HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA-02/26/2004 Hearing 1
2 TOWN OF SOUTHOLD ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK STATE OF NEW YORK
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7 Z 0 N I N G B 0 A R D O F A P P E A L S
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Southold Town Hall
10 _ 53095 Main Road
Southold, New York
11 U" p.� 44AR 2 6
2004 February 26, 2004
12 11 ICY �DIV/ Q 9 :3 0 a.m.
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14 Board Members Present
15 RUTH OLIVA, Chairwoman
16 VINCENT ORLANDO, Vice Chairman
17 LYDIA TORTORA, Board Member
18 GERARD P . GOEHRINGER, Board Member
19 JAMES DINIZIO, Board Member
20 LINDA KOWALSKI, Board Secretary
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COURT REPORTING AND TRANSCRIPTION SERVICE (631) 878-8047
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2 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our first
public hearing is one that was carried over
3 from January 22nd, that is Martha Cassidy, who
wishes to build a tennis court on an
4 undeveloped piece of land. Miss Wickham.
MS . WICKHAM: Good morning.
5 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: How are you
this morning?
6 MS . WICKHAM: Very good, thank
you. My name is Abigail Wickham, representing
7 the applicant . I have Susan Gardner here, who
is the owner of two of the adjoining lots and
8 has been working with me on this application
as well as Mr. Cybulski from Sea Breeze
9 Tennis .
I' d like to start by emphasizing,
10 I think more than I did at the last hearing,
that we believe this is an Area Variance, it
11 is not a Use Variance . The distinction is
quite specific and an Area Variance does not
12 involve a use, which is prohibited by the
zoning ordinance and does not seek a change in
13 the essential use of the land. A tennis court
is clearly a permitted use in this district
14 and on this property. The variance is merely
as to whether or not a residence or principal
15 use needs to be established in order to
maintain it and that is an Area Variance .
16 It' s a little bit confusing because we' re
talking about whether you can use it for a
17 tennis court but it' s not a Use Variance, and
I think quite clearly the criteria of an Area
18 Variance applies .
As to those criteria, we do not
19 believe there will be an undesirable change
because the applicant and her partner, Susan
20 Gardner, own the property immediately to the
south on which there is a residence located,
21 and it is occupied by a family member, and the
residence immediately to the east, which is
22 owned jointly by both of them. We would be
willing to covenant that should -- first, two
23 things, first of all that they would not sell
the lot in question with only the tennis court
24 on it outside of the family; and, secondly,
that if they sold both of the houses, the one
25 adjoining and the one across the street, that
the tennis court use would be discontinued or
February 26 , 2004
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2 a residence added in order to comply with the
code, and that could be the basis of a
3 covenant on all three properties which would
be clearly marked and enforceable .
4 The impact of that is that you
don' t have the concern that was expressed
5 previously, which is an isolated court that
nobody lives nearby, nobody is supervising and
6 no one has to listen to . So I think that' s
very important .
7 The benefit to the applicant
cannot be achieved by any other method other
8 than merging the lot, and as I described
before that would have a severe financial
9 consequence, which I think would be far
outweighed by balancing of the equities in
10 terms of what the downside here is to the
neighborhood. The amount of relief is not
11 substantial because they do have adjoining and
adjacent property, which are going to be as
12 impacted by this as the neighbors . And for
that reason it would not have a significant
13 adverse impact or effect on the physical or
environmental conditions in the neighborhood.
14 It is a permitted use in the zoning district .
The variance I think has been
15 self-created. That does not in and of itself
require you to deny the variance and the
16 construction is not existing, something that
we' re here to do with safeguards that you
17 might impose .
The applicant does have the option
18 and has seriously considered if this variance
is denied just going ahead and building a
19 small house for rental and putting the court
on it, and she obviously doesn' t want to have
20 to go to that financial expense either, but
that is an option, and I think that that would
21 have a significantly more adverse impact on
the neighborhood than the granting. of the
22 relief that' s requested.
I' d like to address two other
23 things briefly. The first is the issue of
drainage . Obviously, that' s going to be
24 discussed and Mr. Cybulski can talk about
that . The work that was done on the property
25 was merely to punch through the top layer of
soil to get to the sand in order to alleviate
February 26 , 2004
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2 an accumulation of water. In the summer
that' s a concern. The tennis court regrading
3 will eliminate the concern for the entire
neighborhood, which would be to their benefit .
4 And there was no fill added on that as far as
that pile of dirt that is there, it will be
5 graded out as part of the construction. It
was what was in the hole that was removed, and
6 they put sand back in. So the sand that was
added is under the ground, it' s not the pile .
7 That pile is not added. It was merely to
alleviate a minor drainage issue, and we did
8 speak to the Building Department and
Mr. Forester before proceeding to make sure it
9 was allowed.
I did have quite an effort trying
10 to find a comparable precedent . I know that
there are several tennis courts in the Town
11 that I believe are preexisting on vacant lots,
and those have been there for years without
12 incident . One is the one on New Suffolk, on
New Suffolk Avenue on Kimogenar Point, that' s
13 been there many, many years . The other I 'm
aware of is the Braut' s tennis court on
14 Vanston Road in Nassau Point in a very densely
populated residential neighborhood that has
15 been privately used for many, many years
without consequence .
16 There was, interestingly enough, a
variance granted by your Board in 1977 to
17 Mr. Lamorte, Appeal Number 2313 for a tennis
court . The variance was for a fence but that
18 variance did allow a tennis court on a lot
that didn' t have a principal building on it .
19 It happened to have a swimming pool on it, but
the house is on a separate lot . For some
20 reason the accessory nature of the use --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Miss Wickham,
21 that was 30 years ago, times have changed.
MS . WICKHAM: Yes, that was
22 another instance of when a court existed. I
spoke to the neighbor, Mr. Cope, who has lived
23 next to that for many years, and he has never
had a problem with it . So I think that while
24 the Board has not granted that type of
precedent that I have been able to ascertain,
25 certainly those situations do exist in the
town without, as far as I've been able to
February 26, 2004
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2 tell, adverse consequence, and we would be
able to understand that the condition of the
3 approval be that the court not be used for
commercial purposes, in other words, that a
4 commercial instructor could not come in and
give lessons to people who are not related to
5 the family because I think Mr. Dinizio had
concern about that or perhaps Mr. Orlando.
6 The only other precedent that I
can ascertain, and I have it here, I' ll get it
7 when I sit down, is the granting of an
accessory use permit down in Pine Neck Road.
8 If you recall, some time ago that Mr. Berger
asked for your permission to split an
9 undersized lot, and that left a garage on the
property. The concern there was the condition
10 of the property and there were covenants put
on that relating to screening condition, et
11 cetera. I don' t recall if there were
conditions as to ownership, but I think we
12 discussed that as well, and I have that appeal
number for your reference .
13 Screening is something that we
would be willing to do. I think given a
14 tennis court' s seasonal nature, the putting of
shrubbery that grows up high, natural looking
15 shrubbery like forsythia, which is in the
neighborhood at this time, might be something
16 appropriate, or if you have other suggestions,
we' d be glad to consider them.
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Would you
refresh my memory, how far from the road would
18 this tennis court be?
MS . WICKHAM: From the road the
19 court is setback, if you' d let me get my map
out, quite a number of feet because we had
20 projected a full residence setback without
variance, and then with the residence it is
21 67 . 6 -- 67 . 5 feet from the property line to
the fence, and so right inside the fencing is
22 the court .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: And also
23 there' s a natural grade going downhill to the
west from the road.
24 MS . WICKHAM: That' s correct .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: That' s going to
25 have to be filled in?
MS . WICKHAM: I' ll have
February 26 , 2004
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2 Mr. Cybulski address that . That leaves the
tennis court 47 . 5 feet from the rear line, so
3 it could be moved back further, if need be,
that was the proposal .
4 Can I have Mr. Cybulski answer
your questions about the amount of fill and
5 grading?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Sure . Good
6 morning.
MR. Cybulski : Good morning. Bud
7 Cybulski .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: How are you?
8 MR. Cybulski : I guess just to
answer your questions, if you built the court
9 at the grade that' s there right now, you' d end
up with a swimming pool rather than the tennis
10 court . So it will have to be raised
approximately a foot from the existing grade,
11 which would still leave it about a foot above
the road, drainage will be necessary if there
12 is a layer of clay in there, which we found
when we made the drainage there now.
13 It was not a problem, it wasn' t
that deep, and it should work out all right .
14 The topsoil and clay that is removed would be
left on the property and then graded back up
15 to the tennis court when it' s finished, so it
really wouldn' t look out of place .
16 One other concern I've heard is
there' s noise from a tennis court when people
17 play. This is proposed to be a clay court and
a lot less noise from a clay court than from
18 an asphalt court . Any other questions?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
19 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: No
questions .
20 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizic?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Maybe with
21 Gail, not with Mr. Cybulski .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Jerry?
22 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: What
would be the negative effect, Mr. Cybulski, if
23 you lowered the court and you actually built
walls around three sides of it?
24 MR. Cybulski : Drainage problems I
think would be the negative effect, but could
25 it be resolved, I 'm sure, it' s done all the
time, but you get quite involved with drainage
February 26, 2004
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2 then and it gets quite expensive .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: When you
3 said this is a clay court, you were saying
it' s a composition of clay, or is it that new
4 material?
MR. Cybulski : It' s the new
5 material the Hard True court, which is the
improved clay court . I think you've each got
6 a handout in your folders that I presented to
the Board.
7 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Where is
this court now that we can look at it again?
8 MR. Cybulski : This type of court?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yes .
9 MR. CYBULSKI : Derek Seefus in
Orient . We built one last year that you
10 approved in Southold for Copala.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Right .
11 MR. CYBULSKI : That' s that type of
court .
12 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: That' s
off of Town Hall, right by the 7-Eleven?
13 MR. CYBULSKI : Yes .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: So we
14 can check the boing factor out on that, not
that we don' t believe you.
15 MR. CYBULSKI : North Fork Country
Club has halfway clay, halfway Hard True .
16 It' s not a full Hard True court, but they are
the same, basically the same court .
17 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I was
happy to hear from the attorney in reference
18 to the possibility of screening. In reality
if there' s a situation where you have this
19 huge, massive thing -- please, in no way am I
degrading this court because a court is a very
20 nice thing -- but I think screening is an
effective tool if the Board is so inclined to
21 grant this .
MR. CYBULSKI : Derek Seefus' court
22 in Orient, you cannot see it from the road.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: He' s got 15
23 foot high privet there .
MR. CYBULSKI : Ruth, you can see
24 it all the time, I'm sure .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I can hear it
25 too.
MR. CYBULSKI : You can hear it?
February 26, 2004
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2 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Sure . I can
hear it when they play. I don' t mind it, I 'm
3 saying if the wind' s right .
MR. CYBULSKI : It would be louder
4 if it was a hard court .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It' s not
5 objectionable.
Mrs . Tortora, do you have any
6 questions for Mr. Cybulski?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: No, I would
7 like to address counsel .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Okay. Miss
8 Wickham, Mrs . Tortora.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: You stated
9 this is the Area Variance because the area is
in question. I don' t necessarily agree with
10 the way that the notice of disapproval was
written. It appears to me that what you are
11 requesting is to put an accessory use on a
vacant lot that has no principal use on it .
12 The code clearly permits tennis courts as an
accessory. There is no principal use on the
13 property at this time . The property is
vacant .
14 MS . WICKHAM: Right .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: We have had
15 other cases similar to this, and I was trying
to recall it, and I just did recall it . It
16 was a case involving a cell tower out in
Orient where the applicants wished to place a
17 cell tower on a vacant lot- and there was no
principal use on the lot . I'm pretty sure we
18 could dig up those records that it was denied.
As far as it being an Area
19 Variance, it could only be an Area Variance if
the area in question was insufficient . In
20 this case, the area is not really -- I don' t
agree with you. I don' t think it' s a question
21 that the area is insufficient, there' s no
principal use on it, and the code simply does
22 not permit an accessory use on a lot where
there' s no principal use. So in my mind, that
23 is the issue .
The only question I have is that
24 you say it would create an extreme financial
hardship if the lot was merged, but you are
25 willing to covenant and restrict it so it
would be sold to family members . Why not just
February 26, 2004
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2 go ahead and merge the lots?
MS . WICKHAM: Because then they
3 could never at any point in the future sell it
separately. They would lose incredible value,
4 and she has children, you know, some day she' s
going to want to use that for her family or
5 pass that down. Saying that you' re going to
covenant against lack of common ownership is a
6 lot different than saying you can never have a
separate lot . It' s a lot different .
7 Could I go back to the Area/Use
Variance use issue? Area Variance is a
8 confusing term because it doesn' t just mean
area consideration. It' s the nature of the
9 variance that' s being addressed. There' s a
case I can give you a copy of, Boyagen versus
10 the Village of East Hills, that had the
definition that I cited earlier as to the
11 distinction between an Area and Use Variance .
But an Area Variance has to do with building
12 heights, setbacks, all different types of
things that are not specifically area. Use
13 Variances have to do with something that' s
just not permitted at all . A cell tower is a
14 commercial use, I think that' s a distinction.
A tennis court is a residential use that is
15 permitted as an accessory. All we' re asking
is that the principal use not be required at
16 this time . And that is an Area Variance,
although it doesn' t sound right because it' s
17 not addressing the area, but it is an Area
Variance not a Use Variance .
18 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I know that
we also did have a similar case, and would
19 have to pull up the files on this, about a
year ago involving the same argument, and at
20 that time a lot of court cases were submitted
as to whether it was an Area Variance or
21 Use . I think the real point here is not that
a tennis court is not permitted, a tennis
22 court is a permitted use; it' s a permitted use
as an accessory to a principal use . There is
23 no principal use on this property.
MS . WICKHAM: Correct, that is the
24 nature of the application. I agree with you,
but I don' t think it' s a Use Variance .
25 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: But, Miss
Wickham, you've said if we denied it, that
February 26, 2004
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2' they would possibly build a small house --
MS . WICKHAM: Yes . They have
3 that right .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: -- on the
4 property and then put in the tennis court .
MS . WICKHAM: Yes .
5 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: That was my
only thought . Perhaps, as I say, I don' t
6 agree with the way the notice of disapproval
was written because I do agree with you that,
7 yes, it is a permitted use, but it is not
permitted as a principal use; it' s permitted
8 as an accessory use, and there is no principal
on the property.
9 MS . WICKHAM: That' s correct . But
it' s an Area Variance request, it' s not a Use
10 Variance request . Because a Use Variance is
when you want to take a piece of property
11 that' s zoned residential, for instance, or
let' s say, residential office or something,
12 and make it something different in terms of
the use that' s allowed on that property per
13 se . For instance, there was a case that had
to do with -- let me go back while I 'm
14 researching that to give you the citation that
I have on the accessory use that you
15 determined previously, 5058, and that appeal
number did have the common ownership
16 conditions that I talked about previously. Do
you have other questions?
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: One
18 question I wanted to clarify, the adjoining
lots on the west side of Young' s Avenue,
19 you' re saying both lots surrounding the tennis
court are by family members?
20 MS . WICKHAM: No. On the west
side of Young' s Avenue the southern lot is
21 owned by them. The northern lot, I believe
the owner of that lot was here last time and
22 spoke in favor of the application.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: If you have
23 copies of case law, Miss Wickham, would you
submit?
24 MS . WICKHAM: I will submit it . I
don' t have seven copies, so I' ll submit them
25 later today.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
February 26 , 2004
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2 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No
further comment at this time .
3 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Yes . I
4 can' t get by this principal and accessory
structure, Gail . I don' t know where the
5 Zoning Board has the power to grant a variance
of the law.
6 MS . WICKHAM: That' s your charge .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : No, I'm
7 sorry. If it says in our code it' s not
permitted, we can' t say it' s permitted.
8 MS . WICKHAM: You' re not permitted
to put a house closer than ten feet to a line,
9 but you can grant that variance .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: That' s so .
10 That' s under nonconforming uses, and our code
specifically --
11 MS . WICKHAM: You granted the
variance in 5058, you granted that variance .
12 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : What I'm
saying to you is -- it' s only me personally --
13 that this particular application wouldn' t even
be before us if this were on a lot that had a
14 house .
MS . WICKHAM: Right .
15 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: You' d have
it and it would be wonderful, but our code
16 says, you don' t have a house, you can' t have a
tennis court .
17 MS . WICKHAM: We want you to say
it' s okay to defer the building of that house
18 so we don' t have to go through the
extraordinary expense of adding another house
19 to the neighborhood so that we can have a
tennis next to and across the street from a
20 house that we already own. I think it ' s
clearly --
21 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Where in
our code does it say that we can do that, that
22 it says we can defer? We defer the code to
say you cannot have -- you can have a building
23 permit for an accessory without principal;
where does it say that I can do that?
24 MS . WICKHAM: It doesn' t say that
specifically. It charges you as the Zoning
25 Board of Appeals with authority to vary the
provisions of the code where you feel the
February 26 , 2004
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2 criteria we talked about are met .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I agree .
3 One of the criteria in our code is if you want
to build on a lot, you have to have a
4 principal structure . That' s one of our
criteria.
5 MS . WICKHAM: That' s the one we' re
asking to you vary.
6 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I don' t see
how you can grant a variance on that
7 particular part of the law. I don' t know how
we can say, Oh, you just go ahead and do it .
8 MS . WICKHAM: How do you decide
what you can grant a variance on and what you
9 can' t?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Because
10 there is a part in our code that says, if you
have a nonconforming use, you may do this,
11 this and this, you can grant relief .
MS . WICKHAM: That' s not a
12 nonconforming. I don' t think that' s related
to this argument .
13 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: We deal
mostly with that . I don' t know that someone
14 can come in to us and say, unless you' re
asking for what Mr. Hughes -- unless you' re
15 asking for a Use Variance that you want to put
this particular use in this piece of property,
16 I'm having a hard time getting past the fact
that a principal structure is required on this
17 piece of property before you put a --
MS . WICKHAM: The use is a tennis
18 court . The character of use is principal
versus accessory. And that' s what we' re
19 asking you to vary here . But the use of a
tennis court is permitted. It' s not like
20 we' re asking you to put up a shopping center,
or a sign, or something that' s not allowed
21 here in the code . It' s something that' s
acknowledged to be appropriate in a
22 residential neighborhood.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: As an accessory
23 use .
MS . WICKHAM: As an accessory use,
24 that is correct . And we are saying that we
have the types of situations -- circumstances
25 here that ameliorate the reason that law was
enacted, so that you don' t have an isolated
February 26 , 2004
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2 accessory use away from somebody' s residence
where they' re not going to supervise it,
3 they' re not going to take care of it . That
was the basis when I objected in that other
4 case, 5058, that was my concern that there be
a presence immediately there in the
5 neighborhood to address the reason that law
was passed.
6 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Wait a
minute . You' re making a lot of assumptions .
7 You' re assuming that is why the legislative
body enacted this . And that' s a big jump.
8 You' re assuming that the legislative body
said, we do not want to have accessory uses
9 sitting on lots by themselves because they' d
be unattended. I don' t know that for a fact,
10 and I don' t know how you would possibly know
that as a fact .
11 MS . WICKHAM: I can' t imagine any
other reason it would be .
12 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: That' s
speculation.
13 MS . WICKHAM: No, but that' s the
reason. I mean, if you look at why would
14 somebody pass a law that says that, there' s
got to be a rational basis . I 'm suggesting to
15 you that that' s the rational basis for that
provision, and that we have addressed that
16 concern.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: All right .
17 Let' s get to the meat of this thing.
MS . WICKHAM: Okay.
18 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Then the
reason why you want to put an accessory
19 structure on this piece of property without a
principal is to save your equity.
20 MS . WICKHAM: Correct .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : How does
21 the Town get involved in that? Why should we?
MS . WICKHAM: Because you' re a
22 Zoning Board of Appeals, and you' re balancing
the equities . Wrong. You' re balancing the
23 benefits and the detriments .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Right, I
24 agree .
MS . WICKHAM: The detriment to the
25 applicant if -this is not allowed, is that they
have to lose a significant amount of equity.
February 26 , 2004
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2 The benefit --
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: That' s only
3 if they choose to build the tennis court .
MS . WICKHAM: That' s right .
4 That' s why we' re here . We want to build a
tennis court, and if we do it without a house,
5 we have to lose equity or we've got to add
another house to the neighborhood, which we
6 don' t want to have to do .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Wait, what
7 I see here, they don' t want to put it on the
piece of property they have a house on, why?
8 MS . WICKHAM: There' s not enough
sufficient room.
9 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I pretty
much assumed that . Now they went out and got
10 another lot to give them enough room. It' s
another lot .
11 MS . WICKHAM: Well, they have had
that in the family for years .
12 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Why don' t
they enlarge their property to the point where
13 they can afford to actually put this on a
piece of property that they own, that has a
14 principal structure and meets the code?
MS . WICKHAM: Why should the Town
15 force them to do that if the consequence of
that is going to be a severe financial
16 hardship without creating a significant
detriment to the neighborhood? And they can
17 build the house .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Their
18 hardship is self-imposed. The Town has
nothing at all to do with their hardship.
19 MS . WICKHAM: Yes, it is . Many
variances are self-imposed.
20 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : No . I can
tell you, no, they' re not .
21 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio and
Miss Wickham, why don' t you supply us with
22 your memorandums of law and we will discuss
it . And I want to see if anybody else in the
23 audience has any questions .
MS . WICKHAM: Thank you, fine .
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Sir.
MR. GIANELLI : Good morning, I'm
25 Frank Gianelli, and I'm a neighbor. I don' t
know why I'm nervous, I get nervous at these
February 26 , 2004
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2 things .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Don' t be, we' re
3 nice people . We don' t bite .
MR. GIANELLI : I have had
4 conversations, and thank you for letting me
come, because I couldn' t make last month' s
5 meeting.
I.-actually came to say that I was
6 semi-in favor of putting the tennis court
where it is, but after hearing some
7 inconsistencies, I'm actually -- my dander is
up. There was a point where there was a
8 bulldozer across the street regrading things,
taking trees down, that I thought it was part
9 of a Building Department process that I just
assumed was okay to do. Then I hear, again,
10 inconsistencies about the pile of dirt that
was across the street . I am still in favor of
11 a tennis court, but I don' t know what' s real
anymore . I don' t know if, in fact, when
12 people say allow them to put a tennis court,
then when they go to sell the property that
13 the tennis court will not be sold with the
property. You know, we all know that the
14 Building Department is overworked and
certainly doesn' t have the staff to see that .
15 Again, I don' t know the laws, but there has to
be a more definitive way of, if, in fact, you
16 do allow the tennis court that, in fact, if
it' s sold that the tennis court is removed. I
17 could imagine if the tennis court was allowed
to stay and a house put in front of it, then
18 somebody' s going to come here and say, well,
the tennis court is preexisting, allow us to
19 build a bigger house, then again getting
closer to the street . Another inconsistency,
20 that again upsets me, there was no
acknowledgment that I live directly across .the
21 street . My property -- again, I don' t have a
full survey -- is at least half of where the
22 tennis court is going to be, if not more . So
I' d like to look into that . So I am east,
23 directly east, and I'm the person that' s going
to be at 7 : 00 --
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Do you have the
new house or the brown house?
25 MR. GIANELLI : Susan' s is the
brown house, mine is the renovated house . We
February 26 , 2004
16
1
2 moved to Orient in hopes that I would retire
here and the thought of --
3 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I know where
you are . .
4 MR. GIANELLI : So I believe
there' s an inconsistency about the fact where
5 the tennis court is going to be . So these
inconsistencies make me very apprehensive to
6 say, go ahead and put a tennis court in. For
those reasons that, my wife feels, some of the
7 neighbors feel, some of the neighbors who did
not attend here today, maybe it is better to
8 have a house so that we can sort of police,
let' s say somebody can pull up in a car, park
9 across the street from my house and play
tennis, and I have no way of knowing if it is
10 a stranger, kids can come across . We talked
about the advantage too for Susan to have the
11 property next door and she would be able to
monitor. Obviously, you can' t be there 24-7,
12 and there are times in the year, especially in
the fall, where a child can come and play on
13 the courts .
I just have lots of questions and
14 if maybe we would find out a little bit more
about what we talked about in terms of putting
15 something to buffer the noise, the sound.
Keep it consistent with one of the things that
16 the neighbors asked me to say, the Bartinos,
just remember it is a residential area without
17 providing parking for the tennis courts, where
are the people going to park to get to the
18 tennis courts . At last month' s hearing Robert
Hughes had mentioned that someone had stood up
19 saying that they were given permission to play
tennis, again, not a family member, not
20 someone else . Again, how do we stop that
tennis court -- which we can' t -- from being
21 used from sun up to sundown.
So I guess if there aren' t any
22 other questions that you guys have of me, I
would be certainly glad to just say, I'm just
23 not happy about issues like things where
people said the dirt -- that dirt was not out
24 of that hole . That dirt came -- in fact, the
Lathams had told me they had seen a very large
25 dump truck dropping the soil there .
MS . GARDNER: The dirt that was in
February 26 , 2004
17
1
2 that pile came from the hole, the sand.
MR. GIANELLI : Can I sit down
3 please?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes, thank you.
4 MS . KOWALSKI : You have to use the
mike and. state your name, please, before you
5 speak.
MS . GARDNER: Susan Gardner. And
6 I have the house across the street, and I'm
co-owner of the house across the street,
7 co-owner of the house to the south. The dirt
that' s piled there came from the test hole . I
8 was there when they did it . He, Gary Taber
came, dug a hole, took that dirt out and then
9 came and dumped sand in. I asked him to
spread dirt around. He said it' s just got
10 junk and rocks in it . It would be worse to
spread around in there, and they would reuse
11 it when they were digging up to put fill
underneath the tennis court, which is why it
12 was there . The tennis court will be locked.
There will be no issue of parking, since we
13 are the people using the tennis court, and we
have our house and our car right there . We' re
14 going to walk right across the street and play
tennis . There will be no parking on that lot .
15 If you do not grant the variance,
I am an architect, I am prepared and have
16 submitted plans to show a house and I will
build a house there . All right . With the
17 house, there will be a rental tenant, a
driveway, cars and whoever the rental tenant
18 wants to use the tennis court, will be
permitted to use it . I don' t see where
19 there' s any question here that we' re trying to
do something that' s better for the
20 neighborhood, not worse .
We've owned this lot, my partner
21 has owned this lot before we bought the house
next door, right . We purchased the house next
22 door from my mother. It' s vacant most of the
year. No use, no tenants, we own four lots on
23 that block. The lot next to us is a buildable
lot, we could build a house on it . We have no
24 intention of doing that . We have a vacant
piece of property that we would like to get
25 some benefit out of for my kids . Let' s build
a tennis court on it . But if you deny it, I
February 26, 2004
18
1
2 will build a house with a tennis court .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Thank you.
3 Any questions? If not I' ll move close the
hearing and reserve decision until later.
4 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
5 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
6 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
moved. Thank you for coming in.
7 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
8 application is Trencheny at South Lane in East
Marion. And they have submitted other plans
9 because the neighbor had requested, I believe,
a 21 foot setback rather than the one that was
10 submitted. And is Aggie here?
MR. NOTARO: Actually, I'm here
11 today.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Good, how are
12 you?
MR. NOTARO: . My name is Frank
13 Notaro. I'm the architect for Mr. and Mrs .
Trencheny.
14 After last month' s meeting and a
letter that was received by Mr. Trencheny, he
15 requested us to look at various options and
questions that you had also. We have showed
16 the second floor setback now at 716" . You had
requested a little bit less than that but it
17 works out and the client is happy with that
solution. The client asked us to explore
18 possibly a compromise between his original
request and the request by his neighbor,
19 Mr. Thorpe, and we came up with a number of
17' 611 , which is splitting the difference
20 between the two. My client feels that that is
a workable solution to what they' re looking
21 for. This will be a permanent house at one
point in the future . Right now my client
22 cannot be here, they just gave birth to a baby
and they' re kind of involved at this point .
