Sustainable Saratoga is a not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable practices and the protection of natural resources through education, advocacy and action, for the benefit of current and future generations in the Saratoga Springs area. The November 2, 2021 election offers an opportunity to raise and discuss pressing issues relating to sustainability in this region.

Our supporters are interested in knowing the candidates’ plans for addressing key sustainability issues confronting our community, and this questionnaire provides each candidate an opportunity to discuss these issues. We sent each candidate the same questions. Below you will find their responses, verbatim and without any comments. Click on the name to see the responses for that candidate. There is a link to a pdf version of each candidate’s responses at the bottom of this page.

It is important to stress that as a 501(c)(3), Sustainable Saratoga does not, and will not, endorse any particular candidate for an elected office.

CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR OF SARATOGA SPRINGS

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

Sustainability in a local context means to me doing whatever is on our power to decrease the City’s carbon footprint and waste output. Climate resilience means being prepared for various extremes in weather and having plans in place to mitigate and adapt to changing conditions.

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

I want to see a downtown recycling program, finalize the transition of the city fleet to all electric vehicles, and implement smart street lighting. I will directly advocate to state and federal agencies to secure grants and subsidies for these programs, and use my experience on the Council to generate support and pass legislation to implement and fund these programs when needed.

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

Local governments have a large role to play in preparing for and addressing climate change, however it is important to note that city governments cannot do it alone, and although the city can take many steps towards solving these problems it will take cooperation with the state, county, and federal governments to truly become a carbon neutral city.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

I want to see a downtown recycling program, finalize the transition of the city fleet to all electric vehicles, and implement smart street lighting. I would look to review the city and county’s emergency response plans to issues of precipitation and temperature and see where changes may need to be made to handle the changing world around us.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

To curve greenhouse gas emissions I would look to have the City fleet fully transitioned within one year. Moreover, encouraging city residents to transition to greener transportation through more electric charging stations, and decreasing city consumption of electricity through smart city lightning. The City unfortunately however does not have the funding to transition completely to being carbon neutral on its own.

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

The Council has been diligently working to complete the Unified Development Ordinance, and has heard multiple concerns and undergone considerable changes specifically in regards to the greenbelt. I believe through the work the Council has done the UDO does satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 comprehensive plan.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

I believe the UDO has been successful in preventing weaker green belt protections.

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

I would ensure that any project brought before the council has full and proper public hearings so there is time for residents to understand any impact and to make their voices heard.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

We must continue working on the affordable housing projects the city has undertaken while simultaneously working with our partners in state and federal government to secure additional funding and bring more of these projects to Saratoga Springs.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

I would support inclusionary zoning as a tool to provide affordable housing.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

Sustainable Saratoga has been an incredible blessing to our community through promoting green actions and being a valuable voice to the Council, this partnership should continue and grow.

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

I absolutely would be receptive to a mid-term follow up with your organization, hearing from the community is key to being a successful public servant.

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

Local governments are in a unique position to play a leading role in promoting sustainability and climate resiliency.  Local officials can liaise directly with state and federal officials to help direct needed funds toward sustainability projects with the greatest positive impact on their own communities.  By keeping sustainability a top priority and listening directly to the views of residents, local governments can help shape climate-friendly policies that work for their communities.

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

My first priority is to increase efficiency and reduce consumption in order to make Saratoga Springs a carbon-neutral city by 2030.  By encouraging and incentivizing a shift toward renewable energy sources like solar power as well as modeling reduced consumption from the platform of City Hall, we can accomplish this goal.  I also plan to make adoption of the Complete Streets Plan a priority.  As cities across the nation work to make their cities more bike-friendly, it is time for Saratoga Springs to join that effort.  I will work to install the necessary bike lanes and expand bike-share programs in order to promote carbon-friendly sources of transportation.  Finally, I will make it a priority to protect our greenbelt.  Our city’s green spaces are at the heart of our status as “a city in the country,” and I will work hard to prevent these beautiful spaces from being taken over by developers.

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

Local governments can play a leading role in promoting solutions to prevent climate change at the local level, and a key supporting role in bringing state and federal funds to municipalities to fund programs that help address the climate crisis.  Our city government can and should be at the forefront of this effort.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

As Mayor, I’ll lead our city government in its efforts to improve our city’s environmental health and climate resiliency.  I’ll engage in dialogue with residents from every neighborhood to create plans tailored to the needs of our city that will reduce carbon emissions and promote resiliency.  I’ll make sure our city is in compliance with our state’s nation-leading climate law, the CLCPA.  I’ll work directly with state and federal representatives to secure coming stimulus funds for sustainability-related projects like installing newer, more efficient HVAC systems in older buildings and schools.  I’ll encourage the construction of new energy-efficient, affordable housing, and I’ll take advantage of federal programs like the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) to help make our existing infrastructure more efficient.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

In view of the urgency of our climate crisis, I plan to work towards making Saratoga Springs a carbon-neutral city by the year 2030.  First, I will conduct an energy audit of our city, to determine how much carbon emissions we generate.  With this number in hand, we’ll be able to create a complete plan for accomplishing the goal of carbon neutrality, through a combination of reducing energy consumption and procuring our energy from more efficient sources, and by purchasing offsets if needed.  We can work toward incorporating renewable energy into our grid as much as possible by encouraging residential solar power, geothermal development, and energy efficiency in all new construction.  We can develop unused industrial and agricultural land or brownfield into large on-site solar panel fields.  We can also reduce consumption by improving alternatives to automobile transportation and by upgrading and weatherizing older buildings.  With some of these measures in place, we can also apply for classification as a climate-smart community, which would open the door to more grants from state agencies and authorities to finish the job.

