HomeMy WebLinkAbout20170676 DeVall Subdivision PB Advisory Opinion ws:TOG4 , MARK TORPEY,Chair
City of Saratoga Springs JAMIN TOTING,Vice Chair
SARA BOIVIN
" r-4 PLANNING BOARD
ROBERT F.BRISTOL
jAr" RUTH HORTON
•` ` City Hall -474 Broadway
• JANET CASEY
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866
-'DORATE.0 c Tel: 518-587-3550 fax: 518-580-9480 TODD FABOZZI
www.saratoga-springs.org SHAWNA JENKS,ALTERNATE
AMY RYAN,ALTERNATE
May 1 5, 2019
Tamie Ehinger, Chair
Design Review Commission
City of Saratoga Springs, NY
Subject: Coordinated SEQRA Review Devall Two-Lot Subdivision (Application #
17.051 .1 )
The Planning Board issued an unfavorable advisory opinion to the ZBA on October
18th, 2018 regarding the DeVall two-lot subdivision located at 59 Franklin Street.
The Planning Board identified three items in its opinion noting that this parcel is
located within the city's Franklin Square Historic District and is listed as a
"contributing structure" on the New York State and National registers of historic
places. The Planning Board noted the following:
1 ) The proposed subdivision would create two substandard lots. While the Planning
Board is supportive of appropriate urban in-fill, the Board is not supportive of
subdivisions that would result in the creation of substandard parcels requiring
variances, particularly in the City's historic districts.
2) The Board encourages the applicant to pursue alternatives that would not result in the
creation of substandard parcels. The Board notes that within this zoning district (UR-
4), two principal structures would be permitted without the need for subdivision.
3) The Board notes the historic urban form of a dominant primary structure with a
secondary accessory structure within much of the City's historic urban residential
areas (e.g. primary residence with accessory carriage house use). The Board suggests
the applicant explore the use of this form at this location with a structure that is more
historically and architecturally appropriate for this location.
The Applicant has not modified the design of the project in response to the Planning
Board's recommendations in the advisory opinion. The two-lot subdivision is
classified as Type 1 under SEQRA. The Planning Board serves as Lead Agent and is
seeking additional input from DRC to assist with its coordinated review of the SEQRA
application. The Planning Board respectfully requests guidance from DRC regarding
two sections on Part 2 of the Full Environmental Assessment Form (FEAF).
• Section 10: Impact on Historic and Architectural Resources
Is review of sub-section e warranted, and if so, does "the proposed action result in
the alteration of the property's setting or integrity'; or "result in the introduction of
visual elements which are out of character with the site or property, or may alter its
settin4'?
• Section 18: Consistency with Community Character
Consideration of sub-section e whether the "proposed action is inconsistent with the
predominate architectural scale and character'?
The Planning Board recognizes that the DRC has provided input regarding a previous
design iteration on this parcel, however, the current proposed layout is now
different. The Planning Board wants to ensure that the SEQRA review takes full
account of DRC's recommendations on the latest proposed design and layout.
The Planning Board is interested in feedback on whether the proposed new
residential home properly respects the integrity of the existing "contributing
structure", both in terms of mass/scale and historic context/setting.
Additionally, the Planning Board has reviewed other applications within the past few
years seeking to subdivide parcels into substandard lots within the City's historic
districts and concluded that this would alter historic character, and over time,
obscure the traditional settlement pattern in key locations. The Planning Board is
further interested in DRC's view whether subdividing certain parcels into
substandard lots within the City's historic districts may have a long-term negative
impact on the historic character of these neighborhoods.
It is further noted that the City's subdivision regulation (City Code 241 -2 A (13))
states the following:
"This Chapter is adopted for the following purposes....to ensure that land is
subdivided only when subdivision is necessary to provide for uses of land for which
market demand exists and which are in the public interest."
The Planning Board is unclear as to how the DeVall two-lot subdivision application,
as currently proposed, supports long-term public interest and would appreciate
any/all supplemental guidance that DRC can provide.
Respectfully submitted,
Mark R. Torpey, Chair