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iRIPT OF ZBA HEARINGS
HELD August 13, 1998
Appl. NO. 4590-W. KRUPSKI
Appl. NO. 4591-A. ROMANO
Appl. NO. 4593- Z. SVATOVIC
Appl. No. 4595-W. TUFANO
Appl. No. 4587-JOHN DWYER
Appl. No. 4596-BERYL CAFFREY
Appl. No. 4581-JOSEPH LEBKUECHER
Appl. No. 4594-M. FERRARIS
34 Appl. No. 4589-R. SLEDJESKI
40 Appl. No. 4509-E. TONYES/SOUTHOLD AUTOMOTIVE
63 Appl. No. 4544-MARTIN ROSEN
Transcript of Public Hearings
August 13, 1998
Southold Town Board of Appeals
(Prepared by Lucy Farrell from Tape Recordings)
6:25 P.M.- Appl. No. 4590 - W. KRUPSKI - A Variance is requested
under. Article XXIV, Section 100-244B for a proposed addition to
existing dwelling with an insufficient front yard setback. Location
of Property: 315 Pat Lane, Mattituck, N.Y.; Parcel ~1000-114-10-6.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I have a copy of a sketch of a survey
indicating the area in question that is the nature of this
application, and I have a copy of the Suffolk County Tax Map
indicating this and surrounding properties in the area and I believe
Mr. Fitzgerald would like to be heard. How are you tonight Sir?
MR. FITZGERALD: Fine. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What would you like to tell us?
MR. FITZGERALD: Again, I don't have anything to add to the
material that's in the application. However, it would be I think,
appropriate to point out that the intrusion as required to the
required front yard is at no greater distance and not permitted by
the regulations for an entrance way a portico and how the problem is
that in order to make esthetically and architecturally satisfied, if
you will~ it had to be 11 feet wide instead of the required, the
maximum of 6 feet wide, which is permitted by the regulations.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
Mr. Fitzgerald?
Alright, Mr. Dinizio, any questions of
.MEMBER DINIZIO: No, absolutely not.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Ms. Collins?
MEMBER COLLINS: Yes, the a, we have the a, what would I call it,
a survey type drawing of the footprint of the house -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: A sketch of a survey.
Page 2
~earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER COLLINS: A sketch of a survey of the house and the
proposed additions but, no elevations. The house now, of the front
door is perpendicular to the street because it's a little set in from
the front wall of the house and what is proposed to do, is to fill in
that little space and move out about 5 feet beyond the front wall.
MR. FITZGERALD: Correct.
MEMBER COLLINS: What's this thing going to look like? Is it
closed or opened? Is it a foyer for the house per se or a -? Let
me tell you why I'm asking. I have no real problems with this.
But, I think that you're misreading the code about what's
permitted. The code says, with respect to the percent coverage of
the lot that up to 6 x 5 open steps and porches don't count for
coverage purposes and the code also has this stuff about how if
you're in the neighborhood where the setbacks are below what's
required, then you're setback can also be below what's required.
There's a little gloss in there about not counting open porticoes and
I think you're relying on that, and I think that that doesn't really
do it for you. I think you really need a straight forward simple
garden variety setback variance and that's why I was asking what it
looks like.
MR. FITZGERALD: Yes, that's correct. My point was, that this
thing on a smaller Scale would be permitted. A narrower width
would be permitted by the code as a portico.
MEMBER COLLINS: Well, it would not, it's not a matter of being
permitted, it's a question when it counts and it doesn't count for
lot coverage and it does count for setback. I have, but, I'm not
going to argue that because I'm personally prepared to give you the
setback variance that you need given the appearance of the house
and the setbacks in the neighborhood. I really was asking what it
looks like?
MR. FITZGERALD: Would you like me to explain what it looks like?
It's an uncovered porch portico. I mean it's a covered portico.
Correct?
MR. KRUPSKI: That's correct. It's with columns.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Walter, why don't you come up and use
the mike if you don't mind.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWASLKI: Yes, we can't hear you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: This is Mr. Krupski. How are you? This
is Ms. Collins who asked the question.
MR. KRUPSKI: You're right, we're going to fill in that space along
the front of the house which become the foyer. Coming out from
that will be an open porch with pillars and a step down and basically
that's it.
Page 3 '
Hearing Transcripts
AUgust 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER COLLINS: Fine, that's really what I was getting at. The
space you're going to fill in between the existing recessed front
wall and the existing outer front wall, that's going to be a foyer?,
and then you're going to put a portico, an open outside portico?
MR. KRUPSKI: In front of the back, yes.
MEMBER COLLINS: Yes, thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Good, thank you.
MEMBER COLLINS: I didn't mean to sound complicated.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: I don't have any questions.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mr. Homing?
MEMBER HORNING: None.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We'll see if anybody else would like to
speak. Anybody else in the audience like to speak in favor of this
application? Anybody like to speak against the application? Seeing
no hands I'll make a motion closing hearing reserving decision until
later.
MEMBER TORTORA: Second.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
Page 4
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
6:28 P.M.- Appl. No. 4591 - A. ROMANO
A Variance is requested under Article IIIA, Section 100-30A.3 of the
Bulk and Parking Schedule, based upon the Building Inspector's
June 15, 1998 Notice of Disapproval for a permit to construct
addition and alteration for a seasonal dwelling, which states:
"Under Article IIIA, Section 100-30A.3 of the Bulk and Parking
Schedule in the R-40 Zone, the lot size of 8,662 sq. ft. has an
allowable lot coverage of 20% or 1,735 sci. ft. Proposed construction
will have 1,980 sq. ft. of lot coverage of 22.9+- percent." Location
of Property: 1380 Leeton Drive, Southold, N.Y.; Parcel #1000-58-2-2.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I have a survey indicating in a diagonal
cross ( ) the areas to be added to this proposed seasonal dwelling,
to this existing seasonal dwelling and a copy of the Suffolk County
Tax Map indicating this and surrounding properties in the area. The
most recent date on the survey is March 24, 1998. Mr. DeLuca?
MEMBER COLLINS: Mr. Chairman, could I ask you to ask Mr.
DeLuca a fact point of the outset to dwelling?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Sure.
MEMBER COLLINS: The Building Inspector's denial says, that the
proposed construction will end up with 1,980 sq. ft. a lot coverage
of 22.9%. But, the survey that Mr. DeLuca submitted, speaks of a
2203 sq. ft. property after the construction and basis the
percentage on that and since we're talking lot coverage I'd like to
get the facts right.
MR. DeLUCA. Well I think the a disagreement eomes from the wall
and the wall was explained to me in two different ways. One where
if you look at the survey, depending who you talk to, either the
Building Department or the Zoning Board of Appeals, you'll see the
elevation 13 and elevation 11 between Zone V-8 and A-7. Some of
them were subtracting that area and then take the percentage on
that. Some of them were including the area, taking the percentage
on that. I really couldn't get a straight answer exactly which one
was doing what.
MEMBER TORTROA: In other words someone was, one is less the
flood zone and other is a -
MEMBER COLLINS: No, you're talking the denominator, I'm talking
the numerator. What I want to say Mr. DeLuoa, is I want us to
proceed on the basis of this which you've given us, which is factual
and clear and it has a statement up in the corner that says, the
proposed lot coverage is 2,203 sq. ft. I was just bothered by the
faet, that the Building Inspector's denial had a smaller building.
It had 1980.
Pag~ 5
~Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. DeLUCA: No, no, frankly with all due respect to the Building
Department I would go with the high numbers.
MEMBER COLLINS: Absolutely, I just wanted to make sure there
were no hidden problems in here that we weren't aware of.
MR. DeLUCA: No, I would go with the numbers that you see on the
MEMBER COLLINS: Fine, thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We of course advertised it from the -
MEMBER COLLINS: From the Building Notice, yes.
MR. DeLUCA: Yes, but I brought this up right from the beginning
and I discussed it several times and I just did the best I could with
getting everyone to agree and I have no control over the markings
of between Building Department and Zoning Board of Appeals.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: And the outcome of it, right?
MR. DeLUCA: I noticed the discrepancy immediately but~ a, there
was nothing much I could do about it. I also have, I put in a plan
of the house so you would, I gave you elevations and floor plans.
If you don't have them there I brought another one with me so you
can look at it.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes I believe we have it.
MR. DeLUCA: And, I'll explain the situation the way the existing
house is, and why a -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright.
MR. DeLUCA: Mr. Romano wants to change the footprint. Basically
the house right now is a two bedroom house with a very tiny a, the
bedrooms are approximately 10 x 10. There's two of them in there
and there's also a bathroom that's about 5 x 5 and a small utility
room, that's probably 3 x, 2 x 3. So, as you can see in that floor
plan, we're actually increasing the bedroom count by one and we're
actually making a utility room off the garage area and we're a, that
flood plan we're raising everything above the 10 foot level flood
plan and we're extending the deck running around the side and the
rear. So, the bedroom count is going to be increased by one. But,
the kitchen, living room, dining room area is going to be in the old
section and the bedrooms are being pushed over to the new section.
We're just eliminating the bedrooms and the existing and creating a
utility room and bathroom. Not a utility room, a bathroom and a,
and out of the existing kitchen, we're creating a bedroom.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The existing covered porch and the deck
Page 6
Hearing Transcripts
}ku~ust 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. DeLUCA: It remains the same.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Exactly the same?
MR. DeLUCA: No change. Stairs remain the same, everything,
everything from the new addition forward, the footprint remains the
same. It does not change at all.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: So where do we pick up this 220 sq. ft.
then? Just a, I missed that.
MR. DeLUCA: That's the addition.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: That's the addition?
MR. DeLUCA: That's the addition including the deck, the steps to
the new deck, the steps running down the side of the house because
we're raising the second floor up.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right.
MEMBER HORNING: I don't have any questions at this time.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright. Mrs. Tortora would you like to
skip over you for a minute?
MEMBER TORTORA: No, my question is really then, the buildable
area is less, the area into the V-8 Zone ( ), that's non buildable
area.
MR. DeLUCA: Exactly.
MEMBER TORTORA: So, that's why you've come down to actual
buildable land ( ). The lot coverage is 6,262 feet
MR. DeLUCA: Exactly.
MEMBER TORTORA: And apposed lot coverage is 35%. I understand
it, thank you.
MR. DeLUCA: I tried to cover all the basis.
MEMBER TORTORA: You did, you did very clearly.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Ms. Collins?
MEMBER COLLINS: No, I guess I don't have any questions. I
looked at the p~operty a~d I know what they're up to.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mr. Dinizio?
MEMBER DINIZIO: Well, I just try to get a little perspective here.
The wood deck that's you know, facing Long Island Sound, those
Page 7
~Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
steps that are a, I guess to the east? Which way they going?
Towards the road or down towards the sound?
MR. DeLUCA: They go down towards the sound.
MEMBER DINIZIO:
the east side?
So, they're coming off that wood deck that's on
MR. DeLUCA: Basically, yes.
MEMBER DINIZIO: And the wood deck that is on the sound, is that
a second story deck?
MR. DeLUCA: A, no, actually no, it's a, the, you can see it by
the floor sketch. I included the existing, everything on that
drawing. The house is on piles and that deck is on the same
elevation as the
a -
MEMBER DINIZIO: First floor.
MR. DeLUCA: First floor, correct, and it's still going to remain al
one floor except it's the back part we're lifting up. You have to
walk up steps to get to this level. It's still a one story house.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
from the existing one.
It's certainly a radical transformation
MR. DeLUCA: Oh yeah, but frankly the existing structure needs
some repairs. The piles are in fairly decent shape but, the rest of
the structure has some deteriorated doors, windows, some siding is
deteriorated. So we're basically when we side, we're going to side
the whole house over again. Change some of the rotted doors that
are deteriorated, windows.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
throughout the hearing.
We thank you, we'll see what develops
MR. DeLUCA: I remain?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes, you can either stand there, or you
can a, there may not be anybody. We'll see what happens.
MEMBER COLLINS: Mr. Chairman? Can I in fact ask a question?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes~ surely, go ahead.
MEMBER COLLINS: The increase in the square footage of the house
from this project is quite substantial.
MR. DeLUCA: Yes.
MEMBER COLLINS: A, were there alternatives you considered?
Were there realistic alternatives that would take you less close to
the road?
~earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. DeLUCA: The problem is with the existing piles that are
underneath the building now, we cannot add the second story on.
That was the first approach. To do that I have to take the whole
house down. As a matter of fact, the piles that are there now, are
just adequate to support what it has. So, the only alternative he
has, actually it would be cheaper if we could go up on the house.
But, there was no other way to do it.
MEMBER COLLINS: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Good point. Thank you. Is there
anybody else would like to speak in favor? Anybody like to speak
against? Seeing no hands I'll make a motion closing the hearing
reserving decision until later.
MEMBER TORTORA: Second.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
Page 9
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
6:45 P.M. - POSTPONEMENT requested by Applicant due to prior
commitment out of New York - Possible Oct. 15 or Sept. 10th?
Appl. No. 4593 - Z. SVATOVIC A Variance is requested under
Article XXIV, Section 100-244B f~-r a new dwelling with proposed
insufficient rear yard setback (less than the required 35 feet).
Note: Art. XXIII, Sec. 100-232A, corner lot front yards are
required from both roads, and one yard other than the front shall
be deemed a rear yard and the other a side yard. Location: 12355
New Suffolk Avenue, Cutchogue; 1000-115-5-2.6:25 P.M
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Appl. 4593 is postponed and I need a
motion ladies and gentlemen to postpone that into October 15th.
MEMBER COLLINS: So moved.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
Page 10
Hearing Transcripts
)kugust 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
6:46 P.M.- Appl. No. 4595 - W. TUFANO
Variance under Article XXIII, Section 100-239.4B based on the July
15, 1998 Notice of Disapproval in which applicant has applied for a
Building Permit to construct new dwelling with deck addition at less
tha~-x 75 feet from existing bulkhead. 2482 Camp Mineola Road,
Mattituck, N.Y., Parcel #1000-122-9-9.6.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Are you Mr. Tufano?
MR. TUFANO: Yes, I am.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: How are you?
MR. TUFANO: Fine.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I have a copy of the survey indicating
the proposed placement of the new dwelling dated the most recent
date is May 15, 1998 and I have a copy of the Suffolk County Tax
Map indicating this and surrounding properties in the area. Mr.
Tufano what would you like to tell us? I've known this existing
house for years. I'm from Mattituck. This is the house that Mr.
Allan owned, wasn't it?
MR. TUFANO: Correct.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What would you like to tell us? I noticed
that you have pushed the house back from 18.9 feet to approximately
50 feet from the bulkhead and I have noticed that on the survey it
says, that you're ( ) construction at 15 feet on the easterly
property line and 35 feet on the other line, on the westerly property
line and what would you say the average setback of the houses in
the area are from the bulkhead?
MR. TUFANO: They vary.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: They vary.
MR. TUFANO: Some of them are 10 feet, some of them are 50 feet
and some of them say 75 feet. But, the majority of them are around
10 to 20 feet from the bulkhead.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright. I guess we'll start with Mr.
Dinizio. Any questions of Mr. Tufano?
MEMBER DINIZIO: No.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Ms. Collins?
MEMBER COLLINS: Well, as to the setback, you've selected the spot
where you want to put your house, and it's 50 feet back from the
bulkhead. What were the considerations against going back
Page 11
~Iearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
further? I'm sure there were considerations.
what they are?
Could you tell us
MR. TUFANO: Well this is a waterfront parcel. I don't know if you
took the a-
MEMBER COLLINS: I, I -
MR. TUFANO: Did you visit the site?
MEMBER COLLINS: I went to your property but I did not go
through the gate and walk down because I could see pretty well
what I needed to see.
MR~ TUFANO: Well, fair enough. I wish you had taken a walk to
the bulkhead. The existing house that's been there, we've been in,
we're enjoying the view and if you buy a piece of property and you
have a view you would like to protect it. Now, the reason why we'd
like to stay as elose to the existing structure as possible, but, it
would be to our advantage to go back 50 feet because that takes us
out of the V Zone and if I have a choice I would like to stay 50 feet
out of the V Zone and still enjoy the view.
MEMBER COLLINS: OK, thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: That was my question.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright, and Mr. Homing?
MEMBER HORNING: I'm all set for the time being.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright. I think I looked at the
drawings of the house. Is this going to be a two story house?
MR. TUFANO: Correct.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right. Alright, we'll see while you're
standing there, is there anybody else, anybody in the audience
would like to speak in favor of this application other than the
applicants? Anybody like to speak against the application? Any
further comment from any of the Board Members? I guess not. We
thank you Sir. We hope to have a decision for you in the very near
future. I'll make a motion closing the hearing reserving decision
until later.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Second.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
Page 12
~earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
6:50 P.M. - Appl. No.~JOHN DWYER
Variance under Article XXIV, Section 100-244. based upon the
Building Inspector's May 5, 1998 Notice of Disapproval which
disapproved an application for a Permit to construct an addition to
dwelling for the reason that it encroaches on the combined side yard
setbacks. Location of Property: 2626 Bay Shore Road, Greenport,
N.Y.; 1000-53-4-21.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I have a copy of the sketch of a survey
from Anthony Lewandowski, it's dated April 8, 1998, the most recent
date is June 7, I'm sorry, the past date was June 7, 1998. It
appears that the applicant is squaring off his house, sort of speak
and I have a copy of the Suffolk County Tax Map indicating this and
surrounding properties in the area. How are you tonight Sir?
MR. ARNOFF:
Goehringer.
I'm very well, thank you, it's nice seeing you Mr.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
the record.
I have to ask you to state your name for
MR. ARNOFF: My name is Harvey Arnoff. I maintain offices at 206
Roenoke Avenue, Riverhead, N.Y. Good evening. Mr. Dwyer first
of all apologizes for not being here but, he's home recuperating from
surgery on his foot and has a great deal of ambulatory problems at
this particular moment. I spoke with him this afternoon. He
sounded a little less frustrated than the first time I spoke with him
because I don't think he anticipated any problems. He was just
going to build a small deck out of block and put a little addition on
his house so that his kids can come out and visit him, another
bedroom for the house and he did rather well I think, up to the
point where he came here, because then he some how or other he
couldn't figure out how to post the property and how to do certain
things that were whatever, and asked me to intervene. Just so the
Board knows, there is Trustee approval for this application.
There's Department Environmental Conservation approval for this
application and quite properly, the Building Department declined to
approve it because of the setbacks and side yards. Essentially, I
didn't really measure it out, but, it doesn't look like we're
changing the side yards very much. If you continue, if you look at
the front portion of the house, it looks as if, you notice we're not
changing the westerly most portion of the house, or the northerly
most, I guess, northwesterly. We're only changing one portion as
far as setback and it really looks like it's a de minimis change.