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

I do not believe that the current draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures to address our climate crisis or to satisfy the vision of the 2015 Comprehensive Plan.  Firstly, the draft UDO is incompatible with the Comprehensive Plan in that it allows non-residential land use in several greenbelt gateway districts.  The draft also fails to meet the Plan’s requirement to fashion regulations promoting affordable, diverse housing, and fails to include the stringent green building standards we need to fully address our climate crisis.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

The draft UDO will present a direct threat to our greenbelt by failing to protect it from the persistent development pressure on its borders.  As mentioned above, the draft UDO allows non-residential land use in some greenbelt gateway districts.  This represents just another step in the continued undermining of our beautiful and essential green spaces in order to benefit a few wealthy developers.

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

As Mayor, I’d take multiple measures in order to protect the city’s greenbelt through the foreseeable future.  I’d lead the city in working with private landowners to establish conservation easements in order to protect lands in or near the greenbelt from future development.  I’ll work with the state to expand our protected areas by expanding the Spa State Park to include the whole area between U.S. Route 9 and N.Y. Route 50, keeping this land permanently green.  I’d also reach out to local environmental advocacy groups like Sustainability Saratoga, Saratoga PLAN, the New York League of Conservation Voters, and others in order to solicit their input about how best to protect our green spaces.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

The skyrocketing price of housing in our city, as it has across the nation, is squeezing middle and lower-income residents into inadequate housing or out of our city entirely.  As Mayor, I’ll work to identify communities and neighborhoods in need of more affordable housing.  Then, I’d work with private stakeholders, developers, and advocacy groups to ensure that this new housing is built affordably and sustainably with the needs of the local population in mind.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

Yes, I would support inclusionary zoning as a measure to promote more affordable housing in our city.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

I would be happy to work with Sustainable Saratoga and other environmental groups in order to help the city and the state meet their emission reduction goals and become more sustainable and climate friendly.

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

Yes, I will always be open to meeting with groups working to make Saratoga Springs a greener, more sustainable community.

We were unable to find an email address to contact Maxwell Rosenbaum.

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

Sustainability in the context of local government is ensuring our laws and policies enable our community to live with a balance between consumption and contribution back to the Earth. Climate resiliency is creating an environment for our community that reduces our contribution to climate change and be prepared to respond to the changing climate.

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

  1. Continue working on sidewalk and trail programs to ensure safe nonmotorized paths all over the City. This will be achieved by advocating with all elected Commissioners to fund and support these programs.
  2. Work with our Administrator of Parks, Open Lands, Historic Preservation, and Sustainability (Tina Carton) to plan out achieving Certified Silver Climate Smart Community designation.
  3. Expanding the funding and accessibility of EV Charging stations available in the City through working with the Department of Public Works to assess the challenges of implementing and sustaining EV Charging stations and backing funding to address these issues.

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

The local level officials must be aware of every issue facing the city and its residents.
We must research the facts and partner with the local experts to explore programs and community incentives that are viable in the City of Saratoga Springs. The local government officials are the leaders in implementing real change in fighting climate change.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

As Mayor, the biggest responsibility in preparing for climate change is continuing to ensure that zoning enables high density in the urban core.

This allows many residents to reduce their need for items that contribute to climate change. Advocating for well-planned and safe bike lanes, incentivizing businesses and residents to adopt sustainable habits, and continue to be a leader in addressing climate change. We are a Bronze Level Climate Smart Community, and I will continue to work to achieve Certified Silver level.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

The City currently has exceptional programs to combat the climate crisis, such as EV Charging stations, Spa City Solar Park, and Community Choice Aggregation. I will continue to fund these programs and enable the expansion of new programming that has been researched to provide the city residents and businesses with the best options during the escalating climate crisis. The priority is to continue funding for the programs we currently have to ensure sustainability then I will work with the professionals to create new programming such as expanding municipal electric fleet vehicles, partnering with local restaurants to reduce food

waste, and incentivizing construction and building rehabilitation to increase the utilization of energy-efficient products.

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

I was impressed that, except for four inconsistencies, the Planning board determined that the UDO is compatible with the Comprehensive Plan. In my opinion, translating the vision from the Comprehensive Plan into law via the zoning ordinance, and combining it with other key City planning documents, is an enormous undertaking. The current version of the UDO accomplishes this and then goes further to implement additional protections and sustainability measures that will benefit our greenbelt. It provides a strong framework from which to consider future improvements.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

The expansion of conservation analysis in the UDO and measures to protect our natural resources are strong examples of addressing some of this pressure. I also believe that the use of allowances and definitions provides the Planning Board an effective foundation to build in project-specific conditions when considering an application in the RR.

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

There were many requests and recommendations submitted by our land use boards and community partners for the greenbelt that are not yet implemented into the zoning ordinance. I would ask the Council to consider amendments from these lists.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

The Mayor’s Community Development Office has worked diligently with builders and real estate firms to secure affordable housing options for current and new residents of the City. Including the proposed affordable housing units, the City is on target to exceed available units by more than twice the HUD requirement.

One of the primary issues I have found is the lack of knowledge of these programs and marketing their availability to potential residents will be a priority to ensure everyone has a place in Saratoga Springs.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

Inclusionary zoning can be beneficial to Saratoga Springs, and I would welcome working with a team to incorporate inclusionary zoning.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

It is always best to include the local community organizations in forums that support idea exchanges and cooperation.
Partnerships with clearly defined roles can lead to incredible opportunities for residents and businesses.

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

This would be a wonderful opportunity to continue to discuss items that are important to Sustainable Saratoga and how the City can continue to support the work of this organization. I am fully open to meet with a community organization to strengthen relationships and build a better community for everyone.

CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONER OF ACCOUNTS IN SARATOGA SPRINGS

Samantha Guerra did not submit a response to this questionnaire.

Dillon Moran did not submit a response to this questionnaire.

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

Local elections matter in so many areas, including this one. Locally-led sustainability practices and efforts to increase climate resiliency are crucial. We need local officials who are willing to focus on initiatives they can implement that will improve Saratoga’s sustainable practices and protection of natural resources.

