Hyde Park City Zoning Code

§ 108-5.12

Bellefield Planned Development District standards.

The Bellefield Planned Development District is to be developed pursuant to a comprehensive development plan for all or a portion of the property, provided that if only a portion is to be developed, the portion to be developed pursuant to a comprehensive development plan shall not be less than 100 acres, except as provided below in § 108-5.12C. Any application for and approval of development in this district shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of Article 7, Planned Unit Development, except as modified herein. The Bellefield District shall be treated as an overlay district for purposes of as-of-right density and bulk regulations, the underlying district of which for land east of Route 9 is Greenbelt and for land west of Route 9 is Waterfront. Where the applicant owns or controls a parent parcel of less than 100 acres, the waiver provision in § 108-5.12C shall apply. If the applicant owns or controls more than 100 acres, the comprehensive development plan for less than all of the applicant's acreage shall not be permitted to leave out of the plan a lot less than 100 acres in size, as it would create a substandard lot for development in the Bellefield District.

The following standards shall apply in the Bellefield Planned Development District, in addition to the standards applicable to all PUDs pursuant to Article 7.

Uses. In addition to meeting the general purposes of this district as defined in § 108-3.1.1K, developments in the Bellefield Planned Development District shall provide a mixture of uses to:

Promote tourism-related businesses and build the Town's commercial tax base.

Maintain an estate-like setting along U.S. Route 9 complementing the FDR Home and Valkill National Historic Sites.

Develop a trail corridor or other transportation link between the FDR Home and Valkill.

Support the existing commercial activity in the Corridor Business District.

[Amended 10-5-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

Expand the existing mixed use in the Corridor Business District in a sensitive manner.

[Amended 10-5-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

Maintain and develop an attractive gateway entrance to the Corridor Business District at Teller Hill.

[Amended 10-5-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

Preserve and protect important views and natural features of the landscape.

Serve the Mid Hudson region beyond the boundaries of the Town of Hyde Park.

Support and enhance safe and efficient pedestrian circulation.

Density. The permitted bulk regulations and average density for subdivision of the Bellefield Planned Development District, if different from the underlying zone, shall be established by the Town Board.

Mixed use. A mixture of uses is to be encouraged in the Bellefield Planned Development District. All permitted uses as indicated on the Schedule of Use Regulations (§ 108-5.14) are permitted, subject to approval of the PUD concept plan by the Town Board. Tourist-related facilities are encouraged. No more than 50% of the gross floor area of all development in the district may consist of residential development.

Open space. Tree rows, hedgerows, stone walls, and similar features shall be retained when accommodating any new use, for the purpose of maintaining the rural flavor of the district and conserving the value of lots. Any required dedication or reservation of a park or parks for recreation purposes shall be contiguous with other Bellefield Planned Development open spaces in order to maintain the district's character.

Parking. The number of parking spaces provided shall be reasonably related to the use being served. Parking shall be adequate for the average daily use, not peak holiday or seasonal demand.

On-street parking shall be included whenever any improvements to a street are proposed.

Large expanses of pavement shall be avoided in favor of dispersed smaller areas separated by landscaping, plazas and other uses in order to diminish the visual dominance of automobiles or vacant pavement over the buildings.

The primary use of any site shall not be, either visually or physically, parking or storage of vehicles.

Off-street parking, other than prescribed, shall be developed away from Route 9, Route 9G, and St. Andrews Road, and shuttle services shall be utilized to transport people to frequently visited locations.

Multilevel parking structures are inappropriate for this district.

Access. The primary means of access are the corridors established by streets.

All streets shall contain a walkway, including sidewalks no less than five feet in width.

Vehicular access to a lot shall be via a service alley along the rear of a lot. Direct access from Route 9 shall be kept at a minimum, and entrances from Route 9 that are permitted shall be characteristic of an estate entrance.

Wherever the impact of the proposed development warrants, the extension or improvement of identified bicycle routes shall be provided.

Screening. Any storage other than sheds shall be screened from all walkways and streets.

Signs. Signs are subject to regulation under Article 24 of this chapter.

Landscaping. The perimeters of any off-street parking or loading areas shall be generously landscaped, incorporating any required screening.

Architectural features. New buildings shall not mimic historic structures that may exist on adjacent lots, but shall be designed in a manner consistent with the architectural features of such structures in terms of form, materials, fenestration and roof shape.

Buildings shall incorporate attractive bays, balconies, cornices, porches and similar architectural features as well as changes in wall plane to provide visual interest.

New and renovated buildings shall utilize creative design to incorporate the traditional building forms, practices and styles found in the Town.

Building facades shall contain a variety of well-articulated forms, arranged and interrelated in a manner that creates a unified composition of visual interest.

New buildings shall utilize natural, recycled or synthetic materials such as wood, stone, masonry, recycled products and tile to provide the exterior finishes whenever practicable. Using stone in the manner characteristic of the major buildings of the Town shall be preferred.

