Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
August 25, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 34 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Dems pump brakes on microbrew zoning change By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
DATING WITH DISABILITIES Andrew Kranichfeld, a Westchester native, is working on a dating app called Love is Blind, which he hopes will help alleviate some of the problems that disabled people face when trying to find love. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy Pinterest.com
New comprehensive plan RFP yields more applicants By JAMES PERO Staff Writer A second iteration of the village of Mamaroneck’s request for proposals to help revamp its comprehensive plan will bring more potential consultants into the fold after a previous request only generated one response.
The newest respondents, New York City-based WXY Studio, which is partnering with Pace Land Use Law Center; New Jersey’s NV5; and the London headquartered Arup will be considered, in addition to a proposal submitted jointly during the village’s first request for proposals, RFP, by the firms BFJ Planning
and Nelson Pop Voorhis LLC. According to a memo from the village Planning Department, proposals by Nelson Pop Voorhis and NV5 hover around a similar price tag, $68,000 and $68,350, respectively. Proposals from the firms Arup and WXY Studio would cost the village substantially more money; $95,041 and
$145,000, respectively. Proposals have been passed onto the Board of Trustees which will now make a decision on which plan to follow through on. According to Victor Tafur, a Democrat, who has pushed for the village to move forward on RFP continued on page 8
Discussion over altering specific zoning districts to allow for micro-alcohol establishments has been halted after Democrats on the village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees pumped the brakes on an upcoming round of public hearings. According to Trustee Keith Waitt, a Democrat, the village board will convene a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 24, after press time, to discuss the ramifications of the potential zoning change before bringing it to a vote. Among the concerns, Waitt said, are the ethical guidelines behind the proposal given its timing, as an application—requiring a zoning change—by craft beer mecca Half Time Beverage looks to open a brewpub adjacent to its store on Hoyt Avenue. “There have been some questions on whether this is spot zoning, because it favors Half Time,” the trustee said. As a result, according to Waitt, the village board will convene with the Planning Department to discuss the possibility of more environmental review and any “unintended consequences” that may occur from altering C-1 and C-2 districts. Pressure to open the village up to new business—blame which Waitt has placed partially on his Republican colleagues on the board—has led to various land
use controversies, according to the trustee. “We’ve had previous instances of mayoral pressure to push things through and examples of the fallout have been seen in the Sandbox Theatre and, of course, Ralph’s,” he said. While The Westchester Sandbox Theatre, after being forced to cease its operation on East Boston Post Road for operating a theater illegally in addition to be being cited for multiple code violations, has opened up a new base of operations on Waverly Avenue, Ralph’s Italian Ices & Ice Cream remains closed due to a lapse in its health permit and a zoning appeal and will move forward with litigation against the village. Discussions over zoning changes to allow micro-alcohol establishments cropped up in June after the Planning Department issued a report to the village board on potential impacts of such moves. According to the Planning Department’s analysis, lack of zoning code literature regarding the operation and parameters of micro-alcohol establishments— which include microbreweries and microdistilleries—has hindered their introduction into the village. Meanwhile, according to the Planning Department, the craft brew industry has greatly expanded throughout New York state and ZONING continued on page 11