Town of Plattsburgh creates housing acceleration measures

PLATTSBURGH | The Town of Plattsburgh revised land use zoning and the variance process to encourage housing development. This new layer of carefully selected, detailed zoning can accommodate up to 2,600 units of housing. Supervisor Michael Cashman said the initiative called Creating Housing Acceleration Measures for Plattsburgh, or CHAMP, marks a significant milestone for the Town of Plattsburgh. CHAMP zones are located close to existing water/sewer, natural gas and power infrastructure and several have walkable access to area neighborhood grocers, pharmacies, banks, restaurants and amenities. At a press conference, Cashman said CHAMP removes outdated barriers. "The land use plan is supported by the town's $24 million Capital Infrastructure investment," he said. "This is a smart, intentional development that strengthens our future." Focused on specific districts to cut through regulatory clutter, the supervisor said, "it is based on the real demand and real project proposals. It reduces the need for variances, saving both money and time for our developers. And it also preserves the neighborhood characteristic." CHAMP ZONES Town zoning can move forward more quickly with permits for multi-family housing in A2 and SC (Service Center) zones. The A2 areas are in and adjoining the former Clinton County Airport and south of the Saranac River, abutting city boundaries. SC zones include areas near Cumberland Bay and Lake Champlain waterfront property. CHAMP encourages duplex infill conversions in the town center, north of Smithfield Boulevard, essentially allowing property owners to create two units of housing side-by-side out of one existing home. This development might help families with older parents or young adult children establish affordable, yet separate, living quarters. CHAMP increases density for development in Walkable T4 and T5 zones, highlighted in sections of the town center. The higher density allocation is 1 unit per 5,000 square feet. Town of Plattsburgh senior planners provided a map illustrating areas approved for housing acceleration. They said several of the properties are already being considered or have development underway. AT EMERSON PLACE One of the Service Center sections has housing in construction. Emerson Place along New York Road is being built by K & M Taylor Properties, Inc., of Plattsburgh. Kerry and Matt Taylor hosted the press conference in one of the units nearing completion. The Sun asked Mrs. Taylor if the new zoning will prove helpful in their process. "This changes everything," she said. "It really does. It's such a huge opportunity for the area, and this is addressing the housing crisis dead on. The Town of Plattsburgh has been a great partner in this project." A proponent of adding all levels of housing, Mrs. Taylor said they see need across the board, from affordable and workforce housing, to market rate homes, family housing and rentals priced for older people living on a fixed income. Emerson Place is adding 28 units at market rate. Rent is approximately $2,050 per month for two bedrooms with two bathrooms, a one-car garage with attic storage. Nearly all have already been rented, Mrs. Taylor said. Streamlined zoning, she said, will help ease demand. "It's going to make it so much easier for developers to come in and build the housing we need," she said. "We need all levels. It's not just the affordable. It's the medium, the higher. We had it rented before we built. So that tells you the demand. It's kind of scary when you think about it." Cashman said new zoning allows for expansion if developers with work in progress see more opportunity in CHAMP corridors. Such is the case with Emerson Place. The SC zone extends further south along New York Road. The land there was vacant during Plattsburgh Air Force Base tenure, and the Taylors had to clear wooded areas to make room for their housing development. Asked if tariff levies will slow or curtail their progress, Mrs. Taylor said they locked in pricing with Sample Lumber Company, in Mooers, when this project began, before tariffs were put in place. "We are going to continue on the path," she said, though tariff levies may impact rental prices going forward due to rising costs of materials. Cashman commended the private sector, including the K & M Taylor Properties, for their diligence and willingness to invest in community. "They remind us that this work isn't just about adding housing units," he said. "It's about raising standards and creating homes and enriching the fabric of our community." Progress, he said, doesn't happen in isolation. Plattsburgh brought together over 150 stakeholders at the North Country Housing Symposium last year, which drove synergy and sharpened focus on ways to accelerate housing construction on all fronts. The Town of Plattsburgh has since launched a website specifically for builders and developers: WeArePlattsburgh.com "We're not chasing trends," Cashman said, "we're setting them." The message to builders, he said, is "Come build with us. "There is ample amount of opportunity here in the town, and we are positioned to work with people to continue to lead the way in our corner of the North Country." ............................... COUNTY IDA STUDY The Town of Plattsburgh housing acceleration zones were completed separate and apart from research released last month by the Clinton County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA), which expanded on a 2023 Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board four-county assessment. The county IDA "Site Specific Financial Feasibility" study was conducted by Camoin Associates. It found that Clinton County has experienced a decade of underbuilding, which leaves the region with a deficit of over 1,000 units, Camoin said, "requiring the construction of at least 1,100 new homes (county wide) over the next five years to meet growing household numbers and replace aging stock. "This demand spans a range of needs, from young families seeking starter homes to fixed-income seniors and households requiring financially attainable options." The CCIDA report identified five areas in Clinton County for housing expansion and provided build-out concepts for each: They suggested a Wood Cliff Drive site in the Town of Plattsburgh could be a good site for 78 market-rate apartments with 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units ranging from 700 square feet to 1,300 square feet. Miromar site in Champlain presents a viable site for 120 apartments priced as a mix of market-rate and attainable units. These include 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units. Bear Swamp Road in Peru may be an opportune site for 36 two-story, 3-bedroom townhouses available at market rates. A Banker Road site in the Town of Plattsburgh could support 30 moderately sized, two-bedroom single-story townhouses dedicated to serving seniors in need of attainable housing. Nashville Road in Saranac could sustain a moderate-scale subdivision with "starter homes" "intended to be affordable to households with earnings equal to 120 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). The rural setting requires the inclusion of a waste-water treatment system with cost estimates inclusive of site preparation and roadway paving." Camoin estimated gaps between development cost and return on investment range from 12.6 percent in the Peru scenario to 40.5 percent in the Champlain scenario. Cashman said the Town of Plattsburgh was not asked for input on the CCIDA study and town senior planners forged forward with detailed zoning for CHAMP, which identified areas in the town for 2,600 housing units. The CCIDA study and companion needs assessment are online: clintoncountyida.com/our-projects.

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Town of Plattsburgh creates housing acceleration measures

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