Town Board Completes Environmental Review - 159 Rental Apartments To Come?

by Harriet Kline

(March 6, 2005) The Town of Mamaroneck Board took one giant step forward on Wednesday, March 2 in the process of evaluating whether to bring a new apartment building to the Washington Square neighborhood, although there are many more big steps remaining. Board members unanimously adopted a SEQR (New York State Environmental Quality Review) Finding Statement, outlining their response to a proposal by Forest City Daly to construct a multi-family residential and retail project on Madison Avenue.

The board vote does not necessarily constitute endorsement of the project by the Town. In fact, their findings differ from the Final Environmental Impact Statement presented by the developer and accepted by the board in January. (See: Town Accepts Forest City Daly Impact Statement.)

Town consultant, Harlan Sexton, briefly outlined the three-year process that has taken the board from its initial discussions with Forest City Daly. The developer’s initial DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) was published in 2003 and called for 186 apartments, all at full market value. Based on input from the community (open public working sessions and meetings, e-mails, telephone calls, and letters.), the Town Board rejected that proposal. In the second environmental impact statement (FEIS), the developer scaled down the proposed project to 162 apartments with 6 units designated as “work force housing” (meaning that rents will be subsidized to insure an economic mix of tenants). The Town SEQR finding statement adopted on Wednesday night calls for no more than 159 apartments with 9 units designated as “work force housing.”

In addition to decreasing the number of apartments, the Town’s findings call for: adding a traffic light at the I-95 ramp and Madison Avenue intersection; funding for the visual upgrading of the site; and construction of a parking deck – with new parking spaces for Washington Square area residents and shoppers. Residents of the proposed apartment building would be obliged to pay a parking fee in addition to their monthly rents to insure that they would not seek parking on the adjoining streets. It is anticipated that the three retailers currently on the site – the New York Sports Club and two adjacent stores - will remain.

Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe said that prior to the Forest City Daly proposal, the Town entertained the possibility of using the site for athletic fields (site too small), senior assisted housing and for storage businesses. All of these possibilities were rejected for one reason or another. She called the Forest City Daly project “a good proposal” that “reflects community standards.” Supervisor O’Keefe also said that since approval and publication of the FEIS in January 2005, the Board has received only one written communication regarding the proposal. That communication came from Village of Larchmont Mayor Ken Bialo. Supervisor O’Keeffe said the mayor’s comments have been incorporated into the SEQR review findings statement.

Councilwoman Nancy Seligson indicated that the environmental review process “has been long and arduous” and that it has included good community communication. Councilman Ernest Odierna thanked the “bright people in the community who contributed their input to the review process.”

Copies of the Town SEQR Findings Statement are available for perusal at the Town Clerk’s office, and will soon be on the website. Forest City Daly must now formally revise its zoning application. The Board will now refer the application to the Planning and Zoning Commissions where additional public hearings and discussion will take place.

Board Urges Continuation of Block Grants

The Town Board unanimously adopted a Westchester County resolution urging the continuation of federally sponsored Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). According to Supervisor O’Keeffe, the program is scheduled for elimination in the year 2006. She cited a number of local communities that have benefited from these grants over the years. In 2004 alone, Westchester County municipalities received $7 million. The grants enabled revitalization of entire neighborhoods in Port Chester and Peekskill, renovation of sidewalks and curbs in the Villages of Mamaroneck and Larchmont, and the sidewalk renovation in the Dillon Park area of the Town of Mamaroneck.

The next regularly scheduled meetings of the Town Board will take place on Wednesday March 16 and Wednesday March 30.