THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL GET LETTERS LOTS AND LOTS OF LETTERS

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. From The Gedney Association September 7, 2016:

The Gedney Association has shared a sampling of letters questioning why the city is considering settling the FASNY lawsuit tonight

Dear Representatives of the People of White Plains,

Wondering why there has been such a faux pas made on your part  not to notify your constituents in an timely and fair manner of the above cited meeting…
I respectfully and firmly request that you postpone your vote on this action in order to give your White Plains constituents enough time to review and challenge the ongoing threat to their community from FASNY.

As you all know, the citizens of the city of White Plains are notified by the mayor of any changes to our garbage/recycling pick up due to holiday or storm. This is done in a timely fashion in order to keep us informed.

No such courtesy of keeping us, your constituents, informed has been extended to us, the citizens of White Plains, about this important meeting tonight to vote on this incredibly inappropriate project.

No notification until the last minute about a crucial meeting is also inappropriate and unfair to your constituents. The decisions made at this meeting will impact hundreds of White Plains families, their livelihood and the living conditions for their families for many many years, no, more accurately, indefinitely.
Many people from FASNY who will not be personally impacted by this inappropriate development obviously have known, in advance, that this meeting would address this issue and vote. They will be prepared. What about your neighbors and fellow White Plains taxpayers? Not so much… This might be called an unfair advantage.

I truly question how you, my representatives, in good conscience, can proceed with this meeting.

My other question to you, my representatives, is who are you supporting and protecting during this never ending nightmare?   If you, in good conscience, can enumerate a strong list of positive benefits that would out weigh the multiple negative effects of this inappropriate project, please let us, your constituents,  know what they are. We can find no redeeming features at all.  Not one…

Most sincerely,
Your constituent,
Joanne T. Dunphy

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Settlement?

Dear friends:
(Briefly, because your inboxes must be inundated – though with good reason.)
I am at a loss to understand:
1 – How the City is ready to give up on a case it could have won.
2 – How the small vocal pro-FASNY minority had advance knowledge.
3 – How this was kept from the public until just a few days ago.
4 – How you are now entertaining a plan in many ways worse.
5 – How you can believe that they will stop at 650, and not add the rest later.
        And I still don’t understand:
6 – How any one of you believes that this project would benefit the City.

My take-away lesson – and I’m not a lawyer, but this must be in a first-year law-school class – is that in any litigation there should be one attorney on each side, not both on one side.  From where the public sits, it would appear that, to put it politely, the City has not been well served by its corporation counsel.
I hope that in this hasty vote and in the proceedings which inevitably follow, at least one more member of the Council will come to his or her senses and represent the interests of the citizens of White Plains.
Paul Schwarz

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To the Mayor and Common Council

Please tell us that the article in White Plains Patch quoting a Gedney resident: David Kohl? Who he? — I’ve lived in Gedney farms for 13 years and never heard of him prior to his efforts as a paid media consultant for FASNY or met him at any community function — was just an inflammatory  PR ploy and speculation.
What is white Plains Neighbors ACT if not an active  publicity arm created for FASNY? It was formed in Dec 2015 by FASNY to advocate for them; it does NOT REPRESENT this community! Just Google it for the true picture!
,
Nothing has changed about the situation that led to a defeat to the plan to close an important thoroughfare and destroy a neighborhood — the street is still a main artery, the property is still heavily wetland, the greater Gedney, North Ave, Havilands, Highlands, Hillair Circle, Carhart, community is opposed.  A slightly smaller FASNY doesn’t mitigate any of these issues!

You are our elected representatives. JUST SAY NO!

Elaine Taylor Gordon

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What a Tangled Web…

To the mayor and council:

We are at a loss to understand your lack of transparency regarding the “Stipulation of Settlement” and what appears to be our city government caving to intimidation while totally ignoring so many of the long time residents/taxpayers of White Plains and working behind our backs with a small but obviously influential pro-FASNY minority.

