City Council approves hospital zoning map
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> The special meeting of the Saratoga Springs City Council drew few residents impacted by the 4-to-1 vote in favor of the zoning map amendments to 18 parcels, bringing them into compliance with the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
The decision included the three parcels that residents have fought to retain as residential.
The vote constituted a goahead nod to Saratoga Hospital to continue on to the next phase of plans they have pursued since 2015, to build the four-story, 80,000-square-foot building medical office and parking garage complex on Parcel 1 of the 18 parcels under debate.
Commissioner of Accounts and City Council Member John Franck filed the sole vote against the proposal that had the support of Mayor Meg Kelly, Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan, Commissioner of Public Safety Peter Martin, and Commissioner of Public Works Anthony Scirocco.
The response of Saratoga Hospital to the vote was drafted in advance and provided by Saratoga Hospital attorney Matt Jones and hospital spokesmen at the Special City Council Meeting.
It included the following remarks:
“Tonight’s vote is an important next step in a long process. This was a citywide rezoning initiative of the City Council as required by New York State law. The task before the Council was to make an informed decision based on fact and professional guidance, and to make that decision representing the best interests of the entire community, and in accordance with the
Comprehensive Plan. That is not an easy task.
“The rezoning of the Morgan Street parcel, one of 18 in this first round of aligning the city’s Comprehensive Plan with it’s zoning map, now allows Saratoga Hospital to begin the next phase toward development of medical offices on the land it acquired earlier this year. That next phase involves the review of the to-be-developed plans by the City Planning Board.”
In supporting the zoning changes, Madigan stated:
“It comes down to this for me: New York General City Law provides authority for municipalities to undertake comprehensive planning and regulate land use. The Comprehensive Plan is our City’s vision for the future and our Zoning Ordinance is the tool used to implement that vision. …The effect of adoption of the City Comprehensive Plan – and we as a Council unanimously adopted said Plan – is that all city land use regulations must be in accordance with a comprehensive plan – it is that straight forward.
“So with, that I will indicate my support for the 18 proposals before me this evening.”
Claudia Bramer, attorney for the residents, promised to fight on, and made the following statement on behalf of her clients who are stakeholders residing on Morgan Street, Woodland Court, Myrtle Street and Seward Street and are immediately impacted by the latest decision:
“The residents are frustrated that this City Council kicked the review of the Hospital’s project to an un-elected board instead of handling it themselves. We are filing an Article 78 against the City Council’s decision with New York State Supreme Court in Saratoga County.”