HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA-05/31/2007 Hearing 1
2 TOWN OF SOUTHOLD ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
} COUNTY OF SUFFOLK STATE OF NEW YORK
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Southold Town Hall
10 53095 Main Road
Southold, New York
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May 31, 2007
12 9 : 30 a.m.
13 Board Members Present
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14 JAMES DINIZIO, JR. , Chairman
15 GERARD P. GOEHRINGER, Board Member
16 RUTH D. OLIVA, Board Member
17 MICHAEL SIMON, Board Member
18 LESLIE KANES WEISMAN, Board Member
19 LINDA KOWALSKI, Board Secretary
20 KIERAN CORCORAN, Assistant Town Attorney
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COURT REPORTING AND TRANSCRIPTION SERVICE (631) 878-8047
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2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, I'm going to call
the meeting to order. I' ll ask for a resolution
3 to determine Type II Actions (no further State
Environmental Quality Review, SEQRA steps required
4 for interpretations, dimensional variances,
accessory special permits : accessory apartments
5 or bed and breakfast uses) .
(See minutes for resolution. )
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CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Our first hearing today
7 is for Dr. Lawrence Kelly. And, Michael, that' s
your . application.
8 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: This is an
application for a variance to have a sign
9 identifying the doctor' s office as a doctor' s
office. And what he is asking for is a sign that
10 is 30 by 48 inches, and the current code calls for
one that is essentially 24 by 12 . The code is
11 clear on this and I don' t think I need to
introduce it further. I assume we have Dr. Kelly
12 or a representative here on his behalf.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, is there anyone
13 here representing the Kellys?
MS . WICKHAM: I am their attorney. I
14 didn' t know this was on and I didn' t apply for
it. I'm not sure I can answer any questions . We
15 are in the process of working with the town on
other aspects of the building. I will tell you I
16 cannot help you on this particular application.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Who applied for it?
17 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Peconic Signs . If I
can start with kind of a question, it' s more of a
18 leading question, if you will . The problem is a
difficult one, it has to do with the code and it
19 has to do with grandfathering and I think an
argument has to .be made frankly because while the
20 sign that exists now has a lot of writing on it,
useful writing, because it identifies the medical
21 building, it is virtually impossible, I would be
sympathetic to the candidate because it' s simply
22 impossible to read everything on that sign while
going through at 35 or 40 miles per hour, which is
23 the speed limit, and therefore the need for a
large sign. However, the code says no sign larger
24 than two square feet. What makes it even more
difficult is all around the town, including right
25 in that area are signs which are presumably
grandfathered, which are much, much larger, and
COURT REPORTING AND TRANSCRIPTION SERVICE (631) 878-8047
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2 I'm not even sure whether all those signs that are
larger are properly grandfathered. So I think
3 that Dr. Kelly, they would want to argue -- I'm
just sort of suggesting that he is at a special
4 disadvantage, and I don' t know why he asked for
this particular sign, because by my calculation,
5 this asking for a 500 percent variance, 10 square
feet, two and a half versus 4 by 4 -- two and a
6 half by four versus one by two. It' s a huge
variance, possibly some kind of compromise could
7 be worked out whether it' s in the form of
approving it as-is, which the Board could do or in
8 denying it and offering some sort of alternative.
So I don' t know if we want to keep the meeting
9 open and ask for some representative. And that' s
MY own view, and I'm raising the questions to be
10 asked by their representatives.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Gail, could you contact
11 Dr. Kelly, maybe we could hold the hearing open
until this afternoon.
12 MS. WICKHAM: Okay, I' ll find out, and if
not, perhaps we could just ask him too if we could
13 close until the next meeting when we can have some
realistic input and some alternatives and
14 background explored. I mean, I'm not aware of
it.
15 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I hope I'm speaking
for the Board, but we have these hearings so that
16 people can make a case, and if the building
department turns it down, it' s not our habit to
17 simply review the application and overturn the
application on our own.
18 MS . WICKHAM: No. There has to be a
presentation and I' ll make sure that happens .
19 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, in the interest
of disclosure, Dr. Kelly' s my doctor and also a
20 customer, so. Does anybody else have any comments
on this application?
21 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: No. I just agree
with Michael. I drove by it yesterday and it' s
22 very difficult to see, but the sign he wants is a
little bit big, something maybe three by two or
23 something like that you could maybe go with.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Just a comment,
24 Gail, on the site plan that was submitted, there
was a setback and there was a proper location
25 indicating from where the sign was to be placed
from a 15 foot setback from the road. But there' s
May 31, 2007
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2 two call outs on that, one' s a new sign, which is
48 wide by 30 high, two-sided routed wood with
3 gold and then right under it it says 28 wide by
six high, two-sided routed wood with gold leaf.
4 So it' s possible -- it sounds like he wants two
signs .
5 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I can explain that.
It' s for the sign that hangs underneath that has
6 his phone number. That' s it, I read the
application.
7 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Can I just make
a suggestion? Wouldn' t it make sense if you' re
8 going to represent them or if Peconic Sign' s going
to represent that we just hold this over, and I
9 don' t think there' s anything, quite honestly, in
all true fairness to you, you've been before this
10 Board for the 27 years I've been on the Board, so
I mean we just can' t thrust this in front of you
11 at the moment. It was nice of you to do it.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I'm just concerned
12 about Peconic Signs showing up later on today and
wanting to say something. And if they want to
13 come down maybe at the end of the day, maybe we
could just hear his testimony, and then we could
14 go from there, okay. So we' ll leave the hearing
open for today and we' ll take an action, whatever
15 it will be, probably adjourned; is that okay?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: So I will entertain
16 a motion to leave this hearing open until 1 : 00
this afternoon.
17 (See minutes for resolution. )
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18 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Next hearing is for
Peconic Recycling and Transfer Corp. Michael,
19 that' s yours again.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Okay, this is a
20 complicated application regarding a Notice of
Disapproval concerning a proposed building and
21 fence construction in a recently begun to be
developed commercial area off of Depot Lane north
22 of Route 48, and it' s for a recycling and transfer
corporation, which is a 'fairly sizable enterprise
23 and the Building Department has raised a number of
objections in their Notice of Disapproval, and
24 among the issues have to do with the size of the
building, whether a transfer station is a
25 permitted use or whether we need special
permission for this, and a whole range of issues
May 31, 2007
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2 on this.
So, I would like to leave it open to the
3 applicant to try to present it, on the basis of
the information we all have.
4 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Michael, based on what
you just said, and I can tell you that, the Town
5 Board has passed a law allowing transfer stations,
defining them and exempting them from front yard
6 setbacks, I believe is what it is?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No, they' re exempt
7 from --
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, so, I mean we
8 know that they have that. Basically they' re
asking for lot coverage and some side yard.
9 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: And a height
variance on the fence.
10 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Right and the fence.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Okay, thank you.
11 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, Gail?
MS . WICKHAM: Good morning, Abigail
12 Wickham for the applicant. This one I do have
quite a bit to say about. I have also here, Dean
13 Kempe, who is the engineer on the project who has
done a lot of the application, and has compiled
14 paperwork this thick that' s going to the DEC for
their excruciatingly detailed review. It' s a
15 highly regulated facility. I also have quite a
few members of the DiVello family who are here to
16 answer some of the questions that I may not be
able to. Unfortunately, our architect was unable
17 to be here today due to a death in the family, and
he is attending the funeral, but we are going to
18 try and answer any questions that he might have
been asked to answer directly. I have a lot of
19 material to cover. I'm going to try to get to it
as quickly as possible.
20 We're at the 16 year mark with the
DiVellos on this project. And in the early 190s
21 they purchased this subdivision property with two
other partners and paid a third of the cost to
22 develop that ever since. There were long delays
that were critical to the subdivision and the
23 water hook-ups and just recently the map was
finally filed. The other two partners had the
24 lower portion of the subdivision and sold many of
the lots . The DiVellos' s plan from day one was
25 that they would have these lots, 6, 7 and 8 up the
north end and planned to move their Mattituck
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2 operation, which is part of a residential area up
here, to an industrial area and operate their
3 transfer and recycling station.
What they have done up until now on this
4 particular site is spend an awful lot of time and
funds in developing a site plan for the northerly
5 lot, Lot 8, which is a larger lot and should not
have the setback issues. They did reduce the size
6 of the initial proposed building in order to avoid
variances on that lot. In the course of
7 negotiations and discussions with the Town on
usage and location, it was determined that this
8 would be a better location because this particular
lot is more central to the facility involved with
9 truck traffic. It' s adjacent to the road that
does enter the landfill, and so, they have spent a
10 considerable amount of money reengineering the
project to bring it down to this lot.
11 Unfortunately, the size of the building is
as small as it can be at this point to accommodate
12 their operations, the DEC mandate and the type of
facility that they want to engage in, which is a
13 fully enclosed transfer and recycling facility.
Right now, there are facilities in
14 Southold town that are doing the construction and
demolition debris recycling, but they are all
15 outdoors. In order to have a building where the
trucks can go entirely inside, which will be a
16 building ground level on the floor, they will back
entirely inside the building, they will unload or
17 I guess they call it tip, onto the floor, there
will be equipment and employees inside who will
18 then sort and separate the material . There' s big
equipment in there and then eventually that day it
19 will be loaded onto the recycle vehicles that are
going to take the recycled material and the
20 transfer vehicles that will take the remaining
waste to a facility further west.
21 Now each of their individual garbage
trucks are having to drive all the way through
22 town and out of town and come back and do it again
because the facilities here are not sufficient in
23 the town, and I'm talking about construction and
demolition, we' ll talk about what goes in the
24 landfill in a minute. What this facility will
enable us to do is reduce the number of vehicular
25 trucks in Southold town because the trucks can
come directly here, unload, they can consolidate
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2 and about three, what we would consider garbage
truck loads of waste can then be put onto one
3 large truck and taken outside of town. So there
is going to be a significant reduction of fuel and
4 truck traffic and road use.
Let me just describe their operation
5 first, and then we will answer questions . There' s
a lot about garbage systems that I didn' t know,
6 and I'm hoping this background will help you with
that. But let me give you a quick overview. And
7 I have to mention these are not the only carter
companies in town. There are other people that
8 are doing this job, but this is the only one that
will have a local facility to handle it. They
9 have several different types of trucks . They have
the trucks that pick up the yellow bags . They
10 will leave this facility; right now they will
leave Mattituck, they leave the facility, they
11 will pick up the yellow bags and they will go to
the Southold Town facility and stay out doing that
12 work all day long. Now they come back to
Mattituck at the end of the day. After this is
13 built they will come back here. So those trucks
will not be going in and out of the facility
14 except first in the morning and last at night .
The same with the trucks that pick up the
15 recyclable materials that we leave out, our
bottles, cans, et cetera. Those trucks will go in
16 and out perhaps of the Southold facility but not
come in and out of here. Then you have the
17 municipal solid waste truck, front loaders, those
are the ones that pick up the dumpsters behind our
18 commercial establishments, my office, the
insurance company, the bank, the restaurants and
19 while that is what we consider real garbage, most
of that is dry, it' s not wet. You do have wet
20 garbage with the restaurants, that' s very seasonal
as well, mostly three months of the year is when
21 you have that volume, but most of the time you' re
dealing with a predominantly dry garbage picked up
22 by these trucks at the various locations about
town, brought back to the facility, tipped onto
23 the floor, sorted, recyclables will be taken out
of there, which are not being done now, now they
24 just get thrown in the truck and out they go.
This will enable more recycling to be handled in
25 the municipal solid waste treatment than is now
occurring. And then what is left will daily be
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2 swept and picked up and put into a large truck and
sent out. The trucks will not be on the facility
3 with garbage in them; they will be empty. The
floor is swept. There are no floor drains in this
4 facility, the DEC doesn' t allow it. It' s swept
and cleaned, and the floor is to be cleaned up
5 every day. So that' s what will happen with those
trucks. They will consolidate those wastes that' s
6 left after the recycling, put it into a big truck,
and I'm sure they could quantify that for you and
7 then take it out of town. The construction and
demolition debris is handled by roll-off . Those
8 are the containers that are trucked to sites to
clean out your house. Those roll-off trucks will
9 leave this facility in the morning, go to the job
site, pick up the full container, bring it back,
10 unload it again inside, separate out the wood,
metal, cardboard, concrete -- there' s a whole list
11 of materials -- put them in different piles and
then what' s left that can' t be recycled goes in a
12 big truck and the recyclables go in a recyclables
truck and -- they' re probably cringing over here
13 at my terminology, but that' s basically how I
understand it -- and then that will leave again in
14 a consolidated load of those various materials .
Again, the truck will be emptied at the end of the
15 day and the containers will be now empty, and they
will be taken back off site to either the same
16 site or the next site.
While we do show on the plans container
17 storage, there will be some containers on the
site, but the idea is not to have containers on
18 the site. They should be out at the job site.
I have some small maps : I would ask that
19 any of you, you can dispose of these when they' re
done (handing) .
20 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: So the proposed
dumpster storage is along the perimeter of the
21 property and screened by landscaping?
MS . WICKHAM: Yes. In the back over by
22 Southold town. The composting facility that
that' s dropped off probably 10 or 15 feet and
23 that' s going to have to be screened in.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: The tax map on
24 there seems to be incorrect. It should be 95-2-5 .
MS . WICKHAM: Oh, he hasn' t changed it.
25 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : I' ll change it on
here?
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2 MS. WICKHA4: Yes. I will note that one
of the reasons we are not looking for is height
3 relief. The building does comply with the height
requirements of the town, but the reason that it
4 is the height that it is is because you need the
ability to be able to back these trucks in, tip
5 them up, have payloaders inside, conveyor belts,
whatever they' re going to use, to actually load
6 and unload the trucks inside the building. So
that' s why they need the height that we have.
7 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Gail, could you just
clear that up for me. You are saying that they do
8 not need the height variance, right?
MS . WICKHAM: They do not.
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: For the building.
MS . WICKHAM: They do not. The building
10 size is the size that it is because they have to
have a certain number of bays and that' s why we
11 have the width, to accommodate those numbers of
bays, not so that the separation can occur in
12 compliance with their operating necessities and
DEC requirements. I think the DEC will look at
13 how the full operation works . So that is the need
for the building, more to accommodate this stuff
14 inside. The reason they want to do that obviously
is to contain the waste, odors, dust and all that.
15 I also need to mention, there' s not going
to be crushing or that type of grinding that you
16 have had outdoors in this area at some of the
other facilities, that' s a problem that we will
17 not encounter.
The front yard setback is a variance that
18 we are asking for on the west side, which is
Commerce Drive. The front yard setback on the
19 south side where the bays sit, which is called
Corporate Drive is 163 feet, so we' re well, well,
20 beyond feet that the Town requires on that side.
However, because of the size of the building
21 that' s required, we are under the requirement of
the setback on the Commerce Drive side. The main
22 building is 90 feet back rather than 100 . And the
one-story extension is 50 feet back. This again
23 is complicated by the fact that it is -a corner
lot. And we have a big building that we' re trying
24 to accommodate on a lot that requires two front
yards . The reason the one story office extension
25 has to be there as opposed to the side where we
have adequate front yard area is because they want
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2 to keep it out of the truck backing area,
maneuvering area and bay area. It also has to be
3 in a location where the people in the office can
see the scales that you will notice on the south
4 end of the property. The truck can come into the
site, they come in on one scale, they get weighed;
5 that will be registered in the office; they
unload; then they go back on the second scale to
6 be weighed on the way out. That is necessary
because the DEC and the town, as well as their own
7 business requirements, require them to keep
detailed tonnage records and also keep accurate
8 financial records as well .
The front yard, while' it is insufficient
9 on that side, is going to be heavily
screened. You will notice from the Planning Board
10 you received, I think it was the Planning Board,
suggested a lot of natural screening. In
11 addition, the code requires, and we will be
providing fencing that the Planning Board is going
12 to require of some sort of opaque nature. One
thing that was suggested was black chain link
13 fencing, you don' t see it as well, and then
stockade behind it, and then all of that will have
14 to be screened heavily. The openings will be
gated at night so that people will not get into
15 the facility. It' s going to have to be
secure. And that will mitigate the screening and
16 the fencing will mitigate the setback
insufficiency, and the portion of the building
17 that is much less than -- is 60 feet back rather
than 100 is a one-story structure; it' s not as big
18 as the other building.
You will also notice that in that area to
19 the south, you are getting some buildings that are
going to be of some size so I think they will be
20 screened as well.
Rear yard setback, the rear yard is going
21 to be on the east side, on the town side, on the
card it is 75 feet, it is proposed the 45 feet.
22 Again, this is what was left on this lot when that
building was relocated and there' s no way they can
23 make that building shorter. However, there will
be screening back there as well and that side of
24 the building is really not going to be visible
from the setback perspective to a neighbor because
25 the compost facility is down 10 feet. So we think
that that is hopefully not going to create an
May 31, 2007
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2 eyesore of any nature to any other property.
The side yard, which is joined on the
3 north, is 30 feet, and that is conforming, that
will be largely screened.
4 The building length, as I understand,
while that is addressed in my application, I think
5 we are able to pass on that because of the
legislation that was passed by the town recently.
