New Rochelle Development Commissioner Calls for Fresh Look at Comprehensive Plan of 1996

The City of New Rochelle’s new Development Commissioner, Michael Freimuth, while admitting to being a “novice on New Rochelle,” also stated that he does not see the present development projects in the same way “as residents do.” Most recently he was employed in high-level planning and development positions in Stamford and Bridgeport, Connecticut. He has a “host of things” on his agenda, including reorganizing his office and restructuring his staff’s duties. In his view, the Comprehensive Plan of 1996 needs to be readdressed in 2010. Since every time City Council meets a zoning change is presented, he felt the “zoning code needs to be rewritten.” He cited new proposals for Church-Division lots and the future use of Davids Island. For example, a plan should “do the job” without having the public “fight everything in the plan.” Developers, he said, want long-term commitments.

The train station is New Rochelle’s link to places from Newark to New Haven, and the city is in a strategic location. He felt the overall goal should be practical and strategic and questioned “How do you remain competitive?” He asked how do we play into business growth and wanted to know if the training in the schools was adequate. Freimuth proposed “tinkering with certain ideas, such as the Transit Center as a growth center.”

Steve Mayo had the first question, asking if cost was a factor in why the Comprehensive (Master) Plan had not been changed since l996. The plan would be completed in-house without outside consultants, but Freimuth warned the New York State Quality Review Act (SEQRA) law is different from the other 49 states. Leroy Grayson wanted to know what happened to the New Rochelle bus terminal (for long distance buses) that was supposed to be at the New Rochelle Transit Center. Friemuth said he doesn’t understand why the train station is “in a ditch.” The flooding on several streets and the inadequate sewage plant were brought up by Ward Henderson. Omar Small, Assistant City Manager, answered the flooding and back-ups are being addressed in a Hazard Mitigation plan. There is a City survey for citizens on the web site, www.newrochelleonline.com which he encouraged everyone to complete. When questioned by Patricia Zaffo about how the public is supposed to know about this survey, Small felt the Neighborhood Associations could help with this especially since many people ‘don’t know how to ask questions.”

The Echo Bay and Cappelli developments are still in progress and Marino Michelotti wanted to know if Freimuth had the freedom to dispute what the developers are doing. Freimuth answered the agreements have to be honored. When questioned further about the proposed 700 apartments in Echo Bay which could bring in “a gang of kids” to the schools, Friemuth felt one and two bedroom apartments would not bring in children. Charles McLaren felt development near the railroad cannot be supported because there are four apartment buildings in the area which have low water pressure and their residents cannot take a shower in the morning. He felt the water pipes were not big enough. George Imburgia wanted to know how all this development is going to support the average person. When Freimuth replied he wanted to look at growth, Imburgia suggested looking at New York City and their big deficit in 2007. Questions continued to be raised about how much is too much growth in the city.

Mitch Spalin felt Friemuth seemed open to new ideas but told him that the citizens’ groups have suggested many ideas but they find that whatever a developer says, the City Council approves. Freimuth answered that the “only way I can survive is to be in rooms like this to listen and argue,”when it has legitimacy. After the meeting of the New Rochelle Confederation of Neighborhood Associations and the New Rochelle Citizens Reform Club, Imburgia felt after listening to the new Commissioner, some people thought they had answers to their questions. “It seemed to some people Freimuth did not have a free hand to do what counts. His talk appeared to echo the Mayor’s views on development in the City of New Rochelle.”

IN the May 24 issue of the Westchester Herald