HomeMy WebLinkAboutTR-10/03/2007
James F. King. President
Jill M. Doherty, Vice-President
Peggy A. Dickerson
Dave Bergen
Bob Ghosio, Jr.
Town Hall
53095 Route 25
P.O. Box 1179
Southold, New York 11971-0959
Telephone (631) 765-1892
Fax (631) 765-6641
BOARD OF TOWN TRUSTEES
TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
BOARD OF TOWN TRUSTEES
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TOWN OF SOUTH OLD
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
6:00 PM
Present were: James King, President
Jill Doherty, Vice President
Peggy Dickerson, Trustee
Dave Bergen, Trustee
Bob Ghosio, Trustee
Lauren Standish, Secretarial Assistant
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
NEXT FIELD INSPECTION: Wednesday, November 6,2007 at 8:00 AM
NEXT TRUSTEE MEETING: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 6:00 PM
WORKSESSION: 5:30 PM.
TRUSTEE KING: Good evening, everyone. Welcome to our meeting. I'm
Jim King. I would like to introduce the rest of the Board before
we get going. To my far left is Dave Bergen; next to him is Peg
Dickerson; to my left is Jill Doherty, vice-chair; to my right is
Lauren Standish, she runs the office and; Bob Ghosio is a Trustee.
There is nobody here from Legal for us tonight, and Wayne Galante
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
is our recorder. He takes down everything we say.
This is really not our regular October meeting. This is kind
of a special fill-in meeting to catch up on some of the things we
are behind on. I have been sick the last couple of months and Dave
couldn't make the last meeting, so we got a little behind. So we
are doing this tonight just to get things in order. And I would
not be surprised, but in the future we may do a few more of these
because we are just seeing more and more applications at night.
I don't want to sit here to midnight anymore like we used to
because you get tired and that's when you make mistakes, and I
don't think it's fair to everybody to be here that long. Maybe
during the course of the year we'll have two or three meetings like
this to catch up on odds and ends. I think it's a good idea.
I. APPLICATIONS FOR AMENDMENTS/EXTENSIONITRANSFERS:
TRUSTEE KING: So with that, we'll get going.
Number one, applications for amendments, extensions and
transfers, Costello Marine Contracting on behalf of TOM AND JULIA
FITZPATRICK requests an Amendment to Permit #6645 to construct a
4x16 foot ramp up to a 4x166 foot catwalk in place of the approved
4x55 foot footpath through the high marsh area. Located: 1030
ClearviewRoad, Southold.
Did anybody go out and look at this recently?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Not recently.
TRUSTEE KING: I was out there this morning. I know we have looked
at this a lot. I was supportive of the path rather than the
walkway all the way through the marsh.
I don't know. I have mixed emotions about it. The marsh is
definitely getting pretty well trampled. It doesn't look good. I
think maybe a low profile, open-grate catwalk is the answer. I'm
open to suggestions from the rest of the Board.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: What was the LWRP review?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: For the original request?
TRUSTEE KING: There are some pictures here, too, they gave me when
I was out there.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'm sure it was reviewed under the original
request.
TRUSTEE KING: The original request, I believe, was for--
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: This is pictures of Costello trying to build the
dock that we approved.
TRUSTEE KING: The original one was found inconsistent. This was
from June, 2007.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I know that I talked to Mr. Costello about this
after he had started construction and he said he had to stop
construction because it was just impossible, and when his men went
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
down there and were working, they were sinking quite low in the
marsh, and in his professional opinion it was just going to
completely destroy the marsh, between the construction phase with
the men and then the use of it, using this path, the 4x55 foot
path. And it had just become very frustrating for the workers when
they were trying to do the work because it was obviously going to
make it extremely difficult to construct and it was going to
destroy the marsh. In his opinion.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I spoke to him as well. He stated all that and he
felt it was, it would really render the dock useless, that they
really couldn't get out there. And Mr. Costello also mentioned he
had a town board meeting over on the south side. That's why he
couldn't be here tonight.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: If this is changing the application again, Jim,
does it have to go back to LWRP if it's a different application?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Well, it was reviewed under this. This was part
of the original application and they reviewed it as it is tonight.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: That's what I'm trying to figure out.
TRUSTEE KING: This was reviewed as a path. The proposal was to
request a wetland permit to clear and maintain a 4x55 foot mowed
path through the high marsh leading to 4x16 foot ramp and 4x26 foot
fixed dock. It was reviewed on that under the LWRP. It was found
inconsistent with that.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: As I recall, didn't they go back to doing this
because this was the DEC original review?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Correct.
TRUSTEE KING: The reasoning here is the dock is not permitted with
vegetative wetlands located within a significant fish and wildlife
habitat. The proposed action is located at Cedar Beach Point Bay,
New York State Fish and Wildlife Habitat area.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Well, I think going back to the original permit, I
was in favor of doing the catwalk because I felt that the marsh
could not sustain the path, and I think that Mr. Costello did a
really good job trying to do what we asked and it just doesn't seem
like it's going to work. So I'm inclined to say do a low-profile,
open-grate catwalk.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: But legally does it have to go back to LWRP?
TRUSTEE KING: It has to be re-reviewed because it's a different
proposal.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I thought the original proposal was for this and
they -- and you are absolutely right, Peg, I thought the original
proposal was for this and that's why -- and then in the hearing
then it was changed to this. So I thought it was originally
reviewed with the catwalk.
TRUSTEE KING: This is January, 2007.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I know. That's why I'm surprised at that. Because
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Board of Trustees
October 3,2007
that decision to change it from a catwalk to --
TRUSTEE KING: All right. The original proposal dated January of
2007, was to construct a 4x16 ramp up to 4x20 catwalk, continuing
with a 4x42 foot catwalk section. So there were two catwalks
proposed. Remember it was like on a crazy angle off to one side.
And when we initially went out there we said what are you doing all
this for, why don't we just go straight toward the house.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Correct.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: So it was reviewed under the original --
TRUSTEE KING: It was also found inconsistent. In both scenarios
it's been found inconsistent. Not with this one but with the mowed
path --
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I would assume, and I shouldn't assume because
I'm not a lawyer--
TRUSTEE KING: Now the reason, I think the primary reason this was
changed, when Mr. Hamilton came out doing field inspections, I went
with him. He went out and looked at this application and he said no
way will it be a catwalk. It's going to have to be a path. That's
why I believe it was changed to a proposed walking path was because
he said no way he'll approve a catwalk.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'm just questioning whether--
TRUSTEE KING: It's a good question. It's a legal question.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: This came in as an amendment now and technically
amendments don't have to go to LWRP.
MS. STANDISH: My understanding is this does not go back because
once the parties deemed it inconsistent, changing a portion, and
based on those reasons, depends on what the policy is consistent
with, those particular policies make the fact it's a dock, period,
inconsistent. Changing anything on the dock will not make it
consistent.
TRUSTEE KING: No matter what we'll do, he'll find it inconsistent,
so.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's what I was going to say; it's probably
going to be inconsistent anyway.
TRUSTEE KING: Because the dock is not permitted over vegetated
wetlands within --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think if we make it a low open-grate catwalk,
that would bring it into some consistency.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: We discussed that the first time around. As I
recall, we requested they use locust instead of CCA, and they were
agreeable to that. And we spoke about using the grating and they
were amenable to that. You know, we tried to do something
different based upon what the DEC said, so.
TRUSTEE KING: The original notes from January, with modifications;
it was catwalk straight out, start further landward. In other
words we talked about stopping that catwalk and going straight out.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes, because as I recall, the applicant also, when
we looked at it, was interested in the starting the catwalk a
little bit farther out so you didn't start the catwalk in the
marsh. Which makes sense.
MR. FITZPATRICK: Mike Fitzpatrick. Just to show you, this is Mr.
Costello's men working. This damage to the wetlands is only like a
day. We have not been down there because we can't get down there.
We used our neighbor's dock this morning. You can have that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Thank you, we have that.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: My concern is still the pristine wetland and I
think the DEC and LWRP's comments -- and I understand when Jill and
Dave comment that the grated catwalk prevents that walking on the
marsh, but when we first visited the site, it was a pristine
wetland area. And I understand what you are saying and I
understand all of your other comments, but I'm going to be sticking
with my original vote.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Just to make a comment, that's why John Costello
originally applied for it the way he did, on an angle, because that
was the least amount of space to use for that wetland area.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The only comment I want to make, Peggy, is when you
said when we first went out and looked at it, it was pristine
wetlands. When we first went out and looked at it, are you talking
about this application or prior to this application?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I mean, my first impression, my first view and
vision of that area was a very vast, pristine, wetland area and my
belief is that is what we are here to protect. And I know it's
very difficult because you have a huge dock on one side and huge
dock on the other and I completely understand it's very deceiving
but I'm going to have to stay with my original vote.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I understand that. Because my point was there is a
dock on either side so since I have been on the Board and since I
have seen this location I would not consider this pristine because
there is docks on both sides. That's just my opinion.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: It was pristine five years, before we allowed the
houses to be built there. That was pristine.
TRUSTEE KING: I have mixed emotions. I didn't like what I saw out
there this morning.
MR. FITZPATRICK: That was only one day of Mr. Costello's two guys
working out there. You saw it. That's the damage. It's obvious
that's a problem. If we were to now use that, we have to put our
boots on, that's going to really be messed up. I mean, and we see
the docks dock next to us, that they just put in and that grass is
growing up underneath it now.
TRUSTEE KING: With the open grate you will not have a problem.
think Peggy's primary concern --
MR. FITZPATRICK: It's obvious. It's a no brainer to see the
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
damage that is inflicted just by walking on it several times, it's
too much. We probably are the most pristine people in that sense
of trying to take care of the property. We don't even go down
there. We don't really, we don't do any damage to the property
down there. We try to keep it as nice as we can. You know, so we
do want to use the dock but we don't want to damage those
grasslands. I mean, walking in that mud just damages the
grasslands. So the dock really is useless. This has been going on
for like two years. And we don't use it. Costello has all his
planks on there. We can't even use the dock.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: You say you have been using your neighbor's?
MR. FITZPATRICK: Yes. My neighbor is here. He supports us. He's
a wonderful guy.
MR. CIEPLlNSKI: May I speak? My name is Frank Cieplinski. I live
at 720 Orchard Lane. I'm the next door neighbor. We are the ones
who took the pictures of all those things over there.
At high tide the water is all the way back. You just can't
walk through that. You can't walk through there at all. I think
one of the concerns I have, especially if I had my grandchildren
trying to walk down to the dock over there, would be with deer
ticks. Walking through all the high grass and things like that,
there is a big heard of deer, at least 14, that live around there.
