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Town of Rotterdam, NY
Schenectady County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Amended 4-26-1989 by L.L. No. 6-1989]
  The following regulations shall apply to all A (Agricultural District) Zones.
The following principal uses are permitted as of right in the A District:
A. 
Single-family dwellings.
B. 
Churches or similar places of worship, parish houses, convents and community houses.
C. 
Customary agricultural operations, including all buildings, structures and uses appurtenant to and used in general farming, agricultural truck farming, gardening, poultry raising, tree nurseries and greenhouses, subject to the following restrictions:
(1) 
No building in which farm animals are kept shall be closer than 150 feet to any adjoining residential building.
(2) 
No storage of manure or odor or dust-producing substances shall be permitted within 150 feet from any adjoining residential building.
(3) 
No greenhouse heating plant shall be operated within 50 feet of any adjoining residential building.
D. 
Public and private schools.
E. 
Firehouses and Town maintenance and service facilities.
F. 
Public parks, playgrounds and other municipal recreational uses.
G. 
Public libraries and museums.
H. 
Wind energy facilities subject to the requirements of the Town of Rotterdam Wind Energy Facility Law.[1]
[Added 10-8-2008 by L.L. No. 10-2008]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 269, Wind Energy Facilities.
[Amended 11-24-1999 by L.L. No. 17-1999]
The following special uses may be permitted or denied subject to special use review under Article XIX of this chapter:
A. 
Golf courses and golf driving ranges.
B. 
Ski lifts, ski slopes and trails and accessory facilities.
C. 
Horseback riding clubs and public and private stables.
D. 
Cemeteries.
E. 
Mobile homes. (See Rotterdam Trailer Ordinance.[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 260, Trailers.
F. 
Commercial extraction of topsoil, sand, gravel or stone.
G. 
Towers.
H. 
Temporary accessory home-care units per Article IV, § 270-15.2.
I. 
Bed-and-breakfasts.
J. 
Kennels, however, must comply with the following:
[Added 7-11-2001 by L.L. No. 6-2001]
(1) 
Kennel pens and exercise area(s) may not be operated within 300 feet of a residence other than the residence of the owner or operator thereof.
(2) 
Kennel pens may not be located within 100 feet of an adjoining property line.
(3) 
The minimum lot size required is 10 acres.
(4) 
Dogs must be confined within a building between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
(5) 
Conditions to be considered when hearing a request to allow a kennel special use permit shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) 
Provisions for controlling offensive noise and odor.
(b) 
Approved disposal plan for animal waste.
(c) 
Training and/or expertise of the owner/operator.
(d) 
Maximum numbers of animals to be maintained.
(e) 
The effect on the character of the neighborhood.
(f) 
Existing or proposed natural or man-made buffers.
K. 
Private recreational uses.
[Added 6-12-2002 by L.L. No. 11-2002]
L. 
Disturbance on a wetland or watercourse area of any class or in a wetland or watercourse buffer area as defined in this chapter.
[Added 4-27-2005 by L.L. No. 9-2005]
M. 
Solar farms and solar power plants in accordance with § 270-153.
[Added 2-22-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017]
N. 
Adaptive reuse of religious and educational buildings in accordance with § 270-167D.
[Added 6-26-2019 by L.L. No. 9-2019]
O. 
Farm brewery, farm cidery, farm winery, farm meadery, farm distillery, microbreweries, microwineries, and microdistilleries. Microbreweries, microcideries, microwineries, and microdistilleries, however, must comply with the following:
[Added 5-24-2023 by L.L. No. 5-2023]
(1) 
Each microbrewery, microcidery, microwinery, or microdistillery shall manufacture and sell alcoholic beverages in accordance with the provisions of the New York State Liquor Authority and shall maintain current licenses as required by said agency.
(2) 
No outdoor storage shall be permitted.
(3) 
All malt, vinous or distilled liquor production shall be within completely enclosed structures.
(4) 
By-products or waste from the production of malt, vinous or distilled liquor shall be properly disposed of off the property or other acceptable method.
(5) 
The emission of odors or smells in such quantities as to produce a public nuisance or hazard is not permitted.
(6) 
Excessive noise in violation of Chapter 188 is prohibited and may result in revocation of the special use permit.
(7) 
No more than two food cart vendors are permitted on-site.
(8) 
Hours of operation shall be addressed during site plan review.
Accessory uses permitted in the A District shall be limited to the following:
A. 
Private garages with not more than three stalls for the parking or storage of private automobiles.
B. 
Roadside produce stands.
C. 
Buildings and structures for lawn care, property maintenance and permitted agriculture.
D. 
Private swimming pools, tennis courts and other private recreational facilities for use of residents and not run for gain.
E. 
Permitted home occupations.
F. 
Accessory kennels.
G. 
Accessory parking and loading.
H. 
Fallout shelters.
I. 
Dish antennas and accessory towers.
J. 
Small wind energy facilities and wind measurement towers subject to the requirements of the Town of Rotterdam Wind Energy Facility Law.[1]
[Added 10-8-2008 by L.L. No. 10-2008]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 269, Wind Energy Facilities.
K. 
Raising of chicken hens, provided that such accessory use is accessory to a single-family dwelling principal use and is in compliance with § 270-15.4.
[Added 11-9-2022 by L.L. No. 8-2022]
The maximum building height shall be three stories, not exceeding 40 feet, for every residential use.
[Amended 11-24-1999 by L.L. No. 17-1999]
A. 
Front yard depth shall be 25 feet.
B. 
Side yard width shall be 15 feet.
C. 
Rear yard depth shall be not less than 25 feet.
(1) 
For buildings exceeding three stories in height, 1/2 of the additional height shall be added to the minimum depth of 25 feet, except that a private garage may be built five feet from the rear and side property lines.
D. 
Front property line: a minimum of 150 feet.
The minimum lot area required for each principal use is one acre.
Lot coverage shall not exceed 30%.
[Amended 11-24-1999 by L.L. No. 17-1999]
Off-street parking requirements applicable in the A District are set forth in § 270-149 of this chapter.
For additional regulations relative to special uses, see Article XIX.