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Montebello board adopts SEQRA Negative Declaration for Comprehensive Plan update; related action requiring supermajority postponed
Summary
Trustees adopted a Negative Declaration finding no significant environmental impacts from the 2025 Comprehensive Plan update and directed filing and notice; a separate supermajority action was postponed until full board could participate.
The Village of Montebello Board of Trustees adopted a Negative Declaration under SEQRA for the village's 2025 Comprehensive Plan update, concluding that the recommended changes are not expected to produce moderate or large environmental impacts.
The resolution (25-108) records the Commission’s work (meetings across 2024–25), the public-hearing process (opened June 18, continued July 16 and Aug. 13 and reconvened Sept. 17), and a May 6 review letter from the Rockland County Planning Department that provided 22 recommendations and observations. Village Planner Maximilian A. Stach and Deputy Village Attorney Terhune summarized the Planner’s Full EAF Part 2 finding that adverse impacts are unlikely and recommended adoption of a Negative Declaration under 6 NYCRR 617.
The board adopted the Negative Declaration and directed the Village Clerk to publish notice and the Village Planner to file the declaration in the Environmental Notice Bulletin. Roll call: Deputy Mayor Stacy Caridi — absent; Trustee Michael Humphrey — Yes; Trustee Bruce Egenhauser — Yes; Trustee David Rose — No; Mayor Lance N. Millman — Yes.
Trustee Rose and other trustees raised questions during the hearing; Stach said Comprehensive Plans are typically revisited about every seven years. The record notes that a separate Action II requiring a supermajority (not fully described in the meeting minutes) was postponed to the Oct. 22 meeting to allow full consideration when the board is at full membership.
The adopted draft identifies recommendations that have already been implemented, recommendations continued from the 2017 plan, two items the commission no longer recommends (local tax incentives for historic designation and residential design guidelines), and seven new recommendations including parking-standards review, revised landscaping standards favoring pollinator plantings, tiered home-occupation rules, incentives for NY Energy Stretch Code compliance, protection of aquifers, and identification of land for affordable and workforce housing.
