Bridge Noise, Demolitions and Planning Board News

Work on the Popham Road bridge is causing more issues than snarled traffic ... residents on both sides of the bridge are complaining about the noise. Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner has received complaints from Edgemont residents on Overton Road, Lynwood Road and Castle Walk who can’t sleep due to the work during the night. Feiner is calling for advanced notice to residents when work will be done and the offer of free hotel stays for these residents on nights when noise could affect their sleep. He has arranged to meet with Scarsdale Village management to discuss the issue.

In response to his query, Feiner received the following statement from Scarsdale Deputy Village Manager Steve Pappalardo:

“I apologize for the inconvenience and I am sympathetic with the effected neighbors. We received a number of complaints from Scarsdale residents as well. Unfortunately the work that is being done at night is per Metro North’s direction. The Popham Road Bridge Replacement Project is a Village project but because the bridge spans Metro North Railroad tracks they dictate when certain construction activities are to take place. Any time there is a potential for a piece of equipment or building material to fall onto the tracks, Metro North requires the work to be performed at night when they can get track outages and trains are no longer running or running infrequently. Currently the bridge contractor is driving steel piles along the entire south side of the bridge from Garth Road to Scarsdale Avenue in support of the excavation work for the south abutment and the retaining wall adjacent to the Freightway Open Lot. The work is inherently noisy and commenced last night and will continue tonight and Friday evening."

"Night work for the project will be sporadic until the project is completed in the spring of next year. Some nights the noise will be greater than other nights, although this pile driving work is the loudest part of the planned construction. We have and will continue to talk with the contractor and ask him, when possible, to perform the louder work earlier in the night. The Village appreciates the level of cooperation received to date and will continue to do the best we can to minimize inconvenience during construction.”

A meeting has been scheduled with Scarsdale Managers and Metro North on Tuesday May 10 at 6:30 pm. at Scarsdale Village Hall to discuss the progress of the bridge work, the timetable, and notification of neighbors about construction related issues. Anyone with concerns about the construction is welcome to attend.

In other Village news, at an April 26 meeting, the Scarsdale Committee for Historic Preservation approved the demolition of the following homes:

• 21 Morris Lane -Demolition approved
• 60 Sheldrake Road -Demolition approved
• 49 Wildwood Road -Demolition approved
• 39 Oxford Road- Demolition approved
• 11 Pinecrest Road -Demolition approved

At the Planning Board Meeting on April 27, the agenda included a referral from the Village Board regarding a proposed amendment to the Village Zoning Code relative to the provision of Fair and Affordable Housing. The Board moved to schedule a separate work session to consider this complex matter.

The following items were approved:

• A renewal of Hoff-Barthelson’s special use permit to operate the Music School in a residential area
• The relocation of the main entrance of St. Pius Church
• Modifications to the Cingular Wireless tower at 110 Secor Road

However, two items were held over:

• Marti Schiff’s application for a Wetlands Permit to construct an addition and rear yard terrace and associated re-grading and drainage improvements on this wetlands controlled property at 34 Oxford Road
• The application of RGF Development Corp. for approval of a two-lot subdivision at 39 Oxford Road