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Home My WebLink About20250736 52 York Ave Area Variance Presentation 0915202552 York Ave Area Variances for Two Lot Subdivision 9/15/2025 ZBA MEETING Executive Summary •Area is 10,901 ft2 vs 6,600 ft2 UR-3 minimum Existing single lot is far larger than needed •Subdivision exactly in half yields two lots of 5,450 ft2 (50 ft x 109 ft) •Street access to both subdivided lots (York Ave and Middle Ave, respectively) •Resulting lots would easily connect to existing sidewalks and utilities •Consistent with the character of the neighborhood Subdivision yields two great lots, and only requires small 17% variances •"To conserve, maintain, and encourage the development of moderately dense single-family and two-family neighborhoods" •Creates additional housing in Saratoga's wonderful east side neighborhood Supports stated purpose of UR-3 residential district 252 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Variance Substantiality & Recent Precedent Proposed Lot UR-3 Min Area (ft2) Proposed Area (ft2) Relief Min Area (ft2, %) UR-3 Min Lot Width (ft) Proposed Min Lot Width (ft) Relief Min Lot Width (ft, %) 52 York Ave (2025)6,600 5,450 1,150, 17%60 50 10, 17% 124 York Ave (2016)6,600 5,279 1,321, 20%60 48 12, 20% 10 Avery St (2015)6,600 6,400 200, 3%60 50 10, 17% Relief requested is not substantial and is consistent with precedent established by recently granted variances. Reasoning for relief granted in recent variances is consistent with 52 York Ave request: •Neighborhood which is 90% out of conformance with zoning requirements •Proposed lot sizes which are consistent with neighborhood character •Both subdivided lots have access to streets and available municipal water and sewer •Inability to purchase land from adjoining neighbors 352 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Variances Are Only Means To Achieve Subdivision Lot Direction Parcel ID Property Type Minimum Width Lot Area York West 166.45-3-2 210 –1 Family Residential Undersized 36 ft Undersized ~3,500 ft2 York East 166.45-3-7 280 –Residential Multiple Undersized 50 ft Undersized ~5,300 ft2 Middle West #1 166.45-3-64 210 –1 Family Residential Undersized 49 ft Conforming ~7,800 ft2 Middle West #2 166.45-3-4 220 –2 Family Residential Undersized 47 ft Undersized ~5,200 ft2 Middle East 166.45-3-8 210 –1 Family Residential Undersized 50 ft Undersized ~5,300 ft2 Any additional land for proposed lots to be conforming would necessarily come from neighbors. However, every adjacent property is non-conforming. Purchasing would result in greater non-conformance. 452 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION No Undesirable Change To Neighborhood Character Nonconformance by minimum width AND area Nonconformance by minimum area only Nonconformance by minimum width only Smaller than proposed subdivision by area Less than or equal to proposed subdivision by width Studied 145 neighborhood properties to determine the “character of the neighborhood” Neighborhood is overwhelmingly nonconforming with today’s zoning code. Subdivided lots would be in the middle of the pack by minimum width & area. 552 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION No Undesirable Change To Neighborhood Character …proposed subdivision increases neighborhood uniformity Only one other residential neighborhood property which has not been similarly cut in half between York Ave & Middle Ave… 652 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Other Area Variance Considerations 752 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Whether the variance will have adverse physical or environmental effects on the neighborhood •No, due to the minimal nature of the relief requested. •Opportunity for positive effects, particularly on Middle Ave. Whether the alleged difficulty was self-created •While the alleged difficulty is technically self-created, please consider all information presented as grounds to determine that such self-creation is not fatal to the variance application. Appendix 852 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Neighborhood Study 952 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Neighbor –York Ave –West Tax ID 166.45-3-2 Owner Stephanie Wronowski Property Type 210 –1 Family Residential Width 36 ft Area 3,500 ft2 Property is undersized, and the driveway backs right up to the property line. There is no spare area to purchase. The picture also shows the roof of the shed behind the white fence, which backs right up to the property line. 1052 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Neighbor –York Ave –East Tax ID 166.45-3-7 Owner Kirk & Aleah Wendell Property Type 280 –Residential Multiple Width 50 ft Area 5,300 ft2 This property has multiple residences, and no spare area for purchase. There are also several sheds behind the larger house. 1152 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Neighbor –Middle Ave –West #1 Tax ID 166.45-3-64 Owner Robert & Dawn O’Keefe Property Type 210 –1 Family Residential Width 49 ft Area 7,800 ft2 This property has an irregular shape featuring a larger front width, but the rear width is only 49 ft and is currently used for a shed (visible in rear image of 166.45-3-4 on next page). Even if it was theoretically possible to purchase land from the rear of this property, it would result in the subdivided lot which faces Middle Ave having a very irregular shape 1252 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Neighbor –Middle Ave –West #2 Tax ID 166.45-3-4 Owner 274-276 Nelson Ave LLC Property Type 220 –2 Family Residential Width 47 ft Area 5,200 ft2 Since this lot is already undersized, there is no spare land to purchase. Furthermore, the area of the property which is adjacent to 52 York Ave is fully utilized for a shed and parking lot 1352 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Neighbor –Middle Ave –East Tax ID 166.45-3-8 Owner Joseph Saba Property Type 210 –1 Family Residential Width 50 ft Area 5,300 ft2 Since this lot is already undersized, there is no spare land to purchase. The area of the property which is adjacent to 52 York Ave is fully utilized for a shed and driveway . 1452 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION Survey with Subdivision 52 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION 15 Possible Property Layout 52 YORK AVE -AREA VARIANCES FOR TWO LOT SUBDIVISION 16