Monroe Commons granted conditional approval

The Monroe Town Planning Board granted conditional site plan approval, a special use permit and a local wetlands disturbance permit for the Monroe Commons project, during the December 17 meeting.

Included in the conditions for the project was a phasing plan, which would allow the applicant to grade areas of the site within the town of Monroe boundary, while they wait for approval from the village of Woodbury Planning Board to grade areas of the site that encroach on their jurisdiction.

Planning Board Chairperson Bonnie Franson asked how the applicant could proceed while they await approval from the Woodbury Planning Board. The board engineer responded by giving examples of areas where the applicant could begin work, including the portion of the parking lot between the building and the road. He also noted that they could install a temporary retaining wall on the back half of the site, allowing them to grade and install the foundation for the building.

If the Woodbury Planning Board does not grant approval for the grading plan, the applicant could revert to earlier iterations of the site plan that included a 30 to 40 foot retaining wall at the boundary with village, the planning board engineer said.

The representative for the applicant shared that his client was scheduled to be on the Woodbury Planning Board agenda for December 18. He said the board was familiar with the project and that they will be presenting the Monroe Town Planning Board’s SEQR findings and looking for final approval.

In addition to concerns over how the decisions of Woodbury would impact the ability of the Monroe Commons project to proceed, the board and consultants discussed whether building permits could be issued before certain approvals, including the village of Kiryas Joel-approved connection to the water main and the Orange County DPW-approved construction for the entrance to Nininger Road. The board determined that while the applicant would need to receive those approvals in order to do certain work, they could receive a permit for construction of the foundation and structural steel for the site.

Other business

During the meeting, the board continued its review of a proposed two-family home to be located on Seven Springs Road. Dennis Fordham, chairperson of the Monroe Conservation Commission, raised concerns about the site’s tree plans, at the public hearing held for the project. He wondered why many of the trees the applicant plans to remove are being replaced by evergreens and why those trees are being installed in certain parts of the property. Fordham shared his view that a greater variety of trees would be more beneficial to local wildlife.

The planning board attorney was tasked with preparing a resolution for the next meeting.