The Albany Pine Bush Preserve stands to gain nearly 30 acres of land following the Guilderland Planning Board approval of the concept for a two-lot subdivision at 3485 Lydius St. at its Wednesday, June 27, meeting.
Paul Sciocchetti, founder of Black Creek Associates, is under contract to purchase nearly 35 acres of land on Lydius Street from Victoria Wells, a local woman who has retired and moved to Florida.
Sciocchetti’s company wants to divide the land into two lots. He said he is under contract to sell the larger, 30-acre lot to The Nature Conservancy, which will turn it over to the Pine Bush Preserve.
I spent a good part of two years trying to get this resolved, Sciocchetti said of his negotiations with Wells and The Nature Conservancy.
Neil Gifford, Pine Bush Preserve Commission conservation director, called the deal a `reasonable compromise.`
Gifford said the plot sits on some wetlands and other environmental features the commission would like to protect, but he expressed concerns about the future of the smaller parcel, which includes sand dunes and other resources he said future developers should preserve.
Sciocchetti said Black Creek Associates has no plans yet for the remaining 5-acre parcel, but he mentioned that he might sell the land or build a one-family home there.
`That’s mere speculation,` he said. `We really don’t have any plans at this point.`
Sciocchetti still has to receive final approval from the planning board.
`Conceptually I don’t see a problem with what’s being proposed,` said Stephen Feeney, board chairman. `It seems like a nice deal.`
The board also returned to Bill Strassburg’s proposed four-lot subdivision of 1.13 acres on McKown Road. The application was approved after it had stalled for months because of drainage concerns and a gas leak on the property at 1-3 McKown Road.
Feeney said the board has not seen a conclusive state Department of Environmental Conservation report on the gas leak from a former gas station in the area, but it appeared that the gas spill was moving away from Strassburg’s property.
`There are still volatile organic compounds in the ground,` he said, adding that the board will have to follow up on the issue before final approval.
As for drainage worries, Strassburg’s engineering consultant, Zareh Altounian, said engineers were considering putting in swales or an underground drainage system. Several neighbors opposed the swale plan at the meeting, stressing current flooding problems in their neighborhood.
`I’m very concerned about the swale issue,` said Lynn Nasadoski. `It’s just going to be a ditch of standing water.`
The proposal to build three houses on the land has been unpopular with neighbors who also have expressed concern about increased traffic and noise.
Feeney said the town will consider the drainage options carefully, but added that the board `can’t make the applicant resolve all drainage problems in the neighborhood.`
In other business, the board approved the concept for a two-lot subdivision of 15 acres at 155 Route 146. The land belongs to James Brust, who plans to sell 1 acre of the property to his daughter and son-in-law.“