3.0 Mount Vernon at a Glance

3.1 Regional Setting

3.1 Re g i o n a l Se t t i n g

The City of Mount Vernon is a New York City inner ring suburb located in the southern part of Westchester County, approximately 13 miles north of Manhattan (see Figure 3-1). The City has a total land area of approximately 4.4 square miles and is home to approximately 69,000 residents, according to the 2010 US Census. It is bordered to the west by the City of Yonkers and to the east by the Villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor. The Village of Bronxville and the Town of Eastchester form the City’s northern border while the New York City Borough of the Bronx is located directly south (see Figure 3-2).

Mount Vernon is well situated, with good access the rest of Westchester County, New York City and the region. Principal arterials serving Mount Vernon include the Bronx River, Hutchinson River, and Cross County Parkways, as well as the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87) and the New England Thruway (Interstate 95). The Cross County Parkway traverses the northern portion of the City east to west, while the Bronx River and Hutchinson River Parkways travel along the City’s western and eastern borders, respectively, and interchange with the Cross County. The City’s local street network generally takes the form of a traditional rectilinear grid, providing a relatively high degree of connectivity among the City’s various neighborhoods.

Mount Vernon has exceptional access to public transportation. It is served by three train stations on two Metro-North commuter rail lines—the running north and New Haven line running east. Two New York City subway stations – the Eastchester-Dyre Avenue station (5 train) and the Wakefield-241 Street station (2 train) – are located within a ten minute walk from the Mount Vernon- Bronx border. The Westchester County Bee Line Bus Service operates ten individual bus lines in Mount Vernon, the majority of which pass through the Petrillo Plaza transit hub in Downtown.

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 19 3.1 Regional Setting

Figure 3-1 Regional Context Map

Source: ESRI

20 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.1 Regional Setting

Figure 3-2 Local Context Map

Source: ESRI

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 21 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

3.2 Po p u l a t i o n , Ho u s i n g a n d Socioeconomic Pr o f i l e

A. Population

Sex, Age & Race/Ethnicity

According to the 2009 American Community Survey (ACS), the total population of Mount Vernon is 68,813, 55 percent of which is female and 45 percent of which is male (see Chart 3-1A). This uneven gender distribution differs from that of Westchester and New York City which are split 51.5 percent female/48.5 percent male and 52.2 percent female/47.8 percent male, respectively (see Charts 3-1B and 3-1C).

The median age of Mount Vernon is 38.2 years, slightly younger than Westchester at 39.8 years and older than New York City at 35.8 years. Nearly 26 percent of Mount Vernon’s population is under the age of 20. 20.7 percent are early working age (20-34); 28.2 percent are prime working age (35-54); 11.6 percent are mature working age (55-64); and 13.6 percent are retirement age.

Chart 3-1A Mount Vernon Population Pyramid: Sex by Age by 5-Year Cohort 2009

Source: American Community Survey 2009

Two noteworthy features of Mount Vernon’s population are (1) its heavily female weighting, especially in the working ages of 30 to 55 years, and (2) its relatively even distribution of population across age cohorts. This is quite different than the structure of Westchester and New York City’s populations, both of which are more evenly distributed between the genders and less evenly distributed across age groups. Also noteworthy in the Mount Vernon pyramid is that females outnumber males for all age cohorts, save the 15 to 29 age range.

22 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Chart 3-1B Westchester County Population Pyramid: Sex by Age by 5-Year Cohort 2009

Source: American Community Survey 2009

While females outnumber males countywide, the age/sex distribution as a whole is more balanced than that of Mount Vernon. The decline in population shown in the late teen years does not recover until the 35-39 age cohort (prime home-buying age) in Westchester. Also notable is the larger share of men who survive to old age (70 and above).

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 23 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Chart 3-1C New York City Population Pyramid: Sex by Age by 5-Year Cohort 2009

Source: American Community Survey 2009

Despite an overall population that is 100 times greater, New York City’s population is similar to that of Mount Vernon. It too has a greater female population and follows the same basic curves. However, the pyramid is more balanced between genders; there is a slight increase in the 20 to 24 year cohort, attributed to New York City as a significant college destination. In addition, the post- college influx of population begins much earlier in the 25 to 29 age cohort.

Mutually Exclusive Race/Ethnicity1

Mount Vernon’s population is ethnically diverse. 58.2 percent of residents (40,040 people) are Black or African American alone, followed by 26.1 percent White alone (17,655 people); 11.1 percent Hispanic (7,636 people); 2.4 percent Two or More Races alone (1,668 people); 1.8 percent Asian alone (1,251); and 0.3 percent Some Other Race alone (230 people). As shown on Table 3-1, this racial distribution is atypical for the region; Westchester County is predominantly White Alone and New York City is almost equally distributed between White Alone, Hispanic, Black Alone and all other categories in combination. Mount Vernon has a notably greater share of Black or African American Alone population and much smaller shares of Hispanic and Asian Alone residents, which are fast growing populations in Westchester and New York City.

1 Under current Census data collection process, “Race” may include up to 63 possible combinations. These have been consolidated to the five most common and appropriate to Mount Vernon. “Hispanic” is the term used to classify persons who identify as having origins in the Spanish speaking countries of Central and South America, as well as Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico. I.e., Hispanics may be of any race. An identified race “alone” indicates the person is not Hispanic and identifies only with a single race.

24 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Table 3-1 Mutually Exclusive Race/Ethnicity 2009: Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City Race/Ethnicity Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent White Alone 17,655 25.7% 568,667 59.5% 2,961,851 35.3% Black/African-American Alone 40,040 58.2% 127,413 13.3% 1,931,723 23.0% Asian Alone 1,251 1.8% 55,127 5.8% 998,081 11.9% Other Single Race Alone 563 0.8% 4,165 0.4% 78,615 0.9% Two of more races Alone 1,668 2.4% 11,464 1.2% 106,570 1.3% Hispanic 7,636 11.1% 189,126 19.8% 2,315,041 27.6% Total 68,813 100.0% 955,962 100.0% 8,391,881 100.0% Source: American Community Survey 2009

Educational Attainment

83.9 percent of Mount Vernon residents have at least a high school diploma and 24.5 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher. This is essentially on par with the United States as a whole with 80.4 percent of people holding a high school diploma and 24.4 percent holding a bachelor’s degree. Mount Vernon is solidly in the middle in regional comparisons on high school graduation: 16 percent of adults 25 years or older have not acquired a high school diploma in Mount Vernon compared to 12.4 percent in Westchester County and 20.8 percent in New York City.

