HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA-04/03/1996 HEARING TRANSCRIPT OF HEARINGS
REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1996
Draft Prepared by
Noreen Frey
ZBA Representatives Present:
Gerard P. Goehringer, Chairman
Serge J. Doyen, Jr., Member
"James Dinizio, Jr., Member
Robert A. Villa, Member
Lydia A. Tortora, Member
Linda Kowalski, Board Assistant
At the beginning of each new hearing, the Chairman read the legal
notice and the application as an introduction to the audience and for
the record.
7:38 p.m. Appl. #4368 SUSAN PARK UTZ. The applicant is
requiring a Waiver under Section 100-26 of the Zoning Ordinance,
based upon the Building Inspector's March 14, 1996 Notice of
Disapproval, in which applicant was denied a building permit to
construct a one-family dwelling on vacant land based upon information
received by the assessors office since issuance of January 24, 1996
Notice of Disapproval (rear yard setback). Under Article II, Section
100-25A enacted 1/1/96, the subject lot has been held in common
ownerslfip with an adjacent lot from 6/17/95 until recently. Town
records show the subject parcel was single and separate prior to
6/17/95 wtlen deed transfer was recorded in the Suffolk County
Clerk's Office in a probate matter. The subject lot is shown to be
in common ownership with an adjoining substandard 1or (!000-18-1-9)
improved with a single-family dwelling. The subject parcel is
identified as County- Tax Map Parcel No. 1000-1S-1-12, and has been
assessed as a separate parcel known as 295 Youngs Road, Orient for
more than 32 years.
Chairman: I have a copy of a survey wkich was the nature of the
public hearing for setbacks. I have a copy of a Suffolk County Tax
Map indicating this and surrounding properties in the area. Is there
somebody- that would like to be heard? How are you, again?
MRS. SUSAN UTZ: I'm fine and how are you?
CHAIRMAN: What would you like to tell us.
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Regular Meeting - AFl-il 3. 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MS. SUSAN UTZ: I would like to build a small house on a little piece
of proper~y I own in Orient, next to another piece of property. I'm
selling the house any day now, to people who have been living in it
since last summer, and I need a place m stay. I'd like to ge~ the
house started.
CHAIRMAN: We'll szar~ with Mr. Villa. Do you have any questions
of Mrs. Utz? Is it Ms. Utz or Mrs. Utz?
MS. UTZ: Ms.
CHAIRMAN: Pardon me.
MEMBER VILLA: No, I don't have any questions.
CHAIRMAN: Mr. Dinizio?
MEMBER DINIZIO: No, none at all.
CHAIRMAN: Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: No
MEMBER DOYEN: No
CHAIRMAN: OK, I don't have any questions of you. We certainly
would not gi-ant an application for a setback, had we known it had
been merged for an extended period of time.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKi: It wasn't at that time.
CHAIRMAN: Yes, I know but I mean.
month merger.
We're talking about a six
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI:
something like that.
Probably four or five months,
CHAIRMAN: OK.
MS. SUSAN UTZ: t don't understand these things very well, but I'm
sure I will get my house pretty soon. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: Yes. Is there anyone else that would like to speak in
favor of this application, in the audience. Anybody that would like
to speak against this application? Anybody that would like to make a
motion?
MEMBER DINIZIO: I'll make that motion granted as applied.
CHTIIRMAN: Second. All in favor, Aye. (See Resolution in Minutes
filed with Town Clerk's Office).
Psge 3 - Transcript of Hearings
Reg~utar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
7:41 p.m. Appl. No. 4370 ~ HUGH MURPHY. This is an application
for a variance based upon the Building Inspectorts March 8, 1996
Notiee of Disapproval issued under Article XXIV, Section 100-244 in
which applicant applied for a building permit to construct an
addition to an existing dwelling with an insufficient front yard
setback, at premises known as 3105 Oakiawn Avenue, Southold~ NY;
County Tax Map Parcel No. 1000-70-6-8.A 35-front yard setback, or
the average established witifin 300 feet on the same block, is
required on a substandard parcel of 12,500+- sq. ft.
CHAIRMAN: t have a Map wb2ch was faxed, it looks like February 6.
!996 is the date on the map from Roderick Van Tuyl, P.C.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI:' There is a better map there.
CHAiRMA, N: Ok. And I have a copy of a Suffolk County Tax Map
indication this and surrounding properties in the area. The map I
indicated which is a survey does indieate the placement of the house,
and the garage, and it's proximity of the right-of-way, which is the
nature of this application. Is Ms. Herod here? How are you tonight,
Sir?
HUGH MURPHY: My name is Hugh Murphy and I own the property.
CHAIRMAN: Well, that's even better.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Al1 right. I've owned that little cottage for
over 20 years, and we've been summering out here. My intention is
to make that cottage into a permanent house. In about three years,
I'm planning on relocating out here, and taking with me a little
distributorship that I now have in New York.
CHAIRMAN: Great.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: My friends are also very much in favor. All
my neighbors are in favor of me having some house work done there,
because if you note that location it's one of the most gorgeous
locations on the Northeast~ here, and I have a little cottage' that's
very, very well run down, and all the houses around me are
beautiful on Joekey Creek. So, i'm looking for a little room to put
an office and something --. I have a key here. My Aunt said to
bring a key along if some people would like to look at the house.
This is really a three horse stall cottage. One time it was three
horse stall. That's the size of the bedrooms. The living room was
built onto it later, and the kitchen was built onto it after that.
I'm not trying to expand it beyond --. Just to get a little bit of
room for three horse stands. I'm pleased, and would weleome any of
you to visit my humble home, but it is not liveable on a year round
basis, which I'm trying to accomplish.
CIiAIRMAN: It's relatively small on square footage too.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Yes.
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Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southoid Town Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN: As your mentionfl~g too.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Yes, but there is enough room there. They're
only three of us ( ).
CHAIRMAN: OK, we'll szarx with Mr. Doyen. Do you have any-
ques tiGriS ?
MEMBER DOYEN: No.
CHAIRMAN: Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: No, I'm just reading the letter that was faxed
to the board tonight. Diane Herod is going to be here?
MR. HUGH MURPHY: She supposed to be here.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: She may be here. She called and
said, she may not be here on time. So, she asked the board to
proceed.
CHAIRMAN: OK.
MEMBER DINIZIO:
Mr. Dinizio ?
No, nothing at all.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Do you want to recess it to see if
she's going to attend, around 8:30?
CHAIRMAN: Mr. Villa?
MEMBER VILLA: Yes, I have a couple of questions. I notice in my
inspection that there is a debris Hne up on your grass there,
which is only a few feet from the house, and I'm concerned. How do
you put a new pile foundation on an existing house?
MR. HUGH MURPHY: How do I put a new pile foundation--.
MEMBER VILLA: That's what it's proposing to do.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: That's correct. I understand from the
gentlemen that does this on a daily- basis, that it should be no
problem whatsoever.
MEMBER VILLA: You mean, piles are generally drive piles.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Well, that's what he's planning on doing.
MEMBER VILLA: Well, you're going to have to move the house then.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Move the house.
MEMBER VILLA: You're going to move the house landward --.
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Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Yes.
MEMBER VILLA: And then put the piles, then move back again.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Right.
MEMBER VILLA: All right. What elevation are you going ~o have
the first floor at then?
MR. HUGtt MURPHY: Whatever the [aw says I have so be, which I
believe is just about something like, according so Diane, six or
eight inches higher than it is right now.
MEMBER VILLA: That's all it is. IUs nos the 11 foot contour or
whatever it is, because t know --.
CHAIRMAN: It's probably a B Zone.
MEMBER VILLA: Which is what?
CHAIRMAN: It's --.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: There's no limit on a B zone, in
Zones A and V, there are.
CHAIRMAN: You don't have to go the eight foot lowest height, or
lowest floor area, like in an A zone, because it's not in an open
Bay. It could be subject to flooding. I mean, I'm sure --.
MEMBER VILLA: It says in the flood zone.
CHAIRMAN: What about that December storm we had in 1992.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: I have never had water in the house.
Underneath the house, yes.
CHAIR~/LAN: OK.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Underneath the house, yes.
MEMBER. VILLA: So there won't be any activity, excavation or
anything else there where we can silt up that creek or anything else.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: I don't understand that, 'silt up.'
MEMBER VILLA: Well, when you're saying you're going to put a new
founda£[ou under it. I concerned about excavation and run off into
the Creek.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: There should be none because they're locust
posts under their now.
MEMBER VILLA: Yes, but you're going to put new ones in.
Page 6 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, ]996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MR.. ItUGH MURPHY:
he's supposed to be
honses.
Aud when he pulls them up. This gentlemen,
the best there is in the business on moving
MEMBER VILLA: Yes, to answer my question. You're going to move
the house. I didn't know how you're going to put piles under the
house. It doesn't look like you have room to move it to --.
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Got to move the house, put the piles back in,
put the house back down, and then start working on the house.
MEMBER VILLA: OK.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: You have a Trustees permit also,
right - Town Trustees approval on tlzis?
MR. HUGH MURPHY: Oh yes. I'm not going to do anything if it's
not approved.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: They conditioned it on that
probably, already.
MEMBER VILLA: It doesn't say anyt~hing on that permit about --.
MEMBER DINiZIO: We just got a letter.
SECRETARY LiNDA KOWALSKI: Jerry, Bob just got the file.
MEMBER DINIZIO: ( ) It was in our file.
MEMBER VILLA: That's about a sanitary system.
CHAIRMAN: Why don't we do this, Bob. Why don't we run through
the hearing, and if Mr. Murphy doesn't have, if he's not running
right out, we can recess it for a short period of time, and see if
your architect does shows up. Or you may want to give her a call
and see.
MR. ttUGH MURPHY:
she's taking--.
It's ok. I understand. I don't know why
CHAIRMAN: OK.
sECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: YOU see, there's a DEC permit in
here, and then there's also Trustees application that describes --.
Do you have that, Bob?
MEMBER VILLA: The DEC basically just says, that because there is
a bulkhead~ they have no jurisdiction.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: i know that. I'm taking about the
Trustees application.
Page 7 -. Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southo]d Town Board of Appeals
MEMBER TORTORA; The Trustees application refers ~o the FEMA
elevation, but it doesn't specify what the FEMA elevation is.
CHAIRMAN:
flood area.
That's because it's nor in a zone that's a high hazard
SECRETARY LtNDA KOWALSKI: That's normally nor required as parr
of the variance application. We don't normally ask for that.
CHAIRMAN: So, we'll just run through the hearing and, we'll hold it
up for one or two hearings, ro see if she shows up. If she doesn't,
we'll just close the hearing. It's a pleasure meeting you. Is there
anyone that would like ro speak in favor of this application? Is
there anyone that would like to speak against the application? Ok,
i'll make a motion ro recess and I'll offer it as a resolution Ladies
and Gent'lemen. All in favor.
7:50 p.m. Appl. No. 4368 - GEORGE JOHNSTON. This is an
application for a variance based upon a disapproval issued by the
Building Inspector dated 2/I5/96 in which applicant requested a
building permit to construct accessory garage building with an
insufficient front yard setback and with lot coverage over the 20%
limitation (for all building construction), Article 111, Section
100-33C (from Section 100-30A ,4) and Article lllA, Section
100-30A.3, Bulk Zoning Regulation Schedule. Location of Property:
$5 Mesrobian Drive (private road) Laurel, NY; County Tax Map
Parcel No. 1000-145-4-6.
MR. JOHN GUNNING (ARCHITECT WITH MR. AHLERS):
dimensions are a little less than 30 by 30.
Here the
MEMBER VILLA: Yes but still. A footprint of 30 by 35.
MR. -JOHN GUNNING: I also understand that we are allowed 20% lot
coverage, and I noticed on the application that the number~ were
revised, showing that we exceeded the 20%. Now I've gone over the
application and all tim calculations for the square footage of the
land, and t still come up with 19.2 %. i have a worksheet here if
you would like to look a~ it.
CHAIRMAN: Sure, definitely.
MEMBER VILLA: You're allowed 20% lot coverage, but you're still
proposing this as a fron~ yard, which requires 35 foo~ setback.
MR. JOHN GUNNING: Right, I understand that.
CIIA!RMAN: Can t just ask. There is no basement in tim house, is
i}lat correct. It's a stucco, it's a slab.
MR. JOHN GUNNING: On slab, yes.
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Regular Meeting - April 3, i996
Southold Town 'Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN: Yes, thank you.
MR. JOHN GUNNING: Basically everyti~/n~ is being stored in the
house when they*re not down.
MEMBER VILLA: That could create a tunnel.
CHAIRMAN: OK
MR,. JOHN GUNNING: ! do have some other information.
CHAIRMAN: Sure~ please do.
MR. JOHN GUNNING: The reason we're asking for a 10 foot front
yard setback. I think you can understand by maybe Iool~dn~ at the
photographs that I've gSven you. Their front yard is in
Page 9 - Transcript of Hearings
Regmlar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Soutbold Town Board of Appeals
8:06 p. m.
App,. No. 4389 - JESSE AND SHELLY REECE, CONTRACT VENDEES/
ROSE MARY SCHARBENBROICH, Seller. This is an application for a
variance based upon the Building Inspector's February 9, 1996 Notice
of Disapproval issued under Article lll. Sections I00-31A and
100-31C (2-b) in which applied has applied for a building permit zo
alter an existing accessory "shed" building (instead of principal
dweIHng) for occupancy as an artist studio wherein glass works of
arz will be produced. Location of Property: 800 Haiyoake Avenue,
Orient; County Tax MAP Parcel No. 1000-27-2-2.9, containing 5.02
acres in an R-80 Residential Zone District. By Jennifer Gould, Esq.
CHAIRMAN: I have a copy of the Suffolk County Tax Map indicating
this property at approximately 3.0 acres, and I have approximately
four letters against, and four letter in favor. I have co be
perfectly honest with the Public. These lezzers came in az the last
minute. I have not read them all. So, we will not be making a
decision on this application tonight. We will however, be closing
the hearing and we do have 60 days to make a decision. We very
rarely ever take 60 days, but so everybody is aware of that
situation. I tlzink we're ready for Ms. Gould.
Jen Gould Esq.: Good evening. I know that alot of people want to
speak this evening, and t know there's atot of composition to this
application. I hope we'll have a very truthful discussion tonight,
so I want to be brief in my opening remarks. I represent Jessie and
Shelly Reece. Right now the Reeces are renting from the
Scharbenbroich in Orient. I think it's a five acre parcel.
CHAIRMAN: It's five.
JEN GOULD ESQ: Yes, it's fivq, not a three acre, and they have an
option to buy the property. This option is extended until the Zoning
Board makes a decision on tilts application for a variance. Now you
said, the reason they're bringing in a application for a variance is
because Jesse is an Artist. Jesse and Shelley have been living in
Orient for five years. They have two children. Nolan is five and in
Oyster Ponds School, and Nathan is two. Jesse had his studio in
East Marion on Rocky Point Road, which is also R40/R80 residential
district. He would like to buy the Scharbenbroich property and like
all other artist's that I know in Southoid Town, work from his home.
He doesn't want to work from the main building because he has an
unique piece of property -~dth Historical buildings, and he would tike
to locate his studio in an old potato shed. I don~t know if you've
had an opportunity to read ali the letters, but this parcel at one
time was part of the Hallockvilie farm, and this building is one of
those buildings. It's seems Like an ideal unique place to have his
studio. But if the code right now, Hmited to the main building on
the premises, which would be the dwelling, which he and his family
will live. Also, that building, the shed, exceeds the limitations in
Page 10 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
the Home Occupation Law for size, 25%. This building is bigger.
It's a 24 by 48 foot building. So, before I go on, I tiffnk the
blending issues is what Jesse Reece's does, and whether he's an
artist or a manufacturer, i'd like to introduce him, and let him
tell you a little bit of what he does. I know from oti~er board
members that have been to his studio. I'd Hke everybody else here
to know something about him. Is that all right?
