Greenburgh's planning board closed a public hearing for a new home at 5 Farmway Drive where residents demanded stricter oversight after the developer admitted to illegally removing four regulated trees more than a year ago. The board must now decide if the developer's expanded landscaping and stormwater plans sufficiently address long-standing concerns about environmental impact and accountability.

What Happened

  • The developer for 5 Farmway Drive admitted removing four regulated trees without a permit more than a year ago, leading the town to require a 120% replacement. The applicant's current plan goes beyond that requirement, but a board member raised concerns about the developer's credibility due to past unfulfilled promises to neighbors.
  • Neighbors at 5 Farmway Drive expressed concerns about how excavation and stormwater runoff would affect their properties, citing previous issues in the area and a history of unpermitted work. The developer presented a stormwater management plan designed to hold significantly more water than legally required for a 100-year storm.
  • The board made a positive recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for a new house at 0 Peterbont Road, Irvington, supporting variances for a substandard shared driveway. This means the board prioritized protecting trees and steep slopes over strict adherence to driveway width regulations.
  • For an amended site plan at 205-207 Somal River Road, the board issued a neutral recommendation to the ZBA regarding area variances and landscape buffer waivers. This means the board found no compelling planning reasons to either support or oppose the project's requested deviations.

Project Outcomes

  • 0 Peterbont Road, Irvington: Positive recommendation to ZBA for area variances, allowing a new house to use an existing shared driveway (14 feet wide) that is narrower than state law requires.
  • 205-207 Somal River Road: Neutral recommendation to ZBA for seven area variances and landscape buffer waivers for an amended site plan.

What's Next

  • March 11: The written record for the 5 Farmway Drive new home project remains open for additional public comments.
  • March 18 Planning Board meeting: The board is expected to consider a decision of approval for the Galvanize LLC amended site plan at 85 and 101 Executive Boulevard.
  • The applicant for 0 Peterbont Road, Irvington, will address the Zoning Board of Appeals for area variance approval, and staff will communicate the board's question regarding water main capacity for the sprinkler system.

Greenburgh's planning board closed a public hearing for a new home at 5 Farmway Drive where residents demanded stricter oversight after the developer admitted to illegally removing four regulated trees more than a year ago. The board must now decide if the developer's expanded landscaping and stormwater plans sufficiently address long-standing concerns about environmental impact and accountability.