The Syracuse Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) held a meeting on December 18, 2025, at 6:41 PM. The board considered a use variance for a 14th unit at a multifamily property and approved a first-time extension for an area variance for a housing project on South State Street.
I was now back in session. We have heard from the applicant. Is there anyone here that wishes to speak in favor of the uh variance? Hearing none, is there anyone who wishes to speak against the application? Okay. Again, we we can uh discuss now among ourselves what we how we want to proceed. I have a question for Jake. Um just on some key facts here. Multifamily properties have to get a certificate of compliance inspection every few years. When was the last time that this property was inspected? Uh so in 2022, a certificate of compliance was issued for 13 units, and then uh get the date in 2025. Um June of 2025 is when it was last inspected, and that's when a violation was issued to obtain approval for this uh 14th unit. Okay, so presumably the 14th unit was completed sometime between 2022 and 2025. Uh that's correct. The certificate in 2022 was issued on August 10th for 13 apartments. Got it, thank you. And the 13 was consistent with the variance that was approved in the 80s. Okay. Correct. Is there more discussion? Should we walk through the four criteria? So I don't see any evidence in here that without a 14th unit, this apartment complex isn't financially viable. And that's really the way that we're supposed to address is there a reasonable return on investment. Umstances, you know, occasionally a variance is necessary because of something unique to the property. It's a historic property. It was um, you know, there's something about the topography that means you can't comply with the area requirements. Um I don't see anything unique to the property that means that a 14th unit must be added. Um I'll disagree on that on the on the uniqueness of the property, just that it's been multifamily for uh decades. And so therefore a 14th unit is necessary? Uh not necessarily necessary, but the uniqueness of the property being zoned R1 when this property predated the rezone of Syracuse is uh of interest. Okay, the fact that it was uh a pre-existing non-conformative. Gotcha. And prior to the zoning ordinance before that, probably. And prior to the or yes, exactly. Um neighborhood character. You can't say that it would really change the neighborhood character. I don't think anybody would see a difference from the outside. No impacts to that. No. No. Uh and then a self-created uh difficulty, definitely uh a self-created difficulty. It was built out knowing that the variance had expired and the building permit had expired. Um so unanimous agreement on one and four and and three, um, and some debate on two. Yeah. Yes. I I think uh you summarized it well. Uh I think the only uh criteria that was definitively met was uh number three. So agreed and for a use variance all four would have to be met. Okay. So I'm gonna make a motion unless there's more discussion.