Board OKS Weibel plans

Bonacio moves ahead on next phase

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The next phase of Sonny Bonacio’s mixed-use project on Weibel Avenue will start just as the first portion of the newly constructed neighborhood wraps up.

The Planning Board approved plans Wednesday evening for the new 120-residential-unit development in a woodland area at 72-74 Weibel Ave.

The project is situated on a 7.8- acre parcel and, in addition to the residential space, will house 12,500 square feet of commercial space.

Crews are currently finishing up a similar Bonacio project at 60 Weibel Ave. that has 188 residential units and 25,000 square feet of commercial space.

Both projects feature a commercial building along Weibel Avenue with residential buildings beyond.

They have internal streets in a grid layout with sidewalks and bike paths, and they also both feature substantial green space in between the residential buildings.

Bonacio said construction on the project will begin in June or July. “We’ll wrap up in June on 60 Weibel and we’ll move across to 72-74,” he said.

The commercial space at the new property, Bonacio said, would be dedicated to amenities for the residents such as coffee shops or services like a dry cleaner, barber shop and gym that are at 60 Weibel Ave.

The site was approved after a lengthy discussion on pedestrian access to the site.

“Right now, there is no ability for someone to do anything but get into a car if they want to leave the site,” City Planner Kate Maynard pointed out.

The board suggested Bonacio create a traffic or pedestrian signal to allow pedestrians to cross the street and recommended extending the existing sidewalk at Hannaford to his site.

Bonacio said he would- n’t, though. He said he spent $ 1.18 million on off- site improvements, including extending sewer access to the city’s system down Weibel Avenue and connecting the city’s ice rink to the system along the way. He also paid to widen Weibel Avenue and to pave the Police Benevolent Association’s road to its shooting range.

Bonacio was also required to pay $462,000 in recreation fees for the development.

“I simply can’t carry the bucket for everybody,” he said.

Maynard agreed Bonacio’s contributions are substantial, but pointed out that the sewer was necessary to build his project in the first place.

Bonacio’s engineer said a traffic signal would cost at least $175,000, but Maynard said a pedestrianonly crossing signal would be much less expensive.

It was suggested that some of the recreation fees Bonacio had contributed could be put toward the installation of a crossing light.

It was unclear Wednesday whether that was considered an accepted use for the city’s recreation fund, but Tuesday night, the City Council used $ 15,000 of it to match a grant to fund a pedestrian and bicycle linkage study.

Complete Streets Advisory Committee member Theresa Capozzola, who is also an open-space advocate, urged the board to push for more pedestrian access.

“One thousand people who can’t walk to Hannaford safely, to me, is unbelievable,” she said. “If we can’t afford a light and more sidewalks, we can’t afford 120 more units.”

The board approved the project with the understanding that a member of the Planning Board would go to the City Council and inquire about it. If the signal light was installed, Bonacio said he would extend the sidewalks to it.

“I think he has done more than his fair share,” said board member Tom Lewis, making the motion to pass the project.