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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20180566 18.042 68 Weibel Ave_SUP NarrativesstudioA Landscape Architecture, D.P.C. Special Use Permit Narratives — 68 Weibel Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY Q1— The extent to which the use is in harmony with and promotes the general purposes and intent of the Comprehensive Plan and thls Chapter. Al. While the existing use and development scheme for the property is not in harmony nor does it provide for the general purpose and intent of the Comprehensive Plan and T-4 Transect Zone District, the use has existed on the property since 1968+/-, prior to the enactment of the current Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Law. Virtually all non-compliance issues with the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Law include visual considerations as well as dust generation from unpaved driveways and parking areas. Such non- compliance issues include: a) The character of the streetscape; b) Unapproved signage; c) The build -to distance from front lot line (12'-18' is required); d) The minimum 50% build out along the frontage; e) Unpaved driveways and parking areas; f) Existence of temporary structures/membrane type structures; g) Storage of unlicensed vehicles on the site; h) Storage of waste containers on the site; i) Lack of internal vehicular circulation between adjacent properties; j) Storage of building waste material and debris on the site, and k) No minimum 2 story buildings. Proposed remedial actions will reduce and/or eliminate most visual intrusions to neighboring properties and the Weibel Avenue travel corridor as well as eliminate the generation of dust from vehicles traversing the site driveways. These include the following: a) Character of streetscape —The applicant proposes to install a new concrete sidewalk, street trees, and period light fixtures along Weibel Avenue; b) Unapproved signage — The applicant will remove all signage along Weibel Avenue and only replace signage once approved by the local boards; c) Build -to distance from Front Lot line — A variance has been applied for; d) Minimum 50% buildout along the frontage —A variance has been applied for; e) Unpaved driveways and parking areas — The applicant proposes to pave driveways and parking areas and stripe the parking stalls; buffer plantings will be installed to screen parking areas from adjacent properties; f) Temporary structures/membrane type structures —The applicant will remove all such structures from the site; g) Storage of unregistered vehicles — The applicant will remove all unregistered vehicles from the site; h) Waste containers — The applicant will remove all such containers from the site; i) Internal vehicular circulation between adjacent properties — The applicant will plan for future provisions to connect adjacent properties to the site driveway; j) Storage of waste building materials — The applicant will remove all waste building materials from the site; k) No minimum 2 story buildings — A variance has been applied for. Implementation of the above remedial actions will improve the visual character of the property and bring it into greater compliance with the T-4 Transect Zone requirements. As a result, it will be more visually compatible with adjacent properties and the Weibel Avenue streetscape until such time in the future that re -development of the site is proposed. Q2. The density, intensity and compatibility of the use with the neighborhood and community character. A2. The existing development density and intensity of use of the site is very low and does not even approach the potential density and intensity of use that is allowable under the T-4 Transect Zone District. Current uses on the site include a 900+/- SF insurance office building, two metal storage structures (2,400 SF and 1,500 SF), a large metal building that is used for storage, offices and retail sales (12,500 SF) and a golf driving range with 16 tees and a clubhouse (150 SF). All of these structures are one story in height. As specified in Item 1 above, remedial actions are proposed that will upgrade the visual character of the existing improvements on the site, thereby allowing them to be visually compatible with the neighborhood and community character. No nuisance activities exist on the project site that will produce unacceptable levels of noise, vibration, odor or glare. Q3. Safe and efficient pedestrian and vehicular access, circulation and parking. A3. The applicant proposes upgrades and remedial actions that will assure that the site possesses safe and efficient pedestrian and vehicular access, circulation and parking. Such upgrades and remedial actions include the following: a) A new concrete sidewalk is proposed along Weibel Avenue which will provide a safe pedestrian circulation connection between properties to the north and south; b) The access driveway will be paved with asphalt; c) Parking areas at each building will be re -configured, paved and stalls striped to provide for the proper number of cars to be parked. Handicap spaces will be delineated (See Sketch Plan). d) The applicant will plan for future provisions to connect adjacent properties to the site driveway. Q4. Existing and future demand on infrastructure, public facilities and services. A4. Existing uses on the site do not generate a high demand on community infrastructure, public facilities and services. Individual On -Site water wells and septic system utilities currently service the site. The small insurance office, two warehouse buildings and combined office -retail -storage building are very low users of water and, as such, generate very low volumes of sewage. No future expansion of uses currently existing on the site are anticipated, therefore, the demand on water and sewer infrastructure will remain at the historic/current level until such time in the future that re -development of the site is proposed at levels allowable by the T-4 Transect Zone District and municipal services are extended into the site. No use on the site generates any demand on public facilities such as recreation, a library, etc. since there is no housing, and therefore no residents, that exist on the site. Public services, such as police, fire and ambulance in Saratoga Springs are adequate to service the site. No exorbitant demand for such services are generated by any use on the site. It should be noted that the site provides outdoor recreational facilities for the residents of the community. The golf driving range is a popular amenity in the community and provides open space recreation opportunities. It will be reduced in size from 16 tees to 4 tees. Q5. The environment and natural resources of the site and neighboring lands including any potential erosion, flooding or excessive light, noise, vibration and the like. A5. Uses on the site, as they exist, do not impact the environmental and natural resources of the site or neighboring lands. Such uses do not cause erosion, flooding or excessive light, noise, vibration or odor. The applicant proposes several upgrades and remedial actions which will assure that such impacts do not occur including the following: a) Driveways and parking areas on the site will be paved with asphalt, thereby eliminating the potential for air borne dusts from vehicular traffic. This will assure that such dusts do not impact adjacent residential/commercial uses to the north and south; b) Buffer plantings along the site's property lines and adjacent to parking areas are proposed. This will assure that visibility to parking areas from adjacent residential uses to the north and south are adequately buffered. Additionally, landscaping at the site's buildings will be installed to improve the visual quality of the property; c) Unlicensed vehicles, waste building materials, waste containers, and temporary structures/membrane type structures will be removed from the site. This will improve the visual quality of the property; d) All areas where waste building materials, temporary structures/membrane type structures and related unnecessary parking surfaces are to be removed will be restored with grasses; e) All exterior security light fixtures will be retrofitted with "Dark Sky" compliant fixtures to eliminate glare, light spill over and escape of light to the atmosphere. Q6. The long-term economic viability of the site, neighboring properties and districts. A6. Existing tenants in buildings on the site have leases and are expected to remain tenants until such time that economic conditions precipitate the need and desire on part of the current landowner or another entity (purchaser) to propose re -development of the site. Therefore, the economic viability of current rentals/leases on the site is assured for the time being. The site is strategically located in an area experiencing residential and commercial development and is a prime candidate for re -development. As such, its future re -development in compliance with the T-4 Transect Zone District requirements is probable. Approval of the continuation of the existing uses on the site is a temporary condition. As to the long term economic viability of neighboring properties, adjacent mixed residential/commercial uses to the north and south will be visually buffered from the site by the proposed improvements. Additionally, no activities occur on the site that produce objectionable noise, odor, vibration, or glare that will affect these uses. Dust will also be controlled by paving the access drive and parking areas. As such, continuation of the existing uses on the site for some period of time are not expected to affect the economic viability of facilities on these adjacent properties or in the district.