Milkman’s Matinee News Filed 2/5/02, 4:00 AM ESTThe Common Council President Benjamin Boykin outlined the Common Council Goals and Objectives for the City of White Plains Monday evening calling for formation of a Citizen Committee to study splitting the Police and Fire Departments, promising financial aid to long time businesses in the downtown, and assuring a “hard look” at new developments coming into the city to “not overload the city’s infrastructure.”
The public hearing on the New York Presbyterian Hospital resumed and lasted 4 hours and 22minutes with 38 persons speaking and 8 who wanted to speak leaving before they got a chance to take the podium. Speakers against the project outnumbered those speaking for the building of the biotech facility.
A number of speakers demonstrated a distinct lack of knowledge about the hospital plan. They raised questions that are answered within the DEIS itself which indicated they had not really read the document thoroughly.
Others took the position that the hospital should apply for a zoning change and not try to achieve approval for a biotech research center through a Special Permit.
Hospital says there is a precedent case for the Special Permit
When asked about this course of action during a break between speakers, Constance Hildesley, Vice President for Real Estate at the hospital told WPCNR, “We believe a Special Permit is an appropriate vehicle.” Ms. Hildesley cited the city’s 4-month approval of a research facility at Burke Rehabilation Hospital in White Plains in 1986 as a precedent for the hospital’s proposed action.
All Traffic All the Time
Opposition dwelt on skepticism about the traffic generated by the project. They worry it will overrun neighborhoods like Gedney Farms, create traffic backups on Bryant Avenue, and deteriorate quality of life in Bryant Gardens, the cooperative complex across the street from the proposed site.
What Kind of Research Is it, Anyway
One after another demanded specifics on what kinds of research would be conducted in the buildings, and who would do it. They raised questions about partnering with commercial pharmaceutical companies, making the hospital no longer tax exempt, and calling the project an “industrial park.” Marc Pollitzer and Allan Teck were just two persons who called for a specific Master Plan spelling out in detail plans going out a number of years.
House Value Effect Discounted by Two Realtors
They painted fears of decreased real estate values and were anwered by two real estate brokers. One was Nick Wolf, the local prominent realtor, who informed them that housing values would rise, not deterioriate should the biotech facility come to White Plains.
Medical Community Supports Project
The New York Presbyterian Hospital was supported by Edward Leonard, Chief Operating Officer of White Plains Hospital Medical Center speaking on their behalf, and several medical personalities, including a nurse at St.Agnes Hospital.
Hospital CEO and Dean of Research Provide Detail
Dr. Arthur Klein, Chief Executive Officer of the New York Presbyterian Hospital system, asked White Plains to “partner with us,” and he was supported by Dr. Lisa Staiano-Coizo, Professor of Microbiology and Associate Dean of Research at Weil Medical College, an affiliate. Dr. Staiano-Coizo spoke to the need for opening up the flow of research findings to practicing physicians as a goal of the new facility. She said one of the focuses of the new facility would be gerontological research to aid in the treatment of diseases of the aging.
Call for Negotiation
Thomas Whyatt, the last speaker of the evening, legal counsel to Concerned Citizens for Open Space raised the most intriguing statement of the evening. After challenging the hospital to withdraw the plan and apply for a zoning change, Whyatt said,
“This is wasting a lot of time with nothing happening. Withdraw this plan, apply for a zoning change and negotiations can begin.”
Allan Teck, President of Concerned Citizens for Open Space, when asked what Mr. Whyatt meant by this statement, and what Mr. Teck and CCOS would consider acceptable on the site, Mr. Teck said “something that is environmentally acceptable to White Plains.”
When asked whether a biotech center on an alternate site, would be acceptable, Teck said, “It depends on what they want to do (what research goes in the building). They can’t just ram it down our throats. We’re not a bunch of hicks.”
Larry Delgado, the “Councilman-on-Leave,” actually took the podium and appeared to oppose the proposal, saying the major question was what the “hospital use,” was. He said determining hospital use should constitute a major part of the Council consideration of the proposal.
At the top of the meeting some hours before, Dr. Staiano-Coizo, with a beaker and chianti bottle demonstration, had carefully described how research goes in hand with medical treatment in the current hospital and health research environment.
Michael Gerard of Arnold & Porter, the Common Council environmental law firm said two reports on the proton accelerator’s safety prepared by a nuclear physicist, and a report on the New York Presbyterian Hospital grounds commenting on alleged waste dumps on the property were in and were available today. Edward Dunphy said these key reports would be available with the City Clerk tomorrow. Mr. Dunphy also officially affirmed at Ron Johnson was the new Deputy Commissioner of Planning who was arranging for these reports to become available.
Robert Cassidy, and Englishman, and new citizen and resident of Bryant Gardens, expressed most poignantly, the feelings of most residents. While walking around the hospital property, he and his wife were wondering what the property was. Mr. Cassidy said he kept saying to his wife, “It looks like a park. It should be a park.” A sentiment many residents had expressed.
