Planning Board

PLANNING BOARD MINUTES FINAL THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 6:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL ROOM CALL TO ORDER: Mark Pingel, Vice-Chair called the meeting to order at 6:05 P.M. PRESENT: M. Pingel, Vice-Chair, Mike King, Patty Morrison & Kerry Mayo. ABSENT: Charles (Chuck) Marshall, Chair, Bill McTygue, Anthony (Tony) Stellato, STAFF: Susan Barden, Principal Planner, Leah Everhart, City Counsel, James Sallaway, City Engineer A. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: B. POSSIBLE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: Note: The intent of a consent agenda is to identify any applications that appear to be ‘approvable’ without need for further evaluation or discussion. If anyone wishes to further discuss any proposed consent agenda item, then that item would be pulled from the ‘consent agenda’ and dealt with individually. 1. #20240585 25 New St. Subdivision. Initiation of Coordinated SEQRA Review for preliminary plat review of a proposed 20-lot subdivision in the Urban Residential – 3 (UR-3) District. A motion was made by Kerry Mayo to request Lead Agency Status for 25 New St., Saratoga Springs, NY. The motion was seconded by Patty Morrison. Vote: M. Pingel-Y, K. Mayo-Y, M. King-Y, P. Morrison-Y. 4-0, motion carried. C. PLANNING BOARD APPLICATIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION: NOTE: Agenda item discussion will not begin past 10:00 p.m. Mark Pingel, Co-Chair noted that there are only 4 board members present, and any action taken at tonight’s meeting will require a unanimous vote – all 4 members. If any decision is not unanimous, it will be carried over to the next meeting. 2. #20240250 247 Kaydeross East. Preliminary plat review of a three-lot conservation subdivision in the Rural Residential (RR) District. ADJOURNED. 3. #20240598 Clement & Clinton Zoning Amendment. Consideration of advisory opinion to the City Council for a proposed zoning map amendment to remove/rezone a parcel (165.35-2-2) near the corner of Clement Ave. and Clinton St. from Woodlawn Oval PUD to Urban Residential – 1 (UR-1) District. Dave Carr, LA Group & Cliff VanWagner, Wesley Community represented the application. Dave presented the proposal and displayed the Wesley Community boundary. He said the roads within the community are owned and maintained by Wesley. Wesley opened the two large towers for tenants in 1972 and they have grown from there. He showed the boundary for the tax parcel (.79 acres) they’re discussing tonight which borders Clement Ave., Clinton St. and Embury Dr. Wesley would like to remove the parcel from the PUD and revert it back to UR-1, the zoning in the area, and sell the parcel. Dave said it will have to go before the City Council for final approval, but part of that process is to get an advisory opinion from the planning board. Cliff said in 2019 they started a fund raiser with a 5-million-dollar goal which they nearly reached until Covid hit. They had to close two 44-bed units at the nursing home because they were short staffed which put a huge burden on Wesley. In addition to the nursing home, they have 194 apartments in two 14-story towers with Federally subsidized housing for seniors. They have Woodlawn Commons with 60 units for independent living and 40 units for assisted living. Cliff said they have no plans to develop along Clement which goes over to the hospice building. Cliff said this is the only parcel they want to take out of the PUD. It’s a buildable size lot at 12,500 sq. ft. and they would like to sell it to someone who is looking to put up a single-family home. Mark P. said there was a brief discussion at the workshop about two tax parcels to the north (along Clement) and an unusual sliver of property. Dave said it’s a paper street that goes out to Clinton St. and is mostly wooded. The paper street is owned by the city. Patty Morrison made a motion for a positive recommendation to the City Council for a proposed zoning map amendment to remove the parcel near the corner of Clinton St. and Clement Ave. in the Wesley PUD. A note regarding the utilities will be included in the motion. The motion was seconded by Kerry Mayo. Vote: M. Pingel-Y, K. Mayo-Y, M. King-Y, P. Morrison-Y. 4-0, motion carried. 4. #20240590 400 Louden Rd. Site Plan Unitarian Universalistic Congregation. Site plan review for construction of an 8,844 sq. ft. place of worship and associated site work in the Rural Residential (RR) District. THE DISPLAY DID NOT WORK IN THE RECORDED VIDEO AND I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE APPLICANT’S PLAN. Jeff Anthony, Studio A Landscape Architecture & Engineering represented the application to build a new church. Jeff said they have received their special use permit, and the project hasn’t changed from what was presented a year ago to the planning board except that they now have detailed engineering. Jeff said they appreciated and welcomed the comments from the workshop and would like to discuss each of them:  Pedestrian connection to Bog Meadow Run – A city right-of-way runs across the property roughly at the split between the City of Saratoga and Town of Wilton boundaries. The ROW has a water line in it that conveys water from Bog Meadow Brook to Loughberry Lake to replenish water in the lake and that would be the location of the walkway. The church is amenable to putting in a paved bituminous walkway between the project site, hooking it onto the parking area and connecting it to the Bog Meadow Road corner. They will amend the drawings to show the walkway. After discussion, it was decided a crusher run surface would be more in keeping with the environment than asphalt for the walkway. Mike K. suggested that it be 6 ft. wide. City of Saratoga Springs – Planning Board Minutes – September 26, 2024 - Page 2 of 4  Concern about the amount of paving in the project – the goal of the design for the project was to separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic cleanly. The entrance road coming into the project off of Louden Road up to where it splits and goes to the loop is two-way. The loop is one-way. Once you go off the loop and into the parking lot, it too is one-way. It provides a differentiation for arrival for people dropping off at the front of the church, (elderly, etc.), and then go on to the parking lot and park. There’s a reserved buffer area between the parking and loop road that will be landscaped with trees. The parking bays (about 8,000 sq. ft.) will be paved with a crusher material, a permeable bituminous pavement. The driving lanes will be regular blacktop. They show 40 parking spaces in their plan. The current church population is 125, with a weekly attendance of 45 to 89 members. Roughly 2.25 people arrive per car which equates to 20 to 40 cars. The