Planning Board - Regular Meeting

meeting of the bedroom planning board to to order. Uh I apologize for starting a little bit late. I don't know how many of you Well, you all know actually you don't necessarily know you because you didn't have to register. We we were the town was hacked uh the town board meeting was hacked last week and um it was fairly nasty and we're having uh we've changed our zoom approach to a webinar approach so the people who are coming in on the zoom uh can have to register. So it's a little bit complicated. It may be a little bit up and down for the first couple of minutes. uh but this the public hearing is still going to go on and everybody who needs to speak and wants to speak will speak and be heard and I just want to assure you of that. So the first item on our agenda is a public hearing uh per the uh town code chapter 125-13. It's a will it's the beginning of a review of a referral from the town board for a proposed zoning petition and conceptual site plan for a mixeduse development and a request for the planning board to assume lead agency for the purposes of conducting environmental review pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. Um the town the planning board has declared our u intention to be lead agent. Nobody's challenged that. So, uh, 30 days were up in December and we are now beginning that environmental review as lead agency. Uh, we're going to have a presentation from the applicant to to begin and then we'll be open to the public to hear your feelings about it.

Thank you. Good evening, madam chairperson, members of the board, staff from the planning department, and members of the public. My name is Pete Daniel Hollis. I'm a partner in Gettinger, Waldinger, Mont Leon, Kashu, and Hollis in Mount Kiscoco, New York. I'm here tonight with one of our attorneys, Sarah O'Shea, who's in the front row over there with me. We represent LHP Old Post Road LLC, the applicant before the board. Um, they are the subtenant on a 199year lease at the premises at 633-647 Old Post Road, which is a 3.14 acre parcel. I'm here tonight with the architectural team from Vinefield Architects Seal and Pather uh who's in the third row and Brian Gdard, one of the other architects. They'll be speaking here tonight after I make a few comments and after um Dave Sessions or before Dave Sessions of KSCJ Consultants uh will make a few comments and be answer some questions. And Yana Hannison from the same firm is here with me to help with the boards which we have. We have a board and a flash drive both. But uh also before I get started on my comments, the two members of that LLC, LHP Old Post Road LLC are Tom Kennedy and Clint Olsen. And they're both residents of Bedford Village. And each of them would like to speak briefly for a moment. So it might be logistically convenient if they took the mic over there. Would that work, Miss Young Blood? So Tom or Clint, whoever goes first. Uh hello, just quick introduction to myself. Uh Clint Olsen. Uh I live in Eastfield Drive with my family, which are six children and my wife. We've been here for about 10 years. Um very active in between the schools and sports and different boards in town. The the ages of my children range from second grade on up to a recent graduate from Fox

Lane. Um we love it here. We're not going any place. Um, we would never do anything to change that and we take this whole conversation very seriously. And, um, with that, I'll just I'll hand it off to my partner Tom here and let him introduce himself.

Uh, Tom Kennedy, similar to Clint, uh, love this town. Been here for 17 years with my wife. I have four kids also in the school district, ages 7 to 13, two in Village Elementary and two in Fox Lane. Um, similar to Clint, also involved with a lot of sports boards in town. Um, involved with St. Patrick's Church and pretty much any volunteer capacity anybody's in town has asked me. I love this town and uh similarly don't uh love the character and love everything about the town and um hoping that you know this project is going to be something that people really will feel like is uh needed for housing parking and things that I've just heard about forever in this town. So um going to pass this back to Dan.

Thank you Tom and Clint. As the board knows, this property is just north of the Bedford Playhouse property and as the community knows. And before Dave and Calin uh get into a discussion of the overview of the project, I wanted to take a second to just review the legal process that we're involved in because there seems to be a little bit of confusion exactly what we're looking for. Not with your board, not with us, but I think there's chitchat in the community that it's something other than it really is at the present. This all started when the qu the clients became involved with the lease because since the uh 1990s there's been a fair degree of confusion as to which zoning district this property is in. Beginning in 1994 the entirety of this 3.14 acre parcel was not in the NB district. So it was partially in the NB district, partly in a residential district. But the maps of 2009, the towns, the zoning maps, and these are created by the town, not by the applicants. 2009 2023 maps, the partial parcel is entirely in the NB district. But there is no property owner that who is prudent uh or a developer who is prudent or knowledgeable who would move on with a project without having clarity and finality as to what the zoning designation of the given property is. So because of that, on October, excuse me, August 20th of 2025, I submitted a petition to the town board to bring clarity to this property to and to bring finality to the zoning designation seeking a zoning of this property entirely in entirely in the NB district. As the town board received that on September 4th and as is required by the town board, they referred this matter to this board. uh for a report and recommendation as to whether or not your

board thought that that resoning would be a good thing or not. And more importantly, and that's why we're here tonight, for your board to act as a lead agency under SECRA, State Environmental Quality Review Act. I'll just call it SRA from now on for those of you that aren't familiar with it. We appeared before the planning board on September 8th. We gave a brief overview of the project. We expanded upon the EAF environmental assessment form that is before your board and that will be considered in future meetings with regard to its completeness as to what it is you want to look at from an environmental standpoint for this project. As you the chairperson said, a notice of intent to be lead agency was circulated. Retired required time for anybody else interested or involved agency to voice their desire to be lead agency has passed. And so the planning board is the lead agency. And tonight is the first of what will be a number of meetings to discuss under SRA's requirement that this board take a hard look at the proposed zoning request as reflected in the concept plan. And the plan that you're going to see is a concept plan. It's meaning that that plan is what could could be developed, not necessarily what will be our final plan, but that's the plan that could be developed if the reasonzoning were to be granted. At the conclusion of the secret analysis, the planning board, if we're successful, and issues a negative declaration, finding that there are no significant environmental impacts that have not been either eliminated or properly mitigated under the concept plan will refer the matter back to the zoning board if you issue a negative declaration under secret. Meaning, as I said before, no environmental impacts

that haven't either been eliminated, significant environmental impacts that haven't been either been eliminated or mitigated sufficiently. The town board then will have a public hearing with regard to the reasonzoning itself, another set of public hearings. Then if that if they grant the reszoning application, the matter comes back again to the planning board for further review of the concept plan which by then will have evolved or metamorphised into a site plan and the planning board would then consider that. The concept plan is for not not not what has been talked about, but more particularly, as you'll hear tonight, for 27 residential units and approximately 5,000 square ft of commercial use with a plan that part of it might be a restaurant and the rest of it yoga studio or boutique type of uh tenants. We don't have a rendering of what the building will look like yet. and the architects are taking and design team are taking their time to really get to know and absorb the context and the history of Bedford Village uh as to and they want to work on those drawings over and over again so that we can put our best foot forward at when a rendering is presented be to you before your next meeting here on February 9th so that you can see that this application is consistent with many things uh including the character of Bedford Village as as it has been the I think I just want to address one more legal point before I turn it over to Calin and that's what this uh application is most faithful to. It's most most faithful to the Bedford together comprehensive plan which the town board adopted uh with input from the community and from this board. Quoting from that uh con the u

comprehensive plan, it says existing properties to allow for appropriately scaled mixeduse development within the hamlet centers. Quoting again from another paragraph, the town should analyze vacant and underutilized properties in the hamlet centers and consider alternative zoning approaches that could facilitate development of an appropriate scale. The plan, if it's approved by this board and its final in our final return to you, will increase the housing stock for empty nesters and others. It will contain the required percentage of affordable units. The wastewater treatment plant, which is already in existence on the site, will be decommissioned and replaced with a proposed wastewater treatment plant, which is capable of handling not only this project, but the existing playhouse building. And should the uh Bedford Central School District require it, the uh Bedford uh Village Elementary Schools affluent as well. And perhaps most importantly, the proposed building, as our rendering will show on February 9th, will be faithful not just to the comprehensive plan, but to the character of Bedford Village. And with that, I'd like to turn the podium over to Calin uh for his walking you through the plan a little bit. Oh, get out of the way. Excuse me. Good evening everybody. My name is Sean Puthther. I'm a principal of Bfield Architecture. Our firm is based in South Norwalk, Connecticut, but not far from here. I'm joined by my colleague Brian Gard um who will help me with the slides.

Yep. Okay. Try flipping it. Cool. So, it's lovely to be be in your town. The history is palpable. But I have to say, having walked up and down the old post road a few times now, including yesterday when my wife and I stopped by the old firehouse for lunch, there's definitely a cool factor on the street in the area. Uh, our firm has a track record of creating contextual architectural responses in our projects. We take pride in that. We'll try to do it here. Our founder, Bruce Binfield, asked that our projects tap into the mythology of a place. Whether it be a New England factory town or a seaside village, understanding the mythology is critical to creating a project's success su successful implementation. So it's early days in the design process for us. When Clinton Tom came to us and described the project, it was clear how important a project this would be and we had that we had to immerse ourselves in the town, its history and its evolution. Part of that immersion has been working with Curtly Cameron and Design uh with Curtly and Patrick providing invaluable context and feedback. I think we are all positive that the concepts we are discussing are evolving in a suitable direction and we look forward to continuing that process with everyone with our team and your team. So to that end today we will share the site planning programming and briefly discuss the architectural inspiration. So we start here with context. Um, you see that there's Court Street, right? I'm not sure if can can we point? So, sorry, Court Road, the village green down to the bottom right, the old post road. It's taking past the the playhouse and our side is at 63 Old Post Road. One more. Okay. Uh this is an enlarged version of the site and what you see here is this green area is about 20 foot below the old post road now. So there's there's a

a significant grade difference between the post road and the rear of the site and that gray area here is the existing parking behind. Uh there two ways into the site at the moment. You can either come in through here to this parking or driveway on the north side here. There's an existing walkway down to the rear here down to the lower grade and we'll explain a bit more about ideas for that. So, this is u what we call a basement plan. You won't see this from the post road. Um like when you walk sorry like when you walk behind the the playhouse today um you'll experience this building from the lower portion of the side or this part of the building from lower portion of the side. What this light gray area shows is covered parking for the residents. So we're trying to get at least one to one park covered parking for the residents above. Uh what we're intimating here is that there's some back of house with the residential buildings. Uh there's guts as it were u place for moveins, place for trash collection, electrical rooms, water rooms. We envisage that most of that will happen down here. Again, it's about 20t below. Uh what I meant about an idea for the stairway and what it could be is that we think that there's an opportunity here to make a a grand gesture of a connection between this lower parking field which serves a lot of the of the retail on that street and the post road. So we're thinking a grand staircase going down. We'll design that and we'll show that to you next time we see it. Um and then it's a driveway to the north. It's happening itself. Uh no it's fine. Uh so this is the um first floor and I call this the first floor because this is even with the post road. So what you have here is a series of retail buildings facing the post road. That's a retail spaces facing the post road in

