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Planning board approves temporary permit for West Avenue dispensary, requires site plan and buffers to planned park
Summary
The board approved a temporary 12-month special-use permit (to begin at CO) for a marijuana dispensary at 67 West Avenue, conditioned on a site-plan application within six months and further coordination with the recreation commission on buffering and site design.
After a staff presentation and public hearing, the Saratoga Springs Planning Board approved a temporary special-use permit for a proposed marijuana dispensary at 67 West Avenue.
Dave Carr (LA Group) and applicant Derek Melanson described plans to locate the dispensary in the middle of an existing 1.27-acre commercial building while retaining an automotive tenant in the rear. The team presented interior circulation, a point-of-sale (POS) system integrated with local banking, security arrangements (fob and ADT integration) and a cash-handling plan with a bank partner. Carr said the proposal would re-use much of the existing paved area and add standard site improvements (trees, lighting) as part of later site-plan review.
Staff told the board the Recreation Commission had expressed advisory concerns about proximity to a planned park on adjacent conserved land. Several public commenters spoke in favor, noting economic benefit and secure operator practices; others asked the board to consider park adjacency and pedestrian safety.
The board classified the action as SEQRA Type 2, closed the public hearing and voted unanimously to approve a temporary special-use permit with conditions: the applicant must submit a full site-plan application within six months of the board’s approval (and in no event after CO will be issued without site-plan approval) and the special-use permit will be temporary (12 months after CO) to allow the board to review operational effects and compatibility with the future park and other public amenities. The board also asked the applicant to engage with the Recreation Department about buffering, pedestrian connections and lighting in advance of final site-plan approval.
What’s next: site-plan application due (six-month deadline), coordination with National Grid and Recreation staff, and a follow-up site review before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
