Town of North Salem Planning Board Meeting - April 15, 2026

The Town of North Salem Planning Board met on April 15, 2026, at 7:00 PM in a hybrid in-person and Zoom meeting. The board discussed three agenda items: a pre-application for the North Salem Open Land Foundation regarding office use in a residential zone, a regular application for property changes at 2 Brookside Ln. involving wetlands and conservation easement compliance, and a work session to refine the proposed tree ordinance with the Conservation Advisory Council (CAC). Key outcomes included directions to draft a zoning recommendation for conservation-related office uses, conditional approval of a revised landscape plan for the Brookside property pending consultant review, and a directive to restructure the tree ordinance into a two-tier permit system.

Discussion Items

1. Pre-Application: North Salem Open Land Foundation (3 Willow Ln.)

• The board discussed whether to recommend to the Town Board permitting office use as an accessory to passive recreation or as a standalone use for conservation-oriented nonprofit organizations in the R4 zoning district. Members expressed support for limiting such use to land trusts or conservation organizations and requiring the use to be on land owned by the organization. The board decided to have the applicant's planner (Will) draft a proposed zoning amendment, with potential research into similar ordinances in other towns. The applicant agreed to fund the drafting through an escrow account.

2. Regular Meeting: Bossi Property (2 Brookside Ln.) – Proposed Changes

• Applicant representative Alan Singer presented revised plans for a property subject to a conservation easement with the town and wetland regulations. The board noted that the conservation easement prohibits any path or trail other than an approved four-foot pedestrian trail. The applicant agreed to remove all references to a defined trail and replace it with “no mow grass” that may be walked on without formal maintenance. The board also noted that the revised planting plan includes 65 trees and 176 shrubs (equivalent to 22 additional trees) for a total replacement of 71 removed stumps. The board directed the applicant to update the plans to remove trail references and then submit to the town’s wetlands inspector and CAC for review before a final decision.

3. Work Session: Continuation of Tree Ordinance Discussion with CAC

• Rob West from the CAC presented a draft revision to the town’s tree ordinance. The board discussed structuring the ordinance similarly to the freshwater wetlands code: an administrative permit for removal of up to 10 trees (issued by the building inspector) and larger or more sensitive removals requiring planning board approval. Members emphasized requiring a certified arborist report for dead/diseased tree removal, giving the building inspector discretion to refer borderline cases to the planning board, and considering erosion control and buffer impacts. The board asked the town planner (Will) to reorganize the draft to reflect these tiers and bring back a revised version.

Key Outcomes

• North Salem Open Land Foundation: The board directed staff to draft a zoning recommendation allowing office use for conservation organizations on land they own in R4 districts, with the applicant covering drafting costs via escrow. A draft is expected at a future meeting.
• Bossi Property: The applicant will revise plans to remove all trail references and resubmit. The board will refer the updated plan to the wetlands inspector and CAC for review. A decision is anticipated at the May 6 regular meeting or later.
• Tree Ordinance: The board tasked the planner with reorganizing the ordinance into a two-tier permit system (administrative for ≤10 trees, planning board for larger removals) and incorporating safeguards such as arborist reports and building inspector discretion. A revised draft will be presented at a future work session.
• Next Meetings: Regular meeting on May 6, 2026; work session on May 20, 2026 (chair not available, so Vice Chair Chris Brockmeyer may preside if quorum is present).