Saranac Lake Village
City Zoning Code

Emphasize the importance of site accessibility from a variety of modes of transportation wherever appropriate, including pedestrians, bicycles, automobiles, and any current or potential future transit service;

Provide the optimal amount of vehicle parking for individual sites, recognizing that both too little parking and too much parking create negative impacts;

Ensure the appropriate site location and design features that mitigate the impact of parking lots on other land uses and urban design goals for surrounding districts;

Create the least visible impact of parking on adjacent private and public property;

Promote parking designs that minimize runoff and incorporate infiltration of stormwater into the ground; and

Reduce the need to dedicate areas of individual, adjacent sites to underutilized or redundant vehicle parking.

Rights-of-way. To the extent practicable, the width of the ROW shall be limited to the current dimension, and additional purchases of property should be avoided.

Travel lane width shall be minimized to calm the flow of traffic through the district and to allow to the maximum extent practicable shared space for other modes of transportation (i.e., bicycles and pedestrians) within the width of the existing public ROW.

Roadways shall be curbed. Acceptable materials for curbing include concrete and granite. Asphalt curbing is not permitted.

Bicycle facility design.

Pedestrian facility design.

Off-street parking design.

Parking area landscaping and screening.

Parking area lighting.

Loading areas. Off-street loading areas (open or enclosed berths) shall be provided for each commercial or industrial building or use constructed, established or expanded so as to require a building permit and/or site plan review and having a gross floor area in excess of 1,500 square feet, in accord with the following:

Ensure appropriate landscape design that promotes both aesthetic and functional purposes;

Ensure that new development and redevelopment projects in the Village respond to the existing natural landscape and preserve woodlands and healthy areas of vegetation; and

Retain and reinforce scenic quality and aesthetic values important to the Village.

Design techniques should be employed to stabilize slopes, provide low-maintenance alternatives to lawn areas, reduce erosion, include stormwater controls, and reinforce pedestrian circulation routes.

The overall landscape plan should be designed to be aesthetically pleasing throughout the seasons.

The use of trees for wind and snow control is encouraged.

Street trees and planting patterns should be used to provide sufficient shading and an aesthetically pleasing environment for pedestrians, reduce impervious surfaces, mitigate the effects of automobile exhaust and other adverse urban conditions, and provide screening between dissimilar or incompatible uses.

Existing vegetation shall be preserved to the extent practicable.

Healthy trees over six inches in diameter at breast height should be protected to the greatest extent possible. All such trees to be saved should be noted on the site plans, and appropriate measures should be outlined to protect the trees from damage during construction. The retention and protection of historic specimen trees or stands of such trees is encouraged and may be required. Tree wells of adequate diameter may be required to protect individual specimens.

Existing mature woodland areas and existing mature trees shall be retained in sufficient clusters and numbers to allow for the long-term health and maintenance of such vegetation. Retention of single isolated tall trees shall be avoided along with the limbing up of such trees that will result in increased susceptibility to sun scald and wind throw. It is recommended that clusters of existing trees contain a minimum of five trees and that the location of small clusters be considered with regard to the potential for avoiding exposure to high winds or root compaction in the vicinity of such clusters.

A minimum setback for undisturbed areas around retained clusters of existing trees should be five feet outside of the canopy drip lines of the trees.

The use of species native to the Adirondack region or other naturalized species with proven performance and hardiness is encouraged. (See Native Plant List for the Adirondack Park, published by the Adirondack Park Agency.) Native plants should be hardy and, where adjacent to roads, drives or public walks, resistant to salt and other pollutants.

No plant material may be installed that is listed by the New York Invasive Species Council as an invasive species, defined by New York State statute to be any species that is non-native to the ecosystem under consideration, whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health, and whose harm significantly outweighs any benefits.

Plant material used in landscaping should reflect existing site conditions. Suitable soil depth and planting bed width shall be provided. Soil quality shall be sufficient for the type(s) of plant material used.

If trees are to be planted under power lines, specific varieties should be selected which do not exceed the height of the lowest line when full grown.

Wildflowers, low massing of shrubs and other groundcovers are encouraged to serve as an attractive and low-maintenance substitute for a lawn. Natural or naturalized grass species that do not require watering except under unusual drought conditions should be used. Species should be alternated to avoid a monoculture susceptible to disease or damage from pests and harsh climate conditions.

Plant materials shall be selected and placed to avoid blocking sight lines at intersections and curb cuts.

A mix of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs is encouraged.

