Home - Town of Ossining, New York

Supervisor's Update - Friday, August 27, 2021

Details: Last Updated: 27 August 2021 27 August 2021

To say this has been a difficult week would be an understatement. The loss of one of Ossining’s bright young lights, Dream Shepherd, is simply devastating. There are no words to describe the pain her family and our community are feeling now in the wake of her passing. We are also reeling from the news of the terrorist attack in Afghanistan; our flags are flying at half-staff in honor of our fallen soldiers as well as the many other victims of this devastating event. And we are thinking of Ossining resident Sophia Bator's cousin, Freshta, who has endured a dangerous journey to the Kabul airport and is now waiting to leave Afghanistan. We are praying she arrives here safely, and we will let you know how the community can help support her.

The weather has also thrown us a bit of uncertainty today. We have cancelled music for tonight due to the possibility of thunderstorms. However, food trucks will still be around. Kinwich, Bazodee Street Foods and Brothers Fish and Chips will be available from 4:30 to 8 PM. Plan for a great Sunday evening at the waterfront on 8/29, with Silver Fox playing on the Louis Engel Waterfront Park Stage starting at 5pm. SSKB will be pouring your favorite local craft brews as well and we are hoping to have a few food trucks. We will keep you posted!

As always, special thanks go to the Greater Ossining Chamber of Commerce, Sing Sing Kill Brewery, Mike Risko Music and recreation superintendent Bill Garrison for their hard work putting on this fantastic series. Also, big shout out to our sponsors who are helping to bring this incredible free event to Ossining throughout the summer: Mark Seiden Real Estate, Robison, Open Door Medical Centers, Matero Fine Jewelry & Design, and Gracelane Kennels.

Lots of fun things will be happening Saturday at the Farmer’s Market in Market Square! (Do you get the Down To Earth Markets newsletter? It’s full of useful and fun ideas and info. Click here to visit their website and sign up.) First, the Village of Ossining is seeking input from residents and other interested parties as it completes this year’s New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant application. There will be an opportunity to speak with Village of Ossining staff during the Farmer’s Market from 9-11 AM. Can’t make it? Click here to take a survey soliciting community input on the vision for Downtown Ossining. The survey closes August 31.

Got old clothes, shoes, bags, and household linens lying around? Green Tree Textiles is at the Farmer’s Market as well, collecting those items for textile recycling.

If you’ve got food scraps for recycling, remember that Green Ossining volunteers are at the Farmer’s Market from 9:30-11:30 every Saturday morning to collect them. Click here for a list of what’s accepted and information about how to order a compost kit.

Sing Sing Family Collective is hosting a Back to School kickoff event to support local kids impacted by the incarceration of a family member. There will be backpack giveaways and more on Saturday and Sunday, and a celebratory picnic on Sunday from 2-5 PM at Louis Engel Waterfront Park picnic area. To learn more about the event and/or volunteer to help out, click here.

Let the Briarcliff Booster Club & Volleyball team help with your chores this weekend! They are hosting a car wash fundraiser on Saturday, 8/28 from 9 AM till 1 PM at the Atria in Briarcliff. On Sunday, 8/29, they’re serving spaghetti from Tramonto’s for dinner from 5:30-7:30! Support local youth and cross some items off your to-do list at the same time. Order by noon on Saturday by calling (914) 347-8220 or online at tramontos.com - see the flyer below for details on how to order.

If you’re looking for a tranquil scene on Saturday morning, consider ordering tickets for Teatown’s Tune Your Ear to Nature and Live Music event with Beginner’s Ear, taking place from 11-12:30. Enjoy a guided meditation on the sounds of the Teatown Preserve followed by chamber music and a chat with the musicians.

Got little ones returning to school? OUFSD is partnering with the Recreation Department to provide an after school program with homework help and enrichment activities every school day from 3-6 PM. Busing will be provided on days where there is in-person learning. Register at www.villageofossining.org.

Speaking of school, the school tax bill was mailed out today for those who pay directly (as opposed to using an escrow account). Please look out for the bill. If you don’t receive it by September 7, please call the office of the Tax Receiver at (914) 762-8790 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To sign up for email alerts directly from the Tax Receiver’s office, click here.

