The Poughkeepsie City Planning Board opened and closed the public hearing for a proposed three-story mixed-use building at 191 Cottage Avenue, a project that would include a brewery on the first floor and eight residential units above.

Board members and the applicant discussed architectural inconsistencies between elevations and renderings, landscaping along the western property edge, rooftop mechanical screening and whether permeable pavement was feasible for the site. The applicant, Jim Sullivan, confirmed the project “is 8 units. It’s mixed use. We’re planning to put a brewery on the First Floor.”

The project team told the board they had received variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals for two area variances and one parking variance and had met on-site with city staff and the board’s design consultant, Christopher Croner. Croner’s written review prompted requests for changes to street trees, rear-yard landscaping and elevations; the applicant said he will submit updated renderings and a cornice change for the board’s next review.

Board members pressed the applicant for clearer landscaping plans along the western edge, where existing mature trees the applicant’s landscape consultant described as “100% invasive” will be pruned and trimmed rather than cleared entirely; the applicant said the plan is to eliminate a fence along that line and use a low privet hedge and supplemental plantings to improve privacy. Planning staff asked the applicant to correct agency checkboxes on the project’s environmental form—items flagged in review as possibly mis-marked for county and State Historic Preservation Office review—and requested an energy-demand estimate be added to make the submission complete.

The public hearing was opened by motion and closed without public speakers. Planning staff noted that both the building and fire departments have found the plan acceptable and that the board will ask staff to draft a resolution of approval for consideration at the next meeting following the applicant’s submission of updated materials.

The board’s initial discussion also referenced upcoming state policy guidance affecting small housing projects; the chair said staff will prepare a short summary of how the state’s pro-housing guidance may affect local SEQR/agency review processes and share it with the board before the next meeting.