This chapter shall be known as the "Village of Saranac Lake
Unified Development Code" ("this code"). The Village of Saranac Lake,
Essex and Franklin County, New York, is hereinafter referred to as
"the Village."
This code is enacted by the Village Board of Trustees of the Village
of Saranac Lake, New York, pursuant to Article 7 of the Village Law
and Article 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New
York and all amendments thereto, and pursuant to the Village's 2013
Comprehensive Plan (the "Comprehensive Plan") and the goals and objectives
of the Local Waterfront Development Program (the "LWRP") of Saranac
Lake, as adopted by the Board of Trustees.
This code is intended to amend and supersede the Village of Saranac Lake Land Use Code (Local Law No. 1 of 2002); Village of Saranac Lake Local Waterfront Consistency Law (Local Law No. 1 of 2003); Chapter 5, Signs, of the Village of Saranac Lake Code (Local Law No. 1 of 1993); Chapter 29, Flood Damage Prevention, of the Village of Saranac Lake Code (Local Law No. 5-1991); and the Planned Unit Development District Law (Local Law No. 17-2014).
The purpose of this code is to promote the health, safety and general
welfare of the community, to promote the unique character of the Village,
to provide for a variety of housing opportunities and densities, and
to protect and enhance the property values and aesthetics of the community.
These goals are to be accomplished by regulating the height and size
of buildings and other structures, the percentage of the lot that
may be occupied, the size of the yards, courts and other open spaces,
and the density of population, and the location and use of buildings,
structures and land for trade, industry, agriculture, residences and
other purposes, to the extent permissible within the proper exercise
of power delegated by Village Law;
It is the further purpose and objective of this code to ensure the
optimum overall conservation, protection, development and use of the
scenic, aesthetic, wildlife, recreational, open space, historic, ecological
and natural resources of the Village.
No person shall engage in any land disturbance, land use development,
subdivision of land, or use of buildings and structures in the Village
without complying with this code or any permit, order or other approval
issued hereunder.
No approval issued under this code shall eliminate the need for any
person to obtain a building permit or any other local, state or other
approvals prior to engaging in any land disturbance, land use and
development, subdivision of land, or use of buildings and structures
in the Village.