Joseph LaCivita, Director, Planning and Economic Development. Ted Kolankowski, PE, Barton and Loguidice

Transcription

1 0 0 PLANNING BOARD TOWN OF COLONIE COUNTY OF ALBANY *************************************************** SIENA COLLEGE LOOP ROAD LOUDON ROAD APPLICATION FOR FINAL SITE PLAN APPROVAL *************************************************** THE STENOGRAPHIC MINUTES of the above entitled public hearing BY NANCY STRANG-VANDEBOGART, a Shorthand Reporter, commencing on May, 0 at : p.m. at the Public Operations Center Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, New York 0 BOARD MEMBERS: PETER STUTO, CHAIRMAN LOUIS MION KATHLEEN DALTON BRIAN AUSTIN BRIAN HAAK MICHAEL SULLIVAN PAUL ROSANO ELENA VAIDA, Esq., Attorney for the Planning Board Also present: Joseph LaCivita, Director, Planning and Economic Development Ted Kolankowski, PE, Barton and Loguidice Dan Farnan, PE, Foit Albert Edward Travis, Assistant Director of Services, Siena College Karen Parrotta, Greater Loudonville Association Ph -- Fax --0

2 0 0 CHAIRMAN STUTO: Next we have Siena College Loop Road, Loudon Road, application for final site plan approval. Is the address correct on that one? MR. LACIVITA: That should be, as well. CHAIRMAN STUTO: That s the greater address for the whole college? MR. LACIVITA: I believe that it is. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Do you want to give an introduction on this? I know that we ve seen this project. MR. LACIVITA: We ve seen this a number of times. It s an interior loop road, about,000 linear feet of road that connects Turchi Road to Friar s Drive and it s here for final as well. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Okay, we re happy to hear from the applicant for this one, as well. MR. FARNAN: Thank you. Being last on the agenda, I will try my hardest to be brief. I do have a quick update on the stormwater management plan from Foit Albert and Associates. Basically we ve finished the first phase Ph -- Fax --0

3 0 0 of the project which includes an updated survey of the structure and that includes Fiddler s Lane, and the former Troop G barracks. The wetland delineation of all the Siena property has been completed. The gathering of all available GIS data to create a DIS database or facilities management has been completed as well as all record research. We are in the second and third phases of our project and that will include all stormwater run off problems, stormwater quality modeling, the writing of the draft report and writing of a stormwater management planning guide which will help provide an operation maintenance manual essentially to facilities to take care of all their management practices currently onsite. The draft version of this document is due in June and Siena officials have stated that the draft version will be made available to the Town s Stormwater Department for their comment. CHAIRMAN STUTO: you ll give Joe a copy, as well? MR. FARNAN: Yes. The final versions of the documents are Ph -- Fax --0

4 0 0 due in July and Foit Albert and Associates is under contract to present all of our findings of both Siena and to the Town of Colonie. That particular presentation has yet to be determined when the date will be. We are under contract to do that and we expect it to be late July. CHAIRMAN STUTO: And you ll come back and make a presentation that night? MR. FARNAN: That detail hasn t even ironed out as to where the presentation will be held. That s something that I ll have to iron out with Siena. MR. LACIVITA: Typically, those stormwater documents are not adopted by us. It s done by stormwater. We ll figure out what applicable presentation to give. CHAIRMAN STUTO: I know that we don t have to vote on it. I didn t know if you're going to make a presentation. MR. LACIVITA: We probably should just so that everybody hears it in case there is any future developments. It would be probably like an FYI type of presentation. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Is Barton and Loguidice Ph -- Fax --0

5 0 0 involved with that at all? MR. LACIVITA: They are doing a campus wide review. I know that they are involved with the review of the project. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Thank you. MR. FARNAN: Regarding the loop road, we have reviewed all the comments that we received recently from the TDE. We do not anticipate any issues from those comments. Most of the comments are regarding landscaping which we are currently working with Siena to figure the best way of incorporating those comments either through this design or other means. We re here tonight to request three items from the Board. The first is a waiver to adopt the FHWA New York State DOT standards for our site plans. The second would be to SEQRA. I m happy to answer any questions that the Board might have. CHAIRMAN STUTO: I m looking in the audience for the Greater Loudonville Association. Have you seen this yet or not? MS. PARROTTA: No. Ph -- Fax --0