CHAIRMAN: Will there be a time when we will have a right to "grill"
you, before tiffs hearing is over?
Jen Gould Esq: Yes, yes.
CHAIRMAN: OK- Good evening, how are you?
MR. JESSE REECE: Good. I brought a few objects that i made so
you can see for yourself.
CHAIRMAN: Why don't you put them over here on the table. We
can take a recess if anybody would like to look at these.
MR. JESSE REECE: Welt,~ this is the work I do and I don't know
what to say about it. I consider myself an artist. These are
original creations. I'd like to do it on that property. As Jennifer
said, i've been working on Rocky Point Road for four years now,
without any incident to the neighborhood. In order to stay in this
area, for financial reasons and for work related reasons, t'd like to
be able to work closer to my home, and this property seems ideal to
me. tf I can get permission to put that shop in that shed. That's
basically al! I have to say about it.
CHAIRMAN: Let's start with Mr. Villa, and we'll see if he has any
ques tions.
MEMBER VILLA: Just for curiosity, how do you get your raw
materials. Is it just g~ass that you melt or do you get it as--.
MR. JESSE REECE: I buy it as a premixed batch~ it's called, and I
melt that.
MEMBER VILLA: So it's basically like a powder. It's a dry product
and you melt it.
MR. JESSE REECE: Yes
CHAIRMAN: Mr. Dinizio?
MEMBER DINIZiO: How much of that do you keep on the property at
any one time, that powder?
MR. JESSE REECE: Well, they come in 50 pound sacks and I get 60 .~
ba~s s.t a time. It last me about three months.
Page [1 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southo[d Town Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN: You also mentioned ro us last Saturday, that there
would be no outside storage. Is that correct?
MR. JESSE REECE: You know, they stack up. They come in a 50
pound sack. They stack up in a small corner.
MEMBER DINIZIO:
do this.
MR. JESSE REECE:
those rods.
MEMBER DINIZIO: I saw those rods, yes. So those
things that basically you make --.
MR. JESSE REECE: That's basically the only materials.
CHAIRMAN: And the utility-, the main utility is gas which is --.
MR. JESSE REECE: We have propane and then it's cooled in electric
compartments.
CHAIRMAN: OK, Mrs. Tortors?
MEMBER TORTORA:
MR. JESSE REECE:
MEMBER TORTORA:
MR. JESSE REECE:
blowing."
MEMBER TORTORA:
MR. JESSE REECE:
signed.
MEMBER TORTORA:
MR. JESSE REECE:
It's probably the only material that you have, to
I have those glass, those colored glass. I have
are the two
What ( ).
Well, i brought a list of copies of.
It's not
complete, but if you want to see them.
CHAIRMAN: Surely, we'd like to see them.
MEMBER TORTORA:
sell yonr works?
MR. JESSE REECE: Here.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you.
MR. JESSE REECE:
If you could name some of the places that you
I have copies for everybody.
Pass it down this way.
There are three sheets.
"free hand glass
All my pieces are
Are these, one of a kind?
Yes.
Are they created from a mold?
No, what t do is called
Are they signed?
Yes, they're both sigmed.
Page !2 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southo[d Town Board of Appeals
MEMBER DOYEN: Is he selling off of his property?
CHAIRMAN: He'll answer that.
I'll jump on his question. Is
itself.
The question Mr. Doyen had, and
there any retail from the property
MR. JESSE REECE: Virtually none. Occasionally neighbors come by,
but i don't advertise.
CHAIRMAN: When and if ttzis application was granted, would there
be any visual change to this building, than changing the doors or
something.
MR. JESSE REECE: Roll up the winds, they're are boarded up now.
Other than that, i'm not planning on anything.
CHAIRM~N: OK.
MR. JESSE REECE: No signs or anything.
MEMBER DINIZ!O: Do you have any chimneys or anything like that?
MR. JESSE REECE: Yes, I might put one of those little round stacks
up there.
MEMBER DINiZIO: Is that required for the ovens, or is it just going
to be for you to heat tile building?
MR. JESSE REECE: That would just be for an exhaust.
MEMBER DINIZIO: OK.
CHAIRMAN: Yes?
MEMBER TORTORA: What do you cai1 yourself?
MR. JESSE REECE: Well, i'm an Artist, a Glass Artist.
MEMBER TORTORA: Could you tell us what glass art is?
MR. JESSE REECE: Well, basically art works made from glass.
MEMBER TORTORA: Could you tell us a little bit about how this
came about in terms of history, and what --. i don't think most
people are familiar with this, and whatever information you can bring
along.
MR. JESSE REECE: Sure. About 30 years ago there was something
called the ( ) of 1asr movement was born, and it came out of a
graduate program at the University of Wisconsin basically, where in
the ceramic department they deveioped small furnaces, that Artists
would have access to material. Since then, it has grown through
University programs, and Art Schools, '*-here I'd say uow, they're
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Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Sonthold Town Board of Appeals
are probably 250 small shops like mine in the Country. Before this,
glass was, hot glass was by in large, inaccessible to the Artist. It
was mainly done in large scale factories. So the technology was
reduced, so that Artist's could have access to it. Now there are
many galleries across that strictly sell glass born of the Stuben
glass move~nent.
MEMBER TORTORA; I see you displayed the Art Institute in Chicago.
MR. JESSE REECE: Well, I recently --. Well, I sold things for their
museum shelves.
MEMBER TORTORA: Have vou displayed elsewhere, like New York
City or. places that might be ~amiliar with New York City?
MR. JESSE REECE: Welt, I had a few shows llke in the World
Finaimial Center in a place called ( ) Gallery. Other stores,
a few stores called the American Craftsman that makes handmade
things, I sell to, in New York. I've sold to Department Stores and
buyers and numerous places on one sale, and somewhat pieces, all
across the Country.
MEMBER TORTORA: Mr. Doyen?
MEMBER DOYEN: No.
CHAIRMAN: ts there anything you would like to say at this point?
MR.. JESSE REECE: Not really. I don~t really see that I would be
altering the neighborhood in any way. Most people don't really know
that we're out there, at the location that we're at. I mean, to
inside visitors it's my art studio and I think it's pretty benign.
CtlAIRMAN: OK. The process that you showed us last Saturday,
myself and Mrs. Tortora -
MR. JESSE REECE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN; In the actual creating !'11 use, of glass. It could be a
vase, it could have been as small cookie jar. it could have been
anything you wanted to call it. The. maximum drone that we heard
from your kiln, was the maximum amount of noise that you would be
creating. Is that correct?
MR. JESSE REECE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN: And we did notice that there was a large fan in the
building, and when I say fan I'm talking about a fan like the kind
you see in Church for the circulation of the air. That would be the
maximum amount of noise that we would hear, those two things if
they were operating si~nultaneously.
MR. JESSE REECE: Yes.
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I~egular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN: OK. Thank you.
MR.. JESSE REECE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: Ms. Gould, where are we going from here?
JEN GOULD ESQ: Well, we could let other people talk.
CHAIRMAN: Sure. Is there anybody- in this audience that would
like to speak in favor of this application? Sir.
MR. TOM SCHLETT: My name is Tom Schlett. I'm a jeweler here in
Town. I've been here for 20 years, and the first time I met Jesse
was out on the road. I sell jewelry and I travel ali over the
country, and I do 20 or 30 art fairs a year, and like Jesse I sell to
some craft galleries and jewelry shops. In general, craft movement
is small shop~ two people. Me and my wife do it. You might have
one part time employer. I see him more on the highway, t was with
him two weeks ago in Morristown, New Jersey, in Michigan, i've seen
him in, Ohio. So, it's small. They're nice, and they bring nice
things to the area. He's a nice person. He does pace work, clean.
I'd like to see him have a shop here of his own.
CHAIRMAN: Anyone e!se like to speak kn favor? Anybody want to
speak against. Oh, in favor, ok. We can always come back.
MRS. MARTHA SCHOTT: I'm Martha Scott and I'm a sculpture in the
Town of Southotd, and I think the more art works that are created
out here, I think it's to the absolute betterment of the community-.
In my 20 years out here, I've used compressors and so forth and so
on, on the sculpture, and i've never had anything but good will for
my neighbors. It's never been an annoyance to them. In fact, they-
seem very interested in the pieces that are going and so forth, i
think in the nature of Jessets business, I think people would be very-
fascinated with the whole process, and I can't see that it would
create any nuisance whatsoever. In fact, far less than a barking
dog. To the community at large, it's wonderful to have such a
distingTzished artist in a very- distinguished difficult media amongst
us. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Anyone else?
MR. STEVEN HELINSKI: Good evening. My name is Steve He!inski.
I'm the crew at the glass studio. I~d ~ust like to say that in the
couple of years that I've been working with Jesse, it's the safest
operation i've ever seen. There is more safety nets, than most
people have at home by~ the kitchen stove, as far as accidents go.
That's all thought of, well in advance, and we haven't had any
problems. It's also, been a great opportunity- for me to get involved
_~n his craft. I just think it's a fine addition to the community.
i've lived out here ail my life, and i've live in Cutchogn,te, Southo!d
and Greenport, and just in residential area's I've had neighbors that
have caused me alot of problems, just being obnoxious neighbors. As
Page 15 - Transcript of Hearings
R. egular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
Jesse said, the neighbors on Rocky Point Road don't even know we're
there. Thank you.
CttAIRMAN: Thank you. Anybody else in favor. Yes Ma'am.
MRS. POPPY JOHNSON: I'm Poppy Johnson and I live in Greenport,
and when I moved here ]2 years ago with my husband, i had s
studio in an abandoned, old commercial building in a residential
neighborhood. We went through a great deal of trouble with the
Village ]usu because nobody seemed to know what a studio was, or
what artist's did. That's all be ~hind us now, and I don't think it's
been any problem to the people that live around us, thai we make
art. It is really an asset to a community to have artists. I lived
in artist neighborhoods in New York City too~ and I really don't see
it does Terrible things to neighborhoods or real estate values,
have artists living there.
CHAIRMAN: Before we go over to the negative. May I just ask you
a question, Mr. Reece? What is the direct advantage of having the
studio on site, other than the fact that you're not disenfranchised
£rom the property. You don't have to drive to East Marion each
day.
Mr. JESSE REECE: Well, there is alot of preparation ~n my -work.
Take's time for things to heat up, and it just -- For one thing, it
would be much easier if I were right at home. I l~ave ~wo small
children and [ could help .take care of them at times, and also
economically. It would give me a chance m buy this property and
build some equity, instead of continuing ~o rent this place which is
also for sale, and it would jus~ give me some security.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Anybody like ¢o speak agains~ the
application? Yes. Kevin, how are you tonight.
KEVIN MCLAUGHLIN, ESQ.: i would like to hand out a couple of
original letzers thai I sent you, xerox copies of. The first issue
that i bad addressed in my first presentation to the board, was to
the standing to the applicants. I understand from schools
presentation, that there may be some kind of extension on the
option. I won't know if anything has been presented to the Board to
confirm that. Tile papers that I had seen that had been presented to
this Board indicated that option expired on April tat and if so, I
think there's a serious issue of whether or not the applicants have
standing to pursue ~his application. Perhaps that could be remedied
in some way with some written confirmation of an extension of that
option.
Certainly none of us here tonight, I don't think, are here to
dcuigrate in any way the products that Mr. Reece produces.
Obviously they are beautifui. The question really becomes, "is this
an appropriate kind of business to be operated at the site that you
would like to operate it?" The code is pretty specific and it
defines manufacturing as any process whereby the nature, size or
Page 16 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Soutbold Town Board of Appeals
si~ape or articles or raw materials is changed or where articles are
assembled or packaged, and I ,would submit to the Board that here,
clearly, the size, the shape and nature of glass is being changed and
tt~erefore if by its very terms falls witFHn the definition of
manufactaring under the code, clearly manufacturing under the code
is prohibited as part of a home occupation. That's in Section
!00-3lC-2-h. So if what he is doing out there may be artistic, but
if it involves manufacturing, the code specifically precludes that
from being a home occupation. And I think that's really the first
question this Board has to wrestle with.
This isn't the same as a painter sitting in a room of his house
as a studio, or sculptor using a portion of their house to create
works of art. It's different by its very nature. Again I'm not
saying that the products that are produced are not a wonderful
product ~ clearly they are.
We have submitted to the Board -- I know, a couple of you have
visited the Rocky Point Road site. We have submitted a couple of
pictures for any board members that haven't that i think might gffve
you a fairly good idea of what it looks Hike inside presently, and of
course it would be our position that the site on Rocky Point Road
may be an inappropriate site for this kind of business, but not an
old wooden structure located within a few feet of someone else's
property tine and in fact according to their own survey, within the
50 ft. right-of-way.
Assuming that the Board is able to get past the issue of whether
or not this type of use violates the manufacturing prohibition, the
second major issue you have to deal with is, "Are you going to allow
the home occupation law to be someth~ing entirely different than what
it says it is?"
I think most of the Board probably remembers when the issue of
home occupation was before the Town Board and it was a real hot
topic. There were alot of people that were strongly against it.
There were people that were decrying it as the downfall 9f any
residential zone within the town. Perhaps they went too far, but I
think the Town Board obviously heard the people and indicated that
in the !aw that they passed that does contain subparagraphs (a)
thr6ugh (h) which are attempts to mfl~imize the impact that a business
run in a reside~atiat neighborhood might have upon the neighboring
property owners. (Changed to Tape 2), ..."home occupation under
the home occupancy law but then I want you to ignore Subsections
(a) through (h) which are the very core of those types of businesses
that can be run as a home occupation.~' Section 100-3~C-2 says that
it permits certain home occupations provided that, and then it lists
~hose subdivisions; the first subdivision says, "no storage or stock
in ~rade.' Clearly there has been an indication that there -would be
storage of stock and ~rade at this location. The occupation in
subdivision (b) must incidental to the residential use and only in
the main bailding. Subdivision (c) talks about limitations on size
within ti~e mahi buildin~ again. Subdivision (d) talks about "no
Page 17 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3. ]996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
exterior effect." I think there will be people here tonight that
would indicate to you that they have been au the Rocky Point Road
premises that there is considerable noise out side of that premises,
and in fact whe[ we are talking about here again is the shed that is
locsted within a few feet of the property Hne in the front yard area
of a residential neighborhood. Subparagraph (e) really doesn't
apply. It talks about dance and music studios. (f) talks about
altering the appearance of the building. Again, I'm nor sure what
the prior codes are and things like that, but I would have a
difficult time believing that there wouldn't have to be some
alteration of this very old wooden structure to allow the type of
work to be done in there ~-ith propane gas and things as opposed to
Rocky Point Road which is obviously a cemen~ block building.
Subdivision (g) sets forth examples of inappropriate Type
businesses. I would submit to the Board that the examples including
things like barber shops and beauty parlors and things like that,
would be less obtrusive on the neighborhood than the type of
businesses that's being asked for, sanctioned here. And again
subparagraph (h) in very language says, "No manufacturing,
fabrication or construction of any type." It's very- clear.
What I think the applicant is asking this Board to do is rewrite
the home occupation law. I would submit to you that that's really an
appropriate function of the Town Board that's a legislative
function to change the law. With all due respect, I would submit to
this Board that if they came in here and asked for relief of the size
of the studio within the residence, or other types of relief within
the confines of the requirements of the home occupation law, that's
an appropriate relief but to totally re-write this law and to say-,
it's a home-occupation law, it doesn't mean home occnpation law. It
means you could do this in any structure within the property, he's
not just seeking relief, it's seeking a total reformation of tkis
law. And I don't think that's appropriate for this Board to
undertake.
Finally I think this would set a dangerous precedent if this
kind of business can be operated in the building that these people
would request you allow it to be run in, t don't know an?~here on
the North Fork in the Town of Southold where this kind of operation
would be less appropriate. You're going to, if you allow this to
happen, have this I think pointed out to you on any application that
anybody wanted to make for similar relief, and I think you would be
bard pressed to try to distinguish it.
