Mount Kisco gas station seeks to expand retail

The American Gas service station on East Main Street. Its operator has a plan to use one of its existing service bays to expand the convenience store at the site. MARTIN WILBUR PHOTO

By MARTIN WILBUR

The operator of a Mount Kisco service station has proposed converting one of its three existing service bays into an expanded convenience store but will have to demonstrate that there would be sufficient parking at the site.

American Gas, located on just under 1 acre at 280 East Main St., currently has a small area dedicated for retail use but the applicant hopes to take existing square footage to offer more food and drink choices for customers, said architect Kevin Clarke of Design Development Architects in White Plains. They are seeking site plan approval from the village’s Planning Board.

“There is a small convenience store when you walk in, mainly bottled drinks, small bags of chips, little candy, stuff like that,” Clarke said. “We’re looking to expand.”

The most critical element to the plan is the parking calculations to accommodate a larger convenience area and the number of spaces the service station will need to satisfy requirements for a traditional mechanics shop as well as a larger store. Clarke said that according to his figures, 8.45 parking spaces are required and there are 11 spaces on-site.

Board Chair Michael McGuirk said the Building Department staff will come up with a calculation based on square footage for each use, but there could be more parking needed. It’s also possible that the service area reduction and the larger store offset.

“My understanding is when you expand the total area of the convenience store, you’re expanding the intensity of that use, you’re reducing the intensity of the service area, so that’s where the analysis would come,” McGuirk said.

Building Inspector William Seegmuller said accurate parking calculations must be included on the site plan, which will be crucial to coming up with the correct number.

“It’s got to make sense, it’s got to be clear, it’s got to be accurate,” he said. “Right now, it’s not on there.”

Representatives for the service station explained that potential extra parking in case of overflow could be at the gas pumps. There are three pumps, with a spot for a vehicle on each side. There is also a parking area that is used for vehicle storage behind the structure, which could go toward the calculation. 

Village Engineer Anthony Oliveri said it would be helpful if the original site plan for the gas station is located.

“Someone’s got to take a look to see if there’s a site plan to see if this is spelled out initially and compare the existing to the proposed,” Oliveri said. “They’re going to need a parking calculation to where you’re going to apply the code.”

In addition to finding the original site plan, the village then needs to use the zoning table and make its calculation so Seegmuller can make a determination on parking and allocation, McGuirk said. 

The applicant must also present a plan so vehicles are not blocking or partially obstructing the sidewalk for pedestrians. The board instructed the station’s representatives to install curbing in the area near the gas pumps and the side of the property along Main Street to improve safety.

“Whether it’s intentional or not it’s very easy to do,” McGuirk said of a plan to prevent cars taking up part of the sidewalk.”

Along with site plan approval, the Planning Board would need to grant a special permit. Other approvals needed would come from the Architectural Review Board for a proposed new façade and sign and a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals to allow for the alteration of a building with a nonconforming use.