Petition Submitted To Force Supermajority for Conifer Approval

A group that is skeptical of Conifer Realty's Chappaqua Station affordable housing proposal has submitted a petition to the Town of New Castle that would force a supermajority, or four out of five board members, said Jim McCauley, a resident and member of the group.

Chappaqua For Responsible Affordable Housing submitted the petition Tuesday afternoon, McCauley said. Public hearings related to the 28-apartment unit building for Chappaqua's Hunts Place are scheduled for tonight's town board meeting: one regarding a special permit needed and another to change the town code for workforce housing in which the dimensions of another zone for nearby sites would apply to Conifer's site as the default. The later legislation would let the town board vote to giver waivers in cases where plans conflict with the zoning, with an option to go to the zoning board of appeals for the request if the town board denies it.

It is not clear yet whether the petition has enough valid signatures, McCauley explained, noting it is tied to a certain figure about land area and within a geographic radius.

Based on recent comments, two board members seemed to be leaning in favor of the plan and two leaning against it, although their words do not guarantee how they will vote.

At a July board meeting, Councilmen John Buckley and Jason Chapin stated their concerns with the project, such as height, while Supervisor Susan Carpenter and Councilman Robin Stout were more sympathetic. Deputy Supervisor Elise Kessler Mottel provided no details at the meeting about her opinion of the plan's merits.

Meanwhile, the board is expected to vote on a key procedural item connected to the special permit. A draft copy of the text states that it's a vote to make a conditional negative declaration on the plan, which effectively winds down the environmental review and means that an environmental impact statement would not be required.