Again, we are clearly not opposed to artists some of the
people that are going to be speaking to you Tonight in opposition are
~:i~emselves artists. The question is, whether or not this is an
appropriate site for this kind of a business and whether or not the
home occupaney, occupation law is going to be totally rewritten by
this beard or whether it is going to be enforeed. I'd like to allow
some of the neighbors now, many of whom letters you have to try- to
address the board and tell in their own words exactly how they feel
about this application.
Page !8 - Transcript of Hearings
Regniar Meeting - April 3:1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHR!NGER: Let me just ask does anybody have any
questions of ICevin at this point?
MEMBER DINIZIO: I would just like to have your definition, try to
differentiate between~ what this gentleman is doing and what an
artist, say a painter would be, and why - how is there a different in
the final product?
MR. MeLAUGHLiN: Welt, again, my understanding of how he
operates is somewhat limited and i clearly if I misstated let
somebody explain that to you. A painter is sitting assumably under
the home occupation law~ is sitting in a studio within his house
painting on canvass or whatever means that person is choosing.
What my understanding what Mr. Reece is doing is he's got furnaces
tha~ are melting down glass products and within the defhfition of the
code is ,manufacturing these products. Whatever you want to call
them. i think that's totally different than the tdnd of thing that
you're talking about wi~h a painter that's sitting there and not
changing the quality of the product that's before them other than
putting it on onto whatever means-- (a few persons interrupted with
laughing).
CHAIRMAN: Mrs. Tortora.
MEMBER TORTORA: I confess I am married to an artist. An artist,
and this is foe of Jim's question. An artist uses materials to
create a painting, whether it's water color, whether it's oil,
whether it's grapbAcs, whether it's pencii~ and that is one of the
materials that he uses. Do you agree?
MR. McLAUGHLIN: Clearly I agree with that. Sure.
MEMBER TORTORA: Then he uses, it must of some kind of a
, either canvass, board, whatever, correct?
MR. McLAUGHLIN: Sure.
MEMBER TORTORA:
rest of statement).
manufacturing?
And he may frame it, or mat it, (could n6t hear
When you consider stomping grapes, is that
MR.. McLAUGHLIN: Interesting question. ! don~t know that I have
the answer to it, what ! would submit to this Board that is wlnat is
done wi~h the glass materials to change them into the products that
you see today clearly is manufacturing under the code. Whether or
not an artist taking the painting or whatever else and applying it to
whatever medium is manufacturing, ! don't know that t would indicate
that it is. But I think this is clearly a different process that we
are talking about. We're talking about propane gas being used to
melt down the products. My understanding, and again I'm subject to
be[ug corrected, is that these ovens run ~4 hours a day basically ail
year round, it being shut down maybe a couple of times a year for
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Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
whatever purpose, maintenance, or whatever. I think it's clearly
different and again, I think that if you look az the definition in
tt~e code, this is clearly a manufacturing process as defined
therein.
CHAIRMAN: Ok.
MEMBER TORTORA: The only problem there is no definition of an
artist in the code. There's a definition of home occupation, there's
a definition of tnanufacturing, but I could not find a definition of
artist.
MR. McLAUGHLIN: I agree, there isn't one in the code. What I
would submit to you too is, that an artist can also be
manufacturing. I'm not saying that the two are mutually exclusive.
An artis.t as part of its work may fall within the ambit of what
manufacturing is defined in the code. I'm not saying the two are
mutually exclusive. I don't think a painter is manufacturing, but I
think what is being done here under the definition of the code is in
fact manufacturing.
CHAIRMAN: A gentleman in the audience just wanted to reflect on
that. Could you just state your name for the record?
JOSHUA NEFSKY: I just wanted to clarify that perhaps. It's really
hard to define something Hke an artist. I work in the business.
I'~n a photo~-apher and I shoot art, photo~o-rapkic art. I do it every
day. There's sort of a loose term for that. I think what Jesse
(Reece) does would be called an artisan. If you refer to it as an
artisan. There's sort of brackets. They're artisan. They're
craftsman. And they're artists. People traditionally under artist
tend to be people like painters and sculptors, things like that. It
can also say a musician, he's an artist. It's a phrase. So it's
something that is not exactly defined, but t would specify that he be
called an artisan.
I don't know if being an artist is what this is all about.
don't think that it is. But in terms of what we call it, that's what
it ~;s. There's also another thing is that, in New York, in the
Museums, you have certain things in certain places. Now, there is
the crafts Museum, the American Museum of Crafts, which handle all
tt~ose things. They handle textiles~ and glass., and folk art, that
type of thing, ok. It's ( ) but it just might help to
clarify something. You can say somebody is an artist. You can say,
a ( ) is an artist, what they do. There are certain things,
and I think what Jesse does would be classified as artisan.
CIIAtRMAN: What's the difference between a craftsman and a
ma!u/facturer?
MR.. JOSHIIA NEFSKY: Well t think, manufacturing takes raw
products and puts them into finished, takes raw materials and puts
tl~e~n into a finished product. Whereas a sculptor would usually
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Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
works with ( ) and then he sends it out as a cast, a finished
product. He's laughing, yon know. Again, I'm sa)ring. This is not
s definite thing, it's just --
CHAIRMAN: OK. Do you have a question of this Gentlemen?
MEMBER DINIZIO: Yes., [ would just like to know, you take
photographs and deve!ope them. Are you an Artist?
MR. -JOSHUA NEFSKY: ! don't consider myself an Artist.
MEMBER DINIZIO: That's all I wanted to know.
CHAIRMAN: OK
MR. JOSHUA NEFSKY: Sometimes I do. When I take a great
p~cture, i consider myself an Artist.
MEMBER DINIZtO: Manufacturer, do you manufacture pictures.
MR. JOSHUA NEFSKY: Am I a manufacturer? I'm actually what
they would call a service, a service industry.
MEMBER DIN!ZIO: OK~ but I mean, you have a dark room in your
house or wherever.
MR. JOSHUA NEFSKY: In the City I have a dark room.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Would you say, when you take those films and go
in~o the dark room, are you msnufacturing something, or is that
product a manufactured product.
MR. JOSHUA NEFSKY: I suppose you could stretch anything if you
care to.
MEMBER DINIZIO: i'm not trying to stretch it. I'm trying to
understand whore this line is. it seems to me that's it's very --.
MR. JOSItUA NEFSKY: t don't know if that's the ..... .
CItAIRMAN: Do you mind if we continue this questioning for a
minute, tqevin ?
I(EV!N MCLAUGHLIN.~ ESQ:
CHAIRMAN: Of anybody.
MR.. JOSiIUA NEFSKY: I actually have something to say afterwards.
CHAIRMAN: Yes, we'll be back to you. What we intend to do. I'll
lc! this gentlemen speak, and what we intend to do is take a five
minute recess after this gentlemen speaks.
Questionin~ of me or questioning of him?
Page 21 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI:
please.
I need the spelling of your name
CHAIRMAN: Just hold on one second. We need the spelling of your
uame, Sir.
MR. JOSHUA NEFSKY: Last name.
CHAIRMAN: Yes.
MR. JOSHUA NEFSKY: Nefsky.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: OK. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Kevin. Sir, could you state your name for
the reco~d also?
MR- BRIAN HAGIWARA: I'm Brian Hagiwara. I'm Jesse's neighbor.
Nefsky is talking about is like 10 feet from my property, and very
close to a house that used to be the Foreman's house originally. I'm
also an Artist, and I'm for Artist's. I'm a painter, photographer
and I also manufacture lamps and clocks and catalogers, and if--. !
dou't doubt that you're an Artist or that they're not beautiful. I'm
for ail that. What we're talking about is that this is an old wooden
barn, and his operation now is in a cinder block building, very hot
ovens. It is noisy to me. There's an exhaust system on my roof in
the City, that sounds just like that, and at night when it's on, you
can hear it. It's a big buzz. When you're working, maybe you
don't hear it, and that place out there is so quiet. ! love it. I
would love to be able to convert one of my barns into manufacturing
some of my Art work, but I respect what the Code says, not to do
that in our buildings. It's the beauty of the place. I wouldn't
want to do it, and I wouldn't want anybody else to do it. Although,
I would love to do it. That's why I like it, you know. You have to
make sacrifices. It's -- if you -~ We all have to make a living.
We'd all like to work at home, make it convenient. I'd love to do
that. But, we can't always do that. You know, it's just --, it
seems that ttley'll set a precedent that a lot of people could build
studio's of any nature they wanted, to do what they considered Art.
But to me, that's not the issue. There's a ruling, there's a code
that says, that is should be contained in the house, i want to
respect that, because I think --. That's why this place is so pure
and wonderful.
CItAIRMAN: Thsnk you, ok. We're going to take approximately a
five minute recess. Anybody is welcome to look at the production.
I'm afraid to use any words here, ok. I will say this for the
record. That's what has been so unique about this board. We're not
here to interrogate people. We honestly like to speak to people, and
see what their opinions are, and then we draw a conclusion based
upon everything that we take either as testimony or everything we
read. And by the nature of that, I'm just saying this for the
bene[it o[ the people. We have a gentlemen to my left, on your
Page 22 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April $, t996
Southoid Town Board of Appeals
r'~gi~t, that has been on this board for ~4 years, ok. I've been on
the board for 15 years, ]8 years almost. We do take everything to
heart, and it's sometimes very very difficult for us to make a
decision. In light of that, i just want to take approximately
a five minute, a three to five minute recess, and I'll offer that
Ladies and Gentiemen as a Resolution.
MEMBER VILLA: Seconded
CHAIRMAN: Before you leave, ail in favor, Aye. Mr. Murphy, we'd
like to thank you for coming in. We're going to close your hearing
at this point, and we mffli deliberate tonight. Hopefully, we'll get
to it. Your welcome to call us, say Friday if you like. I can't
tell you how long this hearing is going to go. IH! offer a
Resolution closing the Murphy Hearing.
MEMBER 'TORTORA: Seconded
CItAIRMAN: Two people independently, while you were speaking
kind of took the show away a little. We apologize about that, and
now we'll move onto other people that have immediate concerns
regarding this application. Who else would tike to speak. Yes Sir.
How are you, Sir?
MR. JOHN ZLOKLIKOVICZ: My name is John Zloklikovicz. My wife
and i own a piece of property adjacent to the site. Although, we
haven'~ seen the existinE operation, we've been getting some photos
of ~t. I csn't identify what these various pieces of apparatus are,
but it appears to me that ! do recognize two osculating fans, and
what appears to be ovens. There seems to be substantial amount of
duct work. I don:t ka~ow if that is all used, you know, with that
equipment. But I g-uess~ one of my major concerns here is, if ail of
this is going at the same time, there has to be an appreciable amount
of noise, particularly if the statements i heard before are correct.
That this is a 94 hour, 7 day a week, 52 week operation. So that's
one concern we have. I can't for the life of me figure out, also how
this will fit into this buildinv, .~thout drastically changin~ the
structure, i passed it today and it seems to be a wooden structure
that could use a lot of work and i just don't understand how you
could use it 'as is". We're also concerned about any admissions that
might be toxic. I'm not familiar with the process, i have no idea
of what products that are used in conjunction with glass to make his
final product. But it is a concern of ours. Also, if water was used
in any of this Art work process, that you know, something might be
leaking into the ground that we might regret someday. So, I g~aess
from an environmental standpoint, we're really concerned about it.
We certainly not opposed to Artist's but it certainly seems that it's
~ot an appropriate site in my mind.
CtIAIRMAN: Can I just shed two things on this. When it was in
Vogue to have gene~-ators, wind generators which basically were
similar to what you had on every farm, pumping water at one time.
We indepeadently went out and looked at the first wind generator
Page 23 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - AFril 3, 1996
$outhold Town Board of Appeals
that existed. That was in Laurel. A gentlemen by the name of
Miller. Ti~ere was a substantial amount of drone that came from that
generator, depending upon --. We went when it turned just like
this, and then we went when it turned 30 miles a hour. Mr. Reece
put together for me, and created a glass object about twice the size
of this cup. I carried on a conversation with him, while he was
creating it. The only thing that was not operating was the fan that
I mentioned. The ovens are kept on because it eosz them --. It's
like a pizza oven. It takes a long time for the ovens to crank up.
So it's easier and more efficient to leave the oven on. I saw no
water usage au all, except for possibly cooling a specific object,
and it was taken out of a pot or pan, on a rag. I saw nothing
noxious at all in the building. I guess if you dropped a piece of
glass on the floor and ii broke, that would be the only thing that I
could construe to be noxious. This is not to be construed as being
that, I'm in favor of it. i'm just trying to answer some of your
questions. Myself, and Mrs. Tortora on Saturday were there. Mr.
Dinizio was there today. I saw it as a pretty clean operation.
There is some dust. All operations create some dust, ok. That's
what I saw. I just wan~ you to be aware that we did investigate this
to a certain degree.
MR. JOHN ZLOKLIKOCICZ: Well, I'm sure that you did. But you
know, perhaps they were running to full capacity. I work for a
general contractor and we operate a woodworking shop as parx of our
business, and when we're only operating one piece of equipment.
Yes. it's fine, you know. There's no problem. When we got the
glue sprayers on, and when we have seven or eight pieces running
at one time. you want to run away, that's how noisy it is.
CItAIRMAN: Yes
MR. JOHN ZLOKLIKOCICZ: You know, so I'm nor saying that's not
the case. but perhaps it isn't. Also you mentioned the gas again, I
would like to say you need pretty good storage facility for that.
That's something that we all have to look at. It's nor going ro be a
small tank. I would imagine that's it's up against the side of the
shed. I would imagine that this is going to be a substantial tank.
You know. you mention stacks. In fact, all we're going to see a four
inch. s~x inch diameter stack, a couple of feet above the roof line
or are we going to see something substantially more than that.
CHAIRMAN: That's ail that there now. That's what I saw. Again,
I'm not specifically in favor of this. I saw three kilns, two of
which were operating and one of which was a finished kiln, all right,
and I saw them cranked up to their Max. They were cherry red, all
right. [ heard no drone. We spoke right over the top of it just as
you and I are speaking now. In fact, almost lower. So i did not
see anything. It looks like an ugly pizza oven. That's what it
looks like. ~ mean, I'm being honest with you. That's what it looks
like. I'm telling you the truth. I mean, t have no reason. I have
no ties to this gentlemen or whatever the case may be. That's what
I'm telling you it looks like, and quite honestly you really should
Page 24 - Trauseript of Hearings
R. egu~_~r Meeting - April 3, i996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
look at it because it's really an interesting process. I just wanted
to mention that to you. There's no way that I'm try-ing to sway you
or any other nature. I'm just trying to tell you what ! visually saw.
MR. JOHN ZLOKLIKOVICZ: Once you establish a site such as this~
ok, and if in the future Mr. Reeee decides to buy a much larger
oven. Can he just go ahead and do that? Do you need to get
approval from the Town as he ehanges this equipment?
CHAIRMAN: What we would do. If the board was so inclined to
grant it. I have no idea of how they are talking at this point, and
I wouldn't make a ~uess because it preliminary. It would be in the
existing building, ail right. We would probably- force _him to leave
the door on the front of the building closed, so as not to create any-
l~azard or any concern for any of his neighbors. When ! say the
front i'~ saying toward the road.
MR. JOHN ZLOKLIKOViCZ:
the rear doors open?
Excuse me. Would he be able to leave
CHAIRMAN: Rear door, probably if he wanted to, in the
Sum~nertime. Yes sure, he might want to for ventilating purposes.
it would be so designated that it would be plaeed in that building,
all rfght.~ and we could have an annual inspection. We could indicate
that. We could have a semi annual hispeetion if we wanted to, and
we on the board, on motion, eould ehange that which we've done in
the past. We could have a one year permit granting -- We could
do many, many things that we've done, not only- in Orient, but ali
throughout. We just had an l! page decision on Robin's Island whieh
was unprecedented in reference to ta~king eare of every single
solitary element, of this gentlemen's Island, his 434 aeres, and I
won't say that was everything we could think of at the time. in that
particular respect, he has (Mr. Bacon) allowed us to come and
inspect every single building that he created or reereates, after he
has recreated it, and see if it conforms to what he has told us he's
going to do there. So we have the power and the ability to do that,
and we certainly could do that here if the board is so inclined too.
