Three major development proposals are up for discussion tonight at New Castle Town Hall. A proposed change to lower King Street will be discussed at tonight's town board work session, which starts just after 8 p.m. at New Castle Town Hall. Applications for the new Millwood firehouse and for Gerry Ritterman's housing development for Lawrence Farms Crossway are on the agenda for the Planning Board meeting, which starts tonight at 7 p.m., also at New Castle Town Hall.

Lower King Street Overhaul Plan

Town Board members will take a look at detailed conceptual renderings for a proposed overhaul of downtown Chappaqua's lower King Street, a major retail corridor. The proposal, part of the town's broader hamlet plan, involves moving parking spots to face the southern side of the street, replacement of pavement and sidewalks, and creation of a pocket park at the intersection with Allen Place.

The renovation, which Town Administrator Penny Padrewski said could take 6-9 months, has drawn concern from some merchants along lower King who are concern about how the work could disrupt their businesses.

To get an idea of the issue, click here for our story.

Millwood Firehouse Permits Approval

While the Millwood Fire District secured voter approval of a multi-million dollar bond and completed an environmental review for its proposed new firehouse, Planning Board approval is still needed. Areas for approval include, according to the agenda: lot merger, site plan, permits for tree removal, steep slopes and wetlands, and stormwater management plan. Click here for the Planning Board's agenda.

New Ritterman Plan Has Fewer Lots, Avoids Housing Law Mandate

Developer and Chappaqua resident Gerry Ritterman is back before the Planning Board tonight with a scaled-down proposal for 47-51 Lawrence Farms Crossway. The new plan for the 60-acre site in Chappaqua calls for seven lots, down from his earlier 10-lot proposal. Lot sizes range from just over two acres to more than 28 acres.

Ritterman's new proposal means that he is not subject to the town's new model housing ordinance, which the town board approved of last summer in order to change its code to align with Westchester County's federal housing settlement with the Anti-Discrimination Center. Under the model ordinance, which Ritterman criticized last summer, subdivisions with eight or more lots must include some sort of affordable housing component.

Ritterman declined to comment when asked about the changes to his proposal. His new plan needs approval for the following: Subdivision plat, permits for wetlands, steep slopes and tree removal, and stormwater management plan. Click here for the Planning Board's agenda.