July 6, 2011: In a special meeting on Tuesday, June 28, the Bronxville Board of Trustees opened three public hearings relative to establishing a new zoning district that will provide a transition between commercial and residential areas.

"What you have before you is the culmination of a good six months of work by the Planning Board, consultants, the superintendent of buildings, and engineers," said James Staudt, village attorney. "The law will enable this board to have the authority to treat certain lots on a case-by-case basis to ensure correctness between commercial and residential zones."

Local Law #5-2011, passed by the trustees, establishes a Central Business A Transition District. The law gives the trustees discretionary authority to treat the transition zone on a lot-by-lot basis. The transition district is a floating zone. Lots eligible for consideration for the transition zone are those that abut the commercial district and are either already used for some commercial purpose or have been vacant for at least one year.

Staudt stated that the Planning Board feels the law will be most appropriate for 117 Pondfield Road (former location of the store On Consignment) and suggested that the transition zone be applied to that property. Currently zoned as multi-family residential, the new district would allow a structure taller than the one currently on the lot and built out closer to Pondfield Road.

"This is a good example of what a transition zone can do," Staudt said. "The transition zone will carry a very specific set of requirements regarding the setback from Pondfield Road, the size of the building, and the minimum number of parking spaces required."

Local Law #6-2011, also passed by the trustees, provides for the inclusion of the 117 Pondfield Road property within the Central Business A Transition District and designates it as such on the village tax map.

The trustees passed another resolution relating to 117 Pondfield Road setting permitted uses, bulk, and off-street parking regulations. A discussion of the specific definition of the term "bulk" explained that, when used in the zoning code, bulk regulations cover elements such as floor/area ratios, street setback, and parking. The elements, when combined, address the bulk of the building on the lot.

As resolved by the trustees, the principal permitted uses for 117 Pondfield Road will be a retail establishment with office space to house clerical, administrative, and other professional business offices. The principal street-level floor will occupy no more than 2,700 gross square feet, and total square footage of the building will be limited to 5,600 square feet. No part of the structure can exceed 28 feet in height. Eleven off-street parking places, including one handicapped space, will be provided.

Pictured here: The former On Consignment building to be eligible for provisions under the newly created Central Business A Transition District.

Photo by A. Warner