I jnst mentioned this to you as something we're concerned about.
Thank you very much for speaking.
MR. JO,HN ZLOKLIKOV!CZ: Thank you.
CitAIItMAN: Next person please. Sir, be right with you Ma'am.
MR.. JOSII REFSKY: My name is Josh Refsky. ! live across the
street: itt the Hoilock farmhouse, right across. I have some --. This
is s letter that I sent you and I'm going to read it, but with all
the discussion here, i have some extra things that i want to
meutiou. My observations are based on visit's that I made to Jesse's
place of busiuess. Fie said, when I got the PO I called him, and he
said to come visit and i did: and he wasn't there the first time.
~ ~.e second time( because he wasn'~ there;) I made a specific
app~fin~me~tt. The first time was during the week when the business
['age 25 - Transcript of Hearmgs
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
was operating full tilt. My wife and I szrongiy object re the
application for a variance made by Jesse and Shelly Reece, re operate
a glass blowing studio in an accessory building on property adjacent
to ours. The word studio has a certain connotation, thai an artist's
painting or a sculptured carving on molded clay. These are fairly
benign activities. In this case however, there is an open gas fired
furnace and molten glass creating a potentially hazardous situation.
After making two visit's to Mr. Reece's existing place of business,
these are our objections.
Fire - a large gas furnace operating continuously day and
night, with no one in attendance for half the time. It's only turned
off a few times a year.
Glass - I site glass everywhere. There's are bins and
garbage cans full of small pieces with many broken pieces alt over
the floor. When I returned it was much cleaner. Yet the proposed
building ,.is just ten feet from the ~raveHng road, a situation that
could create some concern.
Noise The first time I entered Mr. Reece's facility, the
noise was incredibly loud. Even though it was Mid-March and the
doors were completely closed, i could plainly hear the mac,finery and
vcutiiators outside. The second time returned, at an appointed time,
it wss mysteriously quiet. You could carry on a conversation: just
like you. When I went there the first time, it was so loud when I
walked in the door, I didn't see anybody. I yelled a~ the ~op of my
voice, "Is there anybody here" no answer. I kep~ on walking
because I didn't wan~ ~o intrude. So I kept on yelling "Is there
anybody here" at the top of my voice, notlming. Finally I found his
assistant, right in the back. That's how loud it was. Clearly,
there's a small manufacturing facility which is incompatible with a
residential neighborhood. Our home is 220 feet from the accessory
building that Mr. Reece proposes to use. My concern is for the
Health and Safety of my family, and the negative impact on the
community that tiffs precedent would set. That's what I've written.
i have a few things that i would Hke to mention. Ms. Terrors, you
asked him if he had one of a kind pieces.
MEMBER TORTORA: Yes
MR. JOSH REFSKY: When I spoke to him, he said that he was
producing two lines. Two lines of things.
CHAIRMAN: He admitted that to us too.
MR. JOSH REFSKY: Basically, he was doing a production. He was
doing two different types of arcizitects.
CHAIRMAN: Can I answer that ?
MEMBER TORTORA: My question to him was, is each piece original.
MR. JOSlt REFSKY: It is original but I'm just saying --.
Page 26 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1998
Southotd Town Board of Appeals
MEMBER TORTORA: I'm just trying to distinguish. In other words,
as opposed to a mold or somettfing.
MR. JOSH NEFSKY: Right, ok. But I just wanted to say, that he
told me he was doing two lines of things. The other thing about the
doors being open. That would be groat for us in front. What about
John, he's in back. The noise was realiy loud, it was very loud.
The second time I went, and I brought that up, he took me outside,
with ail the doors closed and said "Could you hear this" and there
was some noise. The wind was behind my back at the time. But, it
wasn't the same thing as the first time I went. i don't know what he
has in there. I'm not familiar with it either, and even some of
those fans weren't even on. This was mid-March. Is he going to
keep this place closed? I mean, this thing is going on ail the time
right, like 24 hours a day, in that building. Is he going to keep
those do. ors closed, and those windows closed when it's like 85
degrees. And i asked him if you're going to put ant conditioning,
and he said no. Just a Historical footnote here. As you might be
aware, venetian glass is among the best glass in the world. In the
year 129I the premises were banded from Venice for basicaliy two
reasons.
1. They were bound to the neighboring Isiand Morrano.
Basically because they were trying to conserve their secrets. The
second reason is because they kept burning down the place.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you
MR. JOSH NEFSKY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: Ma'am. Do you want to speak. I apologdze for
pointing, but I don't know your name so I can't say your name.
MS. DEB WINDSOR: I'm Deb Windsor and i 1/ye in Orient.
CttAIRMAN: How do you do.
MS. DEB WINSOR: I'm also the assistant project manager for Robin's
Island project, which you used as an example, earlier so I'll address
both.
CHAIRMAN: I didn't use it as an example in reference to comparing
to this project. I used it as an example of what we are dealing with
when we're dealing with certain aspects.
MS. DEB WINSOR: i do submit that if Robin's Island had proposed
putting in glass works on the Island, they never would have passed
~;t. Hsd they asked to set up a custom glass operation or a ( )
wind shield, you would have asked for an Engineer's report about the
decibel levels. You would have asked questions about the amperage,
and the service to the property, whether it's underground or over
grgund. You woo!d have been concerned about putting a heat
processing facility in a Historic wood frame structure. ! also
submit that I saw stacks that were four to six inches wide, and you
Page 27 - Transeript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
saw a facility that was cherry red. If my wood stove in my house
ran like that, I would be shut down tomorrow. The wood stove in
my house requires and eight inch double insulated stack. I'm not
suggesting that it's not an compliant, a code compliant facility.
But I do have serious questions about what wilt be a code compliant
facility.
CHAIRMAN: We did have a tremendous problem with the period of
time [hat the g-unning goes on over in Robin's Island and the decibel
leveling of the gunning. But it did not become an issue because
certain people called me personally on the telephone, and did, not
make it an issue.
MS. DEB WINSOR: I think a gunning operation is considerably
different from glass blowing because first of all, a gunning
operation, is compliant with hunting regulations and sporadic noise.
We're t@lking about a prolonged series of noise in a residential
area. We're not only talking about concerns about fire, and
community safety. We're also talking about fans, circulators,
employee and delivery traffic on a very small residential read.
Another reference to, it doesn't create alot of dust. No, there's
~ot s. to~ of dust in a residential neighborhood right now. I happen
to live right up the street from it, in a Historic structure that I'm
restoring and I've got a nice shed in the back and I'd love to turn
it into a wood shop, that I could make artistic cabinets, If he
passes his application, I'!1 be the next one here in line to get
one.
CtlAIRMAN: Can you share with me the man across the street that
does the metal work? How much noise does that make?
MS. DEB WINSOR: Eddie Wysocki, next doqr to me?
CHAIRMAN: No, across the street from this gentlemen that's
proposing this application.
MS. DEB WINSOR. Bob Berke's place.
CttAIRMAN: Yes
MS. DEB WINSOR: He lives down the road from me.
CHAIRMAN: Is there any noise emanating from there?
MS. DEB WINSOR: Well, I'm not sure that's a fair question because
he ins a very large insulated structure. I'm not sure how much
fabrication he does on site, and again --.
CHAiI~MAN: There's a large buffalo outside. Was that built outside
or inside?
MS. DEB WINSOR: I'm not sure but I believe all l~s manufacturing
happeas inside. Like i say, I'm coneerned that this is a incomplete
Page 28 - Transcript of Hearings
R. egular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
applicatiou, and that we're granting a zolzing variance into
perpetuity as far as I understand. Once he's been granted this
variance, what about the next residence. When does glass olowm~.
become manufacturing glass windshield, and I think the argument
about whether someone is an artist or not, is a total distraction
from your mandate from the voters to establish a zorJng, and good
neighbor, good neighbor policies. Also, what's been unmentioned we
have very little ground to stand on. The property is part of the
Hallock farm. It's a small Historic structure, in an area that was
potato fields, potato farmers.
CttA!RMAN: OK
DEB WtNSOR: Again, If you pass this application, I'i1 be the next
one hi line because Pd love to set up shop if that's the precedent
you want. I would ask as a neighbor that you don't and Um willin~
to relinquish my right to manufacture on my property.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Sir, you had a quick question?
JOSIt NEFSKY: it wasn't a question. You just asked if Bob's
(Berke) operation made any noise. When all this came about I went
to speak to Doris, who lives right next to Bob. We were talking
about it and she went, "Are you crazy" I mean, this guy makes so
much noise back there.
CHAIRMAN: Well i can see, he's working with steel, metal and
copper and brass and everytifing. So I could see.
MR.. JOSH NEFSKY: He's as far away from her as I am to Teresa's
place.
CHAIR. MAN: Does he do it inside or outside?
MR. JOSH NEFSKY: Depending on the season and depending what
l~e's doing. Generally, he works inside.
CIIAt I{MAN: OK
MS. DEB WINSOR: Is that mainly because of zoning?
CItAIRMAN: I have no idea. I'm not discussing that. I'm only
discussing what exists in Orient now. Ok. Let's take the average
situation of a barn in question, and a farm-producing barn aspect.
We could go on from there and we could go into grape farming.
Grape farming is a production of a product ail right, from a grape.
When we granted applications for vineyards in grape farms in this
area, during the mashing season which is approximateI~- three or four
weeks in the fail. The noise was so intense that the neighbors
begged us to place the mashing pad, so to speak, 400, 600, 800 feet
from their homes. Ail I'm saying is that there are certainly things
that people do on their property and sometimes they make noise and
sometimes they d.on't.
Page 29 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
$outhold Town Board of Appeals
MS. DEB WiNSOR: As we here begging them now.
CHAIRMAN: I understand.
MR. JOSH REFSK¥: Last year in the Fall, someone was setting up
this large gun in Orient. I ~tess, I don't know what it was. I
think it was an explosion. I think it was to scare away the birds or
something.
CHAIRMAN: Probably from the grapes.
MR. JOSH REFSKY: It was pretty irritating. But at least it was
every five minutes or something. This is going to be a continuous
roar.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Roar?
MR. JOSH REFSKY: Maybe I'm exaggerating it as roar. But it's
silent up there now. It's going to be a continuous noise,
continuous.
CHAIRMAN: Anyone else before we move on, Ms. Gould.
MS. GOULD: One of tile issues that Mr. McLaughlin brought up was
the issue of the written confirmation of the extension. I have it
somewhere here, and I'll give it to you. They do have it in writing
from Paul Caminiti, the Attorney for the Scharbenbroich's. The issue
or one of .the issues seems to be, is this manufacturing or is this
art, or is this a combination of the two. You know, Kevin, right
from tile code, the manufacturer --. Manufacturing is any process,
whereby the natural size or shape of articles for raw materials is
changed, or articles are assembled for package. Weil, ~ it's any
process that means, every Artist is a manufacturer or vice-versa.
So, we're here before the Zoning Board because the Zoning
Board is going to interpret the Code, and tell us whether they think
his glass studio is manufacturing. If you look at legal or Webster
dictionary definition of manufacture, "literally put together by
hand". Now it means the process of making products by hand,
machinery or other automated means. The process or operation of
making goods or other material produced by hand., by machinery, or
by other agency. Anything made by raw materials by the hand, by
machinery or by art.
So, where are we? I think we have to talk about it in
terms of the history of glass manufacturing in this Country, and
what the Studio Glass Art movement is all about. I have with me --
(chaaged tape inaudible) From this book, it's a ]990 put out by the
Cerning Maseum of Glass. it's called Masterpieces of American Glass,
and there are two chapters in here, the one that I thought ---. But
first, the advent of mass production, and I think if we're going to
h~lk about what glass manufacturing is.
Page $0 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting, - April 3, 1996
Southoid Town Board of Appeals
What was it, and what is manufacturing of glass. Well,
beck in the 1800 to 1900 is where glass manufacturing in this Country
really took off. They used molds, and in the molds slot of
decorative was already- established. There was !ess need for skilled
Artist or Artisans, whatever you want to call the people that were
doing the glass manufacturing. Towards the ]8fi0, !850, they
developed something called a pressing machine. So that you didn't
need a glass blower. You pressed the glass into mold, and the
machine did the work. It was an automated process. So, what you
had in the factory was, you had a designer, you had more and more
unskilled labor that would run these pressing machines. Five people
by the middle of the Century would run the pressing machines, and
they could product 100 glasses an hour.
Now what does Jesse do.? Jesse works in a studio by
himself, .he uses his assistant. For those of you that don't know.
Steve is one half of a famous restaurant called pair, Salamander's
Cafe. So he's not there ail the time, ali year round anyway. What
Jesse and Steve do, is they- create~ they design. They come up with
a concept. They create, you saw the process. They- do evarything
by hand, and one of the tools they use is a furnace. It melts the
glass, and then there is the cooling oven. But that's not
~nanufacturing. Those are structures used to heat the materials to
ready the materials. There is no automation here. There is no
division of labor~ tons of employees. It's just not manufacturing.
You're the ones that are going to determine that. But, i
have Xerox these chapters, because Jesse was telling me earlier about
the studio glass movement. !t~s a relatively new movement in terms
of an Artistic movement. It only began in i96~ at the Universit}; of
Wisconsin. But since then, it proJ~erated, and this book,
contemporary art glass --, contemporary- art glass all over the world.
But it starts with the United States, and in each little blurb that
they have about the Artist, they talk about what the Artist do~
where they work. Well, they work in their homes. Or they- work in
studio's on their property. They don't work in factory's or
manufacturing plants.
This third book, it's called Studio Glass Making, and
basically talks about ali the products that are used in studio glass
making. How to build you own furnace for your own house? What
kind of hook ups you need, and that kind of this. So it's more of a
"how to thing" But, the whole point of this is, not manufacturing
like a factory. Manufacturing is a very- broad term, and our Code
has defined it very broadly. You have to narrow it in the
interpretation. What Jesse does, he said. He doesn't do any retail
from his store. He doesn't do any retail. Someone comes in, a
l~rlend and says, can ! buy something? That's not retail. He doesn't
want to do retail. The shed that he wants to use-- He won*t be
pt~l. tfag a. si~ of that shed. He does not want to attract attention
to himself.
Page 31 - Transcript of Hearings
Reguisr Meeting - April 3, 1996
Sos[hold Town Board of Appeals
I was concerned that maybe his studio would be noisy. So,
I wanted to know from a neighbor what it was like, when we were
visiting, I think it was --. Mr. Goehringer you were there when
Walter Gaipa came over. He was a neighbor and said --, and he
wasn't solicited to come over. He was just around and he said, "
Jesse is a great guy", I have no problems. There are no problems
with this operation. Well, Katie Sepenowski, and her husband Peter,
and their two children live directly across the street from the
studio. I called Katie yesterday and said, "What are your feelings
about this?. Do you have a problem with this? And she said no. I
never even know he's here, and so I asked her to write a letter, and
I'd like to read her letter. I've gffven a Xerox copy and I have the
written one.
"Member of the Board [ currently reside in East Marion
on Rocky Point Road directly across from Jesse Reece's Art Studio.
He has been our neighbor for the last [our years. In that time he
has maintained such a low profile, you might not know that he was
even there, except fo~ the beautiful glass works [hat he crea~es. He
m~.de a gift of one ~o us after my husband plowed his driveway two
winters ago. His Art Studio has no~ caused me any problems. His
Studio is contained inside. I've seen no refuge around the building
and as far as ~ can see, his craft poses no environmental risks. As
far as noise, there m none. Because he hand crafts, his visits ~o
the Studio are" sporadic and I can't recall seeing moro than ~wo or
three cars a~ a time. As a resident, [ believe Mr. Reeee would be a
good neighbor in the Orient community. Please consider his
application for a variance. Sincerely Catherine Sepenowski."
