Reese Berman Reflects on Her Accomplishments During Her Years as Supervisor

Controlled, Sustainable Development, Environmental Protection, Open Space Protection

In 2006, at the end of my first year as Supervisor and after months of public hearings, the Town Board passed sweeping new land use regulations covering floor area ratio, impervious surfaces, floating senior zones, environmental subtractions, steep slopes, maximum building height, minimum contiguous buildable areas, increased wetland buffers when near a steep slope, and several rezonings. Many of these laws are considered models of good legislation throughout Westchester for controlling house size and protecting the environment. With the passage of this legislation, the Town Board voted to end the two and a half year Moratorium on residential sub-divisions. In the continuing years, we have implemented land use legislation which has direct positive impacts on the environment.

My additional efforts on behalf of environmental protection are closely aligned with climate change and sustainable development. As the Co-Chair of the Westchester County Global Warming Task Force, I have spent considerable time learning about these issues.

The Town has conducted an inventory of our greenhouse gas emissions, conducted an energy audit in our municipal buildings, purchased flexible fuel and hybrid vehicles, joined ICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability, and appointed both a North Castle Global Warming Task Force and a North Castle Recycling Committee to educate our community on more sustainable behaviors. The residents, businesses and schools in North Castle have made great progress in increasing recycling and reducing trash.

Protection of open space and the environment are closely related. North Castle and Mt. Kisco purchased the 30 acre DuBos property, now called Byram Lake Preserve, in Armonk this year to preserve it as open space and protect Byram Lake, which is Mt. Kisco’s water supply. We also purchased three small parcels in Quarry Heights adjacent to a small park to preserve as open space and sold a two-acre parcel to an adjacent property owner with an agreement that the property would never be developed.