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Developer asks LaGrange board for exception to two‑story rule at Route 55 site
Summary
An applicant for 1208–1214 Route 55 asked the LaGrange Zoning Board of Appeals for relief from the Town Center Business two‑story requirement, citing on‑site septic constraints and tenant preferences; the board said it cannot make a final ruling until the planning board application is filed.
Danielle Stark of La Bella Associates said the applicant, 55 M and T Land Development LLC, seeks relief from the Town Center Business requirement that buildings be two or three stories to allow two one‑story commercial buildings at 1208–1214 Route 55. "We wanted to essentially get a temperature as to whether or not this would be acceptable before we even brought it to the planning board," Stark told the board.
Christopher Lapine of Lavela Associates told the board the site's soils are not receptive to the wastewater generation associated with occupied second floors and that municipal sewer along the corridor is not currently available, citing percolation tests and test pits conducted on the property. He said some potential national tenants have expressed a preference not to have occupied space above their storefronts, which would also reduce wastewater demand.
Board members and staff cautioned that because the applicant has not yet submitted a formal planning‑board application, the zoning board does not have jurisdiction to issue a final variance ruling. The chair asked planning staff to review whether the matter would be an area variance or would require analysis under a different standard; staff said the team should file with the planning board first and that the zoning board could then reopen a date‑certain hearing rather than re‑advertise.
