Board approves amended site plan for three single‑family dwellings on Reservoir Road with conditions to protect reservoir and access

The Town of Goshen Planning Board approved an amended major site plan for Marty Holdings Group LLC to construct three single‑family dwellings on approximately 9.854 acres on Reservoir Road and Lower Reservoir Road in the RU zoning district with AQ‑3 reservoir watershed and stream corridor overlays. The board’s approval is conditional on multiple items the board and county requested to protect the reservoir and public health.

Key conditions as adopted include: prior to signing plans the applicant shall (a) comply with the town engineer’s December 1, 2023 memorandum; (b) receive Orange County Department of Health approval for the proposed sewage disposal system and on‑site water supply well; (c) submit a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) satisfactory to the town engineer and consistent with MS4 permit requirements; (d) provide post‑construction stormwater completion and maintenance guarantees and an amount to be set by the town board upon recommendation of the town engineer; (e) amend the site plan to include native trees, shrubs and pollinators along the western side of the site and to replace grass areas with plantings per the town code Appendix B; (f) correct stormwater drainage invert elevations to the satisfaction of the county engineer; and (g) submit renderings presented at the hearing if requested by staff.

Additional conditions include a prohibition on subdivision as part of this approval without returning to the planning board for subdivision approval; lighting limited to 0.1 foot‑candles at property lines; clearly posted limits of clearing and disturbance; notification to the Village (Village of Goshen) Department of Public Works before site disturbance so the village DPW can monitor reservoir conditions; prohibition on motor oils, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or other pollutants that would enter the reservoir (to be shown as a note on plans); prohibition on application of salt or other deicing agents to the driveway; import fill must be documented for source and quality; blasting operations (if any) must comply with town code chapter 58 and post a 3‑year bond if blasting is proposed.

During the public hearing neighbors and commenters raised concerns about groundwater, shared wells and septic systems, the feasibility of three dwellings served by a single well/septic area, driveway slope (the board noted a 10% maximum grade but discussed winter maintenance and deicing), possible future subdivision, and short‑term rental regulation changes being considered by the town board. Town staff noted that well and septic sizing and permitting fall under County Health Department review and that the board’s approval would not finalize plans in the absence of required county approvals.

After discussion the planning board moved, seconded and approved the amended resolution of conditional approval as prepared and revised at the meeting; the approval is expressly contingent on the conditions listed above.