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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVIS Final Report SD Lots/ Visual Impact Study (VIS) – South Dyer Lots – Supplemental Report 16 October 2015 The purpose of this study is to accurately portray the visual impact of the five South Dyer lots along Rt. 25 and Orient Harbor as if the lots were fully developed. To that end, houses were designed for the lots, and photo-realistic images of the houses were made at various points along Rt. 25 and in the harbor. This report describes the steps used in creating the VIS, and provides some analysis of the findings. Zoning The South Dyer property has been divided into five lots, each containing a single family dwelling and accessory structures. The lots are all under one acre in size but follow R-80 bulk regulations for setbacks, coverage and building height. The lots are undersized for R-80 zoning. Even though the zoning code allows for setbacks to be reduced for undersized lots—meaning that the code in this case would allow for wider houses, closer to the road—the more restrictive R-80 setbacks provide more open space between the houses and help reduce the density of the development. It is the appropriate zoning for these lots. Otherwise, the houses and lots meet the maximum bulk regulations for the zone: 20% lot coverage; 60’ front yard setback; 45’ total setback for both side yards; 35’ building height. These houses represent the maximum development allowed on these lots. We have also included a potential alternative for developing houses on four lots instead of five. In the four-house option we have essentially kept the five lot design, but the area to the west of the existing farm road and a portion of the southernmost lot area will remain in agriculture and be added to the preserved acres on South Dyer. For the four-house option we have used R-40 setbacks (instead of R-80), which allow for wider houses. Our intention is to show the maximum appropriate development. By reducing the number of houses from five to four and increasing the width of the houses, the overall density of the four-house option is similar to the five-house option and represents the maximum bulk regulations. These lots are roughly 40,000 sq. ft. With 20% coverage, the maximum allowable Building Area would be 8,000 sq. ft. Building Area includes not just the house but also accessory structures, above-grade decks and terraces, swimming pools, tennis courts, etc. It should be noted that there are many properties in Orient that are at least 40,000 sq. ft. and are allowed 20% coverage, so the South Dyer lots are not unique in this respect. Design of the Houses The task was to design five theoretical houses—one per lot—that would do the following: maximize the bulk regulations; be architecturally appropriate and have wide appeal; could be seen as reasonable to build in this location After much discussion with the Tuthills, it was decided not to design five entirely new houses but instead develop designs that draw from houses either currently existing in Orient or that once existed. We are drawing from both the architectural heritage of Orient and from architectural styles and building elements that are very familiar to people in town. We looked around Orient for existing houses that were good examples of traditional vernacular architecture and also were of a similar size and scale as what the South Dyer houses could be. From that group, we selected four that represented an architectural range within the traditional spectrum, and put them on our lots. We had to modify the houses somewhat to fit our setbacks, and we increased the building heights to meet the maximum, but otherwise these are houses that one could see in town. We did this for two reasons: 1) by replicating existing houses, it reinforces the point that these are examples of houses only, and it hopefully redirects people away from wanting to scrutinize the designs and back to the more general issues of size, scale, etc.; 2) there is a comfort in the familiar, and we want to preserve the architectural character of the town, not bring in something new. The fifth house is a replica of the summer house that once stood directly across Rt. 25 on the North Dyer parcel that is included in the proposed project. It was built in the late 1800’s and was torn down after being heavily damaged in the hurricane of ’38. Its distinctive architecture and prominent location ensured that it remained an icon in town for many years. Methodology – creating the photos Our first step was to make a 3D computer model of the South Dyer lots and surrounding area based on a Sketch Plan prepared by Nathan Taft Corwin III, licensed surveyor. We then made 3D computer models of the five houses and placed them on the site. While this work was being completed, we took photos along Rt. 25 and from Orient Harbor, being careful to mark where each photo was taken using GPS. Back in the office we plotted where these photos were taken on our computer site model and set up camera views in the model that exactly match the camera locations and angles in the field. We then used our rendering software to make photo-realistic renderings of the houses from each of the camera locations, cut out the backgrounds of the renderings and superimposed the houses into our site photos. The result is an accurate impression of what the South Dyer lots would look like if fully developed with houses, accessory structures, driveways, and landscaping. Analysis The proposed houses would not be visible from Rt. 25 at any point to the east of the South Dyer lots. As you travel west from Rackett’s Court, it is only as you pass the proposed right-of-way into the South Dyer development that you would first glimpse the houses. Past this point is the farm field with open site lines of the houses from Rt. 25. From the other direction along Rt. 25, traveling east, the houses first become noticeable as a feature on the landscape about a half mile west of the farm stand. From this point to the proposed right-of-way into the South Dyer development is a stretch of about six-tenths of a mile. Our Visual Impact Study includes eleven photographs along this stretch of Rt. 25. It’s evident from photos 1-6 that the visual impact along Rt. 25 to the west of the farm stand is benign. In fact, the houses are not even visible from the crab shack to the farm stand (photos 3-6). It is only when you round the corner (as you’re heading east) and first glimpse the farm stand do you more fully see the houses behind. Photo 8 is the view that is considered the most iconic – the direct view across the farm field to Orient Harbor and Shelter Island beyond. It is the full panorama of the harbor and views to the west that most need protecting. The South Dyer houses have been tucked as far off to the east side as possible so that none of this iconic view is disturbed. From no vantage point do the proposed houses block any existing view of the harbor. Photo 7—taken just east of the farm stand—gives the clearest view of the scale of the houses against the landscape. From this distance the tops of the roofs fall under the tree line, which helps to preserve the natural scale of the landscape. The houses do not seem too tight together given their height, which suggests that the R-80 zoning is appropriate. The overall density and massing looks good to me, especially since this is the maximum development that would be reasonably built on these lots.