Plattsburgh Zoning Board approves porch setback and coverage variances at 17 Morrison Avenue

The Zoning Board of Appeals for the City of Plattsburgh on Jan. 21 approved three variances for 17 Morrison Avenue that will permit an expanded porch and a partially enclosed screen/glass porch area, the board said.

The decision grants variances for combined side-yard setback, front-yard setback and building coverage with the condition that the enclosed portion of the porch conform to the board-approved plan and not extend beyond the house’s street-facing elevation. The board recorded a final favorable vote after an earlier motion failed.

Board members and the property owners discussed two alternative designs submitted by the homeowners: a preferred plan that extends the side porch forward to meet the front-porch extension and a secondary plan that locates the enclosed portion further back. The homeowners said the primary design would create a three-season space for their family of five and provide a continuous pathway from the front to the back of the house. The applicant characterized the proposal as an aesthetic and livability improvement and said immediate neighbors had been consulted and provided letters of support.

The board raised several recurring concerns during deliberations: whether enclosing the porch would obstruct neighbors’ views of the street, how an enclosed porch would be enforced over time, and whether materials (for example, a floor-to-ceiling glass treatment) should be required as a condition. A board member explicitly said any approval of an enclosed portion should be contingent on it remaining primarily glass without opaque panels or heavy tinting; enforcement would fall to the city building permit process if subsequent physical changes were proposed.

The board first considered a motion that did not carry (the transcript records an earlier vote of one yes and three no). After further discussion and the introduction of a letter of support from nearby residents into the record, a motion to approve three variances for appeal 2390 for the property at 17 Morrison Avenue passed. The approved motion specified building coverage, combined side-yard setback and front-yard setback variances, and included the provision that the enclosed portion be limited to the area described in the alternate/approved plan and not extend beyond the street elevation of the house.

The property owners provided renderings and an alternate plan at the meeting to help the board visualize the design. The homeowners said they prefer sliding full glass panels for the enclosed portion and that they do not plan to fully insulate the space as a winterized living room; rather, they described it as a three-season screened/glazed porch. The owners told the board the design had received communication support from immediate neighbors and a signed letter of support was added to the record.

Next steps identified in the meeting: the approved variance will be recorded as part of the appeal file, and the homeowners must apply for building permits for any permitted work. Board members noted that the building permit process is the city’s mechanism to review details and to detect any later changes that would require additional permitting.

The meeting record shows the final motion passed with four affirmative votes; the board did not specify individual vote names in the final tally recorded in the transcript excerpt provided here.

A formal building permit and plan review will follow the variance approval before construction may begin.