Planning Board

April 23, 2018

 

Attending:  John Kincart, John Savoca, William LaScala, rich Fon, Anthony Tripodi

 

1. Prestige minor subdivision, Buckhorn Street

(See Planning Board, 4-9-2018.) Most of discussion focused on the two vacant parcels and the need for a final survey. (Note: because the observer could not see the map, it is difficult to explain the issue.)  A public hearing will be scheduled. At that time, the applicant will discuss whether he wishes to pay the recreation fee or dedicate a strip of land to the town that will link the two vacant parcels on either side of his lot.

 

2. Mohegan Audi addition

In response to board comments at the previous meeting, the applicant has revised the façade treatment to soften the look so that it doesn’t look like a “shop” and aligned access points on Lakeland St.  The applicant has been meeting with the DOT regarding how to landscape the sidewalk and grass strip along East Main Street. It was noted that the DOT has adjusted the traffic light at Lexington Ave and will adjust it again once the new light to the west of Lexington becomes operational.  The applicant’s traffic consultant will likely attend a May meeting. In response to questions from Mr. Tegeder, the applicant said that there would be carrier trucks coming to the site; as a result of the discussions during the Volkswagon site plan, the applicant now uses a 2.5 acre site in Mahopac to load and unload  vehicles. Still to be decided is if and how the existing two parcels might be merged into one lot. A public hearing will be schedculed  for either May or June.

 

3. Montessori School, Crompond Road/special use permit

No changes to the site are planned; the school is only transferring a group of students from one location to another. The only issue the board would consider is the drop off location. The school will be before the ZBA and the Planning Board will wait until it gets a formal referral before commenting further.

 

4. Hearthstone minor subdivision, Hearthstone Road

Out of concern for homeowners on the “cow path,” the orientation of one house will be rotated to face the right of way so as to eliminate any perception that the cow path could be used.  This will site the house as it was originally proposed. The board will also require some form of screening, either vegetation or possibly a stone wall in the “side” yard as another barrier to the cow path.  The owner of the last house on the cow path was at meeting and indicated that he was satisfied with the change. A public hearing will be held in May or June.

 

5. Mobil Gas Station, Saw Mill River Road

(See Planning Board, 2-26-2018.) The owner and engineer appeared before the board. While the board liked how the lighting plan was presented, Mr. Tegeder expressed concern that the proposed lighting was too bright. He said he would check lighting that had been approved for the Gulf station and also ATMs to see if less was acceptable.  The board also wanted more details about landscaping, whether the applicant planned to continue the Commerce St. sidewalk, and making the back of the building facing the Triangle Shopping Center more attractive.

 

The major issue was the applicant’s need for a parking variance; where 15 are required based on gross square feet of the building, the site plan is only showing 8.  According to the applicant, while he may be able to provide for an additional 2 or 3 spaces if he usesparallel parking, the constraints of the site preclude more spaces. When board members suggested he reduce the size of the building, the owner said he needed 3,000 sf to make for a spacious customer environment and adequate storage. He noted that a larger storage area would mean less frequent deliveries, which would be a plus.  The board asked if he could live with something between 2,000-3,000 sf.   When the applicant suggested that in Dutchess County, parking at the pumps was counted as part of the number of parking spaces, Mr. Tegeder said that that was not allowed under Yorktown’s code.

 

The board also asked the applicant to consider going back to the owners of the Triangle Shopping Center to see if some off site retention or discharge was possible; the owner said that an earlier request to discharge their runoff into their system had been rebuffed, but Mr. Tegeder advised him that the Triangle owners are considering a redevelopment plan that would involve replacing the “Maria’s Pizza” building that they own and that try might reconsider based on their revised plan.