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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 14 October 2026

Created: 14 October 2026

Last Updated: 15 October 2026

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New code changes to protect wetlands, bicycle and e-bike regulations and handicapped accessible taxi cabs were among many subjects reviewed at the Village Board meeting on October 13, 2026.

Before they got started, the Mayor and Deputy Village Manager addressed public safety and some upcoming events.

Suspicious Man in a Van

I want to address the recent reports of students being approached by an individual in a white van. On October eighth, the Scarsdale Police Department and the Scarsdale School District issued a joint notice to families outlining two reported incidents and providing important safety guidance. As this remains an active investigation, there is a limit to what I can share this evening. But I want to assure our residents that we take these reports extremely serious. The safety of our children and our community is, and always will be, our highest responsibility. Our police work closely with neighboring municipalities and other law enforcement agencies. If you see something happening that is an emergency, call 911. Anything else that is suspicious or concerning, please contact the police department. For our parents, please take a moment to reinforce basic safety precautions with your children. Never approach an unfamiliar vehicle. Never accept a ride from someone they do not know. Walk with friends whenever possible, and tell a trusted adult right away about anything that makes them uncomfortable

Halloween

About Halloween safety, the Mayor said trick or treaters should carry a flashlight over something reflective. Younger children should be accompanied by an adult, and everyone should stay on sidewalks and cross-eyed corners. Where drivers, please slow down, watch carefully for children that evening.

Freightway

About Freightway, the Mayor said that the Village Board is potentially adopting a final GEIS – or scope at their October 27 meeting and will discuss possible school impacts. Additional meetings on Freightway are planned for December 3, 10 and 15 and the Village will seek public input during those meetings.

Fire Fair

Deputy Village Manager Emily Giovani announced that the Scarsdale Fire Department will host its annual fire fair at Fire Station Three, located at 56 Crossway, on Saturday, October 17th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature live fire demonstrations showing the dangers of unattended cooking, hands-on fire extinguisher training. The Red Cross will be on hands to teach hands-only CPR, share emergency preparedness tips, and sign residents up for free smoke alarm installations.
Halloween Window Painting

Halloween

Halloween Window Painting will be held on Sunday, October 18th, in Scarsdale Village and around town. At the same time the Farmers Market will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with family activities from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The Rec Department will host its annual Halloween Parade on Friday, October 30th at 3:30.

Taxicab Licenses
Deputy Mayor Gruenberg introduced a public hearing on a resolution to issue taxicab licenses for up to 25 cabs for the calendar year 2027.

Ann Moretti from 10 Pinecrest Road spoke about the lack of accessible taxis for people with disabilities. She called Scarsdale a “Transportation Desert” for those requiring wheelchair accessible vehicles. She noted that the Village provides $25 in reimbursement to disabled seniors, but questioned how these vouchers could be used since no accessible transportation is available. She noted that in the city, accessible transportation is readily available but there is no way for a wheelchair bound person to use cabs to get to and from the train station, or around town in Scarsdale.

Mary Leptak of 140 Bradley Road agreed with Moretti. She said, “There's so many people in Scarsdale that have needs in terms of accessibility, be it wheelchair or other needs where they need a different kind of car than simply a regular sedan, and there are accessible vans available that are not tremendously expensive.”
The Village Attorney responded saying, “The ADA specifically exempts taxi cabs from accessible tax caps. There was litigation on this in 2012 in New York City, where the Second Circuit, held that New York City did not have the authority to require accessible taxing cabs.

Elizabeth Lawrence of 7 Walworth Avenue said, “I am 100% for having an accessible taxi. Becoming a person who is disabled has changed my life greatly. I cannot get dinner. I cannot go to the movies. I cannot do many things because I cannot get help, and it has really changed my life greatly. So I would say I'm 100% for this model town that we live in, this model village, to be a model of what the right things to do to have accessible taxis for those residents that are disabled.”
The Board approved the resolution to grant the taxicab licenses.

