HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA-11/07/2024 Hearing TOWN OF SOUTHOLD ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK: STATE OF NEW YORK
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TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
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Southold Town Hall &Zoom Webinar Video Conferencing
Southold, New York
November 7, 2024
10:25 A.M.
Board Members Present:
LESLIE KANES WEISMAN —Chairperson/Member
PATRICIA ACAMPORA—Member
ERIC DANTES—Member(Zoom)
ROBERT LEHNERT—Member
NICHOLAS PLANAMENTO—Vice Chair/Member
KIM FUENTES—Board Assistant
JULIE MCGIVNEY—Assistant Town Attorney
ELIZABETH SAKARELLOS—Senior Office Assistant
DONNA WESTERMANN —Office Assistant
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
INDEX OF HEARINGS
Hearing Page
North Road Hotel, LLC/Hotel Moraine#7927SE 4
North Road Hotel, LLC/Hotel Moraine#7953 4
Bungalow 12, LLC/Elizabeth McCance#7938 4-7
George Sfoglia#7956 8- 10
Stephen Haratunian and Arda Haratunian #7956 10- 12
Domeluca LLC#7957 13 - 21
Alyse Ticker#7959 21—27
Decision for Oregon Road Estates Vineyard, LLC/Russell Hearn 27- 29
Lynn A. Cataldo Revocable Trust#7958 30- 39
Roman Catholic Church of Sacred Heart#7960SE 39 -43
Noblehouse Seaport, LLC#7961 44-49
Silver Sands Holdings I, LLC#7893SE 51- 61
Silver Sands Holdings I, LLC#7894 51- 61
Silver Sands Holdings I, LLC#7914SE 51 - 61
Silver Sands Holdings I, LLC#7897 51 - 61
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Good morning everyone and welcome to the Regular Meeting of
the Zoning Board of Appeals for November 7, 2024. Will you please rise and join me for the
Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. The first matter is SEQRA Resolutions declaring applications
that are setback/dimensional/lot waiver/accessory apartment/bed and breakfast requests as
Type II Actions and not subject to environmental review pursuant to State Environmental
Quality Review (SEAR) 6 NYCRR Part 617.5 c including the following: Greg Sfoglia, Stephen
Haratunian and Arda Haratunian, Domeluca LLC, Alysse Ticker, Lynn A. Cataldo Revocable
Trust and Noblehouse Seaport, LLC and the SEQRA Statement on the Roman Catholic Church
of Sacred Heart #7960SE to construct a parish center upon property located on Main Rd. in
Mattituck. SEQRA Action and classification and significance to be determined and declared by
the Planning Board as Lead Agency, so moved.
MEMBER LEHNERT :
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye. The first possible decision is for Pristine Projects, LLC #
7943. It was adjourned till today in order to receive comments from the applicant's attorney
and we have received those comments so I'm going to make a motion to close the hearing
reserve decision to a later date. Is there a second?
MEMBER LEHNERT : Second
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye. We have a decision in front of us, do we want to do that now
or do we want to just move on to the hearings and do that a little bit later just cause we're
running a little behind. We could probably do it right after lunch, I just don't want to hold up
anybody anymore. Is that alright with everybody?
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
HEARING#7927SE &7953—NORTH ROAD HOTEL, LLC/HOTEL MORAINE
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The first application there are two of them from the same
applicant, North Road Hotel/Hotel Moraine, we have received a request from the applicant to
adjourn to December the December meeting because there was apparently a death in the
family and they can't attend the hearing. So, I'm going to make a motion to adjourn both of
those applications that's#7927SE and 7953 to December 5th. Is there a second?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA :Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN :Aye, th,e motion carries.
HEARING#7938—BUNGALOW 12, LLC/ELIZABETH MCCANCE
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The next application before the Board is Bungalow 12,
LLC/Elizabeth McCance #7938. This was adjourned from September 5 and do I need to read
the Notice of Disapproval it's the same Notice. I don't think I need to read it again cause it was
an adjournment. Sam let's hear from Sam.
SAM FITZGERALD : Good morning, good to see you all again. In the interim since the last time,
we met we have made significant reductions in the overall size and the massing of the house. I
think we had a gross floor area of the last time of 5,100 so now we're down to about 4,200 so
the actual number the actual reduction in gross floor area, square footage is 939. We've
achieved that by first reducing the ceiling heights of some of the interior spaces below the
fifteen-foot mark but more significantly what we've done is we've reduced the size of the
footprint itself and we've just reduced the perimeter all the way around. So, what this does for
us it not just helps with the gross floor area but it reduces our lot coverage a little bit, it makes
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
our setbacks a little less non-conforming and what it also does too is it actually helps us a lot
with the sky plane. So, with the reduction of the building footprint along with some massaging
of the massing we were able to eliminate the sky plane variance. I think that this is an irregular
shaped lot and it's small for its zone, it's non-conforming so anyone who is building a house on
this lot would need setback variances I believe. With being ten percent over on our gross floor
area now I think that we're very close to the minimum of what anyone would need to build a
house on this property. We also had a sort of a look out perch on a sort of elevated second
floor area in the house which in the interim the Building Department has confirmed or was
classified that as a third story. Unfortunately, we have to add that as a variance to our
application. If I could just take two more minutes of your time and share my screen, I'd like to
show I'd like to explain what we're doing with that elevated sort of section if I could. So, what
we're doing here I just wanted to just go through this quickly, so this is'an aerial view of the
house and we have a deck that's sort of sunken into the roof that's not really sort of
perceivable or not visible from the ground it's just sort of a nice sort of secret architectural
feature at the roof. This section of the building here that's the top of a stair tower or
circulation core that extends all the way down to the first floor and it's the organizing element
around which the house is designed but inside this circulation core there's it's all open
essentially but it's a there's an open stair that goes up from the first floor, wraps around all the
way up to the roof deck access door. What we've also done is along with providing access to
the deck is that we have a band of clear story windows which is going to provide great passive
cooling for the house too; open the windows up and you'll get the hot air will flow up and out
those windows so that's a passive cooling solution for the house. Just real quick, so inside this
stair tower I haven't shown the stairs yet but this is just the shell of that stair tower the
envelope and you can see those clear story windows with the roof deck door so these are the
stairs up from the first floor to the second floor. Then we have the second-floor hallway and
then from there we have stairs up to the deck and what the Building Department allows as you
know is, you can have a deck that's elevated above a second floor it's just that the access stairs
have to be the minimum per code, they don't want that to expand. What I'm showing you
right here, all would be permitted under zoning and the building code. What we're asking for is
to build a platform at that roof deck level, it's just slightly above what a half flight of stairs
would be. It's 126 sq. ft. and it just fills in this corner here and it sort of fits within the sort of
the you know other space in the tower. We aren't necessarily you know building anything
special for this platform, it fits within the space of the tower, there will bean open rail over the
stairs, it's not going to be a bedroom. The entire house is going to be sprinklered we're just
trying to take full advantage of the geometry of the house and this would be a great, great
little hang out place and we say it's sort of like a sort of a lookout where we can possibly get a
water view. This right here is the rendering of what it would look like, again it's the stairs here
would be permitted by the Building Department for access to the roof deck, it's just this tiny
November 7,2024 Regular Meeting
and again I think that any concerns that the town has about three stories I think wouldn't
necessarily apply in this case. We got good egress, we got sprinklered, it's a small area, it's not
for sleeping and it's not enclosed. Then there's a couple of more of these with just the first
floor to the second and then just another view. With that I can probably stop the share if that's
alright or should I just keep these images up?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : No that's fine, I think we're good.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO Sam I have a question relative to that what I probably call a
mezzanine more than a third floor, I see on other applications in the town where people have
successfully built like a landing at the top of that stair? How large does the Building
Department or how much square footage are you permitted? You had mentioned just like the
stair area is allowed but I've seen other people with a little bit of a landing, how many square
feet approximately are you allowed?
SAM FITZGERALD : I don't know if that's exactly specified but from what Mike tells me it's the
so his fear is that there will be sort of like you know a landing would sort of creep into an
actual well what we're trying to do but you know so he was saying that it's the code required
minimum which I think would be like a 3 x 4 space. From Mike that's my sense of what he
would allow it's just a little tiny landing up there in order to navigate the door out to the deck.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay, any questions from the Board?
ANTHONY PORTILLO : This is Anthony Portillo, there is allowed mezzanine on the third floor,
it's a calculation based on what that opened stairwell is. I only know this cause I'm presenting
something very similar today and that's allowed. They don't require third story variance for. I
don't know the calculation off the top of my head but it looks like a third of the open space or
something like that.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : I can think of two different properties and Leslie they're sort of
neighbors on North Sea, 8100 had something similar and their third floor of course was at the
ground level not the roof access and then at the west end of Kenney's beach there's that sort
of newish contemporary home and it would seem that it got an area it's gotta be at least ten
feet square so it's not
MEMBER LEHNERT : This is not something we haven't seen before.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Right but here it's classified as a third floor whereas for them it
wasn't.
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
SAM FITZGERALD : I would be sorry if I could I would be very interested in learning more about
the mezzanine, I did mention that as an option to the Building Department and they were clear
that this was a third story. I mean I have some objections to or some issues with how stories
are defined but that's a separate issue altogether but I would I mean if we can have this fall
under a legal definition of mezzanine of course we'd like that.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : How many square feet, what size is it again Sam?
SAM FITZGERALD : 126 sq. ft.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Again, you probably wouldn't be here if you had just a stairwell with
a landing versus greater floor area.
SAM FITZGERALD : Correct
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well we've certainly have had plenty of lookout towers in our time.
I don't have any questions and once again Sam thank you for your very clear presentation, the
massing models are especially helpful and being able to kind of deconstruct and put it back
together is very helpful when you can't do interior inspections. Is there anybody on Zoom that
wants to address the application? Is there anybody in the audience? Is there anything else
from the Board?
MEMBER LEHNERT : I have nothing.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Motion to close the hearing reserve decision to a later date. Is there
a second?
MEMBER LEHNERT : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye, thank you Sam.
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
HEARING#7955—GREG SFOGLIA
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The next application before the Board is for Greg Sfoglia#7955.This
is a request for a variance from Article III Section 280-14 and the Building Inspector's June 3,
2024 Notice of Disapproval based on an application for a permit to legalize and construct
alterations to a habitable third story of an existing single-family dwelling at 1) more than the
code permitted number of stories of two and half located at 3480 Old Jule Lane (adj. to James
Creek) in Mattituck.
ANTHONY PORTILLO : Good morning Board, Anthony Portillo AMP Architecture. I just want to
start by saying that the previous owner of this home basically just submitted something that
was approved and then built what we see today without amending any documents. Then the
new owner purchased the home and was basically left with what is there today. What the
owner did was refinished the interior this third story was existing and he basically removed the
flooring and painted and did new flooring and put a new railing in. The new owner did not
create this situation it's just something that he purchased and then rehabbed the home and
then during inspections this is where the Building Department came in and said this was never
even filed correctly from the beginning. I presented the Board with what was filed by the
previous owner and approved by the Trustees in 2002 which I mean the massing of the
building is totally different, the elevations are totally different. I don't know how the building
got built this way but that is what happened. That's where this sort of started I guess just to be
clear. I did provide photos that were from Zillow when the owner purchased the home and
you can clearly see that that story was there and was finished and basically was being used, I
guess as like an office/sitting area. Our plan and we did have the Building Department out to
the site, they're biggest concern was that there was basically a separate room and a bathroom
so we are removing all those things in our proposed plan and basically just proposing just to
leave it as an open floor.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : You are proposing to remove the bedroom and bathroom?
ANTHONY PORTILLO : That's correct, it would just be an open floor.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN :That was not clear at all in the notice.
ANTHONY PORTILLO : Oh I thought I showed it in the
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well you don't show it in the plan but it wasn't very clear in text. It
appeared all you were altering was the stair.
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
ANTHONY PORTILLO : Oh okay, no the modified rec room it's going to be one big open space.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay
ANTHONY PORTILLO : It's open to below you know going back to the last application that's
where I got that definition of mezzanine. I don't have the exact calculation but I believe it's like
a third of the open space. We did do a study to try to have like a narrow sort of mezzanine to
access where those windows are to obviously keep the natural light, I mean it just didn't work
it was a very narrow unusable it didn't make a lot of sense. I know most of the Board Members
were there, one of the things I want to mention about this space it does pitch down so it's not
like it's a full height space and usable completely so I know the definition of square footage or
habitable or habitable square footage doesn't really you know work around that situation but
the fact is it's really going to be used as just a rec space, again built that way it really wasn't
something the owner did and he wants to comply. We are proposing to put sprinkler system
on the third story so the are will be sprinklered and obviously we're proposing to put that
staircase in so it's a proper staircase and not the ships ladder that's there now. That's basically
where we're at here.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : You'll be sprinkling the entire house or just the third floor?
ANTHONY PORTILLO : The third story.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : How are you going to use that, how's he going to use it?
ANTHONY PORTILLO : Just a rec space for the kids really. There,were some other Trustee just
to let the Board know what's going on, there were some Trustees issues. The owner has
worked through those Trustees issues so he will be in compliance with Trustees as well. Again,
some things that were just kind of left on his plate when he purchased the home. There was
like a lighthouse out front that he removed.
CHAIRPERSSON WEISMAN : Oh I remember that one, we were looking for it.
ANTHONY PORTILLO : I remember it too when I used to ride my bike down there. The kind of
ruins of a shed that the owner the previous owner never actually built the current plans for
that not really sure but I mean if the owner is going to build something he's going to file and
he'll do it property. The whole game plan here obviously is just to get things C.O'd and on
record.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay let's see if there's any questions, Rob?
MEMBER LEHNERT : I have no questions.
