Board tables KIPP school parking expansion and Tivoli Preserve access plan after public comments

The board heard a presentation on a proposed 35‑space expansion of surface parking at 596 Manning Boulevard to serve KIPP School and to provide 10 spaces dedicated to access Tivoli Preserve. The parcel is roughly 0.72 acres and is currently New York State property; the city and KIPP have a 2021 memorandum of understanding regarding transfer and shared use.

Presenters explained proposed circulation changes intended to separate parent drop‑off from bus staging, widen bus radii to reduce bottlenecks, and reserve 10 spaces for Tivoli Preserve trailhead access. Traffic and circulation consultants described the proposal as primarily intended to improve safety by moving parent circulation off North Manning and providing a dedicated loop for drop‑off and pickup; traffic engineers said typical bus staging ranges from about nine to 15 buses during peak periods.

Friends of Tivoli Preserve and other public commenters urged retention or expansion of green space adjacent to the preserve and said the project's plans were updated only recently. Planning staff noted stormwater, curb width and minor dimensional waivers as outstanding technical items. After public comment and staff conversation, the board voted to table the application to a future meeting to allow coordination with city preserve plans and further technical refinements.