the same U-shaped building. Um and the thought here is that maybe this is a restaurant. It's again early days. We haven't made those decisions yet. But just generally thinking that something more lively is closer to the playhouse and the symbiotic relationships of uh maybe Bedford 234 bar on the bar and restaurant on the on in the playhouse. And then maybe these two retail spaces are quieter like Duchess or the village barber shop as you transition to the residential neighborhood. And then there's a central entrance to the to the residential portion of the building. What we're suggesting here is that again just way the residential buildings work. There'll be an amenity space, a co-work space, maybe a small gym, uh, and a courtyard for residents, private courtyard for residents. That's what this green area is, and a few units on the first floor. There's a mixture of two bedrooms and one bedrooms. Um, Clint and Tom have a very specific idea of the type of product they want to create. Um, and we'll talk more about the about that next time we see you. In terms of the residential product, this is the second typical floor, second and third floor. Um, so what you see here again is a mix of twos and ones. And we're still working on the mix. We're thinking maybe there are more two bedrooms than one bedrooms we show here. Uh, because that maybe is the product that the town wants. So this is um this is an historic picture and this is we've just highlighted the buildings on that. Um, we don't have building elevations to show tonight. As just mentioned, we've started working on those, but want to take necessary time to let those concepts properly develop. Um, in thinking about the approach, some principal design considerations are matching the height of the playhouse. So, this is our side. Matching the height of the playhouse so the new building has a contextual scale. Continuing the small retail feel at the first floor and curating the pedestrian experience

from the across the front of the building and from the parking lot to the post road and responding to the architectural vernacular the building materials and the architectural detailing that exists along the post road. So with that curtly helped us find a few images that will form inform our design approach. So this is historic hall. Um you see here the gable forms the divid divided light windows which shutters. It's quintessential traditional architecture. Sorry if you can switch Brian I'll switch here. This is the general store. Uh this a gamro roof form that we're exploring maybe using in in our version uh in our building on part of the building. There's a front porch element. I'm just highlighting items that we found interesting and thought we might repeat and next time you next time you see it we might have incorporated this if we think appropriate but the the front porch here as a as a foreground to the retail was compelling for us. Uh this is the post office and its original location. Again the the uh gable form but here with a more formal treatment uh with columns and a pediment. We looked at that. We thought maybe too formal for our building. Sorry, I'm teasing here. I should show you a picture and that'll come next. Um, this is the post office being moved. It's just a great image. That's why we included it. Here's a library. Um, an elegant New England facade with a almost like center hall arrangement. Um, not quite symmetrical but somewhat symmetrical. Um, this is a very compelling image for us. And I'll show you some of our work that looks like this next. It's the old trellis building, now the Bixler building. That doesn't that's not there anymore. But we like the the retail nature of that image.

This is the business block with clues on how retail storefronts evolve evolved over time on the road. That's the business block. Again, here's a courthouse with a more traditional Gamrell form uh with a steeper second portion of the roof um as opposed to the other building we saw earlier, the general store. Oops. Courthouse again. And then this this is a current picture of the play. I didn't have a historic one, but we thought that we should include this because this is where we where this for our purposes the street ends and our project begins. This is more of a federal style with a with a brick facade and we feel very strongly that this is part of our approach that we start um that we contextual with the height and the architecture of this building as a staff that's important for us. And then these these are pictures of those buildings as they are today. Let me just flip those quickly. We took those last week actually. So hence the wintry and Christmas look. So I'd like to just go through a a few pictures from our portfolio, free images from our portfolio. Um they show architectural an architectural vernacular that has elements that exist and we you find on the oppos road in Bedford and it show how we've used them before in our projects. This is not to say that this building is going to look like this but it shows that we have worked with this type of architecture before. So this is in Norwalk. Uh it's the border of a commercial and residential neighborhood. So, we had to break up the mass of a large building, make them look like the buildings had evolved over time. Um, and you can see a series of different types of architectural responses here, but

consistent with some of the vernacular you see on the post road. This is in Darianne, the development of the of the Corbyn block in Darian's downtown. and in this case tying into their historical fabric, not exactly yours. Um, but we took clues from the architecture that existed on on their main street and and use it to create our new architecture. Again, a view of that building. Everyone loves this building and our team. So, we showed two pictures of it. Uh, this is the same street as the previous building. Um but we what this shows is we broke up the building. So same vernacular um a traditional vernacular but completely different treatment of buildings on the same street. Uh this is another project Darian different site though and showing how retail could be incorporated into the traditional forms really create a vibrant uh urban scale and a vibrant first floor. Here's a project in a seaside village. Well, Long Island Sound village. Um, this is Roan. Um, you can see here we're looking back at the first image I showed you of the historic images in in Bedford. Divided light windows, gableland, uh, dormers and, um, shutters. So, that vernacular, those those elements can be put together in a more not contemporary, but a a slightly more contextual response. Then finally, I think this is the final one. Finally, a picture from New Kanan and what this shows is that we can melt commercial and res residential first floor fields. So on the left hand side is a is retail while we felt that in live in the what is essentially a downtown uh in live in the first floor we had direct entry residential unit. So

just some of our projects. Um, again, we're not saying that the architecture should look like this, but we're saying that we're thinking about this carefully. So, again, we look forward to a collaborative process and hopefully trying to make something really special in your time. Thank you.

I couldn't tell whether Dave Sessions was signed on. Hey, is he? Yes. Could I turn it over to him? Thank you. I don't want to draw.

Dave, are you Hello. Can Yeah. Hi. Can you hear me now? Yes.

Okay, good. Thank you. Um Dave Sessions with KSCJ Consulting uh will be the civil engineers for the project. And just very quickly, I'd like you to take you through um the existing conditions. Everybody knows the property pretty pretty well, but um Yan, I'm not sure if you've got the um existing conditions plan up. Um if you don't, could you flip that one very quickly? All right, there we go. Thank you. So, as as you know, the uh existing driveway to the property um comes in at the north uh comes down to about 31 parking spaces up on the north side and then it continues down further south to approximately 30 spaces actually. Exact.

Yeah. Hello. Yeah, we're we're having problems because the audience in in the courtroom cannot see anything because of the way the this has to be. Can I hold this up and point around that way? No, it's good enough.

Is that better? Blow it up a little bit. It would fill the screen a bit more. Zoom in. Little bit better. Yeah,

I think that's about as good as it ever gets.

Go ahead, Dave.

Okay, Deardra, is it okay to Yeah, Dave, go ahead.

Okay. Sorry. So, um, again, the existing Playhouse building is is located to the south in the Brown. Uh, the entrance to the site is up to the north. Uh, it's a driveway that comes down into a parking area. Uh, there's about 31 parking spaces in that northern area. Uh and then the the drive vial comes down to the southern area uh which is 30 parking spaces just to the uh east of the existing playhouse building. Uh those are all paved parking spaces. So that's that's basically what we have for the existing conditions. There are wetlands off to the east uh to the back of the site. Um and um again the topography as as we all pretty much know slopes um from west to east down uh to the wetland area there. Uh so Y if you could just flip to the to the rendering now. Um we're proposing many improvements to the for uh for the site but I'll just touch on a few of the major ones. As far as parking is concerned, as I mentioned, there are 61 existing parking spaces. Right now, uh at the end of the project, there will be a total of 157 parking spaces. Uh now, that includes the existing 30 spaces to the south, which we are proposing right now to not touch at all, to just leave as they are. Uh and then we would improve the northern part of the property um where we we would be allocating the remaining 30 or 31 spaces to the playhouse which they already have for a total of 61. So there'll be a place pretty much cordoned off or allocated for that. And then the remainder of the parking spaces, uh

there would be um 96 spaces uh left for the proposed building, the residence, and certainly community parking. Um and as far as um landscape, we can see on the rendering there's many, many trees. Again, this is conceptual, but there are several islands throughout the parking area that can be that can be filled with trees, with canopy, with shrubs. Um, everything will be uh native native trees, native shrubs, ground cover, and so forth. Um, absolutely no invasive material would ever be proposed, nor would I'm sure it would be approved. So, um, and as we mentioned before, we do want to investigate a landscape concept between the Playhouse building, uh, and the new building to draw to draw people, uh, into the site. Um, so I think that's a that's a great idea. I mentioned the wetlands before. Uh, uh, a portion of the property is within the 100 ft wetland setback. Uh, we're not proposing any wetland proper disturbance. Uh but there is a wetland setback there that they're they would be disturbed. Now if you recall the existing conditions plan, there's already a pretty large parking space that takes up uh a pretty large area of the wetland buffer. Um so there's already a lot of disturbance and there's also the the underground filtration uh treatment system that's right up against the wetland as well. Uh so there's a lot of disturbance within the wetland buffer. Uh we'll be redisturbing that area, if you will, but uh making several improvements. Uh one of which is to uh cure the nonconformity of the existing sewage treatment plant. So we'll be bringing all of that up to

current today's current standards uh which is obviously quite quite a mitigation for the wetland. Um, as far as uh the sewage, uh the sewage, as we mentioned before, uh we'll be updating uh the treatment plant. Uh we'll bring it all into compliance and whether or not uh whether or not the school gets involved is is another discussion. I believe that there's been some discussion with that, but nothing is nothing is set with respect to that, but um I believe that we're open to to continue to discuss that. Um, storm water management will be controlled by a combination of of underground detention uh slash storage uh and infiltration practices. We've already conducted preliminary soil testing. We've done deep deep tests and some percolation tests. So, we have a pretty good idea of where we can infiltrate uh and where we can't due to um you higher groundwater conditions that wouldn't be uh conducive to infiltration. So, we've got a pretty good idea of what we want to do there. Obviously, we'll be subject to a full storm water pollution prevention plan for the New York State DEEC as well as uh to gain approval from Jim Hans office, the town engineer. So we realize that we've got to go through that and Hans's office will also be witnessing uh future deep and percolation tests uh with respect to the design of the infiltration systems. Um so um we will need permits from as I mentioned before wetland control commission will have to go through their entire process uh to get that permit to disturb the wetland buffer. Um I'm assuming that there will be mitigation associated with with the disturbance. Uh however, there's in and

of itself the project um in in our opinion is mitigation uh because of the uh certainly the treatment plant bringing that up to snuff uh the robust planting within the parking lot and probably some improvements to the wetland certainly the wetland buffer and maybe wetland proper as well uh as mitigation if if that's the way the wetland control commission ultimately goes. Um certainly uh further mitigation is obviously in compliance with the comprehensive master plan. We're talking about providing parking um providing housing uh some affordable housing parking for the community. Um so we think it it it checks all of the boxes and and uh the mitigation will will be significant. So I think that covers the site in general. Obviously, we'll be going through the EAF and um we're assuming, you know, changes will be made to the plan here and there, but um that pretty much covers the concept of of what's being put forth right now.

Thank you, Dave. I can stand here. That's uh all we have tonight in the way of presentation. Obviously, we're looking forward to working with the board on February 9th to go begin to go through in orderly and and and thorough fashion the AF part two. Uh but we're anxious to hear comments from the public so that our answers and responses to your inquiries on February 9th can include answers to any questions that come up tonight. Yes. And this board is very interested in hearing the public's reaction as well. Thank you.

