The planning board convened to discuss a site plan application for a proposed residential and mixed-use building in the office district, which requires several approvals and variances. The project seeks to build 28 residential units, exceeding the permitted five, and proposes three stories instead of the allowed two. Additionally, the plan includes a rear yard of 18.5 feet, falling short of the required 40 feet, and a parking provision of 44 on-site stalls, significantly below the mandated 125, with an additional 93 off-site stalls proposed.

This meeting marks an early step in the State's Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process, which mandates a thorough evaluation of the project's environmental impacts. The planning board has been designated as the lead agency for this review, which will include public participation opportunities before any decisions are made. A positive declaration was adopted by the board on April 23, indicating that the project could have significant environmental impacts, thus necessitating the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The EIS process will involve a public scoping phase to determine the necessary information to be included in the draft EIS (DEIS). The applicant will prepare the DEIS following the scoping process, which will then be subject to public review and comment. The planning board will finalize the scope based on feedback received during this meeting and the public comment period, which ends on June 21.

The meeting also provided a platform for public comments, with a three-minute limit per speaker, encouraging participants to submit detailed feedback in writing. The planning board emphasized that this session is focused on gathering input rather than resolving specific issues at this stage. Future steps in the review process will include public hearings and the eventual adoption of a final EIS, which will inform the board's ultimate decision regarding the application.