23 By the way, we have not received any feedback
from Mr. Trencheny regarding Mr. Thorpe, so I
24 don' t think he got any additional feedback on
that . Perhaps you have received a letter
25 subsequently. So basically, that' s what we
have done since the last meeting.
February 26, 2004
19
1
2 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer,
do you have any questions?
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I think
that is a fairly good compromise,
4 Mr. Notaro. The only question I have, is
there going to be the ability to make a turn
5 to utilize the south part or the southeast
part of the lot? That 10 feet looks kind of
6 tight . There, are you going to be able to
utilize that?
7 MR. NOTARO: We believe so.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: From a
8 fire and emergency point of view, since it' s
on that angle, that may be a little difficult .
9 I don' t know if you could round it, if you
could clip it, whatever the case might be, but
10 you really need like 12 feet . That' s just my
opinion.
11 MR. NOTARO : Sure .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
12 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: It' s split
right down the middle . No questions at this
13 time .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora?
14 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: No . The
only thing that I would share is the concern
15 for fire access, because I think that corner,
that 10 foot, particularly at that angle, you
16 could really run into some problems with
trying to navigate a fire truck. And I'm not
17 even sure that you could because of the sharp
angle of the property line . What is along
18 that property line, Mr. Notaro?
MR. NOTARO: I believe from my
19 recollection is like hedging there .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: There is
20 hedging?
MR. NOTARO: I'm not 100 percent
21 sure . It' s been a while since I looked at the
property. We could look into that, and I feel
22 we could take that into consideration, and I
feel we could probably modify the plans to
23 accommodate that .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: It may
24 even look architecturally nice . Excuse me,
Lydia.
25 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: That' s all .
MR. NOTARO : It would give me a
February 26, 2004
20
1
2 good excuse to use angles again. We would
definitely look into that . That is a
3 consideration.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I would agree
4 too because we' re kind of concerned about
being able to get fire equipment around our
5 houses . It' s important . Mr. Dinizio?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Yes . I
6 have a note here that says you' re going to
remove the house; you' re going to take the
7 house down and build a new one; is that right?
MR. NOTARO: Well, no, they' re
8 going to take it down to the first floor deck.
It' s really not structurally stable to build a
9 new second floor on the existing walls .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : All the
10 walls are going to come down, just the
foundation and the deck on the foundation. So
11 essentially you' re tearing the house down?
MR. NOTARO: We' re reutilizing
12 the foundation and the first floor deck and
probably some of the walls if it' s possible to
13 use them. We haven' t opened everything up to
see the full extent . Just by judging by what
14 we could see, the structure is not up to
today' s code, so to speak.
15 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I think you
did a nice job on compromise . And as far as
16 the driveway' s concerned, the fire
department' s going to get in there whether you
17 have a curb in there or not, believe me . It' s
not going to make that much difference . Thank
18 you.
MR. NOTARO: Thank you.
19 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Thorpe?
MR. THORPE : Good morning, I 'm
20 Frank Thorpe . I live at 180 South Lane, the
property to the east, and this morning I'm
21 also representing my brother and his wife,
Edward Thorpe and Virginia Thorpe, who live at
22 80 South Lane, the property immediately to the
west . This word compromise has just come up.
23 No one has ever talked to me about this at
all, from Mr. Trencheny or his architects . I
24 apologize to you people for not having this
testimony in writing, but this was only
25 submitted on Monday; I became aware of it on
Tuesday, and I was not able to communicate
February 26 , 2004
21
1
2 with my brother until last night . We both
strongly request that the westerly setback be
3 established at 20 feet . This would give a
combined east/west setback of 23 . 4 feet, which
4 would be in conformity with all the other
setbacks required in the community.
5 We thank you for consideration in
this matter.
6 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Do you have
anything else you would like to say?
7 MR. NOTARO: If I can just
respond to that . I can give you for the
8 record a copy of the letter by Mr. Trencheny
sent to Mr. Thorpe. He asked us to review it .
9 We looked at it, we agreed with it, and he
supposedly sent it, we' re not 100 percent
10 sure, but I can give you a copy. That was
sent on January 26th.
11 MS . KOWALSKI : Thank you.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Can I ask a
12 question?
MR. THORPE : Just to respond to
13 that, if you look at the last paragraph of Mr.
Trencheny' s letter, it says, "As we get closer
14 to finalizing the plans, my intention it is to
set up a meeting with you at your convenience
15 and review the options the architects have
come up with. "
16 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: And that
didn' t happen?
17 MR. THORPE : No. Since they were
only submitted on Monday.
18 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: And you
would be happy with 20 feet of side yard?
19 1 MR. THORPE : Yes . It would
conform with the 3 . 4 from my side to just a
20 little under the 25 feet combined sideyard,
and it' s required of everybody else since the
21 code went into effect . And which also has
been required for the property two doors away,
22 the Walzes, which you spent a great deal of
time on. Questions? Thank you.
23 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Notaro, do
you have anything to add?
24 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I ' d like to
ask Mr. Notaro a question. What would be
25 involved in making that a 20 foot setback?
MR. NOTARO : It' s kind of
February 26 , 2004
22
1
2 difficult to explain that . We did explore
that issue .
3 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: What would
be involved? I'm talking about dollars and
4 cents; what would you have to do to make a 20
foot setback on that side that you' re not
5 willing to do?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Which is a
6 new construction, by the way.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I don' t
7 know. I'm asking him, how would you come to
that 20 foot setback if we required it?
8 MR. NOTARO: Either the client
would have to be satisfied with a smaller
9 footprint and second floor, or they would go
out further towards the water side . Those are
10 the two possibilities .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : It doesn' t
11 mean digging up the foundation and that kind
of stuff?
12 MR. NOTARO: No, not of the
present house, that would remain.
13 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Notaro,
your lot to the south is very narrow going
14 down to the harbor, would it be difficult to
extend the house in that direction without
15 coming back for another variance?
MR. NOTARO: I really would have
16 it look at that, I couldn' t answer you right
now. It' s all how the layout works inside .
17 As it is, we've compressed it a little bit
now. We' d have to look into that .
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: What is the
Board' s pleasure, to keep this open or to
19 close the hearing?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I just
20 want to say before, if you go to the
southeast, it' s going to further exacerbate
21 that --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It is the 10
22 foot .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: The 10
23 foot . I was thinking, Mr. Notaro, what if you
held 20 feet to the garage, okay, and the
24 garage would be 17' 611 , and then put a small
addition on the front of the house .
25 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Cut it in?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yes .
February 26 , 2004
23
1
2 You know, to make up the difference of what
you lost on the 17' 6" . That' s the only real
3 I think genuine compromise that could exist .
I mean, South Drive is a private road and
4 there are buildings closer to this than this
house is, not that it makes any difference .
5 MR. NOTARO : There is an infinite
amount of possibilities that can be done . The
6 only thing, again, in defense of what we' re
proposing is, it' s not an overwhelming scale
7 of a home, and I can show you two cases that I
think are extraordinary in terms of how they
8 present themselves to the road right in the
neighborhood to this home . Again, they didn' t
9 intend to make a McMansion there . This is a
home that they feel will be liveable in the
10 future for them. There' s an infinite amount
of possibilities for everything. They felt,
11 and they directed us to compromise with the
request of the neighbor. That was the
12 direction we had from the client .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: But the
13 meeting never took place as addressed in the
letter?
14 MR. NOTARO : I don' t know that .
In other words, our client added that in the
15 end of his letter. I don' t know what went on
after the letter was sent, but that was sent
16 on the 24th.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Stating by
17 the neighbor, it didn' t happen.
MR. NOTARO: Obviously it didn' t
18 go on, but we had no knowledge of this, and
the client did not contact us .
19 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I think we
can close the hearing if you agree to the 20
20 foot setback, otherwise, we' ll have to keep it
open.
21 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I think we
ought to keep it open in deference to the
22 gentleman that got up before, and let them
work out a compromise .
23 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Maybe the
meeting should happen.
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Jerry?
MR. NOTARO: I can' t honestly
25 speak for the Trenchenys at this point .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I think we' ll
February 26, 2004
24
1
2 keep the meeting open, and have that meeting
with the Trenchenys and come back again next
3 month.
MR. NOTARO: Okay.
4 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: The date will
be March 18th at 9 : 30 .
5 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
6 responded in favor. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: So moved.
7 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
8 application is for Patricia Zanaboni for a new
single family dwelling at less than 35 feet,
9 after demolishing the existing building. Is
there anybody here to represent?
10 MS . ZANABONI : Hello, I'm Patricia
Zanaboni, I think it' s misspelled, it' s
11 Z-A-N-A-B-O-N-I . I wish I was part of the ice
machine family, but I'm not .
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Okay,
MS . ZANABONI : As you will be able
13 to tell from the documents you have, Architect
Notaro and his staff have set the house back
14 another 10 feet, as you requested, to 23 feet .
That said, I am still requesting a compromise,
15 a couple of extra feet . The house has been
there since the 140s . It' s been in my family
16 since 1954 . This is 50 years we have had a
lot of good years . It' s been a summer home .
17 Unfortunately, we can' t live there permanently
especially if we want to have children. There
18 isn' t enough room. If we were to renovate, we
could probably keep the same footprint and
19 stay exactly the way we are, but the
construction is not stable enough to add a
20 second story. We could expand and stay in one
story, that would be adding another 1, 500
21 square feet or so to our lot coverage,
requiring us to take down several trees and
22 becoming closer to our neighbors . I don' t
think the elevation that we' re requesting is
23 substantial . We' re really looking at one
and-a-half stories . So what I ' m asking for is
24 another five feet . If you look, we were
measuring the south stake of our house,
25 Minnehaha and Opeache, that set in about 10
feet from the road per se . So the 13 feet,
February 26, 2004
25
1
2 starting from that stake, that pretty much
gives you visually about 23 feet from the
3 road, not 13 feet . I measured or looked at
the files for a neighbor of mine two streets
4 down that built two years ago . Eileen
Gallagher, her setback is 23 . 8 . I'm just
5 requesting a couple extra feet . The house has
been there . Our neighbors are used to seeing
6 a home . It won' t be that much higher. I
don' t think it will have a negative impact on
7 Minnehaha. Pat Loane has just built a huge
house just around the corner, and that is
8 towering over all our neighbors . It' s very
high. I'm not looking at anything like that .
9 I'm looking for a small home .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: How high will
10 your home be to the ridge, to the top?
MR. NOTARO: It' s a story
11 and-a-half . I would guesstimate maybe around
26, 27 feet . There' s nothing peaking out
12 beyond the ridge .
MS . ZANABONI : I like the
13 location. I understand it' s nonconforming,
but most of the houses in that area currently
14 are nonconforming. I enjoy the backyard. I
want to leave as many trees as I can. We have
15 dogs; we want to keep the area open for dogs
and children. We have Noonacoma waters right
16 facing onto us, I really can' t have children
running around the front yard with the four
17 intersecting roads .
So I request, I guess, setback of
18 maybe 19 feet with the additional visually, I
mean, there' s about eight feet because of
19 where our stakes are in relation to the
road.
20 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Which road,
Minnehaha?
21 MS . ZANABONI : Minnehaha.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I 'm
22 confused.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes . I'm
23 confused too.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I'm
24 confused because the amended plan shows a
revised setback of 22 ' 911 , and 2217" .
25 MS . KOWALSKI : I don' t think Mrs .
Zanaboni has seen this . We just got it .
February 26, 2004
26
1
2 MS . ZANABONI : I saw the one
corner, I guess of the 23 .
3 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Well, what
are we proposing?
4 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Notaro,
maybe you would like to clarify?
5 MR. NOTARO: I think what she' s
referring to is not the lot line, she' s
6 actually measuring off of the road to the lot
line, then you have the additional 13 . 7 feet .
7 So we' re talking about basically the same
thing, but we basically took what was on the
8 original survey, the 13 . 9, I believe it is,
and added 10 feet to that per your request .
9 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: So that' s
22 . 9 . So what you' re requesting is what has
10 been submitted to us?
MR. NOTARO : Yes . But actually,
11 subsequently, my client investigated other
projects in the neighborhood and found that
12 they were a little bit closer to the front lot
line .
13 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: So what
you' re requesting is not what you submitted to
14 us; is that correct?
MR. NOTARO: Correct .
15 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: My opinion,
is only my opinion, this is now a continued
16 hearing. It' s been the subject of four
notices of disapproval . I' d like to know what
17 you' re requesting. Have that information
before us before the public hearing.
18 Because --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: You' re wasting
19 your time and our time .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: We' re going
20 around in circles here . This was -- you know,
we were led to believe in your letter that
21 this is, in fact, what you' re requesting. The
letter is only dated February 23rd. In
22 fairness on your client as well as the Board,
please let us know what you' re requesting,
23 come into the hearing and we' ll hear that .
But as you can imagine at this point, it' s
24 very confusing for the Board because we have a
set of plans that we received on the 23rd, and
25 now we' re told, no, that' s not what we' re
requesting, now we want something else . This
February 26 , 2004
27
1
2 is my opinion, not necessarily the Board' s .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando? I
3 feel the same way, really. We can' t move on
something like this when you' re still not
4 clear on what you want .
MR. NOTARO : Actually, if I just
5 may ask my client is she willing to go with
this number.
6 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: The 22 . 9 .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Please do.
7 MR. NOTARO: She is willing then
to go with what the Board suggested last week,
8 and that' s what the drawings --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: That' s your
9 final answer?
MR. NOTARO: That' s my client' s
10 final answer, yes .
MS . KOWALSKI : You' d have to
11 reapply if you change it again.
MR. NOTARO: Correct .
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer,
do you have any other further questions?
13 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No . I
was trying to think if there was any other
14 option, and I can' t see one at this point . I
think the difference of what Mrs . Gallagher
15 has and what these nice people have are
virtually about a foot . And in their
16 particular case, Mrs . Gallagher' s property,
which has turned out absolutely beautifully
17 down below as I'm sure this one will, has a
garage, which is to that point . I realize
18 there' s another story on top of it, which is
an accessory apartment, but I don' t think a
19 foot makes that much difference . A foot on a
house is really that much more plentiful in my
20 opinion.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora,
21 are you satisfied?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Yes .
22 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I' d like to
make an explanation maybe to the applicant .
23 We can only make decisions based on the notice
of disapproval . Whatever the Building
24 Department says to us is what you asked for,
and that notice of disapproval comes to us,
25 those dimensions come to us . And we can' t
vary, we can make it less, in other words, if
February 26, 2004
28
1
2 you wanted 30 feet, we could do that,
actually, but we can' t give you 26 feet,
3 because you didn' t ask for it . It wasn' t
published. Everybody didn' t have a chance to
4 understand what you' re working on. You have
to understand that . You know, we look at
5 these applications, and we' re trying to
prepare ourselves for what you' re going to
6 say, and if it' s not on this one sheet of
paper that I go by, then, if I have to
7 consider it again, you' re back to the Building
Department, and you've got to ask them, again,
8 you have to tell them exactly what you want,
go through that whole nine yards again, or you
9 let us make a decision based on this and live
with it . I for one, I don' t mind if you come
10 back. If you feel strongly about 19 feet, I
don' t mind if you come back, but I think we've
11 gone through the discussion once already that
what you wanted to do last month wasn' t going
12 to fly, and you came and you compromised. I
think that trying to come back again, I think
13 you may have a problem with that . So I think
you' re going to have a really nice house . I
14 think Mr. Notaro did a really wonderful job on
explaining what it' s going to be . I just want
15 you to be clear that it' s not the Board that' s
really fed up with it . It' s just we can' t
16 make a decision based on that . We have to
listen to what the Building Inspector says .
17 He' s the one that tells us what the code is .
Thank you.
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Thank you. I
make a motion to close the hearing and reserve
19 decision until later.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
20 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
21 responded in favor. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
22 moved.
-------------------------------------------------
23 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
hearing is Mr. Gordon, who wishes to put an
24 accessory apartment onto his house .
Mr. Gordon?
25 MR. GORDON: Yes .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: How are you
February 26, 2004
29
1
2 today? Give your name and address, please .
MR. GORDON: Joseph Gordon, 485
3 Gardiners Lane, Southold.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Would you like
4 to tell us what you want to do?
MR. NEWMAN: 485 Gardiners Lane,
5 Southold. We want to put an addition on his
home for myself and my wife to live .
6 MR. GORDON: My grandson.
MR. NEWMAN: Grandson. It' s just
7 an accessory apartment on his house, right
there. There' s a couple setback problems, or
8 whatever, on the front . I didn' t bring the
plans with me .
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: You also have
problems, it' s a second dwelling unit on top
10 of a garage, which is not permitted.
MR. NEWMAN: Why not?
11 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: And you' re less
than 40 feet from the frontline, which I know
12 already.
MR. NEWMAN: From the 38 feet from
13 the property line, I'm 50 feet from the
street .
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I 'm a
15 little confused by the notice of disapproval
in that I always thought that you were allowed
16 to have an accessory apartment .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: In the house
17 but not above the garage .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : It looks
18 like it' s attached.
MR. NEWMAN: The garage is
19 attached to the house . I understand what
you' re saying but there' s fifty million houses
20 down the road that have structures over the
garage . I don' t understand that .
21 MS . KOWALSKI : I think I can
explain what happened on the disapproval by
22 the Building Inspector. When they applied,
they applied to the Building Department
23 knowing they needed a variance, so they
applied for an apartment, and it was denied on
24 that basis but when they applied to us, they
were not aware that there' s a special
25 exception procedure for accessory apartments
also. So that' s why they filed both, and the
February 26 , 2004
30
1
2 Building Department does not usually address
the special exceptions of the code . So that' s
3 why they' re both there and they left it up to
the Board to decide .
4 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Because I
just could see, it sounded to me you were
5 building an apartment above the garage .
You' re not . You' re building an apartment in
6 the house . It' s adjoined.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It' s an
7 apartment . It just happens to have a garage
underneath it .
8 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: That' s
neither here nor there . Our code doesn' t
9 address that . So you know that part of the
notice of disapproval we don' t need to
10 address, I think
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: No. He
11 has applied -- may I speak, Madam Chairman?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes .
12 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: You have
applied for an accessory apartment, a special
13 exception directly to us . Now, I was a little
confused too, because the notice of
14 disapproval --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Is confusing.
15 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: -- is
confusing, but you have gone ahead and applied
16 for an accessory apartment to us and filled
out all the applicable information. So I' d
17 just like to go through a couple of basic
things on the size of the accessory apartment
18 with you if that' s okay.
MR. NEWMAN: Go ahead.
19 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Can you
give me the size of the accessory apartment?
20 MR. NEWMAN: 1, 181 .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: 1, 181
21 square feet?
MR. NEWMAN: Uh-huh.
22 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: And the
size of the existing dwelling?
23 MR. NEWMAN: 2 , 480 , total square
foot of 3 , 661 .
24 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Total
square footage of 3 , 661 combined.
25 MR. GORDON: With the garage it' s
27 . 5 percent .
February 26 , 2004
31
1
2 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I 'm going
through the criteria and it just has accessory
3 apartment shall not be 40 percent of the
livable floor area of the existing dwelling.
4 So that' s what I'm looking at .
MR. NEWMAN: 32 percent .
5 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: What' s the
percentage?
6 MR. NEWMAN: 32 .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Parking,
7 exterior parking for the accessory apartment .
MR. NEWMAN: Existing garage and
8 existing driveway that' s there .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: In looking
9 at the parking is there sufficient room to
park without backing into the road?
10 MS . KOWALSKI : You need an area
for three cars . How big is the garage, one
11 car or two cars?
MR. NEWMAN: It' s two now. I'm
12 putting a third in. It' s going above that .
It' s getting setback four feet, as you can see
13 on the plans .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Do we have
14 sufficient area so that we' re not going to be
parking?
15 MR. NEWMAN: Absolutely.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: And you
16 would have no objections to a condition on the
special exception that there be no backing out
17 of cars from the accessory apartment into the
road?
18 MR. NEWMAN: Yes .
MR. GORDON: Yes .
19 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: The
existing building, it was created prior to
20 1984; it was built prior to 1984 , sir?
MR. GORDON: 1971 .
21 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: And we have
a CO that indicates that it was?
22 MR. GORDON: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I think
23 I've covered all the questions that I have,
and thank you very much.
24 MR. GORDON: I hope I gave you all
the answers .
25 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I think you
did.
February 26, 2004
32
1
2 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: To follow
3 up a little bit with Board Member Tortora, the
driveway will be as wide as the three car
4 garage then?
MR. NEWMAN: Yes .
5 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Plenty of
room. The other question, the lot behind you
6 on the east side, is that owned by a family
member or --
7 MR. GORDON: It' s a vacant lot .
No, no family member owns that .
8 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Would there
be a problem putting a condition in our
9 decision about no outside rentals outside your
family?
10 MR. NEWMAN: Oh, definitely.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I would
11 object to that .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Renting
12 outside immediate family?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I would
13 object to that .
MR. GORDON: I object to that .
14 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : They didn' t
have a problem with it .
15 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Well, the
problem with it is that the Town says you can
16 have an accessory apartment, why are you
restricting them to just family when everybody
17 else in the town can have someone else living
in there? Our accessory apartment law doesn' t
18 say it has to be a relative . It just says you
have to meet a certain criteria, you can have
19 an accessory apartment . You can rent it to
anybody you choose . Why would we restrict
20 these gentlemen to that? What are they doing
that' s so egregious that we have to restrict
21 them to just family members?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: It was my
22 opinion to the applicant .
MR. NEWMAN: I'm not going
23 anywhere any time because real estate' s
ridiculous around here, so don' t worry.
24 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I 'm sorry?
MR. NEWMAN: I said, I'm not going
25 anywhere anytime soon, so you don' t have to
worry about that . The real estate here is
February 26, 2004
33
1
2 ridiculous .
MS . KOWALSKI : What would happen
3 to the apartment after you left?
MR. NEWMAN: If I die tomorrow,
4 then he' s going to have to deal with it .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
5 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I'm not
getting in the middle of this, and I have no
6 comment .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
7 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Like I
said, I don' t think the applicant does not
8 have to certify this by having that
restriction on it . I think he should not
9 agree with it . No one in the town has to
agree with that .
10 MR. GORDON: Then I don' t agree
with it .
11 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Then my
statement on this, my notes on this, you
12 wouldn' t even be before us if you had built
the house the other way.
13 MR. NEWMAN: If it was twisted a
little bit, it was fine .
14 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Way back
then who thought that kids couldn' t afford to
15 live here .
MR. GORDON: That' s exactly the
16 situation.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I offer
17 that as part of the explanation as to the
reason why you' re doing it . And I wish you
18 luck.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: But,
19 Mr. Dinizio, if it was an accessory apartment,
it would still have to come before us .
20 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I'm not
worried about them coming before us, I'm
21 worried about you restricting them more than
you restrict anyone else .
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I understand
your point . I' d like to make a motion closing
23 the hearing and reserving decision until
later.
24 MR. NEWMAN: How much later?
MR. GORDON: Excuse me, if it' s at
25 all possible, could you please act on this
today? The reason I'm saying this is it' s
February 26 , 2004
34
1
2 been eight months, and we have a three month
old baby living in my house .
3 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Sir, we are
having a meeting a week from today and you' ll
4 have your decision then.
MS . KOWALSKI : Verbally.
5 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: At least
verbally, we' re moving very quickly these
6 days . It will be written up as soon as
possible .
7 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
8 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: We' ll take a
short recess now.
10 (Whereupon, a brief recess was
taken. )
11 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
12 hearing is for Mr. Cornwell, on West Cove
Road. I believe Mr. Strang is here for us for
13 a single side yard setback of 9 . 5 feet; is
there proposed or existing?
14 MR. STRANG: I 'm sorry, I missed
your question. Would you mind repeating it?
15 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: That 9 . 5
setback, is that existing or that it will be
16 proposed?
MR. STRANG: The 9 . 5 setback is
17 existing to the retaining wall . It is our
intention to build this addition on top of the
18 existing retaining wall .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: So then you' re
19 not really increasing the degree of
nonconformity --
20 MR. STRANG: No, with the
exception --
21 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: -- of going up?
MR. STRANG: -- of going vertical,
22 yes, which years ago we wouldn' t be before you
but now we are .
23 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I know. We did
have a letter from Mr. Slattery asking us to
24 postpone this hearing until June because he is
in Florida, I believe .
25 MR. STRANG: I am aware of that
letter. I have had several conversations with
February 26 , 2004
35
1
2 Mr. Slattery trying to enlighten him as to the
nature of what we' re proposing to do there and
3 the minimal scope of it . I sent him a copy of
the drawing that you have in addition to the
4 site plan. He also has the very rudimentary,
three dimensional overview on the photograph,
5 so that he can see again that we' re not doing
some sort of monstrous addition here . It' s
6 something very small scale . I can appreciate
his concerns of not being able to see it
7 firsthand because he' s in Florida at the time,
but I also look at it from the point of view
8 that what we' re proposing is quite minimal as
far as the encroachment, we' re building over
9 the existing retaining wall, not getting any
closer than that . The side of the house that
10 it -- the side of his house that is being
impacted is a garage, which is approximately
11 28, 30 feet off the property line because he' s
got a side-loaded garage . So he has a
12 driveway area and he backs out into Lee .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It' s not
13 against his house?
MR. STRANG: It' s not against his
14 house . There' s a stockade fence that exists .
It' s been there for some time . There' s also
15 heavy vegetation that' s established, that' s
going to remain. In fact, if we were to take
16 that retaining wall out, it might compromise
that vegetation. So we don' t want to do that .
17 So that' s a reason we want to build right up
on top of what' s there . So, again, I can
18 appreciate what he says, and we made every
effort, and my client has spoken with him also
19 to tray and allay any concerns with respect to
this, and I think putting it off to June is
20 quite a hardship to my client .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Did
21 Mr. Slattery seem agreeable in your
discussions with him for the 9 . 5 and what you
22 proposed to do?
MR. STRANG: His only comment to
23 me that I had is well, I can' t visualize this,
I' d really like to come out and walk it and
24 see it firsthand. He didn' t say he' d object
to it or that he' d be in favor of it . He just
25 wanted to see it firsthand. Again, I did try
to make it perfectly clear that, he is
February 26, 2004
36
1
2 familiar I believe with the property and he
knows the existence of the retaining wall, and
3 I tried to explain to him that we' re not
getting any closer than that existing
4 retaining wall and that we' re only going up
one story on that in a relatively small area,
5 so that the peak of the addition isn' t even as
high as the peak of the main house, which is
6 quite clearly depicted on that little --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Schematic that
7 you gave us .
MR. STRANG: Exactly.
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer,
do you have any questions?
9 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: There
was a significant amount of snow over there
10 when I was over, but I don' t actually see any
problem with the application.
11 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: My quick
12 question, I did some pacing while I was there,
the hole, we' ll call it the void, which is
13 down to grade, the first level, or the
basement, that' s the void you' re filling,
14 correct?
MR. STRANG: We' re not going to
15 fill it . That is going to be a basement .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Filling to
16 create a living space in that area?
MR. STRANG: That will become a
17 basement area, which they plan to use for
storage .
18 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : There' s a
concrete retaining wall in there, and that' s
19 where the foundation, we' ll call it --
MR. STRANG: That will be the
20 foundation. Except we' re only going to come
out -- bear with me a moment while I look at
21 the plan to refresh my recollection. We' ll
come out into that area by 14 and-a-half feet .
