Some cities in the county are taking a look at the “friendliness” of new developments by hiring what have become known as environmental sustainability coordinators.
“When you look at the state of energy prices and the heightened environmental awareness, not only of the general public but of the development community, and compare it with the mayor”™s goal to try and preserve as much of our open space as we can and create less of a carbon footprint for the city of Yonkers, there is a need for a management of the sustainability agenda in the city,” said David Simpson, communications director for Yonkers.
Simpson said it has taken a while to find a candidate Mayor Philip Amicone was comfortable with, but the city has made an offer, but that person has not accepted yet. There is a second candidate should the first not accept.
Simpson said throughout the city there are $5 billion-plus in development projects proposed over the next five to 10 years.
Yonkers is on its way to becoming the third largest city in the state, he said.
Simpson said using less energy, producing less waste and finding more of a balance between the density of the population and environmental sustainability, “add up to a smaller carbon footprint for the city and a friendlier environment for the residents and the visitors that come to Yonkers.”
Simpson said the city has added sustainability goals into its master plan, and if adopted, would require developers to adhere to guidelines such as preserving open space along the Hudson River, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, using less power and water and a higher density to create less of a strain on the environment.
Noam Bramson, mayor of New Rochelle, said the topic of hiring an environmental sustainability coordinator will be discussed at the City Council meeting to be held July 8.
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“Environmental sustainability must become a central priority for government,” Bramson said. “In my opinion, knowledgeable staff support is essential to accomplishing that goal and I hope that by retaining a sustainability coordinator we can ensure that environmental sensitivity is woven more fully into all of our decision making.”
Bramson said this is a direction in which many communities are moving, and he hopes New Rochelle will follow suit.
He said one of the chief recommendations by a citizens panel of an environmental advisory committee was to hire a sustainability coordinator.
Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young said the city”™s Building Department works closely with the Planning Department “upping” standards for development in the city.
“The city of Mount Vernon, as part of its efforts in updating its comprehensive plan, will definitely be incorporating issues related to sustainability, that being green initiatives, model ordinances and also looking at placing in some of the criteria that would be part of LEED standards directly into our ordinance,” Planning Commissioner Jeffrey Williams said. “This will be an effort coordinated through the mayor”™s office, but ultimately these initiatives would be integrated with all of the planning and development processes in the city of Mount Vernon.”
A member of the White Plains planning board could not be reached for comment at press time, but, “As far as I know we are not hiring someone in that capacity,” said Melissa Lopez, White Plains economic development coordinator.
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