Town Board Notes: Water District Proposes Increasing Capacity, Taxicab Regulations

Unable to make Tuesday night's town board meeting? The town board held two public hearings - one on codifying the Town Attorney's functions and powers, the other on improving the town's water facilities - and passed over 30 resolutions. In addition, the board also accepted the 2010 Annual Report from the Community Development Agency, a separate entity than the town board (though board members serve in both capacities).

WATER DISTRICT PUBLIC HEARING TO INCREASE/IMPROVE FACILITIES

Dennis Kelleher, a representative of H2M, the town's water consulting company, spoke to the board about the "importance of well number 16," a water well located on Edwards Avenue in Calverton.

Residents approved a $1.58 million bond in 2009 to fund construction of the well, but after finding out last summer that the well has the potential for additional capacity, Kelleher suggested to the town that it increase output there, rather than constructing a second well in the future.

The cost for a new well, Kelleher estimated, would be around $2 million, while increasing capacity at well No. 16 on a similar scale will run the town roughly another $600,000.

Water Superintendent Gary Pendzick said his department opened up just over $500,00 by closing out some projects the water district had completed which had leftover funds. In addition, Pendzick said he found approximately $200,000 left over from his 2010 operating budget.

Councilwoman Jodi Giglio asked where the excess $200,000 came from.

"We were given a task to find money, and we did," Pendzick said.

As a result, Kelleher said, the improvement to the water well can be completed without raising taxes and without increasing water rates.

Members of the public have until Friday, March 25 to submit comments in writing on the proposal.

TAXICAB REGULATIONS PASSED

After Councilman John Dunleavy said he has been trying to pass regulations on taxis for the past two and a half years, he thanked Supervisor Sean Walter after the unanimous vote to regulate cabs was passed by the board.

The regulations will focus solely on cab rides beginning and ending in the town of Riverhead.

Such regulations will include operator's permits, vehicle permits, fingerprints, travel logs, and random drug tests, among other safeguards. The legislation also places restrictions on who may operate a taxi, excluding ex felons within the past 10 years, sex offenders, and anybody convicted of drug or alcohol offenses while driving a vehicle.

The taxi industry has six months from Tuesday to comply with the regulations.

ACCESSORY APARTMENT ZONING ADDED

The town board passed a resolution increase the allowable zoning for accessory apartments from several residential zones and agricultural protection zoning and added the following zones: hamlet residential, riverfront corridor, commercial/residential campus, rural corridor and hamlet center.

As a result, accessory apartments will now be legal in many more parts of town, including a few stretches along Route 25 in Jamesport/Aquebogue, West Main Street, East Main Street (east of Town Hall), and near the intersection of Routes 58 and 25.

Councilman Jim Wooten, the town board liaison to the Accessory Apartment Review Committee, said that the board brought the additional zones into the code to bring accessory apartments into compliance. On Wednesday, he said he was not sure if those existing units which were previously illegal would be fined by the town.

"This is a win for the town and a win for the peopel renting," he said. "Now we can increase our tax base and make sure those units are safe."

TOWN OFFERING EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVES

The town extended early retirement incentives to members of the Civil Service Employee Association, the Police Benelovent Association, and non-union members for 2011.

Employees who have worked for the town for at least 20 years and are 55 years of age (this does not apply to the PBA early retirement incentive) have the opportunity to receive their choice of the following benefits:

• Fully paid health insurance premiums by the town for 4 years following retirement; OR
• A lump sum of $400 per month, payable in quarterly installments, for 4 years following retirement