The Dobbs Ferry Planning Board is expected to have plans to build a 16-unit apartment building at 33 Main St. in the village on its Jan. 8 meeting agenda. Dobbs View Realty, LLC originally requested site plan approval and a special use permit for a 19-unit building, but that number was reduced as the plans were revised to accommodate various comments.
The now proposed building would be four stories and include seven one-bedroom units, eight two-bedroom apartments and one three-bedroom unit. Four of the apartments, twice as many as the village needs, will be priced to be affordable to tenants earning 80% of the regional average income.
The property consists of a 0.2-acre undeveloped lot in Dobbs Ferry's Downtown Transition Zone and is within walking distance of the Dobbs Ferry Metro-North Station. The fourth floor would be set back from the front of the building to create a patio area and additional recreational decks would be created on the roof. The upper floors would project to the south and provide an underlying driveway that would utilize the slope of the site to access an underground garage and 15-space parking lot with bicycle storage. New landscaping would screen the rear of the building and create trees along the street.
When the Westchester County Planning Board reviewed the plan, it expressed concerns that a retaining wall planned to manage the property's slope could have a negative impact on the surrounding hillside. It said the city should “ensure that potential environmental impacts are addressed, such as an increase in downhill stormwater runoff, the possibility of landslides and reduction in vegetation.”
Although the district welcomed the establishment of a bicycle parking space within the building, it recommended that sockets be installed in this area for charging e-bikes. At the same time, it was pointed out that there is a risk of fire with e-bike batteries, especially if renters charge them with extension cables.
“Providing a centralized, sprinkled storage facility with appropriate charging ports is the best way to prevent fires and facilitate this type of transportation to and from the building,” the county planning agency said.
In a Nov. 11 memo, a planning consultant for the village told the developer that additional details and studies were needed on environmental issues, including: stabilization of steep slopes; required excavation from the site; methods of erosion and sediment control and stormwater management; Construction phases, construction duration and truck traffic; landscaping and site remediation; visual impact analysis; an outdoor lighting plan; Traffic analysis including internal maneuverability of vehicles; and access to the fire department.