Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989_11_08 Planning Board Minutes MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF MAMARONECK NOVEMBER 8, 1989, IN THE COURTROOM, TOWN CENTER 740 WEST BOSTON POST ROAD MAMARONECK, NEW YORK Present: Sanford A. Bell, Chairman Jerry R. Donatelli Steven R. Goldstein Norma Jacobson Patricia Latona Alan P. Murray James J. Romeo Also Present: Lee A. Hoffman, Jr. , Town Counsel Gary Trachtman, Consulting Engineer Lisa Parrilla, Public Stenographer Carbone, Kazazes & Associates 225 Mt. Pleasant Avenue Mamaroneck, NY 10543 Bonnie M. Burdick, Recording Secretary CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bell at 8:21 PM. He announced that this Board would be meeting with the Town Board at approximately 9:00 PM which necessitated a fifteen-minute period for each of the items on the agenda. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED ZONE CHANGE AND REQUESTED REPORT TO TOWN BOARD Metropolis Westchester Lanes, Inc. (Loyal Inn Bowling) 2444 Boston Post Road Block 503 Parcel 137 Mr. Bell reiterated the positions taken at the last meeting of this Board. Two members had been absent, and no action could be taken because two members were opposed to a zoning change inconsistent with the Master Plan Update. The other three members, who did not constitute a quorum, were willing to continue considering the proposal. The Town Board had asked for the reaction of the Planning Board without sending this Board a specific zoning change request. Said change would be a legislative process, and no further clarification had been received from the Town Board or the applicant. Joseph Tringali appeared on behalf of the applicant. He stated that it was his opinion that the RTA zone would be the closest zone which would accommodate his proposal. November 8, 1989 -2- The members of the Board were polled informally for their opinions on this matter. Mr. Bell stated that the area had been designated an SB Zone under the Master Plan. He had felt negative towards a six-story building but might consider a four-story one. Mr. Murray and Mrs. Jacobson agreed with these views. Mr. Romeo and Mrs. Latona expressed the opinion that the plans presented did not suit the topography of the site. Mr. Romeo stated that the site did have potential for a mixed use. Mr. Goldstein stated that he felt that a mixed use for the site was not necessarily inappropriate. How the site was used would influence his decision. For example, the large rock outcropping could be used as a buffer from the residential area. Mr. Goldstein stated that a six-story building would be "overkill". On motion of Mr. Romeo, seconded by Mr. Murray, the Planning Board voted unanimously to direct Counsel to draft a memorandum to the Town Board. Said memo would state that the proposed zone change to allow a dense six-story development at this site is contrary to the Master Plan and will be attached to these minutes as an addendum. CLUSTER GUIDELINES The Town Board mandated this Board to develop rules and regulations concerning standards for Cluster Zoning. Daniel Shuster drafted proposed regulations for the Board to consider. Mr. Hoffman told the Board that it should use this draft as a suggestion. This Board is required to consider the cluster alternative under Section 281 of the Town Law. More units cannot be permitted than in an "as-of-right" subdivision. Robert Funicello, attorney, appeared on behalf of the Bonnie Briar Country Club. He requested that he be noticed directly when discussion of land use is before this Board. FEASIBILITY STUDY - LARCHMONT MOTEL Mr. Bell questioned the role of this Board in the decision about the use of the Larchmont Motel which the Town has contracted to buy at a yet-to-be-determined price. He stated that this is an economic, social and political issue which is hard to treat in a purely planning way. No specific proposal had been made. Mr. Bell questioned how November 8, 1989 -3- development at the site would fit in with the Master Plan and how the Urban Renewal Plan would mesh with the Master Plan. Mr. Murray stated that the creation of an Urban Renewal area was the expression of the perception that there was blight at the site. Mrs. Latona stated that in reading the provided material she had difficulty understanding what was required of this Board as a reaction. She stated that the document was a financial and economic statement, not a plan. Mr. Hoffman stated that the motel site currently has a Special Permit to allow non-permanent residential use. The Town is proposing multifamily permanent housing in a Business zone. Mr. Bell was concerned that the purchase price of the motel property might affect its future use. Mr. Hoffman stated that the suggested use could be used as an argument by the Town during the informal condemnation process. Questions were raised about the ownership of the building when is was rebuilt. Should it become a cooperative, it would no longer be affordable housing. Mr. Hoffman stated that the proposal indicated that the Town is trying to avoid having the residence be classified as a Tier Two facility. Said classification has certain requirements. such as 24-hour security, which could be cumbersome and expensive for the Town. Mrs. Latona pointed out that the document stated that the facility could be run as a non-profit agency under a contract with the Department of Social Services. TEMPORARY ADJOURNMENT At 9:20 PM Mr. Bell temporarily adjourned the meeting so that the Board members could reconvene in Conference Room A. REOPENING The meeting was reopened at 9:25 PM. Caroline Silverstone, Supervisor-Elect and Steven Chapin, Councilman, joined the meeting. Benson Bieley, reporter for the Sound View News, was also in attendance. Mrs. Silverstone stated that the Westhab feasibility study showed what could be done with public funding and suggested 30 garden apartments. The Town is now ready to approach the private sector. She asked this Board for a sense of what it would find acceptable. Mr. Bell stated his problem of separating being a planner from being