HomeMy WebLinkAboutTR-08/20/2008 James F. King, President
Jill M. Doherty, Vice-President
Peggy A. Dickerson
Dave Bergen
Bob Ghosio, Jr.
Town Hall
53095Route 25
P.O. Box 1179
Southold, New York 11971-0959
Telephone(631) 765-1892
Fax(631) 765-6641
BOARD OF TOWN TRUSTEES
TOWN F S
TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
Minutes
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
6:00 PM
:. RECEIVED
OCT 2 7
Southold Town Clerk
Present were: James King, President
Jill Doherty, Vice President
Peggy Dickerson, Trustee
Dave Bergen, Trustee
Bob Ghosio, Trustee
Lori Hulse, Town Attorney
Elizabeth Cantrell, Clerk-Typist
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
NEXT FIELD INSPECTION: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 8:00 AM
NEXT TRUSTEE MEETING: Wednesday, September 17, 2008, at 6:00 PM
WORKSESSION: 5:30 PM
TRUSTEE KING: Good evening, everyone. My name is Jim King. For
those of you who don't regularly attend our meetings, I have the
honor of being chairman of this Board. I would like to introduce
everybody else that is here tonight. To my far left is Trustee Dave
Bergen; next to Dave is Peggy Dickerson; next to me is Jill
Doherty, vice-chair, myself; Elizabeth Cantrell is with us
tonight. She works with Lauren in the office. And I might say I
think the two of them do an outstanding job. We have one of the
best run offices in the town. I really appreciate the two of them.
I think they do a fabulous job for you folks. Next to Liz is Bob
Ghosio, another trustee. And Lori Hulse will be our legal
advisor. She just walked out. She sits next to Bob.
We have Peter Young from the CAC in the audience. The CAC goes
out and does a lot of the same inspections we do. They give us
their input on how we should handle the projects. It's pretty
valuable input and we appreciate it. And Wayne Galante keeps track
of what everybody says. If you have any comments, come up to the
Board of Trustees 2 August 20, 2008
microphone and identify yourself for Wayne. And as we get into
things, especially into the public hearings, we try and keep the
comments limited to five minutes and sometimes I know there is
different feelings, one side is for it, one side is against it. We
don't want to see interactions between the two. Address the Board.
Don't address each other in the audience. We appreciate it. With
that, I guess we'll get going.
We'll set the date for the next field inspection, Wednesday,
September 10, eight o'clock.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Motion to approve.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: Ail in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: Next regular meeting will be September 17, at six
o'clock with a work session at 5:30. Motion to approve?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make that motion.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
I. MONTHLY REPORT:
TRUSTEE KING: The Trustees monthly report for July 2008.
A check in the amount of $6,248.88 was forwarded to the
Supervisor's Office for the General Fund.
II. PUBLIC NOTICES:
TRUSTEE KING: Public Notices are posted on the Town Clerk's
Bulletin Board for review.
III. STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEWS:
RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Town of Southold hereby
finds that the following applications more fully described in
Section VI Public Hearings Section of the Trustee agenda dated
Wednesday, August 20, 2008, are classified as Type II Actions
pursuant to SEQRA Rules and Regulations and are not subject to
further review under SEQRA:
Robert & Lisa DeFrese - SCTM#98-1-1.4
Martin Schwartz - SCTM#N9-1-24
Richard Manfredi - SCTM#54-1-19
Michael Slade - SCTM#110-7-26
Robert Swing - SCTM#53-6-24
Linda M. Longo - SCTM#126-3-13
Greg & Martha Cukor - SCTM#86-7-6
Nathan Saint Amand - SCTM#8-2-7.1
Sheila Patel - SCTM#51-4-5.1
Estate of Grace R. Lewis c/o John Nickles - SCTM#66-2-39
Paul Bentancourt - SCTM~22-2-6
Mo Ahmadzadeh - SCTM#54-4-11
Paul & Angela Salerno - SCTM#87-5-6
Barry Barth - SCTM#106-1-26
Peter & Sandra Pezzino - SCTM#110-8-7
Elliot Bruce & Ora Jean Heath - SCTM#66-2-13
Board of Trustees 3 August 20, 2008
Rosa Hodgson - SCTM#70-6-33
TRUSTEE KING: Do I have a motion to approve?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Motion to approve.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor.
