[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6519047,"mediaKeyId","5381334-7fff63d8af0125926cf87932c6f38c3e","parentId",5381334,"title","At-a-glance: Zoning board approves three variances for East River, North Colony and Greenside properties","audioSeconds",277,"startMs",662000,"endMs",939000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5381334-7fff63d8af0125926cf87932c6f38c3e&start=662&end=939","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5381334-7fff63d8af0125926cf87932c6f38c3e/thumbnail_662000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6519047/Grand-Island/Erie-County/New-York/At-a-glance-Zoning-board-approves-three-variances-for-East-River-North-Colony-and-Greenside-properties","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519047-2abd338f138b666b1dd39aeeed74c7da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138465&Signature=VyNePOS6jiU1FEzktChhf5pSW4v2ALcQ0GHI5fY7iH8ePbZlSGSYh-0rXIy68zVNTHcg6s03KS7g~W~f~Sv0x9Vrwywm9GL~39FE7TVSqaU95sb~Z0V8Mwfw-ioZYxG6-KGA9ZKRFLGUkHus1r64Lm50C87AmX8ugVdTJNcNPXSUESVuGLSq4l98crq2SayRmYR6rD2ZnR1UK-z0aPdlnWhVjT1VMVfIQ86QfA4gQpwA8eAFDwyWLhHU-VS807QgR3aqNfZ6mcNp2P9lreOcNNthiXwildG1fnqZF8h8~2pF8jS28k2Zp0iXij-A8MJdq54pt8eLwXmb8JFtrsDMHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Grand Island, NY","date","2025-07-14T14:44:02Z","article","The Grand Island Zoning Board on July 10, 2025, granted three separate area variances: a 7-foot side-yard variance at 1732 East River Road for construction of a garage; an 8-foot front-yard setback variance for a sunroom at 900 North Colony; and a 4-foot variance related to Whitehaven Road centerline for a lot at 185 Greenside Drive. Each motion carried in board votes that were recorded as in favor by the members present.

1732 East River Road: The applicant asked to build a garage closer to the side property line than the code otherwise permits. The board heard that the lot is narrow and that placing the garage parallel to the property line was the only feasible option given the house placement. Board members stated they visited the site and found no feasible alternative location; Member Tim moved to approve a 7-foot side-yard variance for the garage, Member Michael seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

900 North Colony: Applicant representative Jonathan Izak sought an 8-foot front-yard setback variance to build a sunroom. Board members noted neighboring properties have similar encroachments toward the road and that the requested relief was consistent with adjacent development. Member John moved to approve the 8-foot front-yard variance; Member Michael seconded. The motion passed.

185 Greenside Drive: Civil engineer Michael Metzger presented the request and described the lot as about 94 feet wide (minimum required 60 feet) and otherwise compliant with standard setbacks; the requested variance concerned the centerline of Whitehaven Road. After a brief staff and member review and a site visit, Member Tim moved to approve a 4-foot variance to the centerline of Whitehaven Road for 185 Greenside; Member Michael seconded and the board voted in favor.

Each approval was accompanied by board findings that the requests would not cause an undesirable change in neighborhood character and that alternatives were limited or not feasible for the applicants. The board recorded rationale explaining why the variances were not considered substantial or environmentally adverse in each case.