Just the concern of the deer tick being around there. Personally,
from what I seen so far, they put the dock in there, there has been
more damage to the wetlands as a result, the way you wanted to do
that as opposed to having some kind of ramp. I can't say no more
about it. Really. It's just I would see there would be more
damage right now.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I was reviewing with Peggy on this. You came with
me. I know the area. I spoke with John. The damage that he's
doing, he's trying to do, just trying to do what was asked. I'm
inclined to go back to what we were talking about with the open
grating,
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Then just make a motion. I think people's minds
are set. There is no need for further discussion if everyone made
up their mind. Jim, except for you.
TRUSTEE KING: I wish John was here. It looks like he's got it
three-and-a-half feet above grade. Now, I know I looked at two in
Halls Creek. We approved catwalks and DEC made them go to the open
grate and they lowered it to 18 inches. That was the DEC request
and they came back to us and we approved it.
If you are going to go with the open grate, I would say get it
down to the 18 inches. Maybe go three feet wide instead of four
feet so you get less structure out there. I could walk down three
feet with no problem. Even Bob can.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Even I can? What are you trying to say. Of
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
course. It's all right. I understand.
TRUSTEE KING: I was the test for 6x20 floats. Now you are the test
for catwalks.
TRUSTEE KING: Does somebody want to make a motion on this? Because
I don't.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Would you have any objection to reducing the
size of the catwalk to three feet wide?
MR. FITZPATRICK: No.
TRUSTEE KING: Get it down to 18 inches.
MR. FITZPATRICK: Yes, that's fine.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I'll make a motion to approve the request for
Costello Marine on behalf of Tom and Julia Fitzpatrick to amend
permit #6645 to construct a 4x16 ramp up to a 3x166 foot catwalk,
no higher than 18 inches above grade, in place of the 4x55 foot
pathway through the high marsh.
TRUSTEE KING: Is there a second?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Aye.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Aye.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Aye.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: No.
TRUSTEE KING: I'll vote no.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: My no vote is, certainly I believe everything
you are saying about how you feel about the marsh but I have to go,
after listening to DEC and listening to LWRP, you know, we hear
over and over again, the last piece of pristine area, and I know
there is two docks but to me it was a fairly substantial size of
marsh. And I understand your frustrations and inability. But I
still have to go with my heart, so.
MR. FITZPATRICK: Yes, but you can see that damage. You see a
problem there. So what you do is you just can't override the
problem. You have a problem. You have to correct the problem and
that's one way to do it.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And we tried.
TRUSTEE KING: You spoke my own thoughts. My concern is it was
found inconsistent. Which we have to address that, too.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I feel if we do lower it to 18 inches and make it
three feet wide it brings it into consistency with LWRP.
MR. FITZPATRICK: It would be what?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It would bring it into consistency with LWRP.
MR. FITZPATRICK: As long as the grass grows. I'm for that. Why
damage it, more than anything.
TRUSTEE KING: Three ayes, two nays. Motion carried.
MR. FITZPATRICK: Thank you.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
II. APPLICATIONS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PERMIT:
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Application for administrative permits, number
one, AMELIA P. MANCINI requests an Administrative Permit to
construct an addition to the existing deck, replace the existing
front stoop and add a 24-inch canopy over the front stoop. Located:
600 Grove Road, Southold.
This came in for the October meeting. It was such a minor
thing I thought we would put it on here. I did go out and inspect
it. It was staked. They had come in before to add an addition on,
which they never did. And that permit expired and they don't want
to do that larger addition. They just want to do this smaller
addition. And it's basically, it's on Grove Road, which basically
it's a row of houses, and behind the houses, behind their back
yards is a low lying area with a stream which was completely dry
when I was there, at that point.
So I would just suggest, because the backyard sloped toward
that, that she put drywells for roof runoff for the entire house.
Whether it takes one drywell, two drywells. It's a small house. I
don't want to say how many drywells because I'm not a professional
on that.
So I would be inclined to approve this subject to --
TRUSTEE KING: Did the town engineer look at that and make a
recommendation as to what the capacity should be?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: They could, or what we usually do is have the
contractors do the capacity for a two-inch rain fall. So whatever
it would take for a two-inch rainfall on the house. If she needs
the help she can certainly ask the town engineer.
TRUSTEE KING: Because I know we were concerned about some of this
drainage stuff.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We can confirm it with them. I'll make a motion
to approve subject to drywells to contain roof runoff on the entire
house.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: JOHN KEITT requests an Administrative Permit to
install one 1 ,ODD-gallon septic tank and one 8x12 foot leaching
pool and abandon and fill two existing block pools. Located: 280
Basin Road, Southold.
This also came in for the October meeting. And they are
replacing the septic system and it's landward of. We are all
familiar with the property. We were out there for their
bulkheading work. If you look at the survey you see it going
landward, and I don't think it's a problem.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE BERGEN: How much farther landward is it?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I don't know. I didn't measure it.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I was wondering if there is any way to put this
farther back so it's out of our jurisdiction.
TRUSTEE KING: You are reading my mind here. What's the scale?
(Perusing).
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Because where they have it marked looks like it's
in the driveway already.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Oh, they do have Suffolk County Water. I didn't
think they had Suffolk County Water.
TRUSTEE KING: It's 83, 84 feet from the bulkhead. The septic is,
you know --
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It's contained. So the pool could be pulled back
so it's at least 100 feet outside.
TRUSTEE KING: It would be tough. But you could do it. There is
100 there. If they get that pool up in here. If they could put
the pool there and septic here, it's almost everything out of our
jurisdiction.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It makes sense. It's just of a matter of putting
more pipe in, I would think.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That's what I would like to see done.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: More pipe and you have to go deeper. It has to be
pitched the whole way.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: We are talking 14 feet.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: How far off the house is it?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It's right on the side of it.
TRUSTEE KING: 20 feet.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: So that's where it will be when we are done.
TRUSTEE KING: Yes, it will be almost the same.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It's still 20 feet off the side of the house
instead of coming back 86, it's coming back 100.
TRUSTEE KING: They would have to move the septic tank 20 feet.
They would have to move the pool another 20 feet. They move
everything 20 feet, 22 feet landward, it would be out of our
jurisdiction.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That would work. And it's in the same location,
basically. I think that would work.
TRUSTEE KING: That's something to think about. If they could move
that out of our jurisdiction, it's an improvement over what is
there now.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Absolutely. But if we could move it back out of
our jurisdiction, it's that much better.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I'll make a motion to approve the replacement of
the septic system, septic part, with the condition that it's 100
feet --
TRUSTEE KING: Then they don't need a permit.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: They will because this will be within. There is
still some activity within a hundred feet. They'll still need an
Administrative Permit.
TRUSTEE KING: With the condition that the septic tank should be a
minimum of 75 feet from the bulkhead and the cesspool shall be a
minimum of 100 feet.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes.
TRUSTEE KING: From the bulkhead.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's my motion. And put it back on the survey.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Cesspool is 100 feet. Septic, minimum 75 and
cesspool minimum of 100.
TRUSTEE KING: 101. That gets it out of our jurisdiction. If they
are going to be doing all that work, you know, it would be the way
to go. If it's physically impossible for them to do it, then that's
a different story.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I don't see anything in those plans to indicate
that it's physically impossible because it's on what is already
listed as the driveway. It's under the pervious driveway. So it
just continues under the pervious driveway another ten feet or so.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I make that motion.
TRUSTEE KING: Second. All in favor.
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Subject to receiving new plans.
MS. MOORE: The Health Department doesn't allow you to put a
sanitary under a driveway.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Even under pervious?
MS. MOORE: No.
TRUSTEE KING: When did this start?
MS. MOORE: Since all the time I know.
TRUSTEE KING: Because I seen septic systems in parking lots.
MS. MOORE: No, commercial is different. Because you are in
commercial, you are allowed to put it in parking lots, driveways,
whatever.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Maybe they'll put a commercial grade in there, you
never know.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It's not commercial property.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: When I do it, I listen to what the general
contractor tells me. If he says it goes there and you want a pipe
from there to there. Okay.
TRUSTEE KING: This is in the driveway now.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That could be why they couldn't get it out of 100
feet. Because it's at the end of the driveway. See where it ends
right here. The cesspool is in the driveway. It could go right
there.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Just put it off to the side.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It doesn't change the amendment at all.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
MS. MOORE: You might want to tell them when they come in or you
tell them they may want to double check with the engineer where
they want to put it.
TRUSTEE KING: All right. Because I know I seen it in driveways and
stuff it says "sewer" on it.
MS. MOORE: I agree. I think you have to go to the Board of Review
if you want it for residential, and it's not worth it.
TRUSTEE KING: We need a motion to go off the regular hearing.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor.
(ALL AYES.)
WETLAND PERMITS:
TRUSTEE KING: Wetland permits, Patricia Moore on behalf of PERI
HINDEN requests a Wetland Permit to construct a 4x115 foot fixed
dock, 3x24 foot ramp and 6x20 foot floating dock. Located: 1255
Woodcliff Drive, Mattituck.
I didn't go out on the last field inspection to see this. Did
you guys go?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes, we met Mr. Costello there.
TRUSTEE KING: I took a ride up in the boat over the weekend and
there were no stakes or anything so I couldn't tell exactly where
everything was.
MS. MOORE: It was staked for the inspection.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: When we went out it was staked further, it looked
like --
MS. MOORE: Do you have the one that is staked? Here's a drawing
with stakes, where the stake was. Did you need that?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes.
TRUSTEE KING: Is this the proposal there?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think --
MS. MOORE: Can I help with you this. Because there was the original
proposal which we actually reduced down and relocated because you
guys relocated us to start further west. And then we had it staked
and that was where, Jim, you were not there, but the rest of you, I
think were.
Mr. Hinden is here in case you have an issue.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We have several different drawings.
TRUSTEE KING: Which one is the latest proposal?
MS. MOORE: The one I just gave you is the final version which has
the dock that goes 4x125 to a ramp that is two-and-a-half by 22 and
a float that is 6x20. It reduces the fixed, from the original.
It's slightly over. We have to make the depth of water, so.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: So this is the one.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
MS. MOORE: The one I just gave you. If you want more, I have more
prints. Here you go. I have two more. This is the one that
Costello had out there. And you had actually for the inspection as
well.
TRUSTEE KING: This is tight.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It's tight between the two docks, yes.
TRUSTEE KING: We have a boat there.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: This boat is technically on his property. When we
went out there, you sighted it out. This boat is, in reality, on
his property. The property line is through that boat, I should
say. As extended.
So that's an issue that he could have with his neighbor. It
could very well be his neighbor couldn't keep that boat there
anymore. We'll let the neighbors work that one out.
