HomeMy WebLinkAbout20260588 222 Grand Ave Area Variance Letter to Board 09.30.2026
Dear Members of the Saratoga Zoning Board,
We hope this letter finds you well. Thank you very much for your thoughtful consideration of our
request. We wanted to provide some additional context regarding our plans for our home.
We are a family of four (our children are 1 and 4 years old) and we purchased our home with the
intention of making Saratoga Springs the place where we raise our family. We specifically chose
Saratoga because of its exceptional schools, walkability, vibrant community, and the quality of
life it offers families. We already have a number of close friends in the city and have been
looking forward to calling it home.
Unfortunately, our timeline for moving to Saratoga was delayed by difficult family circumstances.
Katie’s mother has Alzheimer ’s disease, and we made the decision to remain downstate longer
than originally planned so that we could help care for her during an increasingly vulnerable point
of her life.
Because we have been unable to live in the house ourselves during this period, we have hosted
short-term rental guests—many of whom are families themselves—to help offset the costs of
maintaining the home while we remained downstate. Even while living several hours away, we
have taken great care to maintain the property to the highest standard, from regular lawn care
and landscaping to snow removal and ongoing maintenance.
Throughout this difficult time, however, our long-term plan has not changed. We have always
planned to relocate our family to Saratoga before our daughter begins kindergarten. That
milestone is now approaching, and we are preparing to make Saratoga our full-time home as of
summer 2027. We have already selected and enrolled our son in a local daycare beginning
September 2027 and will enroll our daughter in elementary school when registration opens in
January.
The renovation is an important part of that plan. The plans before the board reflect a significant
investment in both the property and our future in the neighborhood. We intend to improve the
house in a way that we believe is thoughtful, appropriate for the property, and consistent with
the quality of the surrounding neighborhood. We believe the renovation will meaningfully
improve the property and allow it to serve as a functional family home for us.
This is not a speculative development or a short-term investment. It is our family home. We plan
to raise our children here, send them to Saratoga schools, participate in the community, and
remain in the home for decades.
We appreciate the Board’s time and consideration of our application, as well as the opportunity
to provide this additional context. We genuinely look forward to finally becoming full-time
Saratogians.
Sincerely,
Katie and Joe