Planning Board

PLANNING BOARD MINUTES WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL ROOM PRESENT: Clifford Van Wagner, Chair; Tom L Lewis, Vice Chairman; Amy Durland; Philip Klein; Dan Gaba; Mariesa Coppola ABSENT: Howard Pinsley STAFF: Kate Maynard, Principal Planner, City of Saratoga Springs CALL TO ORDER: SALUTE TO THE FLAG: ANNOUNCEMENT OF RECORDING OF PROCEEDING: Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman 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 APPLICANT'S REQUEST: -11.022 181 PHILA NEIGHBORHOOD ROOMING HOUSE, 181 Phila Street, public hearing for special use permit for neighborhood rooming house in the Urban Residential-3 District. -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. COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR: UPCOMING PLANNING BOARD MEETINGS/AGENDA WORKSHOPS: Planning Board Caravan, Monday June 11, 2012 at 4:00 P.M. Planning Board Workshop, Monday, June 11, 2012 at 5:00 P.M. Quarterly Land Use Board Meeting–Introduction to proposed zoning ordinance update-Monday, June 11, 2012 @ 6:00 P.M. Planning Board Meeting, Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 7:00 P.M. ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION: 1. PB#11.019.1 – 108 Ash Street 4 lot subdivision – requested: 1). Modification to the intersection of Walnut Street and the newly constructed Willow Street to allow for the existing power pole to remain at its current location. 2). Modification of Ash Street sidewalk location from approved ten feet from edge of pavement (City standard location), to three feet from edge of pavement. ACTION: Approved by Chair, with modification that sidewalk be located 4 feet from edge of pavement on Ash Street. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated we will now proceed out of normal order on the agenda. We will approve meeting minutes first. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Philip Klein made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 25, 2012 meeting as submitted. Seconded by Dan Gaba. VOTE: Philip Klein, in favor; Amy Durland, in favor; Dan Gaba, in favor; Mariessa Coppola, abstain, Tom L. Lewis, Vice Chairman, in favor; Clifford Van Wagner, in favor; MOTION PASSES: 5-0-1 PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR: Opportunity to allow citizens to address planning issues not on the scheduled agenda. None heard. APPLICATIONS: 1. 12.014 WOODLAWN OVAL ZONING AMENDMENT, Lawrence Street, Advisory Opinion to the City Council for PUCD Zoning Amendment in the Woodlawn Oval Planned Unit Development District. RECUSAL: Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman is employed by Wesley Healthcare and will therefore recuse himself from this application. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman exited the meeting at this time. DISCLOSURE: Philip Klein stated he has served on the Wesley Board of Directors. He has no financial interest in this application, so there is no need for recusal. Tom L Lewis, Vice Chairman assumed the duties of chair. City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – May 23, 2012 - Page 2 of 5 Applicant: United Methodist Health and Housing SEQRA: SEQRA action not required with an advisory opinion. BACKGROUND: Tom L Lewis, Vice Chairman, stated the existing Woodlawn Oval PUCD includes listing of individual parcels currently within boundaries and "those listed that can be added without further municipal or legislative action… The boundary may also be expanded upon petition for a zoning change or a PUCD amendment made to the City Council of Saratoga Springs. Proposal is currently to add three additional parcels to the existing Woodlawn Oval PUCD. Reasons started include to assist in general administration in consideration parcels into the PUCD, and to increase the green space associated within the PUCD – required to be 62% of total PUCD. Proposed PUCD amendment would alter boundary of PUCD via map amendment. Text amendment required related to listing of parcels within PUCD, and related increase in acreage of additional parcels to the PUCD. Mr. Toohey gave an overview of the project. What we are asking for is an advisory opinion this evening. In the written report from the Planning Board we are asking the Board to recommend favorably the adoption of any proposed change only if it meets the following conditions: (1) The revision is not contrary to the general purposes and intent of this chapter; and (2) The revision is accordant with the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Toohey stated there is a continuum of elderly care and nursing home facilities on Woodlawn Oval as well as the Hospice Facility which also happens to fall within the land that is within the Woodlawn Oval Planned Unit Development. The PUCD that was drafted was one of the first the City had put together and it includes in it a requirement that we keep it at 62% green space ration with regard to the property. After the PUCD was created there were at least five parcels of land that were contiguous to this land that they knew at that point very likely would be incorporated into their ownership. We know those and we included those as an addendum to the PUCD and allowed those to shift in with very little activity. It was always the intention that this land use could be expanding and it was acknowledged at the time it was written into legislation. The three parcels that we are dealing with today are parcels that were not known at that time. Total acreage for the three parcels are 1.22 acres, they are vacant land. There is no structures on any of the parcels and what we would like to do is incorporate that into the approximate 35 acres of land that is there at present. The 62% green space requirement is being met but we are only at 62.6% so we are closing in rapidly. While we have this land and have the ability to plan in a proactive fashion as opposed to a reactive fashion. There is no plan currently for an expansion, but that planning process we would like to go forward with when the opportunity presents itself without having to stop. This will increase our building space to consider other types of services that could be constructed on the property. Within the Zoning Code there is a list of why a PUCD should be created in the City of Saratoga Springs. 