Proposed condo project scrutinized by board
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. >> Site plan approvals for the 123-unit Park West condominium project have been slowed by concerns with its density and the reality that the surrounding area is fast becoming a major commercial hub.
Developer Scott Earl is seeking site plan approval to build the project on a 27.7-acre parcel made up of three lots in the northwest quadrant of the Route 146-Route 146A intersection. The anxieties surrounding the plan were identified during a two-hour long discussion before the Planning Board on Sept. 25.
In an previous appearance before the Planning Board the project’s conceptual plan received a positive recommendation. It was then sent back to the Town Board where the legislation creating the planned development district was approved on Aug. 20.
Upon being returned to the Planning Board for a rigorous look at the project site plans, old issues initially expressed during its first appearance resurfaced. Additionally, several town residents who were given the opportunity to comment on the plans at the Sept. 25 meeting made pointed suggestions for the board to consider.
The project seeks to put 118 condos in 32 two-story buildings and 14 single family homes on the hilly land bordered by Route 146A to the west, the Sherwood Forest subdivision to the north, Ravenswood Pub to the east and Route 146 to the south.
The design will put the 14 single family homes across from the back yards of homes in the Sherwood Forest subdivision as a transition to the condos. The plan calls for 27, four-unit condo buildings and five, two-unit buildings. The condos are to be owner occupied.
The development is proposing a unique design with the rear of most of the condo buildings and their garages facing the development’s roads. The front of the buildings will face each other across grassy alley-ways suitable for pedestrian traffic only.
The private interior roadways have sidewalks and street lamps and will be maintained by a home owners association. A boulevard access road is planned from Route 146A. A possible second access route from Route 146 remains under review.
Written comments from the town Environmental Conservation Committee said members remain concerned with impacts from the project on traffic conditions in the area.
In addition to the residential project, the state Department of Transportation is proposing major improvements to the nearby Route 146-Route 146A intersection. The improvements include a proposed roundabout.
Those comments were added to by town resident Jim Ruhl. Ruhl skipped commenting on the project’s site plans preferring instead to take a wider view of what is happening to the entire area surrounding the intersection. He maintains that a second Town Center with its mixed use commercialresidential growth is rapidly developing around the intersection and now is the time for the board to prepare for it.
“We have, as of just recently, a concept of a Town Center East of mixed use commercial and residential,” he said. “There is Town Center East and now we have another. This mixing of mixed use commercial and residential brings with it extremely high density activity in two specific areas. This is a lot of people doing a lot of things in a small space.”
Ruhl asked the board to recall the outcry two years ago for added parkland in the Town Center.
“It took a lot of citizens saying we don’t want more commercial, we want a park. What they got was a retrofit,” he said. “It wasn’t foreseen when it was only a commercial site but it became almost imperative when it became mixed use.”
Ruhl said the same thing is happening around the intersection and potential parkland can be found on that section of Earl’s 27 acres that is not being used by the condo project.
“I beg this Planning Board to extend its purview beyond just this (housing) configuration,” he said. “Without doing so, in 10 or 15 years this (land) will be deemed a necessary amenity as it was in Town Center East. Let’s move now.”
In a second set of comments to the board, Anthony LaFleche questioned who will be able to walk or use the development’s private roads and the amount of clear cutting of trees.
“To me, the project is too dense,” he said. “It’s surrounded by black top and concrete. A lot of clear cutting will be done here. Look how the trees have been kept in the surrounding developments. I feel it will fundamentally change the character of the whole area.”
During the board’s discussion of the project, several members sought ways to incorporate the project into a more walkable environment.
“It’s not just about the automobile here,” said Chairman Rocco Ferraro. “It’s about complete streets. I want the builder to put sidewalks to Route 146 and I want DOT to put sidewalks along Route 146 to the roundabout. It’s not just about moving cars.”
Several board members were obviously irritated that the plan has been viewed in detail by several departments within town hall before receiving preliminary approval from the board.
“You went to (Storm Water Management Technician) Scott Reese already,” said board member Eric Ophardt. “You didn’t speak to anyone on this board. We gave the concept a positive recommendation, but we told you at that time we had grave concerns with density and with the roads. We liked the concept but you went full barrel ahead with the design.”
His statement about density drew a response from town engineering consultant Joel Bianchi of MJ Engineering and Land Surveying that the PDD legislation had been set by the Town Board.
“Up to (132 units),” responded Ferraro. “Up to.”
The board took no action on the project.