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Dobbs Ferry trustees refer 19 Livingston townhouse plan to planning board, retain final site-plan approval
Summary
The Village Board voted 5–1 to declare the Planning Board the lead agency for environmental review under SECRA while retaining final site‑plan approval for a proposed nine‑unit clustered townhouse development at 19 Livingston Avenue. The proposal includes one affordable unit and significant steep‑slope work.
Christina Griffin, principal of CJ Studio Architects, presented a schematic plan for a clustered development of nine townhomes on a 1.3‑acre site at 19 Livingston Avenue and told the Board the project would include one unit designated as affordable housing.
Valerie Monastra, the village planning consultant, told trustees the application triggers environmental review and subdivision approvals and recommended the Planning Board serve as lead agency for SECRA while the Village Board retain final site‑plan authority. Monastra outlined technical review needs — stormwater, steep‑slope analysis, geotechnical reports and coordinated engineering review — and recommended periodic joint meetings so trustees could provide input without delaying the process.
Trustees debated whether to cede primary technical review to the Planning Board or keep site‑plan review in the Board of Trustees’ hands. Supporters said retaining final approval would let trustees protect downtown and gateway design priorities; others argued the Planning Board has the expertise for complex environmental and subdivision work.
After reading a draft resolution to declare the Planning Board lead agency for SECRA and to refer the matter to the Planning Board and Westchester County Planning Board, the trustees voted 5–1 to adopt the referral while retaining final site‑plan approval. The resolution directs coordination between boards and anticipates the applicant returning for periodic review as technical materials are prepared.
Under the architects’ schematic, the nine townhomes would be arranged in three groups of three, with garages tucked to the rear. The design uses retaining walls and regrading to create level building platforms on a steep‑slope parcel; the applicant said units will meet LEED standards and that one unit will be priced at roughly 80% of the average market rate as the project’s affordable unit. The applicant also said the project will pursue bonus‑density provisions in the cluster‑development code in exchange for protected open space and LEED certification.
Next steps: the matter will be formally referred to the Dobbs Ferry Planning Board and Westchester County Planning Board for coordinated environmental and subdivision review. The Village Board will expect periodic joint meetings as technical reports — including a long SECRA form, stormwater plans and geotechnical analyses — are developed.