MS. MOORE: They are friendly. I don't think it's a -- the small
boat is not a permanent fixture there, or shouldn't be.
TRUSTEE KING: This is something I talked to the Town Attorney
about. I'm trying to get a determination on this. These property
lines, when the channel is like this, the property line gets
extended and gets perpendicular to the channel. So that kind of
moves it over.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I thought that's the case.
TRUSTEE KING: That's the way it's supposed to be done. For years
everyone extended the lines out the way it ran. That's not the
proper way to do it. In fact it was Pat Moore that brought this to
our attention about five years ago. There is a whole thing for
extending property lines. This gives them more room.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: So there is plenty of room when you extend the
property line in that manner, it's plenty of room on the south
side. It's the north side where it's tight with the neighbors.
TRUSTEE KING: That's because the neighbors --
MS. MOORE: It's on their line.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Exactly. It's 15 feet off the property line as you
extend it out.
MS. MOORE: We actually have quite a bit of room. It looks like at
least 30 feet. Because the float is 20 in length, so if you scale
it --
TRUSTEE KING: And there is a channel marker not too far offshore.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Do you know what the distance is from the outer
part of the float to the opposite shore?
MS. MOORE: Oh, it's more than 300 feet. It's actually shown on
there. 300 to opposite shoreline, so.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Okay.
TRUSTEE KING: It's about 20 fight feet outside of this, where this
would be.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I went by there by boat the other day and noticed
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
there seemed to be plenty of room. So I don't think this would
interfere with navigation.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: What depth are you looking for, the minimum
depth?
MS. MOORE: His propeller should be in four-and-a-half feet of
water.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: The boat draws four-and-a-half feet.
MS. MOORE: Right. His plan is to be on the south side of the dock
and pointing into shore. Just like the neighbor's. So it's fine
the way it's designed.
TRUSTEE KING: If you remember, we talked about this I think at the
first hearing. This is the Smith dock we approved just to the south
of here. When the original application came in, they wanted
eight-inch piles. It was downsized. 4x4 piles through the
vegetated marsh. Eight-inch piles seaward of that. Two eight-inch
piles to hold the float in place. That's what DEC is going to
approve. They are not going to approve this as submitted. I'll
tell you that right now.
We tried to standardize these plans so they come in and they
know they are going to go ahead with this. It's not going to be a
matter of oh, no, you can't have this. Now you have to come back
to us and amend it.
MS. MOORE: I want to try to get something. The DEC, though, they
say well, anywhere from four to six. They give the range based on
the type the water you are in.
TRUSTEE KING: That's not my understanding because I had a job
trying to talk them into eight-inch piles instead of six-inch
piles.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: On these plans you just gave us, you don't show
any piles.
MS. MOORE: On the bottom, shows eight-inch piles and 12-inch in
water.
TRUSTEE KING: You want change that to 4x4 to the end the intertidal
marsh, then you go to eight-inch piles for the rest of it.
MS. MOORE: Let me make sure you have it in the right spot. Where
you have the line for --
TRUSTEE KING: If you look at your profile--
MS. MOORE: In the intertidal marsh --
TRUSTEE KING: Look at your profile, from right to left. There is
nine piles in the intertidal marsh. Those should be 4x4s.
MS. MOORE: Got it.
TRUSTEE KING: The rest of them, four, would be eight-inch piles.
MS. MOORE: Let me make sure I have it. Nine or eight.
TRUSTEE KING: Nine. And then eight-inch piles the rest of the way
out.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
MS. MOORE: What did you say, eight inch? The problem is we have a
large boat, so.
TRUSTEE KING: I worked hard with this. Because originally on the
other dock application, with the Smith dock, originally it was
six-inch piles they would approve only. They would not go to
eight. But I talked him into going into eight-inch piles in the
main part of Mattituck Creek. If you get it into the little
inlets, like up at the end of Hallocks Creek, where it's really
small, then you could use the six-inch piles.
MS. MOORE: What area is this considered?
TRUSTEE KING: This is the main area.
MS. MOORE: So this is eight inch.
TRUSTEE KING: Right. I don't have a problem with that.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I would support that also.
MS. MOORE: All right. Because we have 12 inches on the outside for
the boats.
TRUSTEE KING: He won't go for that. He'll give you the eights.
MS. MOORE: Eight inch, eight inch and 4x4s. I have not spoken to
Costello, the contractor here, but do you need to add more poles
when you reduce the size of the posts?
TRUSTEE KING: These are on ten foot centers?
MS. MOORE: Yes. That's the down side of downsizing the post, so.
TRUSTEE KING: Hang on a second. This was approved on eight-foot
centers. 4x4s on eight-foot centers.
MS. MOORE: Okay.
TRUSTEE KING: That was the last dock we approved just to the south
of this dock. We are trying to stay consistent.
MS. MOORE: That's all right. I knew it couldn't be ten-foot
centers.
TRUSTEE KING: I just scaled it off, Pat. It's eight feet.
MS. MOORE: Okay. That's fine.
TRUSTEE KING: John is familiar with what we have been doing on
these. He's kind of understands what the process is here.
MS. MOORE: I just have to give this to Bob Fox to re-draw.
TRUSTEE KING: It's difficult because you have an old dock to the
north of you that has eight or ten inch piles. The dock was there
40 years ago and the standards have changed. Conditions have
changed. We are trying to downsize this structure so it doesn't
have such an impact on the wetlands.
MS. MOORE: I think time will tell, when the piles are so small that
they pop up in the winter so you end up with a lot more
maintenance.
TRUSTEE KING: We have one up in Long Creek, how many years ago?
Schultz.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Three, maybe.
TRUSTEE KING: And that was a 4x4 dock. It initially started out as
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
massive. It was cut down to 4x4. It's three years, they haven't
had a problem.
MS. MOORE: Okay.
TRUSTEE KING: You don't get that heavy ice up where the intertidal
marsh is. You get it out further. Of course I have seen some
winters where nothing stays. We haven't had one in a long time.
But I have seen it.
MS. MOORE: Do you want me to help you identify what I think you
approved?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think I have it written. We haven't approved
anything yet.
MS. MOORE: What you have for a proposed resolution,
do you want those also eight-inch piles on center. Eight foot on
center. Do you want those also eight foot on center?
TRUSTEE KING: This other dock was on eight foot centers.
MS. MOORE: Okay. So eight on center.
TRUSTEE KING: Just trying to be consistent. It really simplifies
things where we can get in this process where it stops all the back
and forth between the two agencies.
MS. MOORE: What I'll let Bob Fox know is that these are the
standards that we try to apply so when he gives it to me, it will
be consistent. It will take a while.
TRUSTEE KING: It's new, I know. Any other comments?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Are there any comments there under LWRP or CAC?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It's consistent.
TRUSTEE KING: It's consistent. Because it's in Mattituck Creek.
That's determined to be a maritime center. So, I don't understand
some of this, as far as the L WRP goes.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The point is it is consistent.
MS. MOORE: I'm not arguing with consistency. It's just it
surprises me sometimes. I can't make heads or tails of their
consistency.
TRUSTEE KING: I don't understand half of this. It's very confusing
to me and very troubling to me, to be quite honest, because another
dock almost similar to this will be found inconsistent if it's not
in this particular location, but environmentally it's the same. If
there is another one someplace else, it will be found
inconsistent.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: How about CAC comments?
TRUSTEE KING: Table the application until construction details are
submitted depicting fiberglass grid material on the deck. No CCA
treated lumber should be used. There should be no disturbance to
the existing, non-turf areas.
I have talked to DEC about this fiberglass grid material being
used in this location. And the feeling I got or the opinion I got
is you have an area where you have a quite a large rise and fall of
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
tide, Mattituck Creek is about five-and-a-half feet rise and fall
of tide. Spartina grows much taller and the open grate really
doesn't do anything for you. So.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: There is plenty of growth underneath.
TRUSTEE KING: So the decking would be non-treated lumber.
I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: I'll make a motion to approve the application with a
couple of changes. That the piles through the intertidal marsh
will be 4x4 on eight foot centers and it will be eight-inch piles
on eight foot centers on the seaward end and two eight-inch piles
holding the float in place and decking will be untreated material.
I think that covers it. Do I have a second?
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: And if we could get new plans showing those.
MS. MOORE: I'll give you new plans, sure.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Number two, Patricia Moore on behalf of JAN
JUNGBLUT requests a Wetland Permit to construct a 4x48 foot timber
dock, 3.5 foot above grade, 2.5x18 foot ramp and 6x20 foot floating
dock, install eight inch piles and two 10-inch anchor piles.
Located: 3295 Pine Neck Road, Southold.
This came, came before us in a previous meeting. It was
tabled. Just to review from the previous meeting, under the LWRP,
it was found inconsistent and it was entered into the record the
reasons for the inconsistency last time. But just for review,
can't interfere with the neighbor's access to waterway. That's
it. And the tax map indicates that it, again, this is too close to
the neighbor's property. So that's why it was found inconsistent
under the LWRP. There is no evaluation in the file from the CAC
that I could find at all.
And the other piece of history that came out at the last
meeting was the fact that back in April of 1995, this was reviewed,
excuse me, a dock application was reviewed for this property and it
was denied for boater safety to quote from the letter from Albert
Krupski. We had asked for opinions from the neighbors. We had
received a letter -- bear with me -- I'm sorry. CAC resolved to
support the application. I apologize. I found it.
There is a letter here from Charles Burham who is to the west
side saying it consists to allowing the relocation of proposed dock
so it extends in a westerly direction crossing the extension of my
property line. We then asked for a letter, similar type letter
17
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
from the gentleman who lives to the other side, a William Geckle.
He wrote a letter on August 28 where he was not in support of the
original application.
MS. MOORE: No, the opposite. Sorry
TRUSTEE BERGEN: At that time I would like to offer Mr. Jungblut the
opportunity to have his dock as long as it doesn't interfere with
my property and navigational rights. Since then he did send an
E-mail, at our request, at the end of August, where he stated he
did not have an issue with this dock being located as the plans
depicted. And the latest plans I have here, because have I several
stamped plans, the latest ones I have, I want to make sure we are
in concurrence here, is August 20,2007.
MS. MOORE: September 10, 2007.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That's what I thought. Hang on.
MS. MOORE: I only have one copy of that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think you handed us one copy in the field that
day. You never really submitted --
MS. MOORE: (Handing).
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Stamp that and look at that as the latest set of
plans.
So as I recall, one of the concerns of this was the proximity
to the neighbors because, again, as you extend the property line
out, this proposedd dock was not going to be more than 15 feet away
either adjoining neighbor's property lines and so both neighbors
have put in writing that they do not have a problem with it.
