Full Notification

Albany County’s COVID-19 dashboard reported that there were 286 new positive cases overnight in the County, which raised the County’s COVID-19 cumulative pandemic total to 67,742 positive cases.  The County’s seven-day average of new daily positive cases increased from 201.6 to 222.8 cases.  The number of County residents in the hospital due to COVID-19 symptoms increased by 10 to now 52 patients, with two patients in the ICU.  The County’s pandemic death toll remained at 552.

State DOH reported that the County’s rate for one vaccine dose as of yesterday was 81.8% of the County’s total population and 91.1% of the adult population, and the County’s rate for full-vaccination was 74.3% of the total population, and for boosters was 72.2% of the eligible population.  The State’s rate for one dose was 90.2% for the total population and 95.0% of adults, and the State’s rate for full-vaccination was 77.0% for the total population, and for boosters was 55.5% of the eligible population.
 

For the second time, the Appellate Division, Third Department unanimously ruled that the Town Planning Board took a "hard look" at the environmental impacts of the proposed Costco store as required by the State Environmental Quality Review Act, and noted that the Board’s review was supported by the Albany Pine Bush Preserve and Department of Environmental Conservation.  I thank the Town Planner and Board members for their thorough and complete two-year review of the proposed action.

The Court found that the Planning Board imposed mitigation measures including a new roundabout to replace the dangerous traffic light at the Northway entrance, reducing part of the ring road from four to three lanes, with a center turn lane, adding trees, landscaping and street lamps to promote traffic calming and improving the pedestrian environment, and installing a network of sidewalks, multiuse paths and bicycle paths.  The Court also agreed that the proposed development will reduce greenhouse gas emissions with walkability to CDTA’s rapid transit, providing direct access to the interstate highway system, and ending 87-mile length trips to the closest Costco.  The next step is the review of Costco’s special use permit by the Zoning Board of Appeals.