Planning Board

City of Mount Vernon Meeting Date Planning Board Meeting Minutes December 21, 2023 MEETING MINUTES PLANNING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING For December 21, 2023 A special meeting of the City Planning Board was held on Thursday, December 21, 2023, a t 6:30 PM in the Mayor’s Conference Room, Room 107A, on the 1st floor of City Hall. Applicants and members of the public were permitted to attend and make public comments via in-person attendance and Zoom. The Chair asked the staff to start the live streaming of the meeting on Facebook. The Chair read the meeting notice into the record then indicated that the roll call was the first item on the agenda. ROLL CALL The Chair called the roll: in addition to Chairman Darryl Selsey, attending were the following Commissioners: Ms. Vivien Salmon, Ms. Helene Njenga, Mr. Charles Whites, Mr. Frank Trolio and Mr. Jamael Thompson. Also attending were Katherine Mella, Associate Commissioner, Maria Pace, Secretary to the Planning Board, Will Hyland, Senior Planner, and U. Nkechi Nwachukwu, land use counsel (via Zoom). The Chair indicated that there was a quorum present and opened the meeting at 6:30 pm. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Planning Board was advised that the minutes from the December 6 meeting will be reviewed at the January 10, 2024, meeting. 1 City of Mount Vernon Meeting Date Planning Board Meeting Minutes December 21, 2023 PUBLIC HEARINGS Continued Public Hearing 3.4 Case No. PB-23-7 & 8: 454 South Ninth Avenue (Section 169.38, Block 3047, Lots 14 and 15) in the RMF-6.75 Residential District Regarding public notice, the Board previously received proof of mailing, proof of publication in the Journal News, and proof of initial sign posting for the application. The Board also received an Affidavit of Sign Posting stating that on December 7, 2023 a sign was posted at the site giving notice of the Planning Board’s December 21, 2023 meeting. The Board also received photographs showing that the sign posting on the property provided notice of today’s meeting. The Applicant is Derri Kreshnik, who is being represented by Mr. Shahin Badaly, PE. The Applicant is requesting site plan as well as subdivision approval and to reapportion two existing vacant lots (lots 14 & 15) consisting of 10,500 sf and 2,525 sf, respectively. The site is located on the west side of South Ninth Avenue to the north of Sandford Blvd. The Applicant is proposing to subdivide the total 13,025 sf property into 4 lots to build an attached two-family residence on each lot (for a total of 8 units). This application has been sent to the Fire Department, the Police Department, the Water Bureau, the Commissioner of DPW, and the City Engineer. The Fire Department responded with the recommendation to install a sprinkler system. The Water Bureau responded with the following comments: fire flow tests must be done to determine water availability; all structures will require their own water service and meter. Mr. Shahin Badaly advised that he had previously submitted a landscaping plan, security/camera plan, and added granite curbing as well. The Chair asked staff to provide an update regarding whether the application needed to be sent to the Westchester County Planning Board for review. Ms. Katherine Mella indicated that she and Land Use Counsel spoke with staff at the County Planning Board and confirmed that the application did not need to be referred to the Westchester County Planning Board because it did not meet any of the locational triggers for notification or referral under § 239 of the General Municipal Law. The Chair asked if there were any public comments. Mrs. Annette Shands, who lives next door to the property, asked if the site plans will be submitted to the County Clerk. The Chair explained that, if approved, the plans will be filed with the Mount Vernon City Clerk’s Office, not the Westchester County Clerk. 2 City of Mount Vernon Meeting Date Planning Board Meeting Minutes December 21, 2023 Commissioner Whites then made a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by Commissioner Salmon, and carried by a vote of 6-0. The Planning Board then completed Part II of the SEQRA Short Environmental Assessment Form (SEAF). Commissioner Njenga then made a motion to issue a Negative Declaration based on the review and completion of the SEAF Part II as well as other information provided by the applicant, seconded by Commissioner Thompson, and carried by a vote of 6-0. Commissioner Njenga then made a motion to accept the application as submitted, seconded by Commissioner Trolio, and carried by a vote of 6-0. The Planning Board then reviewed the new Public Remote Participation Procedure that will begin in January 2024. Commissioner Salmon then made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Trolio and carried by a vote of 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 6:56 pm. Note: Work Sessions will be open to the public but closed to public participation subject to the Open Meetings Law, [Section 105 of New York State Public Officers Law, Article 7]. Note: Items listed on the agenda are subject to change and amendments and/or additions may be placed on the agenda. James Rausse, Planning Commissioner Marlon Molina, 2nd Deputy Planning Commissioner cc: Shawyn Patterson-Howard, Mayor Building Department Corporation Counsel City Clerk 3