HomeMy WebLinkAbout20190604 Cluett House Bed and Breakfast Correspondance (9) September 16, 2019
Mark Torpey
Chair, Saratoga Springs Planning Board
City Hall
473 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Re: 20190604 Cluett House Bed and Breakfast
Dear Planning Board Members:
This is a follow-up letter to the family letter presented prior to the July 25, 2019 meeting. I
believe my sister Jennifer McMahon will be sending her own follow-up letter.
First, I have a couple comments on the July meeting:
1) Mr. Fabozzi's comment seemed to center around the City allowing UR-3 functions in single
family residence neighborhoods and that certain neighborhoods shouldn't get special status in
blocking UR-3s. UR-3s are allowed in SFR neighborhoods, but not guaranteed approval
otherwise the special use permit request procedure would not be necessary. In this case, the
neighborhood mobilized and presented rational reasons for non-approval both in letters to the
Board and at the initial public hearing.
2) Ms. Horton noted the ongoing AirBnB activity at 2 Clement and said she was inclined to not
approve considering that (unpermitted(?)—the City does not seem to have a codified policy for
AirBnBs) activity was already taking place on the property. That activity has continued through
the Labor Day holiday.
The large porch and large lawn at 2 Clement are an attraction for clients wanting to entertain
during their stay. Living across the street from and being friends with the owners of the house in
the 1970s and 80s, we went to annual neighborhood July 4 parties hosted by the owners that took
place on the porch and front lawn.
Sotheby's has apparently been offering the home as an AirBnB using the porch as an attraction
and neighbors have complained about noise and AirBnB guests coming onto their property. If
the bed and breakfast use is approved this is likely to continue and increase in impact. Currently,
the intermittent presence of multiple guests has not been significantly intrusive to our property
and quality of life, but it has only been going on for 3 months and we are across State St. and not
abutting neighbors. However, the worst case scenario we think is students, parents and their
friends reserving the bed and breakfast repeatedly for Skidmore functions and hosting parties on
the porch and lawn. In this case it would not be the occasional party but potentially week/end
after weekend.
More importantly, even in the best scenario where this specific commercial use in this specific
location has what is deemed to be no significant impact on the neighbors, it sets a precedent.
Commercial islands in residential neighborhoods become facts on the ground, become
comparables, and add up. Every time an owner of a SFR in a UR-1 neighborhood has a difficult
time selling their property can they try to obtain UR-3 status to make the property more
marketable? In this case, it appears that the buyers, Robin Lauder, LLC, simply plan to run it as
a business, hire a caretaker and not occupy it themselves. Why couldn't the same thing happen
up and down Clinton, State, Woodlawn and North Broadway and in the City in general? Is this
what the City and its planners want? The actual neighbors in this neighborhood have made it
clear that this isn't what they want.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Jill P. McMahon
2 First St.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
E-mail: jillpmcmahongmail.com