Planning Board Agendas and Minutes

MINUTES OF THE COHOES PLANNING BOARD MEETING HELD ON May 11, 2009 AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Joseph Moloughney Mr. Edward Carboni Vice-Chairman Clarence Badgley Ms. Sharon Gariepy Mr. Jake Dumesnil MEMBERS ABSENT: Mr. Mark DeFruscio ALSO PRESENT: Ms. Melissa Ashline-Heil, Planner CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 13, 2009 MEETING Chairman Moloughney called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Chairman asked the planner to take attendance call. Chairman asked the Board to decide whether to approve the minutes from the April 13, 2009 meeting. Member Gariepy made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 13th, 2009 meeting. Vice Chairman Badgley seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously. YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X CONSIDERATION OF A PARKING WAIVER FOR THREE APARTMENTS AT 8 WHITE STREET Colleen Kennedy owns property at 8 White Street. At purchase the home had three residential units. She lives in one of the units. Through an error on paperwork she completed for the City, the building was changed to a two unit through the Assessor’s office. At this time, Ms. Kennedy has become eligible for grant funding for repairs through the City’s Community and Economic Development Office. She would like to renovate all three units and begin renting the third, basement apartment in order to help defray costs. However, our zoning code requires two parking spaces per unit when expanding the use on a multi-family structure. The property is located within 800’ of municipal parking on Remsen Street. Zoning Code section 285-85 authorizes the Planning Board to waive parking requirements for uses within 800’ of a municipal parking lot. In this case, the Board chose to exercise their discretion in waiving the parking requirements. Member Dumesnil moved to approve the parking waiver; Member Gariepy seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously.  YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X CONSIDERATION OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT for a POOL AT 204 MANOR AVE The property owner requested a Special Use Permit to install an in ground pool in the backyard of 204 Manor Ave. The applicant submitted a site plan showing the pool 10’ from the rear property line and side property line. Since the proposal meets all setback requirements, the Board did not pose any additional questions. Vice Chairman Badgley made a motion to approve the special use permit. Member Carboni seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously. YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X CONSIDERATION OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT for a POOL AT 112 BROADWAY The property owner requested a Special Use Permit to install an above ground pool in the backyard of 112 Broadway. The applicant submitted a site plan showing the pool 10’ from the rear property line and 8’ from the side property line. Since the proposal does not meet all setback requirements, the applicant will need a variance. The owner explained that his land slopes toward the house, making any other placement difficult because it would make the pool unstable. Originally the owner ordered an 18’ pool, but the company can only send a 21’ pool. The side property line abuts a vacant wooded City lot that the applicant would like to buy. Member Dumesnil made a motion to approve the special use permit on condition of receiving a variance. Member Gariepy seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously. YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X CONSIDERATION OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT for a POOL AT 129 BLEEKER STREET The property owner requested a Special Use Permit to install an above ground pool in the backyard of 129 Bleeker Street. The applicant submitted a site plan showing the pool 80’ from the rear property line and side property lines. The lot is 200’ across and 150’ deep. Since the proposal meets all setback requirements, the Board did not pose any additional questions. Member Gariepy made a motion to approve the special use permit. Vice Chairman Badgley seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously. YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X CONSIDERATION OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT for a POOL AT 68 EDWARD STREET The property owner requested a Special Use Permit to install an above ground pool in the backyard of 68 Edward Street. The applicant submitted a site plan showing the pool meets all setback requirements. Chairman Moloughney asked about the applicant’s neighbors. The owner replied that the house next door has been vacant for three years. Member Carboni made a motion to approve the special use permit. Member Dumesnil seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously. YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X CONSIDERATION OF SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR A PARKING LOT AND BANK AT 35 NIVER STREET Engineer, John Latsko, presented updated plans for HRCU bank proposed for 35 Niver Street. Chairman Moloughney indicated that the project required a SWPPP which would need to provide the most feasible treatment for handling water quality and quantity in the given footprint. Reasonableness of the proposed treatment methods would also take into account the cost of treatment. He then asked for some assurance that the HRCU would not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides along the river coast. Finally, he pointed out that we need to publish notice in the environmental bulletin to give the public 30 days to comment on the project. Therefore, he recommended a conditioned negative declaration for SEQR purposes. Mr. Latsko asked if the developer could demolish the existing structure prior to completing the SEQR revisions and gaining planning board approval. Melissa Ashline-Heil commented that demolition would only require a building permit and asbestos report. The construction trailer could also be placed on the property prior to planning board review. Vice Chairman Badgley agreed with the Chairman that given the project’s proximity to the river, the Board should take extra precautions to protect the river. Mr. Latsko assured the Board the HRCU plans to keep the property border natural. No pesticides or fertilizers would be used that might harm the river. Vice Chairman Badgley moved to approve a conditional negative declaration for SEQR purposes. Member Gariepy seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously. YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X Next, the Planning Board considered the site plan review for the project. Mr. Latsko requested a final site plan approval. Chairman Moloughney agreed that most of the outstanding items revolve around the necessary SWPPP revisions. Mr. Latsko asked if the Board could suggest any stormwater mitigation methods. Chairman Moloughney brainstormed the possibility of using porous pavers to reduce the impervious surface and permit percolation. This especially holds true since the developer will build the land up 2’ and can choose what material to use for building up the land. Secondly, Chairman Moloughney suggested installing green gardens. Member Carboni moved to conditionally approve the preliminary site plan on the aforementioned mitigation measures. Member Dumesnil seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously. YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X CONSIDERATION OF PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR A PARKING LOT AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENTAT 100 COLUMBIA STREET The developer chose to table the issue until next month in order to provide more comprehensive plans to the Board and to determine the cost-benefit ratio for the project. CONSIDERATION OF SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR TOWNHOUSES AT JAMES STREET Joe Bianchini, engineer for the developer, described the amended site plan for Eagle’s nest development. The engineer extended the tree line behind the four unit townhouse on the cul de sac. He also added a ditch to divert the neighbor’s runoff into the proposed development’s stormwater system. Chairman Molougney asked if that would overwhelm the project’s rip rap. The engineer did not think the small amount of additional runoff would overburden the proposed system. Mr. Bianchini also explained that the developer moved a catch basin on James Street. After meeting with the City Engineer, Review Engineer and Commissioner of DPW, the developer agreed to grade the land to be conveyed back to the City per City specifications. All remaining comments, issued by review engineer, Tom McGrath, were minor and the developer agreed to all comments. From the previous meeting, it was decided to keep conditions one and three: 1) subject to the review engineer’s approval and 3) the final grading of City land to be approved by City Engineer Garry Nathan. Dianne Nolin asked about limiting the construction vehicles to using Bevan Street since Western Avenue cannot accommodate construction vehicles and James Street is congested with school traffic. Member Carboni indicated that the school will be closing in the next month and the park would be dangerous since young children will be walking to the public pool. Chairman Moloughney added that Bevan is in poor condition. Member Gariepy suggested that the construction route be approved by the City. She asked when the project would start. Mr. Krug replied that construction would begin in the next 30 days. He planned to complete the road and model home by the end of the summer. His vehicles would be bringing in construction materials for the houses, piping, catch basins, manholes and gravel for the roads. Vice Chairman Badgely moved to grant final site plan approval contingent on the items previously discussed; Member Carboni seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously. YES NO Joseph Moloughney X Edward Carboni X Leo Badgley X Sharon Gariepy X Jake Dumesnil X Member Dumesnil moved to adjourn at 7:30pm; Member Gariepy seconded the motion. Roll of call was taken and the motion passed unanimously.