The people [hat talked tonight about, talked ~bout
manufacturing, but perhaps the real concern is safety, and doing it
in this wooden building. The reason we're before the beard ts, Jesse
had no intentions of moving into this wooden s~ruczure, as is. As
you've seen it. It has a dirt floor. It needs a concrete floor. He
went ~o the Building Deparzmen~ ~o make a application for a building
permit, ~o make ~nodifications. Anything he does to that building
will have ~o be in accordance with code. Southotd Town enforces ~he
New York State Uniform Code~ and from that code it refers you to
lhe Nationai Fire Protection Association, for the insulation of gas
They have to follow --. They being the Gas Company.
Jesse fioesn't do the insulations. The Van Duzer does. A company
like that. Tiiey have to follow speckle F and PA regulations. It's
regulation 54 and 58. They can be no deviation from that. i called
Vau Duzer~s and asked. What about the emissions from the stack?
Is carbon monoxide an issue? They said, absolutely not. It's
negotiable. That's why yon have proper installations, you know of
the gas. so that there isn't a problem. So everything he --. See
the ws.y bis furnaces are installed now. They would have ~o meet
code. and be installed the same way in the building. He wants to
take ~his Historic building. He doesn't want to ~-. He wants to
maintahi the appearance.
Page 32 - Transcript of Hearings
ilegtt!ar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
That's the issue in the Home Occupation Law. Are you
goh~g to create a negative impact, an appearance impact on the
community. He will not. He's going to put windows in where there
are boards. He~s going to put a floor in. The wails will be
insulated. They will be fire proofed. He's living here with his
family. He is as concerned about safety, as his neighbors are. He's
going to live here. This is as important to him as his neighbors,
and I think he respects his neighbors concerns, and he will do
everything in his power to make sure it's the safest operation
possible in accordance with the code. This operation will be
incidental to the main use.
He tells me --. I ask, how many of these glass 'works do
you create in a week? Thirty to forty maximum. That's just not
manufacturhig mass production of what the opposition was talking
abont. Is traffic an issue? He has one part time assistant that's
there. ~ie figures that UPS comes maybe, once a week to pick up his
things, that he ships to other places. In terms of --, what's the
effect goiug to be on the exterior effect of this operation, on the
neighborhood[ It's a very clean operation, as you said. There is no
runoff of water. Everything is recycled. The glass is used again.
The only things that he has to dispose of are the old bags. The 50
pound bags that the batch comes in, and ~h~ newspapers that ne
uses when he's handling glass. The wet newspapers that you saw
him bringing out. Eventually, that has to get thrown out. But
that's not ehemieals. That's not chemicals leaching into the ground
water and again, the family lives here. He~s not going to do
anything to the groundwater on his own property. There wi11 be no
outside storage. Everything he does is inside the building.
He's in a residential neighborhood now. He would like to
relocate in a residential neighborhood, and I think one thing that
tmsn't been said. What's unique about this residential
neighborhood? is there already two Artist's in residence in this
.neighborhood; who have not altered the residential appearance or
nature of the neighborhood. They're considered as asset's in the
community, and Jesse would be too. What he ~oes is fascinating: and
this is the kind of thing that the Home Occupation Law encourages.
it's something that's kept the economic liability of this To~-n
going.
I have other literature. You asked, what kind of event
that Jesse intended beside the business cards. He brought into my
office, and I copied applications to the Craft Fairs, Designer Crafts
that be attends, and you just can't go to these things. You have to
submit slides, and you have to qualify, and be accepted, and ! -won't
give you all of these. But I want to read what some of these say. '
We accept only contemporary or original American Art crafts. The
work displayed must be created by the exhibitor. We do not accept
~mp~pted or manufactured items, antiques, collectibtes, or assembled
jewelry, embellished eommereia! objects or objects from commercially
available kits or pattern. Pretty much, every single one of these
says this, some much that those kind of words".
Page 33 - Transeripz of Hearings
t~.egalar Meeting - April 3, ]996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
I want to jump back to the safety. I also have copied the
specs, for all of his equipment, that you can look at. The Perell
Glass Studio, who supplies him for his furnaces and I also have the
specs on the --. These are [or the batch, and these are
breakdowns. These are components. So, it's like each component
that might-be in tile batch that you might have to see.
CHAIRMAN: You gmng to submit all of this stuff?
MS. JEN GOULD: Pardon me?
CHAIRMAN: Are you going to submit all of this stuff?
MS. JEN GOULD: I'm going to give it all to you tonight, so you can
look at it again.
CHA!I{MAN: OK. Where are we going from here? Is there anybody
else that you're calling on?
MS. JEN GOULD: Yes
CHAIRMAN: Could you do that because I have to be honest with
you. We have to be stop about 10:15, and we have one more hearing
to go, and we have a decision to make. So, I'm not rushing you but
I want to get going.
MS. JEN GOULD: OK The last person I wanted To call if you have
any questions of me or Jesse. is Scott Harris. I retained Scott to
come and appear as a expert witness, because I thought it was
important [or someone that drafted the Home Occupation Law, to
maybe, speak to the group about what it was, and what the felling of
the people of the Town Board was, at the time when the Law was
passed. What they thought manufacturing was, so I'll turn the
podium over to Scott.
CHAIRMAN: Good evelzing. How are you?
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Good evening Ladies, and Gentlemen ~ of the
board, Ladies and Gentlemen~ On this gathered room of ours, it's
indeed a pleasure to be here tonight. I had the pleasure of meeting
Mr. Reece tonight. I've not met the Gentlemen before. I was the
Supervisor of the Town of Southold for the years I990 through
December 1993. The years when the Home Occupation Amendment
ca,ne up. During that ~ime frame we heard many, many discussions,
in reference to pros and cons, in reference to the Home Occupation
Law.
The Home Occupation Law - as you well know being a cross
eyed judicial body, and one who interprets the law, and no one else
can but you - was in existence when this Town Board in 1990, 9t
and 92, took up tile issue of Home Improvement Amendments. One of
the reasons that the Home Occupation Amendments came up, was
because the economic viability of this Town was being threatened.
Page 34 - Transcript of Hearings
Reg~Ilar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Sou tbold Towns Board of Appeals
,_Never was it discussed by board members, those legislatures that
eaacted two local taws in 1991 and 1992 discussed Artist~ what they
could or could not do with their property.
Artists were always deemed~ via right. One because Artists
are subjective in astute. Art to you may not be Art to another.
But an Artist, by tile very term Artist, was never put in the Code,
just beoause it was very nebulous. As you adequately addressed
earlier~ or one to the members of the audience did. Tb.ere is no
definition of Artist. One of the reason that t~his board addressed
the Home Occupancy Law, was because of the economic viability, as i
had mentioned earlier. Artists are not rich people. Artists have
never beeu in a position of being in -wealth. Artists barely
survive. Those that are in true art form, don't even sell their
works of art. For their pride, they would rather ~o out and beg for
bread and cheese, rather than sell a work of art.
i have been in this Town all my life. I have been in
Orient where Mr. Reece is proposing to buy for ~_6 years. I also
have a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degn~ee in Photo~c~raphy. So I do have a
fine art background. Vm very familiar with many~ many processes.
I'm familiar with Mro ~eece~s process, as well as many other Artists
and their process. Manufacturing was never deemed to be part of
Ibc Artist's trade. Manufacturing was thought to be, for those
individuals that were in the Home Occupancy Trade such as:
cnrpenters, plumbers, electricians. When it says, no storage of
goods, we the Legislature, meant no storage of goods such as:
an electrician who would have hundreds of cases for instance, of
ligi~ts that he would be installing in residential or commercial
property. Or cases and cases of wire, that he may be installing for
residential purposes. Or the Carpenters, who maybe had palates and
palates of wood for Home Improvement purposes to be stored on the
premises, as well as the other trades. Manufacturin~ was deemed,
and solely deemed by that legislative board, to be for the trade
people only. If this board deems in its wisdo~n, that manufacturing
should have been a method, well hindsight is 90-fi0. We thought we
covered everything. I'd would like to read --. This is one of the
few local Laws because of its intensity~ and because of the economic
impact of this community which kept the service and trade people
viable, and didn't drive them out. Wtzich also kept down the cost for
the residents who benefited from tlzis local Law.
I would like to read for you, the definition from the code,
which certainly i'm sure you're familiar with, and you could almost
~luo[e verbatim. But, one of the reasons why we put it in the code,
is its Legislative intent. One of the few laws that you'll find
"Legislative Intent'' being put into the code. As you well know this
code rarely has Legislative intent behind laws when they were
passed. If you want to research the minutes, and go behind all
that, you certainly could try to get a jest of what took place. But
what took place in this local law, was Legislative Intent, purposely
put in, so there would be no question of why it was passed. And if
at tbis t/me i'd like to read that. In the interest of ( ).
Pa~e 35 - Transcript of Hearings
I{.eg~dar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southoid Town Board of Appeals
f realize you have another application and so I will try to sum up as
quickly as possible. Thank you for your time.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: I'm going to embellish a little bit on this to
say the board~ meaning the Town Board at the time so, I'm going to
start. The Home Occupation including home professional office, which
by right any artist can do as you well know, without having to come
before any board and ask permission. Such as a Dentist, or a
Doctor or a Lawyer. They can always work out of their home, and
Artists were always included in that defirtition. Home occupation
including home professional office, and home business office. An
amendment that we put in, which included people in the Computer
Industry, who sold through their home by phone, and so on. These
businesses were allowed in Southold Town.
Now I can say that in the four years or more that has
transpired, since these local laws were adopted, there has not been
one instance that I have heard about, where this has been
detrimental to any neighbor in a residential area. There was a lot
of concern, a lot of unknowns. And certainly I appreciate the
neigi~bors, who have concerns for something they don't understand or
possible don't know, and certainly that is the mature of us, as human
beings.
But again, knowledge is a wonderful thing, and it also can
be very dangerous. It could be used and twisted for. means which
are not, in my opinion, what's considered to be, for the viable
economic reality of Southold Town. The people and the residents
here, who would welcome Artists into this community and send a
terrible message. Artists go away, except if you're in this
meeting. That ia a terrible message. It should have never even
been brought up because art is a subjective art form, as I said.
Of a subjective nature by itself. It should not even have been
interjected hito this arg~ument.
One of the interesting parts about this, and I'll finish
my conversation in just one minute. The Town Board recognizes that
residents historicaily, have or operate a small businesses, which
provide services to the community from their homes. The board, the
Town Board finds that these businesses have not impacted negatively,
on tile appearance of these residential zones. In the board's
judgmeut~ it finds that in order to maintain the economic viability
of the Town, to maintain the rural quality of life, in the interest
of tbe welfare of the residents. These businesses or home
occupations should be permitted to continue.
[n setting forth the following subsections 100-31, the
board inteaded to pem~fit as a right, certain business uses in
resideutial zones with the understanding that these uses are to be
coud~icted itl a manner which will not alter the character of
r,esldential neighborhoods. The board believes the following
Page 36 -Transeript of Hearings
Reg~,flar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Souti~old Town Board of Appeals
subsections provides sufficient safeg-uards, to accomplish that aim.
Now there were a number of subsections that are listed after that.
Most of these, I would say probably entirely, deal with the trade
people.
Never were art or artists or artisans or whatever terms
you want to put on it, deemed to be detrimental to the Southold
Town, and its community as a quality of life. I sub,tilt to you,
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Board, that the only ~hing that is being
mahufactured is this issue. Which is an issue that should not even
be befere you, except for the fact that the code is not clear on
accessory uses for artists, if we deemed at the time, that t~s z~e
of probie~n or concern would come up, we would have addressed
accessory use buildings (for you to make your ~e easier) and
certainly to make the life of appticant, who was tai~n~ about buyin~
properties, those who are artists make their Hfe easier to welcome
them iht5 this community. And with tha~ I open any questions to
you?
MEMBER VILLA: Yes, I have a question, Scott. You say it was
never addressed on accessory buildings. ! would have to ttfink that,
it. must have been because it's explicit in the code, that it says?
"It must be in the primary building" It wouldn't be in there. It
would bare been left ( ) if you hadn't done that.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Mr. Villa, artists were never brought up in
concept, for any part of the home occupation amendment because
artists we re considered zo be~ innocuous in the nature of their
business.
MEMBER VILLA: Well I'll tell you. ! have a problem in addressing
this under the home oecupation law because ! ~hink this is a
dangerous precedent, to set it under the home occupation law. !
think if you address it as some other means maybe. We have
addressed artist studios where they do sculpting in accessory
bnildings, and we've g~£anted those kind of things. But to address
this under the home occupancy --. I think it's the wrong avenue,
wrong situation. I mean, you drafted the code and you put in. It
had to be in the main building, and there would be ~o manufacturing.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: If I may interrupt. In 1982, the home
0occupancy taw. In !983, correct me if I'm wrong. Linde or Jerry
or Serge who has been on the board for 44 5rears. The home
occupation law was adopted by prior administrations in 1982 or 1983.
The amendments sueh as, trades and so on, were put in in 1991 and
1992. The artist part of bein~ in the main part of the house, was
always in the law.
SE(:RETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: That's right.
MR.. SCOTT HARRIS: We did not touch that part of the code.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKt: That's right.
Page 37 - Trsnseript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1998
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: That's been existing for 14 years.
MEMBER VILLA: Well yes, but if it wasn't --. You're saying that
accessory buildings were never addressed. It would have to mean,
that this tlgaag went on for weeks or months; on forever. It was in
the paper all the time.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: An artist, I think if you look at the minutes,
Mr. Viila~ You would see that artists were never a concern. I don't
remember artists coming up in the conversation, by any residents as
being a concern to them, with an amendment to the existing home
occupa~lcy law.
MEMBER VILLA: I'll grant you that, but there is not even a
definition of an artist in the cede.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: (Inaudible)
MEMBER VILLA: You didn't address it. I don't tkink home
occupancy is the right section to address this on.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Well unfortunately, home occupancy again,
with the definition of home occupation (which you have in front of
you).
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: It's there.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: I know you're very familiar with being board
members. Home occupation, people who are using their homes for
deriving an income, come under home occupation. Now artists, as I
said, aren't considered to be those people who are very- wealthy.
Artist such as Mr. Reece I understand as I said, I met earlier
to,night. Mr. Reece is renting an establishment on Rocky' Point Road
in East Marion. I'm sure that the amount of money, (I don't know
how much it is), but I'm sure that overhead alone could well be put
into his products to maybe enhance kis art form more than they are
now, because of the limited capitol, I'm sure that he has to use.
It's probable hindering his artistic ability.
MEMBER VILLA: I realize that.
MR.. SCOTT HARRIS: It could well be as many artists. It was
brought up earlier that one of the gentlemen here mentioned that
manufacturing was because he bought sand. Excuse me if I'm so
blunt. But he bought sand in 40 or 50 pound bags and he's
manufacturing. I submit .you can apply that to any art medium such
as sculptor, and when somebody buys plaster of paris. Which is a
dry product that they have to mix with water. It come in 40 or 60
pound bags and I'm sure that it wasn't meant at the time, to be stock
and trade for that's not considered to be manufacturing, because
they }]ave to stock plaster of paris.
Page 38 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MEMBER VILLA: I still don't think it's the right section of the code
because home occupation -~. We have the monument up on Cox Lane
and Route 4S, when they were starting to go after the service
people, the plumbers and the carpenters, and everything else. They
were starting to put them out of their houses. Then, a gentleman
built that building up there to house those people, and then the law
went into effect and that was no longer necessary.
