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Home My WebLink About2016-01-08 FPC Sun Homes.Reckson Phase 3 Amendments.Site Plan.PB memo3 V FREDERICK P. CLARK ASSOCIATES, INC. PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT RYE, NEW YORK FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT DAVID H. STOLMAN MEMORANDUM AICP,PP PRESIDENT MICHAEL A. GALANTE EXECUTIVE To: Robert I. Goodman, Chairman, and the VICE PRESIDENT Planning Board of the Village of Rye Brook 35o THEO.FREMD AVE. RYE, NEW YORK 10580 Date: January 8, 2016 914 967-6540 FAX: 914 967-6615 CONNECTICUT Subject: Reckson Executive Park, Phase 3 — 203 255-3100 Sun Homes Application for PUD Site Plan Approval HUDSON VALLEY and a Petition to Extend the Existin! Wetland Permit 845 297-6056 LONG ISLAND 5i6 364-4544 As requested, we reviewed additional material and revised plans submitted www.fpciark.com by Buckingham Partners and Sun Homes on behalf of Reckson Operating email@fpclark.com Partnership LP, property owner, for approval of a PUD Site Plan to construct 110 attached and detached single-family homes that includes 10 AFFH units, a community building and swimming pool for the use of development residents, parking, roadways and other related infrastructure within the newly approved PUD District on the Phase 3 lot on property known as Reckson Executive Park, 1100 International Drive, Section 129.25, Block 1, Lot 1(Phase 3) on the Town of Rye Tax Map. Property Description The 31.5-acre Phase 3 property, located at 1100 King Street in the Reckson Executive Park, is within the OB-1 Zoning District and the Z-1 Instrument Approach Zone of Westchester County Airport. The Phase 3 building lot is located west of the current terminus of International Drive and extends generally west to the Blind Brook. The western property line of the subject lot follows the course of the Blind Brook for the most part; however, a 0.5- acre portion of the lot is within the Town/Village of Harrison. The Phase 3 lot is in the PUD District and has an existing approved PUD Concept Plan. It is partially developed with storm water management and water quality facilities that are under construction and were originally designed for an office building that was never built. Generally, the rest of the Phase 3 lot is naturally vegetated. The Phase 1 and Phase 2 lots are developed with office buildings, parking areas and the access road known as International Drive that runs through FREDERICK P. CLARK ASSOCIATES, INC. PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT RYE, NEW YORK FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT the office park. International Drive currently extends west from King Street into the office park and terminates two thirds of the way across the Phase 1 lot. The current wetlands permit, granted for the office building that was never built was extended by the Board of Trustees on December 15, 2015. Project Description The Applicant proposes a site plan to construct 100 market-rate, attached and detached, single-family homes and 10 semi-attached, single-family affordable homes that would qualify under the Rye Brook FAH regulations as AFFH homes, a community building, a swimming pool, and associated roads, parking areas, and other infrastructure on the Reckson Phase 3 lot. Construction would include extension of the western end of International Drive through the Reckson Phase 1 and Phase 2 lots to provide access to the PUD development. Construction will also include new streets within the development, an updated stormwater management plan, site grading and removal of existing vegetation, extension of utilities, lighting, driveways, a pedestrian trail, parking areas for visitors, landscape plantings, and signage. The proposed PUD Site Plan was referred to the Planning Board by the Board of Trustees on October 2, 2015 for a report and recommendations. Review We reviewed additional information, revised plans, applications, an EAF, other documents and plans submitted by the Applicant that include the following items: 1. Full Environmental Assessment Form Part 1 and EAF Mapper Summary 2. Application for Site Plan Approval 3. Letter to the Planning Board prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe, LLP, White Plains, N.Y., dated December 23, 2015 4. Letter to the Planning Board prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe, LLP, White Plains, N.Y., dated November 25, 2015 5. Letter to the Building and Fire Inspector prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe , LLP, White Plains, N.Y., dated November 24, 2015 6. Letter to the Planning Board prepared by Cuddy and Feder, LLP, White Plains, N.Y. dated November 25, 2015 7. Letter to the Mayor and Board of Trustees prepared by Cuddy and Feder, LLP, White Plains, N.Y. dated September 17, 2015 2 FREDERICK P. CLARK ASSOCIATES, INC. PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT RYE, NEW YORK FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT 8. PUD Site Plan Project Description and Rendered Illustrative Home Plans and Elevations prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe , LLP, White Plains, N.Y., no date 9. Stormwater Management Report prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe , LLP, White Plains, N.Y., dated Revised December 2015 10.Stormwater Management Report prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe , LLP, White