Chapter 55

 

 

ZONING

 

§ 55-1.       Definitions.

§ 55-2.       Districts established.

§ 55-3.       Residence Districts.

§ 55-4.       Business districts

§ 55-5.       Utility districts.

§ 55-6.       Permitted uses in Residence Districts.

§ 55-7.      Permitted uses in Business Districts.

§ 55-8.       Permitted uses in Utility Districts.

§ 55-9.       Building plots for residential dwellings.

§ 55-10.     Setbacks for residential dwellings and business buildings.

§ 55-11.     Maximum plot occupancy.

§ 55-12.     Minimum floor area for residential dwellings.

§ 55-13.     Maximum height of residential dwellings and business structures.

§ 55-14.     Temporary habitation.

§ 55-15.     Zoning Board of Appeals.

§ 55-16.     Nonconforming uses.

§ 55-17.     Nonconforming building plots.

§ 55-18.     Signs.

§ 55-19.     Fences.

§ 55-20.     Private docks.

§ 55-21.     Construction and interpretation.

§ 55-22.     Swimming pools.

§ 55-23.     Powers of Board.

 

 

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Saltaire 5-21-1923; revised in its entirety 8-28-1954. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]

 

 

 

GENERAL REFERENCES

 

General provisions -- See Ch. 1.

Building construction administration -- See Ch. 18.

Flood damage protection -- See Ch. 28.

Planning Commission -- See Ch. 42.

 

 

 

 

§ 55-1.    Definitions.

 

  The following words and phrases when used herein shall have the following meanings, unless otherwise required by the context:

 

                        BAYFRONT AREA -- The lots numbered and shown on Saltaire Map No. 114 and Supplemental Map of Saltaire No. 484, which are bounded on the north by the southerly line of Bay Promenade as laid down on said maps as the same may be extended hereafter, and as the same may from time to time be revised to reflect changes in physical increases and decreases in land areas. [Amended 9-22-1973]

 

                        INTERIOR LOTTED AREA -- All the lots numbered and shown on Saltaire Map No. 114 and Supplemental Map of Saltaire No. 484, other than the lots lying in the bayfront area and in the oceanfront area.

 

                        OCEANFRONT AREA -- Those lots numbered and shown on Saltaire Map No. 114, which are bounded on the south by the existing dune crest line at the time an application for a building permit is filed. [Amended 9-22-1973]

 

                        PARTITION MAP OF 1878 -- The map of the partition of Great South Beach in the Towns of Brookhaven and Islip, made by Jonathan Sammis, Surveyor, and filed in the office of the Clerk of Suffolk County on July 16, 1878, under File No. 310.

 

                        SALTAIRE MAP NO. 114 -- The map of property of Fire Island Beach Development Company, known as Saltaire, surveyed by Eugene R. Smith, Engineer and Surveyor of Islip, New York, and filed in the office of the Clerk of Suffolk County on March 29, 1911, as Map No. 114.

 

                        SUPPLEMENTAL MAP OF SALTAIRE NO. 484 -- The supplemental map of Saltaire, property of Fire Island Beach Development Company, made by L. A. Beach, Civil Engineer of Bay Shore, New York, and filed in the office of the Clerk of Suffolk County on January 20, 1913, as Map No. 484.

 

                        SWIMMING POOL -- Any body of water in an artificial or semi-artificial receptacle or other container having a depth of more than eighteen (18) inches and an area of more than fifty (50) square feet, whether located indoors or outdoors, used or designed, arranged or intended to be used for bathing, swimming or diving, including all structures, equipment, appliances and other facilities appurtenant thereto and intended for its operation and maintenance. A "swimming pool" shall be deemed to include a hot tub and similar facilities. If roofed by a permanent structure, the total area occupied by a pool shall be deemed an accessorial structure subject to the maximum plot occupancy provisions of § 55-12 of the Village Code. If not roofed by a permanent structure, the total area occupied by a pool, any appurtenant decking and the required fencing shall be deemed a deck for purposes of § 55-12 of the Village Code. [Added 8-23-1986 by L.L. No. 4, 1986]

