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WPCNR Common Council Chronicle-Examiner. By John F. Bailey. September 27, 2011 UPDATED 2:15 P.M. E.D.T. UPDATED 12 NOON E.D.T. September 28, 2011:
The French American School of New York promised their 1,200-student, three-school complex planned for the defunct Ridgeway Country Club property would generate for White Plains $22 Million in annual revenues from sales, property and mortgage taxes, and direct construction revenues of $108 Million, including 751 construction jobs worth $37 Million alone.
The campus design traffic plan proposes entrance into the proposed campus and egress from it via Ridgeway Avenue only, using Hathaway Lane as the exit route. FASNY officials said there would be no northern exit route (to Bryant Avenue) allowed on Hathaway Lane.
In a traffic capacity analysis, FASNY maintained that the capacity of Ridgeway and surrounding streets, based on vehicle counts for Ridgeway Avenue, Mamaroneck Avenue, Bryant Avenue and North Street figures from the White Plains Commissioner of Traffic, Tom Soyk, could handle the expected increase in vehicles.
The estimated increase in traffic on Ridgeway is estimated to be 2,504 more vehicles at pick-up and drop-off times of the school, a total 7,504 vehicles the entire day average,up from the present 5,000.
City capacity estimates for that road would increase with the addition of the school traffic Ridgeway volume 13% to a total of 40% (7,504) of its Ridgeway Avenue designed capacity of about 19,000 vehicles a day. Design of interior parking drop-offs included an arrangement that Councilman Benjamin Boykin likened to a Hertz Rent-a-Car dropoff. Councilperson Beth Smayda worried about student drivers adding to the traffic flow.
(WPCNR Editor’s Note, clarified from a reader’s question: The figure of 2,500 additional cars, buses a day estimated to be added by the school is the average total vehicles added for the day.)
Geoff Thompson, spokesman for the French American School of New York clarified to WPCNR Thursday that 2,504 is the total increased traffic at the peak hours, in a statement today as first reported by WPCNR in this story. Thompson comfirmed that 1,170 vehicles was in the original Environmental assessment Form and the 2,504 figure is a doubling of that and refers only to the peak hour increases, only incremental increases are expected on the hours when school is in session.
The presentation promised state-of-the-art recycling of storm water they claimed would sharply reduce the outflow of storm water during extensive rains. They explained that the existing lake on the property had existed prior to 1974, and that their suspension of irrigation of the club property had already cutback on flooding conditions, citing public comment to that effect.
Michael Zarin, the lead spokesperson and counsel for FASNY said the scope of the FASNY proposal matches most of the objections of the draft recreation lands zoning being considered by the city. Afterwards, WPCNR asked the affect of the setbacks demanded by the draft city ordinance applying to schools. Zarin said, “we’re hoping they will change that.”
The proposal expands the building portion of the property by 3% to 8.69% of the property. Currently, existing buildings, tennis courts and parking for the clubhouse, pool and outbuildings occupy 5.6% of the property.
Michael Zarin, the school counsel (Zarin & Steinmetz) spearheading the presentation, said FASNY would preserve 85 acres for “passive recreation,” and place it under the management of a public-private land management concern. He said FASNY is in talks with the Westchester Trust for Public Land as a possibility for such an arrangement. Renderings were shown of trail paths through the 85 acres as FASNY vision for the project
Councilman Benjamin Boykin said in his comments that the process had a long way to go, but that he wanted FASNY to explain how they obtained their revenue estimates as one of his concerns, and of course, traffic.
Councilman David Buchwald brought out the condition that the proposed theatre and WPCNR believes the Gymnasium are built into a raised parking lot as part of a hill. No model was presented by FASNY and no topography street level view was presented.
Councilmen Dennis Power and John Martin did not comment. Councilwoman Milagros Lecuona asked FASNY to recolor the Lee property from the drawing of the site plan because it was misleading.
At the close, Mayor Tom Roach announced a Scoping session to receive public input on the project is scheduled for the next Common Council meeting October 3, in which the public is invited to comment on matters to be included in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement preparation.
At the close, Mr. Zarin also presented a timeline for the city indicating that the school expected to furnish the Draft Environmental Impact Statement this winter; the Public Hearing on the DEIS and Hearing on the Special Permit in Spring 2012; furnishing the Final Environmental Impact Statement by next summer; adopting the SEQRA findings by next fall, and expects a decision on the application in December 2012, 9 months before the next Mayoral election (November, 2013).
The proposal moved briskly for an hour and a half . but because it was a work session (Mayor Roach emphatically announced it was not a Special Meeting of the Common Council, as it was noticed as same) it was seen only by the 35 persons who attended, even though the Common Council chambers where it was held were equipped for television and live internetcast.
The crowd included about 17 persons who were citizenry with about 18 persons representing FASNY, neighborhood officials and the City. Only those attending saw the complete breadth and depth of the FASNY proposal, rivaling those of developer Louis Cappelli presentations a decade ago.
No explanation was given by city hall for the decision not to telecast or internet the presentation. Karen Pasquale, Senior Advisor to the Mayor, wrote in a statement to WPCNR this morning, “Tonight’s work session will not be televised. Consistent with past practice, work sessions are not televised.”