Landscaping is encouraged to break up expanses of paving, to provide shade and to screen parking areas from adjacent public and private rights-of-way and properties. (See § 106-81D(2), Parking area landscaping and screening.) Evergreen trees should be planted to mitigate the effects of wind and control snow drifts.

The amount and scale of on-site landscaping should effectively correspond with the proposed land use and be reflected in the landscaping plan as required in the submission requirements set forth in Article XI.

Planting around buildings should be of suitable numbers and sizes to create pedestrian scale, maintain landscape continuity, and enhance visual appearance.

Landscape buffers between dissimilar or incompatible land uses are encouraged and may be required to screen views or serve as noise buffers.

New development with internal streets or fronting on public streets should provide street tree plantings with trees having a minimum caliper of 2.5 to 3.0 inches, the locations and numbers of which shall be determined by the Development Board.

Landscaping should be provided along all building facades facing a parking lot or street.

Plantings within the public right-of-way are subject to the approval of the affected or involved governmental agency.

Adequate areas (minimum width of five feet) should be provided for snowplowing and storage at edges of roads, drainages, parking lots and within treebelts, if necessary.

The minimum width for tree planting along roads should be 10 feet. The planting area should include cobble, mulch or other suitable ground cover.

Plantings in islands or streetside treebelts should avoid placement atop underground utilities wherever possible or provide provisions such as root barriers to protect both trees and utilities.

Transformers, dumpsters and other site utilities should incorporate landscape elements to screen them from view. Two options include:

All landscaping shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy; however, an exception may be granted by the Director to install the landscape at a later date. To obtain a certificate of occupancy without installed landscaping, future landscape installation shall be secured with an acceptable form of surety for 125% of the value of the landscape, prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. An acceptable form of surety may include an irrevocable letter of credit, bond or cash.

Owners and developers shall be responsible for maintaining the landscaping and associated elements in good condition. The numbers and types of healthy plants and plant replacements as specified in the landscape plan shall be retained.

Protect night skies and surrounding neighborhoods from light pollution and light trespass;

Emphasize pedestrian environments using fixtures designed to a pedestrian scale;

Allow for creative use of lighting to highlight pedestrian, building design and landscape amenities;

Encourage energy conservation; and

Encourage a safe and productive environment.

Lighting levels and design should comply with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America's Recommended Practices and Design Guidelines, latest edition(s). Energy-efficient lighting sources are recommended and may be required.

When required, A lighting plan should developed using the Guidelines for Good Exterior Lighting Plans, prepared by the Dark Sky Society. (http://www.darkskysociety.org/handouts/LightingPlanGuidelines .pdf

No glare, lights, or reflection shall be permitted which could impair the vision of a driver of any motor vehicle or which is detrimental to public health, safety, and welfare.

All lighting, except for floodlights, should be glare-free and shielded from the sky either through the use of exterior shields or optics within the fixture. Lighting shall be directed so as not to cause excessive illumination on adjacent roadways or result in direct illumination of neighboring properties per above standards and guidelines referenced in § 106-83B(1) and (2).

Fixtures installed under canopies, awnings and overhangs shall be fully recessed;

Floodlights, except where otherwise permitted by this code, must be hooded and angled towards the ground. No light may escape from above the horizontal plane, and the light source shall not be visible.

Fixtures on buildings shall not be located above the eave line or above the top of the parapet wall.

High-pressure sodium luminaires shall not be employed unless demonstrated to have appropriate color correction technology.

Lighting fixtures on private parcels and the public ROW should be of similar style and appearance.

Lighting schemes highlighting pedestrian, landscape or building design amenities or features may be considered and approved by the Director on a case-by-case basis, provided the proposed design meets the intent of these regulations.

The Development Board, in cases where it has jurisdiction, shall be empowered to determine whether lights are being used in such a way that their direction or intensity is harmful to those in the vicinity who are engaged in the lawful use of land.

Encourage diverse commercial development within certain defined parameters;

Encourage high-quality architecture that complements adjacent and nearby structures, improves the appearance of the neighborhood, and does not intrude upon or overwhelm the natural environment;

Utilize appropriate scale, massing, proportion, fenestration, materials and color to facilitate the construction of appropriate new buildings;

To preserve and enhance the character and appearance of Downtown and other historic neighborhoods and establish community character and improve the appearance of commercial areas;

Discourage "strip development" strung out in linear fashion along a highway with limited pedestrian access, usually connected to a highway with a private drive and separated from the highway by a large parking area; and

Encourage the construction of buildings that promote walkability and reinforce the Village's historical pedestrian-scaled design and layout.