November 7,2024 Regular Meeting
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Nick
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Pat?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : No
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Anybody on Zoom? Is there anyone in the audience? Motion to
close the hearing reserve decision to a later date. Is there a second?
MEMBER LEHNERT : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye
ANTHONY PORTILLO : Thank you Board.
STEPHEN HARATUNIAN and ARDA HARATUNIAN#7956
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The next application before the Board is for Stephen Haratunian
and Arda Haratunian #7956. This is a request for variances from Article III Section 280-15,
Article XXII Section 280-116A (1) and the Building Inspector's May 22, 2024 Notice of
Disapproval based on an application for a permit to construct a trellis accessory to a single-
family dwelling at 1) located less than the code required 100 feet from the top of the bluff, 2)
less than the code required minimum side yard setback of 20 feet located at 1205 Soundview
Ave. Extension (adj. to Long Island Sound) in Southold.
URAL TALGAT : Ural Talgat I'm here to answer any questions that the Board may have.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Let's look at what you're actually requesting. We did an inspection
as you know, the trellis structure is near the pool.
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
URAL TALGAT : Yes
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The bluff setback is at 84.5 inches where the code requires a
minimum of 100 and the side yard setback is 12 foot 10 inches where the code requires 20.
What would you like us to know.about this application?
URAL TALGAT :The owner would like to construct this trellis in the location shown so that they
can have a little bit of shade while having a view from the trellis structure and also from the
pool out to the Sound. One of the items was that the neighboring house is closer to a property
line than I believe what we have shown for our setback to the trellis. There is another house to
the west of that that has the same issue, closer to the property line than what we have shown.
One of the other items that was interesting to me, I was hired by the owners to work on a new
pool here which was replaced which was a vinyl liner pool and also a pool house. We built that
according to code but when I first inspected the property, I noticed this trellis structure there
and I looked at the survey that was provided to me and it showed no trellis structure. I let the
owner and the contractor know that that's an illegal structure, I didn't find any kind of
paperwork in town regarding that and I said to them that that has to be removed and we have
to go if you want a trellis structure we have to go to the ZBA and it was removed.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay good to know. Well, from being on the property it looks like
all of the property lines are totally screened by mature vegetation the side yards in particular.
You really can't see any dwellings adjacent to the subject lot along the side yards. I don't see
how that trellis particularly with that height is going to be seen by anybody other than the
owner of the property. The bluff looks like it's well vegetated, the actual house sits closer to
the bluff than what the proposed trellis is going to be and that was a prior ZBA approval in
2016 to demolish and replace a dwelling.
URAL TALGAT : Yes
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I didn't find any access stairs down to the Sound itself, it seems to
be simply a vegetated bluff.
URAL TALGAT : Over the years that section of bluff and I know this because I would launch my
boat and go fishing off of Hortons Point, during the number of years stairs were built on
properties along that edge, storms would come and wipe them out. I think some of the owners
have decided which is very
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Leave it alone and let nature take it's course.
URAL TALGAT : Exactly
Ja
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : You get tired of replacing the stairs.
URAL TALGAT : Exactly
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Let's see if the Board has any questions, that is probably the only
feasible location by the way. I mean you have the pool house on the other side so if you
wanted shade around the pool there's no other feasible location really. Nick, any questions
from you?
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Rob?
MEMBER LEHNERT : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Pat?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Eric got anything?
MEMBER DANTES : No
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I'm going to make a motion to close the hearing oh is there
anybody in the audience, sorry? Okay, motion to close the hearing reserve decision to a later
date. Is there a second?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
HEARING#7957—DOMELUCA, LLC
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The next application before the Board is for Domeluca, LLC #7957.
This is a request for a variance from Article III Section 280-15 and the Building Inspector's May
17, 2024 Notice of Disapproval based on an application for a permit to amend a currently open
permit for a new dwelling to include an attached shade trellis at 1) less than the code required
minimum side yard setback, of 20 feet located at 14895 Main Rd. (adj. to Dam Pond) in East
Marion.
ANTHONY PASCA : Good morning,Anthony Pasca for the applicant.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Nice to see you, haven't seen you in a while.
ANTHONY PASCA : Yes, so this is also a trellis application, we're asking for a setback from
what's in effect an internal lot line that divides two properties that our client controls and uses
as one property but it is technically a single a separate lot so we have to ask for this variance. I
hope some of you have gotten to see the property.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : We've all made a site inspection.
ANTHONY PASCA : It's really a unique property, unique in a way this particular structure is
designed to be an essentially accessory structure to the main house. The central use of this
structure is for display of this art piece which is what is driving the application. The art piece is
in effect an old house, I can't even really explain it I'm not an expert on this.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I'm glad cause I was trying to figure that out myself, there was a
very old house on that property at some point.
ANTHONY PASCA : The piece of art in question is this 1940's Jean Prouve is the artist/architect
who did it and now what's left of this has become a piece of art and these have been displayed
in museums so the owner has one of these, has designed this structure to be essentially a
display for this piece of art. What makes it something I've never seem before is the way that
they've designed it is it's movable into three different locations, one being completely inside
because it is affected by the elements. It's an old house but it's open and it cannot be subject
to the elements but in order to allow it to be also displayed outside there's going to be three
locations. One is inside the house, two is on your picture on the far right which is it basically
comes out on rails being designed at grade and on wheels this piece of art can roll out onto the
end which is actually on the other parcel that our client owns. The middle location which is
under the trellis is why we're here and the purpose of that is to have a second location that's
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
shaded where it can be displayed under the shade if the perfect outdoor elements are really
present. That's the description of why we're asking for the variance for the trellis is to allow
that second display position for the artwork.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : So that's not really used as a pool house relative to the swimming
pool or?
ANTHONY PASCA : I mean it is, it's technically a single-family residence because it's on its own
lot but you've seen it you know it's not really a single-family residence in the sense of
something that one would sell separately apart from the main house which is there and there
is a pool associated with. We call it the garden house so it'll be centered around the artwork
and the pool and it'll be just an area where the owners can enjoy a second location and enjoy
the artwork.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I remember when we dealt with the swimming pool on that lot and
then
MEMBER PLANAMENTO :The pool is on the adjacent lot.
ANTHONY PASCA : There are two pools, there is one pool that's on this lot you can see right
there.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : That wasn't the subject of the pool application.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : No that one was.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Yes on the adjacent lot to the east.
ANTHONY PASCA : That's right, I wasn't the attorney at the time so I can't speak personally
about it but I did see an old decision relating to that.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : What's interesting is that it's clearly not a single-family dwelling and
there is a pool which is an accessory and now there's an accessory building as well as the
accessory pool and it's on a lot without a principle dwelling.
ANTHONY PASCA : It is a legal single-family residence and that's how so the lot
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It's not all new construction?
ANTHONY PASCA : It is.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : So then how is it a single-family residence?
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
ANTHONY PASCA : It's technically has the equipment for a single-family residence but like I
said it's going to be used as a guest house/patio house/garden house.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I was perplexed to see why we would have these accessories
without a principle use.
ANTHONY PASCA : That's how it was approved, it was as a quote, unquote principle use but
I'm not pretending that you wouldn't sell this property apart from the main property but the
reason that lot line was kept where it was, was to allow this parcel to continue to have the
right to have a principle use and a pool and
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : That's why they're not merged?
ANTHONY PASCA : That's why they're not merged, correct.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : That was my next question, cause then you have a second dwelling
on one lot.
ANTHONY PASCA : If you merge them you would eliminate the need for the variance because
that internal division line would no longer be there but you would no longer have the right to
have this guest house there at all.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : So there's full plumbing and all that kind of stuff in there?
ANTHONY PASCA : I don't know if they're finished but it will have full plumbing.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : When I looked at the floor plans again it illustrates a kitchen, a
bedroom, a bathroom.
ANTHONY PASCA :Just the minimum necessary to have a single-family residence there.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : There is an open building permit (inaudible) swimming pool
BOARD ASSISTANT : It's a single-family dwelling.
ANTHONY PASCA : As far impacts, we're the ones that are being impacted primarily. I mean it
is technically a variance because of the lot line that exists but you've been there, it's an
integrated property. If you're walking around the paths go right through the rails themselves,
go right across the property line.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Mr. Pasca it was going to be a question that I was going to ask
actually our Town Attorney maybe she can offer a comment, I don't think we're allowed to
really offer any sort of relief where improvements extend over onto an adjacent property.
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
ANTHONY PASCA : I'll explain, we went through that with the Building Department when we
filed for the turn down, we asked them do we need a variance for that too and what it was
decided was, because it's at grade it's treated no differently than or they treated it no
differently than if it were driveway that extended over.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Like a patio.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO But that makes no sense cause the railings are attached to the
house.
ANTHONY PASCA : The railings are attached to the ground.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : To the foundation of the house, I mean you can clearly see it runs
from the living room in what you call the garden house out over the patio and into the lawn of
the neighbor's property.
ANTHONY PASCA : I understand but it would be no different in theory than at least the way
they viewed it and we asked them and we said we'll apply for whatever variances you want us
to apply for and when we talked it through with them they agreed that it was different haven't
had anything quite like this but they treated it as a kin to let's say you have a concrete
driveway that extended from the house that house onto the other property and crossed over.
They wouldn't treat that as needing any kind of relief because it was
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : So they're not treating it as a structure.
MEMBER LEHNERT :They looked at it as a shared driveway._
ANTHONY PASCA : It's a driveway and driveways are one exception to crossing over property
lines you don't have to have (inaudible). I think technically a driveway is a structure but it's
allowed to cross over property lines. It's the only think it is really, you can't we couldn't put the
trellis crossing over the property line but because it was essentially deemed like a driveway.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well and it's temporary it isn't always there.
ANTHONY PASCA : Well the structure is (inaudible)that's right it's on wheels literally it is
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It can be pulled back.
ANTHONY PASCA : Correct and most of the time because of the elements of weather it will be
inside. I mean that's going to be a vast majority of the time that that piece of art is going to be
inside. In the summer months there will be sometimes where it can be displayed on those rails
across onto the other property.
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : So, in the future let's look at the future, if ever anybody sells either
lot you know if the current owner decides to sell one lot or the other lot it makes sense to
condition any approval that the Board might grant with the limitation that that platform may
not be moved onto the adjacent separate lot if they are no longer owned by the same owner.
ANTHONY PASCA : Fine with us, if you want to do that that's fine because for practical
purposes
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Nick has a point and I guess Building has never seen it so they were
trying to figure out how to handle it and you know they gave you pretty much an okay on it so
the question then is, if they're separate lots you certainly don't want your neighbors sticking a
work of art on somebody else's lot.
ANTHONY PASCA : It practically would never happen because
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It probably never would but
ANTHONY PASCA : But we have no problem with that for that exact reason that it's and the
trellis is also being designed where it can just be taken off. So, in theory the trellis could be if
you have an issue with that being close to the property line as well that can be removed
because it's being designed for this purpose to.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : So the shade is there as a result of shading the artwork.
ANTHONY PASCA : Correct, correct. The only other last thing I guess I'll mention is just when
we talk about art I've seen this over you know twenty, thirty years once in a while these things
pop up where (inaudible) given sort of a little bit of deference of flexibility I've seen it on the
Southold we dealt with this about twenty years ago in Paradise Point, I don't think anybody
here was still certainly on the Board at that time but there was a forty foot sculpture that was
put on the beach
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Oh I was on the Board
ANTHONY PASCA : You were on the Board okay, alright so you remember it then.
MEMBER LEHNERT : I know the story.
ANTHONY PASCA : What it was what ended up happening cause we were involved in that, it
was (inaudible) structure so for zoning purposes it was treated as a structure not exempt from
the law but when it came time back to the Board for a variance even though it was forty foot
tall structure on the beach because of it's status as a piece of art it was given a bit of deference
and allowed to stay. I think that's probably the right way that art should be treated because if
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it is affixed to the ground it is a structure but the traditional zoning ideas don't really
contemplate regulating art in the same way that they do other types of buildings. If you have
any questions I'm happy to
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Is there anything from you Nick?
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Yea a couple of sort of details, the survey illustrates the trellis with a
proposed setback of 6.1 feet but the Notice of Disapproval says 6.3.
ANTHONY PORTILLO : I think 6.3 is supposed to be the right
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : So I think for our purposes we should use the survey of 6.1 no?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Why not? I mean they're calling it out at 6.3 but if the survey says
6.1 rather than getting a corrected survey, we just say 6.1.
ANTHONY PASCA :That would be great, cause then if it turns out that that 6.3 was wrong
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Yeah then you don't have to deal with it I mean for that.
ANTHONY PASCA : You don't want me to come back for .2
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : No for lunch maybe but not this.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : My other question was just relative to all of the fencing, there's like
a four foot high chain link fence that has like some trellising above it to keep the deer out, is
that covered by Trustees permits? I mean there's double fencing and it runs literally at the
waters edge.
ANTHONY PASCA : I believe so, I wasn't involved in the Trustee permits but it did get Trustee
permits and that buffer has been, it's an improved buffer which is set forth I think also they
have D.E.C.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Can you get the Board copies of that permit illustrating that the
fencing is approved by Trustees?
ANTHONY PASCA : Sure
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Then sort of a personal question that I wanted to ask cause I've
never seen anything like this, the swimming pool has like this moat around it or what I think
people in some terms call it like a ha-ha but I noticed there are like these earthen bricks it
looks like layers of sod but it's actually like Astro turf, what is that?
ANTHONY PASCA : I wondered the same thing, I have no idea-.
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : It's is interesting but
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It is you could fall and kill yourself on that if you're not careful.
ANTHONY PASCA : I wondered the same thing when I saw it but I don't know the answer.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : I mean it looks organic but it's synthetic.
