Now Is The Time to Act to Preserve Neighborhood Character

Every week we hear about Scarsdale land use boards wrestling with decisions about tear downs, renovations, subdivisions and swimming pools. One resident’s desire to expand their footprint impacts neighborhood character along with their neighbors view and privacy, the flow of water off the property, parking, traffic and more. Land use questions are further exacerbated by the frequency of strong rainstorms, which are causing alarming floods.

These conflicts are not new. In 2012 the Village Board of Trustees retained architectural historians to help determine how Scarsdale should preserve historic landmarks and homes as well as the neighborhood character of some of the Village’s historic districts.

The outcome of the Reconnaissance Level Cultural Resources Survey is an in depth look at the history of the development of Scarsdale, the architectural styles that make it distinctive and a road map of how to move forward on preserving our unique landscape.

The outcome of the report was the identification of 81 individual landmarks that warrant protection as well as the delineation of 12 study areas for neighborhoods that should be considered as potential historic districts.

These areas are listed below.

7.1 Greenacres Study Area
7.2 Scarsdale Heights Study Area
7.3 Garden Road Study Area
7.4 Fox Meadow Study Area
7.5 Elmdorf Drive Study Area
7.6 Downtown Study Area
7.7 Berkley Study Area
7.8 Sherbrooke Park Study Area
7.9 The Woods Study Area
7.10 Dolma Road Study Area
7.11 Heathcote Road Study Area
7.12 Heathcote Crest Study Area

The consultants that recommended next steps that should be taken to move the process forward as proscribed here.

Anticipated Next Steps:

Cultural Resource Survey Phase I: The Village to review the findings of the Report and assess the viability of potential individual landmarks and historic districts. If historic districts are not deemed feasible, the proposed number of individual landmarks should increase to include the most significant structures noted within the study areas.

Cultural Resource Survey Phase II: Following the Village’s acceptance of the Preservation
Consultant’s potential individual landmarks, Preservation Consultant to proceed with completion of New York State Historic Preservation Office Historic Resource Inventory Forms for selected individual landmarks.

If the concept of historic districts is to be further developed, the Preservation Consultant should perform additional research and field survey to finalize the number and boundaries of proposed historic districts.

Village to review the draft new Historic Preservation Law (Chapter 182), regarding the Village’s
criteria for establishing landmarks, including the requirement for owner consent, and the training of Village representatives serving on the Committee for Historic Preservation and the Board of Architectural Review regarding review of proposed demolition of and alterations to historic properties, and methods of implementation of the Village’s Historic Preservation Law.

Sadly, after receipt of the report the Village did not proceed with the consultants recommendations. In the intervening years, when applications are filed to tear down historic homes, boards have referred back to the report. However, since the findings of the consultants were never formally adopted, and the study was not complete, it could not be used to support or refute teardown applications.

As the Village continues to wrestle with decisions on teardowns, preservation, renovations, development and land use, perhaps it’s time to take the next steps as recommended by the consultants.

The report offers a comprehensive plan on how to approach this critical issue. We have instructions on how to move forward -- all we need to do is to take the next steps to put this into action.

Take a look at the report here: You might find your own home pictured there.

And if you’re in favor of urging the Board of Trustees to do more to preserve our neighborhoods, either comment below or email [email protected]. We will communicate your views to the folks at Village Hall. The sooner we act the more of Scarsdale we can save.