6 But the other item I need to discuss is
lot coverage. The lot coverage in my materials
7 which the building inspector looked at was 29
percent rather than 20 percent. We have recently
8 computed this again. It was just quickly to begin
with to give the actual lot coverage is 28 . 5
9 percent. Which is eight and a half percent over
the 20 percent requirement. However, I have to
10 note that you' re in an LIO Zone, which was part of
a one 20, 000 square feet. Twenty percent lot
11 coverage is not very big and it just doesn' t seem
to make sense for that size lot to be required to
12 have when you have that kind of building. It
really creates an economic hardship to applicants .
13 I hope that is something the town is going to look
at in the LI zone, which is immediately next door,
14 you' re allowed to have a 30, 000 square foot
property.
15 BOARD 'MEMBER SIMON: Percent you mean?
MS . WICKHAM: No, size,, I'm sorry, , I went
16 blank. It may be 40, 000 square foot minimum size,
but 30 percent lot coverage, so you have a third
17 of the size of the property with a larger, so the
two things aren' t in sync. So I would ask that in
18 this case because again, we do need the large
building to accommodate the indoor operation, that
19 you accept that lot coverage, and I believe the
Planning Board has expressed indication that they
20 are in support of that.
And lastly, we have the fence. The fence
21 is required to be six feet by code when this
project was originally started. They decided
22 eight foot fence, and while they got a very long
way through the planning process, including
23 Architectural Review Board. approval on the
building, nobody picked up that the fence was
24 eight feet, Again, we can reduce the size of the
fence, if you are not inclined to grant the
25 variance. We are told by the Planning Board and
the Town Board that an eight foot fence would
May 31, 2007
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2 perhaps be more effective for screening, noise
control, et cetera, and again, opposition of the
3 fence and screening of the fence is going to be
looked at very carefully by the Planning Board
4 because they do want to be sure that those aspects
are addressed properly in the site plan review.
5 The question of noise and odors was
addressed in the materials and Mr. Kempe is an
6 expert in that field. He has designed an odor
containment system. There are several different
7 aspects that he can use, again, this is a heavily
scrutinized, DEC regulated activity. They' re
8 going to be all over this. Mr. Kempe indicated
that the DEC will inspect every one to two weeks,
9 initially; so they're going to be looking at this
very, very tightly and DEC inspectors are quite
10 rigorous in their inspections.
The noise, again, will be abated by the
11 fact that the operations will be indoors . It will
be contained by the fencing, screening. The
12 compost facility and the town, they call it
recycling facility, landfill, provide a large
13 buffer over to the east side and the --
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Can I ask one
14 question, Miss Wickham? Regarding noise, which
that' s Mr. Kempe, I have absolutely no problem
15 with this application, but I always like to cut to
the chase when there is a particular issue. We' re
16 talking 1, 100 feet to a residential district and
so on and so forth. It' s been my opinion that the
17 normal debris, whatever it is, is brought into the
building in a truck that' s powered by diesel .
18 Those doors remain open so that you can drive
through. They drop the debris on the floor,
19 whatever it is, and then they proceed out. Will
we then switch to a propane generated type of
20 machinery to pick up? Which by the way is much
quieter, since it' s internally kept in the
21 building, to take that recycled material and
either dump it into a hopper or whenever, it goes
22 in the specific spot of the building, and that' s a
particular question that I am just thinking of
23 that would lessen the impact of the noise.
MS . WICKHAM: I'm going to let Ben answer
24 that question. I will say that I don' t think
there' s going to be the volume of truck traffic at
25 this facility that people may be envisioning
because these trucks do have to go out on the
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2 route, pick up, again, the yellow bag and
recyclables will not even come out of here except
3 at the beginning and end of the day. The big
trucks will only come in and out maybe once a day
4 and the roll-off will only come in and out as they
pick up. So we're not talking about a line up of
5 trucks going in and out all day long at a huge
rate. But in terms of operations, John DiVello,
6 John, come up to the mike.
MR. J. DIVELLO: I'm John DiVello from
7 Mattituck Sanitation.
There' s two points that I want to make
8 right off the bat. The first is we can legally
process C and D outside of a building. We want to
9 do it inside; that' s the reason it' s so big. We
want to contain the noise; we want to contain
10 everything. We can legally put it on the ground
on a concrete slab and pick through it just like
11 people in this town are doing now. We want to
keep it inside. We want to keep the trucks
12 inside, the machines inside. If you guys said,
no, we don' t want to do that, we could shrink the
13 building and do some of our operations outside,
that' s not what we want to do.
14 Secondly, we're next door to a wood
processing facility that has grinders, tub grinder
15 and concrete crushing and payloaders and
excavators running all the time. I would say if
16 you were next door to this building and those
machines were running inside this building, I mean
17 there' s concrete push walls and then there' s walls
outside of it, I don' t think that the noise
18 decibel level will be anywhere near where you
think it will be.
19 About the propane operated machinery, I
don' t know enough about that to answer that
20 question to tell you the truth.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, what are you
21 going to be using, John, inside? What kind?
MR. DIVELLO: One CAT payloader and one
22 excavator.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Right. So it' s a
23 fairly large piece of equipment, right, big
wheels?
24 MR. DIVELLO: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I just didn' t
25 know if it was going to be similar to what the
Southold town facility is where they actually pick
May 31, 2007
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2 it up into what is like a small dumpster, which is
like a hopper, and you know, once it goes on the
3 floor?
MR. DIVELLO: No, we won' t operate like
4 that. I don' t know if Gene knows anything about
propane operated equipment.
5 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, I think that' s
where you were going, Jerry.
6 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yeah. I think
it' s going to be picked up with a propane,
7 particularly in the winter time where you may want
to close it up a little bit because of the wind
8 situation or even the cold situation.
MR. DIVELLO: I would say that most of the
9 time most of those bays will be closed.
MS . WICKHAM: The other thing I wanted to
10 mention is the reason the building is oriented
that way is because the bay will face south. It
11 affects the least amount of neighbors and it also
keeps the wind out. Right now, if you develop up
12 to the landfill recycling center that faces west,
northwest, it' s like a formidable wind tunnel.
13 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: So the south is County
Road?
14 MS . WICKHAM: Yes . One other thing I want
to mention. I mentioned the DiVellos have been
15 out there for a while. There are eight family
members in business now, three generations. They
16 also employ about 20 other people, not just at
minimal wages but the truck operators and what not
17 have good salaries and benefits . So this is a
large employer that you don' t find too many in
18 Southold town, tax benefits which unfortunately
for the DiVellos, but good for the town, and so
19 we' re hoping that you will recognize that fact.
Any other questions?
20 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Michael? It' s your
application.
21 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I just have a
question that covers a great deal . I would like
22 to hear more about the fence and why an eight foot
fence is desirable.
23 MS. WICKHAM: An eight foot fence is
desirable because it' s two feet higher than a six
24 foot fence and can therefore contain, I guess
noise would be the primary advantage. To some
25 extent it will help screen the building,
particularly I guess on the south side where the
May 31, 2007
14
1
2 bays are, but that would be --
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Let me sharpen --
3 MR. DIVELLO: It doesn' t make a difference
about the fence as far as I'm concerned.
4 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Let me sharpen the
question. I'm not asking so much for a
5 justification for the eight feet, but why it is in
the interest of the company to have an eight foot
6 fence rather than the six foot fence or are they
the same?
7 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I think --
MS . WICKHAM: Six and a half --
8 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Hold on a second. The
town allows six and a half feet. And they're
9 asking for eight. Is there a reason why they need
the extra foot and a half?
10 MS . WICKHAM: It just happened to be on
the plan that way so we left it.
11 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: This gentleman wants
to answer I believe.
12 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Rocky, come up.
MR. V. DIVELLO: My name is Vito DiVello,
13 and most people know me know me as Rocky because
I've been called Rocky my entire life. But folks,
14 the one thing I would say is it' s just to contain.
It makes it that much neater and cleaner, to make
15 sure no debris escapes from the site, which you
know, sometimes happens, look at Southold town.
16 So it' s just that much easier and easier to
monitor and contain everything, that' s what I
17 would say. And I think it' s not a bad looking
thing, and basically that would be it. And
18 security also, I would say, but basically that' s
the two main reasons.
19 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Are you done?
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Yes .
20 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Can I direct?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes.
21 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: How many trucks
will be stored on site?
22 MR. V. DIVELLO: Right now we have 17, but
we can' t honestly answer that question in such we
23 do not know.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Okay. And how high
24 are those trucks?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: They' re 1116"?
25 MR. V. DIVELLO: 1116" .
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: The reason I'm
May 31, 2007
15
1
2 asking of course is because it is related to the
fence because the more you can screen the height
3 of the trucks, the more unobtrusive the whole.
visible impact will be.
4 MR. A. DIVELLO: There you go.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Some of the trucks
5 will be stored inside as well .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We just need your name?
6 MR. A. DIVELLO: Anthony DiVello.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Another question,
7 how high are the dumpsters?
MR. J. DIVELLO: Forty. We don' t usually
8 send the 40 yarder out except maybe recycling
because you can' t really put that much material .
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: How high, Rocky?
MR. V. DIVELLO: On the trucks somewhere
10 around 12 feet.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: It won' t be on the
11 truck; on the ground it' s what about six feet?
MR. J. DIVELLO: 40 yards, somewhere
12 around seven.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: All right, I mean
13 those are all elevational considerations that
mitigate the fence -- the fencing height would
14 mitigate the appearance.
MS . WICKHAM: Thank you.
15 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: It seems to me that
the essence -- and just for the record, I want to
16 kind of restate what I believe the essence of your
application, your case is . This building is a
17 subsequence of nothing more than its function,
right?
18 MS . .WICKHAM: Correct.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: It is strictly what
19 it needs to be to do the job that is essential for
this business operation.
20 MR. J. DIVELLO: Do the job correctly and
neatly.
21 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Right. I think
it' s very commendable that it' s an indoor facility
22 for all the obvious reasons, not only noise
abatement and visual pollution.
23 MR. J. DIVELLO: I don' t know if you folks
know, but as truck drivers and in the winter time
24 with diesel equipment it' s very hard to start in
extreme temperature and cold weather. So it' s to
25 everybody' s benefit to keep your equipment inside
because, number one, it doesn' t weather, it' s
May 31, 2007
16
1
2 easily started in the winter time, it' s better for
your equipment, it' s better for service, it' s
3 better all the way around to keep your equipment
indoors.
4 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: These trucks are going
to be stored inside at night?
5 MR. J. DIVELLO: We' re going to try,
especially in the winter time.
6 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Okay. The other
comment that I had was you have six loading bays
7 on the east elevation, south elevation?
MS . WICKHAM: Yes .
8 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Okay. In addition
it cannot be any smaller to do the job in the way
9 you want it to be. Okay, secondly, the hardship
is created primarily as a consequence of
10 negotiations with the town that ask you to move to
a different lot for various reasons?
11 MS . WICKHAM: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: You could have
12 built this without variances on the lot that you
originally proposed. So this is not a
13 self-created hardship.
MS . WICKHAM: Right.
14 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: That is a very
important point that I think we should make for
15 the record. It has also been examined not only by
the Planning Board but the Architectural Review
16 Board committee and they' re okay with it.
One final question, I don' t see called out
17 on here because it isn' t required, but I think it
would be important to note, the kind of lighting
18 that you will be using in this facility, night
lighting in particular.
19 MS. WICKHAM: We have been asked by the
Planning Board obviously as we. get closer to do
20 light cuts I think they call them?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Yes . You' re going
21 to have it for security?
MS . WICKHAM: And yes, there will be
22 lighting for security, obviously we' ll have to
shield it, whatever the town requires.
23 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: They will have to
be shielded, that' s not really -- they will take
24 care of that, but it is related to the overall
impact of the site. Sometimes ambient light at
25 night in places that require night time security
has an impact. So I just want to make a note for
May 31, 2007
17
1
2 the record that that' s something I'm sure the
Planning Board will address and the architectural
3 review committee but that' s something as far as
our balancing test relative to visual impact has
4 some consequence.
MS . WICKHAM: Oh, I agree. It' s one of my
5 pet peeves is excess security lighting.
MR. J. DIVELLO: We have been through this
6 on the original proposed lot on the north, we did
all the lighting allocations, so I don' t see any
7 reason why they would be any different here. If
you want it, if you have questions, we have
8 that.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Actually I would be
9 interested and if you wouldn' t mind submitting it
to the office, if you've got it, I'd like to have
10 a look at it, so we have a complete picture of
what the facility will look like.
11 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: We need one for the
file. How many copies do we need?
12 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I just need one for
the file.
13 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Jerry?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I have no
14 further comment. I just want everybody to be
aware that I'm sure if it will be used as a truck
15 depot, and as Rocky mentioned, I'm sure they will
put the trucks inside as much as they can in the
16 winter and some of the equipment' s going to be run
on propane, which is a much quieter operation.
17 It' s only understanding that you' re not going to
run diesel trucks inside all the time.
18 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: All right, Ruth?
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I just want to say
19 having been in the garbage business for a number
of years previously, this is one of the best plans
20 that I've ever seen about containing it. The
building is neat and clean, especially with C and
21 D debris, it goes all over the place. I think
it' s an excellent plan and I'm delighted that
22 you' re doing it.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Hold on just one
23 second, I guess just to recap this whole thing,
basically you are not going to have any other
24 businesses run out of this property that' s not a
DiVello operation. I mean, I understand there may
25 be some corporate type of decisions might have to
be made concerning some things, you' re not
May 31, 2007
18
1
2 building this building so you can rent out some
space to an additional income kind of thing?
3 MS . WICKHAM: There won' t be room.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I just wanted to get
4 that on the record. I don' t know, let' s see how
the hearing goes. Gail, are you pretty much done
5 with your presentation?
MS . WICKHAM: Yes . I just want to mention
6 that the trucks coming in or out have to be
enclosed or covered, that' s in the materials, but
7 I want it specifically in the record.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay. Now, is there
8 anyone else in the audience that wants to speak
for this application? Okay, sir, would you like
9 to speak? State your name, please.
MR. GOODWIN: My name is Jim Goodwin. I
10 live at Depot Lane. I have known the DiVellos for
years . I got no problem with them. I have a
11 problem with their business . It' s right in my
backyard. The reason it was moved down south is
12 because of my many meetings with supervisor, my
wife and I . I think it' s good it' s moved down
13 there, but, there' s trucks coming in and out of
here now late at night, early in the morning,
14 making noises; the traffic is going to be
horrendous because they' re going to add to what we
15 have already with the self storage. Foster
doesn' t cover any of his loads, these people do,
16 yes . You know, and the other businesses was going
to come in there on the corner, I couldn' t come
17 home, I had to go up the block and on down Oregon
Road, which these trucks are going to find out,
18 they can' t get out of Depot and make a left or go
across; so they' re going to have to go up my house
19 to Oregon Road to get out to go to Cox' s Lane to
the light but they got to make a left. I mean,
20 I've known John, I know Rocky, I know them all . I
got nothing wrong with them but the business . And
21 as far as the fence, the higher the better. It
could be a thousand feet for all I care. I wish
22 it was . But like I said, as far as the trucks
making noise, and inside and everything, are they
23 going to leave garbage in them overnight? The
height of the truck like he said are so many feet,
24 what about the ones that' s carting the trucks out,
like the town landfill; are they going to sit
25 outside like the town' s does that' s not supposed
to happen and leak all that liquid out? And like
May 31, 2007
19
1
2 Gail said, there' s other people in business doing
it, no. The other ones are Bob Fluger, who deals
3 with junk, he don' t deal in garbage, wet garbage
or building debris or none of that. Roy Schlean,
4 he deals with mostly in C and D. Donald Rimm is
all junk, cars, metals . Yes, they' re outside, but
5 it' s not raw garbage. I work with for the school .
I see the trucks come in and they will squeeze
6 that garbage back, the juices are running out, and
as they go out there' s a trail following them and
7 this is at school, okay. So, you know, go to
Riverhead and take a look before you okay
8 anything. Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Anybody have any
9 comments on that?
MS . WICKHAM: Very briefly. The traffic
10 is a concern. We, as I said, have a more limited
number of trucks than I think people might
11 imagine. We have to still go to the Town Board
and get a permit. They will require the
12 submission of a route plan. In terms of where
they are now, they are in Mattituck, they are
13 getting out to Route 48, the Wickham Avenue, which
granted has a light, but that' s a very dangerous
14 intersection, and they' re also getting out at the
Main Road and Wickham Avenue, which is very
15 dangerous . So they have had to deal with traffic
situations before. These are good drivers . It' s
16 probably the other drivers on the road that are a
problem, but, yes, we are concerned about it, and
17 we' re going to have to review all that with the
Town Board in terms of the big trucks he
18 mentioned. Those will be kept inside, and they
will be leaving on a daily basis . We don' t expect
19 them overnight with stuff in them. The facilities
they mention in Riverhead is a perfect example of
20 what these people are not going to do. This is a
much different and much better facility.
21 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: What is the facility in
Riverhead, anybody, can you just describe it?
22 MS . WICKHAM: I think they may -- without
putting anybody in trouble, I believe they' re
23 talking about Crowns' ?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Where is that located;
24 do you know?
