Eastchester ARB refers renovation at 197 Wilmont Road to Planning Board with stormwater, driveway and landscaping conditions

The Town of Eastchester Architectural Review Board on Feb. 9 referred application 25-35 for 197 Wilmont Road to the Planning Board with a recommendation to approve, subject to conditions on driveway placement, landscaping and stormwater controls.

The board considered a residential renovation and expansion presented by Stephanie Molinsky of SM Architecture Studio, who said “basically the goal of this project was in to increase curb appeal of the house,” including an attached garage, a small front addition, enlarged front windows, and new cladding in a smooth pearl-gray Hardie board with stone accents and black window frames. Molinsky also offered a black metal roof as proposed and a charcoal-gray asphalt-shingle alternative if the metal option proved cost-prohibitive.

Why it matters: the project changes rooflines and increases impervious surfaces at a tight site adjoining neighboring lots, so the ARB sought to balance aesthetic approval with safeguards that the Planning and Building departments will review in more engineering detail.

Key conditions the ARB asked the Planning Board to consider, as summarized by Noel during the meeting, were: shift the driveway to provide a two-foot setback from the north property line and show plantings along that edge; submit a stormwater and erosion-control plan (including proposed dry-well/cultex locations); and note roof-material alternatives on the elevations so the Building Department recognizes which materials were approved. Noel stated, “the first would be . . . the applicant should shift the driveway so that there’s a twoft setback from the north property line,” and he recommended the applicant provide updated renderings with the black windows shown.

Board members asked technical questions about window types (Andersen 400 series), the stone veneer sample (identified on renderings as Old Spruce), HVAC placement behind the garage, and whether the site will require dry wells under the new driveway. A board member estimated a metal roof could be about a $30,000 upcharge compared with asphalt; the ARB agreed it could approve either material as an alternate but urged the elevations to be explicit so the Building Department sees the approved options.

Procedural notes and vote: Laura Rafani recused herself from consideration of the application and left the meeting before staff and the applicant presented materials. With four members present, the motion to refer application 25-35 to the Planning Board with the conditions listed by Noel was seconded and adopted by all members present (vote recorded as unanimous among attendees). The ARB also approved minutes and tabled review of other minutes earlier in the session.

Next steps: The ARB’s referral sends the application, updated renderings, and the board’s recommended conditions to the Planning Board, which will evaluate site-plan and drainage requirements and coordinate any required Building Department stormwater and erosion-control review.