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Home My WebLink About20190604 Cluett House Bed and Breakfast Plans July 22, 2019 BY EMAIL: lennifer.merriman*saratoga-springssorg City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board City Hall - 474 Broadway Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 Attn: Mark Torpey Re: Objection to Robin Lauder ILLC Permanent S iccial Use Permit - 2 Clement Avenue Dear Mr. Torpey: In response to the undated letter received by mail on Friday July 19, from the law firm of Snyder, Kilney, Toohey' advising of a public hearing on July 25 in regard to the Referenced application on July 25, we write to express our objection. All of us are owners of properties most immediately adjacent to the house at 2 Clement Avenue for which the permit is sought and therefore are amongst the neighboring properties most adversely affected if the Special Use Permit (SUP) is granted. We object to the grant of the variance for the following reasons: 1. Allowing a Bed & Breakfast (B&B) would compromise the social fabric of our quiet residential neighborhood. We all chose to live in a residentially zoned neighborhood because we wanted to live in a neighborhood where we know our neighbors, and which affords our children the opportunity to play with other children in our neighborhood and have familiar adults as part of their community. Changing the permissible use of 2 Clement Avenue to a B&B would significantly change the neighborhood environment which we all chose to live in with our families. It would also potentially open the floodgates to other B&Bs opening up in our neighborhood, by claiming parity of use. We do not agree with the Robin Lauder LICts arguments, that the application should be granted on the basis that the B&B is compatible with existing neighborhood characteristics. A B&B business in a residential neighborhood is not the at all same as other local residential-only buildings. Nor is a B&B business like Skidmore College, where resident students live on the far side of campus, away from our homes. 2. Our neighborhood has already been negatively impacted by the business activity of the new owner of 2 Clement Avenue (which we assume to be Robin Lauder, LLC). This recently acquired property has not been lived in since purchase, and instead has a seasonal rental sign on the lawn and is listed for weekly rentals at $10,000 per week (sec Sotheby's website). The house clearly has been rented out to various groups and individuals for short stays since its purchase in early June 2019. Already we have had strangers who were apparently staying at 2 Clement park and walk into our yards and on our lawn, believing it to be either public or 2 Clement space. As recently as Friday, we saw eight (8) private (not commercial) vehicles parked at 2 Clement in the existing driveways in front of the garage and under the portico and in the u-shaped driveway. None of this is at all typical or characteristic in our neighborhood, where we know our neighbors and track season is very quiet. Mr. Mark Torpey Objection to Robin Lauder, LLC Permanent Special Use Permit Page 2 of 3 3. Having a transient commercial business, which a B&B is, in a residential area compromises the safety and security of the residential neighborhood because it will bring a constant stream of strangers into our residential neighborhood, making it difficult for neighbors to know who belongs in the neighborhood and who does not. In addition, guests do not need to comply with New York's sexual predator laws and register their stays with authorities since their visits to thL! B&B will be short term. Neighbors could therefore be exposed to convicted sexual predators without being informed. Given the number of young children and teenagers living in close proximity to 2 Clement Avenue, not to mention the playground immediately across the street, this is a major concern. 4. The increased nuisance issues year-round such as a multitude of cars, noise From guests, including profanity, via gatherings on the front porch and back garden, especially at night, are also a concern. This has already been an issue on several occasions this summer because of the various very large groups renting 2 Clement Avenue gathering on the porch late at night. Additional nuisance concerns include slamming car doors, exhaust (limes created by guests of 2 Clement Avenue parking their ears as well and lights from the guests cars at night. 5. Our neighborhood is not comparable to where the other B&Bs are in town; owner- occupied large houses are the norm here and in demand. There are a significant number or hotels and B&Bs in Saratoga Springs, and vacancy rates have increased, so we don't see a market need for more B&Bs. A new B&B in our treasured historic residential neighborhood is not welcome or needed. Other notable B&Bs in town are on Union Avenue and in the neighborhoods near the race track. In contrast, our neighborhood is filled with long-time residents who stay home and enjoy Saratoga Springs during the summer. We do not have commercial businesses nearby. Instead, some of the formerly-multi-unit houses are being refurbished and turned into single family homes, and large, upscale new houses are actively being built or renovated. Examples of these owner-occupied homes include: (I) the lot diagonally across the Clement-State intersection, where a new large single family home is being finished, (2) two lots one block south on State Street were combined and a large new single family home was recently built and occupied, (3) a lot on Greenfield one block from 2 Clement where a new large single family home has just been completed and occupied, (4) the historic house on the corner of Greenfield and Woodlawn one block from 2 Clement currently being restored and expanded as a single family home, and (5) the lot on the corner of State and Alger where a new, large single family home was recently built. There are more examples, but the point is that this is not a neighborhood filling up with track rentals or in need of commercial development. Instead, this is a neighborhood that is thriving and property values (and property and school tax receipts) are increasing here for the very reason that its location is close to downtown, but the streets are quiet and entirely residential. Permitting a permanent use exception for a commercial business is incompatible with our current neighborhood and unnecessary, and may adversely impact property values, particularly if others follow suit and obtain SUPs. Mr. Mark Torpey Objection to Robin Lauder, LLC Permanent Special Use Permit Page 3 of 3 6. Even if the permanent Special Use Permit were granted to the owners of 2 Clement, expansion of the parking is not warranted and poses a risk of increased groundwater runoff into State Street. As we noted above, the property has already hosted large groups this summer, and we have seen eight cars comfortably parked there at one time. The property already has 3 curb cuts, a 3-car garage, a portico and a large U-shaped front driveway. The existing three-car garage has a large parking pad in front of it (where 3-4 cars can now park). We note that the 2 Clement property already pumps groundwater into State Street nearly year round and we fear that further paving what is now a grassy area and adding 4 paved parking spaces will only worsen this problem. Before any approval of further paving is permitted, the city should assess the potential impact and whether additional parking is in fact needed. 7. Whether or not the permanent SUP is granted to the owners of 2 Clement, the scope of use should be reasonably limited to reflect the neighborhood, and subject to city requirements on noise, safety, fire, occupancy tax and related rules. Continued weekend and weekly/seasonal rentals of 2 Clement to groups and unsupervised strangers poses a safety hazard, disturbs the neighbors, increases traffic, increases hotel vacancies in town, and reduces the city's occupancy tax revenue. Continued commercial treatment of this residence in a quiet residential neighborhood should be appropriately restricted by the city. Please keep us informed of appropriate enforcement. For the foregoing reasons, we respectfully request that the Planning Board reject Robin Lauder, LLC's Permanent Special Use Application. Yours sincerely, _411 ohn and Cathy Be uisto, 10 Clement Avenue, Saratoga Spri gs, NY 12106 A, A /-A/ p Gar izab th Har 6 Clement Avenue, aratoga S"rings, NY 12866 Orti, fah Rosemary Ratcliff and Buckmaster de Wolf, f07 State Street, Saratoga 'rings, NY 12866 • Tom and Diane Denny, 45 cent-1dd Avenue, '21, Saratoga Springs, NY 121/8L/661