New construction and/or renovations. New construction and/or renovations shall be compatible with local building traditions. Architecture must be compatible with existing commercial building styles and types. Local representative traditions/styles, which include most of the typical late 19th and early 20th Century styles such as Victorian, Neoclassical, shingle and bungalow styles as well as Adirondack architecture, are allowed.

Through the conversion of residential buildings to commercial uses, certain residential styles have become representative of commercial buildings. Commercial structures/uses may continue to utilize this type and style. Representative residential to commercial conversions consist of one- or two-story buildings characterized by pitched roofs with wood siding, typically double hung with exterior wood casings. Representative commercial buildings are multistory structures with gabled, hipped, or semi-flat roofs. Exterior materials consist of coursed wood such as clapboards and shingles, brick, stucco, or stone, which does not include preengineered vertical sheets such as T-111.

Building colors. Building colors shall blend with the natural landscape so that development does not take a visual prominence. Brilliant, luminescent or daylight fluorescent colors are prohibited. The colors found in the natural landscape of the Village of Saranac Lake area, the white of the snow, the browns and greens of the forests, the gray-green of the mountains and lakes, relate to the historic architecture of the buildings.

New construction shall be compatible with traditional architecture without copying it directly. Elements which are characteristic of traditional architecture may be incorporated into a contemporary design, or a contemporary design may be an original interpretation of a traditional style.

Historical or cultural styles that do not have a connection or association with the region or the community are not permitted, as well as architectural gimmicks that attempt to disguise inappropriate architecture by applying gratuitous ornamental features to nonrepresentative building types or styles. Since the faking of historic buildings undermines the value of the original and creates a theme-park atmosphere, new construction shall not attempt to literally replicate historic sites.

The following architectural styles and motifs are prohibited in commercial applications:

Scale. Scale is size relative to surroundings and to other buildings of similar type. Transition should be made from small-scale elements to large-scale elements. Any structure greater than 25,000 square feet shall be broken down into architectural components of not more than 25,000 square feet, thus producing an appearance of clustering which will reduce the perceived scale of the structure and the impact on smaller buildings.

Facade. Facade lengths shall be varied. The objective of this requirement is to ensure that buildings do not become overpowering. A change in the planes of walls, changing the direction or providing some variety in the roof form gives diversity and visual interest.

Structures greater than 60 feet but less than 120 feet in length must exhibit a prominent shift in the facade of the structure so that no greater than 75% of the length of the building facade appears unbroken. Each shift shall be in the form of either a ten-foot change in building facade alignment or a ten-foot change in roofline height, or a combined change in facade and roofline totaling 10 feet.

Structures which exceed 120 feet in length on any facade shall provide a prominent shift in the mass of a structure at each ninety-foot interval, or less. The shift shall be in the form of a fifteen-foot change in building facade alignment or a fifteen-foot change in total change in roofline.

A combination of both the roofline and facade change is encouraged. To that end, if the combined change occurs at the same location of the building plane a fifteen-foot total change will be considered as full compliance.

Massing. Massing is the arrangement of forms, elements, or individual components of a building design. Building components may be multistoried and interconnected by intersecting roofs, by porches, or by covered or uncovered walkways. Box-like massing shall not be allowed.

Roofs. Simple roof types are encouraged on small buildings, and roofs of larger buildings shall be more complex and shall continue a main roof with a lower, intersecting secondary roof type rather than use only a single-type roof.

Gabled and hip roof pitches are encouraged. Roof overhangs, where feasible, should be 12 inches to 24 inches.

Visible roofing materials should be asphalt or composite shingle, slate, cedar shake or standing seam metal. Colors shall be neutral to dark. Untreated "galvanized" roofing and highly reflective roofing shall not be allowed.

Fenestration. Doors and windows should be balanced in their placement on building facades. Though symmetry is not necessary, a general balance between facade elements is harmonious to the eye. Glass areas per floor should be greater at ground floors than at upper level floors.

The window style should be consistent across the entire exterior of a building. Double hung and casements with permanent muntins are encouraged. Replacement windows should be in keeping with original style.

Windows should be vertical, in proportion ranging from 1:2 to 3:5 ratio of width to height. Horizontal windows are acceptable when grounded with vertical side windows. Transoms are encouraged both on storefronts and second-story windows. Window frames should appear as substantial building elements. Picture windows combined with triangular, curved, and sloped windows are discouraged, as are too many decorative windows. Windows should be consistent with the architectural style of the building.

Doors should be at least fifty-percent glazed. Replacement doors should fit the original opening(s).

Exterior materials. Exterior material shall be horizontally coursed wood such as clapboards and wood shingles, brick, stone, or other natural-looking materials.