Those of you supporting the “Stipulation of Settlement” are the city’s own worst enemies.

You had a winning case and now it appears some of you are betraying those of us you were elected to represent.

The situation is a disgrace and the way in which it was done is totally distasteful.

At the very least please have the decency to table any vote on this so-called “Stipulation of Settlement” due to inadequate notice to the majority of the public whom you were elected to serve.

Frances & George Jones

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Dear Mayor Roach and members of the White Plains Common Council,

Over this holiday weekend I received word that on the Tuesday following Labor Day the Common Council will consider a proposal made by the French American School of New York to stipulate to discontinue, without prejudice, its lawsuit against the City of White Plains. According to published sources, the proposed stipulation was provided to members of the Common Council on Thursday evening, September 1, 2016.

I urge you to table any vote that might come before the Common Council on this matter on September 6th.

The residents of White Plains elected you to serve the City.The City of White Plains gains nothing by rushing this proposal to vote on such short notice. There is something rotten in the City of White Plains when a vote related to a development project that could affect thousands of White Plains resident gets placed on the agenda for a meeting of the Common Council with only one business day’s notice to the constituents you were elected to serve.

The appearance of impropriety is staggering.

Claudia G. Jaffe, Esq.

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Dear Mayor Roach and Members of the Common Council,

We are writing to each of you about the proposed Stipulation of Settlement with The French American School of New York.

We find it hard to understand that after more than 5 years of evaluating this proposal, much of it with public discussion and input you would hold this most important meeting tonight without ample time for the public to comment.

The entire SEQRA process is predicated on comments from the public.

Please allow time for public input by the people who would be most affected by this project and who should be able to review the Stipulation in a more through manner.

Residents should be afforded the same courtesy FASNY was clearly afforded.

Thank you.
Garry & Donna Klein

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Dear Mayor Roach and Members of the Common Council,

We are writing to each of you about the proposed Stipulation of Settlement with The French American School of New York.

We have learned that you will vote on this proposal tonight at the monthly Council meeting. This time frame does not give the public adequate time to review the proposal, as well as prepare remarks although FASNY has had more time to do so.

Each of you was voted into office with the presumption that you would work on behalf of White Plains residents.

By not supporting the residents of the City you are violating your oath of office.

Please allow time for public input by the people who would be most affected by this project and who should be able to review the Stipulation in more than a perfunctory manner.

Residents should be afforded the same courtesy FASNY was clearly afforded.

Midge and Richard Sanchez

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Dear Mayor Roach and members of the Common Council-
Once again, we are faced with yet another ridiculous plan by FASNY to undermine the quality of life of the people of this city. Their attempts to shove their plans for the Ridgeway Country Club  site before our city government indicate their complete disregard for the laws of and concerns for the citizens of this city who elected you to serve our best interests and safety. Please vote against any
New plans for their use of the site for their school campus.
Be assured, we the citizens of White Plains and residents of the south end of the city will not stand idly by if Fasny attempts to undermine the quality of our neighborhood because you failed to act in our interest.

Laurie Kimmelstiel

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Dear Mayor Roach and members of the White Plains Common Council,
I am disappointed that once again you are planning to vote on a critical step on this longstanding issue announced at the last minute over a Labor Day Weekend.
This matter is a major step, which seems to your constituents like an agreement that isn’t supported by the facts in the case.
1.There is a high likelihood that the City will prevail in the lawsuit. Why settle now?
2.There is no justification for declaring the parcel they want to build on not environmentally sensitive. In fact, there are indications that they have covered up wetlands on that parcel.
3.There is no justification for agreeing to address and complete voting on their “new proposal” next year. They took a number of years to complete their part of the process on their last proposal, and they still, in my opinion, did not complete the required work to support their plan. The process should proceed at the pace demanded by the required process and the facts, not based on some unsupported agreement before the process has even begun.
At a minimum, this proposal should be tabled tomorrow so that it can be studied thoroughly before you act on it. Fairness to the City and your constituents demands this step.
Albert Dold

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To the Mayor and Common Council:

POSTPONE ANY action on the FASNY agenda item. It is the least you can do, as elected officials and representatives of the residents of White Plains, after springing this on the public 
ONE day before the Labor Day weekend.

