach area will remain closed into the Fall of 2020   Garbage pick-up: Curbside pickup only continues. Please be sure to abide by the L-M Sanitation Commission rules and place all trash in bins or cans to prevent spreading by animals (no loose trash bags are allowed). Trash and recycling may be placed at the curb either the evening before your scheduled pickup or before 6AM the morning of your pickup. Village Playgrounds: While our playground equipment is open we are asking everyone to please ensure they follow all posted rules, including wearing a mask and practicing social distancing. The Latest on Paid on-street and off-street Parking: The Village is moving ahead with the implementation of paid parking. Paid parking helps manage the parking as a resource for all users – shoppers, diners & service customers; business owners and their employees; commuters; and residents. The Village’s goals with this effort are to consolidate short term parking in the commercial districts to achieve the turnover needed by our restaurants and merchants and to provide adequate longer term parking on the edges of the commercial district and parking lots for residents and others that need longer term options. Our parking and permit fees are a significant source of non-property tax revenue. The transition to paid on-street and lot parking will add to that revenue stream when fully implemented. We plan that this additional revenue will be used to fund parking lot repairs, street scape, road paving, sidewalk and other transportation improvements in the Village. We have created a School Zone which enables clear on street parking for Chatworth Elementary School teachers during the school day. The Parking Study upon which this project is based can be found HERE and the latest public presentation will be held this evening at the 10/5/2020 Board meeting (the link to watch the meeting on zoom can be found HERE).

Early Voting Early Voting begins October 24th! The hours vary, making it easy for everyone to vote early. Polling sites will take all necessary COVID precautions. All registered voters can vote early at any Westchester County early voting location. Early votes are treated the same as Election Day votes – they automatically go into the system to be tallied when the polls close on November 3rd and are not held to be counted later like absentee ballots. Some local sites for early voting are: Mamaroneck Town Center at 740 West Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck New Rochelle City Hall Annex at 90 Beaufort Place in New Rochelle Westchester County Board of Election at 25 Quarropas Street in White Plains Veterans Memorial Building at 210 Halstead Ave in Harrison Other locations for Early Voting can be found HERE.   Days and Times of Early Voting: Saturday 10/24 from 12-5 Sunday 10/25 from 12-5 Monday 10/26 from 8-4 Tuesday 10/27 from 12-8 Wednesday 10/28 from 8-4 Thursday 10/29 from 12-8 Friday 10/30 from 8-4 Saturday 10/31 from 12-5 Sunday 11/1 from 12-5   Register: To vote in this upcoming General Election, you must be registered by October 9th! PLEASE Make sure you are registered. To check, please click HERE.   If you’re not registered, you can register in person, by mail or online (you must have a valid NYS DMV ID card for online registration). Information about all methods and requirements can be found HERE.   To Register online click HERE.   Voting by Absentee Ballot: For information on how to request and submit an absentee ballot click HERE.   IMPORTANT: For Election Day voting on November 3rd you may vote ONLY at your regular election polling place (school, church, village center, etc). Click HERE to confirm your November 3rd voting location , which will also tell you if you’re registered and what election district you live in.

Committee and Department Updates

Parks and Trees Parks and Trees continues to “green” Larchmont: In spite of the continued operational and financial pressure presented by the covid pandemic, the Village of Larchmont and the Parks and Trees Committee continued its good work as champion of our trees.  Our rescheduled Arbor Day ceremony was celebrated on September 18, 2020 by planting a red maple on Addison Street near the Chatsworth Elementary School playground.

Also, the Village is planting 8 trees this fall and prioritizing their placement in commercial areas. Look for new trees near the post office and on Boston Post Road near the Fiat dealership.

Larchmont Environmental Committee The Village of Larchmont Board of Trustees unanimously banned gas-powered leaf blowers effective January 2022, the first complete ban in the Northeast. Electric leaf blower use will be limited to April for Spring clean-up, and October 15 to December 15 for Fall clean-up, with temporary allowances for extreme weather events as determined by the mayor. For additional information regarding the ban, please click HERE.

From the Larchmont Police Department  The members of the Police Department and PBA remind our community members that school's open! Please watch your speedometers in our school zones and resist those urges to make U-Turns!!!   A safety reminder: Many crimes committed in our community are crimes of opportunity which occur when things like vehicles and homes are left unlocked! Yes, even in Larchmont these are problems that need to be addressed.  Help us keep our community safe by doing your part to deter crime. A national program called "The 9pm Routine" has been adopted to address this issue. We encourage community members to do the following around 9pm every night:    -Remove valuables from your vehicles.  -Lock vehicle doors and remove key fobs from within vehicles.  -Close the overhead garage door. -Lock the inner garage door. -Close and lock all exterior doors. -Shut and lock windows. -Turn on the front exterior lights. -Set your home and car alarms.     As always be safe and call us when you need us! 914-834-1000 Police Desk

From the Larchmont Fire Department As the weather starts to get cooler, safety considerations should be taken when dealing with heating equipment. Before you use your wood stove, fireplace, chimney, or furnace, have them professionally inspected once a year and ensure they are clean. Keep all flammable and combustible materials at least three feet away from all heat sources. And make sure you have operational smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms throughout the home. Dialing 911 is always the quickest and easiest way to contact emergency services, should an emergency arise!

Larchmont Volunteer Fire Department The Larchmont Volunteer Fire Department is in need of fire fighters! The Larchmont Fire Department Volunteer Application is now on line! If you are interested in becoming a future volunteer fire fighter fill in the application. Don't delay do it today. For more information, call Bubba Fanelli: 914-403-2387.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Help For Our Local Businesses With colder weather just around the corner, One Larchmont is starting a new initiative to help our restaurants purchase dinning igloos to allow them to continue outdoor dinning through the winter. Please considering donating today to help our businesses! Click HERE to donate.

Larchmont Library The Library is beginning to open its onsite services on a limited basis. Please check the Library website for details.   If you need help with managing your account or anything else, Reference staff is ready to assist you. Email any time at [email protected]. If you want a real live person, call 914-734-5362 any weekday between 10am and 4pm.   In the meantime, the Online Library is always open for business. 

LMCTV LMC is having a virtual Gala honoring Representative Nita Lowey on October 15, 2020 7:30 to 8:30 pm. For more information and tickets click HERE.

Bridge-the-Gap Bridge-the-Gap Larchmont (BGL), a loan program for local small businesses, launched this past spring, closed its application period at the end of September. The program was funded solely by Larchmont families and provided loans of $5,000 (with zero interest and due for repayment in 18 months) to local businesses at risk of failing as a result of the COVID-19 economic shutdown. The law firm of McCullough, Goldberger & Staudt provided pro bono legal help to the program. BGL offered immediate funds and strong community support, especially during the critical initial weeks of the shutdown. Business owners expressed much gratitude for how quickly and generously our community stepped forward to support them; as one borrower noted, "It helps to know that the community we love so dearly has our backs during this challenging time!" The good news is that all the businesses that borrowed from BGL are still open!

Village Calendar 10/1 Larchmont Environmental Committee Meeting 10/5 Board of Trustee Reorganization Meeting 10/6 Traffic Commission Meeting 10/7 Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting 10/19 Board of Trustees Meeting 10/20 Planning Board Meeting 10/28 Architecture Review Board Meeting For times and locations of meetings, please visit the Village Website: villageoflarchmont.org/calendar

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