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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230216 118 Woodlawn Special Use Permit Public Comment (10)6/26/23, 11:55 AM Zimbra https://m.saratoga-springs.org/h/printmessage?id=15793&tz=America/New_York 1/3 From :Susan Barden <susan.barden@saratoga-springs.org> Subject :Fwd: Public comment in regards to Woodlawn Social Club, Project 20230216 & 20230245 To :Julia Destino <julia.destino@saratoga-springs.org> Zimbra julia.destino@saratoga-springs.org Fwd: Public comment in regards to Woodlawn Social Club, Project 20230216 & 20230245 Mon, Jun 26, 2023 11:05 AM Public comment Woodlawn Ave. SUP. Susan B. Barden, AICP Principal Planner City of Saratoga Springs 474 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY 518-587-3550 ext. 2493 From: "Gary Hasbrouck" <gman62happy@gmail.com> To: "Susan Barden" <susan.barden@saratoga-springs.org> Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2023 6:09:47 PM Subject: Public comment in regards to Woodlawn Social Club, Project 20230216 & 20230245 CAUTION: This email originated outside of the City network. Please contact IT Support if you need assistance determining if it's a threat before opening attachments or clicking any links. Dear Planning Board Members, The Woodlawn Ave Social Club Project brings up many relevant issues regarding what type of club could come to fruition in the former church. In order to realize the representations of the project provided to you by the applicant, the Board should consider "reasonable" conditions before granting this special permit. With a tip of the cap towards believing the assertions of the applicant, a "trust but verify" approach is recommended. Once a "club" is approved, you have very little power to revoke the special use permit without certain conditions being violated. Unless those conditions are spelled out and used as part of the resolution granting the special permit, who knows what we could end up with. (Gaffney's) First, the parking requirements and parking lot need to be tied to the use of the church as a social club. Upon the selling of the approval (yes, this could happen), the parking lot could not and should not be developed as anything other than a parking lot without the special use permit being compromised. The 2 parcels need to be considered together. If the parking lot 6/26/23, 11:55 AM Zimbra https://m.saratoga-springs.org/h/printmessage?id=15793&tz=America/New_York 2/3 gets sold, the special use permit becomes invalid. No using the Woodlawn parking garage or empty spots on the street in the future parking calculations. Second, membership must be yearly. I've visited "clubs" in other states where liquor laws don't allow bars to operate so you pay a cover (membership) to be a member for one evening. Third, no live music. You can imagine a business social club with background music, soft and jazzy with business decisions being made. Maybe there would be a piano. Club is approved with no restrictions on live music. The piano becomes a synthesizer joined by a guitar, drums, bass and lots of screaming amplified throughout the neighborhood because the social club just became a young adult hangout because they all are "like minded individuals." In fact, music should be confined to the background only not to be heard outside the premises. Fourth, no outside events. This would be a condition that would not allow outside events (no matter how worthy) in either the parking lot, the club itself, and would include lots 165.51-2- 11 & 13 that are controlled by the applicant. Fifth, about those 2 additional lots controlled by the applicant. It seems to reason that upon approval and using the same methodology presented by the applicant, the applicant would develop #11 & 13 in a commercial manner using the adjacent land theory. The barbershop is in UR-3 and is commercial. The parking lot for the social club is used commercially. The church is used commercially. Therefore, the 2 lots under control of the applicant should be commercially used because to do otherwise would be out of character in the community. You can see where this is going. We would be part of the downtown core by proxy. Sixth, 120 seat capacity for a social club seems high. Considering the parking available, it would appear the parking provided would be a little light. BUT, they have met the parking requirements based upon square footage of the building. Would an occupancy limit be in the powers of the Planning Board? You don't put 120 seats in a social club and not expect at least 50% of them to be filled at least 50% of the time, would you? Would one of the privileges of membership be being able to hold a graduation/wedding/birthday/anniversary/retirement/sweet 16/religious/political event on site? Lastly, the not-for-profit that will be running the entity will be responsible for raising funds for "operational cost only" per the applicant. They will charge just enough to cover the food, labor and utility costs. Oh, they have to cover the rent too. The owner of the building deserves some sort of return on his investment. It all sounds like a not-for-profit venture as envisioned by the City until it isn't. The not-for-profit appears to be a cover for qualifying for entrance into the zoning district and getting waivers from the 10% permeable area requirement in the parking lot along with covering the ROI for the property owner. This social club could morph into many things the City and the neighborhood doesn't want or could contemplate. Conditions placed on the special permit are extremely important. Should the approval be sold or the applicant finds the social club financial metrics don't work, they should have to come back to the Planning Board for adjustments and approvals so we don't end up with something we didn't expect. Sincerely, Gary Hasbrouck 6/26/23, 11:55 AM Zimbra https://m.saratoga-springs.org/h/printmessage?id=15793&tz=America/New_York 3/3 36 State Street Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Confidentiality/Privilege Notice: This e-mail communication and any files transmitted with it contain privileged and confidential information from the City of Saratoga Springs and are intended solely for the use of the individual(s) or entity to which it has been addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or taking any other action with respect to the contents of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please delete it and notify the sender by return e-mail. Thank you for your cooperation.