MS . WICKHAM: I don' t know.
25 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Down by the
landfill.
May 31, 2007
20
1
2 MR. DIVELLO: Very small with a lot of
truck traffic.
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Miss Wickham,
before you sit down, the question of access on
4 . County Road 48, as you know they have just
activated the light at Cox Road and 48 . For
5 several months we have been in Mattituck, the
light at Wickham Avenue has been there for years .
6 It was of the first light we ever had. The light
at Westphalia has been there for quite a bit of
7 time, alleviated some accidents . Is there any
anticipation that they will activate a light at 48
8 and Depot?
MS. WICKHAM: I can' t answer that. I
9 don' t know what their plan is, but I'm sure that
we' ll have to address that.
10 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Thank you.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I might also point
11 out that your landscape scheme does not specify
what kind of vegetation you' re looking at.
12 MS . WICKHAM: That' s correct.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: It' s schematic. I
13 understand, but I would assume that we could in
relationship to that fence height variance suggest
14 mature kinds of evergreen screening that will go
well beyond the height of the fence which would
15 more than cover the height of trucks, dumpsters,
it could, in fact, practically cover the height of
16 the building, depending on what kind of evergreen
you put in.
17 MS . WICKHAM: I think we' re going to spend
a lot of time with the Planning Board.
18 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Moreover, properly
done, various forms of vegetation not only create
19 visual screens, but they can also create
acoustical barriers and they can also oxygenate
20 the air, which is a very good filter for removal
of odors . So I would suggest serious
21 investigation of how to reduce impacts on your
neighbor, which clearly you' re very concerned
22 about. Those kinds of additional things can be
considered. That' s another reason I asked about
23 the lighting, because if you require any kind of
overnight lighting for security purposes, you' ll
24 want to make sure that it has very low impact on
property boundaries that are beyond your own
25 property.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Certainly our town code
May 31, 2007
21
1
2 does handle the lighting as aspect of this and
even the screening. Michael, did you have
3 something you wanted to ask? .
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No further
4 questions .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Gail, can you give us
5 how you calculated the lot coverage; what
structures on the property you used to come to
6 that conclusion? I would tell you, I would like
that in writing, if I could.
7 MS. WICKHAM: I think the map I gave you
has it. It has a building of 34, 210 square feet,
8 divided by 120, 000 .285 square feet. So it was the
perimeter of the building.
9 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Only the building,
right, nothing else?
10 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: What about the scales?
MS . WICKHAM: I was told that the scales
11 are at ground level, they' re equipment and they' re
not figured as part of lot.
12 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: That was by the
building inspector?
13 MS . WICKHAM: That was by the architect
and he did discuss it with the town.
14 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Yes, because I
believe the Building Department had mentioned to
15 us that they would count it as lot coverage
because it' s actually occupied space, and it' s a
16 structure.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Let' s just get this
17 over to them. I' ll drop it off, okay? I' ll take
this over to them.
18 MS . WICKHAM: Could I say for the record,
if they are going to deem it lot coverage
19 requirement, we would ask that our variance
incorporate that.
20 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : We don' t have the
21 percentage.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: What we' ll do is I' ll
22 bring it over to the building inspector and I' ll
have them calculate how they would have calculated
23 it.
MS. WICKHAM: They have seen this map, but
24 it wouldn' t be a bad idea for them to see it
again.
25 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Is there a
dimension or anything we can add to this?
May 31, 2007
22
1
2 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: You can measure
them with a scale ruler.
3 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: I know, but I'm
just asking for the record.
4 MR. J. DIVELLO: I just want you to know
that when I did meet with Mike, he said that it
5 wouldn' t be counted because they' re ground level,
they' re flush with the ground.
6 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: That certainly is his
decision, John, there' s no doubt about that. And
7 I just want for our record that it actually states
that.
8 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : We wouldn' t want
you to have to come back here.
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I don' t want five
months from now you coming back because these
10 scales have done something that didn' t mean to
happen. So I' ll bring that over to him and I' ll
11 do that today. Are there any other questions,
sir, do you have some more to add?
12 MR. GOODWIN: Jim Goodwin, Cutchogue.
Also, I just wanted to add I have well water. I
13 don' t have city water or town water, they have.
I've been there almost all my life. I' ll be 62 in
14 December. All that sludge is going to go into the
ground. My understanding is groundwater runs
15 north and south.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: How do you know that' s
16 going to go into the ground; what is your basis
for saying that it' s going to go into the ground?
17 MR. GOODWIN: Because when the trucks are
sitting there waiting to get unloaded, the trucks
18 are being unloaded, the stuff is coming out of the
back of them, like I said, I see it every day as
19 they go down the road. It' s going to go into the
black top or whatever they' re going to have.
20 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Looks like gravel .
MR. GOODWIN: Okay, it' s going to seep
21 into the ground water, that' s me. Not them. They
couldn' t get their what do you call it because
22 they had to get city water first. They said the
wells wouldn' t pass . I can' t drink my water now,
23 I got to go buy water. I can bathe in it, but I
can' t drink it.
24 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, well, that' s a
concern.
25 MR. GOODWIN: Do you know what I'm saying?
MR. V. DIVELLO: Can I come up?
May 31, 2007
23
1
2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Certainly.
MR. V. DIVELLO: The water' s not drinkable
3 now; it has nothing to do with us .
MR. KEMPE: Eugene Kempe, Kempe
4 Engineering, based on my experience in closing
these facilities, I've closed three solid waste
5 management facilities in the last two years, part
of our closure operations, we have to take
6 samples, soil samples of the surrounding soil of
the facilities . And normally we go from 0 to 20
7 feet, and I have yet to have an impact on the
soils that are below the guidance documentation of
8 the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation that say those levels would impact
9 groundwater. They are right on top of this . If
we have potential groundwater impact, they' re
10 going to make you remediate it. And these
facilities have been operating 20, 30 years .
11 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Do they come
periodically to check the groundwater?
12 MR. KEMPE: Not routinely in this type of
operation.
13 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: So that has been
addressed. Because I see these trucks, I see them
14 driving and you know, what comes out of them, but
that has been addressed what, through the DEC or
15 Transportation, or whatever, New York State?
MR. KEMPE: It' s really probably the DOT
16 because the DEC doesn' t handle outside their --
other than the actual transport of physical
17 transport of hazardous materials . It' s outside
the scope of their solid waste management
18 operations .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: These aren' t
19 necessarily hazardous materials other than
household garbage, right?
20 MS . WICKHAM: I also just want to add; we
also obviously have to go through health
21 department review. And just to make Mr. Goodwin
somewhat relieved of his concern, it' s been well
22 documented with all the monitoring at the landfill
that the gradient of the groundwater flow in that
23 water is to the northeast, so it is not in his
direction in any event. It goes over in the other
24 direction. His property is to the northwest. And
his property is also zoned LIO, for the record.
25 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, does anybody else
have any comments concerning this application?
May 31, 2007
24
1
2 MR. J. DIVELLO: I have one and I' ll make
it brief . We have been operating out of the heart
3 of Mattituck town for 37 years . You can' t get any
closer to Love Lane and most people don' t even
4 know where we are. And we don' t have any
complaints from any of our neighbors at all . I
5 just want to make that clear.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, anybody else?
6 Mr. Goodwin; do you have any more to add?
MR. GOODWIN: Yes. I can' t believe John
7 just said that; that' s why they' re getting out of
Mattituck. They want them out of there.
8 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, well, we haven' t
heard testimony to that fact. Okay, is there
9 anybody else? So hearing none, what would the
Board like to do?
10 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I' ll make a motion to
close the hearing.
11 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, Ruth made a
motion to close the hearing.
12 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Pending the
information on the scale situation.
13 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: From the Building
Department, right? Okay, so we' ll close it; if it
14 goes the other way, will we have to open it again?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No, just change it.
15 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, that' s fine. So
we have a motion made by Ruth, seconded by Leslie.
16 (See minutes for resolution. )
-------------------------------------------------
17 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Our next hearing is for
is for Roger P. Smith and Constance A. Smith.
18 This is Jerry' s application.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Request of this
19 variance is number one, based on the Building
Inspector' s January 22nd Notice of Disapproval
20 saying the former code Section 280-15 and (2)
based on the current Code Section 280-15
21 concerning the proposed accessory garage
construction which will exceed code limitation by
22 40 percent of the dormers . The Notice of
Disapproval cites the former code provisions
23 concerning setback and height requirements (citing
10 feet as a minimum setback and 18 feet as a
24 maximum mean height) . Current Section 280-15 as
amended by Local Law states that the accessory
25 buildings shall not exceed 22 feet to the highest
point to the ridge and setbacks shall not be less
May 31, 2007
25
1
2 than 20 feet (when located in the rear yard) . In
addition, the variance requests to locate an
3 accessory pergola in a side yard (rather than the
code-required 20 foot setback when located in a
4 rear yard) . Location of the property is 60015
Main Road, Southold.
5 We're ready for you, sir.
MR. SMITH: Good morning, Mr. Chairman,
6 members of the Board, my name is Roger Smith. I
am one of the owners of the property. With me is
7 my wife Connie, the other owner. I am also the
architect of record for the project. I think we
8 have two distinct structures in which we' re
requesting variances for. One is for the proposed
9 pergola that we are proposing to put on the patio,
a raised terrace. The raised terrace was
10 constructed during the time frame we were
renovating the house and to our knowledge, when
11 the Building Inspector came and did the final
inspection, we thought we were building a patio,
12 but in essence it became a raised terrace I think
in the definition. And our understanding is it
13 projected forward into the front yard beyond the
rear line of the house. Therefore, the pergola
14 needs a variance because it is projecting into the
front yard beyond the rear line of the house. But
15 I think the raised terrace needs a variance, and I
don' t know if the terminology of this particular
16 hearing says that yet, but I think it should be
both the raised terrace and the pergola. And
17 that' s really pretty much the variance
consideration for the pergola. The other is to
18 construct a barn/garage, as we have been calling
it, in the back yard. There is a structure there
19 presently. It is the remnants of a garage or a
small barn. It is presently just about 20 feet by
20 20 feet. It' s a foot and a half to four feet off
the existing property line. We are proposing to
21 build a 24 foot by 40 foot barn garage in the same
general location as the little 20 footer by 20
22 footer, but hauling it five feet off the property
line giving some relief and the ability to get
23 around the structure. And really its placement
has a lot to do with how the property has been
24 formed and used. We believe over the past 150
years that was the location of the structure.
25 We' re trying to keep the character of the house
and all the structures that we' re proposing on the
May 31, 2007
26
1
2 property in the general keeping of the original
ideas that were there. So to put it back in its
3 place seems to make sense to us, I hope it does to
you.
4 The variances that we are here for also
have kind of a mixed edge to them. We submitted
5 our application on January 16th, which is the same
day the Town Board passed new local law which
6 affects accessory structures as the one we' re
proposing. It was the Building Department' s
7 intention that day to assume that we would be
grandfathered underneath the previous regulations
8 because we were submitting on January 16th, not
knowing that later that evening we would be
9 affected by another local law. What we did was
with the help of your department, we have amended
10 the application as if to say, yes, whatever the
Building Department was regulating previously
11 that' s fine; and also whatever the new town
ordinance is, we'd like relief from that too.
12 You have plans in front of you that
indicate the architecture and design of what we' re
13 proposing. Also the one of the other reliefs
we' re looking for, not only that five foot
14 approximate, the side variance went from I think
from 10 foot to 20 foot as a requirement of the
15 change in the local law and that dimension
increases as the size of the lot increases, which
16 is kind of interesting, typically you have a
larger lot size and you would be able to get
17 closer to the property line. And I think the
concern of the local law is really to do with the
18 character that' s maintained within a residential
community. We are on the Main Road, as you
19 know. Our adjacent neighbor really has a number
of larger barns and structures to it. And then
20 our two residences to the east of us don' t have
that same character, and then you end up pretty
21 much down at the marina
The other piece we' re looking for is the
22 height. The local law is 22 feet, and we' re
proposing 24, and also a dormered area on the rear
23 of the building. The local ordinance calls for
that to be 40 percent of the width of the
24 structure; ours is 80 percent or the majority of
the rear of the building and a lot of that has to
25 do with the architect and the use of it. As an
architect and my wife, we have a lot of hobbies
May 31, 2007
27
1
2 and things that we do, both art and other things
that we would like to be able to do to use that
3 loft for the purposes of a workshop and work space
without increasing the footprint of the structure.
4 I'm not sure when the regulation was determined if
anyone was thinking architecture when they said
5 let' s put a dormer on the back of the building,
but a 16 foot dormer on a 40 foot piece of a
6 building would look a little bit misplaced
wherever you put it. So we have been proposing to
7 do that as pretty much the full-length of the
structure. And we have our adjacent neighbor, if
8 I could put on for the record, which is Cathy and
Ira Haskell, have written a letter to you stating
9 that they have no objection to the proposed
construction. Could I read this for the record or
10 would you prefer --
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Sure, please read it.
11 MR. SMITH: "To the Zoning Board of
Appeals, the Town of Southold. With reference to
12 the proposed construction of accessory building at
60015 Main Road, Southold New York.
13 "To whom it may concern: We are very
happy to have Roger and Constance Smith as our
14 neighbors . We have reviewed the proposed
construction of an accessory building
15 approximately five feet east of our east property
line and have no objection to the proposed
16 construction. If there are any questions, please
call . Thank you, Ira and Kay Haskell. "
17 If I could give you that (handing) . Okay,
thank you. Generally I think that' s pretty much
18 the variances we are seeking and if you have
questions, I' ll be happy to answer them.
19 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Thank you. Jerry?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Mr. Smith, I do
20 apologize, for some strange reason, I didn' t
realize this was my application, I will be back
21 over on Saturday to see the property again. Let
me just, and I don' t have any specific questions
22 regarding the pergola or the raised patio at this
time, but based upon the new law in reference to
23 the placement of the barn/garage, you certainly do
have more room that you could pull that away from
24 the property line, that' s number one, I think.
And I think you should consider that based upon
25 the new law. You should give this Board, and I'm
not imploring this from you in any way, but you
May 31, 2007
28
1
2 should give us some options on that, meaning as
alternate relief or very simply, we might be
3 forced to deny the application if the Board cannot
agree on the five foot setback that you' re
4 requesting. That' s number one.
Number two, as for the 80 foot dormer
5 across the back, you --
MR. SMITH: 80 percent.
6 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: 80 percent, I'm
sorry. You could build a gambrel barn and you
7 could put sky lights in the roof of it rather than
building a cape-style barn. And I have to tell
8 you again, this new law has not been in effect for
a long period of time, however, 80 percent is
9 extensive and again, alternative relief would be
the suggestion. My suggestion is you change it to
10 a gambrel, if you want light. I'm not telling you
to change construction, I'm just telling you I
11 don' t think you're going to garner my vote and
that' s the story because of the 80 percent
12 situation.
And the question is what type of utility
13 will you have in this building? Will it be the
utility of electricity only; will it be a building
14 that you' re proposing to have internal insulation
as opposed to external insulation on the outside
15 walls; will it have heat in it? Will it have any
other type of lavatory type of facilities? Those
16 are all information that we kind of need to
know. If you don' t want to tell us today, you can
17 do it by letter, and I would recommend to the
Board that we close the hearing on that basis or
18 if the Board needed to ask questions regarding the
additional utilities that you would be requesting.
19 MR. SMITH: Would I have a moment to be
able to respond to your request?
20 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Of course. I
think part of what we're trying to do is truly
21 respect the existing property, its old uses and
where things were situated. The existing building
22 is right now one and-a-half to four feet off the
existing property line, and we' re proposing to
23 stay somewhat within that characterization and
pull it five feet off. Yes, we could pull it
24 further. But part of what makes our property a
little bit tough to use at least as we see it is
25 the little piece that' s been cut out of the front
of it, and what that' s done is it' s limited the
May 31, 2007
29
1
2 width of the property, the house and driveway as
you get to it. And the house was always a house
3 on Main Road with use behind. You drove past the
house to get to the structures behind. We
4 debated, my wife and I, whether or not that
structure, that garage and barn should be on the
5 east side, but what that does is that
automatically begins to box in your way to get to
6 your own back yard, which is hundreds of feet to
the rear. So, respectfully I understand your
7 point, and I'm not saying today that we wouldn' t
change your mind, but I'm hoping to maybe
8 influence the .way you visualize it because we' re
really seeing it as that is the most ideal place
9 to put the structure.
We had the opportunity to do a gambrel .
10 This is a wonderful old house. I think we have
done a fairly good job of bringing it back to
11 life, and I hope on Saturday we can meet you
there. As the architect it was important for me
12 to not feel that architecture of the old house and
then throw a gambrel in the back. A gambrel is
13 really -- yes, it is a barn structure, but it' s
kind of a hidden agenda to accomplish the dormer
14 that we' re trying to do to keep the roof pitch is
12 on 12 so that when you look at the house and
15 then you look at the garage, they both be in the
same context pretty much as the pitches were
16 originally on that old structure in the house.
