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LEWISBORO Dealing with your local government can be an intimidating prospect. Whether you want to open a new business, build an addition onto your house, or just get a license for dog, you may wonder how to even begin.
For Lewisboro residents, it all begins with the towns website, www.lewisborogov.com. It has most of the information youll need to get started. If it doesnt answer your questions, it will provide you with the phone numbers and/or e-mail addresses of those who can.
Like most small-town governments, Lewisboro has a number of boards and commission charged with specific duties. The most prominent of these are the town board, the planning and the zoning board of appeals (ZBA). Heres a breakdown of those boards, what they do, and when they meet:
Town Board
The town board is the main governing body of the town. As the legislative branch of the government, it passes laws, regulations and resolutions and makes appointments. The board is also responsible for approving budgets and levying taxes.
The supervisor is elected for a two year term of office, is the chief administrator and fiscal officer of the town and presides at all meetings of the town board. The town board is the most important arm of town government consisting of the supervisor and four councilmen/councilwomen (whose elected terms of office are four years and are normally staggered.) The supervisor may appoint committees of town board members to aid the full town board.
The board holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of the month; work sessions will be held as needed on the first and third Mondays of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Lewisboro Library. The meetings are officiated by the supervisor and must have a quorum of three. As the chief fiscal officer, the supervisor is responsible for all fiscal matters and is to receive and have custody of all town funds.
The current town board is comprised of Supervisor Charles Duffy and Councilmen Peter DeLucia, John Pappalardo, Frank Kelly and Daniel Walsh. You can contact the board at (914) 763-6496. The town attorneys are the law firm of
Herodes and Mole, PC. Connie Green ODonnell is the boards confidential secretary; she can be reached at (914) 783-3151.
Agendas for town board meetings are posted on the towns website on the Friday before the meeting. The minutes are posted on the site as well.
The minutes have to be ready within two weeks [of the meeting], said Town Clerk Kathleen Cory. But we have quick notes and a quick summary that are done right away.
Town residents who attend board meetings will be given the opportunity to speak out and ask questions.
We have a public comment section on the agenda, Cory said. They can talk about anything they want. If we have a lot of people attending, we put out a sign-up sheet and limit comments to two or three minutes.
As for voting records for legislation and resolutions, Cory said she can provide residents with that information from her computer if they come to the Town House.
Anytime theres a decision, you can see exactly how they voted, she said.
In fact, the towns records including planning and zoning board minutes date back consistently to 1934. Sporadic records can be found as far back as 1830. The town even has records written with quill and ink from the 1700s.
Weve always done excellent minutes of proceedings, Cory said. Some are on microfilm and kept in safe storage. All [residents] have to do is stop by or give me a call and Ill get it for them.
Cory can be reached at (914) 763-3511.
Planning Board
The Planning Board oversees construction and development throughout the community. As a steward of the many environmental resources of the community, the Lewisboro Planning Board works closely with all applicants for both subdivision approval and site plan review to assure that the residential character of the community is maintained.
The current board consists of Jerome Kerner, Joseph Decaminada, John O'Donnell, John Gusmano and Richard Ellrodt. Aimee Hodges is the planning administrator. Meetings are held every second and fourth Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., at the Town House at 11 Main St., South Salem. Its offices are located at Onatru Farm, 99 Elmwood Road, South Salem. The hours are 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. For information, call (914) 763-5592 or e-mail planning@lewisborogov.com.
The planning board also works closely with Wetlands Inspector Kellard Sessions who advises the building inspector regarding wetlands permits for proposed construction. He will also investigate complaints of wetlands violations referred by the planning board and building inspector and issue notices of violation. The wetlands inspector will schedule appointments with applicants for building/wetlands permits regarding requirements and procedures and issue wetlands permits in accordance with the Wetlands Law. You can contact the wetlands inspector at wetlandinspector@lewisborogov.com.
Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
The Zoning Board of Appeals is charged with making sure all development and property usage follows the towns zoning ordinances. It is empowered to act in two ways: 1) Variances - The ZBA may grant a variance from the provisions of the zoning ordinance when specific relief is requested and the applicant can demonstrate that he/she meets the criteria for the granting of a variance as prescribed by law. 2) Reversal The ZBA can reverse a decision or interpretation made by the zoning code enforcement officer where a reversal is requested and the evidence presented demonstrates that the decision or interpretation was incorrect. Applicants have to be appealing a negative determination from another board or council or department.
The ZBA reviews and acts on applications for the following special uses: Temporary storage of contractor's equipment, private kennels, accessory apartments, ranching and raising of field and garden crops, and temporary stands for the sale and display of field and garden crops along with any use that was established legally as a special permit use.
Current ZBA members include Geoffrey Egginton (chair), Carolyn Mandelker, Robin Price, Jr., Thomas Casper and Jason Krellenstein. Meetings are usually held the third and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 8 p.m. at Town House 11 Main Street South Salem. Check with the calendar on the town website to make sure or contact: Alex Posadas, ZBA secretary at (914) 763-3822 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
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