328
.j
, ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
~CEIVED TOWN OF WAPPINGER
~.vl JUL 281976 ACTION ON APPEAL
Appeal No. ...........3.l~...............
Dated ..xu~...28~....~9.76
"
ELAINE H. SNOWDEN Volino .Driv.
Appellant -......,J..llk...Dauu...l!.D4................_.................................-......... Address..,..........~.c.l.ft.ap:&..ll:t.. 9
....................................Chmg...J,....J.M~....b~.f.~....y.~~.J:!YI.....!'-.~.~.!................................~!RIL...g!!.!....r!.~.!!.!.....~
At a meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals on .................................JlllJ,'....2.Qth.........................................., 19...1.1..)
Appeal No..........328........ was considered and the following action on the request for: ~ A VARIANCE,
o A!~~~~(]J AN INTERPRETATION OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE,
o 1!N-~ Alf X'GeInFtJ~~!~, was taken:
I. VARIANCE: By resolution of the Board, it was determined that strict application of the Ordin- nce
o would 0 would not produce undue hardship for these reasons:
a. The property in question 0 would 0 would not yield a reasonable return if limited to the
use permitted under the Ordinance, because: ..................................................................................................................
.u..............................................................................................................................................................................................................._................
b. The hardship created 0 is 0 is not unique and 0 would,D would not be shared by all
properties alike in the vicini.ty of the property and in the same use district, because: .............._..
.....~.. .................................................................. ....................... ...-.............................................................................................................................
. .
-..................................................................................................-..................................-...........................-...........--.-...........--............................
. .-- "..j"
c. The variance 0 would 0 would not change the character of the district, because: .....................
.....--......................................................................................... .....................................................................................-.--....................--.-,,--
.."""""""......."....."...."".......,,.....,,.................,,_..................u....._........ .................................................................u..".........................................................
Therefore, it was further determined that the requested variance ~~IlCl.(~be denied and
that the previous decision of the Enforcement Officer [}be confirmed B~.~'MF.-
* PLEASE SD Aft'ACBBn SBEB'f
Speci mit 0 be granted 0 be denied, pursuant to article ................... Ion or subsection
....................., paragraph .................... ......... of the Zoning Ordinanc ere fore, the decision of the En-
:Eorcement Officer 0 be reversed 0 be c
....................................................................................................................................................................-....-...-.....-.......-...........---.-.-....
3. INTERPRETATION: The Board adopted the following resolution which stated its interpretation
of the Zoning Ordinance as requested in your appeal: ............................................................................................................
PLEAD SD AftACllBD SBEB'I
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................--
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................
4. ap.~~(S).,:Y.=~I,.ti:~.~f.th....~.th~~...:
~~=~.............................................................:.... ---
=~~..m...==-==~::.~
......~~;;,~fi!tl~~fApp~;i~m....._..
,-
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
TO\VN OF V/APPINGER
NOTICE OF APPEAL
Appeal No. .....p...~....rt.....-
Date ......5"/..12/2..6....
I. PROVISION(S) OF THE ZO;\ING ORDINANCE APPEALED ......................................,..........................
Art. IV s.423 Paragraph Dist. l-B (indicate
._..un............ ...................... ................ ."___0'''0 '0"" _. ......._ u.' 0" 0....... 0... ..........._ _._ ............... ._. ........... ...... ..u..u........ ....... ....... ......... .... .......... ........ 0.. .............. ...... ,.,. ........
article, section or subsection and paragraph)
2. TYPE OF APPEAL (Complete relevant section).*
a. A VARIANCE IS REQUESTED for the following reasons;
I) Strict application of the Zoning Ordinance would produce undue hardship because:
SEE RIDER
2) The hardship created is unique and is not shared by all properties alike in the immediate
vicinity of this property and in this district because;
SEE RIDER
3) The variance would observe the spirit of the Ordinance and would not change the character of
the district because:
SEE RIDER
b. A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS REQUESTED pursuant to article ..................) section or subscc,
tion ..............................., paragraph ....................... of the Zoning Ordinance to permit the following use
on the abo"te premises:
c. INTERPRETATION of the Zoning Ordinance is requested because:
SEE RIDER
d. AGGRIEVED PERSON(S) an appeal is requested because:
3. OTHER REMARKS: .......,......................................................
......................................................................................
. .
........-............................................................................................
(Use extra sheets if necessary) Sigruture.R............1... ....R...L......... ..(?..f .
. ona .. ev ne, ~..........
* Tk reqUIred plan must accompany the l\otice of AppeaL for Appellants, Jack Davis and
Chemical Bank Hudson Valley, N.A.
..:
\
APPEAL # 328
-2-
July 28th, 1976
The request for variance is denied on the basis of the
following:
1. The site plan approval granted to Mr. Jack Davis, dated
August 22nd, 1974 specifically stated "6. Size and location of
all signs must be approved by the Zoning Administrator. II Approval
for the sign was not granted by the Zoning Administrator.
2. The building permit issued on September 16th, 1975 made
no mention of a sign stanchion foundation being approved nor was
said sign stanchion foundation shown on the building plans. The
building permit was issued solely for the construction of the
bank building.
with regard to the request for interpretation, the Zoning
Board of Appeals considers the site plan approval to be an
extension of the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance and that
the Appellants were bound by this requirement.