22 That retaining wall does extend toward the bay
further than that, but with the actual
23 structure, we' re coming out 14 feet, and then
we' re putting a deck, which is open,
24 unenclosed, just a deck with a rail .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I have no
25 problem with this, but, Madam Chairman, I
think you may want to at least give that
February 26, 2004
37
1
2 gentleman a right to come and speak before we
close the hearing.
3 MS . KOWALSKI : He can' t be here
before June . He left no telephone number. We
4 tried to contact him.
MR. STRANG: I do have . a number
5 for him. If the Board were to entertain
holding the hearing open, my client did speak
6 with his neighbor, Mr. Slattery, as recently
as yesterday afternoon. And Mr. Slattery did
7 indicate that he may be up sooner than June,
so, if you were to -- although we prefer you
8 didn' t -- if you were to keep this open, we' d
ask that maybe you could put it on the April
9 calendar, and we' d see if that would work for
Mr. Slattery. Because, again, we' re trying
10 not to have this delayed unnecessarily.
Again, my client would prefer to have this
11 action taken at this time on this, given the
fact that we believe it' s a minimal situation,
12 and it shouldn' t have any impact at all on
Mr. Slattery, given the nature of his offset
13 and his garage .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : I don' t
14 have any particular problem. I don' t see any
concerns . I don' t know what his concerns may
15 be .
MR. STRANG: He seemed to make
16 reference to landscaping in his letter which
we' re not touching or disturbing. He hasn' t
17 been clear with me what his concerns are other
than the fact that he can' t physically stand
18 there and say, oh, now I see what you' re
doing. I thought the diagram was relatively
19 clear, the minimal aspect of what we were
proposing, but --
20 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Slattery
said you didn' t provide him with elevations or
21 a landscape plan. So I continue to feel
disadvantaged in terms of my ability to
22 visualize the impact of this addition.
MR. STRANG: I did give him the
23 diagram that you have .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Which was
24 helpful .
MS . KOWALSKI : Was there a height
25 to the top of the ridge?
MR. STRANG: There probably wasn' t
February 26 , 2004
38
1
2 a calculated height to that . It' s not as high
as the ridge . What did I say, the building' s
3 14 feet, it' s at worse case, it would be --
I'm just trying to mentally calculate that
4 real quick -- the building were 9 feet above
grade, plus the roof, which would be at worst
5 case another 7, so 16 feet .
MS . KOWALSKI : He' s trying to
6 visualize that so I can explain that to him on
the phone when we call him. Sixteen feet from
7 the ground?
MR. STRANG: From the existing
8 front grade, of course the grade slopes as it
goes to the bay.
9 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Madam
Chair.
10 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora
first .
11 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I would
like to make a suggestion. I would suggest
12 that the Board write Mr. Slattery a certified
letter, sending him a complete packet of this
13 and advising him that, while we understand
that he is physically in Florida, we cannot
14 leave the hearing open indefinitely, and that
a reasonable time for him to make comments or
15 be present at the hearing, and give him until
April as suggested. But I don' t think it is
16 reasonable to hold this until June .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: No.
17 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: But I would
make sure that the packet and information is
18 sent certified. As to whether Mr. Slattery
said this or that, it' s all hearsay. So he
19 has to either appear ,here or put his comments
in writing because anything else is hearsay
20 about what he said to who, and then that would
include yourself, your client, and our Board.
21 MR. STRANG: I appreciate your
position on that .
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I was
23 going to suggest something quicker than that,
do a telephone call .
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It would be
better to have a paper trail . And I think
25 Mrs . Tortora is correct and he would have the
ability to write back and we would have his
February 26, 2004
39
1
2 answer in writing.
MR. STRANG: Can we move it until
3 the March then, give him until the March
hearing to respond?
4 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It wouldn' t be
enough time .
5 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: We' re
trying to protect your interest as well as
6 protect the Board' s interest . We are
obligated to entertain, and should entertain
7 the concerns of the community. On the other
hand, it can' t just be an open door
8 MR. STRANG: I understand and I
appreciate your considering that .
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio,
are you agreeable?
10 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I think
it' s reasonable to give him another month, but
11 I think we should be prepared to give this man
an answer that day. I have some questions,
12 because I'm unclear. I went to this piece of
property and I still can' t quite figure out
13 why you' re here .
MR. STRANG: Okay.
14 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I'm looking
at your survey, and I see that it' s a proposed
15 two-story addition. Now, are you extending
the corner of that house? I mean, are you
16 extending, or are you building up above that
second -- I don' t quite --
17 MR. STRANG: Okay. The reason is
it says two story is by definition the fact
18 that there is a lower level, if you will,
which is the patio down below, the retaining
19 wall encloses, is open to grade, is accessible
from the lower grade . It would be by
20 definition considered a story. Then, we' re
putting on top of the retaining wall that' s
21 there a one story, which the house is a cape,
a Cape Cod design, so it' s the one story plus
22 the roof above it .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I 'm looking
23 at that picture . It doesn' t look like there' s
a retaining wall there .
24 MR. STRANG: You can' t see it from
the vantage point of that picture, but that
25 was the best picture I could use to depict the
massing of the element that we' re adding.
February 26 , 2004
40
1
2 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Basically
you' re not adding, you' re not building onto
3 the house, you' re putting this over a patio.
MR. STRANG: We' re putting it over
4 a patio that' s already there . The retaining
wall --
5 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Indentation of
it, you' re just going up?
6 MR. STRANG: That' s correct .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : It' s not
7 like you' re adding a second story to the
house .
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: No .
MR. STRANG: No.
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All right, I' d
like to make a motion --
10 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Can I
finish, please?
11 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Oh, I'm sorry.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Thank you.
12 So you got rejected basically for that reason,
that you' re putting a structure on --
13 MR. STRANG: On top of the
retaining wall .
14 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Your
comment before about this pertaining to
15 something that' s changed recently --
MR. STRANG: Well, years ago the
16 established setback would have been
grandfathered, but under recent interpretation
17 of the Zoning Board, anything that is built
vertically above an established setback, above
18 the height of that requires a variance .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Does a
19 patio necessarily establish a setback?
MR. STRANG: Well, the retaining
20 wall is the structure, I believe, that would
establish the setback.
21 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: The patio
is a grade level and the patio is existing at
22 15 feet; is that correct?
MR. STRANG: The patio is -- the
23 lower patio is existing at the lower grade .
The retaining wall comes up to the forward,
24 the front grade and the retaining wall, in
fact, creates a structure . It is by
25 definition a structure .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: So you' re
February 26, 2004
41
1
2 saying that that' s your established setback?
MR. STRANG: I believe that it is
3 but the fact that the Building Department says
that anything above that point would require a
4 variance is the reason we' re here .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Let me ask
5 you this question. You were definitely then,
you were definitely -- there' s not a
6 nonconforming setback according to this notice
of disapproval . This notice of disapproval
7 says you' re going to build a nonconforming.
MR. STRANG: We' re going to
8 build on top of -- by the nature of the fact
that we' re building on a conforming setback,
9 the fact that we' re building an addition to
that or going vertical means that what we' re
10 adding is not conforming, and that' s what
requires the variance .
11 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I 'm not
getting that . I know you' re an architect .
12 But to me, you' re not increasing the degree of
the nonconformity. You have an established
13 setback of 9 . 5 feet; am I correct?
MR. STRANG: I'm not going to
14 debate that with you because I agree with you
it' s an interpretation that' s come down in the
15 last few years .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : All I want
16 is, Garrett, is to get on the record. You can
disagree with me, if you want, but I need to
17 be clear on this . You were sent to us because
you' re going to put a second story on an
18 existing nonconforming setback?
MR. STRANG: Well, we' re going to
19 put a one-story addition on an existing
nonconforming setback.
20 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : An
established setback 9 and-a-half feet and the
21 degree of that nonconformity is what, what is
it supposed to be, 15 feet, 10 feet?
22 MR. STRANG: 15 feet .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: So that' s
23 what, 30 percent degree of nonconformity; am I
correct?
24 MR. STRANG: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : How are
25 you increasing that?
MR. STRANG: I'm not, other than
February 26, 2004
42
1
2 the fact that we' re going vertical .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I didn' t
3 ask you that question. I said you have a side
yard, how do you intend to increase that side
4 yard degree of nonconformity?
MR. STRANG: I'm not .
5 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Have you
been denied for the height of this? In other
6 words, does this exceed 35 feet, which is what
our code says you can have a building be,
7 principal structure?
MR. STRANG: No, it does not .
8 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: So you
weren' t denied for height, but that' s the
9 nonconformity you' re here for, even though
this notice of disapproval doesn' t say that .
10 MR. STRANG: The way the
disapproval was interpreted by the Building
11 Department is because there was a preexisting
nonconforming setback to the existing
12 structure, i . e . , the retaining wall, and we
proposed to put an additional structure on top
13 of that vertically, that in their
interpretation we are increasing the
14 nonconformity by building over that .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Okay.
15 Garrett; you' re a friend of mine, so I don' t
want you to think that I am trying to hound
16 you, but I am trying to grapple with the fact
that you are denied for a side yard setback,
17 the degree of that nonconformity is what it
will be, yet you' re here before us, and I'm
18 not understanding that . You' re not the only
applicant today that' s going to hear this
19 question, and by all means, I have absolutely
no problem with what you intend to do here,
20 just the fact that I just can' t quite
understand why you' re here and not down there
21 putting your finishing touching on this
addition.
22 MR. STRANG: I've posed the same
questions in the past, but, again, there has
23 been an interpretation made .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: The
24 interpretation was done by the Waltz decision
and the Building Department going along with
25 that . Mr. Dinizio did not approve of that
decision and that is why he is adding this
February 26 , 2004
43
1
2 into the record, to prove his point again.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I think
3 what I'm trying to do is get a decent notice
of disapproval, one that tells me exactly why
4 the applicant is before us . I think if we
ignore that we' re not doing the public any
5 justice, that' s what I think.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I will go down
6 and discuss that with Michael when he gets
back on March lst .
7 MR. STRANG: Before the close, I
just want to make a submittal to the Board, if
8 I may. We do have in our possession at this
point in time, a copy of which I' ll give you,
9 is a determination of no jurisdiction from the
Trustees and a permit from the DEC.
10 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Great,
okay. Otherwise --
11 MS . KOWALSKI : In the future if
you would give us seven sets, we would really
12 appreciate it .
MR. STRANG: Okay, I will get
13 them.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I would like to
14 make a motion adjourning this hearing until.
April 22nd at 9 : 30 a.m.
15 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
16 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All opposed?
So moved. Thank you, Mr. Strang.
18 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
19 hearing is for an as-built deck that was
constructed by a pool that the Building
20 Department decided was a side yard, which they
thought was the rear yard. Mr. Hinton, are
21 you here?
MR. HINTON: Yes, good morning.
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Why don' t you
give us your name and address?
23 MR. HINTON: John Hinton, 515
Horseview Drive, Cutchogue .
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Thank you very
much, would you like to tell us what happened?
25 MR. HINTON: We had the okay for
the pool . The pool was built in the back
February 26 , 2004
44
1
2 yard, and I got paperwork to build the deck,
and when we built the deck we were told later
3 on by the Town that the pool is now considered
in the side yard. I have it coming out off
4 the deck.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
5 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : No
questions . I saw that now that you attached
6 it, just became a little gray area in the
code.
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: No
8 questions .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
9 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : No
questions .
10 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No
11 questions .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Anybody else in
12 this room that would like to speak on behalf
of this application? If not, I move to. close
13 the hearing and reserve decision until later.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
15 responded in favor. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: So moved.
16 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
17 hearing is Scott and Tuffy on Main Road in
Cutchogue for a proposed addition less than 50
18 feet from the lot line . Yes .
MS . TUFFY: I'm Sandra Tuffy. I'm
19 trying to put two additions onto my home, one
on each side, and because of the house is
20 closer to the road than the current building
codes allow, my additions, even though they --
21 when you back them up to the back line of the
house, are still -- and they' re setback from
22 the frontline of the house, they' re still
closer than the 50 feet . And that' s why I was
23 disapproved by the Building Department in the
first place .
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Most of the
houses along the. road are not 50 feet from the
25 road?
MS . TUFFY: One addition will be
February 26 , 2004
45
1
2 49 feet from the road, and the other side it
will be only 28 feet from the road because the
3 house is in two parts . I 've sent certified
letters out to the neighbors . I got all the
4 return receipts back except one . It went to
New York City, and I think it' s the Peconic
5 Bay Vineyards address, and I didn' t get that
back today. But I have the other ones with me
6 today.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Give them to
7 Linda.
MS . TUFFY: Yes . I also have two
8 letters, one from each of the people I sent to
saying that they have no objections, if they
9 need to respond in a letter. I didn' t make
copies yet .
10 MS . KOWALSKI : Could you just
enter the two names?
11 MS . TUFFY: One is from the
Cutchogue Methodist Church, and the other is
12* from Starky Brothers Nursery, who is in the
back. And I have the other of these, and I
13 didn' t make copies of these yet .
MS . KOWALSKI : They will be in the
14 record.
MS . TUFFY: Do you want me to
15 leave these here?
MS . KOWALSKI : Unless you want to
16 take them into the office and have copies .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio, do
17 you have any questions?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Again, I
18 think the applicant is as confused as I am
about the notice of disapproval . I don' t see
19 anywhere where your notice of disapproval
pertains to your addition. You' re not
20 increasing it and you' re not adding any
setbacks .
21 MS . TUFFY: Well, at the time they
said they had to disapprove because it is
22 closer than 50 feet .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: But that' s
23 existing, and it' s always been there, and it' s
quite a beautiful house actually, and our code
24 does make provisions for the fact that you can
have that house there in that setback and you
25 could even add to that by putting an addition
on the back, and we' re not policing anything
February 26, 2004
46
1
2 anymore . I don' t know why you' re here, and in
deference to you, I think that you should just
3 take what we give you, which is probably
hopefully the whole thing, and I just
4 appreciate your not -- I don' t know how you
could fight this, and I don' t know how we
5 could say no to you because there' s no reason
why.
6 MS . TUFFY: That' s good news .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora?
7 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: No, I don' t
have any questions .
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I just want
9 to say, two nice little additions putting on
the side, are very nice and should complement
10 the house . The reason why you' re here is that
the current code requires a 50 foot setback,
11 even though you' re preexisting nonconforming,
that' s the reason why you' re here . I don' t
12 have a problem with your nice little additions
there . Good luck.
13 MS . TUFFY: I think it will be
nice because it' s a very high house .
14 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Also, I
wanted to put on the record, they are single
15 story, correct?
MS . TUFFY: Yes, both additions
16 are single story.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
17 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Mrs .
Tuffy, the addition on the west side is the
18 one that will be 28 feet from the Main Road;
is that correct, which is addition A?
19 MS . TUFFY: Right .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: The
20 other one will be 49 feet?
MS . TUFFY: Yeah.
21 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I don' t have
any questions . I think it' s a lovely house
22 and I wish you lots of luck with it . It' s a
beautiful place .
23 MS . TUFFY: Thank you.
MS . KOWALSKI : Did you want to
24 take these so you can get copies?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Is there
25 anybody else in the audience that would like
to comment on this application? If not I' d
February 26, 2004
47
1
2 like to close the hearing and reserve decision
until later.
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
4 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
5 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: So moved.
Thank you very much for coming in. Next
6 Thursday we' ll make our decision and then
after that we' ll have our decision in writing.
7 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Have a nice
day.
8 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
9 hearing is for Mr. Skrezec, the interpretation
for a landscaping business is permitted to
10 stockpile landscape materials as an accessory
use without the need for a special exception,
11 or special exception for a contractor yard.
An interpretation I should say at that point .
12 Mr. McCarthy?
MR. MCCARTHY: Good morning, Tom
13 McCarthy, McCarthy Management, representing
Mr. Skrezec . I have an affidavit of posting
14 I ' d like to give to you (handing) .
I think the reason we' re in front
15 of you today is because of our code, and what
we seem to see is some really very poorly
16 written language within the code specifically
in this case within the LB District . A little
17 bit of history on the property, Mr. Skrezec
purchased this site back in 2000 . The parcel
18 was split zoned. The area on Route 48 was
R40, and the rear portion was towards the Long
19 Island Railroad, was Hamlet Business . He
looked at this and said that this would be a
20 good spot for his landscaping business . At
that point he went through all the appropriate
21 channels and approached the Town Board and was
successful in getting a zone change to Limited
22 Business and Residential Office . The parcel
is still one piece of property at this point .
23 He has not subdivided the Residential Office
section off of the Limited Business section,
24 that you can see on your site plan, so it is
again a split zone parcel, but the intention
25 will be to carve out what will be a conforming
one acre lot in the RO Zone, and have that as
February 26, 2004
48
1
2 a separate entity here .
The funny part of the matter is
3 that going to the Town Board and asking for
permission for limited business, we' re all
4 under the interpretation that he' s a permitted
use within that LB zone . Just, I guess for
5 the record, the language within the code that
we were looking at when he applied for limited
6 business is in the permitted uses, 100-81 A6,
which at the bottom of the paragraph permits
7 landscape and other service businesses .
However, going down to Section B Number 2 , it
8 speaks of contractor' s businesses or yards as
a special exception use . And I don' t know
9 what litmus test the building inspector uses
to determine what is a landscaping service
10 business and when does someone become a
landscaping contractor.
11 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: May I ask a
question?
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: So I don' t
13 get too confused. Did the building inspector
review this? Because I don' t have anything
14 from him.
MR. MCCARTHY: He would not give
15 us anything. We' re presently in the Planning
Board awaiting site plan approval .
16 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: For this?
MR. MCCARTHY: Yes, for this .
17 We' re with the Health Department,
we' re with Suffolk County DPW, we' re with the
18 Planning Board for the approval for a 5 , 000
square foot building on this property.
19 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Why did
you --
20 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Because -- go
ahead.
21 MR. MCCARTHY: Why are we here?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes .
22 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Yes .
MR. MCCARTHY: We' d like to know.
23 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Who sent
you here?
24 MR. MCCARTHY: The Planning
Department sent us here . The Building
25 Department has determined, although they would
not give anything in writing, that we' re
February 26 , 2004
49
1
2 similar to, I believe your other application
of Reflecting Nature which was a landscaper in
3 an LB zone . We have not gotten anything in
writing from them, and the Planning Board
4 would not proceed to set our final hearing for
site plan approval until we got an
5 interpretation from your Board as to his use
on this property.
6 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: We have had
no request from the Planning Board or Building
7 Department for interpretation on this matter.
We have had nothing from either the Building
8 Department or the Planning Board -- correct me
if I'm wrong -- that the use of this property
9 or as a permitted use is not permitted,
period. So I personally fail to see where our
10 jurisdiction is without -- you' re here because
somebody told you to be here .
11 MR. MCCARTHY: And they said it
would not proceed with site plan.
12 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I have
nothing in writing to substantiate what you' re
13 saying. I don' t question you. I 'm just
saying, it' s like somebody walking in off the
14 street and saying well, Joe Schmo told me I
had to come to you to get XYZ .
15 MR. MCCARTHY: We' re caught
between planning and building. We've been
16 told that our application is akin to
Reflecting Nature .
17 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Madam
Chairman, I think that the Board has to
18 require a letter. If this is what the
Planning Board wants, they've got to put that
19 in writing with us . I'm not willing to go any
further with this until I see something from
20 them.
MS . KOWALSKI : Excuse me, I don' t
21 know if you had spoken about this or not, but
I understand you were sent here because there
22 was no outside stockpiling proposed.
MR. MCCARTHY: There are two
23 issues, one is the use, and the second is
stockpiling materials .
24 MS . KOWALSKI : That' s not what we
were told. But it' s also my understanding
25 that Darrin Skrezec wanted to apply for a
contractor' s yard to move his applications
February 26, 2004
50
1
2 along quickly and get approvals from the
planning office?
3 MR. MCCARTHY: That' s correct .
MS . KOWALSKI : That' s why you' re
4 here. Which is the priority for you?
MR. MCCARTHY: The second issue is
5 he has put on his site plan that he is
stockpiling materials, a small amount of
6 materials that he uses in bins, be it mulch,
be it topsoil, or whatever he needs within his
7 landscaping business, and that was listed as a
special exception use within the code .
8 There' s been a lot of things that procedurally
perhaps are not correct, but the Town engineer
9 came along and not the building inspector and
said that we' re not allowed to have those
10 material storage bins within 20 feet of the
property line, and declared them to be a
11 structure, although they are a movable,
concrete piece of equipment, temporary walls
12 that he puts up in order to store his
materials and keep them segregated from one
13 another. So we've been bouncing between the
Building Department, Town engineer and the
14 Planning Board was unwilling to proceed
without direction from your Board. And we' re
15 here kind of with our hat in our hands saying
we' d really like to proceed with the Planning
16 Board. We've been in this process for a long
time, and we' re looking for your intervention
17 either to give direction to the Building
Department that the use is fine within the
18 zone and to address the issue of the
stockpiling of materials .
19 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. McCarthy,
do you want to just ask us for an
20 interpretation of that saying that
contractor' s yards, whether it means
21 landscaping contractors or what?
MR. MCCARTHY: I would like to
22 know --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Do you want
23 just a separate interpretation?
MR. MCCARTHY: I would like to
24 have a special exception if that moves us
along through the process . Actually, if we
25 could move forward with the special exception
then address the code issues with the Building
February 26 , 2004
51
1
2 Department and with the code committee and
clean up some of the language that' s here, so
3 that other applicants don' t have to go through
the same thing, I think the applicant would be
4 better served and anyone else coming down the
line would be better served if we could clean
5 up the code language .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : No one will
6 give this gentleman something in writing, so I
think we need to start to put something in
7 writing so at least they can bounce something
around.
8 MR. MCCARTHY: If you don' t want
him in the LB Zone where do you want him?
9 Maybe in the Ag zone?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Personally
10 speaking, to be a contractor' s yard it can
mean a landscaping, as long as you' re storing
11 materials and have it properly screened as
Carpet Green has done down the road from
12 you. I just don' t see a big problem with
this, frankly.
13 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Can I
said ask a question, Mr. McCarthy?
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Go ahead.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: This is
15 a general question to both you and the Board.
Is the Planning Board still meeting on
16 their Monday afternoon situations?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes . But they
17 did not have a quorum this past Monday.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: But the
18 question is I think we should put this on and
at least two members of this Board should go
19 along with Mr. McCarthy and find out exactly
what they want . Then after we determine what
20 they want, then they can put it in writing to
us, and then we can fully proceed with the
21 application. I've done that before .
MS . KOWALSKI : We've asked the
22 Planning Board for a letter, and we didn' t
get --
23 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I 'm very
sympathetic to the application.
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I know you are,
but you just want something in writing.
25 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: But you' re
here based on so and so told me this, so and
February 26, 2004
52
1
2 so told me that, so and so told me this, and
that' s not your fault . But now I think this
3 Board has to go back and demand that they put
those concerns in writing. Otherwise, I'm
4 going to say you don' t have to be here,
period.
5 MR. MCCARTHY: Can you say that in
writing?
6 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I think the
proper thing to do is to write a letter to the
7 Planning Board, to the Town engineer, to the
Building Department saying we have an
8 application that is before us pursuant to your
request . Please confirm this . If you don' t
9 respond within 10 days, we will assume that
this application is null and void. This is
10 nonsense .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: May I
11 speak?
MR. MCCARTHY: It came as a
12 surprise to me that the Town engineer is
reviewing the plans with regard to setbacks
13 and other things that are the Building
Department and Planning Department' s purview.
14 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Why don' t
we grant the guy the special exception and let
15 him be on his way.
MR. MCCARTHY: We would love it .
16 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I agree
that, you know, he' s entitled to ask us for a
17 special exception. He doesn' t need any
writing for anybody.
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: He wants an
interpretation of the regulation.
19 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Grant him
the special exception. It' s allowed by the
20 special exception in that property; am I
right, Tom?
21 MR. MCCARTHY: Landscape
contractor is allowed by special exception, as
22 is the stockpiling of materials .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Right now
23 we could do it . Just make a motion, give him
his special exception. My feeling is, you
24 might have other problems, but that' s not our
thing. You' re going to have to deal with
25 them, but at least then we say, this is what
we want; this is what he' s asking for; let him
February 26, 2004
53
1
2 have it . I see no reason why he shouldn' t
have . I agree with you 100 percent, Ruth, the
3 Planning Board' s going to take care of the
screening, and the things that are necessary
4 for this contractor' s yard. Why are we even
arguing? Just give him the special exception,
5 if we need to do it in code committee, then
some other time -- let' s have it some other
6 time . Let this applicant go on with his
thing. I think that' s the way we should act,
7 and we can act, and we can do that soon. Then
we don' t have to worry about what the Planning
8 Board says, or what they don' t say, because
this is an application that he' s entitled to
9 make without any comment from any other board
in this town.
10 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: You' re
entitled to make it, whether you have to make
11 it, that' s another story. That' s what my
point is .
12 MR. MCCARTHY: It comes down to,
there are several factors in here, not the
13 most important of which is timing, the
Planning Board would not move forward to set
14 the public hearing for the final approval of
his plan without this from the Building
15 Department, and I think it' s an administrative
problem within the town and how things are
16 reviewed when you get the certification of
your site plan, to be honest with you. And I
17 think that' s some of the things that code
committee is looking at right now.
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: If you have a
landscaping business, obviously, just like
19 Landings by the Sea, you have to stockpile
some things in the back.
20 MR. MCCARTHY: Absolutely. We' re
here asking for in an honest fashion
21 everything we' re looking to do. We' re not
sitting here saying, look, we' re only looking
22 to put up a building and then we' re going to
be doing other things later. We' re here,
23 everything on top of the table and Mr. Skrezec
would like to get his approvals for exactly
24 what he intends to do on this piece of
property.
25 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Which is
surrounded by a stone and gravel yard.
February 26, 2004
54
1
2 MR. MCCARTHY: Railroad tracks .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: And he' ll
3 probably screen it in there and probably make
it look a heck of a lot nicer.
4 MR. MCCARTHY: It' s going to look
nicer than it does now. But we've been
5 through the Architectural Review Board. We've
consented to some of their suggestions
6 regarding the elevation of the building, and
we have been everywhere except for the Town
7 Clerk' s office to get a permit for a dog run
or something. We have been in every other
8 department in this town, and everybody' s had
their little shot at us, and we' re just
9 looking to move forward and set a final public
hearing and get a building permit .
10 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I also
agree with Mr. Dinizio, if we could go do the
11 special exception, we could get the ball
rolling.
12 MR. MCCARTHY: We would appreciate
your help.
13 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I have no
objection to that . I have no objection to it .
14 I do feel that after we do that we should
still fire off a letter in bold in the future
15 if they want to require an applicant to do
something, they need to put that in writing to
16 us .
MR. MCCARTHY: And I don' t know
17 why the Planning Board hasn' t responded to the
Zoning Board' s requests for comments prior to
18 this public hearing.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: No, they just
19 asked us for our comments .
MS . KOWALSKI : We sent them a
20 letter, and they came over and said, we would
like another letter requesting comments .
21 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I ' d like to
repeat that he did follow the rules .
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: There' s no
question about it .
23 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: So even if
the Planning Board just suggests that it
24 really doesn' t make too much difference in
this case because he followed the law. He
25 applied for what he thought needed to be, and
he' s right by a special exception he has the
February 26, 2004
55
1
2 opportunity to use this property for his
business, and if we just grant that I think
3 that move on down the road. Certainly you can
have your disputes with the Building
4 Department and the Planning Board. They
thought something. They may have legitimately
5 thought something. They thought maybe we
can' t give you this, so they wanted some
6 clarification, but it' s not their
responsibility to ask that . It' s his
7 responsibility. He has to convince them what
he has is a good use there . I understand that
8 the Planning Board and Building Inspector,
there' s a blur there, but I still think
9 prevalent in this town any board seems to be
able to ask any question, whether they are
10 expertise in it anyway, and when that happens,
even if they have the right to do so, what
11 happens is you have an applicant out here
that' s spending money monthly, and all he
12 wants to do is get it over with. So I say
let' s get this one over with.