MR.. SCOTT HARRIS: Again Mr. Villa let me explain. I'm not here
certainly to reintegrate what the intent was of every board member
and every interpretation by the resident of this taw as it was
enacted. But, the main purpose of the law was to keep the small
business person such as the Carpenter, the Mason, the Electrician..
who had one employee or less, working out of their home. Not
having to spend $i100 or $1200.00 a month in the facility where he
had no need for that type of space. Not to mention, couid never
afford tl~e overhead.
MEMBER VILLA: I realize that.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Those facilities that are up there now, are
large facilities, large operations that need the spaee, and they
don't even conform. Nor could they- apply to be home occupancy as
the code exists.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Mr. Harris.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Anybody else? Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: We have one question from tb4s gentlemen. Thank you
again~ You have to address the question here.
MR. : I don't know if we're objecting to manufacture
or if he is an artist. I would like him in the neighborhood, i'd
like you as a neighbor. I own some of his pieces. I bought them
from Jesse years ago in New York City. i'm an artist too. That's
not the issue. If he were able to convert his barn to be a studio to
make his glasses. I could convert my barn to make my lamps.. Jogh
could convert his barn to do photographic, whatever. There would
be twice as many structure as there are now. The next step is why
don't I convert the garage in~o something then.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Are you afraid of being overrun by art
studios?
MR.
trying --
It's setting a precedent. I'm just saying we're
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Who lives right next to you. Is that an artist.
MR. :: He's an artist.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Who lives right next to Josh.
Page 39 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
So~ithold Town Board of Appeals
MR. : If there was a town meeting and those
structures were going in there (before they were), I would be here
saying tile same timing. They were there years ago. I moved into
the place after they were there. So you see I have to speak up
about respecting the code and not allow it To set a precedent. It
has nothing To do if it's manufacturing or not.
CHAIRMAN: Did you want to reflect on any of this, since you so
nicely did such a great job.
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Mr. Chairman, on a personal note and re put
another hat ar this time. [ would welcome Mr. Reece or any other
artist who I haven't met or served. But if you have a prayer and
would like to do that. If you had an accessory building which I
don't evea know you do, and you have a farm which I'm very familiar
with. Wha( this gentlemen did, and it was permitted by the board re
do. I think that is the quality- of life in Southotd Town deserves
and certainly would appreciate. It ls not a type of industry people
would object re, such as those who are talking about smoke stack
studio.
MR-
doing it.
It's not like we're saying he can't do it. He
CHAIRMAN: Ok, thank you again. Mr. McLaughlin, is there
so~nething you want to say?
MR. KEVIN MCLAUGHLIN: Very briefly. The only time when you
need to go to the "intent of legislature" is if there is some
ambiguity. Clearly, there may be some ambiguity about whether this
is an artist or manufacturing. Let's go beyond that. Let's. get to
the secondary issue of where they are tr}~ing to put this concern.
This ordinance is totally unambiguous. There must be .six or eight
times within the confines of 100-31C, where the use of the word
home, pril~cipai residence, main building is used. Clearly, the only
intention of the home .occupancy law was to allow certain innocuous
operations out of the principal residence. What they are asking you
to do again tonight is to legislate. They are not asking you to
interpret. They are asking you to change that home occupancy law
to say, "Home occupancy law and also if you want to do it in a
accessory building, that's ok too." That's not what the code says.
That not the problems of this board to legislate. If there is enough
support to go before the Town board, amend this and Mr. Harris
wants to indicate what *.lie prior town board thinking or along those
lines, that's fine. But it's not appropriate for this board.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you.
then we have to go?
You had one other quick question and
MR. : It's not a question. .It's a co~lple of
comments that I heard. I'll be quick about this. Ms. Gould said
somethiug about other buildings being altered in the area. That
titere weren't any-. Well Bob's has been conaiderably altered. He
Page 40 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Sonthold Town Board of Appeals
bought a schoolhouse there, and then put a monstrosity on the back,
and there are armatures and cranes, and that's been quite altered.
The other thing is. I don't buy- this starting artistry- team. You
know, that building, i heard a quote, $375~000.00. Maybe it's
$350,000.00 I don't know, but it's twice as much as a normal building
or the average building in this area. So~ I think that argument is
wrong.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Ms. Gould do you have anything else? I
have one question for Mr. Reece.
JEN GOULD: Ok. I would just like zo say one thing about artist.
What we're asking for the board to do is look at the reality of the
situation in this Town, and !oak at every other artist in this Town.
There isn't one artist in this Town that has been forced into
com~nerci~i space. As Scott said, as a right artists can work in
their houses., whether it be their houses or out buildings in their
houses. The fact is, many of them have done it. it's accepted in
the community. It's encouraged in the community.
Jesse had to come to the board because of his own --. He
couldn't take this risk of just moving in and doing it. Probably no
one would have known about it because he wouldn't have been
offensive. ( ) ! brought a letter from his neighbor that didn't
even know what he does and he didn't ka~ow he was there most of the
time.
The fact is, artists are doing it ail over the Town. I
don't want to see the Town or put the board in a position; "don't
tell, don~t ask". If you"re put in a hard position. ! know you will
consider all the facts. He just wants to do it the right way, which
is why he came to you.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Can I just ask you. What are your
intentions of the building, other than the exterior. What are we
doing iuside. Are we going to insulate this building inside? Are we
going to drop lights down, or are we going to put --.
MR. JESSE REECE: We!l, I'll put some lighting in the floor.
CttAIRMAN: Right.
MR. JESSE REECE: A home ceiling.
CHAIRMAN: What is the nature of the heat situation in the
Summertime. It mnst become almost unbearable in there.
MR.. JESSE REECE: Well it get's hot. Glass blowing is hot twelve
months of the year.
CHAIRMAN: OK, what are the hours that you're going to operate,
appro×i~nately?
Page 41 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southoid Town Board of Appeals
MR. JESSE REECE: Generally I work during the day.
CHAIRMAN: OK, are the --. Is there a reason zo fire these kilns
at night for any particular reason?
MR. JESSE REECE: Well the one glass melting furnace, like everyone
is concerned~ runs constantly.
CHAIRMAN: Right.
MR. JESSE REECE: But the noise that Josh refers To when he came
back was mysteriously quiet. That is the normal running noise of
the thing, when I'm nor standing in front and working there.
CIIAIRMAN: Yes, when you don't have it fired un.
MK. JESSE REECE: It's runmng on a pilot light and I showed that
to you when you were there. [ shut down the other one and that is
tl~e one noise that goes all the time. You know, I do what I can to
make it ss quiet as I possibly can. I don't think you can hear it
200 feet away outside the building.
MR.
: What about 50 feet, where I live.
MR. JESSE REECE: Your house if further than 50 feet.
CHAIRMAN: That's why I asked the question about --~ Are you
going to insulate the building. Is there going to be some sort of
noise prevention procedure. Now, let me just give you a. little
example, ok. We discussed the issue here on Robin's Island and the
noise that was emanating from the shoots that they have over there,
ok. The people weighed that difference ok, one man, one owner as
opposed to some of the things that occur that disturbs people, ail
right, and that's the gurming situation. Over here, ok, we have a
situation. You possibly could create, if the board was so inclined
to grant this application, and get three votes on this board. A
building that virtually would make no noise at all. How could you
create that? By keeping the doors closed and by insulating the
building,, ok. My question to you is? Is there an avenue or a way
to do that~ either through air conditionin~ or proper ventilating,
that doesn't make a lot of noise.
Mt{.. JESSE REECE: I don't think it would make any more noise than
an air coaditioner.
CI[AIRMAN: Is there some process that you could use that would
keet) this noise down to a specific minimum?
MR. ,JESSE REECE: I suppose I could insulate the building more. I
just think the way it will be faced --. Now it's facing directly out
the doer.
CIIAIRMAN: Right.
Page 42 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MR. JESSE REECE: My plax~ is to have it facing not out the door,
towards another wall.
CHAIRMAN: A wall, right.
MR. JESSE REECE: I just think it will be muted and I don~t think
anyone would hear it from their homes.
CHAIRMAN: OK~ that's the question. Just so you're aware I'm in
no way of trying to compare this to any other operation. I~m just
telling you the ways that we compare things.
DEB WINSOR: tn the spirit of comparison, ! think that we have
certainly have been presented with an incomplete application, if he
has plans we'ci Hke to see them. I like to see what constitutes
soundproof, i'd like to see a decibel rating report. I'd like to
see what constitutes fireproof, with respect to public safety.
CHAIRMAN: Yes.
DEB WINSOR: If this is not a manufacturing operation. If it's in
fact a kiln where he's melting glass in a residential neighborhood.
We have every right to ask "How are you going to fireproof this wood
frame structure. How are you going to sound proof it? What
g',mrantees are we going to have about the emissions.You would ask
this of any small commercial operation and i wonder, i just have to
ask, why are you asking this of him?
CHAIRMAN: I just asked the question?
DEB WINSOR: I would like something a little more empirical then,
I'll do what I can.
CHAIRMAN: OK.
DEB WiNSOR: I would If~e to see a code compliance set of
architectural renderings with a proposal.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Could I respond Jerry?
CtlAIRMAN: Sure.
MEMBER DINIZIO: I would assume that Mr. Reece is going to have
to comply with every code that Southold Town has.. concerning an
occupation of a building. Fm going to have to consider that, that's
going to happen. As far a noise is concerned, as far as manu-
faeturiug or whatever that is, that happens to he going on in that
baflding. Our Building Inspector is going to make him comply to
anything that anybody else would have to comply with, ok. That
includes fire codes, that includes anything else that would have to
be done. The floors, cement. Whatever has to be done.
Page 43 - Transcmpt of Hearings
R. egular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Soutbold Town Board of Appeals
MS. JEN GOULD: There is no CO for the building now. So in order
for him to get a CO, he must comply with every code of this Town.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Right. My comment on this whole situation. It
pretty much rnns parallel to Robin's Island in that it's a concept of
what we're looking at here. We looking at a five acre piece of
land. I am. my personal -- [ am looking at a five acre piece of
land and I'm saying, "What could go on, on that five acre piece of
land".
I five in Greenport. You may say that's a metropolitan
area in Southold Town, and I drove down to a piece of lot land
today, ok. Basically drove into another world. It's a step back in
time and these barns that --. One little corner there is unique to
itself. There is no other place like that. I'd like re see that
remain a,~ that is. Even those building being so close to the road,
it has a certain uniqueness re it. And I would tike to see someone
who would be able ~o afford upkeep. To keep that, ~o some kind of
a standard ok. [ know we'd have to paint the outside. You have to
preserve the wood, but you know. That little niche right there--.
Even with Mr. Berke's barn. [ mean it's ugly, let's face
it. But it's par~ of that whole character down there, that I feel we
should be encouraging anybody who would like to purchase property
down there. Five acres, pay the taxes. The amount of taxes has
go[ to be unbearable, but give them every opportunity ~o do so. In
that spirit certainly, had this gentlemen built this house large
euougb--. But he can still build that house large enough to put that
studio in without exceeding the 50, 25 % rule, and no one would know
tile difference, and he would be able to do it. it's like making bird
houses and selling ~o craft fairs. Anything else that--. This women
wants to do a wood shop. You know, the Zoning Board could act as
a valve for those things. Slow them down, lets take a ~ook at them,
and lets see how that concepts fits area, and I think it fits pretty
well.
I thia~k yes, it's close to the road, but lets weight both
the negative and the positive. You could build a huge house. You
could have a horse farm. You could raise beagles. I don't' know.
He could do a million things. But the guy wants ~o make--. What [
think, jus~ being in this room looking at that, I think it's art. i
don't see anything else, and what Scott had said about the law. I
can remember discussing a~ nauseam. What does a person that, who
runs a computer h~ their house, and does graphic art on computer,
and prints it out on s~gns that you put on trucks. You know, is
that au artist? We discussed that re some extent and we decided
that we cannot put our finger on --. We can't say who an artist is.
You can't say that. Even artists can't say who an artist is. So, l
think we have to look at it in that respect. Not so much as being a
manufacturing action type of business, because ii certainly is in my
mind, that's a concept that shouldn't even be relevant here. Perhaps
we shouldn't even be considering it under the home occupation law.
We should be looking at it in some other way.
Page 44 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
Well, I can tell you. I stood on the man's front porch
today. I couldn't hear myself think w/th the wind blowing. Those
are things that sometimes you have to put up with. I think you have
some positives~ you have some negatives. I'm sure Berke~s property
has to give some noise. The things he has down there. Mr.
Schriever, he has a nice little place down there with all these
lndldozers and things that run. Things do change, but I'd like to
see them change in a relative sort of way-, with a beautiful five acre
land that hasn't changed much, and perhaps a nice family that could
make a living, make a go of it, pay some taxes. That's all I have to
say. thank you.
CHAIRMAN: OK. Ms. Tortora has one question.
MEMBER TORTORA: There was one point that wasn't covered here.
Someone .ired mentioned whether water was used. The emission might
be toxic or leak into the ground water~ and during our meeting on
Saturday, one of the questions that I asked Mr. Reece was. Do you
use water, but I would rather him explain that if he would, as part
of the process.
CHAIRMAN: To what extent do you use water?
MR. JESSE REECE: I use some water to coo! the glass ( ) that
work it, wet newspaper, in the finishing process, we use some
water if the glass gets too hot. But nothing, you know, wood
salable that we use.
CHAIRMAN: OK, great. This is what I propose to the board, i
propose to close the hearing tonight for verbatim. I'll ask Ms.
Gould to go to the Inspector, and see what requirements are going to
be required of Mr. Reeee in the overall retrofitting, I use this
word, of this barn for the purposes of his operation. He will then
report this back to this lady. I forgot your name again.
DEB WiNSOR: Deb Winsor.
CHAIRMAN: Yes, and she will again I assume, circulated it amongst
t~e people that have a specific concern. They then can write letters
back to us, concerning what you have gotten, all right and -we wdil
close the hearing. There is no more verbatim, no more testimony- as
of tonight, ok. We will close the hearing at the next regular
scheduled hearing.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKi:
before April 30.
So everything has to be received
MEMBER TORTORA: Jerry, why don't you ( ) CHAIRMAN:
Right, because there is a time period and we only have three weeks,
ok. So therefore, I'd like her to circulate it to this lady, and let
her circulate if she so chooses. We will have it at the same time.
That will speed up some of the slowness and the whole thing~ and
that's basically it. Yes [VIr. Harris.
Psge 45 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MR. SCOTT HARRIS: Mr. Goehringer, if I may sum very briefly.
In referenee re the building itself, the Halleck Farm. Those
neighbors who have buildings, who have bought those properties.
They should be commended for buying those properties. Many- of
them happen to be five acre properties that later, were divided up.
Many that I've seen in my lifetime, living in Orient, the demise of
many, many, many, Historic buildings on Halleck properzy. For a
gentlemen like Mr. Reece or this gentlemen here who said. He'd like
to make some lamps and other who have those barns. Mr. Rieger,
who happened ~o use some of those barns for art work. It's
wonderful that people have decided to try m preserve those Historic
buildings, rather than just zear them down and say, "it costs me
more to fix these up and bring them back into condition". It's much
easier to just raise, rather then start brand new.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Hearing no further questions, I thank
everybody's courtesy. I understand it's an issue that concerns
everybody, and I offer that as a Resolution Ladies and Gentlemen to
verbatim testimony. We will leave the record until the regular
scheduled meeting which I think is May 1.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Only the written record.
CtIAIRMAN: Only the written record remain open till April 30.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: April 30.
CttAIRMAN: You tnay send any' concerns that you have. We will
continue the reviews of each one of these letters, that we receive
tou/ght, and any other letters that we receive until April 30, ok.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Will the time clock just continue to run.
CHAIRMAN: No.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: No.
CHAIRMAN: Time clock is frozen as of tonight.
MEMBER DINIZIO: i have a little bit of a problem, carrying on tiffs
conversation and how long this is going to take. The gentlemen is in
contract for this house. Just the fact that this women wants to see
what standards he's going to be held to. When she can go down to
the Building Department and request that at any time.
