Before the question, “how tall is the building?” can be answered, you need to understand in what context is the question asked.
The Town of Webb has definitions of building height, so does the Adirondack Park Agency… of course the two can’t be the same.
That would be way too easy.
However, before blasting either agency as to how they define the height of a structure, you need to understand what each agency is trying to accomplish by having a definition.
The Town’s definition of building height is almost identical to the NYS Building Code definition.
For purposes of the state codes and the local ordinance, the mean roof height is used as the high point.
That’s the average from the peak to the eave.
Measuring down from that point [mean roof height] to the average road side grade along the building, will determine the building height.
The overall height is measured to the highest point of the roof, usually the peak but not including the chimney, and again down to the average road side grade.
The town’s zoning ordinance has a maximum of 35 in feet height for any principal structure.
Accessory structures [garages, sheds, and bunk-house] may not exceed 18 feet in height.
Again, these are measured to the mean roof height.
Here is the twist; an accessory structure shall never be taller than the principal structure.
To determine this, the
overall height for both the principal and accessory structure must be determined.
The garage cannot be taller than the house.
The APA has a very different way to measure a structure’s height with good reason; because the APA is all about the visual impact of structures.
Has nothing to do with fire safety or industry standards, it’s all about the simple idea of visual impact.
Forty feet is the maximum height any structure can be, without getting a permit from the APA.
The APA will measure from the highest point, including chimneys, to the absolute lowest point, including the posts of a deck anywhere around the structure.
And don’t think you can beat the system by filling in around the deck post below then measuring, because the lowest point will include whatever the original virgin grade was.
Knowledge and understanding helps when planning your project.