Staff Notes 8/25/2020
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
August 25, 2020
Site Plan 9-2020 KATHY SANDERS
119 Birdsall Road / WR – Waterfront Residential / Ward 1
SEQR Type II
Material Review: application, elevations, landscape plan, site drawings, survey
Parcel History:AV 26-2019 Dock Replacement
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Requested Action
Planning Board review and approval (Revised) to renovate an existing 1,232sq. ft. (footprint) home with a
second story and an open deck addition to an existing deck.
Resolutions
1. PB decision
Project Description
(Revised) Applicant proposes to renovate an existing 1,232sq. ft. (footprint) home with a second story and an
open deck addition to an existing deck. The home has an existing floor area of 3,971 sq. ft. and proposed is
5,513 sq. ft. Project includes site work for retaining walls on land, repairs of shoreline retaining wall,
landscaping, stormwater management and a new septic system. Revision includes additional green space and a
reduced bedroom size on the second floor. Pursuant to Chapter 179-3-040 & 179-6-050 of the Zoning
Ordinance, new floor area construction in a CEA and hard surfacing shall be subject to Planning Board review
and approval.
Staff Comments
Location-The project site is located at 119 Birdsall Road off of Round Pond Road of 0.45 ac parcel.
Arrangement- The site has an existing home and a detached garage
Site Design- The site work to be completed includes an update to the shoreline area with a new bolder wall
and regrading to pitch away from the shoreline, installation of a rain garden, installation of shoreline
plantings, and installation of landscape stone steps. The front of the home will also have additional new
landscape plantings.
Building - The project includes constructing a second story addition of 912 sq. ft. over existing living space,
where the bedroom size has been reduced where a portion is no longer over the existing porch. The plans
show a balcony area of 216 sq. ft. and 300 sq. ft. of new living space over an existing enclosed
porch/sunroom. The existing main floor has modifications to the layout and encloses the porch facing the
lake 216 sq. ft., the open deck is enlarged to 432 +/- sq. ft. from 300 +/- sq. ft., and a new front entry
covered porch 144 sq. ft. is proposed.
Site conditions-The plans identify the existing areas to be improved - shoreline area, new steps to be
installed from home towards the shoreline, and the septic area.
Site layout and utility plan – The project includes installation of a new septic system.
Grading and drainage plan and Sediment and erosion control – The plans show a wall at the shoreline to be
replaced with boulders and the land area would be graded to be pitched away from the shore. The wall to be
reviewed by NYSDEC or other entity for placement.
Landscape plan – The applicant has shown new planting areas and areas to remain with existing vegetation.
Shoreline Buffer requirements under Section 179-8-040
o
-Minimum width 20 ft (Glen Lake)
-For every 700 sqft of shoreline buffer area –one large tree minimum 3 inches in diameter
-For every 350 sq ft of ground cover -7 – 24 in native shrubs; 14 herbaceous plants
Project site
-50 ft +/-of shoreline per survey
-Shoreline buffer 50 ft X 20 ft width is 1000 sq ft
-Shoreline buffer -1000 /700 =1.4 round up to 2 –two large trees at 3inch diameter
-Ground cover -1000/350 =2.9 round up to 3 (X7) =21 native shrubs and 3(X14) herbaceous plants=42
Utility details - The applicant will draw water from the lake and has received approval to install a new septic
system.
Elevations - The elevations show the views of the proposed home. Also included are picture of the existing
home.
Floor plans – The floor plans show the area of the new construction and each level of the new home.
Waivers-Planning staff has reviewed the applicants request for waivers that include items g. site lighting, h.
signage, j. stormwater, k. topography, l. landscaping, n traffic, o. commercial alterations/ construction
details, p floor plans, q. soil logs, r. construction/demolition disposal s. snow removal.
The waivers requested–Staff finds it reasonable to request a waiver as these items are typically
associated with commercial projects.
Pursuant to Section 179-9-050 the Planning Board may grant waivers on its own initiative or at the
written request of an applicant. The Board is to review the waivers and to determine if they are to be
granted.
Nature of Variance
GRANTED 8/19/2020. Revised-
The additions to the home require setback relief from both sides: proposed is 6
ft. on the north side and 10.8 ft from the south side where a 15 ft. setback is required. The shoreline setback
proposed is 46 ft. where a 50 ft. setback is required. The floor area is proposed to be 5,513 sq. ft. (28%) where
4,312 sq. ft. (22%) is the maximum allowed. The height request has been removed as the addition to the home is
to have a hip roof reducing the height to 28 ft.
Summary
The applicant has completed a site plan review application with updated materials and reduced variance relief
for floor area, removed the height relief request and has reduced hard surfacing on the site between sidewalk
areas and storage area attached to the garage.
Meeting History: PB: 2/25/2020, 6/23/2020; ZBA: 6/17/2020, 8/19/2020;
- 2 -