Staff Notes for 9/21/2021
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
September 21, 2021
Site Plan 55-2021 ANTONIO & MARIA CIVITELLA
FWW Permit 1-2021 104 Knox Road / WR – Waterfront Residential / Ward 1
SEQR Type II
Material Review: application, site plan drawings, survey, elevations, floor plans, wetlands permit
Parcel History:AV 62-2021
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Requested Action
Recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a tear-down of an existing home to construct a new home
with a footprint of 2,924 sq. ft. and a floor area of 5,465 sq. ft.
Resolutions
1. Recommendation
Project Description
Applicant proposes a tear-down of an existing home to construct a new home with a footprint of 2,924 sq. ft.
and a floor area of 5,465 sq. ft. The project includes installation of a patio area on the lake side, new driveway
area of permeable patio product, new steps to future sundeck and dock, retaining walls for patio and driveway,
new septic, new well, new site plantings and new shoreline plantings. Pursuant to Chapter 179-3-040 & 179-6-
065 of the Zoning Ordinance, new floor area in a CEA, hard-surfacing within 50 ft. of shoreline, shoreline
vegetation removal, steep slopes within 50 ft. and work within 100 ft. of wetland shall be subject to Planning
Variance:
Board review and approval. Relief is sought for setbacks, floor area, permeability and infiltration
practice setback. Planning Board shall provide a recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Staff Comments
Location-The project is located at 104 Knox Road on a 0.41 acre parcel. The parcel is on Lake George.
Arrangement- The site has an existing house and shed that are to be removed as part of the project.
Site Design- The project includes the disturbance of 13,499+/- sq ft of the site for the construction of a new
home, landscaping, stormwater, septic and well. The site is to contain areas of permeable patio for the
driveway. The project includes a fire pit area and new stone steps to the proposed dock.
Building – The new home is to have a footprint of 2,924 sq ft this includes the porches/deck areas. The
home is to have a floor area of 5,263 sq ft.
Grading and drainage plan, Sediment and erosion control-The project includes installation of stormwater
measurements and retaining walls in certain areas. The swales are located along the property lines. The
project has been referred to the Town Engineer for review and comment.
Landscape plan- The project site is located on Lake George and is subject to the shoreline buffer review.
The applicant has indicated in the demolition plan the existing trees to be removed. The planting plan on
Sheet L-4.10 shows the new shoreline planting plan and site plantings. Below are the guidelines from the
shoreline buffer code section
Shoreline Buffer - Section 179-8-040
o
-Minimum width 35 ft (Lake George)
-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
-110 ft of shoreline per survey
-Shoreline buffer 110 ft X 35 ft width is 3850 sq ft
-Shoreline buffer area -3850 /700 = 5.5 round up to 6 –six large trees at 3 inch diameter
-Ground cover -3850/350 = 11 round up to 11 (X7) =77 native shrubs and 11 (X14) herbaceous
plants=154
Shoreline Cutting restrictions- Section 179-6-050
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Shoreline lots are allowed water access and beaches where 30% of the shoreline or maximum of 75
ft whichever is less
110 ft Shoreline X 30%= 33 feet of the shoreline buffer cut to allow a view, access and to reduce
runoff (such as angled across the lot).
Cross reference 179-8-040 ground cover of shrubs and herbaceous plantings are still applicable
within the 30%/75 ft cut area.
Site lighting plan-The applicant has indicated the exterior lighting is to be dark sky compliant.
Utility details-The project includes a new septic system and a new well.
Elevations-The elevations show the new home to be at 26 ft 8 inches. The plans show all four sides of the
home.
Floor plans-The first floor shows a master bedroom, kitchen, living room area and a garage. The second
floor shows 3 bedrooms and a bonus room area with open to below areas. The home has a basement area of
646 sq ft and the remainder of the home below grade is a crawl space area.
Waivers-Planning staff has reviewed the applicants request for waivers that include items, h. signage, n
traffic, o. commercial alterations/ construction details, s. snow removal.
The waivers requested–Staff finds it reasonable to request a waiver as these items are typically
associated with commercial projects. The applicant has provided information on g. site lighting, j.
stormwater, k. topography, l. landscaping, , p floor plans, q. soil logs, r. construction/demolition disposal
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.
Freshwater Wetland
The project involves work within 100 ft for the developing the driveway. The wetland does not occur on the
property itself.
Nature of Variance
The new home requires variance for setbacks where 20 ft is require and 10.66 ft is proposed; floor area where
22% is the maximum allowed and 32.5% is proposed; permeability where 75% is required and 68.5%
permeability; and infiltration practice is required to be 100 ft for the shoreline where 35 ft is proposed.
Summary
The Planning Board is to provide a recommendation to the ZBA in regards to the relief requested for setback,
floor area, permeability and infiltration practice setback.
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Meeting History: 1 Meeting
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