So, thank you. So, we're going to turn to the public part of the the meeting at this this point. Um, couple couple of things. I do hope um that we can all agree that the majority of people in this room have one thing in common and that that's that we all care deeply about this town and what happens in this town. We may disagree about what's best for the town, but we all want what's best for the town. And I hope that we can keep that in mind with the discussion. We we need to hear the pros and cons of this development. We don't really need to hear the pros and cons of each other. So, um, with that said, I think I'm going to start with people who are in the courtroom. Just let let me finish. Sorry, I wasn't sure whether you were signaling. I may be distracted at times here because I'm trying to keep mentally tuned to the fact that we're doing this in a webinar form and I'm looking for people who may be raising their hand to tell me something's going on. So that's why I I get a little concerned. Um when you come when when you come to um make a comment, please identify yourself. Uh give us your name and and where where you live in Bedford uh or where you live and um I'd have have we have people signed up for

it's available. There's a sorry there's a signup sheet available if there happens to be a queue at the podium. Um please feel free to add your name um and where you live and your email address if you'd like. Um otherwise as the chair mentioned please just make sure you state your name um distinctly for the record as long as as well as your address. And with that we can start. Okay. So I'm going to start in this room. If for those of you who are listening on on the zoom uh I will switch over to to you at um at a point and and you will get a chance to talk. Um so the gentleman who raised his hand before he like to come up you you do have to speak in one of the microphones.

I didn't sign up. Should I sign up?

Uh why don't you sign after you talk? Uh, Peter Kaplan. I live at 127 Indian Hill Road in Bedford. Um, I moved here in 81 and I was coming up here since the 60s. You know, I I came here with I think a very open mind. I'm all for development. I'm I wasn't that worried particularly about, you know, some people complained about the parking. You can't park um in the village. I've always been able to park in the village and if I had to walk two blocks or three blocks that's okay with me and I'd like to see more activity. But one thing I am concerned about I will tell you is and maybe I missed something. If you're going north on 22, you'll be able to make a right turn. That'll be the entrance. It won't be uh for the parking. Right. Okay. Okay. What I'm concerned about and if you're coming south, are they going to be able to make a left turn? I don't think the town can do anything about traffic lights there. But I can pretty much guarantee you after being here for years, there will be a lot of traffic, a lot of accidents. if you can come south and make a left turn into it into that spot or if when you're coming out of that if there's another I don't know what it is 80 or 90 cars that are going to be coming exiting and being able to make a left onto 22. I've personally seen a lot of accidents and I always told my kids when they were driving in that area to go very very slowly if you're coming south and going through the village on all of those spots. So, I don't know how that's being addressed because I don't think we can put a a traffic light.

I think that's a good question for there is a traffic report being being done. our our own town experts are going to go through that traffic report and I think we you you make a good point that needs to be Yeah, I'm I'm still have an open mind to it. I'm kind of inclined not to be for it because of some of those issues. I'm not worried about the parking per se. I'm worried about the traffic and accidents. I personally have seen a lot of accidents there. Now, traffic is going to be a major issue of study. If we have to slow down, you know, people are complaining about, oh, you can't turn into chicos and but the cars coming down 22 and going up 22 are going very fast. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes. Um,

thank you, Madam Chairman and planning board, and thank you to Tom and Clint for bringing everybody together to sort of very cohesively lay out this plan. My name is Veronica Cernadus Laurier. I am a resident of the farms. Um, I've been living in Bedford since 2019. Um, and I have just come with a summary of requests based on conversations I've had with neighbors, but I will be submitting them on behalf of myself and my husband, Herbert Laurier. The proposed development is discretionary and does not address an essential public need. Given its scale and potential impacts, I respectfully request that the following conditions be considered and perhaps satisfied before this application proceeds. Number one, an independent traffic uh impact study. We would like to see a full traffic impact study conducted by an independent third party selected by the town and in consultation with residents and not by the applicant. The study should evaluate existing conditions on Route 22 and cumulative impacts including peak hour congestion, vehicle queuing, idling, and access for surrounding neighborhoods and emergency services. Number two, we would request no zoning exceptions or special permissions. The application should be evaluated strictly under existing zoning. Um, no special permissions, waiverss or variances should be granted as such relief would establish precedent and risk incremental changes to land use policy without broader view that's normally required for zoning amendments. If this proposal cannot proceed under existing zoning, any changes necessary to make it viable should be considered openly by the town board as a legislative matter rather than through a case-by case exception. Number three, consistency with adopted environmental and climate commitments, including Bedford 2030. The town has adopted policies, plans that emphasize reducing greenhouse gas emissions, limiting vehicle idling, and avoiding increased resilience on auto reliance, excuse me, on automobile dependent development. I respectfully respectfully request that

the board explain for the record how a proposal that increases parking, vehicle trips, congestion, and idling on Route 22 is being evaluated for consistency with the town's adopted environmental and climate commitments. Number four, we would also like to request a pause pending legal review. I along with other Bedford Village residents am in the process of retaining legal counsel to review this application with respect to traffic zoning, environmental considerations, and procedural integrity. I respect the request that the board pause any dis decision or advancement of this application until the review is completed and reflected in the public record. Finally, this is a little bit more there have there's a perception in the community unfortunately that this application may have been approved outside public process and I sincerely hope that the perception is unfounded. I respectfully request confirmation for the record that no determinations, agreements, understandings or commitments of any kind regarding this application have been made prior to the close of public record. These requests are intended to ensure lawful and transparent process and to evaluate this non-essential proposal against the real limits of existing infrastructure before irreversible impacts are imposed. Thank you.

I will tell you for the from this board that we have we do not make decisions before we appear before we we are human beings and we have leanings as Mr. Kaplan said about his leanings. I don't know what my fellow board members leanings are. Uh we will look at it seriously. Uh we are the town is hiring a traffic consultant. Uh there's been a traffic study done by the applicant. We in cases like this we always do have a separate traffic study. Um, I I have to admit that every time there is th this this kind of implication that the people who volunteer their time in this town, as much as we do, are somehow trying to pull something over on people. Uh, and I I guess I'm inclined to want to ask, what do you think we'd get out of it that that we would do that? Um, it's not worth it to us. Our own souls are not are worth more to us than any project in the town. So, I can assure you that we will make the best decision that we can. Ultimately we what we will be doing is making a recommendation to the town board and is the town this is a town board action. Um

I appreciate the clarification but just for your your knowledge people are talking in the town and I am not accusing you. I'm letting you know. No I I u I made the comment that I made about uh not the pro and cons of people because I know people have been talking about each other and about the town government. And that is an unfortunate aspect of American governance today. Um, I'm offended by it. Uh, so I I can't pretend I'm not. Uh, next.

Okay. Yeah. Yes. Okay. I got Sorry. I see the cartridge, you know.

Hi. Um, Holly Taylor. I live at 6 Thornbrook Lane in Bedford. Um, uh, I'm going to be kind of brief on this. I have nothing prepared, but um, uh, just a few points I want to make. I worked on the comprehensive plan and so I do know that affordable housing was a big deal among a lot of residents. Plus it's also as I understand uh the law uh state laws is encouraging it also. I'm also somebody who is about to enter those years where I'm thinking about downsizing and I have a lot of friends who have downsized and they've had to leave the immediate area um to find a place. And so I think it would be really nice to have some options nearby, you know, to stay near friends or family. Um, one other thing is that uh my experience is is a little different than some of the people who spoke here is that um I I was very apprehensive at first when you know um when the firehouse was being changed into you know the the um place that it is now. And I actually love it. I think it's a great thing. I did I was worried when it was being proposed. Um but um given all the vibrancy that's been added to the town with that, you know, seeing young kids around, families around, it's wonderful. But I have to tell you, at least 50% of the time when I try to go mail a letter at the post office, I can't even find parking going down court road. Um and I end up talking about idling and emissions. I'm circling and circling and circling and then I give up and I come back and I circle again and until I can find parking or I do it the next day. So, I personally, that's just my personal experience. I would love to have extra parking and I don't mind walking two or three blocks. Um, I don't mind walking five blocks. I don't mind walking from the grammar school, but I just would love to have a place to park.

And one other thing that I think uh people don't talk about um you know there's so many wonderful activities that go on the tree lighting and and um there are all these wonderful events that happen um in the historic buildings and in town and various fundraisers that take place for the playhouse or this historical society. And a lot of times I have wanted to go to these things and I haven't because if there wasn't valet parking available to me um at whatever ticket price I want to do or there's no you know uh prescribed guaranteed parking I go it's not worth it and I don't go. So you might get more participation I think in some of these wonderful events too. Um, I also know um at least one of the two people very well who's doing this proposal. And I have to say that if anybody is worried about whatever is done not fitting in with Bedford or not being studied and planned in a way that would mitigate any traffic issues, um I I would lay my, you know, my soul down to vouch for the people involved with this project is that um I've volunteered uh with Tom in particular on several things and um I've never known anybody who has devoted so much free time to doing what's best for this town. Um and and also the people on the planning board um people in this town I who I've worked with just the integrity I find incredible. So um everything that's going that was brought up tonight will be listened to. I can guarantee it will be listened to. And uh and I'm not I don't have a stake in this at all. I just I just feel very strongly that knowing the people involved with this town, they're good people. They care about this town and um nothing is

going to be pulled. No fast ones are going to be pulled on anybody. I think this is going to be above above board and I have faith in everybody involved with this um to be above board to listen to everybody who has any concerns and to deal with them. So, um, so I hope that makes people feel a little bit calmer, um, about it and that their voices will be heard, you know, just knowing the people. I know that will happen. So,

thank you. Then any other volunteers from within the Yes. My name is David Menin. I live in Bedford Village. I am I serve the town also as town justice. Pardon me. Um, I was zoning board chair for I don't know eight years before I was titled justice. Pardon me, I'm not able to talk so well. I was accused of misconduct when people didn't like the decisions that I was making. And I never had any prejudice. Um, and I don't believe that this board does either. So before people make that kind of accusation, they need to be very careful with the facts. um and half ax about 10 years ago, pardon me. Um there was a sharet, they called it a sharet on this property. I think it was about 10 years ago. What to do with the property and um Dick Farrell, who has since moved away, got up and said that he wanted to stay in town, but he didn't think he could because there was no place for him to go to downsize. He moved away. Um, I would like to downsize, but I can't because there's no place to live. And for me to keep my position, I have to stay in town. So, um, I would look forward to additional housing that is a little smaller than what I have now so that I can downsize but still live here. Thank you.

