Leucis’ 64-unit finally approved in Queensbury at former Mead’s Nursery

By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer

After over a year in Queensbury’s planning process and pushback from neighbors, the town Planning Board on Jan. 28 approved Foothills Builders’ plan to 64 living units — 16 residential buildings with four units each — as well as a community building and paths on Ridge Road at the former Mead’s Nursery, which closed in 2019 after 70 years.

Father and son both Joseph Leuci own Foothills Builders. The construction timeframe is 18 months to two years. They’ll remove existing buildings and the asphalt driveway on the 11 acre property.

Voting to approve the project were Planning Board Chairman Stephen Traver and board bembers Ellen McDevitt, Fritz Stefanzick, Warren Longacker, Kimberly Bullard and Tom Uncher.

Brady Stark cast the sole ‘no’ vote.

“I think in town we’re building a lot of apartments,” Mr. Stark said. “I think we’re starting to lose our small town neighborhood feel a little bit.

“I’d like to see some more single-family homes instead of apartments. Clifton Park has a lot of issues with development. Malta has a lot of issues with development. I think in three to five years we’re going to be nothing but apartments, and everybody’s going to be complaining.”

Chairman Stephen Traver responded, “As a steering committee member for the zoning update, one of the concerns is that we increase affordable housing and single-family housing. We’ve sort of begun that process of looking at the town as a whole and how zoning might improve some of that situation.”

Neighbors expressed concerns about the housing density being too much for the neighborhood; increased traffic; and nighttime noise, light and activities.

Another concern expressed was that toxic materials from a pond on the property would be disturbed by the development and flow into wetlands.

To investigate that concern, Foothills Builders had Northeastern Environmental Geoscience DPC do a water sampling from the pond and groundwater on site.

The pesticide 4,4’-DDD and semi-volatile organic compound Benzo(a)pyrene were detected in the water, but “are not considered atypical given the property’s historic use and storage of petroleum and agrochemical products,” the study found.

They “pose a low exposure risk” that could be managed by precluding the use of water at the property and putting in fencing that restricts access to the pond, the report said.

The proposed project does include plans to build a split-rail fence around the pond, as well as along the backyard property line of three adjacent properties.

The back of the property opens onto Meadowbrook Road.

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