Politics & Government

Briarcliff Officials May Take Ossining to Court Over Annexation Bid

For Briarcliff Manor to accomplish its long-term goal to annex two Ossining election districts and cut other ties with the town, becoming instead its own town, a court case may be the next step. 

Because Ossining town officials don't agree with Briarcliff that their annexation of two Ossining election districts—the 1720 plan—would be in the town's best interests, Briarcliff would have to go to the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court. 

The Briarcliff trustees favor an appeal but no firm decision has been made, Village Manager Philip Zegarelli told lohud.com. 

Ossining town now consists of two villages (Briarcliff and Ossining) and an unincorporated portion, known as the town-outside. 

As Zegarelli told The Journal News, some town-outside residents already have Briarcliff mailing addresses, and some don't like being in Ossining. 

Some town-outside residents tried in the 1990s to secede from Ossining and create their own village, to be called Briar Hills. At that time the Briarcliff Manor board took a neutral stand. 

Districts 17 and 20, with its large commercial strip along North State Road and all the playing fields in Ryder Park, would help Briarcliff with taxes and recreational needs.

A petition from some residents of those districts was filed with Briarcliff in October, 2013, after two years of planning with the village. 


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