Core Burn Pilates

The Board held a public hearing on a special permit application for Core Burn Pilates to operate a Pilates studio in approximately 1,539 square feet of space on the ground floor at 100 Christie Place, formerly occupied by Bank of America. The special permit was approved.

Freshwater Wetlands

A public hearing was held on proposed changes to Village code regarding building in freshwater wetlands.

The new code changes the definition of wetlands. A memo from the Village Attorney explains, the new definition utilizes “State and Federal definitions, without lessening its protections. This will help ensure that New York’s robust and flexible definition of “wetlands” are consistently applied within the Village. For ease of implementation “watercourses” are now defined as “freshwater wetlands.”

The new code requires administrative approval process for minor structures within 50 to 150 feet of a wetland, and a process for administrative approvals of cutting trees within 50 to 150 feet of wetlands. Under the new code activities are controlled on all land within 150 feet of a sensitive drainage area. Disturbances to land within 25 feet of wetlands are not limited unless there are extenuating circumstances.
The resolution was approved.

Public Comment

However, the code revisions to protect wetlands may have been passed too late to stop development on a small lot on Spier Road.

Ying Ying Na thanked the Board for strengthening the code, but wanted to know if the new provisions could be applied to an application to build a house at 0 Spier Road, a small steeped property near a watercourse. She said, “the amendments are intended to protect wetlands .. the environmental risks associated with construction near our water course do not depend on when application was originally submitted. The risks remain the same regardless of the application date. Zero Spier Road is a particularly relevant example. It is on a small road adjacent to an active stream. The proposed development has not yet been constructed, and the architectural design has been rejected multiple times by the board of architectural reviews. I also notice that Section Five of the September 2 draft expressly states that the amendments apply to both new and pending applications under Chapter 171. As the board prepares to vote on these amendments, I appreciate clarification on how these provisions relate to various attorneys' prior explanation, and whether the amendments law applies to any outstanding approvals or subsequent modifications at 0 Spier Road. More broadly, I hope the environmental protections are fully considered for this property. As of today, 431 new members have signed a petition to stop the development of 00.

The attorney responded, “Those that have received approvals would not be subject to the law that's being adopted.”

A Public Hearing was also held on a resolution regarding changes to the site plan approval process. However, the Planning Board discussed the proposed amendment at its meeting on September 23 and offered comments on site plan approval for cluster subdivisions and flag lots and the site plan referral process for the board of architectural review board and other land use boards. The Board agreed to schedule a work session to review the Planning Board comments.

Public Comments

Joe Lawrence of 7 Walworth asked the Mayor for an update on Con Edison’s plans to remediate damage to sewer laterals that occurred when the utility was installing a high transmission gas line on Walworth.

He asked the Village to get more “proactive with this project because the clock is ticking … and we’re coming into the winter months where the road is going to be frozen.” He said, “I want to remind the Village it is a public safety concern because it is an explosive gas line that, if not properly installed, could pose a threat to public safety.” He continued, “I have to say we're contaminating groundwater as we speak with all those lines not hooked up into our sewage system. It's bleeding out into the underground water.” He asked the Village Attorney to take a look at the releases Con Ed asked residents to sign before the repairs to the sewer laterals was done.

Lori Garfunkel of 63 Lincoln Road spoke about the noise from the temporary pickleball courts at Crossway. She said, “We have lived under intolerable circumstances for many years, and the situation has only worsened… we can't use our yard or open our windows, and even with the windows closed, I can hear constant popping sounds in my house, in my bedroom, in my walls whenever pickleball is being played. Decibel levels are consistently at least 60 decibels. … Ambient sound is about 48, and anything over, according to the American Acoustical Society, over 55 is just not acceptable.”

“The Mayor said we’re continuing to work towards the permanent courts that the community deserves. In August, Scarsdale10583 noted, the Mayor stated that it would probably take about a year to have these courts. I'm just asking you to please work expeditiously to move these courts. And I implore you to do so by this time next year. We have tried to be patient, and the pickleball courts at its current temporary location is a nuisance that we just can't live with”

The Mayor responded, saying that the pickleball courts are temporary and he could not “promise a timeline because it is part of the field project that is currently underway.” But he said, “It is part of the budget and the courts that are there-- while they are new--but much improved because the recreation department realized that the conditions really weren't fair to the residents who were using them, even if it is on a temporary basis. They really did a great job.”

