A Guest Column by Jann Mirchandani, submitted to Yorktown News

This week, Cait Conley, Candidate for Congressional District 17, and I hosted a community discussion about Yorktown’s infrastructure and housing challenges. What became clear is that our town is stuck in a costly cycle of crisis management when we should be investing in proactive solutions.

The Real Cost of Waiting

Take our sewer issues. We’ve been talking about this problem for decades. Money was allocated years ago, but no action was taken. Now costs have skyrocketed, and we’re still talking. Research shows that every dollar spent on preventive maintenance saves five dollars later—yet we continue to defer essential upgrades until they become emergencies.

Meanwhile, our current leadership celebrates paving the high school commuter parking lot as a major “infrastructure improvement” and “beautifying our parks.” While maintaining parking lots is certainly necessary, calling routine pavement repair a significant infrastructure achievement highlights exactly what’s wrong with our approach. When parking lot repaving gets social media posts with exclamation points, but our sewer system gets years of inaction, our priorities are clearly misaligned.

This reactive approach isn’t just inefficient; it’s expensive. According to a study completed by Utah State University in December 2023, every water main break costs us approximately $10,000 in emergency repairs when you factor in labor, materials, traffic management, and emergency response. And with utility rate hikes looming—NYSEG is seeking 35% increases for delivery rates starting in 2026—the fact that we’re not investing in renewable energy sources for our municipal buildings is particularly short-sighted.

Other communities are doing better. Croton-on-Hudson partnered with Columbia University and private developers to install a solar canopy at their train station—at no cost to taxpayers. The village now receives annual lease payments totalling $500,000 a year, while residents can subscribe to community solar and save on their electric bills.

Housing: The Hidden Infrastructure Crisis

With average home prices in Westchester at $833,161 and over 41% of households paying more than half their income on housing, we’re facing a workforce crisis. Our teachers, police officers, and nurses can’t afford to live here. This isn’t just a housing problem—it’s an economic development problem.

Federal programs like Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and HUD grants can help private developers build affordable housing locally without requiring large municipal investments. But accessing these programs requires proactive planning and coordination.

Our current leadership’s response to the housing crisis has been to approve high-density developments under the banner of addressing housing costs. But when these projects—like the proposed Navajo Fields development in a wetland area—include no affordability requirements whatsoever, they’re not solving the problem for working families.

Building luxury units in environmentally sensitive areas doesn’t make housing more affordable—it just makes developers richer while potentially damaging our natural resources and exacerbating flooding concerns.

What Yorktown Needs Now

We need leaders who understand that investing in infrastructure isn’t just about fixing what’s broken—it’s about building systems that work for the future. We need to:

• Pursue federal resilience grants for proactive infrastructure upgrades
• Coordinate with Westchester County on regional solutions like our sewer system
• Leverage programs that help developers build housing that is affordable at a variety of price points
• Implement community solar projects that benefit renters and homeowners alike

Time to Lead

Ten years is a significant tenure in local government—long enough to implement meaningful change, complete major projects, and move a community forward. Instead, Yorktown has been stuck in crisis management mode, celebrating parking lot repairs while real infrastructure challenges go unaddressed.

The question isn’t whether we can afford to invest in our infrastructure and housing—it’s whether we can afford not to.

After reading about the Triangle Shopping Center renovation and watching the accompanying Facebook video, I believe residents deserve a more complete picture of what this project actually delivers for our community – and what critical opportunities it misses.

While the $10 million investment in facade updates addresses long-overdue maintenance needs, let’s be honest about what we’re getting: this is cosmetic renovation, not the transformative “investment in Yorktown” that was repeatedly emphasized.

Most notably absent from the celebration was any mention of the locally-owned businesses that continue to serve our community throughout this construction period. For elected officials who frequently champion being “pro-business,” this oversight speaks volumes. These local entrepreneurs deserve recognition and support, not to be overlooked in favor of discussions about attracting national chain retailers.

Property Values vs. Community Character

Supervisor Lachterman’s claim that this shopping development helps property values deserves scrutiny. When we focus on attracting big box stores and national chains, we’re essentially subsidizing regional shoppers who use our roads and infrastructure – which Yorktown taxpayers maintain – while the sales tax revenue gets distributed across all Westchester municipalities. We bear the costs while sharing the benefits.