Ending: The board closed those public meetings and proceeded to a later agenda item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","7/10/2025 Zoning Board of Appeals","oneSentenceSummary","On July 10, 2025, the Grand Island Zoning Board approved a 7-foot side-yard variance at 1732 East River Road (garage), an 8-foot front-yard setback for 900 North Colony (sunroom), and a 4-foot variance at 185 Greenside Drive (Whitehaven Road centerline), each via unanimous board votes.","taxTitle","Grand Island, Erie County, New York","taxId",54969,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6519052,"Zoning board grants 13-foot Whitehaven setback but denies higher-density townhouse variances",1923,1323000,3246000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5381334-7fff63d8af0125926cf87932c6f38c3e&start=1323&end=3246","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5381334-7fff63d8af0125926cf87932c6f38c3e/thumbnail_1323000.jpg","/articles/6519052/Grand-Island/Erie-County/New-York/Zoning-board-grants-13-foot-Whitehaven-setback-but-denies-higher-density-townhouse-variances","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519052-0b1f91db693131449fd94fb16545e3b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138465&Signature=mIPbBTBmhBVjWEhcen1Ri5jwqb0MuAV9ZuusI2~YclGhlGWmhpbAws1ydiY153-S1pl37AZTGF9AFx8Q~qPHU-EZWOvfnv5aYS~tCsc~oovApPICw8vNTpfd1qN84pIo3~bYyrx4WkC1mxg0iFBEeZ7AZW867KxdA6k01ogaBmy3RPR1Nad-Xe-ySZxnixESekqMQEc9dYQiF0nPfHk7yXUp3lHTgRhAeVhglyYDvmJkJ~Ki9My90h7D4~qVaE2tuRUWjjwij31jzIFI6SuIqmfiWaJ4PjRDawlM5IcWMXD-vv9tUp0weQlUrGGMwjW669UWtsiHFULF~1KSueNDgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Grand Island Zoning Board on July 10, 2025, approved a 13-foot front-yard setback variance for a proposed townhouse building at lot SPL 38.1-3-1.3 on Whitehaven Road but denied the applicant's requests to allow five units per building and to waive density rules, effectively limiting the site to three units.

The board's decision follows more than an hour of testimony from the applicant and multiple neighbors who said the proposed five-unit townhouse would change the character of the neighborhood, raise traffic and drainage concerns and reduce green space adjacent to the golf course. Board members said they were willing to grant the limited road-setback relief but not the denser configuration the applicant sought.

Applicant representatives described a luxury townhouse design that would back onto the golf course and said the parcel is roughly 25,000 square feet. They asked for three variances: a 13-foot reduction to the Whitehaven Road front-yard setback, permission to build five units in one building (the R-2 zoning reference to four units per building was cited by staff), and a density waiver. The applicant said the site would proceed through full site-plan review if variances were approved and that engineering work had addressed prior drainage issues.

Neighbors, including several homeowners from Gulf Forest Hills and nearby streets, opposed the higher-density requests. Resident Susan Boleski said homeowners had expected patio homes or lower-density units when they bought near the golf course and raised concerns about traffic, children walking on Whitehaven and potential stormwater impacts. \"This was all new to us when we received these letters about two weeks ago,\" Boleski said, adding that the reduced setbacks and townhouse façades would change the neighborhood character.

During deliberations, board members discussed the five statutory balancing factors for area variances: whether the variance would produce an undesirable change in neighborhood character, whether the benefit could be achieved by other means, the request's substantiality, environmental impact, and whether the difficulty was self-created. At least one board member said the road-setback reduction was minor and unlikely to be noticeable, but described the requested unit and density variances as substantial and self-created.

The board's formal actions: Member Tim moved to approve the 13-foot setback variance; Member Michael seconded the motion. The motion carried with the board voting in favor. Member Tim then moved to deny the variance requests for increasing the number of units to four or five per building and to deny the density variance; Member Michael seconded that motion, and the board voted to deny. The combined outcome permits only a configuration consistent with three dwelling units on the parcel, subject to site-plan review and other town approvals.

Board members and staff also noted that, should the applicant choose to redesign for three units, only the front-yard setback variance would remain necessary and the project could then move to the standard planning review process. The applicant acknowledged the board's rulings and reiterated that drainage improvements had been made in consultation with town engineering.

The board recorded its rationale on the record: the front-yard setback reduction was not judged substantially detrimental, while the requested increases in units and reductions in required lot area per unit failed the balancing factors and were considered self-created. No timetable for further action by the applicant was recorded during the meeting.

Proposed next steps mentioned during the meeting include a possible resubmittal with a three-unit plan and completion of the town site-plan review if the applicant elects to proceed.

Ending: The board concluded the Whitehaven Road agenda item after voting; members moved on to approve the minutes and adjourn the meeting later that evening.","On July 10, 2025, the Grand Island Zoning Board approved a 13-foot front-yard setback variance for a proposed townhouse building at SPL 38.1-3-1.3 Whitehaven Road but denied requests to increase units per building and to waive the density requirement, limiting the site to three units under the board's ruling.","actionData","errors"]

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At-a-glance: Zoning board approves three variances for East River, North Colony and Greenside properties

Zoning board grants 13-foot Whitehaven setback but denies higher-density townhouse variances