New Rochelle Planning Board Meeting - July 28, 2026
New Rochelle Planning Board Meeting - July 28, 2026
The New Rochelle Planning Board met on July 28, 2026, with a quorum of four members. The meeting addressed six site plan and subdivision applications, all of which received unanimous approval, and two extension requests for previously approved applications. No members of the public offered comments during the hearing.
Discussion Items
-
PB 15-2026 & PB 16-2026 – 10 and 15 Shore Club Drive (Subdivision Approvals): Robert Stanziali, architect for the applicant, presented a proposal to reapportion two existing lots by transferring approximately 1,049 square feet from 15 Shore Club Drive (vacant) to 10 Shore Club Drive (with a single-family dwelling). The owner, Joseph Spezio, seeks additional impervious area for his existing home while leaving the donor lot still buildable. The application had previously expired due to delays in obtaining approvals from Westchester County and private water service entities. The board approved both applications with unanimous votes for lead agency, negative declaration, and subdivision approval.
-
PB 3-2026 – 3 The Boulevard (Place of Worship Conversion): Elvis Moran of Bedalia Engineering represented the applicant proposing to convert a non-conforming office building into a place of worship. The revised plan includes 43 parking spaces (41 for patrons, 2 for staff) with a valet layout incorporating a queue aisle per board recommendations. Landscaping with green aberratives along the left side provides privacy. Pastor Clayton Mattis confirmed that overflow parking is arranged with a lot two blocks away. Conditions included installing fire sprinklers and smoke detectors and applying for a valet parking special permit. The board approved unanimously.
-
PB 10-2026 – 109 Fourth Street (Place of Worship Conversion): Aldo Vinigliano presented for Grace Tabernacle Church, which purchased the former Portuguese Social Club. The building occupies the entire site; improvements include a handicap ramp and an automatic sprinkler system for the A3 occupancy. Parking was addressed via a zoning board variance due to nearby congregation members offering driveway parking. The board approved with two conditions (DPW permits and sprinkler system).
-
PB 11-2026 – 55 Clinton Place (Golf Lounge 18 Interior Build-Out): Architect Mark Blair presented a plan for an indoor simulated golf facility with 11 simulators, a bar, and outdoor dining. The applicant, Ajit, confirmed parking validation with the building's valet system for 28 dedicated spaces. Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. summer (outdoor service after 11 a.m.), extended winter hours on weekends. Board members praised the experiential use for the downtown Vanguard overlay district. Conditions addressed DPW permits for signage and fire safety plans. Unanimous approval.
-
PB 12-2026 – 88 Echo Avenue (Two-Family Conversion): Elvis Moran returned for the applicant to convert a one-family dwelling into a two-family. Plans include extending the curb cut for an enlarged detached garage, providing five parking spaces (two per unit plus one), and adding a rear bedroom extension and side porch. Park department comments had been addressed regarding egress windows. A condition was added requiring city staff approval for the curb cut extension due to the neighborhood's resident parking permit system. Unanimous approval.
-
PB 14-2026 – 11 Plain Avenue (WISE Clubhouse – Youth Training Facility): Evan List, co-founder/CEO of Westchester Youth Sports Empowerment (WISE), and architect Tom Haynes presented a comprehensive plan to convert a former industrial building into a nonprofit youth baseball training facility. The project merges two lots (Lot 4 and Lot 65) and increases parking from 6 to 18 spaces. The facility will feature six batting cages, a strength/conditioning area, a rooftop training field (up to 22 occupants), and a parent lounge. Traffic and parking management includes staggered drop-offs, carpooling, and overflow at City Park. A post-occupancy traffic study (one year after CO) was added as a condition. The board expressed strong support for the community-oriented mission and approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All six site plan/subdivision applications were approved with specific conditions as noted above.
- Extension request PB 7-2025 (roof-mounted solar panels at 479 Fifth Avenue) was granted.
- Extension request PB 15-2025 (two-family dwelling at 22 Rosedale Avenue) was granted.
- One agenda item (administrative amendment for 18 Shady Glen Court) was adjourned to the September meeting.
- No public comments were made; the public hearing portion was closed before moving to referral items.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome to the July twenty-eighth, twenty twenty-six planning board meeting of the city of Neurochell. Thank you for your patience in uh waiting for us to begin this evening. Um we do have a quorum of four board members here, which also means that a um unanimous vote will be needed to pass any applications. I think the applicants are aware of that uh this evening. Uh there are two portions of this meeting. The first portion of the meeting is open to public comment. Um applicants would be invited to the podium to present the application. The planning board will have questions. Um and there will be an opportunity for public comment. Um if any members of the public would like to comment, you'll have three minutes. Um and also please fill out a white card uh and state your name and address for the record. Uh and the second portion of our meeting is referral or administrative items that are not open to public comment, but you're welcome to stay. Uh we do have one. Uh we'll we'll take roll first. Um Benito, if you don't mind. Sure. Uh Jim Brown. Here. Isabel Kuala Marquez? Yeah. Sylvia Hamer is out. Doug Houston is out. John Lancer is out. Kate Mercado? Here. Christine O'Connell. Here. And staff members with us today. Jeff Preem, Deputy Corporation Council. Uh Paul Vaca, Commissioner of Buildings, Kevin Kane, Director of Planning and Sustainability, and myself, Benito Sahab, Board Clerk. Okay. Um, we do have one adjournment for um an administrative amendment. Um item two under the City Council and BAZ referrals, administrative amendment for a previously approved site plan to revise the layout and parking arrangement at 18 Shady Glen Court, block 463, lot 1001 in an RMF 0.5 RMF 1.0 zone district is going to be adjourned to the September meeting. Um and we do just have a change on this printed agenda that you have. Uh we're going to be hearing items um six and seven first, uh, and then after that we'll proceed with the remainder of the agenda. Um so with that we will move to item six, application PB 15-2026 by Robert Stanziali architect for subdivision approval to reapportion two existing lots by incorporating a portion of 15 Club Drive. But vote separately. Um item seven, application PB 16-2026 by Robert Stanziali architect for subdivision approval to reapportion two existing lots by conveying a portion to 10 Shore Club Drive, block 110 lot 11 from 15 Shore Club Drive, block 110, lot 110 in an R1-15 zoned district. Good evening, Chair Mercado and members of the board and staff, um Robert Stanziol architect representing the applicant this evening. Um as you mentioned, this is involves uh 10 and 15 uh shore club drive in your shell. This case uh had been before the planning board previously uh and improved for this uh reapportionment. And it um involves um as you as you mentioned, Madam Chair, the um moving of a piece of property uh actually a thousand forty-nine square feet from fifteen shore club drive, which is the vacant lot you see on this aerial photograph, uh, to ten shore club drive next to it, which has the uh single family dwelling on there. Uh the owner of the property, Joseph Spezio owns both properties, and his intent is he wants to add more impervious area to his existing site with the houses, so he's grabbing that square footage from his adjoining lot so we can accommodate the uh zoning requirements for it. Um we had um that all said, No, that this requires a full subdivision application, unfortunately, uh to go before Westchester County and a full filing. Uh so we got hung up with um Viola Water and uh finally getting their approval and a um letter to serve uh for the service, even though there already is water service there, which was kind of ridiculous, but anyway. Finally got their approval, and after we got the approval, the uh planning board approval expired. So that's why we are back here this evening. So you know we this isn't the first time this has happened, and we've been running into some issues with um that private entity with the amount of time that actually takes them to move a piece of paper. So um we've seen this before.
openpublica.com