And I'm not sure that we would benefit from what
17 you' re offering us, but in essence, I'm not sure
it' s going to look to what the characterization of
18 what we' re trying to accomplish because in
essence, if we did move 20 feet off, we could
19 build a much larger thing with a lower roof trying
to stay within all the regulations, which I think
20 would look pretty horrible in reference to how
we' re trying to pull the piece of property
21 together. We would be happy to give you the list
of what' s going to be inside, electric, I would
22 love to be able to insulate it from the inside,
would not have permanent heat. We have no
23 intention of hanging out there in the winter, but
we want to be able to utilize it, and no plumbing
24 facilities.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : What about
25 electric, for outlets you mean?
MR. SMITH: Yes, obviously for service and
May 31, 2007
30
1
2 electric, I've got things I'd like to be able to
do, workshop.
3 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Full service?
MR. SMITH: Full service, insulated from
4 the inside, if it could be I think that will do us
much better benefit than doing it on the outside.
5 That' s going to lead me away from doing wood
siding the way I want to do it. Non-permanent
6 heat. The ability to have some kind of temporary
heat and no plumbing, no water.
7 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: What do you mean by
temporary heat?
8 MR. SMITH: Maybe electric heat, like
electric heat.
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: You can plug in
electric heat. I don' t think that' s a problem.
10 MR. SMITH: There' s no boiler plan.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We' re not going to
11 grant you heat. I don' t think that that' s a
problem.
12 MR. SMITH: No boiler plan.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Right, we're not going
13 to grant you heat. And I mean the plumbing I
suppose you could have a spigot if you chose,
14 outside. Leslie, where do we go?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: The only thing I
15 didn' t address, excuse me; Jim, I apologize, is
the height situation. Are you calling for a 10
16 foot ceiling on the first story?
MR. SMITH: Nine. And if I did drop that
17 to eight, the ridge would come down again probably
by another foot.
18 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Well, perhaps I can
address that also by being an architect. First
19 let' s get the easy part over with. As far as the
patio is concerned that' s an as-built structure
20 and clearly what you have done is contained the
highest part with a brick wall that is also above
21 the surface somewhat. So I think it' s fine. I
mean, I think that it' s perfectly safe and I have
22 no objection to that. Neither do I really based
upon the vegetation that exists between your house
23 and the neighbor' s house have much objection to
the pergola, which is going to be proposed on the
24 patio on the east side. When it comes to the
garage, however, whatever you' re calling it
25 because it' s far more than a garage. It' s my
understanding that you want a clearance of .that
May 31, 2007
31
1
2 nine feet to the finished ceiling on the first
floor for antique cars and trucks and so on. It
3 would appear that the dormer that you have put in
here, which is 100 percent variance is a
4 consequence not so much of the 12 on 12, which you
have on one side, you move it to 12 on 6 simply
5 because that gives you full height clearance on
the interior. The header is eight feet to the
6 window. So what you' re doing is creating a full
use on that second floor. I can explain to you
7 the part of the reason the limitation on the
height of a dormer was a consequence of attempting
8 to deemphasize the utilization of a second floor
in accessory structure. So it was not just a
9 matter of some whim about aesthetics, it had to do
with head height, clearance for use. Second
10 floors in garages are generally for storage
purposes and not necessarily for people to
11 actually work on them.. So that was what the law
was about. You certainly could reduce that
12 somewhat and still have the same. configuration
that you now have roof-wise. You could get away
13 with a slightly lower height. I don' t mind a two
foot cupola because the diameter is very minimal
14 if that' s what you need the variance for,
essentially a two foot variance, essentially a
15 decorative element, it' s not functioning as a
solar tower or any other purpose; it' s primarily
16 an architectural element on the roof. So you can
lower it slightly. My primary concern is the side
17 yard setback. It' s a very large structure, you
have a very small structure now. I believe you
18 have said that you wanted to build on flat rather
than on a slope, but as I paced it out, even if
19 you move it to the east, you have a good 10 feet
before you get any kind of significant grading
20 change on the topography. It can be slid over,
you will have to reconfigure your driveway
21 slightly. And there' s a very large tree there
that I know you' re attempting to save. Even where
22 it' s located, if you were to relocate it exactly
where you' re proposing, you will still need to cut
23 one of those big branches off.
MS . SMITH: Yes, the one that' s coming
24 down over the driveway, hopefully that is all we
were hoping would be disturbed on the tree. It' s
25 magnificent.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: It' s a beautiful
May 31, 2007
32
1
2 tree. It' s very old. You can also avoid that by
setting it back slightly.
3 MR. SMITH: We have six foot over.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: It' s very, very
4 close to your neighbor. I mean, you have a large
lot, which is the only reason that you' re allowed
5 to build such a big structure as an accessory
structure according to the new code, even
6 according to the code, but because of the size of
your lot, you can build a larger structure square
7 foot wise, but the law requires a 20 foot setback
and you' re proposing a five foot setback, that' s a
8 huge variance. You' re at the maximum height plus
two for the cupola. You have no problem with lot
9 coverage. So I think at the very least, we ought
to consider alternate relief for an additional
10 side yard.
MR. SMITH: Would you mind if I continue
11 to address that?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Sure, by all means .
12 MR. SMITH: I'm a pretty big guy and I am
the chairman of the New York State Building Code
13 Board of Review. Often we get cases to us where
someone is looking for relief on a basement or
14 first floor or second floor for something that is
6' 6" or 6' 811 . I set this up obviously because it
15 wasn' t for my wife' s purposes but for me that we
would get that kind of height on the second floor,
16 and I wanted you to know that.
What disturbs me bluntly is on the 16th I
17 was a 10 foot side yard on the 16th at seven p.m.
I was a 20 foot side yard, which I find, and I
18 find the dichotomy of that, the bigger the yard,
obviously you can get further away, and I think a
19 lot of it has to do with the residential character
of what you were surrounding yourself with. The
20 neighbor that would be most affected has no
objection and has looked this over completely and
21 has full ideas of exactly what we're doing. Our
other neighbor to the north is the railroad
22 tracks; our neighbor to the south, obviously is a
vineyard, and Main Road, and our neighbors to the
23 east -- and I don' t know if they' re here today --
have not commented back to us . To keep moving it
24 I think changes the original intent of the
property and that' s not what I was trying to do.
25 We' re trying to stay as close to what was there
originally. Without an overall disturbance by
May 31, 2007
33
1
2 pulling it 10 feet, 20 feet, throwing it somewhat
in the middle of the lot. If that little piece
3 wasn' t there, then we'd have a completely
different view of how to utilize the property.
4 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I think when you
have a major demolition, it' s a tear-down and
5 you' re going to rebuild on the footprint and add
considerably to it, you are scooting it over
6 slightly a couple feet in your proposal . It' s a
very different structure. If you want to talk
7 about the original character, it was a small
little accessory structure.
8 MR. SMITH: As far as we know it' s the
only piece that' s left.
9 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Well, I think you
have lost that historic memory when that thing is
10 demolished and you' re starting de novo. So my
opinion, you're building a very large additional
11 accessory structure and at the very least, we need
to look at some reasonable compromise. The law is
12 there for good reason. The relationship between
height and setback had to do with proportion so
13 that accessory structures would not overshadow the
principal dwelling on a residential property.
14 More and more we' re seeing cabanas being built
that are basically secondary homes; they' re just
15 overscaled. So this law was attempting to address
those relationships of mass, essentially volume to
16 setback and lot coverage, you know, the size of
the lot. So I think that you have ample leeway to
17 tweak this a little bit and essentially accomplish
what you' re looking for. Height wise, I might
18 also point out, that as drawn the full height that
you' re proposing on the second floor is
19 considerably higher than the eight feet, that' s
the lowest point. That' s where the dormer comes
20 down, right?
MR. SMITH: Typical eight foot ceiling.
21 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Right. You' re
going to leave it open, I presume, you don' t have
22 it drawn in sections as though you' re going to put
a flat ceiling.
23 MR. SMITH: We were hoping to.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: See this is not in
24 here.
MR. SMITH: I'm sorry.
25 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Your section simply
shows the dormer and the removal of the other 12
May 31, 2007
34
1
2 by 12 roof pitch.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Quite honestly, Leslie,
3 we' re not concerned about the inside of that
building.
4 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Well, I am.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We're concerned about
5 the height of the building.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I'm concerned about
6 all of it. You know the height on the outside is
relative to the height on the inside.
7 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, only if you are
looking for a way to reduce that height.
8 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: He argued that he
needed higher height and looking at his proposal .
9 MR. SMITH: If I could, it' s also 12 on 12
pitch.
10 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Let me ask you this,
Mr. Smith, why do you need that 12 by 12 pitch?
11 MR. SMITH: I want it to match the house.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Architecturally, is
12 this building that you' re building appropriate for
the site?
13 MR. SMITH: I think so.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Because why?
14 MR. SMITH: I think there was a structure
there though smaller, it was in the same siding
15 and color and shape as the original house when we
got to it. I think it is keeping with the
16 agricultural look of some of the properties
adjacent to me where the barns are two stories
17 high and more. And I think I can make it look
like it blends right in with the house so it isn' t
18 obtrusive. And again, before we leave you, we
don' t want to leave you with nothing, we would
19 rather leave you with something. You were talking
about where it is in proportion to the house, this
20 is because the way the property is set and then
bellows out, that' s why it' s back. If we were
21 wider, I'd be asking you to pull forward, pushing
it east. I just want to keep saying this, yes, I
22 can push it down the slope and then by pushing it
down the slope, I'm going to regrade the property
23 more to get in it, whether I get it in
vehicularly, which is not the way the property was
24 originally set up, or get in it as a human on the
other side, and I think that' s going to make it
25 look more obtrusive as it stands up out of the
property.
May 31, 2007
35
1
2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Because you' re going
higher?
3 MR. SMITH: Well, I'm going to wind up two
or three feet out of grade or I'm going to drop
4 one side of it, and I don' t think though that may
have been characterizations -you may have found on
5 an older barn on a piece of property, again, this
is year 2007, we' re trying to bridge the gap
6 between what looks right and how it works .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay. Leslie, do you
7 have anything additional? I'm sorry I interrupted
you.
8 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I could, but I
think I have mostly said what I need to say.
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Michael?
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I think Leslie has
10 anticipated some of the points that I make. First
I have maybe a relatively easy question. I notice
11 that your pergola contains a bathroom, on the
plan?
12 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No, that' s an open
structure.
13 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Oh, because on one of
the plans I saw a toilet and a bathroom in there.
14 MR. SMITH: That' s part of the house.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No. That' s the
15 bathroom that' s in the house.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: That' s part of the
16 house?
MR. SMITH: That' s part of the house.
17 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: So the pergola is
just what a pergola is.
18 MR. SMITH: Yes.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Yes. That' s the
19 bathroom, that' s the house (indicating) .
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Okay, then that' s not
20 a problem. As far as the setback on the east side
of the house, that to me does seem to be a rather
21 minor issue, and so given the fact that the house
is set properly back. However, like other people,
22 I do have some questions regarding what' s going to
happen on the west side of the house. And a lot
23 of architects come before this Board, and my
understanding, I'm certainly not an architect, but
24 one of the things that architects at least in the
town of Southold do is they typically design
25 houses within the constraints of the laws, rather
than to argue that the laws are inappropriate for
May 31, 2007
36
1
2 them to practice their trade, and particularly
with regard to the 80 percent rule on this or the
3 interpretation of how close to the boundary it
could be. I was interested in what you said, I
4 thought you thought maybe the larger the property
that the less the setback should be. That struck
5 me, from what I understand, and just the opposite
of what the Town Board had in mind because one of
6 the reasons why someone might be allowed to have a
smaller setback was there just simply wasn' t
7 enough room on the property to build their
structure. Here you're dealing with a property
8 that' s one and a half acres in size, so it is
exactly that kind of property for which the 20
9 foot rule was put in, whatever it means for
architectural sense; that was more a point than a
10 question. But I'm saying you' re getting some
indication of how some people on the Board may
11 feel about some of these issues . As far as the
question of rebuilding, please take Leslie' s
12 questions more seriously about the reason for
their being constraints on there being a rebuilt
13 structure on a demolition. Certainly if it' s a
main dwelling, if you demolish a nonconforming
14 house and you want to build a brand new house, you
cannot build it on the place where it was
15 demolished, if it was nonconforming. The
tradition, historical tradition simply carries no
16 weight at all with regard to if you' re
demolishing. Yes, you can rebuild within the
17 footprint if you don' t destroy it and so forth,
the rules about houses not being more than 50
18 percent renovated and so forth. So it' s very hard
to make an argument based on the fact that this is
19 the way it used to be, the way it is now, and in a
way you sort of acknowledged that argument because
20 if you were arguing and making a plausible
architectural argument that a taller building
21 would be much more in character, much more
appropriate to that, then it sounds as though what
22 you might be saying is that the smaller building
as it now exists, which you' re drawing on to
23 protect you is, inappropriate because it' s much,
much smaller. So if yours is more appropriate
24 then the existing one must be inappropriate. So
for a whole lot of reasons one wonders exactly
25 what the substantive bases would be for insisting
on this variance of a 75 percent reduction in the
May 31, 2007
37
1
2 setback.
As far as the dormers are concerned and
3 the height -- and those are both cases which have
been considered for various reasons -- you might
4 very well have voted against those rules had you
been on the Town Board or been a participant in
5 the public hearing on those type of things, but
that is a problem.
6 As far as my final point, the question of
being sort of sandbagged by the fact that the rule
7 changed while you were in application, that seems
to be a legal question as to when does
8 grandfathering begin. Does it come when the
permits are granted or does it come when you first
9 get the idea of a plan or when you first submit
your preliminary plans?
10 MR. SMITH: There was confusion between
the Building Department. They felt that I was
11 grandfathered.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : I was involved with
12 that a little bit. They felt that they wrote a
decision based on the plan and they didn' t have to
13 make another decision, but the issue of the new
code was deferred over to the Zoning Board to rule
14 on. It was not that it was exempt under the new
law it was only that they didn' t need to write a
15 disapproval on the new law. The Zoning Board
could advertise it and this is why we' re on, there
16 was no exemption involved that I'm aware of .
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Right. And in any
17 case I think it' s a legal question as to when
grandfathering begins and when it doesn' t begin.
18 If it' s a gleam in your eye, voluntary law could
decide that, but as far as I know, it doesn' t. So
19 I'm not sure what force there is to that argument.
What I am really saying is whether you want to
20 keep it open or come back with more alternative
plans . I think you're going to need some
21 additional arguments other than the ones you
presented in order to make the case for having it
22 very much like the way you want it because I find
problems with many of the arguments . There are
23 some good ones, but some of them probably do -- in
my view - - you do more harm than good.
24 MR. SMITH: We would rather have it open,
and I would rather not have to consider a gambrel,
25 if you don' t mind.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No, you don' t have
May 31, 2007
38
1
2 to consider that.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: That was only a
3 suggestion.
MR. SMITH: I understand but I don' t want
4 to falsify the space in order to accomplish what
we' re trying to accomplish-. I'd rather consider
5 it in other ideas with you and your department to
try to get a sense of what might be a more
6 justifiable solution.
MS . SMITH: Also, if I could speak to
7 this, if you look at the plan and my husband will
speak to the buildings and I will hug the trees,
8 so, if you look at the plan, we really don' t have
a lot of large mature trees on the property, so
9 where the structure is being placed right now
saves the trees that are there and to move it that
10 far off, you know we are an acre plus but we are
narrow and we were made even narrower when that
11 lot to the east was cut out. So that has placed
so many constraints on us, and as we are working
12 backwards to the property and having restored the
house and now we're trying to do this and are
13 trying to plan out how we plan the yard and
gardens and things because we are hoping to do all
14 of that, to move it would almost put it to the
center. It would have to be so far back it' s
15 almost inaccessible. In order for it to clear
that tree, it will make it so far inaccessible as
16 to be a garage because everyone' s idea of a garage
is park your car and carry the groceries into the
17 house so to get it that far back so that it clears
the tree, and now we' re putting it more into the
18 center, it doesn' t really make it that accessible
to the house for now, 2007, speaking historically,
19 but it also then leaves very little ability to
develop the property as far as its landscaping so
20 that it is an outdoor extension of our home, which
is how we' re hoping to live.
21 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Mrs. Smith,
excuse me, just a minute, I don' t want to upset
22 the plan and the view that you' re trying to garner
out of the back of this building, but we have many
23 of these applications before us, and some of the
people turn the building the opposite way, and I
24 don' t think that' s going to work in this plan, but
in turning it the opposite way, it pushes the
25 garage, the portion of the barn or the building or
the garage, closer to the house, you utilize one
May 31, 2007
39
1
2 single area of the upstairs looking out going
north, northeast, and it gives you much more room.
3 Rather than placing it across, you do it in the
north-south direction as opposed to the east-west
4 direction.