It's almost in the same footprint. It's an extension of the
footprint. There's a slight jog there.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right.
Page
t~Iearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. ARNOFF: I cannot explain to this Board. If someone wants to
ask me why, I have no idea why it's there.
MEMBER TORTORA: Could it be an existing wall?
MR. ARNOFF: That's quite possible that it has to do with an
existing wall. But I did not personally inspect it for that
particular but, it looks like a half a foot jog, it comes out. I've
no, I can't explain it, but, it's there. It is in conformity with
other structures in the area and I would welcome any questions that
I think I might be able to answer. I'm not sure that I can answer
anything, but, I'll try.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
pretty much?
You say it's going to be an open deck,
MR. ARNOFF: Oh, the deck itself is not really before you, but,
it's just a block deck, OK. That's not here. That's, that's
improved. It's just a concrete block and sand deck that's going on
into the back yard.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
the house?
Alright.
This is strictly in addition to
MR. ARNOFF: Strictly an addition. That's the only thing that's
before this Board. The reason the Building Department declined to
approve was the side yard setback.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes, I misunderstood that because I was
looking at the drawings and they all indicated room or rooms so
that's why -
MR. ARNOFF:
built.
Oh, no, no, no, there's no deck on the house being
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, great. We'll start with Mr. Homing?
MEMBER HORNING: I don't have any questions.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: It's a 15.1 put on that property line?
MR. ARNOFF:
15.1.
Yes it appears to be 15, it looks like 15 feet, not
MEMBER TORTORA: It's hard to read because it's ( ). So, I just
want to get the exact distance that you're looking at.
MR. ARNOFF: It looks like 15 on one side and it looks like -
MEMBER TORTORA: 3.8
Page 14
I~4earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. ARNOFF: 3.8, I couldn't read whether it was a 3 or a 2, I'll
take the 3. I prefer the 3 to 2.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Ms. Collins?
MEMBER COLLINS: Why don't you call me Dr. Collins.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, Dr. Collins.
MEMBER COLLINS: No, we just, I didn't mean to be flip, excuse
me, you had fumbled my name earlier.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I apologize.
MEMBER COLLINS: It's alright. Mr. Arnoff, this is a question I
suspect you don't have the answer to. There's a year old Building
Permit in the window at the house and I didn't come back to Town
Hall and ask somebody to look up that Building Permit and see what
it was. Do you have any idea because as you said, the concrete
block patio was obviously put in without a Building Permit. I hope
they're going to grade it because the way it stands now, it's not
graded and it therefore really ought to be permitted and that would
open a whole other can of worms for him so I do hope he's going to
grade it.
MR. ARNOFF: No, he'll take care of that. I can't answer that
question as far as the permit, apparently, maybe, I don't know, he
may like the decoration in his window. It doesn't appear to be,
there's no comment by the Building Department with any open
Building Permits.
MEMBER COLLINS: OK, I was just puzzled by it.
MR. ARNOFF: No, I, I.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mr. Dinizio?
MEMBER DINIZIO: No.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No. no comments?
MEMBER DINIZIO: No questions.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, while you're there, Mr. Arnoff, we'll
search the group. Is there anybody else would like to speak in
favor of this application? Anybody like to speak against the
application? Seeing no hands we'll make a motion closing the hearing
and reserving decision until later.
MR. ARNOFF: It's nice being here on something non controversy.
Have a nice evening.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: See you next month Sir.
Page 15
!-Iearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: Who second that motion?
MEMBER DINIZIO: Second.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
Page 16
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
6:57 P.M. - Appl. No. 4596 - BERYL CAFFREY
A Variance is requested under Article III, Section 100-33B-4 for a
corner of the "as built" accessory building under Building Permit
#22394Z issued 10/17/94. The foundation is setback at less than the
required 20 ft. side yard setback. Location of Property: 9395
Sound Avenue, Mattituck, N.Y.; Parcel #1000-121-2-4.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I have a copy of a survey, the most
recent date, July 7, 1998 indicating the approximate area of non
compliance standing in front of the building it's on the left-hand
side and it's a 17.4 and I have a copy of the Suffolk County Tax
Map indicating this and surrounding properties in the area. Sir
would you just state your name for the record. We appreciate your
coming in.
MR. KELLY: Bill Kelly.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
tell us ?
How you doing?
What would you like to
MR. KELLY: Well, on this particular case, I was the builder of the
building and we didn't have it staked by the surveyor prior to
construction and I think what had happened is the survey stake out
when we were doing excavation, the site we submitted to be in an
incorrect location and so we ended up approximately 2-1/2 feet on
the one corner and it encompasses probably about 7 sqo ft. of the
total building area. It's over that ( ).
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What is the amount of utility that's in
this corner other than electricity, is that it?
MR. KELLY: That's just it. Actually they've never completely
rewired the building. They just put the service in and stopped at
that point and currently they're under contract, they're selling the
property and that's the reason for the variance and for the CO.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK. Mr. Dinizio, any questions?
MEMBER DINIZIO: No, no questions.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
MEMBER COLLINS: No.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
MEMBER TORTORA: No.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
Ms. Collins any questions?
Mrs. Tortora any questions?
Mr. Horning any questions?
Page 17
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER HORNING: None.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We're on a roll Mr. Kelly. While you're
standing there, is there anybody in the audience would like to speak
in favor of this application? Anybody like to speak against the
application? Seeing no hands I'll make a motion closing the hearing
reserving decision until later.
MEMBER .COLLINS: Second.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
Page 18
,Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
Postponement requested by applicant:
10th.
Possible Oct. 15th or Sept.
7:07 - Appl. No. 4581 - JOSEPH LEBKUECHER.
Road, Laurel, N.Y.; 1000-125-2-2.2.
935 Franklinville
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: For anybody that is going to be or is
here for Lebkueeher it is postponed. We tried to get a hold of you,
but, your number wasn't in the book Mrs. Berdinka.
MRS. BEItDINKA: No, it's not listed.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What you really should do, is leave it
with us..If you want to bring it up here and give it to us here.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI:
the last four numbers I need.
I know the first three, it's just
MRS. BERDINKA: 5286.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: Actually the procedure is, that
you should call the office. The Chairman is going to recess this
with a date, OK, check with us a day before that meeting in ease
I'm not around on that day. I'm taking your number now, but, it's
up to you to call the office and get the update on it. I'll take
your number too but we'll both try this way we won't miss each
other. I need your name. Your name please.
MRS. WOODS: Sheryl Woods, 298-1169. Thank you.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI:
for the next meeting.
The Chairman going to give a date
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We're going to postpone this to October
15th. (Other parties procuring postponement date and other info.)
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI:
October 15th.
I need a second on the Motion to
MEMBER TORTORA: I'll second it.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
Page 19
I;I earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
7:08 P.M. - Appl. No. 4594 - M. FERRARIS
A Variance is requested under Article XXIII, Section 100-231B based
upon the Building Inspector's June 15, 1998 Notice of Disapproval
which states: Fences located in side or rear yards shall not exceed
6-1/9. feet in height." The fence is proposed for the existing
accessory tennis court structure. Location of Property: 3585
Orchard Street, Orient, N.Y.; Parcel 1000-27-2-2.10.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I have letters from property owners in
the area and I have a copy of the survey amended July 17, 1996,
with a penned in area of approximately 20 feet from both property
lines which basically indicates a 60 x 120 foot tennis court. The
nature of this application is the height variance and that was
pending on May 7, 1998. I have a copy of the Suffolk County Tax
Map indicating this and surrounding properties in the area. Is
there somebody would like to be heard on this?
MRS. FERRARIS: I'm the owner, so-
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Would you like to come up here and we'll
grill you for a little while?
MRS. FERRARIS: Sure, what do you want to know?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Just state your name for the record.
MRS. FERRARIS: Nancy Ferraris.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
area when I was over.
I notice that this was a relatively open
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: And a, it's a beautiful piece of property
by the way. Is there any particular reason why you chose to put
the tennis court in that location?
MRS. FERRARIS: It was the furthest from the property line,
furthest from the house in the back part of the property, it's far
away from everybody as we can see. Not near either street, you
know, just in the back.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The nature of the letters, one in
particular indicates that they would like to see some screening of
the fence.
MRS. FERRARIS: From what I understand, the two parties that
wrote the letters do not have properties adjacent to mine. I had to
notify eight homeowners. These two people live behind us so I've
got two empty 5 acre lots between my property and theirs. I don't
believe according to the letter that they have correct information,
Page 20
t4earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
either they seem to think that we're putting a l0 foot fence all
around the tennis court, if I'm correct, according to their letters,
which we're not doing. We're going to have an 8 foot fence only
around the ends of the tennis court and going 30 feet down the
sides so that there will be a 60 foot -
CHAIRMAN GOEHIRNGER: Opening?
MRS. FERRARIS: Opening.
the court.
There's no fence at all in the center of
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
though?
The setbacks are going to stay at 20
MRS. FERRARIS: I believe the setback on the rear yard is
incorrect. It should be 50 feet.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: It should be 50 feet?
MRS. FERRARIS:
20 feet.
50 feet from the rear yard.
We originally had a
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
more.
I didn't read that in your application or
MRS. FERRARIS: Yeah, yeah, so I just, I just think that when Mr.
Van Tuyl had done that it was originally going to be 20 feet and we
flipped it in the rear yard.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
then the side -
OK, so the rear is going to be 50 and
MRS. FERRARIS: And the side is 20.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The most easterly side or the easterly
side, standing in front of it, -
MRS. FERRARIS: It's kind of north east. Yeah, yes, that left side
of the property, that's 20 feet from the property line. There's a
large clump of trees. I would -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Oh, OK, wait a minute now. No, no,
you've got to come up and show us this. I indicated this at 50.
You're standing in front. You're saying that this is going to be 20 -
MRS. FERRARIS: This is 20 and this is 50.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: And this is going to be 50, alright.
MEMBER COLLINS: Could you tell us which this?
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI:
south?
Yes, it would be either east or
Page 21
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, we're not giving either one.
going to say that when she is standing on (changing of tape)
Alright.
We're
MRS. FERRARI~:
faced.
Other property based on the way the house is
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, you actually have two rears.
MRS. FERRARIS: Well we have two rears right before the corners.
So -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right, right.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: From the south line 50 feet.
MEMBER TORTORA: So, you want an 8 foot by -
MEMBER HORNING:
MRS. FERRARIS:
inches.
MRS. FERRARIS: I should of drawn, could I draw that now?
(all discussing and looking at drawing.)
MEMBER TORTORA: The fence would be 60 on one end.
MRS. FERRARIS: And 60 on the other.
MEMBER TORTORA: 60 both ends.
MRS. FERRARIS: And that would be 30 here and 30 here and 30
here and 30 there with 60 in between, no fence at all.
MEMBER TORTORA: OK.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: We have to mark the file that's in
the office, so. (further discussion).
MEMBER TORTORA: Corners. So it's 30 both corners and 60 in
between, or 50?
MRS. FERRARIS: 60 in between, is no fence at all.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Change your number from 20 to 50 where
you have it running there.
MEMBER TORTORA: And the fence height is?
MRS. FERRARIS: 8 feet.
Proposed.
Proposed everywhere. So it's additionally 2
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What color is the fence going to be?
Page 22
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MRS. FERRARIS:
fence.
I guess it's going to be black standard chain link
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright. Anybody wants to see this we'll
show it to them in a second. OK, what else would you like to tell
us. Any lighting?
MRS. FERRARIS: No lighting.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Is this a clay court or an asphalt court?
MRS. FERRARIS: An asphalt court.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, and a, so you're proposing no
screening at all is what you're telling us?
MRS. FERRARIS: Well, it's in an area of the property that we don't
maintain, so we don't mow the whole 5 acres other than where they
built the court or, where the a, the asphalt is anyway. Everything
surrounding it has been left natural. So, there's a lot of tall
grass, there's a lot of bushes, there's a lot of brush ( ) to the
area. At the rear of the court, at the back, at the 50 foot line,-
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right.
MRS. FERRARIS: There is a large cluster of trees that are
probably doubled the height of the 8 foot fence that probably cover
three quarters of that back length of the fence. So, that's pretty
well hidden. If you're at the front of the fence facing towards
Halyoke, there's a lot of brush and bushes and it gets very dense
to the street. So, if you're actuaily standing on Halyoake looking
straight at the fence, you can't see it. You can't see the court.
All around the sides are tail grass. I mean they're not 8 feet, but
thery're some small trees and bushes and stuff, so, we feel naturally
it's, it's fairly well covered. I know they proposed a 10 foot wall,
60 x 120, 10 foot wall of evergreen trees, surrounding this whole
entire court to hide it I guess is what they want, and I don't think
that looks natural. I think it looks quite artificiaily quite
frankly, which is why we're objecting to that part of it. You just
go the natural state of the land it looks best.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
this applicant?
Alright.
Mr. Homing any questions of
MEMBER HORNING:
foot fence?
Sure.
What's the compelling reason for the 8
MRS. FERRARIS: Well, see every 10 foot fence height is 10 feet,
we chose 8 feet because we want to do the minimum. That we were
to facilitate (), yet not have any protrusive in the area so we felt
that being that it's on 5 acre lot next to other 5 acres lot, acre
lots, the few walls that we would have to retrieve goin~ over 8 feet
would be few and far between, so we figured 8 feet was a good
height.
Page 23
~{earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER HORNING: And the purpose of the court is for recreational
purposes for your family?
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes.
MEMBER HORNING: Alright.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: I read what the neighbors want you to do and
you kind of state, you know, what you're feeling are. Is there
some kind of a compromise that you feel that in fact you cou]d do
that would help alleviate their concerns?
MRS. FERRARIS: I don't mind doing some kind of plantings. I just
don't think a wall of 10 foot evergreen trees is going to look good,
or, quite frankly so a -
MEMBER TORTORA: What, what would you do?
MRS. FERRARIS: I mean we could find something, I mean Dogwoods
grow high and they're pretty. I mean maybe on some of the ( ) we
could put something like that. I mean to buy something that's going
to be that high would be kind of I think next to impossible, but we
would plant somethi~ng that would -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: This Board, OK, has never requested
that anybody go out and buy a 10 foot tree, OK. The max we had
done in the year 1997, not calendar year 1997, fiscal year 1997 to
present of 1998, is 6 feet, OK, and that was to buffer a garage
which had an observation deck upon it, OK.
MRS. FERRARIS: OK.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: However, the greatest was a swimming
pool and those were I believe 4 to 5 foot Arborvitaes.
MEMBER TORTORA: We did a tennis court once, but, that was a
different situation.
MRS. FERRARIS: Quite frankly, I mean you know, you guys, this
is a new experience to me all together.
MEMBER TORTORA: I did look at the property.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, let me just say this to you. It
becomes something that you have to, the reason why, I think Mrs.
Tortora, I'm not putting words in her mouth is asking the question
is because, if you have the high brush there that you have, and
you choose not to maintain something that this Board may require as
a condition, that high brush could snuff that tree right out, or
bush right out. So, that's the reason why we're saying that tell us
what you feel that you might, you don't have to do it this second
OK, because we're not making a decision this second, alright. But,
Page 24
t~{earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
if you want to think about it over the weekend and you want to
write us a letter, or fax us something. We would ideally like to
have it within approximately 5 business days. You may want to
speak to your husband, you may want to speak to some family
members, you may want to speak, you know -
MEMBER TORTORA: Why doesn't a, you know, why don't you
consider working with the two neighbors and explaining to them,
that it isn't going to be a l0 foot tall fence, saying that not, not -
MRS. FERRARIS: I know I could, I just a, there's a lot of distance
between their house and my tennis court and I guess the problem I
had with them as appose to all my adjacent neighbors is, there's a
long way away for them, so, they can see my court, but, from
second story of my house, I can't see well the landscaping they do
around their house. So, their objecting to 18" of fence, down 5
acres plus 50 feet, plus another acre or two, wherever their house
is situated on their property, I find it hard to imagine that they
can tell where 6-1/2 feet stops and where my other 18" is. Then,
we have two empty 5 acre pieces which from what I understand there
will be two homes built. They're both being designed right now.
So, when those homes are being built, these people may not be able
to see my property at all never mind my tennis court. So, if it was
my next door neighbor or the gentleman who looks across my
landscaped property and my tennis court, I would be -
MEMBER TORTORA: So what you're saying is, you don't feel it's a
reasonable request?
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes.
MEMBER TORTORA: OK, that's pertinent.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Ms. Collins?
MEMBER COLLINS: Yes, I just wanted to pursue the landscape a
little bit further. I know the area and I did go out there again
today to check it. The people who have written letters regarding
their vista have addresses on Orchard Street and I gather it's
further what I would call out away, away from Town, away from the
Village. You face, your address is on Orchard, but, you actually
face Halyoake Road.
MRS. FERRARIS: Right.
MEMBER COLLINS: What I guess we would say behind you, behind
your house is one of the undeveloped parcels?
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes.
MEMBER COLLINS.' And then, if you go out of your driveway, if
you turn right and go up Holyaoke Road, pass the sculptures, that
lot abuts, it's close to your tennis court on that side.
Page 25
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MRS.. FERRARIS: Yes.
MEMBER COLLINS: Is that an occupied lot, or is that empty? It's
hard to say out there.
MRS. FERRARIS: Let's see -
MEMBER COLLINS: I think improved with a house up on the curve.
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes, there's a house on the corner of Halyoake,
right next to me, and I guess it's Platt is the little one lane that
then goes off back to a narrower road. There's a house there.
That abuts my tennis court. There's a vacant lot behind that that,
there's a corner of each one of our properties that touches and I
was, they were not considered adjacent to my property, so I was not
required to notify them.
MEMBER COLLINS: The reason why I'm pursuing this, I, I heard
what you were saying, that you felt that the objections were raised
and the request for this fairly massive screening from people who
really were quite, quite far away from your property. So, I just
was trying to explore for the record a little bit more about what is
close to your property. So, there's this empty lot behind you that
you understand is going to be developed in the reasonably near
future?
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes.
MEMBER COLLINS: You mentioned another 5 acre lot that's going to
be developed.
MRS. FERRARIS: Next to that. So, -
MEMBER COLLINS: Next to that one?, OK.
MRS. FERRARIS: Right, so in that big section is 30 acres that was
subdivided into six 5 acre parcels. There are houses on each
corner. The two center lots are vacant. I spoke to actually one
home owner today of the far lot who had a couple of questions based
on the people behind him. He told me he's designing a house,
hopefully it will be built soon, and his friends have the vacant lot
next door, directly behind me, if you will, who are also in the
process of designing. So, those center lots are the one, and there's
only one that's actually adjacent to my property whom I had to
notify.
