Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
toasting success
May 6, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 19 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
County board votes to cede control of Rye Playland By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
The popular Taste of Mamaroneck Wine Trail held its 10th annual event on Sunday, May 1. Participants willing to brave the inclement weather had the opportunity to ride a trolley and sample drinks and cuisine from many of the shops along the trail. For more, see page 6. Photo/Kiley Stevens
Mamaroneck Ave. could see meter fee increases, expanded hours By Kiley Stevens Staff Writer The village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees recently began discussing the possibility of increasing both parking meter rates and expanding meter times on Mamaroneck Avenue. The discussion comes from a recommendation made by the village Ad Hoc Parking Committee to the board, which is based on a 2014 study done by Walker Parking Consultants. According to Village Manager Richard Slingerland, the committee suggested that the board
increase the hours meters run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and that the rates increase from 75 cents per hour to $1 per hour. A memo written by the ad hoc committee to the village board indicates that other streets and parking lot rates would remain the same. Slingerland said that in a village board work session held on May 2, the board decided to involve the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce before making any final decisions. Maria DeRose, chairwoman of the committee, told the Review that the main purpose of increasing the meter time is to pro-
mote turnover on Mamaroneck Avenue. “We want people to come to the avenue and to stay as long as they want,” she said. “But we want everyone to have a fair chance at doing this.” DeRose added that because meter rates and times would remain the same in parking lots and other village streets, patrons of the avenue could park in those lots, only pay until 6 p.m., and park for as long as they’d like, while simultaneously freeing up parking spaces on the avenue for more restaurant patrons and shoppers.
But Justin Zeytoonian, coowner of the Smokehouse Tailgate Grill, located on Mamaroneck Avenue, told the Review that he believes there should be better signage to direct patrons to the parking lots that are already available before extending the meter times on the avenue. “Nobody knows about the parking lots in the back,” said Zeytoonian, adding that at a restaurant, the owners want their patrons to be able to stay and hang out during the dinner hours. As far as the increase in meter METER continued on page 8
A roller coaster ride between the management company Standard Amusements and Westchester County came to a close on Monday night after the county Board of Legislators voted overwhelmingly to move forward with a 30-year agreement transferring control of Rye Playland. “I cannot be more thankful to County Executive [Rob] Astorino and the Westchester Board of Legislators for their vote of confidence,” said co-founder of Standard Amusements Nicholas Singer, who sat in the audience as the votes were cast. “This is a wonderful day for Westchester.” On May 2, the Board of Legislators approved the agreement—which has undergone several transformations since its introduction in June 2015— committing the county and its taxpayers to $32 million in capital improvements for the ailing amusement park. The final vote passed by a margin of 13-4. While many legislators from both sides of the political aisle accepted the agreement, touting its pragmatism, Democratic legislators Catherine Parker of Rye, Ken Jenkins of Yonkers, Catherine Borgia of Ossining and Alfreda Williams of White Plains outright rejected it. “When you have a partner, that means you’re sharing in the risk, and sharing in the reward,” Jenkins said at Monday’s meet-
ing. “But if we want to sit here and try to suggest this is a partnership arrangement; our partner is putting up $5 million in four months, we’re putting up $32 million, tonight… I don’t know what you call that.” The ratified agreement will see Standard expand on its initial investment of $5 million, which will go toward new rides, and eventually invest another $27 million of its own money into the park over the course of a 5-year period. For now, the county will continue to co-manage the park with Standard, and according to county administration officials, the company will take over full control of the park’s management after 50 percent of the county’s agreed to capital investments have been made. Tentatively, the administration has set a date for transition for Nov. 1, 2018. According to the agreement, when the county has expended 50 percent of the $32 million in proposed capital projects, they will also begin sharing 8 percent of Standard’s profits; a number that will incrementally rise to 12 percent by the deal’s end. Projects outlined in the deal include rehabilitation of the park’s shoreline, infrastructure and new rides. Some members of the Democratic caucus have repeatedly warned against the agreement’s lack of profit sharing throughout playland continued on page 5
INSIDE Community Resource Center launches campaign Story on page 9.