HomeMy WebLinkAbout20240682 25 New St. Subdivision Public Comment (25)Request for Safety Evaluations and Railroad Run Preservation Measures
25 New Street Subdivision - Saratoga Springs Planning Board
December 16, 2025
Chair, Saratoga Springs Planning Board
C/o City of Saratoga Springs Planning Department
5 Lake Avenue
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Re: 25 New Street Subdivision - Request for Fire and EMS Evaluation and Railroad Run
Preservation Prior to Further Review
Dear Chair and Members of the Planning Board:
We write on behalf of residents of Elm Street and properties immediately adjacent to the
Railroad Run corridor, in connection with the proposed subdivision at 25 New Street
currently under Planning Board review.
Our purpose is not to oppose development in principle, but to formally request that the
Board defer further consideration of the application until critical safety evaluations and
preservation measures are completed and entered into the record. Based on the materials
reviewed to date and direct observations by abutting residents, the Board does not yet
have sufficient information to make the required findings related to public safety,
emergency access, and protection of public infrastructure.
1. Fire Department and EMS Operational Evaluation
While secondary access and on -site turning areas have been referenced in prior
discussions, the record does not reflect written operational confirmation from the Fire
Department and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) that emergency vehicles can safely:
• Access the site under real -world conditions
• Maneuver and stage apparatus on internal roadways
• Operate during winter conditions and periods of on -street parking
• Access the site without reliance on Railroad Run.
Subdivision approval standards require the Board to ensure adequate fire protection and
emergency access. Conceptual access shown on plans is not a substitute for operational
verification.
We respectfully request that the Board require formal written evaluations and sign -off
from the Fire Department and EMS addressing emergency access, turning radii, staging,
and year-round operability prior to any further action on the application.
2. Railroad Run Preservation and Protection
Railroad Run functions as a recreational, pedestrian, and environmental corridor, not
as a vehicular access route. Several residents have directly observed City vehicles using
Railroad Run, which raises concern that —given the limited access to the proposed
dwellings —the trail could become a de facto emergency, service, or municipal access
corridor. This outcome is foreseeable, not speculative, and would present serious risks to
pedestrian safety, trail integrity, and adjacent residential properties. Once such use occurs,
'it is extremely difficult to reverse.
We respectfully request that the Board require a Railroad Run Preservation and
Protection Plan prior to the next hearing, addressing at a minimum:
• Explicit prohibition of vehicular, emergency, or service use of Railroad Run
• Physical deterrents (e.g., bollards, fencing, controlled access points)
• Enforcement responsibility and long-term maintenance
• Confirmation that emergency access plans do not rely on the trail under any
circumstances
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Until the above evaluations and preservation measures are completed and incorporated
into the record, we respectfully submit that the Board cannot reasonably conclude that the
subdivision meets applicable safety standards or adequately protects existing public
infrastructure and neighboring properties.
Accordingly, we request that the Board:
1. Require Fire Department and EMS written operational evaluations.
2. Require submission of a Railroad Run Preservation and Protection Plan.
3. Defer further review until these materials are provided and evaluated.
We appreciate the Board's careful consideration of these safety -related concerns and
submit this letter for inclusion in the official record.
Respectfully submitted,
Val Chukhlomin, PhD
Professor, Empire State University
Resident, 94 Elm Street
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
On behalf of residents of Elm Street and properties adjacent to Railroad Run
Additional signature pages will be submitted as they are collected from neighbors.
cc:
Saratoga Springs Fire Department - Fire Chief
Saratoga Springs Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Saratoga Springs Police Department / Department of Public Safety
City Conservation / Environmental Planning Office