Planning Board Agendas and Minutes

MINUTES OF THE COHOES PLANNING BOARD MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER 13, 2017 AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Mark DeFruscio Ms. Stephanie Couture Mr. Bob Bucher Mr. Joseph Nadeau ABSENT: Vice Chairman Jack Carroll ALSO PRESENT: Melissa Cherubino, Director of Building and Planning CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES FROM THE OCTOBER 18th, 2017 MEETING Chairman DeFruscio opened the meeting at 6:30pm and asked the recording secretary to take roll call. Member Nadeau moved to approve the minutes. Member Couture seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll ABSENT Stephanie Couture X CONSIDERATION OF A SUBDIVISION AT 84-88 REMSEN STREET Fred Metzger requested approval of a subdivision for property at 84-88 Remsen Street currently owned By Cohoes Industrial Development Agency. The purpose of the subdivision is to sell off the structure and a parking lot behind the structure to a private investor and retain the parking lot north of the parcel for expanding Canal Square Park. Chairman DeFruscio questioned whether the occupants of 86 or p6 Remsen Street park in the lot. However Deborah Jacques explained that as a private owned parking lot only the 88 Remsen St building owner and tenants could use the lot. At this time Cohoes IDA blocked off access to the lot. As a result, Member Couture moved to approve the subdivision. Member Boucher seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll ABSENT Stephanie Couture X CONSIDERATION OF A CONCEPTUAL AT 410 VLIET BLVD Tony and Laura LePage, as Milltown Homes, proposed subdividing a two point eight acre parcel at 419 Vliet Blvd to construct 9 residential units, broken down as four duplex units and five single family homes. Each structure would sit on a quarter acre. The developers proposed a two to three bedroom farmhouse craftsman conceptual design geared to retired families and new homeowners. The proposal echoes a larger development proposed at Menzcak’s Farm across from Berkley Park. The townhouses would measure 1500-1700SF at a price point of $225,000. The single family homes would measure 1800-2200 SF at a price point of $275,000. The proposed timeline starts this winter with infrastructure installation. The developers expect to contract with purchasers spring 2018. Groundbreaking would start late summer 2018. Milltown Homes constructed townhouses at 26 Leversee Ave. Based on that experience, the builders found a market for new construction in Cohoes. The proposal replaces an abandoned single family home on the parcel that Milltown Homes would demolish as part of the project. CONSIDERATION OF SITE PLAN APPROVALS AT THE COMMUNITY BUILDERS SCATTERED SITES Jonathan Draper of The Community Builders (TCB) proposed site plan approval of the scattered sites throughout Cohoes Downtown as presented at the October 2017 Planning Board meeting. The proposal received variances from lot dimensions, lot coverage and parking requirements. Historic Board granted a conditional approval pending presentation of exterior finishes at the November 14th 2017 meeting. Between the October submission and November Planning Board meeting only 185 Main Street changed. Originally proposed as two multi-family homes, TCB reduced the buildings to two townhomes in order to accommodate site amenities. TCB will maintain all sites, including the recreation areas proposed at 10 Vliet Street. TCB would sign-up the properties for City trash collection services. Member Bucher asked for the specifications on the exterior lighting. Would the developer use 12’ posts? Bob Kernan of LA Group explained that cut-off shield lamps would be installed to diminish glare. The residential scale lamps height would measure 6’-8’. Member Bucher asked about drainage. Mr. Kernan explained that the lots sheet-drain. Green Infrastructure was not proposed since the soil class does not infiltrate. Chairman DeFruscio asked about snow removal. Mr. Draper described snow removal from the off- street parking areas and the walkways. Chairman DeFruscio asked if anyone from the public had comments. However, no one in the audience had comments. Member Nadeau moved to approve the site plan application. Member Couture seconded the motion which passed unanimously. YES NO Bob Bucher X Joseph Nadeau X Mark DeFruscio X Jack Carroll ABSENT Stephanie Couture X Member Nadeau moved to adjourn at 7:30pm. Member Couture seconded the motion which passed unanimously.