Saranac Lake Village
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVI
Development Board
§ 106-108 Establishment; composition; training; removal from office.
A.
Pursuant to §§ 7-712 and 7-718 of the New York Village Law, the Board of Trustees shall appoint a Development Board consisting of five members. In doing so, the Board of Trustees shall designate its Chairperson and shall provide for such expenses as may be necessary and proper. In the absence of a Chairperson, the Development Board may designate a member to serve as acting Chairperson. A member of the Development Board shall not at the same time be a member of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall have the power to remove any member of the Development Board for cause and after a public hearing.
B.
Members shall serve terms of five years. Expired terms shall continue through the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, to ensure continuity of membership on the Development Board.
C.
If a vacancy occurs other than by the expiration of a term, it shall be filled by the Board of Trustees for the period of the unexpired term.
D.
Members of the Development Board shall be required to regularly attend regular and workshop Development Board meetings and to complete four hours of training annually as approved by the Director.
E.
The Board of Trustees shall not remove a member of the Development Board except for cause and only after public hearing before the Board. Failure to attend more than five regular and/or workshop meetings of the Development Board in one calendar year or to comply with minimum requirements related to training for members of the Development Board as set forth in § 106-108D herein shall constitute cause for removal. Nothing herein shall limit any other cause which may be grounds for removal.
§ 106-109 Conduct of business.
A.
The Development Board may adopt rules and regulations in respect to procedures before it and in respect to any subject matter over which it has jurisdiction under this code or any statute after public hearing by such Board and subject to the approval of this Board.
B.
The Development Board may employ such clerical or other staff or consulting assistance as may be necessary, provided that it shall not incur expenses beyond the amount of appropriations made available by the Village Board of Trustees for such purposes.
C.
All meetings of the Development Board shall be held at the call of the Chairperson and at such other times as the Board may determine. The Chairperson or, in his or her absence, the acting Chairperson may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the Development Board shall be open to the public. The concurring vote of a majority of all members shall be necessary to take action on any matter before it.
D.
The Development Board shall keep minutes of its proceedings showing the vote of each member on every decision. If a member is absent or fails to vote, the minutes shall so indicate. Every rule and regulation, every amendment or repeal thereof, and every order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination of the Development Board shall immediately be filed in the office of the Village Clerk and shall be a public record.
§ 106-110 Powers and duties.
A.
The Development Board shall hear and exercise the following powers and duties:
(1)
To prepare, review and recommend changes to the Zoning Map and this code;
(2)
To make investigations and reports relative to the planning of the Village and its future growth and affording adequate facilities for the housing, transportation, distribution, comfort, convenience, safety, health and welfare of its population;
(3)
To approve all plats showing any streets or highways within the Village;
(4)
To approve or disapprove changes in the lines of existing streets, highways or public areas shown on subdivision plats or maps filed in the County Clerk's office;
(5)
To recommend approval or disapproval of the laying out, closing off or abandonment of such streets, highways or public areas under and subject to the provisions of the Village and highway laws;
(6)
To review and make determinations on site plan and special use permit applications pursuant to Articles XI and XII, respectively, of this Part 2; and
(7)
To hear and determine appeals of orders, requirements, decisions, interpretations or determinations and to determine requests for variances pursuant to this Article XVI.
B.
The Development Board shall also exercise all other powers conferred upon it by Village Law and this code and shall pass upon all matters which may be referred to it from time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees. It shall conduct hearings and perform its duties in accordance with Article 7 of the Village Law and any amendments thereto.
§ 106-111 Filing of certificate with county clerks.
The Village Clerk of the Village shall file with the Clerk of the County of Essex and the County of Franklin a certificate, certifying that the Development Board of the Village has been authorized to approve plats showing new streets or highways in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of Village Law.
§ 106-112 Alternate members.
[Amended 10-15-2019 by L.L. No. 4-2019]
A.
Alternate members of the Development Board may be appointed by the Board of Trustees and designated by the Chairperson of the Development Board in accordance with the provisions of this section when a regular member of the Development Board is unable to participate on an application or matter before the respective board as set forth herein.
B.
