HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230590 177 S. Broadway Stewart's Demolition and Redevelopment Public Comment (2)Page 1 of 2
Geoffrey W. Wood, PE
26 Lincoln Avenue
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-4414
(518) 369-4138
gwood3@nycap.rr.com
July 8, 2022
Susan Barden, AICP, Principal Planner
City of Saratoga Springs,
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Ph: (518) 587-3550, ext. 2493
susan.barden@saratoga-springs.org
and
The City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board
Re: Proposed Stewart’s Shops project at 177 South Broadway
Dear Susan:
I would appreciate you passing along this letter to the members of the Planning Board.
Before I get into my comments about this project, I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I have lived
at 26 Lincoln Ave. for the past 33 years. As indicated by the PE after my name I’m a licensed professional engineer.
I’ve been employed by the NYS Department of Transportation as a civil engineer for 38 years. Most of that time was
in highway design where I did a great deal of work with property owners affected in various ways by our projects. For
the past 5 years I’ve served as Director of the Highway Safety and Traffic Operations Bureau. Earlier this year I was
selected to serve as Assistant Engineer for the City of Saratoga Springs to begin on June 1st. Unfortunately, I was
unable to accept that position for reasons not pertinent to this discussion. I simply want you to know that I am
qualified to comment on this project from both a personal and professional perspective.
I learned of this project recently from another nearby concerned n eighbor. I reached out to Stewart’s Shops
immediately to find out more and have reviewed the m inutes of the 2/17/2022 Planning Board meeting where they first
presented their sketch plan for review.
Upon seeing the plans that Ryan Rub ado provided I immediately felt relieved. The worst case scenario for
myself and other nearby residents would be for the gas pumps with their associated traffic, noise, light, and safety
impacts to be pushed closer to our residential properties. I am 100% supportive of Stewart’s Shops proposal to
demolish the existing house located at 28 Lincoln Ave., a mere 10 feet from my home, and build a new store in that
location. In case you’re not already aware of this, the house at 28 Lincoln Ave. has always been owned by an absentee
landlord, has a long history of visits by both the City Police Department and Code Enforcement offic e, and is an
eyesore and a fire safety risk. I would be happy to see it demolished and have Stewart’s Shops as my new neighbor.
While I understand one aspect of the intent of the City’s Zoning Ordinance in regard to the Transect-5
Neighborhood Center district is to encourage building development at the street front, South Broadway in this case,
there are conditions unique to this location that need to be taken into consideration – some of which you may not be
aware of. I’ve listed here reasons for supporting Stewart’s Shops current proposal:
1) The existing house at 28 Lincoln Ave. is occupied by tenants who willingly live immediately ne xt to
the gas station, presumably because the rent is low. This rental property has served as a buffer between
the gas pumps and the adjacent residential neighborhood for many decades. Replacing this house with a
new Stewart’s Shops building would continue to buffer my home and other nearby residential properties
from the traffic, noise, light, and safety risks associated with gasoline pumps and associated canopy.
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2) I am vehemently opposed to any plan that would relocate gasoline pumps and canopy immediately
adjacent to my home as there would be no way to mitigate the resulting traffic, noise, light, and safety
impacts. Note that such a plan would also require relocation of the existing gas station driveway on
Lincoln Avenue much closer to my home.
3) Lincoln Avenue is weight restricted, with it being illegal for trucks exceeding 5 ton s from using this
street. In addition, the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and South Broadway cannot handle truck turning
movements. Many times, I have witnessed tractor trailers attempting to make turning movements from
South Broadway onto Lincoln, and from Lincoln Avenue onto South Broadway. Trucks are unable to
make these movements from their own travel lane, nor turn into the correct lane, cre ating a hazard for
vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic in the vicinity at the time. Due to the shape and size of the parcel
at 177 South Broadway, placing a building at the street front would make it impossible for tractor trailers
delivering fuel to both enter and exit the property from South B roadway. They would be required to either
enter or exit from Lincoln Ave., violating the weight rest riction and more importantly making a hazardous
turning movement at the nearby intersection.
I think that’s enough for now. Should Stewart’s Shops be forced to change their plan to reverse the proposed
locations of their building and the gas pumps / canopy I would certainly have more to say at that time. I’m hopeful
that the unique characteristics of this location can and will be taken into consideration in the planning process.
I would very much like to attend Stewart’s Shops second sketch plan review with the Planning Board. Please
let me know when that is put on the agenda. I’m available any time to answer questions about the above and invite
members of the Planning Board to contact me to schedule a time to visit my home and property to gain a n
understanding of how this project would affect me and my neighbors.
Sincerely,
Geoffrey W. Wood, PE
CC: Ryan Rubado, Designer/ Project Coordinator, Stewart’s Shops
Susanna Combs, Administrative Assistant, City of Saratoga Springs