Documents › Planning Board, 2025-10-07

minutes 3 pages

DRAFT Planning Board Meeting Minutes September 16, 2025 8:00 p.m. PRESENT: Rob Luntz John Ghegan Geoffrey Haynes Steve Krisky (Absent) ALSO PRESENT: Daniel O’Connor, P.E., Village Engineer Daniel Pozin, Village Attorney Len Simon, Village Board Trustee & Planning Board Liaison ABSENT: Nora M. Nicholson, Village Board Trustee & Planning Board Liaison CALL TO ORDER Chairman Rob Luntz called the Planning Board meeting of September 16, 2025 to order at 8:03 p.m. 1. PUBLIC HEARING a) Spring Come, LLC – 352 South Riverside Ave. (79.13-1-74) Amended Site Plan to Add Two Balconies Property owner Spring Jiang and contractor Eddie Suydam were present in support of the application. Chairman Luntz asked about updates to the plans regarding the air conditioning units. The applicant explained the layout of the units on the second and third floor balconies, but Chairman Luntz said that providing some sort of coverage around the a/c units would be helpful, screens covering the air conditioning units would be a nice update. Chairman Luntz mentioned a letter received from a neighbor with concerns that the dumpster area behind the property is regularly left in poor condition. It was noted that, as part of this construction project, there are plans to improve the dumpster area, including adding new enclosures. The applicant apologized for the poor condition, and said she will do better. Chairman Luntz also said that he went by the property to look for himself and the area was not as bad as in the photos submitted by the neighbor. Chairman Luntz said that for the certificate of occupancy to be issued for this project, any issues concerning the dumpster area would have to be resolved. John Ghegan asked about parking near the dumpster area and the applicant said that the parking near the dumpster area is for employees, so no cars should be there in the mornings, when the trash collected. The applicant stated that there will be lighting around the dumpster area. Eva Thaddeus made a motion to open public hearing, seconded by Geoff Haynes, and the motion carried, 4 – 0, with Steve Krisky being absent. . Tegan Cronin from 35 Wayne Street came to reiterate several points and concerns, related to the letter written by her father, noting the poor conditions around the dumpster area. Tegan Cronin stated that the area was cleaned up the day before this meeting, but she has seen vultures there in the past and believes that it is unfair to leave the area in such a terrible way when the door to her home is 100 feet away. Chairman Luntz noted that the applicants are proposing a larger dumpster enclosure that should have a gate. Tegan Cronin would like assurance that the seepage pit is properly maintained. Chairman Luntz stated that the Planning Board does not do enforcement, but the applicants will not receive a certificate of occupancy for their project, if they do not complete the upgrades according to the plans. Chairman Luntz urged Tegan Cronin to contact code enforcement, if she continues to have concerns. As there were no additional comments from the audience, Geoff Haynes made a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by John Ghegan, and carried, 4 -0, with Steve Krisky being absent. Chairman Luntz read out resolution and wanted to add a condition that air conditioning units on second and third floor balconies have proper screening. Regarding the dumpster enclosure, upgrades to this area are part of the amended site plan and will have to be complete in order for the certificate of occupancy to be issued. Geoff Haynes made a motion to approve the amended site plan for Spring Come, LLC at 352 South Riverside Avenue with an additional condition that proper the air-conditioning units on the second and third floors balconies have proper screening, seconded by Eva Thaddeus, and carried, 4 – 0, with Steve Krisky being absent. 2. NEW BUSINESS a) Duggan, Richard, 49 Van Wyck St. (78.08-5-28) – Accessory Cottage Application Rick Duggan was present in support of the application. The applicant was here four months ago and obtained approval for an accessory apartment in his home. In August, 2025, the applicant received a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals to have an additional accessory dwelling unit (cottage) on his property, so the applicant is here today requesting approval for a second accessory unit at his property. The applicant reported that there are no exterior changes to the building, except a window being added. John Ghegan expressed concern about people in the past being denied a second accessory dwelling unit who did not go to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a variance. It was noted that the applicant’s property is unique and was, in the past, a Bed & Breakfast. Eva Thaddeus was glad to hear that this is an unusual situation, as there is a cap on the number of accessory dwelling units allowed