Planning Board Agendas and Minutes

MINUTES OF THE COHOES PLANNING BOARD MEETING HELD ON JUNE 13, 2016 AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Bob Bucher Mr. Joseph Nadeau Ms. Stephanie Couture Vice Chairman Jack Carroll Chairman Mark DeFruscio ALSO PRESENT: Melissa Cherubino, Director of Building and Planning CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 9th, 2016 MEETING Chairman opened the meeting at 6:30pm and asked the recording secretary to take roll call. Vice Chairman Carroll moved to approve the minutes. Member Bucher seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X CONSIDERATION OF A POOL AT 66 YOUNGLOVE AVENUE The applicant requested approval to install a 15’ round above-ground pool in the enclosed yard. The proposed locaton meets setbacks. Chairman DeFruscio asked about drainage. The applicant explained that she had installed swales and a pipe along the property lines. As a result, Member Couture moved to approve the special use permit. Member Nadeau seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X CONSIDERATION OF A POOL AT 352 NORTH MOHAWK STREET Nancy Caruso requested permission to install a pool in her yard at 352 North Mohawk Street. She prefers to install an oval shaped pool but has concerns about the cost. Member Nadeau pointed out that the oval shaped pool would require careful placement due to lot size and setback restrictions. Chairman DeFruscio suggested conditioning approval on an updated drawing specifying which pool and exact location. As conditioned, Member Bucher moved to approve the pool. Vice Chairman Carroll seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X CONSIDERATION OF A POOL AT 5 EARL LYNN COURT Stephen Moschouris requested permission to install an above ground pool in the backyard of his ¼ acre lot 20’ from the back of his home; 15’ from the rear and side property lines. Member Nadeau questioned the depth of the yard and front setback to pool. Mr. Moschouris estimated 100’ front setback. Member Couture pulled up a photo of the property showing a large front yard. Member Bucher asked if the lot is enclosed, which the applicant confirmed. Member Nadeau moved to approve the pool. Member Couture seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X CONSIDERATION OF A PARKING LOT AT 9-11 VAN VECHTEN STREET David Godette requested approval for a parking lot to serve his multi-family home at 9-11 Van Vechten Street. Currently a six unit structure, Mr. Godette would like to expand the building to eight units. The City Zoning Code requires applicants to meet the current parking code during any expansion, in this case 16 parking spaces. Mr. Godette has created seven parking spaces on the east side; two on the west side; and he owns a three bay garage at the end of Bemis Alley. As a result, Mr. Godette sought and received an area variance from parking averring that he provides twelve of the 16 spaces required. The Planning Board’s Chairman DeFruscio expressed concerns regarding the tightness of the alleyway and the lack of lighting, snow storage, delineation of parking space size and availability of land to bank parking spaces in case of need. He visited the site and finds it a tight location that might impair emergency services access. Mr. Godette explained that he increased the parking space depth to 22’, reserved the back for snow storage, placed 6” of hard packed crushed stone and installed signs. Member Nadeau asked whether the applicant makes the garage available to tenants. Mr. Godette rents the space to others for storage. The Board found that the unavailability of the garages pre-empts considering that space part of the available parking. As a result, Member Nadeau asked why the applicant would not create additional parking. Mr. Godette explained that at best 2-3 cars are parked in the seven space lot at any time. He would rather leave green, recreation space for his tenants. Although fully rented most of the time, most of his tenants own only one car or rely on public transportation. Member Nadeau asked is the applicant is converting the existing space into additional apartments or adding new footprint. Mr. Godette described dividing two existing apartments into four. The new configuration would retain the same total number of bedrooms. He currently has two three- bedroom apartments and proposes two two-bedroom apartments and two one-bedroom apartments. Chairman DeFruscio suggested that the Board would need more time to review and more detailed plans to make a determination. He pointed out that the 100 year old building was constructed at a time when cars did not exist. He also argues that a couple could rent a one bedroom apartment and own two vehicles. Mr. Godette would like to obtain a building permit at his own risk. He agreed to withhold the CO until his parking plan met the Planning Board’s requirements, including creation of additional spaces. Vice Chairman Carroll moved to table the application as conditioned. Member Bucher seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X CONSIDERATION OF A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AT 