MS. MOORE: Can I add some additional information? Are you ready
for it?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The only other additional information I have here
for the records is a fax that was received on September 18 from a
doctor verifying that there is health related reasons for
disability of the applicant due to, because of disability with a
knee.
MS. MOORE: She has severe spinal stenosis in both cervical and
lumbar spine, which affects her upper body strength and also the
knee.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you. So with that, I open it up if there is
anybody here to speak for this application.
MS. MOORE: Yes, thank you. Confirming what you have in the record,
which is that the neighbor to the east did submit, he was shown the
latest version, which is a float that goes in the westerly
direction, it actually works better for him than the mooring and
the boat that Mr. Jungblut uses presently. So he actually thought
that that was a very good plan. It actually, his navigational
ability there with his boat, it works better than what is presently
the only form of access that they have. So they want to make sure
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
that if this dock is approved that they would remove the mooring
and there certainly they would abandon that mooring and not ask for
another one, obviously.
As far as the neighbor to the west, Mr. Burnham, his
waterfront is quite wide and he finds no problem with this dock
because any future dock that he might enjoy is most likely going to
be on the far opposite side of his property because that's where
all the activity is. That's where his, I think he has access
stairs, steps, and so this works well for both sides.
TRUSTEE KING: What would happen if the neighbor sold and they
wanted something else?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That's my concern. I wish we had someone from
legal here. I wondering if there is some way to resolve that
legally that either property owner can do on either side. Because
I agree with you. If either property owner sells, we are then
running into a potential problem with the new property owner with
approving the dock.
MS. MOORE: Actually, you have that issue with Monago. I hate to
mention that application, but.
TRUSTEE KING: This was a nice night so far.
MS. MOORE: But actually the legal issue was in the courts and it
was determined that because the structure is there prior to the
person buying the property that they, in a sense, I want to call it
adverse possession, but there is a right to continue the keep the
structure in place that they, the person who buys the property sees
what is there and is assuming -- yes.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Bob and I had that conversation.
TRUSTEE KING: We are approving the encroaching on someone else's
property?
MS. MOORE: With the permission of the other side. The alternative
is a straight dock. That didn't work well for the neighbor to the
east, so we tried to come up with a design that worked better for
both neighbors.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: And this design, the latest one submitted as of
October 3, today, is an L-shaped. Just so the Board understands.
It's an L-shaped where the "L" basically juts toward the west, over
the property line, correct?
MS. MOORE: Yes.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: We also talked about it being a seasonal dock to
be removed.
MS. MOORE: I don't think it's a problem making it seasonal. He
lives here year-round, so that's not a problem. I think that would
make sense in general, in that water body.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's what I'm uneasy with.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I think this is one of those cases --
TRUSTEE KING: It was denied by a previous Board and the problem is
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
I agree with the original denials.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It's unfortunate because we understand the
disability and the need, but it's very tough to --
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I'm of the opinion that this is one of those cases
where every so often you come cross something where just breaking
the rules is the right thing to do.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: If it didn't set a precedent that once this dock
is there, it gets to stay there. That's the problem. If it's
something we could give these homeowners and it would not be
permanent.
TRUSTEE KING: We have someone with disabilities. I don't want to
sound cruel, but we have not modified a code specifically for them
because they have a disability.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Bob, do you want to finish?
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: You know. People give easements to their neighbors
to give various things in various, different ways. Once the
easement is given then the person who buys the property basically
assumes that easement when they buy the property. I kind of see
this as basically the same thing. We have letters from two
neighbors saying it's okay. We are essentially giving them an
easement to the setbacks in order to make this work. I think it's
the right thing to do. The person who buys the property
subsequently to the west and east are going to know that this dock
is there. It's been permitted. You know, as long as they do their
due diligence I don't know see how there will be a problem in the
futu re.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I don't see it as being a safety issue.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: According to the neighbors, it's going to make it
better, navigationally.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'm asking according to the Board.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I guess my question, and, again, in 1995 and, I'm
not, who knows why in 1995 it was decided that it's a denial for
boater safety, I don't know what they meant by boater safety, so.
What I'm looking at, is it farther out than the other dock? No,
it's not. I don't see where it's a boating safety issue. It's not
interfering with navigation. It has the same effect of navigation
as the other dock as. Identical. It's not extending farther out
than the other dock. I don't know see it's a navigation issue here
at all.
The other thing I'll point out is this Board, a few months
ago, with an application in Southold, approved a dock that was
within, on both sides, well within the 15 foot limit. So the Board
already did, I believe it was back during the summer, approved a
dock that --
TRUSTEE KING: Was that a dock or just a float?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That was a dock and float. Because the whole piece
20
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
of property was only 15 feet wide in total. And this Board
approved a dock.
TRUSTEE KING: I thought it was just a ramp to a float. I didn't
know it was a dock.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: You could be right.
TRUSTEE KING: I think it was a ramp to a float.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: But it still didn't meet the 15-foot setback on
either side.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: When this first came out I was uneasy with it
because of the boater safety, but the changes they made and with
the letters from both neighbors and the doctor's note, I'm kind of
leaning toward basically what Bob was saying. But I'm still
uneasy, the closeness of this.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Closeness to what?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: To the docks. The docks being close together like
that.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: My concern, I sympathize and I understand the
need in this situation. It's unfortunate there is not an
alternative to enable you and your wife to get to your boat, aside
from this permanent structure, which in everything that I believe
is right, shouldn't be there. And yet I want you, I don't want to
take away your ability to get to your vessel. So, I'm very torn
between what Bob is saying and what Jim is saying.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Just to clarify Jill's point, it looks like
approximately 20 feet between the two docks, between the two
floats, I should say. It's approximately 20 feet, give or take a
foot.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I thought it was a little closer.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That's according to the scale here.
MS. MOORE: And also look at the float size. It's exactly double
what our float is.
TRUSTEE KING: We had an application in east Marion. They had to
put the boat on the other side of the float. Which we approved.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: We, legally, for safety, are we liable once we
have given the permit?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Is there a way, I'm just talking out loud, to do
some kind of shorter catwalk, shorter thing that they still have
the mooring out there and then she could walk out on a hard
structure and then step in the boat from there? Instead of having
this being the full thing. So you would still have the mooring so
you still row out to the boat like you normally do now, but you
bring it in where she can step on a platform and then get in.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: She is saying get in and out of the smaller boat
is the difficult part.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: She wouldn't have to get in and out of the smaller
boat. He could go out and bring the boat to her.
21
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE KING: Have a little shorter catwalk that he could bring his
boat into.
MS. MOORE: The catwalk would have to go out as far as the water
depth. In lieu of the float and the ramp, you would have to make
the permanent, the fixed catwalk, much longer, and that is actually
not a seasonal structure.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: You could tilt the motor up.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Looking at the depth, you are talking about the
beginning of what is now the floating dock. 1.2 feet. It's not
like you have a lot of water there.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I was just trying --
MS. MOORE: I appreciate your brainstorming.
TRUSTEE KING: What's the depth of the water where the float is?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The depth of the water where the float is 2.7 feet,
on the outside of the float. 1.6 feet on the inside of the float
TRUSTEE KING: That's just barely approvable by DEC.
MS. MOORE: That's the bare minimum. We kept it to the bare
minimum.
TRUSTEE KING: That's cutting it close, for them.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: If the goal was to try to pull the structure back
so it meets the setbacks even without that floating dock, you still
have the setback issue, you are still going to have the setback
issue. So even to do what is being proposed, you are not
eliminating that setback problem.
TRUSTEE KING: In my mind it is not doable. (Perusing).
MS. MOORE: Keep in mind, this is no different than being in a
marina. You have marinas, the boats are very close.
TRUSTEE KING: That's an entirely different story.
MS. MOORE: I'm saying --
TRUSTEE KING: You are comparing apples and oranges.
MS. MOORE: The sailboat is -- you have pre-existing conditions.
You have pre-existing properties. You have pre-existing docks.
The neighbor has a dock that quite frankly should have been
straight out, like all the other docks are. But as soon as he
turned it on a "T", he now impacted the next neighbor. Or my
client. So this works for now if at some time the neighbor, Mr.
Werner Taylor, had a different boat or changed their -- well, a
different boat that changed the dimension of the positioning of the
float, at that point we could all agree to come back and change the
float direction to straight out, which is the right way it should
be. But we are hampered by our easterly neighbor. So we are
working within the constraints that have been left for us.
We have no problem with making an agreement to come back if we
ever convince the neighbor to come and change the positioning of
his float. It would work. So.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: It still wouldn't meet the 15-foot rule.
22
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
MS. MOORE: But the neighbor doesn't meet the 15. He's only got --
the neighbor to the east, our neighbor is not at 15 feet. And keep
in mind your 15 foot distance is a recommendation that you are
permitted to waive if you have a pre-existing condition. You have
pre-existing properties here.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I just want to bring one other matter up. I know
it was a condition of the land marker, Werner Taylor, that if this
was approved, that the mooring would be removed?
MS. MOORE: Yes.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I just wanted to put that on the record.
MS. MOORE: That's understood.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Is the mooring further out?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes.
MS. MOORE: The mooring is actually more in the way than this float,
so.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Are there any other comments from the Board?
(No response.)
If not, I would like to make a motion to close the public hearing.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I would like to make a motion to approve the
application of Patricia Moore on behalf of Jan Jungblut, location
3295 Pine Neck Road, as per the plans submitted stamped October 3,
2007, with the condition that the mooring will be removed and that
this is a seasonal, as it is marked, seasonal float and ramp. Do I
have a second?
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
TRUSTEE KING: Are you going keep the pile sizes all the same?
MS. MOORE: Pile sizings, these are the old versions, sorry.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: They are eight-inch piles marked here going to ten
inch.
MS. MOORE: So it should be six inch?
TRUSTEE KING: You can try it.
MS. MOORE: No. Why waste my time. It takes six weeks to get a
response from DEC, so I would rather give it to them right from the
beginning.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: So you are willing to amend this to six-inch piles,
ten foot on center.
MS. MOORE: And eight inch anchor piles, right? Isn't that what you
generally approve?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes.
TRUSTEE KING: I don't know in that particular area if they'll go
for eight inch or not.
MS. MOORE: Seven?
23
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE KING: I simply don't know. I know you'll be looking at
4x4s for the intertidal marsh. You are looking at six-inch piles
seaward of the intertidal marsh. That I know. The rest I'm not
sure.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We can say up to six-inch piles and if they do 4x4
they don't have to come back to us. Does that make sense?
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: That makes sense.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Was there any discussion of a grated catwalk?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Is there a opportunity here to do a grated
catwalk?