It is a disgrace for the mayor and his staff to be negotiating all summer behind closed doors with the litigating party and then picking the worst possible time – the Labor Day weekend – to announce it and bring it before the Common Council and the public.

Where is the open government and transparency promised to the residents and voters at election time?

Carry Kyzivat

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WHY SETTLE?

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. SEPTEMBER 6, 2016:

Dear Mayor and Common Council,
 
If FASNY wants to drop their lawsuit and submit a another revised development plan. . .FASNY should just do it.
And both can be done at the same time with minimum cost to the City with the legal brief having already being filed with the Appellate Court, where apparently there is already a considerable backlog in hearing cases.
And doing both at the same time forces FASNY to come up with a realistic and workable plan for their property. . .which FASNY has never been able to do for the past 5 years or so.
 
Let’s review why the FASNY review process has dragged on for more than 5 years:
→  FASNY purchased the wrong property for their planned massive development.  Then compounded their own problem by not doing enough due diligence on the old golf course property.  And ever since FASNY has been trying to force feed a massive development into the middle of a residential area where it doesn’t fit with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Zoning and neighborhood Character.
→  The City wasn’t responsible for delaying the approval process as FASNY claimed in its lawsuit. . .FASNY never presented a realistic and workable plan for the property.  Each of the multiple plan submissions by FASNY had the common theme of being misleading, inaccurate and incomplete.  Not a good report card on FASNY’s ability to present a good project development plan to the City.
→  For some reason the City Staff appeared to be intimidated and out-maneuvered by the FASNY lawyers every step of the way to the extent that Staff was incapable or uninterested in asking the right questions and thoroughly investigating each of FASNY’s plan submissions.  Not a good report card on the City Staff’s ability or interest in asking the right questions of FASNY. . .or being able to thoroughly evaluate a revised FASNY plan submission.  
→  Your own White Plains residents were left with the task of uncovering the flaws and inadequacies in each of FASNY’s incomplete plan submissions and City Staff inadequate reviews.  On all of the major problem issues in FASNY’s submissions such as massive Traffic, the Closure of Hathaway Lane, the North Street Entrance. 10-year Construction, Water, Environmentally Sensitive Wetlands, Zoning, the Dumping of Pesticides in the Conservancy, etc. and etc. . .
— it was left to residents to clean up FASNY’s and the City Staff’s lack of thorough due diligence.  This work was never the intended responsibility of residents. . .however to protect the City and residents’ own personal property values. . .residents had to step in and try to fix the mess left by FASNY and the City Staff.
The challenge for FASNY or any other future developer of the old golf course property is that it is not 130 acres of contiguous space.  The property consists of 4 separate parcels of land each surrounded by City streets. . .and way back 100 years or so when the original golf course was built it was constructed  by piling on dirt and creating underground streams.
So there are existing Water issues today and more will come up with any planned building foundations. . .and the old golf course’s steep slopes and wetlands also create challenges for any future development.  All of these unique elements were recognized in the City’s Comprehensive Plan which recommended that. . .if the golf course went out of business that residential housing would be the preferred alternative.
We understand that FASNY has apparently now come up with another revised plan.  Please forgive us for having lost count of the number of plan revisions that FASNY has already submitted to the City!  If FASNY’s new plan is one calling for 640 students with changed Traffic patterns. . .this is a significant and material change from FASNY’s last Site Plan submission and the City’s own prior SEQR Findings Approval document.  FASNY should be treated just like any other large developer and be required to restart the SEQR approval process.
Just on the issue of Traffic in White Plains a lot has changed over the past 5 years with normal population growth, the impact of new construction and more vehicles exiting parkways to take shortcuts through our City. . .particularly on Ridgeway and North Street.
And with all the analyses of FASNY Traffic, please stop with all of the PR comparisons with prior FASNY plans which were flawed and were never approved anyway.
Do answer in FASNY’s revised plan the million-dollar question that FASNY and their City Enablers don’t want to hear. How many additional cars and buses, including ins and outs, will FASNY be adding to our current neighborhood Traffic. . .and what other WP streets will this convoy of FASNY vehicles be traveling through to get to their campus?
We’re getting ahead of ourselves critiquing FASNY’s new plan before it has even been submitted. . .however if the FASNY property is 4 separate parcels of land and FASNY is concentrating all its building on Parcel A. . .aren’t there density restrictions on the percentage of how much can be constructed on each parcel of land that residents and developers have to adhere to, particularly in a R1-30 low-density zoned residential area?
It looks to us like FASNY is trying to build the largest ever McMansion type project right in the middle of residential homes!
 
