After a year living with the comprehensive Centers and Greenspaces zoning overhaul, the Red Hook Town Board continues to tweak the plan.
At the July 10 meeting, board members approved a number of minor changes to the zoning law and one notable major change: new and used car lots are now allowed as a specially permitted use in the Traditional Neighborhood Development Commercial Center (TND-CC) district. But they are subject to strict design requirements in the district, which stretches along Route 9 from Conway’s Lawn Equipment at Rokeby Road up to Rhinebeck Bank at Firehouse Lane.
The town board’s modification supercedes the recent decision by the Red Hook Zoning Board of Appeals to allow used car lots in the TND-CC because it places them in a more restrictive category requiring a special permit. And the new law requires that all car rental or sales businesses put their cars to the side (20 feet behind the facade) or behind the building, an area referred to in the zoning code as the third lot layer.
“It acknowledges [the ZBA’s] decision… but it’s got to be subject to the design standards,” said Councilman Bill O’Neill.
“And we already have an automobile sales operation that essentially comes very close to those design standards already,” added Councilman Harry Colgan, referring to Hudson Valley Motorcar on Route 9.
Other changes to the law sought to provide additional flexibility to applicants and the planning board by providing more options and greater discretion in approving TND residential developments. The new changes are effective on all existing and future applications that have not yet received final approval.
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