MEMBER COLLINS: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mr. Dinizio?
MEMBER DINIZIO: No questions.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, we'll see what develops. We thank
you for your imput and if we don't hear anything from you we'll
Page 26
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
definitely deliberate upon it, you know. I mean in reference to your
consideration on your feeling. I realize you've expressed your
opinion on the screening. But, I have to, you know, consid,
consulting with family members, and you know, you may consider,
well, your only avenue is to put something in or whatever. So,
send us a letter within five business days.
MRS. FERRARIS: I'm not opposed to sun screening, I, you know,
if there was somebody next to me. So, I'll send something to you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: If you want.
MRS. FERRARIS: If, OK. About how long does the decision take
may I ask?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: It depends upon when we schedule the
next special meeting, OK. We are definitely probably going to have
a special meeting because we have extended the calendar two more
weeks to accommodate some changes that we're doing in the middle of
September. So, I would say we will have a special meeting within
approximately the next nine days or so. So, hopefully, and so, we
would address that issue at that point. We do not usually make
extemporaneous decisions from this dais, OK, only because we all
wap.!, to see what we are putting into the decision. Each Board
Member writes his or her own decision as it's assigned to them and a
MEMBER TORTORA: This one is assigned to me and if you do have
some suggestions, as far as landscaping, in the event this Chairman
schedules a special meeting in the next week, please try to get it to
the office.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I said, five business days. Tomorrow is
the first. That would be next Thursday, that would be the last day.
MRS. FERRARIS:
photos too?
Have you seen the property?
Can I send you
MEMBER TORTORA:
property.
Yes, I have seen it. It's a beautiful piece of
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright, thank you. Is there anybody
else would like, wait, wait a minute, Nancy, don't leave.
MRS. FEI~RARIS: Oh, I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We're still continuing the hearing.
Please excuse me for calling you by your first name. Is there
anybody else would like to speak in favor of this application?
Anybody like to speak against the application? Yes ma'am. Could
you just come up here and use the mike or just state your name if
you wouldn't mind. We promise you we'll be very nice.
Page 27
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MRS. FRIEDMAN: My name is Barbara Friedman and I'm a neighbor
on Halyoake, Platt area and I didn't read these letters, I wasn't
aware of it. I have the same objections about the screening. I also
wanted to know why their fence post goes all the way around it. ( )
on the end.
MRS. FERRARIS: No, on the end, no.
MRS. FRIEDMAN: Well I think that Nancy should address the issue
of screening and not with gigantic trees but, I would say with a
hedge along Orchard Street, because it's not only the tennis court
that is riling people up. You know, it's the other things that are
in the yard and I think it's a very exposed piece of property -
MRS. FERRARIS: Can you see my house from where you live?
MRS. FRIEDMAN: Yeah.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: You have to address that question to the
Board. Mrs. Ferraris, you have to address the question to the
Board because we're taking it down, OK.
MRS. FERRARIS: Where is your house?
MR. FRIEDMAN: The corner of Platt and Halyoake.
MRS. FERRARIS: The corner of Platt and Halyoake.
MRS. FRIEDMAN: Yes, I can see your house from my house and I
would also like the assurance of the existing plantings to remain in
place to screen the tennis court.
MRS. FERRARIS: May I say something?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes, well that's why I told you not to
leave. So, why don't you stand over there and use that mike. This
is the applicant speaking again.
MRS. FERRARIS: I cannot see her house from my house.
understand how she can see my house from her house.
not my tennis court.
I don't
Definitely
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I just have to tell you, that if one was
to have a two story house, OK, -
MRS. FERRARIS: Right.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I mean I can see your house from down
the block, conceivably, OK. So therefore, if your house wasn't
blocking the tennis court, I could see your tennis court.
MRS. FERRARIS: Up the corner.
Page 28
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: But, coming in the opposite direction, I
could see your tennis court, coming from east to west.
MRS. FERRARIS: Right, coming up Orchard Street you could see it.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right, right.
MRS. FERRARIS: But, not coming up Platt.
MRS. FRIEDMAN:
house.
I can't see your tennis court but, I can see your
MRS. FERRARIS: OK, so now it's not the house, we're talking
about my tennis court.
MRS. FRIEDMAN: Yeah, but you know what?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
have to be done -
Wait, wait, wait, wait, those statements
MRS. FERRARIS: OK, we're not talking about my house. My house
has been there for three years. We're talking about my tennis
court, correct?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right.
MRS. FERRARIS: And we're not talking about my tennis court.
We're talking about 18 inches of fence for my tennis court, correct?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, I think, wait a minute, I think the
figure that your saying is, thai you have the right to put 6-6- 1/2
feet in your rear yard.
MRS. FERRARIS: Right.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Your choosing to put 8 feet?
MRS. FERRARIS: Right.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
refering to.
Which is this 18 inches that you're
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes, in theory.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
in the future.
In theory, right.
Well, or, or in reality
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, so, you know, it's an interesting
phenomenal because some people and this has no reflection upon this
lady over here, just don't like to see chain link, OK, in general.
We've seen that before, alright, and that's the reason why we asked
you the question, alright.
Page 29
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MRS. FERRARIS: OK.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: So, we may impose some
greenery, alright. But, it's not going to be punitive.
to be reasonable, and so on and so forth, alright.
sort of
It's going
MRS. FERRARIS: And, I'm assuming in that decision, you would
tell me exactly why based on whatever that you came upon that
decision, correct?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Why we came upon this -
MRS. FERRARIS: Yes, would you let me know how -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, I would much rather have you say
let's recess the hearing and you go to a landscape architect and
have one done which we have all the time. I would really think that
would be more pragmatic to be honest with you, alright. Would you
like to do that?
MRS. FERRARIS: No.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What, you would?
MRS. FERRARIS: No, I would not.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: You would not, OK.
MEMBER TORTORA: I think that sums it up.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, I'm just telling you. I have no idea
how these Board Members are going to vote.
MRS. FERRARIS: This is a new experience for me so, I would just
like to know how things work, that's all.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRtNGER: Alright. How things work in reference
to how we would determine the screening that would be done? Well,
I certainly wouldn't determine any screening without coming out and
looking at the entire piece from the exact location of the tennis
court, OK. So, you will see me prior to any next special meeting
there, OK.
MEMBER TORTORA: I'd like to see you know, exactly what it is
that people are seeing, because I did go see it. I'd like bearing in
mind that before we ( ) were carried away one way or another,
bearing in mind the location of where your house is and the impact
on it and the two other neighbors. I'd like to actually see what it
is that is involved here before I make a determination you shall do
this, you shall not do that.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well the question is, do we recess the
hearing or do we go out and look at it?
Page 30
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER TORTORA: In fairness to her, yes I would say so.
would say so.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright.
MEMBER TORTORA: I would say so. In fairness to you and
fairness to the applicant, I'm not about to sit here and say do 16
yards of screening. Unless I see exactly what we're screening and
where and why.
MRS. FERRARIS: That sounds fine.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
know, I haven't
difference, alright.
MRS. FERRARIS:
it if they a -
I mean we have been there, 'but, you
stood in the exact location and that's the
We'd be more than happy to show anybody around
CHAIRMAN GOEHRING ER: Well, why don't we schedule an
appointment for next Saturday? Not this coming Saturday, but the
following Saturday, OK.
MRS. FERRARIS: I will be here through Monday.
week through Monday.
I'm here this
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well this would be the following
Saturday, that's not this. This Saturday, I think is the 16th?
MRS. FERRARIS: Right, so it's twenty -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: It's the 23rd?
MRS. FERRARIS: Sure.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Around 10:00 o'clock, 9:30, 10:00 o'clock?
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: The 22nd.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The 22nd, pardon me, thank you.
MEMBER DINIZIO:
it.
I won't be able to make that.
I mean I've seen
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: What time is this, 3:00 o'clock?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, no, 9:30-10:00 o'clock.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: 9:30-10:00 o'clock.
MRS. FERRARIS: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright, so, in that case we'll recess the
hearing until the September meeting.
Page 31
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: It'll be September 10th.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No it's not. We changed it.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: I mean the 24th, thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The 24th, right. Yes, Mrs. Friedman?
MRS. FRIEDMAN: Has the applicant submitted any landscape
proposals at all?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, she basically is objecting to it. I'm
not speaking for her, but that's what she -
MRS. FRIEDMAN: No, but, as far as the existing condition?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, she is telling us what the existing
conditions are. I honestly didn't -
MRS. FRIEDMAN: As far as maintaining those existing conditions?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I honestly did not see those existing
conditions, OK.
MEMBER TORTORA: As far as what conditions? Let's be specific,
because I really don't know what you're talking about. Help me with
this.
Well I object to that being -
Well sustaining the trees that are there and the a
MEMBER DINIZIO:
MRS. FRIEDMAN:
MEMBER DINIZIO:
MEMBER COLLINS:
MEMBER TORTORA:
MEMBER DINIZIO:
I don't think we need to discuss this.
It's not before us.
I wanted to know what she was talking about.
Well I don't think we need to discuss. We're
discussing a foot and a half of fence. Not the rest of the ladies
yard.
MEMBER TORTORA: Jim, I didn't understand that.
asked her to explain.
That's why I
MEMBER DINIZIO: No, you asked her to tell, you asked this woman
to tell you what she thinks is wrong with this ladies yard.
MEMBER TORTORA: I didn't say that.
MRS. FRIEDMAN: No, what I'm asking is if the existing screening
is even going to be maintained.
Page 32
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: You're talking about the -
MRS. FRIEDMAN: I'm asking to described the existing plantings,
but, are they going to stay there? That's my question.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, we can stipulate that when we see
them, OK. We'll stipulate them.
MRS. FEI~RARIS: Mr. Dinizio was right. She's asking me what else
am I going to do with the rest of my yard. I mean you know.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, we're not interested in that.
not germane to this public hearing.
It's
MRS. FERRARIS: I understand that ( ), I agree.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: And so therefore, you know, if we were
in a court of law, the judge would tell you to strike that, OK, and
this is not a court of law. This is what we construe this to be
reasonable people making a reasonable decision based upon you
know, a situation. So, therefore, we can just ask us to do this for
us though. Can you give us at least some stakes exactly where you
think this is going to be placed?
MRS. FERRARIS: Some what?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Stakes. I didn't see the stakes.
MEMBER COLLINS: Well the asphalt there and the post for the fence.
CHAIRMAN GOEHi~INGER: I didn't see it, I apologize.
MEMBER DINIZIO: How much more do you want? It's there. All you
need is a little chain link, we're done.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I didn't see it, I apologize.
my fault. I didn't, I didn't notice it.
That was
MRS. FERRARIS: Well I have room for my tennis court.
looking for my foot and a half of fence.
I'm just
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
didn't know it was there.
see it.
That was my fault. I apologize. I
I just knew where it was going, I didn't
MRS. FERRARIS: No, it's there.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, good.
MRS. FERRARIS: OR almost there.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I was there, but, I didn't see it. So, it
only tells you one thing. That the entire screening around it must
be relatively great because I didn't see it, OK, but I will see it
Page 33
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
next week I assure you. OK, so, we're going to postpone this. I'll
make a motion. Pardon me, is there anybody else like to speak
against, OK. We'll make a motion recessing this until the September
24th hearing calendar with no specific time, at this time and I offer
that as a resolution.
MEMBER COLLINS: Second.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
MRS. FERRARIS: I have a question regarding the 24th hearing. I
have small children and some of them are going to be in school.
Must I be present for this? Can I do something in writing? I mean
I have a conflict. I don't live in Orient full-time, so.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right.
MRS. FERRARIS: It may be tough physically.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes, you can do it in writing.
MRS. FERRARIS: OK, thanks.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you.
Page 34
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
7:47 P.M. - Appl. No. 4589 - R. SLEDJESKI
Special Exception under the Zoning Ordinance, Article III, Section
100-31B-13 for Accessory Bed & Breakfast Use. Zone District: LB
Limited Business. Location of Property: 305 North Road at
intersection with Sound Road, Greenport, N.Y.; Parcel ID
~1000-35-1-21.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I have a copy of a sketch of a survey
from Anthony Lewandowski, indicating the parcels which are
contiguous to each other, one at 80,569 which is the nature of this
application and the piece in the back which has several structures
on it, which is 75,684 and I have a copy of the Suffolk County Tax
Map indicating this and surrounding properties in the area and my
first question for the attorney for the applicant is, it is my
understanding that Mr. Sledjeski and his mother are no longer in
title to this property.
MRS. MOORE: Correct. On July 31, 1998, the property was
conveyed to Bobby Zoine and if you recall my applicant although we
weren't sure exactly the timing. All of the papers were to be
signed by both the purchaser, the seller, The purchaser as an
interest man here. In general everybody signed everything at the
same time so that we wouldn't have an issue whose in title and the
person making the application no longer being in title. So, I have a
copy of that deed and I'll give it to you. However, let's back up -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Let me just go on to that -
MRS. MOORE: Do you want the deed?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Sure, I'll take the deed. Anything you
want to give me. The reason why I raised that question is because
by marriage I am related to Sledjeski family and however, I am, this
is a distance relative Mrs. Sledjeski and his mother. However, since
they ARE no longer are in title -
MRS. MOORE: No problem and it wouldn't have been a problem
really, the relation so far removed and everybody out here seems to
be somewhat related, so.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: You're not going to say anything
derogatory?
(Laughter and Pat Moore made her little joke also).
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: I just wondered.
give the deed? You started to give it, yes, please.
Is Pat going to
MRS. MOORE: For your records, I'll give it to you.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: Thank you Pat.
Page 35
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: You're going to mark it?
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: Yes.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you.
MRS. MOORE: We all made an inspection on Saturday, I showed you
around and at that time I was hopeful that by today, I would have
the Building Department which would of given me a Building Permit,
for what we plan to do and this whole issue would be a, today I
spoke to Ed Forrester. He, and certainly you will confirm that on
your own, but, I'm sure on the record I can state my conversation
with him. He told me that from own conversations with the Town
Attorney, the Building Department's conversations with the Town
Attorney, my reading of Zoning Ordinance, this use is a permitted
use. The Building Inspectors of the four people in the office, three
of them believe it's a permitted use. If it sits on the rack and
unfortunately I get lucky enough to get one Building Inspector who
says, you know I really don't feel comfortable with it, you should go
to the Zoning Board, here I am. And, as it turned out, I was glad
that we made the application at the time we did, because Mrs. Zoine
really needs to get the place up and working on the place because
that's where she's going to live. So, she's somewhat displaced right
now. If you look at the Zoning Ordinance, this is a LB Zoning,
zone parcel. There are two parcels. Both of them are LB. The
parcel we're dealing with is the restaurant with a dwelling on the
second floor. The provisions, well under LB, the use of bed and
breakfast, is listed as number 3H, no, oh, the numbering stinks.
It's number 3. But, it comes in after number 4, so, I don't know
how the numbering worked out, but, in any case it's strictly listed
as a bed and breakfast. However, if you are going to make a bed
and breakfast, convert your house, your dwelling, with bed and
breakfast rooms, that can only be done if you comply with 13lB the
standards. That is not a problem. We're going to need all of the
conditions of the bed and breakfast which is you have to have a,
it's a one year permit so, it's monitored by the Building Department
to make sure that everything is going well. That we're not inviting
guests out here and the bed and breakfast that we shouldn't be
running. If you have smoke detectors, the dwelling has to have at
least two exists with large enough windows, there's going to be
major renovations to this, to the second story and so, the windows
if they're not large enough now, we'll definitely be large enough,
and because of the nature of the renovations a lot of, the whole
building is going to be brought up to code. So, that won't be a
problem. Identification sign if you're in a residential area is
limited, but otherwise you meet with whatever zoning criteria
whatever the zoning, that zoning district designates and you can't
have accessory apartments as well as a bed and breakfast in that
same structure. So, we can meet everything. We should of been
able to get a Building Permit by now and it should of been a no (
), but what I think I need from this Board is, rather than proceed
with a Special Permit, as a Board you take the Special Permit and
say, thank you Mrs. Moore, very nice of you to submit it, however,
we don't think you need it under this provision, it's a Permitted
Page 36
I~Iearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
Use, go back to the Building Department. Converted to a
interpretation that then sends it back to the Building Department
and some poor slob coming up behind me won't have the same
problem that we did. So, that's really where I'd like this
application to go. I don't think you can read the code any other
way than to read it as a Permitted Use. I guess that's your job.
Any questions?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, apart from that issue, I did want to
ask questions regarding the, the, we have seen the renovation plans
which are -
MRS. MOORE: Incredible to say the least, yes.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Incredible, right, and you're telling me
that this. I know we met with you last Saturday as a Board. This
woman will be happy with only three rooms for occasional residents.
MRS. MOORE: Yes, well she knows, it's funny because, again, I'm
looking, I know what, I remember the law to be which was a three
room (changing tape)
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: Lora said, it's in definitions.
MRS. MOORE: And I look at the definition and I don't remember
seeing three rooms. But, I remember it being and I have the code
here and I stand corrected. I know that, I mean I remember the
legislative process. I remember that the Board at the time, the ( )
is in there? I must of been foggy that day, because I remember I
told her it was limited to three rooms. She's happy with that right
now. It's LB right now with the moratorium and the considerations
thai are being made on LB area. This is, kind of common sense to
me, tells me that this is something that belongs in that area. I
don't know what ultimately is going to be the end result of the
legislation but, it seems to me, that she's happy with what she has.
She has an existing restaurant, so if we had to make modifications to
the restaurant, come back to the. Board at a later date because of
whatever it is that we've done that may or may not fit comfortably in
the code, will be that there then. Right now, she's going to be,
there's going to a lot of renovations to this building and she is
comfortable, you know. Would she like more? Of course she
would. But, I think by the time she's ready to really open, put up
her shingle in, start renting bed and breakfast rooms, I think that
that issue may be resolved as a normal bed and breakfast. I think
somebody may have told me that maybe one of the Board Members
that the State Law talks about 5 rooms being a what is regulated
for bed and breakfast use. So, it seems the town should consider -
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: That's Tourist Home.
MEMBER COLLINS: Tourist Home.
MRS. MOORE: Tourist Home, oh, OK, alright. In any case she's
aware of the limitations. She still willing to proceed, so. She
'Page 37
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
has, I think I explained to you I guess for the record, she has
children, so, those rooms are going to be occupied by family
members I'm sure if they're not occupied by guests.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Will start with Mr. Dinizo. Any
questions?
MEMBER DINIZIO: They have plenty of parking there.
MRS. MOORE: All use.
MEMBER DINIZIO:
height?
