WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. May 2, 2006: A speaker at the May 1 Common Council meeting (which may be viewed on Channel 75 Wednesday evening at 7: 30 P.M.), adds these impressions of the Avalon Bay apartment project issue:

Dear Mr. Bailey,

Obviously we share the same visual perspective in our changing city from old to new. Our photographs are statements that we indeed have ground we can both agree on.  I offer you an alternative photo on the quality of life in White Plains.

Your Comprehensive Review perspective of last night's May 1st. Common Council meeting reviewing the Comprehensive Plan Review document falls slightly short of a comprehensive mention of one of the most significantly paramount issues, unintentionally neglected in your re-cap of the meeting. 

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The crucial focus of not only the Comprehensive Review document, but in general the philosophical and ideology goal of the 1977 Comprehensive Plan and all future visions for the City of White Plains was left out in your article.

To some degree it was also neglected in general as the essence of the Common Council meeting in terms of the ultimate goal we are all striving to achieve, also not intentionally.

All the arguments and issues presented at the podium by some of the most qualified minds in White Plains focused on it as basis for success and the goal to achieve through a concerted effort of “understanding, participation, and cooperation of both sides working collectively to achieve it.  City government and the citizens of White Plains.

The ultimate end result that must be achieved, which you neglected to state, and the meeting neglected to mention, which by the way was my only topic of discussion at the podium, is that we are all here to work for a better quality of life for all of us.

“A better quality of life for all of us” All of us being the operative word for success!

Quality of life for all of us is the paramount goal to achieve here and is the final objective of any comprehensive plan or comprehensive review document.

Obviously last night many if not all intelligently presented sound logical arguments as to why the Comprehensive Review Document grossly fell short of that ability.

It was unacceptable as it stands and is written right now.

The two most moving citizens that expressed their own hearts thoughts at the podium last night as we all companionably sat and listened, were expressions of individual quality of life stories; quality of life stories!

Ms. Linda Tow, how she expressed that she could no longer live here or belongs in White Plains because there is no affordable housing and she will not succumb to living in shelters.

Dr. Peter  Zheng, the resident with the only private home at 21 Barker (ATT Avalon project) completely being ignored who is going to have a 125 structure built around his house with an adjacent residential community swimming pool 25 feet from his privacy 7/24 in the summer 9:00AM to dusk.

These are quality of life issues concerning citizens that must be addressed and resolved in any comprehensive review planning stage. Affordable housing and encroachment in community neighborhoods on residents.

Are we to be more concerned with developer’s needs of a swimming pool or the needs of community families who have developed this city pay taxes in it.

Indeed we need to do more work, continue to revise and correct the shortcomings of the Comprehensive Plans for the future and never neglect to invite and work collectively with community achieving constructive results for a better quality of life.

Quality of life is the issues, let us not forget it!

Carl Albanese
White Plains