Mount Vernon has a greater share of residents with High School diplomas (33.7 percent) and Some College and Associate’s degrees (25.8 percent) compared to Westchester (22.9 percent and 20.7 percent) and New York City (24.5 percent and 20.7 percent), respectively. However, the City lags in total residents with Bachelor’s degrees or higher at 24.5 percent compared to 44.1 percent in Westchester and 34.0 percent in New York City, as shown on Table 3-2.

Table 3-2 Educational Attainment of Population 25 and Older, 2009 Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City Educational Attainment Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent No High School Diploma 7,465 16.1% 79,559 12.4% 1,192,063 20.8% High School Graduate 15,660 33.7% 147,133 22.9% 1,401,311 24.5% Some College, no degree 5,401 11.6% 90,390 14.1% 826,618 14.4% Associate’s degree 6,582 14.2% 42,692 6.6% 362,532 6.3% Bachelor’s degree 6,278 13.5% 143,398 22.3% 1,138,839 19.9% Graduate or professional degree 5,102 11.0% 140,002 21.8% 809,956 14.1% Total 46,488 100.0% 643,174 100.0% 5,731,319 100.0% Source: American Community Survey 2009

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 25 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Disability

10.3 percent of non-institutionalized Mount Vernon residents (6,981 people) have a reported disability that limits their activity compared to 8.6 percent of Westchester County residents and 10.7 percent of New York City residents. The Census Bureau defines disability as “a long-lasting physical, mental or emotional condition. This condition can make it difficult for a person to do activities such as walking, climbing stairs, dressing, bathing, learning or remembering. This condition can also impede a person from being able to go outside the home alone or to work at a job or business.”

Among Mount Vernon’s disabled, 46 percent are age 65 or older; 52 percent are between the ages of 18 and 64; and 2 percent are children. As the population ages, it is likely that instances of disability will continue to increase along with subsequent demand for paratransit and other services. Additional information on types of disability will be acquired with the release of the 2010 Census data.

Veteran Status

As of 2009, 4.6 percent (2,456) of Mount Vernon residents over the age of 17 were veterans, compared to 5.8 percent (726,124) in Westchester and 3.6 percent (235,160) in New York City.

Nativity and Linguistic Isolation ]In 2009 three in every ten (21,350) Mount Vernon residents were foreign born2. Of these, 10,864 (50.9%) are naturalized citizens. 71.4 percent entered the country before 2000. Data on linguistic isolation is not available for recent years; however, according to the 2000 Census approximately 4 percent of residents report that they do not speak English “well” or “very well.” Household3 Type and Size

Three out of every five Mount Vernon households are classified as family households4. 7,967 or 31.2 percent of all households are a Married-Couple family, about one-third of which have children under 18 years old living with them. Almost as numerous are female-headed family households at 24.4 percent or (6,236) of which approximately 60 percent have children under the age of 18 living with them. Of the 9,905 non-family households, the vast majority (8,851) are single- person households, of which 35 percent (3,473) are persons 65 years and older. One-third of all households contain a minor and more than one-quarter have a person 65 and older, as shown on Table 3-3.

2 Nativity by Country of Birth is not available in the current data sets. That will be explored further later in the plan, by which time the Census 2010 data will have been released. 3 A household includes all the people who occupy a housing unit as their usual place of residence 4 A family includes a householder and one or more people living in the same household who are related to the householder by birth, mar- riage, or adoption.

26 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Table 3-3 Household Type Mount Vernon, New York City and Westchester County Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City Household Type and Size Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Family: Married Couple 7,967 31.2% 174,417 51.4% 1,127,161 36.5% Family: Single Male Head 1,439 5.6% 14,022 4.1% 161,349 5.2% Family: Single Female Head 6,236 24.4% 43,702 12.9% 562,992 18.2% Non-Family: Single Person 8,851 34.6% 91,981 27.1% 1,026,957 33.3% Non-Family: Other 1,054 4.1% 14,883 4.4% 209,037 6.8% Total 25,547 100.0% 339,005 100.0% 3,087,496 100.0% Total Non-Family 9,905 106,864 1,235,994 Source: American Community Survey 2009

Mount Vernon’s average family size is 3.5 persons, comparable to that of Westchester County (3.36 persons) and New York City (3.48 persons). However, due to the large number of single person households, the average household size in Mount Vernon is only 2.66, which is the same as New York City and smaller than Westchester’s average of 2.75 (see Table 3-4).

Table 3-4 Average Household and Family Sizes Mount Vernon, New York City and Westchester County Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City Average Household Size 2.66 2.75 2.66 Average Family Size 3.5 3.36 3.48 Source: American Community Survey 2009

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 27 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren

According to the 2005-2009 ACS five-year average, in Mount Vernon 1,601 grandparents live with their grandchildren. Of these grandparents, 38.3 percent are financially responsible for their grandchildren. This compares with 29.4 percent in Westchester County and 31.3 percent in New York City.

The single-year 2009 ACS provides grandparent statistics only at the county level. In Westchester County the single-year estimate indicates that the trend of grandparents living with and/or raising grandchildren is increasing. 15,234 grandparents in the County live in the same household with one or more of their own grandchildren. One in every three of these grandparents (5,127 or 33.7 percent) is financially responsible for the children and of these 2,079 (40.6) percent are unmarried women.

Unmarried Partner Households

In 2009, it was estimated that 1,468 Mount Vernon residents (2.2 percent of the population in households) were unmarried partners living as a household, including both same and opposite sex partner households. In Westchester County as a whole, 1.6 percent of the household population (14,854) was in an unmarried partnership, while in New York City the number was 155,298, or 1.9 percent.5

Income

In 2009 median household income in Mount Vernon was lower than both New York City and Westchester County, as shown on Table 3-5. Mount Vernon families have marginally higher incomes than New York City families, but have incomes well below those reported for Westchester County. As shown on Figure 3-3, Mount Vernon household income is lower than that of surrounding municipalities with the exception of Yonkers, New Rochelle and the Bronx.

Table 3-5 Median Household and Median Family Incomes Mount Vernon, New York City and Westchester County Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City Median Household Income $47,380 $77,189 $50,033 Median Family Income $57,071 $99,650 $56,054 Source: American Community Survey 2009

5 It seems unlikely that there is a lesser share of unmarried partners in New York City than in Mount Vernon. The discrepancy might be ex- plained by a number of unmarried partners self-identifying as spouses. The 2009 and 2005-2009 ACS data does not refine the question by gender.

