WHITE PLAINS: A proposal from the French-American School of New York (#FASNY) and a wrong headed Mayor Tom Roach to build a school in White Plains, approved last year, is headed back to court.
BAD COUNCIL REVIEW: The #GedneyAssociation, a group representing the historic #GedneyFarms neighborhood that has long opposed the project, filed an Article 78 lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court in White Plains, challenging the city’s review of the massive school proposal.
SHADY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS: In November, the White Plains Common Council voted 5-2 in favor of a resolution approving an unpopular site plan from FASNY to build a 640-student school for grades 6 through 12 on a parcel in the Gedney Farms neighborhood.
SLOPPY CITY COUNCIL: The Gedney Association’s 48-page court filing challenges that approval on a number of points. The complaint argues that the common council did not give the project the required “hard look” environmental review.
UNLAWFUL SEGMENTATION: It also states that one of the conditions of the approval, which placed a moratorium on further school development on the property’s other parcels, represents unlawful “segmentation” of the environmental review process for the property.
DANGEROUSLY TOO LARGE: The Gedney Association is represented by Long Island attorney Howard D. Avrutine. Its complaint calls FASNY’s application to the city an “absurdity” and an attempt to “stuff ten pounds of potatoes into a five pound bag.”
INJUNCTION NEEDED: The group asks the court to annul the common council’s approval of FASNY’s application and enjoin FASNY from taking any steps toward construction.
THREE SCHOOLS - ONE PARCEL The case represents just the latest lawsuit tied to the review of FASNY’s proposal. It was in 2011 that FASNY proposed a plan to consolidate its three Westchester campuses into one new gigantic facility in the Gedney neighborhood.
OFF THE TAX ROLLS: The project faced steady opposition from White Plains residents, led by the Gedney Association. The association represents about 450 households in the Gedney Farms neighborhood.
NOT TALKING: A spokesperson for White Plains Mayor Tom Roach's office told this reporter that he will not comment on pending litigation.
BREAKING THE LAW: The common council’s approval came with some additional stipulations, including a 15-year moratorium on any expansion of school facilities on three parcels of the property not used by the campus.
UNLAWFUL REVIEW: The lawsuit from the Gedney Association points to the moratorium agreement as evidence of an unlawful review process.
ROACH'S TRICKS: The complaint argues that Mayor #TomRoach and the common council “engaged in segmentation by failing to consider the cumulative effect of all potential stages of development” outside of the parcel FASNY is approved to build on.
FUTURE PROBLEMS: Since FASNY’s original plan was to consolidate all of its schools onto one campus, the complaint argues, “it can reasonably be expected that further applications to develop on the remaining parcels will be made.”
BAD ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: he lawsuit also argues the review did not give the required “hard look” to the traffic and environmental impact of FASNY’s revised plan.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1423894477869818/permalink/2066760273583232/
FLASHBACK >>>CONNECTING THE DOTS:: White Plains #PoliticalMoney Trail To A Major Real Estate Project
ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY: The City of #WhitePlains Common Council members have unresolved conflicts of interest connected to a multi-million dollar development project under active consideration
TAMMANY TOM: Mayor #TomRoach and Council president #JohnKirkpatrick have accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from interests connected with the French American School of New York (FASNY).
#FASNY actively pursues building a large school campus on the site of the former Ridgeway Country Club in the south end of White Plains. This requires city approvals.
In campaign contributions made this year and stretching back several years ago, Shady #TomRoach and #JohnKirkpatrick received approximately $5,000 in campaign contributions from entities with known connections to FASNY.
These include the law firm representing FASNY, a consulting company working on the building project and a public relations agency.
These contributions were unusual because they were first-time contributors and, in some instances, not even from White Plains entities,
And they coincided with the start of the FASNY matter before the Common Council. And we count only those where there is a known tie.
Meanwhile, Common Council member #JohnMartin had incomplete filings about corporate donations.
When the conflict is pointed out, the responses are to deny the contributor has connection to FASNY, suggesting contributions are not meant to influence the FASNY proposal and pointing out that contributions are disclosed.
However, simply disclosing a contribution does not eliminate any conflict of interest.
The connections and timing are issues.
FASNY pursues a lawsuit filed against the city in September 2015. An earlier FASNY building proposal that required a special permit did not garner the necessary super-majority in August 2015; Roach, Kirkpatrick and Martin voted in favor the project at that time.
The FASNY site is officially designated as "environmentally sensitive" though that designation is under threat from FASNY.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1423894477869818/permalink/2061988247393768/
LOOKING BACK: Comparing #JosephDelfino And Tom Roach
Many in #WhitePlains miss the great mayors who served homeowners so well in the past.
Unlike Mayor #TomRoach who has allowed White Plains to flounder with dollar stores and negativity effect taxpayers, there were great mayors like Joseph Delfino , who led a renaissance that transformed and energized the City and attracted both national and international recognition.
#MayorDelfino was always active in a variety of community and service organizations.
He was elected to the White Plains Common Council in 1979.
During his 10-year tenure he held a variety of leadership positions, including Council President. In 1989, he was elected to the #WestchesterCounty Board of Legislators representing White Plains, where he served on key committees and as Vice-Chairman of the Board.
