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Proposed Scope for a Draft Generic Environmental Impact - 4/4/08


PROPOSED SCOPE FOR A DRAFT GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (DGEIS), Rockland Psychiatric Center, Town of Orangetown, Rockland County, NY, 4/4/08

The Town of Orangetown proposes to sell approximately 150± acres of Town-owned land at the Rockland Psychiatric Center (RPC) site to K. Hovnanian Companies for the development of a residential community that will consist of 575 dwelling units, including approximately 481 townhouse/condominium age-restricted (55±) units; 32 single family age-restricted units, 30 affordable units; 20 units for community volunteers; and 12 single family homes. The land includes former psychiatric center building and roads, vacant land and a portion of the Broad Acres Golf Course.

This site is located in the central portion of Orangetown, between the Pearl River and Orangeburg hamlets. It has access to two Rockland County roads: Veteran's Memorial Drive and Convent Road. The site is to the east of Lake Tappan and to the west of the Palisades Interstate Parkway.

Prior to sale of land and rezoning the property for the proposed residential development, the Town Board of the Town of Orangetown, acting as Lead Agency under provisions of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), will undertake a generic environmental assessment of the project, including the conceptual site plan proposed by K. Hovnanian. Subsequent environmental analyses will be undertaken as part of the Town Planning Board's site specific review of the proposed site plan. The generic environmental review will include the following:

    1. Definition of the Proposed Action

The Proposed Action would have several components, each of which shall be fully described in the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS). Among these shall be a new zoning district for the development entitled RPC-H (Housing). The RPC-H would be patterned after our previously developed and mapped RPC-R (Recreation). The existing Zoning Map for the Town would be amended, changing applicable development areas currently zoned R-80 and RPC-R to the new RPC-H District. The new zoning regulations require submission of a conceptual site plan. The proposed zoning, which is attached hereto, establishes use, lot and bulk, parking and other requirements, along with the housing mix, the minimum number of age-restricted and the affordable units, and the permitted accessory uses.

The proposed conceptual plan calls for a residential development based on traditional neighborhood design concepts. It includes new golf holes that will act as a buffer area, separating housing areas from psychiatric center buildings to remain.

    1. Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS)

The DGEIS will include:

      1. Executive Summary and Project Description

All components of the Proposed Action shall be described and graphically illustrated. A comprehensive listing of project reviews and approvals by all agencies shall be provided. A summary of project intent and purposes shall be included, addressing the subject development within the context of overall Town planning concepts for the entire RPC site.

      1. Impact Analyses

The Impact Analyses shall be presented in the DGEIS through: (1) a description of existing conditions; (2) an assessment of impacts in both the build and no-build conditions, as applicable; and (3) a description of proposed mitigation measures to address adverse impacts.

        1. Land Use and Zoning

The DGEIS shall include existing land use maps for an area within ¼ mile of the subject site, including other RPC and non-RPC lands, and review land use and zoning compatibility issues. It shall include a review of the Town and County comprehensive plans and any other relevant studies in terms of their consistency with the subject proposal. The land use and zoning impacts shall examine how the proposed development fits into the RPC campus in terms of continued operations and its effects on the existing town-operated golf course. Studies shall also consider the impacts on vacant and developed land along Convent Road and Veterans Memorial Highway.

        1. Community Character/Visual Impacts

This section of the DGEIS shall include photographs of existing conditions; renderings and/or sketches of the proposed development; and cross-sections evaluating the relationship between proposed development and off-site uses, particularly along Convent Road. It shall include a conceptual landscape plan that could mitigate any adverse impacts. The relationship between proposed development and on-site RPC uses to remain shall also be considered. The chapter shall include a discussion of the likely effects of the proposed use of new golf course holes as a buffer area between existing and proposed land uses. This chapter shall also consider the proposed trail system, including trails along Lake Tappan.

        1. Natural Environment

Although most of the site has been previously disturbed, the DGEIS shall consider various on-site features, including topography, soils, waterbodies and wetlands.

          1. Wetlands and Waterbodies

An on-site wetland assessment for the subject development areas shall be prepared, including a complete field assessment of the existing wetland delineation to determine the direct impacts to wetlands from the proposed project, if any. The delineation review will be completed in accordance with the USACE Wetlands Delineation Manual (January 1987), Routine Determination Method and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Article 24 Freshwater Wetland regulations.

          1. Topography and Soils

This shall include an assessment of existing conditions, including: topography, steep slopes, soils, depth to bedrock and other factors that characterize the site, including a slope analysis map and a soils exhibit indicating SCS soil types and soil information obtained from record information.

Information regarding anticipated impacts shall include the analysis of impacts to slopes within the proposed development area. The analyses shall identify potential areas where rock removal may be required and shall address mitigation measures associated with soil and slope disturbance, including a blasting program and safeguards, an erosion control plan, etc.

