The City of New Rochelle retained BFJ Planning in 2015 to assist in the review of the New Rochelle Downtown Development Plan (RAP), the proposed Downtown Overlay Zone, and the associated review of the SEQR Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS). The City and RDRXR, the selected Master Developer, with assistance from BFJ, developed a new form-based DOZ for an approximately 309-acre area of Downtown New Rochelle. The adopted DOZ is an optional overlay district, whereby landowners can choose to opt into development under the proposed DOZ requirements. The DOZ encourages redevelopment through the creation of an active, mixed-use district with convenient, safe and pleasant access to the New Rochelle Transportation Center. The DOZ Plan was the New York Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association’s 2015 winner of the William H. White Award, which recognizes creativity and ingenuity in planning. The DOZ code also was the 2016 winner of a Westchester Municipal Planning Federation Award for planning excellence.  

BFJ played an integral part in refining development and zoning recommendations and  assisted the City in reviewing and coordi-nating the Full Environmental Assessment Form (FEAF) Part 1, preparing the FEAF Parts 2 and 3 and positive declaration, outlining the technical aspects to be analyzed in the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS), review of the Draft and Final GEIS, assistance with the development of mitigation measures, preparation of the SEQR Findings Statement, and filing of required notices in DEC’s Environmental Notice Bulletin. Significant issues analyzed in the GEIS included, land use, urban design, water and sewer infrastructure, demand for City services, including impacts on the New Rochelle School District and New Rochelle Police and Fire Departments, visual resources, transportation networks and capacity, energy demand, generation and disposal of solid waste, growth inducement, and community character. 

Following adoption of the DOZ amendments in 2015, BFJ has continued to provide on-call planning and SEQR services to the City of New Rochelle with respect to the DOZ. BFJ assisted the City in 2016 and 2017 with minor modifications, and the associated analysis, to increase the maximum allowable development density (Theoretical Development Scenario) permitted in the DOZ as analyzed in the GEIS. BFJ, on behalf of the City, also assists in the review of DOZ projects before the Planning Board as part of Site Plan Review. BFJ reviews each site-specific EAF’s and other SEQR documentation for completeness, accuracy, and consistency with the 2015 GEIS and adopted SEQR Findings Statement, as amended.