11 - Chapter 11 - Village CenterPlan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 147
11. VILLAGE CENTER
This chapter examines the main commercial area of Rye Brook, generally concentrated along
South Ridge Street, south of Westchester Avenue and north of I-287, and including portions of
Westchester and Bowman avenues. Although the village does not have a traditional central
business district – characterized by a diverse mix of uses, often centered on a transit node or
municipal governmental buildings – this commercial area can be considered the “center” of Rye
Brook. It represents an important gathering place for village residents to shop, dine and conduct
business, as well as an asset that attracts visitors from outside the community. A key focus of this
Comprehensive Plan is to evaluate strategies for the commercial center to create a stronger sense
of place and a true “downtown” feel, through the use of streetscaping, improvements to
pedestrian circulation, landscaping and other measures.
11.1 Study Area
As shown in Figure 26, the study area is generally bounded by Westchester Avenue to the north
and I-287 to the south, and includes parcels fronting either side of South Ridge Street. In
addition, the area includes the neighborhood at the southeastern-most corner of Rye Brook, north
of I-287, with the intent of better connecting this residential area to the rest of the village as part
of the overall Village Center strategy.
11.2 Land Use
Commercial
As shown in Figure 27, below, land uses in the northern portion of the study area are
predominated by substantial retail and office uses. Rye Ridge Shopping Center, at the southwest
corner of Bowman Avenue and South Ridge Street, contains a D’Agostino’s grocery store, a
hardware store, two pharmacies (one locally owned and one a CVS), a shoe store, clothing
boutique, bank, several quick-service eating establishments and an assortment of small-scale
office and personal-service uses. The southern end of the study area is anchored by the
Washington Park Plaza shopping center, which contains an A&P; another CVS; a bank and
Westchester Burger Co., a full-service restaurant. Smaller-scale commercial uses, primarily
related to personal services, are also located along the eastern side of South Ridge Street,
between Ellendale Avenue and West William Street.
Office
The two largest office uses in the study area are 90 Ridge Street, at the northwest corner of
Bowman Avenue and South Ridge Street, and the Rye Plaza Building immediately west of the Rye
Ridge Shopping Center on Bowman Avenue. Both contain a mix of medical and professional
offices. Smaller offices are also found in the study area along the eastern side of South Ridge
Street; these appear to be somewhat older.
VILLAGE OF RYE BROOK, NY
PLAN RYE BROOK FIGURE 26: VILLAGE CENTER STUDY AREA
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PLAN RYE BROOK FIGURE 27: VILLAGE CENTER STUDY AREA LAND USE
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 150
Residential
Residential uses are generally found along the eastern side of South Ridge Street, between
Westchester and Bowman avenues, and south of the Rye Ridge Shopping Center, along and to
the east of South Ridge Street. Housing here is a mix of single-family and two- to three-family
homes, as well as some scattered multifamily uses, on small (5,000 sf) lots. This neighborhood is
among the most dense in Rye Brook, and shares a close connection with the Village of Port
Chester, as the municipal boundary bisects the larger residential area.
Open Space and Community Facilities
Several important community assets are present in the study area. Garibaldi Park provides an
active recreational resource within easy walking distance of the adjacent neighborhoods in both
Rye Brook and Port Chester. The Anthony J. Posillipo Community Center provides a range of
services and programming for all residents of Rye Brook, particularly its seniors. Finally, the
passive open space at Roanoke Avenue represents an untapped opportunity to connect with other
existing and planned parks. In addition, the Village’s Department of Public Works facility between
West William Street and Ellendale Avenue is planned to be replaced on-site, resulting in likely
improvements to quality of life in the surrounding neighborhood due to the ability to place more
operations indoors and lessen potential adverse environmental impacts.
Land Use Issues and Opportunities
In general, land uses in the study area function quite well. Retail and restaurant uses represent a
range of national and local chains as well as “mom and pop” stores, and see strong patronage
from both Rye Brook residents and visitors from nearby locations. One key commercial use noted
at the opening public workshop as lacking in the village is enough full-service restaurants and/or
drinking establishments (upscale bars).
There is almost no vacant land in the study area; one vacant lot at the southeast corner of
Bowman Avenue and South Ridge Street is approved as a bank and affordable housing, while
another vacant property south of Bowman Avenue is approved for housing and a public park.