Waste not, want not! Green Ossining will be hosting a Repair Cafe on Saturday, 9/18 from 11 AM - 3 PM at the Community Center. See the flyer below for information about what sorts of items can be brought for repair. Please also note this event is subject to change due to COVID-19 protocols, so keep an eye on the Green Ossining Facebook page if you plan on joining.

Getting a lot of seeds from your garden this summer? Start collecting them now so you’re ready for the Green Ossining + Ossining Pollinator Pathway Seed Swap event September 25 at the Farmer’s Market! Click here to learn more about how to collect and preserve your seeds, and check out the flyer below for more details on the event.

Registration for Green Ossining’s Community-Wide Tag Sale is open now and ends September 24. The sale will be on Saturday, October 2. For the $25 registration fee, you’ll receive branded promotional materials and placement in online and local media publicizing the event. Click here to learn more and register.

Are you following Ossining Recreation’s newly relaunched Instagram account yet? It is @OssiningRecreation and it’s great! If you don’t have instagram, be sure to visit the Recreation page of the Village website to sign up for their email blasts to find loads of fun for the whole family. Briarcliff residents should be sure to sign up for the Briarcliff Recreation Notices email list for up to the minute info about pool hours and more.

The Cedar Lane Arts Center fall schedule is now available - click here to view the schedules and register for clay, painting, and more. Additionally, clay instructor Keith Gordon will be hosting an introduction to Horsehair Raku and Obvara Pottery at Bethany Arts Center on September 25. You can register at www.bethanyarts.org.

Now that the Supreme Court has invalidated the CDC’s eviction moratorium, please let everyone you know about the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Funds are still available and applying for them confers automatic protection from eviction. Renters and landlords who are not sure where to turn can use this new website from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which makes it easy to find rental assistance providers in our area.

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There are also many local organizations, like Neighbors Link, assisting with the ERAP program. You can apply online. Please visit the Westchester County website or simply dial 211 for assistance.

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Also note that New York State has funds available for New Yorkers who lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic and were ineligible for other federal relief programs due to lack of citizenship or other factors through the Excluded Workers Fund (EWF). Visit the Department of Labor’s website to learn more and apply.

The Westchester County Board of Elections is looking for poll workers to help administer the election coming up this fall. Help make democracy possible and make some money in the process! Click here to learn more and complete the poll worker application.

Do you commute into Manhattan, or just have opinions about the proposed Central Business District congestion pricing plan? There are multiple opportunities to share your thoughts. The MTA launched a new website yesterday where you can read more about the proposed plan, sign up for updates, and share your feedback. You can also call (646) 252-6777 to hear a brief description of the project and register to speak at a public meeting, or call (646) 252-7440 to leave a message sharing your thoughts. Residents of northern NYC suburbs are also invited to participate in public hearings on this topic on Wednesday, September 29 from 10 AM - noon and Tuesday, October 5 from 6-8 PM. There will also be environmental justice forums geared toward areas that have been disproportionately impacted by environmental problems; New York residents are invited to participate on Thursday, October 7 from 6-8 PM. You can register here to give public comment at a meeting.

Please remember that the gas powered leaf blower ban remains in effect in the Unincorporated Town of Ossining through September 30. Thank you to Green Ossining for preparing the summary below. Thank you for your cooperation! Please share this information with your friends, neighbors, and landscapers. We have made this available for download in both English and Spanish as JPG and PDF files. Please help us spread the word! This information was mailed directly to all landscapers who are based in Ossining for their reference.

Hard to believe that September is almost here! In light of the impending return to school and the County’s decision to cancel its fireworks displays on 9/2 and 9/4, we will be cancelling our fireworks display this year, as well as the concert and food trucks on 9/3. Stay tuned for a date to reschedule the last concert and deets on an encore for Food Truck Fridays and Craft Beverage Corral. We will confirm in the coming days.

Active cases of COVID-19 are up to 81 in the Town and its two Villages, according to the county dashboard. Wearing masks and getting vaccinated are the keys to maintaining some normalcy while dealing with this virus. If you have questions about the vaccines, or would like to learn of pop-up vaccination clinics in Westchester, visit VaxUp Westchester.

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!

--Dana

If your business, non-profit, or community group has an event that you would like to submit to be a part of the Supervisor's Update, please email a flyer and brief description to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We are happy to pass along events that provide a benefit to the community and support our local economy. Thank you for helping us to highlight all the best Ossining has to offer!