SEQR regulations also specifically require that all future development plans for a property must be disclosed upfront. . .so if FASNY’s new school population is for 640. . .then according to SEQR the school population has to stay at 640 “in perpetuity”.
And also according to SEQR if any possible future land sales are planned. . .this also has to be disclosed upfront.  FASNY can’t come back and try to increase school population before the Construction phase is even competed. . .as FASNY tried to do in some of their recent plans.  It’s the Common Council’s fiduciary responsibility to insure that SEQR regulations are followed to the letter of the law.
We ask the Common Council to ignore the FASNY behind-the-scenes intimidations. . .and to follow SEQR regulations, the City’s Comprehensive Plan and our local laws as written. . .and with this latest significant and material FASNY development plan change. .  . treat FASNY the same as any other large developer. . .and have FASNY once-and-for-all prepare a complete and accurate SEQR submission as required by law.
 
In our opinion the settlement agreement FASNY now wants the City to agree to may actually encourage FASNY to continue to prepare more incomplete and inaccurate plans. . .because with the approval timetables FASNY wants the City to adhere to there is significant danger of another City rushed and inadequate reviewed FASNY plan.
Why put the pressure on the City?  The pressure should be on the developer FASNY.  If the City receives an accurate and well-thought out development plan from FASNY. . .follows normal review procedures. . .completing the review in a timely fashion would not be a problem.
However, the experience to date of all of the FASNY plan submissions is that they have been misleading, inaccurate and incomplete. . . with the added complication that these FASNY lawyers and consultants don’t like to answer direct questions about their development project. . .as other outside developers must do in White Plains.  So it would be a disaster for the City to commit to review-time-tables if the City continues to receive bad plans from FASNY. . .which based on our experience with FASNY is more than likely to happen.
 
The City has to take whatever time it needs to do its due diligence. . .anything less than a timely and thorough review of a project would be a disaster.  How is the City being protected with these review time limits considering FASNY’s history of submitting incomplete and inaccurate plans?
We urge our Common Council not to settle.  And also urge the Common Council to leave the City’s current appeal with the Appellate Court in place. . .it’s the right thing to do to protect the future of White Plains and its citizens.
Thanks for your consideration,
Your Truth Police
Marie and Ron Rhodes
P.S.  We would be remiss in our comments if we didn’t mention the following:
Shame on the FASNY lawyers and consultants who initially didn’t do enough due diligence on the property they themselves bought. . .and then dragged out the City’s approval process by submitting incomplete and misleading plans. . .and shame on those in our City government who behind-the-scenes have tried to help these FASNY lawyers and consultants circumvent the City’s approval process.
And also shame on the City Bureaucrats responsible for the last minute pre-Labor Day notification of a Tuesday, September 6th agenda item for a vote on settling FASNY’s lawsuit.
As long-time residents of White Plains we expect our elected officials to partner and protect citizens with forward thinking as well as innovative and transparent government.
We’re shocked that some of our elected officials, who we voted for, turned into “Benedict Arnolds” and also participated in backroom politics and vindictive last minute document dumps.  We’ll be more informed for the next election.
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NEIGHBORHOOD ACT GROUP ENDORSES PASSAGE OF SETTLEMENT WITH FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL OF NEW YORK

