Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy
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FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE CATSKILL/DELAWARE UV FACILITY 4.2. LAND USE, ZONING, AND PUBLIC POLICY .......................................................... 1 4.2.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................1 4.2.2. Baseline Conditions ................................................................................................ 1 4.2.2.1. Existing Conditions......................................................................................... 1 4.2.2.1.1. Eastview Site................................................................................................ 1 4.2.2.1.2. Study Area................................................................................................... 2 4.2.2.2. Future Without the Project.............................................................................. 2 4.2.2.2.1. Without Croton Project at Eastview Site ..................................................... 2 4.2.2.2.2. With Croton Project at Eastview Site .......................................................... 2 4.2.3. Potential Impacts..................................................................................................... 2 4.2.3.1. Potential Project Impacts ................................................................................ 2 4.2.3.1.1. Without Croton Project at Eastview Site ..................................................... 2 4.2.3.1.2. With Croton Project at Eastview Site .......................................................... 2 4.2.3.2. Potential Construction Impacts....................................................................... 2 4.2.3.2.1. Without Croton Project at Eastview Site ..................................................... 2 4.2.3.2.2. With Croton Project at Eastview Site .......................................................... 2 4.2.4. Potential Impacts of Relocating the Hammond House........................................... 2 FIGURE 4.2-1. LAND USE STUDY AREA................................................................................ 2 FIGURE 4.2-2. LAND USE - TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT WEST OF THE SPRAIN BROOK PARKWAY ............................................................................................................. 2 FIGURE 4.2-3. LAND USE - TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT EAST OF THE SPRAIN BROOK PARKWAY ............................................................................................................. 2 FIGURE 4.2-4. LAND USE - TOWN OF GREENBURGH WEST OF THE SPRAIN BROOK PARKWAY ............................................................................................................................ 2 FIGURE 4.2-5. LAND USE - TOWN OF GREENBURGH EAST OF THE SPRAIN BROOK PARKWAY ............................................................................................................................ 2 FIGURE 4.2-6. EXISTING ZONING AT EASTVIEW SITE...................................................... 2 FIGURE 4.2-7. DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS PROPOSED FOR THE EASTVIEW SITE STUDY AREA ....................................................................................................................... 2 FIGURE 4.2-8. FUTURE WITHOUT THE PROJECT WITH THE CROTON PROJECT ........ 2 FIGURE 4.2-9. FUTURE WITH THE PROJECT WITHOUT THE CROTON PROJECT ........ 2 FIGURE 4.2-10. FUTURE WITH THE PROJECT WITH THE CROTON PROJECT............... 2 TABLE 4.2-1. ZONING DISTRICTS WITHIN THE TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT STUDY AREA ....................................................................................................................... 2 TABLE 4.2-2. ZONING DISTRICTS WITHIN THE TOWN OF GREENBURGH STUDY AREA...................................................................................................................................... 2 TABLE 4.2-3. FUTURE WITHOUT THE PROJECT - POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS ........ 2 TABLE 4.2-4. ZONING COMPLIANCE OF THE PROPOSED FACILITY .............................. 2 4.2. LAND USE, ZONING, AND PUBLIC POLICY 4.2.1. Introduction Land use, zoning, and public policy analyses have been performed for the proposed Catskill/Delaware Ultraviolet Light Disinfection Facility (UV Facility) to assess the facility’s potential effects on existing land uses; identify the project’s consistency with underlying zoning; and determine whether the proposed facility adheres to applicable public policies. For the purpose of this analysis, a study area extending roughly one mile from the Eastview Site was chosen; it encompasses the area in which the proposed facility may have a potential influence on future land use patterns and trends. As shown in Figure 4.2-1, the study area is located in two municipalities: the Town of Mount Pleasant, New York and the Town of Greenburgh, New York. The study area is bordered on the west by the Saw Mill River Parkway, on the south by the Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287) and the southern edge of the Westchester Community College campus, on the east by Hillside Avenue (Route 100) and the Sprain Brook Parkway, and on the north by the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Grasslands Reservation, and the Mid-Westchester Executive Park. The methodology used to prepare this analysis is described in Section 3.2, Data Collection and Impact Methodologies, Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy. 4.2.2. Baseline Conditions 4.2.2.1. Existing Conditions 4.2.2.1.1. Eastview Site Land Use. In the early 1900s, the City of New York purchased approximately 315 acres of property in Westchester County, New York in anticipation of constructing water treatment facilities for the City’s Water Supply System. This property consisted largely of undeveloped land located within central Westchester County, which is commonly known as the Eastview Site. Years following this purchase, the City of New York released ownership of approximately 162 acres of land to Westchester County. Today, the remaining 149 acres of City property consists of two parcels, located in two separate municipalities; roughly 83 acres or 56 percent of the property is located within the Town of Mount Pleasant and 66 acres or 44 percent of the property is located within the Town of Greenburgh. An additional 8 acres of land sits to the east of the Eastview Site in the Town of Greenburgh and runs along the Catskill Aqueduct corridor. This parcel of land, which contains the Catskill Aqueduct Connection Chamber (CCC) and is under a permanent easement with Consolidated Edison Company of New York (Con Edison), is included as part of this analysis. The Eastview Site is bisected by Grasslands Road (Route 100C), which also serves as the border between the Town of Mount Pleasant and the Town of Greenburgh (see Figure 4.2-1). FEIS EASLAN 1 The 149-acre Eastview Site is largely undeveloped, with the exception of: (1) Delaware Aqueduct Shaft No. 19, situated on the eastern side of the north parcel with an access road off Route 100C; (2) the CCC, situated on the eastern side of the south parcel with an access road off Route 100C; (3) an electrical substation (owned and maintained by Con Edison), situated on the south parcel along Route 100C; (4) Con Edison’s electrical transmission lines that run alongside the eastern edge of the south parcel; (5) a small NYCDEP laboratory building on the south parcel, and (6) the historic Hammond House, a private residence listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places (S/NR) that is situated on the north parcel along Route 100C (see Figure 4.2-1). Hammond House Road passes through the north parcel of the Eastview Site, north of Route 100C, from north to south. This private roadway is closed to motor vehicles. Mine Brook, a tributary to the Saw Mill River, flows through the central portion of the site from north to south, passing through a culvert under Route 100C. This watercourse is responsible for creating various wetland communities on the property. As shown in Figure 4.2-1, the Eastview Site is classified as a “water supply” land use according to the Westchester County Generalized Land Use Map (1996), the latest land use map available from the County. As noted above, the Delaware Aqueduct runs beneath the eastern part of the Eastview Site and the Catskill Aqueduct runs beneath the eastern border of the south parcel. Both aqueducts convey water from the Kensico Reservoir in Valhalla, New York to the Hillview Reservoir in the City of Yonkers. As noted above, there are connection chambers to the Catskill and Delaware Aqueducts located on-site. The connection to the Delaware Aqueduct (Shaft No. 19) is located in the eastern part of the north parcel, and the connection to the Catskill Aqueduct is located on the eastern edge of the south parcel. There are also internal access roads on the Eastview Site that provide access to each of these structures. East of the north parcel along Route 100C is the New York Medical College electrical substation. Just east of this substation, Con Edison is currently constructing an additional substation (see Table 4.2-3, below, for more detail). South of this area, across Route 100C, is another electrical substation owned by Con Edison. This substation is located on the northeastern corner of the south parcel, where Con Edison maintains an easement with the City. Con Edison’s overhead electrical transmission lines run within a utility easement located on the eastern border of the south parcel, above the Catskill Aqueduct. Zoning. The north parcel of the Eastview Site is comprised of two tax lots in the Town of Mount Pleasant