The Saw Mill River Coalition

On Saturday, January 23rd, over 50 representatives from watershed community  Planning Boards,  Zoning Boards of Appeal, Conservation Boards, along with Village Administrators, Mayors and Elected Officials gathered at the Irvington Library to discuss low impact development and better site design principles.

The group learned about techniques applicable to our area and how they can be incorporated into the review of local development projects and site plans. The event was a great success. Participants exchanged many observations and ideas about how municipalities along our shared river can work together to create a healthy river and healthy communities.

The Schedule for the day was as follows:

• 8:30 am: Registration & Continental Breakfast
• 9:00 am – 12:00 pm: Keynote and Better Site Design Planning Exercise.
• KEYNOTE: Low Impact Development/Better Site Design Principles & Techniques – What they are, Why they matter in flooding and water quality: Sandeep Mehrota, Chair, Hastings Environmental Commission; Vice President, Hazen & Sawyer P.C., Environmental Engineers and Scientists
• Local examples of “Good and Bad” stormwater abatement projects.
• Municipal Roundtable Site Planning Exercise: Local experts and resource professionals will lead and provide assistance to participants in reviewing sample site plans such as a single residential lot and a small parking lot.
• Discuss lessons learned from planning exercise.

Participants earned three credits of NYS Mandatory Credit for Planning & Zoning Board

The Roundtable was sponsored by Groundwork Hudson Valley/Saw Mill River Coalition, Greenburgh Nature Center and Greenburgh Environmental Forum, Federated Conservationists of Westchester

Funding was provided by NYC DEC/Hudson River Estuary Program, Westchester Community Foundation, and US EPA Targeted Watershed Program

For more information, please visit the BioBlitz website at http://groundworkhv.org/bioblitz09/

The next Free-A-Tree Vine-Cutting will be Sunday, February 7th from 9:30am-12:30pm at the Farragut Avenue site. Hope to see you there! Please send a quick e-mail to emily@groundworkhv.org, or leave a comment on this post if you know that you will be able to attend.

Directions
Farragut Avenue Site, Meet on trail North of parking lot
Exit 13 (Farragut Avenue), off Saw Mill River Parkway (going North)
9:30 am – 12:30 pm

From Saw Mill River Parkway going NORTH, exit 13, Farragut Avenue. Turn right into parking lot.

From Saw Mill River Parkway going SOUTH, exit 11, Tompkins Avenue-go left to Saw Mill River Road, turn left. Go to Farragut Avenue and turn left, then turn left into the parking lot. Access also from Saw Mill River Road (Ardsley side).

We will meet on the South County Trail north of the parking lot. Refreshments will be provided. We will supply all of the materials and tools necessary, but if you have your own tools feel free to being them. Please wear close-toed shoes!

Friday, May 1st the Coalition partnered with a Goldman Sachs Community Team Works group to plant 80 native tress and shrubs, weed and seed a wildflower meadow, and cut invasive vines along the South County Trailway. Thanks to all of their hard work, the site looks great!

Click here to link to the photo album. Thanks so much to everyone who came out! It was a lot of fun and we got some great work done.