FASNY: WP Common Council Must Defend FASNY Lawsuit

Dear Mayor Roach and Members of the Council：

We are writing in support of the City's defense of the lawsuit that FASNY has filed. We believe that the City is acting properly in contesting vigorously what we believe is a baseless lawsuit.

We note that FASNY has recently turned to a purported "new" group to carry out its well-funded PR campaign. One of the developer's talking points is that the City is wasting money defending its suit. This is an outlandish position, as it is FASNY that it directly causing the City to spend money defending the case. If the FASNY spokespersons are truly concerned about the use of taxpayer funds, the solution is for the developer to drop the lawsuit.

This Council gave this developer every opportunity to demonstrate that it's proposed school met the legal and environmental standards governing such a development. The proposed development was such a poor fit for the community that it required the City to close a public road. However, the developer could not demonstrate that it was in the public interest to close the road, due to the significant negative environmental and safety impacts.

We are now into the sixth year of FASNY's quixotic efforts to build a complex in a site that simply cannot accommodate it.

We also object to this group's characterization of the Council's decision as a response to a "small" group of opponents. The decision was properly based upon substantial evidence, including reports of the White Plains Board of Education, fire and traffic safety experts, and the input of literally hundreds of members of the White Plains community during an extensive public hearing process.

We urge you to continue to carry out your fiduciary responsibilities to the citizens of the City of White Plains.

Sincerely,

Joseph and Denise DeMarzo

White Plains