Open Space Advisory Committee

open space pics


Open Space Advisory Committee Members
  • Tom Denny, Chair
  • Jennifer Hunt Dempsey
  • Ed Lindner
  • Anita Morzillo
  • Dave Miller
  • Jeff Cheek
  • Steve Samuell

THE OPEN SPACE PLAN IS BEING UPDATED FOR 2023. WE NEED YOUR HELP!
 

The City is working on updating the 2002 Open Space Plan. Nearly two decades old, the 2002 Open Space Plan provided a blueprint and tools for furthering the community’s vision of the “City in the County.” It included recommendations and criteria for the expenditure of Open Space Bond funds when the City pursued the acquisition of ownership, rights, or interests in land and improvements for active and passive parks and recreational purposes, and preservation of open areas.

The Open Space Plan Update is being developed in collaboration with the Open Space Plan Steering Committee, Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC), City Staff, and Consultant Team, MJ Engineering and Land Surveying, P.C. Membership of the Steering Committee includes representatives from the Open Space Advisory Committee (3), Saratoga PLAN (1), City Center Board (1), Saratoga Springs School District (1), Saratoga Spa State Park (1) Saratoga Springs Recreation Commission (1). 

After months of walking the sites, mapping, researching, soliciting public opinion, and planning, the draft plan is ready for public review and comment. It is time for the City to again revisit the future vision for preservation and conservation of open areas and set priorities for the next five years, as required by City Charter. Additionally, city residents will need to determine the future source of financing for open space acquisitions and easements, since the City’s $5 million Open Space Bond fund is virtually depleted.

To read the draft plan, please open the link below:

DRAFT Saratoga Springs Open Space Plan 2023

Input to the Plan can be emailed to:

Mike.Dutre@saratoga-springs.org 

Or mailed to:

Open Space Plan

474 Broadway, Suite 32

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Public Comment will close June 20, 2023.


A dedicated project website was created to keep the community informed of the update process, ongoing public engagement opportunities, and to provide ongoing information about the effort.  Although This website is no longer being updated, it contains much useful information, including the results of the public survey and a beautiful collection of open space photos that the public submitted.

Open Space Planning Documents and Presentations

  1. Open Space Plan (Updated 2002)
  2. Open Space Plan Map (Updated 2002)
  3. OSAC Presentation 9.28.16-1

  

 

 Past Projects



Natural Resource Inventory

The City of Saratoga Springs received grant funding through the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to complete a Natural Resource Inventory. Funding was provided in part by Title 15 of the Environmental Protection Fund through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Climate Smart Communities Program with matching funds were provided by the City of Saratoga Springs and volunteer time.

The inventory was developed over two years through a team effort, led by City staff, the Open Space Advisory Committee, and LaBella Associates, the City’s professional consultants. Key contributors include local scientists and resource management experts, members of the City’s Open Space Advisory Committee and Climate Smart Task Force, faculty and staff from Skidmore College, graduate students from the University of Albany, and public input at various stages of the process.

NRI's are composed of listing and descriptions of naturally occurring resources in a community and generally include:
  • Maps showing the location and extent of important resources such as groundwater resources, farmlands, significant wildlife habitat, and other related items.
  • A database of information providing the factual basis for resource management and land use decisions.
  • A narrative summary which describes the NRI goals, summarizes the findings of the inventory, and details the methods used to evaluate the results.
The NRI is the first step to determine the baseline for updating the 2002 Open Space Resource Plan as well as the future creation of a Climate Resiliency and Vulnerability Assessment.

 NRI Public Workshop 1/31/2019 Presentation:


NRI Public Workshop - 1/31/2019
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