After #JoeDelfino, became mayor in 1997, he has conceived and spearheaded the revitalization that attracted $3.8 billion in #PrivateDevelopment, creating a vibrant downtown with multiple new shopping and entertainment venues and thousands of new residential units.
This was when a "Billion Dollars Was A Billion Dollars"
#MayorDelfino established the City’s first Open-Space initiative which has led to the acquisition of 53 acres of open space and a new multi-use waterfront park on Silver Lake,
But today Mayor Tom Roach is pushing through the destruction of the #GoodCounsel Green Space for an April vote with out listing to homeowners and neighborhood associations.
More than physical enhancement of the city’s downtown, Mayor Delfino’s career has been distinguished by his encyclopedic knowledge of White Plains and his personal relations with thousands of residents.
But things are so very different now.....
The same residents that Thin Skinned Mayor Tom Roach seeks to silence by keeping "Citizens To Be Heard" and other programs off of public access TV in White Plains.
FIGHTING TO KEEP THE BEAUTIFUL GOOD COUNSEL PROPERTY FROM DEVELOPERS
TRYING TO BE HEARD: Two of the activists spoke at the last Citizens to Be Heard On March 5th, But Mayor Tom Roach Censors Their Comments And Will Not Allowed To Be Heard On Public Access TV..... LOL... Tom Roach Only Wants His Meeting On The Public Channel, Without Homeowner Comments
MARIA GALLAGHER: This landmark designation status discussion has been going on since November of 2015. The same month of that year the property was bought by George Comfort and Sons.
WHITE PLAINS: These developers have petitioned the city to re-zone the property to allow for a 14+ story, two tower, 400 rental complex, graduate school housing and an assisted living care facility (the property is presently zoned for three story structures).
The petition also called for the Chapel to be preserved and for the Historic Victorian building known as Mapleton to be "relocated" to make room for their proposed development.
All other buildings on site would be demolished.
George Comfort and Sons knew they were purchasing a property with 10 buildings designated on the National and State Registers of Historic Places in April of 1997, known as "The Good Counsel Historic Complex.”
Did Comfort and Sons not factor there may be some cost involved when certain buildings or the entire complex may be designated local landmarks?
Or did they assume that saving 2 out of 10 historic buildings was good enough for the City of White Plains?
White Plains homeowners find it very disappointing to think the developers could constantly push ahead and not take into consideration the historic value and significance this property and buildings have for our city.
The vote now goes before the Common Council for approval.
The Council can either take a vote, or not act upon the recommendation, in which case the recommendation by the Historic Preservation Commission would go into effect.
Westchester County and #NewYorkState Historic Commissions have also voiced their recommendation of local landmark status for this complex.
This designation could hamper the developers' desired proposal, since all future structures most keep in the character of the historic complex, and buildings cannot be demolished or changed without city agency approvals.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1423894477869818/permalink/2065629397029653/
Please Read....
JOURNAL NEWS: Good Counsel housing plan concerns neighbors
WHITE PLAINS - As the city prepares for an environmental review of the massive, mixed-use housing proposal at the former Good Counsel Academy, residents say they're concerned about the impact it could have on their neighborhood.
"It could run 1,000 cars a day through our neighborhood, which would be devastating," said Barbara Allen, president of the new Stewart/Ross Neighborhood Association, which was formed in response to the development proposal. "We'll never be able to get to or from our homes."
Plans submitted by WP Development NB, LLC, call for construction of two 10-story towers with 400 apartments, a 90- to 95-unit assisted living and memory care facility, and 70 dormitory-style suites for up to 120 people, to be rented to graduate students attending the nearby Pace University's Elisabeth Haub School of Law.
More than 650 parking spaces are included in the plan, distributed among ground level lots and a three-story garage. The 52 North Broadway property's iconic, sprawling, 3-acre front lawn would be preserved....
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/white-plains/2017/02/27/good-counsel-housing-white-plains/98248096/
WP HOMEOWNERS GET INVOLVED: Contact Your White Plains City Council Members And Tell Them You Have Had Enough Of Them Going Along With A Rubber Stamping Mayor Tom Roach's Failed Development Strategy
The City of White Plains Common Council:
Honorable Justin Brasch
Ph: 212-267-2500
jbrasch@whiteplainsny.gov
Honorable Nadine Hunt-Robinson
Ph: 914-315-7311
nhrobinson@whiteplainsny.gov
Honorable John Kirkpatrick
Ph: 914-997-2747
jkirkpatrick@whiteplainsny.gov
Honorable Dennis E. Krolian
Ph: 914-263-1020
dkrolian@whiteplainsny.gov
Honorable Milagros Lecuona
Ph: 914-406-0048
milagroslecuona@gmail.com
Honorable John M. Martin
Ph: 914-686-0239
jmartin@whiteplainsny.gov
The City of White Plains is governed by a Common Council which consists of the Mayor and six council members. The seven-member Common Council is the city’s legislative body. The Council's responsibilities include:
Adopting a budget
Appropriating monies
Enacting laws
Granting franchises
Selling or leasing properties
Approving Council appointments to boards and commissions and other appointments as required by law
Council members are elected at large and serve 4-year terms
https://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/index.aspx?nid=90
VIA: The White Plains Newswire (Brian Harrod Editor / Publisher)
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