MS . SMITH: The only problem I would have
5 with that is that then we lose more of what is the
green space to add more hardscape to bring the
6 driveway around because we would have to swing the
driveway around the tree that way, so we lose more
7 of what we are hoping to --
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Let me try to
8 summarize the essence of the concerns because as
an architect you clearly understand my strategy
9 and the consequences of give-and-take.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Leslie, hold on. Let
10 her go.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: All right, I' ll
11 summarize after.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: To put it very
12 succinctly, I think the building' s too large. I
think it should be 20 foot off the line, and I
13 think it' s a bit too high, frankly. I mean,
that' s our new code, and I think we should adhere
14 to that new code and also 80 percent of the roof
for dormers is absolutely too much. You have to
15 get it over and reduce it. You' re an architect,
I'm sure there are ways of figuring it out that
16 would be very pleasing.
MS . SMITH: We were hoping for a lot of
17 north light for painting and doing --
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I know. But you can
18 do it in a way that can cut it down somewhat. It
really is too much. The code says 40 percent, 80
19 percent, that' s like 100 percent.
MS . SMITH: I understand and I don' t want
20 it to feel like we were flying in the face of
codes, but this was a process of 18 months in
21 development and as we submitted it that morning,
the code was changed that night. So it' s not like
22 we were bringing it, it was submitted to you.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Actually we got it
23 two months after, you filed it two months after
the law went into effect.
24 MR. SMITH: January 19th is the date we
submitted.
25 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : That' s not the date
you filed with the Zoning Board, it was March.
May 31, 2007
40
1
2 MR. SMITH: The building permit.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: For the Building
3 Department, that is a separate department.
MS. SMITH: So we were like well --
4 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : I just wanted to
clear that up.
5 MR. SMITH: Let me address that. If I had
known that I was going to be facing a variance for
6 a dormer of that size, I might not have even
started here. The problem is I have spent a year
7 and a half designing this to get it to where it
should be, and that' s the point of the 16th. We
8 went in, and, no, I hadn' t been reading the paper,
I didn' t know I was going to be facing that, so
9 yes, I wound up facing it and that' s the dormer.
One of the things I want to make sure is
10 my wife I think has hit on there' s a couple
issues, we were trying to stay up to reduce
11 footprint. We don' t want it to go further east.
I know you really want to do that but it' s just
12 going to make it more obtrusive, and it' s going to
eat up more property, and it' s going to be
13 effectively more problematic. What I'd like to do
it is find some happy medium between 20 foot and
14 five, and if we can' t dormer and I don' t want to
build a gambrel, this will look like someone
15 dropped it, which it could look like that if I
wanted to, like adjacent properties. What would
16 make more sense is we could continue out the back,
and I would stay all on one story, but then that
17 means I'm going to hold more building line to a
property line. But that takes the dormer out of
18 the question, so I'm not standing here fighting
with an ordinance that was put in place whether,
19 we like it or not, 24 hours on top of us or to
keep moving 20 feet, you need to come to the
20 property, stand at the walnut and see when you
drop that out, she' s three and a half feet away.
21 Now all of a sudden I'm going to fill my yard to
drive my car in; I don' t think that' s what you' re
22 hoping for; that' s not what I'm hoping to do. I
want to keep the initial character.
23 So if we could keep this open and discuss
some dialogue that might work to what the property
24 really is . It' s not just there because we' re
looking to be big, that' s not the point. I know
25 enough about what I do that that' s not the way to
present.
May 31, 2007
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1
2 MS . SMITH: And truly when planning it we
rode the north fork, we read the books, The Barns
3 of the North Fork. And we tried to keep it more
in keeping with the structures that are already in
4 there.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, Leslie?
5 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Did you want to
ask?
6 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: No, but I do have some
comments after this. So you should go in
7 deference to the applicant. You should summarize
and then I' ll have my comment. Go ahead?
8 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Well, if that' s
what you want, summary usually goes at the end.
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, you asked to make
another comment, make another comment and then
10 I' ll have my say.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Okay, fine. At
11 this point it' s pretty clear to me that you
understand what the issues are relative to the new
12 law. You haven' t had an opportunity to really
reconsider and reflect upon, you' re still going to
13 request a variance; the question is to what extent
are you able to now rethink the scale and the
14 setbacks and then come back with an alternate that
you find meets your needs. Clearly you don' t want
15 to move it more towards the east, not just because
of the trees but because it' s going to start to
16 block your view from your patio, and you don' t
want to be looking at a building; you want to be
17 looking at a landscape. So, I would like to
suggest that the best thing to do rather than
18 recapping this one more time, which is not
necessary and we will do this by vote after Jim
19 has his comments, that we allow you the
opportunity to go ahead and pursue -- having heard
20 our feedback -- alternatives and come and present
them to us given the new law, and we' ll see where
21 we go from there. I was going to recap some other
things.
22 MR. SMITH: Are they separate issues, the
pergola and the --
23 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Yes .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I think she' s done that
24 pretty much. I mean, she doesn' t have any
objection to that, just the building.
25 MR. SMITH: I didn' t know how you can
separate them in the hearing for both.
May 31, 2007
42
1
2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We can' t, we can grant
one and deny another alternate relief.
3 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : After you submit
the new plans of course. We would have to see the
4 new plans with the alternatives first.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: A procedural matter
5 is if we see a hearing, actually have a hearing,
an application involves say two variances, it' s
6 possible to say deny the variance with respect to
A, but grant it with respect to B. So we are
7 empowered to separate them as we wish.
MR. SMITH: Can you grant with A and hold
8 B?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes .
9 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: Well, no, actually
we have never done that before. I have to say I
10 think it' s a procedural problem with that.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We would have to make a
11 decision on it.
ASST. TOWN ATTY. CORCORAN: You would have
12 to sever it and then have a new application for
the second.
13 ASST. TOWN ATTY. CORCORAN: You could do
it, it' s just a little more costly.
14 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Perhaps you want to
just leave it open.
15 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, I ask that my
comments be taken in their entirety and that no
16 comments be made by the Board until I'm finished;
is that all agreed? I didn' t interrupt and I
17 would not want to be interrupted here. You are
going to be taken by surprise here, sir. I just
18 find a decision that this Board made last month
concerning a building almost exactly the same size
19 located in exactly the same area on a larger lot
than yours, the variance was a 100 percent
20 variance from the new code. And I just want to
read one thing here because this is the Board' s
21 feeling: The benefit sought by the applicant
cannot be achieved by some method feasible for the
22 applicant to pursue other than an area
variance. The Board would not grant placement of
23 a garage of this size at five feet from any
property line, however, the size of the proposed
24 building is behind the applicant' s dwelling, and
does blend architecturally with the character and
25 size of the primary building, your building, and
surrounding homes and accessory buildings in the
May 31, 2007
43
1
2 neighborhood. Now I read that because that' s a
decision made after this new law, and I asked you
3 concerning the appropriateness of this because
although our law does not consider
4 appropriateness, the law doesn' t state that our
decision was based on that for another applicant.
5 Now we' re welcome to ask for the decision, I
suppose it' s been filed, and I am completely
6 surprised by the comments that I heard from this
Board concerning your application, sir. And angry
7 to the point of shaking right now because I cannot
believe that this Board would do -- members of
8 this Board would ask questions that they asked
considering this application. So, if you could,
9 please, Board, reconsider your comments and see if
you can, I don' t know.
10 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Could I comment
on that? Let me just point two things out. The
11 placement of this present application that the
Chairman has just read was in consideration of 250
12 year old trees. Very similar to your situation in
some respects, but I haven' t seen it, when I
13 discuss something with you I have to be able to
visualize it at the same time I'm seeing it. And
14 that is the reason why I told you that I have to
come back and uniquely this happens to be my
15 application again, that' s number one. Number two,
we did not grant the dormers in excess of the
16 current new law on this application. Number
three, what is unique about this past application
17 is the fact that the person also wanted to store
historical vehicles in the garage; what is also
18 unique about this application is that just as I
mentioned to you to your very nice wife, they
19 turned the building around and it' s now running the property is in a different direction. It' s
20 running opposite of what they wanted to build,
okay, to give them more room and to keep it away
21 from the trees . Yes, the property line was a
little bit bigger, but I have to tell you in
22 comparing this and mentioning this to the
Chairman, you can never compare apples and
23 oranges . Each piece in this town is extremely
unique, and what is more unique about this piece
24 is -- and I will phrase this and everybody must
understand this -- this is described property, and
25 your piece is a described piece. It is not part
of a subdivision. So that makes it even more
May 31, 2007
44
1
2 unique and more -- and you know what, more
beautiful . And your piece is beautiful and this
3 piece is beautiful, but what is also very, very
unique about your piece and this piece is the fact
4 that the house that' s related to this particular
application and this decision that the Chairman
5 read is much, much, larger than your house and
there is no objection, there' s no upset. This is
6 a tremendous Victorian with a huge addition on the
rear that was placed on some time later by a
7 Vermont company, and it even made the house more
ostentatious and larger.
8 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I just want to add to
the point just for the sake of completeness . I
9 understand the Chair' s point. I don' t know how
relevant it is, but I think it is . The Chair
10 should mention that he himself voted against the
granting of the variance in that case and the rest
11 of the Board found by looking at the property as
Mr. Goehringer suggests, is look at the specific
12 features of the property. So in the case of the
other property, I think the Board has been
13 consistent. The Board was. willing to look at each
property by itself and see what conditions
14 warranted a favorable decision on that one, and
therefore, the Board is also free to look at the
15 unique characteristics of yours . As I understand,
correct me if I'm wrong, Jim, it' s because you
16 believe, the Board made the wrong decision the
last time, we should stick with our decision
17 without distinguishing the two properties; is that
fair?
18 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: No.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Okay.
19 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Just one comment.
Each application that we receive, we are obliged
20 by law to consider independently of any other set
of circumstances. The only time in which
21 precedent takes place is within an existing
neighborhood. You look to see what the character
22 of the neighborhood is and if there are similar
structures in that neighborhood then it' s
23 applicable. These are two different hamlets, and
it is not an appropriate thing to make comparisons
24 between one application and another. Because
those are subtle decisions that are taken on a
25 case by case basis, and I think we will do exactly
that with your unique piece. It is our
May 31, 2007
45
1
2 responsibility to review all the circumstances
including the tree and your property boundary
3 conditions and other kinds of structures in the
area. All of those things that will be taken into
4 account, and I really go back to my point that I'd
like to see you have the opportunity to reflect
5 upon the particular testimony and come back to us
with some sort of alternate proposal that still
6 allows you to accomplish what you want.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I agree with Miss
7 Weisman.
MS . SMITH: I don' t understand the process
8 so I don' t know who may have come to look at the
property or not.
9 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Every one of us has
been there.
10 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: We all have been
there and your house is lovely but if you describe
11 sizes, actually your .barn/garage is almost three
quarters of the size of your house where I'm not
12 even going to mention the other property where the
house was so huge. I mean, it' s lovely, I love
13 your grounds, it' s beautiful, but it doesn' t meet
code, and I think you have to have some sort of
14 alternate relief.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I would caution you,
15 Ruth, that the size of this building is not a
question in this hearing.
16 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I know that, I'm just
mentioning it.
17 MR. SMITH: Many of the barns around and
garages and accessory buildings are much larger
18 than the homes as you drive up and down the
road.
19 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We understand. Can you
just hold on one minute, our counsel would like to
20 make a statement.
ASST. TOWN ATTY. CORCORAN: I just want to
21 make a comment it' s directed to the Board and I
don' t want anyone to try to read in because I have
22 no feelings, and even if I did they wouldn' t be
relevant as to the merits of this application.
23 You' re sort of both right. But every
parcel is unique. You have to look at it
24 individually, et cetera. But your decisions do
have to be consistent with one another. All
25 things being equal and all things are never equal,
but let' s say many things being equal, if you make
May 31, 2007
46
1
2 a decision on one property and you have a very
similar property -- I'm not saying this is a
3 similar property, 'I don' t know -- but if you have
a very similar property with similar
4 characteristics, you have to make a similar
decision. That goes to the essence of whether a
5 decision is or is not arbitrary and capricious .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay. Does anybody
6 else have any more comments on this application?
Mrs . Moore?
7 MS . MOORE: I don' t know these people but
they seem like lovely people. Pat Moore, I'm an
8 attorney here. They are not represented by
counsel and there are just two issues that are
9 important that you should keep in mind, one is
that when the law was adopted that evening,
10 there' s still a publication requirement by the
secretary of state. So the law itself is not in
11 place. The fact that it was adopted does not mean
it was being effective. And given the amount of
12 time, and it seems to me that when somebody has
spent thousands of dollars to do architectural
13 plans and an overall plan, and I think you already
had your house under construction and renovation
14 that it should have been looked at a little more
carefully before it was brought to this Board, so
15 you wouldn' t have to make these kinds of decisions
on someone that obviously already had construction
16 plans in place; that issue is one, and it could
have been avoided here.
17 Secondly, the law that was adopted I think
was trying to address garages in residential
18 neighborhoods. This house is on the Main Road.
Had this law been adopted, we would have a
19 different character of Southold because I am
personally very much in favor of architectural
20 styles where barns are predominantly the design
choice of people on the Main Road. We have from
21 my office to east of their home, if you look at
the houses that are there, there are many, many
22 barn structures. The Haskells are one of them
that have beautiful barn structures and the
23 difference between existing and new quite frankly,
we should have as many barn structures because
24 everybody that comes to visit this area, the
agricultural look, the character of Southold is
25 somewhat described by the barn structures that you
see throughout. And many of them have been
May 31, 2007
47
1
2 demolished and rebuilt, not that many have been
reconstructed. So I welcome their design choice
3 for the Main Road. It' s certainly something that
you should look at. One hundred percent
4 variances, well, look at the neighborhood and look
at Main Road as compared to little houses in my
5 neighborhood where somebody wants to put a huge
barn structure with quarter acre, half acre lots
6 next to them. So I think you can look at it
differently that way, and I know you will do your
7 best to do that. The third question was I don' t
know if they' re in the HALO or outside the
8 HALO.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: They' re outside.
9 MS . MOORE: Okay, so certainly very close
to where the HALO line falls, which is John
10 Nicholls office, you have got flexibility of
design that has been implemented in the old HALO
11 and hopefully in the new design standards for the
HALO, so again, a step one foot off and you've got
12 less flexible a design. So, I don' t know these
people, I wish them luck, but I feel very strongly
13 that we should encourage barn structures wherever
we can.
14 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I think it' s
important to suggest, no one on this Board was in
15 any way suggesting otherwise, by the way.
Certainly I believe that that' s a perfectly
16 appropriate comment but the suggestion was in no
way to redesign their original intentions .
17 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No, no, that was
just a suggestion I had.
18 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, I think there was
a suggestion from this Board for a gambrel roof .
19 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Ladies and
gentlemen, I'm going to make a statement this is a
20 democratic society, if you can' t make a suggestion
to an architect who is a professional, who you
21 are, sir, you are the nicest people I have seen
and would love to speak to at any one time
22 regarding any architectural situation, but I am
telling you mirroring that decision that the
23 Chairman read, that we denied that dormer and that
was the reason why I made that suggestion. I
24 wasn' t making it for any other reason.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay.
25 ASST. TOWN ATTY. CORCORAN: Is there any
confusion whether the law is effective as of this
May 31, 2007
48
1
2 application?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: No. I don' t think
3 there is .
MR. SMITH: I didn' t think it was either,
4 I thought you had to file with the Secretary of
State.
5 ASST. TOWN ATTY. CORCORAN: I can clarify
it for you. What' s important for you now is
6 whether the law is in effect now, it is . Now, if
you had gotten a permit before the clock struck
7 12 : 00 on this law and it became effective, you
would be fine, you would have a permit and you'd
8 go on your merry way, but it seemed like you
needed variances in any event, and you did not
9 have a permit to do what you wished to do, so you
need to abide by the new law. That' s the state of
10 the law, it' s very clear. The decisions are made
at the time the permit will be granted. If no
11 permit is granted you've got to go by the laws in
effect. The Town Board could have said,
12 everything in the pipeline right now, you' re
exempt, you' re grandfathered, they didn' t do it.
13 They considered it, they decided not to do it.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Sir, we just have a
14 little housekeeping to get you going here. How
much time do you need? We're going to need seven
15 sets of plans whatever you're going to propose.
MR. SMITH: If I know what I'm going to be
16 able to get.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, we can' t get you
17 that.
MR. SMITH: I can have these plans drawn
18 in 24 hours. I have enough people to do it for
me, but what I'm saying to you is I'm not seeing
19 20 feet as where I'd like to be, I think it
complicates my property.
20 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: That means cutting
20 feet off your barn or moving it over; that' s
21 what 20 feet would be.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Or requesting a
22 variance for a side yard variance.
MR. SMITH: Which is what we were doing.
23 The way I do business is sometimes a wink to try
to get a sense if I'm heading in the right
24 direction. If I take the dormer off, I might be
giving away the store. I'm still going to want
25 that property, that building area, because
otherwise, I' ll just build a garage and it will
May 31, 2007
49
1
2 look like one. So I want to push the back of it
out, which means I would probably still want to be
3 10 feet off the property line, if it works, but 16
feet deeper. So it' s going to be even more of it
4 along the property line, which is why you need to
see the adjacent structures to get a sense of I'm
5 just the same as what' s living next to me. I' ll
be honest with you, we don' t want to be 20 feet
6 off the yard. I probably could get to 10, but if
I take the dormer off, I need more of it.