ANTHONY PASCA : It looks like kind of an Astro turf I think that was
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : I was trying to figure out what it is, it's very interesting.
ANTHONY PASCA : It does look I thought it was a moat as well, it kind of looks like that or
that's what it could be.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : And I mean that pool, it's very natural looking the way the sitting
platform is and then I guess the jacuzzi in the middle of it.
ANTHONY PASCA : But you notice the whole property feels like it's surrounded by a moat
because of the barrier beach and then you have the interior water and you have the causeway
it's I mean it's one of my favorite properties.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I think that all of that was probably part of what a landscape
architect would refer to as a conceptual design.
ANTHONY PASCA : Any other questions?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Pat anything from you?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Nothing from me.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Was there anybody on Zoom Liz? Is there anybody in the audience?
T. A. MCGIVNEY : I have a copy of the Trustee.
ANTHONY PASCA : Okay so I don't need to provide that to you?
T. A. MCGIVNEY : No but in it and just quickly looking at it, it does state that they have to
follow C & R's and then the deer fencing would be removed after one year after the bluff was
vegetated.
ANTHONY PASCA : I don't know how long it's been, I have no idea. I wasn't part of that
application so
T. A. MCGIVNEY : It's from '22
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CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Isn't that a matter for Code Enforcement?
T. A. MCGIVNEY : Yea
ANTHONY PASCA : I'm glad you guys asked about it for sure.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : If you want a copy of this we can give it to you, you don't have it.
ANTHONY PASCA : I'm sure we have it.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : But wouldn't we need to uphold the Trustees remarks as part of
any decision or relief granted?
ANTHONY PASCA : I would ask that it be left to cause it's possible that they didn't put it up the
day that they got that permit so I don't know when exactly they put it up and
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The bluff is well vegetated now so what you know based on
inspection.
ANTHONY PASCA : The Building Department is there all the time so cause it's an active
construction site.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I think it's better to just let this is a you know a Board that has it's
own jurisdiction and I wouldn't condition an approval based on something that was a prior
determination, Julie maybe you can let Code Enforcement know and then they can work it
out.
ANTHONY PASCA : We'll let our client know as well.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Just let them know that it came up at the hearing or whatever.
Okay, anything else Nick? Is there anything from you Rob or Pat?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : No
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay, motion to close the hearing reserve decision to a later date.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
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CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye
HEARING#7959—ALYSE TICKER
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I think you're recused from this one Nick. The next application
before the Board is for Alyse Ticker #7959. This is a request for variances from Article XXIII
Section 280-124, Article XXXVI Section 280-207 and the Building Inspector's July 10, 2024
Notice of Disapproval based on an application for a permit to demolish per town code
definition and reconstruct a single-family dwelling at 1) less than the code required minimum
front yard setback of 35 feet, 2) less than the code required minimum combined side yard
setback of 25 feet, 3) more than the code permitted maximum lot coverage of 20%, 4) gross
floor area exceeding permitted maximum square footage for a lot containing up to 20,000 sq.
ft. in area located at 1685 Westview Dr. (adj. to Mattituck Creek) in Mattituck.
MARTIN FINNEGAN : Good morning, Martin Finnegan 13250 Main Rd. Mattituck for the
applicant and I'm joined here today by Elyse Ticker who is the property owner. We are not
here for a trellis I'm sorry to say no trellises here and this house is proposed but we do need
those four variances that Leslie referenced to complete the proposed construction there
which essentially consists of adding a second floor to this home with a small one car garage
addition which will enable the Tickers to be able to pull the car in and have interior access to
the home and then a reconstruction of the front porch. Because of the fact that the property
is relatively constrained in size it has limited lot width at 75 feet it triggers the need for some
of this variance relief. It's also a deemed demo by town code definition just because of the
reconfiguration of the interior of the home moving two of the four bedrooms upstairs the
Building Department deemed it a demo. The pre-existing non-conforming combined side yard
setback is at that 20.4 feet, everything will remain within that in terms of proposed
construction. The garage addition is it's only a portion that's about fourteen, fifteen feet in
width that will sit into the front yard setback at 24.5 feet but the vast majority of the frontage
of the house is pretty much conforming with the front yard setback and lot coverage currently
is at about 21%and change. With this small garage addition, it kicks up to 23.87% and the GFA
with the addition of the small garage and the second floor which is only about 780 sq. ft. we
need a variance to exceed GFA by 379 sq. ft. A little bit about the property, it's 11,695 sq. ft.
lot in the R40 zoning district, you guys are familiar with Bryers Woods they are many shapes
and sizes. The waterfront lots tend to be a little bit deeper, the landward lots are a little bit
more cookie cutter but there's really no you know standard size. Some lots have larger homes
on smaller lots, some lots have smaller homes; over the years these properties as you've seen
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
them before for prior variance relief where you know just putting on that second floor is
going to trigger the need for relief here and in this instance the GFA relief which is for a
modest second floor addition. I just want to kind of walk through some of the issues criteria
here. As I mentioned we're looking for relief for the existing combined side yard setback and
that front yard setback of 24.5 really (inaudible) lot coverage is going to go up to 23.87 but
the houses on either side okay we have the house on one side is at 24.6% and the other one
on the other side is 25.5% lot coverage and across the street there's a house with 24.6 so
what is proposed here is yes an uptick in existing lot coverage however it is entirely consistent
with the homes that are surrounding immediately surrounding it. As for the GFA I do want to
get into that a little bit and just kind of touch on these recent guidelines but with respect to
the criteria, this Board has recently considered applications in Bryers Woods I just wanted to
remind you of your finding in one of those applications where you acknowledged that the
Bryers Woods subdivision is a community of waterfront and upland homes developed in the
early sixties, the vast majority of which have been renovated and upgraded to meet the needs
of twenty first century living. Two story homes and residences with front porches are
commonly found in the immediate neighborhood as well as throughout the town and that
was decision 7716 in 2022. That's what we're here for, it's essentially the same exact type of
renovation where they're putting on a modest second floor addition and a front porch that's
going to creep into the front yard setback. Because of the varying and mostly substandard lot
width and areas around this house we need the relief we're requesting here. We looked at
the guidelines and as you know on the site plan Mark did make an effort to kind of point out
the houses in the immediate vicinity there. GFA analysis for twenty homes is a pretty big task
but I just want to mention that it seems in a neighborhood like this that the guidelines might
not be so helpful just because we're not looking at a subdivision like a Farmview where you
have every lot is exactly the same. So, there's such a variation in lots sizes I mean from if you
look at there's eleven houses just on this side of the road, they range in width from 54 feet to
175 feet and they range in depth from 158 feet to 232 feet so some of them may oh the GFA
is complying here but you have maybe a single-story ranch on a lot and you know there's
other ones that are six thousand square feet but it's a larger lot. Just looking at the tax map I
was trying to kind of compare and contrast the lot sizes and it seems to me that in this
instance we really have to rely on the general variance criteria to say hey, is what is proposed
here consistent with the character of the surrounding community and I would suggest to you
that it absolutely is just with the properties we pointed out. The property next door only has
like 1,800 sq. ft. of GFA it's a one-story ranch but it has 25 feet of lot coverage so it's kind of
all over the place. Across the street it's similarly you have a property that exceeds GFA by 500
sq. ft. with 25% lot coverage. So, it's variable and ultimately our position here is that what is
proposed is really consistent with the GFA in the vast majority of the Bryers Woods
community. As to the need for variance, obviously the advent of the GFA regulations and the
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
deeming demolition by the Building Department triggers the need for the relief but I would
point out as I have in my memo there's three other homes just in the immediate vicinity of
Westview that were granted setback variance relief because the constraints of these lot sizes,
these non-conforming lot sizes that exist in this neighborhood. We would submit that the
magnitude of the relief sought is not substantial, the front yard just for that one portion is
thirty percent but as I said the vast majority of it is conforming. The combined side yard is
eighteen percent but again we're just living with the pre-existing non-conforming setback
there, ten percent relief for lot coverage from the existing and sixteen percent for GFA. I know
the GFA regulations are relatively new and you guys haven't had that much of a chance to but
I sited some other decisions recently where there was twenty six percent relief granted and
forty six percent relief granted for GFA on similarly sized parcels, non-conforming substandard
lots and I would ask you to consider that. On balance we would submit that the relief sought
here is far less substantial. We do have letters in support from the three immediate neighbors
all of whom have seen the plans and have no problem with what is being presented here and
we would submit obviously that there's no evidence or indication of any adverse
environmental impacts on the neighborhood. It is just a pretty simple as you can see from the
plans renovations so I'm happy to address any questions that the Board may have.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Let's start with Pat.
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Are you changing the septic system at all?
MARTIN FINNEGAN : We are not, Pat and I'll tell you why. When the Tickers bought this
property just a few years back the prior owner had done some wonky things. They applied an
upgraded the sanitary system which was originally approved for a two-bedroom home to
accommodate the existing four bedrooms that are in the house. They just they moved the
sanitary system from waterfront to the front yard, it's three years old it's just in about the
best position that it could be in so we're asking that you know the Building Department has
not asked for further relief there so there is no plan and hopefully they would not have to
incur the expense of a brand-new septic system three years later.
MEMBER LEHNERT : Can we just have a copy of that for the file?
MARTIN FINNEGAN : Yes, it is noted on the plans the number but I will yes of course we can
provide that.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Are you going to need Trustees approval for this?
MARTIN FINNEGAN : Yes we gotta get through here first and then next stop.
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CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The Town Board agreed that the Trustees actually on waterfront
properties should go first, we really ought of just change the way we've been doing this
because the environmental impacts long ago when this was done just simply to make it easier
for property owners and both Boards with concurrent jurisdiction there's nothing in the code
about any of that as you know, it's just a matter of internal working out and now it makes
given the environmental impacts it won't affect this application because it is what it is but
we're going to get well I'm only mentioning it because something is going to happen in future
particularly with attorneys and other agents we need to let them start to know that Town
Board has suggested that because of environmental impacts now are so much more dramatic
than what they used to be and the variances often are so many more than they used to be
that it makes sense to see what the Trustees want to do. We've had plenty of situations
where we've approved something and then they've said no you've gotta make it you know
farther away from a wetland and suddenly we need a front yard variance which we never
needed.
MARTIN FINNEGAN : We're about to send you a letter on one of those. I think that there's
two schools of thought on it, I mean I guess it depends on the property and sometimes it
makes sense that you know you guys weigh on it first and say whether you know if you have
one that's in the coastal erosion hazard area you know you gotta go to the Town Board, I
don't know if the Town Board is going to want to consider varying that when they don't have
a variance from the Zoning Board it's hard to say which application it makes sense, kind of a
case by case.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It is, I just want to ask about this GFA though, are you submitting
GFA averaging or not?
MARTIN FINNEGAN : I'm not, I'm just making the argument. I have the ones that are on the
site plan and it's a I think if you've been out there you've seen that there are clearly some
homes that are either side that are smaller, they're single-story ranch homes but on balance I
think that the relief sought here is not significant and I think it's consistent with the character
of the neighborhood so we rely on that.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I just wanted to check. The Board as you said is like everybody else
trying to get used to this new code and so it's not a requirement it's an option that people can
exercise.
MARTIN FINNEGAN : I think it can be, as I said in the more cookie cutter subdivisions it's
obviously very helpful to do that, it's just when you have these varying lots. Also, when you
have properties that are with the waterfront on one side and there's always a disparity in
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those lots in the waterfront communities with the upland lots. I mean here across the street
you have pretty much consistent although there is a little variation. It's hard to use that here.
T. A. MCGIVNEY :That's true but unfortunately the code (inaudible) it says what it says and
MARTIN FINNEGAN : I know, I know (inaudible)trying to figure it out.
T. A. MCGIVNEY : They have to go by what the code says and you're right there's a hundred
scenarios that would make it
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All true. The code also says we are prohibited literally from
granting GFA requests in excess of the average, we're just trying to come to grips with all of
that basically.
MARTIN FINNEGAN : It's just it's very difficult for people to do that analysis you know. I mean
to come in with a herculean task you know and so I think you also have the authority of the
town code to vary you know based on the town law criteria and the character and all the
criteria.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay we'll deal with it. Is there anybody in the audience?
MARTIN FINNEGAN : Where's Nick?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : He's recused. If you want to say anything you have to come to the
mic.
ALYSE TICKER : Alyse Ticker, hi and thank you for your time today. We bought an existing four-
bedroom, two bath house. We're trying to accomplish I think three things, one is it would be
really nice to have a garage. I'm doing nothing but getting older, my husband is doing nothing
but getting older and I don't look forward to the thought of having to shovel out a car so
we're trying to get a garage. The two other things are from the previous owner that we're
trying to correct, there was work done in the house by the owner before us that I think you
referred to as wonky that's probably the kindest way to put it. We're trying to remedy a few
of those things. One of them being a staircase that was moved to another location within the
house down to the basement and it's not to code, it's vey narrow and it doesn't even get all
the way downstairs it's got an inappropriate and too small landing so we need to widen that
and make that not a death trap. Another thing he did was, he moved the washer/dryer which
I think was in what had originally been a garage in the house but he made into the master
bedroom which is in a gorgeous spot but it was a garage and he moved the washer/dryer
from the garage into a closet that opens onto the dinning room. So, some of my friends said,
well isn't it great to have your laundry right there it's so convenient but it's not great having
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
your laundry opening up into your dinning room. So, we need a place to move the laundry
room and when we sat down with Mark and looked at these three things, we're trying to do
we said alright to widen the stairs to make them safe and to code we need to take up this
much extra space; to move the laundry room let's put it where there's already some plumbing
all of that is now taking over a crazy bathroom and encroaching well into if not taking up
almost all of the small fourth bedroom in the house. With trying to do those three things we
lose a bedroom and a bathroom. So, we're not trying to build a big house, we just want to
keep a four bedroom and at least a two-bath house. Mark said, let's see how we do with
looking for a little bit of a variance for just a one car width garage and then because we're
losing one bedroom to the garage, another bedroom to the stairs and the laundry room we'll
go up and we'll build out just enough space upstairs to replace the two bedrooms we're losing
on the main floor and give them a bathroom up there. I'm so happy we got introduced to
Mark because I think with a very tight space as Martin was referring to, we don't have a lot of
places to go and I think with having no place to go how he utilized the space upstairs and
keeping most of the floor plan on the first floor the same I think he did a great job. We just
became grandparents two weeks ago and we're very excited about having a place for our
family to come.That's what we're here for.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay, thank you very much for your testimony and
congratulations. Rob any questions from you?
