A complicated issue was voted on by the Greenburgh Town Board two months ago. Town Supervisor Paul Feiner proposed to allow those closed gas stations only 6 months to apply for a permit to continue to operate sometime in the future. After those 6 months, if they don't apply for a special permit, they will be permanently closed. The proposal was passed and now the clock is ticking.
According to Edgemont Community Council President Bob Bernstein,
"the proposal has ... been criticized as extremely business unfriendly. Not only must the other stations pay the Town a $1500 special permit fee, but they must also pay a $250 legal fee, $150 for an environmental clearance form, $200 for a public hearing notice, $200 for a public hearing transcript, $100 for wetlands clearance form, and then because these owners probably don't know who to send public notices to, they will probably go to the assessors office and spend $50 to buy the abutters' notice packages notice. On top of all this, the Town charges $25 per parking space. But that is the least of it.
In order to obtain a special permit, each gas station will also have to install sidewalks, create landscaping and ensure that there are no adverse impacts from traffic. These requirements are likely to cost gas stations along Central Avenue tens of thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses for construction and consultant fees, including fees for architects, engineers, and landscapers. In addition, because some of these gas stations will require not only the installation of sidewalks, but the placement of curb cuts along a state road, they will have to hire surveyors and get DOT permits."
The only gas station that is applying to reopen is the one on the corner of Old Army Road. The others will remain unopened. They will remain eyesores and bring no much needed tax revenue to the town. But it seems the Town Board does not care.
if the town won't let the stations open as gas stations, who gets rid of the oil tanks undergrount? The town or the landlord ?
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