Planning Board Meeting - Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Details: Last Updated: 25 August 2021 25 August 2021

A meeting of the Planning Board & Architectural Review Board of the Town of Ossining will be held on:

Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 7:30 P.M.

THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD IN PERSON & ON ZOOM (the public may attend at any location/format) AT:

John Paul Rodrigues Ossining Operations Center

First Floor Conference Room

101 Route 9A

Ossining, NY 10562

Please be prepared to wear a mask in person.

YOU CAN ALSO JOIN THIS MEETING BY VIDEO CONFERENCE ON ZOOM:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89740713092?pwd=d0J5cmdPY3BTMWRTOURTS0UweVpYQT09

Meeting ID: 897 4071 3092

Passcode: 055866

One tap mobile

+1-929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 897 4071 3092

Passcode: 055866

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdkhUsFjm3

**Please note that by dialing in, your phone number will be visible to the host, participants, and attendees of the meeting**

NOTICE: Planning Board Member, Donna Sharrett, will be on location at 101 Route 9A in the Second Floor Building Department Office, Ossining NY 10562. Member Sharrett will be joining this meeting using the Zoom Link above.

Preliminary Agenda

Rinaldi Subdivision, 39 Stormytown Road, 9-Lot Subdivision PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED
Shriram Kasinathan, King Development, 540 North State Road, Site Plan Amendment PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED
Armstrong P&H, 593 North State Road, Site Plan Amendment
Capasso, 34 McCarthy Drive, New Single-Family Residence, Architectural Review

Please call our office 914-762-8419 if you have any questions or concerns about the Planning Board Meeting process.

Please visit the Planning Board Projects Page to view PDF copies of the documents pertaining to the agenda for Wednesday, September 1, 2021.

Supervisor's Update - Friday, August 20, 2021

Details: Last Updated: 20 August 2021 20 August 2021

Before getting into the typical update content, I must first pause to acknowledge a disturbing incident that took place in a Village of Ossining park. A swastika was found spray painted on a slide at Nelson Park earlier this week. As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, the swastika has a particularly painful resonance for me, and I am disgusted by the idea of someone trying to frighten members of our community by defacing Village property this way. The Town of Ossining stands with the Village of Ossining in condemning this hateful vandalism; symbols of bigotry have no place here or anywhere. We applaud the Ossining Police for the steps they have taken to address the situation. Visit the Village of Ossining website to read Village Mayor Rika Levin’s statement about the vandal’s actions.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming! Food Truck Fridays and the Summer Concert Series continue tonight with Jigsaww at the Louis Engel Waterfront Park stage starting at 7pm. Brothers Fish and Chips, Kinwich, MAC’s Food Truck, Cravin’ Jamaican, and Wrappers Delight will be in the house starting at 5! I can tell you firsthand they all have fantastic offerings. Get there early to avoid long lines. Sing Sing Kill Brewery and Captain Lawrence Brewing Company will once again be pouring at the Craft Beverage Corral so you can count on some mighty tasty beverage options as well. As always, special thanks go to the Greater Ossining Chamber of Commerce, Sing Sing Kill Brewery, Mike Risko Music and recreation superintendent Bill Garrison for their hard work organizing this series! Also, big shout out to our sponsors who are helping to bring this incredible free event to Ossining throughout the summer. They are listed on the posters (courtesy of our local Brian Sheridan, Hothouse Designs--thank YOU too!)

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Please wear your mask when you’re walking around the park waiting for food or drink. If you forget yours, you’ll be able to grab one from us thanks to the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services. Help us keep the fun going by keeping COVID at bay! As I write this, active cases of COVID-19 are up to 64 in the Town and its two Villages, according to the county dashboard. In the 10562 zip code, rates of residents with at least one dose inched up one percentage point over last week, to 73.2%. 10510 is now up to 75.6%. We are so fortunate to have vaccines readily available to help us keep COVID infection rates low. If you have questions about the vaccine, or would like to learn of pop-up vaccination clinics in Westchester, visit VaxUp Westchester.