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

My top three sustainability-related priorities are:

(1)  As the Purchasing Agent for Saratoga, using Saratoga’s purchasing power to drive sustainable choices in our contracts for goods and services;

(2)  Promoting increased recycling throughout Saratoga Springs, especially downtown; and

(3)  Reducing carbon emissions and air pollution by improving the bikeability and walkability of Saratoga through construction and maintenance of more walkways and bike lanes.

In addition, as an independent candidate, I will work with everyone – other City Council members, city employees, county officials, non-profit groups, and individual citizens – and enlist their help and ideas to improve Saratoga’s sustainability practices.

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

Climate change is a global crisis that requires local action. Saratoga Springs has a responsibility to contribute to the worldwide effort of combating climate change by reducing energy use, purchasing goods and services responsibly, and promoting alternative transportation solutions. Local government in general, and City Council in particular, should play a leading role in assisting Saratoga to prepare for and address climate change. This role should focus on bringing people together to work toward solutions.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

I will be an advocate for a fully-staffed fire/emergency medical service station on the East Side. From my work as a Commissioner of Civil Service, I know how long the hiring process is for firefighters. We need to work together as a community to get rolling on this immediately. I also recognize that climate change is a social issue, and I will work with Saratoga’s diverse communities to improve the health and quality of life of all Saratogians, including seeking to increase the diversity of our commissions and boards.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

I will be an advocate for the priorities I mentioned above – improving bicycle transit, installing recycling bins downtown, and redirecting government purchasing power to sustainable products and services, all of which will curb greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, I fully support our Complete Streets and Smart City Street Lights initiatives

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

I believe this question refers to the final proposed draft of the UDO, released on September 21, 2021. I was happy to see that this draft responded to many of the issues raised by Sustainable Saratoga and the City Planning Board’s Advisory Opinion to the Council. However, I believe the final proposed UDO still contains inadequate sustainability measures, which are inconsistent with the 2015 Comprehensive Plan. In addition, this final draft has not been through public comment yet. As an independent candidate, I will be a voice for Saratoga on City Council. I am looking forward to the October 5 and 19 hearings to listen to the public’s view of the proposed UDO.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

Again, I was happy to see that this draft responded to many of the issues raised by Sustainable Saratoga regarding the greenbelt, but I believe the final proposed UDO should be more effective in its protection. For example, it appears that the UDO still allows some inappropriate uses in the greenbelt’s rural gateway zones. In addition, this final draft has not been through public comment yet. As an independent candidate, I will be a voice for Saratoga on City Council. I am looking forward to the October 5 and 19 hearings to listen to the public’s view of the proposed UDO.

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

I believe in the vision of Saratoga as the city in the country. If elected, I will support limiting sprawl and preserving the greenbelt in accordance with the principles of the 2015 Comprehensive Plan.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

I will work to create a Saratoga that is affordable to all, not just for the wealthy, I want our local firefighters, the waitstaff in our restaurants, and the clerks in our stores to be able to live in and enjoy all that Saratoga has to offer. By working with the other members of City Council, state and local agencies, and non-profit organizations, I will seek to increase diverse and affordable housing in Saratoga.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

Yes, I support inclusionary zoning as a way to promote affordable housing.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

I welcome working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga to help Saratoga Springs achieve greater sustainability and environmental protections. I recognize that I am not an expert in all areas and, if elected, I will rely on learning from those with specialized knowledge. The best way for Saratoga Springs to succeed is by bringing people together to tackle important issues. In the case of sustainability and environmental protections, that means being open to collaboration with groups like Sustainable Saratoga, which has worked on environmental issues in Saratoga for over a decade.

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

Absolutely. I would be disappointed if Sustainable Saratoga did not hold me accountable as Commissioner of Accounts. I look forward to follow-up and collaboration with Sustainable Saratoga so that we may improve Saratoga’s sustainable practices and protection of its natural resources.

CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONER OF  FINANCE IN SARATOGA SPRINGS

We were unable to find an email address to contact Sierra Hunt.

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

Sustainability for me ultimately means a carbon neutral footprint. As a municipality we can enact projects, policies and procedures that will reduce the impact the city has on the environment.

Saratoga Springs does benefit from our geographic location and mild climate as far as climate resiliency. In 2017 I was directly impacted by 2 category 5 hurricanes. The first one destroyed our family’s house. Fortunately, we do not see the same impacts as areas that are already prone to severe weather and wildfires.

With that being said, climate change will have a greater impact on our economically disadvantaged citizens. As a municipality, we must make sure that those who don’t have the resources to adapt to climate change are not left to suffer. This would include continuing initiatives like our code blue shelter and cooling stations.

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

As Commissioner of Finance, part of my platform is to aggressively pursue state and federal funding for projects in the city. I have been involved in a $350,000 solar installation project at one of my businesses and we recently signed a $200,000 solar installation project for our hotel in Saratoga Springs. These projects are both heavily subsidized by local and federal grants, tax credits, and tax deductions.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has a clean city program. This program “is for local government officials and staff who want their communities to benefit from the new clean energy economy but struggle with tight budgets and limited staff.” State grants are available for municipalities, such as Saratoga Springs, to reduce our carbon footprint. (We will be using a public NYSERDA grant to subsidize part of our current solar project)

The federal government has a Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office (WIP). WIP has subsidized energy refits in 20,000 buildings and the installation of more than 60,000 renewable energy systems.

There are federal and state dollars available to greatly offset the cost of “clean” projects. We, as a municipality, need to find ways to access this funding. As your next Commissioner of Finance, I will use my experience to do just that.

As far as my top 3 sustainability related priorities, it would come down to the “lowest hanging fruit.” How can we spend the least amount of money on and get the greatest return. As of now my priorities would be:

1: The installation of high efficiency fixtures. This would include LED streetlights and smart traffic lights that reduce car emissions in our streets. Nearly one third of the energy use to power a typical municipal building can be conserved. We can begin to see considerable savings in our buildings by adding things like smart thermostats, water efficient faucets, etc.

