Staff Notes for 11/17/2020
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
November 17, 2020
Site Plan (M) 29-2020 CAMP KNOX, LLC / BALLAS
67 Knox Road / WR – Waterfront Residential / Ward 1
SEQR Type II
Material Review: revised planting plan, narrative of planting plan, warren county soil and water
information, and Lake George Association information.
Parcel History:SP 53-2007, SP (M) 53-2007, NOA 11-2007, NOA 4-2009, AV 3-2014, SP 4-
2014
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Requested Action
Planning Board review and approval for revisions to an existing landscaping plan.
Resolutions
1. PB decision
Project Description
Revised: Applicant proposes revisions to an existing shoreline landscaping plan. Replacing an area of
approximately 100 sq. ft. patio area with 150 sq. ft. permeable patio area and landscaping at shoreline. The site
has an existing 2,706 sq. ft. (footprint) home. Pursuant to Chapter 179-6-050 of the Zoning Ordinance,
modification of an existing site plan and hard surfacing within 50 ft. of shoreline shall be subject to Planning
Board review and approval.
Staff Comments
Location-The project site is located 67 Knox Road on a 0.45 acre parcel.
Arrangement- The project site has an existing home, driveway area, site landscaping and patio area near the
shoreline.
Site Design-The project has been started but will include replacing an existing 100 sq ft patio area with a
under construction 150 sq ft of patio area and modifying the shoreline landscaping plan.
Building – There are no changes to the existing home.
Site conditions-The applicant has indicated the shoreline landscaping area needed to be updated as some of
the plantings were not growing. The applicant had previously provided photos of the existing situation at the
shoreline area for plantings and the patio area
Site plan overall-The only area of the property to be modified is the shoreline area.
Site layout and utility plan-there are no changes to the existing utilities.
Grading and drainage plan, Sediment and erosion control-The existing stormwater controls are not impacted
by the updates to the new vegetation and the permeable paver patio.
Landscape plan-The applicant has revised the planting plan to be developed in the shoreline buffer area.
This includes cedar, colorado blue spruce, hemlocks locust, red maples, red pines, white pines, the 100
herbaceous plants, and 55 smaller trees and large shrubs. Some of the plantings are pre-existing such as 15
large trees and the new plantings include the 55 smaller trees/large shrubs. The applicant has also proposed
a 15 ft section of grass area surrounded by plantings. The planting is to occur in the Spring of 2021. The
applicant has indicated there is about 53 ft buffer from the home to the shoreline.
Below are the guidelines from the shoreline buffer code section, Section 179-8-040
o
-Minimum width 35 ft (Lake George)
-For every 700 sq ft of shoreline buffer area –one large tree minimum 3 inches in diameter
-For every 350 sq ft of ground cover -7 – 24 inch native shrubs; 14 herbaceous plants
Project site
-105 ft of shoreline per survey
-Shoreline buffer 105 ft X 35 ft width is 3,675 sq ft
-Shoreline buffer -3,675/700 =5.3 round up to 6 –six large trees at 3inch diameter
-Ground cover -3675/350 =11 (X7) =77 native shrubs and 11(X14) herbaceous plants=154
The planting plan revisions is to maintain lawn area where the plantings where not surviving in the area
proposed per the applicant. The patio area was previously river rock and patio area would replace area.
Waivers-Planning staff has reviewed the applicants request for waivers that include items g. site lighting, h.
signage, j. stormwater, k. topography, 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 for these items as the project is
specific to the shoreline area where the home and other site conditions were part of previous approvals
and no changes are proposed to those items.
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.
Summary
The applicant has completed a site plan application for the modification of a previous approved site plan for
shoreline landscaping and to complete the remaining installation of a permeable paver patio.
Meeting History: PB: 08/25/2020;
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