SECOR HOMES CIVIC ASSOCIATION, Inc.
P.O. Box 550, Ardsley, New York 10502
STATE-FUNDED STUDY CITES NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT IN GREENBURGH PLANNING PROCEDURES
Full Text of Study Available in HTML or Microsoft Word (.doc) format.
Contact: Carol A. Wielk, President, SHCA
Phone: (212)-686-9147
Fax: (914) 693-1792; (212) 779-9307
E-mail: cwielk@worldnet.att.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 11, 2001
A state-financed study of the planning procedures in the Town of Greenburgh finds room for improvement, says the Secor Homes Civic Association, Inc. (SHCA) in a report issued after a 6-month study by its planning consultant for the project, Ferrandino & Associates Inc. (Ferrandino).
Although the Town has recently revamped some of its planning processes after vigorous and persistent criticism from community groups, the independent study determined that the Town still needs to reestablish positive relationships with its civic associations and establish standardized review procedures for considering applications for development.
In fact, the two case studies comprising the report highlight dramatically how the Town handled different applications: one from a property owner with apparent access to and influence with Town officials, and who received speedy approval of his project; and another from a small business owner and resident who was put through a tortuous process without rational explanation. Although the report does not specifically state that the handling of the latter case showed evidence of discrimination and unfairness, the facts, when laid bare, seem to confirm such a conclusion.
"It is evident from reading how the Town processed the two applications, HHH Auto Body and the Westchester Skating Academy, that the Auto Body applicant was put through the ringer," says Carol A. Wielk, President of SHCA. "Every imaginable obstacle was put in his way. Hopefully, with the more professional staff planners recently brought in to reorganize the Greenburgh planning office, a Town resident will never have to experience such treatment again," Ms. Wielk continued.
The New York State Departmental of Environmental Conservation awarded SHCA the state grant to undertake the study. Two legislators representing Westchester, Richard Brodsky, New York State Assemblyman, and Nicholas Spano, New York State Senator, were instrumental in obtaining the monies after SHCA petitioned them for redress after hearing complaints from many residents regarding the planning process in the Town of Greenburgh.
Upon receiving the $7,000 grant funds, SHCA selected Ferrandino, a widely-respected planning firm located in Elmsford, which has performed similar studies in other Westchester towns on behalf of local government. Vince Ferrandino, principal of the company, was a former Director of Planning in Greenburgh and thus brought with him familiarity with the Town’s governmental and planning processes.
The report, entitled, "Town of Greenburgh Planning Procedures Case Study," details the regulatory framework within which Greenburgh’s planning process is carried out. It then proceeds to describe chronologically the steps that HHH Auto Body and the Westchester Skating Academy had to undergo in order to receive approval of their respective applications. This factual account offers stark contrast in the handling of the two applications. Some of the report’s findings are:
HHH Auto Body:
· [HHH Auto Body approval process] was very convoluted and lacked structure and coordination amongst the staff, the Boards and the applicant.
· The result was a lengthy process (almost 2 years) where details were overlooked, resulting in mistakes and added time. The Town staff also had an opportunity to recommend a coordinated review…that could have increased efficiency and been more controlled at the staff level.
· The applicant was never told that he needed to formally request a variance from FEMA regulations [Agency with jurisdiction over floodplains development], even though every iteration of his application discusses his request to build below the 100-year flood elevation…
· Planning staff had a key role to play in coordinating the process because the same staff works with both Boards [Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals].
· The Town staff misdirected the applicant and appeared to lack a thorough understanding of relevant Codes, specifically related to floodplain regulations and variances from those regulations.
Westchester Skating Academy:
· The application review lacked a thorough examination of relevant criteria, including an almost complete disregard for the Flood Hazard Area Permit portion of the application.
· …what was really needed was a more thorough review of the application and its actual impacts on the community.
· What are the impacts to the floodplain from the building? What are the traffic impacts from the development? How will the surrounding roads work with the increased traffic? These questions and more…should have been addressed during the review.
· The…case review was cut too short given the degree of issue still open for discussion…This resulted in an appeal by the local civic associations…The opposite was true with [HHH Auto Body] where every process issue was deconstructed…The reason these two cases were treated so differently is unclear…
Ferrandino commends the Town for beginning to revamp its planning procedures and offers the following recommendations to improve the process further to assure fair and equal treatment for all applicants.
· …the Town should develop procedures for coordinating review on applications when multiple reviews and approvals are required…Splitting responsibility for approvals between the Planning Board and the Zoning Board…balkanizes the process rather than providing a holistic review of the development plan.
· The civic associations could be invited into the process earlier, specifically in the pre-application conferences, to allow their concerns to be addressed at the beginning of the application process rather than at the end…More steps need to be taken to improve relationships with the civic associations…
· …the Town should develop standardized review procedures for hearings and set time limits for reviews so that applicants know what to expect when submitting an application.
· …the Town should place the highest priority on the timely adoption of a Comprehensive Plan that accurately reflects the values of the community and continually review and update its Zoning Ordinance to promote positive development in the Town.
Full Text of Study Available in HTML or Microsoft Word (.doc) format.
SHCA is a not-for-profit civic association representing 550 homes located in the area of Secor Road in Hartsdale, New York between the Sprain Brook Parkway overpass to Route 9A. SHCA is active in the Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations, an umbrella group of 36 civic associations in Greenburgh. SHCA also posts its views and pertinent information about Greenburgh on the web site, Grassroots For Greenburgh.