Confusion Reigns with New Castle Environmental Impact Study

Supporters of establishing a form-based code in the Chappaqua hamlet are getting pushback from all sides as they dismiss the implications of an environmental review on an area that is 12 times as large as the 6 acre parcel where the code may be applied first. There is no disagreement among all parties for the need to revitalize a stretch of land that includes two large parcels whose owners are both reportedly waiting for a long standing moratorium to end and are looking to move forward regardless of the outcome of this process. But the Chappaqua Central School District and many residents are asking for the establishment of specific requirements that additional analysis be done after the initial 6 acre parcel is developed so that all interested parties can study the actual impact of that development compared to best guess projections by the town and its consultants. It remains unclear whether proponents of the plan will heed this request or continue to state that these concerns are unfounded. If conditions for expanding the development are not built into the process, future town board members will have extreme flexibility to expand the new zoning to other areas of the Chappaqua hamlet with minimal further environmental review. This is on top of provisions in the same proposal which will sideline the town’s Planning Board for almost all future development in any area governed by the new legislation.

This is all taking place in the shadow of an upcoming town wide election where 4 of the 5 town board seats are up for grabs. All the land in the picture is subject to the environmental review that currently includes 4 story building allowances for a large portion of the hamlet (including all of North and South Greeley Avenues) which is currently made up of mostly 1 and 2 story buildings. Lisa Katz, who is a candidate for Supervisor on November 2nd and an 8 year veteran of the town board as part of the Unite New Castle slate, objects to the current proposal and has looked to scale it back during town board review meetings on the subject for many months. Her opponent for Supervisor, former 3 year school board member Holly McCall has not commented publicly on the process since expressing her support along with the other members of the 4 New Castle slate. Town board member Lori Morton, who is also a part of the 4 New Castle slate has been a strong supporter of the proposal throughout the process. Despite the reservations expressed by the CCSD, the Planning Board and many residents who are speaking out about their concerns each week, supporters of the proposal continue to dismiss these concerns as nothing more than fear mongering.

It remains unclear why the CCSD or the Planning Board, both non-political entities, would raise concerns that were not genuine.

In a town where more than half of the residents are registered Democrats, most of the concern for the proposal is being raised by Democrats. Residents not registered as Democrats have had an increasingly icy relationship with local Democratic leadership and may decide the outcome of this race and this issue as part of the upcoming town wide election.