Staff Notes for 2/23/2021
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
February 23, 2021
Site Plan 53-2019 APEX CAPITAL, LLC
59, 47 & 53 West Mt. Road / RC/MDR – Recreational Commercial & Moderate Density
Residential / Ward 4
SEQR Type I - negative declaration 12/22/2020
Material Review: updated site plan drawings, revised stormwater pollution prevention plan
Parcel History:AV 92-2002 create 2 nonconforming lots, SP 22-2008 additions & deck, SP 34-2011
Alpine Slide & Zip Flyer, SP 61-2011 shed addition; SP 60-2018; PZ 584-2019 rezoning;
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Requested Action
Planning Board review and approval of expansion of the West Mountain Ski Area parking lot, approval of an
existing mountain biking venue, warming hut at bunny slope, and then a mobile trailer unit seasonal location for ski
patrol/aerial adventure.
Resolutions
1. PB decision
[[148,1381,523,1438][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]Estimated timeline [[523,1381,549,1438][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[148,1439,467,1496][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]December 2020 [[467,1439,484,1496][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]- [[484,1439,497,1496][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[495,1439,822,1496][12][,I,][Times
New Roman]]Planning Board [[818,1439,831,1496][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[831,1439,2346,1496][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]review SEQRA form submitted by applicant, consider issuing
a decision on
[[150,1496,1585,1553][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]SEQRA, provide recommendation to Town Board with SEQRA decision [[1585,1496,1602,1553][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]- [[1602,1496,2058,1553][12][,I,][Time
s New Roman]]Completed 12/23/2020 [[2058,1496,2084,1553][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[148,1554,460,1611][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]February 2021 [[460,1554,482,1611][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[482,1554,761,1611][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]Town Board [[760,1554,786,1611][12][,I,][
Times New Roman]]– [[786,1554,2114,1611][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]schedules public hearing for rezone, considers issuing decision [[2114,1554,2136,1611][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[2135,1554,2161,1611][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]– [[2161,1554,2183,1611][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[2183,1554,2318,1611][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]Compl [[2316,1554,2413,1611][12][,I,][Times
New Roman]]eted
[[150,1611,328,1668][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]2/8/2021 [[328,1611,354,1668][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[146,1669,396,1726][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]March 2021 [[396,1669,409,1726][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[407,1669,1275,1726][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]Planning Board considers site
plan review [[1275,1669,1301,1726][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
Project Description
Applicant proposes expansion of the West Mountain Ski Area parking lot, approval of an existing mountain biking
venue, warming hut at bunny slope, and then a mobile trailer unit seasonal location for ski patrol/aerial adventure.
Project also includes a Town Board referral for a Petition for Zone Change parcels 315.5-1-3.2 and 315.5-1-2 from
Moderate Density to Recreation Commercial. The parcels are to be used for overflow parking. Pursuant to
Chapter 179-15-040 Town Board may refer proposed amendments to the Planning Board for recommendation,
and Pursuant to Chapter 179-3-040 of the Zoning Ordinance, expansion of a recreation center shall be subject to
Planning Board review and approval.
Staff Comments
Location-The project is located at 57, 43 and 59 West Mountain Road. The rezone properties are 57 and 43
West Mountain Road and property at 59 West Mountain Road is the Ski Center.
Arrangement- The applicant proposes rezone two parcels for additional parking for the West Mountain
facility. The applicant had started work on the additional parking area and has since stopped to obtain the
necessary reviews. The activities for the West Mountain facility to continue existing use of area for
mountain bike trails, continue seasonal festival events, maintain operation of winter trails for skiing,
snowboarding, tubing and snowshoeing, maintain restaurant bar at main lodge, maintain recently approved
tree canopy walk. The plans indicate a new access point to be created between the two homes that are
associated with the rezone parcels with additional clearing for the new driveway to the West Mountain
Parking area.
Site Design- REZONE--The properties to be rezone contain existing residential homes and existing grading
for overflow parking. The rezone parcels will need additional grading, and clearing to place the gravel and
installation of the bio-retention areas.
MOUNTAIN BIKE – The site has an existing mountain bike trail system and was made part of site plan
review as an additional recreation activity at the mountain.
Building – The applicant has indicate there is a mobile trailer that is used for Ski Patrol in the winter at the
bottom the hill and in the summer at the top of the hill. In addition, the plans indicate a mobile warming hut
is placed at the Bunny Hill area during the winter. Previous approved projects are also shown –a new 100 ft
x60 ft maintenance building, main lodge with a compactor, kitchen renovation and new roof drainage. Then
phase three projects for future site plan –retail/school/first aid rental building.
Signage-no new signage is proposed, if new signage is proposed in the future it should be code compliant
Traffic- The applicant has indicated the site currently accommodates 558 vehicle. The number of parking
spaces that is able to be accommodated existing parcel and proposed rezone parcels is to be 839+/- spaces,
due total reevaluation of the parking and due to the layout of the parking lot. This also includes the new
driveway to only be used during overflow.[[1076,1030,1102,1087][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[1102,1030,2209,1087][12][,,][Times New Roman]]Ski area parking requirements is 1 space
per every two
employee for every 300 sq of building. There 120 employees at peak winter season -2 employees for 60
spaces and there is 15000 sf of building or 300 sq ft equals 50 spaces. The overflow parking area is to be
gravel. There is to be no bus parking in the overflow area –all bus parking is located on the existing parking
typically at the South West of the parking area.
-The Parking Code section 179-4-090 at the discretion of the Planning Board identifies for every 24 spaces
there is to be 162 sq ft of landscaping for every eight spaces. The board may have discussion with the applicant
in regards to parking lot landscaping. The applicant has indicated that a 50 ft buffer between the residential use
and the recreation commercial zone.
Grading and drainage plan and Sediment and erosion control –The applicant has provided a revised SWPPP
that has been forwarded to the Town Engineer for review and comment. The stormwater management
indicates installation of controls for the new overflow parking area.[[1571,1666,1584,1723][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[1584,1666,1607,1723][12][,,][Times New Roman]]
Landscape plan – The applicant has shown a planting plan for the berm area in the overflow parking area
and the existing homes.
Site lighting plan- The applicant has provided lighting information for the overflow parking area.
Utility details – The plans show the existing septic areas for the existing residential uses in the new
proposed parking expansion area. Note the residential units are to remain and there are no changes to the
existing homes.
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Elevations and Floor plans– There are no new building per this application any new buildings will most
likely be subject to a future site plan application.
Waivers-Planning staff has reviewed the applicants request for waivers that include item, , o. commercial
alterations/ construction details, p floor plans, q. soil logs, r. construction/demolition disposal.
The waivers requested–The applicant has updated site plans to include lighting information and
landscaping for the parking area. The existing site conditions remain the same due to the zip line being
removed from the application.
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 Planning Board has provided a negative declaration to the project that included a petition of zone change
referral from the Town Board and site plan application for review of the environmental assessment. The Town
Board has adopted the zone change for the two parcels at the 2/8/2021 meeting. The Planning Board may now
review the site plan.
Meeting History: PB: 9/24/19 tabled, 11/19/19 tabled, 12/19/19 tabled; 1/21/20 tabled; 2/18/20 tabled,
12/22/20 SEQR and Recommendation to the Town Board completed, 1/26/2021 tabled;
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