Thank you. any Yes, the the gentleman and then and then

uh hey Murray Fiser I live in uh Bedford Village. Um just here to speak on behalf of supporting this project. Um, I was first introduced to the idea of there being a development there maybe five years ago when I was serving on a committee that was about the uh possible comprehensive plan for the town and you know very similar proposal was before the town I think then or at least conceived of. So I was supportive of it then even more supportive of it now. Um I know Tom and Clint my twin boys are at Bedford Village with them. Um, so to me, I walk through the village virtually every day and so I just would like to see people living downtown. I would like to see increased foot traffic. Um, I actually wonder whether it needs so much parking associated with it. I have a pretty different perspective than it sounds like most people where I actually don't really want a lot more parking lots in the town. I would like to see how much parking does do 27 residents require and then let's build that. But otherwise, my preference is less asphalt parking lots. I walk through the uh parking lot right behind the Presbyterian Church virtually every day to go grab a coffee in town somewhere. And after the school drop off, it's almost always empty. And I say this to anyone who will listen, it's a gigantic gravel parking lot that's almost always empty when I walk through there. So, it's a pretty there is parking near by in the town already. Um, the other thing is it it feels to me as someone who's spent a career trying to protect the environment that the the the other option we would have is that these 27 houses get built somewhere out in the woods. And I don't think that we want that as we've been a town that's really worked hard to preserve our woods or that they get built in New Cananan or in Ridgefield. And I have friends in New Cananan and in Ridgefield who drive

through our town every day. So, it seems to me if someone said, "What's the thing that you'd like to change about Bedford Village?" I really think the through traffic is the biggest problem. Not the traffic coming to shop or live or recreate or go to school in Bedford, the through traffic because they're not paying taxes nec necessarily. And I think those are the people who are speeding the most. And so, from my perspective, I think this would actually slow traffic down. I think all the people who are cutting through because it just Google maps and ways tells them it's faster today to go through Bedford Village would maybe go around. So I actually think and I'm not an expert this I've been living here since 2018. I've just noticed that a lot of the traffic that goes right by my house is through traffic. Love to see the traffic report. not pretending I know what the answer will be, but um you know, a lot of benefits and I'm really excited to see this process. Really hopeful people can be kind to each other through it. It's a small town. We don't have to be adversaries. Of course, we want this town to be a beautiful place to live for everybody, but it's a really tough It's, you know, it's so expensive. So, the idea of there being some affordable housing, some places for people to live, my mother-in-law has already said she'd love to get a place here. So, I think there'll be a lot of that kind of a market and um just grateful for the opportunity to participate.

Thank you. There was a Yes. I'm sorry to point at people and Oh, was there somebody? No, no, no.

Oh, okay. My name is Jacqueline Weir. Live at 64 Oliver Road in Bedford. I've lived here 42 years. I'm obviously from the South. So, it was kind of a hard transition when I first got up here. I have total respect for the Bedford board and the town. They've done nothing but help me. What they're showing on wetlands here is I can't believe it. Parking lots going into the wetlands. I had to hire an attorney to to put down a propane tank to bury a propane tank on my property. I have six acres and I'm not that close to wetlands. The whole area is wetlands. But I just think we're leaping to something in Bedford that everybody comes here for and we're going to change it. New Kanan and those areas have been ruined. I mean the the towns in Connecticut that have these buildings that don't match or they do match or they think it's wonderful. I I used to build buildings for IBM, so I understand architecture, structure, and everything else. But the thing is that we everybody comes here because Bedford is Bedford. If we incrementally change it so that it's not Bedford, what are we doing? You go to some of the towns like Derianne. Derianne used to be the sweetest town in the world. And now they've done all of this adding on putting parking lots, adding stores, little places where people can go nook and whatever they want to do during the day and stuff and have more foot traffic. It's great, but I don't think affordable housing there is going to be any less affordable than what Bedford is affordable. Bedford's not the, you know, the least expensive place in the world to live and Connecticut has less taxes than we have by a lot. And I I just think that they're going to change the whole aspect of the village. And that really is why people come here. We have a place in France. We have a place in Canada. Come. People come and

visit us. They say, "Oh my god, this is just the most fabulous place in the world." They walk through the cemetery. They see the green. The stores are adorable. People are here. But being on Oliver Road, I come out Greenwich Road and there's a light there. But when I look left to go somewhere, there's a line of traffic all the way down to the Shell station. And in the mornings, there's a line of traffic all way all the way through as you're going to pound. And I think a lot of it, what the gentleman said about through traffic, it's unbelievable.

If we build more units, if we change it, if we do this, you know, we just really need to kind of hold our heads together because this is a very special place. A very special place. and to modernize it, change it, do something, put huge parking lots that roll off, all that asphalt rolls off into the wet land that you showed. And you know, I think we just need to keep cool heads. Thank you. Thank you. And I admire all of you that worked for Bedford. I've worked with your outfit on and you're great. Thank you. Thank you. Gentlemen, this meeting.

Uh, good evening, Madame Chairwoman, members of the board. Uh, my name is Robert Schmidt. I live at in West Circle in the farms area and, um, lived there for over 30 years, uh, raised my family there, and actually happy to, uh, say that my daughter and grandchildren have now moved back to Bedford. So, we're here for the long haul. Um, and I know from past projects that this board um does nothing uh in an unthorough way. Um, you know, I've been through the secret process on a couple of projects over the years and and I know what a um a thorough and um just uh very intensive process it is and I have no doubt that this project will be any different. I have no u I'm not really prepared to speak to this project. I don't know enough about the details, but whether it's this project or any project, the one thing that I think is critical for Bedford Village is water utilization. Since I've moved to the town and long before that, water use has been a major problem. the um last several years we've had water restrictions in town um through a combination of reasons um with a failed well and increased utilization um between Dico's truck luchia great that those businesses are doing well and it's very vibrant um but it also comes with increased water utilization now as I remember the way the structure is here there's the farms water district and the Old post road water district. Uh what most people certainly in the farms don't realize that the old post road water district water comes from the farm's wells. So it all comes from the same place and the same aquifer and that aquifer has been depleted over the last several years. coupled with the fact

that um and madam chair would probably recall since you've been in this position for quite a long time there was significant environmental contamination both well in a number of places including Hunter Hunting Ridge Crusher Road the arcade building the old Exxon gas station and actually I believe the the the theater building you know itself there was a dry cleaner there at one point in time so there were significant plumes that as recently as you 10 to 15 years ago, I think when it was last studies, those plumes were still moving and it's unclear uh what the increased water utilization do that this project will cause will will yield uh and what the impact will be and you know that's critically important uh to the existence of the town not just the vibrancy of the town. So I I know that that will be something that will be taken up in the secret process and um I think it would be helpful certainly for me and maybe others if um at some point the board would outline kind of the timeline for the scoping of that because which I know that's a a critical phase where you know these important questions get put in there. Um, I won't belabor the record tonight with the traffic issues, but I agree with the comments that have been made. Um, coming down around that hill down 22 coming south to basically where that driveway is is always a bit of a uh a challenge. Um, you don't know if people are going to be flying around the curb. My wife was in a head-on collision at that curb several years ago where somebody who was just coming around and wasn't paying attention and went over the line. So, so obviously traffic is also going to be a major concern, but thank you. I know this board will do everything in its power to do everything the right way and dot all the eyes putting aside whatever perception may or may not be out there. Thank you.

Thank you. We will do our best to pardon. We will do our best best to to prove you right. Um and I'm glad you mentioned the the issue of scoping. um whether or not there's a formal scoping session. That in essence is what we're trying to do right now is sit down and identify these things and we will continue to talk about that as as we go through the process. Thank you for that clarification. My recollection again could be flawed and I'm no expert in the area is that there was a a formal public comment period for people to submit written requests for inclusion in the document. And

this this would be if it if it went to a full EIS. We have we're not at at the the point of of knowing that yet. So you you don't do formal scoping for anything but a full EIS, but this board generally basically scopes anyway, right? Because it's the best way to make sure you cover everything, right? Thank you for that clarification. Did Go ahead.

Uh, I'm Clayton Rose, uh, 20 plus year Bedford Village resident. Um, I can see the site from my house. Uh, I'm also the chair of the Bedford Village Historic Review Commission and want to just make sure that, um, everybody knows that our commission also has made no uh, commitments with regards to this project. Um, that's not why I came up here necessarily, though. Um, I did want to point out that the northern entrance uh to the site, if you go just a little bit further up Old Post, right across that um entrance, there are actually on both sides, there are ditches which I think go back to 1680 probably. um with regards to water drainage. Uh and so I just want to make sure the engineers are cognizant of that um and that there's not a greater impact with regards to water drainage into in front of these houses. People walk even though there's no sidewalks there. It's very popular walking walking destination.

Thanks. Thank you. Other comments? Yes, sir.

Good evening. Um, Anthony Jordano. I live at 672 Old Post Road. Um, Clayton's neighbor. Um, couple thoughts. Um, I won't bel labor the traffic issue, but I've had a front row seat for over 30 years of one, the increase in traffic and unfortunately the associated increase in car accidents, which over the last several years has really increased dramatically. I've been working with Ellen Calvis, Don Scott, Kevin Wyn, the New York State DOT when they will speak to people. That's a very difficult group of people to deal with and everyone should be aware of how challenging that that group will be. I've asked them to try to address the ditch where so many cars go off the road, you have literally six inches of pavement and um they just won't do anything. They they find the road to be quote serviceable. Um sometimes I joke with myself saying, you know, I've lived in Bedford so long that I was here before there were traffic lights. Traffic is a major issue. I've not heard anything about whether these apartments will be age restricted. I've heard lowincome housing, you know, how many cars, how many people. I also have concerns about uh the aquifer. Um and I will also say, uh Clayton, myself, um we live on the west side of Old Post Road, very high water table. So, I'm interested to see what their engineers are suggesting in terms of um how that site will perk. Um, the other question I have is I heard about 30 seconds a reference to some confusion about the

zoning designation of the site. Again, I've been here at for over 30 years. My understanding from the day I bought my house was that this was two parcels or or a portion of the parcel was residential. So, is this hearing is this application premature until you've clarified the zoning? And are they going to rely on a an administrative error by the town because two subsequent maps conflict with the 1994 map? So, I'd ask you to think about that seriously before they spend too much time and money on this. if a portion of the site is residential. So then you're into a whole different variance and a whole different uh application process. So I remain open-minded and I wish them luck, but I do have concerns. Thank you.

Yeah, I will make sure that at the next meeting our town attorney clarifies that issue. I hesitate to do it myself because I'm not an attorney. uh but the process that we're involved in now is going on the assumption that the zoning is residential and this is this includes a zoning petition. So that I think that we're basically taking the position that that you recommend that uh and I hope the town attorney agrees with me after that. Uh any further comments from the from here? All right, I'd like to turn this over to anyone in on Zoom. And I see a hand raised. I I can't read the

Is it me? Nancy Croninberg. Yes. And Croninberg. Yes. And Croninberg. Yeah. So, um thank you, Deardra. And I've also had great experience with the planning board and I think you guys do a fantastic job on this. I have three questions. The first is is this the same group that came before the board I don't know eight years ago for a similar development? No.

Okay. Um two, when we look at um making this similar with the existing structures, one thing that's very important that I've observed is that the materials that they use are in fact real wood and proper brick because when they use plastics, it looks like plastics and they're much more expensive for them to do. So I just throw that into the hopper. And then the third point is I do think there's a question of scale here because I don't think we should be building additional residences that um u merge into the the wetlands. And I agree with Murray completely. We shouldn't be putting parking lots over wetlands. And I think 27 units strikes me as uh large. And uh so I think that we have to think hard about the scale of this. And I also feel very strongly that if it is residential, we shouldn't reszone for a project like this. Thank you.

Thank you. I see another hand. Is this is Christian Davon? Davon, can you hear me? Can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you. Um I agree that u there's a lot to a lot of merit in this proposal and I um agree with whoever it was who said that we had trepidations about what would happen to the firehouse and oho has become a wonderful success that's much enjoyed by people of all ages children too u my grandchildren love it um but the the the concern that I have is about the traffic and I know that other people have mentioned this but I I think that we should not really be considering doing anything on this on this property um until there is a traffic study and some amelioration. Um I don't know how many people have ever tried walking across um from the playhouse. Um you can do it at about 9:00 at night. That's fine. Um but it is really scary to do it many times in the day. And uh as as for crossing over in other places, uh we we're going to end up unfortunately with a village that's that's carved in two or carved in three by its roads. Um unless we manage to do something to mitigate traffic. I agree with Murray. Most of it is is through traffic and this is the real problem. I live on Indian Hill Road. I've lived there for 20 years. Sometimes I can't turn off Indian Hill Road in order to get into the village. because the traffic is absolutely non-stop. As for turning left, forget about it. So, please would you not put the cart before the horse? Um, but could the traffic study come first before we think of putting any more traffic in Bedford?