And you're going to raise the ceilings to proper
MRS. MOORE: Yeah, their raising the plans. Rob Brown did some
preliminary drawings to get us to the Building Department and I
know there'll be ( ) with that for quite some time, but, they're
going to raise the ceiling so that there are peaks. I guess her
first thought when she was in there was, well I like the place, but,
I'm little claustrophobic about the height and then Rob Brown said,
well you can raise it. You can do anything you want with it as long
as you have a little bit of money and you can raise the ceiling and
that's what she's planning on doing.
MEMBER DINIZO: And the house in the back that's occupied, that
will remain as an occupied?
MRS. MOORE: Everything is staying the way it is.
Sledjeski is living in that house now?
Actually Mrs.
MR. SLEDJESKI: No.
MRS. MOORE: She's out of there?
MR. SLEDJESKI: I moved her out yesterday.
MRS. MOORE: Yesterday, OK. ( ), But it's a single, it's a little,
again, it's on a separate parcel, so, we're OK, there. Her long
range plans, the article is true as far as all the things that can be
done on the property. There's plenty of room for it.
MEMBER DINIZIO: OK. The Hammock guy is -
MRS. MOORE: Yeah, that's a temporary situation. Mrs. Sledjeski
had rented to the Hammock guy. He's only got only two weeks left
on this lease and I've already told him that. You know, he's a real
nice guy, but, next year he's got to find another place.
MEMBER DINIZIO: OK, that's it.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Ms. Collins. I've been doing much better
at addressing you. I apologize.
'Page 38
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER COLLINS: Well, I just like to get into the record the fact,
that I think your Code, on ambiguously says, that it is a permitted
use in that zone, that in Section 81-A3, which cross references
under Section 31B 14 and what B 14, says, is that you have to meet
certain physical requirements having to do with egress and what not
and it furthermore says, that you have to be permitted, get your
permit from the Building Department. But, I think clearly that the
requirement for a Special Exception which is up in the opening of 31
B applies only in that district and I just wanted to get it on the
record that I agree with your analysis.
MRS. MOORE: Well, I think it would be helpful for future reference
for this Board to essentially state that to the Building Department
so that I don't have to, it just seems unreasonable that we're, you
take somebody's arbitrary interpretation rather than you know looks -
MEMBER COLLINS: Actually, procedurally I'm not really sure,
exactly what we're doing here.
MRS. MOORE: No, I started with a Special Permit because the
Building Department had I gone in and waited for them to give me
an answer I would be making the application next week for it and
Mrs. Zoine is really anxious, she's, she's starting, she's in her
play clothes pulling down walls.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: See, you, you anticipatory applied. You
voluntarily anticipatory applied.
MRS. MOORE: Oh, yes. I voluntarily applied. The Special Permit
is directly to the Board, and I said, they were right in the process
of negotiating the contract. We were not, everybody was very
anxious. Both sides were anxious to sell, sell and buy and to make
us wait any longer to get a ruling that we thought was a no greater
and it turned out to be a little more of an issue than it should of
been, here we are and it answered the question so. So, we kind. of
did the job for the Building Department, in the sense the Building
Inspector if there was a disagreement among Building Inspectors,
they would be coming to you saying, would you give us an
interpretation. We know we think three quarters of us know what it
means, ]~ut the other guy doesn't, and would you tell the other guy,
so, that's what happened.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you. Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: Yes, so, essentially what you want us to say,
or maybe it's not simply that, that this is not a, the Special
Exception request is not applicable to this Zoning District because
it's not permitted.
MRS. MOORE: It is a Permitted Use.
MEMBER TORTORA: It is a Permitted Use?
MRS. MOORE: Yes, I gather that's what you meant.
Page 39
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mr. Homing?
MEMBER HORNING: No questions.
MRS. MOORE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Anybody else would like to speak in
favor of this application? Anybody like to speak against the
application? Seeing no hands I'll make a motion closing the hearing
reserving decision until later.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Second.
Motion Carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No questions, OK, so we'll continue with
this and to see if anybody else wants to speak and then will just
close the hearing.
'Page 40
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
8:03 P. M. - Appl. No. 4509 - E. TONYES/SOUTHOLD AUTOMOTIVE
Location of Property: Citgo Station, 54360 Main Road, Southold,
N.Y.; Parcel 1000-61-4-23. This is an application requesting
Variances based upon the Building Inspector's August 13, 1997,
Notice of Disapproval. Applicant has applied for a Building Permit
to construct addition and to alter existing gasoline station
building, and the application was disapproved for the following
reasons:
""under Article XXIV, Section 100-243A, a nonconforming
building
with a nonconforming use shall not be enlarged, reconstructed
or
structurally altered unless the use of the building is changed
to a conforming use. The preexisting building is located in the
Hamlet Business District and is not a permitted use in this
district. The side and rear yard setbacks do not conform to the
require 10 ft. side and 25 ft. rear yard .... "
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The next hearing is a hearing that has
been continuing since last year. Do we have affidavits of posting on
this one from you? Yes, OK, good. The following public hearing
existed here on September 25, 1997, October 23, 1997, November 13,
1997. So, therefore, I'm not reading the public legal notice.
Anytime you're ready.
MRS. MOORE: Oh, OK, thank you. I had delivered yesterday,
thanks to my brother here, he helped me out, I delivered a packet
to you and in it I, in that packet I had both Memorandum of Law,
which identified I think very applicable legal issues that, to a
certain extent I know as Zoning Board to layman, someone would
say, well, shouldn't there be just one legal argument? But, in a
court of law, there are multitude of legal arguments and some you
can argue from various directions. I prepared a Memorandum that
argues from various directions, all leading to the point, that you
don't need a use variance and that's really my focus here that the
Notice of Disapproval says, "this use is not a permitted use in the
Zoning District." I say, one, it is based on the definition of
public garage and what you're actually doing there and secondly,
there are special criteria you give to uses that have special
importance to society and it's kind of hokey, but it's true.
Educational institution, religious institutions, things that as a
whole sometimes get a little bit of pressure when you a, it's a
preexisting non, considering it as a preexisting conforming use.
typically preexisting nonconforming uses, you say, zoning policies
we don't like to expand them, we limit them, don't go anywhere with
them. But when you have something like we have here where it's a
state mandated and I go through the ( ). However, the Clean Air
Act, led to the requirements of 1998 emissions testing and the
mandate which this equipment is mandated, I think you can come to
any other conclusion that there is no other. They need that extra
'Page 41
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
bay, they must have that equipment, and that's to preserve status
quo. So, it's not an expansion, it's not a use that they would
otherwise not be allowed to conduct there. It's a use that they've
maintained there, that they need to maintain there and as a public
policy you and I need our cars repaired. You need to have your
car inspected. There are going to be very few inspection stations
that are going to have this equipment because of the extreme
expense and the equipment here is about $50,000? The equipment
itself, is in the range of $50,000 let alone the improvements that
you have to make your property to accommodate this equipment
because it is not insignificant. There is, and I again I point out,
in the facts and the Memorandum, this equipment consists of about 4
fazes. You have the camera that's fixed in place, this is something
new. This is not what your existing equipment provides. It's a
fixed camera pointed at the vehicle and the reason for that is that
it takes a snapshot picture and it takes a picture of the license
plate while it's being tested so that the State can verify that we
didn't switch cars and did get one passed and the inspection went
on another. So, this is big brother watching but it requires that
equipment. Somewhat ludicrous, but, that's the equipment. You
have the exhaust system that hooks up and I know that you had
asked a question which is, is it a tube or is it a hose? And, it's
actually both. When I spoke to the manufacturer he said, there's a
tube that goes in, but, there's also a hose and it's taking the
exhaust and reading the exhaust so, your -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What is it doing with the exhaust
though? You know, is it dumping the exhaust?
MRS. MOORE: It's analyzing. Well, it analyses just like it does
now. It analyses it and then it extrudes it. It doesn't filter it,
process it, or, do anything of that nature. But to a certain extent,
being in the building and that again is part of my argument being
inside the building, if you have air conditioning, if you have a
closed system, his plans because of state code, he's going to have to
go up, he's willing to spend the money. That's what's incredible.
He's not going to do a half you know ( ) job, it's going to be a
full top of the line job and he's going to put an exhaust system up
in the ceiling so that it ventilates the whole property and certainly
there might be filtering systems but, nothing to the~ we're not
talking about clear air emissions of pollution standards that the big
corporations have on the end of their pipes. You don't have to
process that. But it gets it out of the environment, the low level
environment that you and I walking by, your neighbors might be
affected. So, allowing him to put that extra bay and do the
improvements he wants, we're going to be pushing the stuff up and
out of the way. So, you have the exhaust system, the camera, the
computer network, the computer analyzer and a, and it's a box, a
big box.
MR. TONYES: Dynamotor.
MRS. MOORE:
network. OK.
No, no, not the dynamotor, the actual computer
And then finally the dynamometer, I don't know
Page 42
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
who made that word up, but anyway, and that equipment is the
most, if somebody had a nightmare it created that equipment because
the thing is about 13 inches -
MR. TONYES: feet
MRS. MOORE: 13 feet, excuse me, thank you, 13 feet wide, you put
the car on to this tray, it rotates the tires in place at 50 to 80
miles an hour to get the speed and the exhaust that you and I would
experience on the road, and then hoping that luck and that the ear
does stay in place, and it get tested that way and again, in the
Memo, I point out, Ed, I had my father-in-law looking in the
Inter-net, I had the whole family working on this, looking for the
specific examples and I may be able to get them .for you, but I
haven't been able to find the specific Ed read in articles in his
literature he gets it all the time. The accidents that occur, it's
only common sense it tells you, that a vehicle on this thing if the
brakes, if the brake is bad or whatever, if not hooked in place,
there's just ordinary a, I'll call it negligence, but some -
MR. TONYES: Mechanical failure.
MRS. MOORE: Mechanical failure, thank you.
MR. TONYES: Tire blows.
MRS. MOORE: Tire blows. Numerous examples of accidents that
can be created because of this equipment and where it has to be
placed. So, it's just, it's baffling that the state is the one whose
mandated this and then how you have to deal with it. I also in my
Memo, I point out the public policy end of it that the town in a way
has given you somewhat of a directive, I think a message because
the Town Board comes from the Federal Government. The money is
coming filtered by the Feds down to the State and then distributed
by the Municipality and it's a program that the Town Board actually
had to sponsor or participate in to give local garage owners the
ability to get grants to help subsidize some of the cost. $5,000 is
not a lot of money but, when you're talking about Federal Funds and
Public Funds, you're actually getting $5,000 and that money is
coming through the Town and the Federal Government. So, you've
been given somewhat of a message, hey we recognize the difficulty
experienced by local shops, it's very expensive, they're going to be
major modifications and here's a little extra change to help you pay
for the cost. When I, one of the points that I made to you,
specifically dealing with the definitions of the code, if you look at
and I point out to you the difference in the definition between
public garage and repair garage, and if you look at each, both
definitions, put them side by side, I point out to you, the
difference between the two which is minimal, but, that difference is
important when it comes to this application because there is no
painting, there is no interior work that the repair garage definition
has. The public garage definition is much more applicable to what's
going on, going on here, the operations of the business. And, in
fact I also cited you the 1997 legislative drafting that was done by
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Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
prior demonstrations on how to consolidate some of the uses with the
zoning district and in fact they kind of lumped them together and
they keep calling it public garage rather than repair shop or
something else. So, if it's a public garage, public garage is a
permitted use. We could go through a very simple site plan process
relatively simple, relatively simple, but, that would be the process
we keep going through. Not the Building Department's directive of
a use variance and an expansion of nonconforming use. So, that is
( ) the new when I sat here as an audience member on another
application listening, I kept thinking to myself, public garage,
public garage, why is it not being considered a public garage and
that was one of the arguments that's pointed out to you. Again,
another legal point that is raised, is the integral part of the
original plan. It's a, a, if the applicant of a preexisting
nonconforming use can demonstrate that the proposed use wan an
integral part of the original plan for the entire parcel, is not a
use variance. So, that I think we can all, just common sense will
tell you, you had inspections here, they're continuing to do
inspections here, the plan, it's a continuous integrative plan.
We're not adding, I don't know, what could it be? We're not adding
a grocery store to this preexisting nonconforming use. We're
actually continuing where it would be otherwise accessory use. Part
of the original plan. You've got enough law in my Memo. I don't
need to rehash it all. If you have specific questions I'd be happy
to answer them.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes, always questions.
MRS. MOORE: Oh, I know they'll be questions.
some of the facts which are ( ).
But, I can into
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
your -
Assuming that three of us agree with
MRS. MOORE: Analysis.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Analysis. How can we monitor this issue
of this venting system which is very crucial as I explained to you
last Saturday. From the neighbors' point of view they are
concerned, OK, with any further, OK, this has no bearing on your
applicants. We're talking about a public garage in a quasi business,
residential district, OK.
MRF~. MOORE: Well, OK.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
residential but, but -
I mean it's more business than it is
MRS. MOORE: It's more business. In fact I point out in the memo
which is this is a very busy, I don't want to say derogatory relief,
but, it's a, it's a active intersection where most of town's, most of
the town stops at that stop sign because we've got three stop signs
on the main road and one just happens to be there. So, I think
that, I don't want a, I'm sure the neighbors are, there's a
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
legitimate concerns of the neighbors. I'm not sure that they are in
fact a cause of this repair, this business.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I'm just saying that if the venting aspect
is very, very crucial to me, OK, so, I'm saying that assuming
there was unanimity, alright, in the future, on this application, I
would be very concerned with this venting aspect and we would
certainly want to see it, we would you know, after it was done we
would -
MRS. MOORE: Just got confirmed it's been in.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What?
MRS. MOORE: Well you can put it as a condition that the Building
Department should look to see if it was placed. You know, resolved.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, I would want to look at it, OK,
from a point of view of was it adequate? Is it serving the needs?
Is it being, please this has nothing to do with the Federal's Clean
Air Act, OK. We're talking about is it working? That's what the
concern is, alright.
MRS. MOORE: I'm only stopping you in that I want to understand
what exactly you're asking because when you say a venting system,
I imagine there's going to be a fan, a large fan, I mean the building
if you, if the extra bay is added, you're going to have air
conditioning in the summer time that we don't have now and you're
going to have the ability to seal off that garage bay from the
outside as well as from the other existing garage. So, that's
important. But, as far as the venting system you're talking about
what is, what would be like for the Quiet Man for example, they
have a large fan ventilation system to help circulate the air and.
directed up rather than -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Directed up.
MRS. MOORE: Directed up.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
out.
Directed up as apposed as to directing it
MRS. MOORE: Directing, I'm sorry what?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Direeting it out, directing it out.
MR. DON TONYES: Excuse me, can I say something? The amount
of time that the cars are going to be running for the testing, it's
not going to nowheres near come to what's on the road today. I
don't think that's a problem.
MRS. MOORE: Well, as far as the test is concerned, because that
was something that I know you asked and the actual test, the
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Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
emissions test takes all of nothing less than 5 minutes, less than
that.
MR. TONYES: 30 seconds.
MRS. MOORE:
number.
30 seconds.
I knew that it was an insignificant in
(All talking at one time. )
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mr. Tonyes, you have to understand that
all I am saying is, that I am basically stating what the neighbors
were concerned with.
MRS. MOORE: I understand.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I am trying to deal with that particular
issue. This in no way is, this may not even be, this is generic
statement for all public garages, OK, that are putting this
particular system in, alright.
MRS. MOORE: But understand that this system is no different by
way of what it's testing. Its standards are going to be higher. So,
as cars go through this system, they're going to have to be
improved in emissions or be taken off the road.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I understand that but, but, by the
nature of running the engine at higher speeds you are putting more
into the, I mean I understand what you're saying, and when we
stood there in front -
MRS. MOORE: It very ( ).
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Just, yes, for the entire people, for all
the people sitting here, we had met with Mr. Tonyes, both Mr.
Tonyes and the attorney for the applicant, on Saturday morning, at
the site, OK~ and at that time, Ed Tonyes said to me, well what
about the cars riding by and he's absolutely correct. It's a~ the
difference is, it's not a confined space situation as appose to this
is now confined space while your testing the auto. I am only stating
that we had three hearings on this application and that was one of
the major concerns that the neighbors had and I'm trying to tell
you, that if the ventilation system is going to go in, then, it's
important for us to understand how, how good that ventilation
system is going to be, OK, in reference to how adequate it's going
to be to discharge this stuff which we're referring to, tail pipe
exhaust OK, into the atmosphere.
MR. TONYES: OK, on that concern. Actually where that engine,
first of all we're doing this to protect the outer emissions, OK,
that's number 1.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Why don't you use this time. Explain it
to us Don. Number 1, this is to bring down emissions. Number 2,
~Page 46
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
when the car is at, running at 50 to 80 miles per hour, that's what
is going to be, it's actually less emissions coming out. There's
actually going to be less emissions at our site than what we're doing
now to test which is at idle.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right.
MR. TONYES: It's actually less emissions when the car is, there'll
be different limits and everything what have you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright. Now, this, this -
MR. TONYES: You're actually going to see less.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright. Now, just give us some idea if
you can, either you or Ed, on what type of ventilation system do
you want to put in.
MR. TONYES: Well basically what we want to do is keep a, we're
concerned about ourselves and of course -
(Chairman and Mr. Tonyes speaking at the same time.)
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
asked the questions.
I agree with you, sure, that's why I
MR. TONYES: We're going to pass it as high as we can.
That's what we want to do.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
chimney vent?
So, you're going to vent it like a
MRS. MOORE: Yeah.
MR. TONYES:
what -
I haven't seen the exact plans, but, yes, that is
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I mean is that an example or some sort of
analogy?
MRS. MOORE: That's right, yeah.
MR. TONYES: With the ventilation system they actually sucked it
out. Two would blow it even higher.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Good.
MR. TONYES: When people pull in for gas, the first thing we want
them to do, number 1, it's a fire hazard to keep the engine
running. We don't want to breath in all of the carbon monoxide
either. We're here at the site~ we don't want that.
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I agree with you, but, I'm just trying to
get an understanding. This is a generic statement, it's the first
dynamometer that has come before us.
MR. TONYES: This is for the better for the town, but in N. Y.,
but the United States of America, this is what this is for.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, I understand, we're required to (
clean air it. There's no question about it.
MRS. MOORE: Right. It wouldn't make sense to do testing that's
goi~ig to pollute the air as you're testing. That just doesn't make
sense. Plus, you're also talking about one bay and the vehicles that
are being inspected now, being inspected there, and as I pointed
out from that literature, the actual test takes an extra was it 30
minutes?, hour?, an hour and six minutes. I don't know how they
calculated that, but, an hour and six minutes -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The entire test takes an hour?
