The Saratoga Springs Planning Commission voted unanimously Oct. 9 to forward a recommendation for approval of the Harvest Point Commercial Plot A, Lot 2 site plan at 2093 North Hillcrest Road, after staff and the applicant said the proposal complies with city codes and standards.

The recommendation followed a presentation by Kendall Black, planner, and comments from the applicant. “This is the site plan. ... They have sufficient parking. They have the landscaping they need. On the architecture, they do have all the articulation and the materials and everything they needed on that as well,” Kendall Black said during the commission meeting.

Commissioners focused their questions on infrastructure and operations near adjacent residential uses. Commissioner Karn asked whether a paved easement shown on the west side of the property was a bike path and whether stairs shown on the plan were required. Planning staff said the paved corridor covers a city sanitary sewer main and a storm drain line and that the “asphalt path is a 12-foot asphalt path that’s required to access the manholes.”

Commissioner Karn also raised lighting concerns for an apartment complex adjacent to the site. Planner Kendall Black replied that the project must meet the city’s lighting thresholds and that fixtures are “down directed in full.” Black explained the standard the applicant must meet: roughly 1 foot-candle at the property line and 0.1 foot-candle next to residential, and that site lighting will dim or be reduced after business hours — “the signs have to be off, but the lights also have to be off or to 50% after closing,” Black said.

Commissioners asked about neighborhood outreach and stormwater. Black said a neighborhood meeting had been held and no residents attended; calls received by staff were described as supportive. On drainage and grading, the applicant representatives and planner said they had discussed stormwater and grading requirements with city engineering and were prepared to comply with the city’s standards.

After questions concluded, Commissioner Hill moved that the commission forward a recommendation for approval of the requested site for Harvest Point Commercial Plot A, Lot 2 at 2093 Hillcrest Road “with the findings and conditions in the staff’s report.” The motion received a second and passed unanimously.

The commission’s action at this meeting is a recommendation to the City Council; site-specific conditions and technical compliance (drainage design, final lighting plan, and access to the sewer easement) will be reviewed during the subsequent site-plan and engineering review process.

Details from the meeting record indicate the application included a lighting plan, landscaping and architecture drawings, and that the applicant intends to comply with grading, stormwater, and water-pressure requirements stated by city staff.

The planning commission moved on to other agenda items after the vote; the City Council will consider the commission’s recommendation in a future hearing.