A. 
The Village finds that a certain group of properties which are located in both the Village Center and Residential Districts and which are either contained within the Village Historic District or form a gateway to this historic area require special attention. The Special Sensitivity Overlay (SSO) will serve to encourage the preservation of the historical character of the Village and maintain the integrity of the residential character of the Route 9 corridor despite the impact of heavy traffic. The economic vitality and historic fabric of the Village will be compromised if the character of these properties is allowed to disappear.
B. 
Those properties covered by the SSO and located in the Residential District have been or have the potential to be adaptively reused for low-intensity commercial uses. In order to maintain and protect the small-scale historic residential quality of these properties, the adaptive reuse of these properties will be allowed, as long as such use abides by the performance standards established below. As these properties face increasing pressure to house business uses, the overlay will protect the residential quality by retaining, strengthening and enhancing their residential characteristics and ensuring that the new low-intensity commercial uses respect the continuing residential uses.
C. 
The properties covered by the SSO located in the Village Center are subject to different pressures, which could ultimately result in the same deterioration of the traditional Village fabric. The SSO enters the Village Center and provides areas where the residential character from the rest of the Village crosses into the Village Center, but without the more stringent residential use restrictions. By limiting parts of the Village Center to a building envelope closer in scale to the residential area, the traditional and historic varied texture will remain, thus preserving one of Rhinebeck's greatest strengths.
D. 
The following special sensitivity performance and traditional zoning standards apply to the overlay portions of the Residential and to the Village Center Districts, respectively. In both cases the special sensitivity standards will be in addition to the underlying provisions from those districts and will only replace specific provisions where stated. Buildings in the Residential SSO that will require a new certificate of occupancy, either through a change in use or because they were undergoing new construction, are subject to Residential District provisions below. Buildings in the Village Center SSO that will require a new certificate of occupancy, either through a change in use, a site modification or as a result of new construction, are subject to Village Center District provisions below.
Special sensitivity uses shall be allowed, by special permit, in the areas of the Residential District that are covered by the SSO. A special permit for such use will be granted when the Planning Board is satisfied that the use will meet the following performance standards:
A. 
Use and occupancy.
(1) 
Only one SSO permitted use shall be allowed for each lot.
(2) 
Owner occupancy is required where a special permit has been granted for an SSO use; the owner shall occupy a dwelling unit on the same lot.
B. 
Appearance.
(1) 
Business uses shall be conducted in a manner which does not give the outward appearance of a business.
(2) 
Business uses must not infringe on the privacy of neighbors or their quiet and peaceful enjoyment of their property.
(3) 
Business uses shall be conducted inside the building, outbuilding or garage, and such use will be allowed, provided that any exterior changes made, in the judgment of the Planning Board, conform to the historic character of the neighborhood.
(4) 
Business uses shall have no external storage of materials, equipment, containers, finished products or associated vehicles outside the building, outbuilding or garage other than that which is normally associated with residential use.
(5) 
Business uses shall not create offensive noise, vibration, smoke, electrical interference, dust, odors, heat or light.
C. 
Traffic generation.
(1) 
Trip generation as determined by the Planning Board shall maintain the integrity of the residential character of that neighborhood.
(2) 
The Planning Board during site plan review may require vehicle or pedestrian interconnections between neighboring properties in order to protect the safety of the public and to reduce congestion on Route 9.
D. 
New construction. New buildings and all use conversions/site modifications in the SSO Residential District shall be located, designed, constructed, landscaped and decorated in such a manner that, to the maximum extent feasible, the appearance of the principal building will remain as a single detached dwelling. Such new buildings, use conversions/site modifications shall respect the existing architectural and landscape design of their residential setting, considering the overall context of the site and building in terms of its history, surroundings and the aesthetics of its original design. Improvements shall be completed in a residential style and shall be compatible with the adjacent structures and neighborhood.
E. 
Parking.
(1) 
Business uses that generate vehicular visits must provide adequate parking in accord with the parking chart shown in § 120-16A and in a manner and style that does not diminish the residential quality of the neighborhood.
(2) 
Parking shall be located behind the front plane of the principal dwelling unit on the lot or behind the building, and it shall be suitably screened with plantings and/or fencing.
F. 
Signs.
(1) 
Business uses shall have no more than two signs.
(2) 
Maximum sign area will be one square foot in area for every 10 linear feet of public street frontage occupied by the front plane of the principal structure, but not exceeding 15 square feet.
(3) 
Lighting of signs shall be consistent with §§ 120-18 and 120-19D and H.
(4) 
Signs shall otherwise be consistent with the provisions of § 120-19.
Properties covered by the SSO in the Village Center District are subject to the same use restrictions as the rest of the Village Center. However, buildings in the overlay must conform to the yard and setback requirements for residential districts.
All building permits in the SSO District shall be subject to site plan approval. Preexisting nonconformity with this chapter shall be reduced to the maximum extent practicable.