Education center proposal at a crossroads as Millerton awaits approval of new parking requirements

MILLERTON — Millerton resident Alex That presented plans for the former Presbyterian church on Main Street to the Millerton Planning Board at a rescheduled meeting Tuesday, Dec. 16.

That is proposing to convert the church into a private education center offering classes in music, video production and DJing for people of all abilities.

The Millerton site would be the second location for Caffeine Academy, which opened its first location in West Babylon, N.Y., in 2013.

The meeting was marked by confusion over the village’s application approval process, with That and his architect repeatedly asking board members to clarify what steps were required and in what order they would occur.

During public comment, Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Kelly Kilmer explained there are two potential paths forward for the application.

One option would require That to apply to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a parking variance, a process that would involve a full environmental review and public hearings separate from those required by the Planning Board.

The second option would be to wait for a recently passed local law to take effect. The law exempts buildings in the village’s General Business District from additional parking requirements, which would eliminate the need for a parking variance.

“The Village of Millerton Board passed a local law amending the village code for the General Business District and parking variances, which, in all honesty, Alex, works in your favor,” Kilmer said.

Kilmer said Local Law C must be stamped and filed by the New York Secretary of State before it officially goes into effect. The process typically takes between 30 and 60 days and could be further delayed by the holiday season.

Until that approval is finalized, the Caffeine Academy proposal would require parking variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

“If you want to move forward, you would fill out an application,” Kilmer said. “I’ll make sure that we get a meeting together.”

Planning Board members recommended that the application move to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a parking variance. However, it remained unclear at the end of the meeting whether That would proceed with that option or wait until Local Law C is officially on the books.