Planning board critiques 120 South Broadway sketch plan; asks for parking counts, more green space and zoning clarification

Brian Ragone, a landscape architect with Environmental Design Partnership, presented a sketch plan for 120 South Broadway, a roughly 2.6-acre redevelopment at the gateway to downtown. The proposal envisions two mixed-use buildings along South Broadway, a centralized boulevard-style entrance to reduce curb cuts, interior garage parking, and pedestrian connections with street trees and ornamental lighting to match Saratogas requirements.

Board members raised circulation and future connectivity questions, with one member urging planning for a north-south internal connection aligned with Zephyr Lane; the applicant said Zephyr is a private drive and grade changes may prevent a practical connection. The board focused heavily on parking and impervious surface: one member said the plan appeared to provide roughly 145 parking spaces for an estimated 6570 dwelling units and called that excessive, urging the applicant to produce a clear parking calculation and consider reducing surface parking in favor of green space to improve stormwater performance.

Operational details also drew attention. A board member requested the location of trash-storage and electrical transformers; Ragone said the prior approval used interior concierge collection for residential trash and no outside dumpsters were planned. The board asked staff to confirm driveway spacing rules (applicant cited a local code requiring 500 feet between driveways) and requested that the zoning official determine whether the mix of commercial and garage uses on the first floor requires a special-use permit.

Members recommended the applicant show a revised sketch that prioritizes a central green, reduces oversized drive aisles, clarifies parking calculations and provides a clear plan for service areas. Ragone said the developers will return with refined plans and that staff will coordinate a follow-up on zoning interpretation and parking math.

Next steps: applicant to provide parking calculation and a revised sketch with more green space and details on trash/transformers; staff will confirm driveway-spacing rules and advise whether a special-use permit is required.