si Affordable housing. (See Town Board, April 14, 2026) The Board opened and closed a hearing on a proposed affordable housing set aside law that would require new residential developments of more than 10 units to set aside some units to be sold or rented at an affordable price to qualifying households. The law, with some updates, would revive a law passed in 2011 that was repealed in 2016.
Members of the Community Housing Board explained the need for affordable units, pointing out that had a set aside requirement been in place for recently approved developments like Underhill Farms, Toll Brothers, AMS and Hallocks Square, the developments would have resulted in 45 affordable units. Others also spoke about the need for affordable units.
In response to one speaker who agreed about the need for affordable units but suggested that the law should be changed to give preference to Yorktown residents or people with ties to Yorktown, Ken Belfer, a member of the Housing Board explained why a local preference was not possible.
Some councilmen were concerned that the income eligibility requirements might need to be tweaked and Supervisor Lachterman suggested that the town consider a density bonus as an alternative to a set aside requirement. In response to comments from Director of Planning Steinberg that there were a variety of tools the town could use to provide more affordable units, Councilman Gilbert said the town could start with the set aside requirement and add other “tools” later.
In response to a comment that the toiwn needed to do an inventory of existing affordable units, Councilwoman Siegel referred to a 2024 study done by the Housing Board that listed 968 rental units, of which 331 were affordable, but that all but 84 of them were restricted to seniors. She also noted that a one bedroom unit at Underhill Farms rents at about $3,900 and a two bedroom unit at the new mixed use building at the corner of Ker and Route 118 rents for $3,700 – with both rents far exceeding affordable rent guidelines based on 30% of one’s income for housing.
See the video link below of the hearing. Scroll top 2.01 minutes on video.
Police Department. After accepting the retirement of Robert Noble as police chief, the Board appointed Justin Foley as the new chief and Mark Rapisarda as police captain.
Apprenticeship program. The Board referred out for comment a proposed local law that would require that contractors bidding on town projects costing at least $500,000 have a state approved apprenticeship program. The requirement would also apply to their subcontractors. The county has such a requirement for contracts of $250,000 or more.
Councilwoman Siegel said she strongly supported apprenticeship programs but was concerned that the requirement would narrow the field of potential bidders for town contracts which could lead to higher costs for taxpayers.
Emergency Medical Servies. (See Town Board, June 2, 2026) In response to a speaker during the Public Comment portion of the agenda on what the the RFP should include, the Board said it was still working on the RFP for the volunteer ambulance corps and that it would be looking at all issues, including a merger of the two VACs.
Changes of JV Mall zone requirements. (See Town Board, June 2, 2026) The Board set July 7 for a hearing on revisions to the Zoning Code that would allow additional recreational uses in the mall.
485b incentive study committee. (See Town Board, June 2, 2026) In response to suggestions from a resident about what the committee should look into, Councilwoman Siegel asked that the committee’s meeting should be open to the public, although the public would not be able to speak at the meeting, and that the meeting dates be publicized. It was noted that the committee has not yet met and the town has not yet adopted any provided guidelines for the committee.
Field name. (See Town Board, May 12, 2026) Two veterans who have repeatedly asked that the signs on the field be changed, questioned the military status of Jack DeVoito. When one of the speakers criticized the Board for not letting him speak at the May 12 meeting that was a work session, both Supervisor Lachterman and Councilwoman Siegel reminded him that it’s the town’s long standing practice that there is no opportunity for the public to speak at work session meetings.
Code enforcement. Councilwoman Siegel reported that the town is currently addressing three major code violation issues:
— The illegal parking lot at Fieldstone Manor. (See Town Board, October 21, 2025) The Board has given the developer 30 days from June 10 to remove all vehicles and other equipment from the site.
–Hunterbrook Road tree farm – an issue currently in Town Court for violationsa of the town code and in federal court defending a lawsuit by the property owner.
–Navajo Fields. Multiple code violations at the sports location,.
Parking in fire and handicapped lanes. (See Town Board, June 2, 2026) Supervisor Lachterman announced the town will be drafting a local law that would increase the fine for illegal parking from $50/$100 to $100/$150.lane. Councilman Esposito was concerned about the size of the proposed increase while Supervisor Lachterman cited the need to increase the fines as a safety issue. Councilman Esposito suggested that if permitted, fines be established for parking in zones designated for veterans.
Fluoridation. Councilwoman Siegel advised the Board that a federal Court of Appeals vacatedthe 2024 decision by the federal district court in San Francisco that was was the basis for the Town Board’s 2024 termination of the town’s fluoridation program.
The case now returns to the district court that will have to reconsider the evidence presented only at the first first trial — which did not include the subsequent , more controversial report that was the basis of the judge’s decision.
For a video of the meeting, click yorktownny.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=2134
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