28 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Figure 3-3 Median Household Incomes, 2005-20096 Mount Vernon and Surrounding Communities

Source: American Community Survey, 2005-2009

Population in Poverty7

The share of Mount Vernon’s population in poverty has decreased to 13.0 percent in 2009 from 14.2 percent in 1999. However, the City’s non-working populations are experiencing higher rates of poverty with 18.6 percent of all children and 17.5 percent of seniors living below the poverty level. One in ten families in Mount Vernon lives below the poverty level.

6 Median Household Income data are not available for all municipalities in the 2009 single year ACS data series. The 2005-2009 average was thus used instead. 7 Population in Poverty is traditionally discussed in terms of percentages, not actual numbers when using survey data such as the ACS.

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 29 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

B. Housing

Housing Stock Characteristics

The 2009 ACS reports 29,056 housing units in Mount Vernon, an increase of 2008 units since the 2000 Census. The housing stock is well established with four in every five units constructed before 1960, meaning that 80 percent of the housing stock in Mount Vernon meets the age eligibility requirement for the National Register of Historic Places. Of the total housing units in the City, 39.5 percent (11,483) are single-family detached or attached homes and 30.9 percent (8,980) are in structures of 20 or more units. The remaining units are in smaller multi-unit structures including three- or four-family (2,896 or 10.0 percent) and two-family (2,446 or 8.4 percent) homes (see Table 3-6).

Table 3-6 Housing Unit Type Housing Unit Type Number Percent Single Family 11,483 39.5% 2 Unit 2,446 8.4% 3-4 Unit 2,896 10.0% 4-20 Unit 3,251 11.2% 20+ Unit 8,980 30.9% Total 29,056 100.0% Source: American Community Survey, 2009

Bedrooms per Housing Unit

Two in every three housing units (18,967) have two or more bedrooms; 31.9 percent (9,275) have one bedroom; while only 2.8 percent (814 units) are studios. Table 3-7 shows the distribution of housing size in terms of bedrooms for Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City. Mount Vernon’s housing stock is similar to that of Westchester County in terms of bedroom composition although its population is more similar to that of New York City, as discussed in the previous section. Table 3-7 Number of Bedrooms per Housing Unit Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City Bedrooms per Unit Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent No bedroom (studio) 814 3% 10,119 3% 265,082 8% 1 bedroom 9,275 32% 72,865 20% 1,033,294 31% 2 bedrooms 9,439 32% 91,108 25% 1,066,154 32% 3 bedrooms 5,777 20% 100,537 28% 733,549 22% 4 bedrooms 1,848 6% 59,042 16% 185,142 5% 5 or more bedrooms 1,903 7% 27,916 8% 92,408 3% Total 29,056 100% 361,587 100% 3,375,629 100% Source: American Community Survey, 2009

30 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Tenure and Costs

Of all Mount Vernon housing units, 32 percent (9,436 units) are owner-occupied and 56 percent (16,111 units) are renter-occupied; 12 percent of units are vacant. Median housing value is $425,000 with the largest portion of units (4,700 or 49.8 percent) having values of $300,000 to $499,999. Almost 6,000 owner households have active mortgages, of which 45.6 percent are paying more than 35 percent of their gross income on housing costs. For the 3,439 households without a mortgage, 22.7 percent are paying more than 35 percent of gross income on housing costs. Median gross rent in Mount Vernon is $1,070 per month, 18.5 percent less than the HUD Fair Market Rent for Westchester County of $1,313. However, Mount Vernon’s actual median family income is $57,071, 45.8 percent less than HUD Adjusted Median Family Income of $105,300. More than half (51.2 percent) of all renter households are spending more than 35 percent of their income on rent.

Vacancy

Of all Mount Vernon housing units, 3,509 were identified as vacant for a vacancy rate of 12.1 percent.

Foreclosures

According to RealtyTrac.com8, as of June 2011, some 374 Mount Vernon homes are in foreclosure, of these 23 entered foreclosure in May 2011, yielding a foreclosure rate of 0.08 percent. This is slightly higher than Westchester (0.05 percent) and the Bronx (0.03 percent). However, the national foreclosure rate is currently 0.16 percent, well above Mount Vernon. Table 3-8 shows foreclosure data by area. Within Westchester County, foreclosure ratios vary greatly by area. Figure 3-4 shows the level of foreclosure activity by municipality in Westchester County.

Table 3-8 Foreclosures by Location, May 2011 May May Total May Foreclosure Foreclosure Place Foreclosures Foreclosures Ratio Rate Mount Vernon 374 23 1:1,281 0.08% 10550 236 10 1:1,522 0.08% 10552 66 N/A N/A N/A 10553 72 N/A N/A N/A Westchester County 2,677 172 1:2,113 0.05% Bronx County 2,759 159 1:3,229 0.03% Source: Realtytrac.com, May 2011

C. Socioeconomics

8 Realtytrac.com is an online marketplace of foreclosure properties. Foreclosed data is collected and aggregated from more than 2,200 coun- ties, covering more than 90 percent of U.S. households. The data is appended with estimated property values, comparable sales, loan history, tax lien and bankruptcy records, trustee and lender information and property details and is updated twice daily.

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 31 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Overview

In an increasingly service-oriented region with declining industrial jobs, the Mount Vernon economy retains strength in goods production, a sector characterized by relatively high blue collar wages. Given this strength the City is attracting the relocation of industrial firms from elsewhere in the New York Metropolitan region. In addition to this sector, opportunities need also be pursued in Mount Vernon’s service economy, developing its knowledge-based export sector and enhancing its delivery of consumer-oriented services to residents. The number of goods production jobs in the City is significantly greater than the concentration of blue collar skills in the resident labor force. The skills of residents in and entering the labor force that desire to work locally need to be enhanced in order to support maximum participation in both goods production and a knowledge-based service economy.

