Planning board talks historic buildings, Mathnasium, and equipment storage yard

A Central Valley resident spoke out against a proposed addition of apartments to what she believed was a historically significant building, the former train station on Valley Avenue, currently occupied by seafood distributor Valley Seafood. Citing the 2025 Woodbury Historical Society calendar, the resident, Ellen Hoffman, asked how a historical building could be modified, during the Woodbury Village Planning Board’s November 20th meeting.

Planning Board Chairperson Christopher Gerver explained that the footprint of the building was not changing, and that Woodbury does not have a historical district. He informed Hoffman that the state had no record of the site being designated as a historic building and that in New York, the property owner must request that designation, adding that the village has no authority to make that determination. Gerver assured the resident that the board would review the matter and check in with the historical society.

Hoffman also questioned the quality of life for future residents of the apartments, claiming that trains sitting on the nearby tracks produce strong fumes and the constant noise from train whistles would disturb them. She also commented on the presence of garbage on the site and parking concerns and shared her worry that more apartments would be added, creating more problems.

Gerver commented that the site plan calls for the addition of two, two-bedroom apartments above the existing commercial business, and that the owners would have to come back for a new approval if they wanted a different use for the first floor. He also said that conditions of approval include the addition of a no parking zone in front of the building, the removal of a trailer, and the enclosure of dumpsters. Gerver further said that the building department can take enforcement action against the property for violations.

To ease concerns, the representative for the applicant shared their intentions to beautify the building and that they did consider the historicity of the site.

While the board closed the public hearing, no action was taken, partly because the applicant did not put in a waiver request for the village’s water moratorium. In addition, the applicant still needs to provide a narrative explaining diminished operations of the commercial business at the site.

Mathnasium

Another project reviewed at the meeting included a plan to convert a vacant location on Larkin Drive into a Mathnasium math tutoring center. The board asked the representative for the applicant, Madison Property Management, for more information about potential traffic issues and how it might be impacted by the peak hours of nearby fitness center, Orange Theory, as well as parking availability and pedestrian access. The board also sought more insight into the project’s potential impact on water and sewer demand.

Equipment storage

The board also reviewed an application for an equipment storage yard on Smith Clove Road. Known as a lay-down yard, the representative for the applicant explained that the location would be used to store trailers, trucks, plows, excavators and other construction equipment when they weren’t being used off-site. He added that the owner would not be storing excessive raw materials such as wood or steel on the property. The property also includes a sales office, and the representative assured the board that this would not be visited often, as the owner was not selling any materials there and that the purpose was to review construction projects.

The board discussed their concerns about how equipment was already being stored at the site, site maintenance, and the transportation of large equipment. The board also asked for a written narrative to clarify the purpose of the site. In addition, the application was referred to the building inspector for input.