The following statements of purpose define the
spirit and intent of each land use district not otherwise stated in
this chapter and are to be used as guides in the interpretation and
application of these regulations:
A. Residential (R) districts. The purposes of the residential
(R) districts are to maintain and protect residential and neighborhood
qualities while recognizing the importance of meeting the changing
housing needs of town residents; to provide for and encourage a mixture
of housing types and opportunities; to provide for and encourage open
spaces; to provide for the protection of the town's natural resources,
such as the Schodack Terrace Aquifer, by encouraging residential development
with sanitary sewer and water systems; to encourage the planting of
shade trees and gardens; to foster safe pedestrian and traffic circulation;
and to recognize the existence of nonconforming uses and to maintain
their operation in an obtrusive fashion.
B. Business/commercial districts. The purposes of the
business/commercial districts are to provide areas of the town for
retail and nonresidential development of a variety of scales which
are primarily vehicular oriented; to provide a variety of retail uses
and services to meet the needs of the community; and to add to the
economic base of the community.
C. Marine Commercial (MC) District. The purposes of the
Marine Commercial District are to support the historic role played
by the town's waterfront in the development of the town; to encourage
river-oriented commercial and recreational activities consistent with
sound environmental practices; and to enhance public access to the
river.
D. Manufacturing District. The purpose of the Manufacturing
District is to provide for the special needs of industry for relatively
flat land with access to transportation networks and utilities, while
protecting the integrity of residential neighborhoods and commercial
activity.
E. Flood-Fringe Overlay District. The purpose of the
Flood-Fringe Overlay District is to protect the public health and
safety by prohibiting development in the overlay area unless the floodproofing
requirements of the Flood Insurance Program and the town, and any
amendments or revisions as may be adopted, are met.
F. Transportation-Overlay District.
[Added 7-27-1995 by L.L. No. 4-1995]
(1) The purpose of the Transportation-Overlay District
is to prevent landlocked parcels and to ensure safe and adequate traffic
circulation and orderly development of the HC District.
(2) The boundaries of the Transportation-Overlay District
(TOD) shall be shown on the Official Zoning Map of the Town of Schodack,
as amended and as shown in the annexed map. The TOD shall be 300 feet wide.
(3) Development within the Transportation-Overlay District
shall be pursuant to town road standards and shall be limited to highway
construction until such time as the actual highway or portions thereof
are in place. Thereafter, unused portion of the three-hundred-foot
corridor shall allow the then current underlying use.
The location and boundaries of said districts
are shown on the Zoning Map of the Town of Schodack. Said map, together
with all explanatory matter thereon and all amendments thereto, is
hereby adopted and is declared to be an appurtenant part of this chapter.
Said map shall be kept up-to-date and be located in the Town Hall
for the use and benefit of the public.
Where uncertainty exists with respect to the
boundaries of any of the aforesaid zoning districts as shown on the
Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:
A. Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately
following the center lines or right-of-way lines of streets, highways
and railroads, public utility easements or watercourses, said boundaries
shall be construed to be coincident with such lines. Such boundaries
shall be deemed to be automatically adjusted if a center line or right-of-way
line of such street, highway, railroad, public utility or watercourse
is moved a maximum distance of 50 feet.
B. Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately
following the town of village boundary line, property lines, lot lines
or projections thereof, said boundaries shall be construed to be coincident
with such lines or projections thereof.
C. Where district boundaries are so indicated that they
are approximately parallel to the town or village boundary line, property
lines, lot lines, right-of-way lines or projections thereof, said
boundaries shall be construed as being parallel thereto and at such
distances therefrom as indicated on the Zoning Map or as shall be
determined by use of the scale shown on the Zoning Map.
D. Where a district boundary line divides a single lot
in a single or joint ownership of record at the time such line is
established, the regulations for the less restricted portion of such
lot may, at the owner's discretion and with the exception of the flood
overlay districts, extend not more than 30 feet into the more restricted
portion, provided that the lot has street or highway frontage in the
less restricted district.
E. In all other cases, where dimensions are not shown
on the Zoning Map, the location of the boundaries shown on the map
shall be determined by the use of the scale appearing thereon.
The boundaries of the Flood-Fringe Overlay District
(FF-O) is established herein as delineated on the most current edition
of the appropriate Federal Insurance Administration Flood Hazard Boundary
Map as issued for the Town of Schodack by the United States Department
of Housing and Urban Development. Any revisions, amendments or successors
thereto, with all explanatory matter thereon, are hereby adopted and
made a part of this chapter. The latest edition of said map shall
be kept on file in the offices of the Town Clerk and the Town Planning
Board for the use and benefit of the public.
Any land hereafter annexed to or consolidated
with the Town of Schodack shall be deemed to be zoned RA until such
land is reclassified by specific amendment to this chapter.
Except as hereinafter and otherwise provided:
A. No building, structure or land shall hereafter be
used or occupied, and no building or structure or part thereof shall
hereafter be erected, moved, altered, reconstructed or enlarged except
in conformance with the regulations herein specified for the district
in which it is located.
B. No part of a yard or other open space required in
connection with any building or use shall be included as part of a
yard or other open space similarly required for another building.
C. No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of
this chapter shall be reduced in size or area below the minimum requirements
set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of
this chapter shall meet the minimum requirements established by this
chapter.
D. No off-street parking or loading space required for
one building or use shall be included as meeting, in whole or part,
the off-street parking or loading space required for another building
or use except as otherwise provided for this chapter.
E. No off-street parking or loading space shall be so
reduced in area that it does not meet the requirements of this chapter.
F. Within each district, the regulations set forth by
this chapter shall be considered minimum regulations and shall apply
uniformly to each kind of building, structure or land.