WP Council Addresses Galleria Findings, Hamilton Green Contribution
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
An odd night of discussions behind the scenes on Dec. 2 ended with the Common Council taking one resident up on his recommendation to revisit and substantially increase the Hamilton Green developer’s fee in lieu of providing affordable housing.
Councilmembers also tabled a controversial ordinance at that meeting pertaining to property owners’ sidewalk upkeep and consented to the measure advancing the District Galleria project to the next stage in the rezoning process.
The regularly scheduled meeting started 20 minutes late because of last-minute conversations involving different items on the agenda. The evening’s proceedings also included two executive sessions, before and during the 7:30 p.m. meeting, to discuss a personnel matter.
But during the latter break in the action, representatives for the Hamilton Green developer, Cappelli Organization, were at City Hall and took part in private conversations with the city’s administration. The Hamilton Green measure wasn’t acted upon until after 8:45 p.m.
“In this city, we have an actual commitment to building affordable housing and that means being flexible,” said Mayor Thomas Roach, “and how much more flexible can you be than, in the middle of a meeting, you manage to work out an arrangement that will bring more money into the program.”
During public comment, resident Ben Brown addressed the outdated Westchester County average median income figure that was used to calculate the developer’s contribution, or “buyout,” to the city’s Affordable Housing Assistance Fund in lieu of not providing the cheaper units within its own project.
Several councilmembers, during and after the meeting, recognized Brown as the spark behind the change.
The old AMI figure dates back to when the site plan was first approved because that’s how city code was previously interpreted, though the plan has been amended several times. During public session, Chief of Staff John Callahan briefed the council on the “new information” relating to Hamilton Green.
“Although the regulations don’t require it, the developer has agreed to pay an in lieu fee on the 2024 AMI,” said Callahan.
As a result of the change, the contribution was increased from $902,250 to $1.17 million and was reflected in the site plan amendment unanimously approved by the council at the meeting.
The site plan amendment accommodates the New York Power Authority’s plans to move its offices to Hamilton Green as part of the future phase two at 220 Hamilton Ave. and 20 Barker Ave. Work on the first-phase towers at 5 and 25 Cottage Place are nearing completion.
“I really do appreciate the developer’s willingness to work with us on this and provide more money for the affordable housing fund. It’s a sign of good faith and it’s deeply appreciated,” said Councilman Jeremiah Frei-Pearson.
“I also want to thank the citizens who made this be known. Catching that there should have been an adjustment in the price was not something that I did on my first read,” he added.
In other business, the council also deemed the Galleria project’s draft environmental impact statement as “complete and adequate” with regards to a previously defined scope set by the council.
The council had tabled the measure for further review. Local and company officials have not brought up any concerns about the proposed mix-use project’s impact to the environment. However, multiple officials noted that the vote did not signal total “agreement” with its contents.
“We tabled this motion, so that members of the Common Council in small groups could review the DEIS with the planning commissioner and … the DEIS is complete, meaning that it passes a check list,” said Council President Victoria Presser.
The lengthy packet of findings and mitigation measures relate to more than just the environment. Other issues pertain to adequate parking and infrastructure supporting the future development, to name a few.
The DEIS will be the subject of a Jan. 6 public hearing prior to its finalization – one step in the larger process to rezone the land at 100 Main St. to Transit Development-2.
“It’s a milestone, and we’re looking forward to the public hearings,” Mark Weingarten, the project’s attorney, said afterwards. He also happens to represent Hamilton Green and a unique condo project that received another favorable vote at the meeting.
Additionally, the proposed ordinance, executing a process and fine for enforcing the responsibility of property owners to maintain their adjacent sidewalks, was tabled after a reported outcry and lots of questions, along with potentially some misconceptions and misinformation.
Some claimed it’s a new burdensome requirement, Presser later said during an interview. She noted how it’s one that’s outlined in the city’s charter. Property owner liability could be among the topics of discussion during a future work session on the proposed measure.
The council also unanimously voted to:
- Commence litigation against the Town of Carmel in an effort get the municipality to reimburse White Plans $24,595 for training one of Carmel’s newly hired police officers received while working for White Plains.
- Grant $4.75 million from its Affordable Housing Assistance Fund to 108 affordable for-sale condominium units at 99 Church Street and 6 Cottage Place.
- Enter into a contact with BusPatrol through June 2027 for a new safety program involving the installation of cameras on school buses to catch those who illegally pass the stopped vehicles while kids are getting on and off. The company would receive 55% of the revenue from the tickets.
Andy Milone has been a freelance reporter covering local government for various New Jersey and New York news outlets since May 2024. The Chatham, New Jersey native and Gettysburg College graduate previously worked as a full-time reporter for The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier in Iowa, Pine Barrens Tribune in New Jersey and The Shippensburg News-Chronicle in Pennsylvania. He began working as a professional journalist in 2018. You can reach him at 201-406-7222 (call/text) or by emailing andymilone@protonmail.com.