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: Before we get going too far, there has been some
cancellations, postponements. We don't want anybody sitting here
thinking something will come up and we are not going to address it.
Number 24, Ray Nemschick on behalf of STEIN FAMILY RESIDENCE TRUST
requests a Wetland Permit to construct a one-story addition to the
existing single-family dwelling, new front pomh and a half-story
addition with utility (1) toilet, (1) sink to existing one-story
garage. Located: 2535 Cedar Lane, East Marion, has been postponed.
Number 25, JMO Environmental Consulting on behalf of FISHERS
ISLAND FERRY DISTRICT requests a Wetland Permit to maintenance
dredge an 80x480' channel to -20'ALW. The resultant spoil (+7,800
cubic yards of sand and cobble) will be disposed of at an island
site upland disposal site. Located: Foot of Fox Lane, Fishers
Island, has been postponed.
Number 26, Proper-T Permit Services on behalf of RYAN STORK
requests a Wetland Permit to demolish the existing single-family
dwelling; construct new two-story single-family dwelling
approximately 32x70' overall with full basement, at same setback
from existing retaining wall; abandon existing sewage disposal
system and install new sewage disposal system. Located: 3270
Peconic Bay Boulevard, Laurel, has been postponed.
And number 27, McCarthy Management on behalf of BAYVlEW PACIFIC
LTD, CIO PATRICK MCCARTHY requests a Wetland Permit to remove the
enclosed porch attached to the existing dwelling and construct an
18'x34'9" addition in same location and a 15x34'9" deck. Located:
1100 Pine Avenue, Southold, has been postponed.
We will not be addressing those tonight.
IV. RESOLUTIONS-ADMINISTRATIVE PERMITS:
TRUSTEE KING: Under resolutions and administrative permits, who has
number one?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I have number one, ROBERT & CHERYL SCHEIDET request
an Administrative Permit to install 150'x30" roll out trek seasonal
walkway to be laid out along a four-foot wide path through marsh on
properly from backyard to approved dock. Located: 2570 Clearview
Avenue, Southold.
The Trustees went out and looked at this a little over a month
ago. This was in response to a violation that was issued back in
July, the end of July. Our understanding is the violation was
taken care of, and what they are asking for now is permission for
us for an administrative permit for this roll-out path. Is the
applicant here tonight?
Board of Trustees 4 August 20, 2008
MS. SCHEIDET: Cheryl Scheidet.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The only stipulation we would like to have is this be a seasonal
path, as it states here. So we want to define the seasonal for you and what we are
saying is it can be down from the period of April 1 and should come back up by no later
than November1. Is that okaywith you?
MS. SCHEIDET: That's fine. Could I ask you something else?
That's great. That's exactly what we need, but they also told us,
that I was not involved, so I'm just driving home and my husband
said I had to come here tonight, because he's working. But the
fine, that you might be able to reduce that. We have not paid that
yet. I don't want to say the lawyer for the town, the attorney for
the town said we might be able to ask you to do that.
TRUSTEE KING: Lori is here tonight. She is the one that handles that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: You'll have to talk to Lori separately from this.
Let me see if I could find her
MS. SCHEIDET: She was the one that said we could ask you for that.
The violation has been totally taken care of, other than the walkway.
TRUSTEE KING: That's usually not taken care of in this format.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That would be an agreement reached between you and
the attorney. What we can do is make recommendations to the attorney.
MS. SCHEIDET: Maybe that's what she was asking. I'm not sure.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: And we can do that. But we don't resolve
violations here at public hearings because that's a legal matter.
MS. SCHEIDET: I understand. Thank you.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: No problem. So with that one addition to the
administrative permit --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I want to make sure the violation was taken care
of. She doesn't have a direct recollection of it, so she asked to
us wait a minute.
TRUSTEE KING: There will be a slight delay, folks.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I apologize to everyone in the audience.
(After a brief moment, these proceedings continue as follows.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: What I'll do is make a motion to approve the
administrative permit of the Scheidet's with the condition this is
a seasonal walkway that will come out by November 1 and
not be placed down before April 1. And we will not release that
permit until the violation is resolved in court. That's my
motion. Is there a second?
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Number two. VINCENZO POSILLICO requests an
Administrative Permit for the existing 6x8' shed and for the
placement of pea gravel on the property. Located: 6'170 Skunk Lane,
Cutchogue.
Is there anyone here tonight who would like to speak to this?
