Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
September 1, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 35 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Village ‘Maker Zone’ progress being realized By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
Gone
but not forgotten Eugene Warrington, owner of Walter’s Hot Dogs, died on Saturday, Aug. 27, but leaves behind a lasting legacy. For more, see page 11. Photo courtesy Gene-Christian Baca
Rosenblum yet to raise money in county legislator race hands-off approach. With Election Day quickly approaching, Rosenblum, the As political hopefuls across village of Mamaroneck’s outthe county clamor for donations spoken Republican mayor, who to fill their respective campaigns’ is hoping to unseat incumbent war chests, Norman Rosenblum, county Legislator Catherine a candidate for Westchester Parker, a Rye Democrat, said he County legislator, has taken a has yet to raise a single dime for
By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
his campaign. Rosenblum also told the Review that he has yet to even formalize a campaign committee capable of accepting donations or spending money. Though unorthodox, Rosenblum’s decision not to create a committee for filing expenditures or contributions still falls
within proper campaign finance guidelines. According to a representative for the New York state Board of Elections, BOE, a committee only has to be formed if a candidate accepts or spends $1,000 or more on a campaign. ROSENBLUM continued on page 9
An initiative to revamp the village of Mamaroneck’s industrial area into a “Maker Zone” for artisan entertainment, nightlife and commerce will take another step forward, as the village gears up for a full-scope environmental analysis and major zoning change. This week, the village Board of Trustees, in tandem with the Industrial Area Advisory Committee, will interview five different respondents to a request for proposals, RFP. The selected firm will be tasked with overhauling zoning guidelines in order to allow new businesses to set up shop in the area. As of press time, the village board has yet to begin narrowing down the firm it will choose but will likely do so within the next week, according to Trustee Keith Waitt, a Democrat who also sits on the industrial area committee. From here, Waitt said that once a firm is chosen to help transform the Maker Zone, the work will start almost immediately. Once hired, he said the village will have several months to outline and implement zoning changes while also carrying out a full Generic Environmental Impact Statement, GEIS, that will assess traffic, flooding, noise and a host of other environmental factors. Parallel to the critical analysis
of the plan to revamp the industrial area—which formerly stood as a larger manufacturing hub in Mamaroneck—Waitt said the village will also be accepting development inquiries. “We don’t want to lose any time; we want to keep momentum going,” he said. Currently, the village is pursuing two overlays zones; a retail zone as well as a mixed-use zone that would allow a large array of new businesses to open up shop and help transform the industrial area, which currently carries a zoning classification of M-1. Among the new frontier of businesses the village hopes to attract are boutique hotels, theaters, indoor recreation facilities and micro-alcohol establishments, which are currently the subject of a separate discussion after Half Time Beverage, the village’s flagship beer distributor, expressed interest in opening a brewpub. One important feature of the overlay zones, said Waitt, who also spoke to the Review regarding the matter in March, would be the retention of current allowed uses in the area, a stipulation that would allow existing businesses to continue operating in compliance with village zoning code. Currently, various warehouses—like Chatsworth Antiques— and business spaces for plumbing, electrical and auto trades, are situated in the heart of the district. PROGRESS continued on page 11