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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019.06.11 FP Clark Memo A HARDESTY&HANOVER COMPANY www.HardestyHanover.com To: Robert I. Goodman, Chairman, and the Planning Board of the Village of Rye Brook Date: June 11, 2019 Subject: 900 King Street – Building Demolition Site Plan, Wetlands and Steep Slopes Permits Applications As requested, we reviewed applications, documents and plans submitted by Rye King Associates, LLC to demolish the existing office building on the property located at 900 King Street, Town of Rye Tax Map Parcel 129.68-1-13. Property Description The 17.77-acre subject property is located within the PUD district situated on the west side of King Street south of the Hutchinson River Parkway that includes The Arbors residential development and Harkness Park. It is developed with a 215,000 square- foot office building and surface parking area. The subject lot is adjacent to and west of Village Hall and the Village Firehouse, adjacent to and south of the Hutchinson River Parkway, adjacent to and east of The Arbors, and adjacent to and north of Harkness Park and the Blind Brook High School property. It is within the King Street Scenic Road Overlay District (SROD). Although the lot has 164.78 feet of frontage along King Street, it does not have direct vehicular access from King Street. Vehicular access to the lot is provided at two locations along the north side of Arbor Drive, which is currently the only access to and from King Street for the commercial and residential portions of the PUD. There are four wetland areas and a watercourse on, or adjacent to, the subject lot, and areas of steep slopes are situated in various locations. The lot has open areas that are landscaped and planted with mature trees and shrubs, and areas that are naturally vegetated. Project Description The application proposes to demolish the office building, which would disturb a portion of the western-most wetland buffer and an area of steep slopes directly ad- 2 adjacent to the building. A site restoration plan is proposed to mitigate disturbance of the wetland buffer and stabilize disturbance of the steep slopes. Review We reviewed application materials and plans that include the following items: 1. Short Environmental Assessment Form and EAF Mapper Summary Report dated 6/6/19 2. Demolition Permit Application 3. Application for Site Plan Approval 4. Site Plan Submittal Review Checklist 5. Site Location Map prepared by JMC, PLLC, Armonk, N.Y. dated 4/3/18 6. Segmentation of Demolition Memorandum to the Board of Trustees from Veneziano and Associates, Armonk, N.Y. dated June 5, 2019 7. Letter to the Planning Board from Veneziano and Associates, Armonk, N.Y. dated June 6, 2019 8. Letter to the Board of Trustees from Veneziano and Associates, Armonk, N.Y. dated June 6, 2019 9. Memorandum to the Planning Board from AKRF, White Plains, N.Y. dated June 6, 2019 10. Engineer’s Plans, prepared by AKRF, White Plains, N.Y.: USheet NumberU Sheet TitleU Dated S-1 Cover Sheet 6/6/19 S-2 Existing Conditions 6/6/19 S-3 Site Demolition Plan 6/6/19 S-4 Site Restoration Plan 6/6/19 S-5 SWPPP, Notes and Details 6/6/19 Please note that our review is limited to planning and environmental issues. We offer the following comments regarding the application: 1. SEQRA and Reviews. The applicant is requesting to demolish the 900 King Street office building during the impending school summer break, and remove the demolition of the building from the SEQRA review of the senior housing project. Therefore, the Board of Trustees requests a report and recommendation from the Planning Board regarding the demolition site plan, and the Planning Board will review the wetlands and steep slopes permits. 2. Steep Slopes. The initial demolition of the building and half the ground floor slab will disturb the line of steep slopes adjacent to the south end of the building, which are stabilized by its south wall. Stabilization of the disturbed slopes will include grading to reduce the remaining 3 vertical slope to a slope of 15%. All disturbed and new slopes will be prepared and immediately revegetated with meadow grasses and plants. No trees would be removed during this work according to the applicant. 3. Wetland Buffers. The initial demolition of the building will affect a small portion the buffer of wetland A. Although no trees will be removed within the buffer, grading and demolition activities will create open ground within the buffer, which will be prepared and immediately revegetated with meadow grasses and plants. 4. Additional Demolition and Wetland Buffers. The Site Demolition Plan indicates additional demolition that would be done if the senior housing project currently under SEQRA review does not receive approval, or, if approved, does not start construction in a reasonable time (to be determined) after approval is granted. The secondary demolition would include removal of all remaining paved roads, walkways retaining walls and parking areas that were not removed during the initial demolition. This work would disturb portions of the buffers of Wetlands B, C and D and involve some grading. As with the initial demolition, all disturbed areas will be prepared and immediately revegetated with meadow grasses and plants. In the event that the senior housing project is not approved, we recommend that any existing trees within the parking areas be protected and integrated into the meadow landscape to be installed. 5. Other Impacts during Demolition. Demolition of the building and, if necessary, the removal of the rest of the impervious surfaces on the site at a later date would create the potential for additional impacts regarding construction traffic, erosion and sedimentation, vibration, air quality, noise, and hazardous materials. The demolition and restoration plans should demonstrate that these impacts would be addressed during all phases of the work proposed. 6. Coordination with Summer Activities. The applicant should coordinate with Arbors HOA and any other agencies that may utilize the school campus or Harkness Park prior to the start of demolition and periodically during the duration of the work to avoid impacts to any activities planned. We look forward to discussion with the Planning Board. Marilyn Timpone-Mohamed, RLA, ASLA, AICP Senior Associate/Planning/Environment cc: Mayor Paul Rosenberg, and the Board of Trustees Michal Nowak, Superintendent of Public Works/Village Engineer Jennifer L. Gray, Esq., Village Attorney Mark S. Miller, Esq., Veneziano and Associates, for the Applicant 4133.12.900KingStDemolition.SitePlanWetlandSteepSlope.Memo1