Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA-03/29/1990 HEARING(, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 SOUTHOLD TOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS COUNTY OF SUFFOLK : STATE OF NEW YORK SOUTHOLD TOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS : HEARING, In the Matter of : PORT OF EGYPT, App 1 icant. : 53095 Main Road Southold, New York March 29, 1990 7:38 P.M. BEFORE : GERARD P. BOARD MEMBERS: GOEHRINGER, Chairman. CHARLES GRIGONIS, JR. SERGE DOYEN, JR. (Absent) JOSEPH H. SAWICKI JAMES DINIZIO, JR. Doreen Ferwerda, Secretary to Board APPEARANCES : MOORE & MOORE, ESQS. Attorneys for the Applicant Main Road Mattituck, New York BY: WILLIAM MOORE, ESQ. ALSO PRESENT: MERLIN WIGGIN WILLIAM LIEBLEIN 11971 1 4 5 6 7 8 9 '10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 2 THE CHAIRMAN: I welcome you all here tonight. This is a special meeting in an attempt to clear up two specific hearings, one of which we have had for quite some time. I just congratulated that particular applicant for being number one on the list tonight. He is smiling, and so is his attorney. So that is a step in the right direction. It is not necessary to read the legal notice. It has been read several times. So we will have simply hearing of the Port I would ask Mr. like to be heard? MR. MOORE: the reopening of this of Egypt. Moore if he would Mr. Chairman, I have had several conversations with Mr. Lieblein and with his counsel, Merlin Wiggin of Peconic Associates, and I am presenting to you today ... earlier today I dropped off to your office a ... I am trying to simplify this application. As it was before, we needed at least four variances to accomplish this dry rack storage building ... a little arm 1 2 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 %/ 3 twisting and recalculations and we figured out a way in which we can reduce the needed variances from four to two. ! have proposed, and Mr. Lieblein is ready to agree with me on this suggestion, that he reduced the length of the building such that he could comply with the front yard of the M2 zone. By doing that he reduces the square footage of his buildings covering the property and if my math is correct, I think you can double check it, we don't go below the 30 percent lot coverage. So there are two variances right there we knocked down by realizing we can still make the building function. We lose slightly more than one full boat storage rack on both sides of the building in length, but we can accomplish the elimination of two variances. We are left with the side yard variances. The variance as related to the distance to the bulkhead is a 75-foot re- quirement from the code. THE CHAIRMAN: What are we doing on the Kapper (phonetic) side in reference to I 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 distance MR. MOORE: with the 15 feet from that property? Actually, we will stay sideline suggested. The reason for that, as I mentioned, it has been repeated several necessary is, the width of feet ... have got times. Why that 15 feet is number one, we can't reduce our building anything below 125 that relates to its finality. We storage racks on both sides of the Ideal- building and an aisle in the center. ly, the building would be 130 feet in width, and Mr. Lieblein can squeak and push below 125 feet in length ... it doesn't work. Theoretically, you can move the building and have an additional 10 feet to the west and accomplish your side yards ... 25-foot side yard requirement. However, this plan has been before this Board for quite some time, as it has been before the Planning Board, and in looking at the park- lng lot layout and access and traffic flow, it was suggested to the applicant that he keep the building to the one side. You get access in and out on the west side ... 1 2 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 t4 ~5 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 5 parking ... you've got more parking to the west side. It is more functionable for the traffic flow, as it was suggested by the Planning Board to encroach on that side yard. THE CHAIRMAN: Do you have updated site plans maybe you are going to give us with the reductions of the front? MR. MOORE: No. We can draw you a line across. You can mark it in red. THE CHAIRMAN: What is the distance now from the old Main Road? MR. MOORE: feet. I think it correctly. It is to build back some 13 THE CHAIRMAN: Well, we have it at 35 is presently measured 22 right now. We have got or 14 feet. All right. The length of the storage building is what? MR. MOORE: I presently presented 217. We reduced that to 14 feet to make it 213 feet. I am sorry, 203. THE CHAIRMAN: All right. Let's do this. footages Let me go over some of the square I have gotten, and tell me where ¢ 4 5 6 7 8 9 ~0 ~2 ~3 ~4 ~5 ~6 ~7 ~8 ~9 20 2~ 22 23 24 25 -33- 6 am wrong or where I am right. There may not be a concurrence here and it doesn't have to be tonight. You can come back to us. MR. MOORE: This is with respect to the existing structure. THE CHAIRMAN: The existing struc- ture. Now, the old office in the shop which is adjacent to the building, I have 3,078 square feet. MR. MOORE: THE CHAIRMAN: remaining portion of That is correct. And the other, the that building is going to be destroyed, towards the proposed new building; correct? MR. WIGGIN: That is correct. THE CHAIRMAN: Now, proposed storage building, which is the portion is that existing sales shop, sguare feet. MR. WIGGIN: THE CHAIRMAN: on that? MR. LIEBLEIN: in front of the which is the he shows that as 720 That is correct. Is the ramp elevated It starts at the door 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 height and slopes down. THE CHAIRMAN: so we have it all 120. I am just including it in that. I have that as MR. LIEBLEIN: That was not included. THE CHAIRMAN: These are. MR. WIGGIN: Are you suggesting we should put the ramp, square footage? THE CHAIRMAN: as far as the building I am only taking anything above six inches above the ground. I did not include the cement slabbing or the washing platform or the existing concrete area in back of the sale showroom that you have over there, an so on and so forth. have square them because they MR. WIGGIN: footage on them, but I excluded are on ground level. That ramp and driveway, that probably would be less than six inches above the ground. THE CHAIRMAN: We are taking this, and then going back and reinspecting it before the decision and we will "X" out anything that is not within that mode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 8 The existing ramp that sits over on the west side of the proposed storage building is either a macadam or cement ramp, like that of a launching ramp of a boat, that is on ground level. So that is excluded. Let's go over to the restaurant for the moment. ! have the restaurant at 4,225 which is right on square feet. I have across to the water, the ground? MR. WIGGIN: the boardwalk, and is that Yes, sir. THE CHAIRMAN: So that is excluded. The deck however, that is off the building that we granted, is elevated above the ground; is that correct? MR. WIGGIN: That is correct. THE CHAIRMAN: I have that at 2,241 square feet, and I wish you would change that ... write that in. MR. WIGGIN: quite that big. THE CHAIRMAN: hundred forty one . figure all the ... I don't think it is Two thousand two ... of course, I didn't 1 5 6 8 9 10 11 ]2 13 'I4 15 '16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 deck know, That's going all that a boardwalk? MR. LIEBLEIN: This is just landscap- ing. (Whereupon, a discussion was held off the record, after which the following oc- curred:) THE CHAIRMAN: Two thousand two 9 MR. WIGGIN: That's grass. THE CHAIRMAN: Okay. We granted some in there. MR. LIEBLEIN: No, sir. As far as I right now it is all grass. THE CHAIRMAN: That is excluded. the way around to here. Is hundred forty one is now back out again. That's out. All right. On the concrete and the porch on the west side of the restaurant, I have 840 plus 42. So the total of that would be 882. (Whereupon, a discussion was held off the record, after which the following oc- curred:) THE CHAIRMAN: Jimmy has a question. We are going out right now. ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ~5 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 lng, ramp. in front of 10 the bull d- Merl, the ramp I've got 960. MR. WIGGIN: That is the handicapped THE CHAIRMAN: They checked that out. Okay. Let's run off to the existing metal building that is used for sale and your office. I have two figures on this. The square foot figure on it is 23,175, which is very simply the 103 by 225, and then eastern extension I have 5,544. The only other thing, Merl, is the existing shed over there on the west boundary line. Approximately that is 30 feet deep and ... I've got 2,048. MR. WIGGIN: That's when the property line is going through. MR. LIEBLEIN: No. That's 30 and the length is 60 feet. THE CHAIRMAN: That is about 61 feet long. (Whereupon, a discussion was held off the record, after which the following oc- curred:) THE CHAIRMAN: The only other 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 11 question I have is the tax map said 5.6 acres. I see in here you are referring to the property based upon the square footage of 4.96. We ask for the calculations of underwater land and you came up with 1.3. So that is excluded from ... so you are From the computations you they have not been in- telling us .,. MR. MOORE: have there. Yes, cluded. Yes. Right. In fact, did I give you a map of ... here we go. I gave you a map of the survey of the property in which we have shown the two bases, incomplete and completed, the acreage of each, and that acreage is not included in computing the upland lot coverage. THE CHAIRMAN: 4.96 plus 1.33 of actual that's gross land? MR. LIEBLEIN: comes out to. THE CHAIRMAN: You are saying it is taxable land, If that is what it My problem is I have 5.6 minus 1.33, or 4.33, and that's where the problem came up. Because I am coming up ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 lo 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 around 36 percent. All right. bet, I have added in 2,000 feet south side of the restaurant. 