7 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: A larger building?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: A larger footprint.
8 He' s going to reduce the height.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: This is something we
9 can' t enter. We cannot approve hypothetical
plans .
10 MR. SMITH: But you are -- I know that,
but you are able to comment on what' s in front of
11 you.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: But the comments
12 are -- first of all they're individually based.
They' re no more than suggestions . If one person
13 suggests how about a gambrel it doesn' t mean that
the Board --
14 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : It' s more about
procedure because if you came to the office today
15 for the first time, I would tell you to try to
submit plans that would conform to the code the
16 best that you can. If you can' t conform to the
code because of a difficulty, you can submit plans
17 A, B and C, just do rough diagrams, you don' t have
to do the full scaled map; do a Plan A may be 10
18 feet; do a Plan B may be 12 feet; do a plan C may
be 15 feet. See what you can do with different
19 alternatives.
MR. SMITH: We can be prepared to be on
20 for next month.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: Only thing we need
21 is we' re going to need that a week before the
hearing.
22 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: So we're going to
adjourn the hearing until around 10 :30 on June
23 28th. So will I will entertain a motion to
adjourn this hearing until June 28th at 10 :30 .
24 (See minutes for resolution. )
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I would like to
25 entertain a motion for a five minute break.
(See minutes for resolution. )
May 31, 2007
50
1
2 -------------------------------------------------
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: The next application
3 is for Cheryl and Erik Hansen. This is a request
for a variance under Section 280-116B, based on
4 the Building Inspector' s November 21, 2006 Notice
of Disapproval and applicants' request for a
5 Building Permit, concerning proposed
reconstruction and relocation of an existing
6 sunroom at less than 75 feet from the easterly
bulkhead. At 445 Elizabeth Lane, Southold.
7 MS . HANSEN: Hello, I'm Cheryl Hansen. We
reside at 445 Elizabeth Lane in Southold. And we
8 would like to reconstruct the sunroom that we have
now with a setback of between 52 inches, between
9 four or five feet.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: So you' re coming back
10 from the original?
MS . HANSEN: Yes. The room would be the
11 exact same size. The only thing we would like to
do is what we found is it' s a 40 year old room
12 from the south, we're getting the water from the
wind and what have you, so, if we had an
13 overhang.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Oh, I see, so in
14 other words, the sunroom is still 16 by 60, you
just want an overhang on that to protect the
15 windows .
MS. HANSEN: Yes, to --
16 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: That' s a five foot
deep overhang?
17 MS . HANSEN: I have a five foot but I
think it' s 52 or 55 inches .
18 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: The point is you' re
not going to be building any more seaward than
19 what you have now?
MS . HANSEN: No, if anything, we' re moving
20 further back.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Can I ask the Board to
21 follow the procedure here. Letting the members go
in order; is that okay?
22 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Yes . We had given
you the permission for the garage, that' s very
23 nice spot down there. I hadn' t walked around the
front before. I don' t think I could have. I
24 think you had a boat down there. It' s very nice
so it' s just the sunroom, the 16 by 16 sunroom
25 with a five foot overhang, correct?
MS . HANSEN: Correct.
May 31, 2007
51
1
2 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Which will make it
about 36 feet from the existing bulkhead?
3 MS . HANSEN: Yes, I think.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes .
4 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: It says 39 on the
plans; does it mean five foot closer?
5 MS . , HANSEN: Well, the overhang would
probably be at the 39, then the room would start
6 like 52 inches behind that.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: Okay.
7 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: All right, sounds
good.
8 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, Jerry?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No objection.
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Leslie?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No questions or
10 objections .
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Just a clarification,
11 I don' t have an objection. Is the sunroom itself
just exactly, going to be exactly where it was or
12 is it moved back?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Moved back.
13 MS. HANSEN: Moved back, exactly.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: So in other words,
14 the edge of the overhang will not be any closer to
the canal than the existing sunroom?
15 MS . HANSEN: No, the edge of the overhang
will probably be at the same --
16 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: So, if you had
rebuilt the sunroom exactly as it is with the same
17 overhang, exactly the same but maybe newer
materials, it still would have been denied by the
18 Building Department for just a very technical
reason?
19 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No, it wouldn' t.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: No.
20 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Why was it denied,
because of the overhang?
21 MS. HANSEN: No. Because they said any
time we' re building within 75 feet of the
22 bulkhead, they' re denied, so we had to come before
you. That' s the only reason.
23 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Michael, I can clear
that up for you. If this person, the applicant
24 was proposing just to replace that in-kind, she
wouldn' t be before us, but because she' s moving
25 the foundation of that building back a little bit,
then naturally they will destroy it,
May 31, 2007
52
1
2 nonconformity, so they' re before us .
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Even though she' s
3 decreasing the nonconformity.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Even though she' s
4 decreasing the nonconformity. No matter what you
do there.
5 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: So that' s why.
MS . HANSEN: To be honest with you, I
6 thought even if we left it in-kind I would have
had to come before you.
7 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes, I'm not so sure,
but if they told you that. We don' t ever see the
8 work. We don' t see -- you know what I mean? But
I realize what you are doing is you' re trying to
9 make your situation better with that little roof .
You' re not increasing the room size any, other
10 than the roof.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: You do have some sort
11 of overhang, do you want to just show me? Because
I have to write this .
12 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Leslie, do you have
anything else to add to this?
13 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Michael? I'm going to
14 ask you some questions specifically, okay. Our
plans indicate that you have an existing setback
15 right now or at that point, can you tell me, 36
feet on this side, you're on the canal, you' re on
16 the corner of the canal --
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : 61 from here to
17 here.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Right. And you don' t
18 intend to increase that. The only thing you' re
going to increase is this 39 feet somehow.
19 MS . HANSEN: No. We' re not changing
anything at all . We' re not changing anything.
20 The only thing we' re doing -- it' s still going to
be 39 feet, and it' s still going to be 61 feet
21 from the other side. The only thing we're doing
is taking that -- this is the house the way it is
22 now. What we' re going to do is take this room and
"move it back.
23 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Five feet?
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Is that correct?
24 You have on there five feet plus 16 for the
sunroom, so 21 feet altogether that we' re dealing
25 with.
MS. HANSEN: Okay.
May 31, 2007
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2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay. So does
everybody have that straight?
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yes .
MS . HANSEN: We' re actually going away
4 from the water.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, we don' t want to
5 put a number in there and find out you have to
change your plans . So five feet is going to be
6 that porch, then 16 feet is the building. Okay,
are there any other questions for this applicant
7 from the Board? Does anyone in the audience wish
to comment on this application? Okay, hearing
8 none, I will entertain a motion that we close this
hearing.
9 (See minutes for resolution. )
-------------------------------------------------
10 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Next hearing is for
Susan Emanuele. I would just like to state for
11 the record the LWRP came in, one of the most
unusual ones, it actually was consistent with the
12 LWRP.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I've never seen one
13 yet.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, the next hearing
14 is for Susan Emanuele. Jerry, that' s yours .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: This is a
15 request for a variance under Section 280-124 based
on the Building Inspector' s January 30, 2007
16 Notice of Disapproval concerning an application
for a building permit to construct additions and
17 alterations to the existing dwelling, for the
reason that the new construction will be less than
18 the code required minimum of 15 feet on a single
side yard, at 1585 Breakwater Road, Mattituck.
19 Pat?
MS . MOORE: Patricia Moore, 51020 Main
20 Road, Southold. I'm the attorney for the
applicant. The applicant apologizes, she couldn' t
21 be here. She' s a physician, oncologist from
Greenport. She' s at the hospital today so she
22 couldn' t be here.
What she is proposing to do is just add a
23 home office and gym on the southwest of her
existing structure. The addition is at 13 .4 feet
24 from the property line. The code requires 15 .
She just couldn' t make that 15 because in order to
25 do that she would have to eliminate the closet.
If she were to add a closet, certainly she might
May 31, 2007
54
1
2 lose some of her window space. So, you have the
interior design of the proposed addition?
3 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yes .
MS. MOORE: She had the architect,
4 Mr. Ebert, design this and he said this was really
the only logical position for this addition. I
5 asked her if any other locations were considered
and she said this was, in looking at the house, if
6 you had seen the house, and I'm sure you have,
that house is pretty much in its place on the east
7 side is the garage. The garage, the entrance, the
living area is centered and in order to create the
8 privacy for her home office, she wanted to
segregate it from the bedrooms . So that' s the way
9 it was designed the way it is .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: What is the
10 nature of the home office?
MS . MOORE: She' s a physician so she takes
11 work home. This is where her computer is .
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Oh, no patients?
12 MS. MOORE: No. She won' t be seeing
patients.
13 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Miss Moore, I
live relatively close to this site. I was over
14 again this morning to look at it. I have
absolutely no problems with this reduction of
15 setback.
MS. MOORE. Yes . It' s heavily
16 vegetated. You can' t even see if there' s a house
next door. Any other questions?
17 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Actually a comment,
if it' s appropriate for me to go next.
18 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes, it is.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Yes, I agree
19 completely. I think she also indicated there is
no other reasonable location for this; that' s
20 number one. And number two, it' s a single story
and that' s the right side for that to be a single
21 story. And I have no objection. There is one
small thing in the application, and I'm not sure
22 it' s appropriate to bring up, but I'd like to put
it into the record anyway, and that' s that you
23 would be moving the shed to a conforming location.
And as far as I'm concerned that shed can stay
24 there. You know it' s in the right location.
You' re going to mess up the landscaping and you' re
25 going to ruin the patio and you' re going to drag
it to the other side of the grassy area, and it
May 31, 2007
55
1
2 has no impact on anything. If there was a way to
support, at least in principle, that it would not
3 be necessary to move that shed because it' s not
going to be on top of the addition. So it affects
4 nothing, really. But I do think it would require
some action on this Board' s part in order for that
5 to take place. So I simply want it added into the
record that should this Board consider that that I
6 would certainly support it. I have no problem at
all with the application.
7 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Michael?
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Just a question, the
8 papers we have say that it will have a 13 . 6
setback, I believe in your remarks just for the
9 sake of the record, I thought you said 13 .4 .
MS . MOORE: I'm sorry. The angle of the
10 property line seems a little bit off or the house
is just slightly ajar so it' s 13 .4 on one end and
11 13 . 6 on the other.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Just for the sake of
12 the writing.
MS. MOORE: Then make it 13 .4 because I
13 don' t want to be here for a .2 .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Ruth?
14 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: No problem.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: And I have no questions
15 at all . So any other comments, Ms . Moore?
MS. MOORE: No.
16 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Any comments from the
audience for or against this application? Hearing
17 none, I' ll entertain a motion to close the
hearing.
18 (See minutes for resolution. )
-------------------------------------------------
19 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Next hearing is for
David Berezny, Jr. That is Ruth' s.
20 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: It' s a request for a
variance from Section 280-124 based on the
21 Building Inspector' s May 2, 2007 Notice of
Disapproval concerning an application for a
22 Building Permit to construct a swimming pool with
a lot coverage in excess of the code limitation of
23 20 percent of this 13, 888 square foot lot. The
location of the property is 680 Westview Drive,
24 Mattituck. Hello.
MR. BEREZNY: How are you this afternoon?
25 My name is David Berezny, and I'm just here for a
variance.
May 31, 2007
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2 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: It' s an above ground
pool?
3 MR. BEREZNY: It' s an above ground pool .
It' s over by . 8 percent.
4 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: When we were down
there we thought that perhaps you could make it
5 maybe a little closer to the house.
MR. BEREZNY: Where we' re at now is seven
6 and a half feet I think.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Yes, seven and a half
7 feet.
MR. BEREZNY: I think that actually that
8 was the closest possible it' s going to be. It
looks like it' s going to be a foot closer. The
9 reason we didn' t want to get too close to the
house, we ended up with a decent amount of yard.
10 We' re trying to spare most of that for the
children and everything to run around. We have a
11 young daughter who' s eight years old. We want to
keep as much of the yard as possible.
12 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: So you want to move
it back at least a foot?
13 MR. BEREZNY: Sure.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Can we make it 10
14 foot?
MR. BEREZNY: Ten foot we went over
15 that. Ten foot comes way too close to that patio
and we also want to put some nice shrubbery down
16 there. We want to make it look nice but I don' t
want to encroach on the house already.
17 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: What do you say 8 . 5?
MR. BEREZNY: 8 . 5, we just didn' t want to
18 encroach on the house, it' s so close already.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: So you' re saying 8 . 5?
19 MR. BEREZNY: What did we originally have?
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: 7 . 5 .
20 MR. BEREZNY: Can we just do eight; is
that possible? It' s encroaching so much. I know
21 it sounds like a little amount.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Do you want to look
22 at the map? If you moved it over a little bit, it
might be able to get more.
23 MR. BEREZNY: Oh, that way.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: There' s an angle
24 there, see that angle?
MR. BEREZNY: We' re ultimately going to
25 put a fencing all the way around. But two things,
you have to meet the fact that you need a water
May 31, 2007
57
1
2 alarm at all times that you can hear from the
house; and secondly, you need to have around the
3 ladder itself, not only locked up, but there has
to be a fence that' s at least four foot high with
4 a self-locking gate and that meets all the New
York state laws .
5 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I worry about this
all the time.
6 MR. BEREZNY: So am I . I'm a physician' s
assistant.
7 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I don' t care how many
times the kids have been great, there' s always
8 that one time, I have grandchildren.
MR. BEREZNY: I totally agree. The safety
9 is of our utmost concern actually.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: How far over the code
10 are you?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: One percent.
11 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Actually it' s
less -- . 8 .
12 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Oh, dear, I don' t
know, sir, if we could do that. It' s really going
13 to be very hard. Would anybody of my fellow Board
members like to comment?
14 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Ruth, are you done?
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Yes .
15 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Jerry?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: I have no
16 particular question. My colleague is going to and
I don' t want to ask her question -- what you do
17 with the pool water.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Normally when you
18 put in an accessory structure like a swimming
pool, you have to drain the water at some point or
19 another and I don' t really know the answer when
you have an above-ground structure like that; what
20 do you do with the water when you drain it?
MR. BEREZNY: The uptake on that is that
21 you cover it in the winter, you just take off a
small percentage and put the chemicals in that
22 keep it from overgrowth, and then when you open
it -- you reopen it, you reopen it with the proper
23 chemicals .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We' re worried about the
24 backwash, sir; is there a containment for that?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: You never drain the
25 water ever? You have to.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: No, I don' t, not on
May 31, 2007
58
1
2 mine.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Not on an above
3 ground, you never drain the water?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Not on any pool, you
4 don' t have to. Leslie, I'm thinking you' re
concerned about the backwash; is there a dry well
5 for that? I believe we have a code that says you
have to do that.
6 MR. BEREZNY: I can put a dry well in I'm
certain without a problem. There' s all cesspools
7 in my yard so I' ll just put a dry well .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We' re probably going to
8 put it on there if we make a decision on the
affirmative.
9 MR. BEREZNY: Is there any particular
size?
10 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I think the Building
Department will do that.
11 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: It will be small
because you have a small pool.
12 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Michael?
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I don' t have a
13 problem, but I would just for the record say that
it' s my understanding that the only issue before
14 us is the lot coverage, and if it weren' t for that
. 8 percent you wouldn' t even be before us . I
15 haven' t seen any connection between the lot
coverage issue and the question of the location of
16 the pool . So I'm not even sure that it' s within
our jurisdiction from what I understand of the
17 state law regarding attaching conditions which are
not relevant to the particular point at issue. I
18 wouldn' t raise it, I would certainly support --
kind of a redundant statement that whatever he' s
19 done must be in accordance with town code,
building code. So that' s my own position on
20 this . So I don' t have any objections to what
you' re doing.
21 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Is that it, Mike?
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Yes .
22 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes, the location of
your pool is not the subject of this hearing,
23 sir. And I am certainly not going to consider
that and encumber you to move it any place, any
24 conforming place. I don' t know how the rest of
the Board feels; that' s certainly how I feel.
s 25 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: He' s not going to
anyway.
May 31, 2007
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1
2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I mean, I don' t know
why we had to ask that question. Any further
3 questions?
MR. BEREZNY: I just have a question with
4 the dry well. Since I have cesspools there, is it
possible just to tap into --
5 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Oh, I wouldn' t do that,
no. You don' t want to do that. Chlorine kills
6 bacteria, you want the bacteria in there.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Something as
7 simple as what you would have a down spout come
into rather than have it run down your driveway.
8 MR. BEREZNY: I totally understand.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Just so it didn' t run
9 down your road.
MR. BEREZNY: I got you.
10 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Are you finished?
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Yes .
11 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, so it' s a .8 lot
coverage that we' re concerned with here. Okay, is
12 there anyone else this wishes to comment on this
application for or against? Hearing no one, I' ll
13 entertain a motion that we close the hearing.
(See minutes for resolution. )
.14 ---- ---------------------------------------------
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Our next application is
15 for Thomas Byrne and Veronica Kaliski . Leslie,
that' s yours .