MS. MOORE: Yes, that's not a problem.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: What I would like to do is withdraw my previous
motion. Second to withdraw that motion?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: What I would like to do is make a motion now,
amended motion, to approve the application of Jan Jungblut, 3295
Pine Neck Road, as with the condition of the removal of the
mooring, the use of a grated catwalk, and as per the plans
submitted October 3, with the adjustment with the piles for the
catwalk will be six-inch piles, ten foot on center, and -- up to
six-inch piles. And that the piles for the float and ramp will be
up to eight inch. And that's a seasonal, as depicted on the plans,
seasonal float and ramp. Do I have a second?
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: With that, that brings it into consistency with
LWRP?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Correct. With those modifications. It will bring
it into consistency under the LWRP. Once again, do I have a
second?
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Aye.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Aye.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Aye.
TRUSTEE KING: Nay.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: As I stated before, with the letters from the
neighbors and the letters from the doctor.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Peggy?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I think it's unfortunate that the structure is
permanent. Even with the grated catwalk, which makes it more in
line with LWRP, it's a permanent structure in a creek in the
vicinity that I think goes against our code and it's unfortunate
24
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
that it does not enable these current residents to get to their
vessel. But I'm going to have to vote no.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Let the record reflect both Trustee King and
Trustee Dickerson voted no. And Trustees Bergen, Doherty and
Ghosio voted yes. Thank you.
MS. MOORE: Thank you.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Number three, Patricia Moore on behalf of RUTH
FALBEL SCHWARTZ requests a Wetland Permit to construct a 4x22 foot
timber dock with steps to grade, a minimum 3.5 feet above grade,
2.5x18 foot ramp and 6x20 foot floating dock. Located: 2350
Clearview Avenue, Southold.
As I recall, we all went out and saw this one. It has been
revolved by the CAC to support the application with the condition
that the dock doesn't extend any further seaward than the
neighboring docks, and CAC requests a more definitive plan with
regard to the trimming of the phragmites. In addition the CAC
recommends consideration to allow for public access below mean high
water.
LWRP finds it to be inconsistent for various reasons. Goose
Creek is in the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation critical environmental area. The applicant currently
enjoys access to the water via a public boat ramp located
immediately to the east of the subject property at the end of
Gagen's Landing Road. And there are some others but that is the
crux of what LWRP is saying.
As I recall, when we were out in the field, that's exactly
what we found, that it was directly next to a public access ramp
and, as I understand it, when that is the case, in general, we do
not issue the permits. Does anybody have any comments?
MS. MOORE: Do you want me to comment? Sorry.
I submitted a letter September 24 where I went through and
identified all the properties that have docks, and there were,
between tax map lot 27 -- let me see. 12 docks within, adjacent in
that whole range and there was one after another that have docks
there. In particular, in 2006, with a similar inconsistency
finding, you approved the Buglione (sic) dock that is directly on
the opposite side of the boat ramp. So there is ample proof that
there are docks throughout this whole area. Right next door on the
opposite side you approved one, and this property owner actually
had gotten from the Board an approval for cutting the phragmites
but the DEC doesn't allow for cutting of phragmites. So we didn't
even bother.
I spoke to Darlene Garbino and she said don't even bother
making the application because the DEC says no because they are
afraid you wouldn't know good phragmites from bad phragmites, so
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
it's easier to say no. So that was denied. So her ability to use
this water is pretty much limited to this dock because the property
is covered with reeds. So.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Was Bob on the Board when it was approved for
the other dock?
MS. MOORE: In '06, I don't know.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Bob wasn't on the Board. I voted no. So it was
not unanimous. And I think Jim said previously also, counting the
docks in the area, standards have changed, we changed code and
we've learned more.
Looking to what is there is not always a justification for an
approval. I do in know that I did vote no on the last one and it
is because not only is there a dock ramp there but I believe it's
also been noted by the senior planner that it's highly subaquatic
vegetation in that area also.
MS. MOORE: I would also point out if you go to the end of Gagen's
landing Road, there are several, I think there are boat docks that
are actually, or piles, there are numbered piles there, essentially
on the, partly on my client's property, if you extend the property
line. So the town has been in a sense giving access to boats as
permanent dockage there on the east side of my client's property.
There has been no objection to that, but in all fairness, they are
asking for a very minimal structure, the fixed portion of which is
only 20 feet in length. It is, Goose Creek and this area of Goose
Creek, as I said, with an aerial photograph, you can see that
absolutely every property that surrounds this Goose Creek within a
thousand feet of this property have docks. So you can't say that
the rules have changed. Since the '80's they have been pretty much
the same.
And 275 was adjusted, but it doesn't take away people's rights
to have a dock on the water. She is asking for a minimal access
and Gagen's Landing Road is not an appropriate boat launch for a
neighbor right there. And I would also point out Sheidet (sic),
similarly got an approval in '05. I pointed out the permit. I gave
you permit numbers and more importantly the one right next door
which got approved. So.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'm just looking at the plan right here and it
shows at the end of, the floating dock depth, looks like between
5.2 and 5.3 feet. The water. Is there any opportunity to move
that back slightly so it's in slightly shallower water? Because I
see 4.4, 3.2 coming back along the catwalk.
MS. MOORE: It drops very quickly so I don't see a problem with
reducing the length of either the fixed portion or reducing the
length of any part of this, as long as we can accomplish let's say
three feet of water. Because you go from 1.7 to three. So I don't
think you can get the two-and-a-half.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The question Jim is asking is why is there a deep
section there. I know there are two shallower sections. I know
there is a natural channel that has occurred through there along
Goose Creek. That came up with the other dock we looked at over on
the other side of Gagen's Landing. There is a natural channel
there that was probably created with the flow of water. Anyhow,
that's why it is that way. I just want to make sure if we do
reduce it in length, we don't reduce it to the point where the boat
is sitting on the bottom at the low tide.
MS. MOORE: I think safely you could reduce the length so that the
float is just seaward of where the ramp is now.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Would the applicant be acceptable to using grating
on the catwalk?
MS. MOORE: That's not a problem. I asked her.
(Perusing.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Jim is saying it looks like we can cut the overall
structure, the overall length, could be reduced almost 20 feet.
MS. MOORE: I don't disagree with you. I was surprised. We were
all surprised that there was this depth of water that gives us the
flexibility.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: When we were out there we saw it just drops.
MS. MOORE: It doesn't mean -- I think we have to work within that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Do you want to table it and work something out,
maybe? I mean because I don't know if it's going to work. I'm
thinking cut the catwalk back by 12 feet. Maybe cut the ramp
back.
MS. MOORE: I don't want to cut the ramp so short that it's so
steep. It may make more sense to cut the fixed portion back so it
creates the right angle. Yes.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Do you want to come back?
MS. MOORE: I have no problem with a revision here.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It's a very wide body of water.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Before we table it and send it for revisions, I
think we need to determine whether or not we are going to deny
based on --
MS. MOORE: Would you consider an alternative plan.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I would rather see if we could work, if the
decision is going to be -- excuse me. If the feeling of the Board
is in favor of this then I would like to see if we could work an
agreement on a plan tonight rather than table this.
MS. MOORE: I could certainly go back and you set the depth of water
at, say 3.2 or three where the float is. I will re-draw it so that
the float is at three. You know, you go from 1.7 to 3.2. But I
would say at that spot -- approve the float, I'll work with the
ramp and give it back to you so you write the decision.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I think the goal is -- and I don't want on jump
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
ahead here -- but I think the goal of the Board is try to reduce
the permanent structure as much as possible. So if the permanent
structure could be reduced to the maximum amount so the end of the
float is in 3.2 feet of water and the landward side of the float is
not sitting on the bottom at low tide.
MS. MOORE: Right.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Yes.
TRUSTEE KING: The last one we approved, I think was the one Peggy
was talking about is to the, there is a yellow house.
MS. MOORE: Sheidet.
TRUSTEE KING: And if you go to the left, that was just a little
short grated catwalk. That was very small.
MS. MOORE: If you give me a second, I have all of them here.
TRUSTEE KING: I think it was 12 feet long. It was a grated catwalk
that leads to a float.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: If we reduce that by 20 feet, it would be the same
size as this and she said she would be willing to go along with the
grated
MS. MOORE: Are we looking at Buglione, the yellow, is that what you
are looking at?
TRUSTEE KING: If you walk past his house and keep going, that was
the last one I remember approving.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That was the one that was approved in '06. I
remember that one. And I remember, Peggy, you voted no on that one
also.
MS. MOORE: This was a 4x10 catwalk with a 3x15 ramp and a 6x20
float. Minimum four feet above.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Say that again.
MS. MOORE: 4x10 catwalk, 3x15 ramp and 6x20 floating dock elevated
a minimum four feet above tidal wetlands and supported by four
six-inch piles. The float will be supported by four six-inch piles
and the docking facility will be accessible via a four-foot wide by
155 long natural cleared path.
TRUSTEE KING: Does that say open grate? Because it seems to me it
was modified to open grate --
MS. MOORE: I haven't gotten to it yet.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: She is saying she would not have a problem with
open grate.
MS. MOORE: Yes, it doesn't show it on the one part of it but it's
just 4x1 0 fiberglass grated catwalk elevated 18-inches above grade
and supported by four six-inch piles, 3x15 seasonal ramp and 6x20
seasonal floating dock supported by two six-inch piles to be
accessed by a 4x155 natural, hand-cleared path.
TRUSTEE KING: I know we downsized the original application. I
remember that.
MS. MOORE: That's your resolution August 23, 2006. Permit number
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Board of Trustees
October 3,2007
-- I don't have
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Well --
MS. MOORE: Do you want us to try to design something to match
this?
TRUSTEE KING: Something similar, for that area.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Now, to go on what Dave said, I mean, I would be
comfortable approving something to, reducing it, subject to
receiving the drawing on the new survey so they don't have to come
back and we don't have another, you know, we could put it on the
17th. I'm trying to reduce, because the 17th is kind of loaded.
If that's what our goal is. If she can't meet that then she
doesn't get the approval. So it's still subject to --
MS. MOORE: I don't want to have to go back to another re-noticed.
So I would say why don't you, I guess with the understanding that
you're all right with having me redesign it to match Buglione, why
don't I adjourn it tonight because I don't know, I don't know how
long Bob Fox, it's a very short meeting before the 17th. I don't
know that Bob can re-draw this in time for the 17th. So rather
than have that time pressure and have it get screwed up --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And we'll have the exact dimensions, too.
MS. MOORE: I don't have a problem with that. It can go very quickly
that night.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: The only I think want to point out, as far as I can
tell, in the code there is nothing about not being able to approve
this based on the fact that it's next to a public access. The code
is very clear about putting steps or stairs on bluffs that the
property is part of an association, next to an association
property, which is basically private property but it's owned by the
whole community. But I can't find anything that would make this,
that we couldn't do it.
