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Home My WebLink About20230216 118, 121-125 Woodlawn Special Use Permit Presentation118 Woodlawn Social Club 118 AND 121 – 125 Woodlawn Ave. SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK August 3, 2023 Special Use Permit and Site Plan Application EC Woodlawn Van Dam Property, LLC SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK PROJECT TEAM ATTORNEY: John Cannie, Esq. Snyder, Kiley, Toohey, Corbett & Cox, LLP SITE/CIVIL: Frank Palumbo, PE & Melissa Currier C.T. Male Associates TRAFFIC: Alanna Moran, PE VHB ARCHITECT: Brett Balzer AIA & Dennis McGowan RA Balzer & Tuck Architecture SPECIAL USE PERMIT 118 AND 121 – 125 Woodlawn Ave. SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK OWNER/APPLICANT: EC Woodlawn Van Dam Property, LLC PROPERTY: 118 AND 121 – 125 Woodlawn Ave. SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK TAX PARCEL: 165.51-2-14 and 165.43-3-4 ZONE: Urban Residential - 3 (UR-3) Proposed Use “Private/Social Club” ZONING CODE DEFINITION PRIVATE/SOCIAL CLUB, “A facility operated by an organization or association for a common purpose, such as, but not limited to, a meeting hall for a fraternal or social organization or a union hall, but not including clubs organized primarily for-profit or to render a service which is customarily carried on as a business.” NARRATIVE Structure at 118 Woodlawn built around 1900, and used as place of worship since that time Parking lot joined in title around 1955 to serve as parking for parishioners Structure has had deferred maintenance, specifically interior work. Structurally sound Applicant proposing revitalization and preservation of this historic structure by converting the use to a private/social club Preservation of all major architectural components, including stained glass windows The proposal will not change the footprint of the building or make any significant exterior modifications The proposal will convert the current gravel parking lot into a paved parking lot with a gated entry Survey Survey Survey Photos –Current Parking Lot First Floor Second Floor Basement Response to Board Comment: Who are the members? Initial Director, founder and organizer of Not for Profit is Lisa Moser – a local businessperson (CAO of Prime Group Holdings LLC, and Owner of Prime Construction) who also serves on numerous local charitable and not for profit boards including: Albany Medical Center Double H Ranch Saratoga Central Catholic School Siena College Lisa will recruit like-minded individuals looking for a slower paced, private setting to conduct business meetings and congregate with other businesspersons. Purpose of the Club was to fill a void in the business community for conducting business meetings in a more quiet, private setting – away from the more hectic office and public restaurant settings The club is placing a maximum on membership at 200, which will include full time and seasonal members. Response to Board Comment: How will the club operate? Hours of Operation: 8 am to 10pm Sunday through Thursday and 8 am to 11pm Friday and Saturday. Expected Peak Times: late afternoon and early evening, 5pm to 8pm, for the bar and open seating areas. meeting rooms and more private spaces will likely see peak usage during the day from 12pm – 4pm. Club Highlights Private setting for business meetings, whether conference-room type setting or lounge Private members and guests only dining, reservations required Private Bar/Lounge setting for members to congregate on informal basis More relaxed, comfortable setting than typical business meeting locations, and quieter than a typical restaurant or bar No signage, to avoid public attempting to enter All Club activities to occur inside building, no congregating on steps or ability to utilize parking lot Club will be self-sustaining, with membership dues and payment for meals and drinks covering all costs of operation Total seated capacity for club between 84 – 118, although never anticipated to be maximized Response to Board Comment: How is this use compatible with the neighborhood? “When a Zoning Law enumerates a use as allowed by a Special Use Permit, it is tantamount to a legislative finding that the permitted use is in harmony with the general zoning plan and will not adversely affect the neighborhood.” Board can only deny if it finds use is not desirable in this specific location. Kinderhook Development, LLC v. City of Gloversville Planning Bd., 88 A.D.3d 1207, 1209 (3rd Dep’t 2011) Response to Board Comment: How is this use compatible with the neighborhood? Although in UR-3 zone, true neighborhood is the stretch of Van Dam Street from Broadway to State Street. All corner lots in this stretch are either (a) nonconforming to zone; or (b) a commercial use Other properties north and south of the property on Woodlawn are also non-conforming multi-family dwellings and commercial uses Property as identified by Comprehensive Plan map, is a “grey zone” and meant to be “fluid” - as a result of neighboring uses being more akin to the Downtown Core, this use fits well within this neighborhood. All seven other social clubs sit within various zones of the City, including within UR-2 and UR-3. INSERT VISUAL OF NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE MFR MIXED USE COMMERCIAL MFR MFR MFR MFR OFFICE COMMERCIAL OFFICE MFR MFR SITE Green – Office Blue – Multi-Family Orange – Commercial Red – Mixed Use Response to Board Comment: what is going to be done for stormwater runoff mitigation? There is no existing stormwater sewer system in the area However, because greenspace being added to parking lot (increase from 15.6% to 28.7%) runoff is reduced for all flood events Response to Board Comment: How does this proposed