Homeowner vows to revise screening plan after planning board flags HVAC units visible from scenic road

The Rhinebeck Planning Board reviewed Sept. 2 a complaint‑driven application concerning two existing HVAC condenser units installed on the north side of a house at 636 River Road, inside a historic district and visible from a scenic road.

The homeowner said the HVAC contractor did not complete required permitting steps and has been unresponsive to requests to remedy the installation. Board members described the present installation as visually conspicuous and not in keeping with guidance in the town’s historic‑district design advice (HAPAC guidance / Secretary of the Interior standards). Several members recommended relocating one condenser to a flatter area of the yard, adjusting line‑set routing to follow architectural lines rather than diagonal runs, and improving screening with native plantings.

Planning staff and board members suggested a combined solution: reposition one unit to a level spot near the house where access to the sewer cleanout would not be blocked, and design a landscaping plan that includes an evergreen planting closer to the roadside pocket to reduce visibility to passing drivers. HAPAC members who attended the site visit had prepared suggested native plant lists tailored to shade conditions.

The board asked the homeowner to return with a revised screening and planting plan—showing placement, species, and mature heights—and to consider relocating lines to follow siding or rooflines. The board indicated it prefers vegetative screening where feasible rather than opaque fencing, but said a combined approach could be considered if needed.

No formal enforcement penalty was issued at the meeting; instead, the board directed the homeowner to submit a detailed plan for review and said staff would accept a written screening plan and images to evaluate options prior to the next hearing or review date.