However, several parcels in the study area can be considered either underutilized or containing
buildings near the end of their functional life, or may be inappropriate for location in a
downtown area. These include the gas station and older office buildings and small-scale
individual commercial uses along South Ridge Street, and represent prime candidates for
redevelopment. In particular, as noted in Chapter 4, the Village should consider acquiring a right
of first offer for the gas station, to be in position to buy the parcel if it becomes available.
One significant land-use issue is the lack of mixed uses, or lots that contain a commercial/office
use as well as residential use. The commercial center area would be ideal for the development of
upper-floor residential units and office space over ground-floor retail. Such development could
increase the residential market for the existing shopping centers; generate more housing choices
for singles, young couples and empty-nesters; and allow for more efficient site planning than
individual uses, through such smart-growth planning techniques as shared parking.
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 151
11.3 Zoning
Five zoning districts are found in the study area: the two commercial retail zones (C1 and C1-P),
two office zones (OB-2 and OB-S) and one residential zone (R2-F) (see Table 35 and Figure 28).
Table 35: Existing Zoning in the Village Center
Zone Principal Permitted Use Min. Lot
Size
Yard Setbacks Floor
Area
Ratio
Max.
Height Front Side Rear
C1
Single-family, retail, restaurants,
offices and gas stations, auto
sales/services by special permit
13,000 sf 30 ft None 30 ft 1.0
30 ft, 2
stories
C1-P Single-family, retail, restaurants,
offices and theaters by special permit 1 ac. 75 ft None 30 ft 0.4 30 ft, 2
stories
OB-2 Offices, single-family 5 ac. None None None None None
OB-S
Offices, light technical uses and
single-family, retail, restaurants,
bowling alleys by special permit
3 ac. 60 ft 50 ft least side
100 total 50 ft 0.35 20 ft, 1
story
R2-F Single- and two-family and nurseries,
offices by special permit 5,000 sf 20 ft 6 ft least side
16 total 30 ft None 30 ft, 2
stories
Source: Village of Rye Brook Zoning Code
Zoning Issues and Opportunities
OB-S Zone
The OB-S district is mapped in only two areas in Rye Brook, both within the study area: the 90
Ridge Street office building and the Washington Park Plaza shopping center. This zone appears to
be geared toward low-rise, small-scale office, light industrial and commercial uses located on
fairly large pieces of land (at least 3 acres). The OB-S zone has the lowest height requirement of
any non-residential district in the village, and among the lowest floor area ratio (FAR). Yet it also
has the most liberal setback requirements of any office zone. With no restriction on lot coverage
for the primary permitted uses of offices and related uses, these standards work to promote
single-story buildings with large footprints and significant areas of surface parking. This highly
inefficient form of development is inconsistent with modern office standards and does not
facilitate strong aesthetic design and stormwater management. It appears that existing
development in the OB-S zones could be accommodated in the C1-P district. Thus, the Village
should consider abolishing the OB-S district in favor of zoning that allows current development
and promotes a desired scale of future redevelopment.
Setbacks in the C1 and C1-P Districts
The C1-P and C1 districts require 75-foot and 30-foot front yards, respectively, ensuring that
buildings are set back from the street, with parking in front. This form of development does not
facilitate active, pedestrian street frontages, but contributes to an auto-centric environment. The
front yards should be significantly reduced, perhaps to as low as 10 feet to allow for landscaping
in front of buildings. Rear yards could remain 30 feet or be increased to allow parking behind
buildings and buffers along rear property lines, especially abutting residential zones.
VILLAGE OF RYE BROOK, NY SOURCE: WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
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PLAN RYE BROOK FIGURE 28: VILLAGE CENTER AREA ZONING
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 153
Promotion of Mixed Uses
As discussed above, the commercial center contains a diverse set of uses, but they are separated
into homogenous areas, which is not consistent with a traditional downtown central business
district. To address this issue, the Village should consider allowing multifamily residential uses by
special permit in the C1 and C1-P zones, provided that they meet the following criteria:
Residential uses are located within buildings that also contain commercial and/or office
uses.
Residential and office uses are located only within the upper floors of buildings.
Residential uses are allowable only on lots with frontage on Westchester Avenue,
Bowman Avenue or South Ridge Street.
