The City Council made clear at its Wednesday meeting that voting on a proposed zoning change enabling the Rye Arts Center to expand its campus will fall to the new council next year.
The RAC hopes to construct a second facility on a property adjacent to its facility at 51 Milton Road that has been gifted by a donor. But doing so requires a change to the city’s zoning code that would permit an arts center to operate in a residential zone.
Facing vocal opposition to the change from people opposed to the potential expansion, the City Council requested in January that the Planning Commission review the proposal.
A report followed in August — it did not provide a simple “approve or reject” advisory — that raised issues that should be considered such as parking and building use.
At the Nov. 19 council meeting, Mayor Josh Cohn suggested — and other council members across party lines agreed — that the body should hold a working session with the Planning Commission to grapple with questions raised in the report.
No date was set for the work session. However, Cohn indicated he would try to get the session scheduled this year.
The working session will be open to the public, but the public will not be invited to comment during that meeting, the outgoing mayor said.
If the council decides to move ahead with the proposed zoning change, it will be required to hold a public hearing on the topic.
In a recent post on the city’s website, in a section dedicated to the RAC zoning request, the board of directors of Blind Brook Lodge, a neighboring condominium complex, wrote “we believe the proposed zoning text amendment prioritizes the interests of the Rye Arts Center over those of neighboring property owners and the community at large.”
Meanwhile the RAC’s board of directors, in its most recent post on the site, emphasized that it was actively seeking community input because it is “committed to creating a place that will be a lasting source of pride for the Rye community – a place where creativity thrives, connections are built, and everyone can enjoy the unique benefits of the arts for years to come.”