          1. Flora and Fauna

A natural resources survey shall identify on-site species, including field surveys utilizing a series of transects through the property. Each transect shall be sampled at intervals for flora, fauna, and representative habitat. Specific assessments shall occur in and adjacent to on-site wetlands. Data shall be collected at different time periods including dawn and dusk when wildlife is often active and readily observed.

A separate analysis shall be developed for potential threatened or endangered species on the site as identified by field observation, NYSDEC - Natural Heritage Database, and US Fish and Wildlife Service records.

        1. Stormwater Management

This section shall include a description of the current drainage patterns based on the existing topography and drainage systems. It shall discuss anticipated impacts as a result of additional impervious surface, addressing stormwater quantity and quality. A mitigation plan shall be provided, including the potential location of detention/water quality facilities and the approximate size and types of facilities would be identified.

A Preliminary Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), prepared in accordance with requirements of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activity, Permit No. GP-02-01, and Chapter 30C, Stormwater Management, chapter 30D, Sediment and Erosion control and Stormwater Management, and Chapter 14B, Flood Damage Prevention of the Code of the Town of Orangetown. The SWPPP shall include the following: 1) a description and the results of the Stormwater Management analysis for pre- and post-construction conditions; 2) a description and the results of the required Stormwater Quality/BMP facilities, including approximate sizes and potential locations; 3) appendices which would include the supporting calculations for the Preliminary Stormwater Management Analysis; 4) identification of the increase of impervious areas as a result of the project and the requirements for any mitigation. (Detailed design of stormwater management facilities is excluded from the DGEIS and will be developed during site specific Site Plan Approval). This section shall also provide a description of the Best Management Practices that should be implemented during the construction of the components of the project.

        1. Utilities (Water, Sanitary, Other)

The DGEIS shall investigate and report on the existing public water system, including capacities, based on information obtained from the United Water Company. It shall address anticipated impacts, such as projected program usage and proposed water mains and improvements. Mitigation shall be recommended as appropriate.

The existing sanitary sewer system shall be described, including locations of facilities, capacities and other information obtained from the Town. The DGEIS shall address anticipated impacts, such as projected program usage and proposed sewer lines and improvements. Mitigation shall be recommended as appropriate.

The DGEIS shall also address the availability of electric and gas service to the site.

        1. Community Facilities

          1. Emergency Services

The DGEIS shall include existing information on the Town's police, fire and EMT services that would service the development at the RPC site, including station locations, staffing, response times, etc. The impacts of the proposed development shall be assessed with information obtained through readily available sources and correspondence with the relevant departments.

The Applicant's proposal for the replacement of volunteer housing on the RPC site shall be examined in this portion of the DGEIS.

          1. Schools

The DGEIS shall estimate school-children generation as a result of the inclusion of limited non-age restricted units in the proposed development and the relationship between the additional students and the capacities at various Pearl River Schools. It shall also consider educational costs for the additional enrollment compared to projected school district revenues. The DGEIS shall also discuss the hypothetical impacts associated with school-children generation should some portion of the development be converted to non-age-restricted.

          1. Recreation and Senior Services

The DGEIS shall evaluate the potential impacts of the proposed project on existing recreational facilities and senior services in the Town of Orangetown. Analyses shall be based on available information from the Town, interviews with local officials and representatives of senior organizations and/or online resources. The temporary disruption to the on-site golf course shall be considered as part of this section of the DGEIS. The DGEIS shall also identify the acreage of existing golf courses to be removed and replaced with new golf holes, addressing the functionality of the reconfigured 9-hole course, including its various ancillary facilities. The DGEIS shall also evaluate issues relating to the State approval for the alienation of golf course/parkland.

          1. Solid Waste

The DGEIS shall estimate potential solid waste generation and recycling issues resulting from the proposed development and shall identify the receiving solid waste facility.

        1. Economics, Including Taxes and Jobs

Working in conjunction with the Town Tax Assessor, an estimate of the potential tax generation to each taxing jurisdiction (Town, County, Pearl River School District, Fire, etc.) as a result of the proposed development shall be devised. An analysis of the likely costs to service the development shall focus on the need for capital equipment or additional staff, if any.

The DGEIS shall also estimate the number of jobs generated as a result of the development, primarily in terms of construction jobs.

