Mount Kisco Planning Board to Oversee Proposed Main Street Apartment Project

The Mount Kisco Planning Board last week declared its intent to be lead agency in its review of a 16-unit apartment building at 134 Main St. proposed by property owner and former village trustee Isi Albanese.

Board members last week directed Albanese and his representatives to meet with village staff in hopes of ironing out details of the submission, most notably to learn what elements of the proposal are zoning compliant. Staff would include Building Inspector Peter Miley, Village Engineer Anthony Oliveri and the municipality’s planning consultant Jan Johannessen.

 A work session will also be scheduled in the near future to discuss details of the plan.

The applicant intends to opt into the downtown overlay district, which was created with the update of the Comprehensive Plan about three years ago, that would permit development of the four-story structure with covered parking on the ground floor with 16 spaces, said architect Gregg DeAngelis.

“I think it’s a good idea to spend some time in a work session to kind of go through it, in part because we’re not sitting here scratching our heads asking the same questions and asking the same thing,” said Board Chairman John Bainlardi. “We need to get ourselves to a place that we have a reasonably firm understanding of what the zoning allows or doesn’t allow.”

Albanese’s current plan includes 12 one-bedroom apartments, a pair of two-bedroom units and two studio apartments. There would be a gym on the building’s first floor and the roof could contain solar panels on one portion of the roof along with a terrace for socializing.

It would be built directly behind the structure that contains Frannie’s Goodie Shop and an AT&T store and near the closed movie theater.

DeAngelis said the plan includes a gathering area with seating for people to sit outside in the space between the theater and Frannie’s.

Board member Ralph Vigliotti said he needs to have a better understanding whether the passageway between those buildings is wide enough to accommodate the seating as well as pedestrians who currently use that area as a cut-through to get to the Blackeby parking lot.

Albanese said at its narrowest point there is about seven feet between the buildings but widens to 13 to 14 feet.

The gathering space will also be coordinated with the village’s streetscape project for downtown, which is expected to get underway this year, DeAngelis added.

There was no date given during last Tuesday’s Planning Board meeting when the work session might take place or when the item will appear again on a regular agenda.

Cell Tower Review Still on Hold

The board once again adjourned the public hearing on Homeland Towers’ application for a cell tower at 180 S. Bedford Rd. near Sarles Street, on a portion of the same parcel as a proposed solar farm.

Village Attorney Whitney Singleton said Homeland Towers has requested a meeting with village officials for further discussions. The applicant has been looking at alternate sites after a series of contentious public hearings and meetings where a torrent of criticisms was raised by neighbors and opponents of the plan.

Singleton said Homeland could request another extension of the tolling agreement until there is greater clarity about whether the company will pursue the South Bedford Road site or one of the alternate locations.

Two main alternatives are on Linden Lane and at Guard Hill preserve, both in the Town of Bedford.

Under federal telecommunications law, a municipality has 150 days from the time of a formal submission of a cell towner application until it decides to make a determination on the project unless there is a mutual agreement to extend that period. There have been two extensions, one from February until mid-April and another from mid-April to May 28.

“I don’t know if that’s going to result in a further tolling of the shot clock,” Singleton said, “but in any event, if it does not your board would be posed to act on the application at the next meeting.”

He said it is incumbent on Homeland Towers to provide significant data about the alternate locations. Without that date it would be difficult to make a determination.

The board’s next scheduled meeting is May 25.