New Castle Town Council Moves Chappaqua Crossing Forward

The New Castle town board met in special session Dec. 18 in the auditorium at the Chappaqua library.

According to the Chappaqua Daily Voice, the New Castle town board members voted to approve retail zoning for the old Readers Digest site, to amend the town’s master plan (undergoing revision) to permit the Chappaqua Crossing uses, to amend an earlier Findings Statement. They also adopted a resolution saying another environmental impact statement wasn’t needed.

All the votes were 4-1, with Lisa Katz, who has long opposed the project, voting “no.”

Town resident Robert Lewi, one of the project’s vocal opponents, told Daily Voice reporter Tom Auchterlonie he was not surprised about the voting outcome.

Board members have telegraphed their thinking on moving the project along—more plans will need more approvals—

Here is a press release from Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein:

At a special meeting held on Thursday, December 18, 2014, the Town Board adopted three important resolutions relating to the Chappaqua Crossing project. First, the Town Board decided that additional environmental review was not required with respect to the project changes proposed by the Applicant earlier this year. Among other things, the Applicant now proposes placing a Whole Foods in a standalone building, rather than inside the existing buildings on the site. Second, the Town Board decided to amend the Town Development Plan to allow retail development in place of some of the existing office space at Chappaqua Crossing. Third, the Town Board adopted a Retail Local Law that is intended to allow a grocer, health/fitness uses, restaurants and retail stores to be built at Chappaqua Crossing. All three resolutions carried by a 4-1 vote.

In a statement last night, Supervisor Greenstein stated “I believe that we are building a better New Castle by our decision, one that provides more for the community while maintaining those assets and values that drew us to this Town. Chappaqua Crossing will bring new and different amenities for our residents while enhancing our commercial tax base. For me, that is the bottom line”. The Applicant also announced that it plans to undertake a number of steps to help mitigate the impacts associated with its retail project, including donating land that it owns on Roaring Brook Road to the Town for open space, improving the entrance into Horace Greeley High School to ease congestion during peak hours, and providing $1.8 million to the Town for recreation and other mitigation purposes, as well as for consulting fees.

Although the project still needs additional review and approvals, the Town Board’s actions on Thursday night mark a significant milestone. Early next year, the Applicant is expected to submit a preliminary development concept plan to the Town Board that depicts the final layout and design features of the proposed retail development.

The Town Board’s special meeting may be viewed online at http://vimeo.com/114998416

Copies of the Town Board’s resolutions and other related documents are being posted to the Town’s website.