 

                        SWIMMING POOL, ABOVEGROUND -- Any swimming pool located upon the ground which at no point is more than eighteen (18) inches below grade. [Added 8-23-1986 by L.L. No. 4, 1986]

 

                        SWIMMING POOL, IN-GROUND -- Any swimming pool located in or upon the ground, any part of which extends more than eighteen (18) inches below grade. [Added 8-23-1986 by L.L. No. 4, 1986]

 

                        SWIMMING POOL, PRIVATE -- Any swimming pool constructed, installed or maintained as an accessorial structure on the same building plot with a residence, installed solely for the private use of any occupant of such residence and such occupant's family and guests. [Added 8-23-1986 by L.L. No. 4,1986]

 

                        UNLOTTED ACREAGE AREA -- All those sections or parts of Lot No. 5 shown on the Partition Map of 1878 and now within the corporate boundaries of the Village which were not subdivided into lots numbered and shown on Saltaire Map No. 114 and Supplemental Map of Saltaire No. 484; and the easterly quarter of the easterly half of Lot No. 4 shown on the Partition Map of 1878.

 

 

§ 55-2.    Districts established.

 

  For the purpose of regulating the use of land and the use and location of buildings and other structures thereon, all land within the corporate boundaries of the Village is hereby divided into three (3) districts to be known as "Residence Districts," "Business Districts" and "Utility Districts," respectively.

 

 

§ 55-3.    Residence Districts.

 

  Residence Districts shall comprise and include all land within the corporate boundaries of the Village not specifically designated hereafter as lying in Business and Utility Districts.

 

 

§ 55-4.       Business Districts. [Amended 10-8-94 by L.L. No. 3, 1994; 11-13-1999 by L.L. No. 11, 1999]

 

Business districts shall comprise and include the land numbered as Lot Nos. 41 to 44, both inclusive, and Lot Nos. 518 to 542, both inclusive in Block No. 35 and Lot Nos. 45 to 52, both inclusive, and Lot Nos. 588 to 603, bot inclusive, in Block No. 36 as shown on Saltaire Map No. 114; except said business districts shall include part of Lot Nos. 41 and 42, and all of Lot Nos. 43 and 44 and part of Lot No. 518, all in Block 35 as shown on Saltaire Map No. 114, which lots and parts of lots are particularly described as follows: Beginning at the corner formed by the intersection of the southerly side of Bay Promenade and the westerly side of Broadway; running thence southerly along the westerly side of Broadway, a distance of 105.33 feet; running thence westerly at right angles to the westerly side of Broadway, a distance of 85 feet; running thence northerly along the division line between Lot Nos. 40 and 41, a distance of 80.67 feet to the southerly side of Bay Promenade; and running thence easterly along the southerly side of Bay Promenade, a distance of 88.52 feet, to the corner at the point or place of Beginning.

 

 

§ 55-5.    Utility Districts.

 

  Utility Districts shall comprise and include all lots of land numbered and shown as lying in Block Nos. 60 and 61 on Saltaire Map No. 114.

 

 

§ 55-6.     Permitted uses in Residence Districts. [Amended 9-22-1973; 9-6-1976 by L.L. No. 1, 1976; 9-29-1979 by L.L. No. 3, 1979; 11-13-1999 by L.L. No. 8, 1999, Amended 8-15-2005 by L.L. No. 3, 2005]

 

A.                 In Residence Districts no land shall hereafter be used and no buildings or structures shall hereafter be erected, altered, used or maintained for any purpose other than the following:

 