Plains, N.Y., dated September 2015 11.Land Title Survey prepared by Joseph R. Link, Land Surveyor, Mahopac, N.Y. dated March 23, 2002, updated January 26, 2015 12.Letter to Divney, Tung, Schwalbe from NYSDEC Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources, New York State Natural Heritage Program, Albany, N. Y., dated February 25, 2015 13.Willingness to Serve Letter from United Water New York, dated October 9, 2015 14.Memorandum to the Village Engineer and the Planning Board prepared by Dolph Rotfeld Engineering , P.C., Tarrytown, N.Y. dated January 7, 2016 15.Memorandum to the Village Engineer and the Planning Board prepared by Dolph Rotfeld Engineering , P.C., Tarrytown, N.Y. dated November 3, 2015 16.Engineer's Plans, prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe, LLP, White Plains, N.Y.: Sheet Number Sheet Title Date No number Cover Sheet 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-1.0 Overall Site Plan 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-1.1 Site Layout Plan 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-2.0 Grading and Utility Plan 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-3.0 Site Utility Plan Overall 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-3.1 Typical Unit Plan 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-4.0 Landscape Plan Overall 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-4.1 Landscape Plan Typical Unit/Clubhouse 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-5.0 Erosion and Sediment Control Plan 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-5.1 Erosion and Sediment Control Details 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-5.2 Phasing Plan 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-6.0 Site Sections 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-6.1 Road Profiles 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-6.2 Water Profiles 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 3 FREDERICK P. CLARK ASSOCIATES, INC. PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT RYE, NEW YORK FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT SP-6.3 Sanitary Sewer Profiles 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-6.4 Storm Sewer Profiles 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-7.1 to SP-7.3 Site Details 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 SP-8.0 Site Lighting Plan 9/17/15 rev. 12/23/15 L-02 Planting, Lighting and Wetland Mitigation Plan 5/25/07 rev. 11/23/15 F-1 Fire Protection Plan 11/18/15 SS-1.0 Slope Analysis 12/23/15 Please note that our review is limited to planning, zoning and environmental issues. Comments We have the following comments regarding the revised site plan application: 1. Zoning. The revised chart included with correspondence from the Applicant notes that the gross floor area per acre waiver requested is less than the 3,169 square feet originally calculated. The proposed site plan requests a waiver from the Board of Trustees of 3,109 square feet per acre from the 9,000 square-foot maximum gross floor area per acre of the PUD district regulations. The waiver is based on a proposed gross floor area per acre in the Sun Homes PUD of 12,109 square feet. 2. PUD Site Plan. The Applicant proposes noise mitigation measures to be built into the residential units to reduce the impact of the location of the development within the Westchester County Airport 60 Ldn Noise Contour Critical Environmental Area, that includes high quality doors and windows and spray foam insulation. We continue to note that the overall site plan indicates that the extension of International Drive through the Reckson Phase 1 and Phase 2 lots would include only one traffic lane in each direction. However, the approved site plans for the Phase 1 and 2 lots indicate a road that has two travel lanes in each direction. Therefore, pending review by the Building Inspector, amendments to the Phase 1 and Phase 2 site plans would be necessary to build the road extension shown on the proposed site plan. 3. Lighting Plan. The lighting plan was revised to eliminate the bollard lighting originally proposed, and include lighting standards instead, which are acceptable. However, the 12/23/15 correspondence from the Applicant's consultant requests 4 FREDERICK P. CLARK ASSOCIATES, INC. PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT RYE, NEW YORK FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT flexibility to revise the proposed lighting plan to eliminate some of the street lighting standards, if so desired. The minimum lighting proposed would be located only at intersections and parking areas. As stated in our last memo, we do not recommend the minimum lighting plan proposed in the consultant's correspondence. The Applicant provided specifications regarding the up-lighting proposed for the trees along the median of the extension of International Drive. This lighting should be shielded to eliminate lateral glare and sky lighting. 4. Wildlife. The Applicant provided information regarding the New York State threatened Sedge Wren that has, in the past, been documented within one-half mile of the site. However, the information provided indicates that there is very little potential for the Sedge Wren to be breeding or foraging on the site as Rye Brook is outside the breeding and wintering range of the species. 