In order to promote the type of mixed-use development described by these criteria, it would be
necessary for the Village to adjust the height and possibly the FAR requirements for the two
commercial zones. In general, for mixed-use buildings to work economically, they must have 2-3
stories of residential or office uses above a ground floor of commercial use. This would translate
into a building height of 3 to 4 stories. Increasing allowable building heights accordingly in these
zones – and adjusting FAR to accommodate such heights given minimum lot sizes – may be
something for the Village to consider. Alternatively, the Village could eliminate the height and FAR
requirements altogether, and give the Village Board flexibility to determine the appropriate
requirements, taking into account the individual circumstances of each proposed development.
Potential for a Village Center Overlay Zone
The above suggestions for the Village to consider each involve modifications to existing zoning
districts. Another option to be explored in tandem with these adjustments is to create an overlay
zone to encompass the existing C1, C1-P and OB-S zones, and the OB-2-zoned parcel located
on Bowman Avenue between Port Chester Middle School and the 90 Ridge Street complex, as
well as all R2-F-zoned parcels fronting South Ridge Street. The intent of this overlay zone would
be to promote mixed-use development that generates significant pedestrian activity, establishes a
“downtown” sense of place and achieves efficient and attractive site design through the reduction
in surface parking allowable with complementary uses. The use, area and bulk standards for this
overlay zone could be flexible and subject to the Village Board’s determination, but any
development in this overlay zone could be subject to a set of advisory design guidelines that
would be created (see urban design discussion below). In practice, this overlay zone would
function like the Planned Unit Development (PUD) district, but it would be established by the
Village, not driven by the needs of any particular developer. Of course, prospective developers
would remain free to pursue projects consistent with the underlying zoning district (as modified
based on the above discussion). But the overlay structure would provide the incentive of zoning
flexibility, while ensuring that site plans meet established design principles and guidelines.
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 154
11.4 Urban Design
This section examines urban design conditions in the Rye Brook commercial study area and
presents recommendations to improve its appearance and character to help create an identifiable
community center that is walkable and attractive. The discussion addresses issues in and around
the intersection of South Ridge Street and Bowman Avenue, identified as the community’s central
node, as well as areas further south around Washington Park Plaza and Garibaldi Park.
Field visits were conducted to observe and record urban design conditions in the study area,
specifically along South Ridge Street. These occurred at various times of day, including a three-
hour visit during which design factors were recorded along the length of South Ridge Street from
Westchester Avenue to Garibaldi Place. The analysis focused on conditions along street frontages
and within existing shopping centers, including Rye Ridge, Rye South and Washington Park Plaza.
Data were collected in the form of notes, mapping and photography to record building, street,
parking, open space and sidewalk conditions, and the presence of street furniture including
signage and lighting. Observed existing conditions are discussed in the following section and
recommendations are presented at the end of the chapter.
11.4.1 General Context and Urban Form
The urban form of Rye Brook is predominantly suburban in nature, and the study area is
characterized by a network of fairly large blocks organized to the east and west of a main
corridor, South Ridge Street, which forms the area’s main transportation spine. Two east-west
arterial streets, Westchester and Bowman Avenues, cross South Ridge Street, and the intersection
of Bowman Avenue and South Ridge Street forms the area’s primary node of activity, anchored
by a large shopping center on the southwest corner. From an urban design perspective, this
environment is heavily preferential to automobile travel, evidenced by a lack of consistent
sidewalks and formalized crosswalks, which impedes pedestrian access to many points of interest.
11.4.2 Pedestrian Network
One of the most important steps that could be taken to further the creation of a more identifiable
center in Rye Brook would be to develop a stronger pedestrian network consisting of sidewalks,
formal crosswalks and pathways that are easily navigable by everyone, including children,
elderly, parents pushing strollers and those with a physical disability.
Existing conditions are constrained by a fragmented sidewalk network with sections of missing or
non-functional sidewalks and poorly designed crosswalks. This makes for difficult pedestrian
travel from nearby neighborhoods to shopping, businesses, parks and schools. Figure 29 shows
study area sidewalk conditions, ranking them as missing, needing improvement or functional.
Just two of the eight block frontages on South Ridge Street and Bowman Avenue are functional.
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Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 156
The sidewalk in front of these businesses on South
Ridge Street is indistinguishable from the parking lot.
BFJ Planning
Sidewalks identified as needing improvement occur mainly on the east side of South Ridge Street
from (south of) Washington Park Plaza to Bowman Avenue, and along both sides of Bowman
Avenue east of South Ridge. Here, sidewalks were observed as in need of repair, or missing small
sections where the sidewalk becomes part of a parking lot. Most intersections on this side of the
street (and along all frontages in the study area where sidewalks exist) have wheelchair ramps at
corners, but uneven pavement and narrow sidewalks make travel challenging for many stretches.
