Planning Board

PLANNING BOARD MINUTES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL ROOM PRESENT: Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman; Tom L. Lewis, Vice Chairman, Amy Durland, Howard Pinsley; Mariesa Coppola ABSENT: Philip Klein, Dan Gaba STAFF: Kate Maynard, Principal Planner, City of Saratoga Springs CALL TO ORDER: Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:02 P.M. 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 THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST: -12.032 324 WEST AVENUE MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING, 324 West Avenue, site plan for medical office building in the Transect-4 District. -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 -12.047 ADVISORY OPINION REFERRAL FROM ZBA JC BEEKMAN LLC SUBDIVISION, 192 Beekman Street, area variance for a two lot subdivision of land creating a lot for construction of a two family residence; seeking relief from the minimum average lot width requirement in the UR-3 District. COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR: ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS: - 08.012.3 TIZNOW RESTAURANT – Letter of Credit reduction. Proposed reduction from existing $18,900 to $5,000. Remaining items include streetlight installation and as-built drawings. Applicant to provide response related to timeframe of installation after speaking with contractor. ACTION: Approved by Chair. -12.046 PINEHURST AVENUE – PROPOSED LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT. Parcels held in common ownership, lot line adjustment proposed bringing lots into conformance in terms of existing pool area and driveway. ACTION: Approved by Chair. UPCOMING PLANNING BOARD MEETINGS/AGENDA WORKSHOPS: Planning Board Caravan, Monday, December 10, 2012 at 4:00 P.M. Planning Board Workshop, Monday, December 10, 2012 at 5:00 P.M. Joint Meeting with the Design Review Commission for Lexington Club Sketch Plan Review, Monday, December 10, 2012 at 6:00 P.M. Planning Board Meeting, Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 7:00 P.M. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR Opportunity to allow citizens to address planning issues not on the scheduled agenda. Mr. Sonny Bonacio, Bonacio Construction presented the Planning Board with American Planners Association Award which was received for Market Center. Mr. Bonacio stated that this is a great show of the quality of what is being done in Saratoga. Mr. Bonacio wanted to thank the Board for their time and efforts and their volunteer hours. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman thanked Mr. Bonacio. This is indicative of a team effort on everyone's part, staff, the applicant, who has played a large part in this and the Board. On behalf of the Planning Board congratulations was offered to Mr. Bonacio for this award. This award will be hung in a prominent place in the Planning Office. PRESENTATION: COMPLETE STREETS COMMITTEE (SAAB) – PRESENTATION Jaclyn Hakes, Chairperson gave a brief presentation of what the Complete Streets Policy is, how it is being implemented, and its vision for the future. Complete Streets Workshop – being sponsored by the City's Complete Streets Committee, sponsored by the Adirondack Rural Health Network. Mark Fenton, National Speaker on Complete Streets and Healthy Communities will be leading FREE workshop Tuesday, December 11, 2012, from 7:30 am – 12 PM in the Music Hall (Third Floor City Hall). Registration is free and available on line. Eligible towards 4 hours required training for land use board members. APPLICATIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION: 1. -12.029 120 DIVISION STREET, 120 Division Street, sketch site plan for 18 duplexes and commercial space in the Division Street Planned Unit Development District. RECUSAL: Tom L. Lewis, Vice Chairman recused himself from this application. Applicant: Peter Belmonte, Steve Ethier Agent: Brett Steenburgh City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – November 28, 2012 - Page 2 of 4 Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated this is sketch plan review number four. Two sketch plans have been provided to the Board for their review. One view is a one way street from Marvin Alley in a westerly direction and exits to Cherry Street. The second, is a two way street from Marvin Alley to Cherry Street with no exit onto Walworth. After the last meeting I met with both Kate Maynard, Principal Planner and Bradley Birge, Administrator, Planning and Economic Development. We sat down to discuss this very project in an effort to do away with some confusion and to give the applicant some direction. Bradley Birge retrieved the old project drawings. We reviewed those and gleaned the positive items from that project. Two way interior street which connects Marvin Alley and Cherry Street. That was on the prior project and I would suggest a two way street as well. The commercial project to be located on the corner of Division and Walworth and that would eliminate the dead space in between those two residential units, one that fronts on Division and one that fronts on Walworth. This would promote vehicular traffic use Cherry Street. The four duplex units on Cherry Street turn 180 degrees and have the front entrance to the living units front on the exterior versus the interior. Propose all the units that front on Division Street have front porches. The porches would bring a portion of Saratoga from the days gone by and promote some pedestrian activities. The project would be referred to DRC for a non-binding application process to get DRC input on this project. I would ask the members of the Planning Board to give their opinions. Amy Durland, stated she does like the idea of the porches and the commercial space on Division Street. This does make a lot of sense. She still has problems with the configuration of some of the internal units. Mariessa Coppola stated she does like the idea of the driveways in the back on Cherry Street for the four duplexes, and would like the duplexes to face on Cherry Street. She agrees with the two way street and the porches. Her biggest concern is to have these front on Cherry Street. Steve Ethier thanked the Board and the staff for the sketch plan review to help shape the direction of the project. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated the four members of the Board present this evening are in agreement that the street be a two way street from Marvin turns perpendicular to Cherry Street and eliminates any access to Walworth Street. The applicant has no issue with a two way street. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated the next item was relocating the commercial building from the corner of Walworth and Cherry and putting it on the corner of Division and Walworth. The applicant is in agreement with the moving the commercial building to Division and Walworth. We would like to have the flexibility in maintaining the ability to convert the other units along Walworth to commercial. Commercial on the first floor and residential on the second floor, and maybe commercial on the first floor, office space on the second floor and residential on the third floor. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated the flexibility is a wonderful thing, that is more mixed use. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated the Board is in agreement with the porches on the homes. The applicant is in agreement with this. Kate Maynard, Principal Planner provided the applicant with Mark Benaquista's comments. Shave back the bump out on Division Street to allow for safe vehicular traffic. In agreement with the two-way for internal circulation. Snow storage, is there adequate space on site? Should the street should be city owned or a private roadway. Driveway lengths especially on Cherry Street are inadequate, as well as the location and given the close proximity of the actual structure. Site distance of motorists and pedestrians. Possible frontage along Cherry Street. City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – November 28, 2012 - Page 3 of 4 Amy Durland stated there are always diverse opinions on the Board. She is concerned there is still too much building for this space. She would happy to consider another design, even building up, especially more commercial along Walworth and Division. She does think that the 55 foot right of way which is required in the subdivision regulations would be beneficial to provide this for better landscaping and pedestrian access. Possibly a more creative design in order to preserve foliage and leave space for the amenities that go along with this. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman asked if anyone in the audience wished to comment on this application. Kate Maynard, Principal Planner, stated correspondence was received from Tom Denny, Urban Forestry Project, Sustainable Saratoga. Amy Durland, stated although she is a member of Sustainable Saratoga, and the Urban Forestry Project she has not participated in any discussion or meetings discussing this project. Also Mr. Denny does make a point regarding the right of way, and the 36 inch diameter white oak. She does feel it is really worth reading more about it as one of Saratoga's great trees. If there is some configuration for this project it could be possible to keep some of these trees. Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman stated he believes this has given the applicant definite direction in this project. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Approval of minutes has been deferred to the next meeting. MOTION TO ADJOURN: There being no further business to discuss Clifford Van Wagner, Chairman adjourned the meeting at 8:05 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Diane M. Buzanowski Recording Secretary Approved: 12/12/12 City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Minutes – November 28, 2012 - Page 4 of 4