New Rochelle Planning Board Meeting - December 16, 2025
New Rochelle Planning Board Meeting - December 16, 2025
The New Rochelle Planning Board convened on December 16, 2025, at 7:00 PM. Chair Sarah Dodge Brown announced that the first three agenda items were adjourned: PB 26-2023 (single-family dwelling on Premium Point Road) until further notice; PB 32-2024 (28-story mixed-use building at 570 Main Street) adjourned to the January meeting. The board then proceeded with public hearings on three applications, followed by administrative amendments.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Application PB 23-2025 (148 Meadow Lane): Neighbor Kim Florin (144 Meadow Lane) expressed concern that the proposed parking area would be right against her fence, potentially exacerbating existing drainage issues from a nearby nursing home addition. She requested clarity on drainage solutions.
- Application PB 24-2025 (70 & 74 Potter Avenue): No members of the public offered comments.
- Application PB 25-2025 (968 Pinebrook Boulevard): No members of the public offered comments.
Discussion Items
- PB 23-2025 – 148 Meadow Lane (Mario Canteros): The applicant sought site plan approval to legalize an existing conversion of a single-family home into a two-family dwelling and extend the rear paved area. The architect presented plans for a two-bedroom first-floor unit and three-bedroom second/third-floor unit, adding a sprinkler system, dry wells, and six trees. Board member Doug Hewson raised concerns about the large amount of asphalt for parking and suggested a design that limits impervious surface and improves turning radii. The applicant agreed to work with staff on an alternative parking layout and additional landscaping.
- PB 24-2025 – 70 & 74 Potter Avenue (Robert Stanzial): The applicant proposed a 2,800-square-foot addition to an auto body shop (Laser Frame) and 18 off-street parking spaces at 70 Potter Avenue. Owner Morton Goldsmith described current operations (25 employees, ~60 vehicles on site at times) and stated the expansion would allow parts storage and three new service bays. Board member Doug Hewson expressed concern that the plan would not accommodate the existing vehicle density and could lead to neighborhood overflow, citing a ratio of 15 cars per bay. Other members (Walter Lippo, Christine O’Connell) noted the operator’s 25-year record of no complaints and supported the project with a post-construction traffic review condition. The board discussed lighting, landscaping, and sidewalk improvements.
- PB 25-2025 – 968 Pinebrook Boulevard (Mary F. Scott): The applicant sought approval for a new two-story, seven-bedroom single-family dwelling on a large lot with a rock cliff. The builder (Nick Giorardi) explained minimal rock removal and a raised first floor. Board members discussed driveway configuration; Doug Hewson recommended a hammerhead or wider driveway to allow forward-facing exit onto busy Pinebrook Boulevard. The applicant agreed to work with staff on the design. The board also discussed sprinkler requirements, eventually amending the condition to reference the applicable code section.
- Administrative Amendment PB 12-2025 – 815 Weaver Street (Robert Stanzial): The applicant proposed reducing a previously approved greenhouse structure from 9,600 sq ft to 7,200 sq ft, lowering the peak height from 24 ft to 19 ft, and using a prefabricated metal building. The board approved the amendment after confirming structural adequacy.
- Administrative Amendment PB 4-2005 – 545 Davenport Avenue (William Elisa): Neptune Yacht Club requested reconfiguration of floating docks and shoreline access, reducing a waterway from 38 ft to 34 ft 9 in. The board discussed navigability for large vessels but approved the amendment with no increase in slip count.
Key Outcomes
- PB 23-2025 – 148 Meadow Lane: Approved with conditions including: DPW permits, sidewalk/curb repairs, NFPA 13D sprinklers (habitable attic), staff review of parking layout to reduce impervious surface, and enhanced landscaping. Motion passed unanimously.
- PB 24-2025 – 70 & 74 Potter Avenue: Approved with conditions including: DPW permits, sidewalk/curb reconstruction, and a post-construction (6-month) traffic/parking review with staff. Motion passed with one opposed (Doug Hewson).
- PB 25-2025 – 968 Pinebrook Boulevard: Approved with conditions including: DPW permits, sidewalk/curb replacement, CCTV inspection of sanitary main, emergency escape opening for basement, and staff review of driveway configuration. The condition referencing sprinkler requirement was amended to comply with applicable code section (to be clarified with fire department). Motion passed unanimously.
- Administrative Amendment PB 12-2025: Approved unanimously.
- Administrative Amendment PB 4-2005: Approved unanimously.
The meeting adjourned after all items were completed.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the December sixteenth, twenty twenty-five uh planning board uh meeting for the city of Neurchell. Uh happy December, happy Hanukkah for those of you who celebrate. Um I do have an announcement that the first three items on the agenda are adjourned until uh until further notice. So application PB twenty-six dash twenty twenty-three by Guild Capital LLC for site plan approval to construct a single family dwelling on premium point road adjourned until further notice. Item two point two, application PB thirty-two dash twenty twenty-four by Crossroad Center LLC for site plan approval to demolish four buildings and construct a new twenty-eight story mixed residential, mixed use residential and commercial building at five seventy Main Street is adjourned to the January meeting. We will call those items uh and the applicant will come to the podium and present. Uh at which time members of the planning board will ask questions uh and engage with the applicant. Uh after that uh period of interaction, we will open up the application for comment for members of the public. If you are a member of the public and would like to make a comment, um you can come to the podium, state your name and address for the record. There is a clock timer here, uh large clock, uh you'll have three minutes in which to make your comments. Um and then we'll call the applicant back after public comment to address uh members of the the the issues raised by members of the public. Uh the second portion of our meeting, you're welcome to stay for that, but it's not public hearing. Uh that those are City Council and Board of Zoning referral items. So again, you're welcome to stay, but there'll be no public comment during that portion of the meeting. Uh we are gonna ask uh Benito to please call roll. Sure. Uh Sarah Dodge Brown. Here. Jim Brown is out, Isabella Qualamarquez is out. Doug Hewson. Walter Lippo. Here. Kate Mercado. Christine O'Connell. And staff members with us today, Jeff Bream, Deputy Corporation Counsel, Paul Vaca, building official, Kevin Kane, Director of Planning and Sustainability, and myself, Benito Seha, senior project manager. So I don't think Paul is here. Oh, it's probably better. Okay. We'll talk about that later. Okay, great. It's nice to see you. Sorry for missing you. Um okay, great. Thank you. So I will call our first item for public hearing, item 2.4. Application PB 23-2025 by Mario Conteros for site plan approval to legalize conversion of an existing single-family dwelling into a two-family dwelling, an extension of rear paved area at 148 Meadow Lane, block 448, lot 57 in an R2-7 zone district. Good evening, board members. My name is Cynthia Sorria Canteros. I am one of the architects. Mario Canteros, the other architect. Four Meadows Lane, 148 meadows lane. Before you, we have an application for site plan approval to legalize the conversion of an existing. Could you just lower the mic a little bit? It's a little bit faint to hear you. How's that? That's much better. So we're here to legalize the conversion of an existing one family dwelling into a two-family. The site is located in a neighborhood that is surrounded by two, three, and multifamily residence. If you're if this is the residence right here, 148 metal. If you go to the left of the property, this is a two-family home on the left.
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