Spring Valley, NY - Amendment Would Allow Bigger Homes

Spring Valley, NY - Larger houses could be built without zoning variances under new regulations being considered.

The village Board of Trustees will conduct a public hearing next month on an amendment to increase the ratio between the lot size and the square footage for single- and two-family homes. "There has been a significant demand for larger houses," said Village Attorney Bruce Levine. "We want to make it simpler for people to get that zoning, but we still want to have some regulations and guarantee to the village and the neighbors that nothing bad is being caused by these changes."

The current Village Code allows for a landowner to build on 30 percent of the lot area. Anything more requires permission from the village's Zoning Board of Appeals.
The proposed law would increase the percentage to 55 percent of the lot area, as long as the construction remained within the "footprint" that maintained required distances between the house and the road, as well as side and rear boundaries.

It's a trend seen in villages throughout Rockland County. Earlier this year, Wesley Hills accommodated the construction of larger homes by abolishing lot size- square-footage ratios.

Patricia Caldwell, chairwoman of the ZBA, applauded village officials for the proposed law. She said an influx of ethnic groups with more children needed more space, but landowners still would be required to do studies and be in compliance with state and county regulations. "You're not going to be able to build a castle," she said.