Albany board denies variance for West Garfield storage building

The Albany County Board of Adjustment on Jan. 13 denied VNN Enterprises’ request for relief from façade, roof and sidewalk standards for a proposed 3,890-square-foot commercial storage building at 460 West Garfield. The board concluded the requested variance did not meet the legal criteria required for relief, aligning with staff recommendations to deny the application.

Staff had advised the board that the proposal failed to satisfy the standards that justify a variance, leaving the developer with two primary paths forward: revise the project to comply with current development standards or reapply with a design and record that demonstrate the legal tests for a variance. The decision means the project cannot proceed as drawn, and VNN Enterprises will need to return to the drawing board or pursue a new hearing.

Public commenters at the hearing underscored a familiar local tension: some residents and business advocates emphasized the importance of economic development and the potential benefits of new commercial space for local contractors and storage needs, while others stressed the need to uphold zoning and design rules that shape walkability and streetscape character along West Garfield. Those tradeoffs factored into deliberations as board members weighed the planning code’s intent against calls for flexibility to encourage investment.

Practically, the denial pauses any immediate permitting or construction. Developers who must redesign can expect additional design review, engineering input around sidewalk and roof treatments, and the possibility of returning to the board for a subsequent variance request if they can show the legally required hardship or unique circumstance. That process typically adds months to a project timeline and can increase costs for consultants and builders.

For neighbors, the decision preserves the current standards that govern building façades, rooflines and sidewalk continuity, elements many downtown and corridor residents link to safety and neighborhood character. For small contractors and storage-dependent businesses, the delay may mean a temporary shortfall of local capacity if the project had been intended to serve that market.

The episode highlights a recurring theme in Albany County planning: balancing adherence to adopted design standards with efforts to attract and retain modest commercial investment. VNN Enterprises must now choose whether to produce a revised design that fits the code or to assemble a record that meets the narrow legal tests for a variance and return to the board. Residents and nearby businesses who want to follow the project’s next steps can expect further filings and another hearing if VNN reworks the proposal or pursues relief at a future meeting.