HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230919 3376 S Broadway Treehouse Brewing Special Use Permit Public CommentMEMORANDUM
To:Saratoga Springs Planning Board and Design Review Board
From:Sustainable Saratoga
Subject:Application for a Special Use Permit by Tree House Brewing Company
Date:November 29,2023
Tree House Brewing Company has submitted an application for a Special Use Permit to develop
a facility for the micro-production of alcohol and an eating and drinking establishment with
outdoor dining on land owned by the applicant at 3376 South Broadway.We understand that the
project will require site plan review and architectural review.We have studied the information
provided to the City with their application,as well as their recent presentation to the land use
boards.
We do not object to the proposed uses or the concept of outdoor dining,and we acknowledge
that the project has the potential to be a significant addition to our city’s roster of successful
tourist-oriented businesses.However,from our interpretation of the information submitted to
date,we are concerned that some elements of the site plan and building design do not fully
conform with the requirements of the Comprehensive Plan and UDO.The applicant reached out
to us,and we responded with recommendations and suggestions similar to those we present
here.
Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance
Our organization has long championed our city’s Comprehensive Plan and its vision of Saratoga
Springs as “the city in the country.”The Comprehensive Plan emphasizes the importance of
protecting the Greenbelt and avoiding urban sprawl by making sure that development there is
less intense and consistent with its rural character,while also supporting our vibrant downtown
with its many successful businesses.While the project parcel is not technically within the
Greenbelt –the area designated by the Comprehensive Plan as the Country Overlay Area –the
parcel is surrounded by it (see Attachment 1).
The proposed project lies within an area designated in the Saratoga Springs Comprehensive
Plan as Specialty Mixed Use –Park (SP).Development there must “not negatively impact the
rural character of the area adjacent to the Saratoga Spa State Park –a National Historic
Landmark.Future growth in this area should be designed and sited as a campus-like setting to
create a distinctive gateway that complements the beauty of the adjacent Spa State Park.
Bicycle and pedestrian connections to the Park and adjacent uses should be provided.”
The project site lies within an area designated by the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)as
GC-R Gateway Rural Commercial District (GC-R).The GC-R District “is intended to
accommodate commercial development of a suitably rural,low-intensity character,creating a
gateway at the edge of the City and into key character areas that celebrates and preserves the
natural beauty and rural character.”(Page 4-2)
The focus of our concerns is the importance of rural character in the layout and design of all
elements of the project.The Saratoga Honda dealership to the north of the project parcel and
the Homewood Suites hotel to the south do not reflect the rural character required by the
Comprehensive Plan and UDO.They should not be used as references in reviewing the design
of this project.In granting them site plan and architectural design approval,the prior land use
boards ignored or waived almost all the rural design standards that were in place at the time.In
general,of the existing Tree House locations,we believe that the Woodstock,Connecticut
facility most closely approximates the building design and layout that would conform with the
land use requirements for this site.
During the UDO adoption process,our organization argued that the rural design standards for
the GC-R district were inadequate.They do not afford the level of detail presented in the
previous zoning ordinance,which includes illustrations that more fully represent the intent of the
UDO.
The main building is very large and has more suburban than rural character.The
requirement that development in this area should have rural character and a campus-like setting
is illustrated on page 4-20 in the UDO as an open area with a variety of low,traditionally
designed buildings of modest scale.While the proposed site plan includes an expansive outdoor
area,all components of the business are contained in a single building whose size and design
project a more suburban than rural character,contrary to the GC-R design standard illustrated
on page 4-20.A site plan with two or more smaller principal buildings with a variation of height
and placement would comply with design standard 18 on page 22 and the graphic design
standard on page 4-20,giving the project a more campus-like setting.Perhaps the brewery
could be housed in a separate building.
Peaked roofs and more traditional window design would convey more rural character.The flat
roofs shown on the proposed building do not conform with GC-R design standard 10 on page
4-21.In addition,the proposed extent of blank walls is contrary to standard 1 on page 4-20,and
most of the proposed window patterns conflict with the requirements of standard 4 on page
4-20.
As illustrated in the graphic GC-R design standard on page 4-20,parking in this area should
generally be located behind the buildings and well screened from the highway.The proposed
site plan includes a fairly large parking area with a large carport in the front of the main building
that obscures it from Route 9.To give the building an appearance more appropriate to a rural
setting,perhaps it could be rotated so that those features would be on the side.If not,the
Board of Directors:Anne Ernst,Laura Faulk,Dianna Goodwin (Chair),Sarah Goodwin,Elaine McArdle,
Harry Moran,Paul Murphy (Treasurer),Richard Romano (Secretary),David Sayer
Sustainable Saratoga |PO Box 454,Saratoga Springs,NY 12866 |www.sustainablesaratoga.org |info@sustainablesaratoga.org
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parking area and the size of the carport should be reduced and screened with vegetation.The
large parking area along the south boundary also could be better screened.
