Council’s visions of New Rochelle development was reflected in discussion on several resolutions this month. Council members were not asked to vote on a MOU (memorandum or understanding) for the highly dense Albanese proposal for downtown because more information was needed. Most discussion at the February 21 City Council meeting centered on two items: the Cabaret License proposal; and bonding for the design for the new City Yard on Beechwood Avenue.
Councilman Ivar Hyden explained that the Cabaret license proposal would limit a restaurant’s operation to ending at 2 a.m. He expressed concerned about a cabaret’s outdoor area where people can congregate and disturb residential neighborhoods. The main use of a cabaret establishment in Councilman’s Tarantino’s view should be the restaurant. However, it was Council member Shari Rackman who appeared the most displeased with the proposed change. She did not like the 2 a.m. closing time for the cabarets and felt these establishments should be allowed in residential neighborhoods. In her view if a restaurant can’t survive without the cabaret, a cabaret would enhance the business.
One resident, Vince Malfetano, had questioned why an establishment such as this Pelham Road restaurant and bar did not seek a cabaret license before they opened a short time ago. He reiterated, “Why would you invest upwards of a million dollars or so in renovations? Why didn’t they seek approval before they opened the cabaret? He continued, “Why doesn’t the City Council have an ethics law which would prevent the taking of campaign contributions from developers that come before Council.” A neighbor living very close to the restaurant, Adeline Doria, reinforced the general feeling that she was not against these businesses provided they are run properly. However, when a business encroaches on a neighborhood, the residents are faced with the consequences and “our home values will be destroyed. We have enough in the south end.” Thomas Lang, another resident in the area and member of the Residence Park Neighborhood Association, took exception to the way the restaurant has a cabaret without a cabaret license. He totally supports the proposed Council legislation. Another resident had a sharper reply to Rackman’s comments by suggesting a cabaret be built in the ample parking lot next to Cosi’s on Quaker Ridge Road.
But it was the approval of the $600,000 bonding to create a design for a new City Yard facility at Beechwood Avenue that has set off a raft of citizen complaints. The sole City Council dissenter, Councilman Lou Trangucci, maintained his previous opinion that this money should not be allotted until Forest City Residential, the developer who has an MOU on the present City Yard for development, has presented a development plan for this area. Councilman Al Tarantino who originally wanted to table this bonding until Forest City Residential ;presented their plan, clarified after the meeting that he had voted in favor because originally several years ago the design plan was estimated at a cost of two and a half million dollars and this new estimate is so much lower. The cost of moving the City Yard was originally projected at over $25 million, but in these hard economic times the cost has been downgraded to $13 million.
While deplorable conditions at the present City Yard are cited as reasons for the move, there is plenty of evidence residents do not agree. One who did not want to be named cited the high cost of remediating the pollution at the present City Yard that is now being considered. Others have complained about the access streets for the new City Yard, calling them inadequate. Warming trucks inside a new garage, instead of the open area that is being used now, is seen as a positive move by City officials, but they neglect to mention how starting trucks inside the proposed garage will contribute to air pollution and possibly require large fans to remove the polluted air. Analyzing this City Yard vote in relation to a person’s finances, Lorraine Pierce stated, “Interest rates may be low. However, if you don’t have enough revenue to meet your payments you don’t then go ahead and spend the money. If your credit is maxed out you don’t go ahead and buy a car or house because interest rates are low. It defies logic as does this bonding for the design phase of a new City Yard.”
In the March 8, 2012 issue of the Westchester Guardian