(1)               Single one-family private residential dwellings and accessorial structures designed and maintained for one (1) family unit and having not more than one (1) kitchen equipped with a range and sink and not more than three (3) bathrooms. As used herein and elsewhere in this chapter, the term "one (1) family" shall be defined as one (1) or more persons and their servants, if any, living, cooking and otherwise acting together as a single, nonprofit housekeeping unit in a household which is the functional and factual equivalent of a traditional family, whether or not such persons are related by blood, adoption, marriage or otherwise. The term "accessorial structure" as used herein means a structure ancillary and appurtenant to a residential dwelling and located on the same building plot, provided that no cooking or toilet facilities are installed or utilized therein, and further provided that, only on building plots of ten (10) contiguous lots or more in the lotted areas and of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet of area or more in the unlotted areas, a private, aboveground swimming pool with a capacity in excess of five hundred (500) gallons, conforming to the construction, operational and maintenance provisions of Chapter 55, § 55-22, may be approved by the Board of Trustees and a permit issued for its installation by the Building Inspector. [Amended 11-2-1985 by L.L. No. 4, 1985; 7-19-1986 by L.L. No. 2, 1986; 8-23-1986 by L.L. No. 4, 1986; 9-13-1986 by L.L. No. 5, 1986]

 

(2)               Structures for religious worship.

 

(3)               Structures for libraries and educational institutions.

 

(4)               Structures, facilities and uses for any municipal or governmental purposes or for use by private clubs or organizations, membership in which is open to all village residents on an equal basis; such uses include playgrounds, parks, athletic fields and tennis courts, together with the structures and facilities customarily used in connection therewith.

 

(5)               A single one-family private residential dwelling and permanent accessorial structures on the property may be used for a home occupation as defined in this paragraph and subject to the conditions in this paragraph.  For purposes of this paragraph, “home occupation” shall be defined as any business, professional, artistic or educational activity conducted within a dwelling by any of the residents thereof, and “dwelling” shall be defined as a single one-family private residential dwelling and any permanent accessorial structure on the property where the residential dwelling is located.  Any home occupation shall meet the following conditions, in addition to complying with other applicable requirements of the Village Code:

 

(a)                The space used for the home occupation shall occupy in the aggregate no more than 160 square feet in the dwelling.

 

(b)               The residential character of the dwelling shall not be altered

 

(c)                There shall be not more than one (1) sign on the property identifying the home occupation.  The sign shall be located or posted only on the dwelling, and be placed behind the setback lines of the property.  The sign shall be in color and style consistent with the color and style of the dwelling.  The sign shall not exceed four (4) square feet in size, subject to rules as to size of signs as may be adopted by the Board of Trustees as it deems necessary.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sign size requirement, a sign posted prior to April 1, 2005 (a “Pre-existing Sign”) exceeding four (4) square feet may continue to be used until September 30, 2005, after which all locations with Pre Existing Signs must conform completely with the requirements of this section.

 

(d)               The home occupation, including any assemblage, shall not be conducted out-of-doors on the property.

 

(e)                There shall be no outdoor storage or display of goods or supplies visible from the public walks or from any property adjoining the property on which the dwelling is located.

 

 

 

(f)                 There shall be no sales on the property other than occasional sales.

 

(g)                Delivery or pickup of freight or parcels shall not be more frequent than would normally be expected for a residence without such home occupation.

 

(h)                The home occupation shall not add to the quantity of waste material that would normally be expected for a dwelling without such home occupation.

 

(i)                  The home occupation shall not create environmental impacts (for example but not limited to noise, dust, odor or fire hazard) or any other hazard or nuisance to any greater or more frequent extent than would normally be expected for a dwelling without such home occupation.

