Rye's first comprehensive plan update in four decades now has a full 15-member steering committee in place, including two high school students who will give youth a formal voice in decisions about housing, zoning, and land use for the city's 17,000 residents.
The City Council expanded the panel from its original 12 members, adding three new appointees and resolving an unusual mix-up: two Rye residents share the name Justin Driscoll, and the council fixed the confusion by seating both men. The expansion also brought on two Rye High School students whose names have not yet been released.
One of the newly added Driscolls is Justin Driscoll III, CEO of the New York Power Authority, who also serves on Westchester County's Master Plan Steering Committee, according to the Rye Record. The second Justin Driscoll's background has not been publicly detailed.
The original 12
The council unanimously approved the initial committee at its Wednesday, June 10, meeting. Those members are Laura Brett, Christopher Cummins, Brian Dempsey, Justin Driscoll, Nick Everett, Hilary Garland, Alexandra Kirk, Victoria McMahon, Jorge Otero-Pailos, Christopher Repetto, Danielle Tagger, and Maria Shuck.
Mayor Josh Nathan said at the June 10 session that about 150 people completed an online interest form when the city put out a call for volunteers in early April. He noted at the time that young residents would be invited to participate, with those appointments expected later.
"It is a public committee that will have public meetings," Nathan said at the June 10 meeting. "They will work with members of the community on hearing, listening, and synthesizing with our consultants, and they will bring reports to the council."
$285,000 process, 40 years overdue
The council approved a $285,000 contract with planning and environmental consulting firm AKRF to oversee the plan update. Rye's existing plan dates to 1985, making it the second-oldest among Westchester County's 45 communities, according to the Rye Record. Only Pelham Manor's 1979 plan is older.
Previous attempts to update the plan in 2017 under Mayor Joe Sack and in 2020 under Mayor Josh Cohn were derailed by a mayoral changeover and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nathan told the Rye Record in February that he wants the updated plan completed 18 months after hiring the consulting firm. His term expires in 2029.
How residents can weigh in
The committee will meet monthly. Several additional working groups will be formed to focus on specific areas of interest, and the final plan will be adopted by the City Council following public hearings.
Residents can participate through public meetings, surveys, and outreach efforts as the process moves forward. The city has not announced a specific date for the committee's next July session.
