By Neal Rentz //
Members of the Lewisboro Planning Board and representatives of a proposed horse training facility agreed June 18 to move forward with a proposed review of the initial phase of the project. They also decided to review a proposal to subdivide a portion of the property separately in the future.
Double H Farms LLC is seeking planning board approval for a private riding academy on a 37.2-acre parcel located at 20 Boutonville Road South, Cross River. The property is located in a town R-2A residential zoning district and the Westchester County Agricultural District. The applicant also owns the adjacent 17.2-acre property to the east of the proposed riding academy. The current horse farm property includes a one-story frame barn, a one-story house, a sand riding ring and various paddocks as well as asphalt and gravel driveways. On the existing horse farm parcel, as part of the project’s initial phase, Double H Farms is seeking to construct an outdoor riding ring and a grand prix riding field on the northwest portion of the property.
The plan for phase two of the project would call for the teardown of the existing barn and construction of a new barn and indoor riding ring in the same location. Double H Farms is also proposing the rearrangement and regrading of various paddocks and reconstruction of the existing maintenance barn with housing above the barn. The applicant also wants to make asphalt and gravel driveway improvements.
Double H Farms is also proposing a subdivision/lot line change, which would merge a total of 6.9 acres into the Reid family property located at 45 Cross River Road. Charles Martabano, an attorney representing Double H Farms, said the plan is for horse owners to leave their horses on the property, where the animals would be trained. The horses would be taken off the property to participate in competitions, he noted. Martabano said his client is operating horse training and boarding facilities in other parts of the country, including Ridgefield, Conn. Some of the horses could be owned by Double H Farms, he added. The proposal calls for “a very high end, very targeted training facility for horses,” Martabano said. He said his client is seeking to sell nearly 7 acres of an adjacent parcel to the Reid family. The sale would add to the 5 acres already owned by the Reids, enlarging their holdings to 11.9 acres.
Planning board members and residents who participated in the public hearing expressed concern about the plans for the proposed expanded Reid property. Resident Ghy Manning said the property owners should not be allowed “to do what they want” if their land is combined with property currently owned by Double H Farms. Resident Jen Akin said she was also concerned about a potential development of an expanded Reid family parcel. Martabano told Manning that the Reid family has no plans to develop their land if it is expanded to include a portion of his client’s current parcel, which is in the Westchester County Agricultural District.
Dan Hollis, an attorney representing the Reid family, said his clients are interested in expanding the size of their property because they want “to buffer their existing property” from the site of the proposed horse training facility land. “It’s a merger,” he said. Planning Board Chairwoman Janet Andersen asked if the Reid family would consider seeking a conservation easement from the town to preserve the land from development. Mr. Hollis replied that the Reid family was not planning to seek a conservation easement. If the Reid family decided in the future to seek a subdivision of the proposed expanded property, they would be required to obtain planning board approval, he said. Without a conservation easement, there would be no guarantee that the Reid family would protect their property from development, Ms. Andersen said.
After further discussion, Martabano and the planning board members agreed to continue the review of phase one of the project at the board’s July 16 meeting, and will take up the subject of the proposed land transfer at a later date.
Pound Ridge Stone
Also at the meeting, the planning board voted unanimously to reapprove the special use permit for Pound Ridge Stone & Landscaping, located at 2 West Road, South Salem. The business is owned by Two West Road LLC.
Pound Ridge Stone is proposing to construct a 24-foot-by-35-foot storage building, install 27 parking stalls with an outdoor material storage bin and outdoor display areas. The 0.7-acre property is located in a general business zoning district.
No residents spoke during the public hearing, which was closed by the planning board. Town Planner and Wetland Consultant Jan Johannessen said the applicant would need to obtain a building permit from the town by no later than March 6, 2025.
Cell tower approval extension
Also at the meeting, the planning board agreed to vote next month to renew its special use permit approval for the T-Mobile Wireless Telecommunications cellphone facility at the Leon Levy Preserve, which is located on Routes 35 and 123, South Salem. The tower is owned by American Tower.
“No changes to the facility are being proposed at this time,” Angela Poccia, an attorney representing T-Mobile, told the planning board.
No residents spoke during the public hearing, which was closed by the planning board. The board voted unanimously to instruct Johannessen to prepare an approval resolution for its July meeting.