Catskill Town City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Supplementary Regulations
§ 160-32 Accessory apartments.
Intent. Accessory apartments are allowed by site plan review in the Town of Catskill in order to provide an affordable housing alternative in a manner which does not infringe upon the character of the existing neighborhoods.
General provisions.
Only one apartment is allowed per lot, and it shall be clearly subordinate to the principal use on the lot.
The number of bedrooms in the apartment shall not be more than two.
The floor area of the apartment shall be greater than 400 square feet and less than 800 square feet.
The apartment must have safe and proper means of entrance, clearly marked for the purpose of emergency vehicles.
Off-street parking shall be in accordance shall be located on the same parcel on which the accessory apartment is located.
No site plan for an accessory apartment shall be approved unless the applicant can demonstrate that the water supply and sewage disposal systems serving the building or buildings in question meet current County Health Department requirements and shall continue to meet such requirements. The Planning Board may require that the applicant have sufficient area on the lot to allow for the expansion of the sewage disposal system.
It shall be the responsibility of the owner of the lot to provide for adequate solid waste disposal.
Stairways leading to any floor or story above the first floor shall be located within the walls of the building wherever practicable. Stairways and fire escapes shall be located on the rear wall in preference to either side wall. In no instance shall an exterior stairway or fire escape be located on any wall fronting a street.
Any legally established accessory apartment that is in existence at the time of the adoption of this amendment and which fails to conform to one or more of the provisions of this law shall be subject to the provisions of Article VII.
One accessory apartment may be created by the construction of a new, detached garage or like accessory structure which other complies with existing laws.
No accessory apartment shall be created on a lot where two or more dwellings exist in violation of the permitted density in the district in which the lot is located.
Continued compliance with all of these regulations is required. Failure to do so will result in a revocation of the special permit.
Accessory apartments requiring additions to one-family dwellings.
Accessory apartments in existing gatehouses, garages, barns, or similar detached accessory structures construction associated with adaptation of buildings should be performed in manner that retains the character of the structure. The design and construction of the adaptation of the building must be compatible with the parent structure and with the character of the neighborhood.
Accessory apartments in nonresidential buildings.
The apartment shall not exceed 50% of the total usable floor area of the commercial building.
The apartment is limited to the second floor and/or the rear of the first floor of the commercial building.
In no case will accessory apartments be allowed in the same building as any use which involves the use of noxious or dangerous chemicals, gases or hazardous substances and materials. The reviewing board has the right to deny a special permit application if it is determined that the primary business use may create a hazard for accessory residential uses.
Off-street parking shall be located upon the same parcel on which the accessory apartment is located. The applicant must own or provide these parking spaces.
§ 160-33 Fences, gates, and walls.
General provisions.
The height of fences, gates, and walls shall be measured from the lowest adjoining finished grade.
The finished side of the fence, gate or wall shall face neighboring properties or the street.
Fences, gates, and walls shall not encroach on any public right-of-way.
The owner of the fence, gate or wall must maintain both sides of the fence, gate or wall in a respectable condition.
The height of fences, gates, and walls located within a corner lot or parallel to the street in a front yard shall not exceed 50 inches for a solid or privacy fence or 86 inches for a see-through or non privacy fence.
Fences, gates and walls along rear and side yards shall not exceed 86 inches in height.