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Planning commission opens work session: preservation ordinance, pedestrian safety and zoning tweaks on the agenda
Summary
After the master-plan discussion commissioners shifted to a work session format to begin tackling a preservation ordinance, refine definitions for parkland and open-space, consider cottage courts, address pedestrian-safety shortfalls (sight lines, alleys, brick sidewalks), and discuss East Corridor and sideyard dimensional clarifications.
Following the Westchester University master-plan review, the Western Planning Commission used the second half of its March 9 meeting to begin a series of work-session items aimed at refining local development rules and safety measures.
Key topics initiated for follow-up
- Preservation ordinance and definitions: commissioners agreed to defer the full preservation-ordinance presentation to a working session but previewed a priority to standardize definitions (parkland, common open space, recreational facilities) across the SALDO, zoning code and the proposed pros plan so future mandatory-dedication rules and design guidelines use consistent terms.
- Cottage courts and architectural standards: a presenter said a cottage-court ordinance could be drafted quickly but that architectural standards or a transect/TND overlay should accompany any text allowing new forms so projects reflect neighborhood character.
- Pedestrian safety and sight triangles: commissioners heard a detailed presentation about gaps in sight-triangle enforcement, the absence of a clear alley definition, accessibility problems posed by brick sidewalks, and a recommendation to convene pedestrian-safety audits and use low-cost interventions (planters, paint, temporary bump-outs) ahead of expensive capital work.
- East Corridor (Market/Gay corridor) redevelopment: a commissioner advocated using existing CS/TC district tools (unified-mixed-use development) and public-private funding to shift auto-oriented parcels toward pedestrian-friendly mixed-use with ground-floor commercial and upper-floor housing.
- Sideyard minimums (NC2/NC3/CS): commissioners discussed unresolved ambiguity in the phrase "existing adjacent" used in sideyard minimums and considered options ranging from a clear 10-foot minimum, to a clarified "10 feet or match existing adjacent if less," or more granular building-type rules for twins, rowhomes and multifamily transitions.
Housing and affordability
Commissioners returned to housing policy during the work session, reviewing market data and endorsing additional housing types (ADUs, duplexes, triplexes and small multi-unit buildings) as tools to increase attainable housing for middle-income workers; several speakers also noted the local pressure on housing stock from student rentals and absentee landlords.
Next steps
Commissioners agreed to carry most of these items into a dedicated working session for deeper review and drafting: the preservation ordinance, sideyard/dimensional clarifications, pedestrian-safety audits and East Corridor implementation strategies.
Quotes and attribution
Several presenters and commissioners emphasized the need for clearer definitions before expanding permitted building types: "Definitions are the most important," said a commission member during the discussion of parkland and open-space terms (transcript). The meeting record shows interest in both quick, low-cost pedestrian fixes and longer-term code updates to ensure design outcomes match borough priorities.
The commission set no formal votes during the work-session items; instead it directed staff and volunteer commissioners to prepare draft ordinance language and coordinated next steps for future meetings and work sessions.
