Steve Thurston (2021)
Maple Dell resident John Iacoponi holds a protest sign after a recent Saratoga Springs City Council meeting. The red blocks show houses in the neighborhood which are against Stewart's Shops Maple Dell PUD application.
The final City Council meeting of the year is also the final city council meeting for the foreseeable future, for four of the five commissioners.
Mayor Meg Kelly, Commissioner of Accounts John Franck, and Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan are all stepping down. Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton did not run for re-election this year. She lost her mayoral campaign; therefore, she will not hold her seat after the first of the year. Only Commissioner of Public Works, Anthony "Skip" Scirocco, will remain on the board.
They are bringing a number of projects and resolutions forward.
Unified Development Ordinance set for approval
After months of study, drafting, discussion and revision, the city’s Unified Development Ordinance is set for a final discussion and vote Tuesday Dec. 21. Last week, Commissioner Madigan withdrew a last minute amendment after a long discussion. The city and county planning boards gave favorable opinions of the UDO, as did the city’s Design Review Committee. All groups had adjustments and revisions they wanted to see made. The group Sustainable Saratoga offered a lot of pushback regarding the city’s green belt.
Maple Dell Planned Unit Development comes to vote
The Saratoga Springs City Council has two items on the Dec. 21 council agenda for discussion and vote concerning the Maple Dell Planned Unit Development. The first is the SEQR, or state environmental, evaluation.
The city had to wait and see if the state’s Department of Transportation wanted to be “lead agency” on this environmental analysis. According to Commissioner John Franck, the DOT responded Friday to let the city take control. With the SEQR question answered, the council can move forward with the zoning change itself.
The vote on the zoning change is not a shoo-in for Stewart’s Shops which has applied to make a number of changes to the zoning. Among them: move their store and the East Side Liquor store from Maple Dell, a couple hundred yards to Marion Avenue. Move the current car wash on Marion Avenue north along the street. The empty buildings on Maple Dell would become medical offices.
One reason the company brought the PUD to the city council was that the city’s planning and zoning boards were not in favor of it. Their opinions are merely advisory, so Stewart’s turned to the city council for the final approval rather than negotiating further with the boards.
The neighbors in the Maple Dell area have been against this proposal from the start.
They have collected enough signatures to force approval only if the plan can win a super majority of four of five commissioners. Sources say there may be three votes against on the council, which would easily turn the zoning change away.
[Read more about the Maple Dell redevelopment here.]
Tax rates will be approved
The tax rates for the city are already approved, but the vote Tuesday evening makes it official:
- Inside District for general and capital taxes: $6.4306 per $1000 assessed value
- Outside District for general and capital taxes: $6.3727 per $1,000 assessed value.
- The Downtown Special Assessment District: $0.781139 per $1,000 assessed value.
- Total assessed value of property in Saratoga Springs is over $3.33 billion.
SSPD K-9 to work the track
The city will enter a contract to allow the police department's K-9 Bomb Unit work at the Saratoga Race Course during track season. The SSPD will provide one K-9 unit and its human officer daily during track season, a resolution says. The New York Racing Association will pay a one-time $50,000 fee to cover equipment costs and will provide an office and space for the dog to stretch and relieve itself outdoors, the resolution says. An officer and K-9 will work every day the track is open for the 2022 through the 2024 seasons.