The hearing was kept open, to continue March 4.
Council President Boykin calls for prudent growth and exploration of festering issues
The Honorable Benjamin Boykin began the evening with a statement of the Common Council goals and objectives.
Mr. Boykin reported that “despite differences which are a natural consequence of honest and conscientious but different points of view, the council and the administration worked together to accomplish much on a timely basis during 2001,” listing six accomplishments: Bank Street Commons, the City Center, Fortunoff, Clayton Park, The Jefferson and Pappas proposals, and a low-income housing project on South Kensico and Hadden, and acquisition of the D’Elia property.
Hedging on development.
The Council President cautioned that “we need to make sure that further development is consistent with the vision for a vibrant and livable downtown…we want to make sure that further development does not overload the city’s infrastructure.” He promised, “a hard look at possible negative consequences of inadequate parking and gridlock downtown and substantially increased traffic through our residential neighborhoods and other unknown and unintended consequences from future development.”
Council Aid for Downtown Business, Easing White Plains Building Code
Boykin raised the interesting issue of aid for downtown businesses: “We need to ensure that long time businesses in the downtown remain viable entities. Some type of financial assistance through low interest loans and/or grants may be necessary to retain these stores in our central business district.”
In the same spirit, Boykin said the council wanted to continue to “re-examine the necessity of the city’s supplemental building codes and to remove our unique requirements which add development costs without providing additional safety or benefit to future occupants of the buildings.” He did not elaborate.
Calling all Cars; Public Safety Review Committee to be formed
The Common Council also feels it is time to study splitting the Police and Fire departments now that Public Safety Commissioner John Dolce has retired, according to Boykin, speaking for the Council: “Does our public safety structure provide better service at lower cost than that provided by other cities in the region or state? ….We believe now is an excellent time to explore the issue by convening a Public Safety Review Committee to evaluate the present organizational structure of our uniformed services in terms of service delivery and cost.” Boykin said the council would work with the Mayor in selecting “a panel of residents and experts to find the answer to this long-standing debate and then either preserve the status quo or change it.”
Illegal Occupancies, Traffic Violations, Overnight Parking Zones and Permits Proposed
Boykin wrapped up his message by promising the council would introduce legislation to raise fines for repeat violators of the city occupancy codes and hire more code enforcement officers. He flirted with the idea of installing speed humps, stop signs, restricted access at certain times and stricter enforcement to deal with traffic. He said the council would create legislation to “permit on-street overnight parking in certain districts and the issuing of permits to residents of apartment buildings who have no access to parking in nearby garages or lots.”
Closer cooperation with School Board a goal
Boykin called for resuming scheduled informal meetings with the Common Council and the Board of Education “to discuss issues of common interest and concern.”
Promulgates ‘affordable housing ordinance’
Other objectives the Common Council will be working toward are, according to Boykin, increased opportunities for middle income housing through an “affordable housing ordinance that spells out the requirements and incentives for the provision of middle-income housing by developers wishing to build in White Plains. He also called for the make up of the city workforce, boards and commissions to “reflect our racial and ethnic diversity.”
Public Relations to be enhanced
The Common Council wants the administration to be more “responsive.” Boykin’s message called for quarterly reports to r esidents and improvement to the city website. He wants more current news, more downloadable forms and easier navigation, and expanded informational programming on the city government access cable channel.
City receives $1,000,000 in back taxes and interest from The Galleria
In other council news, a settlement with The Galleria was announced, awarding the city $1,000,000, which Rita Malmud said would be shared with the School District, not specifying how.
The Council heard and spread the first readings of ordinances and will hear them a second time tonight, Tuesday evening at 6 PM. One of the ordinances is the new Floor Area Rations for the surrounding outer neighborhoods aimed at preventing “MacMansions.”
The Council will also hear Louis Cappelli who has some “new thoughts” on his City Center he wants to share with the Council this evening. The Council will also deliberate on Mr. Cappelli’s request to eliminate a floor from his project as a “minor site plan amendment.” Mr. Cappelli cooled his heels in the Mayor’s office for five hours Monday evening awaiting his site plan amendment to be called. The Council adjourned without hearing it, so Mr. Cappelli will return this evening for the deliberation.
It was also announced that the Interim Financial Report for the second quarter for the city is now available from the City Clerk, as is the Capital Improvement Program for 2002-2003, and the Annual Report of the Budget and Management Advisory Committee, and the Second Quarterl;y Capital Projects Status Report for Fiscal 2001-02.
Hernando Guerra, Public Safety Aide, Code Enforcement, was named Employee of the Month.
The Invocation of Reverend Stephen Geckeler characterized the evening that was to unfold over 4 hours and 52 minutes perfectly, praying,
“Here we go again, mixing politics with religion…”
The “Associated Press of White Plains:” L to R, Alex Philippidis, Host John Bailey, Jim Benerofe. The inquiring trio have just taped their 50th White Plains Week program which airs Friday evening at 7:30 PM.