Developers present plan for 105-unit senior housing at former day camp on Saddle River Road

Developers presented plans March 3 to build a 105-unit, 55-and-older housing development on roughly 18 acres at 444 Saddle River Road, the site of the former day camp, and said the project is undergoing an environmental review led by the town planning board.

The project team told the Village of Airmont trustees that the draft environmental impact statement is under public review and that written comments will be accepted through March 10. “The applicant decided that it was in its best interest, in the village’s best interest, in the public’s best interest to go through a full environmental impact statement process,” said Ira Emmanuel, attorney for the applicant.

The proposal calls for demolition of existing camp structures and construction of 105 two-story, age-restricted multifamily units (55 and older), two community buildings for residents, garages for individual units, visitor parking, sidewalks and preserved nature trails. Jacqueline Hakes, director of planning services for MJ Engineering, said the site covers “approximately 18 acres” across three adjoining parcels and described the program of units and on-site open space.

Dennis Lynch, the project engineer, said the plan includes two entrances onto Saddle River Road, internal roads, a stormwater basin along the rear of the property and on-site stormwater infiltration, and connections to municipal water and sewer. “The width of the road is actually 26 feet,” Lynch said in response to a question about on-street parking and emergency access.

Trustees and attendees raised traffic and parking concerns, asking whether on-street parking would be allowed and whether roads would be wide enough for emergency vehicles if cars parked on both sides. Engineers said each unit would have a garage and off-street parking, and they committed to coordinate with the fire department and other officials about any needed parking restrictions.

The planning board is the lead agency for the DEIS. After the environmental review, the applicant will return to the Village Board to request that the RSH (residential senior housing) overlay be mapped to this parcel and to seek a special permit required under the overlay. The application also will require variances from the zoning board of appeals and then final site-plan approval from the planning board.

Trustees were told that, unlike a typical negative declaration under SEQRA, an EIS requires each involved agency — including this board, as an involved agency — to make its own findings statement based on the final EIS and the planning board’s findings. Emmanuel and MJ Engineering encouraged trustees and residents to submit written comments to Suzanne, clerk of the planning board, before the March 10 close of the public-comment period.

The applicant’s representatives emphasized the project’s goal of providing age-restricted housing that the village previously identified as a need under the RSH overlay. No village board action was taken on the project at the March 3 meeting; the presentation was informational and part of the environmental-review process.

Questions and requests for additional technical information from trustees and residents were logged for response in the final environmental impact statement.