Thayer Flats public hearing is May 21
Two major things came of last week’s two-hour, online meeting of the Consolidated Planning Board.
The first is that New York State has okayed public hearings via online platforms. That translates to the fact that the Planning Board can now hold an overdue hearing on the Thayer Flats project in Highland Falls.
Second, the board approved a negative declaration on the project — when an agency determines that a proposed action will not result in significant adverse environmental impacts — which also means that hearing can take place. (Before any agency makes a decision to approve, undertake or fund a private or public project, it must complete this State Environmental Quality Review assessment.)
The public hearing is now scheduled for Thursday, May 21, and it will be done via WebX, which is the ‘meeting platform’ that the Town Board recently approved using.
In addition to participating in the online meeting (information on how to participate will be provided closer to the May 21 date), in the month ahead, those interested in the project will be able to submit written comments to Planning Board chairman Erik Smith (esmith@highlands-ny.gov), or at Town Hall (254 Main St., Highland Falls), although Town Hall is currently open by appointment only.
There will also be ways to get information about the project, possibly in the windows of the current Pentagon Federal Credit Union building or via the Town of Highlands website (www.highlands-ny.gov). Details on how to get project information out was still being determined as last week’s meeting closed.
At the meeting last week, which was the board’s regular April meeting, all five members — Smith, Matt Johnson, Chris Dyroff, Harvey Green and Ed Dunn — talked with project developer Rick Minicozzi and some of his representatives, as well as the Planning Board’s engineer, Shawn Arnott, from McGoey, Hauser and Edsall Engineering.
They discussed matters such as:
— Required parking spaces. They are required to have 79, but don’t have quite that many. However, Minicozzi has worked with the Village Board to secure some leased spaces along Station Hill Rd. and at the Senior Center. “I’m comfortable with that,” Smith said, and the others agreed.
— Traffic flow around the structure. The Village Board has decided not to make either Drew Ave. or Parry Ave. two-way streets, which means that the developers may need to look at its loading dock plans, etc.
— Rear yard variance. This is still needed from the Zoning Board of Appeals. That board has not met since March, but could potentially meet on Wednesday, May 20 (which would be its next regularly scheduled session).
Several other matters regarding the project were commented on at the session including measures that will be put in place to obscure noise coming from a rooftop pool area; evergreen plantings along the back of the hotel’s property to serve as a natural shield for homeowners behind it; an appealing building facade; and stormwater management.
