Review of proposed 14-lot subdivision in Cross River begins as residents raise concerns

CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - A proposal to subdivide the Reynolds property at 831 Route 35 in Cross River into 14 residential building lots is in the earliest stages of review before the Lewisboro Planning Board, with board members emphasizing that the application faces months of additional study before any decisions are made.

The proposal, presented during the board's July 21 sketch-plan meeting, calls for development of approximately 14 acres into 14 residential lots served by a new private road entering from the west end of Mark Mead Road rather than directly from Route 35. Each home would have an individual well and septic system, while an additional lot would be reserved for stormwater management facilities.

Because the application is only at the sketch-plan stage, no approvals were requested or granted. The project must still undergo environmental review, revised engineering, agency approvals and future public hearings before it can advance.

Representing the applicant, attorney Anthony Gioffre of Cuddy & Feder told the Planning Board that the development team intentionally brought the proposal forward before completing all required studies in order to receive early feedback.

"We're very excited about this proposal," Gioffre said, acknowledging that the applicant still must submit a Full Environmental Assessment Form, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, wetlands delineation and other technical studies.

Project engineer Dan Collins of Hudson Engineering said the subdivision would preserve the existing home on what would become Lot 2, while creating 13 additional building lots. The internal road would be 26 feet wide and terminate in a cul-de-sac designed to meet New York State Fire Code requirements, with an additional emergency turnaround midway along the road. Collins said soil testing witnessed by the town, Westchester County Department of Health and New York City Department of Environmental Protection found suitable conditions for individual septic systems and stormwater infiltration.

Town Planning Consultant Jan Johannessen outlined the extensive review still ahead.

Among the items still required are a Full Environmental Assessment Form, wetlands evaluation, tree survey, stormwater review, Health Department approvals for wells and septic systems, New York City DEP review, and a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan because the project would disturb more than two acres. The application will also require preliminary and final subdivision approval, including public hearings.

Johannessen also noted that the proposed dead-end road exceeds the subdivision regulations' general guideline for maximum road length, although the Planning Board has authority to waive that standard. He said the proposal should also be reviewed by the South Salem Fire Department to ensure compliance with fire access requirements.

He added that the town's affordable housing regulations would require two affordable housing units as part of the subdivision, a requirement the applicant said would be addressed as the plans advance.

Planning Board Chair Janet Andersen said she would like the applicant to consider reducing the width of the private road to lessen impervious surfaces and encouraged incorporating more meaningful open space into the design.

"I'm kind of disappointed in the lack of open space," Andersen said, suggesting that the applicant explore pedestrian access to nearby Ward Pound Ridge Reservation as a potential community amenity.

Andersen also questioned whether the increased traffic generated by the development could require a traffic study, particularly because of existing congestion along Mark Mead Road and Route 35 near several businesses. She also suggested the Fire Department may seek on-site water storage for firefighting, similar to other recent developments in town.

Planning Board member Charlene Indelicato expressed concern about the amount of impervious surface shown on the preliminary plans and the site's proximity to reservoir lands. Collins responded that the plans intentionally depicted a "worst-case scenario" to demonstrate compliance with zoning requirements and said the layout would likely evolve during the review process.

The proposal has also prompted organized opposition from Preserve Lewisboro, which distributed a detailed list of issues it believes should receive independent review before the application advances.

The group said it is not opposed to development but questioned whether 14 homes can be accommodated on the approximately 15-acre site without significant impacts on natural resources, neighboring properties and the surrounding community.

Among its concerns are the project's density, extensive tree removal, potential impacts to wetlands and groundwater, cumulative effects of 14 private wells and septic systems, stormwater runoff, steep slopes, traffic, emergency access, and the property's proximity to Ward Pound Ridge Reservation and the Eastern Westchester Biotic Corridor. Preserve Lewisboro is also urging the town to require independent technical review of environmental studies prepared on behalf of the applicant and to consider alternatives that preserve more open space.

Near the conclusion of the meeting, Andersen reminded residents that the review remains in its earliest phase.

"This is going to be an iterative process," she said. "It'll go on for a while."

She thanked residents for submitting comments early in the process, saying the board hopes to develop a project "that the Town will be proud of and that the whole community will be proud of."