Staff Notes 3/16/2021
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
March 16, 2021
Site Plan 13-2021 ROBERT MCCORMICK
18 Dark Bay Lane / WR – Waterfront Residential / Ward 1
SEQR Type II
Material Review: application, site plans, architectural drawings, stormwater
Parcel History:SP 59-88, SP 15-91, 2000-485 Res.Alt., AV 14-2021
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Requested Action
Recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a 110 sq. ft. porch addition and a 116 sq. ft. porch
addition to the main home. In addition a 500 sq. ft. carport addition to the existing 524 sq. ft. garage and
construction of a 3,113 sq. ft. 8-car garage. Relief is sought for garage size, second garage and number of bays
Resolutions
1. Recommendation
Project Description
Applicant proposes a 110 sq. ft. porch addition and a 116 sq. ft. porch addition to the main home. The main
home is 3,287 sq. ft. with 535 sq. ft. deck-porch area. Existing floor area is 4,446 sq. ft. with new floor area
8,285 sq. ft. The project includes a 500 sq. ft. carport addition to the existing 524 sq. ft. garage and construction
of a 3,113 sq. ft. 8-car garage. Site work includes a new well. Pursuant to Chapter 179-3-040, 179-6-065, 179-
5-020 & 179-13-010 of the Zoning Ordinance, new floor area in a CEA, expansion of a non-conforming
structure and project work within 50 ft. of 15% slopes shall be subject to Planning Board review and approval.
Variance:
Relief is sought for garage size, second garage and number of bays. Planning Board shall provide a
recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Staff Comments
Location-The project is located at 18 Dark Bay Lane on a 4.69 ac parcel.
Arrangement- The site has 2 story residence, and a detached garage. The parcel is located on Lake George
and there is an existing dock. The site is mostly wooded
Site Design- The site changes including clearing the area for the new garage and well area. The existing
septic field will remain.
Building – The project includes two porch additions to the existing home. The porch additions are on the
south side of 110 sq ft and the west side 116 sq ft. The carport of 500 sq ft is to be added to the existing 524
sq ft. The car port is to be constructed to match the existing garage with a height of 13 ft 8 inches. The
proposed garage is to be 3,113 sq ft and to be 16 ft in height. The garage is to have 8 bays for vehicle
storage – antique vehicles, boats, classic cars
Site conditions-A majority of the site is wooded.
Grading and drainage plan, Sediment and erosion control-
Landscape plan-The plans indicate three black spruce and two white pines to be planted near the new
garage. There are no additional shoreline plantings all to remain undisturbed.Below are the guidelines from
the shoreline buffer code section
Shoreline Buffer - Section 179-8-040
o
-Minimum width 35 ft (Lake George)
-For every 700 sqft of shoreline buffer area –one large tree minimum 3 inches in diameter
-For every 350 sq ft of ground cover -7 – 24 in native shrubs; 14 herbaceous plants
Project site
-220 ft of shoreline per survey
-Shoreline buffer 220 ft X 35 ft width is 7,700 sq ft
-Shoreline buffer area -7,700 /700 = 11 round up to 11 –elevenlarge trees at 3 inch diameter
-Ground cover -3,600/350 = 22 round up to 22 (X7) =154 native shrubs and 22 (X14) herbaceous
plants=308
Shoreline Cutting restrictions- Section 179-6-050
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Shoreline lots are allowed water access and beaches where 30% of the shoreline or maximum of 75
ft whichever is less
220 ft Shoreline X 30%= 66 feet of the shoreline buffer cut to allow a view, access and to reduce
runoff (such as angled across the lot).
Cross reference 179-8-040 ground cover of shrubs and herbaceous plantings are still applicable
within the 30%/75 ft cut area.
Utility details-The plans show an existing leach field to remain on the site. There is an existing forced main
from the main house to the leach field. The new garage is to have a bathroom where the sewer line will be
connected to the force main to the leach field.
Elevations-The plans show the elevations of the two porch additions to the existing home, the carport and
the proposed garage.
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Floor plans- There are floor plans for the proposed garage area,
Waivers-Planning staff has reviewed the applicants request for waivers that include items g. site lighting, h.
signage, n traffic, o. commercial alterations/ construction details, , q. soil logs, r. construction/demolition
disposal.
The waivers requested–Staff finds it reasonable to request a waiver as these items are typically
associated with commercial projects. The applicant has provided information on these items -j.
stormwater, k. topography, l. landscaping p floor plans s. snow removal
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 Board is to review the waivers and to determine if they are to be
granted.
Nature of Variance
The applicant proposes a second garage that is to be 1,300 sq ft and is to have 8 bays. The relief requested for a
second garage, size of the garage where 1,100 sq ft maximum size allowed for lots less than 5 ac, and 8 bays
where the maximum allowed is 3 bays.
Summary
The Planning Board is to provide a recommendation to the ZBA in regards to the relief requested number of
garages, size of garage, and number of bays for the garage.
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Meeting History: 1 Meeting
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