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WPCNR LETTER TICKER. September 6, 2016:

FASNY’s alternative compromise plan, announced last (Thursday) evening, is an opportunity for an enormous win-win for the entire City of White Plains — including the Gedney Farms neighborhood where I live.
It’s a plan that gives our City leadership  the chance to represent thousands who have voiced their strong support for the creation of a publically-accessible park and top-notch school, while concurrently addressing the objections of the small minority of vocal opponents.
  1. White Plains just got an enormous nature conservancy: With the 51-acre conservation easement filed earlier this week that includes miles of bicycle and pedestrian paths, FASNY has made official its promise to create the largest privately held nature conservancy in South Central Westchester. This is an incredible asset for everyone in White Plains.
  2. Families get more safety: For children who want to walk or ride to school, the pathways through the park will provide safe passage to and from White Plains High School, eliminating the dangers of Ridgeway and Bryant Avenue.
  3. Taxpayers stop footing the bill for wasteful litigation: This plan immediately eliminates litigation costs – already exceeding $100,000 — and the enormous financial risk to our City’s residents of a multi-million dollar damages suit.
  4. We gain an excellent school: The international school community will add to the cultural richness of our already diverse City, and bring economic benefits to our downtown businesses.
FASNY’s plan leaves sensitive environmental areas untouched, reduces by 42% the number of students (and associated traffic), scales back development to only 28 acres, and immediately opens 51 acres of parkland and trails. The compromise plan addresses the entirety of the Gedney Farms Association’s stated objections. Any further opposition would be nothing short of selfish, “NIMBY” (Not In My Backyard”) behavior.
As a member of the vast majority of Gedney Farms residents that support FASNY, we’re thrilled to be on the cusp of this major win-win for all of White Plains: an incredible asset with none of the perceived risks. My neighbors and I urged the City Council to finally vote on Tuesday to represent the ever-growing number of White Plains residents who are squarely in favor of this beautiful, publicly-accessible park and respected international school.
Optimistically,
David Kohl on behalf of White Plains Neighbors ACT
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COUNTY POLICE ARREST SUSPECT IN SAW MILL PARKWAY HIT AND RUN FATAL ACCIDENT.

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          WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From Kieran O’Leary, Westchester County Police. September 6, 2016

Westchester County Police arrested a Yonkers man last night and charged him with a felony in connection to a fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred earlier Monday on the Saw Mill River Parkway.

Junior Silverio-Ventura, 19, of Groshon Avenue is charged with Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident, a felony.  He was held overnight at county police headquarters in Hawthorne and will be arraigned this morning in Yonkers City Court.

The accident occurred about 2:50 a.m. Monday on the northbound Saw Mill River Parkway near McLean Avenue in Yonkers. A Nissan Sentra that had a flat tire and was stopped in the roadway was rear-ended by an Acura TSX. The occupants of the Acura abandoned that vehicle and got into another car, also an Acura TSX, and fled the scene.

Westchester County Police detectives were able to identify the persons involved in the incident and charged Silverio-Ventura last night with being the driver of the Acura that rear-ended the Nissan Sentra.  The Yonkers Police Department assisted in the investigation.

Zachary Dunn, 18, of Yonkers, the driver of the Sentra, was fatally injured in the collision. His passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Commissioner George N. Longworth said the investigation was continuing and additional charges were possible. He thanked the Yonkers police for its assistance.

Anyone who has information about the incident is asked to call Westchester County Police at 914-864-7701. All calls are confidential.

