The Village of Great Neck Board of Trustees met Tuesday night, braving high winds and rain to discuss changes to the village’s zoning code.
Continuing debate from their meeting earlier this month, board members considered laws that would regulate three-story residential buildings and create more specific standards for residential fence construction.
Deputy Mayor Mitchell Beckerman said that some village residents use attics and third-floor areas as living spaces, and that the practice was a danger to the community. The proposed regulations would consider any third floor with stair access to the rest of the home to be a habitable space subject to fire and safety regulations, including the mandated use of sprinkler systems.
The law provides an exemption for existing staircases that have already received certificates of occupancy, as long as those stairs are not altered in the future.
The board also debated new regulations of fence construction. The proposed law would enforce a four foot limit on fences, with exceptions if a house borders a non-residential or high-occupancy building.
One resident expressed concern about fences which could block sunlight and harm adjacent gardens.
“I hope you make part of the law [require], at least, fixtures light can pass through without interruption,” she said at the meeting.
Fence color and construction materials are also regulated under the proposed law. The draft of the law circulated at the meeting did not include a complete list all of the allowed colors and materials; designs that do not make the cut will be subject to individual review by the Architectural Review Board.