12 But r emem- and on the MR. MOORE: I don't know if you were satisfied with the copies of the deeds I gave. I was not aware. I went back and read a transcript earlier this week, and I think you are looking for a singe and separate search. I was not aware of that. I gave you copies of deeds. If you want a single and separate search we can have that done. THE CHAIRMAN: members of the Board We have at least two that have been here 34 any confusion. about the motel there to be any confusion as years that will attest to the fact that Mr. Lieblein owns the property or his family owned the property prior to zoning, and with those deeds, that I think is basically what we need. We have Mr. Sawicki, who was a police officer in this Town and ex-Chief. MR. MOORE: I don't want there to be I know the issue was raised facility. I don't want to where the 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 motel is. It is not included. THE CHAIRMAN: Where do you stand on site plans now with the parking issue across the street? That is the MR. MOORE: I think parking computations there the code as it presently some computations on the you, we did some wishful computations as we believe the to be. slips, only other thing. I have done some for you, under stands. There are site plan before thinking, showed parking ought Referring specifically to the marina should have one-half parking spaces per boat slip; dry dock storage, one-quarter space per dry dock storage. To clarify things in the memo I gave today, I went with the code as it stands today. You have a total required parking spaces of 421, using the numbers of both slips, the exact dry dock storage, the number of employees, the restaurant computation, boat storage, which Mr. he scales it down as proposed, maybe 152. and his proposed Lieb]ein tells me if it would hold 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2~ 22 23 24 25 14 I have done exactly as the code calls for and I've gotten a total of 421. The site plan before you on the south side of Route 25 has 188 parking spaces. On the north side of the property on which the site plan was a separate item done there showing you can hold 110 parking spaces. That site plan has been before the Planning Board, at this particular point, where we were between the site plan finally getting approval from the Planning Board and a need for the variances from here. Maybe Merl can tell me where we are with the Planning Board's approval of that property for use as parking. MR. WIGGIN: They are waiting for the Planning Board to give a final determination of the revised drainage plan, counsel. THE CHAII~4AN: Right. the planning SO just say you are aware that this decision is condi- tioned upon the fact that this gentleman will continue retaining that property across the street for the purpose of parking. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 '10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MR. MOORE: Right. 15 I understand if MR. LIEBLEIN: That was my intention when I made it available. MR. MOORE: I think you have gotten provisions in your code requiring certain restrictions as to the use of adjoining property or property across the street. So that will be taken care of. And finally we pick up the arm to replace the boats with cars of the owners, and the boat storage dry rack can be one for one. So if in fact the code requires one parking space per dry dock storage slip, that facility is designed in such a way that the cars are placed on pallets. And that's how that system can work. I have given for ... at least in one copy I have presented this afternoon copy of the local sidering. I know con- tax law the Town is you can't think about that of now. You don't have the parking in front you. We have available, including across the street, 450 spaces. We need 421. £ 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1'~ 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 We have 29 extra parking spaces. The Town is still considering changing the marina parking requirement in which we had more than enough. In fact, I did recompute this, but assuming the Town were to adopt the proposed local law in its present form, we have adequate on-site parking at 188 spaces presently there to satisfy the recomputed parking requirements. THE CHAIRMAN: MR. MOORE: street. We won't Right. We won't need across need the boat storage the building or the parking across the street. My final comments are related to ... THE CHAIRMAN: I just want to say, before you do that, I apologize for jumping in. Any decision from this Board would be subject to the Planning Board's approval for the site plan or parking, anyway. As you know, we work very concurrent most of the time, and that would be the situation anyway. So we appreciate the parking situation. MR. MOORE: I just wanted to clarify 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 '~5 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 17 with the site plan, showing some wishful thinking on our part, comments were raised here at the public hearing at which they were stating that we were grossly underes- timating the parking needs and we were not providing adequate parking. That's why I went back and recomputed and show you with the parking across the street we do have adequate parking. We are not here for the parking variances. MR. LIEBLEIN: On that same line, on the existing storage building with its 80 spaces, if we palletize cars we would have way over. MR. MOORE: I That's true. THE CHAIRMAN: didn't include that. Thank you. MR. regarding with that ment. As quirement less of located. MOORE: The other comments I have other variances we need has to do setback I point set for the zoning district from the bulkhead require- out, it is a marina re- the Zoning Board regard- in which you are ¢ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ~4 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 18 Mi ... M2 residences, no difference whatsoever and yet the M2 zone itself has a variance setback for structures as 25 feet. Kind of interesting when you think of the rear yards of marinas as being either the creek or bay or whatever water body they are on, and the need to get access. The purpose of the boat storage building is to operate in a sense as boat slips, out of water boat slips. The 75- foot requirement doesn't make sense to have a forklift traveling back and forth that distance. That property would have to remain clear to the extent the machinery functions. The forklift operates in close proximity to the water. That is the stated purpose and the intention of the use of that building, to get access to that boat basin. So we seek the variance ... 40-foot distance from that bulkhead. We also raised discussions with the Planning Board that any drainage and runoff has to be retained on the site. So the building is not going to be running water in 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 19 the basin. In fact, I believe the concrete pad can be sloped in such a way that it would have a drain in it to ensure that. A couple of final observations. If you think from an environmental concern, when you have boats that are docked or moored in water and you have all throughout the boating season, or in such a position where they can go in there year-round, those boats must have automatic bilge pumps which when boats are out in the weather, they fill up with rainwater and you get automatic bilge and pumping that bilge water in the bay, to the extent you put boats in dry rack you minimize the problem as the boats are out of the elements or under cover. So it has a nice side benefit to it. Painters have had recent concern about bottom paints. Some are more con- cerned about it storage reduces after an amount in the water. No one will need to come in if than others. Dry rack the need for bottom paint, of time the boats have spent they 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 '~6 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 are going to use dry rack storage and re- quest additional water boat slips. Boat slips require degradation of water area. We deem to preserve wetlands when using dry dock storage, when possible. The last point, when the boats are outside for the winter storage, most boat owners want to have the boat shrink wrapped. Sometimes that plastic is torn off. To the extent we reduce the amount of plastic, we reduce the waste stream. That's about all have any questions, tomorrow with Merl, soon as we can. THE CHAIRMAN: planning to put in time, total? MR. MOORE: building ... MR. LIEBLEIN: going to be 160. double spaces on boats times four I've got. If you I'll get back to you on the computations, as How many boats are you this building, at this The capacity of the Original capacity was It was designed to be 10 each side, which is 20 high is 80 ... two sides 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 years, and I know how toxic they are. Just to add that many more boats to an already critically impacted bay, I think, is ridiculous. I don't think putting a 40 feet or 75 feet makes a difference. It is ... is 160, by taking 14 feet off. We have taken more than one-half of the end bay away, which is at least eight boats. Now I have to make the decision, do I make the remaining bays all a little bit bigger for larger boats or do I make a few of them a little bit smaller for 18, in which case I lose only one bay, otherwise I lose two bays. The maximum I have is 152. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much. MR. MOORE: Thank you. THE CHAIRMAN: Anybody else that would like to speak in favor of this ap- plication? Anybody that would like to speak against the application? MS. SAWASTYNOWICZ: Nancy Sawastynowicz. I just want to add the point that I have worked in boatyards for 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 22 still going to run in the bay, and I would really like to see it be kept the way it is now because that still is huge. So that is my point. I just think it is a real environmental impact. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. MR. LIEBLEIN: I didn't speak at all at the last two hearings, as I recall, because I felt there was not any point and I thought I would like to state my own words ... my feelings. "Dear Members of the Board: Our attorney, Mr. william Moore, has responded in writing to the questions raised during the past four hearings ..." and he also added to that this evening, and as I said, I would like to state my position here. The successful operation of a full service marina depends on being located on the water, number one. Number two, it depends on having qualified people; and third, it depends on having a modern facility in which to work and the dilemma of 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 23 all marinas in our area is how to keep our personnel gainfully employed during the winter season. The Port of Egypt's present economic hardship stems from the fact during December, January and February, operate at a loss. During this period, income generated by storage, sales and that we the service has always been exceeded by expen- ses, primarily salaries, health and general insurance. We have been raising our rates to keep up with these rising costs but there is a limit as to how much you can go before you price yourself out of business. Lately, the rise in cost of general and health insurance has rise at a rate far in excess of the inflation rate. For ex- ample, health insurance that cost $6,000 a month just two years ago is now $12,000 a month. General insurance that cost $50,000 per year just five years ago is now $100,000 a year. As these and other costs go up, it becomes increasingly difficult to cover the losses in the winter months with the income from the other nine months of the year. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 :22 23 24 25 24 I might point out, one of the reasons we lose money in January and February is ! send out people to school, and you are not generating any income. We presently employ 26 people. Nineteen of these are supporting families in town. Laying off these people and asking them to subsist on unemployment is not an acceptable solution. We count on these people all year and we must be able to provide sufficient work to keep them employed. As Mr. Moore has told you, we have reduced the size of our building so as to eliminate the need for a variance for lot coverage or front yard setback. This change has been made in a spirit of compromise and to reduce the complexity of the factors this Board must consider before making its decision. As one of many small businessmen struggling to survive in this Town, I ask that you consider the facts before you, and make your decision as expeditiously as you can. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 '~5 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. The other question ! have is, Merl, if you wouldn't mind, would you just tell us how you arrived at that 4.96 in reference to actual upland area? You don't have to do it tonight. You can explain to us with a map of it, if you so desire. MR. WIGGIN: This was done by the survey doing a recalculation of the upland. We went down there and physically measured the boundaries of the water lines and recal- culated the upland because there ... before you there has been minor changes and they took that into consideration. THE CHAIRMAN: Do you have a map on this area? MR. WIGHIN: You have revised survey that shows you did that. THE CHAIRMAN: That's 4.96. MR. WIGGIN: Right. THE CHAIRMAN: information from you. should wait until We are requesting ! don't know if we we receive it to close the ¢ ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 hearing, or if we should close the hearing subject to receiving it. I think what we will do is what we did in December. I make a motion to close the hearing pending the receipt of this information. For everybody present, we are requesting information within two weeks. This Board will not entertain any deliberations of this particular matter until at least the 19th of April, and sometime thereafter, and probably subsequent to the time we will have presented in this things we have in 19th of April, any additional file and some our at which information of the other office which are the archives of this particular project and on this particular property. You are welcome to come in and look at it. So we just ask you to get it to us within two weeks. This way we have it. Hearing no further questions, I make a motion closing the hearing, reserving decision on this and pending the receipt of the additional information in concurrence with the lot coverage we requested. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 ~8 19 20 ';'1 22 23 24 :25 MR. DINIZIO: Second. THE CHAIRMAN: All MR. GRIGONI$: Aye. MR. DINIZIO: Aye. MR. SAWICKI: Aye. ?HE CHAIRMAN: an Official constitutes official in favor? I thank you very much, gentlemen, for coming in. (Whereupon, a brief recess was taken at 8:12 p.m. and the hearing resumed at 8:18 I, GAIL ROSCHEN, do hereby certify that I am Court Reporter and that the foregoing a true and correct transcript according to my stenographic notes. GAIL ROSCHEN Official Court Reporter 1 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 SOUTHOLD TOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS III III - --,,, ....................................... I_ SOUTHOLD TOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING, In the Matter of : ROBERT OCHSENRETER AND EDWARD LENCESKI, : Applicants. : 53095 Main Road Southold, New York March 29, 1990 8:18 P.M. 11971 BEFORE : GERARD P. GOEHRINGER, Chairman. BOARD MEMBERS: CHARLES GRIGONIS, SERGE DOYEN, JR. JOSEPH H. SAWICKI JAMES DINIZIO, JR. JR. (Absent) APPEARANCES : MOORE & MOORE, ESQS. Attorneys for the Applicants Main Road Mattituck, New York BY: WILLIAM MOORE, ESQ. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 '~9 20 21 22 23 24 25 THE CHAIRMAN: I guess we are ready to reconvene the last hearing of the evening, and that is a hearing that we had heard prior to this hearing. So there is no need to read the legal notice. There was significant testimony taken at that prelimi- nary hearing, and this is a hearing in behalf of Mr. Ochsenreter and Edward Lenceski. It is Appeal Number 3908. I have certain questions which I want to mention, but I will start off by saying that we have discussed this hearing with Special Counsel and we have discussed this hearing with the new Town Attorney. It is our opinion, at this particular time, that there is standing for these two gentlemen to come before us and at the culmination of this hearing and encouched within any decision we will have a minimum and maximum time in reference to what we refer to as standing for specific app[ications and in this particular area which concerns reversal of building permits, and it will be some- thing that we will be dealing with in a I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ~0 1'~ 12 ~3 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 precedent basis seeming years of At this particular time, I will ask Mr. Ochsenreter and Mr. Lenceski if they would like to say anything for the record. MR. OCHSENRETER: Mr. Goehringer, is this reconvening? THE CHAIRMAN: It but we have to reconvene MR. OCHSENRETER: - 3 throughout the remaining our tenure on this Board. is a continuation, it. Robert Ochsenreter, 600 Bay Road, Mattituck, New York. Do you want me to of the last session? THE CHAIRMAN: No. permanent record. MR. OCHSENRETER: lng further. THE CHAIRMAN: would like to repeat, MR. MOORE: Commons, Suite 3, the firm of Moore and Moore. substituted for Mr. Tohill, the last hearing. repeat my testimony It is part of the would have noth- Is there something you Mr. Moore? William Moore, Clause Main Road, Mattituck, from We are being who was here at 6 7 8 9 10 '~1 12 13 14 ~5 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 At this particular point, let me begin by renewing the motion Mr. Tohill raised at the last hearing. He cited specific sections, Section 267, Subdivision 2, of the Town Law. The petitioner's failure to obtain a determination from the Building Department before commencing this appeal. There is a memo in the file of the ZBA, from the Southold Town Clerk, which states material being transmitted from the Town Clerk to the ZBA does not include a notice of disapproval from the Building Department. He speaks at length about the failure of the petitioners to come to the Building Department and challenge or request any determination from that department with respect to the permit that was issued. Mr. Tohill previously set forth the basis of the Appellate jurisdiction of this Board and also the Board that had to decisions and asked action charged with the enforcement of zoning codes. review prior of these who are the Town ( 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 ~5 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 5 As he stated and I repeat again, this jurisdiction has not been established from this appeal. The prerequisite steps have not been taken for this appeal to reach it. The second motion relates to Section 267, Subdivision 3, in that this appeal is untimely as a matter of law. I appreciate the desire of this Board to at some time ... I don't know that within the context of this decision it would be appropriate to hear affidavits what your rule will be regarding appeals. I think that will be a procedure you can use to create a set of rules and procedure to the extent you want to have them regarding the appeals of determinations of the Building Department. THE CHAIRMAN: I am reminiscent of saying that we will take these to the legis- lative committee and make them embody within the area of 267 or any applicable areas of which they will pertain. MR. MOORE: The key period of time when you go to make an appeal is when the period begins to run. It begins to run when 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 ~8 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 6 the person who is going to complain about a decision becomes chargeable with Notice of Issuance of the permit of which it complains. Now you have a copy of the building permit in your 8, 1989. Work began on clearing and excavation for This work took place August Now I have not presented the file, dated August this site with the foundation. 