Forty-one Affordable Housing Units in Rye Help County with Fed Requirement

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced last week that the county exceeded its benchmarks for developing 750 units of affordable housing under the 2009 settlement with the federal government. The county will finish 2015 with financing in place for 649 units, 49 more than required, and building permits in place for 579 units, 54 more than required. 

The county met the benchmarks for units with building permits in December when the City of Rye issued permits for 41 units on Theodore Fremd Avenue, part of a planned senior housing development. 

Under the terms of the settlement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and U.S. Justice Department, the county is required to spend at least $51.6 million to develop 750 units of affordable housing by the end of 2016 in 31 “eligible” communities defined by their African-American and Hispanic populations in the 2000 census.

About the Senior Housing Development in Rye

The application first came before the City Council at their last meeting in December, 2013 to change the zoning of the County owned property located on Theodore Fremd Avenue. It was referred to the Planning Commission who provided the City Council with an advisory recommendation.

The City Council held Public Hearings in 2014 to change the zoning designation of the County-owned property located on Theodore Fremd Avenue and North Street to the RA-5 District to provide for the construction of affordable senior housing. The Public Hearing was closed at their November 19, 2014 meeting and the zoning change was granted.

The Conditioned Negative Declaration adopted by the City Council at the November 2014 meeting required the County to fund the estimated $1,000,000 cost to relocate the existing sewer line on the property to a new connection on North Street from Nursery Lane. This improvement will mean that the existing sewer line serving the site located under I-95 would be abandoned thereby reducing costly and challenging maintenance responsibilities for the City.

The City will be responsible for and oversee the design and construction of the sewer line. The project cost will be paid from grant assistance from the Westchester County Housing Implementation Fund, (“HIF”). The Resolution regarding the application for the grant was approved by the City Council at their January 28, 2015 meeting. The existing sewer line serves the High Street/Maple Avenue/Central Avenue neighborhood and goes to the Blind Brook Sewer District.

The proposed new sewer line required the transfer of 113 properties from the Blind Brook Sewer District to the Mamaroneck Valley Sewer District. The City Council approved a Resolution to transfer these properties at their April 8, 2015 meeting.

At their last City Council meeting on December 16, 2015, the City Council provided authorization for the City Manager to enter into an Inter-municipal Developer Agreement (IMDA ) with Westchester County and Pawling Holdings, LLC (the builder for the Senior Affordable Housing units) for these infrastructure improvements.

Thanks to Assistant City Manager Eleanor Militana who provided this detail as well as the following event chronology:

November 19, 2014 meeting:

6.         Continuation of the Public Hearing to change the zoning designation of County-owned property located on Theodore Fremd Avenue and North Street to the RA-5 District to provide for the construction of affordable senior housing.

7.         Resolution adopting a conditional negative declaration of environmental significance pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act for the zoning petition submitted by Lazz Development/Pawling Holdings to rezone the property at 150 North Street to a RA-5 Senior Citizen Apartment District. 

8.         Resolution adopting a Local Law to amend the “Zoning Map of the City for Rye, New York” to Change the Zoning Designation of a Property Known on the City of Rye Tax Map as Section 146.10, Block 1, Lot 66 from B-6, General Business, District and B-1, Neighborhood Business, District to RA-5, Senior Citizens Apartment, District.

January 28, 2015 meeting:

8.         Resolution requesting funding from Westchester County for the North Street sewer improvement consistent with the approved rezoning of the County-owned property on Theodore Fremd Avenue and North Street for the construction of affordable senior housing.

April 8, 2015 meeting:

7.         Resolution requesting that properties from the High Street/Maple Avenue/Central Avenue neighborhood be transferred from the Blind Brook Sewer District to the Mamaroneck Valley Sewer District in connection with the installation of a new sewer line from Nursery Lane to North Street.  

December 16, 2015 meeting:

10.       Authorization for the City Manager to enter into an Inter-municipal Developer Agreement with Westchester County and Pawling Holdings, LLC for the City to construct the North Street sewer line and other on-site infrastructure improvements for the Theodore Fremd Avenue and North Street affordable senior housing project.