parking extended to the north (end of paved parking to where Wilton begins) will remain as turf only for overflow parking. Mike K. said they’re clearing the land for 56 spaces. There are 4 drive lanes; 2 that are coming off the road to the church with the loop and a two-way drive lane within the parking lane. Six mature trees will be removed to accommodate “turf” parking. Patty asked why they need those parking spaces and when will they need them. Jeff said they need a balanced cut and fill on the site. The way the site grades are right now it drops from Louden Rd. downward toward the church building. They will need to take earth from the north side of the site (Louden Rd. side), grade it and push it down toward the church. Jeff said that can’t be accomplished any other way. Equal cut, equal fill. Also, some time in the future they’re going to want to extend the parking and finish it off. The permanent parking base will be permeable blacktop (8,000 sq. ft.). Jeff said the stormwater management plan accounts for all of the paved surfaces to be impermeable, but they will be permeable.  Growth projection for the church – they would like to see growth of 5% per year. With a cumulative population of attendees of 5% over 5 years it would equal 58 to 113 members, requiring 26 to 50 cars for a normal service. Patty asked why they couldn’t consider parking on Bog Meadow, a wide residential street that will have a walkway connecting to the church. Jeff said that was considered during the special use permit review. Jeff said there were concerns from the Bog Meadow residents about parking on that street. Patty said it’s a public street and is done in Saratoga for churches that have services one day a week. Mike asked if they considered valet parking for events. Jeff said this is a rural site. Even if people park on Bog Meadow, they will have to cross a property that’s not owned by the church to get onto the church property. It’s approximately 100 ft. from Bog Meadow to the church property line. Jeff said they’re clearing 6 mature trees and planting 38. Jeff displayed the planting plan (not shown on video). There will be trees along the west side of the access driveway, a row of trees along the walkway that connects the parking area down to the church, and buffer planting by the corner property (evergreen trees). Jeff said there will also be other flowering shrubs and plantings that bloom spring to fall, rain and bee/butterfly gardens. Susan speaking but not audible. No mic. Mike said they are allowed 16 parking spaces plus 25% = 20. The applicant is proposing 56 parking spaces and if there are events with valet parking spaces. Jeff said the entrance road and loop are one-way, two-way until the split. Kerry said the rest of the loop around the rain garden, where there’s an option to go into the main area, doesn’t seem necessary under this plan. He doesn’t see a reason to grade out the extra parking spaces. If there are special events, they need to make accommodations to get people City of Saratoga Springs – Planning Board Minutes – September 26, 2024 - Page 3 of 4  to those events. Mark said he likes the circle but not 4 lanes of traffic and all of the impervious surface. He doesn’t like the idea of cutting down 6 mature trees on a contingency plan. He added that organized religion is under attack in terms of attendance, so it’s difficult to plan on growth when churches are not growing. Kerry clarified that he has no problem with the church getting the parking they need for their Sunday services. He has a concern with cutting down mature trees to make parking for events. He suggested that the church find a way to get more parking with less asphalt and without cutting down the 3 trees in the temporary area. Jeff displayed their demolition plan and said two of the trees are close to the Wilton line and if the Wilton parking area isn’t built those could remain. Three of the trees are in the way of their access driveway coming in. He said the tree at the edge of the parking lot may or may not be able to be saved. Kerry said he was referring to the two trees to the left of their access road. That part of the road doesn’t seem necessary. Mark Pingel, Co-Chair said there does not seem to be a favorable response from the board at this time regarding the parking plan and roadway. He said at some point the 40 parking spaces will likely be approved, but the amount of macadam needs to be looked at. The permeable surface ideas that the applicant has presented seem favorable to the board. He said the plan Jeff showed for the 3 trees to the north is appreciated. Jeff said the parking bay can become one way with diagonal parking. That would reduce it by 12 ft. in width. Mike said but it would lengthen it because of how it would need to be angled. Public Comment: Paul Moberg, 9 Bog Meadow Run said Bog Meadow Run is not a wide road at 23.5 ft. and you would not be able to park cars on both sides and get a lane in and out. He said on August 30, 2024, there were more than 150 vehicles parked on either side of the road and two cars could not fit traveling back and forth. He said the board agreed a year ago that walking/parking should not be allowed on Bog Meadow because it was dangerous for pedestrians. Paul said with regard to large events, the minister said that they would have large events elsewhere. He said the applicant said they would be working at the site Monday through Friday but they’re there working on Saturday. Who will police that? Patty said that issue is outside of the planning board’s purview. She said Paul would need to speak to the city regarding that issue. James Sallaway said the noise ordinance is in effect from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. He said typical construction hours are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and possible 2 hours of overtime. If the construction company lets the city know 24 hours in advance, they can let them work longer depending on daylight hours. James said Saturday work is rare, but they can get permission to do so. Paul said that he sent an email to the city, and he would like to make sure all of the board members see it. Mark Pingel, Co-Chair thanked the applicants for their patience. Jeff and Mark agreed that the applicant should come back with a comprehensive sketch plan but not do another drawing package at this time. MOTION TO ADJOURN: Kerry Mayo made a motion to adjourn the meeting at approximately 7:35 p.m. The motion was seconded by Patty Morrison. All in favor, motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Donna Gizzi, Recording Secretary City of Saratoga Springs – Planning Board Minutes – September 26, 2024 - Page 4 of 4 MINUTES APPROVED ON NOVEMBER 14, 2024 City of Saratoga Springs – Planning Board Minutes – September 26, 2024 - Page 5 of 4