I think, thanks very much for your attention. I think that uh we may well be doing precisely that. Uh, let's see. I I I can't tell. Shay, can you tell who it is? Anthony Root. Mr. Root.

Yes, I'm here. Thank you very much uh for um letting me speak. My name is Anthony Root. I'm a resident of Bedford and um I was born here 72 years ago. And I'd like to bring uh to this hearing a perspective that I think is critical. Um, it's one from the perspective of a family that's been in Bedford since the start of the 20th century. And it's a perspective that, um, my 103year-old mother, who's one of the oldest residents in Bedford, agrees with. Um I think the point that was made earlier about the risk of turning Beford into from a small sleepy quiet village that u has this unique character into a more dense nan derianne is the issue on the key issue on the table. Um and ultimately it does boil down to what the community wants. uh my impression is that the community um want to maintain that character and so I think it's critical that um people recognize that individual decisions of this type can lead to long-term consequences that lead to a result that people don't want. Um and you know the classic statement a series of baby steps can become one giant step. No question over the course of my seven decades in Bedford um the increase in traffic volume is exponential. Um and that noise congestion um threatens the the tone of the village to pedestrian safety and yes um through traffic is a is a is a key culprit. But if you add a major development with a huge parking lot, of course, all you're doing is um attracting more

traffic. Um and to some extent, you know, people actually in urban planning create limited access, limited parking, limited uh street um um capacity specifically to maintain character. So to me this project is going exactly in the wrong direction by creating more capacity to generate more traffic. Um the um I think the key point I really want to leave with the planning board is that the Bedford that we know and love today is a product of decades of careful planning stewardship. And um I know that the planning board um you know um has worked hard to maintain um the the the town's character and I'm confident that um they will continue to do so. Um, I'd like to remind everybody that the way the town has managed the village growth over the last 50 dec 50 years, five decades, has not been by developing large projects at the at the village center, but is by approving significant developments on the outskirts of town like the Hunting Ridge Mall. And what the way that um the village has developed has been through repurposing existing properties like the arcade building and um the firehouse which I agree is is a big success. What's also very important for people to bear in mind is that the decision is not binary about housing. I mean it's not like you're saying oh if if you don't do this project there's going to be no available alter housing elsewhere. There are plenty of alternatives. We don't have to go into the Manus River Gorge, West Morland Sanctuary to build

properties. There's plenty of land around um if you um it has to be made available, but um the land is there. It's in the proximity of the village. I routinely walk from places like the farms and Hunting Bridge Mall to the village. It's a great walk. Um so I think there are plenty of alternatives that can be um where we can achieve the policy goals of housing without sacrificing the fundamental nature of the town's character. Um the final issue I want to mention is the u the key question technical question which is before the board which is a zoning amendment. I'm reassured to hear um Madame Chairman's view that the existing status of the uh lot is residential. Um I it goes without saying that an approve a request to change zoning should be subject to the highest level of scrutiny. Zoning laws are carefully drawn based on policy and they're intended to prevent ad hoc changes due to pressure from developers and business interests that give a give rise to inappropriate spot zoning. So I'd like to reiterate my fundamental theme. Creating an urban scale project at the center of Bedford does put at risk the fundamental character of the village. Um, and I am concerned that Oh, actually it's not a concern. It's it's self-evident that a approving a zoning change of this nature would create a precedent that would lead to um potentially to other similar developments that will destroy the town's character. So, I strongly encourage the planning board to do a full secret review and undertake the independent studies that uh Veronica mentioned and they're listed in my letter. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Uh, is Matt Troder? Yes. Hi. Can you hear me? Okay. Yes, can.

Great. Uh, well, thank you for letting me talk and apologies for not being there in person. Um, so my name is Matt. I actually live right here in the village on Court Road. Uh, I've been here for 15 years. I have two boys who are currently in our school district. uh one of whom actually has the long commute of walking across the street to the school. Um I love this town. I've watched it grow from a haven of real estate offices to a place where my kids are going to town. They're getting pizza. They're getting bacon and cheeses in various places in the morning. They're spending too much money at the candy store. And it's a place where my wife and I have multiple diff dinner options. It's it's amazing. What hasn't been amazing is the parking on Court Road. And I understand the town has tried, but it's just not enough. And this is not meant to be a criticism of the town, but to me, what Clint and Tom are bringing here is part of a solution. And in addition, they're bringing the the added benefits of a potential additional restaurant and a storefront. So, when I see Tom and Clint, two individuals that I know really well, uh, and they both very much undersold themselves on how much they volunteer in in various local organizations. if they're doing a project like this, I know they have their best our best interest in heart. And so I just wanted you to know as as someone who's going to closely feel the impact, I am fully supportive of Tom and Clint and approaching this with a very relaxed and optim optimistic view.

Thank you. Uh Wayne Cohen, Mr. Cohen. Hello, Wayne Cohen. Hey, can you hear me? Uh, just barely.

Apologies. I'll I'll speak up. Thank you for giving me the floor. Want to say first, thank you to the town board for all that you do. I have a tremendous amount of trust in you. Uh, I thought I had lived in Bedford for a long time before joining this meeting. I've been in the at in Bedford for 20 years. Uh, actually 22 years. I'm in the process of raising four kids in Bedford, all of whom went to or are going to the the Bedford schools. Um, and my view is pretty simple. I'm extremely supportive of this. I think maybe I have a slightly different perspective than others who've spoken and maybe line with the gentleman who just finished uh Matt in that uh my kids are younger and I love the fact that they're using the village. I love the fact that the village is more now. All of those things I think are really good for attracting young families uh to Bedford, which I think is really important to continue the longevity that so many have expressed support for and that certainly we're all benefiting from. So, huge supporter of this project. I guess the last thing I would say is I just uh was driving by actually on my way home and saw the lot as you guys were discussing it. It it's always struck me as not consistent with the character of the rest of the village. It's just it's like a dimly lit parking lot. Uh if it was already developed, if it was a historical building or home, obviously I would be uh very opposed to this. But in light of the fact that it's undeveloped and sitting there and in my mind totally inconsistent with the beauty of the rest of the village, I think that needs to be taken into consideration in uh hopefully ultimately approving this um once all the right work is done. So that's my view. Thanks for hearing me. Thank you, Mr. Cohen. Uh, Nicholas Vasquez.

Hello. Hello. Is this Mr. Vasquez? Yeah. Hi. How's it going, guys? Um, well, first off, thank thank you all for um everything you guys do on the board. I'm I'm fairly young compared to everyone else that's probably spoken. Could I could I ask you I apologize, but could you identify yourself and and tell us where you live? Thank you.

Yeah. So, my name's uh Nicholas Vasquez. I I live off 172. I'm uh 32 years old. I'm pretty young. I just moved up here uh in 2024 with my wife and two kids. Um I started So, I I I just want to backtrack for a quick second. Um you know, I had family that lived up here. I lived in Yoners my whole life. Um I started coming up here in 2007 and just really fell in love with this town and told myself, "Hey, I'm going to move here one day. this is this is somewhere I want to live hearing all all these wonderful people speak tonight. Um I've learned a lot from all of you. I I I again, you know, I'm I'm fairly young and I haven't been here a very long time. In the time I have spent here though, I've uh you know, I own multif family businesses uh multif family homes that I rent to tenants. I have a day job. I own businesses. I also um run the concession at the Bedford Village pool. My my biggest concern here um that everyone has pretty much touched on is you know I hear some people talking about downsizing and possibly taking these units that I don't believe that this building will have you know any impact as far as you know for residents to downsize and take no one will in my opinion have control of that. Um, I don't see how that oversight could happen, especially with New York fair housing laws and and how that would even be u how oversight would even take place with that. Um, as far as like again as a young person living here and raising a family and just starting out, I really fell in love with the town as it is. Um, you know, if I want to go to a mainstrip main street America type of feel, I'm going to drive to Katona and go to the stores there. I'm going to drive into Mount Kiscoco and see the 30 stores that are shut down

there or Bedford Hills and see the stores shut down there. Um I I I don't see how adding retail space to this street benefits um benefits the other businesses that are on the street already. You know, what kind of impact is that going to have on on GE Brown and the old firehouse when another coffee shop opens up? Um, again, I I may be fairly uh I don't want to say naive, but I know I have a lot to learn and I haven't been here very long. Um, but the first house I put an offer in on was 705 Old Post Road. I was outbid by $65,000 and I couldn't afford the $50,000 septic system it needed because it was on wetlands. you know, this is the wetlands issue is something that I know you guys are looking into and I'm sure all the best minds will be on it, but as a young person living here and and wants to raise his family here, I fell in love with the charm of the town. Um, and and I just don't see how this development adds to that charm. I just see it taking away from it personally.

Thank you. Any further? Uh, yes. Uh, Elanar Hershey, Elanar. Hello. Elanar Hershey on the Zoom. Sh. Can I do JT Gilbert?

Yes. Hi JT Gilbert here. Uh thank you uh to the board uh to everybody in the room and uh on the Zoom for allowing me to speak. I really appreciate the opportunity. Um, I live at 136 Fox Lane and uh, similar to many of the folks who have uh, called in and spoken tonight. I've been here for over a decade uh, raising three kids in town. I gone through Bedford Village Elementary School and Fox Lane, at least the middle school. Um, and while I can certainly understand a lot of the reservations that many of the folks uh tonight have voiced, um, you know, the biggest concern for me is, uh, as a lot of folks have have indicated, the preservation of the character of the town. Um and I I do have to say I think similar to a couple of the folks earlier um a a lot of the a lot of the concern that I have is ameliorated by the fact that I do know um the developers in this case uh very well and I don't know two folks who care more about our town and who are more interested in preserving that character. I think a lot of the concerns have been around what the building could potentially look like. I do understand concerns to the wetlands. That's certainly something that I'm sure the uh the developers will address as the property, you know, develops and and winds up being designed and built. But um in terms of two people who I know care about the character of the town um I have absolutely no concerns there. Um I do have confidence that you know

ultimately the uh the retail establishments will be in keeping with the character um as hopefully a lifelong resident. I do look forward to potentially downsizing, utilizing, you know, some of the uh some of the the residential opportunities, but um you know, I'm I'm fully supportive of this project. Uh the the traffic concerns obviously will have to be uh studied uh analyzed and and managed. Um, but ultimately I think you know Bedford is a historical town and extremely charming. But you know I think at at various points in time you do have to look to the future and try to envision you know what the town could be 10 20 30 50 years in the future. Um I always hope the town preserves its charm but I do think uh developments of this nature can can potentially allow our town to to uh grow into the future. So again, fully supportive um you know, full confidence in the developers in this case and um thank you all again for for your time and attention.

