The winners of successful planning projects that enhance Westchester's quality of life were honored at the Westchester Municipal Planning Federation's (WMPF) 39th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, June 7 at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough. Winning projects were in New Castle, Ossining Village, Pelham Manor, White Plains, Yonkers, Mamaroneck Village and Rye Brook, plus two county government projects. Three individuals were also given special recognition.
County Executive Robert P. Astorino praised the winners, saying, "Congratulations to all the winners. I am particularly pleased that the planning federation has recognized two county projects that involved work by the county's departments of Planning and Parks and Recreation. The Brook at Tibbetts Brook Park project transformed an 81-year-old public pool in Yonkers into an impressive aquatic recreation facility. The Fox Commons Town Homes in Port Chester created affordable housing and enhanced the nearby Edgewood Park."
The five Planning Achievement Award winning projects are:
- South Greely Parking Lot Consolidation, Town of New Castle
- Architectural Design Guidelines, Village of Ossining
- Business District Revitalization, Village of Pelham Manor
- East Post Road Comprehensive Planning and Plan Implementation, City of White Plains
- Downtown Form Based Zoning Code, City of Yonkers
The five projects winning Special Commendations are:
- Restoration and Adaptive Reuse of Mamaroneck Train Station, Village of Mamaroneck
- Village Comprehensive Plan, Village of Mamaroneck
- Fair and Affordable Housing Floating Zone, Village of Rye Brook
- The "Brook" at Tibbetts Brook Park, Westchester County
- Fox Commons Townhomes and Edgewood Park Improvements, Westchester County
The President's Award was given to Cheryl Winter Lewy, who has allocated her personal time and energy to making Westchester a better place to live, work and visit. She served on the county Planning Board beginning in 2003 and as its chair from 2004-2011. Lewy was the mayor of the Village of Larchmont from 1992-2001.
A Distinguished Citizen Planner Award was given to John Garment, a member of the City of White Plains Planning Board from 1994-2006, and its chairman from 2006-2010. This award will also be presented to Alan Mason, a member of the Town of Mamaroneck Planning Board from 2003-2011, who played a critical role in addressing flooding in this community. He served on the Water Control Commission from 1976-1981. He chaired the Coastal Zone Management Commission from 1982-1984 and continued to serve as a member until 2002.
The Westchester Municipal Planning Federation is a countywide organization that sponsors educational programs and publishes instructional material on current planning issues of interest to government officials, professional planners and the general public. WMPF's annual planning awards recognize the accomplishments of municipalities and volunteer board members who have made significant contributions to planning. Support to WMPF is provided by the Westchester County Department of Planning. Information about the 2012 WMPF Awards Program and Dinner is at www.wmpf.org.
Photo captions:
Top photo: County Planning) accepting the Special Commendation Award for Fox Commons Townhomes and Edgewood Park Improvements.
Second Photo: County Parks accepting the Special Commendation Award for The “Brook” at Tibbetts Brook Park.