Planning board questions landscaping, parking and permits for proposed Goshen hotel complex
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Summary
Board members pressed the developer behind a proposed 63‑acre hotel and restaurant complex in Goshen for documentation of a prior ZBA interpretation, requested DOH/DEC submittals for the wastewater treatment plant and asked for plan revisions on landscaping islands, parking visibility and wall heights before returning for site‑plan action.
Developers seeking site‑plan approval for a three‑hotel and restaurant complex in Goshen faced extensive technical scrutiny from the planning board on parking visibility, landscaping islands, wastewater permitting and the record of a prior Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) determination.
A project representative told the board that the architectural sheets show how three, three‑story hotels would comply with the town's 35‑foot average height limit by setting portions of the ground floor slightly below average grade. "We provided architectural drawings showing how each of those hotels would comply with the 35‑foot height limit," the presenter said.
Board members repeatedly asked the applicant to provide the ZBA minutes or written decision that the applicant relied on for an earlier interpretation allowing parking in front of buildings and the proposed landscaping plan. "We need to see that rationale — show us what you presented and what the ZBA accepted," a committee member said, noting the planning board could not confirm whether the ZBA had decided on the same plan now before planning.
The board also pressed for outside‑agency approvals before returning for final action. The applicant confirmed Department of Health and DEC submissions have not yet been filed and said they want planning concurrence on the layout before making those filings. Staff recommended the applicant submit revised plans addressing the wastewater treatment plant footprint, landscape islands (islands are required every 120 feet in some areas), and any necessary wall‑height adjustments.
Board members and staff urged the applicant to coordinate with the building inspector and the village attorney to clarify whether an interpretation or a variance was required for the parking arrangement. The applicant agreed to provide copies of the ZBA application and decision and to resubmit revised plans that add the required islands and resolve the noted inconsistencies before returning for a site‑plan vote.
