Toll Brothers Moves Forward with Townhouse Dev't Studies

Meeting in a work session forum last week, developer Toll Brothers shared its proposed changes in the plan to build 70 townhouse units at a current vacant Washington Avenue office park property.

The proposal was recently heard by the Planning Commission, where concerns including site density and visual impact were raised by commissioners and neighbors.

Toll Brothers Attorney David Steinmetz said last Monday in front of the board of trustees that the proposed density "is a number we think is predicated on other developments here in Pleasantville," citing the nearby Foxwood Condominiums and the Pleasantville Country Club as other PUD or Planned Unit Development-zoned developments.

Despite the presentation of a density analysis that showed Foxwood with a denser 6.2 units per developed acre and the Country Club with 6.6 units per developed area (not including the golf course), Trustee Brian Skarstad noted, "It just looks like it's more dense than Foxwood."

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The Washington Avenue site is currently located in the village's CO (Campus Office) zone.

Since last sharing a proposal for the 18-acre Benenson Capital parcel, Insite Engineering Senior Vice President Scott W. Blakely said the team has met with the Pleasantville Fire Department and Department of Public Works' water and sewer personnel.

"We know there's issues with stormwater out there," Blakely said. "We have designed this system to basically go up above the units, get into an underground pipe system and around the development to the two culverts that cross underneath Washington Avenue."

At the request of the Fire Department, the plan includes a widening of the entry and exit lanes in the single proposed boulevard that would have access to the homes, Blakely added.

The proposal calls for two cul-de-sacs at the northern and southern ends of the property.

"Did [the fire department] express to you any concern about the length of the road?" Mayor Peter Scherer asked.

Blakely replied, "They did not."

In response to comments about the proximity of some of the townhouses to the northern border of the site, "We eliminated two of the large walk-out units that were within 20 feet of the property line," Blakely explained, referring to the northern end of the site. "It is now a 75-foot setback."

Another proposed change is the lowering of retaining walls along Washington Avenue by approximately seven feet, per Blakely.

Toll Brothers also recently submitted an analysis of the wetlands area that runs through the site and are determining how to treat that area.

"We are trying to determine what type of crossing that will be," said Blakely.

Still to come: despite some assertions from Planning Commission members that they might be better suited to serve as lead agency on the proposal, Scherer said Monday "It's a fait accompli" with regard to the village board establishing itself as the lead agency at its next regular meeting.

On the developer's side, items still to be submitted include a traffic study, as well as photo renderings of how the property will appear from multiple angles.

Village consultant Frank Fish of BFJ Planning said his preliminary analysis shows it might be possible to add a second entrance to the site, from a more northern point.

"I don't recommend long developments with long roads with cul-de-sacs," he said. "We just think the applicant may want to look at it."

While Steinmetz pushed back, stating, Insite Engineering "spent a lot of time and energy analyzing that," citing the site's significant grade as an inhibitor, he said the two teams could work on another analysis together.

Said Scherer, "I remain optimistic that a residential use is appropriate for this site, so we look forward to continuing the process."

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Additional articles about the proposal:

Proposed Pleasantville Townhouse Development Moves Forward

Planning Commission to Review Toll Brothers Application

Proposed Townhomes for Pleasantville Office Park