30, 1989. some information that was last time and they are some bills to support which we are speaking. for Robert Chilton and work performed on 8/30, Inland Homes. This is this time frame of The first is a bill it is in reference to Bayer Road, for the clearing of the property. Also included in the papers I gave you are receipts from the Southold Town Dump, receipts made out to Robert Chilton for land cleared. The delivery date of receipt is 8/30/89. I have for you a receipt from Eastern Concrete, Incorporated, their accepting $2,400 done for 9/15/89, indicating for work that was Inland Homes on Bayer Avenue. ¢ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 t4 15 t6 17 ~8 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 mean, I gave you those. The time in which to appeal begins when a person complaining should have notice. If you get a building permit and sit on it for six months, one could not expect anybody to know about it. But when you take action on a permit and the person lives, as the petitioner stated in their petition, on Bayer Road, across the street from this property, you have notice of what is going on. Now, the petition is a sworn state- ment by both petitioners. In that sworn statement they state that their attorneys wrote to the Zoning Board of Appeals in a letter dated September 13, 1989, with respect to the property which is the subject of this appeal, mean the attorneys ... formed that no variances and that they ... I I presume were in- have been granted with respect to this property. So even as of September 13, 1989, inquiries were being made by these petitioners according to their sworn statements to the Zoning Board by 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 '~4 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 8 their attorneys. Now, the petitioners never spoke with Inland Homes. Inland Homes never suggested to them that they were not going to take any action on this permit. They were going to sit on it. These petitioners were represented at one point by the office of Wickham, Wickham and Bressler. Mr. Tohill raised briefly a third reason for dismissing, related to Section 267, Subdivision 3. Mr. Tohill wrote to Mr. Kiernan, the Assistant Town Attorney, on February 1, 1990, stating forth the basis upon which we have been speaking for dismis- sal, either lack of Appellate jurisdiction ... because there is no determination from the Building Department on which this appeal was founded. Petitioners contacted the Building Department, and had not requested a decision from the Building Department before they filed their appeal, Mr. Tohill later also addressed the failure to file the appeal in a timely fashion, in which you give permits and the 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 1'1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 9 basis, rather to show when work was being performed. Lastly, he advised in this letter to the Assistant Town Attorney, dated February 1, 1990, which has the day of the public hearing, that the petitioner had failed to file their appeal with the Building Depart- ment. That is a requirement of Section 267, Subdivision 3. Now the Zoning Board of Appeals has a letter in their file indicating that the law firm of Wickham, Wickham and Bressler with- drew as counsel, a letter dated February 1, 1990. A copy of that letter was sent to Mr. Garcia, and signed for by Corinne Lessard- Garcia. I have a copy of that letter and the envelope indicating the postdate of January 31. I would like to give you that as well ... postmarked letter, January 31, dated February 1, withdrawing his counsel. Now on the very date of the hearing, February 1, 1990, after petitioner's counsel was withdrawn, a copy of the appeal miraculously gets filed with the Building 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 lO 11 12 13 '~4 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Department at 2:55 that affidavit of service is notary public who I is the secretary of 10 afternoon. The sworn to before a have reason to believe the law firm of Wickham, Wickham and Bressler. I believe they have withdrawn counsel at that point. I would like to believe the petitioners were aware of that requirement, and in all good honesty, I would like to believe they knew they had to file that appeal on the day of the hearing. If I believe they have withdrawn counsel at that point, I would like to believe the petitioners were aware of that requirement, and in all good honesty I would like to believe they knew they had to file that appeal on the day of the hearing even though the original was filed January 19, 1990. This was some last minute housekeep- ing paper work that would have seriously challenged the jurisdiction of this Board, because Section 267, Subdivision 3 had not been complied with. I don't know how that appeal got filed with the Building Depart- 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 11 ment in the afternoon of the night of the hearing, after the attorneys had withdrawn as counsel. '~I reserved my motions. They were raised before. I would like to get down to the merits of this a little bit, and to that extent I would like to call upon Victor Lessard to describe to the Board the basis and justification upon which a building permit like this might be issued. MR. DINIZIO: Can I ask a question? I would just like to ask a couple of ques- tions. Number one is, to your knowledge, is a building permit required to clear land? In other words, if you want your land, take a tree off, to get a building permit? MR. MOORE: I don't believe so. MR. DINIZIO: to smooth out are you required Number two, does it require the assistance of an attorney to file with the Building Department, the permit? In residential property, 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 1§ 16 '17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 12 MR. MOORE: I am not saying it does. I only question that the appeal was filed January 19th, The hearing was scheduled for February 1. I'm sorry ... February 1 ... the appeal got filed with the Building Department. I am troubled by the continued appearance of one of law firm. MR. DINIZIO: the attorneys from the But I mean, you don't have to be represented by an attorney. MR. MOORE: I am not saying you have to be represented by an attorney to appear before the Zoning Board to file papers for the Zoning Board. MR. DINIZIO: Or with the Building Department? MR. MOORE: Or with the Building Department. THE CHAIRMAN: May I clear that one issue up because I had a discussion with Dan Ross, who is a member of the firm of Wick- ham, Wickham and Bressler, in around my lunch period of that particular day of February 1. He told me he was withdrawing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 his the well. counsel as of 4:30 that afternoon. MR. MOORE: I had received a copy of letter. I am CC on that letter, as THE COURT: That's what he told me. He said, "What time does your office close?" I said, "Five o'clock." He said, "Somebody will be there by 4:30 and they will formally withdraw as counsel." I said, "I am just telling you we are having a jurisdictional problem in reference to having this hearing or not having any hearing, and at this particular point we have not determined it." MR. MOORE: fication. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you for the clari- That is my only conversation on the letter presented to you with the photocopy of the envelope post- marked January 31, of a letter dated February 1, and the letter makes no reference to the time in which or by which they are withdrawing as counsel. If the t 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 14 petitioners figured it out and they brought the papers in, that's great. I just wanted to mention that, as you know, I have had discussions about this with the new Town Attorney. We have had in the past sworn witnesses in and attorneys in, and so on and so forth. Everybody here, we know they have been before us before, in- cluding a number of attorneys, and so on and so forth. We don't think that is particu- larly necessary. I just wanted you to be aware of that, as well as myself. MR. MOORE: No problem. I won't let it go at that. If we can have perhaps Victor explain the policy of the Building Department and explain how the Building Department permits get issued. ! think we may be a long way to determining how the code is interpreted in this Town. MR. LESSARD: My name is Victor Lessard. I am the principal Building In- spector for the Town of Southold, Now would you please ask me what you want to ask me? ¢ £ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 MR. MOORE: Sure. The building permit in this instant case was signed by Kurt Horton. I think that's fair to say. copy is in the file. A Do you agree with the decision of Mr. Horton to have issued that building permit? MR. LE$SARD: Absolutely. MR. MOORE: Would you explain for the people here the basis upon which that build- ing permit is issued? MR. LESSARD: Before a building permit can be issued, the first thing that has to be researched is the fact that the property that the building permit is being applied for is a single and separate plot that he is building on. This was done by first researching that property back in November of ... I believe, 1988. I have the records here to back it this subdivision was on 1966, along with 16 others subdivisions. When I first got questioned that up, and found that a separate list in ... excepted here in 1988, then Town Attorney about 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 them off they are others. 