September 21, 2018

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Mamaroneck REVIEW THE

September 21, 2018 | Vol. 6, Number 39 | www.mamaroneckreview.com

FALL FOR THE ARTS With fall just around the corner, take a look at all the arts opportunities Westchester has to offer. For more, see page 9.

‘Maker Zone’ zoning overlay finalized, 2020 targeted By JAMES PERO Staff Writer An initiative to completely redevelop the village of Mamaroneck’s “Maker Zone”—an industrial area adjacent to its downtown district—has come full circle with the finalization of an overlay zone allowing for a target implementation date of January 2020. According to Trustee Keith Waitt, a Democrat, who also sits on the Industrial Area Committee, after finalizing the zoning overlay earlier this year, the committee will look to convene its consultants, committee members and land use boards to help ad-

dress any lingering questions and add or improve language in the new laws this October. “What excites me now is we’re now starting to see this come to life,” Waitt said. “We’re closer to reality from the concept stage.” From there, Waitt said, the village’s consultants will continue to carry out a Generic Environmental Impact Statement, GEIS—a study assessing the effects of zoning changes—that he said could be completed in early 2020. The committee’s zoning recommendations are the product of several years’ worth of study. The group was originally tasked with developing a plan—in tan-

dem with hired consultants—on how to steer the area’s undeveloped industrial area toward a new future, which started in 2015. Currently, various warehouses—like Chatsworth Antiques— and business spaces for plumbing, electrical and auto trades, are situated in the heart of that industrial district. In addition to opening up the allowed uses of current zoning laws using overlays, the committee has also recommended amendments to the code regarding height restrictions and special permitting in an attempt to attract new businesses. One new addition to compliant businesses

would be pet-sitting operations where patrons could temporarily leave their pets when away from home. Among the new frontiers for the Maker Zone, the committee also hopes to bring in boutique hotels, theaters, indoor recreation facilities and micro-alcohol establishments. Concurrent with movement on the Maker Zone project, the village is also undergoing other planning and rezoning initiatives that include an update of the village’s comprehensive plan and a moratorium on residential| development. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

Village moratorium extended until 2019 By JAMES PERO Staff Writer The village of Mamaroneck will look to extend a moratorium on large-scale residential development until March 2019 as it continues to assess the future of its current zoning and planning policies. According to Trustee Leon Potok, a Democrat, the village will extend the moratorium for five more months “It’s clear that we can’t do everything we need to within the original timeframe,” said Trustee Leon Potok, a Democrat. “Things just take time.” Potok did not elaborate on any specific issues that are contributing to the decision to extend the moratorium, however. A presentation by consultants helping assess development in the village is still slated for October, according to the trustee. The village signed on to spend nearly $100,000 earlier this year to conduct a study as the next step in what was originally a six-month moratorium, which was passed back in April. The moratorium was passed partly as a response to proposals of large-scale developments coming before the village land use boards; in particular, a $35 million project slated for a parcel on

Waverly Avenue that would erect more than 100 units within three five-story buildings. Specifically, the moratorium has put a temporary stop to all development of three units or larger with the exception of construction that was started before March 12. In particular, drivers for the passage of a moratorium have centered on the potential for future developments’ impact on traffic, noise and infrastructure, including the village’s sewer systems which are currently under remediation after being the focus of a high-profile lawsuit in recent years. The ongoing study is investigating the impact of development on village infrastructure and services, the effects on local school districts and identifying parcels of land that would be ideal for new developments. The study marks a continuation of planning and rezoning initiatives that the village has undertaken over the last year. In the meantime, NV5 is also undertaking an update to the village’s comprehensive plan, to make it more environmentally friendly and attuned with development trends. That plan, which hasn’t been updated since 2012, is MORATORIUM continued on page 3

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