1b: Recycling Bins: Currently there is no public recycling on Broadway. As a former board member on the Downtown Special Assessment District, I would work with the DSA to make our downtown bins recyclable ready.

2: Moving to an electric fleet. The cars and trucks that keep Saratoga Springs employees moving around our city have useful life. When that useful life is over, they must be replaced. Whenever feasible, taking into consideration of the type of vehicle, its role, and current technology, I would support procuring only electric vehicles in the future.

The New York State Vehicle Marketplace offers state and local government entities the opportunity to purchase or lease electric vehicles from dealers under contract with the Office of General Services. Partnering with the state has the potential to offer a wider range of electric vehicle options and lower prices. There would also be significant fuel and maintenance savings over the life of the EV.

3: Clean Energy Production: As I stated above, I have worked on a couple significant solar installations. They would have not been economically feasible as a stand-alone project. State and federal funding made the projects good investments both for the businesses bottom line and the environment.

I believe using some of these same incentives, Saratoga Springs can bolster our solar production in an economically feasible way.

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

As stated above, Saratoga Springs does benefit from our geographic location and mild climate. We do not see the same impacts as areas that are already prone to severe weather and wildfires. With that being said, climate change will have a greater impact on our economically disadvantaged citizens. As a municipality, we must make sure that those who don’t have the resources to adapt to climate change are not left to suffer. This would include continuing initiatives like our code blue shelter and cooling stations.

Local governments must take proactive steps, to reduce carbon emission by utilizing clean energy sources and becoming more efficient with the electricity we do consume.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

The city of Saratoga Springs and Sustainable Saratoga currently work with an arborist to plant more trees in our neighborhoods. Not only does this improve the aesthetics of the city, but the shade provided by the leaves will keep homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Supporting these commonsense programs will be something I look forward to doing as your next Commissioner of Finance.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

The programs stated above will have varying timelines. The installation of LED streetlights and smart traffic lights is currently taking place.

Upgrading fixtures in municipal buildings could begin as soon as the council would appropriate money to fund this initiative.

The electric fleet transition will take place as vehicles come to the end of their useful life and need to be replaced.

I also believe in the complete streets project and connecting neighborhoods with things other than roads for cars. The idea of sidewalks, trails and bike lanes connecting the city has many advantages. The use of these forms of transportation has health benefits, reduces carbon emissions and take cars off the roads and out of parking spaces primarily in the warmer months when demand is at its peak. As Commissioner of Finance, I would look for federal, state and local funds to continue the Complete Streets project.

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

Saratoga Springs has devoted more than 5 years and countless resources in developing its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Multiple experts, including city employees and outside consultants, have contributed to its formation. I respect our sitting Planning Board and their advisory opinion. I also respect the opinions of the various experts who have helped to form our UDO.

With that being said, The UDO leaves open the opportunity for “Suburban Sprawl” in our greenbelt. Development that is not conducive to keeping our downtown strong and vibrant.

As Commissioner of Finance, I will work to protect the greenbelt from any development that would undermine its rural character, and potentially damage it’s natural resources.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

Workforce development will be an initiative that I will pursue as the next Commissioner of Finance. In order to have a workforce, we need workforce housing. I support Inclusionary Zoning, that will give developers density credits for including affordable housing in their development. This would economically diversify new developments and provide affordable ownership housing options for economically challenged individual and families.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

Having grown up in a family that provides affordable housing options in Saratoga Springs, I understand the need and solutions available. Inclusionary Zoning for rental developments is something I would support, as well as the private charitable organizations that look to provide pathways to house rental options such as Shelters of Saratoga.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

In my business career, I always listen to a subject matter expert. I listen to my lawyer and take his legal advice. I listen to my doctor when she offers medical advice. I listen to engineers, architects and contractors for building advice. I would be very interested in listening and working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections. I view your organization, Sustainable Saratoga as a subject matter expert.

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

Yes.

 

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

The city council has to ensure policies and laws are in place that sustain natural resources while balancing growth as well as having processes in place to respond to potential damages from climate change. I would continue to advance the work of the Climate Smart Task Force and work toward sliver status. Continue to support the work of Complete Streets and get bike lanes in the city and support the sidewalk and trail programs. I would also establish a recycling program on our city streets.

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

The government should promote, advocate and educate our residents and businesses on climate change and resiliency. The city should make sustainable options a number one priority. The city has some great programs in place such as the solar park and EV charging stations. I would continue to support and grow the current projects as well as work with community partners to research and implement programs that would help residents and businesses to adopt sustainable habits.

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

From my perspective, decisions involving the Comprehensive Plan and the City’s Zoning Ordinance are amongst the most important decision considered by the City Council under our Charter. I believe the city council worked to incorporate most of the recommendations from the planning board into the current UDO. Protections were added for the “greenbelt” and the current UDO provides a strong framework and there are future opportunities for enhancements and improvements. I would seek to obtain the most accurate information available and weigh the facts before me to balance the interests of the individual property owners against the interests of the City as a whole. There is no magic formula that can be applied to this balancing test. Ultimately, it is a matter of the sound exercise of judgment by those five individuals on the Council responsible for the decision

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

The city has worked to secure affordable housing options within Saratoga and the city is on target to exceed the HUD limit. I would continue this effort and I support inclusionary zoning.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

Community partners, such as Sustainable Saratoga, are critical to our community for advocacy, education and support. Our community is very lucky to have such involved and committed residents. I will always be willing to work with people, to better educate myself on issues and build a better community.