About Con Ed, the Mayor said, “It's a priority. Things come in from Con Ed go to the top of the pile. The Superintendent of Public Works has made it unequivocally clear that the priority needs to be the lateral repair because homeowners might need to sell their houses or just don't want the potential for sewage going anywhere where it's not supposed to, and has been communicating with Con Ed to make. clear the type of documentation and input that we will require, We have not had a meeting with them since that public meeting. The next meeting will be when a realistic timeline is available.”

Referring to the request for the Village Attorney to review the release language he said, “The Village Attorney represents the village, so when I say he doesn't represent any homeowner who lives in that area, I don't want any homeowner in that area to be offended because he also does not represent me as a homeowner.”

Bicycles

The Village Board adopted code changes to restrict the use of bicycles, e-bikes and scooters on sidewalks in the Village of Scarsdale and at the Five Corners. The new code says:

-No person shall operate a bicycle with electric assist upon any sidewalk in the Village of Scarsdale. Bicycles with electric assist may only be walked upon sidewalks.
-No person shall operate an electric scooter upon any sidewalk in the Village of Scarsdale. Electric scooters may only be walked upon sidewalks.
-No person shall operate an electric personal transportation device upon any sidewalk in the Village of Scarsdale. Electric personal transportation devices may only be walked upon sidewalks.

Commenting on the new code, the Mayor said, “I'm really happy with this.” He acknowledged input from Advisory Council on Seniors and said that he and Deputy Mayor Gruenberg met with the School Superintendent and the Board President and a bike safety program was discussed. He said that bicycle safety is included in the middle school physical education curriculum and that the Village will work on an FAQ about the new law and encourage the schools to share it with students. The Village also intends to post signs about the new law in the Village and at the Five Corners.

Pool Project

The Board approved up to $75,250 for supplemental geotechnical work related to the pool complex redevelopment, including $69,750 for a groundwater study to help evaluate potential cost-saving design alternatives, including relocating pool equipment to above ground and eliminating the partial basement needed for the year-round natatorium.

Subdivision Fee

The Board agreed to a subdivision fee of $42,500 for the subdivision of a lot at 74 Carthage Road.

Gift

The Board accepted a gift of a memorial bench and bronze plaque in honor of Vicki Vandenbark Mathias to be placed in Davis Park.

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 07 October 2026

Created: 07 October 2026

Last Updated: 07 October 2026

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Here is a memo drafted by the Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens advocating for the creation of safety programming for a bicycle and e-personal transportation safety initiative, sent to the following on October 4, 2026.

Dr. Andrew (Drew) Patrick, Superintendent, Scarsdale Schools;
Suzie Hahn, President, Board of Education
Rokaya Hassaballa, President, Scarsdale PT Council
Mary Leptak, Chair, Council on People with Disabilities
Steven DelBene, Scarsdale Police Chief
Brian Gray, Superintendent, Scarsdale Parks, Recreation & Conservation Department
Jeanette Rosen, Chair, Advisory Council on Youth
Scarsdale Village Government:
Mayor Justin Arest
Deputy Mayor Dara B. Gruenberg
Trustee David J. Goldschmidt
Trustee Jason Kofman
Trustee Tim Foley
Trustee Ron Schulhof
Trustee Scott Silberfein

The proliferation and growing use of electric bicycles and other e-personal transportation devices have intensified safety challenges already associated with traditional bicycles, particularly as pedestrians and cyclists increasingly share limited public space. The Trustees have proposed an update to Scarsdale’s municipal laws related to the use of e-bikes and other electric personal transportation. In conjunction with the adoption of these amendments, the Village and other stakeholders should create a safety program for all forms of personal transportation, electric and non-electric.

