Central Business District Development Review Committee

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• Share New Boards Needed on Facebook Share New Boards Needed on Twitter Share New Boards Needed on Linkedin Email New Boards Needed link

  New Boards Needed

  by Cheryl Geller, 3 days ago

  Over the past several years, I have seen a dramatic decline in the architectural style of the new buildings in downtown Rye.

  One of the main reasons people love Rye and come here to see the Town , dine and shop or choose to live here is the old New England charm of our town. We are losing that charm. By maintaining the original style of the buildings on the outside, which includes the size and height of the buildings, and doing modern interiors would keep the feeling of Rye, but with a fresh approach, acknowledging progress.

  
  I feel strongly... Continue reading

  Over the past several years, I have seen a dramatic decline in the architectural style of the new buildings in downtown Rye.

  One of the main reasons people love Rye and come here to see the Town , dine and shop or choose to live here is the old New England charm of our town. We are losing that charm. By maintaining the original style of the buildings on the outside, which includes the size and height of the buildings, and doing modern interiors would keep the feeling of Rye, but with a fresh approach, acknowledging progress.

  
  I feel strongly that the people on the boards who are responsible for building, and architectural review are not doing what they need to do. I acknowledge their service of time and commitment to our Town, but perhaps the qualifications to be on an architectural review board or other boards responsible for maintaining the look and quality of Rye need to be updated. It’s not enough to be a business person , lawyer , or political supporter. The people sitting on those boards should have some type of actual architectural background, design background, and historical knowledge of architecture..

  
  Yes, I’m all for progress, but authentic design and economics can work together. Edgartown, Massachusetts is a perfect example.

  
  
• Share The Ink Isn't Even Dry on Facebook Share The Ink Isn't Even Dry on Twitter Share The Ink Isn't Even Dry on Linkedin Email The Ink Isn't Even Dry link

  The Ink Isn't Even Dry

  by RyeCPC, 3 days ago

  The Central Business District Development Review Committee recently set new limits on building height — part of a thoughtful, months-long effort to shape the future of downtown Rye. The ink is barely dry.

  And already, a variance application is on the table to exceed it.

  84-86 Purchase Street is seeking two additional feet of building height, along with a 14.6% increase in floor-area ratio — about 1,482 square feet beyond what the zoning allows. The numbers are modest. The timing is the story.

  A height limit that can be exceeded the moment it's adopted isn't really a limit. It's a... Continue reading

  The Central Business District Development Review Committee recently set new limits on building height — part of a thoughtful, months-long effort to shape the future of downtown Rye. The ink is barely dry.

  And already, a variance application is on the table to exceed it.

  84-86 Purchase Street is seeking two additional feet of building height, along with a 14.6% increase in floor-area ratio — about 1,482 square feet beyond what the zoning allows. The numbers are modest. The timing is the story.

  A height limit that can be exceeded the moment it's adopted isn't really a limit. It's a suggestion. And a plan whose rules are negotiable on arrival isn't shaping the district — it's describing what would have happened anyway.

  Here's the part that should give every resident pause: over the past five years, the Board of Appeals has approved 99% of the variance applications that have come before it. That's not an interpretation. That's the record.

  When the approval rate is essentially 100%, the variance process isn't a check on the zoning code. It's a parallel zoning code — one written one application at a time, by whoever shows up to ask.

  None of this is an argument against 84-86 Purchase Street specifically. The applicants are doing what the process allows. The question is whether the process, as it currently runs, can hold the line on anything — including the careful work the Committee just completed.

  We're encouraged by the direction of the CBD update. We'd be more encouraged if the rules it sets were treated as rules, not opening offers.
• Share Applauding Bold Ideas in the CBD Update Plan; Encouraged by the Direction of the CBD Update on Facebook Share Applauding Bold Ideas in the CBD Update Plan; Encouraged by the Direction of the CBD Update on Twitter Share Applauding Bold Ideas in the CBD Update Plan; Encouraged by the Direction of the CBD Update on Linkedin Email Applauding Bold Ideas in the CBD Update Plan; Encouraged by the Direction of the CBD Update link

  Applauding Bold Ideas in the CBD Update Plan; Encouraged by the Direction of the CBD Update

  by RyeCPC, 10 months ago

  Public Comment to the Central Business District Development Review Committee
  Subject: Encouraged by the Direction of the CBD Update

  On behalf of the Rye Community Planning Collaborative, we want to express our appreciation for the Committee’s thoughtful efforts to update the plan for the Central Business District.

  We’re especially encouraged to see that many of the solutions now being advanced—such as the use of grade elevation for parking, the relocation of the police station, and improved pedestrian connectivity—align closely with ideas first outlined in our Station Square proposal. We take that as a sign that these concepts resonated and are... Continue reading

  Public Comment to the Central Business District Development Review Committee
  Subject: Encouraged by the Direction of the CBD Update

  On behalf of the Rye Community Planning Collaborative, we want to express our appreciation for the Committee’s thoughtful efforts to update the plan for the Central Business District.

  We’re especially encouraged to see that many of the solutions now being advanced—such as the use of grade elevation for parking, the relocation of the police station, and improved pedestrian connectivity—align closely with ideas first outlined in our Station Square proposal. We take that as a sign that these concepts resonated and are grateful they’ve contributed to the conversation.

  Among the initiatives we’re most excited to see gaining traction:

  1. Creative parking solutions that take advantage of grade changes—central to our Station Square vision.

  2. Relocating the police station and courthouse, opening up new possibilities for civic and commercial space.

  3. Encouraging public/private partnerships to help activate underutilized areas.

  4. Providing design guidance for the Rye Subaru site, proactively shaping the future of the district’s largest adjacent parcel.

  5. Adding much-needed housing, strengthening the economic and social vitality of the CBD.

  6. Improving pedestrian and bike access, particularly near the municipal complex and along Boston Post Road.

  7. Addressing underutilized parcels along McCullough Place, which hold untapped potential.

  8. Acknowledging how the mix of parking lots, limited retail, and poor walkability along McCullough creates “dead zones” that isolate the train station from the Purchase Street core.

  9. Recognizing opportunities for Transit-Oriented Development, a key principle in our planning approach.

  We’re encouraged by the direction of this plan and hopeful that it reflects a broader shift toward more proactive, design-forward, and community-focused planning. We look forward to supporting the City’s continued progress.

  —Rye Community Planning Collaborative