Sustainable Saratoga

PO Box 454
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
info@sustainablesaratoga.org
www.sustainablesaratoga.org



PRESENTATION TO PLANNING BOARD 10/22/14
CITY CENTER PARKING STRUCTURE


Dear City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board Members,

For nearly 2 years we have been advocating for a better review process for this parking structure. We
have been asking for more public dialogue about the role public parking should have in the future
development of the downtown. We also have requested that this parking structure project be
developed in adherence to the Citys comprehensive plan, be compliant with zoning regulations and
guidelines and follow standard principles of smart growth and urban design.
In reality, it looks like we are ending up with a project that falls well short of the Citys own guidelines in
terms of good design and sustainability.
The planning and design standards in the downtown T-6 zoning district are clear: Parking structures
should be located in the center portion of any lot with all the surrounding street frontages containing
mixed use buildings. This is clearly set forth in Article 3.1.2D. Also the T-6 standards state that block
perimeters should not exceed 1,200 feetnot the 7,000 foot perimeter proposed in this application.
These zoning guidelines are intended to foster a lively, appealing and safe pedestrian environment.
The project before you does not meet these very basic planning objectives.
Therefore, we respectfully request that you outright REJECT the applicants subdivision and site plan
applications because they fail to meet the minimum planning standards. In rejecting an application, a
SEQRA determination is not required. You would be instructing the applicant to go back to redesign the
project and bring back a new proposal that meets the minimum planning objectives.
If you decide not to reject the applicant, we see that you would then have no other choice than to issue
a SEQRA positive declaration and request the preparation of a draft environmental impact statement.
But we think it is time consuming and costly to undertake an EIS on a project that does not even meet
minimum planning standards. A more efficient use of public resources and your time would be to start
over again with a new proposal that meets the minimum zoning ordinance standards that you are
charged with upholding.
This is not a project that meets Saratoga Springs urban design standards. Please, reject these
applications NOW. Thank you.