243-3 in the Zoning Code gives you a list of criteria which Mr. Toohey reviewed with the Board. Tom L Lewis, Vice Chairman asked if anyone in the audience would like to speak regarding this application. None heard. Tom L Lewis, Vice Chairman asked for any comments from the Board. City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – May 23, 2012 - Page 3 of 5 Dan Gaba asked if there were any future plans for expansion would the applicant need to come before the Planning Board. Mr. Toohey stated yes. Amy Durland stated need does seem to be a criteria for the PUCD. The need for the proposed locations. She is have a little bit of a hard time understanding why you are requesting this when there is nothing on the table in terms of an expansion plan that you would anticipate needing this extra green space percentage to be able to compensate for. Mr. Toohey stated the need for the applicant to be able to plan to be to do this proactively as opposed to reactively. We need to know we have some acreage upon which we can place the structure or other building on a go forward basis. We do not have any building at all planned at this time. Amy Durland stated so there is an intention to expand at some point but no specific plans at this point. Mr. Toohey stated there is an intention to expand at some point and the desire to be able to even begin to consider that. Amy Durland questioned if the parcels in question is there a possibility or likelihood that any expansion plans would be on those parcels especially since the storage building was not built. Mr. Nealson, Chief Executive Officer stated the proposed storage building which was never built would not have been on one of the parcels we are speaking about this evening, it would have been approximate to one of those parcels. It is not our expectation that any of the three parcels that we are talking about would be an area we would consider expansion. Amy Durland stated her concerns is that the parcels do appear to provide a buffer between the facility and the neighbors. Since this has not been noticed to the neighbors much to my regret I always prefer that the neighbors know about these issues so our advisory opinion can incorporate the information they would provide. I would like to vet that as much as possible, and provide adequate amounts of buffering to the neighbors. Mr. Toohey stated your concern regarding a public hearing. There would be a public hearing on this before the City Council. With regarding to setbacks it is stated in the regulations that there should be a minimum setback of 60 feet between the exterior boundary lines of the PUCD and any structure on the north boundary line. That the largest of these parcels is on that north boundary line so this would require a 50 foot setback there. All other boundaries the setback shall be 35 feet with a minimum of 20 foot between all exterior boundary lines of the PUCD and a road or a parking spot. There is within the PUCD legislation setback requirements. Tom L Lewis, Vice Chairman asked if there was any further discussion from the Board. None heard. Kate Maynard, Principal Planner for the City of Saratoga Springs stated just for clarification purposes the amount of green space which is required is 62.6%, the current parcel is at 62.% with the addition of the three parcels the green space becomes 63.8%. Other issues to consider regarding the proposed amendment is – the revision is not contrary to the general purposes and the intent of this chapter; and the revision is in accordant with the Comprehensive Plan. One of the parcels #165.35-2-2 is noted as Medium Density Residential -1 and the other two parcels #165.34-1-10 and #165.34-1-4 are noted as High Density Residential-3. If the amendment moves forward, City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – May 23, 2012 - Page 4 of 5 interest on behalf of the applicant to merge parcels where feasible with different ownership/entities. This offers a chance for clean up, easier maintenance of the parcels within the boundary. Mr. Toohey applicant's attorney stated he has spoken with the assessor's office in this regard. Mariesa Coppola made a motion for a non binding recommendation to the City Council for the Zoning Map and the Text Amendment as requested. Seconded by Dan Gaba. VOTE: Philip Klein, in favor; Amy Durland, in favor; Dan Gaba, in favor; Mariesa Coppola, in favor; Tom L. Lewis, Vice Chairman, in favor; MOTION PASSES: 5-0 MOTION TO ADJOURN: Philip Klein made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Dan Gaba. There being no further business to discuss, Tom L Lewis, Vice Chairman adjourned the meeting at 7:40 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Diane M. Buzanowski Recording Secretary Approved: 6/27/12 City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – May 23, 2012 - Page 5 of 5