(No response.)
We actually have quite a set of slides for you this evening. This
shed was placed without a permit, so tonight they are looking for a
permit and I believe the understanding of the Board is that the
placement is much too close to the wetlands.
TRUSTEE KING: It's basically in the wetlands.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: There are also plantings I think eventually I
would like to have on the survey of the plantings that he did do.
So I'm going to be denying this application for an administrative
Board of Trustees 5 August 20, 2008
permit and if he so would like to come in again with a permit for
the shed placed in another area, that would be another inspection
done. That's a motion to deny.
TRUSTEE KING: There is no LWRP on this so can we just move forward
with your resolution? I don't know.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We can.
TRUSTEE KING: Okay. Is there a second?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
V. APPLICATIONS FOR AMENDMENTS/EXTENSIONS/TRANSFERS:
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Applications for amendments, extensions and
transfers, we have four of them tonight. They are all pretty straightforward.
We've reviewed the files and in order to save time I'll make a motion to approve
all four of them.
Number one being MARY ZUPA requests the last one-year
extension to Permit fl6214, as issued on September 21, 2005.
Located: 580 Basin Road, Southold.
Number two being Proper-T Permit Services on behalf of DON JAYAMAHA
requests a one-year extension to Permit fl6437, as issued on August
23, 2006. Located: 243 Maiden Lane, Mattituck.
Number three, Costello Marine on behalf of ERNEST SCHNEIDER
requests a one-year extension to Permit #6457, as issued on
September 20, 2006. Located: 1015 Lakeside Drive, Southold.
And Number four, Samuels & Steelman on behalf of AL SAFER requests
a one-year extension to permit #6458, as issued on September 20,
2006, and amended on August 22, 2007. Located: 1295 Robinson Lane, Peconic.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Do you want to go back to that and put it on the
record?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Is there a motion to the table, first off?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It's been finished.
TRUSTEE KING: We were discussing --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We are going back to Vincent Posillico. To put a
condition of when to have that shed removed. Because the shed is
there and we denied it.
TRUSTEE KING: We haven't got a violation, that I know of.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: He did not get a violation for the shed. He was
told he had to come in and apply, and if he didn't apply by July 1,
that he would then receive a violation. So he didn't come in
apply, and we denied the permit, and my concern is that the shed
will not be removed. And I think we need to either give him a
timeframe under which to remove the shed or apply for another
permit. If not, be subject to a violation. I think two weeks is
sufficient time, myself.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Do you want me to open it and say he must
re-submit within the next month?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We can add to the resolution we did. Redo the resolution
TRUSTEE KING: He already received a notice to remove the shed or he'll get a
Board of Trustees 6 August 20, 2008
violation. In July.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I would rather just give him a timeframe under
which to remove the shed. If not, he's subject to a violation.
TRUSTEE KING: All right.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I agree.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Two weeks.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's fine with me.
MS. HULSE: Would that letter come out of my office or your office?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: What would you recommend?
MS. HULSE: I have no problem sending it out.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you for volunteering to do that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Lori, should we make it part of our resolution?
MS. HULSE: No, that's fine. I'll do it.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We'll keep the resolution the way it was.
TRUSTEE KING: Okay, so Ill make a motion to go offour regular hearing.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
TRUSTEE KING: We'll go into our public hearings. Like I said
before, if you have any comments, please keep them brief. And no
arguments, please.
Number one, Suffolk Environmental Consulting on behalf of MO
AHMADZADEH requests a Wetland Permit and Coastal Erosion Permit to
reconstruct the existing decking totalling 1,330 square feet, a 192
square foot deck addition and a 172' deck addition. Located: 925
North Sea Drive, Southold.
Is there anyone here to comment on this?
MR. BARRON: Sean Barron, Suffolk Environmental Consulting.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It was found consistent with LWRP.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes
MR. BARRON: Really?
TRUSTEE KING: Did CAC look at this?
MR. YOUNG: We have no comment on it.
TRUSTEE KING: Okay. We went out and looked at it. It is found
consistent with the LWRP. It's a non-major addition to the
existing structure. This is allowed on the primary dune. It seems
to be just small additions to the existing deck.
MR. BARRON: It's two five-foot deck additions to add a little more
space.
TRUSTEE KING: Any idea why?
