The provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced by the Code Enforcement Official, who shall issue building permits and zoning permits. No building permit, zoning permit, certificate of occupancy, or other permit or license shall be issued if it would be in conflict with the provisions of this chapter, Chapter
63 of the Amenia Town Code, entitled "Fire Prevention and Building Code Administration," or any other applicable local, state, or federal law or regulation.
The steps to obtain necessary permits to erect, occupy, or change
the use of a permitted structure or lot are as follows:
A. Any person intending to undertake new construction, structural alteration, or change in the use of a building or lot shall apply to the Code Enforcement Official for a building permit or zoning permit by submitting the appropriate application form and paying the required fee. For rules governing changes of use, see §
121-10F.
B. The Code Enforcement Official shall grant or deny the permit as provided in §
121-54 or refer the application to the Planning Board (or Town Board or Zoning Board of Appeals, if appropriate) if a special permit and/or site plan approval is required.
C. If a building or zoning permit is issued, the applicant may proceed
to undertake the action permitted. Upon completion of any construction,
the applicant shall apply to the Code Enforcement Official for a certificate
of occupancy (for building permits only).
D. If the Code Enforcement Official finds that the applicant's action has been taken in accordance with the building permit, the Code Enforcement Official shall issue a certificate of occupancy as provided in §
121-54, allowing the structure to be occupied.
E. If the Code Enforcement Official denies a building or zoning permit
and does not refer the application to the Planning Board or Town Board,
the applicant may appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
No building or structure hereafter erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, or moved and no enlarged, extended, altered, or relocated portion of an existing building or structure shall be occupied or used until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Code Enforcement Official, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter
63 of the Town Code, this chapter, and any other applicable laws and regulations.
A. Exception for minor alterations. No certificate of occupancy shall be required for any alteration of or ordinary repairs to an existing building or structure which is not structural in nature and which does not require a zoning permit or a building permit pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or of Chapter
63 of the Town Code.
B. Issuance of certificate of occupancy.
(1) The Code Enforcement Official shall examine the location of any new
structures or improvements to existing structures and shall determine
whether or not such new structures or improvements comply with the
setbacks and other requirements of this chapter, including the terms
and conditions of any site plan approval, special permit, variance,
subdivision approval, or conservation easement granted. The Code Enforcement
Official shall maintain complete records of the dates of inspections
conducted hereunder, the names of all persons attending such inspections,
the extent of completion of the work on each date, and any other observations
relevant to determining compliance with this chapter.
(2) After work has been completed, inspected, and found to be in full
compliance with the building permit, the Code Enforcement Official
shall issue a certificate of occupancy. A copy of the certificate
of occupancy shall be placed in the permanent property file for the
property.
C. Effective date of certificate of occupancy. A certificate of occupancy
shall become effective upon filing in the office of the Town Clerk,
together with the building permit and all previous applications and
approvals granted.
D. Failure to complete construction. Any structure for which a building permit has been issued which remains partially complete with no substantial progress over a twelve-month period shall be considered a violation of this chapter to be remedied pursuant to §
121-57.
[Amended 8-18-2016 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
Pursuant to the provisions of § 267 of the Town Law,
there is hereby established a Zoning Board of Appeals consisting of
five members appointed by the Town Board. The Zoning Board of Appeals
shall have all the powers and duties prescribed by law and this chapter
in connection with appeals to review any order, requirement, decision,
interpretation, or determination made by an administrative official
charged with the enforcement of this chapter, generally the Code Enforcement
Official. An appeal may be taken by any person aggrieved or by any
officer, department, board, or bureau of the Town.
A. Alternate members.
(1) Alternate members of the Zoning Board of Appeals may be appointed
by the Town Board and designated by the Chairperson of the Zoning
Board of Appeals in accordance with the provisions of this section
when a regular member of the Zoning Board of Appeals is unable to
participate on an application or a matter before the Zoning Board
of Appeals as set forth herein.
(2) The Town Board shall appoint two alternate members to the Zoning
Board of Appeals, each of whom shall serve for a term of one year
as herein described. One alternate member shall be designated as the
"first alternate member," and the other alternate member shall be
designated as the "second alternate member." The term of any alternate
member shall terminate on December 31 in the year of the appointment
of that member, regardless of whether he or she has served a full
12 months.
