Planning Board Minutes - October 27, 2003

Those present at the October 27, 2003 Planning Board meeting were:

Planning Board Members: Steve Watts - Chairman
Don Roberts – Vice Chairman
Cindy Patenaude
Rich Berkowitz
Tom Ruchlicki
John Higgins

Secretary: Tara Anuszewski

Planner: Jeff Williams

Town Attorney: Bob Chauvin

Deputy Attorney: Lyn Murphy

CHA Representative: Mike Bianchino

Liaison: Walter Polak

Mr. Watts called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm

Mr. Roberts made a motion to approve the October 15, 2003. Mrs. Patenaude seconded. Motion carried.

Old Business:

03.143 Halfmoon Sports Complex, 6 Corporate Drive, Commercial Site Plan – PDD. Mr. Tom Andress presented the proposed site plan consisting of a 76,000 SF indoor recreation facility in the Capital Region Business Park. Mr. Andress stated they have met with the Planning Board committee of Mr. Roberts and Mr. Nadeau. The main concern with the proposal is adequate parking. The site plan presently indicates approximately 200 parking spaces. Mr. Andress submitted a narrative to the Planning Board describing a typical operation of the facility for a four-hour rental block during peak use in November and April with the assumption of 1 vehicle per participant. Mrs. Shelly Johnston, Creighton Manning Engineering, discussed the findings of the Traffic and Parking analysis for the project. Mrs. Johnston stated they looked at two Capital Region indoor soccer facilities and two Syracuse indoor soccer facilities and compared their uses/parking to the proposed Halfmoon Sports Complex. She stated the comparison study showed the proposed soccer facility has similar parking ratios to the four existing indoor soccer facilities used in the study. Mrs. Johnston stated that she has responded to comments received from the Planning Board with regards to the Charbonneau Soccer facility in Malta and their existing parking. She explained the Charbonneau facility has 151 parking spaces available but 30 spaces actually belong to the SERVEPRO facility.
This would leave the Charbonneau facility with 121 parking spaces, which does not affect the parking to ball field’s ratio that is about 54 spaces per field. The second question raised by the Planning Board was whether or not Pai’s was open during the traffic count. Mrs. Johnston stated the traffic count was done in August and on a Saturday. She continued that by talking with Pai’s the peak time for traffic between the proposed indoor soccer facility and Pai’s would share a small interval of time during peak travel times. Mrs. Johnston stated the traffic report did not contain a Parking Demand Study because the demand time for indoor recreation is in the winter and the study was done in August. Mr. Berkowitz asked if the traffic engineers visited the existing capital region indoor facilities when they were open or having a tournament. Mrs. Johnston stated they did not go during the demand times but used site plans and performed a parking space count. Mr. Berkowitz asked if they counted one person per vehicle, what about parents who come after work in another car. Mr. Ruchlicki stated he feels it is a common occurrence for working parents to visit after they are out of work, which would increase the number of cars. Mrs. Johnston stated that she understands and that not all of the fields would be used at the same time. Mr. Rogan, applicant, stated there are not games all of the time but a lot of times the facility will be used for practice. Mr. Higgins stated that the Planning Board has a strong concern with the parking and not creating an unsafe condition. Mrs. Patenaude stated that because the time for the indoor recreation uses will be in high demand with the coming of winter she suggests the applicant perform a parking demand analysis. Mr. Roberts agreed. Mr. Berkowitz suggested that the applicant visit the Pai’s site during the winter months. Mr. Watts stated is the intent of the Planning Board to receive an exact business plan with the daily operations, number of spectator seats and how tournaments will run. Mr. Watts stated the Town likes the idea for this type of use but will not approve anything that may cause unsafe conditions for its residents. Mr. Watts suggested a Public Informational Meeting be set to allow the residents to voice their opinion on the proposed project.

Mr. Roberts made a motion to set a Public Informational Meeting on November 10, 2003 at 7pm or soon thereafter. Mrs. Patenaude seconded. Motion carried.

