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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-5-28 975 Anderson Hill Road County Planning Board Referral File RYB 24-001 Westchester County Planning Board Referral Review Pursuant to Section 239 L, M and N of the General Municipal Law and Section 277.61 of the County Administrative Code George Latimer County Executive 432 Michaelian Office Building 148 Martine Avenue White Plains, New York 10601 Telephone: (914) 995-4400 Website: westchestergov.com May 28, 2024 Christopher Bradbury, Administrator/Clerk Rye Brook Village Hall 938 King Street Rye Brook, NY 10573-1226 County Planning Board Referral File RYB 24-001 – 975 Anderson Hill Road Zoning Text Amendments, Conceptual Development Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement Scoping Document Dear Mr. Bradbury: The Westchester County Planning Board has received a draft scoping document for the preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for an application to redevelop the former Doral Arrowwood site located at 975 Anderson Hill Road (SBLs 129.26-1-46 and 129.34-1-42 to 45). The 84- acre site is located within the Planned Unit Development (PUD) district that was established for the previous hotel and conference center use. The site also incorporates areas that were part of a former golf course that are embedded within the neighboring Doral Gardens residential development, though the residencies would not be part of the proposed redevelopment. The site is bordered on the west by the Blind Brook, across from which lies Purchase College landholdings. The east side of the site forms the border with the State of Connecticut and Town of Greenwich. South, across Anderson Hill Road, lies the Blind Brook Country Club, and to the north lies a mix of office and residential developments, with the Westchester County Airport grounds one mile north of the site. The applicant proposes to demolish the existing vacant buildings, and construct a mixed-use development consisting of three new buildings, additional auxiliary buildings, amenities, and parking: - The Lodge would be located toward the rear of the site, and contain 220 hotel rooms, 40 residential units, a ballroom, conference center, spa, fitness facilities, and restaurants. The building would be seven stories on top of two partially underground “garden levels.” 252 parking spaces would be provided within the lower levels. Additional amenities associated with the Lodge would include tennis courts, pickleball courts, multiple pools, trailways, and a lake house situated next to an existing lake that is to be remediated and expanded. - A 75-unit multifamily building would be located in the middle of the site, including lounges, fitness facilities, and an outdoor pool. The building would be five stories with an underground parking garage containing 157 parking spaces. - A two-story, 50,000 square foot medical office building would be located at the front of the site, towards Anderson Hill Road. This building would also contain six workforce housing units for site employees, as well as a basement parking garage with 69 spaces. - Three new parking lots would be added to the site interspersed among the buildings, holding 331 parking spaces. These spaces would add to the existing 563-space parking lot that runs up the eastern side of the site. These parking lots and the parking garages would be connected by a new Referral File No. RYB 24-001 – 975 Anderson Hill Road – DEIS Draft Scope May 28, 2024 Page 2 internal driveway network that closely follows the existing driveway network, and utilizes the existing entrance onto Anderson Hill Road. A new driveway entrance would also be located to the southwest of the existing curb-cut, providing a secondary entrance to the medical office building. - Extensive landscaping would be completed around the site, as well as within the portions of the property that are embedded within the Doral Gardens development, to naturalize the area from the previous golf course use and create recreations areas. - In total, 121 residencies would be constructed on the site, including 12 affordable housing units and six workforce units, along with 1,372 parking spaces. In addition to the site plan application, the developer is proposing to amend the Rye Brook Zoning Ordinance to establish a new PUD district over the property, to be known as the 975 Anderson Hill Road Planned Unit Development. The proposed amendment would provide new definitions for the “Lodge” use, as well as establish height, bulk, density, and area requirements that would permit the proposed site plan. Other aspects, including parking standards, of the proposed district would match the requirements for other PUD districts in the Village. We have no objection to the Rye Brook Village Board assuming Lead Agency status for this review. We have reviewed the draft scoping document under the provisions of Section 239 L, M and N of the General Municipal Law and Section 277.61 of the County Administrative Code and we offer the following comments: 1. Consistency with County Planning Board policies. We appreciate that the developer has proposed a revitalization of the former Arrowwood site, and note that the redevelopment of large, vacant commercial properties is featured under County Planning Board policies set forth in Westchester 2025—Context for County and Municipal Planning and Policies to Guide County Planning, adopted by the Board on May 6, 2008, amended January 5, 2010, and its recommended strategies set forth in Patterns for Westchester: The Land and the People, adopted December 5, 1995. However, we are concerned over the inclusion of residential units within the site due to the proximity of the development to the Westchester County Airport, especially as the flight path is located directly above the site. The County is undertaking a supplement to the Airport Master Plan, which has called attention to the large number of noise complaints the County already receives from residents in areas near the airport or within the flight path, including from the neighboring Doral Green and Kingfield developments. Additionally, for those not already familiar with the airport, the noise may make any outdoor recreational area difficult to use. The County Planning Board has consistently stated that additional residential development should not be undertaken within close proximity to the Airport. Due to the incompatibility of residential and airport uses, such proposals are considered inconsistent with County Planning Board policy, and we recommend that the housing components be removed from the proposed plan. Referral File No. RYB 24-001 – 975 Anderson Hill Road – DEIS Draft Scope May 28, 2024 Page 3 We note that the draft scope does not include a discussion regarding the impacts of the airport on the proposed development. We ask that the DEIS include such a study, with a focus on the impacts of aircraft noise on the site. An Alternative should also be conceived and studied that does not include residential uses, to be discussed in Chapter 15. 2. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notification. Development in proximity to Westchester County Airport (HPN) requires the developer to submit a Form 7460-1 entitled, “Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration” to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Several FAA lines of business will evaluate the proposed construction and development for compliance with its federal regulations. 3. Wildlife management. The airport is responsible for managing wildlife hazards within five miles of the airport. As such, the developer should include sealed waste/garbage containers and other features that prevent or reduce wildlife habitation within the development. We note that birds are a significant hazard to flight safety. 4. County sewer impacts. Since 2010, it has been the policy of the County Department of Environmental Facilities (WCDEF) that municipal governments require development applicants to identify mitigation measures that will offset the projected increase in sewer flows to County operated wastewater facilities. The best means to do so is through the reduction of inflow and infiltration (I&I) at a ratio of three for one for market rate housing units and at a ratio of one for one for affordable affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH) units. We appreciate that the applicant has indicated I&I consideration within the draft scope. 5. Waters, Wetlands, and Stormwater Management. We appreciate that Chapter 6 – Stormwater Management includes a discussion regarding the use of green infrastructure stormwater management solutions, which should include above-ground methods that treat runoff on-site. We do note that the County Planning Board consistently recommends that construction and alteration of land within regulated wetlands and stream/wetland buffers should be avoided. This recommendation extends to the siting of stormwater management facilities. The Blind Brook, which is located alongside the site, is a County stream channel. A County Stream Control Permit will be required from the Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T) as part of the approval process for this project. As the DEIS moves forward, the applicant must contact the County DPW&T for review, which should be indicated in Chapter 5 – Waters and Wetlands. Referral File No. RYB 24-001 – 975 Anderson Hill Road – DEIS Draft Scope May 28, 2024 Page 4 6. Bee-Line Bus. We note that Chapter 12 – Traffic and Transportation does not include an account of the County Bee- Line bus service provided along Anderson Hill Road. Current bus stop utilization and an estimation of expected usage under the proposed development should be included in the DEIS. Also, the DEIS should take into account that the County’s ongoing Mobility & Transit Plan, which seeks to redesign the Bee- Line bus system, has proposed to remove fixed-route service along Anderson Hill Road, and instead establish a Micro-transit system that would provide demand-response service within the area. The site plan should indicate proposed drop-off locations for this service, as well as for commercial rideshare services. 7. Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. We note that Chapter 12 – Traffic and Transportation does not include an analysis of existing pedestrian and non-motorized infrastructure within the site or the surrounding area. As there are many separated uses within the Anderson Hill Road corridor that could potentially benefit from increased connectivity via sidewalks and bicycle pathways, we recommend that the applicant and the Village work to increase pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure within and around the site, including sidewalks, separated bicycle lanes, wayfinding signage, street furniture, and bicycle racks. 8. Transportation Demand Management. Ensuring that the transportation needs of new residents, employees, and visitors are accommodated through means other than private automobiles is an important factor in reducing the dependency on cars and encouraging growth without overburdening the street network and existing parking supply. The County’s Transportation Demand Management Toolkits provides strategies for municipalities, employers, and developers to reduce the need for single-occupancy vehicle commutes, which could help lessen the need to park private vehicles. We recommend that the DEIS include reference to these Toolkits to ensure various transportation needs are met, and perhaps enable a reduction in the amount of surface parking lots provided on the site. 9. Universal design. We encourage the Village to consider the principles of Universal Design in this development, and to reference universal design standards within the DEIS. These standards allow all residents and visitors to fully engage in our public and residential spaces. Universal Design is also an important means of allowing household residents to age in place as well as to provide access for persons with mobility issues. 10. Recycling provisions. We appreciate that the DEIS includes a discussion on the accommodation of recyclables under the County’s recycling program. County regulations for recycling may be found at: https://environment.westchestergov.com/recycling. Referral File No. RYB 24-001 – 975 Anderson Hill Road – DEIS Draft Scope May 28, 2024 Page 5 Please inform us of the Village’s decision so that we can make it a part of the record. As this is a large project with multiple potential impacts, once the DEIS is drafted and referred to the County, the we may request the Village or the Applicant to make a presentation at a regularly scheduled County Planning Board Meeting, which are generally held on the first Tuesday of the month. Accommodations for this presentation can be facilitated through the Westchester County Department of Planning. Thank you for calling this matter to our attention. Respectfully, WESTCHESTER COUNTY PLANNING BOARD Richard Hyman Chair, Westchester County Planning Board RH/mv cc: Blanca Lopez, Commissioner, Westchester County Department of Planning April Gasparri, Director of Aviation, Westchester County Airport Jeffrey A. Dean, Senior Engineer (Civil), County Department of Public Works and Transportation Michael Dispenza, Contract Administrator, County Department of Public Works and Transportation Craig Lader, Director of Transportation Planning, Westchester County Department of Planning