Woodbury Village planners grant conditional approval to math tutoring center

The Woodbury Village Planning Board granted conditional approval for a Mathnasium tutoring center to be added into an existing retail space on Larkin Drive, during their March 19 meeting.

Mathnasium’s representative was David Higgins from Lanc and Tully Engineering and Surveying, representing Madison Property Management.

Higgins said the center will operate Monday through Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. He explained that the students would not come all at once and that most parents drop off their students, alleviating some of the parking demand.

He noted that in addition to the available parking on-site, there are adjacent lots that could serve the center’s parking needs.

The planning board consultants discussed whether those lots were ideal, claiming there was no true pedestrian connection between the nearby commercial lot and the location of the Mathnasium.

Planning Board Chairman Christopher Gerver commented that he believed there was plenty of parking available. The consultants also pointed to the center’s potential water use, which was less than the threshold under the village’s current moratorium, as well as their recommendation that the project be recommended to the Village of Harriman and the Orange County Sewer District regarding its sewer needs.

According to its web site, Mathnasium’s personalized math programs are designed to help K-12 students of all skill levels build solid foundations for math mastery.

In other business: Monroe Commons

The Planning Board continued its review of the impact of a proposed commercial development at Monroe Commons on Ridge Preservation. While much of the project would be located within the town of Monroe, the applicant was seeking approval for clearing and grading in the portion of the property located within the village of Woodbury. The representative for the project explained that this clearing and grading would be used to accommodate parking and access roads for the development.

Gerver asked why the applicant was not moving forward with an alternative plan, which was presented to the Monroe Town Planning Board and would not require any work within the village. The applicant explained that the alternative would involve constructing a retaining wall between the proposed parking area and village line. After researching the feasibility, the representative explained that the applicant determined that grading the area would be more beneficial to the local flora and fauna than having a retaining wall.

During the review, the board also discussed the development’s impact on the existing greenery and how it will change existing views from nearby roadways.

In other business: Ice cream and food stands

The Dugout Ice Cream Stand came before the Planning Board seeking to be one of the first applicants to benefit from the village’s new code permitting ice cream and food stands within the limited commercial zoning district.

Applicant Sean Murphy said the ice cream stand was in operation since around the 1950s and had closed in recent years when other groups were trying to develop the property.

He said that he is hoping to reopen the stand in the existing building and not make any changes to the property. He also expressed his eagerness to open the business as soon as possible, due to ice cream season already being underway.

Gerver explained that he would still need a special permit and site plan approval from the board to move forward. In addition, the project requires a public hearing before the board can make a final determination.

The board also raised concerns about the current location of the parking spaces, which back out onto Route 32, as well as the potential impact from a nearby hotel application. It was recommended that those spots be relocated to avoid potential hazards.

Murphy also addressed the board’s questions about what food was being served, noting that the business had always offered such light fare as burgers and hot dogs, along with ice cream. He explained that other operators he’s spoken with tend to sell some savory options during lunch hours and more ice cream later in the day and into the evening. The board asked that the applicant clarify their application to reflect what food would be available and that ice cream would be their primary business.

The applicant also clarified that there would be no seating inside the building and that some picnic tables would be available for outdoor use.

In other business: Woodbury Villas Subdivision

During the meeting, the board reviewed and application for the development of six residential duplex dwellings located on 12 lots within the active adult community phase of the Woodbury Villas Subdivision in Central Valley. Because the lots were not equal in dimension, the applicant was asked to review the smaller lots to ensure that the planned dwellings comply with village requirements.