Port Chester is at a critical moment in time, one that will impact our Village for decades to come. I have watched in horror as untold amounts of large scale 12 and 15 story developments get proposed. I’ve been to Planning Board, IDA and Board of Trustees meetings voicing my concerns. I’ve written letters, encouraged others to speak out, all to no avail. It’s clear that the vision behind this Form Based Code is to turn our beloved Village into a city. It’s also clear that the only way to stop this is for the Board of Trustees to reverse course. They are not listening or don’t have the votes to affect the necessary change. This election is our last collective chance to stop this madness.
I’m voting for Joan Grangenois Thomas, who has proven to be a voice of the people, a people often unheard and ignored, and has voted as such. She is the ONLY trustee to vote against the adoption of the Form Based Code (during the height of the pandemic when we were all busy trying to survive it, might I add). She said then, and now, that more study on mitigating factors including affordable housing, infrastructure, displacement and traffic need to be done first. We are still waiting on these comprehensive studies after the fact, as the mega development proposals come unabated, making their rounds through the approval process. John Allen, with his vast government experience as the Westchester County Deputy Clerk, has spoken out publicly, most recently at the last BoT meeting, that a moratorium on the entire Form Based Code, not just the CD-4 district, should take place to ensure that development benefits all of us and not just developers. Phil Dorazio, a lifelong resident who truly cares about our Village and its history, has stated he would demand that all development keep the small-town character and diversity of the village intact so that it benefits all of us. While other candidates are using terms like sustainable and smart as slick taglines, John, Joan, and Phil are stating emphatically what that means. They are the ONLY candidates that have been clear that a review and/or moratorium on our entire current Zoning Code should happen now, before we lose the charm and vibrancy of our village forever.
Development is needed in our village, but not at the level that is being proposed, and not at the expense of the residents who will be priced out by luxury apartments buildings, small businesses who will be displaced, our infrastructure already at its breaking point, not to mention the parking and traffic that will be exacerbated by the proposed overdevelopment of our downtown. I know I’m not alone in wanting our Village to thrive without it being turned into an overcrowded city of glass towers. Please join me in voting for Joan, Phil, and John Allen (Columns 1, 2, and 3) on March 15!! Save our Village!! Get in the fight before it’s too late!! Vote!!
Monica Fonseca
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