Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Landscape Waiver topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning board asks Islamic Community Center to restore islands before approving larger landscape waiver
Summary
The Colonie Planning Board paused a request to increase a landscape‑island waiver after finding multiple islands paved and landscaping installed in the wrong places; the board asked the applicant to submit an as‑built plan and correct plantings before it will vote on the larger waiver.
The Colonie Planning Board reviewed a request from the Islamic Community Center at 10 South Family Drive to increase a previously granted landscape‑island waiver from a 400 square‑foot reduction to a proposed 1,364 square‑foot reduction. The applicant was represented by Advanced Engineering & Surveying; Nick Costa said the parking changes reflect a need to serve a larger congregation and that the site "are in dire need of parking."
Board members said the site does not match the approved site plan: several islands originally shown as landscaped were paved over and some plantings had been installed elsewhere. The board chair said, "This site is devoid of any decent landscaping," and described smaller trees and dead plantings along the front of the property. Planning staff confirmed the contractor installed the plantings but that many are not in the island locations shown on the plan.
Rather than approve the larger waiver tonight, the board directed the applicant to submit an as‑built drawing documenting existing islands and the corrected landscape layout and to restore at least two islands along the wood line. Planning staff said the board would then recalculate the accurate waiver and schedule the application for a final vote. No formal waiver was granted at this meeting.