        1. Traffic and Transportation

          1. Traffic Data Collection

During this phase, the Traffic Engineer will review the available data provided by the Town, its representatives and/or that obtained from the jurisdictional agencies. In addition, the Traffic Engineer will:

  • Arrange for collection of manual pedestrian counts and vehicular turning-movement traffic volume counts to obtain a representative sampling of data for analysis purposes. In that the Site is planned to accommodate residential facilities, two (2) count periods are to be studied. These include the Peak AM and PM Highway Hours at the following seventeen (17) intersections considered by the County Highway Department to be strategically important to define the traffic impacts of the proposed development:

  • Gilbert Avenue and South Middletown Road;

  • Gilbert Avenue and Veterans Memorial Drive;

  • Gilbert Avenue/Convent Road and Sickletown Road;

  • Convent Road and Blue Hill Road North;

  • Convent Road and 3rd Avenue;

  • Convent Road and 2nd Avenue/Van Wyck Road;

  • Convent Road and Western Highway;

  • Western Highway and Mountainview Road;

  • Orangeburg Road and Western Highway;

  • Orangeburg Road and Dutch Hill Road;

  • Orangeburg Road and Lester Drive/Edgewood Road;

  • Orangeburg Road and Blaisdell Road;

  • Orangeburg Road and Old Orangeburg Road/Hunt Road;

  • Veterans Memorial Drive and Blue Hill Road North;

  • Veterans Memorial Drive and Blue Hill Road South; and,

  • Veterans Memorial Drive and Blue Hill Plaza (2 locations).

It is proposed to conduct the manual turning-vehicle-movement counts from 7:00 until 9:30 a.m. and between 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. on a weekday. Pedestrian count data will be collected simultaneously with vehicular data.

  • An Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) will be installed on Veterans Memorial Drive and Convent Road in the vicinity of the access road to the Rockland Psychiatric Center and will monitor two-way traffic volumes for a seven-day period. Data collected will include speed, gaps and vehicle classification.

  • Visually collect traffic related information about the strategic locations and the roadway system in the near vicinity of the Site as it affects intersection capacities.

  • Identify the anticipated traffic growth rate for the area, as well as identify areas of traffic concern.

  • Based on discussions with Town, identify planned projects in the area which may affect traffic flows into the area. These include public roadway improvements and private developments.

  • Contact the Orangetown Police Department or the State of New York Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) for the assembly of available accident data (three years of data will be sought) for the Strategic Intersections as well as for the roadway segments of Gilbert Avenue, Convent Road, Western Highway, Highview Avenue, Orangeburg Road and Veterans Memorial Drive in the vicinity of the proposed Site.

          1. Analyses

This phase of Traffic Engineering Services accounts for the data reduction and the determination of intersection capacities during the peak periods, as follows:

  • Categorize the traffic data and determine the flows and the highest periods of adjacent street traffic for the Peak AM and PM Highway Hours (Existing conditions).

  • Set up a Synchro network to evaluate the subject roadways and intersections as one entity.

  • Using the Town's schedule of development, apply a representative growth rate to the Existing conditions to establish Horizon Year conditions.

  • Based on individual traffic studies, determine the traffic volumes of the identified vicinity developments as listed in the County Highway Department letter.

  • Also, based on the latest published standards of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), determine the amount of traffic to be generated by the proposed development.

  • Add the Site-generated and the vicinity-development trips to the roadway system to yield the “Cumulative” condition.

  • Based on the ITE published standards, ascertain the potential amount of traffic that could be generated by the unoccupied psychiatric center buildings should they be re-occupied.

  • Assign these potential volumes onto the roadway system in accordance with existing traffic patterns in the area.

  • Subtract the Site-generated trips while adding the re-occupied trips from the Rockland Psychiatric Center to yield the No-Build condition.

  • Execute intersection capacity analyses for the Existing, Horizon, Cumulative and No Build conditions during the Peak AM and PM Highway Hours for the Strategic Intersections.

  • Should the No-Build and the Cumulative analyses indicate excessive restrictions, identify appropriate measures including signal timing adjustments and possible orientation of Site Traffic to Convent Road as needed to improve conditions. Reanalyze the study locations with the improved geometrics and/or additional traffic control devices.

  • Based on the traffic volumes generated by the vicinity developments, ascertain the proportional component of the roadway improvement attributable to each of the individual vicinity developments.

  • Perform a safety evaluation of the Strategic Intersections which will involve an analysis of the number of accidents and a determination of a possible causative relationship between the type of collisions and the roadway geometry and/or operational features. Included will be an assessment of the need for street lights based on the projected pedestrian volumes.

  • Review the ATR data to determine whether additional analysis time frames are needed to be conducted. Typically, should the redevelopment plan function effectively during the Peak Highway Hours, when traffic volumes on the adjacent streets are at their highest, the operating conditions during the other 22 hours of the weekday will exhibit better operating conditions. Similarly, the traffic volumes generated by a residential development are at their highest during the journey-to-work time frame and are usually lower during weekends.

  • The Traffic Engineer will observe pedestrian and bus operations in the study area and will comment on areas where improvements can be made. These include the need for additional bus stops and the need and location of crosswalks and other traffic control devices to improve the safety of the pedestrian.

  • The Traffic Engineer will conduct spot “gap” studies to determine the need for signalization on the County roadways.