16 these exception lists of subdivisions that come and go, and his interpretation was once they are almost all developed they just take the list because everybody knows excepted and it makes room for When the vacant land was applied for this, I said no because I had done like I always do. I went to the codes back, and it was not there under the present list ... on the present list. that was applying Town Clerk's Office, this exception list, The real estate agent for this went down to the where it was found on went over to the Town Attorney, verified that it was good, back to me and stated that. hold of the Town Attorney. had a conversation with him, who who then came I then got a MR. MOORE: Would you identify which Town Attorney that was? MR. LESSARD: Jay Schondebare. I then verified it with the Town Attorney and I wrote the vacant land. I also would like to say at this 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 17 point in time, since 1983 I have written at least 98 percent of all the vacant land CO's in Southold Town. In order to do that you have to go through a lot of research. You have to go to the Planning Board. You have to find out if it is an approved subdivision and file. If you can't find it there, you go through the exception list. If you can't find it there, you go over to the Tax Asses- sor's Office and see what they have on their's because every subdivision in the world is filed over there. Then if you can't find it there, you go back to what is known as the grandfather list, which I am sure this Board understands because I under- stand they were involved in that in the '70s. Once it places, then I is found in one of those check with the Town Attorney and tell him what I have found and I get the green light from him. That is what Town Attorneys are for, They are the legal was done. as far as I am concerned. arm. This is how this I 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 1'1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 18 While I am at it, there was reference to an article in a November rag known as the newspaper out here, who indicated that ! had done something crooked because my daughter was involved in this. I want the record to show that my daughter knew nothing about this property until three months after that vacant land was issued. Now I can under- stand why this factory publishes this crap. It sells newspapers and they have no regard for somebody's character or whatever. But again, I will state, I wrote 99 percent o~ all o~ the vacant since 1983. Okay? you? MR. MOORE: land CO's in this Town What else can I tell Was this property from the excepted subdivision list? MR. LESSARD: Yes, it was under May. On the May 24, 1966 zoning code, on the last page. I believe I gave the Zoning Board of Appeals a copy o~ that. THE CHAIRMAN: I never received one. MR. LESSARD: I am sorry. I gave it to Jim. I have it anyway. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 19 MR. DINIZIO: I saw it, but I have not ... MR. LESSARD: I gave a copy. I gave it to you. I would also state that the research goes back to 1980, about the time the grandfather list died. On a quick reference, there has been at least 50 of these vacant lands written, okay? I want the Board to understand that. MR. MOORE: Does this refer land CO's on subdivisions that were on the to vacant list that we are referring to in 1966 had 16 listed, and of those 16 there are three left today. These three did not move like the rest of them. So they kept them, and new ones were put on. Somewhere in 1970, probably in November when the Town flipped over to one acre zoning, this list was changed. I am only guessing. There is no resolution or anything to put on, take off, or move around. exception list but don't appear on the list now? MR. LESSARD: That is correct. The 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I would also state, and that is 1970, the names that were added had lots smaller than this one. Even though we went to one acre zoning. MR. MOORE: So if I understand, were subdivisions added in 1970. I can think of one in particular, the Tuthill (phonetic spelling) subdivision. Is that the one you are referring to? MR. LESSARD: That is one of them. Yes, sir. That is five houses, quarter lots off of Bray Avenue. THE CHAIRMAN: In Laurel. on believe, 20 in there MR. MOORE: That subdivision had been the previous exception list. MR. LE$SARD: No, it had not. MR, MOORE: There are subdivisions on the exception list today that have been on the exception list since 1958. MR. LESSARD: In all probability, I didn't bother answer that. MR. MOORE: questions for you. to research that. I couldn't haven't got any further 1 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 21 THE CHAIRMAN: I have a couple of questions. My problem is that I want the code book, and it is locked in my office. So if you wouldn't mind ... MR. MOORE: I have it. THE CHAIRMAN: MR. DINIZIO: THE CHAIRMAN: MR. DINIZIO: THE CHAIRMAN: DINIZIO: MR. question. Have you issued any vacant CO's for this subdivision in the past you can recall? MR. LESSARD: I believe I of them to a Rudy Johnson (phonetic Thank you. Can I ask a question? Of Victor? Yes. Sure. I just want to ask one land that issued two spell- DINIZIO: A situation adjacent to them because he knew he was dying and he wanted to get this cleared away for his nephew and niece. ing). MR. the ,.. MR. connected, LESSARD: Yes, they are all I believe. Rudy Johnson wanted 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 that? permit 1984. and a brand new house went up in I had no problem with it. MR. DINIZIO: Could you get MR. LESSARD: What's that, sir? MR. DINIZIO: Of the building permits and the plans of the vacant land CO's? try, else, MR. LESSARD: certainly. MR. DINIZIO: THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Moore? MR. MOORE: I will try. I will Thank you. Do you have anything Nothing for Mr. Lessard. THE CHAIRMAN: I still have a ques- tion I would like to ask him. I am still searching for it, and I will be with you in a moment. This is highly irregular, but ... copies of MR. DINIZIO: You know about the date, what time it was? MR. LESSARD: Two years ago ... three years ago. There was also a house. There is also a vacant lot across the street from ... in fact ... right next-door to one of these gentlemen here. There was issued a 1 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MR. MOORE: Maybe we can help you find the section. THE CHAIRMAN: No. It is not the section. It is something else I want to look for, but I will do it from the top. 23 Okay. It is highly irregular that I do this, but I have a particular problem with these vacant land CO's and this is the second time in my history of the ten years on the Zoning Board of Appeals that I have come down. One was for the code condos and you must excuse my writing. (Whereupon, the chairman began to draw on a blackboard.) THE CHAIRMAN: What we have here is basically two lots. We really have four lots, and truthfully, what Victor has said is exactly correct in reference to some of the procedures that have gone on in the past within this Town in reference to grand- fathers of subdivisions, and so on and so forth. I can remember there was a last grandfathering of subdivisions, some 340 lots at one time that the Planning Board 5 6 7 8 ~0 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 24 very simply ran through as an agenda item and I believe I presently have them. M~ ultimate concern is the fact that many times I have felt, and it is not neces- sarily this particular time, this is a generalization which I am dealing with, that Building Departments deal with a single and separate issue based upon the way they perceive those particular lots to be as this comes out of the Suffolk County Real Proper- ty Tax Services in Riverhead and they are the mappers for Suffolk County and those maps are the ones that all the ten Towns have and are presently contained in the office of our Building Inspectors. If we could, for a moment, deal with these particular two parcels which again could be four. This particular one over here, which we will refer to as Parcel A, Sub 1, Sub 2 and Parcel B ... Sub 1 ... Sub 2 ... is basically one issue that seen in the past as being somewhat pitfall of and others I have of the maybe this Building Department in question. ! 5 6 7 8 9 10 'fl 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 ;~0 21 22 23 24 25 25 Parcel A very simply denotes two lots. For the purpose of an explanation, they are 50 by 150 foot lots. The straight line down the middle of these lots very simply means that these particular lots, based upon the Suffolk County Property Services, and I am not speaking for them, but I happen to know several mappers and I use their office quite a lot in my particular position with the County, very simply means that these two lots were pur- chased separately. They were purchased separately. There is no indication of when they were purchased. If it was prior to zoning, subsequent to zoning, prior to one acre subdivisions, subsequent to two acre subdivisions. This particular one, if we can perceive it also showing the fine dotted line, is 100 by 150 and there is a fine dotted line down the center of this par- ticular one. What this very simply means is that this parcel was bought at the same time in 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2~ 22 23 24 25 one particular block on one piece. Now what regarding this, with the vacant 26 particular concerns me an awful lot some of the problems we have land CO's, is that when the subdivision is shown with a full line down the center, and now remember these do not show any improvements on them, they are solid black lines, that they are perceived to be in single and separate ownership because that is the way they are shown in the individual maps. When you have the dotted line we assume that it is one piece. Now in the encroachment there would be a house here or there would be a house over the whole center of the line ... same situa- tion over here. .The house could be in the center and we wouldn't know that unless we had a survey. what, in effect, I have been saying is that this is not a proper procedure in dealing with the application by an outside applicant or person in this Town or out of this Town in requesting a vacant land CO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2'5 27 I thank you for bearing with me and my illustrations. The only question I have of Mr. Lessard is that it is my understand- ing in the code respective of the issue of a 1966 exception list or 1989 exception list, it is clearly stated, in my understanding, that the Building Inspector is to request a single and separate search for the particular parcel that is requesting that vacant land CO. That is my understanding. Now if I am incorrect in incorrect in that? MR. LESSARD: that, why am I It is my understanding, through three attorneys now that work for the Town, that if it is an improved sub- division, if it is an excepted subdivision, it doesn't need a title search, number one. We put that in. We put that in two years ago or whatever it was, Gerry, and if you go see the so-called title searches looked at, I believe I found one 15 that were zoned bogus. As far as this diagram is yes, that I have in the last if you have two lots indicated with a 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 '~2 13 14 ~5 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 28 solid line, the control factor on that would be subdivision or no, where that house is. If that house is going through that middle line, that person will not get a permit until he gets an attorney who files a paper with the surveyor's office merging those two lots. The dotted lines are good examples of that. The Nassau Point properties show up to six dotted lines on what the County considers one piece. We have Nassau Point properties, one, two, three and four ex- cepted. It tears me up to have to say yes. They are separate lots. Okay. Some of them are 40 feet wide, but the law is the law. Now as far as the County is con- cerned, this is the greatest problem in the world for the Building Department because back in the '70s, in the grandfather list and all of that, people had the bad habit of hiring an attorney, laying out the property, circumventing the Town, filing with the County, and we have to pick that up and say, "Fine, but now you have to come here to the ! 