REINVENTING SUCCESS
The Village of Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County is a small, ethnically diverse suburban village just north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. A bustling trade center since the 1600s, it was a milling and farming community before General Motors Corp. transformed it into an auto-manufacturing hub in 1915.
After supporting a robust local economy for decades, GM closed the doors of the factory in 1996. Facing deep losses, the village decided to reinvent itself by redeveloping the site and wisely required the company to dismantle its 97-acre leviathan.
At the center of this bold move was a corps of visionary citizen activists who spearheaded the village's LWRP - current Village Planning Board Chair Nick Robinson, Village Trustee Donald Stever and the late Dr. Richard Sweet.
Mr. Robinson's role was regional at first. He served on the New York State Citizens Advisory Committee, which implemented the federal Coastal Zone Management Act. He then convinced the village to use this tool and became involved on the local level.
Dr. Sweet was very active and worked closely with Mr. Stever, who became chair of the planning board and later village trustee. "Don was instrumental in working with Dick on the LWRP and implementation process," noted Mr. Robinson. "Dr. Sweet also gave his time to the Headless Horseman Trail and worked very hard to stabilize open space, and historic and recreational land use patterns of the village along the Pocantico."
"The LWRP process is important because it walks the community through competing issues and arrives at a consensus on the waterfront's future," said Mr. Robinson. "The real advantage is in the federal consistency clause, because federal agencies cannot take actions inconsistent with local plans."
Since the state approved Sleepy Hollow's LWRP in 1997, Scenic Hudson has worked closely with the village, GM and its developer to ensure that the redevelopment plan incorporates public open space, river access, building heights, types of uses and Scenic Hudson's sound planning principles.
"Scenic Hudson has the advantage of presenting case studies that work," said Mr. Robinson, "thereby expanding people's awareness and opportunity."
Mr. Robinson is excited that the riverfront is reaching its full potential as a recreational and economic resource, with restored fisheries, expanded swimming opportunities and a waterfront Greenway Trail.
"In Europe," he said, "you can walk from village to village and spend the night at various inns. My vision is that people may someday enjoy the beauty of the entire Hudson Valley that way."
Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Robinson, Trustee Stever and other active citizens, that vision is becoming a reality. |
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