Clifton Park looks for green space continuity
Supervisor says more preserved land makes town more desirable
The town is looking to add more green space to create a contiguous patch of nature for residents to enjoy.
Supervisor Phil Barrett said that efforts to cluster new homes, reduce density of new developments by 33 percent and preserve forests and fields – via town purchase, conservation easements or purchase of development rights – will maintain the town’s fiscal viability and desirability.
“Our parks and recreational areas will continue to grow,” Barrett said. “A hundred years from now, the land the town bought, beautiful, natural areas, will be preserved forever. I’m pleased that we aggressively placed the town in this position so that future town leaders will have an abundance of options for the town’s parks and recreational needs. We see it as good for the future.”
The burgeoning areas of green space, now at 1,622 acres in total, include another 96-acres on Waite Road, donated to the town by Saratoga PLAN in August. Bordering Garnsey Park, the new parcel expands the park to 240 acres. The new acreage also links Route 146 with Waite Road.
“It’s another fantastic connection,” Barrett said.
Saratoga PLAN also gave the town another 31 acres to add to the Dwasskill Nature Preserve. Earlier this year, it accepted 88
acres from Belmonte Builders on Bonneau Road near the Stony Creek Reservoir. The town also bought a disputed 37 acres from the Shenedehowa school district, via a public referendum, that saved the forest from developers.
While the 37-acre parcel is in the eastern area of town, most of the Clifton Park’s green-up is centered on the western half. Since 2003, the town has sought to temper development west of Vischer Ferry Road while allowing for commercial growth to blossom at the I-87 Northway Exit 9 corridor.
Barrett said the town’s vibrant commercial hub at Exit 9 has allowed the town to build its parks. He said the retail stores, health care centers, hotels and restaurants are a “huge economic driver” that add to sales tax revenue and the tax base.
The money the commercial corridor generates, Barrett said, is far more than the residential highway and EMS tax. But Barrett said it’s important to cultivate both commercial and residential areas.
“We want a balance between commercial and residential,” Barrett said. “We will never get to 50-50 commercial and residential, but without commercial, it is very, very expensive for the municipality in the future. The concern is for the future infrastructure of the town, which is hard to maintain with just residential.”
Green space and moderating development, he said, is especially important as Clifton Park is a Saratoga County crossroad. The town is busy with traversing commuters, school children traveling from Halfmoon and Malta to Shenendehowa and patrons to the businesses along the Exit 9 corridor.
In addition to acquiring property, the town has permanently placed conservation easements on 187 acres on King Crest Farm, Riverview Orchards and Heckman Farm. The town has also shaped its zoning code to promote open space. On the western side of town, zoning regulations seek to build fewer homes and cluster them on parcels. That will leave more of the property undeveloped. The hope is that the undeveloped areas of one parcel will adjoin other undeveloped areas.
Barrett also said that the town has incentivized zoning. A developer who wants to build more homes than the zoning code allows can if the developer pays $30,000 per home. That money is reserved to further the town’s preservation efforts.
Ultimately, said Barrett, it’s about improving the overall value of living in Clifton Park.
“It continually adds value to the community and to the square-footage of every home,” Barrett said. “The cascading effects raise property values.”