The Saratoga Springs Planning Board approved a site plan for a mixed‑use building at 33–35 Caroline Street and adopted a negative SECRA declaration by a 5‑1 vote. The board attached a set of conditions covering affordable housing documentation, lot consolidation, pedestrian and lighting details, stormwater connection, and a parking‑priority plan for the below‑grade spaces.

The applicant, represented by land‑use attorney Charlie Gottlieb of Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna, told the board the project includes 25 residential condominium units, two ground‑floor retail spaces (about 2,396 and 2,670 square feet), and 36 below‑grade parking spaces accessed by a valet elevator system. The project has design review board approval (except signage) and Saratoga County Planning Board approval. The applicant said one unit (Unit 202) will be deed‑restricted as the required affordable unit at a maximum of 60% AMI for 30 years.

During extended review board members and staff examined construction logistics, pedestrian safety at the garage driveway, lighting and street‑tree placement on Pavilion Place, heated sidewalks (electric), stormwater routing, bicycle parking, dumpster location, and how below‑grade valet parking will be operated and allocated. City staff confirmed the geotechnical review found no concerns and that proposed roof/storm flows would be routed via a 10‑inch HDPE pipe into an existing 8×10‑foot culvert in Pavilion.

On SECRA the board completed the short environmental assessment form and a board member read the SECRA motion on the record. The negative declaration passed 5‑1 (one dissenting vote from Mike King). The board then heard and debated a list of conditions. Key conditions the board included in the site‑plan approval were:

• Affordable unit documentation: the applicant must record deed‑restriction language (Unit 202 at 60% AMI for 30 years) and provide draft deed language and verification of filing before certificate of occupancy (the applicant noted the condominium offering plan will also require NY State Attorney General review).

• Lot consolidation: the three tax parcels for the project must be consolidated (administrative lot‑line adjustment/consolidation) before building permit issuance.

• Pedestrian safety and lighting: the building must provide a complete pedestrian safety plan for the garage driveway (motion‑sensor warning lights, signage and markings), permanent pedestrian lighting from building downlights (required to be on), and temporary clear pedestrian detours and markings during construction. The board discussed and conditionally approved adding two street trees on Pavilion Place and a decorative streetlight placed between them (final configuration subject to DPW approval and right‑of‑way standards).

• Parking allocation and reporting: the applicant will prioritize residential purchasers for parking spaces (first right to buy or lease up to one or two spaces per unit as specified in the condo offering). Any unused spaces will be offered to the retail tenants (with a suggested first right of refusal), and the applicant will report the outcome of that allocation to staff before certificate of occupancy so the board can confirm compliance.

• Construction logistics and site operations: a construction logistics plan and preconstruction meeting with DPW, building, planning and public safety departments will be required; daily street/sidewalk sweeping and limitations on deliveries were clarified.

The site‑plan approval motion (with the conditions above and other standard conditions) passed 5‑1. Mike King cast the lone dissent, recorded on the transcript as opposing the SECRA motion and the site plan vote. The board’s approval is conditioned on the items above; Planning Department staff were assigned to finalize conditions language and track compliance through permitting and certificate of occupancy.