A proposal to expand housing inside an existing downtown building — while addressing a lack of parking — will be at the center of two upcoming municipal meetings in the Village of Newark over the next two weeks.
The same project at 128 Church St. is scheduled to come before both the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, setting up a two-step review process that will determine whether the property can be modified to accommodate additional residential units.
The Planning Board will meet first on April 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Newark Municipal Building, followed by the Zoning Board of Appeals on April 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the same location. Both meetings will include a 6 p.m. workshop session ahead of formal business.
At issue is a request from property owner Chris Avery to modify the existing structure at 128-132 Church St., a site currently classified as a preexisting nonconforming use in a B-2 zoning district.
According to meeting materials, Avery is seeking approval to convert one apartment unit into two, effectively increasing residential density within the building.
The proposal also includes a request for relief from parking requirements. The property does not currently provide enough off-street parking to support either its existing tenants or the proposed additional unit. As a result, Avery is asking for permission to utilize a nearby village-owned parking lot to meet those needs.
Because of the nature of the requests, the project requires multiple approvals. The use variance would allow a change to the number of residential units in a zoning district where the current configuration does not conform, while the area variance would address the parking shortfall.
That combination places the project squarely in front of both boards, with the Planning Board expected to review site-specific considerations and the Zoning Board of Appeals responsible for deciding whether to grant the requested variances.
The proposal reflects a broader tension seen across many Finger Lakes communities, where property owners look to increase housing supply within existing buildings, often running up against zoning constraints and infrastructure limitations like parking.
If approved, the project would modestly increase housing availability in the village’s downtown core, though it will hinge on whether board members determine the variance requests meet the legal standards required under local zoning law.
Both meetings are open to the public and will take place in the Village Court Room on the second floor of the Newark Municipal Building at 100 East Miller St.
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