Newburgh planning board approves EV chargers, reaffirms hotel approval and advances mall and other site plans

The Town of Newburgh Planning Board on June 20 voted on a string of site-plan and procedural items, granting conditional approvals for smaller projects and advancing larger proposals that require further review and coordination with state and county agencies.

Sunshine Ford EV charging stations moved forward first: after MH&E consultant Pat Hines recommended a negative declaration, the Board waived a public hearing, declared the SEQRA negative declaration and granted conditional final approval for project 23-18. Planning Board Attorney Dominic Cordisco reminded the Board standard conditions — payment of fees, construction consistent with the approved plans and return to the Board for any future expansion — will apply.

In a separate roll-call vote the Board reaffirmed the prior negative declaration and waived a public hearing for the RAM Hotels re-approval (project 16-21), clearing the final step for a previously approved 112-room hotel to pursue building permits. Pat Hines told members there were no substantive plan changes since the 2018 approval.

The Board also used its June 20 meeting to advance several larger, more complex matters: it declared a negative SEQRA determination for the Newburgh Commons mixed retail/gas/convenience project and set a public hearing for July 18, 2024; it agreed to circulate lead-agency intent for Newburgh Self‑Storage and referred Avion Ventures’ proposed warehouse to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a height variance. For projects on or near State highways, Board members and consultants repeatedly flagged the need for New York State Department of Transportation review and for DEC, Army Corps and County Health approvals where wetlands, septic or stormwater work are involved.

The overhaul of the Newburgh Mall façade prompted extended discussion. The Board scheduled a technical consultants’ work session for June 25 to coordinate façade, signage and site changes and set the mall ARB review for the July 18 meeting so that signage allocations and a master approach can be reconciled as national tenants finalize lease agreements.

On smaller administrative matters the Board granted conditional lot-line change approval for the Lands of Weddell and authorized a referral to the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Ciaffone lot-line matter. Harbor Freight’s site updates (accessibility ramps, cart corrals and facade color) were treated as minor site-plan or field changes to be reviewed by the Building Department and MH&E, with architectural review and signage reserved for the July 18 meeting.

Board business closed with continued caution over Newburgh Chicken (project 23-17): planning counsel and MH&E advised that unanswered DOT concerns about access and turn‑lane needs meant the Board should not waive a public hearing, and members voted to keep the hearing requirement in place.

Votes at a glance

- Sunshine Ford EV charging (23-18): Negative declaration; public hearing waived; conditional final approval (unanimous roll call). - RAM Hotels re-approval (16-21): Negative declaration reaffirmed; public hearing waived (unanimous roll call). - Town Center Plaza front facade (24-11): ARB approval granted (unanimous roll call). - 217 South Plank Road cannabis dispensary (24-13): Declared lead agency; adjoiners' notices and County/DOT referrals required (action to circulate). - Newburgh Commons (23-24): Negative declaration declared; public hearing set for July 18, 2024 (unanimous roll call). - Newburgh Self‑Storage (24-06): Intent to serve as lead agency and circulate to County Planning (unanimous roll call). - Avion Ventures warehouse (24-16): Referred to ZBA for height variance (Board authorized referral letter). - Newburgh Mall façade (24-15): Work session scheduled (June 25) and ARB set for July 18 (unanimous roll call). - Harbor Freight (24-17): Field-change review authorized for minor parking/ADA items; ARB/signage set for July 18 (unanimous roll call). - Lands of Weddell lot-line revision (2023-24): Conditional lot-line approval granted (standard recording/filing conditions). - Ciaffone lot-line (24-14): Authorized referral to ZBA for multiple bulk variances.

Why it matters

The session advanced several projects that will reshape commercial corridors along Routes 9W, 300 and 17K, balancing smaller immediate approvals (EV chargers, retail fit-outs) with staged review of larger developments that hinge on state agency approvals, traffic mitigation and stormwater or wetlands permits. The Board used a mix of conditional approvals and scheduled hearings to allow construction or site work to proceed while protecting municipal oversight and public notice requirements.

What’s next

Key upcoming dates include a Planning Board technical work session on June 25 on the Newburgh Mall façade and multiple public hearings and ARB reviews scheduled for the July 18 Planning Board meeting. Applicants that require State DOT, DEC or County Health sign-offs must secure those approvals before final plan sign-offs can be completed.