News and Events for Larchmont Residents

From the Mayor Dear Fellow Larchmonters, The past 18 months have certainly tested our community! I’m proud to say, as always, we have proven that we are strong and we always come through for each other. Last Wednesday, the “remnants” of Hurricane Ida came through and caused flash floods like we have never seen here before. Many Village properties sustained water damage, some quite severe. All those with damage should check to see if they are eligible for disaster assistance HERE. I want to thank the Larchmont Fire Department and Police Department for their phenomenal efforts on behalf of residents and businesses during last week’s flood. The LPFFA responded to 246 storm-related calls for service over a 3-day period, including rescues, electrical and gas emergencies and water pump-outs. The LPD had 62 storm-related calls within the initial day of the storm, including about 20 vehicles abandoned in flooded roadways. Thankfully, we had no reports of injuries. I also want to thank the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Joint Sanitation Commission workers for their herculean effort to clean up the storm debris, working over the holiday weekend and extra hours all week to get the job done. Between 9/4 and 9/8 they collected over 500 tons of trash - a month’s worth in 5 days! Pease see the commission website for collection updates – the situation changes daily because the entire county-wide trash disposal system is overloaded. While Larchmont had serious flooding, the magnitude of damage here is far less than for our neighbors in the Village of Mamaroneck. I’m glad that we were able to help their rescue efforts with the loan of our LFD boat and we are now providing some equipment and manpower to assist in their clean-up operation. The Community Resource Center has been collecting material and monetary donations to help all those who have been affected. You can see ways to help HERE. COVID – the Delta variant has caused an uptick in cases locally and County-wide. You can find relevant data HERE. I urge you to continue to follow the CDC recommendations to wear a mask and maintain social distancing in public indoor settings – even if you are vaccinated. For our protection, all visitors to Village-owned buildings are required to wear masks. Local governments do not have the ability to require masks be worn on private property, but business owners may set their own rules. I am sure we will all be respectful of our business owners and their requests. Remember, they are trying to keep their employees and customers safe while sustaining their business. The above concerns notwithstanding, we are glad that the situation has improved enough that we can once again gather as a community to remember, celebrate and learn. I look forward to seeing you at our September and October events.

September 11: The Tri-Municipal 9/11 Memorial Ceremony will be held at Girl Scout Rock in Memorial Park at 5PM. All are welcome.

September 17-19: Larchmont Weekend! To celebrate the 130th anniversary of Larchmont’s incorporation as a village, we have expanded Larchmont Day (cancelled last year due to COVID) into a weekend. Looking forward to seeing you all out there!

September 22: AGZA Green Zone event, 10AM at Kane Park on Boston Post Road. See Larchmont Environmental Committee update below for details. October 2: Larchmont Arts Festival returns to Constitution Park! October 23: Ragamuffin Parade! Costumes NOT optional! Finally, we wished Marta and Tony Abregu a happy retirement after 31 years running their beloved Manor Deli. They never had a business opening ribbon cutting, so we gave them a retirement opening ribbon cutting! Best wishes from Larchmont Marta and Tony - you will be missed! (We will welcome the new owners with a ribbon cutting soon!) Stay well, Mayor Lorraine Walsh

Village Notes Village Social Media: Please be sure to follow the Village on Facebook and Instagram. Use the links at the bottom of this Newsletter to follow us. Paid Parking: The Village has made some improvements to the system to make it easier to use and pay. Pay Stations: The Welcome screen now clearly highlights that the meter fee is $0.25 for 15 minutes.  Please do note, however, that the pay stations do not give change, so if you want to pay for 15-minute increments you must use either quarters or a credit card. There is no transaction fee if you pay at a pay station. For those who were having difficulty using the pay station, we have posted an instructional video.   15 Minute Minimum, No Matter How You Pay: Now, regardless of whether you pay by quarter, credit card, debit card, or the Passport App, you can purchase 15-minute increments for $0.25. There is no longer a 1-hour minimum on the Passport App. Note that the Passport App will charge a $0.30 transaction fee per session, but you can avoid this charge if you use the new Passport App Wallet feature – see the next section!   Passport App Wallet: We have added a new feature to the Passport App – a Digital Payment Wallet. You can create a digital payment wallet and pre-load from $10 to $50. You can use the wallet to pay for subsequent parking sessions. The benefit of the wallet is you will not be charged the $0.30 transaction fee for individual parking sessions, only when you add money to the wallet. A reminder about another benefit of using the Passport App – app users get 10 bonus minutes added to each session. This video will walk you through how to add the wallet feature to your Passport App account.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REPORT FROM JUSTIN DATINO, VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR

