About the Project

Plan the Port is an economic development, community building and visioning project for the future of the Village. As we look to update the regulations that guide development and redevelopment in the Village, we want to engage with you all in a conversation about the future of Port Chester.

We invite you all to join us in this discussion about how we want Port Chester to evolve over time and what it means to have a thriving economy and great quality of life for all.

Here, you will find information on the process and you will be able to provide your input during various phases of the project. We look forward to engaging with you in a meaningful and exciting conversation about the future of Port Chester!

We invite you all to join us in this discussion about how we want Port Chester to evolve over time and what it means to have a thriving economy and great quality of life for all.

If you have general questions about the project please ask them here and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Ask your questions here! Haga sus preguntas aquí!

Can you explain to me the approval process, the steps, parties involved, what the process constitutes or consists of?

mike asked over 2 years ago
Thank you so much for your question.
The approval process for the new form-based zoning is anticipated to occur as follows and involve the parties listed below for each step (note that the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act – SEQRA – dictates many of the steps):
- Code drafted and SEQRA Proposed Action, based upon a buildout analysis, established (Fall 2018, conducted by consultant team)
- Draft code reviewed (Fall 2018, Village staff, Board of Trustees, other Village boards and commissions, public); SEQRA Generic Environmental Impact Statement prepared (Fall 2018, consultant team)
- Board of Trustees declares their Intent to be Lead Agency under SEQRA (Fall 2018, Board) – must wait 30 days
- Board of Trustees declares themselves Lead Agency, accepts the GEIS as complete and ready for public review, refers the Proposed Action to the Planning Commission and Westchester County (End of 2018, Board)
- Board of Trustees sets public hearing on the new Code and GEIS (early 2019, Board)
- Board holds public hearings on the new Code and GEIS (early 2019, Board, with input from everyone)
- Board closes public hearing (early 2019, Board)
- Board votes on Determination of Significance under SEQRA (early 2019, Board)
- Board votes on new Code (early 2019, Board)
- If adopted, any new project would be evaluated and go through the process established in the new Code
Are there night meetings. Everything I see is daytime which makes it almost impossible for someone who works to attend and be involved

Rescue40 asked over 2 years ago

We have several events at 6PM, including the Opening Presentation that happened last night! We have workshops at 6PM both Thursday and Friday, as well as the Closing Presentation next Wednesday March 28 at the Carver Center that is scheduled for 6PM.
Our Planning Studio is also open starting Thursday until 9PM most nights (we close early on Friday). Feel free to come visit us during the evening and chat. The Studio is at 17 North Main St.
Below if the full schedule!
As your Plan the Port mission gets underway I'd like to highlight the lack of available parking for Metro North commuters. LAZ Parking has run out of permitted spaces in the garage lot leaving Port Chester residents who commute to NYC for work out in the cold. If the Village's aim is to increase development and draw in more residents then it needs to also build more parking so said residents can commute to NYC and earn the money that allows the Village to operate. This need is urgent as daily parking fees without permitted parking (e.g. monthly, yearly) are at least double the cost and are already impacting your fellow Port Chester residents.

palomaresac asked over 2 years ago

Thank you so much for your comment. We will take this into consideration and please note that there will be a meeting on Transportation and Parking issues specifically during Planapalooza, between March 20th and March 28th. Hopefully you can join us for that conversation or other events. The detailed schedule will be out very soon!
Who is in charge of Plan the Port and who do they give their information to? Also who works for Plan the Port and is it coming out of the taxpayer's pockets? How does the community benefit by it? Thank you.

Chester5 asked over 2 years ago

Plan the Port is an online community engagement tool that is part of the Village’s form-based rezoning effort. It is managed by the Village’s Department of Planning & Economic Development and the Village’s form-based zoning consultant team (Town Planning & Urban Design Collaborative). The information collected as part of Plan the Port is only utilized to inform the rezoning effort. The Board of Trustees funded and bonded the form-based rezoning project, including Plan the Port, as part of their 2017-18 budget since the Village’s current Zoning Code has been identified as one of the largest impediments to economic development within the Village. The objective is to revise and remake the Zoning Code into a modern code that is easy to use and administer and to streamline the review process – thereby encouraging investment and redevelopment of properties and saving staff review time. The investments into the community and the ability of staff to be more efficient and be able to focus on other matters will be benefits to the community.
It is my understanding that any economic developments will not benefit the taxpayers, as far as lowering taxes, since Port Chester is a village and not a city. We were told that allowing Costco, etc., would help the taxpayers, yet our taxes are considerably more than our surrounding towns. I am interested in seeing how economic growth will improve the living conditions of many and the overcrowding of the schools. We are fortunate for the diversity and location of port Chester, and I am hoping that whatever plan is created that it will benefit the residents and not just the developers.

Michele asked over 2 years ago

Thank you for your comment. The Village understands the implications of being a Village vs. a city and is currently researching options to obtain City status, which has included the establishment of a City Status Committee. One of the implications is related to sales tax, which you refer to. Unfortunately, in order to obtain City status, it takes an action of the New York State Legislature. That being said, the form-based code rezoning effort of “Plan the Port” is focused on a vision for the future of Port Chester and how the Village’s zoning can help effectuate that vision and increase economic development for the entire Village – homeowner and business owner, downtown and throughout the Village. A larger property tax base would mean more property tax revenue for the Village as the implications of the Village vs. City question only relates to sales tax.