 

 

B.                 All uses other than those specified above are prohibited, including but not limited to the construction of in-ground swimming and diving pools and tennis courts. No private, aboveground swimming pool shall be constructed in the Saltaire Dune District. [Amended 5-13-1980 by L.L. No. 6, 1980; 8-23-1986 by L.L. No. 4, 1986]

 

C.                 Enforcement of permitted uses for residential dwellings.

The owners of a residential dwelling within the village shall not lease or otherwise permit such property to be used for any purpose other than those set forth in § 55-6A(1) of this chapter and shall cause to be included in any written or oral agreement pertaining to the leasing of any dwelling the following provisions:

 

            "Both parties to this agreement understand and agree that, in accordance with § 55-6A(l) of the Code of the Village of Saltaire, occupancy of the demised premises shall be limited to one (1) or more persons and their servants, if any, living, cooking and otherwise acting together as a single, nonprofit housekeeping unit in a household which is the functional and factual equivalent of a traditional family, whether or not such persons are related by blood, adoption, marriage or otherwise; and that if, in addition to regular day-to-day occupancy, said premises are from time to time occupied or utilized by friends, guests or any other visitors, neither party will receive, directly or indirectly, any compensation from such friends, guests or visitors. [Added 9-29-1976 by L.L. No. 3, 1979; amended 7-19-1986 by L.L. No. 3, 1986; renumbered as §55-6 C. 11-13-99 by L.L. No. 8, 1999]

 

 

 

§ 55-7.     Permitted uses in Business Districts. [Amended 9-29-1979 by L.L. No. 3, 1979]

 

  In Business Districts no land shall hereafter be used and no buildings or structures shall hereafter be erected, altered, expanded or an existing use or manner of operation changed for any purpose other than:

 

A.                 Uses hereinabove permitted in Residence Districts.

 

B.                 By special permit from the Board and with the concurrence of the Fire Island National Seashore, stores in which goods and commodities are sold at retail or such other similar use as may be deemed to provide a necessary service to the residents of the village in support of community living.

 

 

 

§ 55-8.     Permitted uses in Utility Districts.

 

  In Utility Districts no land shall hereafter be used and no buildings or structures shall hereafter be erected, altered, used or maintained for any purpose other than the following:

 

A.                 Uses hereinabove permitted in Residence Districts.

 

B.                 Structures and facilities of any corporation subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission of the State of New York.

 

C.                 Village structures and facilities. [Added 9-22-1973]

 

D.                 Parking areas and facilities customarily used in connection therewith. [Amended 9-22-73]

 

 

§ 55-9.    Building plots for residential dwellings. [Amended 10-9-1965]

 

A.                 Building plots for residential dwellings in any district shall consist of:

 

(1)               Not less than six (6) contiguous lots in the interior lotted and oceanfront areas. [Amended 9-22-1973]

 

(2)               Not less than four (4) contiguous lots in the bayfront area. [Amended 9-22-1973]

 

(3)               Not less than twelve thousand (12,000) square feet of land in the unlotted acreage area.

 

B.                 On and after October 25, 1965, no property shall be divided so as to create plots less than the minimum areas prescribed herein. For the purpose of this chapter, a plot shall be deemed to consist of contiguous lots if each lot therein has a common lineal boundary of any length on any side with another of such lots.

 

 

§ 55-10.   Setbacks for residential dwellings and business buildings. [Amended 10-9-1965; 9-22-1973; 9-29-1979 by L.L. No. 3, 1979; 8-23-1986 by L.L. No. 4, 1986]

 

A.                 Interior lotted areas. No part of any residential dwelling, including accessorial structures, such as decks, open porches and private aboveground swimming pools, shall be erected or altered in the interior lotted areas within twenty (20) feet of the front line and within fifteen (15) feet of the side and rear lines of a building plot, other than walks of not more than six (6) feet in width for access to village walks; bicycle racks; one (1) platform or enclosure for storage of garbage containers not to exceed twenty-five (25) square feet in area and to be set back at least two (2) feet and not more than three (3) feet from the adjacent village walk, and, if enclosed, the height of such enclosure not to exceed three (3) feet above the level of the adjacent village walk or four (4) feet in height above ground level; and a sewerage tank which shall be not less than ten (10) feet from the rear line of a building plot and not less than sixteen (16) feet from any water supply. The term "front line" on the interior lotted area shall mean that part of a building plot which abuts upon the north-south walks of the village, except in the case of parcels which abut upon both north-south and east-west walks of the village, whereupon the land abutting both walks shall constitute front lines, and no part of any residential structure, including ancillary structures, decks and open porches, shall be erected within twenty (20) feet of such walks.