Committee and Department Updates

Parks and Trees Committee This past summer, you may notice the DPW removing trees around the Village. Unfortunately, these trees have either Emerald Ash Borer or some other issue. All of these trees have been examined by the Village arborist, who recommended their removal.  While removing trees is not desirable, as a Tree City USA, the Village is committed to continually restoring its tree canopy and we will continue to with the Village's program of planting trees in other locations throughout the Village this autumn. Please note that several years need to pass before a tree can be planted at the site of a removal For more information on the trees slated for removal, please click HERE.

Larchmont Environmental Committee Launch of Westchester County’s first Green Zone!    Join us at a ribbon cutting ceremony in Kane Park on Wednesday, September 22nd from 10 am - 11 am to learn about Westchester’s first AGZA Certified Green Zone®, and see a demonstration of sustainable landscaping. The event will be led by Village of Larchmont Mayor Lorraine Walsh, the Larchmont Environmental Committee and Sustainable Westchester. Local elected officials and press will also be in attendance. The inauguration will celebrate the newly designated ‘Green Zone’ and recognize Larchmont’s steadfast achievements in environmental sustainability!

Larchmont Arts Committee Larchmont Arts Festival 2021 Where Art Comes to Life The Larchmont Arts Committee and the Village of Larchmont are pleased to announce that the Larchmont Arts Festival will take place on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021 in Constitution Park. The festival is a free, family friendly event featuring a variety of art and artists, live music by local musicians and art activities for kids.

Recreation Department Thank you to all of our volunteers and staff that made Flint Park Camp a success this summer!

Larchmont Fire Department Here are some safety tips that you can act on prior to a hurricane or other weather related storm from occurring here in Larchmont:  Build an emergency kit or a “go bag” and make a family communications plan Have enough food and water for three days Make arrangements for your pets if needed. Keep a phone list of pet-friendly hotels/motels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation routes. Remember, if it’s not safe for you to stay home, it’s not safe for your pets either. Secure your house (bring in anything that might get blown away, etc.) Keep your gas tank at least half full at all times Learn community evacuation routes in case you are told to leave When bad weather hits, be sure to tune into local radio and television stations for additional safety information.

Historical Protection Task Force The Village of Larchmont and its Historic Preservation Task Force are pleased to announce the completion of the Larchmont Historic Resources Reconnaissance-Level Survey. This document signifies the Village of Larchmont’s dedication to the preservation of our storied community and identifies several recommendations regarding historic preservation as we move forward.   After several years of public outreach, research and community involvement, the Village and the Historic Preservation Task Force initiated a community-wide reconnaissance-level historic resource survey in 2019.   Funding for the study was provided by the Village and through a $10,000 grant awarded by the Preservation League of New York's Preserve New York Grant Program (in partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts and the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation).   This investigation, which preliminarily identifies historically significant properties, districts, and open spaces, is foundational to communities such as ours, interested in preserving the historic fabric of our surroundings.    Moving forward, this document will aid the Village in its historic preservation planning efforts and the preservation of the homes, buildings and neighborhoods that make Larchmont so unique.

Community News

LMC MEDIA Save the date! LMC Media will hold their Annual Gala on Thursday, October 21. For more information, click HERE.

Local Business Highlights

We celebrated the retirement of Tony and Marta Abregu after 31 years of serving our community at the Larchmont Manor Deli. We wish them the best in their retirement!

MAG gallery is reopening at 1987 Palmer Avenue in Larchmont, NY!

Village Calendar 9/1 Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting 9/6 Village Hall Closed - Labor Day 9/13 Board of Trustees Meeting 9/14 Larchmont Environmental Committee Meeting Traffic Commission Meeting 9/17 Chamber Concert of New York Performance in Constitution Park 9/18 Larchmont Day Celebration in Constitution Park 9/21 Planning Board Meeting 9/27 Board of Trustees Work Session 9/29 Architecture Review Board Meeting For times and locations of meetings, please visit the Village Website. Minutes for previous Board of Trustees meetings can be found HERE.

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