On Friday, 13 October, Saratoga Springs’ mayor, John Safford, announced a pause on the city’s draft Unified Development Ordinance amendment that would have shifted demolition authority from the Design Review Board to the City Council.
The proposal, drafted in spring 2026, would have eased conditions for tearing down historic and architecturally significant structures, sparking a flurry of opposition from 30 local speakers at a public hearing that raised concerns about eroding the town’s heritage.
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, along with the New York State Preservation League and the state’s Office of Historic Preservation, called the change a dangerous precedent that could politicise demolition decisions.
Safford had defended the amendment as a move to bring fairness and clarity to the review process, but critics warned that handing power to elected officials could invite political pressure and undermine the 2022 ordinance’s safeguards.
The mayor said he will still pursue revisions to other parts of the ordinance, including an appeals mechanism for owners who cannot afford restorative work, and scheduled the next council hearing for 20 October to consider further amendments.
A 67‑year‑old resident, Maria Gallo, who owns a Victorian townhouse on Main Street, said she fears the new rules could hasten the loss of the neighborhood’s character.