Land Use and Development

Westchester County has six cities, 16 towns and 23 villages.  Each of these municipalities has home rule authority on all matters relating to planning and zoning.  They each adopt zoning ordinances, establish their own rules for processing subdivision and site plans and enact their own unique environmental regulations.  Although the ground rules for this authority is set under New York State law, this situation makes regional planning no small challenge.

As fragmented as land use authority may be, Westchester has a very long tradition of using all of the tools of planning.  Most municipalities in Westchester first adopted zoning ordinances in the 1920s.  Three local planning boards date back to 1917.  Every municipality in Westchester has prepared a comprehensive plan.

The County Planning Department and the Westchester County Planning Board respond to the challenge of working within this multi-jurisdictional and sophisticated environment by promoting intergovernmental cooperation and urging participation of the municipalities in regional and subregional planning efforts.  We have several goals:

  • Provide a regional perspective and offer critical guidance on land use, development and zoning actions being considered by local governments.

  • Promote appropriate and sustainable development of land in coordination with transportation and infrastructure, guided by the goals, policies and strategies of Patterns.

  • Initiate studies on intermunicipal topics that assist local land use and zoning decision-making by municipalities.

  • Provide essential technical assistance on planning and zoning actions to municipal officials and county departments.

 

Westchester 2025
Patterns Update
Now Underway

For several months the County Planning Board has been researching trends and changes, consulting with experts across many fields and revisiting assumptions, policies and strategies all with an eye on whether there is a need to update Patterns for Westchester:  The Land and the People, the Board’s statement of land use and development policies.  The conclusion:  an update is needed.

Patterns was adopted by the County Planning Board in December 1995 and was subsequently endorsed by the County Executive and the Westchester County Board of Legislators.  The plan sets forth strategies that can be undertaken by different levels of government and the private sector.

Many of the Patterns basic principles remain very relevant, especially its three-prong theme of center-based development, a network of open space and improved corridors.  However, new attention must now be paid to defining, protecting and enhancing the character of our communities and identifying infrastructure needs to support our quality of life.

The update now underway, Westchester 2025, is a web-based, interactive plan with easy-to-understand graphics and text that summarize key trends, show where development is headed and identify where civic attention is needed.  Watch this site for more information as it is developed.
 

The main blueprint that guides our County-wide planning approach is Patterns for Westchester: the Land and the People.  Patterns is Westchester County’s long range planning policy document.

Current initiatives of the Regional Planning Section include intermunicipal land use/transportation studies such as the routes 202/35/6 Bear Mountain Parkway Sustainable Development Study, economic development and tourism planning and comprehensive multi-jurisdictional watershed planning.

Patterns also provides the basis for the County Planning Board’s review of local municipal land use/development and zoning actions.  With the assistance of the Planning Department staff, the County Planning Board submits hundreds of comment letters each year to the local municipalities on everything from zoning amendments to large housing and commercial developments.  Each referred item is reviewed not only with regard to impacts on each specific site but also from a regional, intermunicipal perspective.

Land Use and Development Contact:
Pat Natarelli
 ppn2@westchestergov.com

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