TRUSTEE KING: Nothing in the code that I know.
MS. MOORE: Given that this fiberglass is elevated only 18 inches
above grade, people can probably walk on top of it and over
it. That's what the Buglione was. 18-inches above grade. Do you
want that or no? Fiberglass, grating, catwalk. That's the yellow
house on the other side is Buglione.
TRUSTEE KING: But they don't have the docks. Next to them they
have docks.
MS. MOORE: They all have docks. Everybody has docks. I was
reading from Buglione. Sheidet has a dock also, and so does
everybody else.
TRUSTEE KING: How does Sheidet and Buglione compare to each other?
That's my point.
MS. MOORE: Sheidet is a different one. I have it. I just have to
find it.
I have them separated by tax map numbers. There are so many of
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
them. Sheidet. Here we go. 4x5 platform, stairway to grade, 3x10
seasonal ramp and 5x20 floating dock. That's Sheidet. That's
'04.
TRUSTEE KING: So the Buglione that we are comparing.
MS. MOORE: Yes. That's the one on the another side. Sheidet is
more of a platform to a ramp to float. Again, to get
three-and-a-half and the right angle, I don't know which of the two
we would be closer to.
TRUSTEE KING: I would prefer the grated, low profile.
MS. MOORE: Well that would be the more current permit you approved.
TRUSTEE KING: I think that's the direction the Board wants to go.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I would entertain a motion to table this so we can
get new plans to address this at other time.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MS. MOORE: Thank you.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Patricia Moore on behalf of CAROL MERCIER &
PETER SCHRAMM requests a Wetland Permit for repairs to the existing
3x28 foot fixed timber dock, 3x12 foot seasonal ramp and 6x10 foot
floating dock, and replace piles with galvanized steel posts.
Located: 600 Sunset Way, Southold.
Is there anyone here who would like to speak to this
application?
MS. MOORE: Thank you. This is one where, this is originally
constructed 1962. It's been repaired for many, many years. The
most recent repairs were replacing the piles with galvanized posts,
which are a nice size. You have the dimensions. I think you had
some questions which -- you had some questions.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: You just said the dock was built in 1962.
MS. MOORE: Originally built in 1962.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Was there any structure there two years ago?
MS. MOORE: Yes. In fact some of the structure that is there now is
the same structure. And I would be happy to put her on the record
and tell you the substructure sill remains.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: My understanding is we were informed out in the
field was that this was a dock that was built without any permits
recently, and that's what we were informed of out in the field.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: So it's a permitted structure.
MS. MOORE: I have to look and see. A grandfathered structure.
don't know that this one showed up on your '84 inventory. So
clearly I had photographs, and I have my client who was a child at
the time, the dock was there and I have a photograph of her as a
child, but in the '80's when they went around town and did the
inventory, some of the docks were missed. And this was apparently
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
one of them, so.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: We are looking at a copy of the Southold Town
report. Court date 7/27/07, where there was a fine paid. It was
reported a dock built in above location without a permit.
MS. MOORE: No, that was the settlement in court.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'm just looking at the paperwork here.
MS. MOORE: That was to try to get it out of the court system, but
it was a dock that was pre-existing, and I have photographs if you
would like for your file, with 1964 and 1981.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Can I see them?
MS. MOORE: Sure. Here is 1963 and it should appear in the aerial
photographs.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: There is an aerial here, Jim. That's 2007.
MS. MOORE: '76 it was there.
MR. SCHRAMM: It was in the aerial photograph.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: This looks like the pilings are all wood pilings.
MS. MOORE: Yes, everything was wood piles at the time.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: In reviewing it out the field it appears the whole
thing is relatively new; the pilings, the catwalk, everything
appeared to us to be relatively new.
MS. MOORE: Alii could tell you is the substructure remains the
same, the planking, some of it is newer than others, planking, you
could tell by the rust on the nails. Some of it, over time, the
planking has been repaired. But it's an existing dock and it would
show on the 1977 aerial map and I have the photographs of the
structure.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I think one of our concerns is it's sitting as
low as it's sitting where normally it would be raised or grated.
MS. MOORE: Or what?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: One of the concerns of the Board, one of the
things we talked about was either raising it, because it's so low,
or having it grated on top. Which is unfortunate --
MS. MOORE: Unfortunately that's the way it was originally built. I
have a photographs from 1982 were you could see the muck. It was a
relatively, I guess at the time, low profile. That's what it was.
It was a low dock.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: The other thing we were talking about is maybe
extending the catwalk landward of the cement wall and stop mowing
in front of the cement wall.
MS. MOORE: I have to address that. Because that's a serious
problem for owners. Not for, in general, I'll tell you, of a
situation that has occurred.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Let me say, the reason I brought that up before we
were finished with the other is because if we do that, that affects
the height of the dock as well. That's why I brought that up before
we finish the height thing.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
MS. MOORE: My concern with doing that is that I just recently had a
case, and it's going to be on appeal with the DEC at a hearing.
There was a concrete or retaining wall that was added at one point
in time. The wetland line was, the DEC acknowledged where it was,
ten or 15 years ago, and what happened is that they allowed the
wetlands to infiltrate the property. Urn, and what happened is the
DEC now took the new wetland line, even though it was a creeping
line, and they have actually denied putting a second story on an
existing house and that's only because they are now taking the
wetland edge, because the people did not maintain the property,
that the house has been there since, again, the '60s, maybe the
'50s. So that's the problem with allowing nature to take over,
the DEC all of a sudden prevents you from --
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: When you look at this picture, that's where it
normally was going to -- this is the normal vegetation. Because
it's being mowed, it's been removed. That natural vegetation has
been removed.
MS. MOORE: I understand that but --
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Why are you saying we can't let that --
MS. MOORE: One, this property predates all Trustees' jurisdiction,
DEC jurisdiction, it all predates. If you allow the wetlands to
infiltrate the property, if you don't maintain the property, you'll
essentially allow the DEC to condemn your property. And that's the
problem.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I understand what you are saying, where you are
coming from. But it's not just grass there. There is wetland
species coming up that are being mowed, that we don't allow certain
wetland bushes and plants to be mowed, and they are being mowed
there.
MS. MOORE: I understand that. All over town people are mowing
their lawn and mowing whatever it is that would otherwise creep up
through their lawn and the fact is that it's a pre-existing
property, pre-existing condition. So if you don't maintain your
pre-existing condition, essentially what you'll find is, and I wish
it were not the case because we would be much better off with
wetlands going as close as they are as long as the DEC recognizes
you have a property you want to improve. So that's the conflict.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I understand that. But I look at this as when we
have bulkhead repairs and people have lawn all the way up to the
bulkhead and we say, okay, now we want a ten-foot buffer. That's
how I look at this. Yes, they had a lawn there for 30 years that
way. Well, guess what, things have changed and we want a buffer
there now. You know.
MS. MOORE: I understand your goal and we don't really have an
objection to meeting that goal through vegetation, putting in
natural plantings, keeping a natural buffer. The problem we have
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
is not maintaining it and allowing what is, it could be wetlands
that are invasive wetlands, that are not natural growing wetlands
and essentially you are creating a situation where your property
becomes regulated to the point where you can't improve it. And
this is a very small house. They do have plans to improve the
house, possibly put a second floor on the house and if they allow
that to happen I'll guarantee you we'll be in a fight with the DEC
because what used to be a setback that was reasonable, all of a
sudden has become a nonconforming setback that your house is now
within 75 feet of your newly created wetlands that you allowed.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It's very possible the DEC can come out, say you
applied for the second story, come out and see the wetlands species
in the mowed part that we saw and use that as a line. Just because
you mow it doesn't mean they are saying that's the line.
TRUSTEE KING: You could probably get a violation for what they've
done there.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: For the wetlands to be designated, that is just
as much a wetland, if they did their spoil samples, there is a core
sampling that they can do that they can still designate that as an
existing wetland. So, regardless of whether it's been mowed, that
area can still be considered wetlands. I don't know how you could
say it's removed and now it's not there anymore because it's been
mowed.
Anyway that brings us back to the original question is this a
grandfathered dock that was repaired? I see Lauren had a question
in here. Is it an as-built fee? What is the Board's feeling on
the dock itself, the catwalk itself?
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: It's been replaced.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It's been replaced and there is proof there was a
dock there and it's been replaced and for whatever reason it never
got a grandfather permit. So my feeling is it was replaced without
a permit. But there was a structure there.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Who built this, by the way?
MS. MOORE: They themselves. So they will, I'll put them on the
record to testify that it is not a replacement, it is a repair.
The portions that were replaced were piles with the posts which is
a more environmentally appropriate --
TRUSTEE KING: Are the old piles still there?
MR. SCHRAMM: No, I removed them.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Could we have them put in their words on the
record?
MS. MOORE: Can you put your words on the record so they get that
from you; put your name on the record.
TRUSTEE KING: The biggest question on my mind, was it a functional
dock?
MR. SCHRAMM: Peter Schramm. Yes.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
MS. MOORE: Whose property was this originally?
MR. SCHRAMM: This was my wife's family's property since the '50s.
We have been married 15 years. I have been repairing the float. the
walk and the dock for 15 years. You know, a board here, a board
there, a post here, a post there. And it came to the point where
my father-in-law had steel posts. And when I was replacing the
steel posts, he had the dock about this high off the ground,
(indicating). So I wanted to go higher because at high tide it was
under water. So I replaced the posts and brought the whole
structure up. But I have been replacing items on it for the past
15 years. In bits and pieces, bits and pieces. Sometimes big
pieces, sometimes small pieces. Sometimes a board.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: So you have no legal document of, except it's
been in your family. There is no grandfather permit?
MS. MOORE: We have an aerial photograph to show it existed in 1977,
which is the DEC jurisdiction and predates you. So any of your
aerial photographs you may rely on, the flood maps will show there
is a dock there.
MR. SCHRAMM: Our neighbor, Ed, I don't know his last name, provided
us with a '76 aerial photograph. It shows our property exactly as
it is, with the seawall maintained exactly where it is, mowed to
where it is. It's been like that since 1958.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Right. What we are trying to say over and over
again is that practice is not the best practice for our shore lines
so that practice has been changed and we are trying bit by piece by
piece as applicants come in, to change that practice and improve it
to what we have been informed to be the best practice.
MR. SCHRAMM: I have an attorney because she is knows the law. But
my problem is, I have a third of an acre. Because my property is at
its widest point at the water's edge, that's 18% of my property.
