In June 2009, Tree and Sky, a cut painted aluminum sculpture by Cathrin Hoskinson will be installed at Town Hall, courtesy of The Studio: An Alternative Space for Contemporary Art.

For more details on the new sculpture at Town Hall and exhibits, go to The Studio.

Planning Matters
by Adam Kaufman, Director of Planning

A brief primer on the Planning Board

The Town of North Castle has created a Planning Board to review development proposals for single family residences, subdivisions and commercial projects within the Town. The Planning Board is responsible for the review and approval of all applications concerning site plans, subdivisions and lot line changes; some applications concerning special use permits, wetlands permits and tree removal permits; and the environmental review of those applications over which it has jurisdiction. The Planning Board may also have an advisory role in connection with some applications before the Town Board, such as those involving other categories of special use permits and zoning amendments.

The reviews that the Planning Board conducts cumulatively affect each person residing in and traveling through the Town of North Castle. The Board strives to maintain and improve the quality of life and environment within the Town of North Castle by evaluating such important issues as growth, environmental protection, historic preservation and transportation. The Planning Board has a difficult job in accommodating development while maintaining the open space and aesthetic qualities of the community that make the Town of North Castle one of the most desirable communities to live in Westchester County.

The Planning Board is composed of five volunteer members – all residents of North Castle – who are appointed by the Town Board for five-year terms. As part of the review of some applications, the Planning Board is assisted on an as-needed basis by other lay boards of the Town, such as the Conservation Board (CB), the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), the Open Space Committee and the Architectural Review Board (ARB).

As part of the review of most applications, the Planning Board is also assisted by the Director of Planning, the Town Engineer, the Town Attorney and other special consultants when required.

Residential Review Process Proposed to be Streamlined
Based on review of the Planning Board special use permit approval process, the Planning Department has recommended to the Town Board a draft concept that would result in a greatly expedited review of some residential projects.

Currently, the Town Code stipulates that any residential project in excess of a certain basic amount of gross land coverage or gross floor area must have a special use permit from the Planning Board. The Planning Department has recognized that many home owners who have relatively simple applications, such as construction of a pool or small addition (with no environmental issues), must complete the Planning Board review process.

The Planning Department believes that there are opportunities to reduce the total review time for residential projects and still achieve high quality results without compromising the appropriateness of the proposed development.

The Planning Department has recommended that the Residential Project Review Committee (RPRC), which is comprised of the Building Inspector, Town Engineer, Town Planner, a Planning Board member and an Architectural Review Board member, be empowered to review additional projects and thereby eliminate the need for many projects to appear before the Planning Board by raising the basic amount of gross land coverage and gross floor area. The RPRC is empowered to very quickly review a project and request changes as compared to the more complicated Planning Board review process. If there are aspects of a project that cannot be easily resolved or are determined to have a potential impact on the environment or on neighboring properties, the RPRC is also empowered to send a project to the Planning Board for further review.