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Final Draft Myrtle Boulevard Area Studey Existing Conditions, Parking, Traffic Flow, Streetscape and land Use Recomendations 4/1/1999
FINAL DRAFT MYRTLE BOULEVARD AREA STUDY EXISTING CONDITIONS, PARKING, TRAFFIC FLOW, STREETSCAPE AND LAND USE RECOMMENDATIONS Prepared for: TOWN OF MAMARONECK Prepared by: Ferrandino & Associates Inc. Planning and Development Consultants Elmsford, New York APRIL 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 2.0 MYRTLE BOULEVARD AREA OVERVIEW 2 3.0 EXISTING ZONING 4 3.1 R-TA (Residential— Tower Apartments) District 5 3.2 B (Business) District 5 3.3 BMUB (Business — Mixed Use Business) District 8 4.0 LAND USE SURVEY 9 4.1 R-TA (Residential— Tower Apartments) District 9 4.2 B (Business) District 12 4.3 BMUB (Business- Mixed Use Business) District 14 5.0 PARKING SURVEY 19 5.1 On-Street Parking Capacity (Metered and Non-Metered) 20 5.2 Off-Street Public Parking Capacity 22 5.3 Off-Street Private Parking Capacity 23 6.0 PARKING OCCUPANCY 25 6.1 On-Street Parking(Metered and Non-Metered) 25 6.2 Off-Street Public Parking 31 6.3 Off-Street Private Parking 33 6.4 Conclusion 34 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 7.0 AESTHETICS 35 7.1 Study Area Overview and Observations 35 7.2 Background and Planning Context 39 7.3 Aesthetics/Streetscape Opportunities 40 7.4 Vehicular Circulation 41 7.5 Parking Design and Layout 44 7.6 Pedestrian Links- Sidewalks and Crosswalks 44 7.7 Gateways and Directional Signage 47 7.8 Street Furniture and Streetscape Improvements 48 7.9 Conclusion 55 8.0 LAND USE and ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS 56 8.1 Public/Private Recreation Facility 57 8.2 Assisted Living Facility 58 8.3 Self-Storage Facility 60 8.4 Conclusion 61 9.0 SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION 62 9.1 Land Use and Zoning 62 9.2 Parking and Traffic 63 9.3 Aesthetics 64 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study UST OF ILLUSTRATIONS MAPS Map 1: Location of Study Area within the Town 2 Map 2: Study Area after page 3 Map 3: Existing Zoning after page 4 Map 4: On-Street Parking Capacity after page 20 Map 5: Off-Street Parking Capacity after page 22 Map 6: Inventory and Analysis of the Existing Conditions after page 39 Map 7: Opportunities and Constraints after page 40 Map 8: Illustrative Site Plan after page 41 PHOTOS Photo A: Larchmont Hills Apartments and Stonecrest Apartments 10 Photo B: 2 Madison Avenue 13 Photo C: Larchmont Shopping Center. 15 Photo D: 29 Maxwell Avenue. 16 Photo E: 33 Maxwell Avenue. 16 Photo F: 10 Byron Place (Moriarity Tree Service) 17 Photo G: 10 Byron Place (Moriarity Tree Service—shed/storage area) 18 Photo H : 10 Byron Place (Moriarity Tree Service—shed and service gate area) 18 Photo 1: View of Madison Avenue facing west 26 Photo J: Parking near 10 Byron Place 27 Photo K: North Chatsworth Avenue facing west from Myrtle Boulevard 28 Photo L: Washington Square facing south from North Chatsworth Avenue 29 Photo M: New Jefferson Street facing south from North Chatsworth Avenue 30 Photo N: View of Myrtle Boulevard facing south from Chatsworth Avenue . 36 Photo 0: Frontage at 170-172 Myrtle Boulevard 37 Photo P: Signage at Town Parking Lots. 38 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study TABLES Table 1: Total Parking Capacity of Study Area 19 Table 2: North Chatsworth Avenue (On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) 20 Table 3: New Jefferson Street(On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) 21 Table 4: Washington Square (On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) 21 Table 5: Myrtle Boulevard (On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) 21 Table 6: Madison Avenue (On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) 21 Table 7: Town of Mamaroneck Parking Permit Fees 23 Table 8: Myrtle Boulevard (On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) 25 Table 9: Madison Avenue (On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) 26 Table 10: North Chatsworth Avenue (On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) 28 Table 11: Washington Square (On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) 29 Table 12: New Jefferson Street(On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) 30 Table 13: Myrtle Blvd. Town Lot(Off-Street Permit Spaces Occupied) 31 Table 14: Myrtle Blvd. Town Lot(Off-Street Metered Spaces Occupied) 32 FIGURES Figure 1: Existing and Proposed Conditions of Myrtle Boulevard 42 Figure 2: Existing and Proposed Conditions of Chatsworth Avenue 43 Figure 3: Existing Conditions of Intersection 46 Figure 4: Proposed Design of Intersection 46 Figure 5: Proposed Intersection Between Myrtle Boulevard and Chatsworth Avenue. 47 Figure 6: Example of Street Sign/Lamp Design 48 Figure 7: Existing Bus Stop Layout 50 Figure 8: Proposed Bus Stop Layout 50 Figure 9: Photo of Typical Bus Bay Pullout Design 52 Figure 10: Conceptual Facade Improvements 54 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction Preparation of the Myrtle Boulevard Area Study was authorized by the Town of Mamaroneck to include the following: ❑ A land use survey of the Myrtle Boulevard Study Area, comprising the BMUB, B and R-TA zoning districts. ❑ A parking survey of the Study Area, including an inventory of parking capacity, and an assessment of parking usage during normal weekday business hours. ❑ Windshield survey of traffic, streetscape and signage. ❑ Preparation of a report, identifying existing conditions and providing recommendations with respect to zoning, parking, traffic flow and capital and aesthetic improvements. The Study Area abuts the Village of Larchmont and the City of New Rochelle in the southwestern quadrant of the Town. Existing Zoning and Land Use The zoning districts within the Study Area include the BMUB (Business — Mixed Use Business), B (Business), and R-TA (Residential — Tower Apartments). The R-TA District allows multi-family residences up to six (6) stories and professional offices for physician, dentist, etc. All of the buildings are multi-family residences, with some having professional offices on the ground floor. Most of the buildings predate the current zoning regulations, which were initially adopted in 1959. Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue comprise the B District. The zoning regulations allow retail, business or professional offices, municipal uses, and indoor recreation establishments as permitted principal uses. Currently, there are professional offices, a mix of retail stores to service the local area, and multi-family residences within the B District. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. i April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The BMUB District, located south of Madison Avenue, was created by the Town in 1990 to permit a mix of business and residential uses on large parcels. Currently, the mix of uses includes professional offices, a shopping center, a restaurant, three single family residences and, on the largest underdeveloped parcel, a non-conforming tree processing service use. Parking and Traffic IAn analysis of parking capacity was undertaken to determine how much is being used and where shortages exist in the Study Area. The inventory of parking included both on-street 111 and off-street parking spaces, public and privately owned, metered and non-metered. There is a total of 1,076 parking spaces within the Study Area, as shown on the following chart. On-Street Off-Street Off-Street On-Street Public Non- Oft-Street Non- Permit Metered Public Private TOTAL Street Metered Metered PARKING Parking Permit Parking Parking Parking SPACES 5 aces Spaces Parking S aces Spaces p Spaces P N. Chatsworth 44 0 0 0 397 441 Ave. Murray Ave. 16 0 0 0 0 16 Myrtle Blvd. 34 0 60 26 49 169 Byron PI. 4 0 0 0 30 34 Madison Ave. 19 0 0 0 126 145 Washington 29 0 0 0 138 167 Sq. New Jefferson 56 0 0 0 0 56 St. Maxwell Ave. 0 48 0 0 0 48 TOTAL 202 48 60 26 740 1076 All of the 250 on-street parking spaces are non-metered. There are 86 off-street public parking spaces, 26 of which are metered. Most of the off-street parking is private, owned by local businesses or reserved for residents of particular residential buildings. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. ii April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The parking survey was conducted during weekday business hours. It was concluded that on-street parking problems may occur during business hours, particularly on Myrtle Boulevard which anticipates higher parking demand with the renovation of a commercial building at 176 Myrtle Boulevard. Off-street parking is not utilized optimally since many residents with permits leave the area for extended periods of time. In the R-TA District, a potential problem arises because not all residents are provided on-site parking, causing spillover in the street. As indicated in our field surveys and at the public input meeting on November 10, 1998, traffic within the Study Area is not a volume issue, but one of safety and more efficient flow. Improved flow could be attained by the installation of capital improvements, including the redesign of the Town parking lots to maximize parking capacity, better signage and lighting, and constructing road dividers to calm traffic, making the roads safer for both drivers and pedestrians, especially the large elderly population which resides in the neighborhood. These recommended parking and traffic improvements tie in with aesthetic enhancements to both public and private properties. Streetscape and Aesthetics While the neighboring Village of Larchmont's business district has attractive storefronts, and distinctive signage and street lighting, the Study Area has no such uniformity in its building facades and street signs, and little in the way of decorative landscaping. The width of Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue does not allow for pedestrian-friendly crosswalks. Improved signage (public and private) and streetscape (lighting, curbs, sidewalks and street furniture) would permit the Study Area to develop its own identity as a place to shop and do business, all with a sense of safety and convenience. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. iii April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study New signage would help create "entree" into the Town. A combination of professional landscaping and strategically placed directional/welcome signs can create an identity for the entrances to the Town and the Study Area. For example, placing landscaped dividers on Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue would create a key gateway to the area, rather than simply being a road to Larchmont or back onto the New England Thruway. It would also allow for better landscaping in addition to calming traffic in the interest of local residents and other pedestrians. Slowing traffic down between the Thruway ramp and Larchmont provides safer street crossing for local residents and visitors; it can also help to develop the area into more of a destination to shop and visit. Redesigning the parking lots on Myrtle Boulevard would also contribute to an improved traffic flow and greater safety for pedestrians. Land Use and Zoning Recommendations The study recommends that the B (Business) and R-TA (Residential — Tower Apartments) districts remain unchanged. The BMUB (Business - Mixed Use Business), however, requires more focused uses in order to better utilize the properties within the district. Any new uses to be considered should be compatible with neighboring districts within the Study Area and positively contribute to the orderly development of the Myrtle Boulevard area. Accordingly, given traffic, parking and market constraints, we recommend that the Town allow the following new uses in the BMUB: ❑ public/private recreation facility • ❑ assisted living facility ❑ self-storage faci I ity Implementation Several steps need to be taken to implement the findings of this report. ❑ Parking and Traffic There is a perceived shortage of parking within the Study Area. In addition, with the volume of traffic coming through the Study Area, safety is a concern. Since Town parking lots are not used to their maximum capacity, the Town should review the permitting process to allow for shorter permit periods. In addition, Town parking lots on Myrtle Boulevard should be redesigned to maximize the number and configuration of parking spaces. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. iv April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 0 Aesthetics • The Study Area lacks uniformity in its building facades, street signs and lighting, and has little in the way of decorative landscaping. There are also pedestrian safety concerns, particularly across Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue. If the area qualifies for Federal assistance, a combination of Town bonding and Community Development Block Grant funds could be used to finance streetscape and aesthetic improvements such as landscaped dividers and new street lighting and signage. 0 Zoning Land use and zoning issues include appropriate uses to be allowed within the BMUB District and how they will affect the surrounding area. Recommended new uses within the BMUB District, either as-of-right or via special permit, include public-private recreation facilities, self-storage facilities, and assisted living facilities. If the Town Board concurs, text should be drafted to permit these uses as an amendment to the zoning code, and the appropriate environmental review undertaken. Existing permitted uses within the B and R-TA zoning districts would remain unchanged. I I Ferrandino & Associates Inc. v April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Town of Mamaroneck is seeking to re-evaluate its zoning regarding the uses and regulations for the BMUB (Business — Mixed Use Business) Zoning District in the Myrtle Boulevard area of the Town. On July 15, 1998, the Town Board authorized its consultants, Ferrandino & Associates Inc., Planning and Development Consultants of Elmsford, hereinafter referred to as the Consultant, to conduct a land use and zoning analysis of existing conditions in the area. The study will identify the need, if any, to consider the adoption of amended zoning provisions to encourage a mix of uses more in keeping with the character of the area, focusing primarily on vacant and underdeveloped sites. The study will also identify parking and traffic issues as they pertain to land use and zoning and examine the area's aesthetics. The analysis undertaken by the Consultant includes the following: 1) A land use survey of the area in and around the BMUB zoning district, including the R-TA (Residential — Tower Apartments) and B (Business) Districts. This includes identifying current land uses and zoning, as well as an inventory of parking, public and private, metered and non- metered, on and off-street. 2) Survey of parking usage in and around the BMUB zoning district, including a count of vehicles utilizing parking facilities throughout the study area at different times during normal weekday business hours. 3) Windshield survey of traffic, streetscape and signage. 4) Preparation of a report, including an analysis of whether existing land uses and parking are compatible with regulations currently in place in the zoning districts in which each property studied is located. There was also input from the public provided at a meeting on November 10, 1998 attended by Study Area residents, business and property owners, as well as the Town Supervisor, Town Board members and other Town officials and the Consultant. The following analysis identifies existing conditions in the BMUB zoning district and surrounding area and assesses the need to re-evaluate zoning regulations in order to provide for a more compatible mix of uses in the Study Area, as well as to recommend capital and aesthetic improvements to the area. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 1 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 2.0 MYRTLE BOULEVARD AREA OVERVIEW The Myrtle Boulevard Study Area is located in the southwest section of the Town of Mamaroneck (See Map 1 below). It has a variety of uses, including a mix of residential, retail and office, both in the Town of Mamaroneck and in the neighboring Village of Larchmont. The residents and businesses in the area readily identify with Larchmont, the most apparent indication of that being the shared zip code. The Metro-North station is also located off Chatsworth Avenue, just east of Myrtle Boulevard, but in the Village of Larchmont. Commuters to and from New York City and other points are a vital part of the area, whether they live or do business there. ,urina l idhuUU I } rryrowrl `-msfo7 (f r{-, n r 1 / Pur.frrr.�. 1 % t { m �rnngton` JGREENBUFG/-'P • / ` HARRISON i rye\ ' `1 Brook k i,•`'� Hill�.,.�.�� WHA , Cc= ,�lresre/ PLANS r• Port srry 11.........., I i Ch� \ est r �-_ , I. ` ( .1&= asungs; �SCARSCAI_ I an I £,iv,,.n/ r, 1 '''''• 4 RYE Cirri u�.nr l!'rrrn....r4 / / rucke), V�it VAMARZ AY1`' ( �r.,��i YONKERSBrtz-fei4 i NEW ROCNELL +Mamaneck Gm Cm,., 0 Syu.a. Caunrr .Firrnwwrl JC\ q _ 7ont S° MOUNT 4 am . VERNON T� N NFA, / S S\' 0 I, 1 O '" L _ , �G R •Y G�r► nor \� 0 7. _• �c II •• Scale in Mile Map 1: Location of Study Area within the Town. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 2 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Study Area The Study Area is generally characterized by the variety of uses in close proximity to each other. At the northern end is North Chatsworth Avenue from Myrtle Boulevard west to, but not including Adams Street, taking in all of the medium-density residential buildings in the area. Myrtle Boulevard from North Chatsworth Avenue southward parallels the Town parking lot that abuts the New England Thruway (I- 95). This area comprises the eastern edge of the Study Area. Turning right at the end of Myrtle Boulevard, Madison Avenue is within the Study Area. The north side of the Avenue was studied up to Fifth Avenue, which leads to the City of New Rochelle. On the south side is the BMUB zoning district, along with Byron Place and Maxwell Avenue, two dead end streets on which the end of the street is the southern boundary of the Study Area. See Map 2 on the following page. The Myrtle Boulevard Study Area is a short distance from the Village of Larchmont and its retail districts. The Village is separated from the Study Area by the New England Thruway, the major highway in the area, with pedestrian access limited to the Chatsworth Avenue Thruway overpass. Crossing over the Thruway on Chatsworth Avenue and passing the Metro-North station, the Larchmont retail center parallels the Thruway along Palmer Avenue. This business district services local needs as well as rail commuters. The Metro-North station and commuters present the potential for traffic and parking problems in the Study Area. In addition, many of the residential buildings in the area do not provide parking, forcing tenants to make other provisions, either on or off-street. A variety of activities, including people working in offices, going to the gym, and frequenting stores and restaurants, contribute to the parking situation in the Study Area. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 3 April 1999 \.‘ IV / .'' 2', \ ., \\ 7V \ . C:'' 1-I'• \ \ se.‘ 0 itk ‘ I: r . _i- ee- \i':\ ''-'.. . •S- -11,, N / s \ \ .... — IL \ . ,. s 0 * \ \ ' \ . k /0 0.( ' I \\ .--•'- 0 \ ,- ' z c'c` \ \ \ AN • \\ .\ . ,v,,x4V \ '.. ,c)\, - METRO N ORTH C.,`" _.---. --" ,:„ ,- -•;,1---- RAILROAD STATION :i ,.,.1 -°\ \• , .N \ve?....c\,,x, \# \ , .1•1 \ is i 7 Cl\- ., - ' --77-\--\ ,- , 0% / '. \ 14P" ---- 10111 lov0-1 . - / I \ , __. s.‘„IG‘,' app i' go'LE � Myrtle Boulevard Study Area JUDY AREA /= Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Surrounding Area To the north and west of the Study Area are the low density residential areas of the Town of Mamaroneck, which also identify with Larchmont and share its zip code. Other business and light industrial uses are located to the south of the Study Area. The Town of Mamaroneck has a Highway Department garage as well as an incinerator in the area. The incinerator is not currently in use. To the south and west is the City of New Rochelle, accessible from Fifth Avenue from the south end of the Study Area. While most uses in the Study Area, encompassing three (3) zoning districts, are compatible, there are areas which are incompatible, either over or underdeveloped or characterized by inappropriate land uses. This study will take existing land uses into account to determine what types of uses would be appropriate for future development in the area. In addition, the issue of parking, if there is a problem and who is affected, will be addressed when considering how to best utilize potentially developable land in the area. 3.0 EXISTING ZONING The purpose of this section is to describe what is permitted under zoning in the Study Area. The zoning districts include the R-TA (Residential — Tower Apartments), B (Business), and BMUB (Business — Mixed Use Business) Districts. See Map 3 on the following page showing existing zoning. The streets within the Study Area surveyed include: • Myrtle Boulevard south of North Chatsworth Avenue • Madison Avenue up to Fifth Avenue • North Chatsworth Avenue within the R-TA district • Washington Square • New Jefferson Street • Maxwell Avenue and Byron Place Only those properties located within the districts listed above were surveyed for this study. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 4 April 1999 1 A \ . -. \ y . 1 \ i • . \. ‘„ \s, _ / 1 I,Z \ \ \ _. . . \ ,, , .., \ ,,, z . ..., \ . ,„ \, \ w /1 , -a\ \ 9%. \ _ R—TA - -74,,t \ i., ‘ ... , 0 ' .\\\: \ --- \ . \''' .. TA, . __,' , .. , ,,z, Q, ,...\ . .. z: < , , . , . 0 , 4. . .,.. , ,. ‘ 0 1 \ ....__---- .. "i7 ..--'" -I- • '‘. i\ '• ,/.--\ , _.-)--.. B \. \ ,,,,/\ * \ „. „„so B ---- , i .cx\cl- z- -3 . \ 40 ..., - . ,,,,c) \---- , z. \-\y S' ,.. \O \ , \ : MUB . . ,>\'` , '\# ( 2 , \ \ „or- v. 1.0-"cL , \ ,keNs'G , 1 _____________ ...-: MAP 3:1 � / � /, ' � Myrtle Boulevard Study Area k\\.\..\ ,. ZONING/ �ISTRIGTS• VP _ 8c AssoCiat'es Inc. April 1999 _ Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 3.1 R-TA (Residential— Tower Apartments) District The Town of Mamaroneck defines the R-TA District as part of the zoning ordinance adopted June 29, 1959. Residential district uses have been amended three (3) times, on January 5, 1960, April 17, 1963 and July 16, 1986. Bulk and dimensional requirements were adopted with the original ordinance. Parking requirements for district uses have been amended three (3) times, on April 17, 1963, April 4, 1990 and July 20, 1994. The R-TA District is the most restrictive district within the Study Area, entirely made up of apartment buildings. Its permitted principal uses are one family dwellings, residential dwellings for more than two (2) families, churches and other places of worship, public elementary and high schools, water supply facilities and professional offices of a physician, dentist, architect, engineer or similar professional person. Permitted special uses are identical to other residential districts, including parochial and private elementary schools, nursery schools, nonprofit membership clubs, public utility substations and municipal uses, not including dumps or incinerators. Accessory uses allowed in the R-TA District are similar to other residential districts in the Town, but also include self-service laundry for use of residents of apartment buildings. 3.2 B (Business) District The B District is located on Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue. The district was adopted in 1959 as part of the zoning ordinance under Chapter 240-30. On February 17, 1963, signs, exterior spotlighting and other illumination of buildings were permitted as an accessory use. Nursery use for the sale of plants, supplies, fertilizers and incidental supplies was added as a special use on May 5, 1976. Restaurants are currently a special use, subject to zoning text amendments approved by the Town Board in 1998. Another amendment dated April 4, 1990 repealed motor vehicles sale or hire as a permitted principal use and eliminated gas stations, garages and automatic car-washing facilities as special uses. Bulk and dimensional requirements were amended on April 4, 1990, setting minimum width at front setback line at one hundred and fifty (150) feet. Parking requirements for district uses have been amended three (3) times, on April 17, 1963, April 4, 1990 and July 20, 1994 respectively. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 5 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The permitted principal uses include the following: • Store for sale of goods at retail or performance of customary personal services or service clearly incidental to retail sales but no fabrication or manufacturing except incidental and on the same premises with such retail sales. The hours of operation for all retail uses shall be from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. • Indoor recreation or amusement establishments. • Business or professional offices. • Municipal uses. • Public utility structures serving a local area. Special permit uses allowed within the B District are as follows: • Radio, television and other electronic transmission structures and towers. • Motels and hotels. • Veterinary hospital, boarding and care of small pets. • Undertaking and funeral homes. • Newspaper printing and publishing. • Nursery use for the sale of plants, trees, shrubbery, nursery stock, seeds, nursery supplies, fertilizers, soil conditioners, garden hand tools and accessories and gardener's masonry and incidental supplies (fruits, vegetables and food not permitted). The land shall be sixty thousand (60,000) square feet or more if used for nursery business purposes. • Food-related retail uses are subject to special permit standards. The hours of operation shall be limited to between 6:00 a.m. and midnight unless controlled by State Law: • Restaurants, as defined in the zoning ordinance, shall have a minimum setback from a fully-enclosed trash disposal area associated with a food-related retail use and an adjacent residential property line shall be twenty-five (25) feet. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 6 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study • Take-out food establishments, delicatessens or convenience stores shall not be located within three hundred (300) feet of the lot line of any such use or any legal and/or legal non-conforming food-related retail uses within or outside the boundaries of the Town. Drive through service is prohibited and access to all food-related retail uses shall be through a major arterial. These establishments shall be subject to the same minimum setback from a fully-enclosed trash disposal area as listed above for restaurants. Site plan approval is required for a building and/or parking expansion, seating capacity increase and/or signage change. Any non-conforming fast-food establishment, as defined in the ordinance, which seeks to convert to a co-branded' fast-food establishment, shall require a use variance. • Supermarkets must have a minimum lot size of three and one-half (3.5) acres. Such use shall not be located within three hundred (300) feet of the lot line of any other such use. • Grocery stores shall have a gross floor area of not more than five thousand (5,000) square feet. • Ice cream/confectionery stores, cafeterias and luncheonettes. Permitted accessory uses include any accessory building or use customarily incidental to a permitted use, signs or other illumination of buildings as permitted by Chapter 106, Fire Prevention and Building Construction, and mechanical amusement devices. Said devices are subject to conditions, including receipt of a license as per Chapter 55. No more than two (2) mechanical amusement devices shall be used for any permitted principal use, and no mechanical amusement device shall be permitted within six hundred (600) feet of a church, school or playground. Co-branding — The expansion of an existing fast food establishment use, as defined, or portion thereof which is not incidental or subordinate to the principal use, but rather co-exists as a similar principal use on the same lot and within the same building (Section 240-4 — Definitions of the Code of the Town of Mamaroneck). Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 7 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 3.3 BMUB (Business— Mixed Use Business) District The purpose of the BMUB District, as outlined in Chapter 240-25, is to permit a mixture of business and residential uses on large parcels, the latter subject to special permit provisions. This district was added to the zoning ordinance on April 4, 1990. The permitted principal uses are identical to those allowed in the B District. Special permit uses, as outlined in Chapter 240-25D, are the same as those defined in the B District, adding mixed use developments, provided there is a minimum of 80,000 square feet available and subject to site plan approval by the Planning Board. Mixed use developments may include multi-family dwellings, business and professional offices, and retail stores, personal service establishments and restaurants. Residences are not a permitted use in the district and are only allowed by special permit as part of a mixed use development. In the BMUB District, only restaurants, defined in the zoning ordinance, are allowed by special permit. No other food-related retail establishment can be approved as a permitted or special use. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 8 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 4.0 LAND USE SURVEY The purpose of this section is to review existing land uses juxtaposed against what is permitted under zoning within the Study Area. The Consultant conducted land use surveys on July 31, 1998. Outlined below are observations based upon this field work. All data have been noted in this section, divided by zoning district. 4.1 R-TA (Residential— Tower Apartments) District The area studied focuses on properties that front North Chatsworth Avenue and Washington Square. All of the land uses within the district are permitted uses. North Chatsworth Avenue is a two-way street, generally laid out in an easterly-westerly direction. Washington Square is a one way street going southbound. The maximum height allowed is six (6) stories and seventy (70) feet. On the north side of North Chatsworth Avenue there are two (2) multi-family residential structures. Both of these properties comprise Chatsworth Gardens, located at 14 and 16 North Chatsworth Avenue. Each structure is seven (7) stories tall. Their primary use is residential. As allowed by the zoning code, each structure has professional offices located on the ground floor. The residences at 14 and 16 North Chatsworth Avenue are condominiums. On the ground floor, there is a dentist office with an entrance on the Murray Avenue side of the building. The 16 North Chatsworth Avenue building is owned by the 16 North Chatsworth Avenue Corporation. There is a dentist office on the North Chatsworth Avenue side of the building. The 16 North Chatsworth Avenue Corporation owns the ninety-nine (99) space parking lot with access from North Chatsworth Avenue. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 9 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The south side of North Chatsworth Avenue has three (3) multi-family residential structures. The Larchmont Hills Apartments at 17 North Chatsworth Avenue, located between Myrtle Boulevard and Washington Square, is seven (7) stories. The property is a co-op and is owned by the Larchmont Hills Owners Corporation. In addition, there are two (2) professional offices located at ground floor level, a doctor's office with an entrance on Washington Square, an architectural firm, and a facilities management and consulting firm with an entrance on Myrtle Boulevard. The only private parking area for the building is accessible from Washington Square and contains eleven (11) spaces. , 0 sr. e '1 1- . , ) IG 7 is;Ili 1411 ' 19 1 t:. I i r► �,�► - '... _ w "feta ".',.h.4 IAF Photo A: Larchmont Hills Apartments and Stonecrest Apartments. 17 North Chatsworth Ave. (Larchmont Hills Apts.) on left. 21 North Chatsworth Ave.(Stonecrest Apts.) on right. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 10 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Stonecrest Apartments, located at 21 North Chatsworth Avenue, between Washington Square and New Jefferson Street, is a 7 story residential building. The building is a co-op owned by the 21 North Chatsworth Owners Corporation. Although there are no professional offices in the building at this time, offices have been and could operate in the building. On the west side of the building adjacent to New Jefferson Street, there is a private outdoor parking area accessible from North Chatsworth Avenue containing 35 private parking spaces. In addition, the building also has a garage with 19 parking spaces. Carlton House is a condominium complex located at 35 North Chatsworth Avenue, west of New Jefferson Avenue. The building is 6 stories high, the only structure in the R-TA district conforming to the height limit in stories since it was built in 1988. There are no professional offices located in the building. The site has a private residential parking lot containing 204 parking spaces, including 13 parking spaces for the handicapped. This is the largest parking lot, private or public, in the Study Area. Carlton House also has a garage within the main building. Washington Square consists of 3 residential structures, numbered 1, 2 and 3 respectively. All three buildings are seven (7) stories tall. Rental apartments are available in 2 Washington Square, while 1 and 3 Washington Square are co-op apartments owned by Carlshire Tenants Inc. Only 3 Washington Square has a professional office, a doctor's office at ground level on the south side of the building. On the southwest corner of Washington Square and Madison Avenue, there is a private residential parking lot for 1 and 3 Washington Square. The lot has 3 levels, 2 indoor with 74 parking spaces and 1 outdoor, on top of the garage, with 36 parking spaces, for a total of 110 parking spaces. The garage at 2 Washington Square has 48 parking spaces. In addition, there are 9 parking spaces located on the north side of 2 Washington Square, and 13 parking spaces behind the building with access from Myrtle Boulevard. All of the properties in the district conform to the land use requirements of the R-TA District. All of the residential structures except Carlton House are 7 stories high, exceeding the 6 story height limit. These buildings may, however, not exceed the 70 foot height limit. Carlton House is the newest structure in the R-TA District, having been built in 1988. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 11 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Parking regulations for multiple dwellings require one (1) space for a studio, one and one-half (1.5) spaces for a one-bedroom, two (2) spaces for a two- bedroom and two and one-half (2.5) spaces for a three-bedroom. With 204 spaces, Carlton House may be in compliance with that regulation, whereas some of the other buildings fall short of the regulations that were adopted after the properties were developed. 4.2 B (Business) District The Business District is comprised of properties located on Myrtle Boulevard south of North Chatsworth Avenue and the north side of Madison Avenue from Myrtle Boulevard to New Jefferson Street. Both streets are two-way thoroughfares. On the western side of Myrtle Boulevard, 168-170 Myrtle Boulevard is a two (2) story commercial and residential building. The commercial property is located on the ground floor, comprised of four (4) storefronts, each with separate entrances. Three (3) of the stores are currently occupied, including Peter's Variety (stationary store), Gokos Hair International (hair salon) and a laundry and dry cleaning establishment. The residences are not a permitted principal or special permit use in the district. The stores are a permitted principal use in the district. There is no parking provided on the property. A non-conforming six (6) story residential building is located at 172 Myrtle Boulevard. This building is a co-op residence owned by the 172 Myrtle Boulevard Apartment Corporation. There are no storefronts at ground level, nor is there any off-street parking on the property. The parking lot adjacent to the building is used by 2 Washington Square, the residential building directly behind this property. The property at 176 Myrtle Boulevard, a one (1) story commercial building with three (3) storefronts, has recently been renovated. When the area was surveyed, the property had become overgrown with weeds and appeared to be an eyesore. The building provides additional commercial space on Myrtle Boulevard to serve the surrounding area. There is no parking available on the property, creating a potential parking problem on Myrtle Boulevard. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 12 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study According to the Town of Mamaroneck Assessor's Office, there are two owners of the office building at 178 Myrtle Boulevard. Coughlin Group Insurance, whose name appears on the building exterior, is listed as the owner of the second floor. BRW Construction Corporation of Greenwich, CT is listed as the owner of the first floor. The two-story building contains parking at ground level partially sheltered by the second floor. The use is permitted since it is a business. There are thirty-six (36) parking spaces on the property, including two (2) spaces for the handicapped. On the northwest corner of Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue, 2 Madison Avenue is a two (2) story office building owned by Clock Tower Associates of Larchmont, NY, as shown in Photo B. Tenants in the building include the Allen J. Flood Companies (separate entrance on Madison Avenue), Chedworth Publishing and Art Gallery, a vitamin shipping company and a doctor's office. There are thirteen (13) parking spaces behind the building, located at Madison Avenue and Washington Square. r tr� � v Cil • - a i:'ruaoaaa�ay ' *yi �� �•41; a iuav� aaaaaa aa • .4-'61.. :�• • /rte if 14 V � I, rip 11* • T7=' Photo 8: 2 Madison Avenue Office Building. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 13 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The eastern side of Myrtle Boulevard consists of parking lots. The Town of Mamaroneck owns a municipal lot with both metered and non-metered permit parking. There are sixty (60) off-street non-metered permit parking spaces and twenty-six (26) off-street metered parking spaces available. In addition, there is a Town of Mamaroneck Police kiosk located at the northern end of the parking lot, at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Chatsworth Avenue. On the eastern side of Byron Place, located south of the corner of Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue, there is a private off-street parking lot with thirty (30) spaces. This lot is owned and used by Coughlin Group Insurance, located at 178 Myrtle Boulevard. Non-conforming legal residential uses in the district are located on Myrtle Boulevard near North Chatsworth Avenue. There is also a significant amount of vacancies in the commercial storefront properties on Myrtle Boulevard, although 176 Myrtle Boulevard, with three (3) vacant storefronts, is being renovated and the owners are seeking commercial tenants. The office buildings and the municipal parking lot are permitted principal uses conforming to the standards of the B District. 4.3 BMUB (Business- Mixed Use Business) District Many of the properties in this district have non-conforming uses. This includes the residences on Maxwell Avenue and the Moriarity Tree Service at 10 Byron Place. The Madison Avenue properties within the BMUB District conform to the permitted principal and special uses allowed in this district and in the B District on the other side of Madison Avenue. There is a variety of uses scattered throughout the BMUB District. The area is comprised of properties on the west side of Byron Place, the south side of Madison Avenue between Byron Place and Maxwell Avenue, and the east side of Maxwell Avenue. Byron Place ends at the Larchmont Water Supply water tanks and pumping station. Maxwell Avenue is a dead end street that provides access to Town property in the Light Industrial District south of the BMUB District. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 14 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The variety of uses is obvious on the south side of Madison Avenue. On the corner of Byron Place and Madison Avenue, there is a two (2) story office building containing a women's health clinic and dentist office. There is parking on the property, ten (10) spaces with access from Byron Place. A professional office is a permitted principal use in the BMUB District. The next property is a T-shaped lot owned and used by 2 Madison Avenue, located across the street. The parking lot has forty-nine (49) spaces and has an entrance on Madison Avenue and an exit on Byron Place. This lot serves as an accessory use for 2 Madison Avenue, which is in the B District, but the same accessory use regulations apply for this property. LaVilletta Restaurant is at 7 Madison Avenue, and is a full service restaurant as defined in the zoning ordinance. As per the food-related retail regulations adopted earlier this year, the restaurant is permitted as a special use. This is a one (1) story building and serves as a sit-down restaurant. There are five (5) off-street parking spaces for this property. The Larchmont Shopping Center, as shown in Photo C, is located at 15 Madison Avenue on the corner of Maxwell Avenue. There are three (3) storefronts located on the property, including Tennyson Dry Cleaners, Jay's Wines and Liquors and Total Fitness Center, a health club. All are permitted uses within the BMUB District. The shopping center parking lot has forty- nine (49) spaces, including two (2) for the handicapped. • 4P .22L- , ►- �•' sOria .. L 'M dog '", t .5 _ � - i ISN CL S _ .,..r u - y xrN yn. F - w Photo C: Larchmont Shopping Center. 15 Madison Avenue. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 15 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The Maxwell Avenue section of the BMUB District has three (3) residences, all of which are non-conforming uses in the district. There is a one-family residence at 27 Maxwell Avenue, a three-family, two-story residence at 29 Maxwell Avenue, and a two-family home at 33 Maxwell Avenue. All of these buildings are owned by the same family. These are the only residences located in the BMUB District. Photos D and E show two of the homes located on Maxwell Avenue. --� a 'Nair, v il �, Photo D: 29 Maxwell Avenue. ' 4 w. INN �l .,..,::•-i, 77.-7." "-,"::4•44'-'fi t^:-4.• a. ✓," 1..1 ,._.. g;,.••••7'-'..4.10- 06y.---- lit sc • - . • .. r,.•3•3••.••--. .%iti*.n-mew .' ,.: Photo E: 33 Maxwell Avenue. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 16 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Moriarity Tree Service, a non-conforming use at 10 Byron Place, has a yard for equipment storage and disposal of trees and tree parts. (See Photos F, G, and H) The property has a front yard width of 250 feet and a lot depth of 135 feet, approximately. At 33,750 square feet, this lot does not meet the minimum site area requirement of 80,000 square feet to consider mixed-use development as outlined in Chapter 240-25 of the zoning ordinance. There is a business office and work sheds throughout the property. The use does not fit the definition of nursery use. A special permit use may be obtained for a nursery use for the sale of plants, trees, shrubbery, nursery stock, seeds, nursery supplies, fertilizers, soil conditioners, garden hand tools and accessories and gardener's masonry and incidental supplies. Of all the uses in the Study Area, this underdeveloped property is the most incompatible. Its use dates back to 1951, before much of the Study Area was developed, and preceding the current zoning for the area. . s., ••'!". Nwit A , -r. � ";,�",1-. ...• •fir�.t.y,. _ _ +..' �• - - .+y`��.__^. m 'may k• . Photo F: 10 Byron Place (Moriarity Tree Service). Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 17 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study r R • 7 's,. fir. e' ..0, + {.1'. � `It• .� . � $' .. r t . -,k, 41-4 y `• r e- �y t it 'i^ t s'* .w.t.. + A. .,. .. .`r• AN.,A.y _ r, 1 .. i / }.. V ,rte r r„ c F ,31 .. `,s _ r, VI VV - rw*� r•3• 0. T -$ .... 07. • •sr .rr. , N,y t vs}„ ' .. rte. • t..,,,..'.4"-. ',V? ..q__ I .. r "' Photo G: 10 Byron Place(Moriarity Tree Service—shed/storage area). r. 4. ,. ,„ • .- • .. „..�TYt. �.'tet m+• 4. . .. . ' 144,, - e,' & itis� � �: �'� t��►�' r ..�,,a l' .6. ".tF• ,-.F, _ r Photo H: 10 Byron Place(Moriarity Tree Service—shed and service gate area). Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 18 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 5.0 PARKING SURVEY The purpose of the parking survey is to ascertain how much of the Study Area's parking capacity is being used and where potential shortages may exist, both under existing zoning and potentially under amended zoning. Parking capacity was also part of the survey conducted by the Consultant on August 4, 1998. This included on and off-street as well as public and private parking lots. An additional spot-check was done on August 27, 1998. Outlined below are observations based upon this field work. All data have been noted on Maps 4 and 5 indicating each location of parking area and capacity, as well as on Tables 1 through 7. As noted in Table 1 below, there is a total of 1,076 parking spaces within the Study Area. Table 1:Total Parking Capacity of Study Area I Ott-Street On-Street rf-Street i OnNein ,Street Public None Off-Street i* Public I I'AL Permit Metered Private Street. i Metered metered t I PARKING Parking ParkingPermit Parking I Permit , kin SPACES I Spaces I Parking k I 5le �s 1 I Spaces Spaes I p°, Sr paces I N. Chatsworth 44 0 0 0 397 441 Ave. Murray Ave. 16 0 0 0 0 16 Myrtle Blvd. 34 0 60 26 49 169 Byron PI. 4 0 0 0 30 34 Madison Ave. 19 0 0 0 126 145 Washington 29 0 0 0 138 167 Sq. New Jefferson 56 0 0 0 0 56 St. Maxwell Ave. 0 48 0 0 0 48 TOTAL 202 48 60 26 740 1076 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 19 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 5.1 On-Street Parking Capacity(Metered and Non-Metered) There is a total of 250 on-street parking spaces2. Map 4 on the following page illustrates the on-street parking capacity and traffic flow. Each section notes the capacity in parentheses and the time restrictions. Arrows indicate the direction of traffic flow. North Chatsworth Avenue has on-street non-metered parking on both sides of the street, subject to a three (3) hour limit from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Table 2: North Chatsworth Avenue(On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) ,North;Chatsworth„ .enue _i;_ Padang'Spaces'', North Side 16 South Side 28 TOTAL 44 Along Murray Avenue's south side, adjacent to Chatsworth Gardens apartment building, there are six (6) parking spaces, including two (2) for the handicapped. On the north side up to the park, there are ten (10) parking spaces. This parking is also subject to a three (3) hour limit. Parking on New Jefferson Street is non-metered and prohibited northbound on Tuesdays and southbound on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Washington Square parking is limited to one (1) hour from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. daily. The reason for this restriction is to discourage commuters from parking on these streets in order to board commuter trains at the nearby Larchmont Metro North Station. New Jefferson Street has a concrete median in the middle of the road and all traffic parks alongside the median, in both directions. 