When we want to retire out here and make that home nicer, it's been
built in bits and pieces since the '50s, we might not be able to
do that. That's the dream. That's the reason we bought out her
brother and maintained the property. We are not talking about it's
a summer cottage and we don't care about it. This is where we want
to retire. We want to make a beautiful home when we sell our
primary home.
MS. MERCIER: I would also like to add when you came out to look the
property, I believe you thought it would be a good idea for us to
grow our bull rushes as like the neighbor next door, and in
actuality, a great part of the bull rushes there are on our
property. Our property is shaped like this down toward the water.
So most of those bull rushes are in fact on our property and the
rest of the neighbor's property, 80% of it, has grass and sand.
MR. SCHRAMM: They have a bulkhead and they have grass. Everyone
else around has bulkheads and sod lawns.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Is there an opportunity to look at a more recent,
such as around a 2004 aerial to see if this dock is there?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: The closest we have here is 2007. I'm not even
sure this is the right house.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: If he's stating for the record he's maintained it
and it's been there.
MS. MOORE: I think it's pretty final on that issue, yes.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Are there any other docks built like this, with
these kinds of materials?
MS. MOORE: Are you talking about the pile? We looked, because that
was my question. I thought if that is environmentally appropriate
and the internet there, there are actually marinas are built with
these kind of piles as far as being an appropriate material,
because it's less circumstance of the piles. It's much more
concise. It's stronger. So it's not a bad material to use as an
alternative material.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: It's galvanized pipe?
MS. MOORE: Yes.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: What is the wood on top treated? Is it treated
wood?
MS. MERCIER: No.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: How far down do they go?
MR. SCHRAMM: The posts. They are 12 feet. So depending on where we
come off the property. In some places it's seven foot in the
ground. So, in some places it's 6.5. They are in the ground
substantially.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: How go you get them in?
MR. SCHRAMM: I made a steel tube with handles and pounded them in;
put a level on them and pounded them in.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: The reason I ask is because my issue wasn't so much
that it was there. Particularly since there was a structure there
to begin with. I happen to agree with him, I think we ought to let
the buffer area grow in, but my concern was that it was not built
like anything I had seen, so it didn't have the standards you are
accustomed to in terms of whether or not it was safe or not. I
know the edges are very sharp. I was concerned about that myself.
But if anybody was to fall and hit themselves on that, it's not
like wood. There is no give to those edges.
MR. SCHRAMM: Essentially, I could put plastic over those.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Sure you can. I'm not saying that's a criteria, I'm
just bringing it up because I was interested, that's all.
MS. MOORE: It's a recognized material that is used in the marine
industry, because I asked her to pull it out. In fact I could
provide it. I know I may have some information on it.
MR. SCHRAMM: The only reason I got the idea is my father-in-law
worked for a sign shop in Nassau County and that's what we built it
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
with. I was like, okay, that worked, it's easy to bolt. So I
matched what he had.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: What's feeling of the Board moving on this
tonight or do you want to consider --
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Could we first -- if you did this already, I
apologize. The LWRP and the CAC opinion on it?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: LWRP is inconsistent. And CAC I believe
supports the application but also said that the condition that the
dock is replaced with open grate decking. See, you are saying you
raised it. It's still quite low even though, you know, it's
covering those marsh grasses, which is why the DEC raises it.
MR. SCHRAMM: The pilings, as you call them, there is two bolts. I
could remove that and raise that to the top of the posts if that's
what you want.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: That's one of the things we were asking for. We
noticed that, in the notes that we had from the field inspection
either grated decking or raise it.
MR. SCHRAMM: Raising it is not an issue at all. It's a bit of an
issue. It's burdensome, but I could do it.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: The other issue, I think a major issue, because
we do require these buffer areas, and we wanted to see the deck all
the way back to the cement wall and also this no mow area. I
understand what you are saying but I mean in the eyes of this
Board, that area is a wetland. And time after time when we see it,
we tell applicants that they cannot mow this wetland area, so. I
think if we --
MR. SCHRAMM: I'm sorry, but I have an issue with surrounding 18% of
my property.
MS. MOORE: Look at the survey. There is already from the high
water mark, there is already a buffer. So there is, Bob drew, I
mean it's mowed but the buffer is, in some areas, 30 feet in width.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: But if everyone mowed their wetland area,
everyone could increase that usable property space. Wetlands are
not allowed to be mowed.
MR. SCHRAMM: We are discussing 20 feet. But that 20 feet, because
of the width, is 18% of my property if you go around Drier's Basin
you'll see everybody is mowed. Well, almost everybody is mowed.
And mowed a lot more than 20 feet.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: We are not saying it's right and we are not
saying that should be allowed. We are saying we are here and
that's what we are looking at.
MR. SCHRAMM: I'm saying I'll gladly surrender 18% of my property--
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I hear what you are saying. I understand your
frustration. We are not asking you to surrender 18% of your
property.
MR. SCHRAMM: I'm sorry, it's an emotional issue for me. Sorry.
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Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I know. It's a very emotional issue for people to
come in and we designate areas as non-turf buffers, because we are
in essence saying you can't do anything. When we designate
non-disturbance buffers, where there is a large piece of their
property they are not allowed to touch, not allowed to do a thing
with, that will affect their setbacks also should they decide to
come in and put a house up or second-floor addition or whatever.
So, believe me, I hear your frustration I know when we went out and
looked at it, there were clearly wetland species here being mowed.
So it was a wetland. So it is a wetland. And to look at it another
way, you are encroaching into the wetlands, where it is your
property, but you are encroaching with this activity into the
wetland area. And believe me, I'm one to try to balance property
owner's rights at all times with the environment. I really am. But
I think with this particular instance, I think the Board is being
reasonable with the request to extend the catwalk back to that wall
and not mow the wetland area.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: May I say something. If you are considering
renovations, and I'm not speaking for the Board, I'm speaking out
loud to try to resolve this. Renovations, I believe, if you were
considering going up, are probably are not an issue here.
MS. MOORE: I would have thought and they just denied that exact
application for a second floor.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Who?
MS. MOORE: The DEC.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'm aware of one they denied in Southold last year.
MS. MOORE: In could not believe it. And in fact I'm meeting with a
client on Friday to get the facts --
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Because of setbacks?
MS. MOORE: Setbacks similar to this, yes.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'm trying to think of the name of the property.
We were out there about a year-and-a-half go.
MS. MOORE: There are no foundation changes. I really questioned
the legitimacy of their denial. It's ridiculous that you can't
improve your property, put a second floor. There is absolutely no
environmental effect by putting a second floor on your existing
foundation.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Like Peggy, I'm talking out loud. Is there a
chance we can compromise here and come in with some kind of
planting plan and really get some type of buffer and some of this
grows back but yet they could still utilize some of this area?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: The property will still be there. The DEC is
going to look at that and still say it's a wetland, whether you are
mowing it or not.
MS. MOORE: I think we could plant a vegetative buffer, okay, that
is a appropriate. I'm not a landscaper but something that is
37
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
appropriate. So you don't have turf. You have a vegetated
buffer. But you have a controlled vegetative buffer. That works
very well and that's something I was suggesting to them. That, I
think we at least have a fighting chance that when we go to the DEC
we can make improvements to this house and we've got a natural
buffer that is a properly controlled, maintained buffer. I'm not
talking about manicured. I'm talking about a natural buffer.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Was that an intertidal wetland?
TRUSTEE KING: No, it's high marsh.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'm intrigued by that compromise.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I would definitely want to see a planting plan and
I would want it viewed. But if it's still going to create, like we
are enhancing the wetland that is there.
MS. MOORE: Keep in mind those are not valuable, I'm going to a
class, I'm going to go see all about it. In October, I get to go
hear all about phragmites. So I hope to bring home information on
what is good phragmites and are what are invasive phragmites and
what are appropriate plantings. I'm hoping that a two-day seminar,
I'll come back with something valuable.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And also what is natural to the area. This is
natural to the area and that's why it's still there.
MR. SCHRAMM: Forgive my ignorance, but between myself and my
neighbor, there is phragmites, bull rushes, whatever you want to
call it, all the way up to my garage. So bear with me. If I never
mow, it will take over my whole property. Where does that end?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: We allow you to cut them to 12 inches.
MS. MOORE: You can, but DEC won't.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: What we do is you are allowed to hand cut the
phragmites to 12 inches. The concern with the mowing is you are
not only mowing phragmites, which I could care less about. You end
up mowing other species that are native and you are mowing the
spartina patens and mowing the bacharus and other native species
that make a wetland.
MR. SCHRAMM: In the area that I don't maintain, alii see is
phragmites. That's alii see.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: They are dominant.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I agree with you, the phragmites risons spread very
rapidly. If I lived in your property, I would agree, without
mowing, those phragmites would probably spread all the way up near
to the base of the foundation of your house.
MR. SCHRAMM: I'm out to my property line on either side of my
property because I'm afraid to touch those things, but I know if I
never touch them, just like if you never touch your own property,
maybe it will claim it all.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That's why I'm agreeing with you. I would do the
same thing with the phragmites if they encroach up to your house,
38
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
beyond, on other side. I agree with you. But we are talking in
front of this wall.
MR. SCHRAMM: So I would certainly prefer to just raise up my -- I
didn't, I thought it was a catwalk, you call it a dock. I would
certainly prefer to raise it and put some kind of a planting that I
could control so that when we are both old enough to retire, we
could put plants in and not have an issue with, you know, you have
bull rushes four feet from your back window, you can't do
anything. Why don't you move. I don't need that. That's not why
we bought the property. We are talking about, from what I paid,
ninety thousand dollars worth of my property, that the DEC might
come in and say since you let nature take that you cannot do a
thing to your house now. What house? If I can't do a thing.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: You keep saying let nature take it. It was
nature's to begin with.
MR. SCHRAMM: This whole planet is nature's to begin with. We all
have to live some place. I drive pavement to my house between the
wetland and watch your road drain off into two sides of it. But
that's okay. You mow those.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I understand. Please. We do understand. And I
think Jim has a good point. He hasn't seen it. He was not there
for the inspection when we were out. We have a lot of things, I
think the raising of the dock is something we all agree on. I
think we do need to reconsider this buffer area and would be
willing to go out and the look at it again for October, which is
next week.
MS. MOORE: I have a 2005 survey that it's not quite as detailed as
Bob Fox's with respect to wetland edge but it has the mean high
water mark on February 2, 2005. On this one. And there is a dock
on it. So that might actually help you when you go out. It's my
only print. So unless you want to take it with you and copy it and
I'll come back in for a copy.
MS. MERCIER: I just wanted to add, we never rototilled that area.
MR. SCHRAMM: We don't use fertilizer, weed killer.
