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Village hearing on rescinding 2020 'B3' zoning draws hours of public comment
Summary
Village attorneys outlined a proposed local law to rescind the 2020 B3 mixed‑use district and revert many Main Street parcels to B1 or R3, limit building height and change density and parking rules. Residents asked for clearer maps and asked the board to keep the hearing open while details are posted.
The Village of Highland Falls opened a public hearing on proposed local-law changes that would rescind the 2020 B3 zoning district and return many parcels along Main Street to their prior B1 or R3 designations. The board's attorney summarized the draft, saying, “So as many of you know, back in 2020, the board made some significant changes to the zoning law, to accommodate primarily, more, mixed use, meaning residential and retail in the center of the village.”
The attorney said the draft would lower maximum building heights set in 2020 back to 48 feet, reduce the required lot area per dwelling from 2,500 square feet to 1,250 square feet, and tighten a “100% retail on the ground floor” requirement for mixed-use buildings. She also described an 18-month grandfathering period for projects already approved under the current B3 rules. Residents pressed for plain-language maps and copies of the exact changes; one speaker said they had been promised a return to residential zoning but were seeing different language. After extended public comment the board voted to keep the public hearing open and to post clearer maps and hard copies at Village Hall before the next meeting.
Why it matters: rescinding the B3 district would reshape what kinds of development are allowed on Main Street, affecting building height, the number of apartments that could be built and whether first-floor spaces must remain retail. The board repeatedly said it would not adopt the law tonight and will hold further meetings and post maps for residents to review.