MEMBER LEHNERT : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Pat
MEMBER ACAMPORA : I have one more, on the garage I noticed it's very tall what are you
planning to do if anything on the top of the garage?
MARTIN FINNEGAN : I think it's for storage.
ALYSE TICKER : Part of it was just to kind of balance out the look of the house a little bit to
make the second story not look like it's just kinda like plopped onto the house and my
husband is also crazy with storage.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Eric do you have any questions?
MEMBER DANTES : No not at this time.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay, thank you. Is there anybody on Zoom? Well, nobody else is
in the audience, motion to close the hearing reserve decision to a later date. Is there a
second?
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November 7,2024 Regular Meeting
LEHNERT : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT:Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye. Why don't we while we're still in session do the decision for
Oregon Road Estates Vineyard, LLC/Russell Hearn #7941?
MEMBER LEHNERT : Yea
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : We can get Nick back in here now.This is for as we know there was
a tasting room established with Zoning Board approval but with conditions of approval on
Oregon Rd. It was sold from the original person but that individual had expanded in violation
of the condition of approval the existing tasting room.Typically tasting rooms are accessory to
wineries as a part of value-added agriculture and to market to the public and of course there
is no winery there so the Board approved it nevertheless but said don't expand it because it
was an attempt to keep it small and low key and not have you know an overly intense use on
the property by the public. In any case, expansion did occur and additional expansion is now
proposed. The Board has determined to grant the existing "as built" changes to the tasting
room as shown on the demolition plan and this was April 29, 2024 and to deny the variances
as applied for for additional expansion shown on their plans but there is a bunch of conditions
here. Shall we just review the conditions one last time.
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Yep
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The first one, there's no further expansion of the current number
of legally permitted occupants in the "as built" tasting room per approval of the Fire Marshal
is permitted. B, no further expansion of any other alterations to the tasting rooms, storage or
other changes without further review of the Zoning Board of Appeals, so we're not barring
them we're just saying you gotta come back.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Should we say application instead of review cause they might seek a
de minimus?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well, because then that will be a review. I mean if it's de minimum
it's'de minimus, if it's not we'll let them know that they need a new application. B, the
applicant must deny guests access to inside seating once the occupancy is full.
MEMBER ACAMPORA : We have two "B's".
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November 7,2024 Regular Meeting
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Oh we do, now we're down to "J". C, the applicant okay we did
that. D, outdoor seasonal seating is permitted only on the "as built" patio in the front yard
and access must be denied to guests wishing to sit outdoors and when that seating capacity is
full. E, no outdoor seating of any kind is permitted in any area on the subject property other
than the "as built" patio in the front yard. F, no enlargement or enclosure of the "as built"
seasonal covered patio in the front yard is permitted. G, the applicant must obtain site plan
approval from the Planning Board per condition five of the Planning Board's decision dated
10/18/2011. H, no buses or limos are permitted on the property. I, all parking must be on site
in the designated parking lot, no parking is permitted on any other area of the subject
property and no parking is permitted on Oregon Rd. J, no outdoor music must end by 9 PM,
no amplified outdoor music is permitted on the property.That's it, any suggested changes?
MEMBER LEHNERT : Looks good.
MEMBER DANTES : What about them moving of the front door and moving of the bathrooms,
is that denied (inaudible) or is that, that's what I kind of where I don't truly understand. They
were going to add a door
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It was denied because that is the current application. As Pat Moore
explained, there were changes made prior to this application, we are blessing those we are
not requiring them to rip out anything but because of the original give to the applicant in this
unusual location we don't want them to do anymore for the public, no more in what's legally
permitted now. I guess those alterations would have to do with expanding the tasting room.
The current application for additional expansion, they were doing the bathrooms again, they
were doing a few odds and ends making that inside room bigger, I mean it's what they have is
really very nice we've all seen it and we don't want to be punitive per say but so that's what's
that all about. Are we ready to vote?
MEMBER LEHNERT : Yea
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay, all in favor in denying as applied for and granting what's
there already? The motion is to deny the variance as applied for, grant the existing "as built"
changes that had not that were in violation of the condition of approval prior approval subject
to the various conditions that we've just reviewed together, that's the motion. Is there a
second on that motion?
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Seconded by Nick, all in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye, any opposition?
MEMBER DANTES : I abstain cause I haven't read it.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Oh yea I'm sorry you can't vote, I forgot. Okay so the motion
carries and the decision is what it is. Alright I think that we'll make a motion to adjourn for
lunch.
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Motion to reconvene, is there a second?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye
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HEARING#7958—LYNN A. CATALDO REVOCABLE TRUST#7958
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Good afternoon everyone, the next application before the Board is
for Lynn A. Cataldo Revocable Trust #7958. This is a request for a variance from Article XXIII
Section 280-123 and requesting a Reversal of the Building Inspector's July 22, 2024 Notice of
Disapproval based on an application for a permit to legalize "as built" additions and
alterations to an existing accessory building at 1) a non-conforming building containing a non-
conforming use shall not be enlarged, reconstructed, structurally altered or moved unless
such building is changed to a conforming use located at 9490 Main Rd. East Marion.
PAT MOORE : Good afternoon, Patricia Moore on behalf of the applicant. Ms. Cataldo is here,
she also has some friends and the neighbor that are here to support her application. When
we submitted they originally looked at this application the existing cottage has a Pre C.O. It's
had a Pre C.O. since I would say the seventies when it was first issued and the law and I sent
you the case law, the Appellate division has specifically as to Southold Town case has
considered that a pre-existing residential dwelling like this is permitted to have modifications,
it's not considered to be a non-permitted use.
T. A. MCGIVNEY : I'm going to object to that because first of all this isn't a court of law and
you're citing case law and expecting the Zoning Board to be able to respond to it is not
appropriate and that case was dealing with an accessory it's not the same fact pattern so I
don't see how you can say that this is what the town has decided, this is what the Court of
Appeals has decided. The fact patterns are somewhat different so and we disagree and I think
that for in the future you know requesting variances or reversals based on siting case law it's
going to be bounced back because it's just not appropriate for them to be coming in that way
it's just a request via a court case.
PAT MOORE : I respectfully disagree, that's precisely what an application to this Board would
cite precedent as well as the case law applicable
T. A. MCGIVNEY : (inaudible) cite exactly what the Notice of Disapproval the section to the
code you could have quoted but you're just quoting case law and
PAT MOORE : No I cited the section of the code which is all throughout which is you know the
specific section which is 280-122. The Building Department keeps citing 280-123 and I'm
saying
T. A. MCGIVNEY : You're requesting a reversal based on Dawson case and
PAT MOORE : Based on the interpretation that this is a pre-existing structure, residential
structure, it is not a non-conforming use. It is a permitted use and
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T. A. MCGIVNEY : Right and what you're arguing based on what you interpret the case law to
be so that is not something that the Zoning Board has to agree with.
PAT MOORE : They can chose not to agree (inaudible) court would make that determination.
The bottom line here is, we do have a pre-existing cottage. The use of the building was with a
living room, dining room, the full amenities that a cottage would have. At some point I want
to say in the early nineties the spouse who was in construction made minor alterations,
interior alterations to the existing cottage. The existing living room was relocated to what had
been a storage area in order to give them more separate living space for the tenant and the
kitchen remained the same and gave a room what used to be the dining room and kitchen
combined gave the tenant a living space that provided for a dining room. So, the interior
alterations of the existing cottage were not changed just altered internally to give the same
space reallocation for a more comfortable space. The Pre-C.O. labeled what we're calling
potentially a second bedroom, that had been a dressing room; a dressing room at the time
that this was built you used to have rooms that got access through another bedroom, could
be a nursery, could be a dressing room. Again, it was used by the tenant of the structure,
modification merely gave a separate door to the hallway and aloud the bathroom'to have a
jack and jill doors into both rooms. If the second bedroom is a problem certainly something
that the client would discuss but it gives flexibility. The cottage is of a certain size, right now
there is a one single woman who has occupied if for years now and another a very small
second bedroom would allow a potential tenant that has a young child or a (inaudible) of a
little extra space for more flexibility. There is such a lack of housing in Southold that an
accessory that cottage provides really needed space for any tenant that would go occupy the
property. We considered or I considered going through an accessory apartment law because
again, we would qualify under either but the provisions for an accessory apartment when you
have a Pre-C.O. are imposing additional conditions which often time are difficult. What
happens is, the accessory apartment law it still has that condition that the owner has to live in
the main house and that's how an occupant either a family member or a tenant is obtained
for the accessory cottage. That does not exist with a Pre-C.O., it allows someone to buy the
house, they may want to rent the house as separately or live in it, there's flexibility. The
cottage stands alone so it doesn't get tagged with the occupancy of the same entity as the
main house. So, you're downgrading,you're reducing the value of your Pre-C.O. by changing it
to an accessory apartment. What typically happens, I'm reviewing these today where you
have a real estate deal, a person buys a property has an accessory cottage and they really
don't know what they can do because if they can't live there year-round or can't make it their
primary, I don't want to say principal residence that's changed, primary residence it
potentially interferes with the continued rental of the accessory apartment. So, until that law
is cleaned up a little bit so that you don't end up having kind of like you have with a B&B
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where it's somewhat personal to the owner and to the property the Pre-C.O. has a great deal
of value in and of itself and that's what we have here the Pre-C.O. The interior alterations are
so minor, the wife who made the alterations was in the business, she was a carpenter and
there were no structural changes whatsoever so it really made for a very small modification.
These modifications came about only because she was Ms. Cataldo was in the process of
getting a rental permit for the current tenant and that's when the application for the rental
permit didn't quite match with the Building Department records. Her efforts here have been
to get whatever modifications that the Building Department made direct on with respect to
the property. The little bedroom would have to have a new egress window, that's something
because of current code the egress window would be required versus what was required in
the nineties when it was done. Aside from that everything else here would remain the same,
there's really no need to do anything else to the existing cottage other than that. I'm happy to
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Let me ask you this question, the Legal Notice and the variance
standards you address in here and yet you also indicate and I think correctly so that a variance
is not required,this is really an overturning of a Notice of Disapproval.
PAT MOORE : Yes, your format is very structured with respect to an area variance form so I
tend to try to give you the same form that you use as your standard form but with the
overriding of that Notice it's all incorporated into the reasons for the appeal. I also point out
the overturning it doesn't impact any of the surrounding community, again this is all internal
modifications were so minor. I think the Building Department should have issued the building
permit to make these to put in an egress window and make the living room a separate space.
It should have been something that the Building Department should have issued outright. I
would respectfully disagree that the case doesn't fall on all fours but in I think it does. In the
Dawson case they didn't have a Pre-C.O. They were arguing over a Pre-C.O., in our case we
actually have a Pre-C.O. so we have one step closer to the fact that it is a residential dwelling
conforming to the residential zone.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : You know this is a very similar to a precedent we have at Breezy
Shores where it's a residential use which is conforming in a residential zone but because there
are two dwellings on one property it is considered non-conforming because only one dwelling
is permitted.This is clearly a legally established building.
PAT MOORE : Yes it is a legally established use and building.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Yes and use, the question is, the habitable area was enlarged. It's
not just the minor alterations to the interior, that's storage or garage area or whatever it was
used for became habitable space and thereby the degree on habitability was enlarged and the
degree of non-conformity (inaudible).
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PAT MOORE : (inaudible) criteria which is this you know that's why typically you incorporate
the variance criteria in there. I'm not sure that changing the habitable the square footage of
the habitable space would be an increase of the degree of non-conformity because square
footage wise of course you have you know something that was fifty square feet and it
becomes a hundred square feet but you still had a living room. So, a living room that is moved
and made as part of the interior structure you know that'll be your decision to make whether
or not that's considered to be an increase in the degree of non-conformity that would be
prohibited under the other section of the code.
T. A. MCGIVNEY : Either or whether it's non-conforming use or conforming use you still have
the same issue is that the garage which was made for storage was turned into a living room
did you say?Then the living room was turned into a dining room which wasn't there either.
PAT MOORE : No, no, no, no, what is now dining room was the combination living
room/dining room
T. A. MCGIVNEY : Okay cause there's no pictures so nobody was able to
PAT MOORE : I am basing it on the written description of the 1978 that's what we're
guesstimating as being. The actual square footage we know what the exterior dimensions of
the building are and all of it contained within the existing
T. A. MCGIVNEY : It would have helped if there were some sort of photographs that could
show exactly what the interior looks like because of the storage and the use of the garage
being converted. Then the inside wall where the dwelling was (inaudible) these were changes
that were made so
PAT MOORE : I'm sorry which wall are you talking about?
T. A. MCGIVNEY : Where you opened a new doorway to get into the second room.
PAT MOORE : What used to be the dressing room has a door into the hallway
T. A. MCGIVNEY :That wasn't there.
PAT MOORE : Originally the doorway was interior right you had to go through the bathroom
to go in. `
T. A. MCGIVNEY : Right that was just newly created. There are some things that it's hard to
figure out because there's no photographs for the Board to look at and you know changing
something from a storage area to living space does constitute an degree increase in non-
conformity.
