Terms behind the plans

Uncontaminated solid waste resulting from the construction, remodeling, repair, and demolition of structures, roads, and utilities (e.g., concrete, brick, drywall, wood, and roofing).

Local context: Morris Road Transfer Station in Colonie is proposed as an indoor transfer facility for processing C&D materials.

The interior architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing alterations required to adapt an existing commercial space for a specific new business occupant.

Local context: NYS Department of Health 37,860 sq ft lease fit-up at Capital Region Health Park, or Pour Decisions juice bar fit-up at Loudon Plaza.

A public benefit corporation established under NY State law to foster economic vitality and jobs by offering financial incentives, including tax exemptions and structured PILOT agreements.

Local context: City of Albany IDA, Troy Industrial Development Authority (TIDA), and Saratoga County IDA.

A negotiated agreement between an IDA and a developer where the developer makes scheduled, predictable payments to local taxing jurisdictions instead of full standard property taxes, typically phased over 10 to 20 years.

Local context: Approved for Prince Hall Apartments ($4.7M project in Albany) and Leonard Hospital ($17M redevelopment in Troy).

The established guidelines of an IDA defining standard tax abatement schedules, job creation expectations, and eligibility requirements for financial assistance.

Local context: An IDA board must formally approve a "deviation" if a proposed PILOT schedule differs from standard UTEP guidelines.

Real property where redevelopment or reuse is complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances or pollutants. In NY, developers utilize the DEC Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) to remediate contaminated soil/groundwater in exchange for liability relief and state tax credits.

Local context: Kingston's 615 Broadway remediated a 15-year vacant motel brownfield site; Yonkers' Bridgewater South remediates former industrial parcels along the Hudson River.

A standardized state form (Short EAF or Full EAF) submitted by developers detailing site conditions, wetland impacts, traffic generation, and utility infrastructure demands.

Local context: Reviewed by planning boards during site plan intake to evaluate potential environmental concerns.

The single municipal board or state agency designated under SEQR to coordinate environmental review and issue formal environmental impact findings on behalf of all involved agencies.

Local context: Town of Colonie Planning Board acting as Lead Agency for coordinated review involving the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission and NYS DEC.

A formal board determination under SEQR concluding that a project will not result in any significant adverse environmental impacts, allowing approvals to proceed without an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Local context: Adopted by Colonie Planning Board for Quick Check and Troy Planning Board for Leonard Hospital.

A formal determination by the lead agency that a project may have one or more significant adverse environmental impacts, legally requiring the developer to prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Local context: Triggers formal public scoping sessions and in-depth draft and final environmental impact statements.

New York State's mandatory law requiring state and local government agencies to evaluate potential environmental impacts alongside social and economic factors before approving land developments.

Local context: Planning boards must adopt formal SEQR findings (such as a Negative Declaration) before granting site plan or zoning approvals.

A proposed development that meets or exceeds specific regulatory thresholds (e.g., 200+ residential units or 10+ acres of ground disturbance) carrying a legal presumption that it is likely to have significant environmental impacts.

Local context: Lansingburgh Gateway (205 workforce housing units) triggered a Type I coordinated environmental review in Troy.

An action predetermined by New York State environmental regulations to have no significant environmental impact, requiring no further SEQR review.

Local context: Routine commercial tenant change of use, standard storefront signage, or in-kind utility replacements.

A development proposal that is neither Type I nor Type II. It requires completing an Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) so the board can determine whether significant adverse impacts exist.

Local context: Standard commercial site plans, minor commercial warehouse reuse, or small subdivisions.

The exact midpoint household income for a metropolitan area calculated annually by the federal government (HUD), used as the statutory benchmark to define income caps and rental rates for affordable (typically <=80% AMI) and workforce (80-120% AMI) housing.

Local context: Kingston's 615 Broadway reserves 20% of units at 80% AMI, and the Barrel Factory Apartments provide 20 units capped at 80% AMI.

The standardized unique coordinate code assigned by county real property tax services to index every individual parcel of real estate in New York.

Local context: Tax ID 70.80-3-5 in Troy or SBL 265.-5-10 in Clifton Park.

