HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230773 182 Excelsior Site Plan Comment Response1533 Crescent Road
Clifton Park, NY 12065
Phone: 518.371.0799
mjelspc@mjels.com
mjels.com
Fishkill, NY • Long Island, NY • Sewell, NJ • Melbourne, FL
November 28, 2023
Debbie LaBreche, P.E., City Engineer
City of Saratoga Springs
474 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Re: 182 Excelsior Avenue Apartments
PB#20230773/PO#230654
File: 539.070.001
Dear Ms. LaBreche,
MJ Engineering is in receipt of comments dated November 3rd 2023, regarding 182 Excelsior Avenue Apartments. We offer
the following responses to additional comment in blue italics:
General Comment(s):
1. Comment: Documents note foundation will be slabs on grade. How will doors function be protected from
freeze/heaving conditions?
Response: The intent is to have concrete slabs supported on frost walls at all required egress doors for the 9-unit
buildings. The required egress doors at the two relocated buildings will enter onto wood porches.
2. Are existing building and carriage barn structures being re-located by physically moving them? Coordinate with
existing utility providers for abandonments and comply with prevailing safety and related requirements.
Response: Yes, structures are to be physically relocated; relocations will be coordinated with utility providers.
3. We recommend inviting City engineering staff to pre-construction meeting and a walk-through at end of project
before NOT is submitted to ensure proper vegetation, stabilization and stormwater management devices are
complete.
Response: Comment acknowledged.
4. Please submit a cost estimate for letter of credit. One was not included in submission.
Response: Comment acknowledged; cost estimate shall be included in next submission.
5. Please submit NYSSHPO correspondence and include as appendix in the SWPPP.
Response: Comment acknowledged; All NYSSHPO correspondence shall be included in next submission.
6. Is the existing wrought iron fence salvageable?
Response: Fence is to be removed as it interferes with proposed conditions; chain link fence between properties
is to remain.
7. Traffic Study review is ongoing and comments will be sent under separate letter next week.
Response: Comment acknowledged.
SEQR/SEAF Comment(s):
1. Revise answer in question 17b and there are connections to existing catch basin and site runoff to Spring Run.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised SEAF.
Water and Sewer Report Comment(s):
1. What will the required fire flow demand be for the buildings? Size water service and fire protection system
components based on available system capacity via the municipal water main system and required fire flows.
Conducted fire flow tests of existing area hydrants indicate strong capacity in the 6 and 12-inch mains at the site.
We believe fire sprinklers will be provided for this apartment project. Needed fire flow needs to be determined
and sized per ISO and NFPA standards.
Response: Water service to the new apartment buildings will be from an existing 6” water main on Excelsior
Avenue. The fire sprinkler system will utilize a 4” service split from a 6” combined water lateral. The fire protection
service will be protected with a double check valve installation.
Each building will be provided with a sprinkler system installed per the 2020 NYS Fire Code and NFPA 13R
guidelines.
182 Excelsior Avenue Comment Response
11/28/2023
Page 2 of 5
A Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Engineer will be designing the sprinkler and domestic services within
the building. Said designs will be provided to the City in a separate report demonstrating that pressure loss within
the system during the building permit process.
Cost Estimate for Letter of Credit Comment(s):
1. It appears one was not submitted. Please develop and submit to the City Engineer’s and Planning offices.
Response: Comment acknowledged.
Plan Comment(s):
C-101-Subdivision Plan
1. What is the significance of the old road R.O.W. lines shown on the plan? Assume these are not applicable to
property ownership with lot lines as shown. What is the status of proposed lot division?
Response: Old row lines have been hidden, refer to revised sheet(S).
C-110- Removal Plan
1. What is meant by removal item 32 –unidentified line? Is this an underground utility?
Response: Line 32 pertains to unidentified underground utility line(s), refer to revised sheet.
C-120-Material Plan
1. Have picnic tables and/or benches been considered as amenities?
Response: Refer to revised sheet for proposed amenity location(s).