./
RIDER
(1) Strict application of the Zoning Ordinance would
produce undue hardship and practical difficulties because:
(a) The foundation of the sign has already been
constructed pursuant to an approved building permit and would
subject applicant to additional unreasonable cost if removed.
(b) The sign was purchased and maufactured pursuant
to the .1>proved building permit and in reliance upon the silence
of the Zoning Law as it pertained to an HB2 Zone and \fOuld
present an unreasonable cost if approved.
(c) The property line on tbe site bears no relation-
ship to the actual distance from the intersection of Middlebush
Road and Route 9 due to the unusual amount of land appropriated
by the State of New York for its right of way.
(d) Virtually the entire site has been utilized
by applicant for compliance with the traffic pattern and
parking requirements of the Zoning Ordinance and Planning Board.
No other area of unused land on-site is appropriate for a sign.
Undue hardshi~ would be created by the forced location of the sign
over 100 feet" from the road. .
<e) The spirit of the law is not violated because
of the actual distance of the sign from Route 9 and Middlebush
Road.
(f) There is no violation of the side line restriction
in the Ordinance since the baae of the sign is over 10 feet
from the Route 9 boundary line.
(g) Were it not for an unusual jog in the boundary
line caused by the State appropriation for right of way
purposes the sign would be 75 feet from the front line of the
property and would not violate set-back requirements.
(h) Location at the southeast corner of the property
is essential for identification from all four directions.
(2) The hardship created is unique and is not shared by
all parties alike in the immediate vicinity of this property
and in this district because:
(a) Tlle hardship is not self-induced since the
Building Inspector has already issued a building permit which
included the location of the sign.
(b) The strict requirements of this district are inappro-
priate considering the actual location of the property.
(c) There is no prohibition against a four (4) faced
sign in any part of the Zoning Ordinance.
(d) There 18 no limitation on the number of signs per
project in the Ordinance.
(e) nle property is substandard because of its narrow
width.
(f) The purpose of the Zoning Ordinance has been
achieved (See Matter of Suffolk, 48 Misc 2d 39, 42, 43 (1965) which
provides as follows:
The most obvious and least costly medium
would be an application for an area
variance. Under the special circumstances
of the instant case it is rather unlikely
that the village would deny such an
application. The acquisition by the county
having been for the installation of under-
ground drainage facilities it would appear
that the purpose of the setback restriction
of prohibiting overground building on the
land which was taken has been achieved.
(3) The variance would obaerve the spirit of the Ordinance
and would not change the character of the district because:
(a) The area of the sign visible by one person at any
one time is only 1/4 of the total area. It is relatively low
in height (9 ft.) and i8 simple, dignified, and not garnish or
obstrusive. It is internally illuminated making no glare or
intense light.
(b) The location of the 8ign is actually further away
from Route 9 than the boundary line due to the State right of way.
(c) The district in question is adjacent to the largest
and most heavily traveled highway in the Town at one of the most
heavily traveled intersections.
..
(c)
TlmRE IS NO PROHIBITION AGAINST
SIGNS IN AN HB2 ZONE PROVIDED
FOR IN THE WAPPINGER ZONING
ORDINA!fCE AND THIS BOARD HAS NO
JURISDICTION OVER Tlffi APPLICANT
The Zoning Ordinance ~rovidBs the schedule of business
and industry District uses in 8.423. The first district dealt
with is LB (local business). tInder permitted accessory uses
signs are provided for in subparagraph (b):
Signs pertaining to a permitted use conducted
on the lot where such signs are displayed,
provided such signs do not face any lot line
of any adjoining lot in a residence zone if
within 50 feet of said lot. Signs shall not
exceed 2 square feet, for each linear foot of
building frontage, or a maximum total area of
100 square feet, and shall not project into any
street. Free standing or temporary signs shall
not exceed 25 square feet in area and shall be
located at yard setback lines.
A review of s.423 indicates that the sign requirements
of LB districts are picked u~ in District GB (general business)
and District AI (airport industry). A reading of the provisions
of the HB2 district reveals no similar language. In fact the
language pertaining to RB2 provides the following PERMITTED
ACCESSORY USE:
Accessory uses that are customarily incidental
and subordinate to a permitted principal use.
It is 'mIl settled that a sign is a use customary
incidental and subordinate to any of the permitted principal
uses provided for in both ItB districts. As the decision of
the Court of Appeals in Matter of Cromwell v. Ferrier 19 N.Y.
2d362,270(1967) stated:
II'
"The business sign is in actuality a part
of the business itself, just as the structure
housing the business is a part of it, and the
authority to conduct tho husiness in a district
carries with it the right to maintain a business
si~n on the premises subject to reasonable
regulations in that regard as in the case of this
ordinance. II
I suhmit that no possible reasonable interpretation can
be had to include the l.ocal 'Business siJl:11 requirement as
part of an 11'82 zone. The zoninR ordinance, when silent, is
construed strictly agAinst the municipality. In this case
the sign requested, being a lir.itamate customary incidental
and subordinate accessory use is clearly allowed 8S a permitted
accessory use and may not be prescribed under the LB language
of the ordinance.