Employment by Industry

According to the New York State Department of Labor, Mount Vernon currently has 20,779 government and private sector jobs in 1,600 establishments, paying nearly $1 billion in annual wages (see Tables 3-9, 3-10 and 3-11). Health Care and Social Assistance is the largest single sector with nearly 3,400 persons working in 150 separate facilities, led by the Mount Vernon Hospital which is the City’s major private employer. Private Construction follows with just over 3,300 jobs in 210 Mount Vernon-based firms that provide building trade work throughout the region. Significant other sectors of employment include Manufacturing with 2,300 jobs in100 establishments and Private Educational Services with 2,000 jobs in 32 institutional sites. Wholesale Trade, Transportation and Warehousing complement the blue collar character of Manufacturing and Construction, adding 1,450 and 1,200 jobs respectively. Collectively, 42 percent of Mount Vernon’s private sector employment can be considered “goods handling” versus 58 percent “service providing.” As a point of comparison, 81 percent of Westchester County’s private employment is considered “service providing.”

32 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Table 3-9 Jobs by Industry: Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City Industry Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City

Construction 3,336 16% 21,445 5% 108,767 3% Manufacturing 2,316 11% 14,990 4% 76,372 2% Wholesale Trade 1,448 7% 14,212 4% 127,952 4% Retail Trade 2,139 10% 46,391 11% 296,486 8% Transp & Warehsg 1,190 6% 10,353 3% 100,949 3% Information 99 0% 10,567 3% 149,167 4% Finance & Insurance 232 1% 17,658 4% 302,009 8% Real Estate & Rental 546 3% 8,805 2% 116,372 3% Prof & Tech Services 662 3% 24,030 6% 309,458 9% Mgmt of Companies 0 0% 9,301 2% 60,900 2% Admin & Support 1,304 6% 19,953 5% 182,833 5% Educational Services 1,996 10% 15,570 4% 144,784 4% Health Care & Social Asst 3,381 16% 65,809 16% 573,506 16% Arts, Entertmt & Recr 84 0% 9,538 2% 67,150 2% Accom & Food Service 579 3% 24,031 6% 252,128 7% Other Private Sector 579 3% 23,686 6% 171,875 5% Government 888 4% 67,394 17% 564,363 16% Total 20,779 100% 403,733 100% 3,605,071 100% Note: Three highest industries are highlighted Source: New York State Department of Labor, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 33 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Table 3-10 Establishments by Industry: Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City Industry Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City Construction 213 13% 3,594 10% 12,720 5% Manufacturing 107 7% 693 2% 6,269 3% Wholesale Trade 106 7% 1,635 5% 15,772 7% Retail Trade 203 13% 3,727 10% 30,556 13% Transp & Warehsg 52 3% 573 2% 4,567 2% Information 9 1% 658 2% 5,783 2% Finance & Insurance 42 3% 1,945 5% 11,961 5% Real Estate & Rental 172 11% 2,296 6% 20,398 9% Prof & Tech Services 106 7% 4,431 12% 26,901 11% Mgmt of Companies 0 0% 253 1% 1,354 1% Admin & Support 82 5% 2,139 6% 9,564 4% Educational Services 32 2% 577 2% 3,329 1% Health Care & Social Asst 151 9% 3,438 10% 20,876 9% Arts, Entertmt & Recr 16 1% 654 2% 5,052 2% Accom & Food Service 91 6% 2,129 6% 18,245 8% Other Private Sector 237 15% 6,747 19% 44,954 19% Government 3 0% 453 1% 639 0% Total 1,622 100% 35,942 100% 238,940 100% Note: Three highest industries are highlighted Source: New York State Department of Labor, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages

34 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Table 3-11 Average Wages by Industry: Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City

Industry Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City

Construction $69,872 $62,152 $65,649 Manufacturing $47,940 $98,263 $47,585 Wholesale Trade $51,944 $75,558 $74,122 Retail Trade $27,660 $31,058 $33,904 Transp & Warehsg $40,724 $49,909 $46,891 Information $44,956 $79,516 $98,104 Finance & Insurance $40,948 $110,990 $204,886 Real Estate & Rental $36,888 $50,609 $55,912 Prof & Tech Services $50,316 $88,664 $101,496 Mgmt of Companies $0 $173,751 $148,723 Admin & Support $31,872 $38,446 $43,840 Educational Services $63,816 $44,816 $51,522 Health Care & Social Asst $38,968 $49,155 $46,540 Arts, Entertmt & Recr $18,860 $30,959 $60,859 Accom & Food Service $16,984 $22,873 $28,007 Other Private Sector $31,437 $43,149 $45,862 Government $52,104 $75,268 $56,976 Total $46,812 $60,608 $69,868 Note: Three highest industries are highlighted Source: New York State Department of Labor, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.

Retail Areas

The City’s major retail districts include Fleetwood, the Gramatan Avenue – Fourth Avenue corridor and Downtown, and Sandford Boulevard. Although the Retail Trade industry currently provides some 2,100 jobs in 200 establishments from small shops to big box stores, the average annual earnings of retail workers ($27,650) fares poorly beside those of the Manufacturing or Wholesale Trade industry employees ($48,000 to $52,000), and pales against Construction industry workers ($70,000). Nevertheless, well-paying jobs do exist in the various service sectors, including those of private Educational Services and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services ($63,800 and $50,300 respectively). Since 2000, growth has been greatest in two of Mount Vernon’s smallest office activities: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services and Administrative and Support Services. Though each more than doubled in employment opportunities over the decade, they currently comprise less than one-tenth of all private sector jobs.

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 35 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Labor Force and Unemployment

With a resident population of nearly 70,000 persons, Mount Vernon generates a labor force of 34,200, of whom some 31,100 persons are currently employed (see Tables 3-12 and 3-13). The City’s unemployment rate has held at 9 percent over the past two years (2009 and 2010) leaving some 3,100 persons unemployed and 1,000 fewer persons participating in the labor force since 2008 (see Table 3-14). Of the resident employed, fewer than 4,700 persons have blue collar skills – compared to some 8,400 goods handling jobs in the City. 9,300 persons work in sales and office occupations; 6,000 in service work, and 11,900 in management, professional and related occupations. Table 3-12 Labor Force, 2000 – 2010: Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City

Year Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City

2000 33,400 464,000 3,665,900 2001 33,600 467,500 3,673,900 2002 33,800 470,900 3,729,500 2003 33,700 471,800 3,721,800 2004 34,100 479,100 3,732,700 2005 34,100 482,900 3,756,800 2006 34,400 487,900 3,809,900 2007 34,400 492,300 3,862,700 2008 35,200 496,900 3,921,000 2009 34,800 489,400 3,984,300 2010 34,200 481,000 3,983,900