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

As the “city in the country,” we have some of the key elements for creating a sustainable, climate resilient future. We are fortunate to have a walkable downtown core and a vibrant small business sector, surrounded by rural areas. At the local level, we can adopt and enforce a strong Unified Development Ordinance that will implement our city’s 2015 Comprehensive Plan, which embodies the city- in-the-country concept. By concentrating commercial and residential development in our urban core, we can limit the environmental impacts of development and transportation in our city’s Greenbelt and avoid the substantial costs of building and maintaining roads, along with the extensive system of water, sewer, gas, and electric lines that would be needed. We can promote the expansion of our urban forest. Street trees reduce air pollution, shade buildings to reduce summer energy use, increase property values and economic activity for downtown businesses. Street trees and other elements of green infrastructure reduce stormwater runoff into streams and lakes, thereby reducing water pollution and the costs of maintaining storm sewer systems. We can facilitate the development of affordable housing so that more people who work in our city will not have to commute long distances from adjacent communities. We can support initiatives like Complete Streets that create a more walkable, bikeable city that will make us more attractive to visitors and future residents and reduce the impacts of automobile use. Beyond programs, local governance creates a structure for the economy, the environment and the social workings of a community. I believe environmental sustainability can function as a tool that promotes a strong local economy, preserves the unique character of our city, and improves quality of life for all residents.

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

My first priority is the city budget. As finance commissioner, I will rebuild our city finances after COVID, maintain and improve our bond rating and focus on finding cost efficiencies in our city budget. Rebuilding our finances, and having a good bond rating allows us to undertake projects as opportunities for funding arise, and provides a strong safety net should we face another crisis. Strong finances allow us to address problems before they become emergencies. I will initiate the creation of a Climate Action and Resiliency Plan to identify opportunities, establish long term programs and formulate implementation timelines that can prepare us for environmental issues impacting our city now and in the future. Furthermore, I will work with community leaders to ensure that the UDO protects our greenbelt. Our city benefits from being a “city in the country.”

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

Local government plays an important role in the climate crisis. When municipalities adopt planning and zoning guidelines with climate change in mind, they can reap environmental and economic benefits. Zoning that keeps housing and workplaces closer together, combined with good public transportation, bikeable streets, and electric vehicle charging stations can reduce emissions and improve quality of life. Protecting open space, like our greenbelt, leaves habitats and ecosystems intact, which in turn improves their ability to withstand and adapt to climate change.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

Records show that average annual precipitation throughout the Northeast, including our area, has been steadily increasing for decades. We are experiencing more and more heavy precipitation events. Temperatures also are steadily increasing. Climate scientists warn that these trends are likely to continue.

Under these circumstances it is important to develop and maintain a strong finance department with fund balances and a strong bond rating to ensure we can work towards climate resilience. I will work with all members of the City Council to develop and implement policies and programs needed to address the impacts of our changing climate. I will seek public input as we go along and use the City website and social media to educate and inform the public. Policy and program development will include the following considerations:

  • Long-term budgetary planning to ensure that funding will be available for climate- related projects.
  • Budgeting for the purchase of materials and equipment needed to respond to emergencies resulting from extreme storm events.
  • Expanding funding reserves to prepare for emergencies.
  • Assessing vulnerable infrastructure, such as roads, culverts, bridges, and storm sewers, to schedule needed upgrades.
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Protecting wetlands, streams, lakes, and natural habitats through the

    development and enforcement of a strong UDO.

  • Using green infrastructure, such as street trees and pervious pavement, to reduce

    storm-water runoff. Green infrastructure should be incorporated in projects undertaken by the City, and the UDO should require it and other strong water management measures in private development projects.

  • Expanding the urban forest by planting large street trees to store carbon and to shade buildings, streets, sidewalks, and parking lots, with the goal of reducing ambient air temperatures and energy consumption for air conditioning.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

I will expand city investment in renewable energy with the goal of our city hall becoming climate neutral by 2030. I will promote the transition of municipal vehicles to electric, promote the proliferation of public electric vehicle charging stations, and seek state and federal funding for technology that reduces our energy use. I will promote energy efficiency in the construction, maintenance, and use of City buildings. I support smart land use, concentrating most development in and near our urban core to reduce the length of motor vehicle trips; Complete Streets, to make it easier and more attractive to walk and bike instead of using cars; and regulations that promote energy efficiency and the use of reflective and green building materials in new development.

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

The city of Saratoga Springs is “the city in the country,” with a center of compact residential and commercial development, surrounded by a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density residential and agricultural uses in the outer portions of the city. The greenbelt is an extremely valuable asset, preserving a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, and protecting sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces. I believe the current draft of the UDO goes a long way toward implementing the vision of the 2015 Comprehensive Plan. However, I am concerned about a number of issues identified by Sustainable Saratoga, especially that the draft adds a number of uses in the rural residential zone that are not allowed in our current zoning ordinance, and there are clauses that allow the planning board to exempt projects from the requirements of the ordinance, without any criteria.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

Again, I am concerned that the draft UDO adds uses in the rural residential zone, which covers pretty much the same area as the greenbelt, that are not allowed under our current zoning ordinance, even though the vision of our current Comprehensive Plan is almost identical to the previous one. As the climate crisis deepens, it is essential that we continue to lead the way toward climate-smart land use with a UDO that prevents sprawl development and preserves natural areas with strong, enforceable protections for our greenbelt.

