Earlier this month, the Common Council Legal Committee took up the issue of ADUs (accessory dwelling units) and began a discussion of what needed to be done to facilitate the construction of ADUs in Hudson. Among the zoning changes that will have to be made is increasing the permitted lot coverage. Lot coverage currently for one- and two-family dwellings in all residential districts except R1 is 35 percent.
At the Historic Preservation Commission meeting this past Friday, a project was presented that involves new construction behind 105 Union Street.
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| Photo: Zillow |
The project will need area variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals, and it was not clear if the HPC's decision or the ZBA's should go first. HPC member Miranda Barry said, "Usually we wait until after they get ZBA approval." Code enforcement officer Craig Haigh advised, "If HPC doesn't find it appropriate, there's no point in going to the ZBA."
HPC member John Schobel expressed the opinion that the size of what was being proposed was out of scale and the density inappropriate. Nevertheless, the HPC will hold a public hearing on the project, to take place on Friday, February 28, at 10:00 a.m.
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The house next door at 107 Union recently sold and has basically the same set up that 105 Union is proposing. I don't believe 107 Union has a courtyard at all?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.zillow.com/homedetails/107-Union-St-Hudson-NY-12534/29997365_zpid/
I wonder why it would be appropriate for 107 Union, but not 105 Union. Anyone have any insight?
Needing both ZBA and HPC approvals has always been a “chicken or the egg” dilemma. If you have to change your plans for one, then you might also have to change for the other. My unsolicited advice is to start both during the same month. HPC is usually “stingier,” but they meet twice a month. If you have to adapt changes after HPCs first go at it, you can then update your application with ZBA before the second month’s meeting, and thus pushing your public hearing and likely approval one additional month. Also there are several ways that one may update their design to please HPC that mostly involve facades and materials that won’t require changes to your actual dimensions, thus not altering your ZBA variances.
ReplyDeleteAs bureaucratic as this all sounds it is all much simpler than having to go before the Planning Board. In its current iteration you’ll probably want to give up after going near bankrupt once your application has been through several costly redesigns, a year+ delay, and their escrow extortion scheme. At that point you’ll end up selling and moving to a municipality that’s less hostile to property owners.
According to this render, 105 would extend another 30-40ft past the back of 107, and 105 would have a unit above the garage, essentially having a building occupying the entire lot from Union to Partition. 107 is the same length as 109 Union and the three identical units, 27, 29 1/2, and 31, except 107 has the yard decked and a garage on Partition but no building on top, like 111 Union has built.
ReplyDeleteThank you Spouty!
DeleteI agree with you Spouty. This proposal for 105 seems different from 107 because of the added height and depth to the building and therefore would appear to be out of proportion with the neighborhood.
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