[Amended 10-26-1971; 7-7-1975 by L.L. No. 1-1975; 7-25-1977 by L.L. No. 5-1977; 7-10-1979 by L.L. No. 1-1979; 11-25-1997 by L.L. No. 6-1997; 12-12-2000 by L.L. No. 6-2000; 8-8-2006 by L.L. No. 3-2006; 10-24-2006 by L.L. No. 10-2006; 2-26-2019 by L.L. No. 2-2019; 10-22-2019 by L.L. No. 7-2019; 12-10-2019 by L.L. No. 10-2019; 5-25-2021 by L.L. No. 5-2021; 6-14-2022 by L.L. No. 6-2022; 6-27-2023 by L.L. No. 4-2023; 2-13-2024 by L.L. No. 1-2024; 10-22-2024 by L.L. No. 8-2024; 9-23-2025 by L.L. No. 6-2025]
The following regulations shall apply in all Retail Business Districts:
A. Uses permitted.
(1) Any store or shop for the sale at retail of convenience or shoppers' goods, such as:
(2) Stores, shops and offices that render personal and/or professional services, excluding urgent care facilities, in a building with livable floor area not exceeding 1,000 square feet, such as:
(c) Dry cleaner or laundry (depot only).
(g) Professional and/or general offices.
(3) Accessory uses customarily incident to any permitted use.
(4) The following uses may be permitted by special permit from the Board of Trustees after public hearing:
(a) Restaurant, luncheonette, cabaret, hotel bar, cocktail lounge, cafe and other places for on-site consumption of food and beverages, whether such food and/or beverages are consumed inside of a structure or outside of a structure. Whenever the seating capacity (outside and/or inside) exceeds 20, the applicant and his/her successors and/or assigns shall provide on-site serving personnel (waiters or waitresses) to assist customers by taking orders and by the delivery of food/drinks to tables and the presentation of checks. On-site serving personnel (waiters or waitresses) to assist customers by taking orders and by the delivery of food/drinks to tables and the presentation of checks shall not be required whenever the seating capacity (outside and/or inside) is 20 or less.
(b) The Board of Trustees shall review such application considering such planning concerns it determines in its discretion necessary to promote the public health, safety, and welfare.
(c) There shall be one parking space for each two stools at counter areas or one space for each three linear feet of counter (whichever is greater); plus one parking space for each two seats at tables; plus one space for each two employees on the maximum work shift, unless waived by the Board of Trustees.
(d) No special permit shall be required for any of the above uses which seat eight persons, or less, which use is primarily take-out service, or retail sale of food and prepared food, or ancillary to any other permitted use.
(5) Other uses similar to the foregoing uses of a retail, commercial or service nature may be permitted if, upon application to the Board of Trustees and by resolution, they are determined by it to be of the same general character and not incompatible with the surrounding uses.
B. Uses permitted only by special permission of the Board of Appeals.
(1) Commercial parking fields, subject to the following provisions:
(a) No repairing or servicing of vehicles shall be performed.
(b) No selling of gasoline or other fuel shall be permitted.
(c) Adequate paving of premises with provisions for orderly parking must be provided.
(d) Provisions for ingress and egress shall be adequate.
(e) Site plans shall be submitted in accordance with §
365-32.
(2) Dwelling units above the ground floor in a building where the ground floor is used and occupied for any purpose permitted in the Retail Business District under §
365-20A or
B(3), subject to the requirements of §
365-18B(3)(d) and
(f) as to livable floor area of each dwelling unit and density.
(3) Stores, shops and offices that render personal and/or professional services, including urgent care facilities, in a building with livable floor area of more than 1,000 square feet, such as:
(c) Dry cleaner or laundry (depot only).
(g) Professional and/or general offices.
C. Building height limit shall be three stories, but not exceeding 35 feet, as measured from the top of the curb, or the crown of the road where no curbs exist, to the highest point of the roof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the building height limit for parcels fronting on Railroad Avenue between North Carll Avenue and Deer Park Avenue and fronting on Depot Place running from Railroad Avenue to the Long Island Railroad trestle, the building height limit shall be four stories, but not exceeding 40 feet, as measured from the top of the curb, or the crown of the road where no curbs exist, to the highest point of the roof.
D. Percentage of lot coverage. The sum of all areas of all buildings, including accessory buildings, shall not exceed 70% of the lot area.
E. Yards required. Each lot shall have front and rear yards not less than 10 feet in depth. Notwithstanding the above requirements, the sum of the front and rear yard depths shall be equal to at least 30% of the lot depth. In addition, where any lot abuts a residential district boundary along its side or rear lot line, there shall be on the subject property an abutting yard not less than 15 feet in depth.
F. Site plan. Every application for a building permit for new construction and/or change of use shall be accompanied by a site plan submitted in accordance with §
365-32.
G. Inspection of unoccupied structures.
(1) All unoccupied structures in nonresidential zones shall be inspected by the Building Inspector or his designee to see that the structures are physically safe and clean of all debris, with the interiors cleared of the tenant's fixtures and sign removed within 60 days of any vacancy.
(2) The Building Inspector may make periodic inspections as the facts shall dictate.