MS. MERCIER: We didn't put fertilizer down. My parents didn't
either. You are asking us to give up a big portion of our property
MR. SCHRAMM: It may not be relevant but 18% of my property is very
relevant to me and I understand you don't want me to mow because
nature wants to consume. Then I look at two of your boat ramps and
I know storm water runoff is a problem and both roads, the roads
into your ramps slope to the water and drain into the water. But
my 20 feet, my 18% is going to be the end of the planet. I have a
problem with that. I have a problem with water draining into
Drier's Basin
TRUSTEE KING: I should put you on the Storm Water Committee.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: We see a lot of things we are not happy with.
39
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
We see a lot of things we would like to change.
MR. SCHRAMM: But you are not giving up 18% of potentially your
rights to enhance your home but the town itself is not doing it. We
are in here with these lights on. Global warming is a huge problem
to the wetlands, if you research it. How many hybrid vehicles is
the town using? Do we use solar panels on this roof? But my 18%
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: The issue there is, and I appreciate that, and it's
a slow process. But when the town does do that, and they are
moving into that direction. There are committees already set up.
I'll tell you, taxes are going to go sky high when it happens. So
it's a political volleyball. And I agree with you.
MS. MOORE: I think we are willing to work with you with a
vegetative buffer and I think the vegetative buffer, what you don't
want is the water and the nitrates to go into the creek.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And we don't want to lose the wetland.
MS. MOORE: I understand that. But we have not really determined
what in that area is truly a valuable wetland. I think it just,
from looking in between, I don't know that --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Should we get a professional out there to tell us?
MS. MOORE: I think we are prepared to give you vegetative buffer
but we have to be very cautious because we can't create a situation
where, you know --
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: And I sympathize. That's why I'm very hesitant
to do doing anything with this tonight, because I understand your
dilemma. But I'm saying I still believe that could still be
determined a wetland as it is now.
MS. MOORE: I'll end up with yes, you'll have issues of adjacent
areas because if you have wetland on the adjacent properties, it
will impact --
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: But the soil itself will tell you that it's
wetlands.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Why doesn't DEC just flag it.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'm saying, when you have someone come in, if
this needs to be decided if this is an existing wetlands mowed, it
very well could be designated a wetland.
MR. SCHRAMM: When I go to '74, New York State survey of the
wetlands I see wetlands marked out on all my neighbors' property.
They all have sod. Where is that? It's on the aerial photographs.
I don't see it though. I'm the only person that really has any
because most of what you see between my neighbor and I is my
property. Because I don't go out to the boundary.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: This is. I been to that area. I don't know what
you are talking about. There is no sod there. I know your
neighbors. I do business with most of them.
MR. SCHRAMM: I call it sod because they have inground sprinklers
and it's nice and green and I have whatever is grown there
40
Board of Trustees
October 3,2007
naturally. I call it sod. They have nicely maintained lawns.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make a motion that we table this. Again, I
don't think the issue is your dock. I think if raising it up will
be, you know, half the battle. But I do think we need to
reconsider this wetland area and have a discussion since we did not
have Jim out there. So I'll make that motion to table.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'll second that.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Because it's next week, right?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes, the field inspection is next Wednesday.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MS. MOORE: The 17th is the next meeting it's on.
TRUSTEE KING: We are on next week for inspection, so.
MS. MOORE: That's fine.
TRUSTEE KING: It's not that we are holding you up for months.
MR. SCHRAMM: I'm sorry I mis-spoke. They don't have sod but they
have nice lawns and I don't. Because I don't fertilize myself.
TRUSTEE KING: The first time we were out in that area doing other
field inspections, we had a report that there was no dock there and
these people just built a whole new dock. That's what --
MS. MOORE: I know and that's the frustration of why I'm in court.
And that's why it's frustrating because in Southold you are guilty
until proven innocent. And even though --
TRUSTEE KING: I wouldn't say that. Don't go saying that. That's
not true.
MS. MOORE: In this instance, I had ample proof.
TRUSTEE KING: They said in the papers it's easier to do it then beg
for forgiveness, you know.
MS. MOORE: I disagree with that completely. I wanted to kick
whoever said that. That's not true.
TRUSTEE KING: Anyway, my concern was there is no dock there, these
people went and built a whole dock. In looking at the survey, that
shows me you have a licensed surveyor in 2005 showing this dock,
it's the same dimensions as what you got there. So that takes that
question out of my mind.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Same concern I had. When you produced --
MS. MERCIER: Do we have the right to know who it was that said we
built a new dock?
TRUSTEE KING: A lot of these are anonymous. People don't like to
give their name. You can't ignore it though because they won't
give their name.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: To answer your question, I believe you do have a
right. They I could FOIL the police report.
TRUSTEE KING: If they don't leave the name, it's useless.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: You have a right to meet your accuser, unless they
are anonymous.
41
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE KING: Most complaints are anonymous. But usually it's a
next door neighbor.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We have the report here. It's anonymous.
MR. SCHRAMM: I'll try to say with amusement to it, but I get so
emotional about this. I come here and look to argue with you about
it. But the constable came down in his SUV to give me the summons
and global warming is a tremendous issue for the wetlands. He came
down in his SUV.
TRUSTEE KING: It's killing the wetlands, thousands and thousands of
acres.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: This has been tabled.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: What Lauren is saying about the report, when
somebody called in for a Trustee matter and they called in
anonymous, the bay constable is also put the Trustees. So if you
look at the report, it's not saying we called it in, it's just
saying it came through our office.
MS. MOORE: I was under the impression the Trustees were after us.
TRUSTEE KING: No. But technically you did repairs on an
unpermitted structure, right? That's the technicality.
MR. SCHRAMM: That's been in since the '60s.
TRUSTEE KING: I know. But by code you can make ordinary repairs or
anything to a permitted structure. This at the time was an
unpermitted structure.
MS. MOORE: Let me put it another way. A permitted structure is a
structure that was legally existing prior to the ordinance. Not a
permitted structure but a permitted structure is one that is
permitted. But that's a conversation between lawyers.
Anyway, I'm glad that was resolved. We had to go through our
paces and we are done.
MR. SCHRAMM: I apologize if I was rude. I'm very, very emotional.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: We understand.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: You are not the first one that expressed that
frustration at all.
MS. MOORE: We should get our money back for the guilty plea and
paying the fine because --
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: All right, I would like to make a motion to go
off the public hearings.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
IV. RESOLUTIONS-OTHER:
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We have one more item on the agenda under
"Resolutions." It's the 2007-08 scallop season.
The DEC is sticking with what they did last year which is the
42
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
first Monday in November to start the season. So we cannot start
it any sooner than that. I would propose that we do the two weeks
residential and then open it two weeks later to commercial.
However, in speaking with Steve Tuttleback from Long Island
University and Chris Pickeral from Cornell, in Hallocks Bay there
are no scallops. I spoke to several baymen. They concur. I spoke
to the bay constable. They concur. Steve Tuttleback and Chris
Pickeral feel that if we leave the area alone there is a chance
that they will -- I don't know if this is the right word --
re-spawn and maybe have a second set of scallops. I would like to
give that a chance and see what happens for next year. So I propose
we keep Hallocks Bay closed completely. Last year we opened it for
residential and then closed it for commercial. I would like to
close it completely for scallops.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I agree.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Hearing no other comments, I'll make a motion to
set the scallop season for 2007-08, for Monday, to start Monday,
November 5,2007, from sunrise to sunset, through Sunday, November
18,2007, inclusive.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: What were those dates again?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: November 5th to the 18th with the exception of
Hallocks Bay, where that area will be closed. And then set Monday,
November 19, 2007, from sunrise to sunset, through Saturday, March
29, 2008, inclusive, in all town waters with the exception of
Hallocks Bay, where that area will be closed.
MS. STANDISH: We don't go through the 31st?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That goes through the Saturday, March 29th.
TRUSTEE KING: Can we have some discussion on it?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes
TRUSTEE KING: Opening it up for two weeks for the residential
licensed holders and not the commercial, primarily was for Hallocks
Bay. That was, Hallocks Bay was the reason. That was so
residential non-commercial people could go in Hallocks Bay for two
weeks before the commercial man had a chance to go in there.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Why doesn't that apply to other creeks?
TRUSTEE KING: It did but it was never an issue because the scallops
were always in Hallocks Bay.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: But right now, like last year, off Robins Island
there was a lot and gave the residential --
TRUSTEE KING: Robins Island is state water. So it's anybody's
scallops.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Doesn't it give the appearance of residential
sort of getting a head start?
TRUSTEE KING: Of course. I would rather see a week. If you are
not going to open Hallocks Bay, they are not going to be scallops
anywhere else. Make it a week. Give residential people a week
43
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
then let the commercial guy go in.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Where is he going to go, though?
TRUSTEE KING: Maybe Hashamomuck, possibly.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I don't know if it's open to shellfish.
TRUSTEE KING: It's December. It's seasonal. All right, it was just
a thought. Stay with the two weeks. But that was the whole reason
for Hallocks Bay was the place for everybody to go scalloping and
recreational people wanted to be able to go in there without the
commercial guys.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: And my issue has always been that the commercial
guys go in during the residential times saying I'm doing
commercially, they just take the residential limit instead of the
commercial limit. But they are there anyway. They are going as a
resident. I saw this happen for the last two seasons, since I been
only involved with this for two seasons now. I have watched them in
and they are the same guys, commercial guys, coming in as residents
and coming in with a lesser amount.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Why don't we just eliminate the commercial limit.
TRUSTEE KING: So the recreational guy goes in and sells his stuff
anyway. Which is totally illegal
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Correct. Why are we setting it if it's already
set?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Because on town waters. The DEC is doing state,
which is inclusive of town waters.
TRUSTEE KING: The DEC just opens up the scallop season for
everybody. You have a season. It used to be mid September. Then
when we had all these crisis with the scallops and getting into
October and now we are into November because they want to give
every scallop that is going to spawn a chance to spawn.
MS. STANDISH: What's the Monday opening date again?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Monday, November 19.
TRUSTEE KING: Great South Bay had scallops last year.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Do you want to open it up to commercial on
November 5?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I think we need to keep residents --
TRUSTEE KING: You'll get a fire storm of why you are shutting down
Hallocks Bay for everybody. But that's only fair. If you are
going to shut it down, shut it down for everybody.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I agree.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And just to put it on the record, the reason why
we didn't do this in September is we wanted to give the public a
chance to give us their say and we published this in the paper that
we were going to be discussing this tonight. So everybody was
notified that we had this, that we published this.
TRUSTEE KING: They are not going to be interested in the discussion
but they'll be interested in disclosure.
44
Board of Trustees
October 3, 2007
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: So I made a motion. Do I have a second?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.).
TRUSTEE KING: Motion to go off the regular meeting.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
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