No. Castle Ponders 3-Story Mixed Use for North White Plains’ Rt. 22
Allowing three-story mixed-use development on Route 22 in North White Plains was among the key zoning issues North Castle officials debated last week during a work session on the Comprehensive Plan update.
The issue of whether to permit three-story structures with a maximum 40-foot height on the busy state thoroughfare was one of 17 topics addressed by the Town Board and the town’s planning consultant, Frank Fish. The board is looking to complete a formal update to the document in the coming months.
Fish said the current real estate market and the town’s zoning limiting mixed uses in the Central Business (CB) district to two-story buildings with a 30-foot maximum places the town at a disadvantage if it hopes properties along the road can be redeveloped. The requirement that the first floor remain commercial and that a special permit would still be needed to include apartments would remain intact, he said.
“A two-story building where residential is allowed by special permit now, I don’t think that building is an economically feasible building,” Fish said.
Director of Planning Adam Kaufman said last week a Route 22 property owner contacted his office inquiring about the possibility of adding a third story.
“I explained that currently you can’t do that,” Kaufman said. “This is what is says in the code (now), but it is something for the board to consider.”
While board members said they understood the recommendation to grant the extra story, they expressed concern about adding density, whether that would entice similar development in Armonk’s CB zone, aesthetics and the impact on the Valhalla School District.
Supervisor Michael Schiliro said the town must be able to estimate the potential maximum number of residential units. There will be likely tradeoffs as the town searches to increase its tax base without overburdening infrastructure and services.
“One of my hopeful goals of this whole plan was to help further the development, the positive development or the positive change in the three hamlet areas, the three retail areas, Banksville, Armonk and North White Plains, and they’re all different,” Schiliro said.
A general rule of thumb has been that upstairs studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments generate just one child for every 10 to 15 units, Fish said.
Kaufman said there were about four properties that could accommodate the three-story redevelopment.
Fish said language could be added to ensure the change is specific to Route 22, addressing concern about Armonk’s Main Street. He added that the width of Route 22, which is about 44 feet with shoulders of up to four feet on each side, makes taller structures practical.
Other key recommendations where the board reached consensus last week was to allow for potential development of a hotel on the MBIA site in addition to the subdivided IBM parcel and Business Park Drive; directing the state to study Route 22 in North White Plains and between that hamlet and Armonk; finding ways to limit the possibility of formula retail; and continuing to support separate provisions for affordable housing and the town’s 34 middle income units.
Another work session will likely be scheduled in the upcoming weeks to continue the discussion.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
