Board refers 37 Washington Ave. rezoning petition for 121-unit project to planning board

The Village of Suffern Board of Trustees on July 28, 2025 voted to refer a zoning amendment petition for 37 Washington Avenue to the Village Planning Board and the Rockland County Department of Planning for review. The petition, submitted by Suffern Wash LLC, seeks a zone change to allow residential development; the applicant is described in the petition as proposing 121 units.

The village attorney told trustees he and village planner Bonnie Fransen reviewed the amended petition and concluded it was complete for referral. Because the property lies within 500 feet of Route 59, the attorney said the petition must be referred to the Rockland County Department of Planning under local zoning law. The attorney also said the board expressed a preference that the Village Planning Board act as lead agency for the State Environmental Quality Review Act review so that the planning board’s consultant can evaluate traffic and other impacts before the matter returns to the trustees for hearing and a vote.

Trustees discussed parking requirements the village will hold the applicant to as the application progresses. The attorney noted the board is requiring two parking spaces per residential unit as a condition for approval unless the developer can provide an alternate demonstration acceptable to the board. The referral motion was moved and seconded and passed unanimously.

If the developer is successful in obtaining the zone change, the attorney said the applicant will next be required to return to the planning board for site plan approval, which will address utilities, entrances and other site-level details.