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

Should the UDO be adopted without sufficient protections for the greenbelt, I would support amendments to strengthen it. I would elevate the profile of the greenbelt by specifically identifying it as a city asset and describing it and its benefits on the city website. I would support the posting of signs on prominent roads where they enter the greenbelt. I would support continued funding for the completion of the Greenbelt Trail.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

Lack of affordable housing is a major issue in Saratoga Springs. Many people who work in our community, cannot afford to live here. It would be much better socially and environmentally to have affordable housing within the city limits than to force workers to commute long distances from surrounding communities. Though our current zoning ordinance offers voluntary incentives for the inclusion of affordable units in new development projects, the incentives have not worked. Few affordable units have been built voluntarily. A number of new affordable housing projects partially financed with state and federal assistance have been approved. While I support them, I know that they will not come close to meeting the need. While I would support additional projects of this kind, it would be better to include a range of housing prices in every neighborhood, rather than separating neighborhoods by income. I would seek to work with those already engaged with this issue, and identify opportunities and strategies that will expand the city’s previous efforts to create affordable housing, especially learning from some innovative solutions being pursued by other cities in NY State. Shelters of Saratoga and Business for Good Foundation, the Saratoga Housing Authority, RISE Healthy Housing and Support Services, and the Saratoga Affordable Housing Group are among those I would consult.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

Affordable housing is a critical element of a sustainable future for Saratoga Springs.
I would support more projects exclusively devoted to affordable housing through state and federal assistance, similar to those currently under way. However, it would be better to include a range of housing prices in every neighborhood than to separate neighborhoods by income. I know that Sustainable Saratoga has been promoting the adoption of an inclusionary zoning ordinance by the city for a long time. I understand that there has been opposition from developers, and that the city would incur some ongoing expense for administering the program. Nevertheless, I would support a renewed discussion about inclusionary zoning with the new City Council and the people of the city.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

I welcome collaboration with environmental experts to improve the future of our city. I strongly support the work of Sustainable Saratoga. I am impressed by the many ways you have benefited the city, from the Weibel Avenue solar array to the urban forestry program to the annual Saratoga Recycles Day. I look forward to working closely with you and others in my efforts to foster a more sustainable Saratoga Springs.

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

I would be receptive to hearing Sustainable Saratoga’s issues and concerns.

CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN SARATOGA SPRINGS

We were unable to contact David Labate.

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

Sustainability and our city’s ability to adapt and thrive as the environment around us fluctuates is key to our long-term prosperity. We should be doing everything in our power to prepare for the future and promote growth.

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

I think the biggest sustainability-related priorities we should be focused on in Saratoga Springs are promoting cleaner and more responsible energy usage, preserving our beautiful landscape and scenery, and encouraging eco-friendly building/development practices within the city. As a member of the city council, I will focus on bringing together people and businesses from across the spectrum to work toward solutions that benefit our sustainability goals and take into account the diverse interests that comprise our community.

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

Unfortunately, the actions of one single local government have very little impact on the effects of climate change as a whole. However, it is important that as a community we do everything in our power to ensure we are prepared for any climate-related impacts on our families and businesses. That will require all of us to work together to prepare our city for whatever lies ahead.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

I am open to any policies aimed at making Saratoga Springs more resilient to extraordinary circumstances.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

New York State has recently passed extensive legislation cutting down on emission and promoting the transition to electric vehicles. As a city, I think we should be doing everything in our power to ensure that as this happens, our residents have access to the incentives and EV charging stations that will be required to make that transition.

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

I am in favor of the UDO but recognize that we should never be satisfied with where we are now. Rather, we should be striving, one step at a time, to make our city as clean and sustainable as possible.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

Development is an important part of growing our city and maintaining the wonderful living conditions Saratoga Springs is famous for. It is so important that we balance our need for development and modernization with the need to preserve the beauty and tranquility that come along with being such a lush, green place. It is crucial for our city’s identity that we maintain the green spaces and natural beauty that make this place home. As a member of the city council I will commit to preserving as much of our green space and wildlife habitat as possible while pursuing the city’s interests.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

Affordable housing in our city has become an increasingly concerning issue in recent years. As a community interested in attracting people from all walks of life it is paramount that we prioritize making housing options more affordable. That will require the city council and local officials to work with businesses and developers to enact policies that help low and middle-income families prosper in our community.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

I support any policy that makes housing in Saratoga more affordable while maintaining the quality and integrity of our local housing market.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

I personally believe that many hands make light work and that everyone should be involved in trying to better their community. As a member of city council, I will work with anyone and everyone who shares those values and is committed to what is best for Saratoga Springs.

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

Absolutely

James Montagnino did not respond to the questionnaire.

CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS IN SARATOGA SPRINGS

We were unable to contact Donald Reeder by email.

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

Supporting operational and quality of life initiatives that improve our local community while also supporting overall goals that preserve and protect our natural environment. As Commissioner of Public Works I’ve invested considerable time and resources into these efforts. This includes improving the  City’s open spaces and parks, developing the urban forestry plan, trail development, planning for public space recycling, emission reductions in the DPW fleet,  increased energy efficiency in city owned buildings and protecting the greenbelt.

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

  1. Enhance and improve the Urban Forestry Master Plan through the growth of the tree program by supporting the City’s top-knotch Arborist and Urban Forestry Division employees.
  2. Public Space Recycling requires a focused investment of time, resources, and public education to ensure participation and an effective program. The current plan is to purchase a dual purpose garbage and recycling EV truck. Public education is next to ensure people understand how they can help. Lastly, developing a plan for staffing to handle the increased roles involved with recycling. This will be challenging to operate effectively, and I look forward to working with Sustainable and interested high school students and residents to make this a success.
  3. Protect the Greenbelt and ensure only thoughtful development occurs in areas of our city that provide the beautiful greenspace we need.

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

The City of Saratoga Springs has done a good job at being mindful of policies and initiatives that are environmentally supportive. It’s been outstanding to be at the council table and vote on new or expanded trails, protecting the Pitney Farm from development, and preventing unreasonable development in the greenbelt.

Within DPW I’ve made certain that the Urban Forestry Master Plan is thoroughly supported, and have proposed a trails crew to maintain and support our growing trail system. It’s also been a priority to improve efficiencies in buildings. The most obvious example of this occurred during the renovation of City Hall, where energy efficient climate and lighting systems replaced antiquated building systems. We’ve installed GPS programs in vehicles that monitor emissions and have worked with staff to identify ways to reduce unnecessary idling.

