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Home My WebLink About20210470 Fire Station #3 Application C+IA May 5, 2021 Ms. Amber Upton Planning Department Administrative Assistant City Hall 474 Broadway, Suite 32 Saratoga Springs,New York 12866 RE: Saratoga Springs Fire Station#3 Planning Board and Design Review Commission Advisory Services to the City Council CHA Project No.: 66193 Dear Ms. Upton, On May 4, 2021, the Saratoga Springs City Council moved to refer site and building plans for the Saratoga Springs Fire Station#3 project to the Planning Board and the Design Review Commission for advisory review reports. Accordingly, CHA Consulting, Inc. (CHA) is providing the following information for review by the Land Use Boards: • Project Narrative • Site Plans dated May 5, 2021 • Site Plan Rendering • Schematic Floor Plan • Schematic Building Elevations • Schematic Building Rendering CHA will be pleased to present the project to both land use boards,and to answer question or provide additional information they may require to complete their reports to the City Council. Please advise when our attendance at the board meetings is requested. Thank you, and if you have any questions,please call me at 518-453-3927. Very truly o r., i Ant 1,on 1'/ .tell to, Jr. PE Vic ' e :•ent Attachments cc: Vincent DeLeonardis, City Attorney Sean Foran, Hueber-Breuer Richard LaRose, CHA V:\Projects\ANY\K5\066193.000\07_Permitting\Local\City Planning Coordination\Site Plan Narrative 210505.docx "Satisfying Our Clients with III Winners Circle, P.O. Box 5269,Albany, NY 12205-0269 Dedicated People Committed to Total Quality" T 518.453.4500 • F 51 S.458.1735 • www.chacompanies.com Project Narrative — Saratoga Springs Fire Station #3 Project Background The Saratoga Springs City Council proposes to construct a new fire station to serve the eastern plateau region of Saratoga Springs. The City has entered into a land use agreement with the State of New York through the Franchise Oversight Board for land located on New York Racing Association (NYRA) property. Fire/EMS Station#3 will be situated on the west side of Henning Road, on the Oklahoma Track side of the Saratoga Race Course. Site Description The Project Site is a 2.36-acre lease parcel located near the northeast corner of tax parcel 166.3-25. The parent parcel is an approximately 163-acre site known as the Oklahoma Track property. The lease parcel fronts on the west side of Henning Road opposite the F. Donald Myers Education Center (Washington- Saratoga BOCES). The parcel is buffered on the north, south and west sides by the parent parcel. Fifth Avenue lies beyond the parent parcel to the north. The project site is dominated by upland ecological communities best described as unpaved road/path, successional northern sandplain grassland, successional shrubland/successional northern hardwoods, and Appalachian oak-hickory forest, with areas used for soil stockpiling. Project Description The project involves the construction of a new 15,500 +/- SF fire station and associated parking. The building will be a single-story structure approximately 180 feet long, 90 feet wide and 20 feet high. Six apparatus bays will be arranged three vehicles wide by two deep with overhead doors on opposite ends to allow pull-through access. Firematic support and administrative spaces are arranged adjacent to the apparatus bays. The building also includes living/sleeping quarters for on-duty fire fighters and emergency medical services staff, as well as a 1,500 SF emergency operations center. Saratoga Springs Fire Station#3 May 5, 2021 Project Narrative Page 1 Zoning Summary The Project Site is located within the City of Saratoga Springs Institutional Horse Track Related (INST- HTR) Zone and the Historic Zoning Overlay District. The proposed project has been determined to be essential to the public health and safety and is not subject to the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. Site and Landscape The building is approximately centered in the lease parcel, with the apparatus bays located toward the south to provide maximum separation from the Fifth Avenue residential area north of the site. The lower, gable-roofed support/administration side of the facility is situated to the north, with a day room on the north wall. The setback of the lease parcel from the rear boundary of the residential parcels provides a natural, mostly wooded buffer of approximately 100 feet. Based on early input from Saratoga Springs Planning Staff, the DRC Chair and the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, the building has been oriented with the front entrance facing Henning Road. A single point of vehicle access is provided from Henning Road toward the south end of the site,in line with the apparatus bays. The pavement layout is driven by the turning radii of the fire apparatus that will be housed in the building. The bulk of the parking has been located behind the building, although several spaces are provided in the front for visitors. Existing topography slopes from north to south. In order to minimize the footprint of site clearing and grading necessary for construction, a retaining wall is proposed along the north end of the building. This wall will be approximately six to eight feet high, and it is anticipated it will provide additional visual and acoustic screening between the facility and the area to the north. Coniferous trees will be planted above the retaining wall and along the northern boundary of the parcel to further increase the screening effect. Parking Summary Parking for 28 vehicles will be provided. The peak parking demand occurs at shift change,when arriving and departing staff cross paths. Although this is not a public-facing facility,between shift changes surplus parking will be available for use by visitors. Saratoga Springs Fire Station#3 May 5, 2021 Project Narrative Page 2 Aquatic Resources and Stormwater Management Review of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Environmental Resources Mapper(ERM) shows that the parcel does not occur within areas of mapped resources such as NYS-regulated wetland or buffer, streams, or state-listed rare, threatened, or endangered species. Based upon field observations made by CHA,no wetlands, streams, or other aquatic resources are present within the parcel. There is a roadside drainage ditch along the Henning Road frontage. This is an upland ditch that was likely excavated from upland for the purposes of drainage. The ditch is fed by a culvert that daylights water from a closed roadway drainage system from 5th Avenue. This ditch was observed to lack hydric soils and a predominance of hydrophytic vegetation and does not appear to be a relocated stream. Therefore, it is likely not a regulated aquatic resource. This ditch drains into the wetland ditch discussed in the next paragraph. Impacts to the upland ditch within the project parcel will not require federal or state permits relating to aquatic resources. Approximately 100 feet south of the project parcel there is a forested and emergent wetland located within and adjacent to a roadside ditch along Henning Road. Based on current federal regulations this wetland is also likely not jurisdictional because it does not directly abut a perennial or intermittent stream. Confirmation of the assumption of jurisdiction would need to be determined through an approved jurisdictional determination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Adjacent to the southwest corner of the parcel there is a wetland within what appears to be an excavated topographic depression. This wetland lacks an inlet or outlet and appears to be hydrologically isolated from Waters of the U.S. Therefore, according to federal regulations at this time, it is likely not jurisdictional. This would require confirmation with USACE. The detailed site plans for the project will incorporate post-construction stormwater management(PCSM) practices designed to mitigate offsite peak runoff and water quality impacts. A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) will be prepared for the project as required by Chapter 242 of the City of Saratoga Springs Code. Additionally, coverage under State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES)General Permit for Construction Activities(Permit Number GP-0-15-002)will be required since the disturbance will be greater than 1 acre. The SWPPP will also address the requirements of the General Permit. Saratoga Springs Fire Station#3 May 5, 2021 Project Narrative Page 3 Utility Services The water and sewer demand was calculated to be 1,200 gallons per day in accordance with NYSDEC Design Standards for Intermediate Sized Wastewater Treatment Systems, dated March,2014. The project will obtain water and sewer service from exiting public mains located to the north which will be extended to the property. Electric and gas service will be provided by National Grid from existing distribution lines located along Henning Road. Saratoga Springs Fire Station#3 I 14 May 5, 2021 Project Narrative 1 It I Page 4