330 ONTARIO STREET AND A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT AT 12 WHITE STREET Chazen Companies’ engineer Andy Rymph and architect Chad Stewart of 3T Architect propose two mixed-use projects in the downtown area: 12 White Street and 330 Ontario Street. The 12 White Street project is a three-story mixed-use proposal at the southeast quadrant of the Remsen and White Street intersection. The entire first floor will feature two retail spaces with 20 residential units constructed upstairs. Although no off-street parking is provided the site meets the zoning code exemption from parking as it is within 500’ from municipal parking. The proposal will require a ZBA variance for number of units and HPARB approval for the façade as it is in the Historic District. The applicants propose several improvements to the corner. First, the developer will re-install the brick sidewalk. Second the applicant proposes a decorative brick façade with a concrete base to match the existing historic properties surrounding the project. Third the applicant proposes installing bike racks at the entrance. Fourth the applicant would like to add bioretention planters in front of the building. Finally, the applicant would fence the back alley. Vice Chairman Carroll questioned trash removal. Mr. Stewart explained that the occupants would deposit garbage in an interior trash room. Staff would conduct a weekly roll out of the trash for pick-up. Member Bucher asked about roof drains discharging to the front. The engineer explained he would calculate runoff handled by the planter versus how much would discharge to the stormsewer. Member Bucher also asked about roof mechanicals. Mr. Stewart described a 10’ setback along with 30” parapets to block any visual of mechanicals. Barb Hildreth of the Historic Board questioned signage, lighting and window framing. Mr. Stewart would place signage on the storefront canopies. Two sconces flank the store entrances. More detail will be provided at the HPARB meeting. Vice Chairman Carroll moved to approve lead agency for SEQR purposes. Member Bucher seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X Member Nadeau moved to make a negative declaration for SEQR purposes. Member Couture seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X Chairman DeFruscio outlines the following items should be clarified for site plan approval: 1. ZBA variances 2. HPARB approval 3. outdoor lighting detail 4. trash storage, disposal and quantities 5. landscaping (planters) The 330 Ontario Street and Sargent Street proposal includes two buildings: a three-story and a four-story building containing a total of 71 residential units. It encompasses several properties: 330 Ontario Street, 55 Sargent Street and three vacant parcels on Sargent Street. The site contains a Canal retaining wall, CSOs on Sargent Street, overhead electrical lines and underground vaults traversing diagonally from Bedford Street to Ontario Street. The developer intends to construct mixed-income apartments including market rate with 25% of the apartments dedicated to adults on the autism spectrum. A Living Resources Office located on the first floor will support the residents as well as residents in the community. At this time the developer is seeking SEQR consideration. As with the 12 White St project, trash will be stored indoors. The Chazen Companies engineer is researching the use of porous pavement, green roofs, Stormwater planters, and CSO separation. In addition, the project might involve use of CFA grant money to move electrical poles, address underground tunnels, and reconstructing Sargent Street to install underground utilities. Mr. Stewart added that the project will likely include a green wall on the south side. In addition, a row of evergreens will buffer neighbors from the parking lot. Inside the structure the developer will provide adequate recreation space: a fitness room, community room and quiet space. The first floor retail may be occupied by a daycare. The developer would like another area reserved for a business dedicated to hiring people on the spectrum. Mr. Rymph added that although 25% of units are dedicated to adults on the autism spectrum disorder, the remainder are a mix of affordable and market rate apartments. As a result, Vice Chairman Carroll declared lead agency. Member Bucher seconded the motions which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X Member Nadeau made a negative declaration for SEQR purposes. Vice Chairman Carroll seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X CONSIDERATION OF A VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING BOARD Members had previously discussed appointing a Vice Chairman of the Planning Board and elected to nominate Jack Carroll. Member Nadeau moved to appoint Jack Carroll as Vice Chairman. Member Couture seconded the motion which passed unanimously.  YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll X Stephanie Couture X Member Nadeau moved to adjourn at 8:55pm. Member Bucher seconded the motion which passed unanimously.