Loading...
Joint application of Barrett & Gardentimez. IN RE: JOINT APPLICATION OF E. JAMES BARRETT AND WILLIAM BARRETT AND GARDEN TIME, INC. WITH RESPECT TO 5.078 ACRES ON DIX AVENUE '@FILE COPY To: Members of Town of Queensbury Planning Board The undersigned, the contract -vendees with respect to the above real property, submitted a joint application for site plan approval before the Town of Queensbury Planning Board. In connection with that application, the applicants wish to advise the Board members with respect to the following items: REAL PROPERTY 1. On Wednesday, July 26, 2000, E. James Barrett and William Barrett are purchasing 5.078 acres of land from Gerald Hewlett and Linda Hewlett. The property is located between Garden Time, Inc. and Barrett Transportation Services, Inc., both of which are located on Quaker Road. 2. Applicants intend to jointly occupy the acreage each using approximately 2.5 acres of the overall parcel (5.078 acres) for their respective business enterprises. 3. Garden Time, Inc. will sell product from its 2.5 acres. The sheds which are currently located on the eastern side of Quaker Road will be moved to the west side of Quaker Road and will be placed on the 2.5 acres. 4. Garden Time, Inc. will benefit by consolidating its business operations solely to the west side of Quaker Road. This will increase the aesthetic nature of its business, and will z 9' eliminate any safety concerns created by foot traffic across Quaker Road. 5. E. James Barrett and William Barrett conduct a variety of vehicle sales and rental businesses at 674 Quaker Road through a corporation known as Barrett Transportation Services, Inc. The Barretts intend to permit Barrett Transportation Services, Inc. to sell its merchandise on the other 2.5 acres. 6. Allowing Barrett Transportation Services, Inc. to sell its vehicles on the other 2.5 acres will spread the volume of its vehicles over approximately 4.463 acres of land (currently those vehicles occupy 1.963 acres). DRIVEWAY 7. The applicants intend to place a 60 foot driveway from Quaker Road onto the 5.078 acre parcel. In order to accommodate the driveway, a culvert will be installed beneath the driveway along a drainage ditch which runs parallel to Quaker Road. The 60 foot ingress and egress will have a bulb -like turnaround point at the end of the driveway. Customers of both Garden Time, Inc. and Barrett Transportation Services, Inc. will be permitted ingress and egress from Quaker Road to buy product from both corporations. 8. Applicants intend to jointly utilize the driveway and have entered into a ten year lease in which Garden Time, Inc. will lease 2.5 acres from E. James Barrett and William Barrett. 9. Ultimately, Garden World L.L.C. intends to acquire the 2.5 acres that is being leased to Garden Time, Inc. (and holds an M u option to purchase the property) In the event that Garden World L.L.C. purchases the property, a subdivision application will be filed. 10. Applicants' proposed 60 foot driveway represents a 20 foot reduction from that originally submitted to the Zoning Board of Appeals, which approved the 60 foot driveway design. 11. By utilizing the joint 60 foot driveway, it would eliminate the need for both Garden World L.L.C. and the Barretts from separately applying for 40 foot driveways onto Quaker Road. 12. By submitting a joint application for driveway, which is 60 feet wide, it will accommodate Garden Time, Inc.'s and Barrett Transportation Services, Inc.'s sizable vehicles from entering and exiting Quaker Road. It will also allow customers to simultaneously enter and exit the respective businesses. 13. But for the fact that Garden Time, Inc. and the Barretts intend to jointly utilize a 60 foot driveway, any other purchaser of the property would be making the same request before the Planning Board for a similarly sized driveway. INTERCONNECTOR 14. Queensbury Planning staff recommends eliminating the 60 foot Quaker Road access because each adjoining business is voluntarily planning to provide a 20 foot interconnect roadway between their existing properties; however, these adjoining landowners should not be penalized for undertaking to provide such interconnector. Rather, that interconnector, coupled with a 60 foot driveway to Quaker Road, will facilitate orderly traffic flow patterns off and onto Quaker Road. 15. The staff's recommendation is based upon the following ordinance, which states: §179-66.1. In the review of commercial and industrial development, where internal roadways are not provided, the Planning Board shall determine if it is feasible to link parking areas to allow for an internal flow of traffic. Where it is feasible, a twenty -foot connection way must be provided. I£ the adjacent property is undeveloped, then a connection way shall be identified on the site plan for future linkage. The Planning Board shall also consider interconnection of retail areas to allow for pedestrian access and circulation. 16. If the staff s recommendation only permitting ingress and egress to the property through interconnectors is adopted, large recreational vehicles could then enter/exit Garden Time, Inc.'s parking area, which is not conducive to its parking lot nor its business which experiences high volume of cars during peak retail sales periods. 17. The staff's recommendation would necessitate significant improvements to Garden Time, Inc.'s existing entrance and parking area. It will consume a large part of Garden Time Inc.'s existing parking. 18. Creating a wider interconnect and drive area will push back the retail display area possibly another 50 feet leaving the S displays nearly 135 feet from the road. Such action will negatively impact sales. 19. If customers have no exit off the property except across the interconnecting road and the now existing exits, then larger numbers of customers will be using those exits, creating a safety issue. In addition, if the number of customers increases, as the applicants intend, then a greater number of vehicles will be stacking off Quaker Road entering the entrances, whereas three entrances will minimize this situation.