As the above outlines, to address climate change the City Council needs to promote environmentally conscious policies, and departmental initiatives must be taken to do our part to fight climate change and/or heal our environment.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

The above outlines some of the initiatives I’ve championed as Commissioner of DPW. Including public space recycling planning, planting more trees and creating a staffing program that implements the Urban Forestry Master Plan, and increasing energy efficient buildings (and more).

This would be a good opportunity to share some concerns about storm drainage. The recent increase in severe rainstorms has exposed inadequate storm planning from decades ago. Subdivisions and development from as far back as the 1970’s are now showing plan designs that cannot handle the extreme rainfalls we’re experiencing today. It’s fair to say we know much more about drainage today than those involved in the past, but it’s starting to become a significantly expensive proposition for the City to solve serious drainage issues. I’ve directed multiple staff in DPW and Engineering to work with outside engineering firms to resolve real drainage problems but new issues are developing year after year.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

Some of these have been described in detail already. With information from the GPS Fleet Management software, DPW is working on internal policies to curb emissions. Additionally, the improvement of efficiencies in buildings has demonstrated multiple benefits (including participation in National Grid rebate programs). I would like to continue investing in LED lighting and building systems efficiencies in all CIty owned buildings, including recreational facilities. DPW currently owns one electric vehicle (EV) and is taking over the responsibilities for the EV chargers. I’m working on a plan now to purchase more electric vehicles and add new EV charging stations downtown within the next year.

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

I’m concerned about the levels of protection for the greenbelt, our more rural areas, and the gateway designs of our City.  During my time in office I’ve been a strong proponent of protecting the greenbelt and ensuring appropriate uses and development. In public workshops for the UDO I’ve objected to new uses such as a campground, country club, and community center. The UDO needs to be clear about design specifications for the City’s gateways and the more rural areas of the City. Overall, I think the current UDO draft would benefit from additional opportunity for public comment and input.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

My biggest concern with the UDO is making certain it protects the greenbelt appropriately. Having been elected, I previously voted on a resolution that established important protections for the greenbelt and will continue to do so if given the opportunity to serve again.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

This is an ongoing discussion that seems to rise to the top during some projects and then unfortunately disappear. There have been a number of projects recently to promote lower income and workplace housing within the City. I was supportive of the housing authority project on West Circular, and worked with them on many water and sewer issues to help that along. Not to mention affordable housing through the Intrada Project. Other projects have not progressed successfully, such as the planned redevelopment for workforce housing at the old Spa Diner. What the City Council can do is vote to promote pilot programs to make development easier, look at the City side process that will slow down these projects and try to instead help these projects along. That might remove some hurdles these projects experience or expect and hurts getting them to the finish line.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

I think this question would need to include the proposal or ideas for the proposal to truly weigh-in. At the council table the idea of inclusionary zoning was brought forward by prior Commissioner of Public Safety Chris Mathiesen. There were benefits discussed and issues vetted but ultimately the idea never moved beyond discussion. It would be important to review that discussion and what roadblocks were identified to recall what the community felt about inclusionary zoning.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

Sustainable Saratoga is a great community organization that provides valuable insight into important sustainability issues. There have been multiple instances where input from Sustainable Saratoga has assisted my decision making as both a department head and Council Member.

I’ve had a great working relationship with Sustainable, and worked hand-in-hand on the development and implementation of the Urban Forestry Master Plan. Additionally, the efforts of Sustainable help with our application to the Arbor Day Foundation to qualify as a Tree City USA.

Currently, we’re in discussions about how to implement public space recycling effectively. It’s been a few years in the works, but new equipment and opportunities will help to make this happen, but it will be a partnership to help bring forward the public communication component.

I enjoy working with all community organizations but especially appreciate the close relationship with how impactful DPW can be on Sustainable Saratoga initiatives. For that reason, I certainly would be open to meet with and review sustainability progress, and have always done so during my time in office.

1. General Sustainability

1A. What do sustainability and climate resiliency mean to you in the context of local governance?

It is the role of local, municipal government to do two things:

  1. The first is risk management. We need to plan for what we in software call “FUD” (failure, uncertainty, disaster). Doing this means understanding the cost of different disasters not only in terms of money but city resources, and then finding financially viable solutions and that effectively prevent the worst possible outcomes.
  2. Disaster response and resiliency. There are unforeseen circumstances in the changing climate and our aging infrastructure. By having a coherent plan to prevent or mitigate damage, we can better serve our citizens. One key element of this is having disbursement mechanisms for aid and services in a disaster that is known to all citizens. Having people inundate our phone systems looking for specific and immediate responses makes it difficult to prioritize resources. One example would be a coherent and specific snowplow plan that is shared with emergency responders, DPW employees, and residents. To further explain this example: I would like to optimize and publish intended snow plow routes. Intended, because it is understood during periods of emergency resources need to be reallocated. But, we should be able to say for every X number of inches, here is the plan, and here is an average (3-5 hours), how long it takes us to execute it. So if it snows 12 inches, a plow should be coming through X number of times over 24 hours. This snow plow route would focus first on emergency thoroughfares and main arterials used for emergency services, commuting, and schools. It would then branch out the neighborhoods. The published map would not include each neighborhood, but information about these chosen emergency routes and arterials. Examples of key streets would be Broadway, Lake Avenue, Church Street, streets for buses to school, West and East Avenue, etc. Streets would be ranked based on their function in the city (hospitals, schools, fire stations, etc).

1B. What are your top 3 sustainability-related priorities for Saratoga Springs, and what concrete actions will you take to address them?

  1. Setting up systems to outlive our tenure in politics including finding marketplace solutions for waste management including recycling and composting that are cost-neutral or positive income sources for the city
  2. Finding a way to set up a land trust to acquire at-risk properties
  3. Increase walkability by updating our sidewalk laws and ordinances

2. Climate Crisis

2A. What role do you think local government should play in preparing for and addressing climate change?

