The Board of Standards and Appeals shall have the power, as authorized by Section 73-01, paragraph (a) or (b), and subject to such appropriate conditions and safeguards as the Board shall prescribe, to grant special permit uses or modifications of use, parking, or bulk regulations as specifically provided in this Chapter, provided in each case:

(a)        The Board shall make all of the findings required in the applicable sections of this Chapter with respect to each such special permit use or modification of use, parking or bulk regulations and shall find that, under the conditions and safeguards imposed, the hazards or disadvantages to the community at large of such special permit use or modification of use, parking or bulk regulations at the particular site are outweighed by the advantages to be derived by the community by the grant of such special permit. In each case the Board shall determine that the adverse effect, if any, on the privacy, quiet, light and air in the neighborhood of such special permit use or modification of use, parking or bulk regulations will be minimized by appropriate conditions governing location of the site, design and method of operation.

(b)        In all cases the Board shall deny a special permit whenever such proposed special permit use or modification of use, parking or bulk regulations will interfere with any public improvement project (including housing, highways, public buildings or facilities, redevelopment or renewal projects, or right-of-way for sewers, transit or other public facilities) which is approved by or pending before the Board of Estimate, Site Selection Board or the City Planning Commission as determined from the calendars of each such agency issued prior to the date of the public hearings before the Board of Standards and Appeals.

(c)        When under the applicable findings the Board is required to determine whether the special permit use or modification of use, parking or bulk regulations is appropriately located in relation to the street system, the Board shall in its discretion make such determination on the basis of the Master Plan of Arterial Highways and Major Streets on the official City Map. Whenever the Board is required to make a finding on the location of a proposed special permit use or modification of use, parking or bulk regulations in relation to secondary or local streets and such classification of streets is not shown on the Master Plan, the Board in its discretion shall request the City Planning Commission to establish a report on the appropriate classification of such street.

(d)        For applications relating to Sections 73-243, 73-48 and 73-49, the Board in its discretion shall request from the Department of Transportation a report with respect to the anticipated traffic congestion resulting from such special permit use or modification of use, parking or bulk regulations in the proposed location. If such a report is requested, the Board shall in its decision or determination give due consideration to such report and further shall have the power to substantiate the appropriate finding solely on the basis of the report of the Department of Transportation with respect to the issue referred.

(e)        If a term of years is specified in the applicable section, the Board shall establish a term of years not to exceed such maximum. For those special permit uses or modification of use parking or bulk regulations for which a maximum term has not been specified, the Board may fix an appropriate term for any such special permit use or modification of use parking or bulk regulations.

(f)        On application for renewal of any such special permit authorized in this Chapter, the Board shall determine whether the circumstances warranting the original grant still obtain. In addition, the Board shall ascertain whether the applicant has complied with the conditions and safeguards theretofore described by the Board during the prior term. In the event that the Board shall find the applicant has been in substantial violation thereof, it shall deny the application for renewal.

(g)        The Board may permit the enlargement or extension of any existing use, which, if new, would be permitted by special permit in the specified districts under the provisions of Section 73-01 and other applicable provisions of this Chapter, provided that before granting any such permit for enlargement or extension within the permitted districts, the Board shall make all of the required findings applicable to the special permit use, except that:

(1)        in the case of colleges or universities in R1 or R2 Districts, the Board may waive all such required findings set forth in Section 73-121 (Colleges or universities); and

(2)        in the case of public utility uses, the Board may waive all such required findings set forth in Sections 73-14 (Public Service Establishments) or 73-16 (Public Transit, Railroad or Electric Utility Substations).

No such enlargement or extension shall create a new non-compliance or increase the existing degree of non-compliance with the applicable bulk regulations, except as may be permitted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 73-62 to 73-68, inclusive, relating to Modification of Bulk Regulations.