Scarsdale BOT Considers Changes to Historic Preservation Law

The Scarsdale Board of Trustees met on Monday night 11/19 to review proposed changes to the Village's historic preservation laws. In 2010 the Board recognized that the current code was not sufficient to safeguard some of Scarsdale's most historic homes and buildings and established an Advisory Committee to see what could be done to protect the homes that give the Village its unique character.

As a result, Li/Saltzman Architects and Professor Andrew M. Dolkart were retained to survey the Village. They reviewed almost every structure in Scarsdale and researched historic information. In their study, which is posted on the Village website, they listed 69 village structures that they believe warrant protection.

Since then, the Law and Land Use Committees of the Scarsdale Board of Trustees undertook a review of the code to adapt it to prevent the demolition of these 69 historic buildings.

The Committee had a choice of whether to predesignate the 69 buildings as historic and thus bar their demolition-- or to allow the current owners of these homes to consent to granting historic status. The current Scarsdale Board of Trustees appears to be leaning toward requiring owner consent.

Historic designation would not prevent renovations to the home – in fact homeowners would be given tax incentives to keep these homes up to date. However, proposed renovations would be reviewed by the BAR – as they are now – to assure that the alterations would not alter the exterior and windows and negatively impact the homes historic value.

In order to make historic designation more palatable to homeowners, the new code would grant limited tax exemptions for a period of ten years for any renovations or alternations of the house that increase it assessed value.

The revised code would change the role of the Committee for Historic Preservation that now considers whether or not it is appropriate to allow for the demolition of a home. Under the new code, their primary function would be education and outreach. However, for historic homes where the owners have not consented to historic designation, the CHP would continue to monitor proposed demolitions and function as they now do.

Dan Hochvert, President of the Scarsdale Forum, also discussed the Forum's recommendation for a moratorium on the demolition of these historic homes until the new law could be passed. However the Village Attorney informed the group that this would be illegal.

Also at the meeting, Jon Bensche read a letter that he wrote to the Trustees that urged them to predesignate the 69 buildings as historic, without owner consent. In the letter he questioned whether owners would "volunteer to put their homes under the control of a committee," and asked the Trustees not to "hamstring the committee by requiring consent." He also said, that "historic preservation can and will become a coveted attribute" and suggested that the Village "create the mindset that historic designation is a positive attribute."

After Monday night's meeting, the draft of the proposed new law was returned to Village staff to incorporate changes discussed at the meeting in the draft.