2015-05-13 FPC - Map Amendments
To: Gary Zuckerman, Chairman, and the
Planning Board of the Village of Rye Brook
Date: May 13, 2015
Subject: Reckson Executive Park, Phase 3 –
Applications for Zoning Code and Zoning
Map Amendments, and a PUD Concept Plan
As requested, we reviewed revised plans for zoning code and zoning map
amendments, and approval of a PUD Concept Plan submitted by
Buckingham Partners and Sun Homes on behalf of Reckson Operating
Partnership LP, property owner, to amend Section 250-7 E., Planned Unit
Development District (PUD), of the Village Code, change the Village
Zoning Map to add Reckson Executive Park Phase 3 into the amended PUD
District, and approve a Concept Plan for construction of 110 attached and
detached single-family homes, a community building and swimming pool
for the use of development residents, parking, roadways and other related
infrastructure instead of the 280,000 square-foot office building and
associated parking already approved, but not built, on property known as
Reckson Executive Park Phase 3, International Drive, Section 129.25,
Block 1, Lot 1 on the Town of Rye Tax Map.
Property Description
The 31.5-acre 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 lot has
an existing approved site plan and is partially developed with storm water
management and water quality facilities that are under construction and
mostly complete, which are part of the existing office building approval. is
Generally, the rest of the lot is naturally vegetated.
2
The existing special permit and site plan approvals for office development have
undergone a series of amendments and extensions of approval since the original approval
in 1990. The current special permit, site plan and wetlands permit approvals for a
280,000 square-foot office building and 1,120 parking spaces were extended in
December, 2010 by the Board of Trustees and are valid until December 14, 2015.
Project Description
The Applicant proposes 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 also would include extension of the western end of
International Drive, location of new streets within the development, an updated
stormwater management plan, grading and removal of existing vegetation, extension of
utilities, street lighting, driveways, pedestrian walkways, parking areas for visitors,
landscape plantings, and signage.
To make it possible to build the development and approve the proposed Concept Plan
submitted, the Applicant submitted a petition to change the Rye Brook Zoning Map to
put the Phase 3 lot into the Planned Unit Development District (PUD), and amend
Section 250-7 E. of the Village Code regarding PUD development with respect to
setbacks, density, street frontage, and the gross floor area of attached garages and walk-
out basements.
The zoning code and zoning map amendment petition and the Concept Plan were referred
to the Planning Board by the Board of Trustees on February 24, 2015 for a report and
recommendations.
Review
We reviewed a petition, applications, an EAF, and revised plans submitted by the
Applicant that include the following items:
1. Full Environmental Assessment Form Part 1and EAF Mapper Summary
2. Letter to the Chairman and Planning Board prepared by Cuddy and
Feder, LLP, White Plains, N.Y. dated May 7, 2015
3. Letter and Petition to the Mayor and Board of Trustees prepared by
Cuddy and Feder, LLP, White Plains, N.Y. dated February 10, 2015
3
4. School Aged Children, Sun Homes, Rye Brook prepared by Divney,
Tung, Schwalbe , LLP, White Plains, N.Y. no date
5. Revised Rendered Illustrative Plan, Affordable Home Plans and
Elevations, illustrative plan prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe , LLP,
White Plains, N.Y., no date
6. Rendered Illustrative Plan, Home Plans and Elevations, illustrative plan
prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe , LLP, White Plains, N.Y., no date
7. Memorandum and Revised Traffic Impact Study, prepared by Maser
Consulting, P.A., Hawthorne, N.Y. dated April 15, 2015
8. Traffic Impact Study, prepared by Maser Consulting, P.A., Hawthorne,
N.Y. dated January 14, 2015
9. Land Title Survey prepared by Joseph R. Link, Land Surveyor,
Mahopac, N.Y. dated March 23, 2002, updated January 21, 2015
10. Memorandum to the Village Engineer and the Planning Board prepared
by Dolph Rotfeld Engineering , P.C., Tarrytown, N.Y. dated March 3,
2015
11. Memorandum to William Null, Esq. prepared by the Rye Brook
Building and Fire Inspector, dated May 7, 2015
12. Engineer’s Plans, prepared by Divney, Tung, Schwalbe, LLP, White
Plains, N.Y.:
Sheet Number Sheet Title Date
SP-1.0 Conceptual Site Plan 05/07/15
SP-1.0 Conceptual Site Plan 02/09/15
SP-2.0 Conceptual Grading and Utility Plan 02/09/15
Please note that our review is limited to planning, zoning and environmental issues.
Comments
In addition to the unresolved comments in our March 9, 2015 planning memorandum and
our March 31, 2015 traffic memorandum, we have the following planning comments
regarding the revised building design of the 10 affordable units and the revised PUD
Concept Plan:
1. Revised Affordable Unit Design. The revised design for the affordable units in a
two-unit side by side arrangement that from the street appears to be a single
family home is a creative solution to make the affordable units indistinguishable
from the market-rate units. The proposed configuration also effectively handles
4
the size difference between the affordable and the market-rate homes and locates
the garage for each of the two units in the semi attached two-family homes. We
believe this design meets the Village Code requirements regarding the design of
AFFH units.
2. Revised PUD Concept Plan. The revised PUD Concept Plan layout provides at
least a 50-foot setback from the Phase 1 and Phase 2 lots for all homes , which is an
improvement of the original PUD concept plan layout. The additional setback was
achieved by re-aligning the adjacent internal roadway slightly. However, it is our
opinion that the alignment of the road should be further adjusted to allow a full car-
length of driveway in the front yards of the affordable homes so that a car can pull
completely into the driveway and be safely off the roadway to park for unloading
occupants and items from the car. Currently the homes are located too close to the
roadway.
Regarding the location of the affordable homes we continue to recommend that the
affordable homes should be located throughout the development and not clustered
together.
3. Traffic and Parking. Our traffic engineers are reviewing the revised Traffic
Impact Study and will provide traffic and parking comments to the Village
Boards in a separate memorandum.
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
Philip A. Butler, Esq., Village Attorney
William S. Null, Esq., for the Applicant
Gerhard M. Schwalbe, P.E. for the Applicant
J:\DOCS2\500\Rye Brook\538.662.Sun Homes.Reckson Phase 3 Amendments.Memo2.mtm.docm