16 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Okay. Just for the
record I'm going to read the Notice of
17 Disapproval. Request for variances under Sections
280-116B and 280-124 based on the Building
18 Inspector' s February 20, 2007 Notice of
Disapproval concerning an application for a
19 Building Permit to construct an as-built and new
additions and alterations to the existing
20 single-family dwelling, which are less than 35
feet from the front lot line, less than 75 feet
21 from the bulkhead, and less than 10 feet on a
single side yard. Location of property 2345
22 Bayview Avenue, Southold.
Good afternoon. Let me just encapsulate a
2-3 couple of things and then we' ll hear from you.
You have a fairly oddly shaped lot and the
24 road that you front on, your primary front,
Bayview Avenue, carries around to your side yard
25 and kind of dead ends at the water, therefore
giving you two front yards . You currently have a
May 31, 2007
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1
2 front yard setback of 35 foot plus and 16 . 3 feet
from the northern front yard. What you want to do
3 is put a new deck; actually you're doing a
renovation, partially second story and you' re
4 going to be adding on a deck to the seaward side,
wrapping around your garage and so that new deck
5 is going to change the existing side yard setback
from six feet, where your garage is, to 4 . 5 feet
6 for a portion of the deck and then it resumes a
more conforming side yard.
7 MR. BYRNE: Yes.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: And the other
8 variance has to do with setback from the bulkhead.
Right, you have 60 feet from the steps of the
9 bulkhead at the corner, the nearest corner of your
proposed deck and then you have 73 feet from the
10 new addition to the bulkhead.
MR. BYRNE: Wouldn' t be a new addition,
11 it' s the existing.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Existing plus the
12 second story.
MR. BYRNE: Right.
13 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Right. And your
side yard setback 'is fine at 1613" on the edge of
14 the property that comes around the corner.
Okay. So you' re here before us for basically
15 setback.
MS . KALISKI: I have the affidavits here
16 (handing) .
MR. BYRNE: The name on the letter is
17 Raymond Strong.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Thank you very
18 much. It will be in the record.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Ma'am, could you just
19 state your name for the record, please?
MS . KALISKI : I'm Veronica Kaliski .
20 MR. BYRNE: And I'm Tom Byrne. Primarily
we' re looking to put a second floor on the home.
21 We' re looking to make this our permanent residence
when we retire from the school system which may be
22 in five years. We have also invited my mother to
come live with us. She lives in southern Florida
23 and we'd like her to be closer.
I' ll give you a little history. We looked
24 at the envelope, the possibility to build within
the envelope, and it presented such a bizarre
25 looking structure that we really felt we didn' t
want to go along with that. So working with Frank
May 31, 2007
61
1
2 Uhlendahl our architect, he came up with another
structure. There will be a bedroom on the first
3 floor and then two bedrooms upstairs, which would
be my daughter. Her friends would come over and
4 us when my mom' s in residence with us. And I
believe the decking changes that he' s proposing
5 really steps down, and it' s more for landscaping
purposes just in order to have a flow of the house
6 rise with what' s around the lay of the property.
I'm totally new at this, so I have no idea what to
7 say. So ask me anything you want.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: You mean, we
8 could actually grill you and you wouldn' t know
that we were grilling you?
9 MR. BYRNE: I wouldn' t know, but I would
be very honest and say I have no clue.
10 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: You would know if
you' re grilled.
11 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Let me carry
on. Frank Uhlendahl is a very good architect and
12 I congratulate you on your good choice. He makes
wonderful, clear drawings that lay people can
13 easily understand, such as this . So it' s really a
very small piece of the deck. One of the things
14 that I'd like to point out about this proposed
deck extension is that although it' s very close to
15 your neighbor' s property, property is very open,
there' s no vegetation, there' s no screen, which is
16 kind of nice, I mean. And I'm sure you want to
keep that. Their house is set closer to the road
17 than yours, so by the time you add your deck
piece, you' re actually past their house so that
18 the impact is rather inconsequential on their
property. The fact that you're putting the second
19 story on the road side also has no real
significant impact or the least impact possible on
20 that side of the property, leaving the garage the
one story piece.
21 The bulkhead issue, the steps really are
very small you know going down to the bulkhead.
22 It' s a couple of feet difference and I don' t think
has much of an impact either. The height is
23 within the code, you know there' s no variance
required for that. And maybe my colleagues will
24 have some questions for you, I don' t really have
any questions. I just wanted to make sure it was
25 clear for the record what it is you' re requesting.
It' s just mostly these yellow ends over here. And
May 31, 2007
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1
2 this setback right over here (indicating) . This
is pre-existing. You' re not increasing the degree
3 of nonconformity, you' re just creating two foot
additional here by virtue of the deck, which is
4 still fairly narrow at four and a half feet.
Jerry, can you -- at six feet you can just get
5 emergency equipment through?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: You don' t have
6 to worry about that.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: They have got a big
7 yard on the side yard. I think it' s more
aesthetic, you know canalling that edge off
8 certainly can be done to keep it at six feet, but
you know it' s just going to be a bitsy little
9 - piece. You know it' s simply creating continuity
on the elevation and since it' s not that obtrusive
10 and hasn' t got a great deal of impact, this is a
situation where I personally -- and I don' t know
11 how my colleagues feel -- but I wouldn' t
particularly object.
12 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Let it go.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: It' s a small deck.
13 I think what you would lose would be more than you
would gain. You lose more than you gain
14 basically. I don' t have any further comments or
questions, perhaps my colleagues do.
15 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, Michael?
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Yes, the portion of
16 the deck that is behind the garage; what is that
going to be used for? Is that just to extend the
17 deck?
MR. BYRNE: Just to extend the deck. Also
18 as the garage doors open on that also. We' re
looking for garage doors on both sides so that if
19 we' re in the exercise room or in that area, we' ll
be able to have a view of the water. It will just
20 be a few steps down. It actually raises the --
the floor of the garage is above ground level.
21 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Which side are the
doors of the garage?
22 MR. BYRNE: They're both sides.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: They' re not garage
23 doors on that side, they' re door doors.
MR. BYRNE: We' re putting on the old barn
24 door-type garage door. I grew up with those.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: So it looks like
25 the same type.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: These doors will not
May 31, 2007
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1
2 face Bayview Avenue.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Oh, no, they
3 will. Here, Michael, they' re going to keep those,
they' re going to add those, so you can go through
4 it. So in order to step out of the garage, you
need to step on a level platform, you see what I
5 mean? When you come out of the doors, because
this is up higher than grade so they have to step
6 out onto something. So it' s a landing.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: It' s basically for
7 pedestrians to get from the garage to the house.
I guess the only thing, part of the garage is only
8 six feet from the property line and this deck
reduces that further to four and a half feet, but
9 as you say, it' s an aesthetic question. We have
at times asked people to simply shave a deck in
10 order to not increase the nonconformity. I assume
that this would be the sort of thing that your
11 neighbor would object to, if anyone.
MR. BYRNE: Actually the letter I brought
12 in was from Ray Strong. He is the neighbor in
that house, and he said he has no objection
13 whatsoever.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Oh, that' s
14 important.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: No further questions .
15 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: Do you 'see the one
plan, it says deck should be removed.
16 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Yes, they' re going
to take down what' s there and they' re going to
17 rebuild it.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : Okay.
18 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Sir, where you' re
putting the deck now there is something. You' re
19 just going to extend it a little more?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Mostly steps down.
20 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay. Michael, are you
complete on that?
21 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Yes .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Ruth?
22 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Yes . It' s fine. You
have a lovely spot.
23 MR. BYRNE: We have been going there for
30 years on that street, and then the house came
24 up about 14 years ago, so we jumped on it.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I don' t blame you.
25 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Jerry?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No comments .
May 31, 2007
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2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, I have no
comments either. Do you have anything to add?
3 MR. BYRNE: Frank Uhlendahl gave me a
note. He will be delivering slips that may have
4 come in. They came in from other names .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: You' re talking about
5 the green cards?
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: I think you' re okay
6 on that. There' s one other card we were waiting
for.
7 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, we' ll get that.
Okay. Is there an in the audience? Hearing
8 no further comments, I' ll entertain a motion to
close the hearing.
9 (See minutes for resolution. )
---------- ---------------------------------------
10 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: The next hearing is for
Scott Kruk. Michael, this is yours .
11 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: This is a request for
variances under Section 280-15, based on an
12 application for a building permit, and the
Building Inspector' s April 19, 2007 and February
13 21, 2007 Notice of Disapproval, concerning a
proposed accessory swimming pool and accessory
14 garage locations in a yard other than the code
required rear yard at 40135 County Road 48 in
15 Southold.
As I understand it, this pool is going to
16 be behind the garage and so the fact that it is in
a side yard is somewhat less a point. If that' s a
17 problem it' s mitigated by the fact that it' s
behind the garage in any case. The question I
18 have and I'm just puzzled, I don' t see anything on
the application applying for the variance for the
19 garage whereas the published notices that the
variance includes the --
20 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Yes, it does and
accessory.
21 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: It says here but it
doesn' t say it in the application.
22 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI: He submitted an
amended application.
23 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I see, okay. The
most recent one I have is April 19th.
24 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Here. Here' s the
second one, February 21st.
25 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I guess I don' t have
that. Okay, I see. So I guess I don' t remember
May 31, 2007
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1
2 reading in the application the argument for why
the garage should be there. I understand the
3 arguments for putting the pool there once the
garage is in place. In my papers I didn' t see
4 anything about that.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: The house, the
5 noise from the road would be.
MS . BYRNE: The garage is being proposed
6 in the front yard to keep the house as close into
the rear yard as possible to keep it off the North
7 Road 'and take advantage of the vineyard that is
behind the property. So therefore the house is
8 being pushed to the very back setback. And in
order to do that to keep the garage in the rear
9 yard, we would have to drive by the entire
property basically to get to the garage. So
10 therefore, we were looking to put the garage in
the front yard.
11 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I don' t have any
problem. One of the things that troubles me about
12 the code is the very antiquated practice of
insisting that the garage be in the rear yard.
13 And there' s an interesting history to this . Why
if you look at houses that were built before say
14 1948, before World War II, the garages were way
back, before they started having attached
15 garages. The answer seems to be that a long time
ago there were barns there, and people kept horses
16 in them, and that' s where society decided that
garages should be. Otherwise I could see no
17 reason at all why we have this historical relic of
having the garage behind the house, and I think as
18 a matter of policy this part of the code ought to
be amended because I see no good reason for doing
19 it. Most people solve the problem by attaching
their garages. But in this case considering the
20 circumstances the distance from the North Road,
which you' re interested in maintaining and keeping
21 open the back of the property I don' t have any
problem. And I have a problem with the code. And
22 in this case, if my colleagues are willing to
grant a variance because of a silly clause in a
23 code, I'm all for it.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Yes .
24 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : It' s 110 feet back.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: This seems to be a
25 case where the code is stupid.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, with that said,
May 31, 2007
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1
2 how about Ruth?
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I think you made a
3 very wise choice as far as being on the North
Road. You kept the house as far back as possible
4 and I see no problem with your pool or your garage
or what have you.
5 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Jerry?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No questions.
6 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Leslie?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Well, technically
7 it' s possible to turn the garage and move it into
your side yard instead of your front yard, you
8 could reorient your swimming pool by making a 90
degree pool putting it in the back yard. It' s
9 only partially in the side yard. All that would
mean would be that you would lose a back yard and
10 that' s significant because that' s where you' re
going to be hanging out all the time overlooking
11 the vineyard. You have no impact on either
neighbor on either side. One side is woods, which
12 may not stay woods; the other side you' re very
well screened. So given how noisy that County
13 Road is, I don' t have a problem with it. It' s not
going to impact anybody visually. So it seems all
14 right to me. Okay. I need to get the -green cards
from you. Just hand them up to Linda.
15 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: And notwithstanding the
fact that you look exactly like my daughter, you
16 won' t get any sympathy from me. I thought she was
sitting back there, I didn' t have my glasses on.
17 And she made the same comment, so I wasn' t going
crazy. I think if you could, where the garage is
18 right now, you could still build the house forward
and still not need a variance. The property is
19 large enough so that you have this option, You' re
on the Main Road and it' s a noisy road. So I have
20 no objection at all to your plan, plan here. Do
you have anything to add to this? Does anyone
21 else have any comments for or against this
application? Hearing none I' ll entertain the
22 motion that we close the hearing until the 14th.
(See minutes for resolution. )
23 - - -----------------------------------------------
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Next hearing is for
24 Thomas and Mildred. Toivonen. This is yours,
Leslie.
25 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: For the record,
request for a variance under Section 280-15 based
May 31, 2007
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1
2 on the Building Inspector' s March 21, 2007 Notice
of Disapproval concerning an application for a
3 building permit to construct an accessory hot
tub/gazebo structure in a yard other than a code
4 required rear yard, and proposing it in the front
yard adjacent to Cedar Lane. Location of
5 property: 1065 East Gillette Drive, East
Marion.
6 Let me just summarize this . Your proposal
is to locate a gazebo, which is 10 foot high and
7 10 foot in diameter, which is a kit you' re going
to get, in what is a second front road along a
8 private road that is a part of Gardiners Bay
Estate, very small private road, that' s Cedar
9 Lane; which then, because you front on East
Gillette, gives you two front yards. Your
10 setbacks are fine for accessory structure. The
issue is that it' s in a front yard and also that
11 it' s partially, just a couple of feet, in a side
yard as well, as a result of this setback on the
12 south side of your property. We have all been
there and visited, as I mentioned when I saw you
13 nice people at your home.
One thing that became clear to me is the
14 reason you want to site it there is there' s no
conforming location that you can put this in.
15 You' re going to need a variance no matter what.
But perhaps -- I have lots of notes -- but perhaps
16 I should let you summarize for the rest of the
Board why you want to put your gazebo and hot tub
17 where you want to put it.
MS . TOIVONEN: Well, when we first applied
18 and we were told that we had two front yards, it
was suggested that it would be on the north side
19 and that there would be no privacy afforded
because everyone on East Gillette when they went
20 by would be very visible. And the place that we
had in mind would be the most unobtrusive place
21 because it' s right out of our door and we have
arborvitae there, and we' re planning to put
22 another row there around the perimeter. So it
would be unobtrusive.
23 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: So by perimeter you
mean screening it from Cedar?
24 MS. TOIVONEN: Yes .
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: And your house will
25 be screening it from East Gillette?
MS. TOIVONEN: Yes .
May 31, 2007
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2 MR. TOIVONEN: Also makes it closer to the
back door, so you come right out rather than going
3 across the entire yard and picking up all the sand
and grass and bringing it in.
4 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Okay. It' s not on
your survey, it doesn' t need to be, but when I
5 went there and realized -- because my first
reaction was well, okay, how about just scooting
6 it over just a little bit more behind your house
in the same location so that it' s not at all in
7 the side yard, just you know, in that front yard,
and then I realized why because of the landscaping
8 that' s already there and the pavers . You have it
paved and obviously you have a little nook there
9 where you would logically like to place it.
I don' t have any questions other than the
10 fact that I did observe in driving up and down
Cedar Lane, which I did after we happened to run
11 into each other, is that there are other
structures, pools and saunas and so on, in this
12 area, many also in the front yard because of this
unique condition. So I think perhaps you have
13 already explained, I think you also mentioned that
you want to keep a little bit of open grassy area
14 for your grandchild to run around. So I don' t
have any other questions or comments.
15 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Thank you, Leslie.
Approximate Michael?
16 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I have no
questions .
17 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Ruth?
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I have no questions
18 either. I think it fits in very nicely and it
will be nicely screened and have fun with it.
19 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Jerry?
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: No questions.
20 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I travel Cedar Road a
lot so I understand that you have got two front
21 yards.
MS. TOIVONEN: We never knew that
22 before.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Most people don' t
23 consider that really, especially as it is a
private road.
24 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I do have one other
thing.
25 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Sure, Leslie, go
ahead.
May 31, 2007
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2 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I think you were
here when I asked the question about an above
3 ground swimming pool, and I just learned that they
hardly ever drain water out of it, but as you
4 know, I have a spa myself and you do need to drain
that maybe every six weeks or so.
5 MS . TOIVONEN: Really?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Yes . It depends on
6 how frequently you use it but they will advise you
to drain it and do a fresh fill, but it' s. a small
7 one. Do you know how many gallons it is?
MR. TOIVONEN: 250 gallons.
8 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Not a lot of water
but I would suggest if you would be amenable to
9 have some sort of very minor dry well or something
so that you don' t have the water spilling out on
10 roads or even saturating your own property when
you do drain it, you get a little sump pump with a
11 hose attached and you suck the water out, but then
that water' s going to spill all over the place.
12 You' re going to drown your plants and screw up
your lawn. So you' re going to need a little
13 someplace to discharge.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Is it possible that
14 the manufacturer would be able to help with this?
MR. TOIVONEN: When I asked the fellow
15 down the road who was buying it, he said you never
drain it, you just have the filter you change.
16 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No, Bud knows you
have to change it. You have to put in a little
17 sump pump, they' re this big, so as long as that' s
okay with you, you' re probably using bromine or
18 something like that, and that' s a chemical you
don' t want spreading around your property.
19 MS . TOIVONEN: I want to make this point,
we did our homework and we found the smallest hot
20 tub available, we went to many places and they
don' t make them smaller.
