‘Champagne bar’ application for Woodbury Common returns

Bollicine & Co. aims to open a champagne bar in Woodbury Common. This would include outdoor dining and a kiosk. This was first proposed back in June 2023.

Currently, cooking facilities are not permitted in kiosks at Woodbury Common. However, this may change in the future. “If we do go forward with an approval for this and allow for cooking facilities in this kiosk, does it now go for all kiosks?” asked a member of the Woodbury Planning Board.

These plans were approved for referral to the village’s emergency services organizations and will be presented at the next public hearing. Cooking inside kiosks will need to be considered by the board later.

A representative for Rushmore Estate discussed documents regarding fire safety while events are happening on the property. George Lithco from J&G Law represented the applicant. “I think they have been satisfactorily addressed. There were comments from your traffic engineer, primarily concerning the need for a traffic plan,” said Lithco. “There was one comment from the fire department that we did address but in a, I guess, slightly different way than what the fire department contemplated and that was a need for an emergency egress from the back lot, the valet lot.”

Lithco explained the proposed plan to the board: “The on-site personnel will be directed to assemble a guest in a safe place and then proceed according to direction from the fire department based on the nature of the event and the access.” The board referred the traffic management plan to the fire department and scheduled a public hearing for March.

Pine Ridge Estates was on the agenda for an extension on a preliminary approval for a six-lot subdivision located off Schunnemunk Road in Highland Mills. However, no one representing the application could attend the meeting. “[Pine Ridge Estates] did only have an extension until tonight. They can’t make it. Everybody apparently is out of town,” said a member of the board. The board gave them a 30-day extension, with one member adding, “they haven’t in two years been able to move the project forward.”

Finally, the ongoing senior housing project by Highland Mills Center Group, LLC and Lakeside Affiliates, LCC was added to the agenda towards the end of the meeting. The board approved a Negative Declaration under SEQR, meaning there would be no environmental impact. While the proposal comprises 43.82 acres, only 23.92 acres are to be developed for an 84-unit senior housing complex (street addresses between 560 and 594 Route 32).

One of the consultants at the meeting noted an error in the previous documentation that was corrected. “I said that there were contaminated soils on this site. That is my mistake. There are not,” adding, “This is actually going to be a balanced site so they won’t be having the import and export of fill.”

In addition, the visibility of this development was discussed. “The project is going to be partially screened from the view of travelers on Route 32 by buildings, topography and vegetation, except from the south,” explained the consultant. “Any potential impact on visual resources that are visible from Route 32 or from the bridge preservation will not be significant.”

The negative declaration with modifications was accepted by the planning board; the development application will need to be returned to the Woodbury Board of Trustees.

Other business

The Woodbury Village Planning Board corrected the upcoming public hearings date to Wednesday, March 20, 2024, after the board initially set hearings for March 21. So, if you were planning to attend a public hearing, adjust your schedule accordingly.