5. Construction Phasing Plan. A revised, more-detailed phasing plan for the 4 to 5 year construction period of the project, part of which is included in the revised SWPPP submitted, is located on Sheet SP-5.2. 6. Wetlands. The Applicant was granted an extension of the current Wetlands Permit. 7. Grading Plan. We recommended that the creation of new steep slopes on the site should be minimized by utilization of retaining walls, and existing steep slopes and natural vegetation should be preserved on the site to the greatest extent practical. Approval of a Steep Slopes Work Permit will require compliance with the Village Code regulations regarding steep slopes. The Applicant provided the requested cut and fill calculations for the site on Sheet SP-5.2 and analyses of the existing and proposed regulated slopes on the property on Sheet SS-1.0. The grading plan already utilizes retaining walls elsewhere on the site and an additional retaining wall was added in the north east corner of the lot that would somewhat increase the distance of the disturbance of the steep slopes in that area away from the common property line with BelleFair. Based on the information provided, it is estimated that the grading plan would require 175,000 cubic yards of fill. As the importation of fill would affect the amount construction traffic created and the logistics of dealing with the potential traffic impacts to area roadways during several of the construction phases of the 5 FREDERICK P. CLARK ASSOCIATES, INC. PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT RYE, NEW YORK FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT project, the Applicant should clarify how much of the fill would be available on- site and how much would need to be imported. The revised grading plan reduces the total area of moderately steep slopes (15% - less than 25%) on the site by 0.84 acres, and increases the area of very steep and extremely steep slopes (25% - less than 35%, and 35% and greater, respectively) by 0.92 acres. All disturbed or newly created slopes of 35% and greater will require the use of stabilization measures to prevent erosion during and after construction. Based on the site plan proposed, it is our opinion that the revised grading plan would create a reasonable disturbance of existing steep slopes and creation of new steep slopes, provided that limits of construction are established, temporary and permanent slope stabilization measures are employed, and existing vegetation to remain in areas adjacent to disturbed areas and slopes is protected during construction to ensure its survival after construction. 8. Visual Impacts. In our last memorandum to the Board, we noted that removal of existing vegetation, grading and construction of the new homes may create visual impacts to views of the property from Bellefair and Doral Green, and every effort should be made to protect and preserve existing vegetation on the site and provide new screen plantings where necessary in the buffers adjacent to the two developments. A note regarding the review and preservation of existing vegetation in the buffer areas was added to Sheet 4.0. However, the note should be expanded to include planting of additional trees in the buffer in areas if gaps in the existing vegetation are found by the arborist when reviewing the health of existing trees, to ensure the screening effectiveness of the buffer vegetation. 9. Guidelines for Future Renovations, Home Expansions or Additions. The Applicant indicates that future renovations, expansions or additions to buildings in the development would not be allowed. However, the Applicant acknowledges that homeowners may want to modify exterior areas surrounding their homes, and provided information regarding the additional impervious surfaces that can be accommodated by the storm water management system of the site. According to the December 23, 2015 correspondence from the Applicant's consultant, an additional 11,000 square feet of impervious surface coverage on the site could be handled by the proposed stormwater system, which would be approximately 100 square feet of additional impervious surface, such as a patio for each dwelling 6 FREDERICK P. CLARK ASSOCIATES, INC. PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT RYE, NEW YORK FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT unit. The correspondence also states that "400 square feet of site disturbance" would be allowed, but is unclear what this unspecified disturbance would be, which should be clarified. As discussed in our last memorandum residents of PUDs have historically and typically requested the ability to add sheds, decks, back-up generators, driveway expansions, and retaining walls to the areas surrounding their homes. Although enlargement of the community building may not be allowed, expansion of outdoor recreation facility may be requested. We look forward to discussion with the Planning Board regarding the application. Marilyn Timpone Mohamed, ASLA, AICP Senior Associate/Planning/Environment cc: Honorable Mayor and the Village Board of Trustees Christopher Bradbury, Village Administrator Michal Nowak, Superintendent of Public Works/Village Engineer Jennifer L. Gray, Esq., Village Attorney William S. Null, Esq., for the Applicant Gerhard M. Schwalbe, P.E. for the Applicant J:IDOCS215001Rye Brook1538.668.Sun Homes.Reckson Phase 3 Amendments.Site Plan.PB memo3.mtm.docx 7