Planning Board

PLANNING BOARD MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL ROOM CALL TO ORDER: Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:03 P.M. PRESENT: Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman, Philip Klein, Dan Gaba, Howard Pinsley, Tom Lewis ABSENT: Amy Durland STAFF: Kate Maynard, Principal Planner, City of Saratoga Springs SALUTE TO FLAG: ANNOUNCEMENT OF RECORDING OF PROCEEDINGS: Clifford Van Wagner stated the proceedings of this meeting are being taped for the benefit of the secretary. Because the minutes are not a verbatim record of the proceedings, the minutes are not a word-for-word transcript of the recording. ANNOUNCEMENT OF ADJOURNED PROJECTS: ADJOURNED AT THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST: 10.042 THE MEWS, 60 Weibel Avenue, review of site plan of mixed use building in the Transect-4 District. 10.052 CDJT WORKFORCE HOUSING, Citywide, City Council request for an Advisory Opinion for review of Zoning Amendment Proposal request for workforce housing. 11.002 BUFF ROAD SUBDIVISION, BUFF ROAD AND ROUTE 9N, public hearing for a final 15 lot subdivision in the Urban Residential-1 and Rural Residential-1 Districts. 07.048.2 THE BULLPEN II, HORSESHOE INN, 9 Gridley Street, public hearing for a renewable special use permit for live outdoor entertainment in the Tourist Related Business District. 11.020 DUPRAS SUBDIVISION, 29 and 47 Staffords Bridge Road, public hearing on a 2 lot subdivision in the Rural Residential-1 District. 11.001 420 BROADWAY (LILLIAN'S PARKING LOT), 420 Broadway, site plan for a mixed use building in the Transect-6 District. 10.013 WHITE FARMS ROAD BED AND BREAKFAST, 66 White Farms Road, public hearing for special use permit for six room corridor bed and breakfast in a Rural Residential-1 District. ADJOURNED WAITING FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 11.018 SIRO'S, 168 Lincoln Avenue, site plan review of restaurant and bar in the Institutional Horse Track Related District. 11.010.1 SIRO'S, 168 Lincoln Avenue, public hearing for modification to special use permit of outdoor entertainment in the Institutional Horse Track Related District. 10.028 CELLCO-VERIZON CELL TOWER, 81 Nelson Avenue, SEQRA evaluation of potential environmental impact for a new 90' monopine telecommunications tower and associated equipment in an Urban Residential-2 District. 10.027 307 GRAND AVENUE MULTI-FAMILY, 307 Grand Avenue, review of site plan for multi-family housing in the Transect-4 District. 10.031 307 GRAND AVENUE MULTI-FAMILY, 307 Grand Avenue, review of site plan for multi-family housing in the Transect-4 District. COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR: UPCOMING PLANNING BOARD MEETINGS/AGENDA WORKSHOPS: Planning Board Caravan is scheduled for Monday, June 6, 2011 at 4:00 PM Planning Board Workshop is scheduled for Monday, June 6, 2011 at 5:00 PM Next Planning Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday June 8, 2011 at 7:00 PM. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR: Opportunity to allow citizens to address planning issues not on the scheduled agenda. None heard. APPLICATIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION: Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman deferred to application #2 on the agenda since the applicants were not present for agenda item #1. 2. 07.070.1 SARATOGA HOSPITAL PARKING LOT, 35 Myrtle Avenue, modification to site plan review of parking lot in the Saratoga Hospital Planned Unit Development District. SEQRA: SEQRA negative declaration issued by the City Council prior to approval of the PUD amendment. No further SEQRA action is required if action is deemed within confines of PUD amendment. Action can be reaffirmed. This area is within Saratoga Hospital PUD. Former site plan approval for existing parking lot granted May 27, 2009. PUD amendment and lot line adjustment completed in March (favorable advisory opinion issued by the Planning Board). Additional property acquired through land swap with Saratoga Golf and Polo and is part of subject application. Saratoga Hospital is looking to increase the amount of parking to 72 spaces. City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – Wednesday, May 25, 2011 – page 2 of 7 Applicant: Saratoga Hospital Agent: Stephanie Ferradino, Jones & Ferradino, Attorneys at Law; Matt Brobston, LA Group Matt Brobston, of the LA Group gave a visual presentation of the proposed parking lot. The secondary Golf and Polo Church Street access is to be removed, and grass will be planted in its place. Mr. Brobston confirmed that the easement is granted to Saratoga Golf and Polo through the Myrtle Street access. Plans are to use permeable paving on the expanded area and the water will drain into the center. There will be a perforated pipe that will connect to an existing drain, which was part of the previous project, and storm water will be managed on the site in this manner. DISCLOSURE: Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman disclosed that his wife is an employee of Saratoga Hospital. This will in no way influence him in the decision making process and therefore no need to recuse himself. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman, stated the fact that the Church Street access is being removed this is a positive improvement in the traffic flow. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman asked if there were any further questions or comments from the Board? Kate Maynard stated there is one item from the workshop. The SEQRA Negative Declaration which was issued by the City Council during the PUD amendment process needs to be reaffirmed tonight, if you are in agreement that all proposed changes are consistent with the approved amendment. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated Saratoga County Planning Board had no negative comments on this application. Their comment stated approved with no significant countywide or intercommunity impact. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman asked if anyone in the audience wished to comment on the Saratoga Hospital Parking Lot application? None heard. Dan Gaba made a motion to approve the modification to the site plan to increase the parking by 27 spaces, using permeable pavement and the application will include eliminating the exit from the Saratoga Golf and Polo grounds to Church Street, as well as the reaffirmation of the SEQRA Negative Declaration. Seconded by Howard Pinsley. VOTE: PKlein, in favor; DGaba, in favor; HPinsley, in favor; TLewis, in favor; CVanWagner, in favor Absent: A. Durland Motion passes: 5-0 City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – Wednesday, May 25, 2011 – page 3 of 7  3. 11.021. SARATOGA HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, 59 D Myrtle Street, site plan for a new administrative building in the Saratoga Hospital Planned Unit Development District. SEQRA: SEQRA negative declaration issued by the City Council prior to approval of the PUD amendment. SEQRA can be reaffirmed as a Planning Board action. Applicant: Saratoga Hospital, Kevin Ronyane, Vice President of Operations and Facilities Attorney: Stephanie Ferradino, Jones & Ferradino, Attorneys at Law Agent: Mike Ingersoll, Matt Brobston LA Group Sonny Bonacio, Phil Willard and Brian Lemanski, Bonacio Construction Company Stephanie Ferradino gave a visual presentation to the Board of the proposed project. The project is part of the amended PUD which was before the Board approximately one month ago. Mike Ingersoll, LA Group, gave a visual presentation regarding the buildings location on the lower portion of the site. Due to the design of the building the new building is slimmer with all the storage in the basement. The building will be two stories in the front and three stories in the back. This sitting of the building affords a 50 foot no cut buffer zone to the DiCresce's. The mature vegetation which is currently present on the site will remain on the site. No existing vegetation will be removed during construction, and there will be additional coniferous buffers added near the DiCresce's property. Stephanie Ferradino stated due to some creative designing by Bonacio Construction the footprint of the building has gone from 20,000 sq feet to 15,000 sq feet. The height of the building was also reduced from 40 feet to 32 feet which respects the visual impact on the neighbors and does not impede the flight path of the helipad. Elevation renderings were presented to the Board. As part of this process, and this was started at the end of the PUD approval of the last amendment, we started discussions with John Carusone who represents the DiCresce's, the nearby neighbors. We have come to an agreement in principal which was provided to the City Planner today. The key points are that the 50 foot northerly buffer will remain a no cut zone and none of the existing vegetation will be removed. Additional coniferous buffers near any of the deciduous trees that we have shown on earlier plans are being provided. The plans from April 27 show this buffer. In the event blasting will need to be done, all insurances will be in place and a survey of the DeCresce’s property will be done in advance as well as providing them with significant warning in advance of the blasting. We are hoping this will not be necessary, or at best minimal. No dumpsters will be placed on the northerly side of the property. We are reducing this agreement to writing and it will be signed by the parties before the next meeting. Kate Maynard, Principal Planner stated that copies of the agreement are in the packets the Board received this evening. Philip Klein questioned if any test borings have been performed. Sonny Bonacio, Bonacio Construction stated approximately 10 borings have been completed. The way the rock seems to be falling away, with large boulders we do not feel we have to blast. This is typical Saratoga rock, which we are very adept at moving at Bonacio Construction. City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – Wednesday, May 25, 2011 – page 4 of 7 Stephanie Ferradino stated there has been a traffic study submitted by Creighton Manning, which indicates the areas involved will operate with good levels of service. No traffic mitigation is recommended. One of the items which mitigate the amount of volume on this site is that two buildings which were formerly on this site are no longer in existence. A key point is that many of the employees who are going to be in this new building are already on the campus; they already park their cars here. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman asked if there are any comments or questions from the Board. None heard. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman asked if anyone in the audience wished to comment on the Saratoga Hospital Administrative Building. None heard. Discussion ensued among the Board, the applicant and the City Planner regarding this application. Where the City is in the hiring a City Engineer, and the impact this will have on this project moving forward. Tom Lewis suggested that the hospital has hired engineers and due to the fact that the City does not have an engineer perhaps the applicant could indemnify the City. Mike Ingersoll, LA Group stated he was going to suggest that. The water is not a problem, the sewers are not a problem, and the storm water is regulated by new storm water management regulations throughout the state. The applicant is working within a timeframe. This building does need to get started within the next two months to be completed before the winter season. Obviously, if we postpone a vote and come back I am not sure you can assure us when you will have an engineer. We would like to go through the building permit process, which will allow us to prepare the documents and get the building permit. This is the hospital; we have a builder that has been before you many times as well as our company. Just a thought. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated he had this very conversation today with Kate Maynard. His inclination was what Tom Lewis just stated. Initially the building permit cannot be issued until the engineer has signed off and the mylars will not be signed by the chair until engineering and storm water issues are resolved. Kevin Ronyane, Vice President of Operations and Facilities stated he would like the hospital to move forward with this. We have several departments housed off site. We would like to have them move on campus. Leases are coming up for renewal. The hospital will take all the risks involved. We have a great team and they know what they are doing. We are very confident that this will move forward without any problems and of course this is contingent upon the engineer’s review. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated it is his inclination to move forward with this application with a very carefully worded motion after discussion with the City Planner. The Board concurred with the Chairman’s recommendation. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman made a motion for the application for Saratoga Hospital for site plan review of an administrative building in the Saratoga Hospital Planned Unit Development District be approved with the following contingencies: that the applicant will come back to this Board if any significant design changes in the building, including but not limited to size, height and location arise, if there are any changes in buffers, plus or minus 5%. Any changes in the parking lot, structure or utilities, or any other unidentified, unresolved issues come up Saratoga Hospital notes that they will be responsible for any financial issues that arise. City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – Wednesday, May 25, 2011 – page 5 of 7 The building permit will not be issued until all engineering issues are resolved and signed off. The final Mylars will not be signed by the Planning Board Chair until all departmental issues are resolved. This motion is contingent on both sides signing the agreement with the DiCrese's as presented by counsel in the packets and that this Board does acknowledge the SEQRA Negative Declaration that was issued by the City Council back in 2009. Seconded by Tom Lewis. Any further discussion. None heard. VOTE: PKlein, in favor; DGaba, in favor; HPinsley, in favor; TLewis, in favor; CVWagner, in favor Absent: A. Durland Motion passes: 5-0 1. 09/054.1 MCKENZIE’S WAY-PHASE II, Cleveland Avenue, South of East Broadway, extension to approve 8 lot subdivision in the Urban Residential-2 District. Applicant: Saratoga Enterprises – Bob Howard Jr. Agent: Clark Wilkinson SEQRA: No further SEQRA action is needed with extension. Mr. Clark Wilkinson is requesting an 18 month extension granted to November 26, 2012. We did receive the subdivision approval on May 26, 2010. Due to the economic status of the country and the fact that there is very little selling and activity to produce the funds to go forward with the project. PUBLIC COMMENT Wally Berger, 10 Cleveland Avenue, Saratoga Springs, New York. We represent a number of people in the neighborhood who have the same complaints. We are trying to say as a neighborhood there ought to be a set of standards applied to all these development projects rather than one at a time. We would just ask for the same consideration. We happen to back up right to that property as do a number of our neighbors. The plan calls for detached garages on McKenzie’s Way subdivision. These garages could be as close as five feet away from our property line. So we are quite concerned. Consideration of a buffer would be appreciated. Mr. Wilkinson stated he will bring this back to the applicant, however there are no buffers required in the UR-2 zone regulations. This is an urban residential neighborhood. Robert Nelson, 7 Cleveland Avenue, Saratoga Springs, New York. Regarding the good neighbor. Look at the history of Saratoga Enterprises and I think there were several fines associated with Saratoga Enterprises. Things being left at the property site, etc... City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – Wednesday, May 25, 2011 – page 6 of 7 Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman asked Mr. Wilkinson to go back to Mr. Howard and ask him to be a good neighbor and add some buffering to the back of these new homes. These neighbors would appreciate it and the City would appreciate it. Dan Gaba made a motion for an extension of McKenzie's Way Phase II, for 18 months. Seconded by Philip Klein. VOTE: PKlein, in favor; DGaba, in favor; HPinsley, in favor; TLewis, in favor; CVWagner, in favor Absent: A. Durland Motion passes: 5-0 APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: Howard Pinsley made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 11, 2011 with additions and/or corrections. Seconded by Dan Gaba. VOTE: Ayes: D. Gaba, P. Klein, H. Pinsley, C. Van Wagner Nayes None Absent: A. Durland MOTION PASSES: 5-0. MOTION TO ADJOURN: There being no further business Clifford Van Wagner adjourned the meeting at 8:29 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Diane M. Buzanowski Approved: 6/8/11 City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – Wednesday, May 25, 2011 – page 7 of 7