(3) The Chairperson of the Zoning Board of Appeals may designate the
first alternate member to substitute for a member of the Zoning Board
of Appeals when such member is unable to participate on an application
or matter before the Board due to absence or a 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 member is unable or unwilling to act,
the Chairperson of the Zoning Board of Appeals shall designate the
second alternate member to act. When so 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 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting at which the substitution
is made. The appointed alternate member shall participate as a member
of the Board with respect to the particular application only until
final action has been taken on the particular application.
(4) All provisions of state and local laws relating to Zoning Board of
Appeals, including eligibility, training, continuing education, attendance,
compensation, vacancy in office, removal, compatibility of office
and service on other boards, shall apply to alternate members.
A.1. Appeals of orders, requirements, decisions, interpretations,
or determinations. The Zoning Board of Appeals may reverse or affirm,
wholly or partly, or may modify the order, requirement, decision,
interpretation, or determination 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 administrative
official charged with the enforcement of this chapter. In so doing,
the Zoning Board of Appeals shall have all the powers of the administrative
official from whose order, requirement, decision, interpretation,
or determination the appeal is taken.
B. Appeals for variance.
(1) Where there are practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships imposed
by the strict letter of this chapter, the Zoning Board of Appeals
shall have the power, upon appeal from a determination by the Code
Enforcement Official and after public notice and hearing, to vary
or modify the application of any of the provisions of this chapter
relating to the use, construction, or alteration of structures or
the use of land, so that the spirit of this chapter is observed, public
safety and welfare secured, and substantial justice done.
(2) All applications for variances shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Official at least 10 days before the meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals and shall be accompanied by six copies of a plot plan, drawn to scale with accurate dimensions, showing the location of all existing and proposed structures on the lot. An application for a use variance may require submission of an agricultural data statement pursuant to §
121-37C.
(3) Any variance which is not exercised by application for a zoning permit
or by otherwise commencing the use within one year of the date of
issuance shall automatically lapse.
C. Use variances.
(1) The Zoning Board of Appeals, on appeal from a decision or determination
of the Code Enforcement Official, shall have the power to grant use
variances, authorizing a use of the land which otherwise would not
be allowed by this chapter. No use variance shall be granted without
a showing by the applicant that applicable zoning regulations and
restrictions have caused unnecessary hardship to the applicant. In
order to prove unnecessary hardship, the applicant shall demonstrate
that for each and every permitted use under this chapter 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.
(2) Failure to demonstrate any one of the requirements in Subsection
C(1)(a) through
(d) above is sufficient to justify the denial of a use variance.
(3) The Zoning Board of Appeals shall consider any agricultural data statement submitted pursuant to §
121-37C.
(4) The Zoning Board of Appeals, in granting use variances, 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.
(5) In addition to the grounds for granting a use variance in Subsection
C(1) above, a use variance may also be granted if the applicant can prove, by competent financial evidence, deprivation of all economically beneficial use of the property. In such a case, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall grant only the minimum variance necessary to allow an economically beneficial use.
(6) If the use variance is granted for a nonresidential use, the applicant
shall obtain site plan approval from the Planning Board prior to commencing
the use or obtaining a building permit or zoning permit.
D. Area variances.
(1) The Zoning Board of Appeals shall have the power, upon an appeal
from a decision or determination of the Code Enforcement Official,
to grant area variances from the area or dimensional requirements.
Where a proposed special permit or site plan application contains
one or more features which do not comply with the dimensional requirements
of this chapter, application may be made to the Zoning Board of Appeals
for an area variance without a decision or determination by the Code
Enforcement Official.
(2) In making its determination, the Zoning Board of Appeals 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 of such grant. In making
its 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 proposed 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 shall
be relevant to the decision of the Board but which shall not necessarily
preclude the granting of the area variance.
(3) The Zoning Board of Appeals, in the granting of area variances, shall
grant the minimum variance that it deems necessary and adequate, while
preserving and protecting the character of the neighborhood and the
health, safety, and welfare of the community.
E. Imposition of conditions. The Zoning Board of Appeals shall, in granting
use variances and area variances, 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 chapter and shall be imposed for
the purpose of minimizing any adverse impact the variance may have
on the neighborhood or community.
F. Procedures.
(1) Application. Appeals shall be taken by filing a written notice of
appeal and any required plans with the Code Enforcement Official and
the Zoning Board of Appeals, within 60 days after the filing of the
order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination that
is being appealed, on forms prescribed by the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Such application shall refer to the specific provision of this chapter
involved and shall specify the grounds for the variance requested,
the interpretation claimed, or for the reversal of an order, requirement,
decision, or determination of an administrative official. The Code
Enforcement Official shall forthwith transmit all the papers constituting
the record of the appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
(2) Referral to County Planning Board.
