Summary:
This study focuses on new housing developments within a 5-mile radius of the Village of Ballston Spa that have been in progress or proposed since 2019, within the municipal areas of Ballston, Malta, and Milton.With over 5,350 new residents potentially moving within 5 miles of the Village of Ballston Spa from these projects in the near future—an amount that exceeds the village’s total population—our community may be facing a time of unprecedented change.
Meanwhile, Ballston Spa is overhauling its zoning code for the first time in decades. Volunteer resident committee members have raised red flags about the process at multiple trustee meetings. The critical question: Are these new regulations being crafted to serve existing residents or to accommodate developers?
Have a say in the village’s future:
Mark your calendar for the Public Rezoning Workshop April 3rd @ 7PM 50 West High Street, Ballston Spa NY. At this time, this is the only scheduled workshop for residents to provide input on the drafted code which was promised to be released March 17th.
The hidden building boom
In recent years, housing developments have been encroaching on the Village of Ballston Spa. The signs are everywhere—cleared forestland and new construction listings appear constantly on real estate platforms. I wondered what was going on with a few of these projects, and that led me down an investigation wormhole to answer the question: How many new housing developments are we talking about here?
Municipal areas studied
Where the heck are these projects?
I’m sure you’ve noticed some of them. They kind of look like Malta quietly approaching our direction. I have heard many of us who grew up in the area say, “I can’t believe how different Malta is! It used to be farmland!”🚜. Malta is vastly different than the village, but I hope not to look back with a bit of woe as I do with Malta. No offense, Malta. I’m excited about the new Chipotle 🥹.
25 distinct development projects were found within a five-mile radius of the village as of 2019, totaling 2,546 housing units across *at least* 567 acres of land. This represents approximately 6,365 new residents based on the average household size in New York State.
About the map
Each pin will display project resource data and a project plan image if one was found.
*Locations approximate where there was no specific address but a map documented for reference.
Calculating added population per project
#Units (Houses or Apartments) X 2.5 (Average household size) = Population Added
The average household size in New York state is 2.55. The term “household” in demographic studies generally refers to all occupied housing units, including both houses and apartments. For this study, each project’s house and apartment unit count equals 2.5 people (rounded down slightly from the 2.55 NY average per unit).
Past population change data for context
Incomplete project populations (5,350) within the 5-mile study area could add the equivalent of 84% of the population added within three municipalities across 13 years.
Sources
- https://cdrpc.org/population-estimates-released-by-the-us-census
- https://koordinates.com/layer/96215-new-york-state-city-and-town-boundaries/
Incomplete projects account for 5,350 people, roughly the same population of the Village in 2023
The chart below breaks down population totals for the 25 projects found by build status and municipality.
- “Not Built” or “Semi Built” projects could contribute 5,350 additional residents within five miles over the next five years. 😱!!!
- “Built Approved” projects contributed an estimated 1,015 additional residents within five miles over the past five years.
- The population of the entire Village of Ballston Spa in 2023 was 4,933. The possible incoming population is larger than the Village’s total population.
Mapping project by population size
Zoning code rewrite: A timely shield or a developer’s opportunity?
Meanwhile, amidst this significant surrounding development on the horizon, the village is currently drafting a new zoning code that has not been changed in ages. As these developments continue to surround our village, I wonder if the timing of this new code will turn out to be a good thing…or not.
Zoning code decides things like…
- Whether a noisy AirBnB can open next door to your home
- If the historic character of that old building you love will be preserved or altered
- Whether property taxes will increase to fund infrastructure for new developments
You can read more about how zoning code can affect you here.
Concern voiced over new code’s lack of transparency and mysterious draft changes
A volunteer resident committee was enlisted to provide input throughout the code drafting process. They have been sounding the alarm for weeks 🔔, even making the Times Union, about a few individuals allegedly strong-arming the process. Watching the village trustee meetings back, it seems like most of the board is ignoring their concerns—why? If the committee feels the draft doesn’t reflect their input, who does it represent?
For the past year, the code and related documents have been withheld from the public despite repeated requests. Now, there’s a sudden push to implement it by July—even though no one has seen it. Why the rush?
Only one public workshop was held before the draft was released, gathering general feedback. Will residents get a real chance to weigh in? And will their input be made public to hold decision-makers accountable if they go against what the majority of residents ask for?
I don’t know, but with major development on the horizon all around us, it feels a bit weird. I’m keeping an eye on it, and if you live in the village, you should too.
Want to ensure the Village of Ballston Spa’s response to this growth remains in residents’ hands?
- *Mark your calendar for the Public Rezoning Workshop April 3rd 7 PM, @ 50 West High Street, Ballston Spa NY. This may be the only public workshop scheduled for residents to provide input on the code, said to be released March 17th.
- Share this information with neighbors who care about our village’s future.
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~ Brewster Finch
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