I signed the 2021-2022 School Tax Warrant for Ossining and Briarcliff schools late last week. School Tax Bills will be in the mail soon and the deadline for the first half is September 30. We will let you know exactly when the bills are mailed and available online, so you can keep an eye out in your mailbox, but mark your calendars now for the September 30 due date! Make sure to sign up for e-mail updates from Tax Receiver Holly Perlowitz, so you can be the first to know when tax bills hit the mail. Here’s a picture of me signing the warrant, with Town Clerk Sue Donnelly and Tax Receiver Holly Perlowitz witnessing. Thank you to the Ossining and Briarcliff School Boards and Ossining Public Library Board for presenting a sound budget that addresses the needs of our students, while keeping tax rates down, and to our Assessor, Receiver and Budget Director for working so hard to pull the warrant together.

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Speaking of school, are you or your children experiencing stress related to the impending return to school? New York Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital is hosting a community talk, in partnership with the Ossining School District, on helping your child manage anxiety and stress at school this Monday, 8/23 at 7 PM. This program will be presented in both English and Spanish. Click here to register.

On Tuesday, 8/24 at 7:30 PM, the Town Board will be opening a public hearing on a local law to opt out of on-site consumption cannabis lounges in the Unincorporated Town of Ossining. To view the draft local law, visit the Town website. On-site consumption lounges are one of the two uses municipalities can opt out of before the end of 2021. The other use is dispensaries. At this time, the Town Board is only considering opting out of on-site consumption lounges, which means by default, dispensaries will be allowed in the Unincorporated Town of Ossining in the future. This move is in line with the Village of Ossining, which yields some additional financial benefits for the Town; there is an opportunity for a revenue sharing agreement to be put in place for tax revenue from dispensaries in the Village of Ossining. We are still awaiting word regarding the Village of Briarcliff Manor’s plans. We look forward to hearing more from the community on this topic. If you cannot join us live, feel free to email the Board at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to share your input and stay tuned for more opportunities for public discussion on this issue.

Car Free Day is right around the corner - save the date (September 22) and make your plans now to go car-free or car-lite for your commute and other trips on Car Free Day. This year, the Town and Village of Ossining are collaborating with Green Ossining to make Car Free Day a true community event. Right now, we are looking for local businesses to participate too. If you are a local brick & mortar business that would like to use this opportunity to thank people for going car-free as an alternative means of their usual transportation, please fill out this Google form, let us know what you might like to offer (for example, $1 off any purchase of $10 or more; an apple; a stamp on a frequent customer card, etc. Be creative!), and we will provide a poster for you to hang in your business and add your establishment to our promotional efforts. Learn more about Car Free Day on 511 NYRideshare’s website.

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Westchester County is soliciting residents’ feedback on how the County’s American Rescue Plan Act funds should be used. Meetings will take place this Tuesday, 8/24 from 6-8 PM in New Rochelle and in Mount Kisco on September 13th from 6-8 PM. For more information, including instructions on attending remotely, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. (The Town will also be hosting similar public engagement sessions - stay tuned!)

The County is also seeking input from residents on its Hazard Mitigation Plan. A planning committee has recently been formed to address natural disasters that may occur in Westchester County and develop strategies to mitigate against losses. Public engagement sessions are being planned. In the meantime, click here to take a survey to help the County determine what sorts of activities it needs to undertake to reduce the risk of injury or property damage in the future.

The Village of Ossining is seeking input from residents and other interested parties as it pulls together this year’s New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant application. Click here to take a survey soliciting community input on the vision for Downtown Ossining. There will also be an opportunity to speak with staff during the Farmer’s Market on Saturday, 8/28 from 9-11 AM -- save the date! Downtown Ossining has been a finalist in previous years, and the grant amount ($10 million) would be a game-changer -- here’s hoping this is the year the Village brings it home!

Are you a Briarcliff Manor resident with input to share with the Briarcliff Police? The BMPD is putting together neighborhood working groups that will meet this fall to discuss issues of concern. If you would like to participate, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and/or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to indicate your interest and share your address so you can be added to the appropriate neighborhood group.

If you or someone you know is struggling with rent payments, assistance for those impacted by COVID-19 financial losses is still available. Renters and landlords who are not sure where to turn can use this new website from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which makes it easy to find rental assistance providers in our area. Be sure to share with others who may benefit from this assistance as well.

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There are also many local organizations, like Neighbors Link, assisting with the ERAP program. You can apply online, and please visit the Westchester County website or simply dial 211 for assistance.

