Planning and zoning boards greenlight apartment plans in Katonah and Bedford Hills

Elevations and rendering of the proposed apartment complex at 61-85 Adams Street in Bedford Hills. COURTESY OF THE HELMES GROUP

By JEFF MORRIS 

Proposals for apartment buildings in Katonah and Bedford Hills garnered support from two town permitting bodies in the past week.

On Monday, the Planning Board granted preliminary site plan approval to a proposed 15-unit building located at 150 Bedford Road, Katonah.

On July 9, the Zoning Board of Appeals granted variances to that same project, as well as to a planned 10-unit building located at 61-85 Adams St., Bedford Hills.

150 Bedford Road

The ZBA approved two variances for the planned apartments in Katonah. The first allows construction of 4,600-square-feet of first floor area in the Central Business Zoning District, where 4,000 square feet is the maximum permitted. 

Architect Steven Helmes noted that the 4,000-square-foot restriction was originally instituted to prevent large chain stores from moving into the hamlet, and has no relevance to a residential building.

ZBA Chair Peter Michaelis agreed.

The second variance was for a deficiency of two parking spaces. Michaelis said he knows that parking is tight, and they’ve previously given variances for more than two spaces. 

Helmes said if they need to get parking passes for the two spaces, they will. Board member Meredith Black added that code does not require acquiring parking from the town; the spaces can be gained through an arrangement with another property owner.

Helmes’ presentation to the Planning Board was perfunctory, after multiple previous appearances during which many aspects of the project were discussed and revisions made to the plans. 

The proposal is for a three-story, gambrel-style building, containing six two-bedroom and nine one-bedroom units, including three units characterized as affordable, complying with town code requiring 20% of the units be affordable. Parking would be in the rear, with handicap accessible spaces in front.

Helmes told the board that three 15-foot trees at the front of the property will remain. He also said if code requires shielding to prevent illumination escaping from lights in the rear of the building, even though there would be no residential impact in that location, they will provide shades on those fixtures.

No environmental review

 Consulting engineer’s garbage truck access plan for 150 Bedford Road. COURTESY OF RALPH G. MASTROMONICO

Both boards answered a series of questions designed to determine whether the project is exempt from State Environmental Quality Review, in compliance with new state law; both agreed that it is, and no SEQRA review is needed. 

There were further items discussed at the Planning Board hearing relating to maneuverability around the building, what type of dumpster loading would be done, access for delivery vehicles, and addition of landscaping in front and around the accessible parking spaces to avoid “a sea of asphalt.”  

Chair Deirdre Courtney-Batson asked about the height of the elevator structure, and was told it would not be visible beyond the gambrel roof; she also asked about any other exterior equipment that might not be shown on the plans. 

“We’re really trying to get away from being surprised,” she said, referring to things that have happened in the past “that we weren’t expecting, since we’re always going to get blamed for it.” 

Helmes assured her he had to drive by the site and wanted to be proud of it, as did his client.

Courtney-Batson said it is “a quite zoning compliant proposal” that had very minor variances — one of which, the 4,000-square-foot limit that was intended to only apply to retail, she described as “a piece of the law that I think we need to try and change.”

There were no public comments, and the public hearing was closed. The board voted to grant preliminary site plan approval, with the condition that any exterior changes or additions must come back to the planning board for review before final approval is granted.

61-85 Adams St.

The plan for a two-story building located at 61-85 Adams St., Bedford Hills, containing 10 apartments — eight one-bedroom and two two-bedroom, including two classified as affordable — was also discussed by both boards.

There are currently two commercial buildings on the site, both of which would be demolished. Helmes, representing this proposal as well, said they had determined that both structures were antiquated and not usable.

He requested that the ZBA grant variances in the CB Zoning District for a front yard setback of 5.66 feet where 10 feet is required, and a rear yard setback of 5 feet where 30 feet is required; for building coverage of 25.55% where the existing building coverage is 20.60% and where 20% is the maximum permitted; and 11 on-site parking spaces where 16 on-site parking spaces are required, resulting in a deficiency of five on-site parking spaces.

As with the Katonah application, the developer will seek parking permits in the nearby town lots.

Variances granted

The ZBA determined that the area variances were necessary due to the configuration of the lot, and granted them.

At the planning board meeting, Helmes said since their last appearance, they had extended the sidewalk in front of the building as the board had suggested. 

Again, both boards determined that following the new state guidelines, the project is exempt from SEQRA.

As the applicants are still working on addressing issues regarding steep slopes, landscaping and the use of native plants, the board took no action and the proposal will return at a future meeting.