03.166 County Waste, 1927 Route 9, Addition to Site Plan – PDD. Mr. Joe Bianchine of ABD Engineers presented the site plan. Mr. Bianchine stated the project gained approval from the Town Board to amend the existing PDD in early October and that are in front of the Planning Board for final approval. There have been a few minor changes to the site plan which are the sorting building has been reduced to 18,000 SF and the water tank has been relocated further down the slope and will need a retaining wall. The project consists of improvements to the entrance road, fuel island, additional parking, the current maintenance garaged modified to a truck wash and welding shop, concrete bunkers for recyclables, addition to the office and a new transfer station. Mr. Bianchino stated they have reviewed the site plan and does not see any problems with the relocation of the water tank and that the reduced size of the transfer station has reformulated the required GEIS mitigation fees. Mr. Ruchlicki asked how deep is the existing well. Mr. Scott Earl, owner, stated 62 feet. Mr. Ruchlicki asked the difference of height between the top of well casing and the bottom of the detention basin. Mr. Bianchine stated about 6 feet. Mr. Bianchino stated that they raised the issue to ensure the casing of the well is properly encased to prohibit contamination from run-off. Mr. Higgins asked for the exact hours of operation for the facility. Mr. Watts asked Mr. Earl to submit actual hours of operation to the Planning Department.
Mrs. Patenaude made a motion to approve the site plan contingent on hours of operation being submitted. Mr. Roberts seconded. Motion carried.

03.207 Red Robin Restaurant, Halfmoon Crossings, Minor Subdivision.
03.208 Robin Restaurant, Halfmoon Crossings, Commercial Site Plan. Mr. Tom Andress presented the site plan for the proposed Red Robin Restaurant in the Crossings. Mr. Andress stated they have revised the proposed entrance to alleviate concerns to turning conflicts associated with the Hoffman Car Wash entrance. They have also left room for an internal connection with the proposed parking lot with the adjacent vacant lot. The proposal also consists of the subdivision of ~4-acres from the existing ~ 8-acre parcel and would be seeking a Public Hearing. Mr. John Swan, of Swan Concepts for Red Robin, stated Red Robin is a casual themed restaurant with a focus on the family. The restaurant is known for its burgers but has a wide variety of thoroughfare. The family type restaurant tries to cater the woman keeping the atmosphere well lighted naturally and airy. Mr. Swan stated the architecture was review by Mr. Watts and Mr. Williams and has revised the renderings to show peaked roofs instead of the original rounded look. Mr. Swan stated that he observed other building in the Town and noticed they were green roofed, colonial style and peaked roofs and wished to work with the Town to maintain the image created. Mr. Watts read the response from the Saratoga County Planning Board, which responded with an approval and commented on the need for all of the proposed parking. Mr. Swan stated that the required parking, to Town standards would be 118 spaces whereas they are proposing 120 spaces. Mr. Swan stated they need all of the parking. Mr. Roberts asked the applicant to use all advertisements as Halfmoon not Clifton Park or Halfmoon/Clifton Park and he agreed.

Mr. Berkowitz made a motion to set a Public Hearing on November 10, 2003 at 7:00 pm or soon thereafter. Mr. Roberts seconded. Motion carried.

New Business:

03.191 Rekucki Plaza, 1581 Route 9, Pylon Sign. This item was removed from the agenda.

03.210 Lowe’s Hiring Center, 1524 Route 9, Change of Tenant. Mr. Rich Rogoski, manager of the new Lowe’s of Halfmoon, was present to propose utilizing Dr. Morison’s lower level of the Dental office as a hiring center for the new Lowe’s. Steve asked the applicant if he would schedule the interviews. Mr. Rogoski stated that yes and that he would only schedule 4 interviews per hour. Mr. Berkowitz asked how many people would be there at any one time. Mr. Rogoski stated there could be 4 applicants and a staff of 4-7 people. Mr. Rogoski stated they would interview the people there and train them in other existing Lowe’s in the area. Mr. Rogoski stated they hope to use the hiring center no longer than three months or until the Lowe’s is open. Mr. Roberts asked if there would be any signs. Mr. Rogoski stated they may want to place a sign out on the existing Dr. Morison’s pylon sign so that no one will get lost trying to find the hiring center. Mrs. Murphy will look into whether or not the signs would be under the Town’s temporary sing description.

Mr. Berkowitz made a motion to approve the change of tenant application. Mr. Roberts seconded. Motion carried.

03.211 Maplewood Estates, 52 Plank Road, Sign. Mrs. Debbie Rizzo was present to place a proposed 3.5 ft by 4.6 ft, double-sided sign to identify the existing apartments at Plank Road and Route 9 intersection.

Mr. Roberts made a motion to approve the sign contingent of it not being placed with the Town’s/State’s ROW. Mr. Patenaude seconded. Motion carried.

Mr. Watts asked if anyone had anything else for the Board. Mrs. Patenaude made a motion to adjourn at 8:02 pm. Mr. Berkowitz seconded. Motion carried.

The next Planning Board meeting will be November 10, 2003

Respectfully Submitted

Tara Anuszewski, Secretary
Town of Halfmoon Planning Board