Planning board approves SEQR negative finding and 5-foot height bonus for Caroline Street project; defers site plan pending design and circulation details

The Saratoga Springs Planning Board on June 12 issued a negative SEQR (short environmental assessment form) declaration for a proposed redevelopment at 30 and 30.5 Caroline Street, and unanimously approved a five-foot height bonus tied to energy-efficiency commitments. The board did not grant final site-plan approval and instead listed a set of conditions the applicant must address before the project can be approved.

Dave Carr of the LA Group and architect George Olson presented the proposal on behalf of owner Louis Lazinaro. The project would consolidate two parcels (a lot-line consolidation if the project is approved), retain the Sperry's restaurant frontage, and build a new mixed-use structure behind and to the east of the existing storefront. Carr told the board the parcel for the new building is about 0.19 acres; the plan under review would add 29 new apartments to the 11 units already approved at 30 Caroline, for a potential combined total of about 40 units across the two buildings, and about 3,000 additional square feet of commercial space at 30.5 Caroline.

Architect George Olson said the proposal had gone through multiple Design Review Board sessions and that the design team and DRB had worked to preserve the Sperry's facade while…