Planning Board

May 7, 2018

 

Attending: Robert Garrigan, William LaScala, John Kincart, Anthony Tripodi

 

REGULAR SESSION

 

1.Hilltop Associates

The applicant is still waiting to learn whether Hilltop will be sewered. The board approved the first 90-day  extension.

 

2. Anderson subdivision, Croton Lake Road/Public Informational Hearing.

(See Planning Board 4/9/2018.) Mr. Ciarcia explained the proposed subdivision.  In response the only question from a homeowner across the street on Bridge Point Lane about potential problems with the location of the proposed driveway, Mr. Ciarcia said that it was actually safer to align the driveway with Bridge Pointe so that vehicles had better visibility. Mr. Ciarcia said he was working with town staff on other technical issues.  Because of a notice problem, the hearing was adjourned.

 

3. Shrub Oak International School/Public hearing on amended site plan

The applicant explained the proposed changes. In the only comment from the public, Jay Kopstein said that the Town Board should be informed about the proposed changes in Phase II as the construction of additional buildings, e.g., the horse arena, could change the PILOT agreement. In response, the applicant’s attorney said that the PILOT had a phased in approach that addressed changes in the project.

 

While the draft approval resolution stated that Phase I was to accommodate 55 students,  the applicant asked that the number be changed to as many as 90  to reflect the possibly that Phase II might be delayed.  In response to questions from the board as to what impact the added number of students would have on staffing, the applicant said that there would be adequate parking in Phase I which used existing parking.  The project’s architect explained that Phase I included upgrading the two wings of the existing building for dormitories that could house 80 students based on single occupancy although some rooms could be doubles, plus classrooms.

 

Also discussed was the height of the security fence along the site’s perimeter. It was left up to the applicant whether he wanted to go to the ZBA for a variance that would allow the proposed 8’ fence where 6’ is permitted.

 

Mr. Tegeder advised the board that the board’s attorney needed more time to review the amended site plan resolution before the board voted on it. The hearing was closed but a 10 day written comment period was left open.

 

4. Fieldstone Manor

The applicant is still working on getting financing, which Mr. Riina said is “coming soon.” The board approved a second 90-day extension. Mr. Kincart recused himself.

 

5. Sandvoss subdivision, Hanover Street

Mr. Riina advised the board that he had met with the Conservation Board. Some Planning Board members were at the meeting.  (There was no discussion of what was said at the meeting.) Without any discussion, the board approved a Negative Declaration which paves the way for the applicant to seek DEC, DEP and Army Corps of Engineers approval

 

 

WORK SESSION

 

6. Mohegan Audi, East Main Street

The traffic consultant went over the changes to the original site plan that were discussed at the previous meeting. It was not clear if he had done, or would be doing, a traffic count.  He advised the board that the new adaptive light  at East Main and Lexington that changes based on traffic appeared to be helping to move traffic. The applicant has hired a new attorney who will be reviewing the issue of how to deal with the two different zoning designations.  A Public Informational Hearing will be held in June.

 

7. PCSB Bank, Commerce Street

Most the discussion focused on the shingles the bank is proposing to use over the new drive up canopy, and the traffic flow to the drive up and ATM lanes. The applicant’s goal is to have the existing  building match as close as possible to the “look” of its existing branches that were built as new.  The applicant is working on a lighting plan A Public Informational Hearing will be held in June. If there are no problems, a final public hearing will likely be held in July as the applicant is anxious to open at the new location by September 1.

 

8. Adrian Auto Body, Old Crompond Road

The applicant has submitted a revised site plan that reduces a planned expansion to about 750 sf from the original 4,000 sf plan. The addition, which the applicant described more like a shed that an actual structure,  will house a paint spraying operation and will have electricity but no heat or insulation. Although the new plan involves less disturbance and stormwater generation, the applicant will still have to go back to the DEP to approve the new plan. The board’s attorney did not think that a new public hearing was needed; just a board resolution approving an amended  site plan. 

 

9. Crompond Terraces, Old Crompond Road

A new developer, with experience building in New York City and on Long Island, presented a new plan which he said addressed the concerns the board raised at the previous meeting. The new plan calls for 180 rental units  in six 3-story buildings in the R-3 zone and a reduced commercial plan, down to 31,000 sf in a single building from the original 75,000 sf plan. The commercial building in the C2-R zone would be three stories with retail or office on the first floor and 66 apartments on the second and third floor. The developer anticipated that the commercial space would be for places like a dry cleaner , pizza or bagel shop that would cater to the residents.

 

The apartments would be one and two bedroom; one bedroom units would be 800-900 sf; two bedroom units 1,000 sf. Rents would range from $2,000-$3,000.   Questioned on the need for the number of proposed units, the developer said that was the number needed to make the project economically viable.

 

Mr. Kincart said he liked the new plan a lot better than the previous one but expressed concern about the traffic impact. Dan Ciarcia, the project’s engineer, acknowledged that Old Crompond Road would need improvements and there was general agreement that a new traffic study would be needed.   Mr. LaScala noted that the plan meets today’s market with millennials interested in the one bedroom units and seniors who are downsizing in the two bedroom units.  It was also noted that with the recent changes in the federal tax laws that limited the deduction for property taxes, rentals would become more desirable.

 

Mr. Tegeder advised the application to provide the board with a narrative explaining how the new plan differed from the original plan.  The applicant will need to submit a new application.

 

10. Bellamy Construction, Stony Street

The applicant left the meeting before his item was called.

 

11. Mohegan Lake Wetland Permit/Town Board referral

The board had no issues with the permit request.

 

12. Gomer Street wetland permit/Town Board referral

The board had no issues with the permit request.

 

13. Hill Boulevard Diner

(See Planning Board, 4/9/2018.)The owner of the shopping center presented a plan to fence in the site’s dumpsters and also for some of her tenants to apply for permits for their storage sheds. While these measures would result in three lost parking spaces, the board felt that there was adequate parking on the adjacant site to accommodate the parking needs with the diner.

 

With the applicant pressing for an approval so that the diner could proceed to get a building permit, the board approved the amended site plan with the condition that the owner submit a drawing indicating the location of the  fencing and that shed permits be in place before the diner can get a CO. It will be up to the site’s owner to get the permits.