MR. BARRON: I guess they wanted a little more space, and they threw
in a non-major addition by about 12%. But that's what the doctor
wants. He complies with the wetland setbacks.
TRUSTEE KING: I don't think any of us have a huge problem with it.
It's such a minor thing.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It's just all the decking.
MR. BARRON: That's obviously reconstructing the existing decking
inplace inkind.
TRUSTEE KING: They would just put up new posts, new stringers and
put new decking on, so.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We can maybe talk about spacing of the decking.
TRUSTEE KING: I don't think it will matter there. There is no
Board of Trustees 7 August 20, 2008
vegetation or anything.
Are there any other comments on this application?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I think there was one other comment about hay bales
with this; that there is no need for hay bales because it's so well
vegetated. So there is no need for hay bales for this project.
TRUSTEE KING: There is no excavation or anything, so.
If there are no fudher comments, I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: I'll make a motion to approve Mo Ahmadzadeh.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Number two, Costello Marine Contracting on behalf
of SHEILA PATEL requests a Wetland Permit and Coastal Erosion
Permit to remove and reconstruct the existing upper retaining wall
inplace. Located: 19965 Soundview Avenue, Southold.
LWRP review finds the application to be consistent with LWRP
because the bluff is adequately stabilized and the property is not
currently in danger of loss of structure due to rapid erosion.
CAC took a look at this and -- no, they didn't. CAC did not
make an inspection, therefore no recommendation was made.
The Trustees all went out and took a look at this. We do have
a couple of comments. Is there anybody in the audience who would
like to address this application?
(No response.)
Seeing none, the Trustees were out there and in the notes that
I have, as I recall, is that the bluff is pretty well vegetated and
it really doesn't have much of an erosion issue at all at this
point. Vegetation is in real good shape, so we were curious as to
why the applicant wanted to do this replacement to begin with. And
I think one of the suggestions we wanted to make is to use helix
screws only or put the bulkhead landward of what is existing and
tie it into the existing. But seeing there is nobody here
representing this, should I just make a motion to put it behind the
bulkhead and tie it in?
MS. HULSE: Costello Marine has other applications on the agenda.
Maybe you can put it off until he comes in.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I talked to Jack Costello. He'll be in later today.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: I'll make a motion to table this application to
later on tonight.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
WETLAND PERMITS:
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That takes us to wetland permits, number one,
JOSEPH MELLCHIONE requests a Wetland Permit to construct a 4x20'
fixed dock using fiberglass "FIo-thru" decking and six-inch
diameter piles, install a 3x14' seasonal ramp and a 6x20' seasonal
floating dock with six-inch diameter anchor piles. Located: 3575
Wells Road, Peconic.
This was reviewed under the LWRP. It was found to be
Board of Trustees 8 August 20, 2008
inconsistent and it's a fairly extensive report. It was found
inconsistent because this is located in Richmond Creek, which is a
designated critical environmental area. The proposed dock is at an
average depth of water of 2.3 feet and so the coordinator felt the
proposed dock could have an impact on the public trust bottoms from
a vessel sitting, a prop doing damage in only 2.3 feet of water.
Again, it mentions Richmond Creek is in a significant coastal
fish and wildlife habitat area, and that the LWRP reviewer felt
that there was access to the water via stairs that are already
present from the bulkhead down, so he already has access to the
water, so there is not a need for additional access to the water.
The CAC did not make an inspection, therefore there was no
recommendation to be made.
Is there anybody here to speak on behalf of this application?
MR. MELCHIONE: Joseph Melchione.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I know when we went out and looked at it, which was
over a month ago, we had a concern with the original plan that
there were four piles on the seasonal float and I noticed you
reduced them now to two?
MR. MELCHIONE: Yes.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: So you have done what we've asked. It, also, in
looking at the depth here, according to this plan that was
submitted, there is a line that really, it's really in more of the
end of the dock is in more than 2.3 feet of water. It looks like
it's probably more 2.5 than 2.3. But that's hard to tell. Do you
have any comments you would like to make?
MR. MELCHIONE: I'm just kind of shocked where we are. Sorry, which
group is reviewing the LWRP and how does that work?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The town has two individuals on staff and they
review applications under the LWRP. So this was reviewed by Mr.
Hilary, he's one of our LWRP coordinators, and that's the report he
submitted. Those are recommendations to the Trustees, the LWRP report.
