Daycare, office spaces eyed for multiple 17M locations

The building at 330 Stage Road and 17M is currently in flux. At a previous Monroe Village Planning Board meeting, the owners proposed an autobody and retail business for the site. Now the building may include a daycare center. During the November 26 planning board meeting, the representative for the application explained that the owner of the building is considering proposing a daycare on the first floor of the building.

The representative addressed issues associated with a daycare, such as the need for a playground and the ability for parents to safely drop off and pick up their children. He also addressed state requirements for childcare centers.

Planning board attorney Elizabeth Cassidy commented that the applicant would need to obtain a land use determination as well as a traffic study to address the impact on children. She noted that if the applicant chooses to pursue the autobody shop, they’d need to provide a mitigation plan.

At the meeting, the board also reviewed applications for commercial use along Route 17M, raising concerns about landscaping, parking, and accessibility.

One project was for a two-story office addition at Monroe Pharmacy Plaza at 581 Route 17M. The representative for the applicant shared that they had a parking study down for the site and determined that 73 spaces were needed. The planning board attorney discussed the parking requirements, noting that with a mixed-use location where peak parking times are different for each business, the number of spaces needed was at the discretion of the planning board. One issue raised by the board was the ability for vehicles to safely maneuver around the site and whether the parking proposal creates blind spots for drivers backing out.

Regarding landscaping, Cassidy explained that even if none was present on the existing property, site plans need to provide a plan per the code. In addition, the applicant needs to get a determination on the possible presence of wetlands on the site as well as a storm water plan.

Much of the same concerns for the prior applicant were brought up during the site plan review for a proposed two-story office building at 573 Route 17M. The applicant plans to demolish the current Lakeside Pet Lounge. The representative for the applicant addressed the need to check for wetlands, to provide a traffic study, and to obtain state Department of Transportation permits for the driveway entrance. The representative also said the applicant would provide a comprehensive landscaping plan at their next submission.

During the meeting, the board continued its site plan review of a proposed cold storage addition to the Choco Cheese bakery on 17M. The board discussed its concerns about proposed awnings on the site and whether their maintenance should be a condition of approval.