Court Orders White Plains Common Council to Vote on French American School Applications

A Supreme Court judge has given a boost to plans to build the French American School of New York in White Plains.

Judge Joan B. Lefkowitz issued a 17-page ruling that said FASNY’s special permit and site plan applications were complete and the White Plains Common Council should vote on it “no later than its next regular meeting.”

The judge said the school’s proposals had been subjected to exhaustive environmental review, adding that the Council’s own environmental findings, approved by a 6-1 vote in December 2013, had found that all access options “avoided or minimized adverse environmental impacts.”

The access options included the partial closing of a portion of Hathaway Lane.

Allegations by the Gedney Neighborhood Association that access to some homes would be adversely affected were not supported by documentation.

Andrea Colombel, chairwoman of the FASNY Board of Trustees, said the school was pleased with the court’s decision.

“Simply put, the time has come to move forward with the project,” she said. “We look foward to becoming a part of the extensive and diverse educational opportunities for which White Plains is so well known and respected.”

Photo credit: FASNY website.