Rye Brook Budget Hearing Set; BelleFair Amendment Alarms Resident

A public hearing of the proposed Rye Brook 2011-2012 budget has been set for April 12.

Rye Brook Village Administrator Chris Bradbury unveiled the budget at Tuesday night's Village Board meeting.  

“It’s a very solid budget holding the line of services” said Bradbury. “It’s sustainable, but tight.”

The proposed budget totals $16,971,598 and is available online and in the Village Clerk’s office. It includes an 0.65 percent tax levy increase and 13.85 percent fund balance.  The proposal includes approximately $932,000 in capital projects and $500,000 for road projects.

Two budget workshops are scheduled for March 28 and April 9 before the board votes whether to adopt the budget on April 26.

“We’re inviting the public and residents to come out and let their thoughts be known,” Mayor Joan Feinstein said.

New Business Opening

Chop’t Salad restaurant is on its way to an early June opening at the Rye Ridge Shopping Center.  The first Chop’t opened in 2001 at a Union Square location in New York City and focuses on fresh salads and sandwiches with freshly prepared dressings. The Village Board approved a site plan modification allowing the space to shift from retail to restaurant use.

On March 31, the board will meet a range of matters at the site, including garbage, storage and parking issues related to the increasing number of restaurants at the site.

BelleFair

Seven residents from the BelleFair development made public comments about a proposed amendment change to the village code regarding the affordable housing development. Owners at the BelleFair development are concerned that a proposed legal amendment change would jeopardize their families’ stable residence.

The proposed amendment change would allow residents not listed on the deed up to five years after the death of the qualified owner to sell to another qualified purchaser, someone working in the school district, police or fire departments.

“We were blessed when we had the opportunity to move here, now we feel like we’re being treated incredibly unfairly,” said Stephanie Greenwald.

Due to prior abuses of the owner residence requirement for the site, the board decided to explore amending the village code to make future attempts to skirt the rules both less likely to occur and more straightforward for the Village to litigate.

“We’re legislating to avoid litigation,” said Trustee Michael Brown. “If people did violate, it would give us more teeth; they’d be less likely to succeed.”

It became clear, however, the proposed amendment has done more to alarm BelleFair residents. Mayor Feinstein recommended the amendment discussion be postponed until May 10 to give residents an opportunity to ask more questions.

Ed. note. Date of BelleFair amendment was postponed until May 10, not May 2.