Source: New York State Department of Labor, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program

36 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Table 3-13 Employed Residents, 2000 – 2010: Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City

Year Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City

2000 32,100 448,300 3,453,600 2001 32,000 449,800 3,451,500 2002 31,800 449,400 3,429,300 2003 31,700 450,400 3,413,400 2004 32,100 457,800 3,469,400 2005 32,300 463,400 3,539,900 2006 32,700 469,000 3,620,500 2007 32,700 473,800 3,673,800 2008 32,900 473,400 3,708,000 2009 31,600 454,700 3,606,800 2010 31,100 447,300 3,605,600 Source: New York State Department of Labor, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program

Table 3-14 Unemployment Rate, 2000 – 2010: Mount Vernon, Westchester County and New York City

Year Mount Vernon Westchester County New York City

2000 4.1% 3.4% 5.8% 2001 4.7% 3.8% 6.1% 2002 5.9% 4.6% 8.0% 2003 5.9% 4.5% 8.3% 2004 5.9% 4.5% 7.1% 2005 5.3% 4.1% 5.8% 2006 5.2% 3.9% 5.0% 2007 5.0% 3.7% 4.9% 2008 6.4% 4.7% 5.4% 2009 9.0% 7.1% 9.5% 2010 9.1% 7.0% 9.5% Source: New York State Department of Labor, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 37 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Daytime Population

The U.S. Census defines daytime population as the number of people who are present in an area during normal business hours, including workers. An area’s daytime population is often compared against its “resident” population (people present during evening and nighttime hours) in order to determine expansion or contraction experienced by the community. This calculation can be used for a number of planning purposes such as transportation, open space, disaster and relief analyses.

Mount Vernon’s estimated daytime population is 58,5929. With a resident population of 68,813, the City currently experiences an approximately 15 percent decrease in population during daytime hours.

Commutation

According to the 2009 American Community Survey, although there are roughly 20,368 persons employed in Mount Vernon, only 17 percent of workers (3,463 people) are Mount Vernon residents. Mount Vernon employs some 16,900 workers who reside elsewhere. Just over 23,100 Mount Vernon residents work outside the City. See Figure 3-4. Given this dual labor force, in addressing employment generation the City should work to match the skills of resident employed, unemployed and discouraged workers with solid blue collar jobs and emerging knowledge-based service work.

9 Daytime Population = (Total Population – Employed Labor Force) + Total Employment, (68,813 – 31,000) + 20,779 = 58,592.

38 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.2 Population, Housing and Socioeconomic Profile

Figure 3-4: Workforce Commutation – Inflow/Outflow Patterns

Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Local Employment Dynamics. 2009

3.3 Go v e r n m e n t a l St r u c t u r e

Mount Vernon is governed by its City Charter, adopted in 1892. The City has a Mayor-City Council form of government. The Mayor is the Chief Executive Officer of the City, and the City Council is the legislative body. The mayor, who is chosen by a citywide election for a four-year term, has a leadership role in budget-making, authority to organize and reorganize administrative agencies and to appoint and remove their heads, and a strong veto. The City Council consists of five representatives, one of which is the City Council President. Each council member is elected at large and therefore represents all of the citizens of the city. The Council President is the spokesperson for the City Council and appoints the heads of the various Council committees to one-year terms. The Council introduces and enacts all laws and approves the budget and it can override a mayoral veto by a vote of four-fifths of all the members.

As the Office of Records Management, the City Clerk’s Office is involved with many aspects of city government including the City Council, our legislative body, and the Board of Estimate and Contract, which approves city expenditures.

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 39 3.4 Land Use and Zoning

The Board of Estimate and Contract is the arm of local government that grants approval for spending that is not within the jurisdiction of members of the electorate separately. The Board is composed of the Mayor, the Comptroller and the President of the City Council. In order for expenditures to be approved by the Board of Estimate and Contract it must be passed by a majority of members. Legislation is then enacted authorizing the expenditure. The Board of Estimate and Contract convenes following meetings of the City Council.

3.4 La n d Us e a n d Zo n i n g

A. Land Use

Residential

Approximately 46 percent of the Mount Vernon’s land area is comprised of residential uses. The City boasts a diverse mix of housing types including single-, two-, and three family homes, as well as multi-family structures including high-rise apartments, condominiums, townhomes, cooperatives and public housing developments (see Figure 3-5 and Chart 3-2).

Commercial/Retail

Commercial and retail uses account for approximately 4 percent of the Mount Vernon’s land area. Downtown Mount Vernon is considered the City’s commercial focal point and features the Gramatan Avenue – Fourth Avenue shopping district, as well as governmental offices and the Petrillo Plaza transit hub. Key neighborhood shopping districts are found in the Fleetwood neighborhood, as well as on Mount Vernon Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, 1st Street, 3rd Street and Sandford Boulevard (see Figure 3-5 and Chart 3-2).

Industrial/Manufacturing

Industrial uses account for 6.6 percent of the Mount Vernon’s land area. The City maintains a viable industrial base with industrial uses mainly concentrated in three distinct areas: the Eastchester Creek/Canal area (Canal Village); the Washington Street Industrial Area; and the Mount Vernon West Industrial Area (see Figure 3-5 and Chart 3-2). Industry is a key component of the City’s tax base and is vital to its economy. While other places in the region have seen their industrial bases shrink in recent years, Mount Vernon’s industrial base is relatively strong and continues to grow.

Open Space Mount Vernon has 241 acres of parks, playgrounds and open space (see Figure 3-5 and Chart 3-2). The City’s largest open space resource is Wilson’s Woods Park, a 23-acre county-owned park that features a swimming pool as well as opportunities for hiking, biking and picnicking. In the northwest corner of the City is Hunts Woods Park, a preserve that includes open woods with hiking and nature trails. While the City’s larger parks and open spaces are located along its periphery, there are some smaller, more centrally located parks within the City including Hartley Park and

40 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.4 Land Use and Zoning

Brush Park. In addition, the City has playing fields at Hutchinson Field as well as Memorial Field, which contains a track, soccer/football field and a tennis court. The City is currently working to renovate the facilities at Memorial Field.

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 41 3.4 Land Use and Zoning

Figure 3-5 Existing Land Use Map

Source: Westchester County Department of Planning

42 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.4 Land Use and Zoning

Chart 3-2 Existing Land Uses

Source: Westchester County Department of Planning

B. Zoning

Mount Vernon currently has 18 zoning classifications: ten residential districts, four business districts, three industrial districts and one public institutional district, as shown on Figure 3-6.