use affect traffic in the neighborhood? A qualitative traffic assessment was prepared for the proposed project Review of existing transportation conditions Peak hour trip generation estimate Anticipated travel to and from the project site Response to Board Comment: How does this proposed use affect traffic in the neighborhood? Existing transportation conditions Woodlawn Ave is an urban local roadway providing north-south travel from Division Street to 4th St Single lane in each direction with parking allowed on one side of the street. Sidewalks on both sides of Woodlawn Avenue with an area posted speed limit of 30-mph. Land uses north of the project site are primarily single and multifamily residential with commercial uses south of the project site. Van Dam Street is an urban local roadway providing east-west travel from NY Route 50 to Church Street Single lane in each direction with no parking allowed near Woodlawn Avenue Designated access highway (truck route) and also provides direct access to the Saratoga Springs hospital located west of the proposed project. Sidewalks on both sides of Van Dam Street with an area posted speed limit of 30-mph. Land use is a mix of commercial and multifamily residential The Woodlawn Avenue at Van Dam Street intersection is a four-leg intersection operating under stop sign control on the Woodlawn Avenue approaches. Each intersection approach provides a single lane for shared travel movements. Sidewalks are provided on both sides of Woodlawn Avenue and Van Dam Street approaching the intersection and there is a marked crosswalk on the Van Dam Street westbound approach to the intersection. Response to Board Comment: How does this proposed use affect traffic in the neighborhood? Existing transportation conditions Woodlawn Avenue is located approximately 325-feet west of the traffic signal controlled intersection of Van Dam Street/NY Route 50 and Broadway. Drivers turning from Woodlawn Avenue to Van Dam Street can experience delays associated with queues from the adjacent traffic signal, traffic to and from the hospital, and general truck traffic. When this occurs, residents on Woodlawn Avenue can travel north to Greenfield Avenue to access the traffic signal at Greenfield Avenue and NY Route 50 or travel west on Vermont Street to access the traffic signal at Clinton Street and Van Dam Street. Response to Board Comment: How does this proposed use affect traffic in the neighborhood? Peak hour trip generation estimate Corresponding to the time of day when traffic volumes are highest on the roadway network Potential typical peak hour operations Response to Board Comment: How does this proposed use affect traffic in the neighborhood? Anticipated travel to and from the project site Through the Woodlawn Ave and Van Dam Street intersection One new trip every three minutes during the weekday AM peak hour One new trip every two minutes during the weekday PM and Saturday midday peak hours Design Review Board and Preservation Foundation Comments from June 21st Meeting DRB and Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation: Building Comments Appreciates the adaptive reuse of the church Applaud reconstruction of entry porch Stained glass is main concern of application “There are so many great things about this project.” DRB : Parking Lot Comments “Parking Lot proposed looks nice and will read nice” “What's being presented is appropriate for the parking lot.” “Bolster Lane side should be treated separately from Woodlawn Avenue…less ornamental.” “Fencing along Woodlawn is not appropriate for use along Bolster Lane (no brick wall)” “The Board is comfortable using hedge screening at the perimeter” in lieu of fencing. Pending the receipt of special use permit and building permit for 118 Woodlawn Club the Moser's are committed to restoring and reconstructing the existing single-family residence at 119 Woodlawn. Response to Public Comment: The Property should be utilized as a multi-family residence or place of worship There was public comment indicating that this property would be a better fit for multi-family residence, like many of the surrounding properties Due to UR-3 zoning, multi-family residential is not permitted in the zone and would require a use variance Public comment that it should remain place of worship Does not appear to be demand in City for this. Bethel left to expand in larger location Three other churches repurposed in City, all to uses that are not principally permitted in UR-3 zoning (Condominiums or Multi-Purposed space) Due to use lapsing, would also need a special use permit for place of worship Response to Board and Public Comment: Parking is Insufficient Site Plan provides for 22 parking spaces which is the code requirement 10,502 sq. ft. of GFA, therefore requiring 22 parking spots Moser entered into a Letter of Intent to purchase parking lot with 10 spots located at 557 Broadway (Tax ID 165.44-1-42) –– will lease spots to Club for use – now will have 32 spots, almost 50% more than required Already existing, striped parking lot, so not increasing impervious surfaces in area Response to Public Comment: The Property’s Historical Use was Limited to Sundays Bethel Church’s largest use was Sunday services between 9am – 1pm However, used for other church-related activities on a daily basis Daycare – Daily basis, including every week day The Church office was open Mon., Wed. Friday 12 – 2pm Wed. and Thurs. 6 – 10pm, church-related meetings conducted on site Bethel Church Congregation in Schenectady, which is model for Saratoga Expansion, has weekly and biweekly bible study groups for men, women and children – which meet on various evenings during the work week. Cannot be said that the Church sat vacant 6 days a week. END