HomeMy WebLinkAbout20260073 Center for the Family Area Variance NODPage 1 of 2
CITY OF SARATOGA
SPRINGS
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
CITY HALL - 474 BROADWAY
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK 12866
518-587-3550
WWW.SARATOGA-SPRINGS.ORG
Gage Simpson, Chair
Brendan Dailey, Vice Chair
Amanda Demma
Jonah Cohen
Otis Maxwell
Chris LaPointe
Steve Harrigan
Chris Maslak (Alternate)
#202600073
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPEAL OF
Saratoga Center for the Family, the Applicant
359 Ballston Avenue
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
From the determination of the Building Inspector involving the premises at 359 Ballston Avenue in the City
of Saratoga Springs, New York (“City”) being tax parcel number #178.-4-16 (the “Zoning Denial”).
The Applicant appealing such Zoning Denial, has applied for an area variance under the UDO of the City to
permit the construction of a single-story building to be used in connection with the Applicant’s business in
the Urban Residential UN (T-4) District and public notice having been duly given of a hearing on said
application held on the March 6, 2026 and March 30, 2026.
In consideration of the balance between benefit to the applicant with detrime nt to the health, safety, and
welfare of the community, I move that the following area variances for the following amounts of relief, as per
the submitted plans or lesser dimensions, be APPROVED for the following reasons:
Type of Requirement District
Requirement
Proposed Relief Requested
Maximum cumulative area
of new/existing one-story
structures
3,000 sq. ft. 4,000 sq. ft. (800 sq.
ft. existing; 3,200 sq.
ft. new)
1,000 sq. ft.
Minimum building height 24 ft. 12.5 ft. average 11.5 ft. reduction
Minimum front build-to-
zone
12–18 ft. 248 ft. from property
line
230 ft. increase
from 18 ft. (100%
relief)
Minimum build-out
percentage
50% 0% 50% (100% relief)
1. Undesirable Change. The Board finds that due to the nature of the Applicant’s business and existing
use of the Property, granting these variances will not create an undesirable change in neighborhood
character or a detriment to nearby properties. The application concerns improvement of an existin g
site used by the Applicant, and the submitted record includes the Saratoga County Planning Board’s
determination of “No Significant County-wide or Intercommunity Impact.”
2. Achievability by Other Means. Given the Applicant’s existing use of the Property, the Improvement’s
entrance must be set back from the roadway to ensure adequate patient privacy. Further, constructing
a second-story commercial building that complies with applicable accessibility standards would
significantly increase costs and render the Improvement financially infeasible in light of the required
building height. The Board finds that the benefit sought by the Applicant cannot be achieved by some
other method, feasible for the Applicant to pursue, other than an area variance, without materially
altering the proposed project as shown on the submitted plans.
Page 2 of 2
3. Substantiality. The Board believes the impact of the substantiality of the relief granted is mitigated
by the lack of adverse impact and conformity with the existing characteristics of the neighborhood.
4. Adverse Effect or Impact. The Board finds these variances will not have a significant adverse physical
or environmental effect on the neighborhood or district, based on the submitte d materials and the
County Planning Board’s referral response. Minimum permeability requirement in the district will be
met.
5. Self-Created Difficulty. The alleged difficulty is considered self-created insofar as the Applicant
desires to build a single-story commercial building set back from Ballston Avenue, however this is
not fatal to the application.
Note: Any required outside agency permits (including, if applicable, NYSDOT access/utility permits) remain
the responsibility of the Applicant.
Dated: March 30, 2026
Passes by the following vote:
AYES: 7 (G. Simpson, B. Dailey, J. Cohen, O. Maxwell, A. Demma, C. LaPointe, S.
Harrigan)
NAYS: 0
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, seven members of the Board
being present.
SIGNATURE:
CHAIR