MRS. MOORE: An hour and six minutes versus 30 minutes.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Really?
MRS. MOORE: No, right now it takes -
MR. TONYES: Not the whole emission.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, no, just the whole test itself.
MR. TONYES: Right.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Alright, we'll start with Mr. Homing?
MEMBER HORNING: Yes, to Mr. Tonyes. Do you intend to put in
this inspection equipment regardless of whether you have the new
bay?
MR. TONYES: Yes.
MRS. MOORE: I think I can answer it. I've been (inaudible)
MR. TONYES: The equipment is there and ready. The whole Board
saw it today.
MEMBER HORNING: OK, I didn't know.
MRS. MOORE: No, you didn't have the benefit of seeing it. So I
can explain the process because the state when the equipment first
came out, when they had to advise the state whether or not they
wanted to wish to continue to be an inspection station, in 97. They
had to say, yes, we'll participate and yes, we will contract with a
provider to provide the equipment. Then, there was a grace
~Page 48
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
period, thank goodness because throughout the N.Y. area, there's
goi~g be, there were 20,000 some, 2,000, 20,000, -
MR. TONYES: 2500.
MRS. MOORE: 2500 of these facilities equipment stations that we're
going to have to be produced. What happened is, most recently and
for the last two weeks, right during this process, right after
actually I know I published, Tonyes posted this application, Ed calls
me, somewhat panicking because the state calls and says, we're
ready, we're delivering your equipment and I called up the state,
nicely begged them and said, we're right in the middle of our zoning
process, we will know in the next month, please can you give us at
least that period of time to respond. We're ready to take it, we're
not going back on our word, but, do you have to deliver it? They
have an enforcement unit. I never, it was bugged on the other side
of the phone who said, we will not, if you, we're going to deliver
it, if you do not accept delivery, we shut you down, turn it off and
in fact because of lack of communication over an hours period, they
actually shut, after it was delivered, after they accepted delivery,
they shut them down for 24 hours because they thought they had
not accepted delivery. So, this equipment is there. In fact, the
state contracts with a installer and when that installer is ready to
come to your site, you show them where it's going to be. Whether
it's permanent or temporary, you put it in there and that's what we
had on the ( ). It's actually a, it looks like a death, you know
the outline for a dead person. It's the outline where this equipment
is going to go and in fact that's part of my argument saying, where
it's going to go now? It's just, it's terrible. They don't want to
do it that way, they don't want to be forced to do it that way and it
just a, I don't want a year from now, if that's what happens and
you don't give them the approval you're going to have people coming
to you, and complaining and bitching and possible accidents because
of the fact that this equipment has to be squashed into the other
bay and again, part of my argument, I mean I can only envision the
accidents that are ready to happen when you have the turn around
area for the gasoline, you have the equipment with a big, let's take
a suburban or a pickup truck. A pickup truck is not that big in
our eyes, but, but, it's extended cab, it's inside the one bay,
where it's now hoist to be installed, and the cab is sticking out,
you have a little old lady coming around the corner, knocks the
engine of the back of the truck and it's just going to be a domino
where you're going to find the other side of the garage through a
new opening of the garage door. So, that's where, that's the
alternative right now.
MR. TONYES: We're not looking forward to it, believe me.
MRS. MOORE: No.
MR. TONYES: We are not.
MRS. MOORE: I mean we were imagining because really, if they
didn't have to be here, they certainly wouldn't be here and we were
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
really trying to figure out what would be best (changing of tape)
Anyway, the separate bay with the isolated equipment, sound proof
system because this equipment is noisy. They just haven't come up
with state of the art equipment that it's, it's a little better than
what originally the first bays of the equipment that was installed
maybe California and so on, the second faze is going in through
N.Y. area and it's a little better, it's a little more muffled but
still very loud. Imagine that the wheels turning and trying to run a
bus. iness in the same space with this wheel, you know, the system
turning with the noise and the garage bay stick open and the car
sticking out. I mean it's going to look like Brooklyn, in the corner
of main road. I mean I hate for anybody whose from Brooklyn. I
apologize~ but, -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: You raise an interesting issue, OK.
MRS. MOORE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The issue you raised is, can you call the
state and ask them if anybody on the island has placed them in?
MRS. MOORE: They have. Well, the most recent, originally they
were not going to be allowed to be in the same bay. Now, they're
going to be allowed to be in the same bay. So, if we don't get that
extra bay, they're going to be stuck one behind the other, and I
know that you had looked at that frontend. Remember, that's an
addition that was done in seventies. It's not, the structural wall
is where the end of the garage is. That is a storage area. To
start with, it really won't do the job because again, you're not
going to be able to sound proof and I addressed it in my Memo,
what is the alternative? The alternative is, you know, expanding
the back and push two cars, one behind the other. I don't think
that's going to solve the problem because now you're still dealing
with one lift for the brakes, the car coming in behind and now again
you, you have one inspection station and you have that as a fixed
inspection station. You can't move the equipment now. Under
present equipment, you can move the equipment to accommodate
either bay, you know, you're filled on one side -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I understand, but are there any in
operation now, that we could see?
MR. TONYES. There's over 50% installed already.
on practice mode ( ) now.
They're working
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes, but, at least we can hear the
extent of the machine and all of that.
MR. TONYES: You can call the state -
MRS. MOORE: I think that's a, OK, you know what, I'll call ESP, -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Would you do that and see if there's
anybody you know, in Eastern Suffolk or anybody in a -
Page 50
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MRS. MOORE: Right, someone within the -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We're just going to run over and breeze
over and listen to it.
MRS. MOORE: Ed's reminding me that it's admirable that you're
looking to see this equipment in operation but, we have the guys are
coming in.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I know you're under the gun.
MRS. MOORE: I mean we were under the gun six months ago.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, I'm under the gun right now,
because it's Mrs. Tortora's turn. Oh, Mr. Homing still has another
question?
MEMBER HORNING: Yes, I would like to say if there's anything the
garage owners would like to add as to the practical problems that
would exist if in fact, the this application was denied?
MRS. MOORE: Practical problems?
MEMBER HORNING: Yes.
MRS. MOORE: Beyond what I've listed in my Memo?
MEMBER HORNING: Yes, if they have anything to add.
MRS. MOORE: Do you have anything to add?
MR. TONYES: Well she mentioned something that was really, that I
never thought of it. Drawing will be lines out. You said, it'll
look like a dead person? You're going to have a couple of those.
No, seriously. (All talking and laughing) Three of them blown out
of the walls in Pennsylvania already. And why, because they didn't
have a safety system like I want to build.
MRS. MOORE: Oh, oh, oh, that points out another issue.
(Everyone talking and laughing, inaudible)
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
about.
We are Ed aware of what you're talking
MRS. MOORE: It's a legitimate concern. One thing that he, when
we were preparing for this case, he, Ed said to me, you know I'd
really like to put in that extra bay, I really like to put in, (and I
think it's really very clever), post, cement post, like you see in
front of propane tanks and the rest where you want to stop
somebody from going through. With the extra bay, you'll have the
room to put the post in so that you have like a safety mechanism if
the car inadvertently jumps that track. You know, you destroy the
"Page'~ 51
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
car but you don't destroy the building nor, somebody whose
standing on the other side of it.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Under Health, Safety and Welfare, I
would have done that anyway. I had to say that.
MRS. MOORE: But that's not something, that's something that he
came up with on his own.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
that anyway.
I understand, but, we, I would require
MRS. MOORE: Only because you're a fireman.
MR. TONYES: The state don't require that. Chain it down, they
want it chained, which is good.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, right, right.
MEMBER HORNING: Thank you very much.
MR. DON TONYES: I would like to finish. You will have more
congestion if we don't do this because we do have a lot of loyal
customers and this is what we want to prevent. We want to prevent
these congestions, the noise, pollution, the safety we want it to be
safe. We'll have lines, we'll end up having lines. I think some
people would probably go elsewhere. Where I don't know, there's
not so many people, but, they're going to have the problem also. I
don't know if they'll be addressing them or if they're doing anything
to correct it, if that answers your question.
MEMBER HORNING: Yes it does, thank you very much.
MR. TONYES: OK.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA:
hearing.
I don't know if this is a third or fourth
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: This is the fourth.
MEMBER TORTORA: I've asked so many questions in the past, I
think most of them have been answered. As a technical point, what
you're asking for is for a determination of a public garage, not a
gas station.
MRS. MOORE: Well I've given you various alternatives.
MEMBER TORTORA: And/or in the alternate, let's go down the
alternate, let's stick with the gas station. If under that scenario,
as a gas station.
MRS. MOORE: As a gas station?
~Page 52
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER TORTORA: As a gasoline station.
MRS. MOORE: Oh, OK, because you, alright, go ahead.
MEMBER TORTORA: Because you presumed that it's a gasoline
station and such, would that still be considered integral part of the
expansion?
MRS. MOORE: Yeah, see, yeah, no, it's funny, you could call this
an accessory to a gas station. It's not, in fact the legislation
from 97 described to a certain extent, those uses, gasoline stations,
other things and then accessory repairs. I think that the business
that's conducted on this property, is actually more principal. The
principal use is the public garage. But, if it, could you, would you
use
MEMBER TORTORA: There are a lot of scenarios in it but -
MRS. MOORE: There are, I mean, what I think, if I was writing a
decision, I would say, for the fol, it'd be approved, as requested -
MEMBER TORTORA: I'm surprised, I'm shocked.
MRS. MOORE: Approved as requested for the following reasons and
you could recite, 1, we could determine that in this instance, in
this particular instance, it fits the definition of public garage
over the other definitions and therefore if it were it would be
considered permitted use. Secondly, you could say, as a gasoline
station, with the accessory use law, with regard to the a, I think
it's point to the end with accessory uses, talking about it as the
repair end of it. The repair vehicles has always been conducted as
an integral part of the whole property so could you say, well, gas,
repair, it's been like this, you know, and -
MEMBER TORTORA:
garage.
There's lots of different ways to look at a
MRS. MOORE: There is, I mean there's a lot of ways to say yes. I
think there's a lot of other ways to say no. But, I'm not in charge
of giving you the nos, only the yeses.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Somehow we've heard this before.
MEMBER TORTORA: I really have a, I think one, but a, points
but, it's very difficult to see unless you visited the property is
what we saw when we did the site inspection and that's what you see
in terms of traffic and in terms of safety concerns that it is going
to be in the existing bay, unless the new bay is added on and I
have series, that was my main concern from the ghetto is traffic
concerns and I did feel that this proposed plan would alleviate some
of those concerns.
MRS. MOORS: Yes, you know, there are no perfect solutions.
Page 53
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER TORTORA: No, there not.
MRS. MOORE: But, the, what he's proposing, if he was, he was
really trying to save a dime, he wouldn't be proposing this plan
because this really is an expensive play (). Very expensive, but
he's -
MR. TONYES: Do you know what they're doing in Brooklyn and the
state is allowing it? A tent.
MRS. MOORE: A tent, OK.
MR. TONYES: If I ever said that to anybody that I want that, I
don't want that.
MR. DON TONYES: I think we left a big issue out here.
weeks ago, two weeks ago we had the, -
Two
MR. ED TONYES: That had nothing to do with a -
MR. DON TONYES: No, but what I'm saying is, reading the
dynamotor, further away from the gas pumps I think is a big thing
right there.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Can I ask you a big favor?
MR. DON. TONYES: Sure.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRIGER: Mr. Homing as you know lives in Fishers
Island. He's leaving at approximately 9:00 o'clock tonight. Could
one of you two gentlemen take him down to your station and show
him everything that you showed us right now and you know that
would be greatly assistant.
MRS. MOORE: Oh, absolutely. I was going to suggest -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, so why don't you get everything
together George, and they'll take either one, -. I'm not trying to
get either one of you guys away from what's going on. But, it
would be greatly -
MR. DON TONYES: Which one do you want to go, me or Ed?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Either one, you can fight it out. But, it
would be greatly appreciated.
MRS. MOORE: No, I think it would be very helpful because and,
you really aren't getting the full flavor, because in the evenings
the place is nice, tidy, everything is in place. But, in the
daytime, in the bustling Saturday morning, when we were there, it
was somewhat of a zoo and that's just because that's when everybody
decides they're going to change their spark plugs or whatever.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK.
Page ~ 54
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER HORNING: Now Mr. Chairman, in my early excuse from the
meeting I understand on the next case we're not doing anything in
particular in terms of making any decision?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, not to my knowledge. We still have
not received. (This is off the record not on the Tonyes record.)
This is completely off the record in this hearing, but we have still
not received the Notice of Disapproval from the Building
Department. So, therefore, we will see what develops. I mean I
can't tell you that the applicant's attorney could modify the
application. That's all I can tell you at this point.
MRS. MOORE: Does involvement me?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Does not involve you. No, he's talking
about the last hearing for the a, for the, for everyone in the
audience Mr. Homing is going back by ferry tonight and that's the
reason why he's leaving early. Thank you Sir. Thank you for
your assistance yesterday and safe home. OK, we go on to Ms.
Collins.
Are you done Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: Yes, I am.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Oh, OK.
MEMBER COLLINS: I have been very diligent about reading the
Minutes of the Transcripts of hearings that occurred before I came
on the Board but, I didn't read this one. I will of course after
tonight. I thought it would be easier to understand last year's
hearing after I heard a little more in that ( ). But, at any rate,
I wanted to ask you just in case you think it's not adequately
covered in the prior hearing. What, what, the owners, the Tonyes'
view is about the business pl~ospects? They run a service station,
they sell gasoline, they do a fair amount I gather, a considerable
amount of repair business and they also have the inspections.
They've made it clear that they're going to stay in the inspection
business. They've told us -
MRS. MOORE: Absolutely, they've already bought the equipment.
MEMBER COLLINS: They've got to stay in the inspection business
because that's critical to staying in business.
MRS. MOORE: Right.
MEMBER COLLINS: I heard one suggestion this evening that, but,
it's really very speculative, that if they don't get what their
asking for and they have to put this operation into the existing bay,
that they very welt may suffer a fall off in business, and I suppose
that's possible. I mean, that is speculative. Do they think, that
if they get what they want, there's going to an increase in
business? I mean is that part of the, other than the hope for the
increase of business? Everyone hopes for.
Page ~ 55
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MRS. MOORE: Well, you see, I'm not, you know honestly I, I think
there's always the hope, that they'll increase business, but, that's
the nature of the economy and local people using local businesses to
support, you know, to do their chores, to fix their cars. So, as
people become more localized, they use this facility. I've lost my
track of thinking. No, that alright. Will they increase? Yeah,
yeah, I think it's possible to increase business, but, I think
they're thought is to maintain the business because, as I pointed out
the inspection equipment, that is presently in the a, that's about to
be updated by this new equipment. The present equipment allows
them some flexibility. They can inspect either vehicle if there's a
problem with one vehicle, they can go on to the next one, there's
room for movement. If a, with the new equipment, everything is
stationary and what you're goner have, is you know, cars pulling in
and out and that's another safety issue that I think they've
considered, and, I, I, appropriately so, that site is, you're going
to be pulling out into bays in front of your gas customers who are
not always paying attention, so.
MEMBER COLLINS: Yes, I'm sorry, I think I was long winded in my
question and I apologize. What I was really getting at and thought
would be helpful to have clear on the record, is, that in fact, what
they're attempting to do, is maintain the business that they have.
MRS. MOORE: Absolutely.
MEMBER COLLINS: That they have. This is not a new improved
come to us, because we are the only ones who have a kind of a, a,
improvement.
MRS. MOORE: No, no, in fact, there'll be some other stations
around. Qual-Com, I think just sold their facility and may not be
doing any repairs.
MEMBER COLLINS: Well, I was just getting at the question of
whether because I think important to your argument is kind of, is
this an expansion of a use?
MRS. MOORE: Exactly, well that's -
MEMBER COLLINS: And you're trying to argue that they're in this
business and they're just doing what they have to do to stay in the
business.
MRS. MOORE: Absolutely.
MEMBER COLLINS:
outlook.
And that's why I was asking you about the
MRS. MOORE: And that's why exactly and I'm glad that you
brought it out. There is that article from their own literature that
gets circulated among, they kind of preaching to convert it, they,
they gripe, gripe article and that article actually points out the
effect of the new inspection equipment, the time when inspections
~age ~ 56
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
end, on a daily, on a days a, I call it, billable hours, you know.
Look at your sheet and say, well, I use to be able to generate six
billable hours, now, I can only generate four because of the work
that's entailed takes that much longer. So, I think they're dealing
with that issue just to maintain the status quo as well, so.
MEMBER COLLINS: OK, thank you. Jerry, I'm done.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
so quite back there.
You're done. Mr. Dinizio.
You've been
MEMBER DINIZIO: Yes, well, I got my questions answered
pretty much. I guess really what you're looking for here, if you're
taking the explanation you know, concerning economics, and, you
know, really no increase in business. You're looking for some place
to put your tools that require to be (). It's, this 13 foot piece
of machinery is just not going to make it in the second bay.
MRS. MOORE: Yeah, you're right. I mean, it's a tool, exactly.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Right.
MRS. MOORE: The tool use to be this big, now it's this big and
what you're going to do, so.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Alright and I mean concerning the ventilation,
more of a osha situation, you know, you can't suffocate your
employees, so, you're going to stick a hose outside or in your case,
I guess you're going to ventilate it up in the air and the air more
that's just goner not a kind of a scrubber situation where you have
to take the particles out and ( ), just get it out.
MRS. MOORE:
of things.
No, no, no, I don't know if you can make those kind
MEMBER DINIZIO: Right.
MRS. MOORE: They probably do, but, it would be a $~.50,000
expense system.
MEMBER DINIZIO: I mean, so we're kind of looking at you know,
your application and your, your, that this is a permitted use.
MRS. MOORE: I think it could have been very easily have been
interpreted to be a permitted use and we wouldn't, he wouldn't of
been going through this process.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Right, so, I mean, naturally the only reason why
you work at that building, the building is protect the equipment.
To protect it from the weather.
MRS. MOORE: Well, yeah, they could as Ed points out, in other
areas where there really is no place to go, they've put it under
'Page '57
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
tents and it's purely to keep the elements away.
we want?. Absolutely not.
Is that something
MEMBER DINIZIO: No, right. Well I'm just trying to point out the
leadway her that you may have. I mean, certainly you'd want a nice
looking building as appose to putting a tent up everyday?
MRS. MOORE: Yes.
MEMBER DINIZO: If that's what you chose to do.
MRS.MOORE: Well, the equipment is there. The tent is going to be
there you know.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Right.
MRS. MOORE: And it's going to be the garage -
MEMBER DINIZIO: Sure.
