Planning Board, November 4, 2024

Jacob Road Solar: All the speakers at the reconvened Public Informational Hearing spoke in opposition to the plan which they said did not belong in a residential neighborhood. In response to one speaker who asked if the town would profit by the project, Chairman Fon responded that there would be no benefit to the town.  Another speaker asked about the possible noise emanating from the panels.  The parcel’s owner explained that the solar farm would generate the revenue needed to finance the infrastructure improvements needed for the five lot subdivision previously approved on a different part of the property.

After Mr. Bock noted that the project’s Environmental Assessment Form  (EAF) needed to be updated, the applicant advised the Board that it would not be addressing any of the issues raised at this or the previous hearing until later in the SEQRA review process, including the issue raised at the prior meeting about the inconsistencies in some of the visual impact illustrations.  The applicant also explained that most of the DEP’s comments regarding the project’s battery storage facility were an error as they most likely referred to the proposed facility in Somers and not the much smaller Jacob Road plan.

The hearing was closed.

Envirogreen Associates, 1875 East Main Street, Mohegan Lake. The applicant wants to amend a site plan for a single 13,278 sf building that was approved in 2022 after a lengthy review process that started in 2014 but was never built with a revised plan for two separate buildings totaling 10,384 sf. The new buildings would be on the same footprint and the only other change to the original plan would be the internal traffic flow. Prospective tenants for the larger building are Dunkin Donuts, with a drive thru, and a hair salon.  At the Board’s suggestion, the applicant will explore the feasibility of reversing  the two buildings in order to provide for a better traffic flow.

Par 3 Golf Course (aka Valley Field, aka Tee Bar and Grille). The applicant is seeking to legalize work already done on the site  that was not part of the original site plan approval, including the outdoor lounge area, the snack bar and the covered patio.  The applicant was advised to work with town staff on the items that need to be addressed. Mr. Bock asked to see the original plan. And Mr. Fon suggested the Board do a new site visit.

Foothill Subdivision. On a referral from the Town  Board, the Board considered the request to rezone  the 16.8 acre parcel, zoned for single family houses on one acre for multi family housing. Instead of seven single family houses, the applicant wants to build 20 townhouse units in four buildings.  Because the property is located across the road from the Foothill solar farm, the applicant said the property is no longer marketable for single family houses.  The applicant needs the 20 unit density in order to offset the cost of sewering the site. (The single family houses would be on septic.)   The plan includes setting aside four affordable units “for residents of Yorktown.”  The Board asked the applicant to provide more information, including a comparison of the impacts of seven versus 20 units.

Day Car proposal (Poggioreale), 2829 Crompond Road.  On a referral from the ZBA for a special permit, and with the applicant not present, the Board had a brief discussion about the proposal to construct a day care facility on the parcel on the south side of Crompond Road, just to the west of Downing Park and before the intersection with Route 132. The 33,403 sf lot is zoned for single family houses on two acres. The Planning Department will advise the applicant that the Planning Board will need a site plan and more details about the project before it can make any recommendations to the ZBA.