21 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Yes . I don' t have
any objection. I just wanted to tell you.
22 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, that wasn' t the
subject of this application either. I would say
23 that I think our code addresses drainage of these
devices, so --
24 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Does it?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes .
25 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: A hot tub?
Swimming pools but --
May 31, 2007
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2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Yes, there is a
building code. I'm concerned if we tell them we
3 have to put some kind of dry well in --
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Just say as per
4 code.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: No, I understand
5 because if we say dry well, they' re going to end
up digging.
6 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No,
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: So, do you have
7 anything else you would like to say? Anybody on
the Board?
8 MS . TOIVONEN: Does anyone have an
objection?
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Doesn' t appear to be.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: We all want to
10 use the hot tub.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: So, hearing no further
11 comment, I' ll entertain a motion to close this
hearing until the 14th of June.
12 (See minutes for resolution. )
- ------------------------------ ---------------- --
13 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: The next hearing is for
Alessi . This is yours, Ruth.
14 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Request for a
variance under Section 280-15C based on the
15 Building Inspector' s February 20, 2007 Notice of
Disapproval concerning a proposed swimming and
16 related equipment in their front yard with a
setback of at less than the code required 50 feet
17 from the front property line on this 53 , 244 square
foot parcel, at 1700 Cedar Point Drive East, in
18 Southold.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I just want to say I
19 was down there, I met Mr. Alessi and frankly, I
don' t know where else you would put the pool
20 because of the contours of the land and your
wetlands and so forth and so on, probably the most
21 environmentally safe place to put it.
MR. LOHN: Just for the record, William
22 Lohn, Suffolk Environmental on behalf of the
applicant today. You' re very correct, Miss Oliva,
23 that pretty much was going to be the basis of my
entire case. The DEC, for that purpose the DEC
24 for that exact reason has placed the pool in this
location as the only conforming location with
25 respect to wetlands on the entire lot. Basically
for that reason is why we' re here. It' s a very
May 31, 2007
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1
2 simple application. If this pool were to meet the
required principal setback it could be located in
3 the front yard but because of the dimensional
constraints of the lot, which does have water on
4 three sides, it' s located 12 feet from the front
lot line while 50 is required. At this point that
5 does only leave 10 feet between the existing
dwelling and the proposed pool .
6 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: And it says you have
the proposed dry well there for it and pool and
7 equipment right there too.
MR. LOHN: Yes, ma'am, and for the record
8 I would just like to state prior Decision 4922
Southold Zoning Board of Appeals did grant a
9 variance for a 24 by 24 garage in approximately
the same location which never ended up being
10 built.
- BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Yes, I know. I went
11 there first. I'm fine.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, Jerry.
12 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: The only thing
I'm concerned about, Mr. Lohn, is the noise
13 emanating from the pool filter. I'm not speaking
for the Board I'm making a generalization. I am
14 concerned about the noise. We are requesting -- I
am requesting that the filter be put in a
15 soundproof cabinet.
MR. LOHN: I would imagine my client would
16 have no objection to that.
BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Right next to
17 the property line. I know that Cedar Point East
is a paper street, but your neighbor is relatively
18 close. There will be some noise.
MR. LOHN: No problem at all.
19 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Leslie?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No questions .
20 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Michael?
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Yes . I should
21 mention when I came over there your neighbor, Mrs .
Sullivan, was there and was very helpful and she
22 was very accommodating. She even offered to come
to the hearing if she thought it would be
23 necessary, obviously not objecting. The thing
that is puzzling to me is this is one of those
24 cases, it took me a long time to figure out why it
was said to be close to the road because you can' t
25 find the road, there is no road there. This is
not even a paper road, this is a green and leaf
May 31, 2007
72
1
2 road, but I guess the only question I have is some
of that is going to involve taking down some
3 trees .
MR. LOHN: Yes, some small vegetation will
4 have to be cleared. No large trees .
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I have no further
5 questions on this .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, does anyone have
6 anything else to add to this? Sir, do you have
anything to add to this application?
7 MR. LOHN: No.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay. We have a motion
8 by Ruth, seconded by --
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: I' ll second.
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: To close the hearing
and make a decision on June 14th.
10 (See minutes for resolution. )
-------------------------------------------------
11 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: The next application is
for Linda Sanford. Michael, that' s your
12 application.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: This is a request for
13 a variance under Section 280-14 concerning a
request to amend a permit concerning a new
14 dwelling under construction with conversion of the
third floor attic area to a finished floor area,
15 determined to be a third story under the Building
Inspector' s April 2, 2007 Notice of Disapproval .
16 The property is located is 780 Private Road Number
17 in Southold. In any case I found my way there,
17 it is so big and so grand, I came in and the
dwelling I saw didn' t look like the pictures, so I
18 figured I was in the wrong place, drove around,
parked up someplace else, then I saw it from
19 another angle through the woods, climbed down,
walked down through the woods to find it, then I
20 couldn' t find my way back to my truck. Anyway,
it' s a magnificent home and as I understand you' re
21 here only because you decided to put a ceiling in
that second and a half floor making that a third
22 one, right?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Could you state your
23 name?
MS . BERTANI: Linda Bertani .
24 MR. NAPLEY: And I'm Charles Napley, I'm
the architect.
25 MS . BERTANI : I'm going to refer all your
questions to Mr. Napley.
May 31, 2007
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2 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Okay.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Is there any external
3 change to the building or is it only internal?
MR. NAPLEY: It' s only internal, the
4 insurance company required sprinkling the entire
house, including the attic space, mechanical
5 space, when it reached a certain dollar amount
that they were insuring. So while we had an attic
6 space there, it was unfinished, but once we put
sprinklers in, they said this could be a livable
7 space and not only access to the air conditioners
on the flat roof or air handlers in the other
8 parts of the attic, we chose to make that small
area livable, habitable by sheet rocking it and
9 having it sprinklered.
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: This is very
10 curious how putting in an interior ceiling turned
a two-story house into a three-story house as far
11 as the Building Department was concerned, but it
doesn' t change anything from the outside?
12 MR. NAPLEY: Doesn' t change anything on
the outside.
13 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: This is interesting
because this is a case where the code doesn' t
14 necessarily fit real life. Because there are good
reasons for there being a two and a half story
15 limit on houses, often having to do with towering
over neighborhoods, and if there were ever to be a
16 case where a third floor variance would be
granted, it would seem to be one on a large piece
17 of land, isolated with other properties, that
doesn' t require any additional construction in
18 order to do so, and that describes the house
that' s before us now. I have no objections .
19 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Ruth?
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: No, I don' t have any
20 problem.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Jerry?
21 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Sir, were you
the gentleman that did the original presentation
22 on this with the PowerPoint?
MR. NAPLEY: Yes, sir.
23 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Tremendous job
and I commended the builder when I was down there,
24 absolutely magnificent structure. I had the
distinct pleasure of going up to that third story
25 room with the builder, and he explained to me the
reason for this application. Probably one of the
May 31, 2007
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1
2 most well-done structures I have ever seen in my
life. It is truly magnificent, and I have to
3 commend you.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: How many square feet
4 is the house?
MR. NAPLEY: About 8, 000, that includes
5 overhangs and porches .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, Leslie, do you
6 have any questions?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: No. Only to say
7 it' s exactly what I guessed it was. I'm an
architect too. You can look -at the plans and
8 figure that out. It' s already sprinkled, that' s
what we would condition it according to code. So
9 it' s proforma as far as I'm concerned.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, any other
10 comments, sir?
MR. NAPLEY: No.
11 ASST. TOWN ATTY. CORCORAN: May I make a
very brief comment? Again, with no point of view
12 on the merits of the application, just to respond
to Michael' s comment. There are lots of times we
13 make distinctions in the code on what' s going on
inside the structure. We do it all the time with
14 accessory structures . It is a matter of use. And
it' s a matter of what' s going on inside that
15 determines what it is. So, whether there' s a
ceiling or not, or whether it' s finished does in
16 this instance decide whether it' s a third story or
not. I don' t know whether that affects your
17 decision. I don' t think you can take the blanket
view you haven' t changed what the outside. looks
18 like so it' s fine in all instances .
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Fine. My point
19 should not have been made to sound as general as
it did.
20 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: What is the third floor
going to be used for?
21 MR. NAPLEY: Wrapping Christmas presents,
crafts .
22 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Crafts?
MR. NAPLEY: Crafts . It was going to be
23 that anyway, but it was going to be attic space.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: There' s no bedroom, no
24 sleeping quarters?
MR. NAPLEY: No. There' s no facilities
' 25 for that. There' s light and ventilation; there' s
a door out to the flat roof.
May 31, 2007
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1
2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: My assumption here is
you' re here because of the state code.
3 MR. NAPLEY: State code allows three
story.
4 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: With the sprinklers .
MR. NAPLEY: State allows three story
5 buildings, sprinklers everywhere.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Right. I'm assuming
6 that' s why the Building Inspector made that
decision.
7 MR. NAPLEY: And the height requirement is
established as the midpoint of the slope of the
8 roof, and if you don' t mind, Mrs . Sanford said
from the beginning that she didn' t want a giant
9 two story thing. So we covered a lot of the first
floor with a very big very steep roof which
10 created levels inside technically attics, three
levels within that big roof and one of them is
11 what we happen to be asking for the variance for,
calling it the third level .
12 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Is that third story
habitable; can you sleep in it?
13 MR. NAPLEY: It is habitable, but not for
sleeping. There' s windows and there' s doors,
14 there' s exiting.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: How large is it?
15 MR. NAPLEY: Seventy square feet, it' s a
big attic, but the septic is limited, you' re
16 limited by the amount of septic .
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: Is there a lavatory
17 on that third floor?
MR. NAPLEY: No.
18 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Storage?
MR. NAPLEY: That' s it and storage.
19 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: If we grant it, it' s
livable space you can use it.
20 MR. NAPLEY: Up there before it was
storage without sheet rock.
21 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: I mean you can have a
TV, if you want in there, a couch all those
22 things.
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : The only thing is
23 the Board would put that in a decision because
they have limited in the past; they would confirm
24 that it would be 70 square feet.
MR. NAPLEY: We' re habitable now, we' re
25 habitable living space.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: No, this is not
May 31, 2007
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1
2 storage, this is going to be living space if we
approve it. Does anyone else have any questions,
3 comments on this?
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Well, sort of.
4 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, now is the time
to ask the questions .
5 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Well, I can' t tell
you to take the top story off.
6 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: Ruth, let me
explain this to you, as it is the extreme peak of
7 the left-hand side- that you're looking at, and
it' s only a small portion, , a very small portion of
8 the house based upon 8, 000 square feet, it' s less
than 10 percent; isn' t that correct, sir?
9 MR. NAPLEY: Yes . And it' s not a story
that has a set of walls and it' s only the roof on
10 it. It' s a finished attic with no change in
height. So it' s considered a story because it' s a
11 third level, but it' s not considered a normal
story that has eight foot high walls .
12 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Finished
ceilings .
13 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: What is the
definition of a half story? I mean, you' re
14 allowed two and a half stories .
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: The half story I think
15 is anything seven and a half feet.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: It' s defined by
16 height.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: It' s defined by state
17 code, international code.
BOARD MEMBER SIMON: So it has nothing to
18 do with how few square feet they are --
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Well, yes.
19 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: If this is 70 square
feet and the floor below it is let' s say 1, 500,
20 that doesn' t matter?
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: No, really just the
21 ceiling height. That' s what makes it livable
space or not. We' re not granting a variance for
22 the height of the ceiling in that particular
area. He' s going to create that.
23 MR. NAPLEY: Right. You' re granting a
variance for a third level .
24 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: The house is already
built, you don' t need a' variance for the height of
25 the house right now. So, Ruth, do you have
anything else?
May 31, 2007
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2 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: No.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Anybody else, anybody
3 in the audience? Sir, are you okay now? Okay,
I' ll entertain a motion that we close this hearing
4 and settle it on the 14th, we' ll be making a
decision.
5 (See minutes for resolution. )
-------- -----------------------------------------
6 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: The next hearing is for
the Astleys. Ruth, this is yours.
7 BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : It' s a carryover
from the last hearing.
8 BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: Yes . Request for
variance under Sections 280-10, 280-15, 280-124,
9 280-116 based on the applicant' s request for a
building permit and the Building Inspector' s
10 December 26, 2006 Notice of Disapproval concerning
one, a screened porch addition proposed at less
11 than 100 feet from the top of the bluff adjacent
to the Long Island Sound; and two, proposed
12 additions to the existing dwelling which will be
less than 40 feet from the front property line. I
13 really compliment you on what you have tried to do
with what we have requested. You took away the
14 pool; you have moved back the screened porch.
It' s really nine point something feet from the top
15 of the bluff, and I give you much credit. I think
they did a really good job.
16 MR. REILLY: I'm Bill Reilly. I'm here
with ,Chris and Amy Astley. So that we did that to
17 the porch and also we were conforming to the new
regulations about the building of buildable area,
18 not the lot area. So we redid that, and I have
the new surveys you didn' t specifically ask for
19 them, but we had Joe Ingegno change all the stuff
that we did on the architectural plans too. So
20 I'm going to give that to you too. They show you
they work it out to 19 .47 percent is what it comes
21 to of the buildable area after all this is said
and done. In addition to moving the porch back,
22 we also made it smaller.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Do you have enough
23 copies there for us, sir?
MR. REILLY: Yes.
24 BOARD -MEMBER WEISMAN: Actually, we've got
them.
25 MR. REILLY: I'm trying to think if we
covered all the issues that you guys raised. I
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2 want to say about the screened porch, even though
on the survey it shows the porch 26 feet from the
3 bluff, not 29, which is what the existing house
is, actually the foundation -- which is the hand
4 dug sonatube foundation -- is 29, even a little
bit further back because we cantilevered the porch
5 four feet out. And also this porch, as you can
see, is being built above already an existing
6 concrete patio that' s on the land right there. So
really I feel that we' re having no negative effect
7 on the land whatsoever. Also you can see we have
set the porch to be sure that it' s exactly 15 feet
8 away from the property line to match Johnson to
the east; so we' re not asking for any variance in
9 that.
BOARD MEMBER OLIVA: I'd really like to
10 make the comment, it was really a difficult piece
of property to do anything with, and considering
11 our comments at the last hearing, I think you have
done a really good job. I compliment you.
12 MR. REILLY: Thank you, any questions for
us?
13 BOARD MEMBER GOEHRINGER: What is the roof
line on the front porch, gable end?
14 MR. REILLY: No. On the porch, on the
outside, when you' re looking at it from the
15 outside it will essentially look flat, but
actually it does slope back towards the road so
16 that the water can be entirely captured and go
into that dry well that you see on the plan.
17 BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: And you've moved
those too away.
18 MR. REILLY: Actually the house right now
does send water all over the place but we' re
19 capturing all of it from the existing and the new,
and putting every last drop into dry well .
20 BOARD MEMBER SIMON: I would concur with
Ruth that this is a really reasonable response to
21 a merciless interrogation.
MR. REILLY: As we said, we like the
22 rules, we didn' t know about all of them until the
day before, so I think we are number two with the
23 new --
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Drainage code.
24 MR. REILLY: And the buildable area too,
but I'm very much in favor of all these rules, and
25 it' s about my responsibility to figure out how to
do all these things.
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2 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Leslie?
BOARD MEMBER WEISMAN: Simply to support
3 what my colleagues have said, it' s an excellent
example of good cooperation between a zoning
4 board, architect and a client, and I think the
outcome will be satisfactory to everybody,
5 including your neighbors in your neighborhood and
all of the other variables that you had to deal
6 with. It' s quite clear that the heavy equipment
line is going to be very far away from the bluff
7 and there will be absolutely minimal land
disturbance, which was a big concern. So I think
8 all of the questions have been properly answered
and I certainly support this proposal as amended.
9 CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: Okay, I have no
questions . Is there anyone in the audience that
10 has any questions, anything they want to say?
Okay, hearing none, I' ll entertain a motion to
11 close this hearing until the 14th.
(See minutes for resolution. )
12 ----------------------------------------------- --
BOARD SECY. KOWALSKI : We have one other
13 hearing for Kelly.
CHAIRMAN DINIZIO: We have Kelly, they
14 just submitted, the Kelly' s have just submitted
this and I' ll read it. "The Kelly' s had asked the
15 sign company to defer or withdraw the application
so they can redesign the sign. Can the Board
16 table it for today pending a new application or
withdraw if they design a conforming sign?"
17 That' s Gail Wickham, Attorney for the Kelly' s .
So I' ll entertain a motion that we defer
18 this application until our next meeting, our next
regular meeting.
19 (See minutes for resolution. )
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3 C E R T I F I C A T I O N
4
5 I, Florence V. Wiles, Notary Public for the
6 State of New York, do hereby certify:
7 THAT the within transcript is a true record of
8 the testimony given.
9 I further certify that I am not related by
10 blood or marriage, to any of the parties to this
11 action; and
12 THAT I am in no way interested in the outcome
13 of this matter.
14 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
15 hand this 31st day of May, 2007 .
16
17
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19 AFlorence
V. Wiles
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May 31, 2007