Chase Bank

1975 Commerce Street
SBL: 37.14-2-66
Description: Proposed to erect a freestanding +/- 4320 sf bank with one drive-thru lane and one bypass lane, with on site parking and related site improvements.


Planning Board, 8-8-2016

The board approved the site plan and related permits with the condition that the applicant address the issues raised in a July 11 memo from Bruce Barber. The terms of the approving resolution were not read out.


Planning Board, 7-11-2016

The board opened and closed a public hearing, leaving open a 14 day written comment period. 

 

The applicant gave an overview of the plan. Regarding the left turn issue, the Chase lawyer advised the board that Wallauers was not interested in working with the bank on its site plan and had no issue and no objection to the proposed two access points. The Chase traffic consultant advised the board that Wallauers generated only two trips per hour between 4-6pm.

 

Town Engineer Michael Quinn suggested that a post construction traffic study be done and that if the count was more than 20% greater than the initial count, the board might want to reconsider the dual access points. The Chase lawyer said such a condition was unacceptable to the bank as it would leave site plan issues up in the air. The board did not pursue the suggestion.

 

Mr. Kincart noted that while he initially had some concerns about the plan, he was satisfied that the current plan had a safe circulation pattern.

 

Chase explained that staffing at the new building will accommodate all the staff at the two current branches with room for some growth.

 

Resident Ann Kutter asked if there could be a car connection in the rear of the property to the rear of Turcos.  The idea was rejected given the different elevations of the two sites, and issues at the rear alley of Turcos.

 

The board will do a final review at its August meeting. Final approval may come at that meeting or in September. (The board meets only once in July and August.)


Planning Board, 6-27-2016

Representatives of the bank gave the board an update on relatively minor modifications to the lighting,  landscape and streetscape plans that had been made based on consultations with town staff members. The bank is still working with DEP on the stormwater plan. A second side entrance to the bank off the parking lot is now planned.

 

In response to the board’s earlier request, the bank did a revised traffic study that included Saturday morning. While the new counts showed an 11% increase in traffic, and the increase might slow traffic by a few seconds, overall, the increase did not affect the general level of service at the two intersections with lights.

 

Town Engineer Quinn noted that the intersections, one controlled by the state and the other by the town, are based on old designs that cannot take advantage of the new smart technology. The extent to which the town could require developers to pay into a fund that could finance traffic improvement is limited by law.

 

The one remaining concern was the possibility of two left turns out of the site (one on each side of the building) one being very close to the egress from Wallauers.  At the board’s request, the bank will speak to Wallauers and see if some type of joint egress can  be arranged. Acknowledging that Wallauers might not have any interest in such an arrangement, the board felt that the question should at least be asked. Also, as left turns are already permitted for existing businesses, it would not be possible to now prohibit them.

 

A public hearing will be held on July 11.


Planning Board, 4-25-2016

The applicant went over the details of the traffic study, advising the board that the addition of the bank would not change the level of service classifications. However, citing traffic back-ups in the afternoons and on Saturday when the YCCC field is being used, board members and staff expressed some concern, especially for left turns out of the site. Michael Quinn, the new town engineer attending his first Planning Board meeting, suggested that the applicant provide additional information relating to left turns. Mr. Quinn also had some questions about the stormwater plan.

 

Mr. Quinn and Mr. Tegeder will meet with the applicant’s traffic engineer and review any new data and options prior to the board’s May work session with the Chase goal that the plan will be ready for a public hearing in June.


Planning Board, 4-11-2016

The applicant’s development team showed revised plans that incorporated comments from ABACA. The new plans showed landscaping along the street and plans to reconstruct the retaining wall both along the front of the property and adjoining the Friendly’s site (the side wall is on the Friendly’s site and modifications will require the approval of that site’s owner.) Some, and possibly all, of the site’s lighting will conform to the existing street lights. A traffic study showed that the building will not have a significant impact on the existing traffic level. Two curb cuts are planned; one for ingress and egress, and a second for egress only from the ATM. The board asked the applicant to mark out the proposed curb cuts in advance of a site visit in order to determine if they are too close to each other and if the two might create problems with the YCCC across the street.  The architectural drawings show that the rooftop HVAC equipment will be hidden behind a parapet.


Planning Board, 3-28-2016

Representatives of Chase advised the board about the changes that had been made to the initial submission in response to issues that had been raised at the previous meeting.  The applicant has completed an Enviornmental Assessment Form and a SWPP (stormwater plan.)  The applicant has not yet been to ABACA. The required lighting plan will have to address/reconcile the state’s lighting requirements for ATM with the town’s lighting code.

 

A Public Informational Hearing will be held on April 11.


Planning Board, 2-22-2016

Representatives of the bank presented a conceptual plan to build a new 4,300 SF building on the current site of Empire Human. The new building would consolidate the two existing Chase banks in the Yorktown Heights hamlet.  The new building would have two ocurb cuts onto Commerce Street and  a drive in ATM machine but no drive in teller. Once built, the bank would close the existing locations which are currently leased.

 

The proposed site plan would preserve the tree currently in front of the building and provide additional landscaping.

 

The Board advised the development team that its main issues would be traffic, the architectural appearance of the building, landscaping, stormwater and the overall streetscape. Regarding traffic, the Board was concerned about turning conflicts with other parking lots along the street, as well as the timing of the two traffic lights along Commerce St. The plan calls for a reduction in the amount of impervious surface; the applicant will have to work with the DEP on an acceptable stormwater plan. 

 

Because the leases at the existing bank locations are due to expire, the development team is anxious to move the project ahead as quickly as possible. A Public Information Hearing will likely be held on April 11th.

 

In general, the Board, which complemented Chase on the appearance and landscaping at the Route 202 building, was supportive of the new plan.