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PAT MOORE : That's why I said, if the Board had you know an objection to the second room
being a bedroom and just keep it as storage that's a minor modification to the plan. We want
to give people a comfortable living space and dining area so that I think has more importance
in the just the functionality in the living space for a tenant. If it,remained as storage, she
doesn't have to spend money on an egress window so
T. A. MCGIVNEY : I'm not talking about the garage remaining storage, I'm trying to get out
everything for the record that needs to be considered that's all. It doesn't have to be debated
it's just agree to disagree.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The footprint was not enlarged correct?
PAT MOORE : Correct,just interior.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I think it's also commendable frankly that this whole thing came
into focus as a consequence of the applicant attempting to follow the law.
PAT MOORE : Yes
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : That's a refreshing change. The sanitary is being upgraded is that
correct?
PAT MOORE : Yea the contract has already been signed for public water which is now
available right there in East Marion so that's being connected. The sanitary system had been
replaced at some point. We know that because the original brick system is not there
anymore. I have my client has made contact with a contractor for the cost of an upgrade of
the sanitary. If the Board wants her to do it, she will do it. Really the Building Department
depending on the alterations, interior alterations might ask for a certification of the existing
system so we kind of left that. I said, good that you're contacting the contractor regarding the
sanitary system, let's wait one, obviously till we get the approval and two, talk to the Building
Department and see do they want us to upgrade a sanitary system or
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Is it connected to the principle dwelling or is it separate?
PAT MOORE : One system connects to both.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay well that would be up to the Health Department and the
Building Department.
PAT MOORE : Yea it's the Building Department where they're going to send us to the
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : They'd have to determine what the existing sanitary flow and all of
that.
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PAT MOORE : We didn't go that far.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Alright but I think you just mention it in your application.
PAT MOORE : Yea because at the time we were we started working on the sanitary
replacement but I said, whoa, whoa slow down a little bit I didn't want her paying the
contractor to replace a system not knowing ultimately where we were going.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Let's see if the Board has any questions, Rob?
MEMBER LEHNERT : I have no questions right now.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Nick
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : I'm good.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Pat
MEMBER ACAMPORA : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Nobody is on Zoom.
MEMBER DANTES : I have a question. I'm looking at the Notice of Disapproval, you talked
about 280-123 and you think it should be 280-122. Is that the section of the code that says
that a non-conforming building with conforming use can be changed as long as the (inaudible)
isn't changed, is that what you're arguing Pat?
PAT MOORE : Correct, yes it's 122 says a non-conforming building which I think a second
dwelling might be considered a non-conforming building containing a conforming use and
residential with a conforming use, provided that such action does not create any new non-
conformance or increase the degree of non-conformance with regard to regulations
pertaining to such building. Then that becomes a degree you know an interpretation of
whether or not the extra bedroom would be considered an increase, whether the reallocation
of a living room where you have a living room but you're making a larger living room and
dining area whether that would be considered an increase. I would point out also that 122 (b)
allows for reconstruction even of a damaged building so it wouldn't in my analysis I wouldn't
think that the reallocation of space of an existing structure as long as you're not changing the
dimensions of the structure would be considered an increase in the degree of non-conformity
since if you look at (b) if the whole building burns down you're still allowed to restore.it
whether fire, flood, explosion blah, blah, blah. It does not prevent you from restoring the
building as long as you do not exceed the dimensions of the building that was destroyed and
that's
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CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It's in place and in kind.
PAT MOORE : Yea in kind and place. So, ultimately 122 which is the provision I think should be
applied, a and b are consistently written, where the 123 is the you know you really you have a
use equivalent almost like a use variance.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well because this is a pre-existing cottage and not an accessory
apartment the standards are very different, more flexible actually.
PAT MOORE : Precisely that's why I thought it was more important to keep it as a pre-existing
than to go jumping into an accessory apartment criteria that imposes all kinds of an umbrella
ownership use restrictions for something that would for example if you were trying to convert
a garage into a living space clearly that would have been an accessory apartment.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : A different story.
PAT MOORE : Correct
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well the other thing 'is I'm not even sure they qualify as an
accessory structure since the Pre-C.O. was for an existing cottage which is not an accessory
structure.
PAT MOORE : Exactly yea, the Pre-C.O. has its own legal blessing which is very valuable harder
and harder to come by and you don't want to eliminate that.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : There are a number of properties throughout the town that are
older properties like that.
PAT MOORE : East Marion in particular.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Peconic
PAT MOORE : Peconic, definitely Peconic.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay, Eric did you have something else?
MEMBER DANTES : For the Zoning Board of Appeals vs. Dawson, do you have the original
zoning
T. A. MCGIVNEY :The original Zoning decision?
PAT MOORE : That's what he was going to ask, I don't have it.
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T. A. MCGIVNEY : I found it along with the actual Supreme Court case, I have that Eric I can get
that to you.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Eric Julie found the case law.
MEMBER DANTES : No, I'm looking for the (inaudible) decision we made (inaudible) vs what
the case.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : You're breaking up. You're not looking for Dawson you're looking
for something else.
MEMBER DANTES : I'm looking for the actual Zoning Board decision.
T. A. MCGIVNEY : I have that.
MEMBER DANTES :Just so we know what we're talking about.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Alright, Kim will scan it and send it out to all of us. I want to see if
there's anyone in the audience who wants to address the application?
NANCY MESSER : My name is Nancy Messer and I'm a neighbor and it's a great apartment. I'm
also on the Affordable Housing Advisory Commission and we're thrilled to have any place that
is so well upkept and that is giving people a place to live, we need it so badly. So, we're in full
support my husband and I.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN :Thank you very much for your testimony. Is there anybody else?
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : I have a question if I may Leslie.
RICH HARDT : Hi, my name is Rich Hardt, I'm a next door neighbor. I just want to say I'm here
in full support of Ms. Cataldo, everything is upkept really nice.There's really nothing that I can
say that would be negative. She's a great neighbor and I guess that's about it.Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN :Thank you so much.
LORRAINE HARDT : Hi good afternoon everyone, my name is Lorraine Hardt and we live right
next door to Lynn. Richie's family has owned the house since 1906 when it was built and I've
been coming out since '84. 1 know that little cottage has been there forever, the footprint on
it has never changed and when the work was done, we actually went into see and you know
what I noticed was Lois who did the work did all the paint colors everything really was kept up
beautifully. Like I said, nothing outside changed it was just a little extra doorway here and
there and a little bit more living space to live in. I'm in full support of everything that
everyone has said.
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CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN :Thank you very much. Is there anybody else?
PAT MOORE : Nick had a question.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Sort of unrelated but related, does the subject applicant does the
applicant own the corner lot the vacant land? It's on the survey shown as owned by the Lois
M.
PAT MOORE : Oh,the adjacent, yes.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Ida (inaudible) Revocable Trust.
PAT MOORE : Yes
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Is that your property? The reason why I ask is cause there's the
shed, it's like over the lot line and it's like a Rubbermaid shed or something I don't remember
the material.
LYNN CATALDO : I'm Lynn Cataldo. The lot was in it was in an Irrevocable Trust in Lois's name
but that was recently changed, it is in my name now. I am aware that the shed is a bit over
onto the lot and arrangements have been made to move it. I just have to Lois's car is a truck
that's there is being taken by someone so as soon as that truck is out of the way the shed will
be moved.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : To a compliant location?
LYNN CATALDO : To a compliant location, yes.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Okay,thank you.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Is there anything else from anybody? Pat any closing comments?
PAT MOORE : No this is what I think a reasonable application, I just hope that my
interpretation of the law is correct. I think it is, I leave it to the Board but even if not, then the
application should be approved as a (inaudible) for a variance of interior space.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Thank you Pat. Hearing no further questions or comments I'll make
a motion to close the hearing reserve decision to a later date, is there a second?
MEMBER LEHNERT: Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye, we should have a decision at our next meeting which is in two
weeks. We meet in the Annex Board Room over in the other building and you're free to listen
in. This is for all applications, we deliberate on draft decisions as soon we have sixty-two days
but we generally try to do it by the next meeting which is two weeks later unless there is
something extremely complicated and you're welcome to either attend in person, it's open to
the public, it's available on Zoom if you want listen. We take no testimony if the hearing is
closed that's it but we will be discussing our decision before the public and then voting on it.
HEARING#7960SE—ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF SACRED HEART
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The next application before the Board is for Roman Catholic
Church of Sacred Heart #7960SE. This is a request for a Special Exception pursuant to Article
III Section 208-13B (2) and the Building Inspector's July 10, 2024 Notice of Disapproval based
on an application for a permit to construct a parish center upon property located at 14300
NYS Rt. 25 in Mattituck, New York.
PAT MOORE : This time I have assistance from the architect which is more important than I
am at this hearing. We are here on a Special Exception application which as you know when
you're dealing with religious institutions, they are presumed beneficial to the community and
consequently proposed religious uses should be permitted absent of convincing evidence that
they pose a direct and immediate threat to public health, safety and welfare. It's always nice
to start with a quote. The parish center is part of the overall campus of the church which you
all know very well. The existing parking area is already in place. There can be some
modification to the parking to allow for the parish center but everything there this is quite a
large piece of property and there's ample room for the use and the parking. For the most
part, there is overlapping uses if it's bible school or whatever; when the kids when the
parents are in the church there may be a movement of the kids by, I don't know how you guys
operate sorry I'm in a different church and so the religious education will occur in the parish
center. To a certain extent you all know that Cutchogue facility has been sold to the school,
ultimately the school will be taking over the entire campus of the office building so all of the
church activities will be relocated to this property. There is coordination and a little bit of
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urgency with respect of having the parish building built because the school certainly will want
to move into the administrative offices what is currently the offices of the parish. At this point
you do have my Special Exception application all in writing, I don't feel it's necessary to read
from it so I rather just address whatever questions you have and have the architect if you'd
like a walk through the parish center, he's here to do that.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Let me just enter into the record a few odds and ends here. Site
plan approval by the Planning Board is required in addition to the Special Exception from the
ZBA. The lot is a split zoned lot which complicates it a bit but not really that much. It's
developed with a church, a single-family dwelling that has a C.O. #431015 from 2022. Is
Planning doing SEQRA on this, are they the Lead Agent? I think so.
PAT MOORE : We have we can't have a public hearing yet until the Special Exception but I
think it's planned for I'll say maybe January hopefully.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I think we're supposed to be getting comments from the Planning
Board but we haven't received them yet.
PAT MOORE : I know that they discussed it or they had it for discussion Monday but I don't
know
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : We just haven't gotten the comments yet, we will get them shortly
I'm sure.
PAT MOORE : When you do get them if you could
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Of course we will make sure you get a copy. Just so the applicants
are aware, the Board of Appeals, Members of the Board always do site inspections prior to
the hearing so you see us sculking about, we trespass with impunity so that we can see what
the character of the neighborhood is because we have to address it, we can look at any
potential environmental impacts all of those things. That has been done and it's very clear
that there is a kind of wooded buffer between where you're proposing the new building,
where the house is. Certainly, ingress and egress is easy from its already off the side street
which is fine and that dwelling is setback quite a ways from the actual wooded buffer and
heavily treed. I guess we're sort of waiting for comments from Planning that doesn't
necessarily have to hold this up but I'm sure we'll get it soon. Pat, do you have any questions?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : No, no questions.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : I have no questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Eric any questions from you?
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MEMBER DANTES : No not at this time.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : This is quite straightforward and we just have to follow the Special
Exception standards which you've described in your application.
PAT MOORE : I just want to point out, if you hadn't noticed the site plan there's been a very
sincere effort to limit the amount of clearing to try to limit to the one acre threshold for the
SWPPP managements I think we've met it. One, it really simplifies the drainage but two, it
preserves a lot of the wooded vegetation, natural vegetation which is a nice buffer from the
residential homes that surround.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It's a good transition also to the
PAT MOORE : Yea from the Main Rd.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : (inaudible)to the residential neighborhood.
PAT MOORE : To the west is the library and commercial development and to the east
residences.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay, is there anybody in the audience who wants to address the
application?
PAT MOORE : Do you have any questions for the architect?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : We'll get to that. Actually, they were very clear plans and it's very
contextual it's going to look very nice. It has a little bit of relationship to the architecture to
the actual church building itself with masonry and stone work. Please state your name for the
record.
KATHERINE HARPER : My name is Katherine Harper 2600 New Suffolk Ave. and I'd like to
address the Board as a Historic Preservationist as well as a neighbor to the site. It is
documented in photographs and in text done in 1885. The community gathered on that land
on many Saturdays to watch the Mattituck Baseball Club swing their bats and run the bases.
So, traditionally since the mid eighteen hundreds it has been a place for the community to
gather. In nineteen hundred the Mattituck Baseball Club won the championship and you
better believe that the community even more greatly gathered. In 1916 1 think the Mattituck
Club just grew too big and they found another place to play but the land was purchased by
the Catholic Church and in 1931 the church building was built and it was another place for
people in the community to gather. I think this parish hall offers a continuation of the
tradition that was started in the 1880's for people to gather and I think that's a real plus in
terms of the appeals success. I also think that the building is very it's the architect did a very
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sensitive job in making it very compatible with the stone facade of the church, I really
appreciate that. As a neighbor we've lived there in our house for thirty-five years and I only
wish that more neighbors would be as respectful and as responsible to the community as the
parish has been. Even when the rectory was built, I hardly knew that it was being constructed
and so I add my support to this appeal.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Thank you for your testimony and for your history. It's always fun
learning more about your town. Is there anybody else? Would you like to show us the plans
now, actually there may be people here that haven't seen them? Is there anybody here that
hasn't seen those plans that is interested? I think the next application is what a lot of people
are here for. Let's have a look.