The Board of Trustees shall appoint two alternate members to the Development Board who shall serve for a term of five years. One alternate member shall be designated as the "first alternate Development Board member," and the other alternate member shall be designated as the "second alternate Development Board member." No more than two alternate members may serve at any time on the Development Board.
C.
The Chairperson of the Development Board may designate the first alternate Development Board member to substitute for a member of the Development Board when such member is unable to participate on an application or matter before the Board due to illness, absence, conflict of interest or other ethical consideration which results in a recusal of that Board member from acting on the particular application before the Board. If the first alternate Development Board member is unable or unwilling to act, the Chairperson shall designate the second alternate member to act.
D.
When designated, the alternate member shall possess all the powers and responsibilities of such regular member of the Board. Such designation shall be entered into the minutes of the initial Development Board meeting at which the substitution is made. The appointed alternate member shall participate as a member of the Development Board with respect to the particular application only until final action has been taken on the particular application.
E.
All provisions of state and local laws relating to Development Board eligibility, vacancy in office, removal, compatibility of office and service on other boards, as well as any provisions of Village Law or a local law relating to training, continuing education, compensation and attendance, shall apply to alternate members.
§ 106-113 Appeals from orders, requirements, decisions, interpretations or determinations.
A.
The Development Board may reverse or affirm, wholly or partly, or may modify the order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination of the Director appealed from, and shall make such order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination as in its opinion ought to have been made in the matter by the Director. In so doing, the Development Board shall have all the powers of the Director from whose order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination the appeal is taken. An appeal may be taken by any person aggrieved or by any officer, department, board, or bureau of the Village, or by referral from the Development Board.
B.
Appeals shall be taken within 60 days after the filing of any order, requirement, decision, interpretation or determination of the Director by filing with such official and with the Development Board a notice of appeal specifying the grounds thereof and the relief sought. The Director from whom the appeal is taken shall transmit to the Board of Appeals all the papers constituting the record upon which the action appealed from was taken.
§ 106-114 Variances.
A.
An applicant for a variance must file an application with the Director in the the form prescribed by the Director. If the applicant is not the owner of the property, the application must be accompanied by a signed letter from the owner authorizing the applicant to apply for the variance.
B.
Each variance application shall refer to the specific provision of this code involved, shall specify the grounds for the variance requested, and shall contain the following information and documents:
(1)
The name and address of the applicant (both physical and mailing);
(2)
The name and address of the owner of the lot to be affected by such appeal (both physical and mailing);
(3)
A brief description and location of the lot to be affected by such appeal;
(4)
A detailed project description;
(5)
A copy of the deed for the project area;
(6)
Five copies of a plot plan, drawn to scale with accurate dimensions, showing the location of all existing and proposed structures on the lot; and
(7)
Other pertinent information requested by the Development Board (e.g., photos, restrictive covenants, septic system report, land survey, elevation views, storm water management plan, soil and erosion control plan, and/or a parking/lighting/utilities plan).
C.
The Director shall transmit to the Development Board all of the papers constituting the record of the variance application.
D.
Any variance which is not exercised by receipt of site plan approval, an approved special use permit, or issuance of building permit within one year of the date of variance approval shall automatically lapse without further hearing by the Development Board.
E.
Use variances.
(1)
The Development Board shall have the authority to grant a use variance consistent with § 7-712-b(2) of the Village Law and this code.
(2)
No use variance shall be granted without a showing by the applicant that applicable zoning regulations and restrictions have caused unnecessary hardship. In order to prove unnecessary hardship, the applicant shall demonstrate to the Development Board that, for each and every permitted use under this code for the district in which the applicant's property is located:
(a)
The applicant cannot realize a reasonable return, provided that lack of return is substantial as demonstrated by competent financial evidence;
(b)
The alleged hardship relating to the property in question is unique and does not apply to a substantial portion of the district or neighborhood;
(c)
The requested use variance, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood; and
(d)
The alleged hardship has not been self-created.
F.
The Development Board, in granting any use variance, shall grant the minimum variance that it deems necessary and adequate to address the unnecessary hardship proven by the applicant and, at the same time, preserve and protect the character of the neighborhood and the health, safety and welfare of the community.
G.
Area variances.