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 Planning Board and property subdivide cording to the Town rules." Case in point, Blue Horizons up here in Peconic, even when we had accepted the Master Plan and you can see it on the map. I will take you right out there. There are 48 lots in Blue Horizons, but there isn't. There are eight lots up on the Sound. The rest is laid out to preserve, but that was a bad habit here in %he '70s. To hell with the Town. We will circumvent them, get an attorney for help, and bound file them with the County. Another problem I had in the early part of the '80s, the law says when you have a minor subdivision, the applicants, not the Planning Board, the applicants must file with the County within 90 days or the sub- division becomes mute. I can take you in the Planning Board and show you 200 lots that never hit the County, the so-called set off nonsense they were doing out here. That is another problem. It is not an easy matter. In fact, we talked to the attorney. 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 30 I don't believe this Town will ever issue any more vacant lands. It isn't worth it. THE CHAIRMAN: Victor, but I thought I understand that, the reason for the single and separate search was to clear that matter up. I thought that was the reason for ... in 1988, the reason for making that. MR. LESSARD: That is true, Gerry, but this Town Attorney said to me if it is an improved subdivision or on the excepted list there is no need for the search. It is there. The record is there. The record is in the assessor's office. The only that you go for that is if there is subdivision that has been approved. want to know how. that lot got chain of command obviously. time no clear Now you there and the THE CHAIRMAN: prescribed property MR. LESSARD: THE CHAIRMAN: You are referring to only. Absolutely. The problem I have is that when I discussed this with Mr. Hills (phonetic spelling) on or about the 10th of 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 31 December 1989, I turned to the excepted list and the present code and, of course, did not find the amended map of Mattituck Properties on that. On that basis I called and said to him, at that particular time, that I didn't see it there and it does not appear to be excepted at this particular point, meaning excepted, and for the life of me I don't know how one can go back to a 1966 code. Now I understand that is what Jay Schondebare did, because I spoke to him concurrently the next day after I spoke to Mr. Hills and he told me he spoke to the prior surveyor who was imported by the Town at one time, and he indicated to me that what you had given as testimony tonight was the reason for excepting them, these will not entire code up these excepted lists, or and therefore the loss be carried through to the to the present day. The only problem I have with that is that in 1966 it would be assumed that this particular subdivision could be on the excepted list, because we had 12,500 square 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 '~5 16 '~7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 32 foot zoning at that time. Our zoning was 100 by 125. Those lots are 50 by 150. So they have very simply lacked by 5,000 square feet, the normal square footage that would have made them actually legal. That was the reason why I assumed they were on the 1966 code. I mean, I could be wrong. MR. MOORE: If I could interject. I understand you, doesn't it make a lot of sense to be on the excepted list if the subdivision at the time comprise what the zoning at that time? THE CHAIRMAN: That is correct. That is the reason they were on it. MR. MOORE: You have identified the problem here, which is the January 1989 adoption of the new Master Plan included in this new version of 100-244. That section of the code doesn't work with the exception list. It just doesn't make sense. One of it has to go, and you hear the Building Department is doing its very best to inter- pret and apply the code, and the back end of the new code is this nonconforming lot ! 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 33 provision requiring single and separate search. Ii the Building Department inter- pretation is that it was from the exception list and those 1966 lists are still good, he is not going to say I need a single and separate search. That's where you get the problem with the code, in that respect. THE CHAIRMAN: We don't have a problem with the code, because I said to Jay Schondebare at that particular point ... I said I will take it to the Board. But in his office, at that particular point, as I sat in his office I told him that the 1966 code no longer applies. It is phased out. It is no longer with us. We are dealing with it based upon the 1989 code. There- fore, this lot to stand would require a set off by this Board and very simply a process of the Planning Board, which you are aware of, because we do it concurrently. MR. LESSARD: Two things, Gerry, so we don't go too far afield here. The vacant land was issued under the other code, not the Master Plan code. Going back to our 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 34 theory of this 1966 lot being X amount of feet short of 12,500, using that theory, how do you justify going into 1971, or November 20, 1970, into one acre zoning by putting on the exception list something that goes down to 5,000 feet, one-third smaller than the ones that were on there? I don't understand the theory. THE CHAIRMAN: Well, the only thing I can tell you, if this is a historical docu- ment of what is happening in this Town, very simply, before the adoption of that par- ticular situation of going from 12,500 to 20,000 square foot lots, which was a re- quirement by the Health Department, then to one acre zoning. That was in 1971, as of January 1, 1971 ... was prior to that date the Planning Board was asked to look at all the subdivisions and to make a determination in 45 percent. Those subdivisions were built, were improved, and that is what basically ended up on the accepted list for the new code in 1971. Now, if you ask me presently what I 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ~6 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 35 that means, I don't know. I assume whatever ended up on that accepted list in 1971, that is what they had simply looked at. Now they may have missed one or two, but John wickham who was the Chairman at that time, or Henry Raynor (phonetic spelling) could probably answer the question better than I could. All I can tell you is there was one, and there was subdivisions on that list. They are available. It was not my suggestion that the prior Town Attorney should be asking a surveyor in this Town how that was arrived at. That person was not an employee of that Town at the time that either the '66 sub- division exception list was produced, or the '71, or '72, or '73 ... whatever the situa- tion is when those areas were revised and that is what concerns me. Because I think, Victor, you got bad information. I mean, I really do. I think he should have come ko us first before he issued that letter and he should have asked us. MR. LESSARD: Who is that? I 2 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 36 THE CHAIRMAN: The prior Town Attor- ney, and he should have said to us what do you think, because I really don't think that information was correct because he was relying on a person who is not an employee of the Town ... certainly had tremendous things for historic value to what exists ... but was not from the inside of the Town ... was not a member of the Planning Board and certainly ... a question, I I mean, if I was going to ask would call John Wickham. He is the biggest source of informa- tion. The man is 76 years old and he is a tremendous reference to historical back- ground, just as Charlie is ... excuse me for is in Europe MR. LESSARD: I have a problem in this respect. This was started, a practice long before I got here, because it was a standard practice. I don't know what the Town is Going to do, because now we are going one step further. You could have as many as 100 ... 150 of these not acceptable mentioning ... at 73. Serge now. He is not with us. 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 37 vacant land that had been built on. Do you realize the chaos it is going to start and what legal basis are you going to rely on? THE CHAIRMAN: I think we have to rely on the fact that the vacant land CO is really not worth the paper it is written on. MR. LESSARD: THE CHAIRMAN: one of these vacant I knew that part. Number two, that every land CO's should require a set off by this Board and the Planning Board, and that is only way you can deal with it. concurrently by really the So what I am asking is that from this particular point on, that is basically the area that is adhered to so we don't have any more of these problems. And if the legislative committee, which was organized and used to be the committee, which is part of this town which alters or modifies this particular code, feels that there are other subdivisions that should be placed on this exception list, or accepted list, meaning existing subdivisions we add to the list, we run over it and add to the list. 