MR. MELCHIONE: Okay. Other than the originally, I know as you are
aware, the design of the four piles was, the intent was to prevent
the float from going below two-and-a-half feet. I understand the
concern it's just not permitted to do more than that. I don't know
if there is a way with two piles to perform some sort of support on
the float to prevent it from going lower.
And it's true, although I have access of the stairs down, it
certainly is not easy to have a boat or something like that, which
is really what I was hoping be able to do.
So I know, as I think the Board is very aware, I do have all
the other permits, the DEC, the Army Corps consistency, you all
have approved this dock. And just looking at the surrounding
neighbors, on either side of me and throughout the creek it's just,
I'm a little shocked at the moment at the recommendation or lack thereof.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Sure. I notice you are using Flo-thru decking on
the catwalk.
MR. MELCHIONE: Yes. I'm trying to be as compliant as can I be with
protecting --
TRUSTEE BERGEN: With the use of that FIo-thru decking, that will
help mitigate some of the concerns to the wildlife underneath the catwalk.
MR. MELCHIONE: And certainly the catwalk and the float is seasonal.
It's not a year-round situation.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Are there any questions from any Board members
TRUSTEE KING: I didn't have a huge problem with it. As a matter of
Board of Trustees 9 August 20, 2008
fact I didn't have any problem with it.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: When you tie vessels up, I'm assuming, we don't
want to take any assumptions here, we are assuming that your stern
will go in deeper water so the engine will be out in deeper water
rather than shallow water?
MR. MELCHIONE: Yes, absolutely.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: He's going from four piles down to two piles on the float.
MR. MELCHIONE: Yes.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Is there anybody else in the audience that wishes
to comment on this application?
(No response.)
Not seeing anybody, if there are no further questions from the
Board, I'll make a motion to close this hearing.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'll make a motion to approve the application of
Mr. Melchione for the dock at 3575 Wells Road as described here,
and given that the project has reduced the structure from four
piles down to two on the floating dock, and the use of FIo-thru
decking, and the fact that he's stated that the vessel will be
water docked so the stern will always be in deeper water to reduce any
property damage, we'll find it consistent under the LWRP.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: Do we have a date on the seasonal?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: There is not one listed. Sir, since it is a
seasonal ramp, is it okay to with you to go by the same dates of
November 1 and April 17
MR. MELCHIONE: Absolutely.
TRUSTEE KING: What did the DEC give you on seasonal dates? I think
April to the 1st of Decem her.
MR. MELCHIONE: I don't have that paperwork with me.
TRUSTEE KING: It might be the 1st of December. I'm not sure.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Bear with me for a second (perusing.) Here we go.
Yup. April 1 and December 1. So we'll make it consistent. April
1 and December 1 for the dates.
MR. MELCHIONE: Thank you, very much.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you.
TRUSTEE KING: Number two, DROUZAS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT CORP.,
requests a Wetland Permit to construct a single-family dwelling, driveway
and sanitary system. Located: 54120 County Road 48, Southold.
Is there anyone here to comment on this?
MR. DROUZAS: How are you. George Drouzas.
TRUSTEE KING: This was a permit that expired. This was an approved
application that expired. And they had to reapply. They were at the last month's meeting.
There was a lot of confusion because of different sets of plans.
The CAC did not support it because trees over eight inches dbh were cut down, and
the proposed dwelling is too close to the freshwater pond.
It's been found inconsistent with the LWRP primarily because it cannot be adequately
assessed. The survey does not indicate all wetlands within a 200-foot radius from the
proposed action and it's not in compliance with Chapter 275-§(a) of the Freshwater
Wetlands Permit. Nor were the freshwater wetlands flagged. I guess it was difficult for him
to go out.
Board of Trustees 10 August 20, 2008
We have all been out there. I know there was some controversy about the next door
neighbor worrying about drainage. In my mind, we reviewed this time and time again.
It's just a very small section of the house that is actually within our jurisdiction.
It's well out of tidal wetland jurisdiction. It's a small freshwater wetland in the southwest
corner that we've all seen.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Jim, for the record, can you just put in the date of the survey
we are working on since there was such confusion regarding the two surveys.
TRUSTEE KING: This is from 9/08/05 and revised 9/17/07. It's a complete site plan.