With nearly 400 spaces,parking areas take up a large proportion of the parcel.With the
large size of the proposed main building and the large area devoted to parking and other
features throughout the parcel,the project does not appear to have low-intensity character,as
required by the UDO.We would expect to see the large main parking area,with its rectangular
shape and few trees,in a more suburban setting.The project should be modified to reduce the
large area devoted to parking and to reconfigure parking areas to have less rigid geometry and
more trees,both for screening,shading,and the creation of a more natural environment.Our
organization encourages walking,biking,and mass transit rather than personal automobile use
to get around in the city.Project design should de-emphasize cars and encourage customers to
walk and bike to this destination.
The vision of a campus-like setting generally illustrated in the graphic GC-R design standard on
page 4-20 of the UDO is intended to encompass surrounding properties,as more clearly shown
in the illustrations in section 3.2 of the 2012 zoning ordinance.GC-R design standard 19 on
page 4-22 provides,“shared driveways are strongly recommended.”The entrance road should
be configured to allow connections to afford internal vehicular,bicycle and pedestrian circulation
among adjacent properties,including the undeveloped parcel owned by EFF-Jay Realty.As
future development occurs,such connections would reduce traffic on Route 9.Easements for
future public road connections and paths should be created.
Suggestions for Sustainability
In line with our goal of making Saratoga Springs a more sustainable city,we urged the Tree
House team to consider suggestions beyond the minimum requirements of the City’s land use
regulations.
Climate and Energy -To combat climate change,green building principles could be applied in
the choice of materials and the design and operation of the project to reduce the consumption of
fossil fuels.The combination of a geothermal heating and cooling system with rooftop solar
panels would greatly reduce the carbon footprint of the facility.Solar canopies could be installed
over parking areas in suitable locations.
Landscaping:Expand the Urban Forest,Plant for Pollinators -The City Council adopted the
Urban and Community Forest Master Plan in 2013 and became a Tree City USA in 2017.In
addition to their proposed tree planting plans,we encouraged the team to plant more,with an
emphasis on a diversity of large-growing native species,to create a more closed canopy
wherever possible.More tree planting would add to the rural character of the project site and
give it a more park-like atmosphere.Tree planting also would be important to screen parking
Board of Directors:Anne Ernst,Laura Faulk,Dianna Goodwin (Chair),Sarah Goodwin,Elaine McArdle,
Harry Moran,Paul Murphy (Treasurer),Richard Romano (Secretary),David Sayer
Sustainable Saratoga |PO Box 454,Saratoga Springs,NY 12866 |www.sustainablesaratoga.org |info@sustainablesaratoga.org
3
from Route 9.In parking areas,rather than a regular pattern of widely spaced individual trees,
larger unpaved islands with clumps of trees would better shade cars and help restore habitat for
wildlife.Noting their plan to establish a native meadow,we encouraged planting additional areas
with a variety of native plants chosen to provide habitat for pollinators.
Zero Waste -We stressed the importance of reducing waste,recycling,and using recycled
materials as much as possible.We referred the team our “Restaurant Sustainability Guide,”
which has a list of companies that pick up organic waste.
Next Steps
Before the Planning Board acts on this special use permit application,we ask that you request a
revised site plan sketch and building elevations that better meet the rural character objectives of
the UDO.As an alternative,you could require a formal site plan application in conjunction with
the special use permit application (See 13.4.D.1.d.i.of the UDO).
We also note that one of the UDO amendments adopted on April 4,2023 requires the Planning
Board and the Design Review Board to document any exemptions to design standards with a
written explanation detailing the exemption using 4 different criteria (See 4.5.B.1.b).
This project will be a great attraction for Saratoga Springs residents and visitors and will
strengthen our tourist economy.We hope that the planning board and design review board will
ensure that,with necessary modifications,it will be designed in a way that will protect this
important rural gateway to our “City in the Country.”
Sincerely,
Kelsey Trudell,Executive Director,and Sustainable Saratoga’s Land Use Committee
Board of Directors:Anne Ernst,Laura Faulk,Dianna Goodwin (Chair),Sarah Goodwin,Elaine McArdle,
Harry Moran,Paul Murphy (Treasurer),Richard Romano (Secretary),David Sayer
Sustainable Saratoga |PO Box 454,Saratoga Springs,NY 12866 |www.sustainablesaratoga.org |info@sustainablesaratoga.org
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Attachment 1.Country Overlay –the Greenbelt (Green Hatch)
Board of Directors:Anne Ernst,Laura Faulk,Dianna Goodwin (Chair),Sarah Goodwin,Elaine McArdle,
Harry Moran,Paul Murphy (Treasurer),Richard Romano (Secretary),David Sayer
Sustainable Saratoga |PO Box 454,Saratoga Springs,NY 12866 |www.sustainablesaratoga.org |info@sustainablesaratoga.org
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