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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230227 69 Phila Garage Supplemental SubmissionDear Honorable Zoning Board, We have presented a variance for a 2-car garage located at 69 Phila St. which is part of a larger project to restore the main house on property. If you are not familiar with the property – it was built in 1851 by Robert Hunter, a mason by trade, for his family to reside. It was later purchased by Reverend Hawley to establish a home for orphaned children. In 2002 a couple purchased 69 Phila and neglected to make necessary repairs and made plans to demolish the home which were fiercely opposed by the immediate community and the Preservation Foundation. We purchased the home from them in 2022, after much deliberation, but it was well worth the effort. From the moment we laid eyes upon 69 Phila we knew we were home. Our intentions are genuine and simple. We want to restore 69 Phila to its former glory and make it a safe, comfortable, and beautiful home for our family and community. Our soon to be neighbors have expressed their gratitude for alleviating the eyesore that they had to endure for more than 30 years. We have a strong desire to build a 2-car garage over a smaller garage for the following reasons: 1. We are two full-time working parents that commute +30miles (Albany & Glens Falls) to work Mon-Fri. Having full coverage for 2 cars during severe storms greatly improves our quality of life, safety, efficiency and comfort. 2. Having both vehicles parked in a garage opens up the play area for our young daughter. She will be able to ride her bike, learn to roller skate and scoot comfortably and safely along the full length of our driveway while our vehicles and outdoor equipment can be safely stored away from rogues balls and hard edged toys. 3. Due to the condition and size of our basement, we are extremely limited in what we can store there. The larger garage space will allow us to store items typically found in a garage (I.e., tools, cold weather gear, outdoor recreational equipment, lawn care products, etc.). 4. In accordance to Sec. E.1.b. of the UDO, our proposed 2-car garage poses no detriment to the health, safety, and welfare of the community as our garage is blocked on all sides by our adjacent neighbors‘ fences and/or trees and will not be storing any hazardous materials. 5. The majority of our immediate neighbors on LaFayette (the next street over with mostly residential homes) have 2-car garages. Many of our neighbors that do not have garages have maximized their small lots with their primary structure before the current setback requirements were in place or built multiple sheds within the setbacks. So, the density of our lot is consistent or less dense than the standard of the neighborhood. Our common goal is to be consistent with the character of our neighbors and community. 6. Having both cars stored helps maximize curb appeal and sightlines to our restored & historic home. We plan to introduce new plants & flowers, many of which will border our driveway. Imagine the beauty of a restored brick home with an intricate historic porch and lush flowers, all blocked by a parked car! 7. Our family travels frequently. Having both cars locked behind garage doors while we are away decreases the likelihood of burglary. 8. We are significantly improving neighborhood home values by adding a 2-car garage rather than a one car garage and one or two sheds. We strongly believe that the benefits of the designed garage to ourselves and the community far outweigh the original intention of the setback requirements. In fact, we received glowing, unanimous approval from the Design Review Board for both the size, style and location of the designed 2-car garage in keeping with the community fabric. We appreciate your time and consideration. We know you make tough decisions daily, but we hope the reasons we provided above will help make your decision easier. Best, Joseph DeLeva & Rachel Ferluge (homeowners of 69 Phila St) 07/09/2023 69 Phila St. PHOTOS OF PROPOSED LOCATION OF GARAGE View of primary building and proposed location of garage at the rear of the lot from the street View of proposed location of garage at the rear of the lot from the planned driveway View of the proposed location of garage at the rear of the lot View of proposed location of garage at the rear of the lot from the neighbor's driveway 69 Phila St. PHOTOS OF THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS View of bordering property on the West side View of rear of property with neighbor's shed approx. 2'-6" from the property line View of bordering property directly behind the lot View of bordering property on the East side, shed is approx. 5'-0" from the property line Tour of Neighborhood Precedents Legend: Neighborhood UR-4 Zone 69 Phila Address: 26 LaFayette St Accessory Structure: Garage Possible Variance: 3.5ft setback at rear 1.5ft setback at west side BREAKDOWN OF NEIGHBORHOOD PRECEDENTS Address: 30 LaFayette St Accessory Structure: Garage Possible Variance: 4.1ft setback at west side Address: 71 Phila St Accessory Structure: Unknown Possible Variance: 1.2ft setback at rear 2.3ft setback at east side Address: 66 Caroline St Accessory Structure: Garage/ Rental? Possible Variance: 0ft setback at west side 2ft setback at east side Address: Allerdice Lane Accessory Structure: Garage and Storage Possible Variance for Garage: 4ft setback at street side, 0ft setback at east side Possible Variance for Shed: 3.75ft setback at st side, 4.5ft setback at west side Address: 12 LaFayette St Accessory Structure: Storage Building Possible Variance: 0.5ft setback at rear 0ft setback at east side Address: 66 Caroline St Accessory Structure: Garage Possible Variance: 0ft setback at rear 4ft setback at east side Address: 114 Caroline St Accessory Structure: Garage Possible Variance: 0ft setback at rear Address: 121 Circular St Accessory Structure: Storage Building Possible Variance: 2.5ft setback at rear 1ft setback at south side