Mount Kisco Officials Should Reject Latest State Housing Effort

An alarming late addition to the Oct. 16 Mount Kisco Village Board meeting agenda, inserted under “New Business,” was a new state initiative titled, “Pro-housing Communities Program.” The program was recently launched via executive order of the governor and is supported by state Sen. Peter Harkham. I would be minimizing the comparison by describing it as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on steroids.

As part of the quid pro quo for relinquishing our local zoning codes and zoning maps to the state, along with requirements to meet future new housing benchmarks, we would be eligible to receive priority in applications for “certain” state discretionary spending grant programs. (The participating municipality is not necessarily guaranteed to receive any grant money.) In exchange for entering the program, a municipality would be obligated to do the following:

–Incorporate regional housing needs into local planning decisions.

–Enact policies that create a broad range of housing development, including multifamily housing, affordable housing, ADUs, accessible housing and “supportive housing” (permanent homeless shelters for the chronically homeless).

–Streamline approvals for multifamily housing, affordable housing, accessible housing, ADUs and supportive housing.

–Increase development capacity for residential uses (by eliminating local zoning code limits on residential density). One example: Allowing high-rise apartment buildings to be built in former single-family zones and residential neighborhoods!

Implementing this intrusive plan would have a devastating effect on everyone’s property values. Notwithstanding the fact that our already overburdened physical and human infrastructure cannot support even its partial execution, the current Village Board is actually considering adopting it by passing a resolution with a simple majority vote.

It would be wrong on so many levels for a five-member Village Board, approaching a pivotal election this week, to unilaterally and arbitrarily decide something with such wide-ranging implications. A decision of this magnitude deserves no less than to be put to a village-wide voter referendum.

Both Deputy Mayor Abzun and Trustee Patino have repeatedly expressed strong support for this type of radical legislation. However, they also possess connections to non-compliant multifamily properties in this village. That alone should preclude them from participating in discussing, much less voting on, such momentous and sweeping legislation.

State and county politicians such as Harkham, Assemblyman Chris Burdick, County Legislator Erika Pierce and County Executive George Lattimer (none of whom reside in Mount Kisco) have publicly endorsed the Abzun team and are actively campaigning for them. There have been ongoing behind-the-scenes efforts to place a homeless shelter in Mount Kisco to cover the gap between southern Westchester and Peekskill.

Outgoing Mayor Picinich, to her credit, has resisted those outside efforts, understanding that it would become a magnet for yet more homeless individuals. For if you build it, they will come.

Given their past history and public statements, there is little doubt that the Abzun team, if re-elected, will force the repressive Pro-housing Communities Program on Mount Kisco and its residents. Does anyone actually believe that the wealthier, surrounding communities, which all have considerably more land and larger property lots, would impose anything like this on their residents? Once again, three-square-mile Mount Kisco is the dumping ground.

Conversely, the Cindrich/Flora/Guerra team has consistently vowed to protect ALL residential neighborhoods and to respect existing village zoning laws. With early voting underway and the Nov. 7 election fast approaching, the future of our “Big Little Village” is truly in your hands.

Louis Terlizzi

Mount Kisco

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