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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980_06_11 Planning Board Minutes MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF MAMARONECK HELD JUNE 11 , 1980, IN THE COUNCIL ROOM OF THE WEAVER STREET FIREHOUSE, WEAVER STREET AND EDGEWOOD AVENUE, LARCHMONT, NEW YORK. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by the Chairman at 8:40 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Mr. G. Norman Blair, Chairman Mrs . Mary Carlson Mr. Warner Pyne, Jr. Mr. Anton Schramm Mr. Paul Kalos Also present: Mr. Charles R. Elfreich, P .E. , Town Engineer APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the meeting of May 14, 1980 were presented but approval was reserved until revisions are made . APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL PERMIT - 20 VALLEY PLACE - BLOCK 131 PARCEL 33 Mr. Forbes, an Attorney of 7 Woodland Avenue, Larchmont, re- presented the applicant, Mr. Pawel Rafalski , who is the contract vendee. Mr. Forbes pointed out that the area is zoned for business and that the applicant will also have to obtain area variances from the Zoning Board if the Special Permit is granted. Mr. Forbes said that it was necessary to obtain a Special Permit because the applicant wanted to use the proposed building for an automobile repair garage. Since most of the members had not seen the plan until the time of the meeting the Board decided that they would review the application and plan and the members would call the Secretary giving their decision. The Secretary was asked to send the report giving their recommendations to the Town Board for their next meeting of July 2nd. OLD BUSINESS - CHARLAP APPLICATION The Chai'man stated that at the last meeting Mr. Charlap and his Attorney had made their presentation and that before a Special Permit could be granted it would be necessary to have an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance permitting helicopter landings under a Special Permit. Mr. Blair said that since the last meeting Mr. Charlap had invited all interested parties to a demonstration of the helicopter taking off and landing and that a tremendous amount of "paper work" had been received from people objecting to the application . The Chairman said that at the last meeting they should have had direction from the Town Attorney, who was out of the Country at he the time and when/did contact Mr. Johnston, after talking to him he did withdraw the recommendations that the Board had made at the meeting. The Chairman said that they had received a memorandum from the Town Attorney in which he stated that in 1966 Raymond & May Associates, Planning Consultants had made a statement in the "Comprehensive Master Plan for the Town of Mamaroneck" regarding an investigation of poten- tial heliport sites in Mamaroneck-Larchmont. In the Raymond and May statement they said that in the 1964 National Airport Plan the FAA had identified Mamaroneck, New York as a location requiring a public commercial airport, and upon investigation they said that the exist- ing land in the unincorporated area of Mamaroneck and the Village of Larchmont being built up with high quality one family dwellings would indicate that there was no place in either community suitable for a heliport. Mr. Blair pointed out that if the Board recommended a change in the Zoning Ordinance to permit heliports the Master Plan would have to be amended. Mr. Robert Barrett, the Chairman of the Conservation Advisory Commission presented the members Wednesday even- ing with a report in which he called for an Environmental Impact Statement before the Board acted on the amendment. Mr. Barrett said that the EIS should be brief and not delay the action more than a few weeks and it should cover noise, safety and "cumulative effect" in case there should be future applications for helicopter landings . Mrs . Fredston of 3 Cedar Island had presented the Board members with a statement in opposition and Mr. Fredston spoke at the meeting. Mr. Fredston charged that during the "test runs" artificial and fradulent ambient noises were created to offset the helicopter's noise. Mr. and Mrs . Fredston in their petition had cited similar applications to Mr. Charlap 's in other locations, and there was a clipping from the New York Times involving a private heliport in Greenwich on a ten acre estate. The Fredston petition pointed out that the Planning and Zoning Commission in Greenwich had in 1978 repealed a zoning regulation which had been on the books since 1947 which permitted by Special Permit the operation of pri- vate airport facilities in residential areas . Mr. David Portman of Clark Associates, who is a Planning Consultant, spoke in favor of the application and said that other communities have included in their ordinances requirements for the use of the property for heliports for safety, noise, etc. Mr. Robert Arbib, who is an expert on wildlife, said that the proposed use would have no effect on the wild life in the vicinity. Mr. James Utter, who is Assistant Professor of Environ- s �r�— mental Sciences and Biology at Suny-Purchase said from his observation helicopters going over would have no impact. Mr. Paul Ostergaard of Ostergaard Associates , who con- ducted the noise comparision tests for Mr. Charlap spoke in favor of the application. Mr. Pyne asked why in view of all the complaints against the application Mr. Charlap could not drive back and forth to the Westchester County Airport. Mr. Charlap said that with the traffic it takes about 55 minutes to get to the airport and he wastes about an hour and a half going back and forth . Mr. Charlap stated that he also has difficulty finding parking at the airport. Mrs . Savage complained about being harassed by Mr. Char- lap's helicopter when she was on her boat and on one occassion she went below and called for the launch . Mrs . Ryan of 512 Hommocks Road and Mr. J . Barry Kingham both spoke in opposition to the application . After further discussion the Board decided on a 4 to 0 vote with Mr. Schramm abstaining from voting or discus- sing the application because he had done work for Mr. Low, who is also, an executive of the Savin Corporation, to recommend that the Town Board deny Mr. Charlap 's re- quest for a zoning amendment permitting helicopters in residential areas . The Board felt that the use of resi- dential property for a heliport was not appropriate based upon petitions received against the application regard- ing noise, safety and precedent, which the Board felt were important factors . On June 20, 1980 the Planning Board received a letter from Meighan & Necarsulmer informing the Planning Board that as the Attorneys for Mr. Charlap they were withdraw- ing their application at this time. SEQR REPORTS - SHELDRAKE RIVER IMPROVEMENTS The notices for Environmental Quality Review Reports (80-2 and 80-3) had been posted on the Bulletin Board in the Clerk 's Office and there was a negative declara- tion on the two projects . The Notice of the Report for the Recreation Department is to be posted and July 3rd will be the date until which comments will be received by the Planning Board. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before this meet- ing it was adjourned at 11 :30 P.M. 'Rita A. Johnso ecretary