In order to achieve the purposes of these zoning regulations and the objectives of the Town's Comprehensive Plan, determinations as to the suitability of all areas of the Town for particular uses have been made in order to protect and preserve the character and value of existing buildings and uses, and encourage the appropriate use and development of land throughout the Town. These determinations are reflected in the establishment of the zoning use districts set forth in §§
200-11 and
200-12 of these zoning regulations.
In order to address specific land use issues that may be of concern in specific areas of the Town that do not coincide with the boundaries of the zoning districts established in §
200-11, the following floating zones and overlay districts are established. A floating zoning district is a district with detailed and conditional use requirements that is unmapped until assigned to a specific parcel or parcels. An overlay zoning district establishes regulations on the properties affected which are in addition to those established for the underlying use district.
A. Planned Unit Development (PUD). This is a floating
zone intended for establishment in areas in which diverse uses may
be brought together in a compatible and unified plan of development
which shall be in the interest of the general welfare of the public.
The PUD is intended to promote site design and land use flexibility
not feasible in other zoning districts. In Planned Unit Development
Districts, land and structures may be used for any lawful purpose
in accordance with the provisions set forth herein.
B. Planned Office Development (POD). This floating zone
district is designed to accommodate "planned office developments,"
or projects planned and developed as a single entity which may incorporate
a variety of business office and professional uses and which also
contain supporting commercial uses intended to primarily service persons
working at or patronizing the site.
C. Planned Commercial (PCD). This floating zone district
is designed to accommodate projects consisting of groups of commercial
establishments in shopping or office complexes. PCD Districts are
intended to promote creative, efficient, more pleasant design of predominantly
commercial areas through a specialized project review process.
D. Planned Industrial (InP). This floating zone district
is designed to accommodate industrial uses in new planned developments.
This district is also intended to promote sensitive, creative, efficient
and more pleasant design of predominantly industrial sites through
a specialized project review process.
E. Highway Protection Overlay District (HP). This overlay
district adds dimensional requirements to the base district in order
to increase the protection of highway right-of-way and function along
selected routes.
F. Agricultural Protection District (AP). This district
is intended to enhance the protection of agricultural operations and
important agricultural lands by modifying the maximum residential
development density and limiting the amount of land to be converted
from farm use.
G. Stream Corridor Overlay District (SCO). This overlay
district is intended to protect water quality, wildlife habitat and
scenic views and prevent degradation which may exacerbate runoff and
flooding conditions in and adjacent to the designated stream corridors.
H. Waterfront Property Overlay District (WFP). This overlay
district is intended to protect the view and character of waterfront
property and provide yard setback regulations more appropriate to
waterfront properties.
I. Billboard Sign Overlay District (BSO). The purpose
of the Billboard Sign Overlay District is to define specific areas
of the Town in which the use of billboard signs may serve as an effective
means of advertising without adversely affecting natural vistas with
a proliferation of such signs.
When uncertainty exists with respect to the
boundaries of any district as shown on the Official Zoning Map, the
following standards shall apply to determine the appropriate boundary:
A. Boundaries indicated as approximately following the
center lines of streets or railroads shall be construed to follow
such center lines.
B. Boundaries indicated as approximately following Tax
Map parcel boundaries or other mapped lot lines shall be construed
as following such lot lines.
C. Boundaries indicated as following shorelines of streams
and lakes shall be construed to follow such shorelines, and, in the
event of change in the shoreline, shall be construed as moving with
the actual shoreline.
D. Boundaries indicated as approximately following the
corporate boundaries of the Town of Van Buren shall be construed as
following such corporate boundaries.
E. Boundaries indicated as parallel to, or extensions of, features indicated in Subsections
A through
C shall be so construed. Distances not specifically indicated on the Official Zoning Map shall be determined by the scale of the map or a description of boundaries, if available, adopted by the Town Board.
F. Where a district boundary line divides a lot existing at the time of adoption of this chapter, the provisions of §
200-16 shall apply.
G. The Code Enforcement Officer shall determine the location of zoning district boundaries. Any challenge of that Officer's determination may be filed with the Zoning Board of Appeals, in accordance with §
200-80.