2 On-street overnight parking is permitted on North Chatsworth Avenue and Washington Square. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 20 April 1999 AAP 4: \ \ / N���� _, .. ,, ‘,,,,, 3 Hour(1\2) ? (\' \ \ •ke 4 V\ \ IQ /1 il'S-o 1% \ \ 44 \ %.0 16<1. .. ,\\ :, /I ----. \ \ . lir__ \VS N 'Po, \ k ', , \41 \/•• , . AV N ,,.. '\\\ , , \ ' \;)\\, . , ) \ ' .. . 3 Hour (10) \,\ . <,.3y' , • ,t,Ip . \ ----- % . 'VI_ . - Ns: \ -\ A6pr `.?Y'e(1-2; c<` s \ 401,0 . \ \ \ ,,,, . 5‘..1,0 4 N--- ti \ 'cx\. - s ' 4 \A <I^ ‘ • ---.'\)\" •14'c'-o44(\41‘<v° 1"--'- \. \ ../ • Nkil\\ s . ,. \,),o ----7/ -- ,z7 . /\ ,, \ 5,._ , ‘ . Myrtle Boulevard Study Area LNR-SKTINRGEEcTApAciTy / Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Table 3: New Jefferson Street(On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) eirtO*IenelSOR. .....E ra rktng SpateOnts Southbound 28 Northbound 28 TOTAL 56 Washington Square has fewer on-street parking spaces available. Table 4: Washington Square(On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) 114414is .5 Oet'i pac+ t. West Side 10 East Side 19 TOTAL 29 Myrtle Boulevard has on-street non-metered parking on the east and west sides of the street, subject to a three (3) hour time limit from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Table 5:Myrtle Boulevard(On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) West Side 18 East Side 16 TOTAL 34 Madison Avenue has on-street non-metered parking limited to a three (3) hour period from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Table 6:Madison Avenue(On-Street Non-Metered Parking Spaces) !r� . s,. :,amu North Side 10 South Side 9 TOTAL 19 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 21 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Across from the residences on Maxwell Avenue, there are parking spaces divided between permit holders and Town employees who work at the Town Highway Department facility located at the end of Maxwell Avenue. The twenty (20) spaces closest to Madison Avenue are reserved for permit holders. The parking area is intended for local business employees, who must show proof of employment in the Town of Mamaroneck. The remaining twenty-eight (28) spaces are for Town employees, specifically those who work at the Town of Mamaroneck Highway Department located just south of Maxwell Avenue. Overnight parking in all spaces requires a permit from the Town. On-street parking on Byron Place is limited to four (4) spaces on the east side near an off-street private parking lot owned and used by the Coughlin Group. The restrictions throughout the study area are intended to make commuter parking more prohibitive and allow on-street parking for residents or those who are doing business in the study area. 5.2 Off-Street Public Parking Capacity There is a total of 86 off-street metered and non-metered public parking spaces in the Study Area. Off-street parking is shown on Map 5, following this page, indicating location and capacity. Most of the off-street parking in the Study Area is private. The public off-street parking is mostly by permit, issued by the Town Clerk's office on a yearly or quarterly basis. These permits are intended for residents and individuals who are employed within the Town of Mamaroneck. Only twenty-six (26) spaces are accessible to the public through meters on a daily basis. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 22 April 1999 t-------Th .-. \ / • \ , SJ`� 204 \\ , \ A\ :, v. \ \ 0 54 1611,, \ \ /1 7i ' . -,‘, \ . .\- t - \ ? 1 1 0 ' 0 • ' \ , 9 >C ( , \ ... ill, ,....- -7 4:8,.7....--•'\ '' \ �� 049 � 13/\ 36 \ -N11"' 13 \44000.1°........... 4...i7o 0 _______ _4„.„ ,\- \ 5 \ . 2 6 / .<?\'‘- ‘.1\''*44 _ * 40 14 MAP 5: ,,--- Myrtle Boulevard Study Area � / lir FF-STREET yc ARKIrvGCaPAclry Q _�. < < a • Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The Town of Mamaroneck owns two parking areas, lots #3 and #4, on the east side of Myrtle Boulevard, adjacent to the New England Thruway. It is the only off-street parking area in the district that has metered spaces available. There are twenty-six (26) metered spaces, each allowing up to four (4) hours of parking and costing $.25 per hour. In addition, the other spaces are non-metered but subject to permit from the Town. Sixty (60) spaces in the lot require use of a permit. There are two types of permits available from the Town: 24-hour and overnight. The 24-hour permit is limited to lot #3, closest to North Chatsworth Avenue. Senior citizens receive a discount on the yearly rate. Overnight permits apply to lot #4, located south of the metered parking, near Byron Place. All other off-street parking in the Study Area is private. Table 7:Town of Mamaroneck Parking Permit Fees 7 vwn arlun Caf :.i-,. >i*. � g' ,; egVr 'kirt-'i,7. te�r1e�� �crar�erty 24-hour Permit $250.00 $74.00 24-hour Permit-Senior Citizen Rate $175.00 $74.00 Overnight Permit $125.00 $40.00 Overnight Permit-Senior Citizen Rate $85.00 $40.00 5.3 Off-Street Private Parking Capacity There is a total of 740 off-street private parking spaces in the Study Area. The location of these spaces is shown on Map 5. With the exception of 14 North Chatsworth Avenue, the residences in the R- TA District provide some parking spaces. A parking lot with 99 parking spaces is owned by 16 North Chatsworth Avenue, providing parking for residents. Carlton House, a condominium at 35 North Chatsworth Avenue, has 204 parking spaces. As the newest residential building in the district, built in 1988, it most closely conforms with existing parking regulations. Two residential buildings, 1 and 3 Washington Square, share a three story parking garage at the corner of Washington Square and Madison Avenue, totaling 110 parking spaces. There is also another parking garage for 2 Washington Square with 48 parking spaces. The other apartment buildings in the R-TA District have smaller parking allotments. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 23 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study On the west side of the Stonecrest Apartments, facing New Jefferson Street, there are thirty-five (35) spaces. The Larchmont Hills Apartments at 17 North Chatsworth has an eleven (11) space lot with access from Washington Square. There are nine (9) outdoor spaces available next to 2 Washington Square, as well as thirteen (13) spaces accessible from Myrtle Boulevard. The Coughlin Group Insurance office, at 178 Myrtle Boulevard, has two lots, one on its property containing thirty-six (36) spaces, and another on Byron Street containing thirty (30) spaces. The office at 2 Madison Avenue uses a lot on Madison Avenue across the street from its offices. The lot contains forty-nine (49) spaces. In addition, the property has thirteen (13) spaces adjacent to its building that are accessible from Washington Square. Each of the properties on the south side of Madison Avenue has off-street parking. The Larchmont Shopping Center has forty-nine (49) spaces, LaVilletta Restaurant has five (5) spaces behind its building, and the offices at 1 Madison Avenue have ten (10) spaces. Map 5 shows the location of all off-street parking facilities, both public and private. At each location, the number of spaces is shown. Metered space total is shown in italics. Non-metered space total is shown in bold. Town-owned non-metered space total is underlined. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 24 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 6.0 PARKING OCCUPANCY Parking occupancy in the Study Area was surveyed by the Consultant on August 4, 1998. Surveys were conducted at various times of the day, ranging from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This included on and off-street as well as public and private parking lots and garages, wherever access was possible. Outlined below are observations based upon this field work. All data have been noted in Tables 8 through 14 and Photos I through M indicating location of parking area and occupancy. Our survey has concluded that on-street parking problems may occur, especially during business hours. On-street parking on Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue will be utilized more with the opening of new businesses at 176 Myrtle Boulevard, as well as double parking when parking is not available. In addition, offices and retail stores in the area appear to have adequate off-street parking. The lots are not utilized optimally since many residents who buy annual parking permits leave the area for an extended period of time or park closer to their apartments. The other potential parking problem is in the R-TA District, where on-street spaces are usually filled and many of the residential buildings do not provide adequate parking facilities on-site to suit their tenants' needs. 6.1 On-Street Parking(Metered and Non-Metered) On Myrtle Boulevard, both sides of the street are limited to three (3) hours of parking from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. At 7:30 a.m., there were only four (4) cars parked on the west side of the street and seven (7) on the east side. From 10:30 a.m. throughout the afternoon, more cars were parked on both sides, as shown in Table 8. Offices in the area were not open during the early morning hours, reflecting the reduced number of parked cars on Myrtle Boulevard. Table 8: Myrtle Boulevard(On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) Time West West Side East Side Pct. East Side Pct. Side Spaces Spaces Surveyed Occupied Spaces Occupied Spaces Occupied Occupied 7:30 a.m. 18 4 22% 16 4 25% 11:00 a.m 18 14 78% 16 15 94% 2:00 p.m. 18 16 89% 16 14 88% 5:30 p.m. 18 15 83% 16 14 88% Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 25 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Madison Avenue on-street parking is also restricted to a three (3) hour limit from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Parking capacity is ten (10) vehicles on the north side and nine (9) on the south side. Around 7:30 a.m., there was only one (1) parked vehicle on the street, reflecting the area businesses not being open yet. As on Myrtle Boulevard, parking demand increases during the day when local offices and businesses are open, as shown in Table 9. This demand is constant throughout the day in spite of the three (3) hour time limit on parking. Table 9: Madison Avenue(On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) 1 `'r i.e .s ' , our. South SJiue Biit a t••t 1(e Y pct » � y � }�dCes �� L. .a- .� 7 Surveyed , spaces. Occu ie{ 1 lccupie• „,spices:-.,�s , • ,: Occupied cCCipt �E.,4,, .' a3Am:.,-,„4-,K:....- ..h. �' Y r 3° t r .;',, s' °i to -'?..,. � .e; ..:mom>.,�=-.�..� �r=�'„�x.w.k,Pr'. »,r.� s,a,�.•,+1,.... o F 7:30 a.m. 10 1 10% 9 0 0% 11:00 a.m 10 9 90% 9 4 44% 2:00 p.m. 10 9 90% 9 5 56% 5:30 p.m. 10 5 5001u 9 1 11 1ta _fir �# !-"-j 1 ,, , t,,•or- .i ,tt'!. - ,4 . IK i s r,.. ` �r 4r : • ,� +}1 V: ,� •..,-Z.,--, r Ort— y �.c. a.• — - $'-eye e�Ylk' "4,3” s: J - - vof _ - --- - y.__4 : 5+...._.tom :i'- � Photo I: View of Madison Avenue facing west around 12 noon. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 26 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study As Table 9 illustrates, a higher percentage of parking occurs on the north side. Businesses on the south side, the Larchmont Shopping Center and LaVilletta Restaurant, provide off-street parking. Offices on the north side and on Myrtle Boulevard have more limited public parking. People doing business may prefer to park on the side where they do not have to cross Madison Avenue, a busy two-way street near the Thruway entrance. Byron Place has limited on-street parking. There were six (6) cars parked on the dead end road at various times of the day. As Photo I illustrates, some choose to park off the street in an area near 10 Byron Place. �y x . , 4. 411! ge% ' ' .• i •*•;•''" . • :k. ..- • ,it or:r ::. - • .... ,..f....•, ., ....,..*.„,:4,..,;-4,.:,- . , 4 ' •' .a• . .:.. ..N:',.....'s. ' • 1 - .. ,IR 0-11 ,' ,P,;? fir ` v ]' _yyt • l 21r'` 11 K�' ik �, •, yK4.r " •+�.' �" . iill 1 1ll1 •,-1�a_ tl• - ' . '�,i_i, ,�ict � r �yy ' ' 1 w9,,. t rityr '' --1:K,.•l .. f .? roy." . ,Vr 'f _ .... sem:. ~ ,6"' i r „ nt ca't Ste. ._.=fit•• �• w` j�1}i t.tr ki.r - b - 4-k- a ••••1'.7.4.*. -7.•:•:''''• ,`- - a • Tom'' q_, Photo J: Parking near 10 Byron Place about 12:30 p.m. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 27 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study North Chatsworth Avenue is occupied with residential uses. There is a three (3) hour limit on parking from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. On the south side, there is a capacity of twenty-eight (28) spaces. Throughout the day, those spaces were almost all occupied, as shown in Table 10 below. The north side has a smaller capacity, with room for up to sixteen (16) vehicles. For most of the day, a majority of the spaces were occupied. At 5:30 p.m., there were only six (6) cars present. With this exception, North Chatsworth Avenue on-street parking is used frequently throughout the day. Table 10: North Chatsworth Avenue(On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) 1Sows I South Side Niorfh North Side Time Sire Spaces Pct4 Side Spaces Pct. Sury veal I Occupied Occupied Spaces Occupied Spaces Occupied .n: 7:30 a.m. 28 28 100% 16 1 - 94°0 11:00 a.m 28 26 93% 16 12 75% 2:00 p.m. 28 25 89% 16 13 81% 5:30 p.m. 28 25 89% 16 6 38% ' IQ!`hii` '• I P 11 , t - {P -ler I .rs �IJ it Ill r,. �' -� � ' � ' i -yam - - &_r-_--W _ -- .y , ,.. ,. m — _ — Y 1 Photo K: North Chatsworth Avenue facing west from Myrtle Boulevard about 9:00 a.m. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 28 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Washington Square, a one-way street going south, allows one (1) hour parking from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. daily. The rest of the day there are no restrictions. This rule is to prevent commuters from walking to the nearby Larchmont Metro-North Station, while allowing residents to park on the street with minimal hardship. There is room for nineteen (19) cars on the east side and seventeen (17) cars on the west side. Most of those spaces were occupied, as indicated in Table 11 below. The east side had nineteen (19) cars parked, while there were thirteen (13) to sixteen (16) cars parked on the west side. Table 11: Washington Square (On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) ::f ci i1 Lest Si d ' ,s' �, eke : Fist .i--de 3.� i VN Stae g ,,,,4 •a s Ft-a Side Pct. t, Space . Occupied Spaces .c.upied Occupies Occu ied 7:30 a.m. 17 13 76% 19 19 100% 11:00 a.m 17 15 88% 19 19 100% 2:00 p.m. 17 16 94% 19 19 100% 5:30 p.m. 17 15 88% 19 19 100% • r WA , — I • ti- 'I . .. it_ -: Photo L: Washington Square facing south from North Chatsworth Avenue about 9:00 a.m. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 29 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study New Jefferson Street provides parking along the center median in both directions. There is no parking on the northbound side on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. On Thursdays, no parking is allowed on the southbound side from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Since the survey was taken on a Tuesday, there were no vehicles parked on the northbound side during the late morning hours, as indicated in Table 12 below. At 7:30 a.m., there were twenty-six (26) cars; that afternoon, thirteen (13) cars had parked by 5:00 p.m. Most of the southbound spaces were occupied throughout the day. Since there are no restrictions on overnight parking, this is an attractive site for local residents without off-street facilities to park. Table 12: New Jefferson Street(On-Street Non-Metered Spaces Occupied) 3 ,tr.,,...,-,,f4.,..-:,-;„;,-;• Gc� ` , rf skip <' a * [tfSe, a Q£[t�l F19Yth n de � ' oit rd spaces �.; Sides Spaces r Serve.e C utsie O:copied' tvc, Spaces _ cc:apsed .:p,, .e� 3ccu ped 7:30 a.m. 28 26 93% 28 25 89% 11:00 a.m 28 0 0% 28 28 100% 2:00 p.m. 28 10 36% 28 21 75% 5:30 p.m. 28 13 46% 28 23 82% .04,41 '0,60:0- i .i , I. • 1 v 111r '. s ran�' "� ,, I, s .'.�blSmne..t!:]r3S.'.4Firr......3'���� -�'�`'�S i' -.. PhotoM: New Jefferson Street facing south from North Chatsworth Avenue about 9:00 a.m. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 30 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 6.2 Off-Street Public Parking Public parking lots in the study area are not designed for commuter traffic, particularly those from outside of the Town of Mamaroneck. They are intended to service the needs of local residents and employees of local businesses who may lack adequate parking facilities on their property. Metered parking serves those who have short-term needs in the area, but may not be able to acquire other off-street parking or cannot complete their business within the three (3) hour limit on Myrtle Boulevard and other streets in the study area. The Town parking lot on Myrtle Boulevard never reached capacity throughout the survey period. In the permit parking areas, which has sixty (60) spaces, thirty-eight (38) cars were parked at 7:30 a.m., the largest number over the survey period. From 10:30 a.m. until after 5:00 p.m., there were less than thirty (30) cars parked, as per Table 13 below. Since permits are issued to residents and area business employees, it may be inferred that the larger number reflects local residents who may have not left for work elsewhere. The cars parked throughout the day may be residents, senior citizens in particular since a discounted permit rate is offered, who do not have parking available at their residences. Table 13:Myrtle Blvd.Town Lot (Off-Street Permit Spaces Occupied) Time:Suirveyed _.Spaces Oecupiedr` Pct.Occupied 7:30 a.m. 60 38 63% 11:00 a.m 60 29 48% 2:00 p.m. 60 28 47% 5:30 p.m. 60 24 40% Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 31 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The metered spaces are for short-term parking, up to four (4) hours at a time for $.25 per hour. This is in effect from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., everyday except Sundays and holidays. These spaces, twenty-six (26) in total, experienced the most use during the mid-morning hours. At 7:30 a.m., before the meters were in effect, thirteen (13) of the spaces were used. At 10:30 a.m., the lot was almost full as shown in Table 14. During the afternoon hours, the number of cars parked declined. Business and professional offices are the primary uses on Myrtle Boulevard. On-street parking allows for a three (3) hour limit. The usage may reflect a larger degree of business transacted at these offices during the mid-morning hours than later on in the day. The four (4) hour limit does not make it practical for commuter usage, considering the length of a typical work day. Table 14: Myrtle Blvd.Town Lot(Off-Street Metered Spaces Occupied) e.SurVO.ed- . S aces _....©CalPted P:ak eUplect; 7:30 a.m. 26 13 50% 11:00 a.m 26 23 88% 2:00 p.m. 26 16 62% 5:30 p.m. 26 15 58% There are two permit parking areas on Maxwell Avenue. The first (20) spaces on the west side are for permit holders, designed for individuals who are employed by businesses located in the Town of Mamaroneck. There were nine (9) to twelve (12) vehicles parked in these spaces. The remaining twenty-eight (28) spaces are reserved for Town employees. The Town Highway Department has a garage just south of Maxwell Avenue. It is not located in the study area. There were ten (10) to twelve (12) cars parked at various times of the day. After 5:00 p.m., all but one (1) car had departed. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 32 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 6.3 Off-Street Private Parking Map 5 shows the location of all off-street parking facilities, both public and private, metered, non-metered and permit parking. The offices on Myrtle Boulevard have parking on site and nearby. Coughlin Group Insurance at 178 Myrtle Boulevard has a thirty-six (36) space partially sheltered lot under its offices, and a thirty (30) space lot on Byron Place adjacent to the New England Thruway. Throughout the survey, there were twenty-one (21) to twenty-four (24) parked vehicles at the Coughlin Group office lot. At the Byron Place lot, before 8:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m., there were only two (2) or three (3) vehicles on the lot. During business hours, that number rose to eighteen (18). The primary parking lot for 2 Madison Avenue is located across the street from the offices on the south side of Madison Avenue. Of the forty-nine (49) spaces, thirty-three (33) to thirty-five (35) were occupied. In addition, there are thirteen (13) spaces on the side of 2 Madison Avenue, accessible from Washington Square; only three (3) were occupied. The Larchmont Shopping Center has forty-nine (49) spaces available. The highest usage was at 11:45 a.m., with thirty-seven (37) cars parked, and 5:15 p.m., with forty-two (42) cars parked. This may reflect usage of the health club located on the property. At 3:00 p.m., there were only nineteen (19) parked cars. The health club is the only one of the three uses, a liquor store and dry cleaner being the others, in which customers generally spend a significant amount of time on the site. LaVilletta Restaurant had all five of its spaces occupied from 11 :30 a.m. onward. The parking lot for 1 Madison Avenue has ten (10) spaces, eight (8) of which were used. At private residential lots, some of the spaces are reserved for tenants. Chatsworth Gardens at 16 North Chatsworth Avenue has ninety-nine (99) spaces. During the study, there were forty (40) to forty-six (46) spaces occupied. Carlton House, the largest lot in the study area, also had reserved spaces. At 7:45 a.m., there were one hundred and nineteen (119) cars in the parking lot. Later in the morning and afternoon, that number ranged from ninety (90) to ninety-six (96), less than half the lot capacity. No accurate number could be given for the garage serving 1 and 3 Washington Square since access to the indoor lot was restricted. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 33 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Some of the non-residential private parking lots appear to have enough parking on site to satisfy their needs. Since there was no survey of the LaVilletta Restaurant parking during dinner time hours, there is no indication at this time if that is a concern. The businesses on Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue may face an off-street parking shortage, especially if new stores open at 176 Myrtle Boulevard and there is a greater potential for limited off-street parking and double parking for clients and customers as well. Some of the residential properties, especially older residential buildings, have residents who utilize on-street parking, particularly on Washington Square and New Jefferson Street. There is a potential for serious concern among residents of those properties which do not provide adequate off-street parking. 6.4 Conclusion Our observations indicate that off-street parking problems are most prevalent during business hours. Myrtle Boulevard on-street parking will be used more heavily once the renovation of 176 Myrtle Boulevard is completed. There have been concerns from local businesses in the Study Area regarding parking for employees. Town parking areas requiring permits are not optimally used, perhaps due to many residents leaving the area for extended periods or because they may find other parking closer to their residences. The greatest parking problem in the Study Area is in the R-TA district, where on-street parking spaces are usually filled and many of the residential buildings do not provide enough parking to satisfy the needs of local residents. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 34 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 7.0 AESTHETICS An area of concern is the aesthetics, including building facades, signage and streetscape — lighting, street paving, curbs and sidewalks, trash receptacles, benches and landscaping — in the Study Area. The neighboring Village of Larchmont's downtown area has several attractive storefronts, distinctive signage and street lighting, all of which play a role in giving the area a unique identity. In contrast, the Study Area has no such uniformity in its building facades, street signs and lighting, and little in the way of decorative landscaping. 7.1 Study Area Overview and Observations Outlined below are several examples of poor or inefficient design, based upon observations during the Consultant's field work. It is by no means an exhaustive inventory. As pedestrians and vehicles enter the neighborhood from Larchmont via Chatsworth Avenue, there are no signs welcoming them into the Town of Mamaroneck, as there are in other parts of the Town. The only sign is a community bulletin board on the south side of Chatsworth Avenue, which cannot be seen by vehicles clearly, nor is it distinctive. At the intersection of Chatsworth Avenue and Myrtle Boulevard, the lack of uniformity is evident in the street signs. On the northwest corner, there are street signs for Chatsworth Avenue and Myrtle Boulevard, but on the southwest corner, there is another street sign for Myrtle Boulevard. This represents not only duplication but inconsistency in the signage. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 35 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Both Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue are very wide thoroughfares, as Myrtle Boulevard is shown in Photo N. Even when the on-street parking is filled to capacity, the street is wider than those in the neighboring Village of Larchmont business district. The street lighting is limited to tall street light stanchions that are more typically seen on highways or major thoroughfares. There were few trash receptacles in the Study Area and no newspaper vending machines. Only one bus stop on Myrtle Boulevard had a bench to wait, donated by the Larchmont Lions Club. The retail signage at 172 Myrtle Boulevard consists of awnings intended to work with the building's exterior, but not necessarily in concert with other signage in the Study Area. The signs at the Larchmont Shopping Center on Madison Avenue are wall mounted and lighted at night. The renovated building at 176 Myrtle Boulevard provides an opportunity, as tenants occupy the space, to develop more attractive and uniform signage for the area. The lack of consistency in this regard hinders the effort to forge a uniform identity for the neighborhood. l` �- - • Photo N: View of Myrtle Boulevard facing south from Chatsworth Avenue . Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 36 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Myrtle Boulevard south of Chatsworth Avenue is primarily commercial in nature. An effort should be made to have retail businesses provide uniformity in the type of awnings, as at 170-172 Myrtle Boulevard in Photo 0, as well as window signs. This is especially important with the reopening of businesses at 176 Myrtle Boulevard and the increased traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, these businesses are expected to generate. Madison Avenue also contains commercial property, but its businesses have greater off-street parking capacity than its counterparts on Myrtle Boulevard. This street also suffers from a lack of identifying characteristics, such as signage and street signs. The lack of identity is most obvious when entering the area from the New England Thruway ramp at Madison Avenue and New Jefferson Street. There is simply a stop sign, with no signage indicating where the business district is located. During our study, it was noted that a large number of vehicles traverse Madison Avenue and Myrtle Boulevard between the Thruway ramp and the Village of Larchmont. Yet there is no indication to the driver that he/she is in the Town of Mamaroneck. �.i .. ,-... , ,-...i. ., ,p , er-i,,, , , , , , ,i-i'....„, 1..:::. ,ff•.;-' : it4t4f I" g !:',,J .?''-- A. 44.-...,,,,„ _,41-11 IF- "w:, i .�. . w1 ftp. % I rL T i . h li Iii `+. ' „s n ft 4"k4`- - 13 , I , 7 p 111 ILIi __-ti _ ii:, a� _• -.- -f; .• �,_"" ate-__- .------ - . ., Photo 0: Frontage at 170-172 Myrtle Boulevard. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 37 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The Town parking lot signage is also inconsistent. At the Myrtle Boulevard lots, there are small green signs that are older and difficult to read. At the lot near Byron Place, the sign is newer and clearer. The Town parking on Maxwell Avenue has different signage and the parking lines are not clearly painted, leaving the impression that the area is neglected. This comparison is illustrated in Photo P. The first impression visitors receive about this area can be formed in the Town parking lots, particularly if these lots do not provide a sense of safety and convenience. Consistent signage and maintained parking areas will send a positive signal about the entire neighborhood. Improved streetscape would assist the area in developing a sense of place apart from the Village of Larchmont. It would create a more distinctive neighborhood, with signage and uniform street lighting that would provide consistency. In addition, there is the need to inform and welcome people who enter the area, acknowledging they are in the Town of Mamaroneck. This is especially true of those who use the Town parking lots. • �T f • .: SS - y..'r ►Y -.,.y; ;•.i� �ii,kfii -� `r . . My` ;a2,- -or., .. ‘44,:it.-4, -,:-441,- ■ t t it 1 .iii 10/ r tt' y_ y.� '�ts a t ( • T i • l " .4.-7.;,',"•• YVi - i Y •� q ' la% •+E\ , . .\ _-4� . r • -t; .�1 - v Y le ke.J. tom_ f�4..• aI tom} �� ' - .iiitu. - '..,...-::_-4 -,73::• • 4.. I- t C _ .I, vice:.a .3- - .a i •tt• ice 'i.:-k',q� -- i1e - .-....:•,,,...,:.r • • *1' ger — - y t i P !11i ��r L _ e ^ w r - -'a Ir r • -- ' a- I 1 i r. .• . (� Photo P: Signage at Town Parking Lots. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 38 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study In order to address these issues in a comprehensive fashion, it is recommended that the Town commission a design study to include streetscape guidelines, standards and materials, as well as recommended capital improvements. The goal of this study would be to create a more attractive and distinctive quality for the Study Area, to be followed by implementation of the recommended improvements. It is important that this process include the property owners, merchants and tenants in the Study Area, as part of the planning process. Any streetscape improvements within the Study Area should conform, where possible, to the newly created, distinctive signage and lampposts installed on Post Road. 7.2 Background and Planning Context Although land use, zoning, traffic, parking and streetscape are separate and distinct elements of planning with their own implications, all are inter- related; a solution to one aspect of one element effects and must interact with a solution for another one of these elements. The zoning and parking regulations have certain visual impacts and goals and these goals can be complemented by elements regarding streetscape improvements and design regulation. After the existing conditions report was completed (Work Element 1), followed by meetings with Town officials and the residents and business owners of the Study Area, it was determined that an aesthetics/streetscape element should be incorporated into the Myrtle Boulevard Study and Plan. This is a key element in making the Study Area more distinctive, which is important to those who live, work, and conduct business in the area. The aesthetic/streetscape guidelines are designed to supplement the recommendations with respect to zoning, land use, parking and traffic flow. The streetscape plan, which is conceptual in nature, began with an initial survey, inventory and analysis of the existing conditions. The findings of this analysis are summarized in Map 6 (on the following page) and describe important aspects of the existing Myrtle Boulevard area. Key elements in defining the character of the Myrtle Boulevard area are: Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 39 April 1999 1111"' \ %. N / . LEGEND \ \ \ .." \ \\\ Commercial Frontage 111111011111111 . \ I . '\ \\\ \ Pedestrian Links 44wm" \ 0,p,‘ \ \ Town Entry Points * * \Z , c2,0" V -5. k\r /j7 4.i. . ". \ -:'p •'s . • % \ 44 Bus Stops % \ e°1°11°\ s ( .. - de 0 \ \ 0 A. , \ . % ..--" \ ‘i•41/° - s 1\47? , \I A • \\ \ . \ • t,„F-C) -Z.:.::::::::.*:••••:•::;:::::::•::::-:.1..: \ • LARCHMONT METRO NORTH _ 'c%\l- ' \ . ,,es0 ........:......:::::::::::::::::::::11......› , * 0-11-. \- . .. .......•....:::.::.:.*:::.::.:::•11:";:::.1:-::::.::::"....:..-::-.:.:::::::::- • . S\ .\ \ *44-\' \ \ ..- ........................... • #$% *. ) , , • , \ . - :".: - .-- . . .,,,o4N-( --„....,,----------_,%:------' t,, .::... ..::..-:.::: , . VI'' \ , \ j MAP 6 : . / /Myrtle Boulevard Study Area ( INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS =_� 4 P=ea a ,+,.a..,te. Inc. April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study ❑ the vehicular entry points to the Town (including directional signage) o pedestrian circulation, especially mid-block links o the train station o the speed and direction of vehicular circulation o existing parking lot design and location o the design of street wall and building facade The problems and issues that have been identified based upon these observations will help derive their potential solutions. The solutions will be created by the opportunities and constraints that exist in the overall structure of the area itself. The next step is to identify these opportunities and constraints. Map 7 illustrates the important improvement options that affect the identification and selection of possible options and solutions. For example, the New England Thruway acts as both an opportunity and constraint. While the exit ramp is a great opportunity to create a "gateway" into the area by utilizing signage and landscaping, the mere location of the Thruway encourages vehicles to travel at higher speeds than necessary down Myrtle Boulevard, creating hazards to pedestrians. The identification of this opportunity and constraint is important because it is now possible to provide improved options to supplement the traffic flow system discussed in Section 7.3 below. 7.3 Aesthetics/Streetscape Opportunities The Myrtle Boulevard area currently functions as a high-speed circulation path and, with a few changes, can function as an attractive pedestrian- oriented service neighborhood. Aside from the problem of high-speed vehicular circulation, there are elements of the streetscape which are not as attractive and functional as they should be. This Plan will establish the criteria for utilizing and enhancing the existing elements to serve a more functional purpose. For example, the existing lampposts are too high and therefore ineffective; pedestrian crosswalks where Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue meet are undefined; the sidewalk paving is random and in some cases in disrepair; and the street furniture and landscaping are almost non-existent. These are elements which can easily be transformed, and in turn enhance, the overall appearance and aesthetic quality of the Myrtle Boulevard area. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 40 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 7.4 Vehicular Circulation The main factor which contributes to high speed traffic and an unsafe, unfriendly pedestrian environment in the Myrtle Boulevard area is the close proximity of the New England Thruway and its off ramp. While relocation of the ramp is not possible, a simple redesign of the street will slow down traffic and allow for a safer environment for both drivers and pedestrians It is not the existence of the ramps which causes the traffic problem per se; it is the design of Myrtle Boulevard itself. All the traffic coming off the Thruway proceeds either up Myrtle Boulevard or Jefferson Street. The vehicles which travel up Jefferson Street tend to slow down before passing through the residential neighborhood. On the other hand, the vehicles traveling up Myrtle Boulevard actually speed up. This is caused by two factors: first is the width of Myrtle Boulevard which gives drivers the impression that it is a main highway. The large width of Myrtle Boulevard and Chatsworth Avenue, both 80 feet, is not necessary for typical traffic circulation. This width can be cut in half and still provide for adequate traffic circulation, and the extra space could be used for additional landscaping, parking or sidewalks. Landscaping will create buffer zones between pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Landscaped medians can be utilized to beautify the area, direct traffic circulation and create a safer environment for pedestrians. These medians will help reduce the large "industrial" scale of the street and create a smaller scale pedestrian streetscape. By simply adding a median on Madison Avenue, a more welcoming "gateway" into the Town of Mamaroneck is created. Map 8 illustrates the redesign of the streets. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the existing and proposed schematic street designs for both Myrtle Boulevard and Chatsworth Avenue. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 41 April 1999 / • V7-\( • \ Entry Feature/ LEGEND Li \ . 1(2 '/Z. \ \ . ‘. '‘‘ . ss \ -P.\ \ \ ‘ /I Landscaped Median SQ's k \ I itW'' ' \ i , . , ilel°11/\ s k . - ...... . ._,\ \ (:).5, \ 0 \ 0 4, \'\ .-, . .. \ \• .p. ( _ s 12/4, ..---.-.. N \ \ \ y° .4, . ..... , \„.. <," \\' \ 2 ......:•:.:::.:...::::::.1...... • ..:....., ..: . . -Ss(1'. \ - 0\)\- .:::1:.:::...::::::,•::::::::::'....*:•::::::-:•:•:: . ••--•• _______I____T---------__ -- \ ( • •• ••..•:•.•,,...•.....•... . . :.• :: • ,••,.. , i(/, • Oil \ \ o•'''l''' 'NAP T ' \ \ \,,s _____,..„) � Myrtle Boulevard Study Area - OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS �� = au:«.a... Inc. April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 7.4 Vehicular Circulation The main factor which contributes to high speed traffic and an unsafe, unfriendly pedestrian environment in the Myrtle Boulevard area is the close proximity of the New England Thruway and its off ramp. While relocation of the ramp is not possible, a simple redesign of the street will slow down traffic and allow for a safer environment for both drivers and pedestrians It is not the existence of the ramps which causes the traffic problem per se; it is the design of Myrtle Boulevard itself. All the traffic coming off the Thruway proceeds either up Myrtle Boulevard or Jefferson Street. The vehicles which travel up Jefferson Street tend to slow down before passing through the residential neighborhood. On the other hand, the vehicles traveling up Myrtle Boulevard actually speed up. This is caused by two factors: first is the width of Myrtle Boulevard which gives drivers the impression that it is a main highway. The large width of Myrtle Boulevard and Chatsworth Avenue, both 80 feet, is not necessary for typical traffic circulation. This width can be cut in half and still provide for adequate traffic circulation, and the extra space could be used for additional landscaping, parking or sidewalks. Landscaping will create buffer zones between pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Landscaped medians can be utilized tobeautify the area, direct traffic circulation and create a safer environment for pedestrians. These medians will help reduce the large "industrial" scale of the street and create a smaller scale pedestrian streetscape. By simply adding a median on Madison Avenue, a more welcoming "gateway" into the Town of Mamaroneck is created. Map 8 illustrates the redesign of the streets. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the existing and proposed schematic street designs for both Myrtle Boulevard and Chatsworth Avenue. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 41 April 1999 ,; .. ,- N \ ,i, i,. ! \ ' --- 2 \ ,-.4 i -. / (N7 \\ \ , VIP' . • \\ \'' v / - 1. \ , V . 4444 \ \ 4 - ; \ .- ----. \ tf4 . . 1 / - A -..--' . , - - - / • 'it \\/\ \. \ \\\ \ o ii ,ik a r\ ' \\ '-cA te \ \ ' 17 \ 7 _>q, N V t - R. t \ R3‘ . .,. tt \ ../4/\1°. z \. \ , „ , .\\\ 4 ' , c4 .‘4,, -Ji& 40 , .y. vi "N V ., 71.-- , , : e ,1 -‘ \ , \0/07- tio , 26; Y .4 - .. $4! , - . • --"' /,\ -, 1,,$4,v ,,,,2",, "0- ! . • . c/ , e4 0 iv 4i,* ‘02-‘344' , * , \ ' % , MAPe � �/ Myrtle Boulevard Study Area ILLUSTRATIVE SITE PLAN _ ,--1U �e��aau,:at.. inc. • April 1999 • Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Figure 1: Existing and Proposed Conditions of Myrtle Boulevard i Existing Myrtle Boulevard • T it. _ tit , r .. . ALM. dam ism real Q CI k'. Jil -) 1 v C Proposed Myrtle Boulevard • 1 I $ — _ -i Mild MINIMM Ayi,°/7 SW _mom wimem i ' a ,. k ' -7-T1 ---1 c.,1 �a 1 . "4.. r . Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 42 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Figure 2: Existing and Proposed Conditions of Chatsworth Avenue Existing Chatsworth Avenue tin F t :_ ._. . ' F ......... I ,, ... ,,...„,,„.. , , ____.,.. Mir 1 4 A—cr c:1 a I eli II _s!,,, _..., ;ii - A. . M Proposed Chatsworth Avenue r v, j.)k.- it 4. ... .0, -.:..A.,x; . -,...,_ ..:44,7 _,,,..,.. - .;‘,...37, iii.,-..cs- cia ' 1 r .)- - i ill & • c-.--?' gl- . r-- -:.4):11111 , . r Li' ., . j::)., .., 1-- - / • , Ai lit _ •Y�• 6• _ — A•w•vr�a �....1 +RANI& _..a ..•i -I R•••R YI../ .tea..�. '� / 1 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 43 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 7.5 Parking Design and Layout The existing parking design is less than optimal and does not allow for an efficient and safe flow of the traffic. A redesign of the parking lots along Myrtle Boulevard will facilitate vehicular circulation and increase parking capacity. By creating a single entry way into the existing parking lot along Myrtle Boulevard, the traffic pattern is controlled and slowed down. The single entry way also benefits pedestrians and may be designed to provide safe pedestrian walks across Myrtle Boulevard. An example of the new parking design is illustrated in the proposed site plan in Map 8. Head on parking along Myrtle Boulevard has a dual purpose. It may be used to increase parking capacity and can be combined with landscaping and the proposed bus pullouts to create a buffer between pedestrians and the roadway. Bus pullouts would only be considered if Myrtle Boulevard is wide enough for them to be installed effectively. 7.6 Pedestrian Links- Sidewalks and Crosswalks Strong pedestrian links already exist within the Myrtle Boulevard area, and this plan will try to enhance and better define those links in order to create a safe environment for pedestrians. Direct and continuous connections between pedestrian destinations should be provided. As shown in Map 7, there is a substantial amount of pedestrian circulation across Myrtle Boulevard and along Chatsworth Avenue. Map 8 illustrates the opportunity for safer and more defined pedestrian circulation. In order to define the pedestrian circulation, both the sidewalks and crosswalks must have high visibility. One option in creating greater visibility is to pave the walks in a stone or paving which is different in texture and color from paving on the road or other vehicular paths. This change in the surroundings would encourage more pedestrian traffic and warn drivers of a change in environment. Clearly articulated pedestrian areas with smaller dimensioned surfaces and site elements improve pedestrian safety by distinguishing the pedestrian network from car, bike, or transit circulation. This is particularly important in areas where these various travel modes intersect. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 44 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study To maintain consistency and legibility of the paved surfaces in the pedestrian network that are outside the public right-of-way, a treated surface, such as stamped concrete, broom finishes, and concrete scoring to delineate the pathway, would help. Deeper scoring patterns may be appropriate to slow vehicular traffic, but should be avoided in the pedestrian travel area to meet requirements specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Scoring patterns should not exceed two feet in one dimension. In those areas where pedestrian activity is most desired or already present, the surfaces and design elements should be sized and modulated for this human scale. This design element should be applied to Myrtle Boulevard, Madison Avenue and Chatsworth Avenue and may include improvements to the existing pedestrian connection to the train station across the bridge as well. This existing bridge could be enhanced with new lighting and graphics, along with streetscape improvements, to make it a more attractive pedestrian environment and a "gateway" into the Town of Mamaroneck. The treatment of sidewalks and streets is particularly important at points where they intersect. Clear demarcation is critical to signal drivers that they must yield to pedestrians. The pedestrian walkway surfaces can be defined by keeping the level of the sidewalk continuous, by changing the paving texture at crossings, or both. Space should be allocated for a buffer between the walkways and moving traffic to enhance pedestrian comfort and safety. On-street parking, a landscaped buffer, or both can achieve this. The new and enhanced pedestrian links would improve and beautify connections within the Town and between Chatsworth Avenue and Myrtle Boulevard with the rest of the Town. Modifications to sidewalks and curbing would also provide increased pedestrian safety while adding to the beautification of the area. Figure 3 illustrates the existing conditions at the Myrtle Boulevard and Chatsworth Avenue intersection. Figure 4 shows the improvement options and redesign of the same intersection. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 45 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Figure 3: Existing Conditions Figure 4: Proposed Design of Intersection v • Q # . v* . s'• V..tb,, i,../ 8 it.,,,.. '4 Pdi \ . S 41' \ \ ,11* 400-'10j1 ' . \ . 