Significantly, sidewalks are missing for
long stretches of the primary street
frontages in the study area. These
areas include the south side of
Bowman Avenue west of South Ridge
Street, a majority of the west side of
South Ridge Street from Dixon Street
to Crescent Place and from Rye Ridge
Shopping Center to Westchester
Avenue. For example, residential
properties on the west side of South
Ridge Street south of Crescent Place
front directly along the street frontage,
with yards reaching to the street right-of-way. While it is likely that the Village owns enough land
along this frontage to place a sidewalk, a more nuanced analysis suggests that this could be
postponed as a long-term objective. In the short-term, the Village should focus on creating a
navigable pedestrian network to improve access to the shopping and civic destinations
surrounding the community’s primary intersection at South Ridge Street and Bowman Avenue.
As shown in Figure 30, existing conditions currently impede pedestrian travel to reach these
destinations from neighborhoods to the south and east. Presently, pedestrians must walk on the
east side of South Ridge Street, where sidewalks exist (but are in need of improvement) with
limited opportunities to safely cross South Ridge Street access the shopping destinations on the
west side of the street. Two signalized crossing points, at Ellendale Avenue and Bowman Avenue,
exist, but neither has a formal crosswalk marked by painted striping or change in materials (e.g.
red brick pavers). While providing formalized crosswalks in both of these locations would help
greatly in improving connectivity, once across the street, the sidewalk is missing on the west side
of South Ridge Road, which requires pedestrians to follow a circuitous route involving internal
vehicular driveways and bank drive-thru medians to reach the Rye Ridge shops and restaurants.
As shown in the proposed conditions in Figure 30, the Village should focus on completing
sidewalks along the frontages of the Rye Ridge Shopping Center, especially on the west side of
South Ridge Street north of Crescent Avenue, and linking them to a clearly defined network of
internal pathways in the shopping center. This would help facilitate pedestrian access to shops
and restaurants from the south, as well as from points north and west on Bowman Avenue.
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 157
Figure 30: Existing and Proposed Condition for the Pedestrian Network Near the South Ridge
Street/Bowman Avenue Intersection
Current built conditions on the southwest corner of
South Ridge Street and Bowman Avenue require
pedestrians to descend a set of stairs and navigate the
shopping center’s large parking lot. This is not only an
unattractive and unwelcoming path of travel, it is also
unsafe (and an impossible route for wheelchairs,
strollers and walkers). Providing sidewalks along the two
primary frontages of Rye Ridge Shopping Center –
South Ridge Street and Bowman Avenue – and linking
them to a convenient network of pathways through the
parking lot would greatly improve pedestrian
connectivity. As shown in Figure 30, the shopping center
has an existing internal pathway, and it is suggested
that improvements build on this as much as possible.
New sidewalks along the shopping center frontages
present an opportunity to create a stronger sense of
place and arrival at the village’s primary “community
corners.” Presently, these frontages are characterized by
an elevation change ranging from about 0 feet to 9 feet
between the street and parking lot levels. The existing landscaped slope connecting these surfaces
varies in width from approximately 34 feet to 38 feet on the north frontage and from about 27
feet to 58 feet on the east frontage. These slopes could be modified to allow for a sidewalk and a
narrow strip of greenery. A concept of how this might work is presented in
The South Ridge/Bowman entrance to
the Rye Ridge shopping center has no
pedestrian link to stores.
BFJ Planning
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 158
Figure 31 and Figure 32. Currently, a row of trees lines Bowman Avenue along the north
frontage, and the concept suggests that these be preserved by placing the new sidewalk to the
south of the trees. While the design could be accommodated without sacrificing any parking
along the South Ridge Street frontage, a half-row of parking (28 spaces) would have to be
removed to accommodate the concept along Bowman Avenue (see Figure 32).
Removing any parking from the shopping center requires careful study, as it could have
important implications for established Village parking requirements and the needs of the property
owner, and would need to be based on detailed traffic counts confirming sufficient capacity.
Parking in this area was noted as a problem in the public survey conducted for this Plan.
However, preserving trees and placing a sidewalk with a greener setting as the concept suggests
would have the added benefit of creating a stronger sense of arrival in Rye Brook, and would
greatly improve visual aesthetics and pedestrian connectivity at this key community gateway.
