City of White Plains Sued Over Decision to Accept FASNY Environmental Findings
A press statement released by The Gedney Association Thursday evening stated that the group situated in Gedney Farms, has filed suit against the White Plains Common Council in the State Supreme Court regarding its December 2013 decision to accept the environmental findings pertaining to the French American School of New York’s (FASNY) proposal to build a regional school complex on the former Ridgeway Country Club property. The suit alleges that the Common Council decision violated the requirements under New York State’s Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
Speaking of the suit in the press release Terence Guerriere, President of the Association, said: “Regrettably, the Common Council violated many of the environmental review requirements mandated by the State law and its own City land use procedures. We felt obligated to challenge the decision. The private regional school’s impact on the health, safety and welfare of area neighborhoods is our overriding concern.”
The release further said: “Among the most glaring omissions was the introduction of a new entrance and roadway into the proposed complex without requisite public review or input. In fact, the City’s own traffic report questioned the salutary effects of the revised entrance. Mr. Guerriere said: ‘The SEQRA process is not intended to be a multiple-choice proposition. It is only fair to have a plan fully enunciated in order to permit complete evaluation and subsequent input from affected residents.’”
The release also said: “The Council’s decision is the only time in recent memory that such a decision was made despite the overwhelming opposition to the vast majority of area residents.”
At the time this story was posted it was too soon for members of the Council and City Hall to respond to questions and so far no official statements have been released.
Court documents list members of the White Plains Common Council in their elected roles on the Council and also individually including Mayor Thomas Roach, John Martin, Beth Smayda, John Kirkpatrick, Dennis Krolian and former Councilman Benjamin Boykin.
Councilwoman Milagros Lecuona is not mentioned in the suit as she is the one outstanding vote on the Council to not accept the FASNY environmental findings.
The French American School of New York is also mentioned as an interested party in the suit.
Residents of Gedney Farms and members of the Gedney Association officially petitioning the Court include: Ellen Alzerez, Anne Bobroff-Hajal, Anne Casey, Gaetano D’Antona, Albert Dold, III, Steven Gould, Sharon Gould, Terence Guerriere, Yvonne Gumowitz, Elsie Lahrmann, Ellen Delvecchio-Lee, Raffaele Pisani, Ronald Rhodes, Marie Rhodes, Margaret Sanchez, John Sheehan, Robert Stackpole and Robert Wall.
