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Homeowner seeks ZBA guidance on adding a third garage bay
Summary
Trevor Knight, a Cold Spring homeowner on Marion Avenue, met informally with the Zoning Board of Appeals to discuss plans for a small addition to create a third garage bay. Board members said neighborhood character and numerical code measurements will guide any future variance request.
Trevor Knight, who identified himself as the homeowner of 17 Marion Avenue, met with the Cold Spring Zoning Board of Appeals in an information session to discuss a proposed addition that would add a third garage bay and potentially extend into the side-yard setback.
Knight said he previously built a garage and had earlier navigated a variance request that provoked a five‑page neighbor letter and opposition; he asked the board how it weighs the statutory factors that balance applicant benefit against community detriment. "I built a garage, and initially the initial plan for it asked for a variance," Knight said. He added he wanted to improve straight‑in access so he could use the garage for parking and woodworking.
Chair Eric Worth and other board members told Knight that neighbor opposition alone is not dispositive and that the board applies five criteria drawn from case law and the local code. A member noted that the board can only quantify aspects tied to measurements in the code: "The only things that really can be quantified are measurements, numerical measurements," the chair said, citing setbacks and percentage comparisons to the code.
Board members recommended that Knight provide supporting materials — photographs, satellite imagery and scaled plans — and review the updated accessory‑building section of the zoning code before filing a formal application. The board repeatedly advised designing the addition to be the minimal size necessary to meet his aims to increase the chance of approval.
Knight thanked the board for the guidance and said he would continue working with his designer prior to a formal submission.
