Neighbors press board on parking, safety for 2-lot subdivision at 16 Marion/2 Avenue A; hearing left open

The Saratoga Springs City Planning Board reopened public comment and continued review of a proposed two-lot subdivision affecting 16 Marion and 2 Avenue A after neighbors raised safety concerns about on-street parking, narrow pavement and emergency access. The board asked the applicant to prepare revised drawings showing options to add off-street parking or otherwise mitigate the impact; the public hearing was kept open and will continue at a future regular meeting.

Why it matters: Neighbors and planning board members said existing pavement conditions and the street’s geometry make on-street parking potentially hazardous for emergency vehicles and pedestrians, and that the board must weigh a mix of public-safety, tree-protection, and parking needs before final action.

What happened: The applicant’s representative, Tonya Yacenchoak, an engineer, told the board the project had earlier received a positive advisory opinion from the planning board, zoning-board variances and a design-review clearance for a limited demolition. The subdivision, as advertised, would split an existing property to create two lots and includes streetscape improvements (new curb, green strip, sidewalk and street lighting) where the curb is shown at the current edge of pavement. The planner’s packet and a licensed surveyor’s map note the existing pavement measures 22 feet in many places; one planning board member who measured the corner at Marion Avenue reported 26 feet there but agreed the pavement tapers to 22 feet nearer the house.

Neighbors described the street as a narrow thoroughfare used as a cut-through. Resident Renee Talia said, “This is, for me, a safety issue first and foremost,” and asked the board to consider ambulance and fire access and the presence of elderly residents. Neighbor John Iacopone said he had measured the traveled lane and found the active roadway narrower in winter.

Options discussed: Board members and the applicant explored multiple responses: - Add a single off-street parking space on Lot 1 by removing a mature, split-trunk tree and planting larger replacement trees on the site, a solution some board members favored as a compromise; the applicant said tree removal costs about $1,500 and proposed upsizing two new street trees by 1–1.5 inches caliper to offset removal. - Reconfigure the lot line and driveway locations so Lot 1 could use a wider, double-width driveway shared across a property line, which would likely require a zoning variance and could create maintenance complications for future owners. - Lengthen an existing driveway on Lot 2 to fit an additional car, avoiding a shared-driveway arrangement.

Board direction and next steps: The planning board did not vote to approve the subdivision at this meeting. Instead members asked the applicant to prepare and submit revised plans showing one or more mitigation options (for example, a reconfigured driveway, an added off-street parking space, or a revised lot line), and to coordinate with the Department of Public Works/engineering to confirm the street width and implications for sidewalk and green-strip placement. Staff cautioned that some changes—particularly adding a second curb cut or exceeding the allowed driveway width percentage—may trigger the need for additional variances to the zoning board; board members asked staff to review that question.

The public hearing remains open; the applicant said he will consult with his client and submit amended drawings for the board and for DPW review. The board asked staff to treat those revised plans as the basis for further deliberation and to schedule the item for the next regular meeting once the revisions are available.

Quotations (selection): - "I was out of town for the February meeting because it was posted just it was on a consent agenda... I am here," said Tonya Yacenchoak, the applicant’s engineer. - "This is, for me, a safety issue first and foremost," said resident Renee Talia. - "The roadway is 22 feet today," said resident John Iacopone, describing measurements he made in winter.

What the board will decide next: The board will review the applicant’s amended plans, consider DPW’s measurement/engineering input on finished curb location and pavement width, and determine whether the subdivision can be approved administratively with conditions or whether additional variances or advisory opinions are required.