Thank you. Uh is Ellen Hershey there now? Uh yes. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Great. Sorry about that from before. Um, I just wanted to to make sure that while everyone's thinking about traffic, I know that some of the units are going to be considered affordable housing and I believe that one of the requirements for affordable housing is being near public transportation. Does that mean beline buses are going to be going through the town of Bedford Village? There's no re there's no requirement about that.

There's no requirement. Okay. From a planning perspective, having dense housing near transportation is is a good idea, but there's no requirement. There's no requirement for it. Okay. So, the the people who live in Bedford Village don't have to worry about beline buses coming through their quaint little town because those streets are quite narrow and that would be not great, I can imagine. No, this this there's not going to be an influx of beline buses as far as we know. Okay. Very good. All right. Thank you. Dan Ryan.

Yeah. Hi, Dan Ryan here and uh thank you again for um having such an open forum on this. I don't think there outside of maybe the Hall family. There's probably no other homeowner who's more impacted than than we are. Um we're at 689 Old Post Road and the uh extended parking area literally touches our property. Um, and so I just wanted to make a comment in that I'm not opposed, we're not opposed to any kind of building being done on that lot. In fact, we've always assumed that something eventually would would be would would be put there. And so I want to throw that out as I'm not a a neverbuilder um in in the town. Uh what I would say is kind of from three aspects and I'll be very quick. One is um and it's been said over and over and over again. So literally at 689 Old Post Road, it takes me 10 minutes to get through the town of Bedford in the morning, right? To be able to take a left out of my driveway onto 121 to take a left onto uh 22 um and the backup that happens. And so I can't really fathom how we would then also include another 70 cars or whatever the the number would be. So the traffic we've all been talking about, we know the studies are coming, but unless we're willing to put traffic lights in or traffic circle, which some of us have been advocating for a long time at the intersection of 22 and 121, I I just don't think those residents would ever be able to leave their home. Um, the second piece comes from, uh, I've been a long-term board member of the Minus River Gorge, and since this butts up against my property, I can tell you that is 100% wetland and 100% in the Mayanas River uh, wershed. So, I was somewhat surprised to hear

Murray Fischer's comments in support of of of the current um, situation, although he did obviously uh, make a comment about the parking. um that is pure watershed. So I think we need to involve the minus river gorge and I think we really need to know what the environmental impact of that is going to be and um um you know well actually it's not three it's two it's I it's it's it's traffic and it's the environmental impact and so hopefully whatever gets built there and again I've always been under the assumption there will be something uh really takes that into effect because the current plan is unfeasible. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else? Anyone else in the court courtroom who has a comment? Going once. Yes. Hi, my name is Seth Hershel and um I live in Poundidge now. I lived in bed for the last 15 years. Graduated Fox Lane about 35 years ago. So I've been around town a long time and I you know everyone's qualifying their you know background in town. But I've seen a lot of change and change is hard. And I remember when the stoplight was put in in front of St. Patrick's Church and it was the first stoplight in town and now there's three and um everybody was up in arms and it was really difficult and uh it ended up being a good decision and it helped preserve uh safety in our town and there have been more stoplights since. Um, I think the Bedford Fire Department, of which I was a member for 15 years, is another good example of change that occurred that ended up being a positive thing in the end. And um, it's difficult. And as a resident, I love this town and I love the charm and the character and I've tried to listen carefully to everybody's, you know, feedback on both sides of the aisle, so to say. And um I think in the end um reflecting on previous change that's been positive, all I can say is that if we take our time and we make good decisions, that change can be good also. And I have uh trust and faith in the

process and the jurisprudence of this board and this town to make those good decisions. And um you know, I think that there's different ways to route traffic. There's ways to mitigate um being adjacent to wetlands. The last property I lived on had a wetlands issue and we were able to mitigate in a positive way. And um you know overall I'm supportive of this application because of uh the idea of bringing additional assets to the town in the form of a potential restaurant and retail. And uh I'm hoping one day that I'll be able to downsize and stay in this town as well. My kids are getting older and um you know we're already looking at other towns like Rye and Greenwich where there's residential over retail as a future potential you know place to live and if I could stay in Bedford that would be fantastic. So that's my perspective and um I know change can be hard for everybody but I think if uh you know everything is done um appropriately that change can be a positive thing.

Thank you. Thank you. Any other comments either in the court courtroom or on Zoom? Going once, going twice. Could I have a motion to um adjourn the public hearing until our next planning board meeting? So moved. Second. Second. All All in favor? I I

All oppose. So the public hearing is adjourned. Um and we will pick it up again presumably at at our next meeting when we will take the comments that have been made today and ask the applicant to look into it and look into things ourselves and meet again for further discussion on February. I think probably on our next meeting our our hope would be the February 9th we do.

Yeah. Uh I would ask uh folks to to leave now because not that we're unfriendly, but we've got the rest of our agenda to do tonight. So, okay. Next item on our agenda is another public hearing um for consideration of a special use permit and

and site plan. Excuse me. Could you could I please ask people to to take the conversations outside um Okay. Consideration of a special use permit and site plan for the installation of a tennis court pursuant to town code 125-27D3. Uh the owner of the property is the revocable trust of uh Robert Aens. Uh the applicant is Seth Herschel and the address is 95 Narrows Road. Good evening everyone. Glen Tyers, landscape architect. Seth Hershel is uh representing the um Erands family. He is married into the Arens family and um this particular property is located at 95 Narrows Road. Um, we are applying for a tennis court which requires a special use permit as well as a site plan approval. Um, the property is approximately 16 1/2 acres. Um, it's very private. I don't know if you guys have had a chance to get out to see it. The court is located behind the house um in the rear yard adjacent to a pool. uh relatively level uh no steep slopes, no wetlands nearby. Um okay. The total um building coverage uh with the proposed court increases from 0.92% to 1.46%. Where 3% is allowed and a proposed total

impervious coverage increases from 2.73% to 3.82%. 82% where 8% is allowed. Um the tennis court um and at some point a future pool house um would be located in a flat open area as I had mentioned behind the house. Um uh it can't it cannot be seen from adjacent neighbors. Um um at some point um I could walk you through the specific location and orientation on the property if that's helpful based on the plan.

It's it's pretty evident on the plan, but maybe you could do it quickly for us. a lot of technology here. Um, so, uh, the Narrows Road is here to the east. It's a long common or a long drive that comes through. The residence is located here. Existing pool here. The proposed court would be adjacent to the pool with a proposed pool house in between that could service both of those. Uh, as you can see, it's a fairly deep lot, as I mentioned, 16 plus acres. Um this is a overlaying the court uh onto the property. Again, Narrows Road. The resident back here is the uh proposed court. Um relatively densely vegetated on all four sides. Um there is one tree here that would have to come down. Um, but that's it. Basically, there's a existing stone wall that runs through a portion of that. Um, so the portion that runs through it would be removed. The rest of it would remain um, uh, in its current location. That's generally the sighting, the relationship to the neighbors, um, and its relationship to, uh, Narrows Road. Okay, this is technically a public

hearing. So, is there anyone who uh has comments from the much smaller public that we have left here? Anybody on the Zoom who has a comment or question about this this application? I I'd like a motion to close the the public hearing. So, move. Is there a second? All in favor of closing the public hearing. I

I all oppose. Um actually I think I'm doing that. Be careful. Um and don't know if this is this microphone or not. Um, you did provide a uh a part part one. Is this this? No, I don't think it is. I apologize.

Turn off her. There we go. That's interesting. Still doing it. No, I think maybe you're okay. Okay. If I don't move,

I'm not sure. Actually, it seems to be okay now. In any event, um, you did provide a part one, but that's weird. It keep the m the other mic keeps coming on. Uh, you did provide a part one, but I believe that this is a is an a type two action. So, we don't need a part one. Could I have a motion that this is a type two? Some moved. Is there a second? Second. All in favor?

I. oppose it is a type two. Um you've you've said that uh the building coverage and the impervious uh surface coverage doesn't get even close to the to the limits. uh it's located on a flat open area and what you've shown us really does indicate that that is the the case and also that it's very difficult to see how it could be spotted by any of the surrounding properties there that it's it's um does seem to be completely hidden. Uh I this seems like a very straightforward application to me. I don't think it's necessary. I know it's a difficult decision, but um what how does the rest of the board feel about it?

Yeah, it's kind of dry to me. Agreed. Straightforward. Is one of those a uh motion? A motion? Sure. Motion. Second. Is there Okay, we have a motion and a second. I hope this isn't too disappointing to Is there you just cut out and I'm this one.

There aren't that many people here. If you can't hear me, just raise your hand and I'll and I'll yell louder. Um motion to second. Is there any further discussion? All in favor? Should we be adding some conditions that you know? That's a very good idea. I'm going a little bit too too quickly. Um, thank you. Oh, no, not a problem.

U, we at the very least want the the standard special permit conditions. Um, I don't I have to admit this is one of the most straightforward applications there. Um, we'd want there to be able to be changes made in the field if necessary. Uh, any any other conditions?

I would just remind the board that under this type of special permit for an accessory structure, which is really being called, um, there is no provision for lighted quartz at night. So, not that you have it on your site plan, but just to make your client aware. Um and that would be one of the conditions rolled into um 12527D3. Understood. None planned. Okay. So we have those standard conditions and the condition about lighting. Any any other conditions? Uh I'll just add the

add three. May I add three? The um I'll add the condition that the building permit be filed within 18 months of approval. Uh fuel changes approved by the town engineer were appropriate and although you mentioned that sorry and as build plans filed prior to issuance of CFO. Thank you. Okay. Um who made the original motion? I did. Do you include those conditions? And who did the second? Okay, it's been amended. Uh, any further discussion? All in favor? I I. All opposed? You have it.

Thank you so much. You're Thank you for all of your service. Sure. Well, you guys talk so much. I mean, look how late it is. It's all your fault. Thank you. Okay. The next item on our agenda is a continued application of 777 Bedford Bedford Road. Consider a site plan application.

Uh sorry. Oh, there it is. Consider a site plan application for the demolition of a bank and erection of a drive-through coffee facility with on-site landscaping, signage, parking, and related pedestrian facilities. Good evening. I don't think I still I don't think your new microphone's working even though it's a little old school. There you go. How about now? Yeah. Yeah, better. I can hear I can hear you. Okay.

Whitney Singleton. Singleton Davidson Singleton on behalf of the applicant. Also here with Pete Katzone, engineer for the project and Jay Black, in-house council for the uh Diamond Properties. Um can I just share something with you before as I sat in the audience? I was part I don't know if you remember Dear Drip but I was part of that Sherat back eight nine 10 years ago and uh you did a very good job of keeping uh well I don't know whether it was you or the public very articulate and and insightful comments. I remember and I say this because he's my neighbor and I joke around with him. Um I know what you're gonna say.

You know what I'm gonna say? I think so. Um yeah, when when the town historian John John came up and he goes, "They tried to bring the railroad through here through here 300 years ago. We stopped them then and we're going to stop you now." I was like, "Thanks, John." Um but anyway, uh it was very it was very insightful. Um in any event, uh there's not there's nothing from a zoning perspective for me to really present. Your board had raised some issues. uh the applicant has worked with your staff to make some modifications and rather than me uh drone on on a already pretty lengthy evening, I'm just going to let Pete present to you what the changes are.