 

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PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY: ANATOMY OF THE NEW FASNY PROPOSAL IN THE SETTLEMENT WITH THE CITY, SUSPENDING LEGAL ACTION FOR TIME BEING IF COUNCIL APPROVES SETTLEMENT

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WP_20160904_10_33_26_Pro THE PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL

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“A” DEVELOPMENT LIMITED TO PARCEL “A”

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“B” HATHAWAY LANE MAINTAINED AS A PUBLIC ROADWAY  “B”

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“C” PROPOSED UPPER SCHOOL, GREENHOUSE, GYMNASIUM, AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER BUILDINGS REMAIN  AS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED  at “C” LOCATIONS

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D–BLACK BOX THEATRE (6,000 SQ FT) PREVIOUSLY AT BUS LOOP LOCATION IS ELIMINATED FROM PARCEL A

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“E” –ATHLETIC FIELD CONFIGURATION REMAINS AS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED

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“F”–VEHICULAR STUDENT DROPOFF LOOP REMAINS AS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED

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“G” –BUS DROP OFF LOOP HAS BEEN REDESIGNED TO BE LOCATED ENTIRELY ON PARCEL “A”. 750 FEET OF DROP OFF DISTANCE IS PROPOSED

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“H” — VEHICULAR ACCESS TO CAMPUS IS PROVIDED VIA A DRIVEWAY OFF HATHAWAY LANE WITH A GATE HOUSE

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“I” –75 FOOT OPEN GREEN SETBACK  ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL LOT LINES HAS BEEN MAINTAINED

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“J” TOTAL PROPOSED BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 243,000 SQUARE FEET TO 158,000 SQUARE FEET (35% REDUCTION) TOTAL PROPOSED PARKING HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 348 SPACES TO 248 (29% REDUCTION)

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“K” TOTAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 950 TO 640 STUDENTS (33% REDUCTION)

“L” MAXIMUM NUMBER OF VEHICLE TRIPS DURING “PEAK AM AND PM HOUR” HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 530 TRIPS TO 415 TRIPS (22% REDUCTION). MAXIMUM VEHICLE TRIPS ON RIDGEWAY FROM 7 AM TO 9 AM FROM 715 TO 415 (42% REDUCTION)

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“M” PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BIKE PATH

 

In answer to WPCNR’s queries about the plan that were unclear, Geoff Thompson, spokesperson for the French American School issued this statement  to WPCNR Sunday morning:

“The City submitted the settlement, not FASNY.

No changes to Hathaway Lane are planned. (Editor’s Note: WPCNR had asked if Hathaway Lane would be widened to accommodate traffic.)

 FASNY owns and will maintain all of the land (the Conservancy) as it does now. Only Parcel A is part of the Alternative Site Plan application.

FASNY will have to prepare a valid, updated Environmental Assessment Form to support the new plan.

The plan provides for 640 students only.

There is no North Street driveway as part of our revised application.  51 acres on parcel D have already been recorded into a conservation easement.

We have no comment with regard to the Litigation Settlement discussions.”(WPCNR has asked who participated in the negotiation sessions.)

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Common Council First Received Copy of Stipulation of Settlement of FASNY-WP LAWSUIT, Monday, August 29

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. Septermber  3, 2016:

The Stipulation of Settlement reached by The French American School of New York and the City of White Plains was first presented to the Common Council in a confidential, unnoticed meeting Monday, August 29, WPCNR has learned. that the council also was unaware such negotiations between The French American School and the city had been going on.

Councilwoman Milagros Lecuona, told WPCNR Saturday morning, “When did the Council get a copy of the settlement? This was in a confidential meeting last Monday and we never before had any conversation on the subject matter. This was not given to me or any others on the Common Council until Monday.”

Councilman Dennis Krolian said the first time he learned of the agreement was also last Monday, August 29.

As of Saturday afternoon at 5 PM the Stipulation of Agreement text has not been posted on the White Plains Agenda section.