 

B.                 Bayfront and oceanfront areas. No part of any residential dwelling, including accessorial structures, such as decks, open porches and private, aboveground swimming pools, shall be erected or altered in the bayfront area within twenty (20) feet and in the oceanfront area within forty (40) feet of the front line and within twenty (20) feet of the line abutting any village walk, and within ten (10) feet of all other lines of a building plot, other than walks of not more than six (6) feet in width for access to village walks, bicycle racks, one (1) platform or enclosure for the storage of garbage containers, as defined in  § 55-10A, and a sewerage tank which shall be not less than fifteen (15) feet from the rear line of a building plot and not less than sixteen (16) feet from any water supply.

 

(1)               The term "front line" in the bayfront area shall mean that side of a building plot which abuts on Bay Promenade as the same may be extended hereafter. The term "front line" in the oceanfront area shall mean the dune crest line. The term "dune crest line" in the oceanfront area shall be a line drawn parallel to the northerly boundary line of the plot from a point established as the highest median elevation above sea level encompassed by the building plot. The dune crest line shall be confirmed by a licensed surveyor and so indicated on the plot survey attached to the application for a building permit, and shall reflect the physical location of the crest of the dune as of the date of such survey.

 

(2)               No boardwalks, decks, stiles, steps or other similar structures shall hereafter be erected, altered or maintained to permit entrance or egress from oceanfront area building plots to the beach strand, except when erected by the Village as natural extensions of dedicated village walks.

 

C.                 Unlotted acreage. No part of any residential dwelling, including accessorial structures, such as decks, open porches, private, aboveground swimming pools and sewerage tanks, hereafter erected or altered in the unlotted acreage shall encroach within twenty (20) feet of the boundary lines of building plots other than a walk of not more than six (6) feet in width for access to village walks, bicycle racks, and one (1) platform or enclosure for the storage of garbage containers, as defined in § 55-10A.

 

D.                 No part of any business building or structure, including ancillary structures, decks and open porches, but excluding walks not more than ten (10) feet in width for access to village walks and bicycle racks, shall hereafter be erected or altered within twenty (20) feet of the front lot line, which, in the case of interior lotted areas, shall mean the north-south walks and, in the case of building plots on Bay Promenade, shall mean both the north-south walk and Bay Promenade, and within fifteen (15) feet of the side and rear lines of a building plot. Sewerage tanks shall not be less than ten (10) feet from side or rear lines of a building plot and not less than sixteen (16) feet from any water supply line. [Amended 9-22-1973; 10-8-88 by L.L. No. 9, 1988]

 

E.                  Fences. [Added 10-8-1988 by L.L. No. 9, 1988]

 

(1)               Permitted fences other than those erected for purposes of protecting an area used for cultivation or recreation may be erected along the front, sides or rear of a building plot at any point from the property line to the setback line described in the appropriate subsection of this section.

 

(2)               Permitted fences erected for purposes of protecting an area used for cultivation or recreation may be erected along the front, sides or rear of a building plot at any point no closer to the property line than one-half (1/2) the distance between such line and the setback line described in the appropriate subsection of this section.

 

F.                  Privacy screens. A privacy screen otherwise conforming to the building requirements set forth in § 55-19 of the Village Code may be erected along the front, sides or rear of a building plot at any point no closer to the property line than one-half (1/2) the distance between such line and the setback line described in the appropriate subsection of this section. [Added 10-8-1988 by L.L. No. 9, 1988]

 

 

§ 55-11.   Maximum plot occupancy. [Added 9-22-1973; amended 9-29-1979 by L.L. No. 3, 1979, 7-15-1983 by L.L. No. 12, 1983; 8-23-1986 by L.L. No. 4, 1986; 11-13-1999 by L.L. No. 8, 1999]

