After a burst of recent concern around a proposed expansion of facilities inside Marshlands Conservancy park, on Monday Westchester County said via its communications department that it was early in the project, that “all relevant stakeholders will be consulted” “at the appropriate time” and that the County would then present to the Rye City Council under its ‘Good Neighbor’ policy.
“The County’s cooperative and positive tone is most welcome,” Rye Mayor Josh Cohn said Monday after the County statement. “I know all of the Marshland’s neighbors, including the City of Rye, will be eager to see that tone fulfilled.”
“Westchester County is committed to the long-standing relationship we have with the Jay Heritage Center and the Jay Cemetery Association, and we deeply respect the historic significance of the site and its connection to one of America’s Founding Fathers,” said Westchester County Communications Director Catherine Cioffi. “The Jay Heritage Center, the Jay Cemetery and Marshlands Conservancy have been neighbors and partners in stewardship for generations, and that shared commitment to protecting this ecologically and historically important landscape remains central to our work.”
The County is currently in the early planning stages of this project. At the appropriate time, all relevant stakeholders will be consulted, as required by law. Following that process, the County will present a plan to the City Council under our ‘Good Neighbor Policy,’ which goes above and beyond all mandated environmental and historic review requirements. The inclusion of the Marshlands project in the County’s five-year capital plan simply identifies it as a project the County may choose to undertake. This is a standard and long-established component of Westchester County’s capital planning process. There is no construction underway, nor is any construction imminent. Any suggestion to the contrary is false. Marshlands is one of 51 facilities and part of more than 18,000 acres of parkland under County stewardship. Westchester has demonstrated its commitment to responsible restoration and preservation, most notably through the nearly $150 million investment at the neighboring Playland Park, where work was completed in full compliance with historic guidelines.”
It is important to note MyRye.com has requested the full cache of available planning documents from the County in relation to the Marshlands project. These have not been provided. We have also filed a Freedom of Information request – something that should be entirely unnecessary to anyone interested in a transparent process.
Comments from Suzanne Clary, the president of the Jay Heritage Center, were more cautious in reaction to the new County comments. “We welcome County Parks’ acknowledgement of the shared commitment of all stakeholders to protect the Marshlands Conservancy and the entire Boston Post Road National Historic Landmark District. The fact that the dollar ask in the 2026 County budget for this project jumped from $5.4 million in December 2024 to $10.845 million in December 2025 — that’s double — suggests further work and planning than the County’s most recent statement suggests. And as the attached photograph shows, work has already begun at the site, including an attempt to widen the Cemetery Lane – owned by the Jay Cemetery Association, not the County – along with the removal of trees, installation of concrete slabs, expansive ground disturbance and replacement/filling in of naturally wet areas with gravel. It seems like the time for consultation with stakeholders has already arrived.”
See:
LETTER: Historic Jay Cemetery Threatens to Revoke Easement Amid Marshlands Park Expansion Dispute
Skepticism and Calls for Transparency Greet Marshlands Conservancy Expansion Plans
LETTER: Unvetted $11M Development Proposal Threatens Marshlands Park in Rye
