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By Kent Larsen
Harrison Temple Delayed, Issue in Recent Town Board Election
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- The Harrison, New York Town Board again delayed a
decision on the LDS Church's proposed temple by commissioning a fourth study
of the proposal's effect on traffic in the neighborhood. The decision, which
came just over a week before Tuesday's election, which included several
board seats, will delay the board's decision for at least six months. The
week before the board's decision, the issue of the temple was raised by
voters at a League of Women Voters candidates debate.
In a unanimous vote on Monday, October 29th, board members said they were
dissatisfied with three previous traffic studies done more than two years
ago for the town Planning Board, two of which were done by independent
consultants and one by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The
Planning Board eventually approved the temple, but decided to study the
traffic again after construction to see what changes would be needed in
neighboring streets.
But that decision angered neighbors who oppose the building. Subsequently
the Harrison Zoning Board of Appeals refused to waive the town's 30-foot
height limit to allow the 53-foot-tall building. After the LDS Church
challenged the decision, an acting state Supreme Court justice overruled the
board, and the town is appealing the decision.
Meanwhile, the Church has proceeded, asking the Harrison Town Board to grant
a needed special-exception permit, which the board has been considering
since last Spring. The building's opponents have attended each board meeting
to oppose the building. Now, the board has voted to spend about $100,000 for
the study, claiming that the previous Planning Board decision "didn't
adequately compare what was being built in Harrison with what's gone up
already in similar communities," said Town Supervisor Ronald Bianchi, one of
those running for re-election Tuesday. "If this temple is going to bring in
so much traffic that its going to tie up our roads, we need to know that in
advance."
Local residents used the recent election to make their point about the
temple at a candidate's debate on October 23rd. A group of residents
opposing the temple questioned the actions of Joseph Cannella, 51, a
Manhattan corporate attorney who chaired the town Planning Board when it
considered the Church's application. The opponents tried to get Cannella,
who is running for an open seat on the Town Board, to answer several
specific questions about the Planning Board's decisions during the
three-year-long permit application process. But debate moderator Ruth Stern,
who is a resident of nearby White Plains and can't vote in the Town Board
election, combined the questions and asked Cannella to speak generally on
the issue, frustrating the opponents, "He got to regurgitate his platform
instead of reponding to specific questions not of his choosing," said
Harrison resident Gary Brandt, who is opposed to the temple.
In response to the questions, Cannella defended the Planning Board, saying
that they got stuck with a difficult application in which they had to
balance protecting the neighborhood with freedom of religion. "I don't blame
the residents for being upset. As a resident of the town, I'm not in favor
of the temple. The town receives no benefit out of this, and we don't have a
significant Mormon population. But when you're on a board that has to
consider the application, you have to move that aside and apply the law to
the facts as best you can. You really have no choice." Cannella did take
credit for getting the Church to scale down the project from 89,700 square
feet to 56,000, removing a third floor, rejecting a visitor's center,
reducing parking and proposed lighting and eliminating four spires and a
steeple.
The other candidates in the debate stayed away from the issue, and
subsequently declined comment on the issue. But while the emotional issue
came up in the debate, it wasn't enough to keep Cannella from winning a seat
on the Town Board. In Tuesday's elections, Republican candidates swept the
two Board seats up for election and won the town supervisor position,
beating incumbent Democrats for all three seats.
Source:
Harrison OK's fourth Mormon Temple traffic study
Westchester NY Journal News 31Oct01 D1
By Karen Pasternack: Westchester Journal News
4th Traffic Study to Delay Decision on Temple Plan
Harrison candidate defends actions on Mormon temple
Westchester NY Journal News 24Oct01 D1
By Karen Pasternack: Westchester Journal News
Republicans sweep Harrison board
Westchester co NY Journal News 7Nov01 D1
By Karen Pasternack and Len Maniace: Westchester Journal News
See also:
Residents Question Traffic at Planned Harrison NY Temple
Environmentalists Gain Support from Harrison NY Temple Dispute
Town Meeting Highlights Neighbor Feelings Over Harrison Temple
White Plains Temple Presentation Attracts Opponents
LDS Church Proceeds With Final Steps for White Plains NY Temple
Harrison NY Appeals Decision Favoring Temple
NEWSFLASH: Harrison Temple Gets Judge's Blessing
Proposed White Plains Temple Loses Zoning Decision
White Plains New York Controversy Makes Local News
LDS Leaders Request Fast For New York Temple
White Plains Temple Opposition Intensifies
Mormon News' Coverage of Zoning Challenges to LDS Building Projects
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