I don’t share the Board’s enthusiasm for creating what Councilman Murphy calls making “Yorktown a destination.” The kind of destination being celebrated here changes our community’s character in ways that may not benefit residents. Do we want to be the next strip mall town, or do we want to be a place where people choose to live and build their lives?

Councilman Esposito’s excitement about attracting national retailers is particularly striking given his 2021 campaign, when he specifically decried “The Amazon Effect” on local businesses.

What’s Missing from This “Investment”

The project plans reveal what’s absent from this renovation: no solar panels despite our stated commitment to sustainability, no electric vehicle charging stations for our evolving transportation needs, and no community gathering spaces – benches, pocket parks, or other elements that would create genuine neighborhood character rather than just another strip mall.

Most tellingly, there are no meaningful improvements to create the “walkable town” this Board regularly champions. The press release proudly notes that Triangle Shopping Center “is within walking distance of the Yorktown Green center—about 12 minutes, according to Apple Maps.” But if you’ve actually tried to walk between these locations, you know the sidewalks along that route are in desperate need of repair and refurbishment. Measuring walking distance on Apple Maps is meaningless if residents can’t safely navigate deteriorating sidewalks.

Real Investment vs. Private Property Improvements

Let’s be clear about what’s actually happening here: this is not a “$10 million investment in Yorktown” as it’s being celebrated. This is a $10 million investment in much-needed improvements to private property that will primarily benefit the owner through increased rents from the national chain retailers they’re courting (and they only need to apply for a 10-year tax exemption on the improved value of the property to receive it). Meanwhile, our community gets the traffic, infrastructure wear, and regional shoppers while the property owner reaps the financial rewards.

Real community investment would mean putting resources into ourselves – supporting local businesses that keep money circulating in our community, creating gathering spaces where neighbors connect, and building infrastructure that serves residents, not just consumers. I want to see Yorktown attract young families and seniors who can downsize while staying near friends and family, not just become a pit stop for regional shoppers.

As a candidate for Yorktown Supervisor, I believe we can and must think bigger about our community’s future. We deserve leadership that creates a genuine vision for Yorktown as a place where people want to build their lives, not just a destination where people shop and leave.

Sincerely,
Jann Mirchandani
Candidate for Yorktown Supervisor

Here is a follow-up on my remarks at the Public Hearing on adding the Navajo Fields project to the Overlay District. Ed tried to respond to my concerns about the Navajo Fields project, but he dodged the tough questions and used misleading talking points. The facts matter, and Yorktown residents deserve straight answers about irresponsible development and our infrastructure capacity.

Watch as I break down his response and set the record straight. We need leaders who will be honest about the challenges our town faces, not ones who deflect and dodge accountability.

It’s time for new leadership that puts residents first.

#YorktownNY #NavajoFields #Infrastructure #Leadership #Accountability #YorktownSupervisor #LocalPolitics #BreakUpWithTheBoard #JannCan

Development and infrastructure should move like oars on a rowboat—pulling together in rhythm to move forward efficiently. But in Yorktown, we’re witnessing a concerning pattern where development outpaces infrastructure, leaving us veering off course.

As high-density housing projects advance across our town, we’re seeing a troubling disconnect between growth and the foundational services that support it. When we approve developments before confirming infrastructure capacity, we’re left with unsuitable projects—projects that may look viable on paper but can’t actually support what is promised. This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about public safety, quality of life, and responsible planning.

Safety Services Stretched Thin

Our volunteer fire departments and ambulance corps have served Yorktown admirably for decades, but have we conducted a comprehensive assessment of how multiple high-density developments will impact their capacity? These dedicated volunteers already respond to emergencies across our growing community. Adding hundreds of new residents without ensuring adequate emergency response capabilities puts everyone at risk.

Volunteer services work when call volumes are predictable and manageable. But rapid residential growth without corresponding infrastructure investment, including capacity, equipment, and training, creates dangerous gaps in our safety net.

Transportation: The Cart Before the Horse

The Underhill Farms development exemplifies this backwards approach. Dense housing construction is proceeding before the road improvements needed to handle increased traffic are in place. Residents in these new units will be moving in while the work necessary to address traffic concerns has yet to be started, with changes still being discussed.

This creates immediate problems for new residents and existing neighbors alike—longer commutes, safety concerns, and frustrated drivers navigating inadequate roadways.

