Applicant seeks two-family reclassification for Wheeler Avenue home; zoning board schedules Sept. 23 public hearing

The Village of Warwick Zoning Board of Appeals on July 22 set a public hearing for Sept. 23 on an application to reclassify a single-family home on Wheeler Avenue as a two-family dwelling, after the applicant described the existing layout and board members raised concerns about multiple zoning variances and parking.

The applicant, who identified himself as a lifelong Warwick resident, told the board he bought and renovated the property and that the house already contains a second kitchen. "It presents me the opportunity that I could rent it out and create revenue income for myself," the applicant said, describing possible uses including housing for family members and short-term rental income.

Board members said the application requires a substantial set of area variances. Staff listed the variances the conversion would need, including lot area, lot width, front-yard setback, side-yard setbacks (total), street frontage and minimum livable floor area for one unit. A board member noted the two-unit configuration described would likely trigger a parking calculation that rounds to four required spaces; the applicant said he proposes three off-street spaces plus a garage but acknowledged additional variances may be needed to change on-site parking configuration.

Several board members said they wanted to hear from neighbors before making a decision because of concerns about precedent and the character of the block. One member said, "I cannot speak for the balance of the board, but me personally feel that this is a diverse area ... I am not in favor of it," citing the potential for the conversion to change the block's dynamics and to affect nearby single-family properties. Other members said the block already contains multiple multi-family buildings and that the village has approved similar projects in the past, but several also emphasized the number and scale of variances required.

Staff advised that because the property is within 500 feet of a state road, the application must be referred to the county under general municipal law; the county has 30 days to comment. Staff also outlined notification procedures for the public hearing: mailings go to the address on the tax assessment roll, return receipts are required, and the board will receive the receipts at the next meeting.

Before scheduling the hearing, a board member moved to classify the application as a Type II action under the board's environmental review procedures, which ends the environmental review for this matter; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The board then voted to schedule the public hearing for Sept. 23, 2025, at 7 p.m. Staff said it will prepare and send the required notices and property-owner lists.

The board did not take a final vote on the variances at the July 22 meeting; members said they expect to hear neighbor testimony and confirm technical parking and deed-related options (for example, whether off-site parking can be recorded to run with the property) before making a decision. The meeting adjourned after scheduling the hearing.

Votes at a glance: The board approved a motion to classify the application as a Type II environmental action (voice vote; exact tally not recorded in the transcript) and approved scheduling a public hearing for Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. (voice vote; exact tally not recorded).