Staff Notes for 1/25/2022
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
January 25, 2022
Site Plan 3-2021 & GREAT ESCAPE THEME PARK, LLC.
Freshwater Wetlands 1-2022 1172 State Route 9/ Land Conservation 42A/ Ward 1
SEQR Type II
Material Review: site plan application, freshwater wetland permit, structure drawings,
survey, site plans
Parcel History:SP 3-2019 new ride, SP 54-2019 stream stabilization, SP 67-2019 & SP 3-
2020 new ride, AV 6-2022
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Requested Action
Planning Board review and approval for removal and rebuilding of current ticket structure and access area.
Resolutions
1. PB decision
Project Description
Applicant proposes to remove the existing ticket entrance structure and alter the access area. The project
includes construction of a 1,150 sq ft ticket building and a 2,750 entrance staging building. The project
improves the green space to 34.8%. There will not be any changes to the park rides or parking area. Pursuant to
Chapter 179-3-040, 179-6-050, site plan review for new developments/structures and are in the recreation
commercial zone, hard surfacing within 50 feet of a shoreline, and freshwater wetlands permit for work within
100 feet of a shoreline shall be subject to Planning Board review and approval.
Staff Comments
Location-The project is located at 1172 State Route 9. The project work area is noted as 43,000 sq ft and
the park parcel is 237.64 sq ft.
Arrangement- The site is arranged with associated amusement rides and buildings for operation of an
amusement park.
Site Design- The plans are to update the entry way area with removal of existing buildings and features to
construct two new buildings and improve the green space in the area
Building – The entrance staging building consisting of security check features is to be 2,750 sq ft and the
ticket building is to be 1,150 sq ft
Site conditions- The existing area is predominately pavement with stone wall garden areas and ticket entry
building.
Grading and drainage plan, Sediment and erosion control- The project removes 6,449 sq ft of impervious
surface and replaces these areas with landscaping and green areas. The site has existing catch basins and
will utilize the drainage and install new lines and catch basins. They anticipate the addition to the drainage
to work similarly to the current stormwater management.
Landscape plan- The applicant has indicated the project area will include additional landscaping and green
space area to be increased.
Revised
Site lighting plan-There are two existing light poles in the project area to remain. The applicant
has revised plans where there are two proposed 20 foot poles.
Utility details-The applicant should clarify if the buildings will be connected to existing utilities. Site has
access to municipal sewer, water.
Signage-The renditions show a sign for each building. The new wall signs will trigger a sign variance for
size and number of wall signs. Sign dimensions and material type should be provided noting signage is not
part of the site plan review and will be reviewed separately with the zoning board of appeals at a later time.
Elevations-The applicant has provided renditions of the buildings to be constructed. The board may request
additional information on building colors, height.
Floor plans-The renditions show the exterior line access areas for security and ticket buildings but it is
unclear about the space that is enclosed. The floor plans should be clarified for the areas that are enclosed.
Waivers-Planning staff has reviewed the applicants request for waivers that include items g. site lighting,
The board may request clarification or additional information on the following items [[2111,804,2412,861][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]h. signage, j.
[[225,861,481,918][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]stormwater, [[481,861,2412,918][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]k. topography, , n traffic, o. commercial alterations/ construction details, p
floor plans, q. soil
[[225,919,1383,976][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]logs, r. construction/demolition disposal s. snow removal. [[1383,919,1409,976][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
Staff would request additional information signage, floor plans, and elevations. The stormwater
information provided should be discussed by the board. The applicant has provided information on l.
landscaping
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.
SEQR
-Generic Environmental Impact Statement and the Final-The Great Escape Theme Park completed a
Generic Environmental Impact Statement and the Final was adopted on 7-11-01 and subsequent update in 7-
04. No additional SEQR review is required as long as the proposal is consistent with the impact assessment
and thresholds adopted in the Findings Statements.
The project is specific to the front entry area. Park Area C Figure 1-1
Visual Analysis –The building colors should be identified and made part of the plans. The Visual area
map indicates the project occurs primarily within the area noted as Park Area up to 200 ft and a portion
located in Park Area up to 175 ft Figure V-1.
The thresholds items include:
Traffic –the entry area project is not intended to generate new or additional park attendance;
o
Sound – the entry area project is not intended to exceed the noise threshold;
o
Stormwater –the applicant has indicated the removal of existing buildings and adding new
o
landscaping features to the area will improve the green space and the existing stormwater
management will address stormwater for the specific project area;
Wastewater –no wastewater generating facilities are proposed for the project;
o
Soils, Geology, Topography and Ecology –the project does not disturb any existing natural
o
wooded.
Freshwater Wetlands
The site work and the construction of the buildings is within 100 ft of the NWI wetland shoreline area noted as
a Riverine. The work does not occur in the area noted as wetland.
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Nature of Variance
Granted. 1/19/2022.The proposed buildings are within the 75 ft property line setback requirement. The security
entrance building is located 60.4 ft from the front setback and the Ticket building is located 71.1 ft. The light
pole proposed is to be 35 ft in height where a 20 ft height pole is the maximum height allowed.
Summary
The applicant has completed a site plan application for the entry area updated with a new security screening
building and ticket booth. The project includes removal of hard surfacing and installation of greenspace areas.
The sign information will be addressed with the Zoning Board or compliant signage to be installed, at this time
the signage is not part of the site plan.
The board may request clarification or additional information on the following items[[1841,782,1854,839][12][,I,][Times New Roman]], [[1854,782,1880,839][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[300,844,527,901][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]stormwater [[527,844,540,901][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[540,844,1946,901][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]see notes on stormwater as the project
area has increased permeabilit [[1940,844,1993,901][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]y. [[1993,844,2019,901][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[300,905,614,962][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]elevations and [[605,905,839,962][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]floor plans [[838,905,857,962][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[856,905,882,962][12][,I,][Times
New Roman]]– [[882,905,901,962][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[894,905,1425,962][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]plans should be provided [[1421,905,1440,962][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[1440,905,1878,96
2][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]height, elevations wit [[1877,905,2413,962][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]h dimensions, floor plans
[[300,962,875,1019][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]space use for each building, [[875,962,901,1019][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[300,1024,564,1081][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]color scheme [[564,1024,590,1081][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[590,1024,607,1081][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]- [[607,1024,620,1081][12][,I,][Times
New Roman]] [[620,1024,1659,1081][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]building color should be provided for each building [[1656,1024,1682,1081][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[291,1085,571,1142][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]fountain area [[571,1085,584,1142][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[583,1085,609,1142][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]– [[609,1085,622,1142][12][,I,][Times
New Roman]] [[615,1085,1565,1142][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]plans need to be provided for the fountain area [[1565,1085,1591,1142][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
[[300,1146,458,1203][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]lighting [[456,1146,473,1203][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]- [[473,1146,486,1203][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[479,1146,1634,1203][12][,I,][Times
New Roman]]plans should include the 2 new light pole locations with c [[1634,1146,2037,1203][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]utsheet information. [[2037,1146,2063,1203][12][,I,][Times New
Roman]]
[[298,1207,798,1264][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]Emergency access route [[797,1207,823,1264][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]– [[823,1207,837,1264][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[836,1207,1671,1264][12][,I,]
[Times New Roman]]will need final sign off from Fire Marshal [[1670,1207,1696,1264][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
Meeting History: PB: 1/18/2022; ZBA: 1/19/2022
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