13 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Are you
14 prepared to go through the special exception
criteria that you' re looking for at this time,
15 or would you like to spend about twenty
minutes reviewing it?
16 MR. MCCARTHY: I' d like to review
my file on the application and I' d be happy to
17 come back in front of you.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Good, do that .
18 All agreed?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
19 responded in favor. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I' d like to
20 move that we will wait 20 minutes for
Mr.. McCarthy to review.
21 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: So
second.
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
23 responded in favor. )
-------------------------------------------------
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
hearing is for Mr. Sampieri, who' s down on
25 Bayberry Road in Cutchogue for an existing
dwelling at less than 15 feet on single yard
February 26 , 2004
56
1
2 setback.
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: Good morning,
3 Kevin McLoughlin, Winds Way Professional
Center, Southold.
4 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Good morning.
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: How are you? I
5 would like to hand up seven copies of a letter
I have prepared for the Board basically
6 outlining the application and the legal
criteria for granting an area variance . Like
7 many of the people that apparently have
appeared before the Board so far today, we are
8 here basically going. up a second story on an
existing seven to eight foot side yard setback
9 on a property that requires a 15 foot side
yard setback. We are also adding a very small
10 first floor addition also within setback at
that same seven to eight foot as the existing
11 residence . So none of these structures that
are proposed under our application will be
12 nearer to the property line than the existing
one story dwelling currently is . I do have
13 with me -- I don' t want to spend a lot of time
going over what' s contained in my letter, but
14 we do have both Mr. and Mrs . Sampieri here
today and we also have representatives of Bush
15 Associates, they are the architect/engineering
firm. They' re in charge of this project . But
16 basically what this is, we' re demolishing part
of the first floor of the existing dwelling.
17 We' re putting a second floor on and some small
first story additions . There is also a
18 currently existing shed with a concrete pad
underneath it that is actually much closer to
19 the easterly neighbor' s property line than the
house is, that will be removed as part of this
20 project . So, in fact the closest structure to
that property line is going to be removed and
21 everything else is in line with existing
buildings .
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I was there . I
don' t have any problem with it . Mr.
23 Goehringer?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Fortunately
24 Mr. McLoughlin, this is the only one I didn' t
see out of the repertoire for February, but I
25 will be up on Saturday to look at it . So I
don' t have any comments at this time .
February 26 , 2004
57
1
2 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I walked
3 the property, I don' t have a particular
problem, but you get the illusion that the
4 side yards aren' t as tight because of the
major encroachments of your clients on the
5 east side of the property, you know, the
fence.
6 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: I'm not sure what
you mean by encoachments, into the side yard
7 area?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Into the
8 side yards . They've kind of borrowed some
property and cleared it and vegetated it on
9 the east side . It gives the illusion it' s a
big side yard.
10 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: It' s
approximately an eight foot setback from the
11 property line to the existing structure .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I just
12 wanted to put .on the record that it gives the
illusion of a larger side yard there because
13 they have a fence that runs perpendicular on
the corner over into the neighbor' s side yard,
14 and it' s kind of cleared and maintained there .
I was confused, I couldn' t find the seven feet
15 until I found the markers and paced it off,
because the side yard looks probably close to
16 15 or 20 by the maintenance, but I just wanted
to put that in there .
17 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: For the record,
the distance between the closest point of my
18 client' s house and the neighboring house to
the east is going to be almost 40 feet .
19 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Right . But
the gate on the east side is almost on the
20 property line, that' s what I was getting at .
It' s an illusion right there . I don' t have
21 any particular problems with the additions .
No other questions .
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I don' t
23 have any questions . The setback to the top of
the bluff is what?
24 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: 61' 2 " I believe .
We do have Town Trustees approval on this file
25 already.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I was just
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 trying to see from the top of the bluff as far
as our jurisdiction is concerned, I don' t see
3 that on here, but I guess it must meet it
because it' s not indicated. Was that
4 indicated; do you know?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: What was the
5 question again?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: The
6 question is our jurisdiction was 100 feet to
the top of the bluff .
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: This is 61 . 2 .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Is the
8 proposed addition within that 100 foot or not?
MS . KOWALSKI : That hasn' t been
9 addressed by the Building Department in their
disapproval .
10 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: It' s just going
straight up, it' s not any new.
11 MS . KOWALSKI : If it' s straight
up, then it' s landward of the existing
12 footprint .
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: We' re coming no
13 closer to the water.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Okay. That
14 answers my question.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
15 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Yes .
According to your notice of disapproval, you
16 were denied for a seven foot setback from the
side yard; am I correct?
17 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: That' s correct .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : You have an
18 existing seven foot setback, and they cited
100-242-A and I think B too or C, no? And
19 also 100-30-A-3 on your notice of disapproval?
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: That' s correct .
20 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: So, what
was the reason that they told you that you
21 couldn' t build, that you needed a variance?
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: As in all
22 applications similar to these, their position
of the Building Department is even if you are
23 not in any way reducing an existing side yard
setback, if you go up on a second story, that
24 is considered grounds for denying and
requiring an area variance, because they deem
25 it, I guess some kind of an additional
encroachment on that required 15 foot setback,
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 even though the line has been established by
previous structures .
3 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : So you
didn' t find that anywhere in the code, though?
4 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: I have never
bothered to thoroughly search the code for it .
5 I know that up until fairly recently that was
not the position of the Town and that you
6 could go up along an existing established
setback, but it' s no longer the Town Building
7 Department' s position and that' s why we ended
up here .
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Jim, could we
just ask --
9 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: No . I 'm
trying to find out the reason why this
10 gentleman' s here . I think I have the right to
ask those questions .
11 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I ' d like to
move this along. You have already stated your
12 objection to things like this . We could just
say refer back.
13 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : No. Ruth,
we' re here for a hearing.
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Okay, go ahead.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Before,
15 when you had this problem, wasn' t it just
because they would just assume that if you had
16 seven feet that you could always have seven
feet and going up didn' t make a difference
17 because going up wasn' t your nonconformity,
your nonconformity was the seven feet, right?
18 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: Historically that
was true until fairly recently.
19 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Right . So
you don' t have a nonconforming height problem
20 here . You weren' t denied for height?
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: No .
21 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: You were
denied for a side yard setback of seven feet?
22 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: That' s correct .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: And you' re
23 not increasing the degree of that
nonconformity, are you?
24 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: Not in the least .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : That' s all
25 I have, thank you.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I' d also like
February 26, 2004
60
1
2 to remark that Mr. Dinizio previously, when
the Board enacted the Walz decision, voted
3 against it, and I guess on every application
he is going to ask the applicant to explain
4 exactly what is the degree of nonconformance
specifically. Thank you.
5 Does anybody in the audience like
to comment?
6 MR. DOWNING: Good morning, I'm
the neighbor to the west on Lot 119, Richard
7 Downing, at 1280 Bayberry Road. We have no
problems with their proposals . I guess we' re
8 unusual . We' re asking to increase, if they
could have a variance that extends further
9 down the property line to possibly allow them
to move their garage, which is down at the
10 lower portion of the site, the northern part,
which is going to take the removal of a number
11 of trees . It' s also where the migratory path
of all the deer are .
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I know, I ran
across eight of them.
13 MR. DOWNING: Right . So we' re
hoping maybe it would allow them where they
14 have the existing area, which is asphalt now
possibly they could bring the property line
15 down so they could construct the garage on the
property line, preserving the trees,
16 preserving the deer path, that' s our only
concern.
17 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Where was
this, by the garage?
18 MR. DOWNING: Where the current
proposed garage is trees, that' s where all the
19 deers move, and up where they have an existing
asphalt parking lot, they have right now.
20 It' s almost right on the property line, and
you know, possibly if we could extend the
21 variance that would allow them to construct
their garage where there' s already the
22 existing asphalt area, we' re looking to
preserve the trees, preserve the wildlife .
23 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It' s not before
US .
24 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: Legally speaking,
that' s not part of the application before the
25 Zoning Board. We don' t need any variances to
site the garage where we propose . It' s up
February 26, 2004
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1
2 near the front of the property near the road,
setback, oh, I don' t know maybe 20 -- I mean
3 65 feet or so from the road.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Right .
4 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: In fact, again,
it' s not before this Board, but if we were to
5 move the garage to the east, we would actually
have to end up taking out larger, more
6 substantial trees over there and the applicant
does not wish to do that . But, again, it' s
7 really not an issue before this Board in any
event because we don' t need a variance in
8 order to site the garage at the proposed
location.
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: You two can
discuss that in private .
10 MR. DOWNING: In order for them to
construct the garage, we' d have to come back
11 here . If they wanted to put it right on the
property line, they have to come back here for
12 another variance .
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: If that' s what
13 they wanted to do, but that' s not what they
want to do. They want to put it where they've
14 got it on the plan, and that doesn' t require
any variances before this Board.
15 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Thank you.
Would anybody else like to speak on behalf of
16 this hearing? If not, I' d like to close this
hearing and reserve decision until later.
17 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
18 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
19 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
moved.
20 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
21 hearing is Steven Pisacano, and he' s proposing
additions and alterations at less than 40 feet
22 from lot line on County Route 48 in Cutchogue .
You' re the one with the nice big hedge in
23 front .
MR. PISACANO: Yes . Stephen
24 Pisacano, 16405 Route 48, Cutchogue . Like you
said, I'm just trying to put an addition to
25 the west of the house, 12 feet, and I am too
close to the North Road. Continuing the house
February 26, 2004
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1
2 line, no closer, I didn' t come any closer, I'm
just going west .
3 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: That house has
been there I 'm presuming for a long time .
4 MR. PISACANO: Probably than the
North Road.
5 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Definitely
longer than the North Road.
6 MR. PISACANO: And I think they
even chopped it off . Just if it means
7 anything or not, I actually tried to go out
the back because I didn' t want -- I' d rather
8 be away from the North Road, but I couldn' t
afford new stairs, it was like building a
9 whole other house instead of an addition. It
was three times the cost, and I actually got
10 through the plans, and went through that cost
and that trouble, so the only way to make
11 sense of any addition, you know, ' cause the
kids got bigger, 14 and 12, it' s the only way
12 to do it . When Penny Lumber did draw the
plans, they didn' t know. They weren' t even
13 aware that they drew the plans wrong.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
14 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I'm going
to ask you the same questions I've been asking
15 every applicant . It' s not you, Steve, it' s
the way that this is being handled. You have
16 a degree of nonconformity, that' s 26
feet . That exists there; that' s what our Town
17 code says you can have that as that house is
built . I want you to tell me how you' re going
18 to increase that 26 feet .
MR. PISACANO: I'm not .
19 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: You' re not
going to?
20 MR. PISACANO: No.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: It' s not
21 going to be 25 feet, right, it' s going to be
26 feet?
22 MR. PISACANO : That' s correct .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: That' s the
23 way it was and that' s the way it' s going to
be . You' re not going to increase that . So
24 that' s all I have to ask you. The house is
just basically going to be extended.
25 MR. PISACANO: And what I learned
earlier from what you said to somebody about a
February 26, 2004
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1
2 patio, there is a patio that continues west
also, it' s just a slab but if that matters .
3 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: There' s no
vertical retaining wall .
4 MR. PISACANO: So that one had it .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Yours is at
5 grade, different application.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I want to
6 be sure you' re not going to increase that 26
feet .
7 MR. PISACANO: No.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora?
8 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I don' t
have any questions .
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : I have no
10 particular problem. This will be a one
and-a-half to match the existing one
11 and-a-half?
MR. PISACANO: Yes, same ridge,
12 same .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
13 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I have
to do this decision but it' s my understanding
14 that the ridge line of the existing house will
be the same as this addition or will it be
15 lower or higher?
MR. PISACANO: I think it' s the
16 same .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Same?
17 MR. PISACANO: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: If you
18 see any change in that would you let us know?
MR. PISACANO : Okay.
19 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Is there anyone
else in the audience that would like to
20 comment on this application? If not, I' d like
to close the hearing and reserve decision
21 until later.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Second.
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
23 responded in favor. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
24 moved. Good luck.
-------------------------------------------------
25 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
application is for Mr. Licalzi for a pool
February 26, 2004
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1
2 house that is shown as a barbecue pit and a
swimming- pool .
3 MR. LICALZI : Good morning.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: How are you
4 this morning?
MR. LICALZI : Fine, thank you.
5 I'm Luke Licalzi at 2105 Calves Neck Road. I
guess this application has two parts . The
6 first part started with the pool setback and
I' d like to handle it with two separate, when
7 we discuss it here . I' ll give you a little
history. We purchased the property in 1996 .
8 In 1998 we did a lot of construction. We
remodeled the primary residence . We
9 constructed the pool, and we also remodeled
the pool house . Now, in 1999, I was issued a
10 CO.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: For what, sir?
11 MR. LICALZI : As it turns out it
was for the permit for the primary residence .
12 The pool was constructed by a pool contractor,
and it had a separate permit application with
13 a separate number. When I received the C of 0
in February of ' 99, I didn' t even look at it
14 twice . I received the CO, I 've never gotten
two COs for a property I ever owned, I assumed
15 it was for the entire job tha-t had been done .
In fact, when the building inspector had
16 inspected the property for the C of 0, the
pool was completely constructed, it was
17 fenced; it wasn' t landscaped because it was
February, but even the remodeling job had been
18 completed. Everything had been completed in
the late fall of 1998 . So I didn' t think
19 twice about it until I received a letter from
the Building Department about three years
20 later asking me if I wanted to renew my permit
for building my pool . I didn' t know what that
21 was all about but I investigated it, and I
found out my building contractor, apparently
22 had applied for the C of 0 for his permit and
I guess the pool contractor had never done
23 that . In any event, then I had to have them
come back and they inspected the property.
24 There was a little bit of a delay because the
latches on the fence that surrounds the pool
25 were not in compliance, and it took me about
almost a year to get the fence company, which
February 26, 2004
65
1
2 is in Ridge, to come and change the latches .
I had to finally threaten them before they
3 would do that effectively. And then, of
course, I had the survey, which showed that
4 the one corner of the pool was 49 feet from
the road -- from the property line that abuts
5 the road. And that' s why this began with the
Zoning Board appeal for the variance .
6 The pool contractor had used a
survey which was done in 1996 by a
7 Mr. VanTyle, and that was a survey that was
arranged by the seller, and that was in
8 preparation for the sale and it was also in
preparation for the pre C of O which was given
9 to the seller, which was given in 1996 and
that' s germane too because it comes up about
10 this pool house . The pool contractor used
that survey to measure, and I think I
11 indicated in some of the things I gave you, 52
feet he had measured and staked from the
12 property line . Then when it was remeasured by
a new surveyor Mr. Ingegno in 2000 , and that
13 survey actually was done because we had to do
some revetment work down by the waterfront, it
14 measured 49 feet, and that' s why we' re here
today.
15 I supplied some photographs of
that corner of the pool that' s the 49 feet
16 between that and the road. It' s heavily
landscaped, even in winter you can' t see the
17 pool from the road. And that' s pretty much
the story behind the pool .
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: How about the
pool house?
19 MR. LICALZI : All right . The pool
house is I think interesting in that that was
20 amended to this application a couple weeks
ago, in February. Now, the Building
21 Department inspectors have been at that house
numerous times over the course of the
22 construction, the remodeling, the pool, and
the reason it was added to this is when
23 somebody looked at the survey as was told,
previously where there' s a pool house now on
24 the previous survey it said barbecue, and in
addition, on the pre C of O it says barbecue
25 with shed. That pre C of O, I don' t look at
that . I got that at the sale of the house and
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 filed it away, never looked at it again, never
looked at it twice . In fact, the information
3 that I provided to you, that structure, the
exact footprint, that structure' s been there
4 since 1946 . The original owner of that
property, the single owner of that property
5 prior to the time we purchased it, that was
the first structure he built on the property.
6 He was an avid sailor, so he built himself a
structure that had cabinets and a sink. It
7 had a bathroom, half a bath, and he had built
a brick fireplace, a barbecue, which was on
8 one wall on the exterior, so he could barbecue
and he had his picnic table out there . So it
9 had plumbing, it had a bathroom and it' s been
there for many, many years . When we remodeled
10 the property in 198, the contractor discussed
it with the Building Department who said, we
11 don' t care what you do with the place as long
as you don' t make it bigger, as long as nobody
12 can sleep in there, and as long as you don' t
put in heat . So what we did was, as I
13 indicated in the letter, is that we remodeled
it, but we kept the entire -- as you walk in
14 there' s a knotty pine kitchenette . There' s no
appliances in there . There' s a sink. We
15 remodeled the bathroom, which was very old,
and made a changing room. We left the roof .
16 We left all the original doors . We remodeled
the closet because we use that for storage and
17 there' s also the electrical boxes in there . I
also indicated that I sent some information
18 from when we purchased the house, a
description from the realtor about what was
19 there .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes, I saw
20 that .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Most of
21 what you' re saying we have before us in the
record. Is there anything that we do not
22 have?
MR. LICALZI : I have some
23 photographs, if you' re interested in them.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Certainly.
24 MR. LICALZI : Just to show you
what was there .
25 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Licalzi,
have you gone to the Building Department to
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 have at least a pre CO of that shed, which is
now the half bath and the plumbing and that,
3 because that' s something I think you would
need.
4 MR. LICALZI : It was preexisting.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: But you need a
5 pre C of 0. Because on that old survey all we
see is a barbecue pit .
6 MR. LICALZI : Yes . But the
Building Department will take all this
7 information, and they would issue me a pre C
of 0 based on the information I can provide .
8 You see, the problem with this is Number 1,
the Building Department never brought this up
9 because they have had these surveys; they have
been at the property; they never questioned
10 this structure . This only came up after the
survey was reviewed here because the surveyor
11 labeled it pool house . It' s only labeled pool
house because we have a pool .
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I think you
still have to go back to the Building
13 Department . We can' t certify that it has a CO
or is proper unless we have something from the
14 Building Department .
MR. LICALZI : But I'm showing you
15 that it' s preexisting.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: To show that it
16 was preexisting?
MR. LICALZI : They can make that
17 determination. It was my understanding, I
spoke to Damon, he said that they could not
18 make that, that I had to present it here that
it was preexisting.
19 MS . KOWALSKI : If you apply to
them for a pre CO and they deny you, then you
20 can apply here separately. You haven' t gone
that far.
21 MR. LICALZI : Okay, so can we
leave this with the setback on the pool then,
22 okay?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: You may have to
23 come back again, but sure .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Then he' s
24 going to have to make a whole new application.
MR. LICALZI : That was the reason
25 we added this on. I sent in another $150 .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: This is
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 what I suggest you do, does it fall within the
limitations of the advertising?
3 MS . KOWALSKI : No, it' s not
properly before the Board on the preexisting
4 nature of the building.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Then we
5 don' t have a choice .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Why
6 don' t we just hold it up and add to it .
MR. LICALZI : I indicated that in
7 my letter to the neighbors, my discussions,
it' s indicated to them that, I mean, they' re
8 all aware of it obviously but this is part of
the application.
9 MS . KOWALSKI : I don' t believe the
Zoning Board can say it' s preexisting. It' s
10 up to the Building Department to do that .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Could we delay
11 you until say the April meeting? Do we have
any room in March? Maybe he can do it by
12 March.
MS . KOWALSKI : It will be more
13 than that .
MR. LICALZI : Can we just separate
14 out the two separate checks?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Then it means
15 you just have to come back before us and pay
again; do you want to do that?
16 MR. LICALZI : It' s difficult for
me to take another day to do this .
17 MS . KOWALSKI : I would recommend
that they rule on the pool, if they want, to
18 do that, but do the pool house separately,
come back in March or April .
19 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: No . Can I
say something?
20 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Sure .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I think
21 you' d be better off just marching down there
today and getting an amended disapproval, and
22 letting us put you on for the next month.
Because if you don' t, and we grant this, then
23 you've got to go through this process all over
again. You could be June . It' s up to you,
24 but --
MS . KOWALSKI : Part of the problem
25 is it' s amended for setback, Jim, but it
hasn' t been reviewed for the design of it with
February 26, 2004
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1
2 the bathroom and everything. So it may be
here for another issue which would be the
3 design from the living area, and they haven' t
addressed that .
4 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I see this
as built survey has been added on to.
5 MS . KOWALSKI : Yes, for the
location of it .
6 MR. LICALZI : If you remodel, you
don' t need permission to remodel something if
7 you' re not going to change the footprint .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: If depends
8 on what you' re putting in there, if you' re
putting in a fireplace, three bedrooms and two
9 baths, then they' re going to say it' s not a
pool house .
10 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Make it two
stories .
11 MR. LICALZI : Right .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO:, I think we
12 have the information to give him what he
needs .
13 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: For the pool .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Even for
14 the structures .
MS . KOWALSKI : But he' s saying
15 he' s preexisting, and the Building Department
gave a letter explaining why it' s not
16 preexisting.
MR. LICALZI : I gave you an
17 explanation of why that' s incorrect . It' s
incorrect for a couple of reasons .
18 MS . KOWALSKI : He' s not asking for
a variance . He' s asking the Board to issue a
19 pre CO.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: We can' t do
20 that .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No, to
21 acquiesce that it exists and it has existed,
basically, which is exactly what we' re going
22 to say. But, Doctor, we really do have to
inspect that building. I mean, we have to
23 make an appointment with you regardless of
whenever we do this, to at least go through
24 the building, and it' s not that we in any way
object to it .
25 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Object to it .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I've
February 26, 2004
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1
2 already looked at it, Jerry, through the
windows when I visited the site, and there are
3 appliances in. There' s a refrigerator, I
think that classifies as an appliance, and
4 there' s a shower.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: And there' s
5 the Building Department is saying that it' s
not a pool house, that it was a cottage,
6 that' s what they' re essentially saying.
MR. LICALZI : But I can argue this
7 in front of the Building Department; they have
a mechanism where I can argue that it was
8 preexisting even though the pre C of O says it
wasn' t and they' re in error, obviously.
9 That' s the problem here, is that the
inspection for the pre C of O is not adequate .
10 MS . KOWALSKI : That' s what I'm
saying, it' s not before the Board before those
11 issues . They haven' t denied it for that
reason and you need to get a denial from them
12 saying why they can' t issue a, pre CO. They
haven' t done that yet .
13 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I think
according to this they have, Linda. I haven' t
14 seen that one .
MS . KOWALSKI : But they haven' t
15 given the section of the code that they are
basing that on. They only denied it for the
16 location and the side yard. They didn' t deny
the use .
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: They didn' t
deny the use . Linda' s right .
18 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: In other
words, this article, which is not submitted,
19 100-33 .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It does not
20 meet the front yard setbacks, three buildings
and structures .
21 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I think the
problem is he' s asking us for the use .
22 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : With the
amenities in that building, you have basically
23 three dwellings on that property. You have a
shower, a bathroom, a refrigerator, a little
24 kitchenette .
MR. LICALZI : There was electric
25 in there previously. There was a bathroom in
there previously, there is a toilet in there
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 previously, . the kitchenette was in there
previously. There' s nothing new in there .
3 The only thing we remodeled is the bathroom.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Is there a
4 plan before the building inspector on that?
MS . 'KOWALSKI : No, not for the
5 design of it .
MR. LICALZI : What do you mean?
6 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : At some
point in time, did someone apply for a
7 building permit to build that structure?
MR. LICALZI : No. It was 1946 ,
8 the photograph, that' s when it was built . I
have a picture of the bathroom, the original
9 bathroom from the structure . The original
toilet I have a picture of . I was faced with
10 a structure that existed that we decided to
place the pool in a certain location, and this
11 was a natural structure to remodel . It
already had a bathroom in it . It already had
12 electricity.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : It almost
13 made a dwelling it could be interpreted as .
MR. LICALZI : There' s no place to
14 sleep and there' s no heat in there . That was
the comment the Building Department had at the
15 time . We didn' t need to do any special -- we
didn' t need to get a permit .
16 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: What did
you put, new siding?
17 MR. LICALZI : We put new siding
and a couple of new windows, the little
18 windows the contractor had left over in his
garage. We preserved a door, which is a dutch
19 door. We preserved the door which goes to the
closet, which used to be the door to the
20 bathroom, and we store our pool stuff in
there, and has the transfer box. But the
21 footprint is exactly the same . See, that' s
why, I mean, the Building Department didn' t
22 really question this .
MS . KOWALSKI : But they' re
23 questioning it now.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: They' re
24 questioning it now, and you' re just going to
have to go back and show them the plan that
25 you have the bathroom in there and whatever
amenities you have, and if they deny it,
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 you' ll have to come back to us . Legally
speaking, that' s all we can do . We have no
3 authority at this point to grant a pre CO to
your pool house . They' re the only ones that
4 can grant that .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: But we can
5 address the pool today.
MR. LICALZI : That would be fine .
6 I' d appreciate that . That would be great .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Jim, do you
7 have any trouble with the setback of the pool?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: No, no, one
8 foot . But I still am a little confused about
why we can' t address that building.
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Linda says you
cannot do it because of the use, and it says
10 the as-built pool house .
MS . KOWALSKI : It hasn' t been
11 denied under the code section for the use of
the building; it was denied for the setback
12 location, 100-33 .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : The
13 building was . I thought it was the pool .
MS . KOWALSKI : The pool house .
14 The pool' s okay to go ahead.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: The pool house
15 you can' t do it .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: The
16 building did preexist .
MS . KOWALSKI : We don' t know that .
17 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: We don' t
have documents .
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It only says
the old survey is a barbecue pit and a shed,
19 and it says it on the property card, but it' s
not as a pool house that has a bathroom, a
20 shower and whatever else it has in it .
MS . KOWALSKI : And I also did not
21 advertise to say that the Board is considering
the issue of whether or not this building is
22 preexisting, so I' d like to be able to
advertise it properly.
23 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I didn' t
see that second, that updated -- I mean, I'm
24 dealing with just the pool . So this is all
new to me .
25 MR. LICALZI : But the Building
Department can make that determination? If
February 26, 2004
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1
2 they say that they can' t, and it comes back
here, are you going to base it on the same
3 information I provided today?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: No . You' re
4 going to provide them with information to make
the decision. They' re going to ask you for
5 this, they' re going to ask you for that,
titles, surveys, all this stuff . Then they' re
6 going to say, either it preexisted and you
don' t need it, or they' re going to disapprove
7 it, and you' re going to be before us with
their explanation as to the reason why it' s
8 not allowed in the town. You have to make an
application to them.
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Right . Do I
have a motion to close the hearing and reserve
10 decision until later for the pool?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yes .
11 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: We' ll be making
12 that determination in a week. Then you' ll
have to go back to the Building Department .
13 All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
14 responded in favor. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
15 moved.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I have
16 to tell you, Doctor, it is a magnificent
location.
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Do you think --
what would be a convenient time for you to
18 come back, March or April, for the Building
Department?
19 MR. LICALZI : Can I let you know?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : We have to
20 wait for the Building Department .
MR. LICALZI : Maybe they will say
21 it' s no problem.
-------------------------------------------------
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. McCarthy?
MR. MCCARTHY: I'm happy to speak
23 to the special exception criteria that you
need to address .
24 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Before
you start that, this is my file . We are
25 only -- this is everybody, we are only
discussing the special exception, and that is
February 26 , 2004
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2 the only thing that this Board will be
granting when we have a special meeting; is
3 that correct?
MS . KOWALSKI : This is on the
4 Skrezec hearing.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Is that
5 correct everybody?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
6 responded in favor. )
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: The floor
7 is yours .
MR. MCCARTHY: I understand
8 there' s been new correspondence from the
Planning Department, but they would not make
9 that available to us .
MS . KOWALSKI : They gave a letter
10 and they came back in and took it back.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Did you
11 make a copy quick?
MS . KOWALSKI : I tried and the
12 machine was jammed.
MR. MCCARTHY: I went to try and
13 get records out of the Planning Board this
morning, and they told me I had to file a FOIL
14 request .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: On your own
15 application?
MR. MCCARTHY: On our own
16 application. Then I went back to speak with
our Planning director said, well, we can' t
17 officially release it because I haven' t polled
all the members yet .
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Go through your
special exception.
19 MR. MCCARTHY: As I read your
criteria, we feel that our use will not
20 prevent an orderly and reasonable use of
adjacent properties and properties in the
21 adjacent use districts as they are more
intense . We are backed up to the railroad
22 tracks and we' re backed up to light industrial
zoned properties .
23 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Before
you go farther with that . Again, my
24 application, these pits that you' re going to
put in, will be in that rear portion of the
25 property?
MR. MCCARTHY: That' s correct,
February 26 , 2004
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2 they' re designated on the site plan.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: And the whole
3 front is going to be nicely screened so we
don' t see any of it .
4 MR. MCCARTHY: It' s going to be
beautiful .
5 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: There is
a vast amount of woodland on this property,
6 that woodland will be carved out to allow
those pits to be in, so virtually clearing the
7 entire piece?
MR. MCCARTHY: The materials that
8 may be stored here, maybe five, ten, 20 yards
of material . We' re not talking about bringing
9 in 20 tractor trailer loads of goods and
stockpiling them. The site plan shows that
10 the bins may be 10 or 12 feet wide, and
they' re just pre-cast concrete blocks just to
11 keep the topsoil separate from the sand and
from the mulch.
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Proceed.
MR. MCCARTHY: The use will not
13 prevent the orderly and reasonable uses, the
use of permitted or legally established uses
14 in the district wherein the proposed use is to
be located or permitted or legally established
15 uses in the adjacent use districts . When the
Town Board looked at rezoning this to LB, they
16 saw it as under the guise of it being a
transitional zone from a more intense use to
17 the west to a less intense use of RO to the
east, and this fits in within that transfer of
18 intensity. The safety, health and welfare,
the comfort and convenience and the order of
19 the town will not be adversely affected by the
proposed use and its location. The use has
20 been in the front of the Planning Board and
all of the site planning concerns have been
21 addressed by the Planning Board as well as the
DOT for curb cut permit and the Health
22 Department, and we have addressed all of the
concerns with anyone that has raised them.
23 The use will be in harmony and will promote
the general purposes intent of this chapter,
24 and this chapter, by the virtue of the fact
that it is a listed special exception use, is
25 telling us that, yes, this is an area where we
want to have your use in the LB Zone, however,
February 26, 2004
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1
2 you need to come forward and ask us for
permission. That' s why we' re here, because
3 you have told us this is the zone you want us
to be in.
4 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Any questions?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I have
5 no questions .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Vincent?
6 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I have
none .
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Jim?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : No.
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I don' t either.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: So you' ll
9 finally get something in writing.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I' ll make a
10 motion to close the hearing and reserve
decision until later.
11 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
12 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
13 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : That will
be next week, right?
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: That will be
next Thursday night
15 MR. MCCARTHY: We will let the
Planning Board know and hopefully they will be
16 able to schedule the public hearing for the
site plan.
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I wish you
luck.
18 MR. MCCARTHY: Thank you very
much.
19 -------------------------------------------------
(Whereupon, a lunch recess was
20 taken from 12 : 00 p.m. to 1 : 05 p.m. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Reconvene the
21 meeting this afternoon. Our first resolution
to be a request from Osprey Dominion and LIPA
22 KeySpan to adjourn the meeting until March
18th at 11 :45 a .m. I' ll move that resolution.
23 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
24 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
25 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
moved.
February 26, 2004
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1
2 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our first
3 application this afternoon is for the
Bakelaars . They wish to propose an addition
4 to their house which will exceed the 20
percent and go to about 24 percent . Would
5 they like to stand up and tell us what they
want to do?
6 MR. BAKELAAR: I'm John Bakelaar,
and I'm representing my mother and father, and
7 basically they are in need of care,
residential care for somebody to be there . My
8 daughter and grandson and son-in-law intend to
move in. We need to add on two bedrooms and
9 two baths to the residence in order for them
to be in residence and take care of my mother
10 and dad. That' s it .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio, do
11 you have any questions of Mr. Bakelaar?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: No
12 questions .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora?
13 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: If you
could wait just a minute .
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Sure, Vincent?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Yes, I
15 spoke to the applicant briefly when I was
there, and he briefed me on the scenario. I
16 believe because the logistics, layout of the
property being so close to one side, it really
17 doesn' t look out of place even though it is a
little bit larger than the average house, but
18 we had spoke about it . If you look at the
face of the house there' s a reverse gable on
19 the left side and have the matching reverse
gable on the other side . So there will be
20 symmetry, and I think it will look pretty nice
right there . I just didn' t know what was the
21 largest percentage of over 20 we've given,
Linda, or, Jerry, do you recall in the past?
22 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: 27 . 9
percent, Sigsbee Road, Mattituck. I think it
23 will be a nice little addition there and I
understand your concerns there .
24 MR. BAKELAAR: Thank you.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I don' t really
25 have a problem knowing you' re there to take
care of the folks, and it' s better to have
February 26, 2004
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1
2 them there at home than to send them off some
other place . Jerry?
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I have
no other questions .
4 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I just have
one question. What' s going to be in the new
5 addition?
MR. BAKELAAR: Two bedrooms and
6 two bathrooms .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: It will
7 also stay a one story structure?
MR. BAKELAAR: That' s right .
8 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I don' t
have any other questions .
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Does anybody
else in the audience wish to comment on this
10 application? If not, I ' ll make a motion to
reserve decision and close the hearing.
11 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
12 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
13 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
moved. Thank you, Mr. Bakelaar.
14 MR. BAKELAAR: Thank you.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Have a good
15 day.
-------------------------------------------------
16 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
hearing is for Gary Mangus down at Island View
17 Lane; would you like to tell us what you wish
to do?
18 MR. MANGUS : Good afternoon. We
want to be able to stay out here more, and we
19 have a really small cottage, and so we want to
add another bedroom and two baths to it . It' s
20 marginally considered a two bedroom, but the
one bedroom is seven and-a-half feet by
21 something. So we' re proposing to put an
addition that goes back away from the water,
22 toward the road. The house is set back quite
a ways from the road. And we were going to go
23 up to a second floor over part of the existing
house, and the addition would have two floors .
24 There is a roof bulkhead and stair that goes
up to the roof, and a small mechanical room up
25 there that' s a half story.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Would you
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 explain to us what the mechanical room
entails?
3 MR. MANGUS : We' re pretty low
elevation there . We can' t have a basement or
4 anything like that . So I was putting the
mechanical, instead of putting it on the first
5 or second floor, I was setting it on the top
floor, and that gives us potential in the
6 future, to add air conditioning if we want to
do that . I can put air handler and stuff .
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: You want
central air conditioning?
8 MR. MANGUS : We' re not going to do
it now, but maybe down the road we will . So I
9 was allocating space, and instead of having a
condensing unit other places, the condensing
10 unit will probably have to be out in the yard,
but the air handler and stuff in the package
11 system is usually set on the roof, and it can
look --
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Because it
makes your structure quite high.
13 MR. MANGUS : Yes .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: And I think
14 your neighbors --
MR. MANGUS : Yes, it' s about 30
15 feet . Basically it' s just enough -- what I
tried to do was keep the roof eve the same as
16 that proposed for the garage, and --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I see . It' s a
17 little bit higher.
MR. MANGUS : No, it' s higher. But
18 it was the same proportions and same line .
But I could flatten that out . All I need is
19 enough room for head room at the top of the
stairs to get out .
20 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: There would be
no living space up there?
21 MR. MANGUS : No. Ceiling height
inside is 715" right now.
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer,
do you have some questions?
23 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: You have
to raise this entire structure, sir, to do
24 this addition or is this very simply --
MR. MANGUS : I was just talking to
25 John Metzgar and the elevation above the flood
plain finished floor is 7 . 6 feet . So we' re
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 going to have to lift the house, you know, to
get it up to eight foot, which is the zone
3 that' s required. These were done on shaky
foundations, and there' s been a significant
4 amount of termite damage . I have a feeling
we' re going to have to rebuild most of it . I
5 was hoping initially to maintain a lot of it,
but there are a lot of materials like asbestos
6 shingles and other things that I think are
environmentally wrong to have, and I want to
7 get them out and do natural materials . And
we' re doing a lot of things to try and work
8 around it really to site .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: This is
9 not a rip-down, though, why you' re not ripping
the house down.
10 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Basically he' s
going to have to.
11 MR. MANGUS : I'm pretty much going
to have to. The walls are in the same place,
12 but I don' t know how much termite damage and
other things and whether it' s even going to be
13 worth salvaging. I doubt if it will .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: As' long as
14 you' re going to have to raise the house anyway
for FEMA.
15 MR. MANGUS : I think it makes
sense to do it . I've been considering some
16 alternate foundation systems that I think
might be more environmentally friendly. We' re
17 trying not to take any trees out and there are
a lot of big trees on the site . And I 've
18 worked around that, and I've worked around --
if I can show you on some diagrams .
19 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Mr.
Glover, could I ask you to close that back
20 door, or front door? Thank you.
MR. MANGUS : There are big trees
21 here, here, here, here, another one here, big
trees here (indicating) . And we' re trying not
22 to take any of them out . There' s another one
here . So what we' re proposing is a second
23 story over this area. This is the existing
house, and there are existing sheds here . We
24 would rip those out, get rid of .them. Go
through this corner, essentially going through
25 that corner but paralleling the property line,
but the existing setback with stuff that' s
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 there is seven for the shed, six for the
porch, and the house is at just about eight,
3 and that' s what we want to try and maintain is
that eight foot . So we' re not taking any
4 trees out . We've got an accessory garage,
which is probably not part of the variance,
5 but it' s required to be 35 foot back from the
road. We' re setting back to 39 . So we could
6 do two things, be able to get our two vehicles
in without having to necessarily pull into the
7 garage every time; and to get a service truck
around in here (indicating) . If I went
8 forward I couldn' t get past here . The
additional dilemma is going to be septic and
9 because of the elevations, we have to go to
the eight foot, diameter, two foot deep
10 precast rings . They have to be set back 10
feet from the buildings and five feet from the
11 property lines .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Excuse me, do
12 you have public water down there?
MR. MANGUS : Yes, we do . And I
13 have a proposal in to the health board just
put it in for this septic . Water is Town
14 water, comes in here . There is an exception
in there, if you do certain things you can
15 actually run water below those, but it has to
be done appropriately.
16 So, given these constraints, given
the trees, there isn' t any area to accomplish
17 the space things that we need. The house
right now is 700 and some square feet, and
18 with the additions and stuff, we' re going to
be about 1, 935 I think outside walls and
19 everything in it . So, that' s that part of it .
There is one other aspect and
20 that' s there were questions about sunlight and
neighbors and views .
21 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Right .
MR. MANGUS : The other thing that
22 we did was this neighbor is two and-a-half,
under three feet from our property line, and
23 if we were to have gone in that direction, we
would have been close to them. So as it is
24 we' ll be 19 . 8 from the property line on that
side, and the neighbor here the closest point
25 it splays out is 23 . 4, and that' s from the
property line here . To the corner of the
February 26, 2004
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1
2 house, corner of their house is 38 feet . We
had an earlier proposal that was to the
3 Trustees and the garage was up; there were
questions about that and the septic . I
4 shifted the garage back. I think it addresses
some of those concerns for proximity, and I
5 have no windows in the garages on this side .
I have some on this side for natural light .
6 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: How far are
you setback from the bulkhead, I don' t seem to
7 see this among the drawings?
MR. MANGUS : I believe it' s 54
8 feet from the foundation, and according to
Damon and I'm not sure if he took it here
9 because these are on wood piers, or he took it
to the house, but it' s somewhere in the 60
10 foot range .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I believe
11 we need an accurate measure, if we need to
write a decision on that .
12 MR. MANGUS : VanTyle had done a
survey earlier, it' s not . But I have these to
13 scale, and I can tell you right now.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I didn' t
14 mean to jump in there, Madam Chairman.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: That' s quite
15 all right . Wait, I think I do have it on
one . It' s 38 to the one porch and 51 feet to
16 the corner of the house .
MR. MANGUS : That' s about right .
17 ' Cause I 'm measuring five plus inches so
that' s accurate .
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Did you have to
get a Trustees permit for this?
19 MR. MANGUS : Yes . And Trustees,
the two dangling issues were septic and we had
20 also submitted to rebuild or repair the
bulkhead. I'm not sure we' ll continue with
21 that, but I want to see where I am with DEC.
I think that' s going to be the stringent test .
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: One never
knows, the Trustees can be pretty tough.
23 MR. MANGUS : It' s true .
The other question that seemed to
24 come up was impact on neighbors . Setbacks
here, our next door neighbor just got a
25 variance . She' s 7 . 3 feet from the property
line and total of 12 foot 3 , that' s window --
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 to bedroom window. This is 2 and-a-half and
the next property is on this side of Frank
3 it' s 6, and then the property line to the
house is 4 and-a-half on the next one, and the
4 next one is 5 feet . So it' s pretty typical in
this area. -
5 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Right there .
Off of Private Road it' s quite close .
6 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: But those
other houses -- not to interrupt, I'm sorry,
7 sir -- were first floor additions .
MR. MANGUS : There were three in
8 the neighborhood, not looking at Heffernans or
other --
9 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Yes .
Because your closest neighbor we gave a
10 various to was only a single story addition,
but that' s irregardless .
11 Since I jumped in, I' d like to ask
a quick question. By the evidence you've
12 submitted here, it almost looks like you' re
demolishing and starting over, which I don' t
13 have a problem with. But I was just curious,
if you didn' t want to turn your house and face
14 the beautiful view that you have and really
expand on that . It' s on an angle there . But
15 I thought maybe if you' d want to turn it and
enjoy the beautiful site you have there, you
16 might get a better side yard and a better
view.
17 MR. MANGUS : The good view is
here, but we actually have good views out
18 these windows and these and here .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: You' re
19 trying to share it amongst the people in your
house there . You' re a nice father.
20 MR. MANGUS : I probably could have
rotated it . I think it works pretty well
21 there, but I've got problems with trees . I
have problems of big tree here . I have a big
22 tree here .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I was just
23 throwing it out there . Take advantage of the
view you have .
24 MR. MANGUS : Initially we started
by trying to keep it as a cottage look, and
25 realized that there' s no way we could begin to
get anywhere near three bedrooms and the space
February 26 , 2004
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2 that we needed to retire . I'm an architect,
licensed architect in New York State . My
3 wife' s a psychologist, and we do work out of
our house .
4 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: So you have
thought through this .
5 MR. MANGUS : I have gone through
this many, many, many iterations . I really
6 was trying not to touch any of the trees
because I think it' s a tough environment for
7 them to grow in.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: They make a
8 shade in the summer, too .
MR. MANGUS : Yes, they do. It' s a
9 rather special environment . This is coming in
from sort of north, and that' s the house and
10 this is the house, and there' s trees here .
And there was a concern by our next door
11 neighbor for sunlight . But this is her house
and these are the trees between her and the
12 sun. So she doesn' t get sun until later in
the day, and we have privet in here and
13 there' s some evergreen trees in here . And in
the summer I don' t think there' s any view in
14 there . Maybe right now you could get a winter
view, but I believe she' s a summer resident
15 only. Yeah, I've been agonizing over the
impact and the mass on it . One of the reasons
16 I stepped it back in the front was I take the
primary place that the house is seen, because
17 almost everything else is buried in the trees,
the trees are well over that height . So the
18 primary massing, the place it will be seen is
from the water. I tried to step that back and
19 massage that on the elevations, and we looked
pretty hard at the other elevations, feeling
20 of the mass on it .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: The only
21 thing I can see is we' d need an official
drawing showing the setback to the bulkhead.
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I have it .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I 'm sorry
23 she did say she had that . I have no further
questions .
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Tortora?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I just note
25 that you' re planning on demolishing the
existing foundation.
February 26, 2004
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2 MR. MANGUS : Yeah. I may try to
go to a point foundation so the land can run
3 through and under the house . It will be more
expensive, but if environmentally it works
4 better, and we' re looking ,at some alternate
water retention methods . Beyond what will be
5 required by DEC, and we' re trying to bring
those back up away from the house so they will
6 have better seepage into the ground.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: The other
7 thing I see is there are two sets of the
breakdown of the plans, and one set you are
8 proposing 16 feet, 16 percent lot coverage,
which is on the notice of disapproval but on
9 the handwritten note that I have here it says
19 percent and the dimensions are different .
10 MR. MANGUS : I'm not sure which
the two are . I know when I was doing zoning
11 calcs, I had someone in the office doing, I
didn' t catch some that went out that were
12 later, but I think there are some incorrect
numbers in the latter one . Damon projected
13 the lot coverage at I think 16 , and he did a
take off on it .
14 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: This is not
from Damon, this is from you?
15 MR. MANGUS : Right . That' s
probably the one that went out . This went out
16 later, I didn' t catch the zoning calcs on it .
They will be corrected.
17 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: They really
need to be correct for us so that when we
18 approve a plan, when we send a plan over to
the Building Department, we can cite that we
19 are approving are XYZ plan.
MR. MANGUS : Okay.
20 MS . KOWALSKI : If you could just
confirm by letter, confirm what the percentage
21 is and which plan we' re supposed to be relying
on.
22 MR. MANGUS : Okay. The eight foot
setback that we' re trying to maintain is for
23 the bulk of the house . There is a side porch
that comes into -- it' s an entrance to a
24 bathroom, so that when we' re muddy working in
the yard, we can come in and use the bathroom,
25 so it will function like a bathroom/mudroom.
All I really need is a room to get up and get
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1
2 in there . It' s low and I'm confident I can do
that in the porch with one tread. I was just
3 looking out there, so I don' t need the second
tread, which will bring it back to four feet .
4 It' s not possible to see that porch. There' s
a six foot high stockade fence just beyond it
5 that belongs to our neighbor. So it' s not
going to be visible . I just need it to get
6 into the house, but if I had to lose it, I
could lose that .
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Anything else?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: No .
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I'm just a
9 little concerned about your tearing the house
down, and I'm not so sure that another law
10 doesn' t kick in once you do that .
MR. MANGUS : That' s the only
11 reason I have not made a final decision, but
from my conversations with people, it used to
12 be you had to maintain one wall, and another
friend in Montauk said that was the case . I'm
13 used to working in the city, so I'm not as
familiar with the laws . But I will make sure
14 that that' s not the case or if it is the case,
then I will work around. I think it' s
15 advantageous in many respects to actually take
it down and rebuild, but I don' t want to not
16 be able to build on the site . If that' s the
case I' ll work around it . I' ll leave it in
17 place . But I do want to get rid of the red
asbestos shingles, and there were termites in
18 it before we bought it, and we've had termites
come right through the side of the kitchen
19 cabinets, so there' s more damage, and there
was a lot of rot . Insulation, there was no
20 air space, what insulation there is .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I 'm just
21 concerned that you' re not going to be back
here before us when you take that house down.
22 I would be careful about that one wall
so-called room because I don' t --
23 MR. MANGUS : Yeah. I heard that
it' s not something that is required now, but
24 that was told to me by Ron Hermann,
En-Consultants, but I will sit down.
25 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Jerry, anything
else?
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2 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I ' d like to
3 make --
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I 'm sorry,
4 two other popped up in my head. The first was
is there a square footage of your non-third
5 floor, or third floor non-living space, how
you want to address that, the mechanical room?
6 MR. MANGUS : I can tell you
probably what the mechanical room is easily --
7 I don' t see it here, right in front of me, and
it' s probably there and I'm not --
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I don' t
remember seeing the dimensions of it .
9 MR. MANGUS : I don' t know see it .
I can look it up and tell you. I don' t have
10 it in front of me.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Could you,
11 when you address the letter and also just out
of curiosity, the mechanical upstairs, are you
12 going to be using natural gas, propane, oil?
MR. MANGUS : I'm going to sit down
13 with some consultants and look. I want
something environmentally friendly. Initially
14 I was thinking why we don' t have natural gas
out there, so it would be either propane or
15 oil .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I was just
16 curious about the pumping of the oil from the
ground up.
17 MR. MANGUS : I talked to with a
mechanical engineer last week about it, and
18 there is another pump, we might have to put a
second pump in near the tank to boost it up.
19 But he didn' t think there would be a problem
with it .
20 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: It has
nothing to do with the application, I was just
21 curious .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: He' s big on oil
22 spills .
MR. MANGUS : One of my best
23 friends is a mechanical engineer, so I' ll
review it with him.
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Is there
anybody in the audience that wishes to speak
25 on behalf or against this application? Yes,
Mr. McLoughlin.
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: Good afternoon,
Kevin McLoughlin, Windsway Professional
3 Center, Southold, on behalf of the adjoining
neighbor, Rita Jones . I would like to hand up
4 a letter and some photographs for the Board' s
consideration.
5 My client' s property borders the
applicant' s property basically to .the west .
6 The proposal before this Board sounds like it
basically triples the size of the existing
7 building. It' s going to raise the house as it
exists now, and add another living story and
8 then more space on top that to handle a
mechanical room, all within eight feet of the
9 property line . Then there is a garage that
runs along 26 feet of the common property --
10 I'm sorry, runs along 26 of the common
property line within three feet of the line .
11 Initially I assumed that this variance
application included that and then with
12 further review, much to my dismay, I
discovered that that is an allowable three
13 foot setback for a detached garage which --
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: With this
14 lot size they change so much.
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: -- frankly
15 horrified me .
My client has no problem with the
16 applicants trying to make this into a more
liveable year ' round residence . The problem
17 though, is the height of the proposed
addition. What they have right now, if you
18 haven' t been there, is a one story, small
cottage, which frankly, with a 35 foot width
19 lot is probably what was intended to be put on
these parcels . She has a one story house .
20 The neighbor on the other side has a one story
house, and now we' re basically tripling the
21 size of the house and making much, much larger
and taller than it was . I 'm also hearing that
22 perhaps the entire building is basically being
torn down, in which event, again, as
23 Mr. Dinizio points out, maybe some other
problems . But assuming that doesn' t end up
24 being the case, we have a very substantial
portion of the common property line being
25 drastically affected by this proposal . It
seems to me by looking at the site plan, that
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1
2 a lot of my client' s concerns could be greatly
alleviated by simply moving the proposed
3 addition on the house a couple of feet
basically to the east . It would get it off
4 her property line, would do away with the
necessity of a variance and would not
5 drastically affect the house to the east . It
would center basically what this addition
6 would be . We would also like to request that
the applicants consider moving the. proposed
7 garage more towards the center of the property
so as to ameliorate any impacts on a very
8 substantial building, the 26 foot length of
which is right on top of the property line . I
9 have outlined in my letter all of my concerns
from a legal point of view.
10 We' re also very concerned, there
are overhead wires that run across this
11 property and service my client' s property as
well that obviously are going to have to be
12 dealt with because they virtually go right
next to the existing one story dwelling. I
13 don' t know what the applicant' s plan is for
addressing that, what affect that will have on
14 my client' s service or any interruption
thereof . But I think with a little bit of
15 tweaking, we could move this project somewhat
to the east . They could still accomplish
16 getting a substantially increased residence
and lessen the impact on my client . Thank
17 you.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Any questions?
18 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Is this
something that you would want to consider?
19 MR. MANGUS : If we look at right
now there' s a 10 foot setback here . It would
20 mean I've only got four foot away from these
trees now, and I'm quite close actually to the
21 neighbor on the opposite side, much closer
than I am to the neighbor on the other side .
22 On the other side this person would be 38
feet, as finished this would be between 24 and
23 25, 24 and change in this distance, and coming
this way, I'm eight here and 10 there .
24 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: The way the
house is designed?
25 MR. MANGUS : The way the house is
now sitting, yes .
. February 26 , 2004
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1
2 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: And there' s
no other way you can design it? You' re an
3 architect .
MR. MANGUS : I think unless I go
4 off the same footprint, I'm going to have some
problems .
5 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Your
concern, just to clarify this, is to maintain
6 the same footprint for what reason?
MR. MANGUS : I don' t think
7 currently we would be able to build in this
location on that footprint if this was new, if
8 we were just coming in because of the distance
from the water. And there used to be
9 something in the code that you had to maintain
one wall, I'm not sure whether that' s still --
10 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I don' t
think there was ever anything in the code to
11 that effect, and, correct me if I'm wrong,
anyone that' s here .
12 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yes,
that was an interpretation made by a prior
13 building inspector in the 1980s and it left
with him in the 1980s .
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Exactly.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: There is no
15 quid pro quo.
MR. MANGUS : The main reason is
16 the trees . This is the house now. It would
mean taking out quite a number of trees there,
17 probably three are four big trees .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: From grade
18 to the ridge of the top of the mechanical
room, do you have a height for that?
19 MR. MANGUS : I believe it' s at 30
or 31 feet .
20 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: If you go
up the other four feet, it' s going to come out
21 about 37 feet .
MR. MANGUS : We' re probably going
22 to need to lift the house six inches . It' s at
7 . 6 feet, so it' s --
23 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It has to be
eight?
24 MR. MANGUS : Has to be eight . So
five-tenths of a foot .
25 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: There is an
old lot neighborhood, and there are a lot of
February 26, 2004
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1
2 smaller older cottages and obviously as the
years go by everyone is going to want to
3 improve their homes and should be able to
improve their homes, hopefully with concern
4 for their neighbor in mind. And that' s kind
of where I'm coming from here . It is going to
5 be a large house, and it is going to be close
to the property line . So, if it' s a question
6 of preserving the trees or preserving the
privacy between the two houses, it' s my
7 preference I would try to preserve the space
between the two properties .
8 MR. MANGUS : Right now with the
foliage in the summer, I can' t really see
9 Rita' s property, the neighbor on that side .
And if I take the foliage out they' re going to
10 be still seeing the houses .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: There' s no
11 compromise, in other words?
MR. MANGUS : I think it' s tough,
12 and what' s particularly tough is this neighbor
moving in that ,direction (indicating) .
13 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: If you left
that design.
14 MR. MANGUS : If I left that
design. I guess I'm maybe being
15 overprotective of these trees, but they' re
trees that are over 100 years old and I have a
16 hard time taking them out . Because I think
it' s tough to get them there, and if you look
17 at it, everybody else has sort of taken them
out in this area and we' re in this clump here,
18 and they have been thinned over here, another
neighbor just took another one out . And they
19 have been thinned over here . And so I think
it' s a major part of the natural, sort of,
20 environment and I also think they' re pretty
good for the soil and holding, protecting it
21 from erosion, from storm damage .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : I get the
22 impression by looking at your drawing that the
top of your second floor, we' ll call the flat
23 roof, almost looks like an open deck. It' s a
very large --
24 MR. MANGUS : We probably will be
able to use it as a deck. I'm not planning on
25 doing that initially, but I also want to be
able to get up to it to work on it or do other
February 26, 2004
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1
2 things or get up to the mechanical area. But,
yeah, I wanted to run the stair up so I can go
3 up, watch fireworks, if that kind of stuff
should happen over Crescent Beach and
4 sometimes to sit up there.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Can I
5 ask a question? Are you done, Vince?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Sure, Jerry.
6 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: So you will
be trying to utilize that flat roof as an
7 entertainment-type area?
MR. MANGUS : Right . I don' t know,
8 I find that people don' t tend to use other
levels, when you' re on one level, you kind of
9 forget about it . So, I have had a lot of
clients have had me do roof decks that require
10 them going up the stairs, even in the city
where it' s harder to get to, and they' re not
11 well used. So I want to be able to do that .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I can
12 envision it, not that I' d like to next to my
house, but a beautiful cocktail party on top
13 of there, which could be, you know --
MR. MANGUS : Yeah. We had the
14 deck on the second level, and I think day to
day, but I do think occasionally we will,
15 especially for fireworks .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : So it' s
16 like a third level deck area.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Jerry, did you
17 have --
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I've
18 always, and I've passed this in the discussion
before, this is the first application I have
19 ever seen in 24 years where we have had a
mechanical area above the second story. And
20 maybe we have to start learning about this,
but I really don' t understand since you don' t
21 exceed the lot coverage already, why the
mechanical area can' t be on the first story,
22 even if you put a smaller addition on to
accommodate that .
23 MR. MANGUS : We' re virtually out
of lot space . By the time I do the 10 foot
24 setbacks for the septic and I get this in and
have to do five rings with two optional, and
25 the garage, I couldn' t find any spot .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Sure you
February 26, 2004
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1
2 can. You can wrap it around right' at the end
of the proposed new addition. And that' s
3 really where it should be because I have never
seen a mechanical area on a third story.
4 Again, maybe it' s something new for us . We' re
treading on new water, because not only are we
5 reconstructing this entire area, we' re
reconstructing an area called Sound Beach Road
6 in Mattituck, which is on the Long Island
Sound, right long the Long Island Sound. And
7 we just started with the second reconstruction
on that situation. But that' s Number 1,
8 because I think that would lessen the height
of the roof; it would lessen some of the
9 impact on the neighbors, and I think it' s
really something you really need to reconsider
10 to redraw.
MR. MANGUS : Okay.
11 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRIINGER: That' s
my distinct opinion. And I don' t see any real
12 merit for adding another foot on the
neighbor' s side because I don' t think a foot
13 is going to make that much difference one way
or another. I think the tree situation has a
14 valid understanding, I just don' t know how
successful you' re going to be . But the other
15 issue that I am deeply concerned about is the
complete tear down about this house . This
16 house really can' t be torn down. It has to be
reconstructed in its original site . In the
17 past, we have been relatively standard about
that in these really significant nonconforming
18 areas, and I'm speaking for myself at this
point as an observer of this Board. And I
19 think that' s something you have to consider.
MR. MANGUS : I would be happy to
20 do that . It' s not a problem. I can just work
around it, and I may redo the foundation below
21 and maintain, I may set the wall aside and set
it back up, _ but I don' t have a problem doing
22 that .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: But I
23 think you need to redraw that third story. I
don' t think we can accommodate any decks on
24 the third story. I don' t think we can
accommodate any overhangs on the third story
25 that would be -- excuse me, Ruth.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I 'm just
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 agreeing with you.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: -- or
3 any mechanical areas on that third story.
MR. MANGUS : And in terms of
4 access to it, you just use a ladder I guess .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Or a
5 pull down stair.
MR. MANGUS : Okay, so I can have a
6 hatch.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yes .
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: If you think
you' re going to have to raise it, and then by
8 the time you get finished with the mechanical
it' s going to be almost 37 feet .
9 MR. MANGUS : It probably won' t go
over 31 .
10 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Even 31 .
That' s a fair height when everything' s so
11 flat . If you could move that mechanical house
someplace .
12 MR. MANGUS : I' ll find a place for
it .
13 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes, sir?
MR. MCLOUGHLIN: If I can just
14 address this Board briefly. I don' t know
whether all of you have had an opportunity to
15 visit this site --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes .
16 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: -- because things
look a lot different on the site plan then
17 they do when you get down there . It' s
extremely tight down there .
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I couldn' t
agree with you more .
19 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: Again, I think
the idea of this was always these lots were
20 set up for small summer cottages or bungalows .
What is being asked for here, again, is
21 basically tripling of the size of the dwelling
on here . I haven' t really heard the Board
22 address too much the porch addition that
further intrudes upon the already
23 nonconforming side yard setback. It appears
to be at less than four feet away from the
24 property line . Again, we would ask the
applicant and this Board to give consideration
25 to the moving of the entire proposed extension
addition two feet basically to the east and
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 thereby do away with the necessity of this
side yard variance because the 10 feet is
3 what' s required here . Again, all that will
end up doing is basically moving it more
4 toward the middle of the lot . Again, we' re
requesting that the applicant look at the
5 proposed garage and see if that cannot be
moved somewhat to the south. Again, we' re
6 talking about taking a one-story building and
going up at least another story apparently.
7 And it goes right along that property line for
a long distance . When you take the 26 feet of
8 the proposed garage and you take whatever
distance that turns out to be, and I don' t see
9 it marked clearly on the plan, from the corner
of the existing -- I guess it would be the
10 southwest corner of the existing house to the
end of the proposed addition, that' s a long
11 span of building that' s going to basically be
imposing upon my client' s house . We would ask
12 for some possible accommodation in moving both
of those structures somewhat further south and
13 away -- I'm sorry, somewhat further east and
away from my client' s property line .
14 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: The new
porch is very simply a single level .
15 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : I heard the
applicant say he didn' t have a problem with
16 that .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: It' s not
17 covered is it?
MR. MANGUS : I had a cover over
18 it, but I don' t need to have a cover of it .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: It' s
19 3 ' 3 " by 8' 511 .
MR. MANGUS : It' s under the 30
20 foot limit .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Right .
21 So where do we go from here?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I don' t have a
22 problem with what we had suggested to
Mr. Magnus .
23 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I agree .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Okay.
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Jim?
MS . KOWALSKI : Do you want a
25 diagram or just place conditions? Excuse me .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I think we can
February 26, 2004
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1
2 just place conditions as far as the mechanical
room and that, but give us some extra
3 information about that because we do make
decisions next week, can you get them in
4 there?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Jerry, do
5 you want to sum up again exactly our
requirements?
6 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I think
he has to give us something by next week so we
7 know exactly where the mechanical area is
going. That' s Number 1 .
8 MR. MANGUS : It' s what' s as
proposed or in lieu of what' s there in the
9 bulkhead.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: And the
10 reduction of the height of the roof . No third
story deck area and basically indicating
11 where, again, not being redundant, but
indicating where the mechanical area is going
12 to be .
MS . KOWALSKI : Are you going to
13 adjourn the hearing?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I think
14 we can accept it by the special meeting next
week, can' t we?
15 MS . KOWALSKI : We have to know now
whether to adjourn the verbal portion of the
16 hearing, the verbatim portion.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Right .
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: We can adjourn
the verbal and have written testimony.
18 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: We can
have written testimony from either person.
19 MR. MAGNUS : We' re on Thursday. I
can find it on tomorrow. Certainly if I FedEx
20 it Monday and you can have it Tuesday, would
that be --
21 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: That' s
fine .
22 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. McLoughlin,
if you wish to comment in writing to anything,
23 we' d be happy to have your written
notification or written objection.
24 MR. MCLOUGHLIN: If I could be
notified when you receive those plans .
25 MS . KOWALSKI : It would be easier
if Mr. Mangus could send you a copy directly.
February 26, 2004
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2 MR. MANGUS : Sure, if you want to,
I' ll have it for you.
3 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Send a copy to
Mr. McLoughlin.
4 MR. MANGUS : Sure, if you give me
your address, no problem.
5 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: In regards
to the accessory garage, proposed garage, it' s
6 as per our code, so it' s fine .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: To
7 answer your question, Mr. McLoughlin, I think
in the future in these applications we are
8 going to require models so we can understand
the models and take those models apart, which
9 we have received in the past, and have them
placed up here and have the ability to take
10 the roof off and see exactly what you have .
And that' s one of the things that have been
11 very helpful in understanding these projects .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Little
12 pop-up books -- just kidding -- that was a
joke .
13 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I think
we have to pass a resolution depending on the
14 size of the property. I think we may have to
require them.
15 MR. MANGUS : With the 3-D drawing
stuff that we' re using these days, I have it
16 in 3-D. I put all the trees in in 3-D, but
when I got the trees in, I couldn' t see
17 anything, and I was going to send stuff to
show that . But that is another way to do it,
18 it' s interactive, and you can project it onto
a screen.
19 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: That' s
what we have had, and it' s been unbelievably
20 helpful .
MR. MANGUS : Yeah, I have it so
21 you can pop the roof off .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Do anything.
22 MS . KOWALSKI : The only thing is
you can' t require it on every application.
23 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No, I'm
saying for these type situations . We had it
24 all projected on a screen. We had two
hearings like that in Southold. It worked out
25 wonderful . They rotated the house .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Move this
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2 along. I' d like to close the hearing and
reserve decision until later.
3 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
4 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
5 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All opposed?
So moved.
6 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Next hearing is
7 for the Mattituck Fire District .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: They are
8 outside .
I have to make a public statement
9 prior to. I just want them to come in because
I may need John Harrison to substantiate my
10 statement .
I make a motion withdrawing Steel,
11 making a motion withdrawing Steel, Number
5478, make a motion.
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Second. All in
favor?
13 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
moved.
15 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I' ll open the
16 hearing for Mattituck Fire District . They
wish to make a new radio room and a storage
17 and garage area in the rear.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Madam
18 Chairman, I have been a member of the
Mattituck Fire Department for 34 , almost 35
19 years . This application before us is with the
Mattituck Fire District of which I am not a
20 member or an elected official of the Mattituck
Fire District . I see no particular reason why
21 I have to recuse myself from this application.
I'm just telling you I find no conflict at
22 all . In the audience is a gentleman I just
spoke to outside; he is a past chief . He is a
23 representative of the Mattituck Fire District,
and that is John Harrison. He knows for a
24 fact that I am not a member of the Mattituck
Fire District; is that correct, Mr. Harrison?
25 MR. HARRISON: That' s true .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I would
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2 like to participate .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Anybody have an
3 objection to Mr. Goehringer participating?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : No .
4 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : No .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: No.
5 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Okay, you can
participate . Miss Moore?
6 MS . MOORE : Good afternoon. I
have with me today, as Mr. Goehringer pointed
7 out, John Harrison, who is both, he' s involved
in this project as a project manager, and I
8 also have Frank Ralph, who is the architect
that hopefully will answer any kind of
9 technical questions that you might have .
I know you've had a very long day.
10 What I' d like to do is have Mr. Harrison put
on the record the reasons why it' s been
11 designed the way it has been. John, would you
mind coming forward?
12 MR. HARRISON: Thank you very much
and good afternoon.
13 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Good afternoon.
MR. HARRISON: As of right now the
14 Mattituck Fire District radio room is inside
the interior of the building in the front of a
15 unit built in 1962 addition. There is no
vision for the radio operator of the doors
16 since we added the other addition to the west,
the radio operator has no vision of the doors
17 to the west side of him and a limited view of
the doors to the east side of him. As the
18 fire trucks pull out, they come out in soldier
form, and the drivers have limited viability.
19 By putting our radio room extension out, we
are giving the radio operator an opportunity
20 to see oncoming traffic . As you all know
exactly where we are, we also have a lot of
21 school traffic coming down the street for
lunch times and things like this . So we
22 wanted to make sure our radio operator would
have the opportunity to tell our drivers if
23 there was a situation that they should be
aware of as they pull out . We also, in 1962
24 when they built the existing radio room, there
was a radio. Today we have computers, we have
25 radios we have to deal with with the county,
radios we have to deal with ambulance
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2 companies, radios we have to deal with with
all kinds of things, plus a lot of security
3 systems that didn' t even exist in 1962 . The
physical space that is in the radio room now
4 is unable to hold that .
The radio operator will be
5 elevated out as he protrudes out there and be
able to see to both sides, east and west, so
6 we will be able to have better control . He
also will have the opportunity to view all
7 portions of the building around him, all
entrances through cameras and security systems
8 so you can tell even people entering the
building and where other vehicles are moving
9 around him as he sits . This is truly for the
safety of our community, safety of our fire
10 fighters and safety of our responding
vehicles .
11 In 1962 , the Mattituck Fire
District probably responded to all of about 40
12 calls a year; last year Mattituck responded to
over 500 calls . The world is changing and
13 this time we have to move up with it . The
annex building, and this is part of a project
14 that is ongoing. The radio room was one of
many projects we've been here for the Zoning
15 Board before for other projects we have had to
do. The building to the rear of the property,
16 the annex building, garage/storage area that
you mention is presently a wood structure
17 almost right on the property line . We are
going to move that in. The doors that are
18 existing in the existing wood frame building
are not large for any of our material, for any
19 of our trucks . It' s an old structure that was
built, add on, add on, add on. It was built
20 when we acquired the property next to us from
the original firehouse . We have now equipment
21 being stored outside that should be stored
inside . It' s time that we moved on and added
22 it on. Plus, the district office that we have
converted from a house to keep it in
23 community-type setting instead of another
building, we gutted a house and put the
24 district office in that . It doesn' t have an
emergency generation system. The emergency
25 generation system is going to be put into the
annex building in the back, will supply both
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2 the annex building and the district offices .
I don' t know what other questions
3 you might have for me .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: What are you
4 going to put in the storage building in the
back, not trucks, but --
5 MR. HARRISON: I'm not going to
say when in the future, what it is right now.
6 But as of right now it' s not planned to be
trucks . It' s more boats, trailer storage,
7 ` things like this, that we are presently
storing outside or seasonal equipment . What
8 the chiefs in the Fire District choose to do
in the future, I don' t know. We constantly
9 change . If we would have stood here in the
1970s and said how many ambulance are we going
10 to have, we would have said we' re never going
to have an ambulance . Now we have two . I
11 don' t know what the world' s going to bring for
the fire district, but at this time it' s for
12 storage .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Where are the
13 doors on that storage building?
MR. HARRISON: The doors on the
14 storage building will face east .
MS . MOORE : Facing Wickham
15 Avenue .
MR. HARRISON: Facing Wickham
16 Avenue .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
17 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I want to
talk about the annex building, is that a
18 single story structure?
MR. HARRISON: Single story.
19 MS . MOORE: Height of it, no, I
think it exceeds, I think it' s more than 18 .
20 MR. RUSSO: Michael Russo from
Frank Ralph Architects . It is actually a
21 single story use building. The reason for the
height of the building has to do with the
22 height of apparatus doors themselves . There
isn' t a second floor, structurally it could
23 not hold a second floor, nor does it have a
mezzanine .
24 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Next
question, maybe the architect may want to
25 answer this one as well . If you didn' t put
the planters in front of the radio room, would
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2 you have to relocate the telephone pole?
MR. RUSSO: Actually the
3 relocation for the telephone pole has to do
with line of sight more than anything else .
4 The electrical service is also being moved to
underground. We' re going to move --
5 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Oh,
actually the planter was actually something
6 that the district wanted to do to soften the
edge of the --
7 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : I
appreciate that . I was just curious if it had
8 any implication on why you had to move the
pole.
9 MR. RUSSO: No, none whatsoever.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: The pole is
10 being moved irregardless of the planter, no
planter.
11 MR. RUSSO: Right, line of sight .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: And the
12 radio room, every time a call goes out, is
there someone in the radio room?
13 MR. RUSSO: I just copy on to him.
They don' t have a 24 hour dispatcher, the
14 first man to the house is the man in the radio
room.
15 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: He becomes
the radio person.
16 MR. RUSSO: He becomes the radio
person.
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: They don' t have
a dispatcher.
18 MR. RUSSO: They don' t have a
dispatcher.
19 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: So every
call has a radio person in there .
20 MR. HARRISON: Every . call, first
man in the house, he becomes radio operator.
21 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: No other
questions .
22 CHAIRWOMAN TORTORA: Mrs . Tortora?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: The new
23 annex is going to be, from what it looks like,
200 feet back from Wickham Avenue, it' s going
24 to be substantially back, metal frame with the
cement block around it?
25 MR. RUSSO: Correct . It' s going
to have a decorative block water table that
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2 goes about five feet or so, from there it will
have a barn red ribbed panel insulated, from
3 there around. Fire districts, when they look
to design a building they try to design
4 buildings that are going to last them for 20
plus years . So we wanted to make sure that
5 the building was fully noncombustible to 'be
construction as well as something that' s going
6 to last a long time with little to no
maintenance .
7 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I'm
familiar with the area and when I drove by
8 there I drove by there trying to imagine what
the annex was going to look like, and I said
9 it' s going to look like it' s snuggled in the
back of the property, and I have no other
10 comments .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
11 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: No, no
questions .
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I just
13 want to say, Mr. Harrison, that it' s my
understanding, that because the doors are
14 facing Wickham Avenue, you would be restricted
to the size of the vehicles you would be able
15 to put in there anyway; is that correct?
MR. HARRISON: Yes, that' s
16 correct .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I just
17 want the Board to be aware of that .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Does anybody
18 else in the audience have any comments?
MS . MOORE: One more point that
19 hasn' t been raised that really should be on
the record, the location of the annex building
20 is in the corner, and it' s in place there
because we had the sanitary system that is in
21 this area for the district offices, is just
north I guess toward Pike Street, that
22 portion, so it' s tucked in as close as it can
be without affecting the sanitary system. And
23 then -- is there anything on this side? No,
just that clearance area.
24 MR. HARRISON: No . You need some
kind of clearance to get the trucks in and
25 out .
MS . MOORE : Right . And it' s been
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2 tucked in from the corner of that little cut
into the property in order to maintain the
3 clearance for the doors .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I' d like to
4 make a motion closing the hearing and
reserving decision until later.
5 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
6 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Opposed? So
moved.
8 ---------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next is
9 Christopher Durkin in Mattituck. He wants to
build a garage .
10 MS . DURKIN: Hi, I ' m Danielle
Durkin. We' re going for an accessory garage,
11 and the variance we want is a height variance .
There are a few reasons we need this extensive
12 storage . The first is when we built our
house, we built it with the long term
13 thinking, knowing that both of our mothers are
single and not healthy. My mother suffers
14 from Maneers disease, which is debilitating
vertigo, and she' s slowly going deaf . My
15 husband' s mother is diabetic, and we know they
will be living with us eventually. So all of
16 our house space will be used for our family to
live in. We' re looking for the garage to be
17 used as storage space, not only for our things
but for the things that our mothers will be
18 bringing with them.
The second reason is I am an
19 educational consultant, I work for myself out
of the home, and one of the things that I do
20 is motivational speaking and workshops for
teachers . And every workshop that I teach,
21 and every session that I go to requires two or
three or four boxes worth of supplies and I
22 keep that for the next time I'm going to teach
that workshop, and we' re just already filled
23 with boxes of things that I need a space for.
The other reason we' re looking for a height
24 variance is that the garage we' re proposing
goes along with the height of the house . I
25 only have one picture . I can give it to you.
But the angles of which the roof of our house
February 26, 2004
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2 and the pitch is the same, so we' re also, we
have a lot of tree cover. We've spoken to --
3 we have a nursery behind us . In front of us
is Suffolk County parkland that' s -- what is
4 that called?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Is it
5 Strawberry Fields?
MS . DURKIN: Strawberry Fields .
6 Then there' s also a four acre lot that' s
preserved land, that' s never going to be built
7 on. So really we have the two neighbors on `
either side . The one neighbor on the other
8 side already has an accessory garage, and the
other neighbor hasn' t even built yet, and has
9 been offered $256, 000 for his piece of
property, which he' s turned down. He lives in
10 Florida and doesn' t want to build on the
property. So that' s all .
11 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I have
12 to tell you that this Board, Mrs . Durkin, I
should say this -- I have never seen this
13 Board grant a garage of this height . And
although I understand you' re trying -- first
14 of all, I have to tell you it' s an extremely
unique spot that you live in -- I live in
15 Mattituck also, but more up by the old mill in
the woods also -- and because of the
16 topography of your land it even makes it more
interesting when you go down there and look at
17 it . I have to tell you the height is really
up there . Is there any particular reason why
18 the roof line can' t be lessened? I realize
you' re trying to match the house in that new
19 modern Tudor style, but, I mean, you have a
ten foot, 918" ceiling in the garage, there' s
20 got to be a reason why you need something that
high. I mean, you can store stuff in 7
21 and-a-half feet .
MS . DURKIN: In the garage area or
22 above it?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Above
23 the garage .
MS . DURKIN: Just really to have
24 easy access . I mean, we' re going to have
three houses worth of stuff, basically.
25 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I
understand that, but it' s usually not
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 something that we see or I see .
MS . DURKIN: Right .
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: And I
just don' t know how you' re going to do it . By
4 the way, this garage will contain utilities of
what, just electricity?
5 MS . DURKIN: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No
6 insulation?
MS . DURKIN: No, we' re not
7 insulating it, right?
MR. DURKIN: Unless the code tells
8 us to insulate it . The plans show insulation,
but it' s just going to be a storage garage .
9 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No heat?
MR. DURKIN: No heat .
10 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: 1, 200
square feet footprint?
11 MR. DURKIN: Yes, this way
everything can be inside too.
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : I agree
13 with Mr. Goehringer, maybe how to resolve it,
you have plenty of space, maybe make it a
14 little bit wider and then bring the ridge
down, still keep your space .
15 MR. DURKIN: I' d have to take down
more trees too. I' d have to take down one
16 large tree and the rest are small, and I ' d
rather not take down more trees, then my 20
17 foot setback I have to keep, and also the
LILCO right of way behind us, we have to keep
18 also.
MS . DURKIN: And we have a lot of
19 the Beech trees that are growing in there and
we wanted to preserve as many of those as we
20 possibly could.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Coming
21 before us, you look like very sincere and
honest people, but if you sold the house five
22 years from now, someone could build the
inside, put another dwelling in there, not
23 saying you would do that .
MR. DURKIN: You probably could.
24 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: It' s the
size of a small ranch that' s our reservation.
25 MS . DURKIN: But we' re not going
anywhere . I already told him I'm going out of
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2 that house in a body bag. We' re looking at
long term. We' re looking at the fact that our
3 son also is not going to be able to afford to
buy a house on Long Island, and if he wants to
4 stay, this is going to be his house, and we' re
going to become the grandparents living in
5 this house . This was such a long term,
longsighted project for us that we feel this
6 is what we need for our family.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: No other
7 questions .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Lydia? Jim?
8 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: When I
first looked at it, I just thought you could
9 put the garage doors closer together and bring
the ridge down.
10 MR. DURKIN: I'm not an architect .
This is what -- I told the guy what I wanted,
11 this is what he drew up . He told me the mean
height was going to be too high, and that I
12 would have to go for a variance . He said with
the span this is what you have to do to get
13 that .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : If you took
14 a garage door, two car garage door, then four
feet, then you've got another two car garage
15 door. If you put a three car garage door in
there, what does that do? Why couldn' t you do
16 that?
MR. DURKIN: Actually, I wanted it
17 to represent the house a little bit like it' s
offset like that, so it looks architecturally
18 the same almost . ' Cause it' s offsetting the
house . I could probably do that, something
19 like that . I didn' t think of that, to be
honest with you. I don' t know how much that
20 would bring the roof line down. I 'm not an
architect either. This is what they came up
21 with.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : If you need
22 square footage, you've got so much land you
can put square footage on.
23 MR. DURKIN: Yeah. But I like to
have room, a yard for playing and stuff like
24 that .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I can tell
25 you what Mr. Orlando says is what most of the
town is concerned about . If you have
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 something over seven and-a-half feet above
this, it can very easily be turned into a
3 liveable area. I personally have no objection
to that, but that' s the thought process .
4 That' s why we have the height law for
accessory structures . I 'm thinking of a way
5 you wouldn' t even need a variance if you just
did it my way.
6 MR. DURKIN: I have a problem
visualizing --
7 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: If you made
it narrower, you wouldn' t change the roof
8 line, you would just lower the roof line . You
could still keep the same architectural look
9 of the house, but you would just be lowering
that roof line, you could put this jog on the
10 other side of the building if you felt you
needed a jog to make it look a little more not
11 like a box.
MR. DURKIN: I didn' t want a box.
12 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I mean,
it' s four feet there . I don' t know what you
13 gain. Maybe you make a separate door but only
maybe a foot, so you pull it in three feet,
14 you put your little dog shed on there,
whatever you want, maybe that brings you down
15 and you' re not even before us .
MR. DURKIN: Yeah.
16 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Just a
thought .
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Or could you
reduce the attic area, instead of 918" down to
18 at least to eight foot . You could stand and
it would still shorten it, wouldn' t that be
19 able to bring the roof line down too?
MS . DURKIN: It would also change
20 the pitch. We were like going for the pitch
that matches the angle of the house .
21 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I think the
consensus of the Board is it' s a little too
22 high. Mr. Dinizio had some good ideas, not to
put you on the spot now, think about how you
23 could lower it and also keep your pitch.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Keep it open
24 until next month. Are you willing to do
something or what?
25 MR. DURKIN: If I brought this
over back to the guy at Penny Lumber who drew
February 26, 2004
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1
2 it, and say I need that -- I probably won' t
make the 18 feet, but what would the highest
3 be?
MS . DURKIN: What would be a
4 compromise that you would accept?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: What is
5 acceptable for us?
MR. DURKIN: Yes . What would you
6 pass, basically if I needed a variance? The
highest I could go, basically.
7 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: To me, in
my opinion, if you bought those doors within a
8 foot of each other, whatever that turned out
to be, that would probably be acceptable to
9 me . That' s not speaking for the rest of the
Board. It' s going to come real close to
10 that -- I think it' s going to come close to 18
feet .
11 MR. DURKIN: So if it was 19 feet
-- I don' t want to come back again, and say
12 I'm a foot over and you' re going to say the
same thing. We were made aware of this last
13 week, not that we wouldn' t need a variance,
everybody just told us, oh, just go for a
14 variance. Then, when we handed in the last of
the paperwork, the lady in the variance office
15 says this never passes .
MS . DURKIN: It never passed, I
16 wish somebody told us in the beginning before
we paid $400 . We could have fixed it before
17 we were here .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Well,
18 unfortunately, we can' t make judgments on your
application until you' re here .
19 MR. DURKIN: We understand that .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I think
20 you' ll come real close to it but --
MR. DURKIN: I'm not a builder
21 either.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: If you do 18 at
22 the mean average, then you won' t have to come
to us at all . You don' t need us .
23 MR. DURKIN: He was telling me
when I was having him draw it up, he says he
24 couldn' t get the 18 with the roof pitch like
that .
25 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Give us
a little bit more then, see if it' s --
February 26, 2004
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2 MR. DURKIN: If it' s like 19 or
somewhere around there, if I put those two
3 doors together.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Never
4 have I seen --
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : You' re here
5 now.
MS . KOWALSKI : Plus you might need
6 to have the Building Inspector take a look at
it and have him confirm what the new height is
7 on that for you. See how much of a variance
you' ll need, because you' re amending your
8 application. Originally it was denied at 25
feet, was it? 26 feet?
9 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: 2211"
and three-quarters .
10 MS . KOWALSKI : If he confirms how
much of a variance you' re going to need, so if
11 it' s 18 and a half feet, you' re only looking
for a six inch variance .
12 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Could they
do that before we meet?
13 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It would have
to be for a month.
14 MS . KOWALSKI : It' s going to be
for a month anyway.
15 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : We could
just deny that and grant them relief . If we
16 know that number by next week --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Then we could
17 grant them alternate relief .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I'm not
18 saying we can agree with it, I'm just saying
we can look at it --
19 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Deny and
give --
20 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: So you' re
not waiting.
21 MS . DURKIN: If we have a new plan
in by next week.