Vertical plywood siding such as T-111 and asphalt shingles are prohibited although board and batten, board and gap and vertical half-log siding may be approved by the Development Board if it is compatible with the overall style of the building and surrounding buildings. The use of vinyl siding for the rehabilitation of existing buildings is discouraged unless it can match the historic material in size, profile and finish so that there is no change in the character of the building. Vinyl siding for new construction is discouraged unless it can match the size, profile and finish of traditional building materials typically found in the Village.

Development that incorporates the principles of universal access and design is encouraged but not required.

Massing and proportions. Buildings in Zoning District E shall have facades that have traditional three-part configuration of base, body and cornice. Proportions of individual parts to each other shall be such that the body element of the facade is the greatest and the cornice element is the least. The facade shall have the appearance of being taller than wide. Architecture must be compatible with existing commercial building styles and types. Local representative traditions/style which include most of the late 19th and early 20th Century styles such as Victorian, Neoclassical, shingle and bungalow styles are allowed. This can be accomplished in wider buildings by sectioning or creating components. The facade on single lots must be proportioned so that the height is at least 1.2 the width, up to the current height restrictions from the sidewalk.

Gable or flat roofs are preferred above traditional facades. Hipped roofs, hipped gables, gabled hips and gambrels with intersecting rooflines are acceptable as deemed by the Development Board.

Storefronts shall also have the traditional three-part configuration of base, body and cornice, with the proportions of the individual parts, such as the body of the storefront, as the greatest and the cornice the least.

Fenestration. The ground floor of the storefront shall be at least 55% glass. No less than 12% shall be employed on the upper front facade or body of a building. No more than 35% glass area shall be employed on nonstorefront facades.

Main Street: The height of the facades shall be interrupted with architectural features at every two-story interval, at a minimum. These features include porches, railings, windows, horizontal trims, vertical columns, changes in material and textures, etc. Roofs shall be architecturally detailed. Flat roofs need a cornice or parapet. Gable roofs need overhangs and gable trim.

When repainting, restaining or replacing existing exterior siding, trim and other major exterior building components, colors shall be chosen from a historic color palette approved by the Director and developed by the National Historic Trust, reputable paint manufacturers, or other qualified professionals. The palette shall be appropriate for the historic architecture and character of the building and the district.

Recognize that there are established State and/or Federal Historic Register-listed historic districts within the Village;

Set forth guidelines for the Village's historic districts that are intended to preserve and enhance the features among existing buildings and structures, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility;

Provide flexibility in design that expands opportunities for development to occur in a manner that improves an individual project and enhances the overall neighborhood in which the project is located. Therefore, guidelines are specified for project designers to follow and the Development Board to consider to insure compatibility with guidelines during site plan review or prior to issuance of a special use permit; and

Encourage development of new buildings or restoration of existing buildings that complements rather than overwhelms traditional areas in the Village, while encouraging diversity in the community tax base through appropriate flexibility in land use and land use development.

No building or structure should be erected, enlarged, altered, or relocated, nor should any existing lot size be changed or new lot created within a historic district, except in accordance with the Schedule of Dimensional Standards.[1]

No exterior of an existing historic structure should be altered or renovated except in accordance with the following guidelines:

Waiver of standards. These standards should be applied to projects in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility. The Development Board shall have the authority to waive one or more standards if they are not practical or are shown to be overly burdensome to the applicant.

Unsafe structures. An owner that wants to demolish a historic structure that is structurally unsound or unsafe or that could pose a threat to human health and safety shall submit with its completed demolition permit application documentation, prepared by either a qualified professional (engineer, architect, etc.) or the Village Code Enforcement Officer, demonstrating that the building is unsound or unsafe or poses a threat to human health and safety. Upon receipt of a completed permit application and documentation of unsound or unsafe or a threat to human health and safety structural conditions, the Village shall issue the demolition permit.

Other structures. Prior to demolishing an historic strucuture a demolition permit is required. For a historic structure that is not structurally unsound, unsafe or posing a threat to human health and safety, the property owner shall submit a completed demolition permit application to the Village Code Enforcement Officer. After the application is received by the Village, a ninety-day waiting period will commence during which the structure shall not be demolished. At the start of the ninety-day waiting period the Village will require the owner to have a public notice published in a newspaper having local circulation, stating that the building is being proposed for demolition. At the conclusion of the ninety-day waiting period the Village shall issue the demolition permit.

