GENERAL ORDINANCE
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COLLINS-BELLAMY, MAJORITY LEADER RUBBO, MAJORITY WHIP ROBINSON, MINORITY LEADER BREEN, COUNCILMEMBERS, PINEDA -ISAAC, DIAZ AND MERANTE:
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A GENERAL ORDINANCE AMENDING GENERAL ORDINANCE 4-2000, ALSO KNOWN AS CHAPTER 43 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF YONKERS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF YONKERS AND THE ACCOMPANYING ZONING MAP: A) TO RECLASSIFY AND REZONE THE PROPERTIES LOCATED AT: 1) 24 ALEXANDER STREET; 2) 60 ALEXANDER STREET; 3) 58 ALEXANDER STREET REAR; 4) 62 ALEXANDER STREET; 5) 72 ALEXANDER STREET; 6) 80 ALEXANDER STREET; 7) 110 ALEXANDER STREET; 8) 104 ALEXANDER STREET; AND 9) 60 BABCOCK PLACE, WHICH PROPERTIES ARE ALSO DESIGNATED ON THE OFFICIAL TAX MAP OF THE CITY AS SECTION 2608, LOT 1, 14.18, 70, 20.23, 25 35 AND BLOCK 2618, LOTS 1, 2, AND 200 RESPECTIVELY FROM I DISTRICT to D-MX DISTRICT; AND B) TO AMEND 43 ATTACHMENT 14 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE ENTITLED “MAP B: HEIGHT DISTRICT MAP” TO INCLUDE THE ABOVE-REFERENCED PROPERTIES AND TO ALLOW A MAXIMUM PERMITTED BUILDING HEIGHT OF 325 FEET.
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The City of Yonkers, in City council convened, does hereby ordain and enact:
Section 1. Recitals.
(a) On June 13, 2024, 60 Alexander Street, LLC (the “Petitioner”) submitted a petition (the “Petition”) to the City Council (the “City Council”) of the City of Yonkers (the “City”) for amendments to the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Yonkers (the “Zoning Ordinance”) and the Zoning Map of the City of Yonkers (“the ”Zoning Map”) to permit the redevelopment of the property located at 60 Alexander Street, which is also designated on the Tax Map of the City as Block 2608, Block 14.18 (the “Property”), with a thirty (30) story, mixed-use residential and commercial project containing approximately 340,00 square feet, consisting of approximately 288 dwelling units (currently anticipated to be 24 studios, 216 one-bedroom units, and 48 two-bedroom units) on floors 6 through 30, approximately 2,800 square feet of ground floor commercial space, and approximately 298 mechanically stacked parking spaces on the first six (6) floors of the building (cellar through 5th floor) (the “Project”).
(b) In June, 2009, the City adopted two (2) plans that affect the Property and other properties in the vicinity: the Alexander Street Urban Renewal Plan, and the Alexander Street Master Plan (collectively, the “City Plans”). The City Plans contemplate rezoning of the Property and other properties in the plan area to accommodate redevelopment consistent with the vision expressed in the City Plans. The City’s vision for the Property and the plan areas is expressed in certain goals and objectives contained in the City Plans.
(c) The Project meets the following relevant goals and objectives: (a) removal of blighted conditions and the encouragement of private investment; (b) creation of a new transit-oriented residential neighborhood; (c) creation of small scale neighborhood retail and café/restaurants in the 2,500 to 7,500 square foot range; (d) inclusion of associated parking in garages within each new building; and (e) development of parcels designed for residential and commercial uses with a maximum height of up to thirty (30) stories.
(d) The City Plans were the subject of a DGEIS and an FGEIS (together, the “City Plans EIS”), and a SEQRA findings statement adopted on November 20, 2008 (the “Findings Statement”). The City Plans EIS identifies and evaluates potentially significant adverse environmental impacts of the City Plans and all related proposed actions, including the rezoning of the Property and other properties in the plan areas, and the Findings Statement concludes that development consistent with the City Plans and all related actions, including rezoning, avoids or minimizes adverse environmental effects to the maximum extent practicable.
(e) To facilitate the development of the Project, the Petitioner is seeking amendments to: (a) 43 Attachment 16 of the Zoning Ordinance (entitled “Map D: Districts”) and the Zoning Map to reclassify and redesignate the Property from I District to D-MX District; and (b) 43 Attachment 14 of the Zoning Ordinance (entitled “Map B: Height District Map”)to include the Property and to allow a maximum permitted building height of 325 feet, consistent with the City Plans (collectively, the “Zoning Amendments”).
(f) Materials in support of the Petition and the Zoning Amendments were initially submitted to the City Council on June 13, 2024. On June 25, 2024, the Petition was referred to the Planning Board by the City Council for the Planning Board’s report and recommendation in accordance with Section 43-164(A) of the Zoning Ordinance, with a request that the Planning Board act as lead agency for environmental review of the Petition and all related actions under SEQRA.
(g) On July 10, 2024, the Planning Board declared intent to act as lead agency for environmental review of the Petition and all related actions under SEQRA. Additional materials were submitted by the Petitioner on August 28, 2024 and September 25, 2024. The Planning Board considered the Petition and the Zoning Amendments at its meetings on July 10, 2024, September 11, 2024, and October 9, 2024.
(h) City Planning staff and the Planning Board have recommended that the City Council Zoning Amendments also include rezoning to D-MX District the parcels along the east side of Alexander Street, from Wells Avenue to Babcock Place, designated on the Tax Map of the City as Block 2608, Lots 1, 20.23, 25, 35, 70 and Block 2618, Lots 1, 2, and 200 (each an “Additional Property” and collectively, the “Additional Properties”), as contemplated by the City Plans, and the Findings Statement (the Zoning Amendments [including the Property and the Additional Properties] and the Project, collectively, the “Proposed Action”).
(i) On October 9, 2024, the Planning Board adopted a Negative Declaration under SEQRA that the Proposed Action will not result in any significant adverse impact on the environment, and that the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not required, thereby concluding the review process under SEQRA.
(j) The proposed Zoning Amendments would allow for the construction of a well-planned, sustainable development utilizing modern standards, and would be responsive to the objectives of the City for the continued development of a transit-oriented, vibrant waterfront community which will assist in improving the City’s economy and conditions of the City, consistent with the City Plans.
Section 2. Amendments.
(a) 43 Attachment 16 of the Zoning Ordinance (entitled, “Map D: Districts”)(“Map D”) and the Zoning Map are hereby amended to reclassify and rezone the Property (Block 2608, Block 14.18) and the Additional Properties (Block 2608, Lots 1, 20.23, 25, 35, 70 and Block 2618, Lots 1, 2, and 200) from I District to D-MX District. A copy of the amended Map D to be included in the Zoning Ordinance is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”.
(b) 43 Attachment 14 of the Zoning Ordinance (entitled, “Map B: Height District Map”)(“Map B”) is hereby amended to include the Property (Block 2608, Block 14.18) and the Additional Properties (Block 2608, Lots 1, 20.23, 25, 35, 70 and Block 2618, Lots 1, 2, and 200), and to allow a maximum permitted building height of 325 feet. A copy of the amended Map B to be included in the Zoning Ordinance is attached hereto as Exhibit “B”.
Section 3. If any section, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase or other portion of this Ordinance is, for any reason, declared unconstitutional or invalid, in whole or in part, by ay court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed several and such constitutionality or invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance, which remaining portions shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 4. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately.