HomeMy WebLinkAbout20250307 Liberty Affordable Housing Inc. Area Variance NOD
Gage Simpson, Chair
C ITY OF S ARATOGA
Brendan Dailey, Vice Chair
Shafer Gaston
S PRINGS
Amanda Demma
Jonah Cohen
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Otis Maxwell
Chris LaPointe
C ITY H ALL - 474 B ROADWAY
Chris Maslak (Alternate)
S ARATOGA S PRINGS, N EW Y ORK 12866
Robert West (Alternate)
518-587-3550
WWW.SARATOGA-SPRINGS.ORG
# 20250307
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPEAL OF
Liberty Affordable Housing Inc.
117 W Liberty Street
Rome, NY 13440
From the determination of the Building Inspector involving the premises at the corner of Crescent Ave. and
Jefferson St. in the City of Saratoga Springs, NY, being tax parcel number 179.-5-8 on the Assessment Map of said
City. The Applicant having applied for an area variance to permit construction of an affordable housing complex in
the Urban Residential 4 (UR-4) District and public notice having been duly given of a hearing on said application
nd
on June 2, 2025.
In consideration of the balance between the benefit to the Applicants with detriment to the health, safety and welfare
of the community, I move that the following variance for the following amount of relief:
Type of Requirement District Dimensional
Requirement Proposed Relief Requested
40’ 48’ 8’ (20%)
Maximum Height
As per the submitted plans or lesser dimensions, BE APPROVED for the following reasons:
1. Achievability by Other Means: The applicant has demonstrated this benefit cannot be achieved by other
means feasible to the applicant. The applicant considered other alternatives, including an alternative roof
line; however, the applicant noted that the alternative design was considered undesirable by the Planning
Board.
2. Undesirable Change: The applicant has demonstrated that this granting this variance will not create an
undesirable change in neighborhood character and does not negatively alter the streetscape. The
applicants provided the Board with information on comparable heights in the district, most notably the
Saratoga Casino and Raceway Hotel. The residents living off of Jefferson Street on Clubhouse drive will
have limited ability to see the property because of the nearly 20 acres of canopy on the corner of Crescent
and Jefferson Street.
3. Substantiality: The requested variances may not be considered substantial; however, substantiality is
further mitigated per above.
4. Adverse Effort or Impact: The applicant has demonstrated that granting this variance will not have an
adverse physical or environmental effect on the neighborhood. Much of the parcel will remain forested
and protected as there is an active wetland present on the property. Furthermore, district permeability will
be met.
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5. Self-Created Difficulty: The request for relief is a self-created hardship as the applicant wishes to build
this complex however, self-creation is not necessarily fatal to the application.
Notes: The Saratoga County Planning Board previously issued a favorable advisory opinion and a Negative
SEQR Declaration was issued by the City Council on 1/3/23.
Passes by the following votes on June 2, 2025:
AYES: 6 (G. Simpson, B. Dailey, J. Cohen, C. LaPointe, S. Gaston, O. Maxwell)
NAYES: 0
ABSTENTION: 1 (A. Demma)
This variance shall expire 18 months following the filing date of such decision unless the necessary
building permit has been issued and actual construction begun as per the Unified Development Ordinance.
I hereby certify the above to be a full, true and correct copy of a resolution duly adopted by the Zoning
Board of Appeals of the City of Saratoga Springs on the date above mentioned, seven members of the Board
being present.
SIGNATURE: 06/17/2025
CHAIR DATE RECEIVED BY
ACCOUNTS DEPT.
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