ZBA Approves Three Variances to Allow Four Townhouses at 1016 Madison Avenue

The Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 4 approved three variances to permit two duplex buildings (four townhouses) at 1016 Madison Avenue.

Daniel Hershberg, a civil engineer representing applicant Floyd Blake, said the proposal requires variances for minimum lot width (the code requires 50 feet; the applicant requests a 35-foot effective width, a 15-foot relief), side setback relief for common-wall setbacks, and a ground-floor area relief: the living area for each unit is 657 square feet where the minimum is 720 square feet, requiring approximately 63 square feet of relief per unit.

When board members asked whether the units would be rentals or for sale, Hershberg said the townhouses "are gonna be for sale" and described them as four separate single-family townhouse units with separate utilities and firewall separation between units. He noted that garages are present on the first floors but garages do not count toward the required living-area footprint.

Before moving to variances, a board member moved — and the board approved — a finding that the application is an unlisted SEQR action with sufficient information for a negative declaration (the motion referenced staff reports supporting that finding). The board then voted on three separate motions to approve the requested variances: (1) a lot-width variance (15-foot relief), (2) a 10-foot relief for side setbacks between units (interpreted in the record as a 10-foot relief applying to the relevant unit sides), and (3) a ground-floor area variance granting about 63 square feet of relief per townhouse. Each motion was moved, seconded and recorded as approved.

The applicant said the design is similar to nearby homes and will return to appropriate planning processes as required by local review.