By Dan Murphy
The Yonkers City Council held their first meeting since their summer recess on Sept. 15. At the meeting the Council unanimously approved an ordinance instituting a temporary moratorim on self-storage facilities in the City.
The ordinance reads, “The City Council of the City of Yonkers is committed to fostering an environment for sustainable economic development within the City of Yonkers. The proliferation of self-storage facilities within the City is thought to be incompatible with this economic goal. While self-storage facilities contribute to property tax revenues, overall, self-storage facilities generally produce less tax revenue compared to mixed-use, commercial, or residential land uses, have low post-construction job creation value, and have characteristics that potentially diminish neighborhood character comfort, reduce street activity, disrupt walkability within commercial areas, and conflict with adjacent residential uses.
“The proposed moratorium is specifically determined to be necessary to preserve the City’s economic goals and minimize the potential long-term impact of self-storage facilities on the City’s economy while the City completes its examination of its zoning laws and land-use strategies as they relate to self-storage facilities to ensure that they continue to align with the City’s economic objectives and the community’s needs.
“Pursuant to its police power, the City Council hereby enacts a temporary moratorium on self-storage facilities within the City whereby no approval permitting any new self-storage facility may be granted by the City. The Moratorium established by this ordinance shall not apply to those projects providing for a self-storage facility that have obtained a variance from the City Zoning Board of Appeals, obtained site plan approval from the City Planning Board, or submitted an application to the City Planning Board for amended site plan approval is sought.”
The Council also approved a local law authorizing the sale of 566 Saw Mill River Road for $240,000 to an abutting property owner.
Finally, the Council adopted a resolution approved the acceptance of a bequest-distribution to the Yonkers Animal Shelter. The
John Steinkampf Jr. Irrevocable Trust has donated $120,000 to the Yonkers Animal Shelter.