CIIA[RMAN: She's not a contract vendee.
MEMBER DINIZIO: No, but the codes are the codes, and they are
public.
CIIAiRMAN: Yes, but it's generic to Iffs particular piece of
property, based upon what he's required to get.
Page 46 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting' - April 3, 1996
Southoid Town Board of Appeals
MEMBER DINIZIO: No it's not.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: There is also a misunderstanding.
It's really not up to the Building inspector to decide what's
required. It's up to the owner to contact someone who is an expert
in that field, so that they- could check the codes, and advise the
Town what they are going to be building to meet the code. it has to
be certified.
CHAIRMAN: If he so chooses to do that, that's not a problem. I
don't care. That's why i gave him 30 days.
MEMBER DINIZIO: But in any ease if it doesn't go any further than
the Building Inspector. If the Building Inspector doesn't approve
it, it doesn't go any further. So
SECRL~IARY LINDA KOWALSKI: That's right.
DEB WINSOR: But Mr. Dinizio, you yourself were so impressed by
the Robins Island drawings. Those are the things that i obtained for
you,
MEMBER DiNIZIO: No, no they were not. You have no idea what
was [here.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: No, you don't know. You weren't
involved with the whole precess. I don't even remember you.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: She wasn't involved with the
process.
DEB WINSOR: That presentation was, what made it clear to all of us
in our mind. That there was a reasonable intent.
CHAIR. MAN: What ~nade it clear to us is, that Mr. Bacon was a
person that would go in and construct a facility the way he wants to
construct it as a family compound. We had never seen that before.
DEB WINSOR: (Inaudible)
CIIAIRMAN: You're absolutely correct. The icing on the cake was
dry, wings, and he's going to be held to those drawings because we're
going ~o look at every one of those buildings upon completion.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: He offered those. It was not
required.
MEMBER DINIZIO: By the way, I opposed that. If you must know.
I opposedthe inspection of Robins Island every year, but t would not
vote agaiust it.
MEMBER TObUFORA: This is irrelevent.
Page ~7 - Transcript of Hearings
Reg. lar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: It is irreverent. It has no
cemparison, Jerry.
CHAIRMAN: I disagree with you because --.
MEMBER TORTORA: I second the motion. I'd like To just bring it ro
CIIAIRMAN: OK, I just want to say. I don't care if you go to the
Buiidhig Inspector or to a noted authority, ok. On the
reconstruction or the retrofitting of barns for your particular
operation. Whatever you geT, is what you're going to tell us that
you' re going to do with tlzis barn. You (addressing Jen Gould) will
circulate it over to this lady over here because she has a concern,
and you will circulate it to us, of which we'll make it part of the
record. If we don't receive it by April 30, we'll going To make a
decision 'anyway, all right. We thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN: Ail in favor?
information on vote).
(See Resolution in /Minutes for further
Page 48 - Transcript of Hearings
R.e~ular Meeting - April 3, ]996
Southo[d Town Board of Appeals
i0:15 p.m. Appl. No. 4371 - JOSEPH KANE. This is an application
for a variance due to insufficient total side yards based upon the
Building inspector's March 12, 1996 Notice of Disapproval issued
under Article XX1V, Section 100-244 in an application for a building
permit to construct a single-family dwelling. Property Location:
3100 Sound Drive, Greenport, NY; County Tax Map Parcel No.
1000-33-l-8. By Patricia Moore, Esq.
CHAIRMAN: I have a copy of a survey indicating a proposed
dwellin~ fifty five feet from the lip of the bluff, 18 feet from one
side yard and 10 feet from the other. ! have a copy of the Suffolk
County Tax Map indicating this and surrounding properties in the
area. We're ready.
PATRiCIA MOORE, ESQ. I'll try to be as brief as possible consider-
;~ng the late hour. The reason we're here tonight is that the Kanes
were going through the process. They had an application to the
Health Department and ali their permits in place~ and when they
finally got the Health Department stamped survey, they went to the
Building Department and they were told that in December the law,
ti~e setbacks had suddenly increased during the merger law. During
the local law #23 that was adopted in December, had overnight
changed their side yard setbacks from what had been there since
1965, for ail the properties in the area. In this subdivision it
went from 25 feet up to 35 feet. They now have their architech's
design. They had their Health Department stamped survey-. They
had everything in place, including the construction crew that were
scheduled to start. They were surprised by- this change in the taw
that resulted in now having their setbacks increase to 35 feet.
While everyone in the neighborhood, in the subdivisio~ which is
Eastern Shore Section 4, that was ori~odnally developed in 1965 with
25 foot setbacks up through December 1995, had 25 feet.
CHAIRMAN: How did that trigger that, Pat?
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: What happened is --. When the merger law
was adopted, they took out all these exempt subdivisions, and with
the stroke of the pen, the lan~c~uage in that provision whieh said that
"Those older subdivisions that were created back from !950s on
throughout, that are file maps. These subdivisions have to meet the
standards that have just been recentlY iegdslated into the code."
So ali the Grandfather provisions went out, but so did the setbacks
that were created. The only thing that I see in the code, which
think they inadverte~xtly
They tried to correct it in some respects, but didn't do
~ full job is in Section !00-251B. It's schedule identified double
A (Schedule AA). That shows Lot size~ lot width and lot depth.
But they failed to g~ive side yard setbaeks. That provision there is
what I think was intended to give the relief for all of these
subdivisions, inehiding the one my client in the Eastern Shores
Subdivision. They've been pu~ in a terrible position. They have a
Page 49 - Transcript of Hearings
Regulap Meeting - April 3, 1996
Soutimld Town Board of ApPeals
hardship situation here. They were ready .(
sorry for them, that they got stuck with this.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Pat you said fi51B.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: I have 251B, schedule AA.
has scheduled --.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: I have fiS1B. I have the book
opened to that.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: I'll pull it out.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: I'm talking about Town Board
Findings of Facts - That can't be right.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: It's right after that. See where it ends B.
I labeled it B because, it has a double A right after that.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: No, that's not the right number.
MS. PATRiCIA MOORE: I'm not giving you the right section?
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Let's compare.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: My pages are numbered, 10146.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI:
doable A there.
CHAIRMAN: Lydia may have it.
of your book.
). I feel truly
What we have the -.
You see what it
MEMBER TORTORA: I did because it didn't make any sense there.
I put it back with the merger laws.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: It's in the Legislature 12/25/95. It was part
of the merger law, and I confirm that in the public record.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: But it's also the same schedule
that's under 244.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you Lydia for leaving it out of your book.
MEMBER TORTORA: It didn't make any sense there.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: It doesn't make any sense.
MEMBER TORTORA: i put it back with the merger law, sorry.
MS. PAT~iCIA MOORE: We follow the guidelines --.
That's what I have and there is no
Thank you Lydia for leaving it out
Page 50 - Transcript of Hearings
Regnlar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Yes, but when you go, Pat, there
is a schedule for nonconforming lots, and under 244 it gives a side
yard, ok. So you can't say there is no side yard provisions.
There are side yard provisions.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: But it's inconsistent. Isn't it inconsistent,
to me, to have that section that according to, when we set the code
provisions.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: That other one is supposed to be
out. That's not supposed to be in there. I don~t know how that got
in your book, but it's not supposed to be in there.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: No, i would correct you that is supposed
to be itl there, i have from the Town Clerks copy of what was
published.
SECRETARY LiNDA KOWALSKI: Yes.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: And that does have to be in there.
CHAIRMAN: So it must have been left out.
SECRETARY L!NDA KOWALSKI: Somewhere along the line there must
have been a typo. But 944 would apply for side yards.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: I'm not denying that's not the case. I'm
just - what they were trying to do when they were legislating, is to
try to ( ) for non conforming lots, but they kind of stopped
halfway.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Yes, but they never intended the
side yards to remain at ~5. They intended to eliminate that and make
them $5. I wss involved with that. ! can verify that as part of
that committee, that -was involved with it.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: Ali right.
SECRETARY LiNDA KOWALSKI: OK, thanks.
CHAIRMAN: So as of the merger.
SECR. ETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: As of December 26, !995.
MS. PARTRCIA MOORE: Right.
CHAIRMAN: Ok
PATRIC[A MOORE: So what we have today is a variance request of
two feet on the West side. They have 18. They need 20 and 25 feet
on the east side. They have ten and they need 15. This lot is i00
feet wide and appro×imate[y 300 long. Of the 16 lots in Eastern
Shores section 4, three lots remain vacant. Mr. Kane, Mr. Palumbo
who was here l. onight, and who you'll see, next time we meet, has
Page 5.l - Transcril:r of Hearings
[regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
the exact same situation because he too was ready ro start building.
He pointed out to me very clearly, he called me one day and he said,
"You know, not granting a variance in this case would create a
nonconformity". All the properties in this area have the benefit of
a 25 foot setbacks, aggregate setback.
MEMBER VILLA: How would you cream a nonconforming.
PATRICIA MOORE:
Mrs. Kinv--.
I'm sorry, 25 total side yard setback. I know
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: We didn't understand.
would create a nonconformity.
You said it
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: Yes, you are creating a nonconformity by --
or changing the character of the neighborhood by increasing --.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: That's different. You said
nonconformity.
MS. PATR[CIA MOORE: I'm sorry, inereasing the --. It's been a
long lfight.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: That's ok.
PATRICIA MOORE: My bedtime is 10 O'clock. We're increasing the
side setbacks, and now we're changing the character of the
neighborhood in requiring these larger side yard setbacks. On a
waterfront piece of property, and the best thing of this property is
the view. And from what you can see, the house the Kane's have
chosen, is not a large house. It's a very reasonable modest size
house for this neighborhood. It's a magnificent neighborhood with
beautiful homes on it. I know Mrs. Kane would like to speak to you
tonight. If you have any questions of us we be happy to address it.
CHAIRMAN: We're ready Mrs~ Kane
MRS. KANE. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: We must apologize for not putting you before the prior
hesring.
MRS. KANE: I can live with it. It was an experience. Thank you
very much for hearing us tmzight~ I just want to say that, we have
been Summer residence for over ten )-ears. We've been renting with
my family for over ten years. A dream of our has been to own our
own home, build our own home, and retire out here. Wetre moving
toward that goal. We got the land last Summer, and what we did, we
thought we were doing everything right. We immediately went to Van
Tuyl to ~et the survey to make sure we knew what we were dealing
with. We got aa updated survey. We had kim stake out our land,
so we had stakes on our propertlr. We then hired a local architect
who's familiar with all the codes here. We then interviewed builders
Page 52 - Transcript of tlearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
who were all local, and we showed them the house and everybody was
of lhe agreement that we were doing the right thing.
When we then came back from the Building Department, and
foand oat this had all changed. I said to my husband, "but we're
still ok. Our property is 100 feet North, and 100 feet South,
widtbwise. Our house if 65 feet. We've got 35 feet right, we're
fine. We're still ok. For some reason we lost seven feet in the
middle, and for the life of us we can't figure out why. Because if
you see it, it goes straight down, and how did we lose those
seven feet, when we have 100 up here and 100 down there, and 65
feet. One hundred from sixty five is 35.
MEMBER VILLA: You're saying your house is only 65 feet wide.
MRS. KANE: Yes, 64.
MEMBER VILLA: Well there is something wrong someplace, because
your lot is supposed to be 100 feet wide.
MRS. KANE: This is what I'd like to tell you.
CIIAIRMAN: It's because --.
MEMBER VILLA: It's on an angle.
CHAIRMAN: It comes out on an angle like this, and this is unique
because. If you lived in Mattituck, and you were building in
Mattituck on Peconic Bay Boulevard, most of the lots that are 85
feet, are only 70 feet on the water. They only have 70 feet because
of this angle.
MRS. KANE: Yes, this says 100 on the water and 100 on Sound
Drive. Well we figured, this is fine. I mean, we desperately want
to build this house. We had a crew hired two weeks ago. We
thought we were ready to go. We now have delayed that. We
iueurred alot of expense with the architect with designing this home
lo fit the confines of our lot. We desperately want to build this,
and we would love yon to approve it for us.
CIIAIRMAN: Ok,
~o speak in favor.
thank you. Is there anybody else that would like
Sir, how are you tonight. Thank you for your
MR. FRANK PALUMBO: I'm Frank Palumbo. I'm their neighbor. I
have the property just West of them. There are 13 homes
already built on that property. There are 16 lots. No, these
remaining two. There's one, that doesn't seem to be, going to be
built. There is just two of them. The Kane's and myself. Now,
yea're asking us to change the character of the neighborhood because
everyoue has, a side lot yard of 25 feet or less. It has to have
been 25 feet or less, and now you're asking us to make 35 feet. So
Page 53 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
actually what we're doing, we're changing the character of the
neighborhood, and I don't think we should be doing that.
I think we should maintain the character of the
ueighhophood, and grant them and us this variance, so we can build
after so many years of planning, and designs and architects, and
lawyers. Believe me, he's only asking for seven feet. It's not that
lie's askiog fop 20 feet or what. Seven feet and I think it should be
granted. Thank you.
Ct[AIRMAN: Sir, would you like to speak.
MR. MARK NARENWRIGItT: Just for one moment. I'm Mark
Narenwright and i'm tile neighbor to the East, and I spoke before the
board in favor of Dr. Palumbo at the time for the setback.
MRS. MARK NARENWRIGtIT: That's from the water.
MR. MARK NARENWRIGHT: From the water. We just got in, less
limn an hour ago from Florida.
MRS. MARK NARENWltlGIIT: The thing is. I really don't know what
it is. We just got here two minutes ago. I'm asking for you to
extend it, so I can find out what's happening since we are totally
adjacent, and since they are asking for the variance primarily on the
left, on the side next to me. They're really only asking for two
feet, from tile other side. So I really don't know -.
CIIAI RMAN:
them.
Are you on the East side of them or the West side of
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: East.
MEMBER VILLA: They are on the East.
CtlAIRMAN: OK.
MRS. MARK NARENWRIGHT: So they really are asking for the
primary w~riance (itl my side. But, I'm not saying anything one way
ov lhe other. As far as changing the character of the neighborhood,
it's jusl like Pat's said "You only add 25 feet" Well, I only needed
lo build 25 feet. I'm a lot further from my lot line, and I have a
feeling that most of the people on the water are more than the 25
feet from their lot lines. They didn't need to be. So, I'm asking
you as a board to de]ay this, until I can look into this.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Pat, is the house staked out?
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: I'm sorry.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Is the house staked out?
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: The house is not staked out but the land --
Page 54 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
$ou thold Town Board of Appeals
MRS. KANE: The property is staked
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: The proper~y is staked out, no~ the corners
of the house.
MR. KANE: And we went and measured and it was 100 and 100.
That's why we can't understand, why we lost those seven feet in the
middle.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Yes.
CHAIRMAN: Yes Doctor?
DR. PALUMBO: They have a right to build that home, they were
eatitled to have 25 foot setback. Now they are telling us, they
don't want us to have the same privilege that they had.
CHAIRMAN: They just want to have a change to take a look and see
what teu feet was.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: I've offered to sit down with them, and
explain what we have and show them the diagram and so on. The
problem we have is, obviously they had --. Their contractors were
ready a month ago and they were surprised by the need for this
variance, it's a substantial variance.
MRS. MARK NARENWRIGHT: It isn't substantial on their side, but it
is substantial to us.
MR. MARK NARENWRIGHT: We should have the right to look into it.
MRS. MARK NARENWRIGHT: We asked for different variance on the
water. We had absolutely spoke for it. We said, they could go close
to the water. We certainly don't want to stop anybody from anything.
MR. MARK NARENWRIGHT: I was the only one that spoke for Dr.
Pa Jumbo at that meeting, and Mr. Bruer thanked me, and Mr. Nickels
thanked me, and Dr. Palumbo called me and thanked me. I'spoke
that evening --.
