Planning Board Agendas and Minutes

MINUTES OF THE COHOES PLANNING BOARD MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY 17, 2015 AT 6:00 P.M. IN THE COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Edward Carboni Ms. Sharon Gariepy Joseph Nadeau Mr. Chris Briggs Chairman Mark DeFruscio ABSENT: Vice Chairman Clarence Badgley ALSO PRESENT: Melissa Cherubino, Director of Building and Planning CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 12th, 2015 MEETING Chairman DeFruscio opened the meeting at 6pm and asked the recording secretary to take roll call. Member Carboni moved to approve the minutes. Member Gariepy seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs ABSENT Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X CONSIDERATION OF A SUBDIVISION AT CUMBERLAND FARMS Member Carboni moved to approve the application for subdivision. Member Gariepy seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs ABSENT Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X CONSIDERATION SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR A CUMBERLAND FARMS CONVENIENCE STORE ON THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT OF ONTARIO STREET AND DELAWARE AVENUE Stefanie Bitter and Kevin Thatcher proposed subdividing the bike path from Cumberland Farm’s land. Cumberland Farms would then convey the bike path lands to the City. Member Gariepy moved to approve the subdivision. Member Carboni seconded the motion which passed unanimously.  YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs ABSENT Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Ms. Bitter and Mr. Thatcher also sought final site plan approval based on the sign-off on the ADA and Stormwater issues by the City Engineer. Traffic Commission approved the drawings at its January meeting. The applicant received a variance for the standlone sign and the wall signs meet zoning code requirements. Member Gariepy questioned which remediation was implemented for the two Ontario Street entrances. Mr. Thatcher pointed out the raised curb, delineated island and increased pork chop to restrict left hand turns out of the exit closest to the intersection. Member Nadeau moved to approve the final site plan. Member Carboni seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs ABSENT Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X CONSIDERATION OF A SUBDIVISION FOR SHERWOOD FOREST James Easton, P.E. represented the applicant in a request to subdivide parcels owned by the Van Schaick Country Club (hereinafter, VSCC) and the Cohoes Local Development Corp (hereinafter, CLDC). The VSCC parcel measures 3.2 acres while the CLDC parcel measures 1.2 acres. The developer is under contract to purchase a total of 4.5 acres for the proposed project. The two VSCC subdivided lands would be merged with the CLDC parcel to create the development parcel. Member Carboni asked if the metal building was part of the final development. Mr. Easton explained that the VSCC would retain the metal building plus 60’ from the building. Member Carboni moved to approve the subdivision. Member Gariepy seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs X Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Mr. Easton asked for comments on the proposal. He received the review engineer’s second set of comments Friday, February 13th 2015 and will be addressing those prior to the request for final site plan approval. However, he wanted to gather any lingering concerns for the final proposal. Member Gariepy mentioned that the traffic report showed the traffic signal on Bridge Avenue is not warranted. She asked about defining the road that abuts both the pond and the Country Club parking lot. Mr. Easton explained that landscaped islands will separate the road from the parking lot. Also, the developer will install curbing and sidewalk to create the feel of a City street. It will also prevent cars from driving close to the pond. Member Nadeau moved to table the final site plan. Member Gariepy seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs X Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X CONSIDERATION OF SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR A CAFÉ AT 211 COLUMBIA STREET David DuFresne proposes converting the metal building at 211 Columbia Street into a café open 6am to 2pm for breakfast and lunch. He is willing to re-establish the sidewalk and curb. Submitted photographs show an existing parking lot with ten spaces that each enter and exit directly from Columbia Street and Mann Avenue. Most recently the building housed a steak delivery company. Previous use of the building includes sales of woodstoves, and a consignment shop. Chairman DeFruscio asked that the applicant provide greater detail of the floor plan. For example, how much space would be dedicated to the café? Mr. DuFresne explained that the space is 50X50. Chairman DeFruscio added that the restroom, kitchen and seating would be treated differently for parking requirement purposes. In addition, Member Briggs pointed out that the Board will need a drawing of the parking lot including space dimensions. Plans will aid the Board in decision making and comprise the record of the consideration. Councilwoman Diane Nolin asked that the City mail notices to neighbors prior to the next meeting. She knows that neighbors are concerned about the parking availability and pedestrian safety given the property’s proximity to the Middle School and Abram Lansing elementary school. Member Carboni moved to declare an intent to act as lead agency for SEQR purposes. Member Nadeau seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs X Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Member Carboni moved to table the site plan. Member Nadeau seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs X Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X CONSIDERATION OF SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR A CONVENIENCE STORE AT 57 REMSEN STREET AND A CHECK CASHING FACILITY AT 91 REMSEN STREET John Nolan owns two properties on Remsen Street. He would like to open a convenience store at 57 Remsen Street and a check cashing facility at 91 Remsen Street. He brought a layout of the proposed check cashing facility with an overall dimension of 50X50. Chairman DeFruscio reiterated his concern that the applicant needs to document the dimensions for storage space, office space and sales in order to document the request and make a determination. Member Nadeau moved to declare an intent to act as lead agency. Member Carboni seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs X Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Member Nadeau moved to table the final site plan. Member Carboni seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Leo Badgley ABSENT Edward Carboni X Chris Briggs X Sharon Gariepy X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Member Carboni moved to adjourn at 7:30pm. Member Gariepy seconded the motion which passed unanimously.