Environmental Concerns, Campus Signage, Preservation Before Planning Board
Despite the absence of the lawyer representing the Windward School at the continued public hearing on the Subdivision and Site Plan for 221-227 West St., members of the White Plains Planning Board agreed to allow discussion and permitted residents to talk about the project during the Board’s regularly scheduled monthly meeting on July 21.
The owner of the property at 17 Collyer Place told Board members that upon showing up at a meeting between the Windward School (the applicant), the owner of 7 Collyer Place, and White Plains DPW and Building Departments on the site, he was told by the applicant’s lawyer that he had to leave because he was trespassing and was not welcome.
Having held his ground, the owner of 17 Collyer Place did manage to speak with the parties involved about many issues involving his property, which abuts the development site, in particular a stone wall and fence and an easement concerning stormwater and waste management that crosses his property.
Board members expressed concern that a property owner with direct consequences related to the development site should be spoken to by the applicant’s attorney in such a manner. Robert Stackpole said that in the history of the Planning Board he was not aware that a resident with an easement coming through his property had ever been shut down by an applicant.
Other residents asked the Board to review the sizes of the buildings on all three lots, especially Lot 1, which has a building of 5,000 sq. ft. The resident was concerned the large building size indicated that uses other than purely residential could be maintained at that location, such as offices or meeting space.
White Plains Hospital’s New Signage. A referral from the Common Council relating to new signage for White Plains Hospital was approved by the Planning Board.
The presentation by designers indicated that the hospital was concerned to give visitors a clear indication that they had reached the hospital and cancer center campus, which at this point is not clearly defined.
Signage for viewing from the street upon entering White Plains as well as from the pedestrian level had been developed with a focus on brand recognition as well as giving adequate and clear direction.
The illuminated logos for night viewing include blue lighting. Other at-street-level signage, including an entrance marker, appear on the stonework of the buildings.
The plan and designs were approved by the White Plains Design Review Board.
Once the new hospital lobby is opened in mid-September, it is expected that every few weeks after that a new floor of the modernized and renovated hospital will be opened.
Light Industrial Zoning District. One of the first things to cross his desk upon taking over as Planning Commissioner, Christopher Gomez said at the Planning Board meeting, was to review the proposed new Light Industrial Zoning District.
The district, specifically in the Westmoreland area, is intended to encourage building owners to enhance their existing buildings while at the same time revitalizing the area. To accomplish this, Gomez explained that an increase to the current floor area ratio and the inclusion of residential units was being promoted.
Parking requirements would remain the same in the new district, but parking would be allowed within the footprint of the existing building.
A vote on the new Zoning District is expected at the August 3 meeting of the Common Council.