Residential Zones

The R1-7, R1-4.5, R1-3.6, and R1-TH zones are the City’s low-density residential districts; single- family homes are the only permitted use in these zones. The R1-7 zone requires a minimum lot of 7,000 square feet, and allows for a maximum building coverage of 1,750 square feet. The minimum lot size in the R1-4.5 zone is 4,500 square feet and the maximum building coverage is 1,575 square feet. These zones are largely concentrated in the City’s northern portion. The R1- 3.6 zone requires a minimum lot size of 3,600 square feet, and allows for a maximum building coverage of 1,440 square feet. The only mapped R1-3.6 zone is found in the southern portion near Canal Village. The minimum lot size in the R1-TH zone is 200,000 square feet and the maximum building coverage is 40,000 square feet. The R1-TH zone is mapped only in the Chester Heights neighborhood near the Town of Eastchester border.

The R2-4.5 and RMF-6.75 zones are medium-density districts, allowing for two- and three-family homes, respectively. The R2-4.5 zone requires a minimum lot size of 4,500 square feet, while the RMF-6.75 zone requires a minimum lot size of 6,750 square feet. Both zones allow for a maximum building coverage of 40 percent. The largest concentrations of the R2-4.5 zone are located in Fleetwood and in the eastern part of the city, north of Canal Village. Smaller pockets are also found

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 43 3.4 Land Use and Zoning in the neighborhood south of Sandford Boulevard and throughout portions neighborhoods north of the New Haven Rail line. The RMF-6.75 zone is mapped throughout areas south of the Cross County Parkway and west of N. Columbus Avenue (Route 22).

The RMF-10, RMF-15, and RMF-SC-25 zones encourage medium- to higher-density residential uses. The RMF-10 zone allows for multi-family homes, and requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet and a maximum building coverage of 4,000 square feet. However, the RMF-10 district allows only structures of up to 42 feet in height—a restriction that could be an issue for future transit oriented development around the Mount Vernon West and Fleetwood train stations. The RMF- 15 and the RMF-SC-25 districts are the City’s highest residential zones, allowing for multi-family residential structures of up to 70 and 80 feet in height, respectively. The RMF-15 district requires a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet and allows for a maximum building coverage of 6,000 square feet, while the RMF-SC-25 district requires a minimum lot size of 25,000 square feet and allows for a maximum building coverage of up to 12,500 square feet. The City’s largest RMF-15 districts are concentrated around the Fleetwood, Mount Vernon East and Mount Vernon west train stations. Additional pockets are also found along Lincoln Avenue, W. 3rd Street and W. 4th Street. The only existing RMF-SC-25 districts are located downtown, just north of Petrillo Plaza.

Business Zones

Mount Vernon’s four business zones are primarily concentrated in the City’s downtown area, along several major east-west thoroughfares, and in Fleetwood. The districts are differentiated by allowed uses and intensity of permitted development. The Neighborhood Business (NB) zone promotes small-scale, pedestrian-oriented retail uses for local residents, as well as a range of limited business service and office facilities. The Downtown Business (DB) zone – concentrated in the downtown area and Fleetwood – encourages both retail uses and various business service and office facilities, and allows for structure heights of up to 120 feet. The Commercial Business (CB) zone allows regional scale uses that attract people from outside the City. Uses allowed in this zone include, but are not limited to, major shopping centers, theaters and/or concert halls, and motor vehicle dealerships. The Office Business (OB) zone encourages limited business service and office facilities with a maximum building height of up to 45 feet.

Industrial Zones

Mount Vernon maintains a viable industrial base with industrial zones mainly concentrated in three distinct geographic areas of the City: the Eastchester Creek/Canal area (Canal Village) area; Washington Street and Hartford Avenue, generally between South Fulton and South Columbus Avenues; and the Mount Vernon West train station area along MacQuesten Parkway and South Street. The Industry (I) zone accounts for the largest amount of industrial land area and is mapped in all three of the City’s core industrial areas. The I zone is reserved for those industries that produce nuisances such as truck traffic, smoke, dust and other hazards. The two Landscaped Industrial zones (LI-7.5 and LI-15) allow for a range of light industry uses and require more extensive front, side and rear yard setbacks when adjacent to a residence district. There is a total of three LI zones currently mapped in the City—one distinct zone along the New Haven rail line near Wilson Woods

44 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.4 Land Use and Zoning

Park, one distinct zone in the mostly residential neighborhood of Kingsbridge Gardens, and one zone contained within the Canal Village.

Other Zones

Hospital (H-1) Zone: The H-1 zone is reserved for hospitals and related facilities, including nursing schools and nursing homes, as well as housing for employees, staff members, and their immediate families. This zone also allows for medical facilities and laboratories, dental offices, single and multi- family dwellings, public schools and municipal uses. There is currently one H-1 district mapped in Mount Vernon.

Urban Renewal – Planned Unit Development Zones

UR-PUD The UR-PUD zone encourages higher density residential development in areas containing a minimum parcel size of ten (10) contiguous acres. Eligible parcels for UR-PUD zoning must be located in an officially designated urban renewal area, as approved by the City Council. The zoning currently allows for a maximum building height of 200 feet. No commercial uses are permitted in the UR- PUD zone. There are currently no UR-PUD districts in Mount Vernon.

UR-PUD-2 The PUD-2 District encourages higher density residential development in areas containing a minimum parcel size of two (2) contiguous acres. Eligible parcels for PUD-2 zoning must be located in an officially designated urban renewal area, as approved by the City Council. The zoning currently allows for a maximum building height of 90 feet for low-rise or one-family attached or detached dwelling units and/or multifamily dwellings. Mid-rise multifamily dwellings are permitted a maximum height of 160 feet. There are currently no PUD-2 districts in Mount Vernon.

PUD-2 districts encourage flexibility of design and development of land in such a manner as to minimize negative environmental impacts, provide for excellence in architectural design of buildings, maximize fiscal benefits for the city and otherwise promote the most environmentally desirable form of future development.