11.4.3 Street Frontages and Pedestrian Environment
In addition to improving the pedestrian network, making improvements to the pedestrian
environment throughout the network would help improve the overall built environment in Rye
Brook. In a typical village setting, the relationship between building and sidewalk becomes a
primary concern, as it contributes greatly to the creation of a stronger sense of place. Careful
design of this relationship helps create a comfortable environment for people to walk, shop and
stay. As shown in the image below, pedestrian enclosure, a term often used to describe this
relationship, involves the intentional use of design elements such as street trees and furniture to
provide a physical separation between the street and the sidewalk. Enclosure from above is
created through building details such as cornices and awnings to provide overhead canopy. In
the summer, tree canopies along the sidewalk provide shade, further enhancing the pedestrian
experience. Pedestrian enclosure helps people feel comfortable when walking along busy roads
like South Ridge Street, and is an important part of a successful pedestrian environment.
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Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 161
While creating a truly village environment in Rye Brook study area would be difficult, given the
existing built fabric, more could be done to improve pedestrian enclosure that exists by
addressing building setbacks along South Ridge Street. As shown in Figure 33, many buildings
along the east side of South Ridge Street are set back from the frontage with parking in the front.
Ideally, buildings should be set closer to the sidewalk frontage with active frontages (i.e. shops
and restaurants, etc.) along the ground level to enrich the pedestrian experience. In this
configuration, parking would be accommodated in the rear (always with a landscaped strip to
buffer the parking areas from adjacent residential uses). Obviously, this change, if it were to
occur, would take many years, in part because it is predicated on property redevelopment and
property owners’ compliance. A middle ground – and something that would improve existing
conditions in the short-term – would be to create landscaped buffers along the sidewalk. This
would create a more attractive frontage and separate pedestrians from parking along the
frontage. These options are shown in the graphic below.
Suggested strategies to address frontage conditions
on the east side of South Ridge Street, south of
Bowman Avenue. The existing condition shows
parking and sidewalk as one surface, essentially a
missing sidewalk condition.
The improved condition suggests separating the
sidewalk from the parking area using landscaping,
walls and trees.
The preferred condition could be considered a
long-term objective, as it places buildings with
active frontages close to the pedestrian right-of-way
and uses landscaping elements to promote a more
secure environment along the frontage.
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Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 163
Active and attractive store frontages in Rye Ridge
shopping center.
BFJ Planning
In the long term, the Village should consider encouraging a development pattern that seeks to
place new development closer to the street frontage and provides parking to the rear of
buildings. This could be encouraged through the use of design guidelines or other regulations,
including streamlining site plan review or by providing incentives for development that contributes
positively toward creating a more desirable spatial condition along South Ridge Street.
Improving frontages and building setbacks along South Ridge Street would improve the visual
appearance along the corridor, but existing conditions constrain the creation of a traditional style
“main street” in the village. Rather, as shown in Figure 33, the primary active frontages in the
study area occur in shopping centers, and, in a sense, these function as the community’s “main
street.” The variety of larger format and smaller shops and restaurants in the Rye Ridge Shopping
Center provide ample attraction, and
a great portion of the frontages are
using appropriate design strategies.
For example, Starbucks and Chop’t
have clear and unobstructed window
frontages that allow people passing
by to see activity within, and both
provide outdoor seating, inviting
people to shop and stay. Other
storefronts are less successful in
employing these strategies, and
there are several long expanses of
obstructed window frontage. The
Village should encourage stores in
the Rye Ridge, Rye South and
Washington Park Plaza shopping
centers to create more window
interest with active, open frontages.
In general, the pedestrian frontages in all three shopping centers could be strengthened through
improved landscaping, lighting and wayfinding signage, to help create a more attractive and
pedestrian-friendly environment. Much of this attention should occur along the store frontage
pedestrian paths. For example, planting trees and providing benches along the sidewalks of the
shopping centers would, in effect, create a stronger sense of pedestrian enclosure (as discussed
above). This would help create a more successful “main street” feel, facilitating a stronger, more
active commercial environment. The objective should be to create a place where people would
enjoy spending time. Treating these shopping center frontages with the care and attention often
reserved for main street environments is important to Rye Brook because of their commercial and
social function in the community. While a traditional village-like “main street” environment is
missing (and difficult to achieve in the short-term) in the Village, improving the frontages in these
shopping centers will be important to establishing the area’s sense of character and place.
