Draft Minutes 8.5.25
minutes
2 pages
Scanned/OCR — text may contain errors
Meeting: portal event 1073 (no meeting page on file)
Agenda item: Approval of Minutes - Draft Minutes August 5, 2025
Minutes, 2 pages. Attached to agenda item: “Approval of Minutes - Draft Minutes August 5, 2025” (Text recovered by OCR — may contain errors.)
Retrieved 2026-04-15 from the village's meeting portal.
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Extracted text
DRAFT
Planning Board Meeting Minutes
August 5, 2025
8:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Rob Luntz
John Ghegan
Geoffrey Haynes
Steve Krisky
Eva Thaddeus (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
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Rob Luntz called the Planning Board meeting of August 5th, 2025 to order at 8:00 p.m.
2. NEW BUSINESS
a) Franzoso, Mark — 123 Grand Street — (67.20-3-22) - Amended Site Plan for proposed
second floor covered porch extension
Mark Franzoso was present in support of the application. The applicant stated that the proposed new
roof extension will enhance the building and the Upper Village. Chairman Luntz agreed that the project
is uncomplicated and will enhance the Village. The applicant stated that the first floor of the building will
be a commercial space, likely professional office space. There are two apartments on the second floor
of the building. The applicant may consider adding solar panels to the building at a later date, but not
now.
Steve Krisky made a motion to call for a public hearing for the amended site plan for the proposed
second floor covered porch extension, seconded by John Ghegan, and the motion passed, 4 — 0, with
Eva Thaddeus being absent.
b) Consider acknowledging receipt of Tree Removal Application from Hugh Greechan Jr.,
P.E., Commissioner of Public Works and Transportation, Westchester County for the
removal of multiple trees for the facilitation of the Quaker Bridge Replacement Project
and referring the application, Coastal Assessment Form (CAF) and other support
documents to the Waterfront Advisory committee for a consistency recommendation
Matt Hunt, P.E. of Creighton Manning, and Angelo Sgobbo, P.E. from Westchester County were both
present in support of the application via Zoom. Matt Hunt, who was hired to design the new bridge,
reported that this is a high priority project for the County. The existing bridge is closed, and contractor
bids are due on August 14, 2025. The new bridge will be the same span, but wider, and will be two
lanes, up from the previous one lane. There will be a wider shoulder on one side for pedestrians. The
existing plan calls for the removal of 57 trees. Approximately twelve trees will be removed in the upper
left-hand portion of the project, as shown on the plans, with the remaining trees (approximately 45 trees)
being removed for the purpose of excavation, as there are steep slopes and this area has been identified
as the best place to work to facilitate construction vehicles. It is proposed that 38 trees will be replanted
on site, with the tree spacing a little tighter than what is required by code. The landscape architect
placed some of the trees on the plans, and some replacement trees will be handed over to the Village,
by the County, to be installed. They will do live stakes, in catch area around the stream. An attempt
was made to combat erosion after the project. The species of the replacement trees roughly match the
ones that are being taken out. The trees that are being taken out have been marked.
When asked why a staging area could not be set up near Black Rock Park that could be used for
construction vehicles, potentially saving some of the 45 trees that are to be cleared, Matt Hunt said that
the bridge is a truss bridge, so when it is delivered to the site, large pieces will be lifted off of the truck,
laid flat on the ground and then the whole truss goes up at one time. The applicant reiterated that they
do need the area right next to where the bridge is going to put the pieces together.
Chairman Luntz noted that the bridge was a beautiful, nostalgic part of the Village and Westchester
County. Chairman Luntz noted that the size of the proposed replacement trees, two-inch caliper, seem
small. Chairman Luntz told the applicants that he would like to see more of a variety in heights of the
proposed replacement trees. The applicant said that he would speak with the landscape architect, and
report back. The Planning Board would like to see something more robust in grouping of the trees.
Geoffrey Haynes noted that the proposal is for 35 trees and 44 trees to be planted later, and wondered if
the tree fund would come in to play. Dan O’Connor said that he would speak with the Village Manager
and DPW to see if they had spots in mind that needed trees.
The Planning Board asked about the planting list and noted that the quantity of replacement trees was
based partially on steep slopes, at a 2:1 ratio, which is why there will be more replacement trees than
removed trees.
It was determined that the Planning Board action at this meeting is to refer the application to the
Waterfront Advisory Committee.
Steve Krisky asked if there was a discussion about reopening the dam to lessen the inconvenience for
people, and Deputy Mayor Len Simon said the response was a “No” from a high-level source who said
that reopening the dam, even on a short-term basis, was not an option.
John Ghegan asked how long the project would take and the applicants answered that the County’s goal
is for the new bridge to be installed by the end of June, 2026. There is an expectation that tree removal
will begin in November, 2025. Replanting of trees will not happen until the fall, 2026. The new bridge
will be made of steel, saving some details from the existing bridge that will be reused. There will be no
traffic signal on the bridge. The weight limit of the new bridge is unrestrictive.
Geoffrey Haynes made a motion to refer the tree removal permit application, along with the coastal
assessment form to the Waterfront Advisory Committee for a consistency recommendation, seconded by
John Ghegan, and carried, by a vote of 4 — 0, with Eva Thaddeus being absent.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Draft Minutes July 15th, 2025
Rob Luntz made a motion to approve the Planning Board minutes of July 15th, 2025, seconded by
Steve Krisky, and the motion carried by a vote of 3 — 0, with Eva Thaddeus being absent, and Geoffrey Haynes abstaining as he was absent on July 15%,
4. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 8: 40 p.m.
Karen Stapleton, Secretary to the Planning Board
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