Zoning board approves variances for renovation at 130 York Ave in Saratoga Springs

The Saratoga Springs Zoning Board of Appeals on March 9 unanimously approved four area variances to allow renovations and additions at 130 York Ave, granting the Bishops permission to rebuild the front porch, raise second‑floor knee walls to full height and add a small rear stoop roof.

The applicant’s representative, engineer Tonia Yasemchak of Y Engineering and Engineering America, told the board the Bishops bought the property in November and want to renovate a home that has not been updated in decades. "We are asking for four variances," Yasemchak said, explaining the house’s existing footprint and orientation make complying with current setback rules impractical.

Under the approved motion, the board allowed: a front porch setback of 6 feet where 10 feet is required (4 feet relief); a new porch side yard setback of 3 feet where 5 feet is required (2 feet relief); a second‑floor side yard setback of 1.5 feet where 5 feet is required (3.5 feet relief); and a rear stoop roof side yard setback of 3.8 feet where 5 feet is required (1.2 feet relief). The board specified measurements apply to the overhangs where relevant.

Board member Otis Maxwell, who moved approval, said he reviewed neighborhood comparables and found full‑width porches are a characteristic of the area, which supported the proposal. "I did look and confirm that there are a number of full‑width porches," Maxwell said. Maxwell also recommended listing specific variances rather than approving only the most extreme relief so the applicant could not build to a closer setback than intended.

Yasemchak described the porch change as an overall improvement: the existing porch is 8.2 feet deep and the rebuilt porch would be 7 feet deep (with roughly 6.5 feet of interior usable depth), and the design will better balance the house’s proportions after the second‑story work. She said the small rear stoop roof is intended only to protect a back door; the garage will be removed and parking will remain in the driveway.

The board found the variances substantial but mitigated by the lack of feasible alternatives, the proposed design’s consistency with neighborhood character, and no demonstrable adverse effects on neighboring properties. The motion passed on a roll call vote, 7‑0.

The ZBA’s written motion records the application as "In the matter of the appeal of Todd and Linda Bishop" (tax parcel number 166.46‑3‑6) and notes public notice was duly given. The board’s approval includes the dimensions as presented on the submitted plans or lesser dimensions.