22 MR. DURKIN: They basically go in
their computer, as long as I can get in there
23 with them.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: You heard
24 correctly about never granting, but there is
ways to do relief . You want to build this
25 structure that looks like the house . I'm
willing to consider that but --
February 26, 2004
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2 MR. DURKIN: Not at that scale .
Okay. If I knew that because it was also hard
3 for me to go to an architect because every
architect I said I just want to build a
4 garage, they said why don' t you go to a
lumberyard and have them draw it up because it
5 really isn' t worth my -- I 'm going to charge
you an enormous amount of money for something
6 that' s very simple, and then when I went to
him, his options were I guess more limited
7 than an architect .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: There may
8 be problems with holding the building up, I
don' t know.
9 MR. DURKIN: Well, the length of
the beams . I wanted open space in there too.
10 I didn' t want the columns in the middle .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: You
11 understand what we' re looking for to help you
expedite this?
12 MR. DURKIN: Right . Get you
another set of plans with the mean height
13 down.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : We can deny
14 this at our next meeting and then grant you
alternate relief at what you've submitted when
15 you submit it to us next week.
MS . DURKIN: Okay. Do we just
16 need to bring it in by next week, or we need
to be here next week?
17 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : You need to
submit it .
18 MS . KOWALSKI : You need to give us
six sets, six copies, if you can reduce them.
19 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: By what
day?
20 MS . KOWALSKI : It would have been
by tomorrow, but Tuesday' s okay.
21 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Just
remember, in any case, that any decision that
22 I'm going to make is going to be for an
accessory structure only, nothing else .
23 MS . DURKIN: Okay.
MS . KOWALSKI : No sleeping
24 quarters or anything like that .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No
25 insulation, no heat, nothing like that .
MR. DURKIN: No . I think on the
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2 plans it shows insulation and everything else,
it' s just on there ' cause that' s the way he
3 draws it .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I move that we
4 close the hearing and reserve decision until
later pending receipt of new plans .
5 MS . DURKIN: All right .
MR. DURKIN: This afternoon.
6 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
7 responded in favor. )
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
8 -------------------------------------------------
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next one is
9 Stanley Malon. Mrs . Moore, this is for the
commercial building fairly adjacent to Cox' s
10 Lane .
MS . MOORE : I'm sorry. I thought
11 we were done and you reopened us . Maybe you
can tell me what you would like to discuss
12 before I start .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All right . We
13 were trying to do this really in cooperation
with the Planning Board so that we both get
14 our acts together, that we don' t give you
something then they go back and say why did
15 the Zoning Board give you what have you.
MS . MOORE: Right . I just
16 happened to be at the Planning Board meeting
yesterday.
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: As you know
your parking in the front of the buildings is
18 not allowed.
MS . MOORE : No. I would
19 respectively disagree . I have here the
subdivision map that was approved by the
20 Planning Board and is the one that we have to
follow.
21 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: For the three
lots?
22 MS . MOORE : For the three lots and
I have one for each of you. Let' s start --
23 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: According to
the subdivision regulations I believe you have
24 to have some sort of landscaping in front .
MS . MOORE: Let me back you up .
25 This property was created back in the 180s,
looks like 182 may have been the final
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1
2 approval on it, 180 to ' 82 . The Suffolk
County Planning Commission came up with a
3 recommendation of cross-easements and the Town
agreed that that was a suitable way to treat
4 multiple properties that were all going to be
developed as commercial properties . So what
5 the Town did is, through the county as well,
they required a covenant to record a
6 cross-easement, that the cross-easement
begins, only 10 feet -- there' s a landscape
7 area of 10 feet, and if you notice the
commercial building next to us, the wine
8 building, I call it the wine retail building,
we followed the pattern, we followed the
9 design of that building because we wanted to
create a building that was in character with
10 the area, which is the issue, the sole issue
before this Board is the 60 foot rule, may we
11 have a variance to deviate from the rule that
says linear feet of -- 60 feet linear feet
12 across the road. Keep in mind that that same
section of the code deals with multiple
13 buildings, that if you have multiple buildings
you push back to 75 feet, and you can do this
14 and that . It' s the worst drafted -- and I
apologize if any of you were involved in that
15 drafting -- that is the worst drafted code I
have ever seen. The first part -- obviously
16 you understand. The second part I cannot
understand what they were trying to get . The
17 bottom line is there is 10 feet of landscaping
then there has to be 25 foot easement area, or
18 cross-easement, driveway area. Then we will
deal with whatever landscaping, whatever
19 parking is suitable . But all of these issues
are issues we are addressing with the Planning
20 Board through the site plan. And every single
one of these issues the Planning Board can
21 choose to waive based on the design of the
surrounding properties, and in this instance
22 we are somewhat constrained by what the
Planning Board did initially with this
23 cross-easement . So quite frankly, all of the
questions about landscaping and parking and so
24 on, I respectively disagree with you. It does
not belong here .
25 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I'm only
bringing that up because you had parking in
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1
2 the front, and I don' t know how you' re going
to get parking and landscaping and the
3 building in the front . I don' t think you have
enough room. You have a much shorter lot than
4 the other two lots in question.
MS . MOORE: No, not at all . Our
5 lot is identical, in fact, it' s exactly
identical . It' s the one that has a house on
6 it . If you look at Lot Number 4 , see Lot
Number 4, that is our property. That house is
7 obviously being removed; that lot is the exact
same dimensions as the lot next door with the
8 wine building that we followed. Gary Olsen' s
building, and Gary Olsen' s property is
9 constrained by a 25 foot right of way along
the westerly side . So that is the only lot
10 that is narrower, but as far as width, and
it' s 249, almost 250 on one side, 360 on the
11 other. It' s minimal . We also have dealt with
the Planning Board already. This is our third
12 time before the Planning Board with
redesign -- I take it back, second time . The
13 first time we came in� with a proposal . The
Planning Board said, you know, we like this
14 but we would recommend that you change the
parking in the front slightly, and we moved
15 some parking back, that' s the plan that you
have . It' s actually been pushed back towards
16 the building. We eliminated some parking that
was in some areas of the front . We also --
17 what else did we do? I'm trying to remember
how far back it was . Let me pull out my site
18 plan. It will trigger my memory of what we
did. We went to the Architectural Review
19 Board. They suggested some trellis in the
front, which we added and gave back to the
20 Planning Board. This design with the parking
is what the Planning Board originally looked
21 at and liked. We actually have land banking
of parking in the back because there is too
22 many parking spaces . We are required 61, we
are offering 60, and we' re land banking
23 actually 13 because there' s a recognition that
this type of use you have, it' s not 100
24 percent occupancy; it' s not 100 percent in and
out . The code overdoes it on the parking.
25 We also, if you look at the adjacent and I
only did one because it' s very difficult to
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1
2 copy and piecemeal from the Planning Board
records, but I took the site plan from next
3 door that was approved and the building next
door has eight tenancies, eight occupancies .
4 Again, instead of what we have, which is the
two buildings with the large opening in the
5 center, they have three sets of buildings with
two passageways, openings . The only comment
6 that the neighbors have, that the tenants have
had is that the openings next door are too
7 narrow, and you end up with a wind tunnel
effect, and they suggested to our architect
8 keep the pathway larger so you have less --
you have better air flow, you have less of a
9 wind tunnel, which is why our architect
designed it the way he did.
10 I have a full copy of the site
plan for your records and you can see., from
11 the site plan you can see that you have a
building next door that from end to end is 94
12 feet in width, again, with the two alleys
instead of the one that we have, and narrower
13 alleys .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Just a point,
14 but their contours of their property are very
different from yours . Yours goes from a
15 height of 16 feet down to 10 feet on the east
and north. You' re going to have a great deal
16 of fill to put in to get parking in the rear;
how are you going to get the drainage?
17 MS . MOORE : Madam Chairman,
precisely why we are at site plan and are with
18 the Town engineer. We should not be
discussing these issues here . Your issue is
19 the 60 foot in character with the area . If
you say no, we are not going to give it to
20 you. Well, all right, we take out the
mezzanine and we have a conforming building.
21 We have two 38 foot wide buildings . This is a
much nicer design. The site plan issues we
22 have dealt with. We actually created, and
Mr. Glover showed me some pictures that he
23 has, there is a tremendous amount of water
runoff that is coming off of the Town road,
24 not his property, not our property, but it' s
coming off of the Town road that the Town is
25 refusing to correct, and it is pooling on
Mr. Glover' s property, but he' s trying to get
February 26, 2004
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1
2 us to fix it . I don' t think it' s possible .
We can fix all the grading, all the drainage
3 so that we take care of all the water runoff
that occurs on our property and maybe off of
4 the Main Road. We have far exceeded the
drainage that even the neighboring piece has
5 had to do.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Moore, in
6 order to get a completely unbiased opinion, we
have hired Chick Voorhis to do a drainage
7 study of this whole piece of property because
depending upon what he says with the drainage
8 to me relates to the size of your building and
the parking that will be required. Because I
9 do feel responsible for having any drainage
running off into Mr. Kaelin' s or Mr. Glover' s
10 property and to that whole corner, which is a
very bad corner to begin with.
11 MS . MOORE : I appreciate that, I
understand that, and we' ll see -- Chick hasn' t
12 provided you with a report, has he?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: No, he' ll be
13 coming in about a week.
MS . MOORE: The report or he will
14 be coming?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: The report will
15 be with us in a week.
MS . MOORE : Has he been given our
16 version of the site plan?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes .
17 MS . MOORE : I have no objection to
having Chick Voorhis look at the site plan.
18 It' s certainly within your rights, and our
architect would love to speak with Chick and
19 see how to make this better. We would love to
make it better. But if your purpose is using
20 drainage issues to deal with the size of this
building, I do have an objection to that
21 because, again, the 60 foot rule, the only
reason we' re here is because of that mezzanine
22 that puts the two buildings together.
Otherwise, the identical building would be
23 built -- excuse me, the identical main
structures would be built . We are conforming
24 to the parking. We could eliminate some
parking. We have no problem with reducing the
25 amount of parking. We are obligated to show
the required parking based on the square
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 footages that we have . It is certainly in
everybody' s best interest, including you and I
3 as residents of the town, not to see a sea of
parking. Next door they have their parking,
4 they provided 44 spaces .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: That will be up
5 to the Planning Board specifically.
MS . MOORE: Exactly. But you' re
6 using -- .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I 'm not saying
7 specifically how many. I'm just saying with
the contour of the rear and the fill that
8 you' re going to have to put in, I just fear
for the drainage that' s going to be going, not
9 maybe now, but in the future will be going on
to Mr. Glover' s and Mr. Kaelin' s property.
10 MS . MOORE : What can I tell you.
You made up your mind before as far as not
11 wanting this size building, and you've put it
on the record. That' s fine, certainly every
12 Board member is entitled to their opinion. I
think we' re being penalized for drainage that
13 is occurring off site . And this building is
going to be an asset to this town and a major
14 contributor to the tax base .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mrs . Moore, I'm
15 not trying .to stop the building per se . I 'm
just saying I don' t think it should be as
16 large as it . I won' t give a definite opinion
until I get some sort of drainage report . I
17 don' t want to stop it, and I don' t want to
hold you. up any longer.
18 MS . MOORE : Understand as large as
you suggest it is . We' re talking about the
19 width of the building, two 38 foot . The size
of the building, you' re looking at the depth
20 as far as size; that is not -- again, that' s
not part of your appeal . Your appeal is the
21 linear footage along the road and whether or
not it' s in conformity with the character of
22 the area. I don' t know how to show to you
any -- you look around the neighborhood and
23 you can see that we' re designing identical to
the building next door in a subdivision that
24 was intended to have development that
way. You could end up, I think John Nickles
25 and I were discussing, you could end up with
CVS come in with a large building. You have
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1
2 one tenant with maybe a little bit smaller
building, but it' s going to put the next guy
3 out of business . At least the small mom and
pop shop out of business . We have an owner
4 here who wants to put multiple tenancies for
small mom- and pop-type of operations, whether
5 it' s a doctor or sole practitioner or one
retailer.
6 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I have no
7 questions .
MS . MOORE : For the record, I 'm
8 going to give you the site plan for next door.
I had given you before the layout, the site
9 plan in a very simplified format so you could
see what the dimensions are of the building
10 for your file .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Thank you.
11 Mrs . Tortora?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: No . We' re
12 just kind of back where we were three months
ago. I personally would like to see this
13 thing moved along.
MS . MOORE : I don' t know what you
14 want from us, that' s the problem.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
15 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Well, I
don' t know. I don' t recall ever discussing
16 hiring anybody to do a study on this, but, I
don' t know that that' s within our purview, in
17 all honesty. I didn' t witness the rest of the
hearings, but I 'm sitting here looking at the
18 notice of disapproval right now, and the
discussion that I'm hearing right now I can' t
19 see it in the notice of disapproval .
MS . MOORE : Site plan issues?
20 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Right . I
see nothing in this notice of disapproval that
21 says anything about we' re going to discuss
drainage today. And I'm just wondering -- I
22 don' t know how we got here honestly, and I
would really like to hear some discussion on
23 the Board as to just what it is, what we are
looking at here . If we' re going to start
24 making decisions based on what one piece of
property has to take care of the drainage for
25 all of the surrounding pieces of property, I
have never, ever seen us make a decision on
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2 that .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio,
3 it' s only this piece of property, not other
pieces of property.
4 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Jim, you
may have read the passages, but the two
5 gentlemen sitting in the back own the
properties on both sides in the east, and we
6 have taken significant testimony from them.
And we viewed their problems . We know them,
7 and they, of course, have been businessmen in
this town for many, many, many, many years .
8 And we understand your problem, Mrs . Moore,
and we accept the fact -- I accept the fact
9 that you are going to take care of the
drainage . We just have certain feelings about
10 the drainage, and the Chairperson took it upon
herself to do this . So that was it .
11 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: The
testimony, Jim, the last time I heard this was
12 probably three months ago. There was
considerable concern by Mr. Glover and the
13 adjoining neighbors about drainage on the
property, and how that would be addressed to
14 insure that it would not be exacerbated. And
that' s kind of what the concern of the
15 neighbors was at that time. And I think
everything else has been very well hashed out .
16 MS . MOORE : May I also add for the
benefit of Mr. Dinizio that last time I had
17 the benefit of the architect here . It takes
him three hours to get out here . In all
18 fairness, this would have been his third time,
so he didn' t come . He' s redesigned this site
19 plan with respect to the complaints or the
concerns that were raised by Mr. Glover. He
20 went out on Mr. Glover' s property, on this
property, they must have spent a good hour,
21 hour and-a-half there, and really he
redesigned -- this site plan is the redesigned
22 version, the engineering behind it has been
done based on Mr. Glover' s concerns . And they
23 were taken seriously. We haven' t blown him
off; we haven' t ignored him. We are cognizant
24 of the issues that he raised that were
legitimate issues . We recognize that . But I
25 also have to state that we do not want to
exacerbate his situation, but, on the other
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1
2 hand, we may not have the ability to correct
his situation because his drainage problem is
3 coming from an outside source . Maybe there' s
some that' s occurring from our site because
4 it' s undeveloped right now. That will be
corrected and some by the development of this
5 property.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: When are we
6 supposed to get this report?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: About a week.
7 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: And the
report is a drainage report on the property?
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes . He has to
take a look at what would be the proper
9 drainage, and the problems with it because the
contours of the land are so high, one 16 foot,
10 then go down to 10 foot . So you' re going to
have to have, in order to get the parking in
11 you have to put a considerable amount of fill
to level that thing off .
12 MS . MOORE : Regrading.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Regrade it
13 considerably. Because the lowest I think in
the front it' s either 14 or 15, and then it
14 goes up to 16, then drops all the way down to
10 foot . And it' s always wet back in there .
15 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Or he may
accept the drainage plan submitted.
16 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Right .
MS . KOWALSKI : This is the first
17 time he' s seeing it .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I'm just
18 wondering how the Zoning Board of Appeals
comes to the conclusion that they can base
19 anything based on drainage .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: This is just a
20 consideration to the neighboring properties .
And, Jim, I really have a real problem, just
21 in general of developing properties with no
regard to drainage and keeping drainage on
22 your own property and not bothering somebody
else .
23 MS . MOORE : Absolutely, I agree
100 percent with that .
24 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I think
they' re required by our Town code to do that .
25 I don' t think that' s our purview.
MS . MOORE : And the Town engineer
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1
2 reviews this plan for that purpose .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I don' t
3 think that' s our purview. We don' t make that
decision.
4 MS . MOORE : No . We spend
thousands of dollars for a site plan for that
5 purpose alone, to deal with drainage because
obviously residences are problems, farms are
6 problems, when a commercial property gets
developed, they have to deal with drainage,
7 certainly with their legal obligations to take
care of drainage that is occurring from their
8 property. My concern is that we have
surrounding properties that are having
9 drainage problems that are being used -- or,
that problem is being used to limit the
10 development on this piece when one has no
relation with the other.
11 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: May I ask a
question?
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: As far as
13 the parking and the access to the building,
you said this was part of a Suffolk County
14 Planning Board approval when the subdivision
was created?
15 MS . MOORE : When the
subdivision -- I think it' s Minor is the name
16 of the subdivision, Minor, I looked at the
Planning Board' s records -- Minor subdivision
17 went to Suffolk County Planning Commission for
a recommendation. Suffolk County Planning
18 Commission letter, and I can look for it I
made a copy of it . The letter referred to the
19 fact that this is going to be several
commercially developed properties, and they
20 recommended that there be a cross-easement
between the properties .
21 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: We don' t
have a copy of that letter so we can kind of
22 clean up many of these points --
MS . MOORE : That' s the survey.
23 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: If you can,
please, submit that into evidence so we can
24 get that cleared up right now, Number 1 .
Number 2 , traffic and pedestrian concerns, is
25 there an environmental assessment done by the
Planning Board at this time?
February 26 , 2004
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2 MS . MOORE : I would presume so.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: There is
3 not or there is?
MS . MOORE : I submitted an
4 environmental assessment form with the site
plan application so generally they do SEQRA
5 through the site plan process . Also DOT --
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: We haven' t
6 received anything.
MS . KOWALSKI : It hasn' t been
7 coordinated.
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: So it
8 hasn' t been coordinated yet . Would those
concerns not be coordinated through the SEQRA
9 process?
MS . KOWALSKI : They should.
10 MS . MOORE : Excuse me, but isn' t
pedestrian and vehicular access on the state
11' route a State DOT issue?
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Whether it
12 is or not it should be addressed through the
SEQRA process and we are not an involved
13 agency as far as I know.
MS . MOORE : You are a Type 2
14 action because it' s an area variance so I
don' t believe you would get involved in a
15 SEQRA review aside from the area variance .
CHAIRWOMAN TORTORA: I 'm really
16 trying focus on what we' re here for.
MS . MOORE : I know. I just don' t
17 want to create issues that don' t --
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Exist .
18 MS . MOORE : -- exist .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I'm looking
19 at the agenda here . As far as traffic and
pedestrian concerns that would be addressed by
20 them as far as relating to the variance . The
variance goes to the width.
21 MS . KOWALSKI : I understand the
Planning office was going to send a letter
22 over and we were supposed to get it so we
could give it to the applicant last week. As
23 of this moment it has not been submitted to
US .
24 MS . MOORE: My understanding from
being at the meeting. I'm relying on what was
25 said verbally, but they took -- they
understood the questions you were asking but
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2 those issues are site plan issues .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Let' s get
3 this straight . I'm not asking these
questions, I'm merely reading what' s on an
4 agenda that I have seen for the first time
today.
5 MS . MOORE : No. There was a
letter that went out, an internal
6 communication from the Zoning Board to the
Planning Board was give us your comments on
7 five items, five elements, drainage, parking
and things like that .
8 BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: I ' m merely
looking for the first time today since I was
9 sick for the last hearing, looking at it
saying where are we at so we can move forward.
10 That' s all .
MS . MOORE : I'm trying to give you
11 the information I have .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: The only
12 thought that I have on this is this is a
variance; it' s a request for an
13 interpretation. If the variance, which is the
width of. the building, is going to affect the
14 drainage or the parking or any of those
things, then we can rightfully say it' s within
15 our purview because we can make a nexus
between the two of them. However, if the
16 width of the building is not going to in any
way be affected by those things, I'm not too
17 sure how far we should be venturing along
those lines . That' s my opinion.
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I'm just
waiting for a report to come back. If he
19 comes back and says this is fine, this is what
should be done, we' ll take care of it, then be
20 that as it may. I just want confirmation from
an independent source .
21 MS . MOORE : Thank you. I'm going
to submit for the record the Suffolk County
22 Planning Commission recommendation that was
made October 15, 1982 to Henry Raynor, who was
23 the chairman of the Planning Board at the time
the subdivision was created, two items which
24 are an obligation on the subdivision. One is
all storm water runoff resulting from the
25 development, an improvement of this
subdivision or any of its lots shall be
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1
2 retained on the site by adequate drainage
structures so that it will not flow out into
3 the right of way of Main State Road. That is
a condition; that is one that' s accepted;
4 that' s what the site plan' s all the about, and
we understand it . And the width of the
5 building, because it' s not really a width, we
have two 38 foot wide structures connected by
6 a mezzanine, the mezzanine being 10 feet extra
setback, these issues have nothing do with the
7 linear footage on the road. Then finally, the
other condition is that since Lots 2 through 4
8 inclusive will eventually be used for business
it is necessary that a plan be developed
9 showing how the parking areas on these lots
will be coordinated with the two proposed
10 points of access shown on the map . The layout
of the parking area should also ensure that
11 the vehicle can move from one lot to another
lot without having to reenter the state road.
12 So again, the landscaping can' t be put in such
a way that it interferes with the
13 ingress/egress that' s intended and it was a
condition of the subdivision between the
14 properties . So we' re balancing several balls,
but these are balls that are balanced at the
15 planning level not at your level .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Miss Moore,
16 they can vary those, right?
MS . MOORE : Absolutely, these
17 conditions are part of the subdivision.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Right, but
18 I'm talking about the landscaping can be
changed.
19 MS . MOORE: Yes . The rules in the
code are as a guideline but because of other,
20 factors, they have a right to waive any or all
of these site plan issues .
21 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Pat, do you
mind, I ' d like -- we've heard your case . I
22 don' t want to cut you off, you can come back,
but we' d like to hear what Mr. Glover or
23 anybody else has to say.
MS . MOORE : Sure . Thanks, I won' t
24 take offense .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I hope not .
25 MR. GLOVER: Good afternoon, I'm
Leonard Glover, and I 'm the one that has the
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 problem with the drainage because originally
there was a big pipe went under 25, and then
3 with all the building that' s cut off, and the
water used to keep right on going down the
4 crick. But I just, instead of holding things
up, I brought pictures on February 7th of what
5 it looked like, and I' d like to leave them
with the Board so you can look at them.
6 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Thank
you, sir.
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Kaelin, do
you have anything to add?
8 MR. KAELIN: Yeah, Dan Kaelin. I
have the property on the corner of Cox' s Lane,
9 on the northwest corner.
The only question I would like to
10 direct to Pat is, you' re talking about an
easement, does that effect me at all?
11 MS . MOORE : No, not at all .
MR. KAELIN: Because I heard again
12 hearsay they were going to break through my
west line so they could swing out to the lot .
13 MS . KOWALSKI : We have a map here,
if you want to take a look at it . It goes
14 right through your property.
MR. KAELIN: Okay. I think the
15 water issue has already been addressed by the
pictures . I think they speak for themselves .
16 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Does
Mr. McCarthy or Mr. Nickles have anything to
17 say?
MR. MCCARTHY: Good afternoon, Tom
18 McCarthy, Southold. My comments because of
the advertisement of reopening the entire
19 hearing, I don' t want to necessarily go back
over all the old things . I don' t have any
20 comments on the drainage or the length of the
building, other than the fact that
21 architecturally it looked good when I saw the
plans . I'm here to talk about the number of
22 uses on the property, and one of the
disapprovals that was given at that point in
23 time . I was here to speak at the last public
hearing, and just want to reiterate my
24 comments . I don' t know if you' re going to
speak about any of that today, but I feel as a
25 resident of the town and a local business
person and knowing a lot of other small local
February 26, 2004
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1
2 businesses, that the strict interpretation
that the Building Department has given and the
3 reason why Miss Moore is here on the number of
uses, that strict interpretation under the
4 Zoning code will hurt a lot of the local
businesses if they all had to have the minimum
5 lot size per use on the property, not just in
the B Zone, which is advertised, but I ask
6 when you come out with your interpretation
however that goes, that it' s far reaching and
7 goes across all the business zoning
categories . It doesn' t just address the B
8 Zone with the number of uses that are allowed
on a piece of property with the bulk schedule .
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I think we' ll
take that very seriously.
10 MR. MCCARTHY: I think that will
make a tremendous impact . The way that the
11 building inspector is interpreting is
definitely in contrast with having a
12 change in code to the way it' s been
interpreted previously with other multiple
13 tenant facilities around town, namely, Jim
Gray' s industrial park, the buildings on the
14 North Road, Feather Hill . If it was to be
interpreted that strictly, the Town probably
15 wouldn' t have been able to occupy Feather Hill
with three different departments in town and
16 you wouldn' t have all the little small spaces
within that complex if that the zoning code
17 had been interpreted that way at that point in
time .
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Thank you, Mr.
McCarthy.
19 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Can I ask
Mr. McCarthy a question? Fill me in then
20 Mr. McCarthy about this 30, 000 square feet .
I'm assuming that the discussion went toward
21 each particular business that they wanted to
put in there to require that?
22 MS . MOORE : Maybe I can help on
that . The building inspector interpreted that
23 here we have, for example, eight tenancies .
They wanted to show the extreme when they did
24 it because they could have said three uses
given the fact that we have retail, office and
25 maybe restaurant use at the time . But they
went to the extreme, eight uses, every tenancy
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1
2 being a different use . They look at the code
and they say one use per -- whatever the bulk
3 schedule says, and in business zoning it is
30 , 000 square feet so one use per 30, 000, if
4 you were in a zoning district, one use per
40 , 000 . So they' re, I believe,
5 inappropriately using the bulk schedule for a
minimum lot size that' s used for minimum lot
6 size and setbacks and things 1-ike that to
apply to the use schedule that' s at the
7 beginning of each code, what uses are
permitted in that zoning district . And the
8 last time I was here I explained in statutory
construction, when you have a code that
9 says -- for example, RO, it says, specific
language, one use per 40, 000 square foot .
10 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I read
that . You wrote that --
11 MS . MOORE: Right . It' s very,
very specific . So therefore the fact that
12 it' s specific in one area and left out of the
rest of the code implies as a matter of law
13 that it was never intended to be read that
way. And so far people have come in for
14 variances rather than challenge that decision
and say, Zoning Board, this is wrong, it' s
15 undermining the zoning code . And finally, I
just didn' t think that was right so we' re
16 here.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : That would
17 seem to me that all you could be able to do is
put one deli in that building, right?
18 MS . MOORE : One use, exactly. And
funny thing is though, I have to say, there' s
19 another project that' s being reviewed and the
Planning Board thought this is ironic, there' s
20 another project that' s a medical arts
building. The medical arts building is
21 probably the same size as ours, same number of
doctors -- let' s assume it is -- because it' s
22 one use, a medical arts building, doctors
office, it can proceed without any variance .
23 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: So you can
be a surgeon or podiatrist, 14 separate
24 doctors .
MS . MOORE: I don' t want to
25 ruin -- John, you had a very good example -- I
don' t want to ruin John' s thunder, but he had
February 26, 2004
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1
2 an excellent example of how it would not make
sense . You could have CVS and in with one use
3 and build the same building and wouldn' t be
here . They would proceed with the Planning
4 Board.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I 'm trying
5 to go the other way. If they had a deli there
to occupy a building this size and that' s all
6 you could have in there, and then you wanted
to have seven other uses in this town, you' d
7 have to go 30 , 000 square feet for each one of
those .