The design objective for the signage design standards is to:

The appearance, character and quality of a community are affected by the location, size, construction and graphic design of its signs. Therefore, such signs should convey their messages clearly and simply to enhance their surroundings.

No sign shall be constructed, erected or installed in the Village without administrative approval.

Exemptions. Signs of the following types shall be exempt from administrative approval, but such signs must otherwise comply with this section:

Name, address and telephone number of the applicant;

Location of the building, structure or lot to which or upon which the sign is to be attached or erected;

Position of the sign or advertising structure in relation to nearby buildings or structures;

A scaled drawing showing the lettering, images, graphics, etc., composing the sign, its plans, specifications, materials and method of illumination, its size and height above any sidewalk or public thoroughfare and the setback distance from the curbline;

Name of the person, firm, corporation or association erecting the structure;

Written consent of the owner of the building, structure or land to which or on which the structure is to be erected; and

Such other information as the Director shall require to determine compliance with this section.

Unsafe and unlawful signs. If the Director shall find that any sign or other advertising structure regulated herein is unsafe or insecure, is a menace to the public, has been maintained or constructed in violation of the provisions of this section or in violation of any provision under this section, the Director shall give written notice, either in person or by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner/lessee of such sign, as well as to the owner of the property upon which the sign is located, such persons hereinafter referred to as the "responsible person," advising that such sign should be either removed or altered. If such responsible person fails to remove or alter such sign so as to comply with the standards and requirements of this section within 10 days after receipt of such notice, such sign or other advertising structure shall be removed or altered by the Director or anyone so designated by the Board of Trustees, at the expense of the responsible person. The Director shall refuse to issue a building permit to any responsible person who fails or refuses to pay costs which were incurred by the Village in the removal or alteration of a sign. The Director may cause any sign or other advertising structure which is an immediate peril to persons or property to be immediately removed without notice; and such costs shall be charged to the responsible person or persons.

Obsolete signs.

Prohibited signs. The following signs are prohibited unless permitted by the Director as a temporary use sign:

Transferal of permits. A sign permit granted under the regulations of this section may be transferred, providing the sign remains unchanged. Alterations to sign components as regulated by this section will require review and an approval of an amendment of the sign permit.

Safety and maintenance. The regulations relating to the safety and maintenance of signs are as follows:

Materials in sign composition. All principal and supplemental use signs shall be constructed of wood or metal or a composite material of similar texture, appearance and durability. The lettering shall be restricted to raised, painted, indented or carved characters or designs on the sign.

Number of signs.

Allowed temporary use signs. Temporary use signs such as banners, pennants, streamers, and feather signs are permitted to be displayed for a period not to exceed 30 days. Such signs may not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Temporary signs are subject to the following regulations:

Temporary movable signs. Portable folding, a-frame and similar movable signs that advertise the activities, products or services of a business are permitted to be displayed subject to the following regulations:

Roof signs. Roof signs are subject to the following regulations:

Ground signs.

Wall signs.

Projecting signs.

Window signs.

Off-premises signs.

Subject to the following provisions, any sign lawfully existing and maintained at the time of adoption of this section, but made nonconforming by the provisions hereof, may be so continued and maintained:

In the event of a change of ownership of the premises identified by a nonconforming sign, the nonconforming sign may be continued by the new owner for the remainder of the amortized period as set forth above;

The nonconforming sign must be removed by the owner whenever any of the conditions as described above exist; and

Nonconforming signs which are determined by the Director to be a contributing feature to an historic building, structure or site may continue in their current configuration and location and are exempt from these standards.

Applicability. These standards shall apply to all electric facilities and to all communications facilities, including but not limited to telephone, telegraph, cable television, fiber optics and electrical communications facilities, with the following exceptions:

Definitions. The following terms, when used in this section, shall have the following definitions:

General requirements. All extensions, relocations, or rebuilds of existing overhead electric and communications facilities within the B1, B2, B3, B4, E1, E2, E3 and G Zoning Districts shall be installed underground.

All new electric or communications services from an overhead or underground facility to serve all buildings and structures shall be installed underground. All rebuilt or relocated electric or communications service from an overhead or underground facility to serve all buildings and structures shall be installed underground, except:

Proposed new development shall provide for the undergrounding of utility facilities (e.g., cable television, data network, electrical, telephone, and similar distribution lines providing direct service to the site) in compliance with the following requirements:

Wireless facilities must be located in accordance with the following order of priority:

Wireless facilities shall incorporate concealment elements to minimize visual impacts:

In addition to applicable wireless facility provisions listed in this section, any application to deploy within a public right-of-way owned or controlled by the Village must comply with the following requirements.