TOWN OF SARATOGA

PLANNING BOARD DRAFT MINUTES

 

December 20, 2017

 

Chairman Ian Murray called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

 

Planning Clerk Linda McCabe called the roll:  Chairman Ian Murray – present, Laurie

Griffen – present, Patrick Hanehan – present, Robert McConnell – present, Joseph

Lewandowski – present, Brandon Myers – absent, George Olsen - present,

Alternate Christopher Koval - absent.

 

Also attending: Town Engineer Ken Martin, Mike Ingersoll, Katelyn Courey, Lance Ingmire, Jim Vianna, John Cashin, Tom Yannios, Paul Murphy and Peter Olsen. (Sign-in sheet is on file in the Clerk's office)

 

A motion was made by Patrick Hanehan, seconded by Joseph Lewandowski, to accept the meeting minutes of November 15, 2017.   Chairman Ian Murray – aye, Laurie Griffen – aye, Patrick Hanehan – aye, Joseph Lewandowski – aye, Robert McConnell – aye, Brandon Myers – absent, George Olsen - aye, Alternate Chris Koval - absent.

Carried  6 - 0

Approved

 

Sketch Plan Conferences

 

Lance Ingmire #17-21

44 Trombley Rd.

Stillwater, Ny 12170

S/B/L 193.-1-48 Rural

 

Applicant seeks to subdivide his 7.38+/- acre parcel with 599.3' of frontage into two lots.  One lot with the existing house will remain with the owner and the second lot will be sold for a single family residence.

 

Applicant Lance Ingmire appeared before the Board and reviewed his proposal.  He stated his survey was completed and handed a survey map to Chairman Ian Murray and the Board. 

Chairman Ian Murray questioned who surveyed the property and the Applicant replied that

the survey was completed by Dave Weiss. 

 

The Applicant stated one parcel is to be 2.3+/- acres with 200' of frontage and the other parcel will be 5+/- acres with 399.3' of frontage.  Deep hole and perc tests have been completed and he handed those results to Chairman Ian Murray and Town Engineer Ken Martin for review; they were both fine with the results. 

 

Chairman Ian Murray stated he needs to have the Right-to-Farm law on the map as well as the Town water regulations.  He then stated this is a clean subdivision and we will advertise for a public hearing for January.

 

Applicant Lance Ingmire thanked the Board.

Returning

 

 

Joan Taylor/William Wilmot #17-22           Representative:  James Vianna, PLS

240 Fitch Rd.                                                                              170 Lohnes Rd.

Saratoga Springs, NY                                                                Stillwater, NY 12170

S/B/L 180.-1-21.2 Rural & Conservancy

Location:  East & West sides of Fitch Rd.

 

Applicant seeks a two lot subdivision of their 198.5+/- acre parcel.  Lot #1 is to be 104.5+/- acres (west of Fitch Rd., Conservancy district) and will be conveyed to a neighbor for use as a horse farm and pasture lands and Lot #2 (Rural district) will remain as is.

 

Jim Vianna, PLS, appeared before the Board on behalf of the applicants.  He reviewed the subdivision with the Board stating the property is split via Fitch Rd.  Lot 1 will remain in agriculture and will be adjoined with a horse operation; there will be no residence on this parcel.  Lot 2 has the existing house and barns.  He stated the survey is incomplete at this time, as Lot 1 is underwater; once it freezes he will complete the survey.

 

Chairman Ian Murray stated we can advertise for a public hearing for next month.

 

Jim Vianna, PLS, thanked the Board.

Returning

 

(Planning Board member Patrick Hanehan recused himself for the following application.)

 

Turning Point Dairy, LLC #17-23              Owners:  Alvin Bryant & William Lawyer

229 Co. Rt. 67                                                                 649 Co. Rt. 70

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866                                         Stillwater, NY 12170

S/B/L 206.-1-10.11 Rural

Location: 651 Co. Rt. 70; west side Co. Rt. 70 along Town Line

 

Representative:  James Vianna, PLS

                             170 Lohnes Rd.

                             Stillwater, NY 12170

 

Applicant seeks to subdivide a one acre parcel with existing house and outbuildings from the 99+/- acre parcel; Lot #1 to be 98+/- acre agriculture field and Lot #2 to be a 1 acre lot with existing house and structures with 160' of frontage.

 

Jim Vianna, PLS, appeared before the Board on behalf of the Applicant and stated the Applicant is under contract to purchase the 99+/- acre parcel for agriculture pursuits.  They'd like to subdivide the 1 acre lot across the road, which will give them 98+/- acres for farming.  There is a field access road along the boundary of Lot 2 and they'd like to keep the house lot as small as possible. 

 

Chairman Ian Murray stated he and Town Engineer Ken Martin were concerned with well and septic location.

 

Jim Vianna responded  he'll have that information for the ZBA meeting, so there'll be no issues with that.

 

 

 

A motion was made by Chairman Ian Murray, seconded by Laurie Griffen, to deny this application and send it to the Zoning Board of Appeals, as it creates a non-conformaing parcel and will need a 40' frontage variance and a 1 acre area variance.   Chairman Ian Murray – aye, Laurie Griffen – aye, Patrick Hanehan – recused, Joseph Lewandowski – aye, Robert McConnell – aye, Brandon Myers – absent, George Olsen - aye, Alternate Chris Koval - absent.

