The City of Poughkeepsie Zoning Board of Appeals on June 10 approved an area variance for 191 Cottage Street that reduces required off-street parking from 17 spaces to 11 for a proposed mixed-use building.

The board approved a posted resolution that makes the variance specific to a mixed-use building with a craft‑beverage manufacturing facility on the first floor and eight dwelling units on the upper two stories. Judith Canals, the board’s deputy zoning administrator, read the resolution into the record and summarized the conditions, including that the craft‑beverage facility “will have only 1 employee, will not be open to the public for any reason, and will operate only during normal working hours.”

Why it matters: The variance directly affects how the building may be used over time and whether future tenants will trigger additional parking or use‑of‑space reviews. Several board members and the applicant debated how specific the condition should be to protect neighborhood parking supply if the use changes.

Board discussion and applicant position: The applicant (identified in public remarks as Mr. Sullivan) asked the board to allow a broader “manufacturing” designation rather than naming craft beverages specifically, citing concern about long‑term flexibility and the economics of building design. Board members said they were sympathetic to the applicant’s desire for flexibility but noted the board relied on the applicant’s projected staffing and operations in weighing the parking shortfall.

Several members pressed for clearer enforceable limits on employees and public access. One board member proposed limiting on‑site staff rather than the manufacturing subtype; others said craft‑beverage language tied the variance to the representation that the use would not generate retail or tasting‑room customers. The board ultimately retained the resolution wording tying the reduced parking to the craft‑beverage manufacturing use (as read by Judith Canals) and approved the resolution as posted.

Outcome and follow up: The board voted to approve the resolution as written. The variance was granted with the stated condition that it applies specifically to the proposed mixed‑use project and that the manufacturing use be limited to the employee and operational restrictions cited in the resolution. The board and staff noted that a change of use — for example, conversion to a tasting room, bar, or higher‑occupancy manufacturing use — would require a new application or interpretation and potential additional parking.