The Rye City Council passed a modified building moratorium in early June after various pushback from the community. Part of that moratorium contains an ability for owners to appeal for a waiver to operate outside the moratorium.
On Wednesday evening, August 12, 2026, the Rye City Council denied a waiver for the building project at 43 Locust Avenue to operate outside the moratorium. It was the first such waiver brought in front of the council. The vote was 4 -1 against the waiver. Councilmember Marion Anderson was in favor of granting the waiver. Councilmembers Kesavan and Jensen were absent from the meeting but Anderson, when voting, said Jensen was also supportive of allowing the waiver.
“While it may comply with current standards, it doesn’t comply with future standards because we don’t know what the future standards are going to be,” said Mayor Josh Nathan in regards to 43 Locust Avenue before casting his vote to deny the waiver.
The owners Kenneth Haas and Ursula Serluca have proposed a mixed-use building with parking on ground level, offices on the first floor, and residence above. The project had already received planning and zoning approvals prior to the moratorium. The architect on the project is Rex Gedney of local firm Crozier Gedney Architects PC.
See the council discussion and vote [at 1:46]:
The mayor’s idiotic quote about not knowing the “future standards” is the obscene example of an activist city council’s attack on private property and free enterprise. Shame on all of them.
Susan Laughlin