Gedney Association Raises Funds to Study French School Proposal

About 125 people gathered at the Thursday to raise funds to help the Gedney Association hire experts to review the French-American School of New York’s (FASNY) to convert the former property, located in the Gedney Farms neighborhood, into a K-12 school. 

In addition to those who attended the neighborhood preservation association's gala, many who didn’t attend sent in donations—according to Gedney Association President Terence Guerriere.

“The fundraiser was well attended and we are very appreciative of the very generous contributions made by both residents of the neighborhood and other citizens from other parts of the city,” said Guerriere. “It truly highlights the city-wide support for protecting our neighborhoods and open space.”

Some White Plains residents, including the , have expressed against the project, citing that it would: diminish the city’s little remaining large open space parcels; exacerbate existing drainage and environmental issues on the property; overwhelm the area with traffic; reduce tax revenue to the City; lower surrounding property values; change the character of the neighborhood; among other complaints.

“Right now we are at the beginning of the process, and we’re not sure what the best use of the funds would be,” said Guerriere. “We’re going to need to augment the information and either review the work of other professionals, [and] or getting our own. We wanted to be ready and not have to scramble at the last minute, and be constricted by not having the funds available.”

Last month, FASNY to the City for review. The White Plains Common Council will have to approve the project with a special permit that would allow FASNY to run a school on site, which is currently not permitted under the 128-acre property's zoning code.

“If the Gedney Association chooses to fund its own studies, no matter how redundant—that is their prerogative,” said FASNY spokesperson Geoff Thompson.

The Gedney Association and other White Plains residents argue that FASNY’s proposal does not align with the White Plains Comprehensive Plan. FASNY of course refutes this, and says the plan calls for a low-density project.

The White Plains Common Council says that their study of the City’s land use regulations—in regards to properties in the R1-12.5 and R1-30 zoning districts listed as “Parks and Open Space” in the 1997 comprehensive plan—is not directed related to FASNY’s, or any specific proposal.

The area exempts property owned by the City and White Plains School District and includes: the former Ridgeway Country Club; Westchester Hills Golf Club, also in the Gedney Farms neighborhood; a portion of Fenway Golf Club in White Plains; Maplemoor Golf Course; and a portion of the Hutchinson River Parkway located in White Plains.

The common council declared on land use approvals in the affected areas in order to conduct its study.

 At their last meeting, they agreed to hire Silverberg Zalantis, LLP and VHB Engineering and borrow $363,600 to have the firms assist the City’s staff  “to bring these [the City’s land use] regulations into greater conformity with and to better implement the stated visions and strategies set forth in the 1997 Comprehensive Plan,” according to a City resolution.

Silverberg Zalantis would be hired for $49,599 to assist the City in: drafting legislation; develop, draft and review the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) as well as the final version (FGEIS); as well as draft finding and attend hearings.

According to a letter from Corporate Council/Chief of Staff John Callahan to the common council, the firm has extensive background in land use and environmental law. Steven Silverberg is the former Town Attorney that helped Mamaroneck draft zoning, upheld in the New York Court of Appeals.

VHB Engineering take up the bulk of the cost to oversee environmental documents, lead traffic engineering, as well as conduct environmental surveys and wetlands analyses. The principals of the firm, John Saccardi and David Schiff, have extensive planning and traffic engineering expertise and are former from Saccardi and Schiff.

Guerriere said that the Gedney Farms Association will be following the City’s study, since two very large parcels affected by the study are in the Gedney Farms neighborhood, and that they will be reviewing all of the City’s findings.

“FASNY and the City of White Plains are at the beginning of the environmental review process that will be conducted under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA)," said Thompson. "This review is designed and intended to provide that the all aspects of the environmental impact of the project are thoroughly and openly reviewed. We look forward to this process. This review will involve extensive study by highly qualified consultants for both the City of White Plains and FASNY that we have full confidence will provide a detailed, well-researched and fair evaluation.”

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