HomeMy WebLinkAbout20220855 139 State Street Area Variance NOD OG,4 CITY OF SARATOGA Gage Simpson,Chair
QUA Brad Gallagher,Vice Chair
Emily Bergmann SPRINGS Cheryl Grey
CIO
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS Matthew 11 Brendan Dailey
r -µ CITY HALL-474 BRoADwAY John Daley,Alternate
c0RpORA5�4 ��1h SARATOGA SPRINGS,NEw YORK 12866 Alice Smith,Alternate
518-587-3550
W W W.SARATOGA-SPRINGS.ORG
20220855
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPEAL OF
Greg Travis and Karen Lazar
139 State Street
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
From the determination of the Building Inspector involving the premises at 139 State Street in the City of Saratoga
Springs,NY,being tax parcel number 152.-1-5 on the Assessment Map of said City. The Applicant having applied
for an area variance to permit the renovation of an existing home in the Urban Residential (UR-1) District and
public notice having been duly given of a hearing on said application from October 17,2022 through July 10,2023.
In consideration of the balance between the benefit to the Applicants with detriment to the health,safety and welfare
of the community, I move that the following variance for the following amount of relief-
Type of Requirement District Dimensional Requirement Proposed Relief Requested
p (%variance)
a
Max Principal Coverage% 28 ° 34.5% 6.5%(23.2%)
Setback—Front 30' 0 30ft(100%)
Setback- Interior Side 12' 5' 7ft(58.3%)
Setback-Min. Total Side 30' 6.4' 23.6ft(78.7%)
Max Driveway Percentage 25% 34.2% 9.2% (36.8%)
As per the submitted plans or lesser dimensions,BE APPROVED for the following reasons:
1. The applicant has demonstrated this benefit cannot be achieved by other means feasible to the applicant. In
ten months in front of the Board, the applicant has revisited the design of their project numerous times in
order to reduce the percentage of variances needed. While the applicant has landed on a zero ft. setback
for the front, it is an overall improvement as the current setback for the front is around negative 3.5
feet. This front setback of zero ft. is for the two-car attached garage only as the applicant wishes to have a
two car garage replace the current one car garage. The applicant redesigned this garage to push back the
second story of the garage approximately 21 ft. so that there would not be a second story with a zero percent
setback. Additionally,the two car garage is 20 feet deep rather than the standard 24 ft..
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2. The applicant has demonstrated that granting this variance will not produce an undesirable change in the
neighborhood character or be a detriment to nearby properties. The applicant was able to purchase about 5
and a half feet of land from neighboring Skidmore College in order to help offset part of the side variances
and principal coverage. Additionally, the Board notes that the overall design of the house will be more
aesthetically pleasing to the neighborhood.
3. The requested variances are considered substantial.The variances requested are similar in width and square
footage to some other approved UR-I variances, however, this lot is generally larger than the comparable
approved variances. For the maximum principal coverage,the current property,if left as is,is 32.8%when
the zoning requirement is 28%.However,the proposed survey currently shows it to be 34.5%and therefore.
4. The Applicant has demonstrated that granting this variance will not have an adverse physical or
environmental effect on the neighborhood. The existing drainage patterns will remain unchanged. Any
changes that would impact drainage are being done toward the interior of the lot,where there is green space
to accommodate roof runoff.
5. The request for relief is a self-created hardship. However, self-creation is not necessarily fatal to the
application.
It is so moved, dated: July 10, 2023
Adopted by the following votes:
AYES: 4 (C, Grey, S. Gaston, B. Dailey, E. Bergmann)
NAYES:
ABSTAINED: A. Smith
This variance shall expire 18 months following the filing date of such decision unless the
necessary building permit has been issued and actual construction begun as per the Unified
Development Ordinance.
I hereby certify the above to be a full, true and correct copy of a resolution duly adopted by the
Zoning Board of Appeals of the City of Saratoga Springs on the date above mentioned, five
members of the Board being present.
SIGNATURE. 07/12/2023
INTERI CIAIR—Cheryl Grey DATE RECEIVED BY
ACCOUNTS
DEPT.
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