THE NEED FOR AN E-BIKE AND BIKE SAFETY PROGRAM IN SCARSDALE

The Advisory Committee on Scarsdale Senior Citizens has informed the Village, through its trustee liaisons, that the use of bicycles and e-bikes on sidewalks presents a serious safety issue in Scarsdale. The adoption of these amendments is an appropriate time to institute a community-wide safety program to address these concerns.

• Community and Educational Priorities: The success of any Village safety initiative will depend on active collaboration among residents, parents, schools, law enforcement, Village government, cyclists, and pedestrian advocates.

• Community awareness of bicycle safety is essential. It is important to keep in mind that crash risks, conflicts with motor vehicles, conflicts with pedestrians and high-speed hazards can occur with traditional bicycles as well as e-bikes, e-scooters, and other e-personal transportation devices. These incidents can result in serious and sometimes devastating injuries.

Sidewalk crowding by bicyclists is exacerbated by the fact that there are no separate bicycle lanes or signage on Scarsdale roads which encourages drivers to ‘share the roads’ with bicyclists. Consequently, adult bike riders may feel compelled to use sidewalks, when they would customarily ride in the street. Motorists need to be mindful that cyclists require sufficient space on the roads to ride safely. Some communities have established separate bicycle lanes on busy roads and use “share the road” signs on popular bicycle routes to reinforce this safety message.

• Adult and parental responsibility should be an important component of any education campaign. Parents and other adults may be unfamiliar with applicable state age restrictions, legal responsibilities, and the physical hazards associated with allowing children to use e- bikes and e-scooters. Education should also address traditional bicycles, particularly the risks faced by inexperienced young riders.

• School and community partnerships offer a direct and proactive way to reach young riders. Reviving structured bicycle-safety instruction, helmet-compliance education, and formal bicycle-registration and inspection programs in schools and possibly through the Recreation Department could provide practical tools to improve safety and accountability. Although not part of the current legislation, bicycle registration requirements could include the need to equip bicycles with horns or bells, along with instruction on using these warning devices when pedestrians are present. Organizations such as the League of American Bicyclists and other bicycle safety organizations offer educational programs and materials that could help support such an initiative.

• Multigenerational collaboration is equally important. Seniors, people with disabilities, and pedestrians can be particularly vulnerable to collisions on sidewalks. Organizations such as the Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens can help ensure that pedestrian concerns and the experiences of vulnerable residents are incorporated into community outreach and safety planning.

A COLLABORATIVE PATH FORWARD

The Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens is eager to work with Scarsdale schools, the Scarsdale Police Department, Village officials, parents, and community organizations to develop a comprehensive traditional bicycle and e-personal transportation safety initiative.

Updating the Village Code is an important step. Ensuring that residents understand the rules—and have the knowledge and resources to follow them safely—is equally important. A coordinated community effort can help make Scarsdale safer for cyclists, pedestrians, seniors, children, and all residents who share the Village's public spaces.

We urge the Mayor and Board of Trustees to establish an Ad Hoc committee on bike safety comprised of key community representatives.

CC: Members, Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens, Members, Advisory Council on Youth, Members, Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens, Amy Paulin, New York State Assemblymember, District 88, Myra Saul

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 28 September 2026

Created: 28 September 2026

Last Updated: 01 October 2026

Hits: 1167

On Friday afternoon September 26, 2026, the Scarsdale Fire Department responded to a motor vehicle fire on Ridgecrest West. The driver of a minivan pulled over and exited the vehicle after observing smoke emanating from the engine compartment. The driver and several of our neighbors called 911 without delay. As a result, our members arrived quickly and had water on the fire within five minutes of the first call. Fortunately, there were no injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

(Photos courtesy of the Scarsdale Fire Department)

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 16 September 2026

Created: 16 September 2026

Last Updated: 21 September 2026

Hits: 4572

(Updated September 21, 2026) A meeting with Con Edison officials in Scarsdale on September 15 was intended to appease angry customers. Instead, it left residents with even more questions—and concerns that were far more serious than anyone had imagined.

