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Cornwall Planning Board sets August hearing and readies resolutions for Quaker Avenue EV chargers
Summary
Hudson Properties asked to install two EV chargers and a battery cabinet at 55 Quaker Avenue; the board directed staff to schedule a public hearing for August, requested photos, a parking analysis and plans signed by a licensed professional, and noted revised plans must be submitted by July 22 for August consideration.
Hudson Properties presented a proposal to install two electric vehicle charging stations and an associated battery energy storage system (BESS) in the parking lot at 55 Quaker Avenue, and the Cornwall Planning Board voted to schedule a public hearing for the August meeting and to have staff prepare resolutions in anticipation of approval.
Ken Pebesma, who identified himself to the board, described the plan and the company’s efforts to treat the charging stations as an accessory facility in the GC zoning district. Planning consultants noted the town zoning does not currently reference EV stations and that the installation should be processed as an amended site plan because it is a structure. The project was referred to Orange County planning for a 30-day review and was classified by staff as a Type II action under the state environmental classification discussed at the meeting.
Consultants and board members requested additional technical material: a parking analysis for the property; signed and stamped plans from a licensed design professional; clarification about whether an ADA-accessible stall is required (federal-funded installations can require an ADA stall, while the state program referenced in this case did not mandate one for two-stall systems); and photographs showing the unit and nighttime lighting. The applicants said the BESS would eliminate two parking stalls and convert two spaces into EV charging stalls, that the system is expandable to four chargers with added batteries, and that the cabinet and chargers can be wrapped or custom-colored to reduce visual impact.
Board members expressed concern about the proposed cabinet’s visibility on Main Street and asked for options such as custom wraps, additional landscaping and nighttime photographs so the board and public may judge visual impact. Staff reminded the board that county planning has a 30-day review and that the submission deadline to be on the August agenda is July 22; the board directed staff to prepare resolutions so the project could be approved next month if the public hearing is favorable. The record does not include a numeric vote tally; the board approved setting the hearing by voice vote.
