P’ville Approves Master Plan Update With Focus on Downtown

By Anna Young

The Pleasantville Village Board approved an update of the municipality’s Master Plan last week that officials hope will refine the village’s downtown and expand opportunities for assisted living.

Representatives from the Manhattan-based BFJ Planning worked closely with village officials during the past year with the aim of preserving Pleasantville as an attractive, business-friendly community while looking to brand it as an authentic American village. It is Pleasantville’s first Master Plan update in more than 20 years.

The revised plan gives Pleasantville an opportunity to entice development interest in a revitalized downtown that will support business and improve walkability, public spaces and amenities, officials said.

“The Master Plan is giving us a guideline for the kinds of things we’d like to look at adopting in the future, it’s only a theoretical construct of things we’d like to see happen in the village,” Trustee Steven Lord said. “Anybody who is worried that all of the sudden they are going to start seeing bulldozers all over the place – in due course perhaps – but not because we’re approving the plan.”

Downtown changes include raising the permitted height of buildings in the central business district from three to four stories in areas that have limited impact on adjacent residential zones. Four-story buildings will be allowed where the property is separated from a single-family residential zone by at least 150 feet or by a road or railroad.

Another area of focus was making intersection improvements and more effectively managing parking for greater ease for shoppers and diners. That, in turn, is expected to improve circulation and attract more people to downtown.

The plan also promotes walkability and improving parking by reducing the demand for commuter spaces through ride-sharing options such as Uber, and potentially introducing a commuter shuttle service.

Removal of the right turn lane from Memorial Plaza onto Manville Road proposes to free up space for a pocket park. The proposed creation of landscaped medians along Manville Road are also possible.

A key feature of the Master Plan is expanding the areas for the development of assisted living. Currently, assisted living facilities are only allowed by special permit in the Residence-Professional Office (RPO) district.

Moving forward assisted living may be located in the business peripheral zones or in single-family residential zones through the use of a special permit or in a floating zone. That would ensure it be located within convenient walking distance of retail shops, personal service establishments, mass transit and community facilities.

It also raises the maximum permitted height for assisted living facilities from two-and-a-half stories and 30 feet to three floors and 38 feet; relaxes floor area requirements for units, including eliminating the restrictions on bedroom mix; and reducing minimum required parking.

Mayor Peter Scherer said the Master Plan changes will be an asset to Pleasantville economically and would make the village more attractive.

He assured residents the updated plan will not change Pleasantville’s character, which has consistently attracted new residents to the village.

Pleasantville finished the update in under a year. Scherer said BFJ Planning and the village remained focus on addressing issues in the downtown, which helped speed the process, he said.