JOSEPH NEITZEL : My name is Joe Neitzel with JMN Architecture, I'm the principle of JMN and
the architect for the parish. We're proposing a partial basement on the property, it'll be an
unfinished basement for storage (inaudible) means of egress down via a staircase from a main
hallway and the rest of the building will slab on grade. Moving to the first floor, we have a
common central hallway with a vestibule which will service the new parish offices with two
private offices within the main office. We're providing Father Mike with his own office in the
back separate from the main office. We're proposing eight meeting rooms, a small warming
pantry it will be an electric stove there won't be any gas or anything or open cooking, chair
and table storage. What's unique about the plan is, on the left there as you're looking at it
those meeting rooms are going to.be constructed out of foldable mobile partitions so that in
the event that the parish has a gathering or what not that space is going to open up into one
large meeting room. It was kind of a unique requirement of the parish to help save on cost in
building square footage so we're utilizing it for two separate purposes at different time during
the day and when the building is being occupied. The building will have a brand-new IA septic
system in the parking lot. We are adding drainage to the parking lot as required by Planning. It
will be fire sprinkler and have a full fire alarm system. For the exterior we're proposing a mix
of stone to match the existing church as much as possible, an asphalt shingle roof with a
mansard around it so the center of the roof will be a flat roof but it will appear as a sloped
gable roof to hide all of the roof top mechanical equipment and the siding on the exterior will
be either a James Hardy type wood product or similar. We're still trying to figure out the,most
cost-effective material for the outside but it will be a wood-based product to match that
rendering. Beyond that I mean that's kind of a high-level overview of the building and what
we're proposing, if anybody has any questions, I'm more than happy to answer them.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : No it's just I'm grateful that we have so many libraries and
churches that are willing to open up their spaces for community gatherings of all kinds.
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
They're very critical to our small-town government and our civic associations make good use
of them so this looks like this is going to be a really nice upgrade.
JOSEPH NEITZEL : Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Is there anything from anybody else? Hearing no further questions
or comments I'll make a motion to close the hearing reserve decision to a later date. Wait a
minute, we gotta get comments and SEQRA, I just realized we have to get SEQRA from
Planning as Lead Agent and we have oh wait a minute you actually did that. You put it in the
Legal in the Resolutions as waiting for Planning. So, I'll just close it subject to receipt of
comments from the Planning Board and a SEQRA determination from the Planning Board.
PAT MOORE : Has Planning indicated they're going to issue a separate SEQRA because
sometimes they don't do it until the
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : They'll just send it to us, it maybe you know it won't be a Type II
but it may be Unlisted or Neg Dec.
PAT MOORE : They're not going to wait until the site plan approval?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I doubt it, particularly since we're attempting to make our
determination but we can't make a decision without a SEQRA determination. We'll be in
touch with Planning and ask them what their time frame looks like. I don't see any need for
further public hearing on any of this. Does that make sense to everybody? Okay, so the
motion is to close subject to receipt of SEQRA and comments from the Planning Board. Is
there a second?
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
HEARING#7961—NOBLEHOUSE SEAPORT, LLC
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The next application before the Board is for Noblehouse Seaport,
LLC#7961. This is a request for variances from Article III Section 280-14, Article XXXVI Section
280-207 and the Building Inspector's July 23, 2024 Notice of Disapproval based on.an
application for a permit to legalize an "as built" habitable third story and create additional
habitable third story space to an existing single-family dwelling at 1) "as built" habitable space
is more than the code permitted two stories, 2) proposed habitable space is more than the
code permitted two stories, that's funny it's twice and 3) the gross floor area exceeding
permitted maximum square footage for lot containing up to 80,000 sq. ft. in area located at
2345 Main Rd. in Greenport.
ANNE SURCHIN : Hi, I'm Anne Surchin, I'm the architect representing Jeffrey Lax who is here.
Basically, this house has been around for a long time, it's a landmark in Southold Town and it
was originally built by David Gelston Floyd who was a grandson of William Floyd a signer of
the Declaration of Independence. Supposedly it was built in 1827 according to a real estate
listing, another listing said it was completed in 1900. It's sometimes called the Grace Floyd
House because David Gelston Floyd built it for his daughter Grace. Supposedly, on the west
end of house that part of the house was moved there and it was from a mill. When the
structural engineer came, he felt along with the builder that with those heavy timbers it may
have been constructed out of timber framing from a schooner. Then on the town website it's
listed as having been constructed in the late seventeenth century so we're a little bit all over
the map on this house but it is very old. In terms of what we're doing, we're not changing
anything on the exterior of the house whatsoever. So, what you see when you drive by and
you walk up to it, it remains exactly the same. To legalize the third floor to make it habitable
we did put in egress windows that were identical to what was there; they were custom made
by Green Mountain Windows and they're casements that look like double hungs. In addition,
we simply want to legalize a bedroom and a sitting area that has probably been used as such
for a hundred years. When we first came in there, we ripped them out now to put in HVAC
but there were built in drawers,under the eaves in the knee walls, there were two closets in
that bedroom and the sitting room is really a passageway. I mean you can't turn that into
something else cause you have to walk through that to get to the existing bedroom. That's on
the one side of the house which is easterly, on the westerly side you had an unfinished attic
space which has a rather high ceiling, a tray ceiling and that's a room they want to convert
into an exercise room. Again, we're not changing anything, there is one bathroom upstairs in
the sitting room and the house currently has seven bedrooms. The legalization of the
bedroom on the attic floor would be the eighth bedroom. My client has put in a ten-bedroom
septic system on his property a brand new. We also were told in the Building Department that
we need a fire suppression system and that has been rigged up to the third floor, it's ready to
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
go. The (inaudible) is an exemption to historic houses where you have a third floor so that you
can (inaudible) for a third floor and then continue with a critical path out the house, you don't
have to sprinkle the entire house if it's landmarked. So, that's been set up and my client
wants to do that in any event because he had a house in Napa that was part of a flash fire
along with a hundred other houses that were burned down in recent years. He doesn't care
what anybody says that fire suppression system is going in. Additionally, he has a large family
and they come and visit him, he has cousins in Sag Harbor, he has cousins on the North Shore
and one of the reasons that he bought the house in Greenport, it was central to where all of
his relatives could come and get together as a family. Basically, the other issue is that by
converting and legalizing the third floor we're over the GFA by 499.5 sq. ft. We have 6,066
and the allowable is 5,566.5 sq. ft. All of the space is already there, it's already constructed we
just want to make it legal and safe and we hope that you can see the value in this for my
client.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Anne there is an option for gross floor area averaging in the
immediate area, are you anticipating submitting that or no? It's an option it isn't by any
,means a requirement.
ANNE SURCHIN : I mean if we did that would that be of any advantage?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Only if the average gross floor area within to the right and to the
left of that property of the subject property and across the street, I mean this is where it's
really hard because it's so different. One side of Main Rd. is very different than the side that
your client's property is on. You have Brecknock Hall which would help, but the idea is the
code was passed to say, if somebody is exceeding their lot size but all the other houses
around there have bigger gross floor areas than what you are proposing then we can grant it
boom that's it. If you are proposing more than what that average is the Board is prohibited
from granting it so I can't say whether it would advantage or disadvantage your application. I
mean because it's a landmarked building I think it probably is best to just leave it but I'm
obligated to ask if that's a choice you want to exercise. You can look into it.
ANNE SURCHIN : I can look into it and I don't know that's something
JEFFREY LAX : Hi, I'm the owner of the house, my name is Jeffrey Lax. I fell in love with the
house, it's a beautiful old historic home. I have a background in historic preservation, I think
it's a spectacular property, I think that Greenport and Southold are fantastic towns. I love the
architecture; I love the history of the community and we want to be responsible good citizens
in this town. It abuts the Brecknock Hall which is extremely large property and I think and
then to the east I believe is the golf course really, I don't know that there's a house in
between us.
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
ANNE SURCHIN : (inaudible) in front quite large.
JEFFREY LAX : I mean they're extremely large property it's set way back from the road. I think
on the other side of the street perhaps where the cemetery is maybe the houses are slightly
smaller but it's kind of all over the place. It really depends on how big of a radius you want to
you know draw from where the house is in terms of what you're suggesting. So, I honestly
don't know the answer, I don't know the size of Brecknock.
ANNE SURCHIN : That was going to be my next question, what radius is in effect that we
should go by?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well, because the code said within the immediate neighborhood
and no one knew how to define immediate neighborhood, what does that mean? We've had
some people come in with you know a large house that was basically in the subdivision that
the subject house wasn't even in cause it was behind it. So, we decided to provide guidelines
to clarify that which we can certainly give you and you can look at them but basically, we're
defining it as the subject property, five developed lots to the right of it, five developed to the
left of it, the property immediately across the street and then five going that way and then
five going that way. That's quite a few lots and it's clearly not going to work for every
neighborhood because some lots don't have developed properties, some of them have all
different sized lots which is very different than a subdivision where they're all the same sized
lots and
ANNE SURCHIN : We have the cemetery across the street.
JEFFREY LAX : We have the cemetery I mean you couldn't ask them I mean they're really small
lots so it's a little difficult.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It's developed with deceased, probably in this instance the Board
should simply look at the nature of your property as a landmark building and then perhaps
some of the more historic properties along that side of the road, maybe looking at character
of the neighborhood rather than GFA and trying to put in context that way.
ANNE SURCHIN : (inaudible) setback from the street very far.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Yeah it is.
JEFFREY LAX : And in the context of Anne has already suggested, I mean when we bought the
house we wanted to really respect the legacy of the house, we weren't looking to make any
alterations. When I bought the property there were people living up in that attic, I just want
to legalize it and make it legal for the town you know. I put a fire suppression system in and
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do all the things, and upgrade the water service and the egress windows and the septic
system to make it compliant. It was and I don't know how the town works because I bought it
before really completely thoroughly vetting all that so I'm not suggesting that I have a
precedent but I bought it under the assumption that well since it's illegal now it's not really
technically legal I want to make it legal and I want to make it right and that's why we're here
before you to try and,legalize something. I didn't realize a third floor technically in Southold is
not legal but and I don't know what the definition of a two and a half story house what that
means versus a three-story house. That was a little
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well we just changed it because of that, it is now a two story
house.
ANNE SURCHIN : It's just changed now?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It's been changed for a while but now the Building Department is
finally starting to put two-story in the Notice of Disapprovals.
JEFFREY LAX : When we bought the house my attorney said it's already a two and half story
house so I didn't really know is a half story that third floor? I have a vertically challenged
household in case you can't already tell so it was just barely eight feet up there but anyway,
the bottom line is we're trying to do the right thing with the home. We're sparing no expense
to make it a really spectacular property, bringing everything up to code and trying to make
compliant with the town. We're hoping that you guys will see to it that you know we're not
changing the exterior character of that it's all within the context of the existing third floor
that's there.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I think there's a distinct difference between an existing property
especially a historic property and somebody building something from scratch brand new on a
property and wanting to go beyond what the GFA permits. That's quite different than
something that's there already.
ANNE SURCHIN : (inaudible) as a pre-existing non-conforming for over a hundred years.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : We just did actually a historic property out in Orient that had a
third story. It was typical, that's how they were built.
JEFFREY LAX : If anyone has any questions for Anne or for myself I'd be happy to answer.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Let's see if the Board has any questions, Eric do you have any
questions on this one?
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November 7,2024 Regular Meeting
MEMBER DANTES : Yes, on the Pre-C.O. it refers to the attic as an unheated attic, does that
mean that there wasn't any heat up there that the finished area was already finished or
what?
ANNE SURCHIN : I believe so.There weren't any radiators up there.
JEFFREY LAX : I think half of it was heated, the east side was heated and the west side was not
cause the east side you know is sheet rocked and finished and all done and people were living
up there but the west side was not. I don't know if it had robust heat because all the you
know these old houses, everything goes to the attic so if it was hot downstairs, it was hot
upstairs and if it was cool downstairs it was still hot upstairs. So, I think you know it was an
old drafty house so I think there might have been some but I don't think it would have been
to the code that you would require today for heating and cooling.
MEMBER DANTES : Okay, no the finishes all looked like they were very, very old when I did
the site inspection up there. The other question I have and this is for Anne, there's a section
of the gross floor area code that says, the gross floor area is calculated based on the ceiling
height whether or not the structure is conditioned or unconditioned in the main dwelling. If
that's the case, would you say that there isn't any change to the gross floor area based on
what's existing and what you're proposing.
ANNE SURCHIN : No
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I think that was mostly to deal with double height volumes like
great big cathedral ceilings and so on.
ANNE SURCHIN : (inaudible) we might have gained an inch or two in height.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : That's not going to do anything.
MEMBER DANTES :Those are my only two questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Did you hear her answer?
MEMBER DANTES : Yes that there's she's not changing the existing GFA.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Right, Rob any questions?
MEMBER LEHNERT : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Nick
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : No questions.
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Pat
MEMBER ACAMPORA : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Is there anybody in the audience wanting to address the
application? Okay, I'm going to make a motion to close the hearing, reserve decision to a later
date. We should have a decision in two weeks for you.
JEFFREY LAX : Thank you very much for your time.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Is there a second on that motion?
MEMBER LEHNERT : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye. Nick you're recused from the next applications. Wait let's do
the Resolutions before you leave. Resolution for the next Regular Meeting with Public
Hearings to be held Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 9:00 AM so moved.
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye. Resolution to approve the Minutes from the Special Meeting
held October 17, 2024 so moved.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye. Resolution to Grant an extension to #7557 Levent Temiz
57305 CR 48 Greenport, New York SCTM No. 1000-44-2-3 a one-year extension to expire on
November 21, 2025 so moved.