MRS. MOORE: With a tent.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Yes, right, right, well -
MRS. MOORE: Well, the ( ) won't be little chairs with the tables,
it's going to be the equipment and the cars being repaired under
that and thank goodness they're not like that. I'm really glad to
have them as clients. That they're willing to spend the money to
make the place really I think a very nice station as a station goes.
It's a very nice station, so.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Right and the absolute worse scenario the piece
of equipment that you have right now, could still be operational
tomorrow by cutting a hole in that second bay and placing it there
and you would have absolutely no, the town would have no
community recourse whatsoever.
MRS. MOORE: The town would not be able to say boo. They would
have to live with the situation and complaints are going to go to
this young man right here.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Which he won't be able to hear that, because the
tires would be spinning.
MRS. MOORE: Oh, yeah, we won't care.
MEMBER DINIZIO: OK, so, what, you know, I mean, I read your
Memo. I think, you know, we're not looking at expanding a
nonconforming use here?
MRS. MOORE: I don't think so. I think that that's a lot, certainly
the whole process is applicable. But again, their other argument
about you know, expanding nonconforming, I think that there are
constitutional problems where you're telling somebody the code says
Page 58
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
you can't do it. Black and white, you can't do it. And, you're
putting somebody out-of-business by saying that.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Right, right.
MRS. MOORE: You can't, there are still certain property rights and
presumptions in the law and that's one to think about, so.
MEMBER DINIZIO: And the town has some complicity in it and that
they did take the federal money to -
MRS. MOORE: Yeah, I mean they sent a message.
MEMBER DINIZIO: To encourage, right.
MRS. MOORE: We strongly believe in clean emissions, you know,
clean air. What are you going to say, no everybody should be
polluting. Of course not.
MEMBER DINIZIO: That's all I have Jerry.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
people. Yes, Surely.
OK, can we switch over now to the other
MR. ROMANELLI: For the record, John Romanelli.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We think we know you John.
MR. ROMANELLI: I want to make sure it was on the record. I
just, a lot of points have been brought out. I don't want to make a
long meeting any longer, but, I do believe there is some sort of
moral obligation the town has to support an expansion like this when
a government enforces this kind of restriction on them. In the
admission that the neighbors are talking about. You know, this is a
car exhaust, and that's what they have to be told. This is a car
exhaust, just what's going to happen in your driveway and just at
that right light when they're parked there waiting for it change
colors. Denying an application like this, would in my opinion, would
be doing injustices to, not only this family but any small business
owner whose put under these restrictions to make their business
grow and survive. Not to become any bigger, just to survive with
the hope that doing business properly they'll get bigger and this is
the way doing business properly and this is the way they hope in
the future they could build them as they make more money. So,
denying this application, it really shouldn't happen in my opinion.
I wanted to express that.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you.
MR. ROMANELLI: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Anybody else like to speak in favor?
Anybody like to speak against?
Page '59
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MRS. EVANS: I have a question.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Surely, ma'am, could you use the mike.
MRS. EVANS: The material that would be vented into the air on a
still day and we have many of them here, when there's no wind, I
don't know about aerodynamics but, what happens to this material?
Does it settles over the neighborhood and thus decrease the quality
of the air?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, what I was trying to get was basic,
first I need your name. I apologize.
MRS. EVANS: Paula Evans.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you. I was trying to get to a
situation where we could monitor how this disbursement was going to
affect, based upon what they want to do, the surrounding
properties, OK. I would assume and I'm not assuming anything,
but. I would hope, that it would be similar to a chimney, OK and
that the dispersion would be more forward toward main state highway
as appose to the opposite way, OK. It was quite interesting last
Saturday, when we stood there because I am trying to take
everybodys, the culmination of all three hearings prior to this one
and this hearing and capitalize on the issues that most of the people
had as concerns, OK, apart from the zoning issue, alright and that
is the reason why I raised that but, when I stood there, the entire
road was loaded with cars, OK, on Saturday morning. Mr. Tonyes
was absolutely perfect, right on the dollars when he said, well what
about all those cars right there?, alright, and he's correct. I'm
concerned about the neighborhood and I have to tell you that OK,
and that I would hope that there wouldn't be any more saturation of
either noise or pollution based upon the installation of this
machine. I have to tell you, that's my concern, alright and I would
like to bill that into the decision to the best of my ability, OK,
and let's see what we can do.
MRS. EVANS: I appreciate that.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Anybody else like to speak? Mrs. Moore.
MRS. MOORE: Well, I only caution the Board that to the extent of
your monitoring, you're not DEC, you're not, you know the, the -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, no, you see, you're missing my
point. In no way am I saying I'm monitoring. What I am saying is,
that let's build a system that's going to make everything fine for
the occupants of this station, OK, and the people that live and work
around it, OK.
MRS. MOORE: I agree, we agree with you with that.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Now, we all know that anybody that has
a normal chimney on their house has disbursements of stuff out of
~Page 60
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
that chimney, OK. There's no question about that. I'm saying,
let's have the same disbursements out of this bay, OK, that we
would have out of the normal chimney, OK, and you know, let's,
let's have a normal, I mean restaurants have the exact same thing.
MRS. MOORE: I was just going to say that the most, what we're
talking about is really air circulation and venting, that's it.
That's going to be a part of our design, so.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: In the last three hearings -
MRS. MOORE: Yes, it was an issue.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: There was no doubt in my mind, that Ed
Tonyes and his brother want to do it the right way.
MRS. MOORE: Exactly, right.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: So, therefore, in seeing that situation, I
am saying to him, let's see the venting done the right way also.
MRS. MOORE: OK, that's fine.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I mean he's attempting to take care of
the noise, the health, safety, and welfare issue, in reference to the
whatever type of bracing he intends to put in back of or in front of
the car sort of speak, OK, you know, is definitely a positive step,
there's no question about it. The insulation of the building -
MRS. MOORE: The air condition.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The air conditioning as we just said
again, not to be redundant and now the only thing really left, is
that of the venting and you know, I think these things can be taken
into consideration and I think that they a, you know they can be -
MRS. MOORE: Why can't you just say, properly vent the building?
We'll properly vent the building. I mean I'm just trying to think
of, don't give me specifications because I don't know what's in the
business, what's available and I'm not the ( ).
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: You see, the way they vent the building
now, is, they open the doors. I mean that's ventilating the building.
MRS. MOORE: That's true.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: And again, as I said to you, those doors
are opened facing State Road 25.
MRS. MOORE: Right, which is a-
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: A main road. So, what I'm saying is
let's not further exacerbate the situation and let the flow go back.
P~ge 61
H~ ~aring Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
Let's, let the flow stay forward because those cars across the street
are going to take that in both directions and disburse it.
MRS. MOORE: OK, I don't think we disagree.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
don't think we do at all.
No, we don't disagree.
Quite honestly I
MRS. MOORE: I only caution that the specificity of that because I
don't know what's available, so, thai's, don't write something that
I'm going of say, please what did you put.
MR. TONYES:
system.
I don't want to put in that $300,000 ventilation
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
ventilation.
We're not asking for a $300,000
MRS. MOORE: No, that building will be vented so, it'll be
disbursed ( ).
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: And we'd like to see that.
MRS. MOORE: It's coming off the buses. For example, the buses
when they were originally, remember the old buses, they use to
have the pipes that were down where the cars were. Then, finally
somebody got smart and put them up and that way you could be
behind the bus and not choke to death.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: As in every tractor trailer.
MRS. MOORE:
about.
Tractor trailer ( ).
That's what we're talking
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I'm saying the exact same situation.
MRS. MOORE: Exactly.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Does anybody else want to say anything
else regarding this hearing before we close it? Alright, anybody?
Do you want it closed or not?
MEMBER COLLINS: I'm definitely for closing it.
MRS. MOORE: Yeah, you need to make a decision only because the
poor guys have that equipment.
CHA.I. RMAN GOEHRINGER: What are we doing about looking at one
that's operating?
MRS. MOORE:
mean -
Oh, looking at one that's, you can look, closing, I
P~ge 62
H, earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I mean let's not get involved in closing.
Let's just talk about seeing one that's operating.
MRS. MOORE: I mean if you go see one that's operating and there's
something that triggers a question, you can contact him, you can
contact me and Ed will respond to what ever question. I mean it may
be a very practical one, like, you know, I can't even imagine.
(Talking amongst themselves, inaudible).
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: So, for all intensive purposes, I'll make a
motion, closing the hearing.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Second.
Motion carried. See Minutes for Resolution.
Pa~ge 63
H, earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
Public Hearing Reconvened from the last Regular Meeting regarding
the Application of MARTIN ROSEN, Appl. No. ~/-V~/~.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, we would like everyone's attention.
We want to open the Rosen application. Mr. Cuddy, would you like
to make any preliminary statements?
CHARLES CUDDY, ESQ.: I would like to say several things, but
basically since we have been here on several occasions that I would
hope that the Board is at a position now where it has sufficient
information to make a decision. But I indicated that last time, and
I didn't have Mr. Olshin speak. He and my client are sort of
running out of time and money to keep coming back, so I would like
Mr. Olshin to address the questions so it is emphatically in the
record as to the Town's Code provision, that is, Local Law 1997 and
have him address the question of whether or not the definitions
include "radio tower" that we put in before you as the question we
want you to interpret.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Could you put that on hold for one
second? I did want to mention one thing. I did have a discussion
with Mr. Forrester today who is the person in charge in the
Building Department, and he has indicated to me that they have still
not given you the Notice of Disapproval that we have requested, and
I believe Member Collins would like to address one issue before we
get involved with Mr. O1shin, if you don't mind. Ms. Collins?
MEMBER LORA COLLINS: Well, on the basis of the discussions,
informal among members of the Board, informal but very serious,
about various aspects about this application, it has become clear to
all of us on the Board that the thresholds question is they would
like to say, is whether the Wireless Telecommunications Law in our
Town Code, Article XVI of our Code, whether in fact that is the
applicable law. That was not really the question that was put to us,
we were presented with a Building Department denial that presumed
that that was the applicable law and denied it on that basis. Mr.
Cuddy has asked the Building Department to reconsider on that
question and they have not. And there is difference of opinion that
has become clear among members of this Board about that issue - of
whether Article XVI of our Code is the applicable law. I know I
have said publicly that I don't think that it is, but I'm not here to
argue that now. It seems to me that issue has to be addressed -
that it has to be addressed head on and squarely, and not on kind
of an adjunct to our deliberations, and we are governed by the Laws
of the State of New York regarding public notice, public hearings
and being public in our deliberations, and my proposal to my
colleagues has been that since it's become clear that we are not
unanimous on this, and it is a critical question, that we undertake
to address it publicly with proper notice to the public, and that we
are going to address the question of whether the appropriate law for
judging this tower is the law the Building Department invoked,
Pa, ge 64
H. earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
which is Article ×VI, or whether that is not the appropriate law,
and that we do it with the formal hearing process.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
adjunct to this hearing.
During this hearing.
I mean, as an
MEMBER COLLINS: Yes- procedurally, Mr. Chairman, I don't have
a clear grasp of exactly what, how, you know, how you do it, but
in principal I think it has to be, and I know Member Tortora agrees
strongly that -
MEMBER TORTORA: Yes.
MEMBER ,COLLINS: - that question: (1) has to be addressed and
(2) has to be addressed with due notice to the public that that is
what we are addressing, which we really have not had occasion to
tell the public.
BOARD SECRETARY:
Legal Notice read?
I was just wondering how does the recent
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The original Legal Notice? In the interim
would you like Mr. Olshin to speak, or do you want to address that
issue?
MR. CUDDY: I understand, I think, precisely what was said, that
is, we should have a Notice to the public at large so that they are
aware that the Board is interpreting that crucial question. I don't
know that the Notice has said that, I can't say that it has or
hasn't. But certainly it could not have said that because that was
not originally that was not the application that was made. And I
agree that that's illustrated. As to the power to you, I think you
have the power, but you raise a different question and that is
whether Notice was given, and I can't argue that it was. I
understand. Yes, and I have Mr. Olshin ready to speak.
BOARD SECRETARY : I just wanted to ask if the Notice that you~
are talking about, is that the Notice that there is an Interpretation
on file and that the Board is addressing an Interpretation? Could
you tell us what the Notice was, or is, to say?
CHAIRMAN: We'll be talking about it.
MEMBER COLLINS: Slow down. Let me just say, I went through -
we all have been thinking very hard about this, and I went through
the file paper by paper. And your application and the Legal Notice
to the public about our hearing your application was based on the
Building Inspector rejecting an application and citing three things:
two of them are in Article XVI and have to do with the 100 ft.
setback from the dwelling, and also a principal use setback, and
that it what we told the public what we would be hearing, and we
certainly did not tell the public that we were going to find
ourselves in the situation where we weren't sure if the Building
Inspector was citing the right law, and I, what I am saying, Linde,
Pa~ge 65
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
is I am not sure exactly how we do this, and we obviously are going
to have to discuss it, but I think that if we are going to formally
address that question, we have to tell the public we are addressing
it because we haven't told them that.
MR. CUDDY: One thing I don't know, and that I know the original
notice, but whether there was a subsequent notice? That it did
indicate that some where?
MEMBER TORTORA: No, there wasn't.
MEMBER COLLINS: You, Sir, wrote to the Building Inspector back
in March, March 23, I think, saying on reflection that "I feel that
Article XVI doesn't apply to my client's tower and will you please,
Building Department, re-consider this," and they never did. You
certainly mentioned it here in our hearings, but not - I think in a
formal sense you were asking the Building Department to do that,
and I think in your Memo of Law that was the position you took, and
I think entirely correctly. You said, "I am here for a variance but
at the same time I am asking the Building Department to tell me I
don't need the variance because the law doesn't apply." So I really
do think that our deliberations have never noticed the public that we
might very well decide we have to fact this question, and I think we
do.
MR. CUDDY: I understand. I have Mr. Olshin -
CHAIRMAN: Surely.
DR. OLSHIN: I guess you know me by now. It seems to be that
the bone of contention is whether or not the structure Mr. Rosen
wants to erect comes under the provision -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes, Fred, you can't hear? You want to
sit right up in front? Bill, see if you can pull that mike a little
closer?
FRED BOUFFARD: Thank you.
DR. OLSHIN: As I was saying, whether or not the structure which
he wishes to erect, the radio tower would be governed by the
provisions of the Town Code as written which seems to reflect on the
Telecommunications Act of 96. OK. How can I start?
I guess you get involved in semantics and definitions to a
certain extent. There's a difference between communications and
telecommunications. Communications is merely an activity such as
what we're doing now. It also can be done a lot more complicated if
we're very far apart by utilizing electronics, either wire or
wireless.
Telecommunications as defined is the process. And the
process would be as simple as two cans and a string to accomplish
what you want to do which is communicate, or it can be vastly
Page 66
H~aring Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
complicated such as the existing public service telephone network
which is in place of this Country. OK? Telecommunications refers
to the ability of one individual to send you voice or data to any
other individual in the world, and that's what the existing System
does regardless whether it's wired or wireless.
Because of the advance in technology, wireless communications
have come to be a better way of doing things than plain wire.
There's certain advantages having wireless communications mainly
because you're not tired to a wire in any one location. So
technology advances, and as technology advances our FCC responds
because they are the buffer between the manufacturers, the sellers,
and the population, right? And it is their mission to organize
things so that things will work, right, so that nobody steps on your
toes. Alright, so I have to give you a certain amount of history.
There always has been wireless communication. It goes back
many years. Perhaps all the way back to the thirties, at least I
rated, OK? But because of technology, it was limited right?
Not too many people were able to have a phone, right? It was
limited. Technology advanced into the eighties where the concept
which we call 'Cellular' was developed, and the FCC saw fit to go
ahead with this plan, and what they did was they assigned two
companies in every Metropolitan area to deliver cellular service to
the public. Right? Wireless communications, and the two companies
they picked at that time happened to have been NYNEX and Cellular
One in the N.Y. area. Today, these two new merged, and buying
combined those two companies now happen to be Bell Atlantic and
AT&T. OK.
A bunch of people got together at a company called Qual-Com in
the nineties and they said, "OK, we have found out a way how to
deliver wireless communications using the existing frequencies which
were set aside for that purpose in a different way because you won't
interfere with the existing cellular service." And because of that,
and because it worked, the FCC was forced to rewrite the rules in
1996. And using the Qual-Com technology, right? - a whole new set
of cellular devices became available and that's why now you have
companies like Omni-Point~ Sprint PCS, and NEX-Tel~ who are
offering you cellular service but they have to be regulated also
which is why they wrote the Act of '96 and which now allows them to
also put in their networks which also is tied to the PSTN so that
you can pick up your cellular phone and talk to somebody in China,
or even send them some computer data if you wish.
What Mr. Rosen has is a wireless radio communications system.
It's only commonality with a PSTN is the fact that his is wireless.
It's a system that goes back before cellular. It's a system that's
in common with the original police radios that you see, or the taxi
services that you see. It's a radio communications system, alright?
It has nothing to do with the public service telephone network as
defined. You can't take one of Mr. Rosen's instruments and do
anything except talk back to the radio in his office. That's it.
Or, talk to another radio in another one of his trucks, that's it.
Pa~ge 67
H~ earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
It has nothing to do with the Public Service Telephone Network,
OK? And that briefly in a nutshell is why I say what he wants to
do has nothing to do with Telecommunications Act '96 and as written
in your Town Code, OK?
That's what I can offer you based on my background. I'd be
happy to answer any questions that you may have pertaining to your
code, you know, the Telecommunications in general - which also by
the way is one of those new words, I think they just added to 2,000
more to the dictionary. You go back a number of years you never
heard the word Telecommunications.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: The word was telegraph.
MR. OLSHIN: Well, yeah.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Let me just ask you a quick question.
There came a time when there was some apprehension regarding this
tower and its ability to reach to Mr. Olshin's business in Oceanside.
MR. OLSHIN: Mr. Rosen's business?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I said Mr. Rosen. Did I say, Mr.
O1shin, pardon me, I apologize. Is there a need for another tower
in between or will this -I had this mike turned down before, I
apologize.
MR. OLSHIN: Oh, there's no doubt in the world that Mr. Rosen's
tower in Oceanside will be able to talk to the Mattituck tower.
He won't be able to get, can't get vehicles on the ground but he'll
be able to get that tower easily. No problem.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
vehicles on the ground?
Right, how will be be able to get
MR. OLSHIN: Well, you get vehicles on the ground from Oceanside
only as far as perhaps the Riverhead area. Once the vehicles go
beyond the Riverhead area, they would have to come under the
cognizance of the Mattituck tower. But, they can talk to the
Mattituck tower. The Mattituck tower can talk back to the Oceanside
tower the way it would work.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, what's the story on the South Shore
in reference to that question?
