Other New Rochelle Park Issues
Dennis C. During
Interesting development: Another politician chooses to defend parkland in New Rochelle. Does he smell a little blood in the water ?
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Contact: Legislator Jim Maisano at (914) 995-2826 or (914) 636-1621
COUNTY LEGISLATOR
MAISANO BLOCKS VOTE AT COUNTY LEGISLATIVE MEETING THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED OPEN
SPACE IN NEW
ROCHELLE TO BE AUCTIONED OFF TO A DEVELOPER
FOR HOUSING
County Legislator Jim
Maisano (R, New Rochelle)
utilized a procedural device at this past Monday night’s meeting of the
Westchester County Board of Legislators to block a vote that would have allowed
open space at the corner of Flandreau Avenue and Webster Avenue in
New Rochelle to
be auctioned off to a developer to build new homes. The vote was postponed until at least
December 11, 2006, and Legislator Maisano hopes to convince his colleagues over
the next two weeks to completely remove this item from the Board’s consideration
and have the property be dedicated as County
parkland.
This approximately one-half acre of property has been owned by the County of Westchester for about a century. The property has always been open space, and it has become de facto parkland since the surrounding neighborhood has maintained it and treated it as a park. Legislator Maisano was never notified that the County was going to force a vote this week on this property in his district and immediately objected to his colleagues when he learned about it.
Legislator Maisano stated, “Westchester County has a long tradition of protecting open space, especially over the past decade in Southern Westchester as it has become overpopulated and overdeveloped. We cannot allow this property that is open space and de facto parkland to be lost forever to build more houses. The last thing we need in Southern Westchester is more houses, while we certainly need more open space and parkland.”
Legislator Maisano added, “The presentation made by County officials to the Board’s Budget and Appropriations Committee about this property was biased and blatantly failed to inform the legislators about several important issues. My colleagues were misled and I am sure that I was purposely not invited to the meeting as I would have provided my fellow legislators with all the facts, such as the neighborhood support for keeping the property as open space and how it has become de facto parkland. I anticipate that as my colleagues learn the facts there will not be enough support on the Board to pass this item. Several legislators have already informed me that they plan to join me in voting no.”
###
This e-mail was sent to you by County Legislator Jim Maisano. This e-mail distribution list is only used by County Legislator Maisano and is not shared with anyone else. Should you wish to be removed from this email distribution list, email back your request. This email account is not operated at taxpayer expense.