The planning board heard a detailed presentation Jan. 21 for a proposed child-care facility on Route 9 and left the public hearing open while directing the applicant to secure or confirm several outside approvals, including Department of Health (DOH), New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and a jurisdictional determination from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) under new wetland rules.

The applicants team described a drop-off system modeled on school carpool lanes with staggered windows for infants, toddlers and primary-age children; the presenter said infant drop-off would be by parent parking in spaces and a teacher-assisted handoff, while toddler and primary classes would use a curbside, no-exit carpool lane during a 15-minute window to keep vehicles moving. The civil engineer provided updated site plans showing a two-entrance plan (a one-way north entrance and a 12-foot exit) and internal circulation with designated teacher/employee parking and brief 10-minute temporary parking bays.

The applicant reported a positive, preliminary response from DOH but acknowledged DOT and OCFS reviews remain in process. Board members urged the applicant to secure OCFS pre-application acknowledgment (the state office generally does not provide binding approval prior to a full submission) and provide DOT-required sight-distance and stacking analysis. The DECs Jan. 1 regulatory changes were raised repeatedly: board members recommended the applicant request a formal jurisdictional determination from DEC because the projects wastewater testing system and portions of the site fall within the expanded review area around mapped wetlands.

Several technical items remained outstanding: final parking-space dimensions to meet town code (applicant agreed to increase dimensions to 9 x 19 feet and note them on the plan), an operations and delivery-log restriction to require off-hours deliveries, and confirmation from fire and building officials that the new plan is consistent with emergency access requirements. The public hearing remained open to permit the board and outside reviewers time to comment on the new plans and the DOT findings.

Next steps: Applicant to obtain or confirm DOH, OCFS and DOT positions; submit DEC jurisdictional-determination request; provide final parking dimensions and a note limiting deliveries to off-peak hours; planning board to accept outside-agency input before further action.