CHAIRMAN: Can I just ask a question. Is there anything that you
ean take care of with these people tonight?
MR. MARK NARENWRIGHT: We just got back.
MRS. MARK NARENWRIGHT: We literally got home five minutes ago.
My cap is out front with the kayak on the roof and packed. I left
the dog in the house to come here. I'm asking you just to delay it.
I have to look into
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: ! was just wondering --.
Page 55 - Transcrfpt of Hearings
Regn!ar Meeting - Aprfl 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MRS. KANE: I just want to say one thing. The Narenwright's have
this towering retaining wall, that's up, nine feet high. That goes
the entire length, and we will never even see that. We have a little
2300 square foot house
MRS. MARK NARENWRIGHT: I'm not trying to give you a hard
time. I'm saying --~ (inaudible) ( Everybody is talking at once).
MEMBER TORTORA: Please address the board.
MEMBER VILLA: Can i question the applicants here.
MRS. KANE: Sure
MEMBER .VILLA: There is a stakeout on the road, next to the house
to the East. Is that the corner of the property?
MRS. KANE: The stakeout on the East.
MEMBER VILLA: Yes, it's in the middle of their landscaping.
MRS. KANE: They have come over, which I wasn't going to bring
up and I thank you for bringing it up. But that's another issue
that --. If they let us do us, we wontt say they have to move their
driveway, and take down the landscaping.
MR. MARK NARENWRIGHT: Over the years it seems -~. Over the
years a tree grows, and we certainly want to be good neighbors. We
lust got back and we're looking ---.
SECRETARY L~NDA KOWALSKI:
think you have to recess it.
Jerry, I think they need time.
MEMBER DINIZIO: No, no.
PATRICIA MOORE, ESQ: Maybe we could close the hearing tonight
atxd just leave open for whatever comments you might have, and
hopefully you could decide tlmis.
CtfAIRMAN: We have another issue here. But go ahead, Dr.
Palumbo. Just hold on one second.
DR. PALUMBO: Well, if this law hadn't come into effect, the
Narenwrights wouldn't even ired questioned it.
MEMBER TORTOR. A: But it did.
DR. PALUMBO: Do you know what i'm trying to say. They wouldn't
have questioned it, because the 25 foot aggregate would have been in
place. Now, what they are getting. They're getting more than we
had, with a 25 foot.
MRS. MARK NAR. ENWRIGHT: No we're not.
Page 56 - Transcript of ttearings
~egular Meeting - April g, 1996
8ontho[d Town Board of Appeals
DR. PALUMBO: Yes we are.
MRS. MARK NARENWRIGHT: It's ten foot minimum on one side.
MR. MARK NARENWRIGHT:
thanked me.
Frank, you called me throe times and
DR. PALUMBO: Yes, sure
MR. MARK NARENWRIGHT: And I was very glad that the Kanes
were going to be there. We just got home and this is from an ( )
to make it difficult for anybody. We never have. We've been in this
house for over 20 years.
DR. PALUMBO: But if the law didn't change, you wouldn't be aware
of it- "
( Inaudible )
CHAIRMAN: This is going to be an impossible thing zo take down
here. So, lets deal with it on this basis, This is some soul
searching with the board. We are conceivably not going ~o get
anything more dono tonight. Maybe we'll address these people's
garage, maybe ok, because they have been so patience sitting here.
When do you want to reconvene to address ali the issues that we had
before us tonight, Read all the letters, talk about the other
applications that were before us.
MEMBER DINIZIO: How about, right after this, we vote on this
~arage.
CHAIRMAN: That's no~ giving these people time.
MEMBER TORTORA:
tonight.
I'm not going To make a decision at II o'clock
CHAIRMAN: When are you going to ~-. You're going away nex~ --.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: It has zo be ~wo weeks. That's the
earliest we can do it.
MEMBER DOYEN: We used ~o make decisions at 2 o'clock.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: There ]s nothing I can offer betzer
than that.
MEMBER VILLA: Can we have i~ on the record that basically, this
house will not exceed 64 feet in width.
MRS. KANE: The width of the house will not exceed 64 feet.
Whatever their plans are and also the plans of the house. They are
not changing. ( ) it 64 no~ 64 and 3 inches. What_ever that
Page 57 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
is, that's it. Sixty four or my husband said it might be under 64.
That's it; that's the house.
MEMBER VILLA: Now how did you ever measure across that tot. I
mean, you'd have to be Tarzan to swing through the trees because
you can't walk it.
MRS. KANE: We had a friend who had one of those, that you
a.~tached it, and you go right across. We were able to do that.
MEMBER VILLA: And you only read 92 feet.
MRS. KANE: No, no, no. That was the Building Department. We
never -went the middle. We did 100 up the top and 100 at the back,
CHAIRMAN: So you assumed it was 100 in the middle.
MRS. KANE: Yes, we assumed it was I00, but the Building
Departmenl must have done it because they said it's not, and I don't
understand how that can be. We haven't staked the middle yet. We
don't bare the middle stakes in yet.
MEMBER VILLA: They would have to be 15 short. They would have
to be a tremendous an~!e. I can't --. To do tlzis, there is a big
angle, but not that much.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: What about a surveyor, Pat? Did
you !~ave a surveyor?
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: I have the survey. Did you -want m see it.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: For the new house? For the new
design?
MEMBER VILLA: It would have to be 92 feet. It would have zo be
eight foot short.
(Inaudible - Everybody is talking at once)
PATRICIA MOORE: This is when the house was on an angle. Do
you have the Van Tuyl survey. This is -when the house was on an
angle.
(inaudible Everybody is talking at once)
CHAIRMAN: This isn't the survey. 'That's" the survey.
MEMBER DOYEN: They measured across here, right.
SECRETARY L!NDA KOWALSKi: But that's not the same, the house
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: No it is, it's on an angle.
Page 58 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: But you should have the surveyor
put ~t on. and stake it, and then you'll really know.
( Inaudible everyone is talking az once.
MRS. KANE: We went across there and we went across there, and
we go our 100.
MEMBER DOYEN: You wouldn't have 100 in the middle.
MRS. KANE: We didn't realize that. We just figured 100, 100.
(INAUDIBLE~
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: It's not the Building Department.
It's the surveyor that's saying that.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Who's saying that?
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: The architect
MEMBER VILLA: You have to get another survey. There is no way
that you're going to come down 99 feet.
MEMBER TORTORA: Is it possible that it was measured including the
neighbor's yard?
PATRICIA MOORE: That doesn't make sense.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Could you get the surveyor to
verify it?
PATRICIA MOORE: Yes. You're going to need to give (
verify it, that you don't need a variance.
) to
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKi: We could eliminate this whole thing.
You might not need the variance. You might get your extra frontage.
MEMBER DOYEN: Let's wrap this up. Why, what's the matter.
MEMBER VILLA: Keep 15 feet off that side.
Keep t5 feet off that side[ Your house is 64, right.
what, 79.
tell you what.
15 and 64 is
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: (Addressing neighbors in audence:
Yoo can come up and listen, too.)
CHAIRMAN: Come on up here and Hsten. I haven't said a word.
They're talking.
SECRETARY LiNDA KOWALSKI: We're trying to get him to comply
wilh the setbacks.
Page 59 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meetin~ - April $~ 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: Hold on a minute. We might have a
solution. If you grant this to us~ we have i8 and !0 equals 22. We
need ?~ and what she is saying is she doesn't like The 10. We'll
make it 18 on this side, and 10 on the other. We'll do that, that's
ok.
(INAUDIBLE)
MEMBER VILLA: You eoutd take ten feet off that side. You're going
to pick up more than --. You have !0 feet plus 80 plus 70. You're
going to be more than --.
MS. PATRIC!A MOORE:
you grant this variance.
get the exact survey.
which is ~ao issue here.
We'll do that. We will do it the other way if
Like you said, we might not need, once we
But if you can, we'll do it the other way
CHAIRMAN: Is that all right with you?
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: But we'll be going over.
INAUDIBLE
MS. PATRiCIA MOORE: It's 15 and 10.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Jerry that was 15 and 10.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: No, I need five on the other.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: I -was sa~-ing 18 and i0.
MS. PATR!CIA MOORE: OK, 18 and I0.
MEMBER D!N!ZIO: 15 on their side, and you can have whatever you
want. Who gave 15 on their side, that's a lesser amount, and they
can have whatever they want.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: It could be a five but it looks like
an eight.
MEMBER TORTORA: You still might have to get to a total of seven
feet. You have to establish that in the variance.
MEMBER D[N!ZIO: No, we don't. We don't know what it's going to
be. We don't know what. the exact survey is.
Inauclible
DR.. PALUMBO: We have the same problem.
myself. We have exactly the same problem.
sub~ract i~. He said no. In the middle --
! couldn't understand it
100 by 100. Should I
Page 60 - Transcript of ttearings
Regular Meeting - April $, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
SECRETARY LiNDA KOWALSKI: Jerry, could you come over for a
moment? You're still chairing this meeting, and the meeting is still
open. I'm going to ask Pat to have it verified ~rith Van Tuyl, that
seven is going to be enough. But -we don't have to recess this. We
could close the hearing and maybe we could have a special meeting.
Once you get that survey we could have that special meeting.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Let's grant him the seven, because that's all
they're asking for. How we'll grant it is. We'll give him 15 which
is the lesser amount of the 40; You're going to be 15 on one and 20
on the other. So, we give them 15 when they are asking for t0.
That will satisfy them because there entitled to that. Then,
whatever comes out on the other side, is going to be less than the
seven feet that they need.
MS. PAT'RICIA MOORE: No, you have to grant the variance we're
asking for. But we agreed to move the larger setback on --.
MEMBER. DINIZIO: But you'll go no closer than 15 feet to the
other( ).
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI:
side yards.
No. Eighteen feet total, for total
MEMBER DINtZIO: Give me a pen.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: -- to where it says total.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Here's what they are asking, right. They are
asking 10 right here and 18 here. I'm sa~ng, let's do this. Let's
give then 15 here. That's the minimum allowed in the zone, ok.
Whatever it shifts over to here, we give them within the 7 feet.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: But that leaves 13.
MEMBER VILLA: There are two things we can keep. 15 on the East
side and we limit the house to four feet or whatever. (inaudible)
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: The neighbors wanted 18 feet.
MEMBER DINIZIO: They are going to get it. This is where they are.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWAESKt: 18 not 15.
MEMBER DINIZIO: They are not entitled to 18.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Yes they are. Now, wait a
minute. Sorry Jim, you're wrong. Total side yards are 35.
MEMBER. DINIZIO: Right.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Any numbers.
Page 61 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MEMBER D]NIZIO: Right, listen. Why can't this side be a lessor
side. It could be 15 and 20.
SECRETAt{~Y LINDA KOWALSKI: It can be, but --.
MEMBER I)INIZIO: Then why not.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: Then you have no problem with 15.
MRS. KANE: Because that's what it would have been anyway.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Well, they are entitled to that.
MRS. KANE: I'm not giving you an argument.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Pat, do you want to mention your
application and make yoar request, so that we can act on an
amend~nent. Your amendment is just to reverse it 18 and 10.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: Oh yes, fine.
SECRETARY LINI)A KOWALSKI: OK.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Couldn't we just grant alternate relief.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: Or as a total, a total variance, out of the
lwo numbers.
CHAIRMAN: Your only concern is that you get the bigger side yard
on your side.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: Well you can specify, and just switch the
Easterly for a Westerly side.
MEMBER VILLA: Why don't we say 15 foot off the ---.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: Say the Westerly side, instead of the
Easterly side. Change from Westerly to Easterly.
MEMBER VILLA: And whatever we end up on the other side, we end
up witb.
CHAIRMAN: Well, you have to deal with these people. These people
are tile concerned --.
MEMBER DINIZIO: They are happy with that.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: They are happy now.
MEMBER, DINIZIO: They are not entitled to any more than that.
CHAIRMAN: She'stalking 18 now.
t'age 62 - Transcript of Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
MEMBER D1NIZ10: But they are not entitled to any more than that.
MRS. (
) : I'm not going to argue about three feet.
MEMBER D1NIZIO: OK, so 15 feet is good.
MRS. : I'm not going to argue about that. I'm just
saying if they have that, then split it in half.
MS. PATRICiA MOORE: Use it on your side.
MRS. : Use it on my side.
If it isnq, I'm not going to --.
If it's extra, use it on my side.
MEMBER VILLA: You can't push too much more, because if you look
at that lot, ( ) you have a garage, and if you go too far to the
lot, you cut off their driveway, and they won't be able to get into
their garage.
(Pause for a few minutes.)
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Let's finish the hearing.
like we?re never going to get caught up on this.
(Everybody is talking at once)
CHAIRMAN: Let's all sit down here, and get this thing worked out.
MRS. : We're approving his, because it took us four hours to
drive ou! here. We have to go home now. It wi]] take three hours,
bu! anyway. We're in the City, but it took us four hours to get
here tonight.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: We have to dose the hearing and
then we can have an informal chat, ok. Thank you.
MRS. :
Can we just get a notice of this or something.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Just a moment.
CIIAIRMAN: We'll get back to you in one second. It's my
undersianding is that, now we are dealing with 15 feet on the
Easterly side, and the house is not to exceed more than than 64
feet. So whatever the difference is, will then be placed on the
Westerly side.
MRS. : Correct.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: For a total of 28 feet.
MEMBER TORTORA: Not more than 28. I mean, a minimum of 28.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Yes, that's right.
Pa~e 63 - Transerip~ o£ Hearings
Regular Meeting - April 3, t996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN: No closer than 28, and total side yards, but at least 15
on tile Easterly side.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Right.
CIIAIRMAN: Right
MEMBER VILLA: With the house noz to exceed 64 feet.
CHAIRMAN: With the house not to exceed 64 feet, ok. Is there
anybody else that wants to speak, ok. Hearing no further comment
I'll make a morion closing the hearing and reserving decision.
CHAIRMAN: And total side yards. But at least 15 on the Easterly
side.
SECRETARY LINOA KOWALSKI: Right.
MEMBER VILLA: With the house ao~ to exceed 64 feet.
CHAIRMAN: With the house ao~ to exceed 84 feet, ok. Is there
anybody else thai wants to speak. [tearing no further eommen~ I
make a motion to closing the hearing~ reserving decision. Then we'll
make the decision.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Who would like to second that.
CHAIRMAN: All in favor say Aye. Now, who wants to grant it.
You want to grant it, Jim or Bob.
MEMBER VILLA: I'll make the motion.
CHAIRMAN: Just as I stated it, right.
MEMBER VILLA: 15 feet on the East side. The house not to exceed
64 feet, and the remaining offset, wilI be whatever it is on the West
side.
CHAIRMAN: OK.
MEMBER VILLA: it should be 18 or --.
MEMBER TORTORA: For a total.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKi: Just say total 28 or whatever it is.
CItAIRMAN: In any case, no closer than 28 feet total side yards.
MEMBER VILLA: It would be an excess of 28 feet.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: No more, no closer, right.
CHAIRMAN: Yes, i3 and 15.
MS. PATRICIA MOORE: !3 and 15.
Page U,I 'l't-anscrit)t of tlearings
Regtdar Meeting - April 3, 1996
Southold Town Board of Appeals
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Right.
CIlAIRMAN: That's the way it will be stated itt the decision.
SECRETARY LINDA KOWALSKI: Who will second the motion?
CIIAIRMAN: I'1t second it.
MEMBER VILLA: But my mmn
(HtAIRMAN: Right and 55 feet from the ( ).
SECRt~TARY LINDA KO~ALSKI: All in favor, aye.
ISee R. aaolation in Minutes fo~ move d~tails o~ action.)
End of hca~4ngs.
Pr, epaPed by Nm-eon F~ey f~om
tape ~eeo~dings.
concern is, that the house stays 64
ECEIVED AND FILED BY
T~.E SOUTHOLD TOWN
~ ~own Clerk, Town of Sou~ld