Denied  5 - 0

 

(Board Member Patrick Hanehan rejoined the Board)

 

Bonacio Construction #17-24           Owners:  Richard Leach/Peter Leach

18 Division St. #401                                             185 Chestnut Ridge Rd./10 Mitchell Pl. #4GH

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866                              Queensbury, NY / New York, NY

S/B/L 180.-1-8 Conservancy

 

Representative:  Mike Ingersoll

                             The LA Group

                             40 Long Alley

                             Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

 

Applicant proposes to subdivide a 150.96+/- acre parcel into 6 single family residential lots, with individual septic systems and wells.  The two southern most lots have existing residences and driveways onto Fitch Rd.  The remaining four proposed lots are to access Fitch Rd. with a shared driveway, which will be constructed on proposed Lot 4. 

 

Mike Ingersoll, LA Group, appeared before the Board on behalf of the Applicant.  He stated this is a conservation subdivision and the test pits and studies are completed, as well as placement of the building envelopes.  He then went through a power point presentation with the Board while reviewing the conservation subdivision regulations.  This is a 150+/- acre parcel in the Conservancy District of the Town.  NYS DEC has been on site delineating the wetlands and there is a strip of Army Corp. wetlands and flood plain as well, which they'll stay away from.  Topographical map of the property has been done and they've been able to depict where the 25% slopes are located, which is primarily the stream bed and along the creek and some cut coming up Staffords Bridge Rd.  Views of the fields will be maintained, keep the fields pastoral.  Out of the 150+/- acres of land, half is buildable.  There are two existing houses on the land and they propose to build four more.  They will subdivide the two existing houses, which will create a total of five new lots (one with existing house and four with new houses).  You may see one from the road, but the others will be placed so you won't notice any changes.  To clarify, they will be splitting the two existing houses; Lot 1 to have brick house with 50+/- acres and restrictions and Lot 2 will have the other house on a 2.1+/- acre lot.  The additional four proposed houses will have restricted building envelopes and there will be one shared drive coming off of Fitch Rd., connected to Lot 4, with private driveways coming off of that to each home, as well as a hammerhead turn-around.  He stated they've added degrees of easements such as agriculture restrictions and no-cut disturbance zones.  He added they've talked with the NYS Historic Preservation and knows they will need a stormwater permit, as this is along the creek.  He stated they also have a Conservation Easement due to the sensitivity to archeological findings and they will stay within that easement. NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation is satisfied with this easement and has no issue with it.  Stormwater needs to be completed; they end up with 138+/- acres, with a total of 6 homes, two of which are existing.

 

Chairman Ian Murray stated he has issues with some of the legal language in some of the covenants.  The following need to be addressed:

1.  In the Restricted Covenant, they didn't specify anything on Lots 1 & 6. 

 

2.  A couple of changes are needed In the Private Road Maintenance Agreement:  Under #3., they need to strike "subdivided further",  Under #4, they need to add "access rights and maintenance, per Town of Saratoga regulations, for emergency vehicles."

 

Town Engineer Ken Martin stated that on either  Lot 4 or 5, the one with the longest driveway, will need a turn-around as it is 200+/-' long. 

 

Mike Ingersoll responded he will note that in the deed.

 

Chairman Ian Murray stated in regards to the deed restrictions that Mike Ingersoll talked about, under B. on the first page: "There will be a "Conservancy Area" as shown on filed map which shall be restricted to agricultural pursuits including raising of agricultural products, livestock, poultry and horses including accessory buildings and uses normally associated with these activities.";  please add 'as per Town of Saratoga Zoning Regulations', then there is no need to specifically say all of that, as it's all covered by our regulations.

 

Chairman Ian Murray asked if there were any Board questions or comments; the Board stated they like this plan.

 

Chairman Ian Murray made a motion, seconded by Robert McConnell, to declare the Town of Saratoga Planning Board as lead agency for this project.  Chairman Ian Murray – aye, Laurie Griffen – aye, Patrick Hanehan – aye, Joseph Lewandowski – aye, Robert McConnell – aye, Brandon Myers – absent, George Olsen - aye, Christopher Koval - absent.  Carried   6 - 0

 

Chairman Ian Murray stated we will publish for a public hearing for January.

Returning

 

Peter Olsen addressed the Board with questions and ideas he had for a marina for property on Brown Point Lane; Chairman Ian Murray told him he will have to apply for a special use permit and he'll need to talk with Building Inspector Gil Albert concerning building codes and NYSDEC for anything on the water.

 

Old Business: none

 

New Business: none

 

A motion was made by Patrick Hanehan, seconded by Robert McConnell to adjourn the

meeting at 8:30 p.m.  Chairman Ian Murray – aye, Laurie Griffen – aye, Patrick Hanehan – aye, Joseph Lewandowski – aye, Robert McConnell – aye, Brandon Myers – absent, George Olsen - aye, Christopher Koval - absent. 

Carried   6 - 0

Meeting Adjourned

 

The next regular meeting will be held Wednesday, January 24 , 2018 at 7:30 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Linda A. McCabe

Planning Clerk