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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20240614 Lexington Road Subdivsion Area Variances Correspondance- Letter to ZBA 11042025JONES STEVES GRASSI "P ATTORNEYS AT LAW Gage Simpson, Chair Zoning Board of Appeals City of Saratoga Springs 474 Broadway Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 68 West Avenue, P.O. Box 4400 Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 Phone: (518) 587-0080 Fax: (518) 580-0857 November 4, 2025 Via Email to Susan.Barden@saratoga-springs.org Re: Bemis Point Area Variance Application Project Number 20240614 Dear Chairman Simpson and ZBA Members, Our firm represents AAADMC Ventures, LLC, the applicant in connection with the above referenced project now pending before the ZBA (the "Applicant"). The original application sought fourteen (14) area variances, twelve (12) of which were for front yard setback relief (Lots 1 through 12) and two (2) variances seeking minimum lot width relief (Lots 6 and 7) all in connection with the Applicant's proposed subdivision modification. As you may recall, the Planning Board undertook the SEQRA review for this project. Based on comments received from the Planning Board, the Applicant decided to slightly modify the project by removing Lot 1 from its plan such that the proposal now seeks approval for thirteen (13) homes instead of fourteen (14). A copy of the Applicant's revised layout plan is being submitted herewith (the "Revised Plan"). The removal of Lot 1 and the home intended thereon will increase the vegetative buffer between the proposed road and I-87 while allowing additional wetlands in the area of the former Lot 1 to remain undisturbed. At its meeting of October 30, the Planning Board unanimously issued a negative declaration under SEQRA and unanimously reaffirmed its previously issued favorable advisory opinion to the ZBA conditioned upon the Applicant pursuing the Revised Plan. Thus, please allow this letter to constitute an amendment to the Applicant's original area variance application by removing its request for a front yard setback variance related to the former Lot 1 which is no longer needed. All other variance requests, of which there are now thirteen (13), remain unchanged. An updated variance table is enclosed herewith. Simpson, Gage Page 2 of 2 November 4, 2025 At our last appearance before the ZBA on July 28, you asked us to present information showing the front yard setbacks of existing residences on nearby Lexington Road and Bemis Heights Road. Since the lot lines for these properties are not marked in the field, I submitted a FOIL request to the City seeking surveys or plot plans which would show the front setbacks for sixteen (16) properties within the vicinity of the project site. A copy of the City's letter in response to my FOIL request is provided herewith. Of the ten (10) properties for which data was provided, it appears that all meet the 30-foot minimum front setback requirement —with setbacks generally between 32 and 34 feet. With that said, the new proposed development will be far from a direct continuation of the existing neighborhood. Only one proposed lot (Lot 141) will be in direct alignment with the existing neighborhood at the end of Concord Drive where it meets Bemis Heights Road, but the proposed home on this lot will meet the minimum front setback requirement. In our judgment, the removal of Lot 1 from the proposal and the curvature in the proposed roadway sufficiently attenuates any perceived inconsistency in character with the existing neighborhood in terms of front yard setbacks. Relief from the minimum front yard setback requirement is needed to meet the important objective of keeping the homes a sufficient distance from the Federal wetlands located on the rear of the lots while allowing room for a modest rear yard. Furthermore, the front setbacks for the proposed homes on Lots 2 through 12 will largely be consistent with each other. We look forward to answering any questions that you may have about the project at the next available meeting. Thank you for your consideration of this letter. S' erely, Steves 1 ncls. At this point, the proposed lots have not been renumbered to reflect the removal of Lot 1. There are thirteen (13) proposed lots identified as Lots 2 through 14.