6 0 0 CHAIRMAN STUTO: Can you briefly describe what s on here? MR. FARNAN: Sure. This is the overview of the actual campus. This is Loudon Road and this is Route and this is Spring Street Road here (Indicating). What we are proposing to do is an extension of Turchi Road which is a privately owned road on Siena s campus located right here. The road currently terminates in a parking lot along the athletic complex. We are proposing to extend that road around the back of the athletic complex around the back of the tennis courts and connect it to Friar s Drive right here to allow interconnectivity for all transport; both pedestrian and motorized vehicles. This is our concept of how that aligns with the road. Correct me if I m wrong, but somebody on one side of the campus can get to the other side and they don t have to go out onto Route and Spring Street? MR. FARNAN: Correct. CHAIRMAN STUTO: So, it takes traffic off Ph -- Fax --0

7 0 0 the main road. You ll see students coming out and going to the other side. That should take a lot of that traffic away. MR. FARNAN: Correct. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Can you talk about the funding for a second? MR. FARNAN: Yes, this is a federally funded project. It has a local share. The federal funds are percent of the local share, and by Siena College is 0 percent. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Ted, do you have comments? MR. KOLANKOWSKI: Yes. Just first of all, in terms of what Dan was asking for we reviewed the plans that were submitted. We re comfortable that the application and the standings represent the design that s feasible. We don t have a problem with that. In terms of SEQRA, there were a couple of outstanding items that we need to address. SHPPO sent a letter stating that there were no historic properties affected. There was some question about a historical building nearby. So, it should close that door. Also, the Army Corps the last time that Ph -- Fax --0

8 0 0 Dan was here, they had done a field inspection of the wetland delineation. There are no issues in terms of SEQRA. The stormwater pollution prevention plan at this point they haven t really detailed out the proposals on -- Dan is doing both designs and the master plan and the coordination of those efforts. In the report they propose feasible alternatives for -- one of the problems that I have is it may not get approval of their pervious pavement. If that happens, they have stated that they have a feasible alternative if they have to use impervious asphalt for the road. They re using a lot of conservative assumptions. He was comfortable with what they proposing as their methodology. There were some questions last time about using some sort of guide rail along the retaining wall. They have indicated that they re going to use six or eight feet MR. FARNAN: Six to eight feet would be the highest it would be. MR. KOLANKOWSKI: In terms of the trees, I suggested in our letter that the college Ph -- Fax --0

9 0 0 consider moving some of the trees. They re doing a lot of disturbance close to the trees and it would be good to try to save them. I m a little bit concerned about getting disturbance of a trip line. As carefully as you want to be with what you put on your plans about hand excavating the spruce and carefully pruning them, it doesn t always happen that way. It s something to consider. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Can you show us where those trees are? MR. FARNAN: There are a few larger trees right in this location. Right now we re attempting to keep our development away from them so that they can be preserved in the current location which I believe is the wishes of Siena s Facilities management. That s the current plan right now. MR. TRAVIS: The larger scale trees do not appear to have an effective root structure or a root structure development at this time. We are incorporating the more deciduous and evergreen trees along that area. MR. KOLANKOWSKI: Also, I know that there wasn t a planting plan involved for the Ph -- Fax --0

10 0 0 0 project. When there is one, we d like to review it. CHAIRMAN STUTO: I know that we re moving fast on this, but I think that we can make that condition that the Town Designated Engineer can sign off on the planting plan. MR. FARNAN: Moving the trees is not critical. Is there any question about treatment of the steeper slopes? I know that we haven t detailed out yet, but they are two on one slopes. MR. TRAVIS: We can discuss some of the options that we can use in that area with some of the plantings being a part of the layout. MR. KOLANKOWSKI: Beside the landscaped plans and those details, there will be a final SWPPP that we would like to review. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Anybody from the public want to be heard on this? (There was no response.) CHAIRMAN STUTO: Any Planning Board Members? MS. DALTON: My son used to play basketball there all the time. I think that Ph -- Fax --0

11 0 0 it s a great idea. CHAIRMAN STUTO: It s a great project. Do you want to walk us through the SEQRA? MR. KOLANKOWSKI: Sure. This is a notice of determination. Everyone should have it. We ve determined that it s. Notice of determination of no significant effect on the environment. A negative declaration. To all interested agencies, groups and persons, in accordance with Article of the Environmental Conservation Law and the state wide regulations under the Act, lead agency has received an environmental assessment form in connection with the proposed action described below. Lead agency has determined that the proposed action will result in no major impacts and therefore will not have a significant impact on the environment and therefore an environmental impact statement is not required to be prepared with respect to said action. This notice is a negative declaration for the purposes of the act. Lead agency is the Ph -- Fax --0