2. Label curbing.
Response: Curbing type labeled on plan sheet.
3. Is a facility sign proposed naming the apartment complex? Consider site distance for leaving site and merging
onto city streets.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet for sign location.
C-130-Layout Plan
1. Show fire truck ingress and egress route through parking areas.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to sheet C-131 for turning movement.
C-140-Utility Plan
1. Show all pipe sizes for sanitary sewer and water services. Storm sewers seem to be labeled but confirm all utility
pipe sizes are shown and routed to provide 10’ separation from proposed trees.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet(s).
2. There is concern for gravity sewer laterals at less than 1.0% slope. Show cleanouts near bends.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
3. What is minimum depth of force main piping proposed?
Response: Refer to revised sheet for depth(s).
4. Sanitary sewer connection at connection manhole near re-located house is less than 3’. Could this be deeper
and where is it less than 5’ deep?
Response: Refer to revised sheet for main and depth, structure removed.
5. Provide a detail for connecting barn and re-located house sewer laterals to existing sewer on Excelsior Avenue.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to sheet C-501.
6. Include lengths and slopes for all gravity sanitary sewer and storm sewer piping.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
7. Where will sewer force main check valve(s) be? We recommend use of E-1 stainless steel assembly that includes
integral check valve.
182 Excelsior Avenue Comment Response
11/28/2023
Page 3 of 5
Response: Recommendation acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
C-141- Photometric Plan
1. Does lighting levels include building exterior lighting or just poles? Are lights proposed at numerous exterior
entries/doors?
Response: Refer to revised sheet; lighting at exterior entries/doors are shown on architectural plans.
C-150-Grading Plan
1. Are concrete pads proposed at all doorways? Are they at threshold level or a step down? How are doors
protected by heaving form winter conditions?
Response: Refer to general comment response 1. Pad locations shown on revised sheet C-120.
2. Are geo-textile slope fabrics proposed just for slopes steeper than 1:3?
Response: Yes, refer to sheet C-160 for erosion control blanket locations.
3. Provide additional spot elevations at edge of pavement of parking adjacent to central stormwater basins.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
C-160- Erosion and Sediment Control Plan
1. Add note to clean sediments from stormwater basins when site is stabilized and as required. Will these basins serve
as temporary sediment traps during construction?
Response: Comment acknowledged; note added. Basins will not be used as sediment traps.
2. Show temporary practices like sediment traps, stockpile areas and all concrete washout areas located away from
low points of drainage. Reference SWPPP and soil de-compaction criteria.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
C-170- landscape Plan
1. Tree CC is shown on plan but not in plant schedule. Please clarify.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
2. We recommend a light overlay of utility piping be shown and check to ensure trees are at least 10’ offset from
them.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet
C-500 Typical Site Details
1. We recommend dumpster concrete pad extend at least 2’ outside of enclosure in front where refuse truck
dynamic forces usually destroy asphalt. Add pad dimensions.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet C-120.
2. Add the word compacted to all sub-bases?
Response: No, “compacted” not added, refer to details.
3. What are dumpster enclosure wall and door materials?
Response: refer to revised sheet C-120 for fence callout.
4. Verify height of collapsed bollard as it may be 3-inches plus?
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
C-501-Typical Site Details
1. Show sub-base and backfill materials for Quad grinder pump.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
2. Recommend a note be added that E-1 Representative check out installation prior to/during station testing.
Response: Recommendation acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
3. We recommend use of E-1 stainless steel curb box/stop with integral check valve in lieu of something intended for
182 Excelsior Avenue Comment Response
11/28/2023
Page 4 of 5
water services.
Response: Recommendation acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
C-503-Typical Site details
1. Are impermeable liners proposed due to groundwater depth?
Response: Yes, liners are used at underground detention, refer to detail(s).
2. The criteria for the planting soil has been revised via NYSDEC. High silt and clay percentages have not worked well
in favor of a mix of AASTM C-33 sand mixed with compost in a 1:3 ratio. Please confirm.
