P.E.G Realty



Section 16.08 Block 1 Lot 2
Discussion Subdivision
Location: Hill Boulevard, Jefferson Valley, south of the Jefferson Lanes
Contact: Joel Greenberg of Architectural Visions, PLLC
Also represented by: Mel Evans and Joe Giordano
Description: Proposed subdivision and new approx. 15,986 square foot retail building on 2.87 acres in the C-2 zone

March 24, 2008 work session
The plan calls for retail space on the first floor and professional office space on the second.
The applicant reported that, as per the Planning Board's suggestion, an arrangement has been worked out for a cross-easement with the bowling lanes by which the two sites will share parking. Also a town road easement has been provided on the south side of the proposed building. This lane will serve as the site's exit in a one-way traffic pattern. The building has been made slightly smaller than originally proposed, at the Planning Board's request.

The project has been set for an April 7, 2008 public hearing. Additionally the applicant will appear at the work session portion of that meeting for a discussion of the amount of usable space in the building, a parking plan, landscaping and drainage.


May 5, 2008, work session
Mr. Greenberg presented a letter from ABACA indicating that the preliminary building design is acceptable and giving its okay to prepare a final design. Mr. Tegeder pointed out that the parking plan is still incomplete. Both this project and the adjacent bowling lanes each need to have adequate parking or else a formal agreement to share the parking must be in place. The parking requirements have to be calculated on the proposed building's gross square footage, i.e., the total building footprint, not just the useable space. This project is nearing the end of the planning process, so Mr. Tegeder will review the project file to be sure everything has been addressed, and the project will be scheduled for a public hearing at the June Planning Board meeting.


June 9, 2008, work session
The applicant submitted a revised site plan that eliminates the second floor of the proposed new building and enlarges the footprint of the single story building to be used for retail by 1,500 square foot for a total of approximately 12,500 square feet. The new plan also creates two distinct lots: one for the new building and one for the existing bowling alley. By splitting the site into two lots, the bowling alley site was able to get additional parking spaces (75, compared to the required 42). The retail building will have 58 parking space where 55 are required. The exterior of the building will be similar to what was proposed for the previous two story building but plans will be resubmitted to ABACCA.

As there will be no barrier between the two sites, it is envisioned that bowling alley patrons might park in the retail spaces and vis versa. With that in mind, Mr. Flynn suggested that there be cross easements in order to prevent parking lots wars and warning signs about being towed away as in other locations in Yorktown. He suggested that the applicant look at the BJs/Staples site where there are cross easements.

The applicant will also have to submit a revised storm water plan and submit a survey showing the wetland buffer.

In response to a question from Cliff Davis, a spokesman for the adjoining Biffer (sp?) property regarding how drainage from the site would affect his property, Mr. Klaus indicated that the revised storm water plan would have to address this issue, showing that the situation would be no worse.


November 24, 2008, work session
The applicant advised the board that the engineering aspects of the plan were 95% complete and that the other changes the planning department had requested, including the lot lines between the two parcels, had been addressed. The application for both the subdivision of the site and the new site plan will likely be scheduled for a public informational hearing in January.

As an aside, as the two PEG partners took their seats at the board table, an adjoining property owner who had previously expressed some concerns about runoff from the site onto his property also approached the table to listen to the discussion. When one PEG partner objected to the man's presence stating that this was not a public hearing and that the man should not be allowed to sit at the table, the board advised him that the meeting was open to the public and that the gentleman in question had every right to be present at the discussion. The objecting PEG partner left the room and his partner continued the discussion with the board.


January 12, 2009
Public Hearing

Dan Ciarcia, the applicant's engineer described the site's storm water plan that included four separate basins that would collect the runoff and feed them through one outlet to a drain on Hill Blvd. He also explained that computer modeling had satisfactorily addressed the town engineer's concern over the ability of large trucks to enter and leave the site. Still to be done is delineating the site's wetlands.

Clifford Davis, representing the owner of the adjoining property, expressed displeasure at having received the drainage plan on Friday which had not given him sufficient time to review it prior to the hearing. He also questioned the legality of a 30 feet easement on one side of the property that will include a retaining wall. While he expressed the opinion that the easement belonged to a third party who had not consented to the erection of a retaining wall, both Planning Director John Tegeder and the applicant explained that Mr. Davis was incorrect as the easement was on the applicant's property.

The hearing was adjourned to February.


March 9, 2009
The board resumed the public hearing. The applicant's engineer reviewed the storm water drainage plan for the site and told the board he would be reviewing the latest memo from the town engineer, most of which he said were clarification type issues, and that he would work out any remaining issues with the engineer. The applicant said that wetlands on the site had been flagged and reviewed by the town and that he was waiting for DEC to confirm the town's findings.

The hearing was closed but the public has 10 additional days to submit comments. If the applicant and town engineer can resolve all remaining issues in time, the board may be able to render a decision statement at the April board meeting.


August 10, 2009, work session
Discussion Site Plan
Although the CAB approved the projects wetland management plan, there is no room for wetland mitigation on the site.  Ann
Kutter, CAB liaison, reported that in that event the CAB would like to see more green on the property, such as plantings in the parking lot.  She asked about the feasibility of replacing some parking spaces with plantings.  Mr. Greenberg and Mr. Klaus explained this is not possible since the site has an easement agreement with the neighboring bowling lanes to receive its overflow parking.  Mr. Greenberg suggested that the proposed extension of sidewalks along Hill Blvd could serve as wetland mitigation.  Mr. Klaus said sidewalks were by no means a wetland mitigation.  The Planning Board said an approval resolution could not be considered until the lighting plan was approved by ABACA and the wetland mitigation plan was reviewed by the CAB. 


November 23, 2009, work session

Discussion Site Plan and Subdivision

Mr. Greenberg summarized written comments received from ABACA and comments received from the Conservation Board during a site visit.  ABACA approved the building’s design and colors and asked to see a sample of the light bulbs that will be used.  Both ABACA and the Conservation Board asked that street trees be planted along East Main St. and Hill Blvd in the grassy area between the streets and the parking lot and that these trees be same species as the street trees the Town is planting and those being planted at Ceola Manor.  ABACA asked that 4” trees be planted, rather than 3” trees.  The Conservation Board was concerned about sediment running off the parking lot into the wetland behind the building so a catch basin with an extra deep sump will be installed to catch this sediment.

 

Mr. Flynn was concerned that the trees be planted properly and cared for to insure their viability and asked if there could be some guarantee or bonding.  Mr. Tegeder pointed out that the landscaping in the back of the building is actually part of the wetland mitigation plan and therefore will be bonded for 3-5 years.  The approval resolution would be amended to include the street trees in that bonding.

 

Pending receipt of a written memo from the Conservation Board, the project will be on the Planning Board’s 12/14/09 agenda for subdivision, site plan and wetland permit approval.


December 14, 2009

Mr. Klaus asked for a description of the wetland mitigation included in the design (deep catch basins to help prevent erosion as water drains from the parking lot into the wetland and also for assurance that the cross easements for shared parking with the adjacent bowling lanes are in place) (Ms. Wagner reviewed and approved these)). There being no further discussion, the Planning Board declared itself the lead agency under SEQRA, made a negative declaration of environmental impact based on the submitted Environmental Assessment Form. Then the Planning Board adopted resolutions approving the subdivision between the bowling lanes and this commercial parcel and approving the subdivision plans.

 

 

 

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