HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200735 Excelsior Avenue Apartments LA Group Comment Response Ltr 4.13.22 U(n
The LA GROUP
Landscape Architecture&Engineering P.C-
Peaple.Purpose.Place.
40 Long Alley
Saratoga Springs
NY 12866
p;518-587-8100
f 518-587-0180
www.thelagroup.com
April 13, 2022
Debbie LaBreche
City of Saratoga Springs
474 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
debbie.labreche()saratoga-springs.org
RE: Excelsior Avenue Apartments
City of Saratoga Springs,Saratoga County, New York
Dear Ms. LaBreche:
The following comments pertain to the submission package for the Excelsior Avenue Apartments.A comment letter was
received on March 21, 2022 from LaBella Associates. The responses below are related to that letter.
Site Plans:
Comment 1: Please provide a signed and sealed copy of the boundary, topographic and utility survey.
Response 1: A signed and sealed copy of the boundary,topographic, and utility survey will be provided at
final approval of the plans.
Comment 2: Please show the limits of the existing easements on all sheets. It appears that work including erosion
control measures, paving, proposed catch basins, and grading, may be proposed on Lot 4, owned by
Excelsior Park, which is outside of the existing cross-lot and parking easement. Please identify any
additional easements that may be required to accommodate this work.
Response 2: Construction and drainage easements have been indicated on each sheet.
Comment 3: Please provide a signed and sealed copy of the Subdivision Map.
Response 3: A signed and sealed copy of the subdivision map will be provided at final approval of the plans.
Comment 4: The Limit of Work on Sheet L-1.0 should be expanded to include the connection of the proposed
sanitary sewer to the existing sanitary sewer system.
Response 4: The limit of work has been expanded to include the sanitary sewer connection.
Comment 5: A note should be added to the Site Preparation, Erosion &Control Plan stating that soil stockpile areas
should be an adequate distance from infiltration areas to prevent sedimentation of area.
Response 5: The requested note has been added to the Site Preparation, Erosion&Sediment Control Plan.
Comment 6: A note should be added to the plans (also provided in the sequence of construction)that indicates
infiltration areas be protected from heavy construction equipment traffic and not connected to the storm
system until the completion of construction and the final stabilization of all upstream areas.
Response 6: The requested note has been added to the Site Preparation, Erosion&Sediment Control Plan
and the sequence of construction located in the SWPPP.
Comment 7: The"No Parking" and"Van Accessible" signs called out on the Accessible Parking Layout detail should
be added to the Sign Schedule.
a. Additionally,the notes for the"No Parking" and"Van Accessible" signs for the Accessible Parking
Layout detail appear to be switched. Please clarify.
Response 7: The"No Parking" and "Van Accessible" signs have been added to the sign schedule.The notes
on the Accessible Parking Layout detail have been switched accordingly.
Comment 8: A 2"x 12" pressure treated timber shall be used for the level spreader, as shown in Figure 3.7 of the
NYS Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control, November 2016. Detail 7, Sheet
L-6.4 currently shows 6"x6"timber; please revise.
Response 8: The level spreader detail has been updated to show the indicated timber size.
Comment 9: Slopes and cross slopes should be provided for all proposed accessible routes. Note that previous
submissions did indicate slopes between the proposed playground and accessible parking spaces and
those have been removed on the current submission; please add.
Response 9: Slopes and cross slopes have been added to the Site Accessibility Plan.
SWPPP:
Comment 10: City Code Chapter 242 requires long-term maintenance of the stormwater management practices. The
following notes need to be added to the SWPPP under Post-Construction Operation and Maintenance
of Stormwater Control Devices:
a. "All post-construction stormwater management facilities must be inspected annually by a qualified
professional, a report prepared and submitted to the City Engineer documenting the inspections as
well as the maintenance activities that were completed during the prior year."
b. "The City of Saratoga Springs shall approve a formal maintenance and inspection agreement in
accordance with City Code Chapter 242 for stormwater management facilities to ensure the
practices will be properly operated and maintained in accordance with the long-term operation and
maintenance plans. This agreement shall be binding on all subsequent landowners and recorded in
the office of the County Clerk as a deed restriction on the property."
Response 10: The above notes have been added to Section 6.1 of the SWPPP.
Comment 11: Per Table 5.8 of the NYS DEC Stormwater Design Manual(SMDM)a gravel diaphragm shall be
installed at the top of the filter strip and a permeable berm shall be installed at the toe of the filter strip.
Response 11: The purpose of the gravel diaphragm is to ensure sheet flow over the vegetated surface.This is
achieved by the proposed level spreader.The DEC Manual has little guidance on how the
permeable berm should be constructed or design requirements.The LA Group has reached out
to NYSDEC on clarification for design requirements and will provide response.
Comment 12: The depth of the filter strip depression shown on the Level Spreader detail (12 inches)and used in
HydroCAD (6 inches)conflict. Please revise.
Response 12: The HydroCAD model has been revised to show a 12" depression
Comment 13: The final SWPPP should:
a. Be signed by a responsible corporate officer, general partner, proprietor, principal executive officer,
ranking elected official, or duly authorized representative; and
b. Include a signed copy of the Notice of Intent.
Response 13: A signed copy of the SWPPP and NOT will be provided at final approval of the plans.
Comment 14: A sequence of construction, including all relative required elements per the NYS Standards and
Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control, November 2016 (see page 2.15), shall be included in
the SWPPP.
Response 14: Items indicated on page 2.15 have been added to the construction sequence of operations plan
in section 4.3 of the SWPPP
x,
Comment 15: Section 4.4 of the SWPPP, Erosion and Sediment Control Practice Maintenance, should be updated to
include appropriate requirements addressing maintenance of the concrete washout and inlet protection.
Response 15: Concrete washout and inlet protection maintenance requirements have been added to section
4.4 of the SWPPP.
Comment 16: Section 6.1 of the SWPPP, Maintenance to be Performed, should include appropriate requirements
addressing maintenance of the filter strip.
Response 16: Filter strip maintenance requirements have been added to the SWPPP.
Comment 17: The time of concentration flow paths should be included on the drainage maps.
Response 17: Time of concentration flow paths have been added to the drainage maps.
Comment 18: Attachment D of the Stormwater Management Report presents WQv calculations. The required WQv for
the project must be calculated using the entire contributing area of the site; current calculations only
address the impervious areas of the site. Please revise.
Response 18: The WQv calculation has been adjusted to reflect the entire contributing area of the site.
Comment 19: Per Section 5.3 (see page 5-50)of the SMDM filter strips are an area reduction practice and are not to
be used for water quality reduction. The WQv calculations presented in Attachment D of the Stormwater
Management Report apply a WQv reduction for the filter strips which is not appropriate; please revise.
Response 19: Area directed to the filter strips has been removed from the required WQv rather than added to
the provided WQv as requested.
Comment 20: As it is proposed that Subcatchment Area P3 will connect to an underground infiltration system installed
for the Excelsior Park Condominiums project, please provide the following information:
a. Drainage easement permitting the discharge of stormwater to this practice.
Response 20: As a result of this project less overall and impervious area is being directed to the existing
practices. Because we are redirecting water away from the existing practice and onto our site a
drainage easement is not necessary. Please refer to the pre and post development HydroCAD
which displays the reduction in area to the existing practice.
Sincerely,
Douglas B. Heller, PE
Associate Principal
Director of Civil Engineering/
Civil Engineer
dheller(�thelagroup.com
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Response\2022 04-13 Comment Response Ltr.-hafrev1.docx