12 0 0 Town of Colonie Planning Board. The person to contact for further information is Rebekah Nellis Kennedy, Attorney, Town of Colonie Town Attorney s office, Loudon Road, Newtonville. The project is the Siena Loop Road at Loudon Road. That action is construction of a two lane road connecting Friar s Drive and Spring Street Road, resuming the sidewalks, curbing, curb meeting for a portion of the alignment, lighting and new conduits for electrical and telecommunication infrastructure. The action is located at Loudon Road, Town of Colonie, in the County of Albany. Reasons for determination of non-significance: The lead agency has reviewed the application, site plan, project description, and all supporting documentation, and conducted such further investigation of the project and its environmental effects as the lead agency has deemed appropriate. Based on this review, the lead agency has determined that the action will have no significant effects on the environment. Ph -- Fax --0

13 0 0 The impact on land: The project will result in some physical change to the side including the addition of a roadway, sidewalks and lighting. There are no protected waters in the project area. The proposed project is located near areas of freshwater wetlands located on the site. The project is designed to mitigate impacts caused in such areas by no disturbance of the wetlands. Based on the above, it appears that the project will not have a significant impact on the environment related to land resources. Impact on water: Since more than one acre will be disturbed, the stormwater pollution prevention plan will be prepared and implemented and comprised of Phase II regulations. The project will utilize green infrastructure stormwater runoff treatment methods, including porous pavement. The proposed project site with pavement and sidewalks will result in an increase in stormwater runoff, the project will include measures to reduce the potential for soil erosion and the project therefore should not result in significant adverse impacts on Ph -- Fax --0

14 0 0 drainage. Based on the above, it appears that the project will not have a significant impact on environmental related water resources. Impacts on Transportation: The proposed project is for the construction of a private road intended to be used by those within the college campus who would otherwise need to use Route and Spring Street Road to reach locations on that side of the campus. The proposed road does not run from Fiddler s Lane to Spring Street Road, rather from Friar s Road, so for a use as a bypass for Route /Spring Street Road intersection by people interconnected to Siena is unlikely. The use of the existing Spring Street Road/Turchi Road intersection is beginning from the proposed roadway, which minimizes impacts to existing traffic. Based on the above it appears that the project will not have a significant impact on the environment relating to transportation. Conclusion: The Town of Colonie has completed a careful review of the reasonably anticipated areas of environmental concern Ph -- Fax --0

15 0 0 raised by the project. Based upon that review, the criteria for determining significance contained in the SEQRA regulations, and the rule of reasonableness, the Planning Board issues this negative declaration, concluding that the facts and circumstance of this project will not result in a significant adverse environmental impact. An environmental impact statement, therefore, will not be required. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Do we have a motion on that negative declaration? MR. MION: I ll make a motion. MR. AUSTIN: I ll second. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Any discussion? (There was no response.) CHAIRMAN STUTO: All those in favor? (Ayes were recited.) CHAIRMAN STUTO: All those opposed? (There was no response.) CHAIRMAN STUTO: The ayes have it. On the main question before the Board, which is the site plan approval for the Siena Loop Road application, contingent upon working with the Town Designated Engineer on all of Ph -- Fax --0

16 0 the open issues, including final plantings, SWPPP, saving the trees and all of those other things stated on the record tonight and also the Town Department comments; do we have a motion? MR. AUSTIN: I ll make a motion. MR. HAAK: I ll second. CHAIRMAN STUTO: Any comments or questions? (There was no response.) CHAIRMAN STUTO: All those in favor? (Ayes were recited.) CHAIRMAN STUTO: All those opposed? (There was no response.) CHAIRMAN STUTO: The ayes have it. 0 (Whereas the proceeding concerning the above entitled matter was concluded at :0 p.m.) Ph -- Fax --0

17 CERTIFICATION 0 I, NANCY STRANG-VANDEBOGART, Shorthand Reporter, New York State Approved Transcriber and Notary Public in and for the State of New York, hereby CERTIFY that the record taken by me at the time and place noted in the heading hereof is a true and accurate transcript of same, to the best of my ability and belief NANCY STRANG-VANDEBOGART Dated June, 0 0 Ph -- Fax --0