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Rye is a City of approximately six square miles situated in the eastern part of central Westchester County on Long Island
Sound. The western border of the City generally parallels Beaver Swamp Brook, while the eastern border is formed by Milton
Harbor and the Sound. Blind Brook traverses the City from the northwest corner of Rye to Milton Harbor at the southern end.
The Village of Port Chester is to the north of the City, the Village of Mamaroneck to the south and the Town Village of
Harrison to the west.
The New England Thruway (1-95) cuts across the northwestern part of the City, and merges with the Cross Westchester
Expressway (1-287) at the City's northern boundary. Thus, vehicular access to and from other parts of the New York
metropolitan area is excellent. In addition, Rye is served by the Metro North Commuter Railroad. Boston Post Road (Route
1) is the City's major north-south artery, while Theodore Fremd Avenue, Purchase Street, Milton Road, Midland Avenue and
Forest Avenue are important collector routes (see Map #4). As in much of central Westchester, east-west access in the City is
made difficult by the topography. Playland Parkway is the major connection between 1-95 and Playland Park (by the Sound).
Other major east-west routes include Osborn Road, Oakland Beach Avenue, Locust Avenue and Grace Church Street.
Most of the City is characterized by attractive single-family residential neighborhoods, with densities ranging from
approximately six units per acre to less than one unit per acre. The term "density" means the number of dwelling units (house,
condominium or apartment) per acre. The City's residential areas are separated by numerous open space areas, water bodies
(e.g. Blind Brook, Milton Harbor and Playland Lake), wetland and marshes, topography and major roads. Several areas have
historic houses and estates, particularly the southern Post Road area, Grace Church Street, Milton Road and Sound View
Park, a proposed historic district. Two and three family houses are found in the Maple-High Street area, the northern Purchase
Street area and the Grapal Street-Cedar Place area. Apartments are for the most part located in the areas surrounding the
Central Business District, although some newer multi-family developments are found on the waterfront.
A major attraction of the City is the large amount of open space and recreation land. Among the major open space and
recreation areas are the Marshlands Conservancy, Rye Golf Club, Rye Nature Center, the Apawamis Club, Playland Park,
the Damiano Recreation Center and Recreation Park, Disbrow Park, Rye Town Park and numerous beach clubs in the Milton
and Manursing areas. Much of the City's Long Island Sound waterfront is occupied by open space and recreation areas
owned by various private beach clubs or by Westchester County.
The City's Central Business District (CBD) is located on Purchase Street in the northern end of the City south of the railroad
and 1-95. The locally designated Village Green Preservation District, containing the City Hall/Library/Square House complex,
is situated at the CBD's southern edge. The surrounding areas on Purchase Street (north of 1-95), Theodore Fremd, Locust
Avenue and the Post Road include a mixture of garden apartments, one-two family houses and small offices. Major office
developments are located near the 1-95 and 1-287 interchange and south of the 1-95 and Playland Parkway interchange.
Areas for the expansion of major office developments are limited by the lack of undeveloped parcels in the City. Pressures for
increased office development have focused in the Theall Road area and the southern Post Road area. The City has two
relatively small concentrations of light manufacturing activity, one located between the Thruway and Maple Avenue on Nursery
Lane and the other on Cedar Place.
Rye contains a variety of environmentally significant areas. Numerous tidal and freshwater wetlands are found near the
waterfront and brooks. The Milton Harbor area (including the Marshlands Conservancy and Rye Golf Club), Disbrow Park
and the Manursing area contain the most extensive wetlands in the City. In addition, substantial areas near the Sound, Milton
Harbor, Blind Brook and Beaver Swamp Brook are within the 100 year flood hazard area, and thus subject to potential
flooding. While many of these areas are preserved as open space, others are either presently developed or subject to potential
future development.
With the exception of a few large estates on lots much larger than required by zoning ("oversized" lots) and the few remaining
vacant areas, Rye is completely developed. This does not, however, preclude future development at a greater density than
exists today, especially through the subdivision of larger lots. Development pressures on sensitive waterfront properties
(including present beach clubs), on many Post Road properties and in other undeveloped areas will be intensified because of
the lack of easily developed land. Thus, the future use of many of the City's sensitive areas is of concern.
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