WPCNR SOUTH END TIMES.From The French American School of New York.(Edited) March 16, 2017:
(Editor’s note: Commenting on the vote of the White Plains Common Council Wednesday evening where the White Plains Common Council decided 5-2 that Parcel A of the former Ridgeway Country Club site, was still an “evironmentally sensitive site,” and still required a 5-2 super majority for approval of the French American School of New York campus project, the school issued this statement to WPCNR Thursday afternoon:
John Botti, a member of the FASNY Board of Trustees who is overseeing the plan for the new School, said: “We’re obviously pleased that the Council is at last moving forward toward making a final determination on the reduced plan that has now been under review for more than six years, and we’re confident that we will obtain the votes required to approve the project. Frankly, the drastically reduced plan we have agreed to merits a 7-0 vote.”
The modified plan reduces the number of students by 33%, traffic by a further 42%, building square-footage by 39% and Hathaway Lane is maintained as a public roadway. Development is limited to 28 acres solely on Parcel A.
At the same time, FASNY has fulfilled its commitment to create a publicly accessible open space park by having placed a conservation easement on 51 acres on August 29, 2016. This has become the largest conservation easement in southern Westchester offering miles of bicycle and pedestrian trails, all at no cost to the taxpayers of White Plains.
Botti said “It is unfortunate that the leadership of the Gedney Neighborhood Association continues to engage in personal attacks and a war of attrition against the City and School. They have been willing to enter costly and wasteful litigation in an attempt to keep the failed country club as a private backyard for their exclusive use, keeping others out. This is despite the fact that they are 0-4 in prior litigations.”
He added:
“The vast majority of City residents continue to support the reduced School plan put forth in the Settlement to the prior litigation. We’re hopeful that tonight’s vote signals that the end of this unnecessarily lengthy approval process, by far the longest and most arduous in City history, is finally moving toward a final approval.”
