Buddhist Temple proposed for White Plains neighborhood

Formal review of an application by Dro Gah Sang Foundation Corp., to construct a Buddhist Temple on a 4-acre parcel at 1 Sycamore Lane off Rosedale Avenue in White Plains has begun by the White Plains Common Council. Plans for the project were drafted by Dimovski Architecture, PLLC of Thornwood.

According to the attorney for the project, David Steinmetz of the White Plains-based law firm Zarin & Steinmetz, there have been a number of meetings with city staff over the past year, as well as with members of the Rosedale Residential Association.

Steinmetz said that the property currently has on it a 4,500-square-foot single-family house.

“The property is located in the R1-30 zoning district. In the R1-30 zoning district religious institutions are permitted lawful uses, so this is an application for a permitted use,” Steinmetz said. “They’re seeking a temple building of approximately 6,800 square feet. They’re seeking the adaptive reuse of the existing single-family dwelling on the property … that’s proposed to be repurposed as a parish or rectory building. They’re proposing a small 1,600-square-foot Tibetan artifacts building. That’s essentially a building in which there would be religious articles displayed. In addition, there is a proposal for a pagoda.”

Steinmetz said that the site was selected for its location and because it is quiet and tranquil. He said that Tibetan Buddhism does not feature large congregational religious practice but is primarily a private meditation type of activity.

“This 6,800-square-foot temple building is not a building where lots of people come and there are regular services that we may all be used to in other religious practices,” Steinmetz said. “It generates we believe minimal traffic coming to and from the site.”

Steinmetz said that the temple would have 47 parking spaces, while the city’s Building Department calculated that 55 spaces would be required. Variances would be required for the number of parking spaces, the parking location on the site, side street setback and wetlands buffer encroachment.

Steinmetz said that some adjustments had been made to the plans as a result of feedback from neighbors and the city staff, including reducing the size of the proposed temple.

The Rosedale Residential Association complained that the city did not respond in a timely manner to a Freedom of Information Law request and delayed providing it with requested plans for the project. In a letter to city officials that it shared with association members it described the proposal as “trying to place a square peg into a round hole.” It said that it was not concerned about use of the property for a Buddhist Temple but was focused on “the environmental impact and the impact on the character of the neighborhood.”

The association urged members of the Common Council to visit the development site where they’ll see a stream that feeds into the Mamaroneck River.

“As you are keenly aware, during storm events, the residents downstream of this body of water are continuously flooded,” the Rosedale Residential Association said. “And, it’s not just your constituents, but our neighbors in Harrison, Mamaroneck, Scarsdale and Rye are catastrophically impacted as well.  Both the Town of Harrison and Village of Mamaroneck have submitted to the ZBA (Zoning Board of Appeals) letters of opposition to this proposal.

“No one is interested in infringing upon their rights to practice their religion, but it can’t be achieved by taking away our rights and our property. This property can be used to accommodate a Buddhist Temple, just not as the current proposal desires,” the association said.