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Bethany Arts Community will be featuring Performing Families with Inti Andino and Mariachi Sol Mixteco on Saturday, August 21 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Celebrate the bonds of music and dance with two family ensembles as they explore the connections between kinship, tradition and the arts. Bring your lawn chair or picnic blanket! This event is co-presented by ArtsWestchester and Bethany Arts Community and sponsored by Con Edison, Etain and New York State Council on the Arts.

Westchester County is conducting a Construction Jobs Career Fair on Wednesday, August 25th from 11-2pm at 123 Main Street in White Plains (the New York Power Authority Building). Those attending should bring their resume and be prepared to interview on the spot. Make sure to pre-register!

Looking for a way to earn community service credit? The Youth Event Planning Task Force is having weekly meetings until August 25. This is open to middle and high school students. Register on Community Pass.

youth event planning task force

This Thursday, August 26 from 4-6 PM, the Ossining Schools will be hosting a Community Kickoff party in anticipation of the start of school. The party will be on the lawn of Ossining High School and feature a school supplies giveaway, books, resources & activities for families! Join in the fun!

A reminder that the Town is still seeking community feedback on the latest draft of the Comprehensive Plan! Steering Committee members will be present at a variety of community events and locations using posters as an easy way to engage people in this conversation and to make sure people stay informed when the draft Comp Plan is released. If you see a Steering Committee member at an event or stationed at a local business with engagement posters, stop by, say hi and complete the activities! There will be boards up this week at Club Fit. Torview members, also keep your eyes peeled for these boards popping up as you arrive for your afternoon swim next week. We are looking forward to sharing the final result with the community, so stay tuned!

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Please remember that the gas powered leaf blower ban remains in effect in the Unincorporated Town of Ossining through September 30. Thank you to Green Ossining for preparing the summary below. An easy way to remember the guidelines for gas powered leaf blowers is that they are generally allowed during the spring clean-up season (which typically wraps by the end of May) and fall leaf season (which kicks into high gear in October). Thank you for your cooperation, and please share this information with your friends, neighbors, and landscapers. We have made this available for download in both English and Spanish as JPG and PDF files. Please help us spread the word! This information was mailed directly to all landscapers who are based in Ossining for their reference.

Save the date - Westchester County will be commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11 on Saturday, September 11 at 3:30 at the Kensico Dam, where the County will also unveil its memorial to first responders and those who died from 9/11-related illnesses. The event will also be streamed live on the County facebook page. The Ossining Fire Department will also be hosting its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Louis Engel Park, in partnership with Ossining and Briarcliff first responders, on Saturday, September 11 in the morning. We will share more specific details soon.

And mark your calendars for the end of summer fireworks here in Ossining, coming up on Friday, September 3! More details to come soon.

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Finally, Westchester County Office of Emergency Management and Con Edison have informed us that they are closely monitoring Hurricane Henri, which is currently in the western Atlantic. Its current trajectory will place the storm making landfall on the Northeast coast on Sunday. The most likely forecast scenario is that the storm will make landfall east of our area on Long Island and Rhode Island, causing less intense tropical storm conditions in our area. However, there is a chance that the storm could make landfall closer to New York City, which would bring more severe tropical storm conditions to Northern Westchester. I know this is not welcome news for those of us who had a sleepless night earlier this week monitoring the tornado warnings from Tropical Storm Fred! Please exercise caution and monitor the forecast for Henri over the weekend. Should the storm bring high winds, remember to not touch downed limbs or trees as they may contain electrified wires. Prepare for the storm by making sure all of your cell phones and devices are charged. If you lose power, report a service interruption online or by texting REG to 688243 and follow the prompts (you will need your account number and to confirm your zip code). You can also reach Con Edison by phone: 1-800-75-CONED. It is also a good idea to register for text messages and app notifications from Con Ed prior to the storm, so go grab your Con Ed account number now and text REG to 688243 to register for updates. Con Ed has put some new procedures in place since Tropical Storm Isaias in terms of getting more mutual aid boots on the ground assistance in place and ready, as well as more staging areas around the county to better distribute those resources should they be needed. We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more. I hope this is all just a good reminder of emergency preparedness, and we won’t actually need to employ any of these resources this weekend, but it is always good to be safe than sorry!

--Dana