(PHOTO: The Rye Nature Center is planning a new driveway that will avoid crossing the Blind Brook entirely. The driveway will start in the snowfield parking lot off the Boston Post Road across from Rye High School.)
(PHOTO: The Rye Nature Center is planning a new driveway that will avoid crossing the Blind Brook entirely. The driveway will start in the snowfield parking lot off the Boston Post Road across from Rye High School.)

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The Rye City Planning Commission is responsible for decisions on a variety of land use applications including site plans, subdivisions, wetland permits, coastal consistency determinations, special use permits and outdoor dining permits. The Commission also periodically provides advisory recommendations to the City Council regarding long-range planning concerns and zoning matters.

The next commission meeting is on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 7:00pm. Please note a venue change for this meeting: it will be held on the second floor of the Locust Avenue Firehouse at 15 Locust Avenue.

The meetings provide a look at upcoming developments in Rye, ensuring community members stay informed about significant property changes and planning decisions.

The commission’s seven members are Nicholas Everett (chair), Andrew Ball, Laura Brett, Dan Bsharat, Rick Schaupp, Steven Secon and Jamie Jensen (councilmember liaison). Read Meet the Planning Commission and its Chair Nick Everett.

Plans and application materials can be viewed here. Note: due to “security and privacy concerns” as of April 1, 2025, viewing plans online “plans will be available for approximately one week after posting of the meeting agenda on the City’s website. Those wishing to view plans will also be required to login”.

Properties Being Discussed:

  • 945 Forest Avenue: Wetland Permit (WP#582) for waterfront restoration, including a new seawall, kayak ramp, walkway, and beach access stairs. 
  • 11 Purdy Avenue: Extension of Time for Site Plan (SP#408) to construct a three-story mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and eight apartments. 
  • 85 Theodore Fremd Avenue: Extension of Time for Site Plan (SP#412) to build a five-unit townhouse development.  
  • 3 Purdy Avenue (Petite Bretagne): Outdoor Dining Permit (OD#38-2026) for three outdoor tables and six seats.  
  • 873 Boston Post Road (Rye Nature Center): Advisory review for a new vehicle access driveway on City-owned property.  
  • 506 Midland Avenue: Wetland Permit (WP#483) to remove unpermitted fill and stone debris from a regulated wetland.  
  • 92 Mendota Avenue: Wetland Permit (WP#581) to install a four-foot cedar fence.  
  • 96 Mendota Avenue: Wetland Permit (WP#583) to install a four-foot aluminum fence

I. Public Hearings

  1. 945 Forest Avenue
    1. Required Approval(s): Wetland Permit (WP#582)
    2. Location: 945 Forest Avenue
    3. Applicant: Olga Lizuka & Carvalho Vasconcellos
    4. Restoration of the waterfront area of the property, including the replacement of a seawall and the installation of a concrete ramp for kayaks, a stone walkway, and stairs for beach access.

II. Work Session

  1. 945 Forest Avenue – See description above.
  2. 11 Purdy Avenue – Extension of Time
    • Required Approval(s): Site Plan (SP#408)
    • Location: 11 Purdy Avenue
    • Applicant: MM Real Estate Partners, LLC
    • A request for an extension of time regarding the redevelopment of the site into a new three-story mixed-use building, which is slated to feature ground-floor retail spaces and eight two-bedroom residential units across the upper two floors

3. 85 Theodore Fremd Avenue – Extension of Time

  • Required Approval(s): Site Plan (SP#412)
  • Location: 85 Theodore Fremd Avenue
  • Applicant: 85 Theodore Owners, LLC
  • A request for an extension of time for the previously proposed redevelopment of the lot into a five-unit townhouse-style multifamily housing development

4. Petite Bretagne – Outdoor Dining

  • Required Approval(s): Outdoor Dining Permit (OD#38-2026)
  • Location: 3 Purdy Avenue
  • Applicant: Jihaad Alyusuf
  • Request to permit three outdoor dining tables and six total seats for the downtown business

5. Nature Center Access Drive – Advisory Referral from City Council

  • Required Approval(s): Wetland Permit, Tree Removal, LWRP Consistency – Advisory Review
  • Location: 873 Boston Post Road
  • Applicant: Friends of Rye Nature Center
  • Advisory review for the construction of a new vehicle access driveway on property owned by the City of Rye

6. 506 Midland Avenue

  • Required Approval(s): Wetland Permit (WP#483)
  • Location: 506 Midland Avenue
  • Applicant: Rubenstein Estates LLC
  • Application for the remediation and removal of fill and stone debris that was placed within a regulated wetland zone without obtaining the required prior wetland permit

7. 92 Mendota Avenue

  • Required Approval(s): Wetland Permit (WP#581)
  • Location: 92 Mendota Avenue
  • Applicant: Brian Jankovsky
  • Proposed installation of a four-foot-high cedar privacy/boundary fence within a regulated area

8. 96 Mendota Avenue

  • Required Approval(s): Wetland Permit (WP#583)
  • Location: 96 Mendota Avenue
  • Applicant: Peter Sanders
  • Proposed installation of a four-foot-high aluminum fence within a regulated area

III. Minutes

Review and approval of prior Planning Commission meeting minutes.

Beatrice Larzul is a Staff Writer at MyRye.com. She is a Rye resident and a graduate of Williams College with a degree in English and geosciences.

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