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 164
This same attentive approach should be extended to the shopping centers’ parking lots and,
more importantly, the frontages along South Ridge Street and Bowman Avenue. While the
frontages of the shopping centers along South Ridge Street are missing sidewalks, they are well-
landscaped with ground planting and street trees. This helps create a positive appearance along
the street and improve the pedestrian environment (where sidewalks exist). The same landscaping
strategy should be taken on the east side of South Ridge Street, where, as shown in Figure 33 and
the photo below, very few street trees are present. Extending this landscaping strategy to the
parking lots, planting trees and ground cover within a well-designed network of pedestrian
pathways in the shopping centers will facilitate access from public streets (and parking areas) to
the shopping frontages, greatly improving their appearance. In parking areas, trees could be
planted along pathways and in medians, accompanied by attractive lighting.
Figure 34 shows several key sites in the study area that are likely to change or have significant
importance, including the DPW yard and properties on the corner of South Ridge Street and
Bowman Avenue. The Village has long-term plans to replace the existing DPW facility at the same
location. While location of such a facility within an existing residential neighborhood can be
problematic, careful attention to design can help minimize potential impacts. From an urban
design perspective, any new plan for this facility should incorporate green building elements and
green buffers, including trees, bushes and ground cover, along the property edges to visually and
audibly screen the yard's activities from the adjacent residential uses. This would help buffer and
minimize the impacts of the yard’s operations on surrounding residences. Equally important will
be the design and placement of lighting for the yard to ensure it does not spill over on to the
adjacent properties.
This image shows the effect of trees on South Ridge. The Rye Ridge Shopping Center frontage
(left) has a strong tree buffer, while the right side of the street has little landscaping treatment.
Google Streetview
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Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 166
The parcels on the southeast corner of South Ridge Street and Bowman Avenue are in
development as a bank and residential uses to the east, along Barber Place. The Valero property
on the northeast corner represents an important opportunity to help knit together this important
corner in the community. Careful site planning could allow this site to contribute to a stronger
sense of arrival. Therefore, any new development should be encouraged to build close to the
street, provide active ground-level frontages and locate parking to the rear of the building. To
facilitate such development, the Village should consider securing a right of first offer for the
Valero site if it becomes available for sale. All frontages of this intersection should incorporate
landscaping, street trees and attractive lighting to create a gateway into this part of Rye Brook.
11.4.4 Regulations
In seeking to improve the built environment generally, the Village should consider several
administrative and regulatory strategies, including creation of a design guideline manual for a
potential downtown overlay zone, to ensure that future development contributes positively to the
built environment. The Village has an able and committed Board of Architectural Review, and the
review process as outlined in the Village Code appears appropriately robust. Creating a design
guideline manual will not only assist the BAR by improving consistency in their recommendations,
but also help streamline the process for applicants.
Design guidelines relate to the compatible scope of architectural styles, street layout and building
form, access and parking configurations, landscape design standards, lighting and signage
standards and other design concepts that the Village prefers in new development or building
renovation. Recommendations can range from façade treatments and suggested building
materials to preferred site configurations. Generally, design guidelines are presented in a
handbook that provides a visual expression of the community’s vision, as set forth in the
comprehensive plan, for its built environment. By doing so, design guidelines seek to provide
residents, developers and design professionals with a clearer picture of what to expect when
appearing before the Village’s land-use boards, thus simplifying and expediting the review and
approvals process. Applicants are more likely to “get it right” the first time by reviewing the
guidelines, and thus avoid expensive delays, public controversy and project redesign.
Potential benefits of design guidelines in Rye Brook:
• Send a clear message to developers, property owners and their designers of the
aesthetics and site design expected in new development.
• Establish a consistent set of guidelines that land-use approval boards can use in
reviewing and approving projects.
• Promote a vision for a future built environment that is proactive (reflecting Rye
Brook’s choices) rather than reactive (reflecting the applicant’s choice).
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 167
Example of design guidelines
in Port Washington, New York.
BFJ Planning
Design guidelines may be implemented in one of three ways:
• Reference Document (non-adopted) – the guidelines are used solely as a reference
document at the pleasure of the applicable land-use approval board. Under this
scenario, the document is not formally adopted by the Village.
• Advisory Document (adopted) – the guidelines are adopted by the Village as an
advisory document to serve as a guide for the applicable land-use approval
board. Under this scenario, the document would be non-binding (thus allowing
flexibility), but carries more weight legally than a reference document. This ensures
greater compliance and consideration by developers;
• Regulatory Document (adopted) – the guidelines are adopted as a regulatory
document, meaning they are compulsory as part of the Zoning Ordinance.
