City Council:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MOUNT VERNON
CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING THE
DOWNTOWN VISION REPORT
WHEREAS, in 2022, the City of Mount Vernon commissioned the City of Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan to update the 1968 Comprehensive Plan and provide recommendations for amendments to the City’s Zoning Code; and
WHEREAS, the Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan, known as “Envision Mount Vernon - Reimagining Our Future Together,” will reflect the community’s vision for its future growth, development, preservation, and quality of life enhancements; and
WHEREAS, a comprehensive plan is a long-term blueprint for the community; and
WHEREAS, as part of this undertaking, the City Council, in conjunction with its consultant team, prepared a draft “Downtown Vision Report”; and
WHEREAS, the Downtown Vision Report is a preliminary step in the Comprehensive Plan update process and focuses on the potential for an approximately 50-block area in and around Downtown; and
WHEREAS, the Downtown Vision Report was developed with extensive input from Mount Vernon’s communities over a year-long community engagement and planning process; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is appreciative of its consultants’ efforts, and is also grateful to the Mount Vernon community-at-large for sharing its experiences and insights during this participatory process; and
WHEREAS, the Downtown Vision Report identifies guiding principles for consideration in the preparation and adoption of the final Comprehensive Plan, as well as in the enactment of zoning amendments by the City Council while the Comprehensive Plan is being finalized; and
WHEREAS, the City Council conducted three (3) Public Hearings regarding the Downtown Vision Report on November 15, 2023, November 21, 2023, and December 6, 2023, during which all parties in attendance were permitted an opportunity to provide their feedback on the draft Report, and written comments were accepted for 10 days thereafter; and
WHEREAS, following the Public Hearings, the City Council, in conjunction with its Staff, revised the Downtown Vision Report, including to address certain comments raised during the Public Hearings; and
WHEREAS, the revised Downtown Vision Report is annexed to this Resolution and made a part hereof; and
WHEREAS, on December 20, 2023, the City Council referred the Downtown Vision Report to the Westchester County Planning Board for its informal review and comment (the County Planning Board, like the City of Mount Vernon Planning Board, will have an opportunity to formally review and comment upon the Comprehensive Plan when it is fully prepared); and
WHEREAS, by letter dated January __, 2024, the Westchester County Planning Board issued its recommendations with respect to the Downtown Vision Report; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, after due deliberation, and having carefully considered the comments made at the Public Hearings, finds that it is in the best interest of the City of Mount Vernon to adopt the Downtown Vision Report as proposed; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council hereby adopts the Downtown Vision Report, dated January 2024, a copy of which is attached hereto and made a part hereof; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the City Council determines that the Downtown Vision Report is classified as a Type II Action under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act and its implementing regulations, 6 N.Y.C.R.R. Part 617 (“SEQRA”); and be it further
RESOLVED, that the City Council further determines that the Downtown Vision Report is a “preliminary planning” study that does not commit the City Council to approve the Comprehensive Plan or take any other action (6 N.Y.C.R.R § 617.5(c)(27)), and therefore is not subject to review under SEQRA and no findings or determination of significance are required under SEQRA; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is directed to file a courtesy copy of this Resolution and the Downtown Vision Report with the Westchester County Planning Board; and be it further
RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall take effect immediately.