The Village Board of Trustees of the Village of Pleasantville has adopted a new zoning code. Part of the code includes the allowance of four-story buildings on the block surrounded by Bedford Road, Memorial Plaza, Manville Road, and Cooley Street.

Peter Scherer, the mayor of Pleasantville, said that one of the main reasons that many businesses left Pleasantville was due to the fact that there was a lack of parking in the area. With the allowance of four-story buildings, developers will be able to construct below ground parking lots for customers. The mayor and other members of the Board of Trustees hope to attract more retail businesses in Pleasantville to make it more of a destination and help alleviate the tax burden on homeowners.

The additional story to the already allowed three-story limit will allow for new apartments to be built in the downtown area. Patricia Dwyer, the Village Administrator, said that Pleasantville “is a living and breathing downtown now,” and that “a couple hundred people will be moving in within the next couple of years.”

This new zoning code is just the first part of what looks to be an extensive master plan. However, convincing some people in Pleasantville to accept the new changes wasn’t a turbulence-free process, according to Scherer.

“People have liked Pleasantville because of the village feel and sometimes are against change,” said Scherer.

Nicole Asquith, another trustee, also acknowledged those concerns. “Everyone on the board is cognizant to move cautiously,” she said.