Rye Brook planning board approves site plan for 123 Northridge Street with rear screening condition

The Village of Rye Brook Planning Board voted May 8 to grant site plan approval for work at 123 Northridge Street, a single-family home where the owners propose a second-floor addition, new front porch, rear deck, and driveway reconfiguration.

The approval matters because the project required variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals for front-yard setbacks and a height setback and drew a written neighbor concern; the planning board conditioned its approval on additional rear-yard screening and on technical sign-off by the village engineer.

Architect John G. Scarlato, representing owners Kevin and Emily Miller, described the proposal as a second-floor addition that “lines up with the First Floor” and said the main variances granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals were for front-yard setbacks and for the house’s existing position relative to the setback. Scarlato said the design reduces impervious area in the front by removing a turn-in and slightly widening the driveway to allow one more parked vehicle. "We just wide the driveway a little bit here so we could park another car," he said.

The board and staff discussed landscaping and screening to address views into neighboring yards. Planning consultant Sarah Brown and Superintendent of Public Works Michael Nowak recommended planting larger evergreen screening in the rear; the applicant agreed to revise the landscape plan to add mixed screening such as arborvitae and Leyland cypress. Brown later confirmed receiving a revised plan that she found acceptable.

Chairman Rob Goodman read a draft resolution (Planning Board Resolution PB 25-003) that grants site plan approval for the work at 123 Northridge Street, and the board moved to adopt the resolution as amended to require rear screening. The condition reads in part that the screening plan is "subject to approval by the village engineer." The motion to adopt the resolution as amended passed on a roll call with all members present voting yes.

The board’s action resolves the planning-board level review; homeowners seeking building permits will still need to obtain required building permits and comply with any other departmental approvals, and the condition requires the applicant to produce a revised planting/screening plan acceptable to the village engineer.

The planning board’s resolution and the Zoning Board of Appeals variances are recorded in the meeting minutes; the applicant will circulate the revised plan to staff for sign-off.