Planning Board reviews deli hours, new pick-up area

During the Jan. 21 Village of Woodbury Planning Board meeting, questions arose about the operating hours of a proposed deli with “24/7” in its name.

In October, Cameron’s The 24/7 Deli, which operates several delis across the Hudson Valley, assumed ownership of Jay’s Deli on Route 32 in Highland Mills.

Attorney J.B. Hernandez of ARQ Architecture, who represented the applicant at the meeting, explained that while it’s called The 24/7 Deli, the name does not reflect the hours of operation, and the company is not proposing to be open for that amount of time.

After discussions on how the application could better reflect the operating hours, the applicant confirmed that they could remove the 24/7 aspect from the application.

Philip Grealy, traffic consultant for the Planning Board, suggested amending parking plans to direct people to park behind the building, where the improved entrance is located.

The board reviewed plans for an addition to the online order pick-up area at the Central Valley Walmart.

Don Flood of Dewberry Engineers, representing the applicant, discussed signage to inform customers of the pickup location and concerns about large vehicles, such as trucks and RVs parking in the area, and remaining overnight.

Planning Board Chairperson Christopher Gerver referenced Home Depot, which has a company that monitors how long vehicles stay parked in the area.

The board questioned the accessibility of the pickup location, adding that the area didn’t provide enough space for cars to enter and exit the parking lot. Gerver suggested the applicant make the area wider or remove the island nearby to create more space. Planning Board member Maria Hunter suggested relocating the pickup area to the other side of the island, which would provide more maneuverability for vehicles. Flood said he would consult Walmart regarding the best solution.

Flood also represented Walmart regarding their plans to have storage containers on-site between September and January to handle extra goods for the holiday season. The board discussed the maneuverability of the storage bins and whether the goods would be moved by forklifts or hand trucks, which would require review of sight distance and the possible need for signage and other elements to ensure worker safety.

Flood clarified that the storage containers will be located within the Village of Woodbury, a change from the previous plan, which were mostly in the Town of Monroe. He explained that this solution offered better screening.

When asked why Walmart isn’t considering a permanent storage building, Flood said the containers are considered a more cost-effective solution.

Planning Board Engineer Natalie Brauer said future plans should account for the difficulties of removing and replacing the containers every seasonal period.

The board agreed to hold both public hearings for the Walmart applications on March 4.