Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Saratoga Springs City Center
522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Presenters: Phil Barrett, Joe Grasso & Ray O’Conor
The length of business cycles in today’s world are shorter than ever. Cycles that were formally measured in decades are now several years or even months in some industries. Economic factors, development trends and investment opportunities are consistently changing. Municipalities will need to be increasingly flexible to successfully execute Economic Develop-ment priorities. Establishing zoning codes based on comprehensive plan-ning studies that respond to changing economic realities and provide clarity for investors will position a municipality for success.
Presenters: Patricia Burke & Monica Ryan
This course addresses the powers and duties of municipal planning boards. The administrative and regulatory roles of the planning board, including its review of site plans, special use permits, and subdivision plats are discussed, along with its role in the comprehensive plan. The importance of board procedures, referral to the county planning agency, and making findings are also covered.
Presenters: Christopher Eastman & Brent Irving
This introductory course to the zoning board of appeals focuses on the statutory tests boards must follow to grant use and area variances and proper handling of zoning interpretations. Meeting procedures and notice requirements will also be discussed, along with the ZBA’s relationship with enforcement officials and the planning board, and the importance of making good findings.
Presenters: Terresa Bakner & Rob Rosburough
This presentation will involve a discussion of cases concerning regulation of religious uses, senior housing, day care centers, inclusionary housing and other uses that are to be given special consideration by land use boards. The goal will be to describe these protected uses and to provide guidance to land use board in how to make decisions that can withstand judicial scrutiny.
Presenter: Mark Schachner
We would all be delighted if every involved party who appeared before us at Planning and Zoning meetings behaved perfectly with the utmost respect for Board Members and our processes, but this is not always the case. This presentation will focus on ways of dealing with “difficult players,” including discussion of specific situations and suggestions from attendees. While “bad behavior” cannot always be avoided, we will address various strate-gies and techniques to manage these situations as best as possible.
Presenters: Matthew Rogers, Norabelle Greenberger & Eric Butler
Comprehensive planning has innumerable benefits, providing opportunities for communities to address recreation, traffic, economic development, land use, pedestrian safety, climate change, housing, disaster recovery, and other issues deemed important to the municipality. The comprehensive planning process continues to evolve and the presenters will identify new issues facing communities, how they are being addressed through current best practices, and solutions for maximizing necessary funding for project implementation, explaining how and why local planning and zoning board members are integral to the planning process.
Presenters: Richard Harris, Jaclyn Hakes and Wayne Howe
This session will explore the role of municipal staff and the Town Designated Engineer in ensuring that the approved plans and board decisions are im-plemented well after the gavel is struck on a project. From issuing building permits and certificates of occupancy, to enforcing board conditions and approved plans, panelists will share insight and ideas to help communities implement approved projects through the construction phase and in the years after.
Presenters: John Scavo, Patricia Burke & Frank McCleneghen
This session will define community solar pursuant to NYS regulations, the role and review authority of local communities, hosting capacity maps & useful resources, model solar energy local law, elements of site plan review, utility requirements, decommissioning plan.
Presenter: Chuck Marshall
Through the format of one of television’s most popular game shows, three contestants (code enforcement officer, planner and applicant) will be pitted against one another to answer questions in the subject area associated with land development. Conference attendees will also have an opportunity to play the game. Likely topics include measuring setback relief, SEQRA action classification and calculations used in land development.
Presenters: Eric Connolly, Jaclyn Hakes, Nan Stolzenburg & Ryan Riper
Many communities in Saratoga County are growing quickly and as that occurs, farmland and open space are disappearing. Learn about how the Town of Ballston is tackling this challenge through an incentiv-ized, voluntary approach to allow for greater density in targeted areas of Town and conservation of open space elsewhere.
Presenters: Terresa Bakner & Melissa Cherubino
An examination of recent NYS court cases concerning land use and planning involving challenges to the issuance or denial of special use permits, site plan approvals and use and area variances as well as rezoning and comprehensive plan amendments to assist land use and planning boards in future decision-making. These cases often involve challenges based on alleged procedural deficiencies.
Presenter: Patricia Burke
Some uses require additional review and should be granted permission only if the application meets certain conditions established for uses such as gas stations, dog kennels, and drive-throughs. Scenarios in which the special use permit tool is most helpful will be discussed, along with rules local boards must follow for reviewing and approving applications for special use permits. The session will touch upon the difference between a special use permit and use variance.
Presenters: Alanna Moran & James Martin
This course will illustrate how individual site plans can impact the overall transportation system through site access, multi-modal accommodations, landscape features, etc., how board members can think outwardly on the plans and connectivity and overall impacts to the system, and how site plan or access changes could result in a product that aligns with longer terms municipal goals.
Presenters: Blue Neils, Lindsay Buck, Floria Huizinga & Scott Reese
The NYSDEC released a new draft MS4 Permit in January 2022 with the plans to implement in 2023. This permit contains significant changes to the requirements for how MS4 communities manage stormwater. Combined with planned updates to the Stormwater Management Design Manual, these changes will have measurable impacts on MS4 communities’ review, approval and oversight of construction projects that are 1+ acres. This session will focus on these key changes, how they will affect MS4 communities and strategies to compensate for the changes, followed by a panel discussion by local stormwater staff.
Presenters: William Keniry & Jenny Lippmann
This course will cover SEQR, from start to finish for zoning and planning boards. Attendees will learn the nuts, bolts and mechanics of the SEQR process. Emphasis will concentrate on informing attendees so that they are more comfortable and confident in reviewing project applications.
Presenter: David Brennan
This session will focus on the variance standard for public utility applications, including electric/gas substations, telecommunications facilities, and renewable energy systems (wind and solar). Specific focus will be provided on the history of the public utility variance standard, the interplay with the local Zoning Code, applicability to use and area variance applications and the criteria for specific utilities. The session will provide an overview of the case law for the various utility types.