High-density, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use or multi-family development clustered within a short walk (typically 1/4 to 1/2 mile) of a rail station or major transit hub, designed to encourage transit ridership and reduce car dependency.

Local context: Bridgewater South in Yonkers sited directly adjacent to the Metro-North Ludlow Station; Albany's downtown infill near CDTA bus rapid transit lines.

A municipal board responsible for evaluating architectural compatibility, exterior materials, lighting, historic preservation, and commercial signage within designated overlay districts before building permits can be issued.

Local context: Saratoga Springs Design Review Board reviews exterior signage and building elevations for projects like Reverie 73 and 120 South Broadway.

Relief granted by a ZBA from physical, dimensional, or topographical requirements of a zoning code (e.g., building height, setbacks, lot frontage, or parking minimums).

Local context: Lansingburgh Gateway requested area variances for 60-foot building height and reduced front setbacks along the Hudson River.

A residential subdivision planning method that clusters homes on smaller building lots while permanently deed-restricting a large portion of the parcel as open space or conservation land.

Local context: 44 Sherwood Drive in Colonie (16 single-family home lots with dedicated conservation and stormwater parcels).

Discretionary zoning approval granted for a land use permitted in a zoning district only upon satisfying specific conditions to protect adjacent neighborhoods from traffic, noise, or light pollution.

Local context: Required for drive-throughs, fuel dispensing canopies, day care facilities, or multi-family buildings in mixed-use neighborhood centers.

The comprehensive municipal regulatory review of proposed building footprints, parking access, landscaping, lighting, architectural massing, and stormwater management.

Local context: City of Albany planning applications labeled DPR-2026 (e.g., St. John's Church conversion, NYSTRS office expansion).

Specialized municipal boards that review exterior building architecture, materials, historic preservation compatibility, and commercial storefront signage.

Local context: Saratoga Springs Design Review Board and City of Albany Historic Resources Commission.

A modern zoning approach that regulates the physical form, scale, and placement of buildings against the street (the 'transect') rather than rigidly separating uses, fostering walkable, human-scaled mixed-use neighborhoods.

Local context: Saratoga Springs' Transect zones (T-5 Neighborhood Center, T-6 Urban Core) and Kingston's 2023 citywide form-based zoning code.

An intensive municipal review process triggered when a proposed development exceeds certain scale thresholds (such as unit counts, square footage, or traffic generation), requiring comprehensive site engineering, multi-agency coordination, and public hearings.

Local context: Syracuse City Planning Commission evaluated Phase III of East Adams Street under Major Site Plan Review application MaSPR-2026-28.

A City of Albany zoning district placed along the edges of residential neighborhoods. It permits a blend of housing and small-scale, neighborhood-serving uses — apartments over shops, offices, or institutions — while keeping building height and character compatible with the houses on the surrounding blocks. Larger-scale development is intentionally excluded so the transition between a busy corridor and a residential side street stays gradual.

Local context: The St. John's Church Conversion on the Albany Planning Board agenda is proposed under the MU-NE district: the former church building would be adaptively reused as 17 apartments, a mix of housing and institutional-scale architecture that MU-NE is designed to accommodate.

A customized zoning district approved by a town board for a specific parcel, allowing flexible mixed-use layouts, higher densities, or clustered designs not permitted under standard town zoning.

Local context: Sisters of Saint Joseph PDD in Latham (single-family homes and 3-story apartments) and Forest Ferry Senior Housing PDD.

A single, comprehensive regulatory code that combines traditional zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, design guidelines, stormwater rules, and signage standards into one streamlined municipal framework.

Local context: Saratoga Springs replaced its legacy zoning chapters with a citywide UDO in 2021 to guide projects like 120 South Broadway.

Exceptional permission granted by a ZBA to establish a land use that is expressly prohibited in that zoning district, requiring proof of unnecessary economic hardship.

Local context: NYS Marine Highway requested a use variance to operate an industrial parts warehouse on land zoned Conservation-Recreation in Troy.

An independent municipal quasi-judicial body authorized to interpret local zoning ordinances and grant variances to applicants seeking relief from zoning regulations.

Local context: Hears requests for building height variances, parking reductions, and setback relief in Troy, Albany, and Saratoga Springs.