As the story unfolded, it became clear that the installation of a high-pressure gas transmission line beneath busy streets in Scarsdale has done more thant disrupt traffic for years. The installation has damaged homeowner's private property and now there are questions about the quality of the pipe welds. We learned that Con Ed will be re-opening the street to inspect a sampling of these welds.

So, in addition to the aggravation and damage to their sewer lines, homeowners now have another concern: whether the high-pressure gas line running beneath their streets was properly installed in the first place.

Here’s how we got here.

The Gas Pipeline

In 2021, Con Edison announced plans to install a high-pressure gas transmission line from White Plains through Scarsdale, Eastchester and Mount Vernon, eventually connecting to Astoria, Queens. Although the pipeline would run through densely populated Westchester neighborhoods, it will be used by many municipalities.

Read the original Scarsdale10583 story

Work began in White Plains in 2021, and the project encountered so many problems that it took three years to install the pipeline from the White Plains border to Fenimore Road. There, underground water pipes prevented Con Edison from installing the gas line through the intersection.

The work then shifted to the Fox Meadow side, where crews installed part of the line along Fox Meadow Road before the project was halted altogether.

The 36" wide pipeline is not currently in service because the rest of the Scarsdale connection has not been completed, nor has it been connected to the southern portions of the system in Eastchester and Mount Vernon.

At the September 15 meeting, Con Edison officials said they plan to extend the line down Fox Meadow Road, to Crane Road and then south along Route 22, with completion now projected for 2029.

One has to wonder: Is it really feasible to shut down portions of the Post Road, a state-owned north-south corridor through Westchester, for years to complete this project?

Property Damage

In September 2025, it came to light that construction of the gas line had damaged the lateral sewer lines serving homes along Walworth Avenue.

After pressure from homeowners, advocacy by the Village and Assemblymember Amy Paulin, Con Edison agreed to conduct video inspections of the sewer laterals at affected homes to determine whether there was “crushing or sagging of the sewer lateral replacement pipes and/or separation of sewer lateral replacements from the existing portions of sewer laterals.”

At the September 15, 2026 meeting, a Con Edison spokeswoman reported that the company had conducted 118 video inspections at 82 unique sites.

But Con Edison would not say how many homes had actually been damaged or required repairs—repairs that residents estimate can cost approximately $40,000 per house.

When residents asked Con Edison to conduct a second video inspection after repairs were completed, the utility refused.

And then the story got even worse.

More Excavations

Con Edison officials told residents that they now need to excavate the buried gas line to inspect its welds—the connections that hold the pipeline together.

How many excavations? Approximately 40 locations along the route.

The utility suggested that these excavations and inspections could be performed at the same time as repairs to the damaged sewer laterals.

And the timeline?

The fall of 2026.

That’s now.

Even more troubling was the reason Con Edison said it needed to dig up streets that have already been repeatedly excavated and repaved.

Were the Welds Defective?

A Con Edison representative said the additional inspections were necessary because of “fraudulent reporting.”

By Whom?

That question became particularly important when we learned what had happened to some of the inspectors responsible for inspecting gas pipeline welds.

The Inspectors

In August 2025, federal prosecutors announced that two safety inspectors had been charged with fraud for allegedly fabricating hundreds of gas pipeline test results in the Bronx and Westchester County. Here is the indictment:

According to the indictment, the inspectors were paid to conduct safety inspections designed to ensure that pipeline welds did not contain defects that could cause gas leaks or explosions.

Instead, prosecutors allege, they engaged in a practice known as “radaring.”

The indictment describes the practice as radiographing the same weld twice and then passing one set of films off as though it came from a different weld. In other words, an inspector could radiograph Weld A twice and then claim that the second set of films documented Weld B—even though Weld B had never been inspected.

According to federal prosecutors, hundreds of welds on utility pipelines installed throughout the Bronx and Westchester County between approximately 2016 and 2023 were affected by this practice. The indictment alleges that the inspectors did not actually inspect those welds but nevertheless submitted invoices for the inspections, which were paid by the utility.

Con Ed asserts that this case has no connection to the work done in Scarsdale, but we do know that the Public Service Commission is requiring Con Ed to excavate the pipe to re-examine the welds.

And the potential consequences are serious.

The indictment states that failing to identify and repair a defect before a pipeline was placed into service could result in “critical failures,” including gas leaks or explosions.

That raises an obvious question for Scarsdale residents:

Are any of the welds on the pipeline buried beneath our streets defective?

Con Edison says it now needs to excavate approximately 40 locations along the route to inspect a sampling of the welds, as required by the Public Service Commission.

Responding after the meeting, Allan Drury of Con Edison sent us the following comment, denying that the Scarsdale pipeline was involved in the fraudulent inspections. He explained, "Con Edison reported the fraud (none which took place in Scarsdale) to the PSC and instituted additional reviews of weld inspections throughout our territory, not just where the fraudulent conduct occurred."

So Where Does This Leave Scarsdale?

Con Edison needs permits from the Village of Scarsdale to excavate the pipeline and inspect the welds. The utility is also waiting for Village permits to tear up the streets again so it can repair the damaged sewer laterals.

The delay is particularly frustrating for homeowners who want to sell their houses but cannot complete a sale without the sewer lateral certificate required by the Village to transfer title.

And there is another complication.

Con Edison’s attorney told residents that anyone who wants the utility to repair their sewer lateral will have to sign a release absolving Con Edison of future liability for damage caused by the gas-line construction.

In other words, if additional damage from the pipeline installation is discovered several years from now, the homeowner could be left responsible for the cost of repairing it.

Elizabeth Lawrence of Walworth Avenue told the Con Ed Reps: "In terms of that waiver, you want us all to sign. We want to be able to have a community meeting with our fellow residents and our community leaders, such as the mayor to look at it, examine what Con Ed is presenting us, and whether or not we need to sign that waiver." The Con Ed rep responded, "We will be sending each of those homeowners a draft release for their review. I have been trying to convey to each person I've spoken to about it that they should have their attorneys review those releases to advise them." Lawrence shot back, ""Well, perhaps we don't want to spend the money to get an attorney to do that. Perhaps we don't want that. No one asked us if we wanted these streets to be excavated. No one asked us if it was a right, and then suddenly we're presented with a problem, and that we spend money to resolve that problem. That's an issue to me."

Con Edison has left Scarsdale with a gas line that currently goes nowhere.

When completed and placed into service, the pipeline will carry high-pressure gas beneath densely populated residential neighborhoods.

At the same time, questions remain about the quality of the original construction on the the welds. What is the risk of an explosion?

Though Con Ed says a licensed plumber will do the sewer lateral repairs, the contractor that performed the original work, Network Infrastructure, has been retained to do the excavations and continue the project, even as the Village continues to question the quality of the original work.

Meanwhile, Scarsdale residents, along with all rates payers, are paying increased utility rates to support a massive gas transmission project being built beneath streets that already have aging infrastructure and some of the heaviest traffic in the area.

After everything residents learned at the September 15 meeting, one question seems unavoidable:

Has anyone called the Public Service Commission?

Commenting after the meeting, Scarsdale Mayor Justin Arest said, "The Village has been actively engaged with Con Edison for many months regarding the sewer lateral damage and other impacts associated with this project, and we will remain steadfast in advocating for both the residents directly affected and the broader community.

More recently, as the scope of the weld reinspection issue became clearer, including the prospect of additional excavation and potential repairs, that issue became another important focus of our ongoing discussions with Con Edison. Assemblymember Paulin and I have also been in direct contact with the Department of Public Service and the Public Service Commission to ensure that our community’s concerns are being heard at the State level.

We expect this heightened level of engagement, both with Con Edison and with State regulators, to lead to greater transparency, stronger communication, and better outcomes for our residents. While we are encouraged by the increased attention these issues are receiving, we are proceeding with appropriate caution and will continue to press for answers, accountability, and meaningful protections for our community.”