However, WPCNR suggests you can see the Stipulation at this link:

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SEPTEMBER 11 REMEMBRANCE IN WHITE PLAINS

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2014911fasny 013September 11 Tribute

On Sunday, September 11, six American flags will fly from City Hall as homage to the residents of White Plains who gave their lives. A Remembrance service will be held at 9:00 a.m. at Liberty Park on Lake Street, the permanent memorial site for these residents. The ceremony will include a flag raising, utilizing an operation freedom flag, wreath laying, prayer, and reflections on this historic day.

On Wednesday, September 14 the City of White Plains Personnel Department and the American Red Cross will provide residents an opportunity to roll up their sleeves and give blood. The Blood Drive will be held at City Hall, 255 Main Street in White Plains, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Donating just one pint of blood can save up to three lives and is a wonderful way to give back. Pre-registration is available at www.redcrossblood.org Sponsor code WPCITYHALL.

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THE SCOOP ON FASNY SETTLEMENT EXCLUSIVE ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK –THE AGREEMENT THAT WILL LIFT YOU OUT OF YOUR CHAIR…SEE IT ON YOUTUBE NOW.

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Breaking News!

INSIDE THE SHOCKER OF THE WEEK

 

ROUND THE WORLD

ON

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THE FASNY CITY SETTLEMENT

THE NEW SITE PLAN

THE TIGHT DEADLINES

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW 

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THE NEWS IN WHITE PLAINS, WESTCHESTER USA–PETER KATZ, JOHN BAILEY, JIM BENEROFE

THE NEWS LEADERS

FOR  16 YEARS!

AND MORE

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WHO’S GOING TO PLAYLAND?

THE TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE TODAY EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

UP CLOSE TO THE WINDMILLS OFF BLOCK ISLAND  EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

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JUST THE FACTS, THE TRUTH, THE REAL QUESTIONS

 

 

 

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FLASH! CITY CONSIDERS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH FASNY ON TUESDAY. FASNY TO SUBMIT NEW SITE PLAN RETURNING ENTRANCE TO NEW CAMPUS TO RIDGEWAY. GEDNEY ASSOCIATION DEMANDS TABLE IT FOR 60 DAYS. CITY MUST BEGIN PUBLIC HEARINGS WITHIN ONE YEAR and COMPLETE HEARING WITH ONE CONTINUANCE NOT MORE THAN 15 DAYS AFTER..

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. September 2, 2016 UPDATED SEPTEMBER 3, 2016:

The city and The French American School of New York have reached a settlement agreement in the ongoing appellate court appeal by the city of FASNY’s Article 78 suit filed September 3, 2015

The council will consider approving the settlement plan on Tuesday night. No money settlement involved. However, the city agrees to a strict timetable of review of a new site plan from FASNY

As of Saturday morning, the all  important agenda packet which usually contains the very revealing backup material which should contain the substance of the agreement has not been posted on the city website, even though it is usually posted the same time the agenda is posted. Since the Gedney Association was apparently given an advance copy of the backup material containing the agreement (otherwise they would not have been able to offer an informed opinion on it), it seems an oversight on the part of the city not to post the Stipulation of Settlement and details of it. 

As part of  the settlement agreement, (on the agenda for Tuesday evening’s Common Council meeting), FASNY will submit a new site plan and special permit approval within 7 weeks after the city takes 2 weeks to itemize the documents needed to make the  new site plan complete.

The new plan was apparently developed in discussions with the city to solve the problem of the city vote not to close Hathaway Lane last August 5, 2015 that stalled city action on voting for the original site plan closing Hathaway Lane

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As an alternative, the new site plan sketched in Exhibit A in the settlement papers, (above)repositions entrance to Hathaway Lane off Ridgeway; reduces the size of the project in footprint, the number of students to 650, and eliminates the North Street Road and entrance.

The conservatory nature preserve is also reduced. The Theatre has been removed from the parcel. Hathaway Lane remains open and the campus entrance is gained through a gatehouse off Hathaway. The Lower School (Nursery through 5th grade is eliminated, reducing the building square footage by 35 percent and traffic by 42%.