Response: Planting soil has been revised to reflect the NYSDOT bioretention mix which is acceptable to NYSDEC.
3. Show all chamber and pipe inverts in sub-surface stormwater system plan. Only inlet manhole is so labeled.
Response: Comment acknowledged; more information provided on detail.
4. Provide dimensions and cover model number for inspection port detail.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised detail.
5. Add note for soil de-compaction to detail 10 regarding topsoil/seed/mulching.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
SWPPP Comment(s):
1. Complete Notice of Intent (NOI).
Response: Draft NOI included in report. NOI to be submitted at a later date.
2. There seems to be some discrepancies’ regarding high groundwater, unknown separation to groundwater and if
infiltration is proposed at bio-retention and chamber system. The modeling shows not infiltration values but section
3.2 and 3.3 discusses shallow groundwater and infiltration respectively. Please clarify.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised report for more information.
3. Separation fabrics or impermeable liners are noted in chamber and bio-retention details are typically tight and
not as permeable as filter fabrics. Neither are conducive to infiltration.
Response: Yes, due to high water table impermeable liners are used to prevent infiltration.
4. Peak elevations for 10 and 100 year storm events for these practices are below the bottom of the basins for some
reason. Does the modeling utilize the SCS Type II distribution for a 24-hr storm? The modeling indicates storm
intensity for a duration of 6 minutes and perhaps under estimating the total runoff. Please clarify.
Response: Refer to revised detail for additional clarification.
DPW Comment(s):
1. Sheet C120, Label number of parking spots.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
2. Sheet C140, WSOs are incorrectly labeled, they should be a gate valves as the water service size is 6".
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
3. The water connection within the ROW will need to go to the farther 12" watermain as the 6" watermain is in the
planning process of being abandoned in place.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
4. A hydrant near the end of the 6" water service run should be added for blowoff purposes.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet(s).
5. The watermain is shown to be tapped in three locations. Consider using one tap and installing a tee and service
line heading toward the relocated buildings.
Response: Watermain shown to be tapped in two places for each lot after subdivision.
6. Note the relocated house and proposed grading is on top of delineated wetland. This most likely needs to shift
182 Excelsior Avenue Comment Response
11/28/2023
Page 5 of 5
out of the wetland along with any proposed grading.
Response: Correspondence from Army corps determined that wetland is non-jurisdictional.
7. Note Saratoga County will need to review the plans as the sewer is being connected into their system. Send them
plans for review as well and confirm they will take on the additional flow with a Will Serve letter that will be needed
by the City of Saratoga Springs.
Response: Comment acknowledged.
8. Note the overall drawings have infrastructure shown on additional sheets that they don't need to be shown on
(example the flared end sections for the storm). Clean up for clarification.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet(s). As this is interpretive depending on reviewer,
additional clarification is needed if revised sheet(s) do not meet standards.
9. What is preventing erosion onto the adjacent trail down the hillside form the flared end section (FES #2)? FES is on
private property do you have an easement for this?
Response: Refer to revised sheet(s) C-140, C-160, C-504. Refer to revised sheet C-101 for easement information.
10. Water Services need sizes and materials called out as well as needing anchor tees. Building services also shown
coming off the water service main at a 45° angle instead of perpendicular.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet(s).
11. Sheet C150, Southern End of the site is at an extreme slope (1:2 or 500% slope). How will this slope be
maintained/constructed?
Response: Area will be 1:3 and 1:2 slopes and will be reinforced/stabilized with erosion control blanket.
12. Sheet C501, Notes needed on any hydrant or valve detail, Open right per City Standard.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
13. Sheet C501 Detail 5, Foster adaptor on 6" valve does not make sense, clarify.
Response: Comment acknowledged; refer to revised sheet.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (518) 371-0799.
Sincerely,
Walter F. Lippmann, P.E.
Project Manager