0111) .bk '. k 6N °IV � 0- Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 46 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Figure 5: Proposed Intersection between Myrtle Boulevard and Chatsworth Avenue � tti 0000 • LEE ] - , la l _-__ , Ili f�- 7.7 Gateways and Directional Signage The two major intersections within the Study Area create opportunities to establish "gateways" into the Town of Mamaroneck. The first intersection is between Chatsworth Avenue and Myrtle Boulevard. The second intersection is between Madison Avenue and the New England Thruway off-ramp. The existing conditionsdo not take advantage of these opportunities. A "gateway" can easily be established by installing landscaping, signage and possibly a street lamp or bench. Currently there is no signage which identifies the entrance to the Town of Mamaroneck. A combination of professional landscaping and a well- designed and strategically placed sign can create an identity for the entrance to the Town at both these intersections. The landscaping would include a vegetative tree clustering and/or planters which should blend into the visual context of the surrounding area. The landscaping should not impede sight lines along the roadways and jeopardize vehicular and pedestrian safety. An example of a gateway that would be possible is illustrated in Figure 5 above. The provision of strategically placed signage would reinforce the identity of the Town and slow down the speed of traffic. Once drivers identify with a town atmosphere, versus the highway, they will be more conscious of the speed at which they are traveling. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 47 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study The Town of Mamaroneck has already decided upon a design for a street sign/lamp post which it is using on US Route 1. This can be adapted for the Myrtle Boulevard area so there is unity of design and area-wide identity for the Town. See Figure 6 below. Figure 6: Example of street sign/lamp design. • i ��uis Tc,Fw N - 3�'' '/ , 4J�!'4� AMARONECK I - STCWAROG JF THE CYVtxONM_Y?i �-=- 16 /4•\J s 1 • 7.8 Street Furniture and Streetscape Improvements The existing street design lacks an identity and is very unfriendly. Street furniture, signage and landscaping are underutilized. Street furniture, which consists of the man-made elements of a streetscape, is generally associated with amenities for pedestrians. The existing conditions survey of Work Element 1 showed there is a lack of pedestrian amenities which results in a sterile environment. In order to create a comfortable environment, there are several elements of streetscape improvements that should be addressed. The first is the insufficient lighting; second is the condition of the existing bus stops; third is the lack of landscaping. Although these elements should be special and define a Town identity, they should also be simple and elegant, complementing the buildings, not competing with them. There needs to be a streetscape vocabulary that consists of a certain palette of materials, styles and colors that blend gracefully with each other and the surrounding buildings. , Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 48 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study ❑ Lighting Currently the light fixtures are approximately thirty feet high and provide insufficient illumination at ground level. They are more appropriate to industrial areas than a mixed-use neighborhood like Myrtle Boulevard. Upgrading and enhancing the light fixtures would provide more focused light with less glare, thereby making the area a more attractive and safe place for pedestrians. The new light fixtures should be on a smaller scale, 8 to 12 feet high, in order to focus more light on the sidewalks and in turn a safer environment. To ensure pedestrian safety, the lighting should provide between .75 and 11.5 foot-candles of illumination along pedestrian routes and at bus stops. The light posts should be strategically placed between pedestrian pathways and driveways or roadways. 0 Bus Stops There are two bus stops in the area, neither of which provide much comfort to pedestrians. The two elements which effect the comfort level of a bus stop are the design and positioning of the stop itself and the street furniture which is provided to complement the bus stop design. The current bus stop design can be improved by creating bus stop pullouts. Through not warranted in most situations, well-placed, carefully designed bus pullouts can provide for safe passenger loading and unloading with minimal delays. When a bus pullout can be justified, it should be placed to allow for adequate vehicle acceleration and deceleration. Bus pullouts can easily be placed along Myrtle Boulevard because the traffic signals allow for periodic traffic flow. This periodic traffic flow allows a bus to enter the traffic flow with ease. In addition to the bus pullout design, street furniture may be used to complement the new pedestrian-friendly design. The bus stop on the corner of Myrtle Boulevard and Chatsworth Avenue does have benches but the other stop lacks any type of seating area. In order to create a comfortable bus stop and friendly environment, a seating area which provides some shade and protection from nature's elements is necessary. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 49 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study While street furniture is an important feature, it should be placed at least two feet from the curb face of the street to avoid collision with bus mirrors; benches facing the street should be at least three feet back from the roadway edge. Along with the widening of the sidewalks it is possible to create an attractive, comfortable bus stop which enhances the overall image of the Myrtle Boulevard area. The bus stop must also be properly delineated to discourage general traffic from using the stop area and to direct bus operators where to stop. One way to delineate the stop is to utilize the County-provided plexi-glass bus shelters. Delineations may also include: • Signing and striping the stop as a bus zone ■ Identifying the stop through curb markings • Additional signage for the Town of Mamaroneck All bus stops must have adequate lighting levels to increase transit customer safety. Lighting levels must be sufficient to provide riders with a sense of security while they wait for buses, as well as provide adequate visibility for bus drivers to safely approach and depart from a bus stop. Figure 7: Existing Bus Stop Layout a a Curbside 4 ° ° A b Stop A 1 ] b 4 Figure 8: Proposed Bus Stop Layout ti Bus Bap - (with acceleration fic> _ 4 and deceleration p 4 lanes) aQ Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 50 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study ❑ Landscaping and Street Furniture Currently Madison Avenue does not provide any pedestrian amenities. There is a lack of landscaping and street furniture. The existing landscaping consists of concrete barrels 3 feet in diameter, which sit on the sidewalk in disrepair. The first step in enhancing the Madison Avenue streetscape is to change the existing landscaping elements. Madison Avenue, also 80 feet in width, should be reduced in width by creating a landscaped median and widening the sidewalks. These minor changes will create a more personable and aesthetically pleasing street for both drivers and pedestrians. Unlike Madison Avenue, New Jefferson and North Chatsworth Avenue have existing landscaping which starts to create a friendlier environment, but these environments can be enhanced. There is opportunity to widen the sidewalks along North Chatsworth Avenue and create a landscaped median along the center of the roadway. The Myrtle Boulevard streetscape can benefit from a combination of urban design tools, the first and most basic of which is street wall and building facade design. Additional landscaping and the provision of street furniture should be part of the overall urban design concept to complement the building facade design guidelines. The landscaping should incorporate flowering vegetation that provides a variety of blooming patterns throughout the growing season. Landscaping is a typical design element of most roadways. It has typically been focused on the need to filter headlights from surrounding properties and to discourage cut-through pedestrian traffic. Separating pedestrians from moving traffic with landscaping provides a sense of security for pedestrians. It also provides a large separation from dust, gravel, and splashing water stirred up by passing cars along the roadway. Street trees are a critical element of this buffer as they not only enhance the perception of safety, but also provide a real physical barrier between cars and pedestrians. Along Myrtle Boulevard these design principles can be applied to create parking turnouts and a pullout area for buses (See Figure 9). Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 51 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 0 Street Wall and Building Facades Currently, the buildings along Myrtle Boulevard — the street wall — are comprised of a mixture of many different architectural elements and styles, reflecting their period of development. Street wall guidelines will create tools that can be applied to the buildings to create a street which consists of facades which blend together in colors and complement each other in style. The design details of the facade closest to pedestrians are critical because they add interest to the trip and entice people to walk farther than they normally would. Conversely, large uninterrupted walls discourage pedestrian activity by creating wind tunnels, overwhelming the individual with a massive scale, or increasing perceptions of unsafe or deserted walking areas. For these reasons, the effects of building wall design on pedestrians should be considered. Figure 9: Photo of Typical Bus Bay Pullout Design _y• r •,,. . _ • �f r, j21 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 52 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Windows, doors, and displays add to the variety along the pedestrian route. Windows are preferred because they provide building occupants with a view of people walking by, thus increasing pedestrian safety and security. The existing windows should be used to create different views and displays in order to connect the outdoor pedestrians with the interior activities. Along pedestrian routes, building lines should vary. Building awnings, arcades, and windows break down the scale of walls and reduce the impact of large walls adjacent to pedestrian routes. Such structures also provide for protection against the elements. Protection from weather increases walking as a travel option. Another method of creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment is to make building entranceways more visible via a canopy or distinct doorway. This element draws pedestrians to the most appropriate entrance point. All these architectural design elements should be established to complement one another and the architecture in the surrounding area. The colors, heights, sizes, and designs of these elements should be consistent and blend together. Figure 10 compares the existing street wall with a street wall with the design features applied. The appearance of the building facade and street wall can be greatly impacted by the size, shape, height and overall design of the signs displayed upon it. In the case of Myrtle Boulevard, it is not the design of the signs that needs to be addressed, it is the lack of signage. Currently, as one walks down Myrtle Boulevard, there is only one building which has a sign that is readable by a pedestrian. In order to make this a more pedestrian friendly environment the stores must clearly identify themselves to their potential customers passing by. Signs that provide the name and nature of the establishment allow a pedestrian to identify with it and make the choice of whether or not to enter. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 53 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Figure 10: Conceptual Façade Improvements Myrtle Boulevard Before Myrtle Boulevard After r • LI W-1.:i , I = u0 cr-_Ui , : D 0 a n . , ,I lap: ,. . , 01:1 .1 I I , El , . , L_____1I— _ , / [ t 1:ii:. i ; a . , . 1 ., `.- -11116111b.- .• i 1111Wiiik,. . ....;A:;;. I Even though the Town Ordinance provides regulations for wall mounted name plates at the entrance of business establishments, wall signs above store entranceways, and awning signs with appropriate graphics for commercial establishments, these elements are not being applied to the Myrtle Boulevard area. This creates a lack of identity and therefore a look of abandonment. The mere placement of signs would indicate to people that actual business and commercial establishments exist behind these concrete walls. In addition to complying with the size, height, placement and mounting restrictions provided in the Town Ordinance, the signage should also display certain urban design characteristics. To create a uniform, well designed street wall, both the facades themselves and the signage attached must be consistent in size, placement and color throughout the street or shopping area. There can and should be a mixture of wall mounted signs and awning signs. Each wall-mounted sign should be placed in the same location on the facade, i.e. a sign band, and be approximately the same size. Awning signs should be uniform in size and character. A slight change in color, or shade, of the awnings would provide some diversity. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 54 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 7.9 Conclusion The combination of public streetscape and safety improvements, private investment in street wall and signage improvements, and monitoring by the Town to enforce existing regulations with respect to signage would go a long way toward improving the form and function of the Study Area. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 55 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 8.0 LAND USE AND ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS The Town of Mamaroneck initially wanted to re-evaluate the district regulations for the existing BMUB zone in the Study Area in order to provide a more compatible mix of uses. Work Element 1 reviewed land uses and zoning in the surrounding area in order to develop alternative zoning scenarios. We recommend that the other districts, B (Business) and R-TA (Residential — Tower Apartments), retain the currently permitted uses and land use regulations. The BMUB zone, an area which currently contains many uses, both permitted and unpermitted, requires more focused uses in order to better utilize the properties in the district, in conjunction with developing an identity for the Myrtle Boulevard Study Area as a neighborhood and destination in its own right. The area is largely developed, with little likelihood for significant land use changes, short of acquistion, clearance and redevelopment. Any uses to be considered should be compatible with the neighboring zoning districts within the Study Area and positively contribute to the development of the Myrtle Boulevard area. Accordingly, upon consideration of the possible uses to be permitted within the BMUB zone, we recommend that the Town allow the following additional uses, either as of right or as special permit uses, within the BMUB district: ❑ public/private recreation facility ❑ assisted living facility ❑ self-storage facility These are uses that would allow for the orderly development of underdeveloped properties within the BMUB, particularly the Moriarity Tree Yard site on Byron Place (See Map 2 for reference). Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 56 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 8.1 Public/Private Recreation Facility Within the BMUB, there is a private recreation facility, a health club operated by New York Sports Clubs in the Larchmont Shopping Center at 15 Madison Avenue. The zoning code of the Town of Mamaroneck allows as a permitted use within the BMUB "indoor recreation and amusement establishments.i3 The Zoning Ordinance also has a Recreation District which allows as principal uses "private recreation facilities, including golf, tennis and/or swimming clubs.i4 In addition to being allowed within the BMUB zone, "indoor recreation establishments" are also a permitted use in the B (Business) and LI (Light Industry) zoning districts. The zoning code defines "membership club" as "an organization catering exclusively to members and their guests for recreational, athletic or social purposes which are not conducted primarily for gain, provided that there are not conducted any vending stands, merchandising or commercial activities except as required generally for the membership and purposed of the club.i5 This could be interpreted to pertain to health and athletic clubs. In order to allow such a use, a new definition would have to specify what type of facilities would be covered under "private/public recreation facility." Among the facilities, both privately owned and/or Town operated, that could fall under this definition include: • health clubs/gyms • indoor/outdoor tennis courts • indoor/outdoor skating rink • health/wellness centers • batting cages • other recreational centers 3 Ch. 240-30, Town of Mamaroneck Zoning Code. 4 Ch. 240-21.1, Town of Mamaroneck Zoning Code. 5 Ch. 240-4, Town of Mamaroneck Zoning Code. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 57 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study This use has become a focal point within the Study Area, drawing support from many sources including the area residents, employees of the surrounding businesses, as well as visitors to the area. A recreational facility would help develop the identity for the neighborhood that is currently lacking. The area already has a relatively popular health club at the Larchmont Shopping Center, drawing people to the area and servicing Study Area residents. Permitting the development of recreational facilities on the Moriarity Tree Service property and underdeveloped properties such as the residences on Maxwell Avenue provides the possibility of encouraging expansion of the current health club, should the current owners wish to move in that direction. We note that the existing health club at the Larchmont Shopping Center is now operated by New York Sports Clubs. Conversely, another recreational facility may be built to complement the existing facility, one that may have use by local residents taken into consideration. This could be a privately run facility or one operated by the Town. Allowing public/private recreation facilities as a permitted use would facilitate development of the residential properties without adversely affecting neighboring areas, particularly the residents of the R-TA district, who have expressed their concerns about developing a pedestrian-friendly and well-rounded neighborhood. The peak hours of use of new facilities would include the early morning hours, lunchtime, evenings after work and on weekends. These would not conflict with business or commuter peak hours. Such facilities, if privately owned, would also provide a good tax revenue source for the Town, and spur other spending in the Myrtle Boulevard area. 8.2 Assisted Living Facility The development of assisted living facilities is an increasing trend throughout the nation and more recently in Westchester County. As a larger segment of the population ages, the need to provide quality housing, combined with essential services, is becoming more important. Privately owned assisted living facilities provide such services for the segment of the older population more likely to be able to pay using their own resources. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 58 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study An assisted living facility is defined as "residences which provide handicapped-adaptable individual or multifamily dwelling units for care of elderly or frail individuals who, although generally ambulatory, require some supervision and assistance with one or more activities of daily living, congregate dining services and some supervision of their medical needs." Currently, assisted living, as defined above, is not a permitted use in any zoning district in the Town. The BMUB zone allows "mixed-use" development, provided the minimum site area is 80,000 square feet, the maximum height is 5 floors or 60 feet, and the minimum gross site area per dwelling unit is 750 square feet, among other requirements. The Moriarity Tree Service site, at 33,750 square feet, is the largest underdeveloped lot in the BMUB, and it is far too small, based upon the regulations, for mixed-use development. An assisted living facility would provide apartment living for seniors in need of health and other essential services. The properties on which such a facility may be developed, the Moriarity Tree Service lot and the residences on Maxwell Avenue, are set back from the main streets of Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue, although they are both within walking distance. The population of such a facility would not be dissimilar, demographically, to many of the older residents of the nearby cooperative apartments and condominiums located within the Study Area. The facility would also provide some local residents an opportunity to continue to live in the neighborhood they have become familiar with and receive services they may need later in life. Several issues must be addressed in order to make assisted living facilities a viable zoning alternative. The area and bulk requirements outlined in the BMUB regulations would limit the amount of units that could be built on the underdeveloped properties within the BMUB. For example, using the BMUB requirements for residential density, the maximum number of units allowed on the property would be 32 (33,750 sq. ft./750 sq. ft. per unit). If all of the units developed had one bedroom, a 32 unit facility would still require 1.5 spaces per unit6 or 48 spaces, unless less stringent parking requirements are adopted for assisted living. Even at 60 or 70 units on the property, the facility would be relatively small compared with similar assisted living residences. The industry standard for a state of the art facility for assisted living contains between 75 and 110 units, plus on-site parking and amenities. Additional land uses around the site would have to be assembled in order to accommodate a state of the art facility. 6 Ch. 240-78A, Town of Mamaroneck Zoning Code. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 59 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study There is also a question as to whether or not the properties available for this facility are desirable for residences, especially for a use which would require a significant personal investment on the part of the prospective residents. The location near the New England Thruway brings into question the noise level. Just to the south is property zoned LI (Light Industrial), including the Town of Mamaroneck Public Works Yard and the Village of Larchmont Water Supply. The combination of highway noise and industrial uses may not provide the most ideal setting for assisted living facilities, although with proper screening and noise attenuation, this building can be made to work. Assisted living facility is a use whose time has come and the Town should consider permitting this use here and/or as part of another zoning district in the Town. 8.3 Self-Storage Facility Self-storage facilities, defined as a "structure containing separate, individual, and private storage spaces of varying sizes leased or rented on individual leases for varying periods of time,' can either be new construction or utilize older industrial buildings that are not being used for manufacturing or commercial purposes. The demand for self-storage is for both personal and business use. Virtually all of the residents in the Study Area live in condominium units or cooperative apartments, which may not have enough storage space for all of its residents. Businesses seeking to maximize office space may decide to store non-essential items and records at such a facility. The location of the Study Area, with easy access to the New England Thruway, makes it a prime spot for this type of facility. Currently, the BMUB zone does not allow self-storage as a permitted use. Storage businesses, provided that all storage is in buildings, is a permitted use only in the LI (Light Industrial) zoning district. The Moriarity Tree Service property is located adjacent to an LI zoning district, and the use would be less intensive than the existing Public Works yard. ' The New Illustrated Book of Development Definitions, Moskowitz, Harvey and Lindbloom, Carl, 1993. Pg. 240. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 60 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study Questions about traffic would be a major concern for a self-storage facility. When would the peak traffic periods occur and what type of traffic would come in and out of the facility? Would it involve large trucks, small trucks, other types of vehicles? Would the facility generate more traffic on Madison Avenue and Myrtle Boulevard than there is right now? This traffic might not be conducive to developing commercial interests on Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue, as opposed to recreational facilities, which would have more repeat customers, and assisted living, which would add new residents to the Study Area. 8.4 Conclusion Given factors such as traffic, parking and market constraints, the three aforementioned additional uses in the BMUB district, either as of right or as special permit uses, are compatible with the surrounding area and will facilitate the orderly development of any vacant or underdeveloped parcels in this district. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 61 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 9.0 SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS 9.1 Land Use and Zoning The Study Area encompasses a variety of land uses. The apartment buildings along North Chatsworth Avenue and Washington Square, among others, comprise almost all of the residential properties. Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue comprise the office and commercial area. It is within the BMUB District, on the south side of Madison Avenue, Byron Place and Maxwell Avenue, where the mix of uses is most obvious. ❑ Issues • Future development and permitted uses within the BMUB zoning district. • Impact of development within the BMUB on the surrounding area, particularly the B and R-TA zoning districts. Although the BMUB is zoned for mixed use development (through the special permit provision in the code) provided there is 80,000 square feet available, none of the current properties meets that requirement. Even the Moriarity Tree Service at 10 Byron Place has only approximately 33,750 square feet. The square footage requirement was intended for the entire area of the BMUB District. In order to undertake any such development on the 10 Byron Place property or any other in the district, either properties would have to be grouped to meet the minimum 80,000 square foot requirement or the zoning code would have to be amended to reduce the minimum lot size requirement necessary to develop a mixed use project. ❑ Proposed Solution • Keep existing permitted uses for B and R-TA zoning districts. • Allow the following uses within the BMUB district either as-of-right or with a special permit: public-private recreation facility, self-storage facility, assisted living facility. o Next Steps • Discuss text amendments with Town Board. • Prepare environmental documentation to support same. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 62 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study 9.2 Parking and Traffic According to the parking survey, the majority of the 1,076 parking spaces in the Study Area are off-street non-metered and privately owned. Public parking is mostly by permit, issued by the Town. There are only twenty-six (26) metered parking spaces available, and they are all off-street. There are 240 on-street non-metered parking spaces, most of which are in residential areas. The rest are along Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue, near offices and subject to a three-hour limit. ❑ Issues • Perceived shortage of parking for residents and local businesses. • The volume and flow of traffic, and how it relates to the safety of pedestrians crossing Madison Avenue and Myrtle Boulevard. As for parking capacity, our survey has shown potential for a parking problem, which is a major concern of local businesses. On-street parking on Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue appears to satisfy the needs of offices and shoppers in the area, but with more stores opening and bringing with them higher traffic, the extra volume could increase off-street parking problems. The lots and parking areas requiring Town permits are not filled to capacity. The other area that appears to have a parking problem is the R-TA District, where on-street spaces are usually filled and many of the residential buildings do not provide adequate parking facilities to suit their tenants needs. As noted on Map 4, most of the streets in the Study Area allow for two-way traffic flow. The main streets are North Chatsworth Avenue, which goes east toward the Village of Larchmont and west to the low density residential area of the Town. The Metro-North train station is located on North Chatsworth Avenue just east of the Study Area. Myrtle Boulevard turns into Madison Avenue. Traffic going south leads to the New England Thruway southbound entrance. Northbound Thruway traffic also exits, a large portion of which turns onto Madison Avenue or goes north on New Jefferson Street in the direction of North Chatsworth Avenue. From our observations, traffic appeared to flow smoothly most of the time. However, there were times, in the early morning and late afternoon, when crossing Madison Avenue was difficult due to the traffic at or near the Thruway entrance. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 63 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study o Proposed Solutions • Examine the Town's parking permit distribution process to optimize usage of Town parking lots. • Redesign Town parking lots on Myrtle Boulevard to maximize parking spaces available. • Replace parallel parking on the west side of Myrtle Boulevard with angle parking for easier parking and access to local businesses. o Next Steps • Discuss with the Town Clerk changes in the regulations for parking permits and redesign of the parking lots. • Discuss with the Police Department the ramifications of angled parking on smooth traffic flow, parking capacity and safety. 9.3 Aesthetics Aesthetic issues, including streetscape and signage, must be addressed. Improved streetscape would assist the area in developing an identity separate from the Village of Larchmont. The neighborhood would become more distinctive, which is important to those who work, live and conduct business in the Study Area. o Issues • The Study Area lacks uniformity in its building facades, street signs and lighting, and has little in the way of decorative landscaping. • The parking design does not allow for an efficient and safe flow of traffic. • Pedestrian links across Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue need to be enhanced to improve circulation across streets. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 64 April 1999 Town of Mamaroneck Myrtle Boulevard Area Study ❑ Proposed Solutions • Redesign Myrtle Boulevard and Madison Avenue with landscaped dividers and new street lighting and signage in order to improve pedestrian circulation and improve safety. • Enforce regulations pertaining to wall-mounted signage throughout the Study Area to allow for more uniformity. o Next Steps • Proceed with a more detailed design study to serve as the basis for plans and specifications to bid streetscape improvements. • Apply for Community Development Block Grant funding to finance a portion of the proposed streetscape and aesthetic improvements, with the remainder financed through Town bonds. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 65 April 1999