The major/minor axes of any new building plan form shall be related to the site frontage in the same manner as existing buildings in the Bellefield Planned Development District.

Building facades shall vary one from another, but not excessively or dramatically.

The materials and details used on any new building shall present an appearance in proportion, texture and application that is consistent with, and of no less quality than, that presented by the majority of buildings fronting on the same corridor.

Building height shall be appropriate for an historic area.

Building location. Buildings and tree plantings shall establish the spatial definition of streets in the Bellefield Planned Development District.

Buildings shall not be located so as to appear secondary to parking lots or automobile storage areas.

Any new buildings, structures or parking shall be set back from Route 9 or Route 9G so as to be visually unobtrusive when viewed from said roads. Along Route 9, 150 feet shall be the minimum setback for all structures and parking.

Protection. Any improvements or other modifications that alter significant portions of the existing rural and undeveloped landscape, by clear-cutting, major grading and similar landscape altering activities, shall be avoided.

Infrastructure priority. The Bellefield Planned Development District has no priority for the provision of infrastructure, as infrastructure will be developed as part of the PUD process.

Waiver.

The Town Board may waive the requirement that the portion of the Bellefield Planned Development District to be developed pursuant to a comprehensive development plan shall not be less than 100 acres, upon application of an owner of property upon which development would have been permitted in the district but for the minimum acreage required, provided the applicant can demonstrate, and the Town Board can find, based upon competent evidence, that:

Application of the minimum acreage threshold to the applicant's property will cause the applicant substantial economic hardship; and

The proposed development of the property is consistent with the purposes, standards for the Bellefield Planned Development District and with the Comprehensive Plan.

Upon submission of a written application to the Town Clerk by the property owner seeking a hardship waiver to the one-hundred-acre threshold, together with the fee set forth in the fee schedule adopted by the Town Board, the Town Board shall, within 30 days of receipt of such application, schedule a public hearing on the application and request a report and recommendation from the Planning Board. The Planning Board shall provide its report and recommendation to the Town Board within 30 days of receipt of the Town Board's request, although the failure of the Planning Board to do so shall not prevent the Town Board from rendering its final decision on the application. Notice of the public hearing shall be given at least five days prior to the hearing by publication in the official newspaper of the Town. The Town Board shall, within 62 days of the close of the public hearing, render its decision either granting the application, with or without conditions, or denying it.

Hyde Park City Zoning Code

§ 108-5.12

Bellefield Planned Development District standards.

The Bellefield Planned Development District is to be developed pursuant to a comprehensive development plan for all or a portion of the property, provided that if only a portion is to be developed, the portion to be developed pursuant to a comprehensive development plan shall not be less than 100 acres, except as provided below in § 108-5.12C. Any application for and approval of development in this district shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of Article 7, Planned Unit Development, except as modified herein. The Bellefield District shall be treated as an overlay district for purposes of as-of-right density and bulk regulations, the underlying district of which for land east of Route 9 is Greenbelt and for land west of Route 9 is Waterfront. Where the applicant owns or controls a parent parcel of less than 100 acres, the waiver provision in § 108-5.12C shall apply. If the applicant owns or controls more than 100 acres, the comprehensive development plan for less than all of the applicant's acreage shall not be permitted to leave out of the plan a lot less than 100 acres in size, as it would create a substandard lot for development in the Bellefield District.

The following standards shall apply in the Bellefield Planned Development District, in addition to the standards applicable to all PUDs pursuant to Article 7.

Uses. In addition to meeting the general purposes of this district as defined in § 108-3.1.1K, developments in the Bellefield Planned Development District shall provide a mixture of uses to:

Promote tourism-related businesses and build the Town's commercial tax base.

Maintain an estate-like setting along U.S. Route 9 complementing the FDR Home and Valkill National Historic Sites.

Develop a trail corridor or other transportation link between the FDR Home and Valkill.

Support the existing commercial activity in the Corridor Business District.

[Amended 10-5-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

Expand the existing mixed use in the Corridor Business District in a sensitive manner.

[Amended 10-5-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

Maintain and develop an attractive gateway entrance to the Corridor Business District at Teller Hill.

[Amended 10-5-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

Preserve and protect important views and natural features of the landscape.

Serve the Mid Hudson region beyond the boundaries of the Town of Hyde Park.

Support and enhance safe and efficient pedestrian circulation.

Density. The permitted bulk regulations and average density for subdivision of the Bellefield Planned Development District, if different from the underlying zone, shall be established by the Town Board.

Mixed use. A mixture of uses is to be encouraged in the Bellefield Planned Development District. All permitted uses as indicated on the Schedule of Use Regulations (§ 108-5.14) are permitted, subject to approval of the PUD concept plan by the Town Board. Tourist-related facilities are encouraged. No more than 50% of the gross floor area of all development in the district may consist of residential development.