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 ~6 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 My concern is that at 80,000 feet this particular subdivision is not in that exception list. Very simply, we have 7,500 square foot lots, and that I assume the reason why it is not there. MR. LESSARD: We have a lot of 5,000 square foot lots that are on that list. If we are going to take that attitude ... we, the Town, then I strongly suggest we eliminate all exceptions, all accepted lists. square There is no way in my mind that you can take the 10 or 12 or whatever thousand square foot lot and say we are in two acre zoning because the next thing that follows is the guy next-door wants to cut his in half because it is inconsistent with the area. With the domino theory and without realizing, you can forget the two acre zoning. You are down to all quarter acres. I don't know what is going to come out of this. All I can see, at this point, is there is going to be one hell of a lot of chaos around here. All I did, I ... the Building Department did, was follow practice 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 '14 ]5 ~16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 39 that was set long before I got here. I used the Town Attorneys. Mr. Tacka (phonetic spelling) mostly. Bless him. He is gone. That is where I learned my business from. He wrote the book, and subsequently I worked through three other Town Attorneys. I don't know what else I can tell you. I live with this thing seven days a week. That may be where the difference is. I don't know. MR. MOORE: Mr. Chairman, you have made some comments this evening which have given me some food for thought, some avenues of research and some I would like to look into if I may. THE CHAIRMAN: Concerning this hear- lng? information here which could help me. MR. MOORE: Yes. You raised some I would like to explore it. My request would be to adjourn the hearing, not to close it, tonight. So perhaps we can explore this matter a little further. THE CHAIRMAN: We will see who else 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 wants to speak, and we will discuss it that. The purpose of this hearing tonight was to include this one and the other one. MR. MOORE: I am sorry. I didn't gather than from the information I had in the transcript or otherwise. MR. LESSARD: So there is no con- fusion, I had a letter from the Town to be here. I am not here to take either side. want that very clearly understood here. THE CHAIRMAN: Right. I appreciate that, Victor. I don't think there is any animosity. MR. LESSARD: I don't want animosity. That is not why I am here. We have a problem and I want the answer to it. THE CHAIRMAN: Okay. Is there any- thing you would like to say, gentlemen? MR. OCHSENRETER: Yes. I do not object to the building permit that was 40 after issued in 1984, two houses down from me, because I understood that, the single and separate ownership. I didn't get into this on personalities, relationships, real or 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2t 22 23 24 25 imagined. I felt because I of property contiguous that lot was not built was ... not buildable -~-- 41 owned a piece to mine, that on the same as my lot ... because when we first bought it in 1973 we got two tax bills and those properties were merged sometime after that. We get one tax bill. There has been a lot of property sold in that neighborhood where people in Good faith believed they could not build on them, and that was my understanding and that is the basis that I presented this petition on. THE CHAIRMAN: We thank you, sir. Is there anything you want to say for the record? You called me. MS. ARMBRUST: Dorothy Armbrust, 595 Bayer Road, adjacent to the property in question. I have lived there since 1930. The house has been up there since 1972, I sold the property. by my mother in 1950, Parizot, and in 1950 the lot, until I felt that care of it myself. and The lot was left to me and her name was Katey ... and I held onto it, I could not take I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ~10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 42 The Bettners (phonetic spelling) inquired about it, and ! sold it to the Bettners. I inquired at the Town Hall and was told as long as I held the lot ! could build on it, but after it was once sold to the Bettners, it could not be built on any longer because that was the law at the time. I don't know who I spoke with. My husband was alive at the time and he is now deceased 11 years. So he probably knows what date it was, and I think it was about '68. The Bettners held it, I believe, until 1972 when they sold it to the Spanos, and that was the way the property stood until the Spanos sold it in June of '89. had been in the hospital and I did not know too much about it, but they came and sur- veyed and said that property couldn't be built upon because I was told it could not be built on once it left my hands. I don't know if there is something wrong in the Town Board, as far as ! can see, if they changed their minds. I was not notified that it was bought separately to be 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 43 a lot to be built on. Had I been notified ... but then I had been in the hospital ... but there was no mail to that effect. So I did not know. That's all I can say. I really don't approve of the property, but ... THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much. MS. ARMBRUST: Because I think I should have been contacted before it was to be built on, but I did not receive any information beforehand. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Thank you for coming out tonight. Is there anybody else that would like to speak in the applicant's behalf? MR. LENCESKI: Edward Lenceski. Specifically looking at the situation which our petition presented to the Zoning Board, okay, is a situation where Lot Numbers 35 and 36 were deeded as one single lot of dimensions 100 by 150 to the Spanos back in 1972. for a 150 In 1972 a certificate of OCCupancy one family dwelling on a lot 100 by was issued by the Building Department. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 '~5 16 ~7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 In November of 1989, was issued by Mr. Lessard. who applied for that permit. ing when I contacted the Town dividing my property which is 44 a vacant land CO We do not know My understand- concerning across the street, which is a very similar situation, I was told that, number one, I would have to apply for the variance through the Town. For what? From what ! understand, a variance means notifying all the neighbors and having a hearing from the Zoning Board to see if this would be approved. Now this situation, a lot across the street, Lot Numbers 35 and 36, none of the neighbors were notified. was done. This don't know how ever applied for, from what We talk about an exception list. This miraculously lot was split into two. We it was done. No variance was I understand. We tion is how was any building permit issued by the Building Department? At the last hearing we had discussed know in January of '89, that Mattituck Heights subdivision was deleted. Our peri- 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 '~0 11 12 14 17 20 2~ 22 23 2~ house, don't long to here. 45 our timeliness and why did we wait so long to do this. I remember when, when that foundation went in, in August of '89, we had no idea what was going up there. When the building permit was posted, we could have gone to the Town and questioned under that building permit what was going on there. We didn't know if it was a garage. There was a rumor in the neighborhood it was going to be a swimming pool. This was a rumor. We did not understand. We did not know what was going on. There was a period of time, from August until February, when no construction at all was done. We do not understand why, if somebody was putting up a why there was such a long delay. I know ... about a foundation took that cure ... but that is not the point Getting back to the originally deeded lot that was in the name of Spano, our petition asked the Town Board how a permit was issued and how is this subdivided in this respect? That's all I can say at ! 2 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 this time. THE CHAIRMAN: MR. LENCESKI: THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Thank you. Is there anybody else? Is there anything you would like to say in rebuttal? MR. ZAHRA: Charles Zahra. I have been going through this for three years. It is a matter of record that I have viewed many documents in Town Hall over this period of time. I have been observing this case and I think the merits of this case fall on two documents. They are the building zone ordinances of the Town of Southold, which is one dated May 24, 1966, subdivision exceptions, property in question. and it lists all the including the As was mentioned before, and the amendment of 10/30/73, which is, I believe, was incorrectly stated before ... I think someone mentioned 1970 ... and you will find you won't find any from 1966 on this. that in this of the subdivision lists Basically, that means amendment it caused the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1'~ 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 47 subdivisions to be completely deleted just as any other ordinance would have the same effect. I have two copies to submit to you. Mr. Lessard mentioned one of the problems he foresees is a lot of these houses have been built and now could be deemed illegally built. I would think the more serious problem is if this Board upholds what Mr. Lessard has done, I think it opens the floodgates to all of the sub- divisions to now come in and apply to have to build homes. Even to the extent of an individual having a house up, now having it torn down. He may try possibly. I know of a situation where houses have been built on four and five lots, one house with maybe a swimming pool. It would behoove him to level that property and now built four or five houses, and I think we are talking about many homes ... one That is basically all I have to hundred. say. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. MS. GARCIA: Corrine Lessard-Oarcia. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 '16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 tax bills. the closing, have to say. 48 I own the property adjacent to the Inland Home house, clesring up a couple of mat- ters, at my closing, first, my sister-in- law Susan Lessard researched it. There were two separate deeds at my closing. We paid two separate tax bills, single and separate. There was never a rumor going around in the neighborhood of a swimming pool. Mr. Zahra was overhead at the last hearing telling Mr. Lenceski, "You should have told him it was a swimming pool." That is what we are dealing with here. It is not all facts. The facts are there are two separate I paid two separate tax bills at Town and County. That is all THE CHAIRMAN: MS. Mr. Thank you. GARCIA: Also, one more thing. Ochsenreter is an employee of %he Health Department. Now if they were so worried about what I was doing across the street, ... Mr. believe in January, before I went through the Health Department Raynor (phonetic spelling), even bought the 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 2O 21 23 24 25 _/~.- 49 property, and got their approval. Now it is professional courtesy for him to go and find out these are the systems you have to go through. You have to go to the Health Department to get permission to do these things. If there was something going on, the paper work was finished in January. He could have very easily gone and looked it up. Thank you. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. MR. OCHSENRETER: I would like to say something. I do separate my private life from my business life. I work for the swimming pool and bathing beach section. I have nothing to do with wastewater manage- ment. I keep them separate. MR. ZAHRA: This lady just mentioned that she overhead me speaking to Mr. Lences- ki, instructing him to tell the Board it was in fact a swimming pool. This is totally incorrect. If she wanted to join in the conversation, I would have invited her in. What basically had been said ... Mr. Lenceski at an earlier moment mentioned to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 50 me that he was told, as well as Mr. Ochsen- reter, that it was a swimming pool. That is what she overheard me saying Lenceski: Sure. Go tell the told to you. That it was Okay. ... was to Mr. Board what was a swimming pool. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. MR. ZAHRA: Now she mentioned a point on having single and separate tax deeds on the property. And this brings up ... didn't want to bring this up. I didn't think it was necessary because it is not a subdivision, but I find a lot of similarities in this case, that is of Mr. Hines, better known to everyone here as The Candy Man, out in East Marion. I would also like to mention Mr. Tohill defended The Candy Man in an article that was an Article 78 proceeding and he lost. I would just like to mention, and enter into the record, a couple of articles from that Article 78 proceeding stating why he lost .r. as well ... why the petitioner lost. THE CHAIRMAN: Can you just give a ( ( 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 75 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 little foundation on how you do show a similarity? MR. ZAHRA: I compare the Hines case in Orient to this case with regards to the property being single and separate. It did have single and separate tax cards. I have copies of them here. I will submit them. Mr. Hines also had single and separate tax cards when he went in to fight his rights and was denied them. It is an Article 78 proceeding. I just jumped around here in the interest of time. In one paragraph it says that petitioner's property was purchased as two separate parcels. One was purchased in '82, and the second parcel purchased in '84. The Clerk includes that merge, did a hear by operation of 100-31 of the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Southold, which excepts lots held in single and separate ownership prior to '71, from the new one acre requirement. Since petitioner's parcels were purchased in '62 and '64, merge occurred in '64. I'll hand that up, if you will give 5 6 8 9 lO ll 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 with regards said, and Mr. Hines' case, 52 me a second to get this stuff together. I want to mention one other thing to being timely, as Mr. Tohill Moore tonight again. In Mr. the building permit was issued on March 22, 1985 to contract a one family dwelling Mr. Hines received the stop work order and on this parcel. December 23, 1985, to mention that for the record. These are single and separate tax cards of Mr. Hines, basically the same as the Garcias ... who are now Mr. Hines. I will just hand this stuff up and I will be finished here. One other item I would like to hand up is Exhibit B of Mr. Tohill's Article 78 to the Court. You have a record of this, Gerry, in your office. This is where I copied this material from, for the benefit of Mr. Moore. One paragraph, it says: Each parcel has received a single tax invoice from the Town of Southold. revocation of his permit Department or with taxes taxes being eight months from the Building being timely, with later. I just want 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ~i4 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I am finished, Gerry. get this together. THE CHAIRMAN: Yes, Mr. Lessard? MR. LESSARD: I did not want to stick my nose into this latest thing, but I couldn't let this thing go by and confuse the issue here tonight. 53 will just Pirst of all, Mr. Hines did not have an approved or excepted subdivision. Mr. Hines had two lots that he put in the iden- tical name, as this Board is very well aware of, because it came to this Board. Mr. Hines came in and said to me, because I wrote the permit, that they were single and separate and he flashed two tax things I saw here. Mr. Mines got his permit and sat on it until after the fruit crop that he had on that second piece of property had matured, which put him into late October. So that knocked the hell out of that time argument I just heard as to bearing on what we are talking about tonight. We are mixing apples and oranges here, and I damn well don't believe it should crowd this 1 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 tion? What was the outcome of the Zoning Board's hearing on Mr. Hines? MR. LESSARD: What was the outcome? H~ had bogus applications. He did not have an approved subdivision. He already had two or maybe three houses on the other one lot. There was a lot of reasons why the Board ... if you check the records in the Zoning Board of Appeals you find out right away what it is all about. MR. DINIZIO: Article 78 we just heard about was after that. MR. LESSARD: Yes. THE CHAIRMAN: It went to the Supreme Court and they reaffirmed our decision. Mr. Moore, is there something you would like to tell us on what you are look- ing into? I would really dearly like to close this hearing. issue at all. Otherwise, I wouldn't have said anything. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. MR. DINIZIO: Can I ask you a ques- 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MR. MOORE: like to explore that have indicated some information, THE CHAIRMAN: understand. exception list, fruitful avenues -//~ - 55 would and you of Could you do that? MR. MOORE: The other half was, Mr. Lessard mentioned issuing several, I don't know, vacant land CO's or building permits on similarly situated exception area sub- divisions. I would like to explore that fully. That may take time. THE CHAIRMAN: We will put you on for the last hearing on the 19th, but I want to keep the testimony brief so that we can wrap it up. MR. MOORE: That would be fine. THE CHAIRMAN: I don't say that it's going to be a pretty good hearing. There is going to be a lot of people here. I don't mean in reference to the numbers. I am talking the that is the length of time of hearings and only thing I can offer you at this particular point. Does anybody have any objections 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 to have 56 that? MR. DINIZIO: No. I would like to the tax, accurate tax ... THE CHAIRMAN: You want a hill? MR. DINIZIO: The bills. MR. MOORE: Tax bills we can get you. MR. DINIZIO: I would just like to have copies of them. MR. MOORE: That modated. THE CHAIRMAN: can be easily accom- Mr. Zahra has one other question or statement, if you wouldn't mind. MR. ZAHRA: I would just like to say one other thing with regard to the material I submitted to you, with reference to The Candy Man or Mr. Hines' property. My focus of attention was on the fact that he had single and separate tax codes. That is basically it, Gerry, okay? And you have to understand I know so little about zoning. THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Anything further from anyone that ¢ ( I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 '~5 16 17 18 '~9 20 21 22 23 24 25 might not be here on the 19th or abouts? Hearing nothing further, further hands, I make a motion 57 there- seeing no recessing the hearing until the 19th, which we will readvertise if there is a minor change in the date, along with all the other hearings. MR. DINIZIO: Second. THE CHAIRMAN: All in favor? MR. GRIGONIS: Aye. MR. SAWICKI: Aye. MR. DINIZIO: Aye. THE CHAIRMAN: I thank you very much for your courtesy and for coming in. Thank you, Victor, for your opinion and concern in stating the case. (Time noted: 9:34 p.m.) I, GAIL ROSCHEN, do hereby certify that I am an Official Court Reporter, and that the foregoing constitutes a true and correct transcript according to my official stenographic notes. GAIL ROSCHEN Official Court Reporter Southold Town Board of Appeals Regular Meeting: March 29, 1990 There being no other business propgrly coming before the Board at this time, the Chairman declared the meeting adjourned. Doreen Ferwerda Board Secretary