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Architect seeks variance for garage that would put historic Rhinebeck property over accessory‑structure limit
Summary
An architect representing owners of a historic Rhinebeck property asked for relief from the town’s 1,500‑square‑foot accessory‑structure limit to build a detached two‑car garage; the public hearing closed and the board scheduled a site visit and resolution timeline.
The Zoning Board opened and closed a public hearing on March 19 for an accessory‑structure variance requested for a historic Rhinebeck property, and the board agreed to perform a site visit before drafting a resolution.
Warren Smith, an architect representing the property owners, summarized the request for relief from the town’s 1,500‑square‑foot aggregate accessory‑structure cap. Smith said the proposed freestanding two‑car garage has a footprint of about 708 square feet and that, when combined with existing accessory elements counted on the property (including an attached carriage‑house garage, equipment enclosure and a trellis), the total accessory area would exceed the 1,500‑square‑foot limit by several hundred square feet. Smith described locating the new garage at the end of the driveway and choosing materials and color to minimize visual impacts, saying the structure will be a dark gray intended to recede visually from the historic house.
No members of the public spoke in opposition, and no substantive objections were raised during the hearing. After taking public comment, the board closed the hearing and confirmed the next steps: a site visit to inspect the location and the property’s relationship to the historic main house, and preparation of a resolution. Board members noted the board has 62 days to issue a decision after the public hearing record closes; staff said the board typically finalizes a resolution at its next meeting.
Why it matters: the request affects the adaptive reuse and historic integrity of a property in town. The board emphasized it will review the proposal in context of the historic structures and the surrounding site prior to issuing any variance.
