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2019.03.08 F.P. Clark Memo To: Robert I. Goodman, Chairman, and the Planning Board of the Village of Rye Brook Date: March 8, 2019 Subject: 259 North Ridge Street – Subdivision, Zoning Petition and Map Amendment, and Revised Site Plan Application As requested, we reviewed additional and revised information submitted in support of a three-lot subdivision, and a site plan and petition to re-zone Lot 1 of the subdivision into the FAH District, submitted by Lazz Development (Louis Larizza), contract vendee, on behalf of the property owner, Daniel Greto. The revised development plan for Lot 1 reduces the number of housing units to four AFFH units divided into two, two-family homes. The subdivision remains unchanged, and, in addition to Lot 1, still includes two lots (Lot 2 and Lot 3) each with one single-family market-rate home. The property is situated at the intersection of West Ridge Drive and North Ridge Street within the R-15 District and the North Ridge Street Scenic Road Overlay District, Section 135.35, Block 1, Lot 11 on the Town of Rye Tax Assessor’s Map. Property Description The 3.96-acre (172,620 square-foot) property is partially developed with a one-story single-family home, driveway and curb cut, and a terrace at the back of the home in the rear yard. Behind the home, the lot slopes down very steeply to the northeast from the elevation of North Ridge Street to approximately the elevation of the rear yards of homes along Eagles Bluff and Rock Ridge Drive. The site drains to wetlands located in the woodlands below the existing home and from there into a pipe within a drainage easement across one of the properties on Eagles Bluff. Outside the landscaped area around the existing home, the lot is naturally wooded, with watercourses and wetlands mostly located in areas of lower elevations. Project Description The Applicant’s revised proposal is for a three-lot subdivision to create two, single- 2 family building lots (Lot 2 and Lot 3) that would remain in the R-15 District, and a third building lot (Lot 1), which would be re-zoned into the Fair and Affordable (FAH) District for development of two sets of two, semi-attached homes (a total of four AFFH units). Each of the two buildings would have a curb cut, a two-car garage and surface parking for three additional cars. The application also includes a zoning petition for Lot 1, a request for a Zoning Map amendment, and a revised site plan application for Lot 1. The revised Lot 1 site plan requires approval of wetlands and steep slopes permits by the Planning Board. The original application was referred by the Board of Trustees to the Planning Board for a report and recommendation in September, 2015 and the Planning Board submitted a report and recommendation to the Trustees in September, 2016. In addition, the original application was referred to Westchester County Planning Board, which provided comments to the Village on October 31, 2016. The application under review in 2016 was re-referred to the Planning Board on November 8, 2018 for a new report and recommendation regarding the new revisions. Review We reviewed the additionally revised application, the zoning petition and map amendment, the preliminary subdivision plat, revised site plans, new correspondence, and supporting materials submitted by the Applicant that include the following items: 1. Full Environmental Assessment Form dated revised 2/18/2019 and EAF Mapper Summary Report dated 12/11/2018 2. Short Environmental Assessment Form dated April 11, 2018 3. Application for Subdivision of Land, not dated or signed 4. Petition to the Board of Trustees to Re-Zone New Lot 1 into the FAH District from Pawling Holdings, LLC, prepared by Clark Neuringer, R.A., Mamaroneck, N.Y., dated May 15, 2015 5. Application for Site Plan Approval for Lot 1 6. Site Plan Submittal Review Checklist for Lot 1 7. Two Exterior Building Permit Applications for Lot 1 8. Two Applications for Site Plan Approval for Lots 2 and Lot 3 9. Two Site Plan Submittal Review Checklists for Lots 2 and 3 10. Two Exterior Building Permit Applications for Lots 2 and 3 11. Letter to Ralph Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Verifying the April 2015 Wetland Delineation, from Tim Miller Associates, Inc., Cold Spring, N.Y., dated January 15, 2019 12. Wetland Delineation and Functional Assessment prepared by Tim Miller Associates, Inc., Cold Spring, N.Y., dated October 26, 2015 13. Storm Water Report, prepared by Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., dated December 12, 2018 3 14. Storm Water Report, prepared by Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., dated April 12, 2018 15. Report Memorandum to loulazz@apl.com Regarding the Estimated Public School Children Generated by the Three Lot Development, prepared by RH Consulting, White Plains, N.Y., dated January 7, 2019 16. Report Memorandum regarding the proposed energy use of the AFFH residences on Lot 1 17. Traffic Generation Worksheets, prepared by Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton- on-Hudson, N.Y., no date 18. Tree Inventory and Mapping for Entire Property prepared by Paul D. Muscariello, Certified Arborist, dated February 2, 2016 19. Tree Inventory and Removal Plan for Lot 1, prepared by Anthony Zaino, RLA, Westchester County Planning Department, dated 8/9/18 20. “Scope: Construction Management Impacts and Logistics Plan,” prepared by Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., dated February 28, 2019 21. Chart showing Construction Tasks and a Construction Schedule dated 12/1/18 22. Letter to the Planning Board from Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., dated March 1, 2019 23. Letter to the Planning Board from Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., dated February 13, 2019 24. Letter to the Planning Board from Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., dated January 8, 2019 25. Letter to the Planning Board from Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., dated December 11, 2018 26. Revised Zoning Analysis Memorandum to the Rye Brook Board of Trustees from Michael J. Izzo, Building and Fire Inspector, dated October 19, 2018 27. Response Letter to Dolph Rotfeld, P.E. from Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton- on-Hudson, N.Y., dated December 12, 2018 28. Response Letter to the Rye Brook Building and Fire Inspector from Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., dated October 29, 2018 29. Stopping Sight Distance Study prepared by Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on- Hudson, N.Y., dated February 19, 2019 30. Stopping Sight Distance Study prepared by Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on- Hudson, N.Y., dated December 13, 2018 31. Memorandum to the Rye Brook Planning Board from Dolph Rotfeld Engineering, P.C. dated February 13, 2019 32. Memorandum to the Village Administrator from Dolph Rotfeld Engineering, P.C., Elmsford, N.Y. dated February 8, 2019 33. “Topographical Survey of Property,” prepared by Link Land Surveyors, P.C., Mahopac, N.Y., dated January 15, 2016 34. “Preliminary Subdivision Plat,” prepared by Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on- Hudson, N.Y., dated April 10, 2018 4 35. Tree Preservation Plan (Lot 1), prepared by Anthony Zaino, RLA, Westchester County Planning Department, dated January 29, 2019 36. Planting Plan (Lot 1), prepared by Anthony Zaino, RLA, Westchester County Planning Department, dated April 8, 2018, revised 12/13/18 37. Engineer’s Plans (Revised Site Plans for Lots 1, 2 and 3), prepared by Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., P.C., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.: Sheet Number Sheet Title Dated 0 of 5 Cover Sheet and Drawing Schedule 8/27/18 rev. 2/28/19 1 of 5 Site Plan, Grading/Layout 4/10/18 rev. 2/28/19 2 of 5 Utility Plan 4/10/18 rev. 2/18/19 3 of 5 Erosion Control Plan 4/10/18 rev. 2/28/19 4 of 5 Sight Distance Study 4/10/18 rev. 2/28/19 5 of 5 Details/Notes 2/21/18 rev. 1/25/19 38. Two Sets of Builder’s Plans (Lot 1 Building 1A and Building 1B), Lazz Development/Pawling Holdings, Port Chester, N.Y.: Sheet Number Sheet Title Dated 1 Elevations 4/27/18 2 Elevation Calculations, Fire Ladder Diagrams, and Site Section 1/23/18 3 Foundation Plan 4/27/18 4 First Floor Plans 4/27/18 5 Second Floor Plans 4/27/18 Please note that our review is limited to planning, zoning and environmental issues. We have the following comments regarding the applications: 1. SEQRA Review. Environmental review pursuant to SEQRA is required for the revised Lot 1 site plan as part of the combined action of the subdivision and map amendment to re-zone proposed Lot 1 into the FAH District and the Lot 1 site plan. All the information and analyses provided for the original subdivision and site plan should be updated for the revised application and site plan. 2. Alteration of Land and Topography. The revised site plan for Lot 1 would be located on the steep slopes, and will be required to comply with the Village Code regulations regarding steep slopes for approval of a Steep Slopes Work Permit. We continue to recommend that the design of the revised site plan for Lot 1 should ensure that the plan causes the least disturbance practicable to regulated slopes and the vegetation on these slopes, the creation of the least 5 amount of new steep slopes, and limited utilization of tall or long retaining walls and/or multiple terraced retaining walls. 3. Wetlands and Wetland Buffers. The FEAF provided calculation of the area of disturbance within the buffer, which would be 0.12 acre. Therefore, the application will require approval of a Wetlands Permit. 4. Revised Site Plan. The Applicant should provide more visual information simulating views of the new buildings in context, the regraded rear yards, new parking areas and retaining walls as seen from residential lots and the roadway on North Ridge Street, and from down- slope of the site on Eagle’s Bluff. 