The Sewer Mirage

Perhaps most concerning is the Navajo Fields situation, where promises of sewer infrastructure are being used to justify development before the necessary approvals are obtained. The Town Board is being asked to vote on adding this project to the overlay district—essentially changing zoning rules for this specific development—before the county has determined whether the promised sewers can even be built.

County sewer decisions must consider the cumulative impact across multiple municipalities, including development pressures in Somers, Cortlandt, and Peekskill. Yorktown cannot make land use decisions based on infrastructure that may never materialize.

A Pattern of Poor Planning

These examples reveal a troubling pattern: development decisions are being made before the infrastructure needed to support them is secured. It’s like installing plumbing after the walls are already up—technically possible, but unnecessarily disruptive and expensive for everyone involved.

Responsible growth requires coordination. Development and infrastructure must advance together, each enabling the other in a carefully choreographed process that protects both current residents and newcomers.

The Path Forward

Yorktown needs to establish clear infrastructure benchmarks before approving high-density projects. This means:

• Comprehensive emergency services capacity studies before major residential approvals
• Transportation impact assessments with required improvements completed before occupancy
• Firm infrastructure commitments from county and state agencies before zoning changes
• Public transparency about the true costs and timeline of supporting development

Growth isn’t inherently bad, but unplanned growth is irresponsible. Our residents deserve development that enhances our community rather than straining it.

The question before us is simple: Will we continue letting development lead while infrastructure follows breathlessly behind, or will we insist they move forward together, as true partners in building Yorktown’s future?

My comments – unedited – from Tuesday’s Public Hearing on the Navajo Fields project.

#yorktownNY#breakupwiththeboard

Guest Opinion by Jann Mirchandani
Note: the following guest article was printed in the Yorktown News, May 20, 2025

Tax Exemptions and Their Impact

As I outlined in my January Letter to the Editor, Yorktown’s current Business Improvement Exemption Law (485-b) grants overly broad tax breaks to commercial developers without guiding growth toward community benefits. Since then, the Town Board’s own report showed that developers have “saved” $352,304 in town taxes from just nine projects, savings that ultimately fall on residents to make up. When school taxes are included, taxpayers are covering more than $1.5 million in lost revenue from these projects alone.

Unlike neighboring communities that evaluate proposals case-by-case, Yorktown’s automatic tax breaks ignore that market forces—not tax incentives—primarily drive development decisions. Major retailers choose locations based on traffic patterns, population density, and transportation access.

A Fragmented Approach to Growth

Yorktown’s development challenges extend beyond tax policy. We implement tools like tax incentives and overlay districts inconsistently and without a unified vision. These should work together as part of a comprehensive strategy. Instead, we grant financial incentives automatically while making overlay district decisions reactively, creating an incoherent development landscape.

Overlay districts, which add regulations or incentives on top of existing zoning, should guide development toward community goals. Instead, Yorktown implements them on a case-by-case basis. Projects like the boutique hotel and Underhill Farms were added after the districts were established, with Navajo Fields potentially joining that list. This reactive approach enables projects that increase sprawl rather than containing it.

Both our tax exemption policy and overlay district implementation represent missed opportunities to strategically guide development that strengthens our community and protects our tax base.

Environmental Impacts

Our current approach also carries significant environmental consequences. The Regional Plan Association’s April 2025 report notes that “households in suburban Westchester produce twice the greenhouse gas emissions of New York City because sprawling land use patterns require residents to drive.” The report points out that Westchester has lost around 14,300 acres of forest land since 2001, with 90% lost to sprawl.

The inconsistency in our development approach is perfectly illustrated in the current discussions about removing sidewalks from the Underhill Farms project. Though not yet approved, eliminating pedestrian infrastructure undermines the very purpose of the overlay district, which was to create walkable spaces. Removing sidewalks would force residents into cars for even short trips, increasing emissions and congestion.

Preserving Yorktown’s Character

These challenges threaten what makes Yorktown special—our green spaces, woodlands, and residential neighborhoods that draw families here. Smart development can respect both fiscal needs and community values by concentrating mixed-use projects near existing infrastructure.

A Path Forward

Yorktown needs a clear plan connecting tax breaks and zoning rules. We should review exemption requests based on community benefit instead of granting them automatically and develop an overall plan for overlay districts instead of adding projects one by one. We must look beyond short-term tax gains to consider long-term infrastructure costs while encouraging development that strengthens our tax base without burdening homeowners.