Okay. Good evening and happy new year. Um same to you.

So I think this is our second visit here. We were here uh uh in 2025. um what happened which wasn't that long ago uh for a workshop um and we also had some uh comments not sure why this is not working uh from uh we had some technical comments that we uh responded to on a plan. Um I have

I noticed that there have been significant changes.

We're just going to have to copy down. Oh, can we can I plug it?

I do have HDMI here. Thank you, sir. Two computers. I could do twice the work now. So, I apologize for the technical difficulty here. And while this thing is booting up, I'll just take you through. Um, the site is in an RV district. It's uh 8.8 acres in size. Um there's an existing building uh which is the Kohl's vision world building which is uh almost 91,000 square ft uh which by the way that building in itself exceeds the building coverage. There is an existing Chase Bank or former Chase Bank which we will be demolishing that is 674 square ft and we will be we're proposing a 1534 square ft Starbucks uh building at that location. The increase is only 860 square ft, but it does result in a variance. Uh the the coverage right now 20% is permitted. The coverage right now is 23.9%. This would bring it to 24.1%. So let's see if we could get some pictures here so I have something to point to. Okay, here we go. Uh we were we are under in um building coverage where I mean uh

development coverage. There's actually a site slight decrease. Uh okay. So here's the existing conditions. Um so this is the main building again. It's about 91,000 square ft. The bank is here. Uh bank and canopy is about uh 674 square ft. And uh we are proposing to uh put a Starbucks building here. Uh one thing that we have done is we pulled the parking which right now is right against the the sidewalk. We've pulled that into the site uh to allow for additional landscaping. We will we do have a landscape plan in here

all you know natives uh no really appreciated the the um the attempt to do that actually.

And what we try to do is we spent some time just going up you know uh uh Bedford Road and and looking at some of the landscaping that repeats. There's a lot of dillies that are, you know, along that that stretch, uh, you know, and just try to, you know, some liac, some, um, uh, boxwoods, and we just try to mimic the plants that are already proven to be successful on that stretch and seem to uh, like I said, form a pattern. We also provided, and I'll zoom in on this a little bit to a different um Okay, here we go. We also provided a sidewalk uh ramp on each side of this uh entrance and uh so that pedestrians could go across but also uh walk down into the site with a crosswalk

to the building.

Uh the entrance here, the southern entrance is one way out at this particular point in time. We are proposing to make that uh two-way entrance uh with a right it's restricted right turns in only and lefts out only um rights out only thank you that that's a big difference uh from uh so I appreciate that we are also um uh so I mentioned the variance for the building coverage uh but also we are proposing to have a couple a few signs here. One is there's an existing Kohl's sign. Uh well, building sign. It's got Kohl's. It's got Vision World on it. And we're going to uh take that sign down and put a new sign at this intersection. Uh we can't get it any closer to where it's shown because there's a traffic signal box there. There are some utilities uh and um the signal pole is there. So we're we're trying to just make it a little bit closer to norm so it's visible. Uh so if you come down norm and we'll get into more detail of that. There'll be a way finding sign here that directs patrons to Starbucks. There'll be another wayfinding sign here which directs them up and through the drive-thru. And if you're if you miss this, if you're coming uh on a south on North Bedford Road, uh you could slip into this right turn. There will also be a wayfinding sign there. Um so let me get back to this plan again. The building is here. Um it's a slightly

smaller building than our previous plan. We do have a kind of a generic layout of what um this particular layout would look like which I'll share with you. Uh we we do have a queue for 10 meals. Uh so you would come in here. Uh there's a signed like a pre-men uh board. Then there's another menu board right next to the ordering kiosk and you would pick up at this location and then you're able to go out either through the new connection to 333 uh right out or you know back out to Norm Avenue. Um there are a a couple of restrictions here which limit where the building could go and what we could do with the grading and that is that the septic for the uh entire site is located in this area. So these circles uh those are the closest uh sepage pits to the building and those represent the offset that we're not allowed to to be within uh for the building. Um,

could I ask you a question just quickly as you switch to this one? Um, what what do you are you doing in in the area along Bedford Road that's still white. Um, I had a hard time figuring out was that going to be grass when it where it's not?

Oh, that's a good question. And no one cares about the grading uh too much anyway, but I'm happy um to go over it if that's the case. But what we are proposing to do there is uh enhance there's some trees there now along Bedford Road and there's some evergreen uh shrubs and we're looking to kind of enhance um the entire frontage. So that'll all be green space. That'll all be green space there. Yes. Yeah. That that's much closer to what our master plan has has asked for and I really do appreciate your taking a second look at it.

We we like the feedback and that's the feedback that you gave us last time and we aim to please. So we we hope that we've uh uh we're converging on uh you know something that's consider your aim accomplished.

Thank you. Uh we also uh have a phototric plan uh for this um which keeps the uh we've actually lowered the light poles from I believe 20 ft to 15 ft and we added this smaller uh fixture to keep the lighting along here um completely within uh the property line There is some spillage um in these areas and onto the roadway, but it's within the same property. Um there is also, you know, the rest of the parking lot has its own lighting as well, which um you know, will remain. Um, and then I think the only thing I want to go through, um, and I could back up and and go through anything else, but utilities or anything like that, but this is the sign, uh, that's proposed, and I'm going to show you um, a picture of it. It's basically since 333 and 777 are now connected, we wanted to

for this thing fe to feel like a campus. So, uh, the applicant uh really likes the look of the 333 sign, um, which I have a photo of. Uh, so other than the tenants, that's going to be the the sign. And of course it's going to say 777. So uh this is the sign that we're uh proposing and it results in a um an area a sign area variance of 38.6 square ft. Uh, and then the last thing before I take questions is these are the wavefinding signs. And I want to zoom in here for a second and access.

These are typical Starbucks layout. This one is the uh the one that we're proposing is the espresso bar variant three. Uh so this uh layout represents, you know, in concept what it'll look like. Our patios slightly bigger than that than what's shown here, but uh this is the the uh kind of the template for the layout of the uh Starbucks. Um, and I'm happy to go back to any slide, anything we didn't talk about, uh, any concerns or answer any questions.

Two questions. Sure. One is hours of operation. Um, do you have those hours of I don't have that on me right now, but it's follow Well, we could certainly get those. Uh, and and we're having trouble a number of us, me included, had trouble um accessing the um plant list.

So, if we could really quickly go through because like boxwoods and so forth are not native. So, if we could just quickly Let me just find where it is. It would be very helpful if and putting in ash trees is also an issue because the ashes are dying. It's probably not a good tree choice. It's a beautiful tree, but it's not going to survive.

It would be really helpful at this point. It was helpful to have the new plan superimposed on the old survey when we were sort of finding our way through it. But now at this point where I think we all understand how it how it relates to the uh new plan, if we can have a copy that doesn't have the old plan underneath it, it's it's a little bit confusing when you're trying to judge the planting plan. and a simple PDF of it would be great because that could be sent out easily.

Uh so but basically we really like at least I really like what you're what you're doing. Thank you. We we appreciate that. So we have uh uh we're proposing four red maples. Uh those seem to be uh the trees that uh primarily on the site now. So, we want to kind of again uh those seem to be successful. I think it's an appropriate Yeah. tree for uh if if it was if it was a new project, I would have alternated the uh maples with the red maples. So, you get that, you know, fall time. Okay. Red and yellow. But, uh for this

for this purpose, it's four red maples. And then the shrubs are, uh, we have some wax myrtle, some common boxwood, um, uh, cyprus, which is the evergreen. Uh, there's the ditch liies, which is what you see, you know, uh, if you look at the staples site, which I think, you know, that's a a really nice, um, way that they they arrange those, uh, liies. But you see that up and down uh Bedford Road we have some ditch native I believe that they are I could double check and find

a lot of the stuff on that road is not is is what is not predates us asking for that and is not I'll I'll check into the ditch lilies if it's not I'll find something that would be great no and There there are and and box seervirons is native to Europe and Asia and Africa. It is not a native plant here. Okay. So the boxwood yeah probably change that to a winter gem or something there. There are so many things you could do. It's just it would be really great to just review these again. Um,

but again, we're talking about details. Yeah, these are details. It's substituting one thing for another. It's not the overall plan itself that's a problem at all. It's just the details of making those choices native. Japanese spya. Japanese. You I got that. I I think it's on the uh we know that Westchester County has those a lot of places they list out the the um Westchester Native Plant Center has great lists

and and the other thing you know their lists give you shade and this and that. The other thing is you can go on the um database for Labor Johnson Wildflower Center Missouri Botanical Garden and both of those you just put in you'll get a list of plants and pictures. um that are native to this area and and uh wet dry shade, you know, height of the plant, the whole thing. The same as tiger liies. The tiger liies are are red and black spots, but again, this is this is these are just yellow yellow uh liies. So, uh

I hate to throw this trying to keep us moving at this point because it's um late. It is late. I think is it I guess the next step and feathered reed grass isn't native either. It's Europe and Asia. So, a lot of them aren't, but really easy to change for ones that are because the overall plan is great. And and one other little question we had talked about maybe having solar on the roof just to look into it as I don't know that okay just just to throw it out there

I'll introduce myself Jay Black with with Diamond Properties. Um, I I know that we showed a uh template plan for tonight and I I'm sure it's something we can have a conversation to see what it and I know Diamond Properties has done a ton of that so that you're really familiar with it and it may not be feasible but if you could just look into it if it is feasible that's all it uh I was also pleased to see that that

the last plan looked like parking lots and buildings and no room for pedestrian But the assumption there'd be a lot of pedestrians. Now it may it makes much more sense at this point. I can actually see people getting coffee without getting congregating which is nice. Yeah, we had great feedback on it. Great guidance. Any other comments? Agreed. Site plan's greatly improved. So that's it. So would your next step be going to get the variances through?

Yes. So we've already submitted to the building department for sorry we've already submitted to the building department for determination and we've already submitted the ZBA application. Um so I'm not sure where we are with that. Um, I'll touch base with the building department uh in the morning, but but yes, and I um I think that would be the next the next step. I think that's October. Need my glasses. Um, I think it's October October.

I'm sorry. February. I'm I'm 6 months ahead of my uh This is worse than getting a doctor's appointment. No, it's it's um February. Uh tell Blair I'm sorry about that. CBA meeting. Uh the ZBA it's like February 5th or something. Yeah. Yeah. Uh it's the 5th.

Okay. So, um, so I think we have plenty of time still on that to to do notifications, public notices. Um, but I will touch base with building uh tomorrow, see where we are with the uh with the letter and getting on that agenda for the ZBA. So, if we have that, um, if you could work a little bit on the the details of the landscaping plan and and maybe give us a drawing that doesn't have the underlying Okay. Y uh old ex exist existing conditions on it. I don't think there's anything else that not that your board can act on.

Yeah. So I think um but the ZBA will be procluded from acting until you make a determination of significance. Correct. Unless we do coordinated review. We hadn't decided one way about a coordinated review.

You can make that determination now if you would like. That you mean the determination about coordinated review. Correct. I would think in this I I thought it I believe it's a type two action. It is a type. So I actually think we need to go through this process. So I I think I'll ask you're under 4,000 square feet. Okay. And so then could I have a motion that it is a type two and that we will do on coordinated review? Second.