5. Soils. A statement in the letter to the Planning Board dated January 8, 2019 from Mr. Mastromonaco, indicated, if necessary, chipping would be the method used to remove rock from the site during construction. The proposed construction management plan should include discussion regarding the potential impacts of rock removal and the mitigation measures for impacts related to noise, air quality and vibration, and compliance with the Rye Brook Village Code and best management practices regarding chipping or other types of rock removal. 6. Transportation, Site Access Considerations. Site Access Considerations – Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) – In a memorandum prepared by this office and dated December 6, 2018, it was recommended that the applicant provide the Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) for the southerly driveway to the alignment of North Ridge Street and the limitation in providing the Intersection Sight Distance (ISD). In the most recent submission from the applicant dated February 28, 2019 and attached to a memorandum prepared by the applicant’s consultant, dated February 28, 2019, the Sight Distance Study Plan is based on ISD, which is not measured in the same fashion as the SSD. It was previously noted, based on input from the Westchester County Department of Public Works, for the posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour the required SSD is 305 feet. The Applicant shows the available ISD to the south as 300 feet; however, it is based on the ISD methodology. Therefore, the applicant must provide the SSD following the criteria set forth and summarized in our previous memorandum, which specifically indicates that the approaching vehicle must see an object in the road in front of the proposed driveway and in the travel lane on North Ridge Road traveling northbound at a height of 2.0 feet above the pavement. The line of sight measured from the approaching vehicle from the south traveling northbound on North Ridge Street is measured at 3.5 feet. This is not shown on the most recent plan submitted by the applicant. Further, the SSD must be measured in the travel 6 lane on the approach, similar to the format indicated for the northerly-proposed driveway on the subject property. The Applicant should remove the maximum sight distance, which equals 405 feet from the plan that traverses adjacent property, which is part of the subject property. However, it also traverses private property immediately south of the subject property, which is not part of this application. Construction Activity – The Applicant indicates that the construction of the residential units will be modular units and sections of the building will be delivered on large trucks. However, in the response to the construction traffic routing, as outlined in the applicant’s February 28, 2018 memorandum, discussion is limited to the duration of time to assemble the units delivered to the site. The description provided by the Applicant does not include any discussion about the construction of the foundation, site work, construction of driveways, and other related work on the subject property prior to, during, and after the delivery of the building units. Therefore, the statement that the delivery of the units will be of approximately one-week duration is not complete and does not describe the entire process. Therefore, the applicant should provide additional information on site work, including installation of utilities, grading, internal retaining walls, if any, foundations and other site work to complete the project for the two buildings. As part of this information, the applicant should indicate the number of construction workers estimated and the duration of each phase of the construction of the buildings. 7. Land Use and Zoning. The potential for visual impacts to neighbors surrounding the site and the North Ridge Street scenic road should be analyzed and provided for review. 8. Construction. The applicant provided a “Construction Management Impacts and Logistics Plan” dated February 28, 2019. The draft CML plan does not address the construction of foundations for the modular units or provide information, impacts and proposed mitigation related to importation and placement of fill. Other inadequately covered items in the draft CML include, vibration related to mechanical compaction of fill placed behind retaining walls, and air quality impacts from fugitive dust caused by removal of vegetation, disturbance of soils, excavation, and grading. MAG should explain how impacts, such as increased traffic, increased demand for parking, construction traffic routing, Michael A. Galante Managing Principal 7 Marilyn Timpone-Mohamed, RLA, AICP Senior Associate/Planning/Environment Cc: Mayor Paul S. Rosenberg and the Village Board of Trustees Christopher Bradbury, Village Administrator Michal Nowak, Village Engineer/Superintendent of Public Works Jennifer L. Gray, Esq., Village Attorney Ralph G. Mastromonaco, P.E., for the applicant J:\DOCS2\500\Rye Brook\538.717.259NRidgeSt.MapAmendmentSudivisionRevisedFAHSitePlan.memo4.mtm.docx