This will require a new Public Hearing to be started on the new site plan within 75 days after the new site plan is deemed complete. The Public Hearing would then continue again 15 days later (should it need to be continued).  Apparently there is no more extensions.

The settlement requires that “the city should endeavor to vote on the Alternative Plan Application within 30 days but no later than 45 days after the approval of the storm water plan or the close of the public hearing, whichever is later.

FASNY ISSUES STATEMENT

In a news release issued by the French American School of New York Thursday evening at 10 PM, the Chairperson of the FASNY Board of Trustees, wrote, that “despite being confident that it(FASNY) would ultimately prevail in the ongoing litigation” :

“Our Board of Trustees has carefully considered all options and concluded that it is in everyone’s best interests to reach a compromise versus wasting more time and taxpayer money on years of unneccesary litigation. We believe we put forth a proposal that works for our school and addresses the most contentious issues that have been raised by some of the neighbors. We expect that the Mayor and Common Council members will agree.”

The date of the settlement becomes effective has not been set by the court, from my  reading of the papers, rather it depends on when the ultimate vote on the new plan is taken…as much as a year and a half from today.

The settlement requires the city meet a series of time frames to consider the plan…but does not preclude any further suits by FASNY if the new plan is turned down.

John Callahan the White Plains  Corporation Counsel has been asked by WPCNR for a statement, but as yet has not issued one.

 Table It! Gedney Says.

The Gedney Association (consisting of property owners owing homes surrounding the Ridgeway Country Club, issued a statement to members of their Association Thursday evening, saying in part:

 

“In the limited time we were given to review this settlement (over the (upcoming) holiday weekend), the Gedney Association believes this is simply a way to do what FASNY originally wanted to do by getting around the requirement of the supermajority vote. Not only did FASNY carve out the development of the lower school in PARCEL D to preserve it for future development, they still have the North Street access driveway, they have removed parcels B and C from the conservancy and the provisions of the agreement allow them to sell the property whnever they want.”  (WPCNR is in process of confirming this)

 

We urge everyone to tell our Council and Mayor NOT to settle with FASNY on such a one-sided agreement that gives us absolutely nothing and gives FASNY a backdoor entrance to do exactly what they planned on doing. If FASNY wants to drop their lawsuit because they see it for, a loser for them, then they should drop it. We expect our council and mayor to fight for us, not to give in to FASNY. At the very least instead of jamming this settlement down the public’s throat on a holiday weekend (when FASNY operatives mysteriously had ample time to review and organize) this should be tabled for 60 Days.”

 

 

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Senior Citizen Input on Senior Issues Asked for by County September 16. No Signups necessary. Come with your Attitude. County Senior Plan to be Revealed.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Office of Communications. September 1, 2016:

The Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services (DSPS) will hold its annual public hearing on Friday, September 16, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Westchester County Center, 198 Central Ave., White Plains At the meeting, DSPS will unveil its 2017 annual plan on the proposed use of funds from the Older Americans Act and the New York State Community Service for the Elderly Program. 

The hearing provides a venue for individuals to learn about and speak out on concerns that affect Westchester seniors and their families. Registration is not required to attend or speak at the public hearing.

The plan will be available starting Monday, September 12 at the DSPS office at 9 South First Ave., 10th Floor, Mount Vernon, NY 10550.  It will also be distributed at the public hearing.

Written comments on the plan must be sent by Friday, September 30 to Rose Pasquale at the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services, 9 South First Ave., 10th Floor, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. Comments may also be sent via email to rcp4@westchestergov.com.

In addition, DSPS Commissioner Mae Carpenter will also present a new pilot initiative to create shared opportunities for senior housing through houses of worship.

The public hearing also serves as the regular meeting for the Aging Network, the Council on Seniors and the Older Americans Act Advisory Council.

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