New Planning Director Introduced; LSR Zoning, Hartley Housing Project Discussed
By Stephen E. Lipken
Attorney John A. Vasile; McGovern, Connelly and Davidson, appeared before the New Rochelle City Council Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting on Tuesday, July 13, representing Yaraghi Reality, Port Washington, requesting a rezoning of 64 Nardozzi Place, a former New York Times Distribution Center purchased by Yaraghi Realty for Safavieh Home Furnishings.
Vasile pointed out that Large Scale Retail (LSR) and Light Industrial zones bisect the property and requested moving LSR zoning to the end of the lot line. Acknowledging South End Civic League’s concern about traffic problems, Vasile presented TRC Project Manager Stephan A. Maffia who stated that re-timing the traffic signal would reduce any negative impact. Councilman Louis Trangucci disagreed, recommending the “dangerous” intersection of Weyman Avenue and U.S. Highway One be re-designed.
Council declared itself the Lead Agency for environmental review to amend the New Rochelle Zoning Map, sending the submitted Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) to New Rochelle Planning Board and Westchester County Department of Planning.
Next, Finance Commissioner Howard Rattner distributed the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report ending December 31, 2009 and introduced auditors Nicholas DeSantis and Domenick Consolo from O’Connor, Davies, Munns and Dobbins, LLP, Bennett Kielson Storch DeSantis Division, White Plains.
DeSantis reported that New Rochelle received the Certificate of Achievement in Excellence of Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Association of Chicago for full financial disclosures based on 10 years of financial information. Fund Balance expenditure to balance the budget was $5.1 million dollars over anticipated $3.6 million, negative variance $1.5 million.
Actual revenue was $100.2 million, $7.2 million dollars short of anticipated $107.4 million. DeSantis stressed that this shortfall reflected a reduction of $1.2 million in Federal Aid. Consolo stated that property tax revenues are short by $813,000.
Sales tax revenues fell from $25 million in 2008 to $22.7 million in 2009. Mortgage taxes decreased by $610,000 or 34 percent. Expenditures totaled $95.1 million, a savings of $5.2 million from anticipated $100.3 million.
Mayor Noam Bramson inquired how New Rochelle compares with other municipalities. DeSantis replied, “Not everybody has been as successful as you but continued Fund Balance depletion could result in property tax increases and/or reduction of services,” Steven Horton, Executive Director, New Rochelle Housing Authority (NRHA), architect Michael De Pasquale and Rella Fogliano, MacQuesten Development, Mount Vernon discussed the Hartley Houses Redevelopment Project bounded by Horton Avenue, Brook Street and Lincoln Avenue.
De Pasquale outlined the plans, including re-activating Winter Avenue, currently a closed street and reconnecting other thoroughfares to the New Rochelle grid. Phase One will consist of 3-story, 3-family two-bedroom apartments with a four-story 50-unit building consisting of studio and one-bedroom apartments; Phase Two, additional rental units; and Phase Three, home ownership.
Fogliano remarked that financing is available through New York State (NYS) Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), NYS Housing Financial Agency, (HFA) State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) and tax credits.
Opening the meeting, Bramson introduced the new Planning Director Eleanor Sharpe, a certified United States Green Building Council Leader in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
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