Uh any further discussion? All in favor of it being a type two and subject to uncoordinated review. I I All opposed. Do it that way. Thank you. All right. We look forward to getting back to you with the Yeah, with uh we'll see you in March, I guess. Possibly. Possibly with any luck. Thank you so much.

You too. Next item on the agenda is to consideration of a steep slopes permit for the construction of a new single family home and related impertinances pursuant to town code 102. Uh the owner is Joseph Rizzo. The applicant is Dateo and the property is at 20 South Road.

Good evening members of the board. Uh Dan Collins from Hudson Engineering. We're the engineers for the project. Um, it might be easier if I take that remote. I mean that uh my phone won't go over there. Start pointing that thing. Hello. Right. Excellent. Um, again, the existing site just to start off, we're here for a steep slope uh application permit. Um, we already were in front of the uh wetlands permission for the uh wetlands buffer disturbance and uh crossing, but I'll get to that shortly. Um, existing site is a 5.12 acre lot. It's in the A-1 residential zoning district. Uh it's currently a vacant lot. Uh it's mostly woods uh with existing wetlands to the side of the site uh with a drainage channel that crosses across the middle. Um and as you can see here, pockets of steep slopes around existing wetland uh existing uh rock outcroppings uh to the front of the site. Um with the proposed residents now going to be in the back. Um again, uh we did have two options that I believe we came in front of the uh uh came to the to the town with. Um the first option was actually um and I'll turn this around so you could see it a little better. The first option we came to the town with uh was actually having the driveway come across to avoid the steep slope areas um come across the other side through the middle of the site. Um the problem with this layout was that it was coming way too close to the wetlands. I think we were about 10 ft to 20 ft away um along the entire length. Then we had to cross it uh then get to the proposed residence in the rear. Um there would still end up being some steep slope disturbance and then we'd be right on top of the wetlands. Um and then the other option was what we are proposing today. Um this was determined to be uh the best route to bring the driveway. Uh this keeps everything away from the wetlands. Um I know we are disturbing uh the steep slopes to put the driveway in.

Um obviously that'll all be uh stabilized lawn landscaping um brought back to its natural conditions. Um and then obviously we will do be doing a uh a wetlands crossing with a uh a proposed culvert um then goes back to the proposed residence. Um regards to storm water um the entire length of this driveway is going to be a gravel pave driveway which is basically a uh a reinforced gravel driveway uh with stone storage below. So that itself will be a permeable pavement uh for the entire length which will um help water infiltrate into the surrounding soils. Um once we get back to the uh proposed residence uh it's going to be a paved driveway and then the with the walkway in the building uh that's all going to be captured and conveyed to uh subsurface uh infiltration system um all size for the 100red-year storm. uh it's proposed septic in the rear and uh well off to the back provide water and sewer. Um so that pretty much sums up in a nutshell the project that we're going through. Uh we are again we said we are in front of the uh the wetlands control commission uh for the disturbance uh which is a portion of disturbance here. Um and obviously we're going to be crossing the the uh crossing the drainage channel. Um and we are working with them um through their concerns uh how that's going to be constructed. Um and obviously we're we're uh confident that that's going to be addressed. Um and we also have received the memo from the town's consulting engineer and are also in the process of uh addressing those concerns as well so we can get everything keep everything rolling. So now I think you're aware that because that he does not yet recommend approval

that we can't take any further yeah motion on it until you settle things with him. Yes. So I think that's all we can do tonight. Yes. And that's what I figured just a an introduction an introduction to the project if you guys have any questions or if you are there any questions or concerns about this? Okay. So, um, we'll see. See you next month. Get things taken care of with wetlands and with with town engineer. All right. Sounds good. Thank you. Thank you so much and have a good night.

And the next item on our agenda is okay. A referral from the town board regarding a proposed local law to amend chapters 117 and 125 of the Bedford Town Code concerning vehicle and traffic and zoning text amendments for the parking of recreational vehicles in any public street or town right away in district zoned residential or in any in any town owned. I don't know what it's supposed to come after owned. It's a period. I'm sorry, your your mic dropped off.

Oh, the it reads on the the printed sheet um that the amendments for the parking of of recreational vehicles, any public street or town right away in a district zoned residential or in any town owned owned, operated and maintained public parking lots. Okay, that that phrase was dropped off. Oh, interesting. So, so we weren't sure town any town owned zoo fill in the blank.

Yeah. Um, so my only concern with this at all was I wasn't sure um how absolute this was, but it does indicate uh in in the the the formal wording that we had that that that it's possible to get a shortterm permit. it to to park and I don't think it's something that should be um banned entirely because there can be unexpected short-term issues um if you if you can so if you can get a permit for a very short term that cannot be renewed um saying in the Well, that's that's one question. I I had thought that it it could be limited to to the lots instead of

the street. Having the recreational vehicles able to to park on the street even short term may as long as the town makes it possible in are you talking special circumstances basic basically um you have and and not as a I would say and not as being used as a living a living space yeah during in that time. It's a storage thing while you're here visiting someone or something, but it is not a place to live in town, right?

There are campgrounds near here where someone can get a camping permit and do that, but this is not Are you saying you would that somebody wouldn't be allowed to sleep in it? I would I would say that that wouldn't be able to serve as a residence. Yeah, that should it should not be habited inhabited as a sleeping. Yeah. See, I I I still I think that's going to count too too far to to say, but does that counteract the comment before that if someone has an RV and is visiting someone here and is sleeping in it? Does that

No. is and they're sleeping in the people sleeping with the people they're visiting with cuz otherwise they can go and find a campground nearby and park and I'm not so sure they can find even if they call a special permit is it are you that's what I think it doesn't mean that that's what has to happen but just to confirm if someone was parking it in someone's private driveway that's not covered by what we're talking about correct that's and if someone owns one and parks it in their driveway and moves it out to the street. That's all not addressed. Correct. Yeah, that was a huge issue. Yeah, that was we were talking about that. That was over 30 years ago and and it's going on today.

They had to move it because it was parked in front of a house, but they didn't actually in the long run. They did move it. I don't know what they moved it, but the law didn't. But the law didn't change, but the outcry was huge. But that's not that's not what we're talking about now. What's the what is the general feeling on this issue? I I like the town board having the opening or the town having the opening to be able to on a shortterm basis

permit it. you know, somebody uh somebody gets sick in the family and and you have uh an a need to to not have everyone sleeping in the same and you just happen to have an RV. Well, some people do. No, I know. But like I mean

Well, yeah. I mean, you can rent a rent, right? it uh it's more likely to happen to someone who who actually uses their RV regular. I I'm thinking of my husband's great aunt who she did have an RV. So when she came to visit now in her case, she actually did sleep in our house, not in the RV. But I don't know that it would have made a significant difference if if our if we had had other people staying and had didn't have another bed. We'd have to tell her she she had to take her RV to a camp which may or may not exist.

What's a what's a short-term permit? So that's not defined. They don't they don't list. They just say a limited time. I would would say no more than two weeks would so that could be a recommendation back to the town board was to try to maybe to define to define what what a limited term is. Yeah, that's actually a good point. It's I mean I don't have problems sleeping in it honestly. Yeah. But the shortterm period is, you know, the one the one RV that I'm thinking of parks in multiple places for a week at a time. It does move.

Uhhuh. But I think that under what we're talking about, moving it would in the town would not suffice to say that doesn't reset the clock. Yeah. Right. Yeah. If it's permitted, you still have to come back and approve it and you would have a record of the permit being recently issued. So, I think you have to define the period of time and how many subsequent permits can be issued within a larger time period. Agreed. Yeah. I mean, this this is actually a reaction to something that's going on, right?

Yeah. And I think this is a reasonable it leaves the door open for a reasonable accommodation for over a genuine short period. I think you make an excellent point in saying it would make sense to be more specific about what a reason time is and about the nonrenewability. I guess the other thing that would come up in question is enforcement. I would presume it's ticketed ticketed or how is that here? No, it's a good wake up call. Pardon me.

I don't want to wake up call. Does it make sense to cover that in in the code itself? That I don't know if it makes sense to do it in the code. Well, it's probably elsewhere in the there's elsewhere and offenses section. I think that's already built into vehicle and traffic law. It's just not part of the actual document, right? We just have to define that it's covered under that. Yeah. So, I'll add that as a comment for clarification and inclusion if not. Yeah, that makes sense. I got two small things. Just because of the way they they drafted the the second edition, it kind of obscures where exactly the parking bureau is allowed to issue a permit for

that. Yeah, I had the same problem. It it it flowed better before the insertion about the RVs and CNI or commercial industrial districts, but um I might might want to just relocate that. Um just so it's clear that you can obtain a parking permit in all districts for all public parking lots. And are we li are we going to suggest that that that permit be limited to parking lots? I I think that's not a bad idea. I say that again.

Well, the the the way it's worded, I think they could issue a permit for on street parking or right or in the in the right of way. And I don't know that I think it's necessary to but should we define which lofts i.e. like the commuter lots or something like that that I was I was thinking the commuter lots right basically or or was that going getting into too much detail?

Well, I think we have areas of limited parking you know. Well, I guess does the parking bureau have jurisdiction over any parking lot that is owned by the town? Right. So you're it has to be a town owned lot within the town, not a privately owned. Yeah. But a privately owned lot presumably the private lot is not could allow it anyway. Right. So there are other options that Yeah. I hadn't even thought about that. I didn't either. You got

second thing was uh as I if I read it correctly it it in the past and in the future will prohibit like there's just a complete prohibition on any vehicle over 20 ft in length like it's not allowed anywhere anytime no parking permits and I don't know if that's really intended. So they might want to take a more careful look at the 20 foot length. I also could be misreading it. Ashley, I I read it the same way you did. That's how I read it. And I mean, maybe that's intended, but uh might be I was trying

foreclosing certain situations that we might want to allow in the future. Also, many recreational vehicles are over 20 ft. Okay. So, maybe the existing law that's already on the books about the 20 ft should be reassessed. And yeah, if if that was the intent. Yeah. Yeah, not trying to not trying to do scope creep here, but when now that we're applying this to recreational vehicles at at the minimum like that that prohibition for RVs might want to be considered. Yeah.

So, do we think we have a Do you have enough? Could I have a motion then uh to ask our director of planning to ask a really stupid question. What about a trailer? Trailer will be an RV. I can't Well, not if it doesn't have the motor. If it's just like an airream trailer, is an RV classified as a motor vehicle? Well, I I think commercial vehicles are captured up at the the first sentence. So I think like a a trail like a semi-trail. No. Well, no. Like recreational trailer being towed your

truck your pickup. RV is selfrop self-propelled and non-self-propelled in the definition. So I guess that would which makes sense. Yeah, I I think it should. Yeah, that's what I was I just wanted to make sure that because it doesn't explicitly say other than in a contorted way trailers, right? Okay. But we're satisfied with I move that we ask the planning department to write a letter to the town board uh conveying our suggestions. Suggestions. Second. All any further discussion? I. All in favor? I I

I. All opposed. Could I have a motion to close the meeting? So, is there a second? All in favor? I All oppose. The meeting is closed.