MEMBER LEHNERT : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye. Resolution to approve a design change for a proposed artist
studio/watch tower reverse ZBA decision letter of October 21, 2021 Appeal No. 7827 CI,JSG
38015 Rt. 25 in Orient SCTM No. 1000-15-2-15.7. 1 vote no on that.
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : You need a second or
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Rob?
MEMBER LEHNERT : I vote no.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Pat
MEMBER ACAMPORA : No
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Eric, oh I'm sorry I forgot you can't vote. Okay so the motion is
denied. Resolution to amend decision to remove Condition No. 1 and allow electricity for
lighting in a gazebo and further approve a design change expanding the size of the gazebo in
7825 Janet van Adelsberg on Wells Rd. in Peconic. I'm going to poll the Board on this one. I
vote no, Pat?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : I vote no.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Nick
MEMBER PLANAMENTO : No
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Rob
MEMBER LEHNERT : No
November 7,2024 Regular Meeting
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The motion carries.That's it on the Resolutions and Nick is recused
from the next applications. So, we're going to say goodbye and thank you.
HEARINGS#7893SE,7894,7914SE&7897—SILVER SANDS HOLDINGS, I LLC
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : The next applications before the Board actually consists of one,
two, three, four applications which we have entered into the record on numerous occasions.
I'll just indicate that one is for a Special Exception for restaurant, another is a variance for a
setback, another is a Special Exception to convert a single-family dwelling to a commercial
kitchen and the final one is a code interpretation of a Certificate of Occupancy. We adjourned
because we had not received comments from the Planning Board and this requires site plan
approval. A lot of what's possible on that site is going to depend upon what's allowed in
terms of egress and ingress and parking and so on. Can you please I know you have those
comments, can you state your name for the record again please?
ALEX PERROS : Sure Alexander Perros
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Alex, can you address some of those comments, would you like to
address the comments the Planning Board made?
ALEX PERROS : Sure, I mean would you like me to do some introductory comments again for
the
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Whatever you'd like, the floor is yours.
ALEX PERROS : It's been a while and then I can address any of the Planning Board comments
which I received yesterday afternoon. As mentioned, my name is Alexander Perros and I
represent Silver Sands which is a cherished local motel resort establishment dating back to
1957 and it's been a cornerstone to the community since then. The property includes twelve
lots that are south of Rt. 25 and both sides of Silvermere Rd. This includes a fifteen-acre
riparian lot that's in Pipes Cove that we've preserved as an oyster farm. (inaudible) shell fish
company out of Orient they do their seed out of the Orient farm but all of their oysters up to
six million oysters are in the bay. Obviously, there are several historically significant structures
across the property, some of them are dating back to the nineteen thirties including one of
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
the couple of the structures that are in question on our application. In April 2022 after sixty-
five years of family ownership I was part of a group that acquired Silver Sands. We are also
owner operators, I'm there every day we run the business,we employ ninety percent of our
employees year-round that come from the town of Southold. It's something we're very proud
about. We chose to preserve and rejuvenate those historic buildings rather than pursue
denser and more upscale redevelopment such as condos, second homes but quite frankly
even an upscale luxury resort which is a lot of what other people wanted to do with it. We
also thought that importantly that would detract from exactly the sense of place that is the
Silver Sands that people have come to love and know. For the last couple of years, we've
collaborated extensively with pretty much every town department in successfully closing out
dozens of Building Department applications, Trustees applications etc. One of the key
challenges that we face and that's what kind of brings us to today is we inherited a ton of
incomplete and inaccurate property records. Many of the structures including the boathouse
that we're talking about today predates zoning codes and that's understandable since some
of them are over a hundred years old. I think this is a critical nuance that shouldn't be lost as
we consider these applications. Anything we're talking about nothing is being constructed,
there's no ground up construction, we're not building anything, everything we did was within
the existing four walls of all the existing structures. Ownership on some of the parcels has also
changed hands many times and so what we're hoping is you know that we can finally once
and for all kind of align I guess the historic and intended uses of the property with the
property records and I think these applications in front of us are really kind of the last piece of
that puzzle. I think as I mentioned a crucial aspect is that we're not building or constructing
anything from the ground up. I think another important thing which is important to what our
initial approach was is, all of our operations and the uses are strongly aligned with the
Southold Town Comprehensive Plan specifically preserving and enhancing the communities
"sense of place and its residential rural and historic character". There are probably few
properties around the Northfork that are as historic or as iconic as Silver Sands and like I
mentioned instead of building condos or second homes we chose to preserve this unique
property and the unique character. Encouraging diverse types of housing in HALO zone that
includes lot 11 is in the HALO zone balancing density while preserving farmland and open
space. Silver Sands has a ton of open space for overall forty-five acres. The properties that
have the buildings on them are only about eight or nine acres in total so we have invested a
significant amount of money especially in landscaping, in preserving this unique ecology. We
have an eighteen-acre salt marsh that's across that's on the east side of Silvermere, we've
rebuilt bulkheads, we have planted a hundred percent native plants all throughout the
property, we've preserved century old oak trees, we've gone to a great extent to kind of do
the right thing. Safeguarding scenic resources through thoughtful design standards to prevent
sprawl that's been the cornerstone of our redevelopment efforts and rejuvenation efforts and
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November 7, 2024-Regular Meeting
then supporting industries that sustain agricultural and aquaculture. Again, we work closely
with Oyster Pond Shellfish Company, they have the largest oyster.farm in New York State
that's in Pipes Cove and we're very proud of that. I think a lot of what we're talking about
doing with restaurants and things like that, it's a way to rejuvenate this property stay relevant
so we can stay open year-round and also, I can't tell you how proud people are when they see
that they come to our place and eat the oysters and they come from a couple of a hundred
feet away that means a lot to them and it means a lot to us. As I mentioned, we feel that the
proposed uses will further enhance our alignment with the Comprehensive Town Plan and for
us it's really important that without a viable year-round business it will be more financially
logical to reposition these properties for denser developments. It's hard running a year-round
business in a seasonal area especially in a hospitality business which is a difficult business to
run be we're committed to it. As it related to some of the specifics of our application, we can
go over these in more detail but as I mentioned the boathouse is over a hundred years old, it
pre-dated the existence of zoning codes and even the Building Department as well as all the
neighboring residential houses that were built in the 1950's and 1960's. The boathouse is
currently classified as an accessory structure despite of being the oldest building and housing
a bar and having a certified kitchen there for decades and that's unreflected in the 1989
records when the entire property at Silver Sands was reclassified as residential property. The
cottage that we're talking about converting to a commercial kitchen is actually served as
transient housing for the last forty years, despite that it's currently listed as a single-family
home. So that's another example of how the actual uses are not even aligned with the
property records. Then the diner and the motel have been around since the 1950's and it
serves as a vital community hub. I think our commitment to the preservation is evident and I
hope that's kind of considered in our applications. If you'd like me to kind of reply to some of
the Planning Board comments I can go through their letter point by point. I think the happiest
thing that I saw was that overall,they say overall the Board is not opposed to a restaurant use
and an attached kitchen by Special Exception in this location. I had a work session with them,
think it was Tuesday of this week. Look, a lot of the questions and comments come down to
parking, right it's emergency access and parking. We've been working proactively with the
Planning Department to address and resolve those parking needs. It's not as straightforward
as if we were just applying for a restaurant that has no association with a hotel. The hotel has
ample parking throughout the property and throughout all the properties. I think one
conversation I've been having with the Planning Board is, the number of seats that we want
to have requires X number of parking spots but what that doesn't consider is how many of
those people are already at the hotel and I think that's a critical thing. The absolute number
of parking spots they're saying are required is ninety-nine across the whole property but that
assumes one hundred percent of the people at the restaurant and a hundred percent of the
people at the hotel are there for different reasons so obviously people are coming to the
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
hotel to eat at the restaurant. So having that conversation with them of how many credits
should be reasonably assigned is kind of what we're in the middle of. I think something that's
really important is part of the parking we've totally agreed with them not to use Silvermere
Rd. as part of our parking calculations, that happened early on. I don't know if you have the
survey up but if sorry my eyes are pretty bad directly across from the motel, we have I think
there's five parallel parking spaces, this is SCTM lot 10; Lot 10 is twenty-one feet deep by I
forget ninety something feet wide or something like that. We had to rotate those parking
spots so they're parallel parking.so that they do not cross over into any town owned land.
They don't cross over into the road but into town own land. We can only have five spots
there; I can take down some trees and fit I think it's up to fourteen cars side by side there. I've
chosen not to do that or if I have to, I'm happy to if that's what they want us to do we can but
we thought why remove trees that are in front of the salt marsh that had been there for a
long time? I'm hoping that a lot of these things are considered as we go through our
applications. The other credits that we've talked about that's important for Silver Sands is
when we talk about the number of seats and the seasonality of our business. Most of these
seats are outside so we're proposing fifty-one seats in the boathouse building and sixty-one
seats outside. I realize it's November and it's eighty degrees out so you could actually eat
outside today but normally this is seasonal and so the seasonal nature of this of the property
should also fluctuate with how people are accessing the property. Some data I shared with
the Planning Board is we have two key other areas of credits. The first one I mentioned is
actually like I said there are a number of guests at the hotel that use the restaurant.The other
two areas that we have and this is in hard data, 14.6% of our guests since we opened in June
of 2023 use alternative transportation. We pick them up at the LIRR or the Jitney or the Orient
Ferry. The other thing is, in the summer we have people arriving by boat. We partnered with a
tender service this year and the data on the boat traffic was well I don't have it actually here
but it was another nineteen people per day are coming by boat. I can find the exact number
so our feeling is that that tracks with outdoor seating people are using outdoor seating which
should alleviate the need for parking. I think the seasonal nature of the operations that we're
proposing should come into play when we consider the number of parking spots that are
required, I just think that seems reasonable. The other aspects of the Planning Board include
emergency access to the road so Silver Sands going down to the boathouse has the driveway
which is a right of way that crosses all the lots, it varies in width from 14 feet to 22 feet wide.
Something that came up in the Planning Board meeting, they asked if we were going to
sprinkler the buildings cause that would influence the requirement on the road. I previously
told them that the boathouse was being planned on sprinklering and that we didn't need to
do the cottage. We're happy to kind of put in an Ansel system or a fire suppression system in
the cottage if that helps with the determining how wide the access is. I personally think
making a 20-foot-wide road in the middle of the property it's kind of not keeping in character
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
especially if they want it paved or something like that not really keeping in character with kind
of what's going on around it. I will say that when we redid the road and redid the
redevelopment, we certified that road so that it could take Greenport Village's heaviest truck
so that is already capable of taking a fully loaded fire truck. We went and installed a private
fire hydrant close to the boathouse as well. I feel like the emergency access is being dealt with
and that will come to successful resolution with that. They had some comments from the
LWRP, I think a lot of this gets into I can't move a one-hundred-year-old building right so
we're talking about a four-foot setback from some of the side yards on Shore Drive and things
like that. It's kind of impossible to move those existing structures. We're not talking about
building anything just working within the existing envelope. We did spend a significant
amount of money to rebuild the entire bulkhead on lot 15 to protect against flooding, storms
and things like that. Then in terms of outside approvals, they mentioned wastewater
management, I don't know why that's on there to be honest because we've already provided
our wastewater management approval, we had to do that when we got the diner opened. I'm
resubmitting that to them. We are going through the food services division and wastewater
management with our application for the boathouse that's ongoing. I actually have open
conversations with the Health Department now and sending them new drawings tomorrow.
They need a letter of water availability which we will obtain and then obviously the Zoning
Board of Appeals. Then there's a whole section about consistency with the Comprehensive
Plan, I think I addressed that in some of my opening comments. Insufficiency in the side yard
setback, again the building has been there longer than probably the property lines existed so
and before the Zoning and Building Department existed altogether. I will you know a lot of
our neighbors are here, I pride myself on having good, healthy relationships with them. We've
taken a number of measures already at their request and in collaboration with them to
provide better screening and things like that. We did that before any of these applications
were even considered. We replaced the six-foot stockade fence all along the western side of
lot 15, we invested in I think it's over two dozen fourteen-foot now they've grown taller but
fourteen-foot evergreen giant trees to also help as a buffer. Our neighbors Kathy they have
my number so that when something comes up, I deal with it. The side yard is what the side
yard setback is. I think those were the extent of the comments so if there's anything specific,
you'd like me to address I'm happy to.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well in reading these comments it's pretty clear that first, how
close are you to the site plan approval? I mean you just met with them recently you said?
ALEX PERROS : No, no, no I hopefully we're very close. We did our application for site plan the
same time we did Zoning.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I know.
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
ALEX PERROS : I think we're out the kind of tail end of it to be honest. If you read it it's really
all about parking.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Yeah it seems so.
ALEX PERROS : There's some administrative questions things like that but again they said they
have no objection to it, it comes down to the number of seats so I think having that discussion
with them and how many credits are reasonable to provide, that's really the main open issue.
There were a couple of administrative things that they requested that we put on the plan but
that was it so again I just got those comments less than twenty-four hours ago.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : So did we.
ALEX PERROS : To answer your question, I think we're on the one yard line with them.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Good we'd like it for all of us to be on the one yard line I'm sure you
are too.
