HomeMy WebLinkAbout20190029 Val-Kill Properties Correspondance July 22, 2019 04L"
Jot
Christina and Murray Levith
34 Second Street
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866
Mr. Keith Kaplan
15 Vanderbilt Avenue
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866
Dear Mr. Kaplan and Zoning Board of Appeals:
We read with interest, and appreciation for the amount of work that went into the
revised narrative, etc. for 40 Second Street. However, the second residence on the
property is illegal and should not be granted a variance. We would like to briefly
address and counter the points made in the twenty-eight page presentation.
1. No undesirable change in the neighborhood. The vast majority of houses on
Second and Catherine Streets are single-family residences on substantially larger
lots than 40 Second.
2. Impact on physical or environmental conditions. 40 Second Street is on a very
small lot, and the two existing structures take up much of the property. We note that
the photo of the three cars parked in the drive in front of the garage door of the
suggested residence are all compact cars (VW GTI, Beetle, and Mazda roadster) and
take up the entire driveway. Second Street has alternate side parking in winter
(November to April). Who can predict the size or number of cars another tenant or
tenants in the garage-residence might have,and who might police this in the future?
In the past, school buses have had trouble travelling down narrow Second Street in
winter because of parked cars; hence, the city imposed the alternate side parking.
. Financial detriment to applicant and feasible alternative. While there would be
some cost, the structure could be restored to its original purpose as a garage and
rented out as such.
4. Was this a self-created hardship? Val-kill North is blaming everyone--
surprisingly including itself—for purchasing a property with only one legal residence
rather than two on their tiny city lot First, they blame the realtor for advising them
that the garage was OK as a rental residence; then,they blame their attorney for
closing on the property before the illegal zoning issue was resolved; next, they
blame the previous owners for converting and renting the garage-residence, even
after the city advised the them that the zoning regulations prohibited it; again, they
blame the city for not following up on the illegality of a second residence on the
property; and lastly, they blame themselves for not proceeding carefully and with
attention to their purchase. How does one buy a property, a huge investment for
many,without making oneself aware of all the relevant details of the purchase?
Their argument of innocence does not alter the matter that the garage at 40 Second
St. is not and should not be a residence.
Finally,the losses on the Val-kill North investment. Any investment is no sure thing;
sometimes, money is made, sometimes money is lost. Although Val-kill argues that
they were taken advantage of, perhaps they gambled that the garage residence
would not be noticed. However, the garage-residence was in fact noticed as illegal
several times by the city, and noticed by the neighbors who wish to maintain the
neighborhood's positive upward direction.
Sincerely,
Christina and Murray Levith
Owners of 32, 34, and 38 Second Street