This Plan recommends that Rye Brook implement design
guidelines as an “advisory document” so as to encourage
diversity in building type, program and character, and to
promote flexibility in the approval process. Such guidelines
could be applicable within an overlay zone that encompasses
the existing C1, C1-P and OB-S zones, as well as the OB-2-
zoned parcel on Bowman Avenue between Port Chester
Middle School and the 90 Ridge Street complex, and all R2-F-
zoned parcels fronting South Ridge Street.
In addition to a design guidelines manual, the Village may
consider developing local signage design guidelines or an
overlay ordinance based on existing positive signage
examples, and require future signage to be contextual to Rye
Brook’s local identity. Signage elements that could be
considered for guidelines include size, layout, placement,
illumination, colors and materials.
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 168
11.5 Village Center Recommendations
Potential Zoning Changes
Abolish the OB-S district and rezone the two properties mapped in that zone to the C1-P
district, which could accommodate the existing uses but promote more desired future
development.
Reduce front-yard setbacks in the C1 and C1-P zones to as low as 10 feet, to promote
buildings placed along the street frontage. Retain rear yards at a minimum of 30 feet to
allow for the creation of buffers along rear commercial property lines especially where
they abut residential zones.
Consider allowing multifamily residential uses by special permit in the C1 and C1-P
zones, provided that:
o Units are limited to studios and one-bedrooms to minimize potential impacts on
the Port Chester school district.
o Residential uses are located within buildings that also contain commercial and/or
office uses.
o Residential and office uses are located only within the upper floors of buildings.
o Residential uses are allowable only on lots with frontage on Westchester Avenue,
Bowman Avenue or South Ridge Street.
Explore adjusting building height and FAR requirements in the C1 and C1-P zones to
allow for building heights of 3 or 4 stories, or eliminating these requirements to give the
Village Board flexibility to determine appropriate requirements based on the individual
circumstances of each proposed development.
Consider creating a downtown overlay zone to encompass the existing C1, C1-P and
OB-S zones, as well as the OB-2-zoned parcel on Bowman Avenue between Port Chester
Middle School and the 90 Ridge Street complex, and all R2-F-zoned parcels fronting
South Ridge Street. This overlay zone would have flexible use, area and bulk standards,
subject to the Village Board’s determination, and be subject to a set of advisory design
guidelines.
Urban Design Recommendations
Focus on creating a navigable pedestrian network to improve access to the shopping and
civic destinations surrounding the community’s primary intersection at South Ridge Street
and Bowman Avenue.
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 169
o Work with the Westchester County Department of Public Works to create
formalized crosswalks at the Bowman Avenue/South Ridge Street and Ellendale
Avenue/South Ridge Street intersections.
o Complete the sidewalks along the frontages of the Rye Ridge Shopping Center,
especially on the west side of South Ridge Street north of Crescent Avenue.
o Work with the owners of shopping centers to establish clearly defined networks of
internal pathways within surface parking areas, and link these networks to
enhanced Village sidewalks.
In the short-term, create landscaped buffers along sidewalks on South Ridge Street.
Longer-term, promote a development pattern that places new development closer to the
street frontage and provides parking to the rear of buildings. This could be encouraged
through the use of design guidelines or other regulations, including streamlining site plan
review or by providing developer incentives.
Work with property owners to strengthen pedestrian frontages within shopping centers
through improved landscaping, lighting and wayfinding signage and branding, and
extend this approach to the shopping centers’ parking lots and road frontages along
South Ridge Street and Bowman Avenue.
Incorporate in any plan for replacement of the DPW facility green building elements and
green buffers, including trees, bushes and ground cover, along the property edges to
visually and audibly screen its activities from adjacent residential uses. Carefully control
the design and placement of lighting so that it does not spill over onto adjoining
properties.
Consider securing a right of first offer for the Valero property if it becomes available for
sale, to ensure that new development is built closer to the street, with active ground-level
frontages, and parking located to the rear.
Implement design guidelines as an advisory document to encourage diversity in building
type, program and character, and to promote flexibility in the approval process. Such
guidelines could be applicable within a downtown overlay zone.
Consider developing local signage design guidelines based on existing positive signage
examples in Rye Brook.
Plan Rye Brook
Chapter 11: Village Center 170