ALEX PERROS : Look this has been a long process, I know this is a complicated set of properties
and you know it's complicated I get that. I think we've been we're here to kind of work
constructively with any department to make sure that we get through this application and that
everything is aligned with Zoning and Planning.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I mean I did want you to address, we got obviously the comments
I've underlined a lot of stuff, it says if this parking is allowed then that's how big it should be
back and forth, back and forth and so much of the uses on the property depend upon not only
safe circulation but obviously how many cars you can accommodate. They did address the data
you provided for seasonal uses and for arrival by boat and arrival by other transportation. That
really is their authority, we obviously have nothing to do with it but it has everything to do
with the way in which the Board can proceed because when things have concurrent
jurisdiction both Boards have to like work it out. So, we've seen this so many times at this
point I don't really have any questions let me see at this point if any of the Board Members do
and then we'll open it to the audience and then we'll see where to go. Rob, do you have any
questions?
MEMBER LEHNERT : No questions.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Pat anything from you at this point?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : No
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Eric do you have any questions?
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
MEMBER DANTES': Yes one, after reading the Planning Board's comments how are they
conducting their review? Are they doing each property independently or are they reviewing
your whole complex as one property as a whole? How are they treating that?
ALEX PERROS : That's a great question, something that we've been ping ponging back and
forth with so when we first made the application it was for lot 15 the application in front of
this Board is for lot 15 that's how we were guided to approach the Planning Board which we
did. The applications are still for Lot 15 but they have asked that we submit a site plan for all
the properties for later (inaudible). All properties related to Silver Sands where there are
buildings on them so things like the salt marsh are you know not your main so to answer your
question, the site plan is comprehensive. The last round of comments that we had we initially
provided our landscape lighting for Lot 15, they came back and said please provide it across
the board so we did. The same thing with parking cause again it all comes down to the parking
and so Lot 15 is landlocked from any public road really so being able to use the parking spaces
that are available in the adjacent lot is critical to this so I believe they're basically looking at it
as an overall site plan which makes sense. I mean all these buildings are interconnected with
utilities and what not and it functions as a single property but the application is for Lot 15.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Yes cause I think we did way early on talk about the merger of
those lots, I think you said it would be eventually something you would probably want to do.
Certainly, covenants and restrictions to suggest that no lot may be sold individually is sensible
because it is one operation and they are al interrelated uses and the parking will all be
interrelated. I think approaching it that way makes a lot of sense and it's why we have been
hesitant to try and segregate one application from the other application or the other because
even though they each have their own parameters they're very interrelated and a number are
related to the,fact that it is one operation.There's a different kind of calculus for, if it's open to
the public or if it's just for guests. So much depends on site plan that I think since you're
getting very close to that we now have comments it kind of makes sense to just suspend this
until you finish that and let Planning tell us what they're willing to do with you, work it out
with them and see exactly how you're going to finalize those parking spaces and egress and
ingress and so on and then the Board can revisit. I don't know that we're going to need much
more hearing on this I doubt it but I think finalizing that will then give us the guidance we need
to make sure that we can act on your requests appropriately.
ALEX PERROS : Okay
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Does that make sense to you?
ALEX PERROS : It does and it doesn't if I may.
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CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : It's not really holding you up.
ALEX PERROS : It does because look it's November, time passes and honestly being able to run
a business and run a business year round I can't just snap my fingers and kind of have
everything ready so we've been going through this process it sounds like Planning Board the
first thing they said in their comments is, they have no objection to the restaurant and we will
come to terms on whatever the parking is. The motel C.O. application with you has nothing to
do with the Planning Board and
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : But it has to do with parking.
ALEX PERROS : Sure there's ample parking across the property so
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : But we can't determine that because it's all considered one
property with multiple things going on.
ALEX PERROS : Sure but even if you take even if you say look Alex, we're not buying kind of
your credits and this and that, the Planning Board made comments of saying, if these are the
credits we're willing to except it results in a restaurant of this size so it's just a matter of how
big it is. So, I thought the questions before the Board are not Planning has indicated that they
are going to approve this it's a matter of how we approve it and how many seats we have etc.
etc. I think it's really critical for us to continue to make progress here and try and get through
some of these applications. It's always been my understanding that if Zoning approves it
everything is pending a successful site plan. I do think it's important obviously it's my opinion
that we kind of like we move forward. If there's any questions if it's coming down to how many
parking spots that we have to negotiate then if that's the only thing I'm hearing is what's
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Well it's not exactly just parking, I mean if we approve something
we stamp the drawings that are in front of us that will mean let's say the restaurant use is
approved, we will stamp what we have in front of us. If that changes because of discussions
with site plan and the number of occupants permitted as a consequence of the number of the
parking yield or whatever then we have to go back and we have to reopen it or we have to
amend it, I'm trying to avoid that aggravation for you basically to say, let's try and just move
forward together in a way that is complimentary and doesn't wind up contradicting what the
Board might approve. Certainly, I can tell you this, I'm only one vote but I think I know what
I'm talking about, a variance for the existing boathouse is not an issue. It's there, it's been
there legally for a gajillion years, there is no point in attempting to move it. Why do one piece
meal like that, I mean we could get rid of it that would make you happier but I mean I think
that it would be better for us as a Board to sit down, examine all the gajillion pages of
transcripts we have, all your testimony, all your submissions again and look at what Planning
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does and then we'll be in an excellent position to make coherent and complete decisions that
you know are going to allow you to move forward legally with the things you're doing.
ALEX PERROS : Understood you're the Chairperson so
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I can poll the Board but if the Board wants we can adjourn this to
the Special Meeting to give us time to maybe talk to Planning, see how close they are, I don't
believe that the operations especially going into the winter are being adversely impacted by
making sure that everything is in place before everything is legalized.
ALEX PERROS : At the moment no, however if and this isn't meant as a criticism it's just a
reality, the Planning Board I got my comments back to the Planning Board August 28th. I met
with them on November 4th it was the first time they really reviewed this so those delays are
real, they're dealing with a whole (inaudible) effort. I'm not being critical of anything it's just a
reflection of reality and so I think there is a little bit of a sin drum of like an empty dance floor.
I think it's important to kind of you know always be moving forward just in general. I think we
shouldn't let perfection kind of get in the way of progress,that's kind of my just mantra and so
if the Board would consider you know reviewing the application and making a decision
pending successful outcome of the site plan that would be my strong preference.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Understand and understand why, what I'm trying to avoid however
is, I'll give you an example that's kind of tangential but the same thing happens with Trustees
and ZBA when we have concurrent jurisdiction with them. I cannot tell you the number of
times because there's nothing in the code that says you guys go first and then you go, we
worked out years ago an informal arrangement that it made sense because the ZBA has
sweeping legal authority by state law for us to make a determination then the Trustees can
have a look. Well now, the environmental impacts are frankly more critical in some cases
especially with bluffs and things like that and wetlands than some of the ZBA setback
variances. So, here's one example, not that long ago we made a determination and it was a
side yard setback on a waterfront property; they wanted it moved farther toward the street.
They unknowingly then require a front yard setback from the ZBA because they pushed it
forward; back and forth, back and forth. So, one Board impacts the other Board, we're trying
our best given the complexity of what we're looking at these days you know it's not a shed in a
side yard anymore to just make sure that we're all on the same page moving forward in a way
that doesn't require moving backward again to undo something that the other Board
inadvertently did without understanding the authority of the other Board. If any of that makes
sense this is what I'm really trying to strive for here so that it's a smooth and seamless
decision-making process. Yes, it's delayed, we're are so gone darn busy, Planning is incredibly
busy, ZBA is outrageously busy, it's the nature of what's going on in our town. You have a
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
beautiful business there, it's a beautiful operation, the renovation is fantastic, it's a great
resource for the community. It totally is supported by the Comprehensive Plan for all the
reasons you laid out. I look forward to working with them and with you in moving this forward
and finalizing all of these various moving parts but I'm just trying to do it in a way that is
responsible.
ALEX PERROS : Understood
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Having pontificated long enough I think Mr. Cuddy wants to say
something.
MR. CUDDY : Charles Cuddy, I'm assisting Mr. Perros, I think it would be very helpful if there
could be a communication from the Zoning Board to the Planning Board indicating that you are
ready to do something as soon as that Board finishes because I was at the last meeting on the
4th and I think they're getting close but I think if they knew that you are waiting for them to
finish it would be very helpful.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I have no problem doing that, is there any reason anybody thinks
we shouldn't? No I'm happy to do that, I think that's a very good suggestion.
T. A. MCGIVNEY : (inaudible) since these comments that it was decided that maybe we should
hold off and if the ZBA wasn't just because in the last couple of days that they received these
that they thought they(inaudible) and maybe they
MR. CUDDY : We had asked that they be forwarded earlier but it didn't work that's why I'm
asking (inaudible)it would be very helpful just to let them know that you're ready
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I think that's a good idea and I'll put it in writing because although I
talk to Heather all the time and Jim Rich, it's better to just have it writing that you'll have in
your file too.
MR. CUDDY :Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Does that makes sense to everybody?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Yes
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay, I think the better thing to do I think adjourning this just
doesn't make sense, I think we just table this for the time being. I'll send that letter out, I'll
make sure you have copies of the letter that I send to them. I'm encouraging them to move as
quickly as they can so that we can then take action accordingly. The down side of tabling well I
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don't anticipate necessarily another public hearing although I do want to hear what there are
people out there I definitely not asking
MEMBER LEHNERT : Can we close this subject to Planning Board comments?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : We have the comments it would have to be site plan approval.
MEMBER LEHNERT : We've heard everything.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : If we did that which we can do then here's the other thing, if
something comes up that we haven't anticipated in site plan we have to reopen the hearing
which we can do by a unanimous vote of the Board.
ALEX PERROS : I think that there's no problem with that, I also think we're so far along in the
Planning process like there's nothing coming out of the woodwork these are the same issues
that we've been working on.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : So what do you think? I had suggested a little earlier that maybe we
just adjourn this to the Special Meeting in two weeks just so we can talk to Planning and figure
out a time frame and we'll keep you involved in all of that so nothing is going to blindsided
here. Then we'll figure out whether we should adjourn it yet to another date or just adjourn it
subject to site plan approval or what makes sense. If they can give us certain reassurances that
they're pretty squared away with this then maybe we'll just adjourn it to site plan approval
and then that's it no further hearing required. I just don't know what more we can possibly
figure out on that property that we don't already know. Depending on what they do on how
they finalize parking, one of the things they commented on was it's very close to some
residential back yards some of this parking and they may want to consider that. The public has
the right to chime in before them as well as us so that's not final cause it has impacts.
ALEX PERROS : Those are the areas that I mentioned where we've replaced the solid stockade
fence and put in the twenty-four evergreen giant trees etc., etc.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : We talked about that at the last hearing, I remember. I also
remember a neighbor was concerned about which way the vent was going from the kitchen
and from the restaurant. It's our job to remember those things.
MEMBER LEHNERT : Do we know if the Planning Board will approve it without a decision from
us?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Oh sure. I mean they're not going to say move the buildings, the
buildings are there it's the uses.
November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
MEMBER LEHNERT : It was on the list of you know what they were looking for.
T. A. MCGIVNEY :Things that have to be completed.
ALEX PERROS : One of their notes was that they can't complete the site plan process for this
application until the outside permits are required from and remain to obtained from at least
the following agencies and that was Suffolk County Department of Health as well as the
Planning Board oh sorry as well as the Zoning Board. It's a little chicken and egg thing
happening.
MEMBER LEHNERT : Yeah I mean is this thing going to keep going around in circles?
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Let's adjourn it to the Special, we'll talk to them and we'll figure it
out. I mean the whole idea is not to adversely impact any of these applications but to move
them smoothly and responsibly forward in a way that's coherent. I don't want one Board you
know doing something in contradiction to another Board it makes no sense. Let's talk to them
and see how far along they are and certainly since it's an open application I can't call you but
Julie can or Paul can and they can talk to your attorneys and inform you what's going on and
we'll see how close they think they are and we'll see how they feel about us waiting until they
make their determination and if they feel they need something from us then we will do it
that's it.
ALEX PERROS : Sounds good, thank you for I know this is a tricky one so thank you for your
patience.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : That's what we're here for. I think that maybe the neighbors are
here and they may want to say something. I don't know if you want to say anything or if you
just wanted to listen in on this ongoing saga or what. If you want to say anything now is your
time. Please state your name.
RICHIE STEINMULLER : My name is Richie Steinmuller, I live at 1175 Shore Rd I'm just behind
the house. Everything is going very well; construction is going smoothly. Alex has been perfect
when we'have issues he's right there. If there is something to do, he will oblige to it in fact
(inaudible). I just want to stay in the loop that's all I really wanted.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : I don't blame you, you've been very diligent.
RICHIE STEINMULLER : He has too.Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : You're welcome. Anything else, anybody else want to say
something. Anything from you Eric at this point?
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November 7, 2024 Regular Meeting
MEMBER DANTES : I think we just move towards making a decision that's where I think we are.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Okay then hearing no further questions or comments I'm going to
make a motion to adjourn this hearing to the Special
MEMBER LEHNERT: Wait we have one more.
CATHERINE HEARST : Catherine Hearst I live less than fifteen feet from the barn, I'm a very
close neighbor to the restaurant. I have to say that Alex has been a very good neighbor, any
complaints anything lighting or noise never noise but if there's too much light too late at night
all you do is call and it's put away. He's very willing to keep his neighbors happy which is very
nice. I just wanted to add that,that he does try very hard.
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Good thank you for your testimony. Is there anybody else? Okay,
motion to adjourn to the Special Meeting on November 21. Is there a second?
MEMBER LEHNERT : Second
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : All in favor?
MEMBER ACAMPORA : Aye
MEMBER LEHNERT : Aye
CHAIRPERSON WEISMAN : Aye, the motion carries.
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CERTIFICATION S
I Elizabeth Sakarellos, certify that the foregoing transcript of tape-recorded
Public Hearings was prepared using required electronic transcription
equipment and is a true and accurate record of Hearings.
Signature
Elizabeth Sakarellos
DATE : November 21, 2024