Councilmember Aldebol on 815 Hutchinson River Parkway rezoning
Aldebol supports the rezoning to expand commercial usage without changing the shopping center's footprint, but raises concerns about vehicular traffic, the Hutchinson River Parkway entrance near the Whitestone Bridge, and cumulative traffic impacts from Bally's Casino construction and nearby schools.
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I now recognize Councilmember Aldeball for.
Remarks?
Good morning and thank you all for being here today.
First, I just want to say that I'm pleased that the proposed zoning change will not add additional height or changes to the footprint
and makeup of the shopping center, and rather it will create and expand the commercial usage of the facility, which will encourage further commercial activity in the district,
including a possible supermarket food center.
I do want to acknowledge
that some of the concerns that my offices and the community boards had
regarding possible increase in vehicular traffic, and in particular, concern about the existing entrance, one of the existing entrances to the mall, which is on the Hutchinson.
parkway extension and entrance to the Whitestone, approximate to the entrance of the Whitestone Bridge.
And additionally, the impact on traffic on this site with the construction of Bally's Hotel and Casino and other, you know, there are a number of public institutions, a high school,
a charter school, a school for the deaf, the cemetery, also
next door, and an industrial area that surrounds this particular mall, which
has historically created traffic issues in the area.
So I hope that we can continue the conversation after this.
I fully support the rezoning, but want to continue the conversation to make sure that there could be changes to mitigate
the concerns of the surrounding area.
Thank you for being here.