H. Specific development standards for architecture and design. The primary material of the exterior of units within the Retail Business Districts shall be constructed with HardiePlank® or similar material, or with brick, stone, or cedar shingles to complement the building facade. Vinyl or metal siding shall be prohibited, with the exception of fascia and soffits which shall be compatible with or complement the character of surrounding and similar trim. Techniques for complying with this requirement include, but are not limited to:
(1) Using materials with textures or patterns; and
(2) Using exterior colors that are subdued.
I. Off-street parking.
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, in the Retail Business District, all new buildings, and existing buildings with dwelling units, shall provide off-street parking spaces as set forth in this section.
(2) Off-street parking conforming to the requirements of this chapter shall be provided at a minimum ratio of parking two spaces for each dwelling unit, plus adequate space for ingress and egress. The minimum size of each space shall be nine feet by 20 feet. Where garages are provided, they may be substituted for such off-street parking areas and shall conform architecturally to the principal buildings. Parking areas shall not be permitted between the street and the front building line. Variations of the off-street parking requirements outlined above may be permitted by application to the Board of Appeals, when in its judgment special factors warrant such variation, which may include an easement or agreement providing for off-site parking in close proximity to the subject lot.
(3) The Board of Trustees shall have the discretion to require a special use permit for any zoning and/or building permit applications, or any part thereof, in the Retail Business Districts or the Industrial Districts, and in determining such application for a special use permit pursuant to this section shall determine the adequacy of the parking for any particular use.
J. Facade improvement.
(1) Facade Improvement Committee:
(a) The Incorporated Village of Babylon understanding the purpose of promoting the health, safety and general welfare of the community, conserving and enhancing the appearance of the Village, especially in areas of exiting or potential scenic value of historical note, of architectural merit or of interest to the residents, and for the purpose of assisting property owners to maintain the appearance or architectural tone of their neighborhoods and preserve property values and for the purpose of eliminating blight constitutes a Facade Improvement Committee.
(b) The number of members of the Façade Improvement Committee shall be designated by the Mayor. The Mayor shall appoint the members of the committee who shall serve at the Mayor's pleasure. All members are volunteers who shall recommend to the Mayor and work in concert with the Architectural Review Board. As a member no benefits or protections shall inure to the benefit of the member. These appointed members are not employees or officers of the Village.
(c) Contributing qualified applicants. Any applicant for a building permit for new construction, additions, and/or renovations that increase the floor area of new, existing and accessory buildings shall make a cash payment pursuant to Subsection
J(1)(a).
(d) The fee required to be paid under this section shall be fixed and established by resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees from time to time.
(e) Information. Information pertaining to the facade improvement fund shall be available in the Building Department and on the Village website and all building permit applications shall indicate that projects may be subject to facade improvement fund.
(2) Facade improvement program.
(a) The Façade Improvement Committee shall recommend design guidelines to the Village Board which shall approve them by resolution. The design guidelines will be available in the Building Department and on the Village website.
(b) Each application shall contain detailed elevations and renderings as well as material specifications and physical examples of materials to be used, that clearly depict the scope and extent of the building façade alterations proposed.
(c) Once the design guidelines have been published, the Façade Improvement Committee will create an application for properties in the Retail Business District to apply to use funds to improve their facades. Applicants must provide their own funding in addition to what may be awarded from the fund. The application will be available in the Building Department and on the Village website and will be on a rolling basis as funding is available. This section creates no right of an applicant or any other entity as to funding. Not all applicants will receive funds even if funds are available, unless the proposed project displays a merit-based necessity.
(d) Facade Improvement Committee members shall review the applications and make recommendations to the Village Board. The Village Board shall act on the recommendations by resolution. The Treasurer shall notify the applicant of the funding and the requirements to draw down the funds.
(e) Applicants must apply for all necessary building permits. At the completion of the work, the applicant will display a sign or sticker saying they participated in the Facade Improvement Program.
K. Retention of expert assistance and reimbursement by applicant.
(1) The Village may hire any consultants and/or experts necessary to assist the Village in reviewing and evaluating any application of any requests in the Retail Business District.
(2) An applicant shall deposit with the Village funds sufficient to reimburse the Village for all reasonable costs of consultant and expert evaluation and consultation to the Board in connection with the review of any application. The initial deposit shall be $7,500. These funds shall accompany the filing of an application, and the Village will maintain a separate escrow account for all such funds. The Village's consultants/experts shall bill or invoice the Village no less frequently than monthly for its services in reviewing the application and performing its duties. If, at any time, during the review process this escrow account has a balance less than $2,500, applicant shall immediately, upon notification by the Village, replenish said escrow account so that it has a balance of at least $2,500. Such additional escrow funds must be deposited with the Village before any further action or consideration is taken on the application. If the amount held in escrow by the Village is more than the amount of the actual billing or invoicing at the conclusion of the review process, the difference shall be promptly refunded to the applicant.
(3) The total amount of the funds required to review an application may vary with the scope and complexity of the project, the completeness of the application and other information as may be needed by the Board or its consultant/expert to complete the necessary review and analysis. Additional escrow funds as required by the Village shall be paid by the applicant.
L. Prohibited uses.
(1) Restaurants, taverns and bars are hereby expressly prohibited from providing outdoor dining and the service of beverages on their rooftop, whether that rooftop dining is outdoors or indoors. Rooftop dining shall be expressly prohibited everywhere within the Village of Babylon.