FASNY: DISTURBANCE AT CITY HALL

Dear citizens, tax-payers and residents of White Plains, 

Something very disturbing is happening in City Hall.   Mayor Tom Roach and Council members Beth Smayda and Ben Boykin, despite continued assurances of impartiality have taken the lead in advocating for the FASNY regional school complex. 

While voicing allegiance to the SEQRA process, they have deliberately ignored key provisions of the City’s zoning ordinance, Comprehensive Plan as well as other damaging reports regarding the FASNY project.  For example, the City hired an outside traffic consultant (on FASNY's dime) who produced a very damming report of FASNY's traffic impact.   The very serious concerns raised by this report are virtually non-existent in the Findings produced by the Mayor and his staff.  

Shamefully, this report was tucked into the Final Environmental Impact Statement on the final day for citizen comments.  Despite calling FASNY traffic the "950 lb. gorilla in the room" at a Council meeting, Mr. Boykin has gone silent regarding the project’s traffic issues.  Ms. Smayda instead of listening to the City’s own damaging reports has hardly disguised her support for this massive project.  

The Mayor’s Findings report never even attempts to reconcile how the FASNY project conforms to the Special Permit requirement that  “Operations in connection with any special permit 'use' will not be more objectionable to nearby properties by reason of noise, traffic, fumes, vibration or other characteristics that would be the operations of permitted 'uses' not requiring a special permit”.   

Mayor Roach, Ms. Smayda and Mr. Boykin were very slick in telling voters during the recent election that taking a position on FASNY could be viewed as prejudicial and therefore could therefore not offer a position.  Now we know the real reason. 

The residents of the south end of the City trusted our elected officials to represent us.  Unfortunately, Mayor Roach and Council members Smayda and Boykin decided a long time ago that powerful regional interests trump the overwhelming opposition to this project by the residents. 

Thank you,
Anne M. Casey, M.D.