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Letter to the Editor: Mayor Mary Marvin and Village Trustees on Proposition #1, the FEMA Midland Valley Drainage Project

Written by Mayor Mary Marvin and Village Trustees




 

Dear Fellow Residents,

On Thursday we urge you to vote YES on Proposition #1, the FEMA Midland Valley Drainage Project.

Though village government and Bronxville School governance rarely overlap on capital projects, this FEMA project is a unique joint venture to mitigate flooding on school grounds and in nearby residential neighborhoods. Proposition #2 is entirely in the purview of the school's jurisdiction.

Since 2007, Bronxville has suffered two disastrous floods, resulting in $30 million in damages to school property and several million in damages to village and private property. Village residents rightly tasked their municipal and school officials to fix it.

Taking up the challenge, Bronxville School and village officials worked collaboratively for three years to craft a winning proposal that resulted in a grant of over $5 million from FEMA. This is an unprecedented 75% match of the total cost of the mitigation project. It is important to note that had the mitigation plan not been fully approved prior to the damage inflicted by Hurricane Sandy, these monies would not have been forthcoming.

The project was fully vetted by FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and two regional engineering firms.

The small downside to the FEMA project is the loss of field space for one season and targeted tree removal. The trees to be removed are four trees on Midland Avenue (one 10" caliper fir and three maples with diameters less than 6"), four small cherry trees near the pump station, and one pine near the elementary school. Three times as many trees will be replanted.

Historically, Bronxville has been fortunate to receive FEMA funds covering our uninsured flood costs. FEMA has reimbursed the school over $14.5 million since 2007 and $224,000 to the village. Turning down $5 million in FEMA money virtually ensures that in any future flooding or catastrophe, we will be on our own.

Bottom line, this mitigation plan is desperately needed. It will work. A 75% federal government share of the mitigation cost will never be seen again.

Please vote YES on Proposition #1. It makes sense.

Mayor Mary Marvin

Deputy Mayor Robert Underhill

Trustee Anne Poorman

Trustee Guy Longobardo

Trustee Randolph Mayer

January 21, 2015

Editor's note: MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.

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Bronxville Overview

Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.

While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.

Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.

The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.

Bronxville Village Government Directory

Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends

Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours

Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends

Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400

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