COLONIE — The Planning Board gave final approval to a new two-story building that will house the BOCES Pathways to Learning Program.
The 41,712-square-foot building on about 3.3 acres of land on Airline Drive, will have 24 classrooms and employ about 83 teachers and staff.
Pathways to Learning is broken into two parts, one is the Ready to Learn program and emphasizes small class sizes of up to four students who need to “get back on track for lost learning to prior placements that did not provide proper supports.”
The second is a less intensive environment with a class size of up to six students who need “social emotional supports,” or who have a “history of trauma.” Ideally, students in this program will have the opportunity to access “equational curriculum and school based learning opportunities” while getting help to “build and maintain relationships.”
Students in both programs are working towards a regents diploma or Career Development and Occupational Studies.
BBL Construction Services proposed the project to the Planning Board and will construct the building.
The existing lot is vacant and is within the parameters of the Office Residential zoning.
It will have a parking lot to accommodate 95 spaces with drive aisles, landscaping and lighting.
There were four waivers:
• To exceed the maximum front setback of 20 feet
• To go less than the minimum number of off-street parking
• To have less than the required square footage of landscaped islands within the parking lot
• To have parking located within the rear yard setback
As proposed, the building will constitute about 15 percent of the property while paving will cover 25 percent. About 60 percent will be greenspace.
The building is expected to generate 19 additional vehicular trips during the afternoon rush hour and not have any noticeable impact to the town’s water or sewer infrastructure.
