Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Acquisition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dobbs Ferry moves to survey DOT surplus property ahead of county transfer; board approves $9,000 not-to-exceed survey contract
Summary
The board agreed to hire Ward Carpenter engineers for survey work needed to transfer surplus state highway-adjacent land to the village, in a project the trustees described as lengthy but strategically important to create a larger village park.
The Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees voted unanimously to engage Ward Carpenter engineers for surveying services not to exceed $9,000 as part of a long-running effort to acquire surplus property adjacent to the Sawmill River Parkway from the New York State Department of Transportation.
Trustees described the parcel as a multi-acre piece that would connect two existing village parks into a larger public space. The board heard a lengthy staff briefing about procedural delays and special DOT formatting requirements that have stretched the acquisition process over several years. Mayor Vincent Rosillo and trustees highlighted that the property was declared surplus and must be surveyed in a DOT-prescribed format before it can be transferred to the county and ultimately to the village.
A village presenter said the DOT requires parcels within 30 feet of the travel way to be retained and that the parcel the village can acquire will exclude a triangular area adjacent to the roadway. “We found approximately 1,050 square feet … that needs to be retained by the Department of Transportation because it’s within 30 [feet],” a village official said during the discussion. Trustees also referenced outreach by Senator Andrea (Andrew) Stewart-Cousins’ office (staff member Susan Tolchin) that helped advance the application.
Board members approved the engagement: Trustee Patino moved to retain Ward Carpenter for the required survey work; Trustee Rosenberg seconded the motion and the board voted unanimously to approve the contract authorization not to exceed $9,000.
Trustees framed the expenditure as an essential, relatively small investment to acquire roughly eight acres of surplus that, when combined with current village holdings, would create an approximately 14.8-acre park area. Staff cautioned that DOT will require multiple rounds of revisions in a particular format, and that the engineering work is likely to involve repeated submissions. The board directed staff to proceed and to keep neighbors and stakeholders informed as the process moves forward.
