City Extends Ban on Land Use Approvals

White Plains will continue its ban on land use approvals for certain parcels through May 17, 2012, to the pleasure and dismay of those who attended Monday’s White Plains Common Council meeting. 

Originally set to expire on Oct. 17, the council voted to extend the moratorium that affects non-city or school district owned parcels in the R1-12.5 and R1-30 zoning districts listed as parkland in the City’s comprehensive plan.

The City decided to impose the moratorium to study the comprehensive plan, zoning, environmental and other land use regulations, and make necessary upgrades. , the White Plains Common Council voted to bond $363,600 to hire two firms to assist the City with its study.

“We are talking about changes in the City’s municipal code, changes on zoning ordinances and zoning maps, and changes in the comprehensive plan,” said Councilwoman Milagros Lecuona, at the meeting.

“These are major changes, and we need to have enough time to make sure whose changes are the best for the city of White Plains.”

As a result of the study, the City is proposing to create an Open Space Recreation District (OSRED) and implement amendments to its current zoning, land use and environmental regulations. The City also approved the final scoping document for the draft environmental impact statement for the OSRED and its related amendments at Monday’s meeting.

Click here for a background story on the moratorium, and here for a background on the OSRED.

Representatives from Westchester Hills Golf Club and the French-American School of New York (FASNY) were opposed to the moratorium and its extension, as their properties are among the affected parcels. If the OSRED and related land use amendments were adopted, the City would require stricter buffers between buildings and homes, and allow development on only 5 percent of open-space parcels.

“Westchester Hills respectfully submits that the moratorium is unnecessary, and does not need to be extended, therefore Westchester Hills is opposed to the extension for reasons in my letter,” said Seth Mandelbaum, an attorney for McCullough, Goldberger & Staudt representing Westchester Hills Golf Club.

McNulty said that no emergency or crisis situation existed to warrant a moratorium. Click on the attached PDF to read his letter.

FASNY’s attorney Michael Zarin said the moratorium unfairly targets certain properties, and could negatively impact and delay the school’s application for a special permit to run a school at the former Ridgeway Country Club. FASNY’s site plan does not currently comply with the OSRED and its related amendments, as is.

“This is not a knee-jerk reaction to an application,” said resident Bob Stackpole, a member of the White Plains Planning Board.

Stackpole said that the City has enacted moratoriums in the past, and that new thorough environmental studies are necessary to assess affects of storm water in the Mamaroneck and Sheldrake rivers and its watercourses.

“One of the reasons this is an important action is because the City of White Plains has not kept pace with change in environmental regulations since early 1982-83 on the Mamaroneck and Sheldrake rivers and its effects on the Long Island Sound,” said Stackpole at the meeting.

Dr. Julius Berger, a Ridgeway resident, said the moratorium should be even longer.

Council President Benjamin Boykin explained that the moratorium would not delay any applications from going through the approval process, that it would only prevent final approvals from being issued while the moratorium is enacted. 

Like us on  Facebook  (facebook.com/WhitePlainsPatch) and follow us on  Twitter (twitter.com/WhtPlainsPatch)