MR. OLSHIN: The story on the South -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
tower to the South Shore?
How far could he go on the Mattituck
MR. OLSHIN: About the same distance. If you drew an arc from
Oceanside to Riverhead, just draw that arc, that's his coverage.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Right.
Page 68
HSaring Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. OLSHIN: Once it gets behind the arc, he starts to lose the
trucks.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, so in other words, what you're
saying is that a truck in East Hampton can talk to the Mattituck
tower.
MR. OLSHIN: Sure. Sure. At an 80 foot tower with a gain
antenna or an antenna which is actually a movable type of antenna
so we can direct his vehicle is no problem at all.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK.
MR. OLSHIN: Very easily.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you. Anybody have any
questions of Mr. Olshin? Jim?
MEMBER DINIZIO: I would just like to know, what exactly is the
weight of this antenna?
MR. OLSHIN: The weight of the antenna?
MEMBER DINIZIO: Just the antenna, that's all.
MR. OLSHIN; The antenna is very light. They're made out of
either plastic or aluminum.
MEMBER DINIZO: 100 pounds?
MR. OLSHIN: Pardon me.
MEMBER DINIZIO: 100 pounds?
MR. OLSHIN: Oh, no.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Ten pounds?
MR. OLSHIN: It's possible that the actual antenna which we use
which will be, we call a yagi beam which looks like a version of a
TV antenna, the whole thing would approximately weigh about 3 or 4
pounds.
MEMBER DINIZIO: How many elements does it have?
MR. OLSHIN: How many elements? It depends upon how much
gain. We would decide that -
MEMBER DINIZIO: Well we're talking about your specific -
MR. OLSHIN: Yeah, it would be perhaps 6 or 7 elements.
MEMBER DINIZIO: They would be how long?
Pa~ge 69
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. OLSHIN: The elements?
MEMBER DINIZIO: Yes.
MR. OLSHIN: At his wee great length, we're looking at an element
of approximately three (3) feet.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Three feet. They would all be three feet? In
other words they wouldn't look like a TV antenna. It would all be 3
feet?
MR. OLSHIN: Well the size of the element is referenced to what you
call the wave length which is a function of the frequency right now.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Which is 159 mega bites.
MR. OLSHIN: Yes.
MEMBER DINIZIO: OK, and then you're going to have a rotor on
there to turn this thing?
MR,, OLSHIN: You must have a rotor to turn the yagi if that was
the way to go. The main problem is to get the power up. Whether
or not you suggest a fixed gain antenna which would radiate in all
directions, or whether you use the yagi has to be decided.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Well I don't think we're in a position to regulate
what gain antenna to use but all I'm looking for is just the size of
this thing.
MR. OLSHIN:
aren't heavy.
Oh, you're looking at a few pounds.
These things
MEMBER DINIZIO: But more than likely, you would want to be able
to turn that antenna in some fashion, you know, to hit East
Hampton, Southampton, whatever. That's all.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Ms. Collins?
MEMBER COLLINS: No I have no questions of Mr. Olshin.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mrs. Tortora?
MEMBER TORTORA: I just wonder what the height of the tower
would be from the base to the tip of the antenna?
MR. OLSHIN: Well, if the yagi antenna is to be used, it doesn't
exceed the height of the tower. It would go on the side of the
tower so it wouldn't increase the height of the tower. If you put an
antenna on top of the tower, antennas vary in height, and it would
be as short as three feet which would be a metal antenna sort of the
type that sometimes are installed on roofs of cars, or it could be
more of elaborate affair going to perhaps 10 or 12 feet, if it was a
Pa~ge 70
H~ earing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
fiberglass type of antenna which is similar to the types you see on
boats.
MEMBER TORTORA: Is there any chance that we could know that
so that we know what the total height is?
MR. OLSHIN: Well if it's going to help you make a decision we can
simply tell you, yeah this is what we're going to use. It may be
that he puts more than one antenna on this tower, also, so that he
has the ability to switch off from one to the other depending upon
what he wants to do.
MEMBER TORTORA: It would be helpful if we did know. I know on
that on the other tower application -
MR. OLSHIN: Well the other tower in Oceanside we use a yagi
antenna. So the chances are on this antenna we would go the same
way. It makes for a good communication in which case the tower
height wouldn't be exceeded, you know, wouldn't be exceeded,
although we would probably put as a backup a small, what we call a
small 5 DB gain antenna made out of metal which would be about
3-foot high which would be on top of the tower.
MEMBER TORTORA: And that the base of the tower is how deep?
MR. OLSHIN: How deep? How do you mean deep?
MEMBER TORTORA: From the ground level?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Above grade, she's talking about.
MEMBER TORTORA: Above grade?
MR. OLSHIN: The tower as I understand is 85 foot tall,-
MEMBER TORTORA: The base of the tower?
MR. OLSHIN: Right from the ground level, the base of the tower to
the top of the tower.
MEMBER TORTORA: Two feet in the foundation in other words?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes.
MR. OLSHIN: Yeah, each leg of the tower is set in concrete.
MEMBER TORTORA: OK.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: So appreciably what you're telling us is
that the weight and the mass of the antennas are absolutely nothing
in comparison-
MR. OLSHIN: Negligible.
Pgge 71
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes, in comparison to the actual size in
the magnitude to the top. Yes, negligible. OK. Lets see what
develops. We thank you, that was very helpful Mr. Olshin..
Anything else you'd like to say Mr. Cuddy, no? Anybody else like
to speak in favor? Anybody like to speak against? Yes,
Mr. Forkholb?
MR. FORKHOLB: Good evening. Has anybody looked at Mr.
Olshin's credentials, I mean, it seems that he's speaking as expert
testimony on communications. We got the whole rundown of history
communications which I didn't think that was -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: It was my understanding from my
conversation with him and please don't take it as the conversation
was quite a- that the gentleman basically is involved in physics and
his expertise in communications was something that he became very,
very familiar with. OK -
MR. FORHKOLB: OK, so, so what I mean-
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: And I mean, I mean he can, why don't
you tell us right now, Mr. Olshin.
ME. OLSHIN: My main reason for being an expert is that I have
had my own communications company some 30 years. That's the
truth of the matter. As far as credentials are concerned, I got into
the business because I have a Bachelor's Decree in Electric
Engineering and a Master's Decree in Physics plus qualifying for the
Doctorate in Physics. I also teach the subject, Telecommunications
at different institutions which I say but having proved to you
tonight I have only () with me, you know cards from the
institutions. Beyond that, I don't know what else to tell you, you
know, experts, you know, are experts.
MR. FORHKOLB: OK, so basically what you're saying, you don't
have a degree in telecommunications? I don't know that one is ever
offered.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
here, Andy. OK?
You have to ask those questions up
MR. OLSHIN: I teach students that try to get a degree in
telecommunications.
MR. FORHKOLB:
telecommunication.
Right, I believe there is a degree in
MR. OLSHIN: Yes there is.
MR. FORHKOLB: Which which you do not have I assume?
MR. OLSHIN: No, I don't. It wasn't offered when I went to school.
Pa. ge 72
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. FORHKOLB: OK. That's all.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you, Mr. Olshin.
MR. FORHKOLB: So basically we're having, it appears to be a
physicist with a degree talking about communications. I must admit
he is knowledgeable about communications. Probably a little bit more
than I am, OK. I'm knowledgeable too. Maybe I'm not in the
business, but I do know a bit about it, OK. I must say that, and
I've said it before, the VHF frequency that Mr. Rosen tends to
transmit on does not have the range of Oceanside to Mattituck, it's
got to be 50 miles, I assume?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: 80.
MR. FORHKOLB: It does not have a range of 80 miles and if you go
back to the minutes -
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: But, this was the issue, Andy though.
Excuse me for referring you by your first name, but this was the
issue that was brought up and that's the reason why I asked the
question of Mr. Olshin. That was my ultimate concern because I
have spoken to people, I've tried to do my own homework to a
certain degree, OK.
MR. FORHKOLB: OK, if you go back to the minutes of previous
meetings, OK, you'll find that they've stated that the perfected
range of VHF is, I don't know for exact, I think they stated 20 to
25 miles, something to that effect.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I think your brother said 23 miles.
MR. FORHKOLB: Yeah, in fact, if you go back to the minutes, I
believe that, Mr. Olshin or Mr. Rosen said that also was 20 to 25
miles, OK. Now, tonight I don't know what has changed since the
last meeting or the one previous to that, until tonight, but now they
say the transmitter can go back and forth from Oceanside to
Mattituck.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I think they always said that, but I
don't think we understood it to be the case and that was the reason
why I asked the question tonight. I do have (interrupted).
MEMBER DINIZIO: Can I comment on that?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Having spent 18 years working for Cablevision,
and another four years working in Telecommunications, if I put an
antenna up in Orient Point and point it towards Manhattan, I can
get, snowy, but I can get Channel 7 which is a higher frequency
than 159, which is Channel 19, Discovery Channel on Cablevision.
MR. FORHKOLB: UHF frequency -
Pgge 73
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER DINIZIO: Now, now, hold on a minute- I'm looking at a
band with of 6 megahertz, OK. This particular antenna is looking at
a very narrow, probably 3 kilohertz, I don't know, 5 kilohertz, I
don't know what exactly it is, but certainly not 6 megahertz, which
is hundreds of times wider than 3 or 4 kilohertz. So I can imagine
that antenna, OK, that's specific to that, tuned to that particular
frequency on the receive end and also on the transmitting end,
could conceivably go to Montauk on a good day. OK? Now,
considering all the interference that's in the way between Oceanside
and here~ I can't imagine that you can tune out all the interference
that's going to be in there, OK. Certainly side bands. I mean
you've got other things to worry about. You've got, you know, a
co-channel, you've got cross modulation. You've got a lot of things
that can involve that, but certainly to stand up and say that 23
miles with VHF, Sir? If you're questioning this gentleman's
credentials, you've got to come to me with some credentials also
that's going to tell me that, OK because what you're saying to me
and I'm like, I say, backed up with 22 years in the business, OK,
is an unfair statement. OK so if you want to stand by that
statement, fine. Offer me something in writing that shows me that.
MR. FORHKOLB: Let me put it this way. I've operated VHF. I
operate VHF pretty much on a daily basis, OK. And I've also
operated VHF in very close to 159 megahertz. OK. I know on a
daily basis what it will do, OK, different wattages, truck to base,
truck to truck, so I am very familiar with it.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Give me something in writing that says that.
159 point whatever it is, OK, cannot transmit more than 23 miles
with ().
MR. FORHKOLB:
range, OK.
Well let's not say that.
Let's say the effective
MEMBER DINIZIO: No, I contend that the effective range of 159
megahertz in a 5 to l0 kilohertz span is much, much further than 23
miles. Now, if, certainly if you can, if you can somehow show me
not just standing there, but, show me somewhere in writing that,
OK, then I'm willing to consider that. OK?
MR. FORHKOLB: I'll have to do some homework, but, one thing you
neglected to mention is wattage, OK. How many watts, that has a
lot to do with distance, OK.
MEMBER DINIZIO: I agree.
MR. FORHKOLB: And DE gain on that antenna and I -
MEMBER DINIZIO: I agree. All that is taken into consideration.
Certainly that's regulated by this gentleman's license.
MR. FORHKOLB: Absolutely.
Pa. ge 74
Hearing Transcripts
~ugust 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER DINIZIO: Which is not something that we are really
concerned about in this instance in what we're trying- what we're
trying to do here is determine whether or not this gentleman you
know, passes the test that the Town has set forth concerning a
tower. Not even 159 megahertz, but rather just a question of the
height of this tower and the need for it.
MR. FORKHOLB: I'm just, I'll go back at the meetings from a prior
meeting. I can recall them saying, the effective range was about 25
miles, OK. I could be mistaken. I'll go back in the meeting minutes.
MR. ROSEN: Mattituck. From Mattituck. Mattituck to East
Hampton, how far does a crow fly?
MR. FORHKOLB: Probably about 20-25 miles.
MR. ROSEN: About 18 miles.
MR. FORHKOLB: Yeah, but, what I stated, you stated tonight, Mr.
Olshin stated tonight was that he can talk from the transmitter in
Oceanside to the transmitter in Mattituck and that's where I'm saying
it's not going to happen.
MES~BER DINIZIO: Yes, but I'm wondering what relevance would
that have? (Testimony interrupted for tape change.)
MR. FORHKOLB: Well it's no secret all along you've known that my
issue is, not really that we object to the antenna going up, but a
cell phone antenna is going up, OK. Now, some of the discussions
tonight have been about a yagi antenna, OK. The overwhelming
majoring of people that operate VHF use omni-directional antennas,
OK. If you look at any municipality, fire departments, police
stations, service companies, oil delivery companies, you don't see
yagi, you see an omni-army directional antenna. Fiberglass pole is
about 22 feet high, a DB gain, 11 DB gain, whatever it is, OK, -
MR. ROSEN: 16 DB gain it is.
MR. FORHKOLB: That is usually what's used on VHF, OK. Yagi
antennas are usually used for UHF and also cell phone. Now, this
is what worries me, OK, using co-face yagi antennas together and
you could put seven of them on there, OK. You go down to the, I
think the tower, the cell-phone tower on Elijah's Lane, Mattituck,
has yagi antennas, all mounted in each direction. It gives him great
gain all around. This supposed VHF tower goes up with all these
yagi antennas around, OK, are you going to go in there or anybody
else and see if that's transmitting cell phone or VHF? Who's going
to know. Then, at that point obviously it falls under the
Telecommunications Act, but are we going to know what's up there?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, that's an interesting point that you
bring up because in prior applications of not necessarily antenna
applications, we have requested inspections on a yearly basis. That
in all situations could still exist. What we try to do in these
Pa, ge 75
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
decisions is limit it to the specific source of what the person is
looking for. So if it requires, you know, a technical evaluation
sort of speak, I assure you that, you know, that we are empowered
to do that on a yearly basis, or a monthly basis if we have to, but I
meah that would be an extremely costly operation.
MR. FORHKOLB: It sure would be, and it doesn't (hesitation).
MEMBER DINIZIO: I'd like to explain something else to you?
MR. FORHKOLB: OK.
MEMBER DINIZIO: You know, the line of my questioning tonight
was, you know, I wanted to know just exactly, I wanted in my mind
to somehow put together why we need an antenna with an 8 foot
base, to carry 10 or 12 pounds of antenna with a rotor. I mean,
that's the questioning that I was asking. Simply the way our
discussions have been going, we've been considering that and
certainly it seems a like a little overkill, and I think that you've
commented on that.
MR. FORHKOLB: Yes, and if I was to erect a tower, OK, and it
was a flimsy tower and I approached Bell Atlantic or AT&T, OK, and
said, "hey, you know, you guys can put, you guys can lease this
here space for $3,000 a month, do you want to put your antenna on
here?" They'd laugh at me and say, "Hey forget about it."
But I put a Roam 85 up, OK, that was super structure, OK, they'd
probably say, "yeah, here's the check."
MEMBER DINIZIO: I tend to agree with you in that respect.
MR. FORHKOLB: So I want to mention one more thing. I know that
the last meeting Mr. Rosen stated that he had a house in
Jamesport. Now, he's obviously spent a lot of time and a lot of
effo~,t and a lot of money, et cetera to try and make something fit
where it shouldn't be. I don't know - if it's 1/4 acre lot whatever
he's in, it's a real small piece of property. I don't know what he's
got in Jamesport. I've never seen his home in Jamesport but
wouldn't it make sense that he put it up in his backyard? I mean
from Malktituck to Jamesport, it's only, it's got to be 4 miles,
maybe? So, I just want to bring that point up and leave it at that.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you. Mr. Rosen?
MR. ROSEN: What's your first name?
MR. FORHKOLB: Andrew.
MR. ROSEN: Andrew and Ladies and gentlemen. Andrew just
stood up hear and mentioned a lot of good points if you don't have
the right answers. The reason that I'm putting up a Rome 85 and
not a two foot tower is for a safety factor, for those two ladies
right there - and yes it's a lot more money, OK, it's an overkill.
P.age 76
Hearing Transcripts .
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
What Andrew has forgotten to mention to you, and I've become a
nut, I've become a pro at this since I've been coming here. I mean
talk about being bounced around you have to excuse me, cellular
doesn't use yagi antennas. They use directional antennas, and I
apologize I don't have the right name for them, maybe Mel does. Do
you know the right terminology for antennas?
MR. OLSHIN: Panels.
MR. ROSEN: Thank you. It's called a panel antenna, not a yagi,
rarely up on cellular, but they are not yagies. And yes if there
was a cellular company on this tower, any imbecile would be able to
tell there was a cellular company because he's right. You've got
three this way, three this way, and three another way, to achieve
what he calls Omni-directional. Well I'll tell you I said any
imbecile could tell. I'm going to have one, two, three, maybe four
sticks, Omni directionals for my frequency. That's for me and this
Board is welcome to come in everyday of the week and check out my
radios. OK? I said before, this whole problem is over cellular and
Bell Atlantic. I told you they won't go on my tower. I'm not here
for them. He thinks this is in disguise. I'm telling you, this is
getting crazy with hearing this. You people have the decision to
make where they're going.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: So what you're saying is that you have
absolutely no objection to the issue of an annual inspection.
MR. ROSEN: Absolutely none. Absolutely none because whatever is
going in my tower will not be cellular. There may be a ham oper-
excuse me, Mr. Chairman. It's very possible down the line that the
fire department may want to go on there. Would you like me to turn
to the Mattituck Fire Department and say, "No, Andrew doesn't want
you on there?" Or maybe, maybe the Police Department may be,
although I don't know. Andrew can you explain to the Board why
out of the clear blue sky there's a cellular tower on the Police
Department now, if your so concerned about cellular? I look at the
Board, maybe he can come back up and address it. Now that tower
has got a lot of cell panels facing all directions and yes, believe
me I'm not here to give you a hard time. I know it's a
municipality. So be it. I don't care. You've already got from what
I've check into NEX Tel is out here already. Omni-Point is out here
already. All the cellular companies you have granted different
locations except NYNEX. I don't know what's going on. I don't
want to know what's going on with that. My application stands
alone. I've already told you NYNEX is not going on this tower
without your OK, and I'm not putting it up for them, I'm putting it
up for me. And Andrew is 110% wrong when he tells me that the
Tower of Oceanside won't talk to Mattituck, which brings me to
another good point. For 10 years I've lived in Jamesport now. I'd
like to know how Andrew knows I have such a small piece of
property? Andrew can you come up and tell me why?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
counter-productive here.
