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Property owner seeks multiple variances to rebuild porches, add second-floor at 14 Ritchie Place; ZBA leaves public hearing open
Summary
Owner Mary Dooley requested variances to renovate a deteriorating front porch and add space at 14 Ritchie Place. The board asked for neighborhood comparables and letters; the public hearing remains open and the applicant was asked to submit photos and neighbor signatures.
Mary Dooley appeared before the Saratoga Springs Zoning Board of Appeals Sept. 15 seeking multiple area variances at 14 Ritchie Place in the UR‑1 district to permit work on a front porch, a new covered patio, and a second‑story addition above an 18-by-18 rear footprint.
Dooley told the board the existing front porch is “deteriorating” and currently sits at about 13.8 feet from the front property line in a zone with a 30‑foot front setback. She said the rear kitchen/porch area is an 18-by-18 box with an out‑of‑level floor; an architect advised replacement would likely require a new foundation and could trigger the need for variances even if the first floor were retained. Dooley said the existing house is roughly 1,160 square feet and the project would bring the property to about 1,485 square feet if the second floor is added.
The application seeks relief on multiple dimensional standards, including maximum combined lot coverage (required 28%, proposed 31%), side setbacks (required 12 feet, proposed 10 feet on one side and combined side total proposed 25.5 feet), and a front setback (required 30 feet, proposed 14 feet). Board members asked for documentation demonstrating that the proposed increased mass/scale would be compatible with nearby homes and requested comparable photos and parcel details.
Board members advised Dooley to submit digital screenshots from the Saratoga County property assessment site or other parcel maps and photos of neighboring houses to show massing and setback context. Dooley said she had obtained signed neighbor letters and would email photos and the letters to planning staff. The board left the public hearing open and scheduled follow-up for the Sept. 29 meeting; staff said a resolution may be available once comparables are received.
The ZBA did not vote on the application at the Sept. 15 hearing.