 

A.                 In the lotted areas, no residential or business structures, including accessorial structures, such as decks, open porches and private, aboveground swimming pools, wherever located, but excluding one (1) access walk not more than six (6) feet in width, extending from a village walk to the nearest construction of the building plot; and one (1) open platform for parking bikes, not exceeding sixty-four (64) square feet in area; and one (1) platform or enclosure abutting a village walk for storage of garbage containers, such platform or enclosure not exceeding twenty-five (25) square feet in area, hereinafter erected or altered shall occupy in excess of thirty percent (30%) of such plot, and not more than twenty percent (20%) of the building plot up to a maximum of one thousand eight hundred (1,800) square feet may consist of enclosed areas, such enclosed areas to include any permitted swimming pool roofed by a permanent structure.

 

B.                 In unlotted areas where any structure is hereafter erected or altered in an unlotted area, the same provisions shall apply as in subsection A above, except that, as a further limitation, the total plot coverage shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of such plot, and not more than sixteen and two-thirds percent (16 2/3%) of the building plot up to a maximum of one thousand eight hundred (1,800) square feet may consist of enclosed areas, such enclosed areas to include any permitted swimming pool roofed by a permanent structure.

 

§ 55-12.   Minimum floor areas of residential dwellings. [Added 7-19-1958; amended 9-22-1973]

 

  The minimum required floor areas of residential dwellings hereafter erected shall, as to a single-story building, be eight hundred (800) square feet and, as to a structure in excess of one (1) story, be a combined total of one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet. For purposes of this section, the term "floor area" shall mean the area contained within the exterior of the walls of a dwelling, exclusive of open porches, decks and any separate buildings, such as sheds.

 

 

§ 55-13.   Maximum height of residential dwellings and business structures. [Added 9-22-1973; amended 9-29-1979 by L.L. No. 3, 1979; 5-27-2002 by L.L. No. 4, 2002]]

 

A.                 No structure shall hereafter be substantially improved or erected to a height which shall exceed the maximum height as that phrase is defined in this subdivision A. of Chapter 55-13.  Maximum height as used in this code, shall mean at the option of a permit applicant, either (I) the greater of twenty-seven feet measured minimally from the average of the four corner elevations or by using as many additional elevation points as the building inspector may require to reflect the average grade, to the peak of the roof of such structure, or (ii) the sum of twenty-three feet, plus the Benchmark level as defined in chapter 28.  Maximum height shall be measured to the highest point on the roof of such structure, excluding stacks, chimneys and antennas. 

 

B.                 Irrespective of the permit applicant’s choice of measurement standard of clause (I) or (ii) of the foregoing subdivision A of this Chapter 55-13, the applicant shall comply with elevation standards of section 28-17 or section 28-18 of this code as may be applicable. 

 

C.                 Satellite, earth station or dish antennas may not be erected on the roof of any dwelling or business structure within the village. All such Installations must be erected at ground level, adequately anchored and protected on all four (4) sides by a suitable louvered or palisade fence not to exceed eight (8) feet in height. Such dish antennas and fenced enclosures must adhere to the normal building setback restrictions as established by § 55-10A, B and C. A building permit will be required for all such installations. [Added 7-15-1983 by L.L. No. 9, 1983]

 

D.                 Radio and television antennas. Television and FM antennas of the normal dipole type may be erected on the roof of any structure, provided that the supporting mast does not exceed four (4) feet in height above the peak or highest elevation of the roof structure as established by § 55-13 of this chapter. [Added 7-15-1983 by L.L. No. 9, 1983]

 

E.                  Citizen band, amateur radio or marine frequency transmitting and receiving antennas may be erected on the roof or chimney of any structure, provided that the lead-in base of such antennas is located not more than two (2) feet above the peak or highest elevation of the roof structure as established by § 55-13 of this chapter. [Added 7-15-1983 by L.L. No. 9, 1983]