Village of Brewster, NY: zoning for new construction

Single-Family Residential - Density is limited to one dwelling unit per lot plus one accessory dwelling. The 0.5 floor area ratio binds alongside the 25% building coverage, so a two-storey house reaches the floor area limit before it uses up the footprint allowance.

• On the 7,500 sq ft minimum lot, the floor area ratio allows 3,750 sq ft of floor area across all storeys.
• Within the village, an accessory single-family dwelling is reachable only in the R district.
• No open space per dwelling unit is required in this district.

Residential - The floor area ratio, not the coverage cap, sizes a house here. On a 20,000 sq ft lot it allows 2,000 sq ft of floor area across all storeys, while the 15% coverage allowance would permit a 3,000 sq ft footprint.

• A minimum of 5,000 sq ft of open space is required for each dwelling unit.
• On a corner lot, a 25 ft side yard applies on the street side.

Professional and Business Office - Development is capped at one dwelling unit per lot or one business per lot, so the figures shown do not translate into multiple units on a single parcel.

• On a corner lot, the side yard on the street side must be 20 ft.
• At least 100 sq ft of open space is required for each dwelling unit.

Business 1 - The zero yards apply only away from residential neighbors: any use abutting a residential use must keep a minimum yard of 10 ft. The figures shown are base standards, and incentives may allow added storeys, height, residential density, floor area ratio and reduced yards.

• Density is stated as 80 bedrooms per acre rather than as dwelling units, so the unit count depends on the bedroom mix.
• Incentives above the base storeys, height, residential density, floor area ratio and yards may be granted under §§ 263-9E, 263-9G, 263-9H and 263-9K.
• Residential use is limited to upper floors unless it is part of a larger transit-oriented development project, and is not allowed along Main Street or Railroad Avenue.
• Drive-through windows are prohibited outright.
• The schedule requires no open space per dwelling unit in this district.

Business 2 - Gasoline stations, automobile dealerships and automotive repair uses must each stand at least 1,000 ft from another use of the same kind, which can rule a site out entirely. A 10 ft landscaping buffer is also required along the site frontage.

• The 10 ft landscaping buffer along the frontage applies in addition to the setbacks shown.
• The 1,000 ft separation between like automotive uses is a distance between sites, not a setback from the lot line.

Business 3 - Townhouse density here is set at 64 bedrooms per acre, so a townhouse scheme is sized on bedrooms rather than units. A single-family home is limited to one dwelling unit per lot.

• Added storey and height incentives above the figures shown are available under § 263-11D.
• The schedule requires no open space per dwelling unit in this district.

Mixed-Use - The figures shown apply to residential use. With public water and public sewer, a nonresidential or mixed use in MU must sit on at least 8.9 acres, with front, side and rear yards of 30 ft.

• Where a use abuts a residential use, the minimum yard is 35 ft.
• A minimum open space of 400 sq ft is required per dwelling unit.
• Under the nonresidential standards, the lot frontage, building coverage, height and floor area ratio are the same as those shown.
• Allowed uses include single-family and multiple-family dwellings, townhomes, artist lofts and studios, offices, and business incubator and co-working spaces.

Office Park - Height can rise to a maximum of 70 ft where self-contained parking is provided within the structure, above the base height shown. Each dwelling unit also requires 5,000 sq ft of minimum open space.

• The taller building is available only where the parking is self-contained within the structure.
• Building coverage is capped at 37.5%.
• A minimum open space of 5,000 sq ft is required per dwelling unit, which limits how many units a lot can hold.

Light Manufacturing and Wholesale - This district is for light manufacturing, warehousing and wholesale, along with retail, general business and indoor recreation. A research facility is allowed only by special exception.

• A research facility requires a special exception rather than being available by right.

Conservation - Permitted uses are conservation and recreation areas. On the 60,000 sq ft minimum lot the 0.05 floor area ratio allows 3,000 sq ft of floor area in total, the same as the 5% building coverage allowance, so a second storey is effectively unavailable.

• Uses are limited to conservation and recreation areas, so this district will not support a conventional house or commercial building program.
• Height and storey limits are academic here: the total floor area allowance matches the permitted footprint, leaving nothing for a second floor.