Open space. Tree rows, hedgerows, stone walls, and similar features shall be retained when accommodating any new use, for the purpose of maintaining the rural flavor of the district and conserving the value of lots. Any required dedication or reservation of a park or parks for recreation purposes shall be contiguous with other Bellefield Planned Development open spaces in order to maintain the district's character.

Parking. The number of parking spaces provided shall be reasonably related to the use being served. Parking shall be adequate for the average daily use, not peak holiday or seasonal demand.

On-street parking shall be included whenever any improvements to a street are proposed.

Large expanses of pavement shall be avoided in favor of dispersed smaller areas separated by landscaping, plazas and other uses in order to diminish the visual dominance of automobiles or vacant pavement over the buildings.

The primary use of any site shall not be, either visually or physically, parking or storage of vehicles.

Off-street parking, other than prescribed, shall be developed away from Route 9, Route 9G, and St. Andrews Road, and shuttle services shall be utilized to transport people to frequently visited locations.

Multilevel parking structures are inappropriate for this district.

Access. The primary means of access are the corridors established by streets.

All streets shall contain a walkway, including sidewalks no less than five feet in width.

Vehicular access to a lot shall be via a service alley along the rear of a lot. Direct access from Route 9 shall be kept at a minimum, and entrances from Route 9 that are permitted shall be characteristic of an estate entrance.

Wherever the impact of the proposed development warrants, the extension or improvement of identified bicycle routes shall be provided.

Screening. Any storage other than sheds shall be screened from all walkways and streets.

Signs. Signs are subject to regulation under Article 24 of this chapter.

Landscaping. The perimeters of any off-street parking or loading areas shall be generously landscaped, incorporating any required screening.

Architectural features. New buildings shall not mimic historic structures that may exist on adjacent lots, but shall be designed in a manner consistent with the architectural features of such structures in terms of form, materials, fenestration and roof shape.

Buildings shall incorporate attractive bays, balconies, cornices, porches and similar architectural features as well as changes in wall plane to provide visual interest.

New and renovated buildings shall utilize creative design to incorporate the traditional building forms, practices and styles found in the Town.

Building facades shall contain a variety of well-articulated forms, arranged and interrelated in a manner that creates a unified composition of visual interest.

New buildings shall utilize natural, recycled or synthetic materials such as wood, stone, masonry, recycled products and tile to provide the exterior finishes whenever practicable. Using stone in the manner characteristic of the major buildings of the Town shall be preferred.

The major/minor axes of any new building plan form shall be related to the site frontage in the same manner as existing buildings in the Bellefield Planned Development District.

Building facades shall vary one from another, but not excessively or dramatically.

The materials and details used on any new building shall present an appearance in proportion, texture and application that is consistent with, and of no less quality than, that presented by the majority of buildings fronting on the same corridor.

Building height shall be appropriate for an historic area.

Building location. Buildings and tree plantings shall establish the spatial definition of streets in the Bellefield Planned Development District.

Buildings shall not be located so as to appear secondary to parking lots or automobile storage areas.

Any new buildings, structures or parking shall be set back from Route 9 or Route 9G so as to be visually unobtrusive when viewed from said roads. Along Route 9, 150 feet shall be the minimum setback for all structures and parking.

Protection. Any improvements or other modifications that alter significant portions of the existing rural and undeveloped landscape, by clear-cutting, major grading and similar landscape altering activities, shall be avoided.

Infrastructure priority. The Bellefield Planned Development District has no priority for the provision of infrastructure, as infrastructure will be developed as part of the PUD process.

Waiver.

The Town Board may waive the requirement that the portion of the Bellefield Planned Development District to be developed pursuant to a comprehensive development plan shall not be less than 100 acres, upon application of an owner of property upon which development would have been permitted in the district but for the minimum acreage required, provided the applicant can demonstrate, and the Town Board can find, based upon competent evidence, that:

Application of the minimum acreage threshold to the applicant's property will cause the applicant substantial economic hardship; and

The proposed development of the property is consistent with the purposes, standards for the Bellefield Planned Development District and with the Comprehensive Plan.

Upon submission of a written application to the Town Clerk by the property owner seeking a hardship waiver to the one-hundred-acre threshold, together with the fee set forth in the fee schedule adopted by the Town Board, the Town Board shall, within 30 days of receipt of such application, schedule a public hearing on the application and request a report and recommendation from the Planning Board. The Planning Board shall provide its report and recommendation to the Town Board within 30 days of receipt of the Town Board's request, although the failure of the Planning Board to do so shall not prevent the Town Board from rendering its final decision on the application. Notice of the public hearing shall be given at least five days prior to the hearing by publication in the official newspaper of the Town. The Town Board shall, within 62 days of the close of the public hearing, render its decision either granting the application, with or without conditions, or denying it.