After decades of decline, riverfronts are again captivating residents and drawing visitors to the Hudson Valley. Capitalizing on this renewed interest, local governments and others are creating public access on abandoned industrial sites in Yonkers, Irvington and Haverstraw. A "new urbanism" is coupling mixed-use, low- to mid-rise buildings with open space and viewshed protection. Yet an alarming trend has emerged - developer-driven projects versus community-driven development.
CIRCUMVENTING COMMUNITY VISION
Through community visioning and planning, numerous riverfront municipalities have developed Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs (LWRPs) under the state's Coastal Management Program.
Several communities, however, are seeking to amend their LWRPs to keep developers at the table. These actions are equivalent to "spot zoning," a questionable practice that rezones for a particular development rather than requiring a developer to follow the master plan. Tax-strapped localities often feel compelled to accept development, even at the cost of their identity and vision. |
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OFF THE SCALE
In the Village of Ossining in Westchester County, a controversial high-rise proposal has been moving through a state review despite staunch opposition and inconsistency with the LWRP. Village trustees who backed amending the plan to accommodate the development were voted out of office last November in favor of those supporting a community-based process and a more reasonably scaled project. Lawsuits have been filed, and the future of the waterfront, the proposal and village planning are in limbo. |
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Upriver the City of Peekskill also has changed its waterfront plan to allow development near the railroad station on steep slopes with limited public access - two attributes expressly cited for protection in the original plan. Although the LWRP changes appear certain, steadfast advocacy by Scenic Hudson and others has yielded positive changes - the number of units has been reduced and a gated feature eliminated.
And even as the City of Poughkeepsie experiences a Main Street and riverfront renaissance, City Hall is pressing for condos on Kaal Rock, a unique promontory designated for open space in the city's LWRP. The mayor proposed changes to the LWRP to move the project forward. The Waterfront Advisory Committee, numerous community activists and Scenic Hudson have objected to changing the waterfront master plan. |
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BALANCED PLANNING
This troubling trend could undermine sound planning and our waterfront revival for decades. Despite these challenges, Scenic Hudson is committed to working with citizens, local officials and developers to advance sound planning principles, develop LWRPs that reflect community vision and promote projects that balance economic and environmental benefits. |
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| Photo by J. Jeffrey Anzevino |
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