Village of Mamaroneck officials say they have received reports of someone walking around neighborhoods and warning business owners to sell or else lose their properties to eminent domain.
Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, said in a phone interview Wednesday that the information was false and potentially a scam. A person or people may be walking village neighbors pretending to represent a government agency, issuing warnings that a different government entity plans to take their property under eminent domain for a commercial or residential redevelopment project.
“Further, it has been suggested that these persons may be utilizing false or fake badges or government ID, which is a crime,” Rosenblum said in an email to subscribers of Mamaroneck news updates.
The village board of trustees is set to rezone the Washingtonville neighborhood around Mamaroneck”™s Metro-North station to spark mixed-use development in a transit-oriented development push. Rosenblum said that rezone, which will go to vote Oct. 27, is not classified as an urban renewal plan and will not include any eminent domain proceedings. The board is also considering a plan to eventually rezone its industrial area between the Metro-North tracks and Interstate 95, where a hotel developer has expressed interest in building in a zone where a hotel would currently be a nonconforming use.
Village of Mamaroneck police are aware of the reports and said property owners, both commercial and residential, should notify a detective if they receive a visit from someone under these circumstances.