a taxpayer. Mrs. Latona stated that it was difficult to conceptualize plans other than what was presented. She questioned whether the Town Board would be open to suit for spot zoning if the site were rezoned. Mr. Hoffman November 8, 1989 -4- had stated that he was not sure that a suit would occur because the site is large. Mr. Altieri brought up the concept of the floating MUB zone as a possible zone for the site. Mr. Bell stated that this Board had a problem with said zone as there was a possibility that development along the Post Road could become too dense. Mr. Altieri stated that Mr. Shuster, the planner, had felt that the use of the floating zone could be restricted. Mrs. Silverstone stated that one area of agreement would be the height of the building. Mr. Bell reiterated this Board's position that it does not look favorably on 5- or 6-story buildings. He stated the problems with the site: it is next to the Hommocks School, and a large building there would cause traffic problems. Also, the present use of the motel is a problem. Mr. Bell stated that economic feasibility must be considered, too. For instance, a park or more soccer fields cannot be built there. Mrs. Silverstone stated that the Westhab plan is only possible with massive funding from grants. Mr. Donatelli asked about the price of the property which is still being negotiated. Mrs. Silverstone stated that the assessed value is $1.6 million and that the motel owners' appraisal is $2.9 million. These figures were based on the current use and zoning and were done at a previous date. Mr. Chapin stated that one goal of the Town Board was affordable housing and that he felt that 35 garden apartments would generate less traffic than a shopping center. Mr. Romeo asked whether the developers who were solicited for proposals were being offered the land for purchase. Said solicitation is called an RFP - "Request for Proposal". Mr. Chapin stated that the Town committee dealing with this area would meet for the first time on November 20th and that some parameters such as density limit (number of stories) , and number of affordable housing units were needed but that some flexibility should be left to the developers. Mrs. Silverstone stated that suggestions had been made for congregate living, particularly for the elderly. Mr. Chapin stated that subsidies could be explicitly or implicitly applied. For instance, the Town could sell the land below cost or build the housing itself as its borrowing capabilities are better than those of developers. Mrs. Silverstone stated that the Town could have a "triple net" lease. Mrs. Silverstone asked how the Planning Board reacted to the proposal by Westhab. Mr. Murray stated that he had a negative reaction, November 8, 1989 -5- particularly because of the plan to have transients living in the building for five to seven years. Mrs. Silverstone and Mr. Chapin pointed out that the suggestion of sheltering transients reflected Westchester County's vested interest in the study. It had paid for half of it. Mr. Goldstein asked whether any other source of grants, such as the Department of Health, had been considered. Affordable housing is a goal of the Town, Mrs. Silverstone reiterated. She stated that the Town has been trying to get a developer to buy the motel for 5 years and the the purchase by the Town had been the necessary result of these attempts. Should the site be developed privately, the number of units of affordable housing has not yet been decided. Mr. Chapin has felt that 20 units might be a good number. Mrs. Latona, when asked about the size of the building, stated that this Board has recently been very environmentally conscious. It was pointed out that the topography of the site could cause part of the building to be higher than another part. Mr. Romeo commented that there was no planned discernible change in the appearance of the building. Mr. Chapin stated that Westhab had quoted a figure of $500,000 for demolishing the building. Mr. Donatelli stated that he thought Westhab's cost projection and time frame for construction both were unrealistic. He stated that the units were small - one bedroom at 350 square feet would really be a studio. Mr. Romeo agreed that the proposed prices were too high. The consensus of the Board was that three driveways at the site were too many and that a building three stories high at the front of the site and four stories high at the back would be acceptable. Mrs. Silverstone and Mr. Chapin thanked the Board for its input and asked that the members continue to make suggestions. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 PM. r /6921/ACCL/97. teeeZeheL, Bonnie M. Burdick, Recording Secretary ADDENDUM November 8, 1990 1w0q REPORT To: Town Board/Town of Mamaroneck Date: 11/16/89 From: Planning Board/Town of Mamaroneck Re: Zone Change Application of Loyal Inn Bowling Alley The Planning Board heard Mr. Tringali, attorney for the applicant, at its regularly scheduled meetings on October 11, 1989 and November 8, 1989. Mr. Tringali explained the proposal to the Planning Board members. Between the two meetings, a number of the Planning Board members visited the site. The Planning Board recommends against granting the zone change requested for several reasons. First, there is no zone in the Town of Mamaroneck which would permit the proposed use. As the applicant conceded, the closest would be the "RTA" zone, but substantial variances would be required. Next, the proposal is contrary to the Master Plan Update which was recently promulgated by the Planning Board. In particular, the Master Plan Update indicated that this area should be a "Service Business" zone, in which residential uses would not be permitted. The Board did indicate to Mr. Tringali that a smaller building on the site would receive better consideration. The Planning Board also C indicated that it was not, as a matter of principle, opposed to some mixed use business proposal for the site. The Planning Board was particularly concerned about the impact of a large structure upon the neighboring residential areas. C