A Victor couple received approval to build a seasonal hoop house for organic produce, while a car dealership’s request to revive a long-delayed parking lot variance will have to wait.
The Victor Zoning Board of Appeals handled both matters during its July 6 meeting, along with a tabled signage request for Fairways Townhomes and approval of minutes from its June 15 meeting.
Hoop house approved on Boughton Hill Road
Saul and Haley Schuster received an area variance to build a temporary greenhouse, or hoop house, forward of the front line of the primary structure at 7720 Boughton Hill Road.
The proposed structure is a 12-by-60-foot aluminum-frame hoop house covered with plastic sheeting. The Schusters said they plan to use it to extend the growing season for organic produce, first for themselves and neighbors, and eventually as part of a small produce business.
Saul Schuster told the board the home sits far back from the road on a roughly 56-acre property and that the land behind the house is wooded and hilly. Putting the hoop house behind the home would require clearing trees and leveling difficult terrain, he said.
The proposed site is in an existing field that had been used for corn and soybeans for decades. The Schusters said they want to shift the land toward organic growing, with possible future uses including chickens and other agricultural activity.
Board members questioned whether the structure should be considered temporary, since the Schusters said they hope to leave it up long term. Schuster said the structure has no traditional foundation, uses aluminum posts and plastic sheeting, and could be removed easily. He said the plastic covering would likely need replacement every five to 10 years.
The board also discussed visibility from the road, nearby properties and the character of the area. One board member said the site is screened by a large berm and trees, limiting views from the road.
The variance was approved with conditions. The board limited the approval to the specific 12-by-60 plastic-covered hoop house and required it to be maintained in good repair. Board members also noted the Schusters plan to apply to opt into the Ontario County Agricultural District in November, though they said a decision may not come until May 2027.
Van Bortle parking request held open
The board also reviewed a request from Van Bortle Subaru to reapprove a variance first granted in 2022 for a parking lot expansion at 6327 State Route 96.
Brad Humberstone of RNH Architecture, representing Van Bortle, said the request is essentially the same as the earlier approval, which has since lapsed. The project would reduce the setback for asphalt from 80 feet to 34 feet, matching the line of the existing parking lot.
Town staff said nothing physical has changed on the site, but a more recent survey completed as part of an administrative lot line adjustment produced updated measurements. One parcel involved in the prior approval has since been absorbed into another parcel.
Board members questioned why the project was not completed after the 2022 approval and why the dealership now needs the extra parking. Humberstone said he did not know the full reason the project did not move forward four years ago, though he said the dealership now has a desire to place more vehicles on the site.
He said the project budget has been approved by the owner and the goal is to complete paving before asphalt plants close late this year, around Thanksgiving or early December.
Board members asked for more information from dealership ownership before taking final action. The matter also needed county review, so the board did not vote on the variance. The application is expected to return to the board July 20.
Fairways signage remains tabled
The Fairways Townhomes signage application at 652 Championship Drive remained tabled until a future meeting.
According to the agenda, the applicant is seeking an area variance for a business-use sign in a residential district. The sign may also be within 35 feet of the roadway.
The board said the applicant still needs to provide the exact location and size of the sign, along with information on whether it would be lit.
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