At the public’s urging, the Saratoga Springs city council last night approved a measure that would prohibit development in the city’s protected greenspace.
Despite the snowy weather, city residents packed council chambers at city hall Tuesday evening to weigh in on a proposed change that could open the city’s Conservation Development District, also called the Greenbelt, to limited development.
A committee charged with updating the city’s comprehensive plan recently voted 7 to 6 for a change that would allow customizable Planned Urban Developments, or PUDs, which would allow for development in higher density than is currently allowed under existing zoning laws.
Arguments over protecting the city’s greenspace are not a new idea in the Spa City, which has struggled to balance the charms of its renowned downtown and a burgeoning real estate and business atmosphere. Resident Jane Weihe held up a campaign flyer from 1987, when preserving open space was as primary issue.
“Once again tonight we are asking the question, “Saratoga Springs…suburban sprawl or small city in the country?’ It is indeed again time to decide,” said Weihe.
The group Sustainable Saratoga helped rally city residents to join the crowd that spilled out into the hallway. Sustainable Saratoga Chair Harry Moran spoke in support of a resolution proposed by Public Safety Chris Mathiesen that would block PUDs in the Greenbelt, a wooded area that surrounds portions of the city.
“The Greenbelt provides major environmental and economic benefits and is one of the key reasons for Saratoga’s recent upward trajectory…Sustainable Saratoga therefore strongly supports the resolution to protect our Greenbelt. Allowing PUDs in the Conservation Development District will open the door to denser commercial development in exactly the wrong location,” said Moran.
Residents also questioned the way the city appoints members to various committees. The Comprehensive Plan Committee has seven members appointed by previous mayor Scott Johnson, and six appointed by members of the current council.
City resident John Kaufmann…
“I hope that the thinking is, “This person represents my vision. I like putting this person on because they’re going to put the city in the right direction,’ rather than the history of this saying ‘Well, he’s an important player in this community. He’s very important for development and he should be at the table as part of creating a decision process.’ And I think that mentality…regrettably has resulted in us having come out on snowy nights to all of these meeting,” said Kaufmann.
During the 45-minute public comment period, no one stepped forward to speak against Commissioner Mathiesen’s resolution. After introducing the measure, Mathiesen thanked those for attending the meeting.
“I thank everybody for coming tonight and who’ve made some very valuable and important comments on this issue, and so I’m just going to say I agree with everything that was said,” said Mathiesen.
Each member of the council praised the resolution to halt PUDs in the Greenbelt. Public Works commissioner Skip Scirocco.
“I think the greenspace in the city is one of the most important things we can preserve because again I think it just makes us unique and it makes us special,” said Scirocco.
Mathiesen’s measure passed unanimously and effectively would make the Comprehensive Plan Committee’s change dead-on-arrival.
A public hearing is scheduled by the Comprehensive Plan Committee for Tuesday, December 9th. The committee will then hold a meeting on Thursday, December 18th where it is possible an updated version of the city’s comprehensive plan could be voted on and sent to the council. The city’s current comprehensive plan was approved in 2001.
