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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230032 Crescent & Jefferson Site Plan Presentation 2023 06 16Liberty Saratoga Apartments a Liberty Development Project Saratoga Springs Planning Board: Site Plan (1st meeting) June 15, 2023 Overall Site Plan Work Force housing “public benefit” Despite need, no City incentive to do project City application and review fees: $72,907 Zoning Amendment: $8267 Site Plan + consultant: $59,340 County Sewer: $5300 How Liberty works Public Benefit Projects vs Market Rate PB Workshop Comments Topics Discussion during the City Planning Board 06/08/23 workshop: Bunny Lake Drive Improvements CDTA Coordination –Currently in progress. CDTA has indicated it is too early for coordination. Non-jurisdictional wetlands Conservation easement language -Ferradino Firm, PLLC is currently drafting language UDO Section 11.6.D Bunny Lake Drive Retaining Wall Visual Crescent Avenue Sidewalk Reviewing agency comments: Complete Streets Advisory Opinion Open Space Advisory Committee (pending) Bunny Lake Drive: Existing Conditions Description Local Street: Neighborhood 2 Lane Minor Street Local Street: Neighborhood 2 Lane Street EXISTING Bunny Lake Dr. Minimum ROW Width 55 ft 66 ft 24-28 ft Private Road no ROW Minimum Travel Lane 10 ft 10 ft 12 ft +/- Minimum Parking Lane Width 7 ft 7 ft No parking stalls Minimum Bike Lane Width N/A 5 ft No bike lane Minimum Tree Belt Width 5’-5”6 ft No sidewalk to create Tree Belt Minimum Sidewalk Width 5’5 ft No sidewalks * Privately owned by Bmhd Inc. & Saratoga Harness Racing, Inc. Bunny Lake Drive –Issues with conforming to city standards Privately Owned and not under Liberty Control: Neither the Planning Board nor Liberty can compel Cost:$550,000-$1.4M Mature Tree Removal: Roadway is +/-930 linear ft Minimum of 6700 sf of mature tree removal (grading will require additional) No demonstrated need: Functions at acceptable levels for traffic volume and projected increase Complete Streets CSAC’s “Wish List” Sidewalks Both sides of Bunny Lake –purpose? Crescent Ave –north side –purpose? Cash for Crescent Ave Connector -unnecessary Jefferson to Crescent –Proposed Crosswalks Cash for “all legs” Bunny Lake and Crescent Cash for “all legs” of Jefferson and Crescent On Jefferson at outlet of walking path –Omitted from plan Walking Paths –omitted from plan per PB Lighting Maintenance Bunny Lake Dr. Sidewalk/Roadway Cost Sidewalks on both sides: $550,000-650,000 Clearing Trees Fill,grade and subbase +/-$1900 LF concrete Place 20 new trees and seedlings Widen Roadway and Sidewalks -$1.25-1.45M Above Demolish existing structures/lighting, mill existing paving Pave Relocate Casino signage New lighting Easement for Bunny Lake Dr. Parking in setbacks UDO does not require parking to be outside setbacks CDTA Mass Transit Discussions SEQR review for traffic Property on seasonal route Ability to become permanent premature PILOT for electric car share Traffic Study SEQR –no significant impact 2019 Study Trip Generation: 66/86 and LOS A & B 2023 ITE calculations 74/83 LOS A & B and trip generation under 100 –No changes Modifications since 2019 Declining attendance More units (20), less bedrooms (72) Non-jurisdictional wetlands Impacts: Minor grading; Storm pipe and stone at end of pipe; Minor tree removal to support above NYSDEC Jurisdiction “To be protected under the Freshwater Wetlands Act, a wetland must be 12.4 acres.” NYSDEC website Wetland Report (p. 7) “These wetlands are not jurisdictional under NYSDEC law, however they are currently jurisdictional under ACOE Section 404 of the Clean Water Act” ACOE Jurisdiction JD 08/17/20. “…two wetlands on the site that are identified as Wetlands B and C…are determined to be excluded from Clean Water Act jurisdiction.” (p,2) Saratoga Springs UDO –Section 7.1 No principal buildings, accessory structures, or paved surfaces are permitted on land within 100 linear feet of land and waters identified as Class I and Class II Freshwater Wetlands by the NYSDEC or within 50 linear feet of federal wetlands. Wetlands B & C do not meet UDO definition of a wetland. No 50 ft buffer (Sec. 13.6) required. SEQR Neg Dec:12/20/22. Impacts included in SEQR review. Conservation easement – (Intrada Precedent) City benefits as grantee of the Easement Passive Recreation Restrictions: Restriction on development No construction that isn’t related to passive recreation No cutting of trees Ability for city to make improvements? Liaison from board? Passive Open Space Requirement UDO Section 15.8.A “Applicability” “Upon finding that a proper case exists for requiring a park or other recreational purpose within the City, the Planning Board will require an offering of usable land for active recreation or passive open space, or fee in lieu of land, for each new residential unit created through the subdivision or site plan review processes ” Hemlock Trail, soccer fields, playground, 2400 acre Spa Park UDO Section 15.8.B “Required Land Area” “The owner must offer or provide to the City Class A or Class B Type Usable Land, or combination thereof, equal in size to at least 10% of the subject parcel(s) for use as recreational land.” Definition of Class B “Class B Type usable land refers to land not suitable generally for development except for passive open space.” Total Parcel Required Land Area Proposed 30.27 acres 3.03 acres 10% minimum 19.88 acres 66% Parking Lot Landscaping UDO Section 11.6.D: “The minimum total landscape area of a parking lot, including parking lot islands, must be 10% of the total parking lot area….Parking lot landscape area along a street, as required in Section 11.5, is excluded from the calculation of total parking lot area and total parking lot landscape.” Total Parking Lot Area Parking Impervious Cover Parking Greenspace Required Provided 3.32 acres 2.80 acres 0.52 acres 10%16% Bunny Lake Retaining Wall +/-69 ft of mature trees between retaining wall & Bunny Lake Drive. Three parking stalls -no tree line buffer. Existing Cell Tower Saratoga Casino Soccer Fields Soccer Field Tree Buffer Proposed Sidewalk Connections Proposed Connection from Jefferson Avenue to Crescent Avenue Proposed Connection from Bunny Lake Drive to Crescent Avenue Impacts/Issues Relocation of existing ditch line Existing power poles Impacts: NYSDEC 100 ft buffer, & NYSDEC/ACOE regulated wetland Removal of mature trees Existing 18” culvert discharging DEC/ACOE wetland under Crescent Ave Existing hydrants along north side of Crescent Ave Not possible to meet all site constraints and provide a sidewalk along the project property within the current ROW Crescent Ave is a County Highway SHPO concerned with increased use of Hemlock Trail The 2014 Saratoga Greenbelt Trail plan studied this and recommends Crescent Ave Connector on south side. April 20, 2023: Tonko funded $300,000 for 2024 for 1 mile connector! Includes crosswalk to “provide a direct connection to Casino and Raceway” NEWS! Crescent Avenue Connector Open Space Advisory Board Request made When meet? PB Inquiries: 1. Unit Count 2. Fire Dept 3. SCPB 4. Other Agency reviews: a. SCPB b. SCSD c. Open Space Advisory d. ??? 5. Asphalt vs. concrete sidewalks Liberty Saratoga Apartments a Liberty Development Project Saratoga Springs Planning Board: Site Plan (1st meeting) June 15, 2023