Sleepy Hollow City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIX
Adaptive Reuse of Religious, Educational, and Institutional Buildings
§ 450-108 Findings and purpose.
The purpose of this article is to prevent the demolition of and foster the renovation and reuse of structures originally constructed for religious, educational, or institutional uses, which have historic, architectural, economic, cultural or other value to the Village and are at risk of becoming underutilized, vacant or demolished. This article encourages the adaptive and flexible reuse of such buildings to allow more economic and efficient use of the property. Special regulations are appropriate to this type of reuse because of the difficulty present in adapting these structures to allow economic and efficient use of the property.
§ 450-109 Location.
This provision may be applied within Zoning District C-1, C-2 and Zoning District R-5.
§ 450-110 Eligible buildings.
Any building originally constructed for religious, educational, or institutional purposes, including buildings previously occupied as a primary or secondary school, place of worship, or accessory building to a place of worship such as a rectory, convent, gymnasium, or similar use.
§ 450-111 Applicable regulations.
All projects within the C-1, C-2 District and the R-5 District shall comply with the regulations set forth in the underlying zoning except to the extent set forth in this article.
§ 450-112 Special permit.
A.
The Board of Trustees must review and grant a special permit for requests to demolish structures meeting the eligibility requirements herein.
B.
Criteria for approval. The Village Board of Trustees shall not approve the application for demolition unless the applicant establishes all of the following:
(1)
For buildings sought to be demolished for safety reasons:
(a)
The building represents a hazard to the safety of the public or the applicant or owner.
(b)
The safety hazard cannot be corrected within economic means reasonably available to the applicant or owner.
(c)
Good faith efforts to find a purchaser interested in acquiring the property and preserving it have failed.
(2)
For buildings sought to be demolished for reasons other than safety:
(a)
The property is incapable of earning a reasonable return on investment, regardless of whether that return represents the most profitable return possible.
(b)
The property cannot be adapted for any other use, whether by the current owner or by a purchaser, that would result in a reasonable return.
(c)
Good faith efforts to find a purchaser interested in acquiring the property and preserving it have failed.
C.
The Village Board may grant a special permit subject to the additional provisions set forth below to allow the use of an eligible building for permitted uses.
(1)
The proposed reuse will be in harmony with the appropriate and orderly development of the Village's C-1, C-2 and R-5 Zoning Districts.
(2)
The proposed reuse will not hinder or discourage the appropriate development and use of adjacent lands.
(4)
The proposed reuse is otherwise in the public interest.
§ 450-113 Area, height, setback, etc., modifications.
The Board of Trustees may modify minimum lot area, height, stories, minimum lot frontage, maximum coverage, maximum habitable floor area, minimum lot width, and front, side and rear yard setback requirements if the Board of Trustees determines that the modification is necessary to preserve the building and allow its adaptive reuse.
§ 450-114 Parking modifications.
§ 450-115 Additional conditions.
The Board of Trustees may attach such additional conditions to a special permit granted under this article as may be necessary to protect the neighborhood surrounding the property and to encourage the most appropriate adaptive reuse of the buildings and property.