Villages makes changes in site plan

By Mark Reynolds
Posted 8/10/22

Lloyd Planning Board member Carl DiLorenzo pointed out that current plans for the proposed Villages residential project no longer show an outdoor pool. He asked project representative Kelly Libolt if …

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Villages makes changes in site plan

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Lloyd Planning Board member Carl DiLorenzo pointed out that current plans for the proposed Villages residential project no longer show an outdoor pool. He asked project representative Kelly Libolt if they are also doing away with the tennis and bocce courts, horseshoes and the pickle ball court.

Libolt said, “I think the amenities right now have not been finalized and I think that the first thing is just to settle and agree with the location of the roads, the driveways and the [housing] units. We have an area reserved for amenities and we can figure out exactly what uses are going to be proposed in there between now and the next meeting.”

DiLorenzo still pressed Libolt, saying that a pool goes ‘hand in hand’ with the proposed clubhouse. He also said that the present plans fail to show any parking for the courts.

Libolt touched upon a number of outstanding technical issues about the project that were brought up by the town’s engineer Andrew Learn. She began by reminding the Planning Board that in 2021 a SEQRA review was completed on the entire property, for the Assisted Living Facility and the PRRD. Afterward the Planning Board adopted a Negative Declaration, “and it outlined a series of comments relative to each section [of the NegDec]. It also outlined when we proceed with the PRRD, the larger part of the project, that we would look at any deviations or deltas to see whether or not if anything changed that resulted in another look at those SEQRA items.”

Libolt said they also reviewed the utilities, provided a Storm-water Pollution Prevention Plan [SWPPP], showed detailed grading and landscaping plans and had a visual analysis done of the site. In addition, they provided a water and sewer analysis and four visual options on what each independent living unit will physically look like.

Libolt noted that in their application for a PRRD they are proposing 197 independent living units, up from their initial 178 presentation, of which 18 will be set aside as Affordable Housing units. Each unit will be from 1,000 sq/ft to 1,400 sq/ft in size and most are single bedroom units.

They are also proposing a 119 bed Assisted Living Facility that is slated to be built directly on Route 9W, opposite the Bridgeview Shopping Plaza.

Town Engineer Andrew Learn provided Libolt and the Planning Board with a memo containing a number of outstanding items that need to be completed in the environmental review of the Villages application.

Learn acknowledged that the steep slopes on the property are of particular interest to the Planning Board.

“We would like to see a map that highlights the steep slope areas and how that relates to the proposed development,” he said.

Learn also wants to see a preliminary design of their storm-water pollution prevention plan.

“I see a lot of underground infiltration and I’m curious to see how that’s going to work out,” he said.

Learn wants updated field calculations done because of the large amount of earthwork that is going to be done. He noted that the proposed project will use an 8 inch line to feed their water supply off of Apple Lane.

“I would like to see a report on how pressures and supplies are going to work, particularly throughout that area,” he said. “I think in the initial review we talked about feeding it differently.”
Learn asked Libolt to update their visual simulations, “from the same vantage points analyzed during the previous SEQRA process.” He requested that Libolt “provide an alternative site plan that avoids development on the highest and most visible elevations on the project site.”

Learn asked for additional information on the amount of open space on the property and how it will be permanently preserved. He also wants an updated traffic analysis that reflects the current proposal of 197 independent living units.

Learn asked Libolt to submit an updated site management plan that addresses “the contaminated soils and how they will be managed, particularly with the residential nature.” He said the board was not that concerned about the soils with the Assisted Living Facility, “but with the individual living facilities [units] that’s more of an issue.”

When asked about their 18 proposed affordable units, Libolt said they will be constructed to the same standards and finishes as the other units, however, they may be slightly smaller in size.
The board’s Land Use Attorney Paul Van Cott drew up a resolution for them to be the Lead Agency for the SEQRA review that will be circulated to all of the interested parties. Planning Board member Jerry Marion was the sole no vote on the resolution.

Van Cott recognized that a prior SEQRA review had been done, “but there was agreement all around that when an actual application came in, the Planning Board would make a new SEQRA determination.” He pointed out that in the previous SEQRA review of the Assisted Living Facility there were issues that needed to be addressed about animal wildlife as well as the contamination of the soil because the site was a former apple orchard. Because of this, Van Cott said there should be a fully developed soils management plan for the entire property.

Van Cott said the applicant should also develop a plan on how they are going to comply with the affordable housing regulations.
“That is something the Town Board has asked for and it is relevant to your SEQRA analysis,” he said. “That is homework for the applicant over the next month that will be helpful to the board’s ultimate determination.”

Libolt pointed out that the Developer’s Agreement has now been signed, “and the flood gates are open, so we are preparing building permit drawings for the Assisted Living Facility and we will be coming forward pretty soon with a permit for the utilities and we’ve ordered all of the [water & sewer] pipes, so that’s coming. We can’t proceed with the building permit because we don’t have the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s [DEC] approval yet for the sewer. Once that hits, we are going to start all of the work in the right-of-way first and then start on the other utilities.”

It was pointed out that if the project is approved, all of the modular homes are all going to be delivered up Mayer Drive. Building Department Director Dave Barton urged the Planning Board to begin thinking about ways to manage that influx.