Staff Notes et
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
March 21, 2017
Site Plan 19-2017 CAROL PERKINS d/b/a RAY'S SALVAGE
15 Pasco Ave. & 685 Sherman Ave. /MDR—Moderate Density Residential/Ward 4
SEQR Type Unlisted
Material Review: narrative, application,proposed site plan, use variance buildout
Parcel History: AV 5-1999, 1999 Comm. Bldg. 1,380 sf, UV 2-2017
Requested Action
Recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for relief for use of site as a salvage yard.
Resolutions
Planning Board recommendation
Prosect Description
Applicant proposes to place a 40 x 80 metal building for office and salvage building. The building office area
1,200 sq. ft., the remaining to be used for auto salvage. The previous 1,411 sq. ft. building burned in May 2016.
Pursuant to Chapter 179-13-010 of the Zoning Ordinance, expansion of a non-conforming structure shall be
subject to Planning Board review and approval.
Staff Comments
Location-Project occurs at 15 Pasco Avenue main entrance.
Arrangement- The applicant has indicated the previous building was destroyed by fire. The previous building
was primarily an office area. The new building will be located in a compliant location on the site.
Site Design- The project is an expansion of the salvage yard operation with a new 3,200 sq ft building. The
building will use 2000 sq ft for interior auto salvage and the remaining 1200 sq ft for office area. This is to
replace a 1411 sq ft building that was destroyed by fire. Some alteration to the entrance area for access to the
new building and salvage yard is shown on the plans. The entrance area will also contain parking along the
north and south property lines and additional landscaping. The applicant intends to remove 7 of the existing site
containers.
Building—The building is to be a metal building 16 ft at eaves with an overhead door at the rear near the
salvage yard. The front of the building will have employee entrance doors for access to the office area. The
building will have eave trenches to accommodate stormwater from the building. The existing building was 1411
sq ft and the new building to be 3,200 sq ft. The applicant intends to remove 2093 sq ft of storage buildings —
trailers/sheds. The existing site had 4942 sf storage sheds/trailers for a total site of 6353 sq ft inclusive of
building that was destroyed. The site will have 3,200 sq ft new building and 2849 sq ft of storage buildings for
a total of 6049 sq ft on the site.
Signage-no signage proposed at the time of application
Traffic- 17 parking spaces are provided and detailed on the site plan at the main entrance area on Pasco Avenue.
Site plan overall—The project is subject to site plan review for the location of the new building and is subject to
a use variance as salvage yards are not an allowed use in the MDR zone.
Site layout and utility plan, Grading and drainage plan, Sediment and erosion control, Landscape plan
—modifications to the main entrance area are proposed for the new parking, landscaping and new building.
Elevations —the building elevations are provided showing the location of the doors and windows
Floor plans- the applicant has indicated the front part of the building will be an office area and the rear part of
the building an interior salvage operation.
Pursuant to Section 179-9-050 the Planning Board may grant waivers on its own initiative or at the written
request of an applicant. The application form identified as "Requirements" outlines the items to appear on the
site plan or included as attachments. At the time of application the applicant has either requested waivers,
indicated the item not applicable or has not addressed the item/ left check box blank. This includes the follow
items listed under Requirements of the applicant's application: g. site lighting, h. signage, j. stormwater, k.
topography, 1. landscaping, n traffic, o. commercial alterations/ construction details, p floor plans, q. soil logs, r.
construction/demolition disposal s. snow removal.
Nature of Variance:
The applicant is requesting relief from the MDR zone to allow a salvage yard to remain. The applicant has
provided the information for a use variance; Whether the applicant cannot realize a reasonable return,provided
that return is substantial as demonstrated by competent financial evidence, Whether the alleged hardship
relating to the property in question is unique, and does not apply to a substantial portion of the district or
neighborhood, Whether the proposed variance will alter the essential character of the neighborhood, Whether
the alleged difficulty was self-created. The project triggers the use variance as the applicant's new building is
not in the same location or the same size as the building that was lost due to fire.
Summary
The Planning Board is to provide a recommendation to the ZBA in regards to the request for relief from allowed
uses in the MDR zone for a salvage yard to remain.
Meeting History First meeting