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 45 3.4 Land Use and Zoning

Figure 3-6 Existing Zoning Map

Source: Westchester County Department of Planning

46 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.5 Infrastructure

3.5 In f r a s t r u c t u r e

A. Transportation, Circulation and Parking

Transportation systems have played a central role in the growth of Mount Vernon. The two rail lines that traverse the City were inducements to its residential growth during the early part of the 20th Century. The highway and automobile boom during the post-World War II period encouraged migration to Mount Vernon, where new residents found affordable, suburban homes, modern apartment buildings, prosperous commercial districts, and convenient access to modern transportation.

Road Hierarchy

Principal Arterials (Highways and Parkways) Principal arterials are defined as limited access roadways designed primarily for through travel. Mount Vernon is served by five principal arterials of the Interstate Highway and New York State Parkway Systems: the Bronx River, Cross County, and Hutchinson River Parkways, and Interstates 87 (New York State Thruway) and 95 (New England Thruway). Commercial vehicles are prohibited on the parkways.

The traverses the City’s western border with three exits to the City: the Cross County Parkway interchange and the Oak Street and Mount Vernon Avenue exits. Entrance ramps to the Parkway from Mount Vernon are provided at Oak Street and the Cross County Parkway.

The Cross County Parkway traverses west to east across the northern portion of the City, providing two westbound and four eastbound exits. At Exit 9 eastbound, the Parkway curves sharply north and continues over the Mount Vernon-Eastchester border. Exit 9 becomes a connector road where it merges with the Hutchinson River Parkway south. Entrances to the Cross County Parkway are provided at the Bronx River and Hutchinson River Parkway interchanges, as well as Fleetwood and N. Columbus Avenues.

The Hutchinson River Parkway runs along the City’s eastern border, providing four northbound and four southbound exits. Entrance ramps to the Hutchinson from Mount Vernon are provided at East Lincoln Avenue, East Sandford Boulevard, and Boston Post Road.

Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway) and Interstate 95 (New England Thruway) are each less than a mile from the Mount Vernon border, and also provide access to the City (see Figure 3-7).

Major Collector Roads The major collector roads serving Mount Vernon provide connections between the principal arterials surrounding the City and its local street network. There are four major east-west collector roads in Mount Vernon: Lincoln Avenue, the First Street – Washington Street – Beechwood Avenue corridor, Martin Luther King Boulevard (Third Street) Street, Fifth Street and Sandford Boulevard. Land uses along these roads vary from single- and multi-family residential homes to commercial, retail and office buildings to manufacturing and industrial uses. MacQuesten Parkway, the Gramatan Avenue

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 47 3.5 Infrastructure

– Fourth Avenue corridor, Fifth Avenue, Fulton Avenue, and Columbus Avenue (New York State Route 22) are the City’s primary north-south collectors. MacQuesten Parkway runs north-south along the City’s western border, paralleling the Harlem Line of the Metro-North railroad, and has long served as a major light industry corridor. The Gramatan Avenue – Fourth Avenue corridor is principally defined by ground floor retail stores with upper floor residential uses. Fifth Avenue, traveling from the Bronx border north into downtown Mount Vernon, is a major gateway into the heart of Downtown. Columbus Avenue (Route 22) spans the entire length of the City and, along with Fulton Avenue, is a critical access route to and from the Eastchester Creek/Canal industrial area (Canal Village) (see Figure 3-7).

Local Roads Mount Vernon’s local roads form the balance of the City’s roadway network. Together with the collector roads, the local street network is a traditional rectilinear grid, forming a dense web of residential blocks—particularly in neighborhoods south of the Cross County Parkway and west of Columbus Avenue (see Figure 3-7). This pattern provides a high degree of connectivity for vehicles and pedestrians and establishes an organized layout of lots, buildings and utility easements. The majority of local roads provide on-street parking.

48 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.5 Infrastructure

Figure 3-7 Major Roadways Map

Source: Westchester County Department of Transportation

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 49 3.5 Infrastructure

Commuter Rail Commuter rail service in Mount Vernon is provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad (see Figure 3-8). Mount Vernon is unique in that it is the only municipality outside of New York City served by two Metro-North rail lines. The Harlem Line travels along the City’s western border and has two passenger stations: Mount Vernon West and Fleetwood. The New Haven Line bisects the City west to east and is accessed via the Mount Vernon East station at Petrillo Plaza—the City’s primary transit hub. During peak hours travel between Mount Vernon and takes less than 30 minutes in both directions.

Amtrak train stations are located in the neighboring cities of Yonkers and New Rochelle and are each accessible from Mount Vernon via the Westchester County Bee-Line Bus System.

New York City Subways Two New York City subway stations, the Eastchester-Dyre Avenue station (5 train) and the Wakefield-241 Street station (2 train), are located within a ten minute walk from the Mount Vernon- Bronx border (see Figure 3-8).

Bus The Westchester County Bee-Line Bus System provides ten individual bus routes in Mount Vernon, nine of which pass through Petrillo Plaza where passengers can transfer to and from the Mount Vernon East train station. Bus lines also service the Mount Vernon West and Fleetwood train stations. The City’s one local-only bus operates weekday mornings and afternoons between Petrillo Plaza and Canal Village, and is a critical transit link for the City’s manufacturing and industrial workforce. A number of destinations outside of Mount Vernon can be reached by Bee-Line bus, including the Dyre Avenue and 241st Street subway stations, as well as the neighboring cities of Yonkers, White Plains and New Rochelle (see Figures 3-8 and 3-9).

Petrillo Plaza Located in the heart of downtown Mount Vernon, Petrillo Plaza is the City’s primary transportation hub and the third busiest hub in the Bee-Line Bus system, serving some 5,100 commuters entering into or departing from the City through bus or rail transit. According to the Petrillo Plaza Intermodal Conceptual Planning Study (2006), sponsored by the Westchester County Department of Transportation, approximately 43 percent of Mount Vernon East passengers walk to the station on a regular basis.

50 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.5 Infrastructure

Figure 3-8 Public Transportation Map

Source: Westchester County Department of Transportation

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 51 3.5 Infrastructure

Figure 3-9 Westchester County Bee-Line Bus System

Source: Westchester County Department of Transportation

52 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.5 Infrastructure

Non-motorized Circulation

Pedestrian Circulation In a city as densely populated as Mount Vernon, sidewalks are essential, providing access to schools, parks, playgrounds, commercial districts and places of employment. Mount Vernon is a very walkable city with sidewalks facilitating pedestrian accessibility. Maintenance of sidewalks and crosswalks, filling gaps and taking necessary measures to protect street trees is vital to the preservation of one of Mount Vernon’s greatest assets: walkable residential neighborhoods with convenient access to transportation, recreation and everyday conveniences.

