HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200926 Kaydeross Ave East Subdivision Correspondance To: Mark Torpey,Chair, Planning Board
From: Tom Denny,Chair,Open Space Advisory Committee(OSAC)
Re: 227 Kaydeross Ave East conservation subdivision
Date: February 24, 2021
I have spoken at length with Susan Barden and Tina Carton about these complex issues. The OSAC discussed this
on February 24. There are many complexities and details involved,which the OSAC leaves to you,City Hall,and
the developer. Our goal in writing is simply to highlight the opportunities,and the challenges, in this application.
Background challenges to conservation of Open Space
The 227 Kaydeross Ave East project is almost a perfect illustration of the complicated mix of opportunities and
challenges facing land conservation in Saratoga Springs today. Here are some key factors at play:
• Open space assets(trails,waterfront access, picnic pavilions)are extremely popular with the public,and
get heavy use from residents and tourists alike. During the pandemic,they have been lifesavers.
• The City has a growing inventory of conserved open space assets,some owned by the City,some by not-
for-profits,some privately. The City has approved plans for more,such as the Saratoga Greenbelt Trail,
which is gradually filling in as a reality. And the City is currently revising its 2002 Open Space Plan.
• Both the upland and lowland open spaces of the 227 Kaydeross project have great recreational trail
potential, particularly when viewed in the context of neighboring parcels that may also go through the
conservation subdivision process.
• Long-term funding for the maintenance of trails, park amenities,and other open space infrastructure is
emerging as the greatest unresolved challenge in the City's open space policies. Without dedicated
funding,the City's DPW sometimes pushes back on the acquisition or development of new assets that
would add to its responsibilities, citing lack of workers and budget,and the City loses opportunities.
• It seems likely that the updated Open Space Plan will confront these funding issues head on and make
recommendations that will help the City to find the will and the creativity to design funding mechanisms
for these important public open space resources. In the meantime,anything that the Planning Board can
do to keep public access options open until the City determines its funding strategy would be extremely
important work on your part.
Trail systems with public access—recommendations and additional thoughts
1. The OSAC strongly recommends that the developer build some trail infrastructure for immediate homeowner
use during construction; approve the best currently available option,even if not perfect, rather than settle for
paper trails that may never be developed. 2. We also urge the Planning Board to include guarantees in the
conservation easement of future rights to develop additional publicly accessible trails in both the upland and
creekside areas of this subdivision. The map on the next page illustrates some of this potential.
A few additional thoughts:
• Creekside trail. When the OSAC submitted its earlier advisory letter on this property in January, 2019,we
walked the upland areas of Parcel 1 but did not walk Parcel 2. Although the OSAC mentioned Parcel 2 trails in the
earlier letter,a recent opportunity to walk the creekside area on an adjacent parcel brought home how remarkable
an asset a Kayaderosseras Creekside Preserve could be. We would recommend that the Planning Board weigh
several factors in Parcel 2: its adjacency to the city-owned Ramsdill property,with potential for parking;the public
access it has to the creek,and the value of kayak or canoe access to it;the potential connection downstream
through other lowland parcels all the way to the Blodgett property,also city owned. The Ramsdill parking option
might also serve the upland trails. Wetland trail development will present challenges and may be expensive.
• Upland trails.The OSAC supports the upland trail system with public access in the application. It will only
increase in value if it connects into a larger future network of trails as other parcels along Kaydeross Ave. East are
developed via the conservation subdivision process. The map lays out the conceptual route for a possible loop
through the adjoining property that returns to 227,as well as a ridgeline trail that could reach the road near the
Blodgett property. This could create a large loop of upland and creekside trail.
Wetlands. The attached map also shows DEC and NWI wetlands. Parcel 2 is completely within the DEC wetlands.
We would urge the Planning Board to reconsider whether a residential lot is appropriate in Parcel 2.
Kaydeross Ave East - possible trail systems
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