WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. June 6, 2007: Council candidates Robert Levine, Robert Stackpole and Marc Pollitzer have issued a statement to WPCNR on the results of the Louis Cappelli decision to withdraw his Station Square bid for exclusive development rights to the White Plains Train Station area Monday evening.

The three renegade candidates  call the exercise a waste of time and issue a call for a new comprehensive plan for the city to be created using an independent planning consultant. The statement mocks the Council for comments councilmembers made lamenting specific guidelines for the station area, when the Council approved just such guidelines when they approved Review of the 1997 Comprehensive Plan.

Robert Levine, (Center), Marc Pollitzer (right) and Robert Stackpole (left) are expected to begin circulating petitions to place the three of them on the November ballot as independents. They will begin signature collection July 10. Photo, Courtesy, the Levine, Pollitzer, Stackpole Team.

Their statement:

    The essence of sound planning lies in listening to what people have to
say, sorting it out and doing the hard work necessary to define the
problem(s) with care in order to come up with future options for
evaluation. The process requires the involvement of detached objective
professional planning consultants and should be characterized by
objectivity, competent analysis and widespread citizen participation in
the interest of maintaining and improving our quality of life.

    Monday night’s Council Train Station deliberations should be labeled
for what they were… a regrettable waste of time and energy. Mr.
Cappelli explained how he came to plan the use and square foot area of
his proposed project as dependent on what it would take for the market
to bear the “no cost” replacement of the station, parking garage, and a
fire house.  It would be laughable if it weren’t so sad.

    Our elected officials have their priorities so skewed that they ignore
basic planning principles and fail to exercise their responsibility for
having them carried out. At the end of the evening, several Council
members implied their frustration with the inadequacy of current
planning guidelines they recently approved.  We have to wonder, ”Don’t
they get it?”

    We’ve been diddling while the city is being taken from us. We need a
proper new Comprehensive Plan to help us get it back now!

Robert Levine

Marc Pollitzer

Robert Stackpole