Wait. This is becoming
P,age 77 ~
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MR. ROSEN: OK, he's right. I do have a small piece of property
and apparently he's been checking into it. I have nothing to hide.
I'm lost for words to really understand why I am being pushed
around like the evil one. I am going along to better a piece of
property between these two houses to where it would be a difference
in night and day; and yet I feel like I'm the bad one instead of
being commended for the monies that I'm going to put out. True,
it's for my business. And if the day ever comes that I give up my
business, I don't know what's going to happen to the tower.
Somebody once asked me that question. But you know something?
That tower is going to be mine. That property is going to be
mine. I'm paying taxes and if I decide to get out of the trucking
business, don't ask - I don't know what'll happen. Maybe I'll sell
it to somebody who has a trucking business. Maybe Andrew, he
said he's familiar with trucking. Or I may open another type of
business. It's my property and as long as it's legal and OK with
the Town of Southold, I may open up a welding shop. I'm very
good at welding. OK. I apologize, I know there's a sense of
arrogance tonight. I guess I'm getting upset. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mr. Rehm?
CHRIS REHM: Chris Rehm, Mattituck. I really, just a question to
the Board. It's neither for nor against, but when there's a public
hearing for the ZBA, isn't there suppose to be a posted sign saying
the date and every time there is a meeting?
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: No, we don't require that.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, it's only on the first one and then
it's Notices in the paper and we continue it from date to date. Only
if there's no continuity. If we were to close the hearing without a
date, then we would be required to Notice it in the paper again. In
this particular case, we have had continuity in the dates so
everything has been pretty much (hesitated).
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI:
date, with a new date.
Yes, it's was recessed it with a
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We recess it with a date.
MR. REHM: Right, because quite often I have a hard time finding it
in the paper when the next ZBA hearing is. I was just curious
about it because the Planning Board brought it up to Town, a
Councilman brought it up about bigger posters and all that stuff and
I just thought maybe there's suppose to be a posted hearing every
time. But that's only when it's not continuous.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: Only the first hearing.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
MR. REHM: OK.
Only the first hearing.
Pa. ge 78
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: You know, it's really encumbered upon
the citizen to continue that continuity either through calling the
office if you don't see it in the paper, and, you know (interrupted).
MEMBER DINIZIO: Well it's posted on that Bulletin Board out there.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Well, it's posted on the Bulletin Board.
MR. REHM: Right it's posted on this one. And one other question
- did the Building Department ever come with a decision whether
they could cut the building in half and go on with the building
construction of this office?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, no. It has not been done.
MEMBER TORTORA: That's part of the problem. We don't have a
Notice of Disapproval or a proper application before us for the
office so that's one of the problems that we've had on this.
MR. REHM: OK. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I think you walked in late Chris, but I
mentioned that. That was one of the first things I mentioned to
Mr. Cuddy.
MR. REHM: Yes. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you.
please state your name for the record?
Yes, ma'am?
Could you
MS. ROBBINS: My name is Joan Robbins. I live in New Suffolk,
not Mattituck, but I've lived here for over forty years and I know
that part of Sound Avenue, Mattituck. It is usually my route to the
A&P and over the last oh, quite a few years, the neighborhood has
changed, with the decline and the agricultural use of the properties
a lot of the home properties have been upgraded by the owners,
homes and buildings. And I just feel very strongly that the Town
has an obligation to be concerned about the property values of the
residents of that neighborhood as well as other neighborhoods, and
in spite of what Mr. Rosen says, somehow I do not see how an
85-foot tower between two homes on a small lot is going to do
anything but decrease the property values. I think that the Town
Government as a whole has ought to being more proactive than it has
been in determining how it wants this Town to look and how it
doesn't want it to look, and saying too that one happens and the
other doesn't. I don't think that most of us want to see a lot of
towers, 85 foot or otherwise, and I don't care what kind of a tower
it is or what kind of antenna. I just think that that's the business
that is proposed is not one that would enhance the neighborhood,
the hamlet or the town. It would be degrading to the neighborhood
and ought not to be allowed; and I hope that if there is an issue as
to why their proposal falls within a certain law that there will be a
Notice to the public at large so that it can be discussed further.
Pa. ge 79
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you. I guess we've arrived at
the point of a the first beginning statements to council, and that is
we will Notice this is a public hearing on the basis of what Ms.
Collins has stated.
BOARD SECRETARY KOWALSKI: I have a question.
re-noticed and I wanted Lora to look at that.
It was
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: OK, Let's let -
MEMBER COLLINS: You want my views, OK.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
Forhkolb?
OK, while we're discussing this, Mr.
MR. FORHKOLB: Jerry, may I for a minute?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Yes.
MR. FORHKOLB: I'll make it brief. I just want to make a point
that I'm here not to attack Mr. Rosen. OK? I do not know the
man. I do not know where he lives, OK? I don't care, OK. I am
the adjacent property owner. I have interests. My adjacent
property is why I'm here. That is why these two women are here,
OK. We're not here to attack him. OK. We're not here to put him
down, OK. We are concerned about this, OK. And this is not a
personal issue and just want to say that for the record.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you. Yes, Mr. Cuddy?
MR. CUDD¥: I just want to complete the record, I'm not going to
speak. But Mr. Olshin, Professor Olshin is humble. Besides having
degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physics, he teaches. He's a
Professor, a regular professor at New York Institute of Technology.
He teaches classes each semester. When the Bell Company wants
somebody to teach them about Telecommunications, it's Mr. Olshin,
Professor Olshin who does that. Those are good qualifications.
I haven't heard qualifications from anybody else.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I have to tell you again, Mr. Cuddy,
that my discussions with Professor Olshin have been and of course
in no way am I saying a person to critique anyone in this particular
area. But I have felt not really a terrible need to swear this
gentleman in because I know this is expertise after my discussions
with him. He ranks very simply with one of the engineers that Bell
Atlantic brought in to explain in my opinion and this is no-one
else's opinion, this is just my opinion. I have felt that my
discussions with him have been easy to understand. He's brought it
down to lay person's terms and I do appreciate that. In no way
has he tried to sway me in any way toward anything other than to
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
explain to me the specific questions that I've had, you know, that I
posed to him. And I do appreciate that as a Member of this Board.
MR. CUDDY:
qualifications.
I just wanted the record to be clear as to his
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you.
MEMBER TORTORA: I just was reviewing this. As a practical
matter, Mr. Cuddy, to get over this issue of the Notice-
MEMBER COLLINS: I have some views, too, Lydia.
MEMBER TORTORA: The proper thing to do at this point is to in
order to get the application before us, you can't apply directly to
us. You do need that Notice of Disapproval for your omitted
application. There's no question about that at which time then we
can advertise it for that application.
MEMBER COLLINS: Mr. Chairman could I suggest, oh, excuse me, I
know, that's why I was following on what Mrs. Tortora said.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Mr. Cuddy, go ahead.
MR. CUDDY: I'm just not sure if I'm following what you are asking
us to do. You're saying there should be a Notice of Disapproval,
but the Notice of Disapproval normally comes from the Buiiding
Department.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We're waiting for it.
MR. CUDDY: We can't, I mean I guess I could mandamus the
Building Department.
MEMBER TORTORA: We can't make them move.
recourse through a Writ of Mandamus.
You do have some
MR. CUDDY: I would point out to the Board that I don't think it's
powerless to do an interpretation. I believe that the Board always
has ( ) jurisdiction right to interpret the code and I think you can
do it Sua sponte, "on your own motion," and I think if you look at
the Code, the Code itself has a very specific provision for
Interpretations. It has one for variances, it has one for special
exceptions,it has one for interpretations.
MEMBER TORTORA: Mr. Cuddy, I agree with you but we can't do
it, to be very candid with you however. I think you know that if
we did it and it was not properly noticed, and there was a court
challenge to that decision, I think you know where the challenge
would come.
MR. CUDDY: No I want it Noticed. What I was saying is that I
think the Board can direct to give me a Notice, that's the only
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
difference because it may be next to impossible to move the Building
Department when they haven't moved in five months. I will try and
I think at this point I will go directly without a question but then
I would get back to you because then I may say to the Board that
you're really forcing Mr. Rosen to go to Court to ask us somebody
to give us a Notice of Disapproval.
MEMBER TORTORA: We're in a very bad position because we can't
in this instance, we cannot, you know, initiate a re-advertising of
a hearing without a Notice of Disapproval, beside the point you've
cut off half of the application which is the "Office."
MR. CUDDY: You don't have any objection to me going to the Town
Attsrney and also suggest it to him that we can save ourselves some
effort in it?
MEMBER TORTORA: If you can coordinate a legal method of getting
this to go forward through the Town Attorney's Office, I personally
endorse that.
CHAIRMAN: Lora.
MEMBER COLLINS: Mr. Chairman and Mr. Cuddy, I think that the
only difference between the original building permit application many
months ago, and the one that you submitted at our request, an
amended one recently. The only difference in substance is that the
second application mentions the office building --
MR. CUDDY: And radio tower.
MEMBER COLLINS: Well and uses the term 'radio tower' indicating
that you're asking them to judge which law, it was very suttle and I
don't think that they are likely to pick up on the fact that thai was
a request to judge which law applies. But the point is the office
building is like an added starter as it were from the original
application, and the original application was clearly denied on three
bases. Under Article XVI the lot is not big enough, Article XVI the
tower is too close to the nearest dwelling, and under Article XIV
which deals with that use district, the setback is wrong. Those
were the three grounds for denial and that is what we were holding
hearings on, correct?
MEMBER TORTORA: Correct.
MEMBER COLLINS: It seems to me that we can, it would be very
nice if the Building Department would act on the revised Building
Permit Application, but if they don't I think we can notice a hearing
that says much more clearly this hearing was advertised as follows:
"Applicant is requesting an Interpretation regarding a proposed
tower in the Light Industrial District and/or variances under Article
XIV which is the use article for that district, and then it just
cites sections. It's -
BOARD SECRETARY: General.
Page 82
Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER COLLINS: It doesn't give you any of the blood. I think,
this is my feeling, Lydia, that if the Building Department doesn't
budge on this that we can re-notice a hearing, on the denial that we
have in which we say that the Board has concluded that in order to
handle this application it must directly address the question of
whether it was proper to cite Article XIV in denying the original
application. And that we are going to address that question and I
think that tells the public what we are up to and I don't think we
need the Building Department to act. That's my sense.
MEMBER TORTORA: I'm not 100% sure, Lora. I think, you know,
I'll-
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
question tomorrow, Lora?
Will you ask the Town Attorney that
MEMBER COLLINS: Sure. I was going to talk to the Town Attorney
today but I didn't have a chance.
CHAIRMAN: Let's get to him, tomorrow or Monday and get that
issue resolved.
MEMBER COLLINS: We do know informally that he certainly agrees
we need to give notice.
MEMBER TORTORA: That still would not take care of the Office.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, no. Let's clear up the Office issue
at this particular point, and that is that I did discuss this again
with Mr. Forrester this morning. He says you are on-line and you
will get your Notice of Disapproval, but there are a variety of
people before you. And that is basically the issue. It has
absolutely nothing to do with anything other than the fact that there
are other people before you, and they are writing Notice of
Disapprovals based upon when they get the requests. And that's
it. And that is what he has informed me.
MEMBER TORTORA: It's funny, because we heard another applicant
earlier this evening who was really saying in essence I am hear
before you, just speed up the process because I couldn't get my
application reviewed by the Building Department in so many words.
So there must be some ( ) to that.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, I think - I mean, Mr. Forrester and
I have very good dialogue, and I think that that was an issue that I
dear with him this morning, and we are going to get it. OK. I
mean, you are going to get it. But I think they prioritized it in
reference to the date of the receipt, and I think we'll get it when
they get to the point of getting it. And there is no other reason.
I don't think it's necessary for you to go any farther on that
basis. Let's deal with this issue and see if we can Notice it so
that we can deal with that specific situation and then hopefully by
that time, you will have gotten it, and then we'll complete it.
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
BOARD SECRETARY: I was just wondering, are we going to have
two additional Notices then? A Notice for this, and then another
Notice when he gets another Notice of Disapproval?
MEMBER COLLINS: I wouldn't think so.
MEMBER TORTORA: That's why I said, you - even if you do it
your way, you're still out the Office.
MEMBER COLLINS: I agree, you are out the Office.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER:
Office.
So you re-notice the next one with the
MEMBER COLLINS:
this.
Some how the Office is not at the center of
MEMBER TORTORA:
principal.
Only if you are looking at accessory or
MEMBER DINIZIO: Yes, it's very relevant to it, but I - can I?
MEMBER COLLINS: Ok.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Something seems to be going on in this particular
application - I don't know, something underlying here that I don't
quite understand, but am I to understand here, I guess I should
ask you, Jerry because you are the Chairman, that the Inter-Office
Memo of August 3rd explaining a conversation which was in the ZBA
office and Gary Fish - it is no longer the position of the Building
Inspector that --
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No, no it should --
MEMBER DINIZIO: I don't know if this should be public~ that's why
I'm not reading it.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Every - I testified in Federal Court, I
will go down on the record that everything is public. I said
everything is public.
MEMBER DINIZIO: It is him saying that "he is not going to issue
one because we've taken a straw vote" is now something that is not
so?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: What happened was exactly what you
said, OK. I had no idea how they found out that we were
anticipating a vote on the issue, does this -- (interruptions by
several voices and inaudible). Pardon me. They found out before
the newspaper hit, that's it. Now let's get down to basics here.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Well~ then will you let me ask this again, Jerry,
to get this straight? I wanted to just follow through - now, you
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
have written a letter of August 5th requesting that they give us a
new Notice of Disapproval?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Of course, because it is exactly what we
asked Mr. Cuddy to do. That's continuity.
MEMBER DINIZIO: So in writing do we have from them now
concerning that? In other words, we don't get anything in writing
then? This is an Inter-Office Memo, Linda's usual efficient self.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Before the telephone line was even cold,
OK, my conversation with the Board's Secretary was: "Draft that
memo" and that memo went out so fast and went down that end of
the building, OK, that it took I would say probably 14 seconds for
the printer to act before that Memo went down that side of the
building, because I was not going to hear the possibility of a vote
stopping a Notice of Disapproval that an applicant in good faith
requests from the Building Department, all right? This was a
request. We asked him to amend his application. He did so. And
based upon some, will reduce it to a writing situation, OK. Let's
assume it was read in the paper or it was hearsay, sort of speak
OK? It happened, OK. But today we still have not taken a vote.
So that has absolutely nothing to do with the request for the Notice
of Disapproval. And it doesn't. OK. And so therefore, that's
what precipitated me to write that memo.
MEMBER DINIZIO: And so we haven't received any correspondence
back from them?
(Chairman Nodded Affirmatively.)
MEMBER DINIZIO: Now, if I read the Suffolk Times correctly, this
week, where four to six weeks away from night, or from whenever
he put his application in (interrupted).
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: No. If my memory is correct, on July
10th he requested it. We are now past August 10th. So I would
assume that if they are talking four to six weeks, he should get it
in fourteen days.
MEMBER DINIZIO: All right. I guess that was my --
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: I try to be as above board as I possibly
can, all right. And that precipitated me to ask Mr. Forrester today
if he had seen the Notice of Disapproval, and he has indicated to me
that you are in the rack prioritized and they are going to - you
know, it is going to happen based upon that particular situation.
That's all I can tell you.
MR. CUDDY: I will cheek.
BOARD SECRETARY: My question is, when you get the Notice of
Disapproval will you authorize me to advertise that for Mr. Cuddy if
he amends our application to include that?
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Hearing Transcripts
August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Sure.
BOARD SECRETARY: And also the additional Notice that Lora is
talking about that she wants to do so we can have both of --
MEMBER COLLINS: Excuse me, I am not talking about an additional
Notice. I think we are hearing Mr. Rosen's appeal.
MEMBER DINIZIO: It's not amended.
MEMBER COLLINS: Right now Mr. Rosen's appeal is the original
one, based on the original Disapproval, and I said I think we can
address this important question of which law applies based on the
original Disapproval. I don't think we need the revised. (Change
of Tape). If the Building Department had stopped beating around
the bush and has assured our Chairman that they are indeed
treating the amended application in order and that they will come up
with another Notice of Disapproval in due course, that's terrific.
That's just fine. When we get that Disapproval, then we notice a
hearing that reflects the wording of that Disapproval and that brings
out what it is that we are going to talk about. And since we have
decided this evening to make our next regularly scheduled hearing is
going to be later in September than originally planned, we have a
big window of opportunity here.
BOARD SECRETARY: And so if there is no Disapproval, then the
Notice is to read how?
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: We'll ask the Town Attorney that.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Well, and we can take care of that when we meet
the next time though, right?
MEMBER COLLINS: We'll have another meeting.
MEMBER DINIZIO: I mean we have to make a decision, in my
opinion. I agree with Mr. Cuddy that we can, I believe right now
we can make a decision on this, certainly in the interest of fairness
and certainly in the interest of openness advertise what we have
become, what I have become convinced of as to how this application
should go. And I've beeome convinced or should say, I have become
of the opinion, whieh I will not say now, because of the testimony
that I have heard concerning this application. In other words we
got the Notice of Disapproval, in my opinion it turned out completely
different than that Notice of Disapproval, and I guess that's why we
are saying now. We have heard the application. What we heard is
not the same as this Notice of Disapproval. Now we are asking for
one more that matehes the information that we have received. Am I
eorrect?
MEMBER COLLINS: Yes.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Now, do we after we now advertise this, do we
have to hear that information against?
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August 13, 1998 - Board of Appeals
MEMBER TORTORA: No.
MR. CUDDY: I would ask you to permit us to incorporate all the
entire record.
CHAIRMAN: Of course. Yes.
MEMBER TORTORA: In fact I beg you that you don't do it again.
MEMBER DINIZIO: Yes.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: So at this particular point, we have no
other option but to recess without a date. We will then speak to the
Town Attorney. We will incorporate what Ms. Collins has just
referred to as a situation which we probably can deal with on our
own based upon the first Notice of Disapproval. In the interim you
will get yours, and we will incorporate it all into one if that
hearing doesn't exist at one time, we will have two separate hearings
and incorporate them together. OK? All right. So I make a motion
to recess without a date.
MEMBER COLLINS: Second.
Motion carried. See Minutes for. formal Resolution.
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: And we will get back to you to let you
know exactly when we are going to hear that based upon the original
Notice of Disapproval.
MEMBER TORTORA:
Attorney tomorrow.
Well, Lora is going to talk to the Town
MEMBER COLLINS:
from the hip.
Sure.
I was somewhat reasonable but shooting
CHAIRMAN GOEHRINGER: Thank you.
coming in, and safe home to everybody.
Thank you, gentlemen, for