‘Halal Hen’ gains planners’ approval

Falafel, shawarma in Cross River’s future

By NEAL RENTZ

Cross River might soon have a new restaurant, a halal chicken eatery in the Orchard Square shopping center.

The Lewisboro Planning Board voted unanimously for the plan for 20 North Salem Road, at the corner or routes 35 and 121. The storefront previously was Beval Saddlery.

Town Planner and Wetland Consultant Jan Johannessen said the applicant, Halal Hen, was seeking to change the use of the property from retail to a limited-service carryout restaurant with 10 seats. The parking requirement for the restaurant is the same as the property’s former retail use, he said. 

A business plan was submitted by the applicant, Johannessen said. The applicant also submitted applications to the Westchester County Department of Health for a food service permit and change of use.

“Both of which are pending,” he said.

The applicant also gave the board a letter from the Cross River Sewer Corporation, Johannessen said.

“They satisfied all the site development plan requirements,” he said. 

One of the conditions of approval is that the restaurant cannot have more than 10 seats without another Planning Board approval, Johannessen said.

The owner is Mohmmad Flaifel, who had another Halal Hen in Monticello, in Sullivan County. This location will be similar, he told The Recorder on Wednesday,  with chicken and lamb dishes over rice platters, shawarma, falafel and fried chicken.

Plus, he said, “wraps, chicken sandwiches, chicken and waffles, mac and cheese.”

He didn’t have a projected opening date because of approvals that are still pending. He said he lives in Westchester and owned a repair shop at the nearby Shell station in Cross River. He said he’d like to open locations in Middletown and Yonkers.

Cell tower application 

The Planning Board also set a public hearing for Oct. 20 on the proposal from American Tower to extend its stay at the Vista Fire Department.

American Tower is seeking a five-year renewal of its special use permit that would allow it to continue to have its cell tower at the Vista Fire Department tower site, located at 377 Smith Ridge Road, South Salem.

Planning Board Chair Janet Andersen said the special use permit expired on Dec. 16, 2024. 

“But I’m told the regulations have not changed so that it’s not like we would ordinarily bring something that has expired and ask that it be brought up to current regulations,” she said.

Maximillian Mahalek, an attorney representing American Tower, said his client had a site examination and structural analysis done on the tower site in December. There are also 2021 standards for cell towers, and his client has agreed to do a structural assessment update, which was requested by Johannessen, Mahalek said, adding he wanted that to be a condition of Planning Board approval. “We’ve seen that before in other municipalities,” he said. 

His client acquired the tower site after the Planning Board’s previous approval, Mahalek said.

The only site changes made by American Tower were a ground swap of T-Mobile equipment and the installation of Westchester County equipment, Mahalek said. No additional site changes are being proposed, he said. Since no changes are being sought, Mahalek asked the board for a waiver of a public hearing. 

Because a special use permit extension is being sought, a public hearing is required, Andersen said. Planning Board member Charlene Indelicato said the applicant should provide the board with the structural assessment prior to the passage of the approval resolution.

The board scheduled a public hearing for its Oct. 20 meeting and instructed town staff to create an approval resolution that could be voted on at the meeting.

Meeting site change

Also at last week’s meeting, Andersen noted that the meeting was the last at the former Lewisboro Elementary School.

Beginning Oct. 20, Planning Board meetings will be conducted at the town-owned office building located at 892 Route 35, Cross River.

Several town offices, including the Planning Department, have been using the campus of the former Lewisboro Elementary School for the past several years, but the district told the town it no longer wants to be part of the rental agreement it had with the town.