in the Village. Geoff Haynes asked if there was a new sanitary sewer and the applicant stated that there is a sanitary line existing that has been trenched and extended into the building, which has been inspected. The connection is not to the street, but to the existing line on the property. This accessory cottage is on the second floor of the garage, which is an accessory building on the property. There is no residential use on the first floor of the garage. There are sliding doors at the back of the garage, which is used as storage, and there will always be a clear path to this exit. The applicant has no intention to use the property as a bed and breakfast. John Ghegan asked about exhaust fumes from a car left in the garage, and the applicant stated that he is not sure what the code is, the floors are not level, so there is air leakage, and additionally, no cars will be left running. Condition #6 of the draft resolution refers section 230-73 of the Village Zoning Code. As written, this code gives the Planning Board authority to charge the applicant a fee, in lieu of parkland, if the Planning Board deems that development of the site will contribute to population growth in the Village and no suitable land is available on site for recreation. The applicant stated that this accessory cottage will not be an income producing property, it is a one-bedroom apartment, and there is a recreational resource onsite (a swimming pool). Geoff Haynes made a motion to approve the accessory cottage at 49 Van Wyck Street, noting that given the particulars of this application, the recreation fee is not required, seconded by Eva Thaddeus, and carried, 4 -0, with Steve Krisky being absent. b) Croton Riverside, LLC – 25 South Riverside Ave. (78.8-5-43) Amended Site Plan for Three-Story Multi-Family Building Phil Spagnoli and Ralph Rossi present in support of the application. The applicants made a few minor changes to the project and have submitted plans that show a modification of the retaining wall geometry at the rear of the building to create a more open space at ground level, and make it easier for DPW to access the property, modification of the retaining wall geometry at the north end of the property to create a softer curve and capture uphill storm water runoff. They also propose eliminating the large concrete ADA ramp and switchback along the front of the building from the main entrance to the north parking lot, and replacing it with an ADA lift and typical stairwell allowing for a larger planting area along the north end of the building. Lastly, the applicants propose adding a stairwell landing outside the building’s south stair tower and associated walkway to Riverside Ave. to accommodate DPW access and maintain storm and sanitary sewer manholes at the south property boundary. Geoff Haynes asked about the calculations done for the changes to the retaining walls and the applicant stated that the engineer redid all the drawings and the entire wall has been third party inspected throughout the process. on the changes to the wall do they have to do calculations and they did those. The engineer redid all the drawings. The entire wall has been third part inspected the whole time. A handicapped visitor could come in to the property two ways, they could be come in the front and access a small elevator that would bring them up to the entrance, or if they were a resident, they could pull into the parking garage and access an elevator from there. The chairlift will be code compliant. Regarding the four affordable units, there will be a lottery, and the applicants will have to be approved by the County. Dan O’Connor stated that the Village has hired a planning consulting firm, Nelson Pope Voorhis, and they are requesting engineered drawings of the retaining wall, and a letter from LaBella Engineering approving the modifications to the retaining wall. The applicants said that this information has been provided. The applicants reported having meetings with two neighbors that went well. Chairman Luntz said that the action tonight is to call for a public hearing. Chairman Luntz would like to see the results from the neighbor meetings detailed on the plans. John Ghegan made a motion to call for a public hearing for this amended site plan application for 25 South Riverside Avenue, seconded by Eva Thaddeus, and carried, 4 – 0, with Steve Krisky being absent. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Draft Minutes September 2nd, 2025 Geoff Haynes made a motion to approve the Planning Board minutes of Sept 2nd, 2025, as amended, seconded by John Ghegan, and the motion carried by a vote of 4 – 0, with Steve Krisky being absent. Chairman Luntz stated for the record that it has been a joy working with Dan O’Connor for all of these many years and wished him well in his retirement. 4. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 9:20 p.m. Karen Stapleton, Secretary to the Planning Board