The local government should help support marketplace solutions to creating sustainable solutions, including supporting recycling businesses, sustainable farming, energy services, and other sectors that can support our future. They should consider a divestment plan in tools and services that are not adapting to our modern world.

2B. What policies and programs will you implement to improve the environmental health and climate resiliency of our community in the face of increasing climate disruption, including extreme temperatures and precipitation events?

A unified wastewater management strategy. By setting concrete goals and benchmarks for measuring and handling stormwater, runoff, and aquifers we can better adapt to our new climate. This strategy can be used to make decisions and allocate resources when areas of the city are not meeting their benchmarks. The plan can be adaptable, and help better direct funding where it is needed most.

2C. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, what policies and programs will you implement to curb greenhouse gas emissions and under what timeline will these policies and programs be implemented?

Optimizing routes for snowplows, leaf pickup, and other driving-heavy activities will substantially decrease the city’s emissions. It may not sound like a lot, but there was an interesting case study about these types of minute changes or Alaska Airlines (1) making a huge impact on their emissions output.
Additionally, find a way to phase out depreciating fleet vehicles and replace them with efficient solutions. The cost savings in gas usage will offset the increased upfront cost of the vehicles.

(1) https://investor.alaskaair.com/news-releases/news-release-details/alaska-airlines-most-fuel-efficient-us-carrier

3. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

For several years, the city of Saratoga Springs has been engaged in a complete rewriting of the city’s zoning ordinance. This Unified Development Ordinance is ostensibly the most important regulatory document in the city and will direct land use and development standards for years. The UDO is slated to be voted on after the election, on November 16.

3A. Do you believe the draft UDO contains adequate sustainability measures, including protections for our natural resources and mitigations for addressing the climate crisis, to satisfy the vision laid out in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan? Please explain your answer.

No, but I do not know if the UDO is the best vehicle for such measures. See below statement as to why I think the entire thing is a farce. What we need is a land trust for the city to buy and protect at-risk properties at their market value, or to partner with a non for profit to create such a land trust. We also need a way to accept gifts of land or abandoned properties and turn them into green spaces.

The city of Saratoga Springs has a “greenbelt” – a large area of low-density, low intensity development in the outer portions of the city – to retain a sense of rural character outside of the city’s core while concentrating the impacts of development and transportation within the core, to protect sensitive environmental features such as wetlands and open spaces, and to advance the city’s identity as “the City in the Country.”

3B. Given the intense and persistent development pressure on the greenbelt, what is your assessment of the effectiveness of the UDO to protect this city resource?

My husband and I own a home adjacent to the greenbelt, so we have seen firsthand how the UDO process is really an exercise that will be completely disregarded in years to come through deal-making and granting variance ordinances. I strongly support the idea of neighborhood-based representation in regards to zoning, with each neighborhood having its own approval board for what gets built and what doesn’t.

To an outsider, it can seem like the UDO negotiation has turned into a playing field for favors and retribution. This and the Hotel at The National can be cited as examples. The purpose of the UDO is to set a standard of development that should be adhered to. I hope after this last round of negotiation we end at a place where we can finish this document, protect the greenbelt and open spaces while allowing for thoughtful development in the city and into the future. In an ideal scenario, the city would be districted on a grid, and each district would have representation to decide the specific zoning in their own district within a broader standard. The number of variances given in a case-by-case scenario is annoying at best.

3C. If elected, what additional measures would you take, if any, to ensure the continued existence of the city’s greenbelt?

I will invest my time into either expanding Saratoga Plan or finding another solution to buy and protect at-risk properties in the greenbelt. I will also work with the accounts commissioner to strictly review building permits to prevent over-subdivision, which is exceedingly common. I want to return farms to farmers. I want to plant trees where clear-cutting has happened. I want to do so many things…but the city has a limited budget and specific resources, so I want to work with you to find this solution.

4. Affordable Housing

4A. What steps will you take toward achieving increased opportunities for diverse and affordable housing (both rental and ownership) for both middle- and lower-income levels?

Affordable housing can be found in a variety of ways. It can be a fund or grant to help offset the cost of mortgages for disenfranchised communities. It can tax subsidies on existing homeowners who are struggling to keep up with contemporary financial demands. There are also development zoning policies and incentivizing builders to build more affordable units. I do not want to expand the public housing program. I am a strong supporter of homeownership as a form of financial and economic equity. Public housing has a habit of segregating disenfranchised communities unintentionally. If management is not up to par, there can be major problems in water quality, snow removal, and other issues. These are all things to consider.

4B. Would you support inclusionary zoning (or some other proposal) to promote affordable housing in Saratoga?

Yes, or something similar depending on the scenario.

5. Sustainable Saratoga’s Role

5A. What are your thoughts about working in cooperation with Sustainable Saratoga in helping the city achieve greater sustainability features and environmental protections?

5B. If elected, would you be receptive to a mid-term follow-up with Sustainable Saratoga, to review sustainability progress, obstacles, and possible ways we can work together?

Yes, I will be for changes orreliant on Sustainable Saratoga as a partner to find these marketplace solutions that are not in the contracts of the union employees of the DPW. It may seem unfortunate that many activities cannot be done by the city because of the way things are structure, but I think with the right mindsight this opens the opportunity for entrepreneurship in our community. I want Saratoga Springs to be known not only as a great community for small business owners but sustainable business owners.

Domenique Yermolayev provided additional thoughts and viewpoints on sustainability issues, which you can find in the pdf version of her response (located at the bottom of this page).

Click on the links below to view the candidates questionnaires as a pdf.

MAYOR

COMMISSIONER OF ACCOUNTS

  • Angela Rella
  • Dillon Moran (not returned)
  • Samantha Guerra (not returned)

COMMISSIONER OF FINANCE

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY

  • James Motagnino (not returned)
  • Tracey LaBelle
  • David Labate (unable to contact)

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS