COLONIE — The Planning Board on Tuesday, Nov. 26 granted concept acceptance to a scaled back plan to build 39 new homes in a conservation subdivision off Albany Shaker Road that was once home to the Foegtli Farms.
The original proposal was a Planned Development District with 80 new homes on the 20.5 acre site. Like the PDD, a conservation subdivision does allow more density than current zoning allows, but not as much as a PDD.
The developer, Frank Barbera, of Barbera Homes, has said previously that most of the homes in what will be called “Cold Springs” will be ranch-style construction between 1,500 to 1,800 square feet with some colonial style homes between 1,700 and 2,220 square feet. They would sell in the high $300,000 range.
They would be built slab on grade and not have basements. Each house will have a garage for parking and additional parking in the driveways.
The existing farm stand and other buildings would be demolished. Those buildings represent 4,515 square feet and take up about a 0.5 percent of the total land. Under the new proposal, buildings would constitute 72,250 square feet and take up about 7.9 percent of the site. Right now there is 98.5 percent greenspace while the proposal would have 78.6 percent greenspace, according to the narrative submitted to the Planning Board.
The site is expected to generate 33 new vehicular trips during the a.m. peak hours and 42 during the evening rush hours. The state Department of Transportation only requires mitigation, like a traffic light, if there are more than 100 new trips generated
A concern brought up at previous meetings included traffic on the already congested Albany Shaker Road. The latest incarnation will restrict access to the development from a new access point that allows only right hand turns in from Albany Shaker Road and right hand turns out onto Albany Shaker.
The project has been in the works for at least four years. The latest, scaled down version was before the Planning Board in April for a sketch plan review when there was talk of access to a new street light at Shaker El, which is just south of the new development, but the only other access to the development is restricted to emergency vehicles only.
The target market for the new homes is couples over 50 and new couples with young children, who would attend the South Colonie School District.
The project will need to come back to the Planning Board for final approval before construction can begin.