(a)
Requests for variances that require referral to the County Planning
Board shall be so referred pursuant to General Municipal Law Article
12-B, §§ 239-l and 239-m, as amended.
(b)
No action shall be taken on variances referred to the County
Planning Board until its recommendation has been received, or 30 days
have elapsed after its receipt of the full statement of the proposed
variance, unless the county and Town agree to an extension beyond
the thirty-day requirement for the County Planning Board's review.
(c)
County disapproval. A majority-plus-one vote shall be required
to approve any variance which receives a recommendation of disapproval
from the County Planning Board because of the referral process specified
above, along with a resolution setting forth the reasons for such
contrary action.
G. Hearing and public notice.
(1) If an agricultural data statement has been submitted, the Secretary
of the Zoning Board of Appeals shall, upon receipt of any variance
application, mail written notice of the application to the owners
of land as identified by the appellant in the agricultural data statement.
Such notice shall include a description of the proposed variance and
its location. The cost of mailing the notice shall be borne by the
appellant.
(2) The Zoning Board of Appeals shall set a reasonable time after receipt
of a complete application for the hearing of appeals.
(3) The Secretary of the Zoning Board of Appeals shall refer all applications
for use variances to the Planning Board for a report prior to the
public hearing. If the Planning Board does not report within 30 days
of such referral, the Zoning Board of Appeals may take action without
the Planning Board's report.
(4) At least five days prior to the date of the hearing of appeals, the
Zoning Board of Appeals shall give public notice by causing the publication
of a notice of such hearing in the official newspaper and by mailing
a notice thereof to the Planning Board and by certified mail to all
property owners within 200 feet of the property upon which the appeal
is taken. The cost of publishing and mailing such notices shall be
borne by the appellant.
(5) If the application is for a use variance on property located within
500 feet of the boundary of an adjacent municipality, notice of the
hearing shall be sent to the Clerk of the adjacent municipality by
mail or electronic transmission at least 10 days prior to such hearing,
and such adjacent municipality may appear and be heard.
(6) At the hearing, any party may appear in person or by agent or by
attorney.
(7) The Zoning Board of Appeals 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. If the hearing is adjourned for more than 30 days, the Board may require that it be re-noticed as provided in Subsection
G(4) above.
H. Action. The Zoning Board of Appeals may, in conformity with the provisions
of this chapter, reverse, affirm, or modify, wholly or in part, the
order, requirement, decision, interpretation or determination of the
administrative official in accordance with the provisions of this
chapter.
(1) Any such action shall be decided within 62 days after the close of
the hearing.
(2) Every decision of the Zoning Board of Appeals shall be approved by
vote of a majority of the members by resolution which contains a full
record of the findings and rationale for the decision. If the Zoning
Board of Appeals acts contrary to the recommendations of the Town
Planning Board or the County Planning Board, it shall give written
reasons for such action.
I. Filing. Every order, requirement, decision, interpretation, or determination
of the Zoning Board of Appeals shall be filed in the office of the
Town Clerk within five business days after the decision is rendered
and shall be a public record. A copy thereof shall be placed in the
permanent file of the property and shall also be mailed to the appellant
within the same five-day period.
J. Court review of board decisions. Any person or persons, jointly or
severally aggrieved by any decision of the Zoning Board of Appeals,
may apply to the Supreme Court for review by a proceeding under Article
78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules and § 267-c of the
Town Law.
K. Expiration of appeal decision. Unless otherwise specified by the
Zoning Board of Appeals, a decision on any appeal shall expire if
the appellant fails to obtain any necessary building permit within
12 months of the date of such decision.
L. Stay of proceedings. An appeal shall stay all proceedings in furtherance
of the action appealed from unless the Code Enforcement Official certifies
for the Zoning Board of Appeals, after the notice of appeal has been
filed, that such a stay of proceedings would, in the Code Enforcement
Official's 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 Zoning
Board of Appeals or by the Supreme Court on application, on notice
to the Code Enforcement Official for due cause shown.
M. Special permits. In addition to the power to hear appeals, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall have the power to issue special permits where so indicated in this chapter. When reviewing and deciding upon special permit applications, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall apply the rules, standards, and procedures contained in Article
IX, Special Permits and Site Plan Review.