The real choice isn’t between development and preservation—it’s between our current patchwork approach and thoughtful growth that strengthens Yorktown while protecting what makes our town special.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jann Mirchandani, candidate for Yorktown Supervisor, in next Tuesday’s special election has received key endorsements. Despite the tightened time frame of this election, Mirchandani has secured endorsements from important unions, key Yorktown residents, and significant regional organizations, including: the Westchester Putnam Central Labor Body (WPCLB), SWAC PAC, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Eleanor’s Legacy and Women Democrats of Westchester.

Alice Roker, said: “As a former Town Clerk, Town Councilwoman and Town Supervisor, I have deep experience in Yorktown’s local government and a long history of community leadership. I know firsthand the challenges the town faces and the steady, principled approach needed to address them. That is why I am proud to endorse Jann Mirchandani for Town Supervisor.

Jann has the qualifications and vision to move Yorktown forward. Her decades of experience in finance, business ownership, and community involvement make her the right choice to lead our town. Equally important, Jann will bring much-needed diverse perspectives and inclusive decision-making to the Town Board. I urge all Yorktown residents to join me in supporting Jann Mirchandani for Town Supervisor in the special election on April 16th.”

Jann Mirchandani said: “I am proud to have been endorsed by Alice Roker who has such respect here in Yorktown and knows what it takes to be successful as a Supervisor. And the support of labor through SWAC PAC and the WPCLB means a lot; this country can only thrive with a strong middle class which Unions help to protect.”

Mirchandani added, “the Sierra Club rarely endorses in local elections and their support means a lot. After record flooding last summer and years of overdevelopment, the environment is on the ballot.”

Early voting has started and will run through Sunday, April 14th. Election day is Tuesday, April 16th.

Watch the recent Supervisor debate here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Yorktown Supervisor candidate, Jann Mirchandani, says she is focusing on the issues important to Yorktown residents while fielding questions from volunteers about missing campaign signs and banners that appear to be vandalized.

Mirchandani has photographs of her campaign sign being removed from her backyard by the Town’s code enforcement officer, who reports to the Deputy Supervisor. The sign was later retrieved – along with 5 additional signs – by using a GPS tracking device. A police report has been filed.

“I continue to talk about my plan for using the $22 million in excess fund balance to invest in needed infrastructure projects, redeveloping vacant and blighted buildings, transitioning the town to cleaner energy sources, and strengthening the local ethics law,” says Mirchandani. “Those are the things that matter to the taxpayers.”

Mirchandani got the idea to use a tracking device for her signs from the story of Town of Fishkill Councilman John Forman. Forman was the Republican candidate for town supervisor in 2023 and had been charged after collecting 30 signs that opposed his campaign. One of the signs was equipped with a tracking device. 

“I will stay focused on the issues and leave the politics as usual to the politicians.”

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Note: the following letter was submitted to Yorktown News/Halston Media and The Examiner

Dear Editor,

As the Democratic candidate for Yorktown Town Supervisor, I feel compelled to respond to the deeply troubling statements made by my opponent, Councilman Ed Lachterman, regarding campaign donations, ethics in local government, and public discourse more broadly.

In our recent debate, Councilman Lachterman defended accepting campaign contributions from individuals and businesses that have issues pending before the Town Board on which he serves. He went so far as to frame these questions as an attack on the First Amendment rights of free speech. He has also previously called out a Yorktown resident as being “un-American” for questioning campaign donations.

Questioning the donor/decision-maker relationship is a civic responsibility, not an “un-American” affront to free speech as the Councilman has claimed.

Mr. Lachterman’s use of such language and complaints of “weaponizing” the process of raising legitimate concerns is a blatant attempt to shut down opposing points of view and delegitimize debate.

Yorktown is facing issues that require open, honest, and robust debate; balancing the need to increase and diversify our housing stock with preserving green space, transitioning to cleaner energy while keeping taxes down, and encouraging redevelopment of vacant storefronts and blighted buildings.

Effective leadership requires inviting opposing points of view, not shutting them down.

Jann Mirchandani
Democratic Candidate, Yorktown Town Supervisor

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The debate was held March 28th at the Yorktown Stage. Video was edited for sound quality only. All questions and answers appear in their entirety.