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
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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
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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
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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.