  • The Traffic Engineer will investigate whether the conversion of Old Orangeburg Road in parallel to Veterans Memorial Drive/Orangeburg Road as a one-way couplet will provide improved operations and reduce congestion along these arterials. The implications of the roadway work necessary to effectuate a proper one-way couplet will be discussed.

  • The Traffic Engineer will review the recommendations of earlier studies in association with the STEJ/Orangetown Recreation Complex development. Mitigation measures proposed will be reviewed and their implications with respect to necessary road widenings will be addressed.

  • The Traffic Engineer will perform a cursory review of a possible realignment of the intersection of Old Orangeburg Road, Hunt Road, and Veterans Memorial Drive.

        1. Cultural Resources

The following tasks shall be conducted to complete the Phase 1A Cultural Resource Study, providing a detailed sensitivity assessment of the subject site.

  • Re-examine the archeological site files of the New York State Museum and OPRHP for reported archeological sites within the immediate vicinity of the project area.

  • Examine and present copies of the historic maps that document the development of the property.

  • Conduct a site visit to assess and photograph general conditions of the project area, identify the archeologically sensitive locations, and areas of prior disturbance.

The information gathered during the literature review shall be assembled into a cultural resource sensitivity assessment of the site. Recommendations for a Phase IB archeological field investigation shall be presented.

The preliminary Phase IB field investigation work scope is based on the assumption that 80% of the 150± acre parcel can be eliminated from testing due to prior disturbance. In order to focus archeological testing in undisturbed locations, as-built or construction drawings of the existing golf course and hospital shall be examined to document areas of prior disturbance.

The investigation of the project Area of Potential Effect would require the excavation of approximately 450 shovel tests. Each shovel test will be 40 centimeters (16 in) in diameter and placed at 15 meter (50 ft) intervals. The soil from each test will be screened through 0.64 centimeter (0.25 in) hardware mesh and carefully examined for pre-contact and early historic cultural materials. Artifacts collected will be assigned to the soil stratum from which they were retrieved. The location and stratigraphy of each test will be recorded including depth and description of each soil level. The distribution of shovel tests and artifacts will be shown on a digital version of the project map to be provided by the Town.

Cultural materials collected (maximum of 100 artifacts), will be identified by provenance, counted and incorporated into the artifact catalog. The report will be prepared following New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and New York Archaeological Council guidelines.

      1. Significant Adverse Impacts that Cannot be Avoided

        1. Long Term

The DGEIS shall discuss those impacts that cannot be avoided as a result of development on the site, such as a potential loss of trees, additional demand on infrastructure, an increase in the Town's population, etc., recognizing, however, that the DGEIS would be designed to identify measures to mitigate all significant adverse impacts to the extent practicable.

        1. Short Term Construction and Site Remediation

The DGEIS shall address short-term unavoidable impacts associated with construction, such as the generation of construction traffic and noise. It would also address the steps that would need to be taken to deal with building demolition and site remediation, including asbestos removal, based on information provided in the previously prepared Environmental Assessment Reports.

      1. Alternatives

        1. No Action

This alternative shall address the scenario in which no development occurs and the site remains in its current condition.

        1. Other Land Development Consideration

In tabular format, the DGEIS shall estimate and compare the anticipated impacts if portions of the golf course were not utilized and if the area adjacent to Lake Tappan were utilized.

        1. Other Zoning Approaches

The DGEIS shall discuss alternative means for accommodating the proposed development, through the use of a combination of new and existing zoning districts.

        1. Alternative Design Treatment

Prior development proposals that included a potential convenience retail component along Convent Road shall be discussed.

        1. Alternative Access

Alternative access roads and road alignments within the RPC site shall be considered including the potential use of Old Orangeburg Road and the possible realignment of 3rd Avenue.

      1. Growth Inducement (e.g., effects on neighboring business properties) (S&S)

The DGEIS shall address the potential for effects on neighboring properties as a result of the new development and residential population on the Project Site, including the possible reuse of commercial properties along the north side of Convent Road.

      1. Future Site Specific Reviews

The DGEIS shall include a description of the parameters for future site-specific reviews following approval of the proposed zoning and conceptual plan, including the key environmental issues that shall require analysis as the site plan approval stage.

      1. Effects on Energy, Commitment of Resources

The DGEIS shall summarize the potential effects on energy sources (e.g., the consumption of gas and electricity), and the resources that shall be utilized for construction and development (e.g., concrete, brick, steel, etc.)

The DGEIS shall include an Appendix that contains technical reports, including the stormwater management plan, traffic report and capacity analyses, etc. The Appendix shall also include copies of all correspondence and SEQRA documentation.

H:\M\M-982 Orangetown GEIS\SCOPE OF SERVICES.doc

Proposed Scope For A DGEIS

Saccardi & Schiff, Inc. 2

Created by townclerk. Last modified 2008-04-21 12:03:54.