8 MS . MOORE : You' d have to have a
property that was eight times 30 , 000 , 240 , 000
9 square feet there . It' s impossible . There
aren' t any properties that size .
10 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: You' re
saying that the code doesn' t say that .
11 MS . MOORE : The code doesn' t say
that and I think it' s a misapplication of the
12 code .
BOARD MEMBER TORTORA: Not in this
13 district . I think there' s two districts that
it does specify.
14 MS . MOORE : Correct . Marine
business district, 1 or 2 and an RO. I know
15 RO because it' s my office . If I have all
offices I'm okay, but if I want to put
16 something different, I have to come to you
guys .
17 CHAIRWOMAN TORTORA: What we need
to do is, we need to wait for the report .
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Just ask them
to come back March 18th at 2 : 00 p.m.
19 MS . MOORE : You want us back?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes .
20 Mr. Nickles, did you wish to say something?
MR. NICKLES : Yes, thank you.
21 John Nickles, Junior, Southold. The president
of the Southold Business Alliance couldn' t be
22 here so I'm speaking for him today.
Namely on that last point that
23 Mr. McCarthy and Pat Moore spoke about, thank
you, I really don' t have any thunder though.
24 I think that that is a crucial point here in
the Town of Southold especially for, I think
25 that the residents, and the business community
in general have the same mutual goals . We
February 26, 2004
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1
2 would like to have the small businesses
survive out here, and I think that that
3 interpretation, particular interpretation
regarding the bulk schedule by the Building
4 Inspector is really going to send the town in
the wrong direction. And I would hope that
5 the Zoning Board of Appeals straightens that
out . Thank you.
6 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Thank you,
John. If there' s no one else to speak, I
7 would like to adjourn this hearing until March
18th at 2 : 15 p.m.
8 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: So
moved.
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
10 responded in favor. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: So moved.
11 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Can we
take a four minute recess?
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Yes..
(Whereupon, a brief recess was
13 taken. )
-------------------------------------------------
14 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I' d like to
call our next hearing, which is J and C
15 Holdings . It' s for a piece of property North
View Drive in Orient for a home less than 50
16 feet from the property line, less than 100
feet from the top of the Sound bluff .
17 MS . WICKHAM: I just want to
quickly bring you up to date since you closed
18 the last hearing.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: We have
19 reopened it .
MS . WICKHAM: You have reopened it
20 because my client was sensitive to the
discussion about size of retaining walls,
21 drainage and --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Size of the
22 house .
MS . WICKHAM: -- size of the
23 house . Looked at the plan again, went back to
the engineer and the surveyor and was able to
24 redesign it so that there was one three foot
retaining wall, and by putting the garage
25 underneath a smaller house .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: What is the size
February 26, 2004
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1
2 of the house now?
MS . WICKHAM: One and-a-half
3 story, 59 by 32 foot house and the garage
under and a partial second floor, which is
4 about 300 square feet smaller than the
upstairs than the prior one because they have
5 shortened the house by six feet .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: So it' s 2 , 000
6 square feet or under 2000 square feet for the
total?
7 MS . 'WICKHAM: I ' ll get you the
total . Let me compute that out . There are a
8 number of drainage questions . If the Board
has any questions about that Mr. Fischetti is
9 here, and he can probably answer them better
than I can. Let me look at my notes on the
10 square footage .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: By the way,
11 Miss Wickham, did you get the report or letter
from Miss Summers, from her engineer' s report?
12 MS . WICKHAM: I did.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Joe has it?
13 MS . WICKHAM: Yes .
MR. FISCHETTI : Joseph Fischetti .
14 As you know, after that last meeting, I did
work with John Hertado to redo the house and
15 to redo the drainage . I submitted the
drainage to you. We used the drainage
16 calculations required by the Town, which is
two inch rainfall . The calculations were
17 to -- the calculations that were sent to you
were for the roof runoff completely, the
18 driveways and all the upper surface areas were
retained, that was the question as to what it
19 retained, but it was retaining all the grass
areas, the driveways and the roof areas . That
20 was into two drainage structures because one
was going to be in the driveway because now
21 there was four, because the house was now at
one level and usually you put the dry wells
22 around; and two, because we were picking up
part of the roof area and the driveway area
23 was now very important . So we think we have
addressed all the drainage issues . The
24 retaining walls now are only three feet . A
lot of the problems with the view and the
25 massiveness of the two walls are now taken up
by having the garage under. I ' ll take any
February 26, 2004
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1
2 questions for the Board.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
3 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I thought
eight foot was pretty high. I think you did a
4 nice job bringing it down.
MR. FISCHETTI : Yeah. We' re down
5 to only three foot, and three foot is less .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Did you address
6 the concerns that Miss Summers had in her
letter to you?
7 MR. FISCHETTI : Some of them I
don' t understand. So I think --
8 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I didn' t
understand them either.
9 MS . WICKHAM: So the answer is
yes .
10 MR. FISCHETTI : Yes . I addressed
what was in that letter. I felt consistently
11 she' s talked about five inch rainfall, but we
don' t use that in the town.
12 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I know we
don' t .
13 MR. FISCHETTI : We are
containing -- there was a question about a
14 little depression and runoff, in essence --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Right . And
15 going down for that ravine that is on her
property.
16 MR. FISCHETTI : We are retaining
all the water on the site; so that' s really a
17 moot point in that we are retaining everything
on the site . So that shouldn' t really enter
18 into the analysis . Again, I think everything
has been addressed with the change in the site
19 plan.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Orlando?
20 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I did
notice, I don' t recall why, but the natural
21 screening on the west side was removed; was it
necessary now that --
22 MR. FISCHETTI : Well, we only have
a three foot retaining wall now, so we felt
23 that we were changing our grade . We didn' t
need that screening anymore . If it' s required
24 we would be glad to put screening back again.
But I don' t think it' s needed. We only have a
25 three foot retaining wall .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Correct .
February 26, 2004
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2 No other questions .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: You said
the garage is under on the west side, is that
4 Belgian block that' s retaining that water into
that center drain, or is that some sort of
5 poured concrete edging; what is that?
MR. FISCHETTI : The driveway would
6 be asphalt because it has to contain that . So
there' s really no need to have an edging. I
7 think if he wanted it for that purpose, but
you can see it will just naturally go in that
8 direction because of the way we placed it . So
you don' t have to contain anything because
9 that' s the lowest point, and that' s where the
water wants to go.
10 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: So there
will be no water runoff from the road onto
11 that driveway?
MR. FISCHETTI : Say the question
12 again.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No water
13 runoff from the road onto the driveway?
MR. FISCHETTI : No, you mean North
14 View Drive?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Right .
15 MR. FISCHETTI : No . Again, what
we' ll do is you put a very slight hump at the
16 beginning and bring it down. We don' t want
water, we don' t want water from there, no, not
17 at all . We don' t want to pick up their water.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Of
18 course not .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: There' s no
19 chance of making that a pervious surface of a
driveway?
20 MR. FISCHETTI : We' re trying to
contain the water. We don' t really want
21 erosion. If I did it as a gravel driveway, I
think we would have a little more of a
22 problem -- pervious, if it was bigger, I would
concern myself . We' re taking it all and
23 putting it in the ground anyway, Ruth. So
it' s all going in there . So having it
24 pervious . or impervious, I've taken into
consideration that it' s impervious, so
25 whatever water doesn' t go into that drain,
it' s going to go down.
February 26 , 2004
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1
2 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I don' t know
why is 'she asking about moving that retaining
3 wall 35 feet further back?
MR. FISCHETTI : She asks for some
4 more buffer. I'm only 20 feet from the
retaining wall right now. I'm trying to keep
5 a buffer from the coastal zone erosion line,
and I'm only giving myself maybe a little less
6 than 20 feet from the edge of that retaining
wall to the house . So, all it would do is
7 force the house to come closer to the
property. I don' t think it protects anything.
8 Her question is not of any protection, we've
addressed all that . We have, in a number of
9 letters that I have written, that we have
addressed that . She asks about the wood is
10 not a maintenance issue . It' s a lifetime
issue . I mean, again, this wood block, the
11 wood crib will last probably 40 years, and
it' s not that it will -- if the retaining wall
12 was much higher and much more massive, there
would be a concern of maintenance, but, again,
13 a three foot retaining wall doesn' t require
any maintenance . It would require repairs
14 over the lifetime . I know John and I have
talked about that, and John is willing, if
15 it' s a concern, to go with a Nicoloc, I think
if you understand walls, which is an
16 interlocking block wall, and we' d be glad to
do that . That' s much nicer looking than that
17 and it' s lifetime.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: And also
18 if you get any water, it just seeps right
through.
19 MR. FISCHETTI : So we would be
willing to do that as a Nicoloc on the
20 retaining wall, gives it a little more
flexibility. It' s easier to install instead
21 of the massive cribbing, which is a little
harder to install . As you' re laying it, you
22 lay it a little easier and less equipment, so
we would be willing to do that . We talked
23 about that this afternoon as a response to
her.
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Any other
questions for Mr. Fischetti? I don' t have any
25 questions .
So what is the square footage of
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1
2 the house?
MS . WICKHAM: This is again a
3 conceptual plan. We gave you a rendition last
time of what it would look like . The only
4 change would be to reduce this side by about
six feet and replace the garage door with a
5 window. So it will have the appearance on the
front of the property as basically a one story
6 house . In the back there will be a cape
making it a one and-a-half story. The first
7 floor will be approximately 1, 888 square feet,
which is 59 by 32 . The second floor, I don' t
8 have the exact dimension, it' s going to be
somewhere between 900 and 1, 000 square feet,
9 and then the garage under.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It' s still over
10 2 , 000 square feet .
MS . WICKHAM: The house would be,
11 yeah.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Does that
12 include the garage too?
MS . WICKHAM: Yeah. The first
13 floor about 1, 900 square feet; the second
floor about 1, 000, and the garage I guess
14 they' re about 600 square feet, but that will
be underneath. And from the road side, as I
15 say, it will basically look like a ranch from
the road. Thank you.
16 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: Miss
Wickham, one quick question, refresh my
17 memory. The lot directly to the west --
MS . WICKHAM: To the west, YES .
18 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : They own
this lot and they' re selling it?
19 MS . WICKHAM: That' s not correct .
Mrs . Doll did own a number of properties in
20 the neighborhood and sold them years ago, I
think.
21 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: The
neighbor to the west doesn' t own this right
22 now?
MS . WICKHAM: No. She owned the
23 one on the west or the east at one point . I
can look that up. But it' s years ago.
24 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: The west, Mrs .
Doll . Is there anybody that would like to
25 speak on this application? Yes, ma' am?
MS . MORGAN: Hello, my name is
February 26, 2004
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1
2 Mary Morgan. I live in Brown' s Hills I think
you probably answered the questions, Heidi
3 Hilde, who is my neighbor, asked me to submit
her letter of February 24th.
4 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: We have that .
MS . MORGAN: You all have that and
5 you' re answering the questions that she has?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Right .
6 MS . MORGAN: In what form will the
questions be answered; will she get a letter
7 back or how do the answers come to her?
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Actually, it' s
8 more in the decision.
MS . KOWALSKI : Actually, the
9 answers in this letter would be addressed by
the attorney for the applicant . If the
10 chairman wanted to do them one by one .
MS . WICKHAM: Well, the engineer.
11 MS . KOWALSKI : Or the engineer.
MS . WICKHAM: He just did.
12 MS . MORGAN: So the --
MS . KOWALSKI : Each individual
13 question?
MS . MORGAN: So at this hearing is
14 when the questions get responded to?
MS . KOWALSKI : Yes . It' s been
15 responded to and the court stenographer will
transcribe it . That' s how it' s entered in the
16 record.
MS . MORGAN: And then she can get
17 a copy of the record?
MS . KOWALSKI : Yes .
18 MS . MORGAN: If she has further
questions or if we haven' t covered everything
19 that concerns her, should she send another
letter?
20 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I don' t think
we' re going to keep the hearing open any
21 longer. It' s gone on long enough that we' re
just going to have to close it .
22 MS . MORGAN: All right, thank
you.
23 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Anybody else
would like to speak?
24 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I just
want to clarify one thing, Miss Wickham. You
25 said that the total square footage of the
house is somewhere in the area of 2 , 000 ; is
February 26, 2004
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1
2 that correct?
MS . WICKHAM: No . I said -- Miss
3 Oliva asked if it was, and I said it' s more
than that .
4 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: But
that' s with the garage that' s underneath the
5 house .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Living
6 space is closer to 3 , 000 square feet it
sounded like .
7 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: That' s
why I wanted the clarification.
8 MS . WICKHAM: First floor is 59 by
32 , which is 1, 888 square feet .
9 MS . KOWALSKI : That' s living area.
And the second floor is a half story?
10 MS . WICKHAM: It' s a half story,
and I'm guessing about 1, 000 square feet if
11 you took off the end of it .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: It' s
12 about 2 , 800 .
MS . WICKHAM: The plan is right in
13 your file .
MS . KOWALSKI : How big is the
14 garage again?
MS . WICKHAM: I'm assuming it' s 24
15 by 24 . Plus a hallway, maybe, not more than
600 square foot, really.
16 MS . KOWALSKI : It' s about 3 , 300
altogether.
17 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: And how high to
the ridge?
18 MS . WICKHAM: The height to the
ridge -- sorry, just put that map away.
19 MR. FISCHETTI : We' re 23 feet from
the first floor. Now, we lowered the house
20 one foot when we redid the grading. So the
first floor elevation was lowered from 93 to
21 92 . So it' s 92 plus whatever 23 feet
is . Now, 23 feet is in essence a real ranch
22 height . It' s not a two story house . It' s
just that it' s a two story with a cape in the
23 back. If you looked at a ranch in the front,
that' s the elevation you would have . From the
24 first floor to the peak of the ridge is 23
feet .
25 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Let me
ask you this question as an engineer. As an
February 26, 2004
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1
2 engineer, in square footage you do not take a
garage and add it to the square footage of the
3 house?
MR. FISCHETTI : No. I didn' t want
4 to add to that .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: That' s
5 why I just want you to be aware of the
situation. We are talking about a 2 , 800 ,
6 2 , 900 square foot house here . We' re not
talking 3 , 600 .
7 MR. FISCHETTI : You don' t add the
garage because the garage would have been a
8 basement before, it just happens to be, we' re
using that are now because we moved it from
9 the upper level now to the bottom. It would
have been a basement area before . So it' s not
10 usually added.
MS . WICKHAM: I wanted you to make
11 sure you understood that the garage is also
there . And maybe I should give you this,
12 which is a mark-up of the plan we submitted
before, showing the reduced size of the front .
13 But this might more specifically answer your
questions in terms of height . Twenty-three
14 feet above the first floor is the actual top
of the house, which is not how you measure
15 height under the code . This is the midpoint,
but to go to the ridge is 23 feet . So that
16 might help you.
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: We
17 shouldn' t lose focus on the notice of
disapproval which is based on the setback of
18 the bluff . That' s what we' re addressing, but
I don' t think it was ever talked about here
19 again, but we've lost site of, went off on
tangents .
20 MS . WICKHAM: Bluff in the south
side yard, yes .
21 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Do you have to
go to the Trustees?
22 MS . WICKHAM: Mr. Hertado has
spoken to the Trustees, and when I saw the
23 note on the agenda today, I had him go down
and see them. And Lauren said that we could
24 advise you that she will give them a letter
tomorrow to sign. There was no one there
25 today. She didn' t see a problem with it, but
didn' t have an authorization to sign it . So
February 26, 2004
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1
2 if we may get you that after the hearing, I'm
expecting that any day.
3 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Anybody else
would like to speak. Yes, sir?
4 MR. MORGAN: Tom Morgan. I also
live at Brown' s Hills . We just built a house
5 2 , 300 square feet, which is big, on a
perfectly approved building lot . And we
6 needed no variances . This is a negative
building envelope, that' s something else that
7 shouldn' t be overlooked. So basically it' s a
bigger house on a negative space than we built
8 a couple years ago. That' s all I have to
say.
9 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I would agree
with Mr. Morgan, it is a big house . There' s
10 no way we can --
MS . WICKHAM: That' s why we've
11 tried to come back -- we' re not supposed to be
using height -- a number of times and
12 redesigned it and narrowed it down and limited
to the one and-a-half stories rather than two
13 story. And that' s the type of house that he
feels with the great room and the layout is
14 really what he would need to have .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Any other
15 comments from the audience?
MR. KEELER: Yes, my name is Brett
16 Keeler. Since when does everyone have to say
what size a person' s house can be? If you
17 meet all the standards, you get a variance,
whatever, whether you' re 1, 500 square feet on
18 the first floor and --
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: It' s just that
19 because of the fragility of the site .
MR. KEELER: Price -- the
20 neighborhood.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Of the site and
21 the dwelling, and the setbacks from the road,
and the bluff' s right there, they' re not back
22 100 foot - from the bluff as they should be,
they' re much closer, and the bluff is very
23 fragile in that area, that we are concerned
that we don' t have a big, heavy house sitting
24 on something, on that because the weight of
that plus all the driveways .
25 MR. KEELER: Well, the weight of a
one and-a-half story house versus a ranch
February 26, 2004
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1
2 house is very equal .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I 'm not saying
3 not to make it one and-a-half . I'm just
saying a 2, 800 square foot house is a good
4 size house .
MR. KEELER: Right . But if a
5 person needs it, and you have a building lot
that' s an acceptable building lot, then you
6 say you can' t build a house to live in, but
then you paid for this lot .
7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I 'm not saying
you can' t build a house .
8 MR. KEELER: Yeah, but if it
doesn' t meet a person' s needs .
9 MS . KOWALSKI : There' s no person
yet . It' s for sale .
10 MS . WICKHAM: To more specifically
answer your questions, that' s why we have the
11 engineering to the extent that we did to make
sure that it wouldn' t be a problem. Because
12 ultimately you don' t want your house to be a
problem.
13 MR. KEELER: You go through hiring
professionals to tell you it' s not going to be
14 a problem, then you make a decision saying we
don' t feel it' s going to be that big. There' s
15 got to be other grounds . I mean, why do we
have professionals?
16 MS . KOWALSKI : Major setbacks,
major variances they need, so they' re trying
17 to get it down to the minimum relief
necessary.
18 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Which is our
directive from the Town law is to give the
19 minimum relief necessary.
MS . KOWALSKI : Not the maximum,
20 but the minimum, and can you build a 1, 200
square foot house .
21 MR. KEELER: If it was a 1, 200
square foot house on the first floor and went
22 two stories, it' s 2 , 400 square feet .
MS . KOWALSKI : The Board hasn' t
23 made a decision yet . This is what they came
down to. That' s a revised plan.
24 MR. KEELER: Thank you.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: No other
25 comments from the Board? Make a motion to
close the hearing and reserve decision until
February 26, 2004
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2 later.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second
3 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
(Whereupon, all Board Members
4 responded in favor. )
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: So moved.
5 MS . WICKHAM: Hopefully that' s the
final closed meeting.
6 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I hope so too.
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7 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Our next
hearing is for Towbee, and it' s because of a
8 building they' re using for storage, which had
two tenants instead of just being owned by one
9 tenant . Am I correct? Okay.
CAPTAIN FROENHOFFER: It' s owned
10 by one person.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: But you have a
11 tenant in there .
CAPTAIN FROENHOFFER: Correct .
12 MS . WICKHAM: Since we were here
quite a number of months ago for the setback
13 variances, we have been waiting for the
Building Department to certify to the Planning
14 Board the site plan. And apparently
Mr. Verity had an issue with the multiple uses
15 on the property since last summer, and I gave
him the hearing testimony from our last
16 hearing, where we discussed what those uses
were . He was still uncomfortable with it and
17 finally issued a notice of disapproval based
on the multiple uses, and your Board was kind
18 enough to get us in very quickly to address
it . We feel quite strongly that the variance
19 really isn' t necessary because this property
has historically had multiple uses and
20 Mr. Rich and I did spend a tremendous amount
of time researching that, and we' d like to ask
21 you to recognize that . If for some reason you
can' t, then I would go on to the variance
22 nature of the application. But I do think
we've established a preexisting use of
23 multiple uses, which I would like you to
recognize .
24 This is one of the really most
interesting projects I've had in a long time,
25 and my client' s going to be glad that I'm not
going to be billing him for literally hours I
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2 spent on the phone with Mr. Rich and some of
the other old timers in town including Howard
3 Terry, Donald Tuthill, Pep Cochran, a lot of
people who know a lot about the history of
4 this town and what went on.
Mr. Terry' s comment was after
5 quite a while of getting him to remember these
things, he said, oh, yes, I remember that was
6 a very, very busy street, and that was back
into the ' 40s and into the 150s when the small
7 produce businesses were getting started, and
there were a lot of fellows over that did have
8 businesses over there, and they were all
different business, all in the different
9 buildings there, but most of which are still
there .
10 Specifically, on the building
which Sea Tow will not be operating its
11 business in, which we' re calling the Bohn
building, there were a number of different
12 businesses detailed in the affidavit,
sometimes as many as two or three different
13 businesses in that building.
I think Mr. Verity recollected,
14 and it' s understandable that when you' re young
and you' re trying to recall something when you
15 were young, he had recalled that Southold
Lumber was in that building with its cabinet
16 shop, and that' s why he felt uncomfortable
issuing the multiple use . We've since
17 discovered based on the tax records that that
cabinet shop was actually on the other side of
18 the shop, and it was not a Southold Lumber
building, it was a different cabinet shop.
19 But that' s probably why he felt uncomfortable
at the time, and, unfortunately, he has been
20 on vacation and was unable to review this
affidavit prior to the hearing today in order
21 to determine whether we needed to go forward.
So we' re asking you to do that instead.
22 Rather than going on at length
about anything else, I' d like to see if you
23 have anything specific .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Goehringer?
24 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Having
lived out here most of my life summers, then
25 living since 1964, there' s no doubt in my mind
that there were several businesses on that
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2 piece of property, and, of course, to date
Mr. Bohn, having been there and occupying that
3 property. So I really don' t have a problem
with this application.
4 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: I would agree .
I've seen over the years going back and forth
5 there' s been many different businesses in
there . Mr. Orlando?
6 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I knew this
was coming back up, I thought for sure I
7 addressed every single building and what their
uses were . So I grabbed the old transcript
8 and I spoke specifically about every building
except that one because I assumed that was
9 your headquarters now, and it would stay a Sea
Tow thing. But I did not address that
10 building, so I cannot --
MS . WICKHAM: I 'm not sure --
11 yeah, you were here .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : I asked
12 specifically, what was Building 1 and what
were you using it for 2 and 3 . I heard this
13 was coming back, and I asked them every
building what they were using for, I can' t
14 believe that . I didn' t ask Building E, I
asked 1, 2 , 3 but not E.
15 MS . WICKHAM: No. But I did
address E in your hearing.
16 BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: I see E,
but I don' t have a problem. No other
17 questions .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Mr. Dinizio?
18 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: I'm
wondering if you could fill me in on those
19 uses because I was not here for the last
hearing. I've got to write this decision. I
20 want to make sure I get enough just
information. So, what is the current use on
21 that property?
MS . WICKHAM: First of all,
22 because I don' t think you were here for the
initial hearings .
23 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : I read some
of this . You' re here now for something
24 specifically --
MS . WICKHAM: Different, yes . And
25 I want to make sure we' re only on the one tax
map parcel on the east half of the block, and
February 26, 2004
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2 that is divide into the east side and the west
side . The east side, which is where the
3 office building, Building 1, the office
building, Building 2 , which is the existing
4 warehouse being renovated and Building 3 , the
new warehouse, will all be utilized by the Sea
5 Tow operations . So that the Buildings 2 and 3
will be accessory to Building 1 .
6 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Building 1
is --
7 MS . WICKHAM: The principal use on
that east side --
8 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Is an
office .
9 CAPTAIN FROENHOFFER: Office
communications and dispatch.
10 MS . WICKHAM: With Building 2 and
3 , warehouse storage accessory to that
11 business .
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: Those are
12 the established uses that are on this property
that have been there for some time .
13 MS . WICKHAM: That' s going to be
the new use, but previously there were other
14 uses detailed in Paragraph 2 of my affidavit .
CAPTAIN FROENHOFFER: There was
15 Digate, there was a wood shop, there was
fertilizer, there was --
16 MS . WICKHAM: Long Island
Cauliflower.
17 MR. FROENHOFFER: That' s right,
that was Gagen and Karon. It goes back to the
18 140s .
MS . WICKHAM: Most recently a
19 landscaper.
BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : What about
20 Mr. Bohn?
MS . WICKHAM: And most recently a
21 landscaper. Now, on what we call the west
side of the building, which is the Bohn
22 Building, that has been potato storage, the
small produce dealers and business, the
23 grange, which later became Agway, Mr. Comshums
repair appliances, the Telstar Electronics
24 business, which was run by Mr. Marsden, who
Mr. Tuthill told me was really too old to
25 call .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: How old
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2 is he?
MS . WICKHAM: How old is
3 Mr. Tuthill?
MS . WICKHAM: Mr. McCarville was
4 there, Mr. Marsales was there prior to him and
then Southold -- oh, no, and then Richard
5 Greenfield had a garage equipment business,
then Mr. Bohn went in.
6 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : What is
Mr. Bohn' s principal business?
7 MS . WICKHAM: Contractor storage
yard.
8 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: That' s what
the Town says he is .
9 MS . WICKHAM: Yes, that' s correct .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO : Building E
10 is strictly?
MS . WICKHAM: Contractor' s storage
11 warehouse yard, for that type of use . He' s a
tenant now. I understand he' s got another
12 location, whether he' ll be a tenant there,
that would be the use .
13 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO : Can I get
that list that you were reading off of?
14 MS . WICKHAM: I submitted it . but
I can give you another one .
15 BOARD MEMBER DINIZIO: It' s not
necessary. If it' s there, it' s there . I
16 think that' s all I have, thank you.
MS . WICKHAM: And I can also tell
17 you about most of the buildings nearby which
some of these guys thought I was talking about
18 but wasn' t . It was an interesting experience .
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: Is there
19 anybody else in the audience that would like
to speak on behalf or against this
20 application? Seeing no one, I ' ll close the
hearing and reserve decision until later.
21 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Second.
CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: All in favor?
22 (Whereupon, all Board Members
responded in favor. )
23 CHAIRWOMAN OLIVA: So moved.
CAPTAIN FROENHOFFER: Captain Joe
24 Froenhoffer. As this is a continuation of
basically, I feel, of the first hearing, we
25 submitted basically two checks, $400 , I think
in the beginning, and a second check for $400 .
February 26, 2004
145
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2 I feel that the second check was unnecessary,
and I would respectfully request a refund.
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: You have
to request that from the Town Board.
4 MS . KOWALSKI : That will be up to
the Board. The Zoning Board didn' t require
5 the variance . The Building Department did.
But it' s up to the Board if they want to
6 refund that .
BOARD MEMBER ORLANDO: The Town
7 Board approves those .
CAPTAIN FROENHOFFER: I don' t know
8 how that works .
(Time ended 3 :45 p .m. )
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February 26, 2004
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5 C E R T I F I C A T I O N
6 I, Florence V. Wiles, Notary Public for
7 the State of New York, do hereby certify:
8 THAT the within transcript is a true
9 record of the testimony given.
10 I further certify that I am not related by
11 blood or marriage, to any of the parties to
12 this action; and
13 THAT I am in no way interested in the
14 outcome of this matter.
15 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
16 hand this 26th day of February, 2004 .
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Florence V. Wiles
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February 26 , 2004