HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200574 Excelsior Park Correspondance (5) 1/26/2021 Zimbra
Zimbra jennifer.merriman@saratoga-springs.org
Re: Excelsior Park LLC
From : BRUCE COFFIN <brucecoffin@gmail.com> Mon, Jan 25, 2021 11:19 AM
Subject : Re: Excelsior Park LLC
To :Jennifer Merriman <jennifer.merriman@saratoga-
springs.org>
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Thank you
On Mon, Jan 25, 2021, 11:13 AM Jennifer Merriman <jennifer.merriman@saratoga-
springs.org> wrote:
This will be uploaded tomorrow. I am off today. Original Message From: BRUCE
COFFIN To: jennifer merriman Sent: Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:10:05 -0500 (EST) Subject:
Excelsior Park LLC CAUTION: This email originated outside of the City network. Please
contact IT Support if you need assistance determining if it's a threat before opening
attachments or clicking any links. Ms Merriman Would you please confirm receipt and
share/forward to Chairman Torpey and the other members of the Planning Board. Chair
Torpey Thank you for the opportunity to audit the Planning Board meeting on January 21st
as well as the ability to address you and the board members. We wanted to memorialize
the concerns that we expressed as well as endorse the similar concerns of the neighbors
that either sent correspondence or spoke at the meeting. 1.) Please see the attached
picture of the bridge / boardwalk that was presented to us by the builder in 2014. Instead
of a 50 ft boardwalk and stone dust path we have a 435 ft wooden bridge that rivals the
Verrazano Narrows bridge. Why was there a departure from the original representation
when we were contemplating building? This structure places pressure on the police
department due to activity on the bridge: consumption of drugs, vandalism, skateboarding
(11p.m.-2 a.m.), disregard for the opening and closing hours, jumping into the protected
wetlands etc. As mentioned we have called the police over 15 times in this regard. Further,
how do people physically distance on a 58 inch wide structure? 2.) Mr Carr mentioned
infiltration as a method of surface water dissipation. Water would obviously leech to the
Spring Run putting further pressure on the wetlands. As mentioned our mortgagee states
that our properties are in a 100-year floodplain notwithstanding the fact that the builder
again mentioned in 2014 that the property is not in a floodplain. It seems logical that
adding residential units would further exacerbate this situation and our properties. 3.) We
have seen definitive changes in noise, odor from the Spring Run, and wildlife and
waterfowl patterns. For example, prior to 2017 deer could freely roam in the wetlands.
Now, the bridge prevents and severs any migratory patterns. Ducks, herons, geese are
negligible. 4.) One of your board members brought up the "country overlay" zoning in as
much as it is to be preserved and maintain a rural country character and complement the
natural conditions evidenced at the Saratoga State Park. Zoning Section 3.2.1 states that
this is to be the Planning Board's guide for the location and character of site development.
If five people inhabited each residential dwelling that would add 895 people to the
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1/26/2021 Zimbra
population of this "country overlay" . Two people in each dwelling would be 358 with all of
the concomitant activities, water usage, sewage etc. I submit to the Planning Board a
question to contemplate " how much is enough" ? 5.) Since 2017 we have had to endure
the lack of quiet enjoyment of life due to the constant building noise, added traffic, power
tools etc. Rather than have a variance on the DEC SEQR why not contemplate a SEQR
redux... a post-mortem on the current site, the numerous management companies, how
and why the master plan has been changed and altered over the course of the last 15
years as witnessed by the diagram of the proposed bridge in 2014. The environmental
impact is deleterious and evident. Thank you again for the consideration of these important
environmental matters as well as those of the other participants and interested parties.
Respectfully submitted, Bruce and Jill Coffin -- Jennifer Merriman Land Use Board
Coordinator Office of Planning and Economic Development City of Saratoga Springs phone
518-587-3550 x2533 fax 518-580-9480
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