Bicycle Circulation While the city is very walkable, it is not very bicycle friendly. Currently there are no designated bicycle lanes in Mount Vernon due in part to road width and on-street parking constraints.

Parking

The City of Mount Vernon maintains 13 municipal parking facilities, containing a total of 2,026 spaces (see Figure 3-10 and Table 3-15). Three of the 13 facilities are multi-level parking structures containing both metered and permit spaces. In terms of the number of parking spaces, these structures constitute the three largest facilities in the City. Two are located in Downtown near Petrillo Plaza; the third is located next to the Fleetwood train station. The balance of the City’s parking facilities are surface lots containing metered and/or permit spaces. Two of the ten surface lots are located near the Fleetwood station; the remainder are clustered in the Downtown area. There are no municipal parking facilities located at or near the Mount Vernon West train station.

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 53 3.5 Infrastructure

Figure 3-10 Municipal Parking Facilities

Source: City of Mount Vernon

54 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.5 Infrastructure

Table 3-15 Municipal Parking Facility Locations Lot 2 Hr. 12 Hr. Permit Total Location Facility Type Number Meter Meter Spaces Spaces S. 5th Ave. btwn. 1st & 2nd 1 Open Air Lot 0 135 62 198 Sts. Gramatan Ave. btwn. E. 2 Open Air Lot 56 0 0 56 Sydney Ave. & North St. S. 3rd Ave. btwn. 1st & 2nd 3 Open Air Lot 0 24 8 32 Sts. Roosevelt Sq. (Rear of City 4 Open Air Lot 41 0 0 41 Hall) Gramatan Ave. btwn. W. 5 Leased ...... Sydney & Prospect Aves. 6 W. Broad & Locust Sts. Open Air Lot 0 0 60 60 N. 3rd Ave. btwn. E. Prospect Parking 7 30 45 493 568 & E. Sydney Aves. Structure Roosevelt Sq. (South of City Parking 8 48 88 239 375 Hall) Structure E. Prospect Ave. btwn. N. 3rd 9 Open Air Lot 0 81 88 169 and Park Aves. (Petrillo Plaza) S. 3rd Ave. btwn. 1st St. & 10 Open Air Lot 0 10 16 26 2nd St. N. MacQuesten Pkwy. & 11 Open Air Lot 0 0 49 49 Cross County Parkway Fleetwood Garage btwn. W. Parking 12 56 81 281 418 Broad and Grand Sts. Structure Crary Ave. btwn. E. Sydney 13 Open Air Lot 0 19 15 34 Ave. and North St. Totals 231 483 1,311 2,026 Source: City of Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 55 3.5 Infrastructure

B. Stormwater and Sewer Systems

Stormwater

Mount Vernon has separate sanitary and storm sewer systems, a benefit in terms of protecting water quality in nearby water courses. This is advantageous to the City given that separation construction projects can be disruptive to residents and businesses and, in a city with an abundance of mature street trees, potentially detrimental to street tree health.

Currently, storm water flows to the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers, with the latter capturing the majority volume. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Westchester County Health Department monitor outflows and document water quality conditions.

The Department of Public Works has identified at least two areas with flooding tendencies: (1) the Hutchinson River Parkway at points south of the Cross County Parkway, and (2) portions of Sandford Boulevard near the Hutchinson River Parkway. All are manageable problems that require some engineering intervention and interagency coordination.

The City is actively working to identify additional measures to improve storm water quality including reduction of non-point sources of run-off, primary and secondary treatment of run-off and improved communication with property owners on ways in which they can contribute to enhancing water quality of local and regional tributaries within the Bronx River watershed.

Sanitary Sewers

The majority of sewer flows from Mount Vernon are treated by a Westchester County facility in Yonkers via the Hutchinson Pump Station. Comprehensive infiltration and inflow studies were last conducted in 2001 to determine the extent to which unregulated storm flows are entering the sanitary sewer system. The intent is to identify and remove these flows from the network in order to maintain capacity for sanitary sewage treatment. Problem areas have been identified and the City has prioritized an improvement plan. Funding needs to be obtained to implement upgrades to the piping network to reduce infiltration.

A number of conditions can burden treatment systems and capacity. For example, illegal and direct storm connections from homes and businesses to sanitary systems displace needed capacity during rain events. They are difficult to identify and the compounded impact of multiple connections compromises local capacity to treat raw sewage.

56 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.5 Infrastructure

C. Water Supply

The quality Mount Vernon’s water supply is excellent. The single challenge facing the Board of Water Supply is establishing redundancy in the distribution system. The City has jurisdiction of over 105 miles of pipeline and is responsible for leak detection, cleaning and lining of the network. An aging system that requires routine maintenance – not unlike many municipalities in Westchester County and New York City – Mount Vernon has cleaned and lined nearly 50 percent of the system to date and intends to achieve 100 percent completion within three years.

D. Parks and Open Space

Mount Vernon has 241 acres of park and open space, relatively low compared to statistics obtained from 94 other communities (see Figure 3-11). The ratio of park land and open space per 1,000 residents is also notably low compared to 98 other municipalities. However, the area of land managed and maintained per municipal square mile is quite high compared to 90 other municipalities. These statistics attest to Mount Vernon’s small land area and dense population.

Parks and recreation opportunities are provided by the City of Mount Vernon, Westchester County and the private sector. Each play a critical role in serving the recreation demands of City residents. Major sites within the City’s inventory include Hartley Park, Hutchinson Field, Brush Park and Memorial Field, as well as Wilson Woods (County facility) and the Bronx River Parkway Reservation; however, save Hartley Park, these facilities are located on the City’s outer edges. Proposed County open space facilities that would benefit Mount Vernon include the Hutchinson River Parkway Trailway, which would connect with the existing Colonial Greenway and Hutchinson River trailway system, and the proposed trailway connections for the Bronx River Parkway Reservation (see Chapter 6.0 Planning Areas).

There are several regional parks and recreational resources beyond the City’s borders that are available to Mount Vernon residents (see Figure 3-12).

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 57 3.5 Infrastructure

Figure 3-11 Mount Vernon Parks and Open Space Facilities

Source: Westchester County Department of Planning

58 Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 3.5 Infrastructure

Figure 3-12 Regional Parks

Source: Westchester County Department of Planning

Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, November 2011 59