(1)
The Development Board shall have the authority to grant an area variance consistent with § 7-712(b)(3) of the Village Law and this code;
(2)
In making its determination whether to grant an area variance, the Development Board shall take into consideration the benefit to the applicant if the variance is granted, as weighed against the detriment to the health, safety, and welfare of the neighborhood or community by such grant. In making such determination the Board shall also consider:
(a)
Whether an undesirable change will be produced in the character of the neighborhood or a detriment to nearby properties will be created by the granting of the area variance;
(b)
Whether the benefit sought by the applicant can be achieved by some method, feasible for the applicant to pursue, other than an area variance;
(c)
Whether the requested area variance is substantial;
(d)
Whether the requested area variance will have an adverse effect or impact on the physical or environmental conditions in the neighborhood or district; and
(e)
Whether the alleged difficulty was self-created, which consideration shall be relevant to the decision of the Board, but which shall not necessarily preclude the granting of the area variance.
(3)
The Development Board, in granting any area variances, shall grant the minimum variance that it deems necessary and adequate and at the same preserve and protect the character of the neighborhood and the health, safety, and welfare of the community.
H.
Imposition of conditions. The Development Board shall, in granting use variances and area variances or appeals, impose such reasonable conditions and restrictions as are directly related to and incidental to the proposed use of the property. Such conditions shall be consistent with the spirit and intent of this code and shall be imposed for the purpose of minimizing any adverse impact the variance or appeal may have on the neighborhood or community.
§ 106-115 Procedures.
A.
Upon the filing of a notice of appeal or a variance application with the Director as required by this article, a public hearing by the Development Board on such appeal or variance request shall be scheduled.
B.
Hearing and public notice.
(1)
Notice of the public hearing shall be provided in accordance with Part 1, § 106-20. In addition, the Development Board shall provide notice of the hearing to the Development Board and the Essex County Planning Board, as applicable.
(2)
At the hearing, any party may appear in person or by agent or by attorney.
(3)
The Development Board may adjourn the hearing for a reasonable period in order to cause such further notice as it deems proper to be served upon such other property owners as it decides may be interested in the appeal.
C.
Action.
(1)
In acting on an appeal, the Development Board may, in conformity with the provisions of this code, reverse, affirm, or modify, wholly or in part, the order, requirement, decision, or determination of the Director in accordance with the provisions of this code.
(2)
In acting on a variance application, the Development Board may deny, grant, or grant with conditions a variance from the specific provision(s) of the Code involved in the application.
(3)
Any such action shall be decided within 62 days after the final hearing.
(4)
Every decision of the Development Board shall be approved by vote of a majority of the members by resolution which contains a full record of the findings of the Development Board in the case.
D.
Filing. Every order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination of the Development Board shall be filed immediately in the office of the Village Clerk, and shall be a public record.
E.
Rehearing and review of prior decisions. Upon motion initiated by any member and adopted by the unanimous vote of the members present, the Development Board shall review, at a rehearing held upon notice given as upon an original hearing, any order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination of the Development Board not previously reviewed. Upon such rehearing, and provided it shall then appear that the rights vested prior thereto in persons acting in good faith in reliance upon the order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination reviewed will not be prejudiced thereby, the Development Board may, upon the concurring vote of all the members then present, reverse, modify, or annul its original order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination.
F.
Expiration of appeal decision. Unless otherwise specified by the Development Board, a decision on any appeal shall expire if the appellant fails to obtain any necessary project permit within six months of the date of such decision.
G.
Stay of proceedings. An appeal shall stay all proceedings in furtherance of the action appealed from unless the Director certifies for the Development Board, after the notice of appeal has been filed, that such a stay of proceedings would, in his or her opinion, cause imminent peril to life or property by reason of facts stated in the certificate. In such a case, proceedings shall not be stayed except by a restraining order granted by the Development Board or by the Supreme Court on application, on notice to the Zoning Inspector for due cause shown.
§ 106-116 Grant of variance or appeal.
The grant of a variance or an appeal shall serve as authorization for the Director to issue a building permit, provided that the project complies with all applicable provisions of this code, conditions of approved site plan or special use permits and other applicable regulations.