It shows everything that we've talked about. There is 148 cubic yards of fill being brought
in this one section where these two walls are going. The rest of the fill being brought in
is out of our jurisdiction. And, like I said, the house is, just a small portion of the house is
actually within our jurisdiction from the freshwater wetland.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: And the new code should address any drainage issues that the
neighbors have.
TRUSTEE KING: As a matter of fact, since this application, the state has done a lot of
roadwork up there, all the drainage is coming in. I'm sure that will help some of this problem
because I think a lot of road runoff is going down through your property also.
MR. DROUZAS: I was down there and I guess the lowest point is by the entrance of the
beach, correct? I think when I spoke to them, they told me that was the lowest point, and
I'm well, you know, beyond that. I actually took some pictures, not that it matters.
But I'm on the up hill. So at the end of the day if there is any problem, it's, you know, I don't
know exactly how far I am from the entrance of the beach, maybe about six, seven, eight
houses away from that, from the lowest point. And, like you said, I also know that adding
drywells on the other side, so both sides of the roads. I also took pictures of that. They had
about, I don't know, every ten, 12 feet apart they had a drywell.
TRUSTEE KING: I know they did a big system there. The septic system is entirely out of
our jurisdiction.
Are there any other comments on this application?
MR. PROVENCHER: Jim Provencher. The reason this was tabled back in July of 2007 was
because of the drainage issue, okay. I don't know that that has ever been taken care of.
TRUSTEE KING: I think it was tabled because we didn't have an LWRP.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: No, in '07.
TRUSTEE KING: Oh, okay.
MR. PROVENCHER: Then the permits ran out and they reapplied. And it was tabled because
of the drainage. Weren't you speaking of French drainage or something like that?
MS. HULSE: If you would direct your comments to the Trustees, please.
MR. PROVENCHER: Okay, do you know what he was planning, because it was in there?
TRUSTEE KING: It's a 20-foot area here that is undisturbed and I guess the plantings are going
in here.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: What he has done since the '07 date is added more drywells in the
driveway area to catch a lot of the runoff that is coming off from the road.
MR. PROVENCHER: Those are to the east?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: On the west, on the driveway side, he added --
MR. PROVENCHER: Because I know there was some kind of drainage system I was not familiar with.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We did discuss the French drain, which is basically gravel along that
west side, and it's a series of different size gravel, then you wouldn't necessarily see, grass can
grow on top of it, but it would absorb the water more thoroughly. So if he wanted to do that,
he certainly could do that, in addition to the dryweils that he's added.
MR. PROVENCHER: I was just curious as to the drainage. That was the lower spot, it was filled
in and that's what my concern is.
TRUSTEE KING: There is one whole section that will remain undisturbed there. Right on the
west side.
MR. PROVENCHER: As far as elevation is concerned, bringing up the elevation, will there be
a retaining wall there?
TRUSTEE KING: There will be a retaining wall around the driveway area, yes.
MR. PROVENCHER: And how high is that retaining wall compared to the where the land is now?
Board of Trustees 11 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: The retaining wall is 20 feet away from the property line.
MR. PROVENCHER: And how high?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Do you know how high it is?
MR. DROUZAS: I know that not more than four feet will be showing.
That's where we filled up, where you guys recommended to fill up, whatever you guys asked us,
that's what we did, so. You didn't want to see foundation walls, so we brought in the cubic
yards, fill area, and that was the only thing you guys asked from us since we were 100.
Just in that area. Right? We are talking about just that area?
TRUSTEE KING: Yes.
MR. DROUZAS: That's the area, so. And I believe you guys went down there. We had to
stake everything out and nail the heights.
TRUSTEE KING: We have been there.
MR. DROUZAS: And we put every height that we needed and/or that you requested.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Like Jim said, the state did a lot of work and I hope most of the
runoff problems are corrected from that.
MR. PROVENCHER: That's for that area from the street. I'm not really concerned with the street.
We are concerned with our immediate area there, you know what I'm saying.
And as far as the retaining wall being 20 way from his property line, how long is that retaining
wall going to be and how long is that elevation going to go for?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I want to mention, as we did last month, that the new code, the
Drainage Code section 236, requires that he retain any of his runoff on his property.
MR. PROVENCHER: As we know that's a two-inch rainfall and you know the storms we get out
here and that won't help when there is three feet of water in my basement.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: That's one more step to check that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: On the survey, you can check in our office at your leisure, it shows
the retaining wall between seven and ten feet.
MR. PROVENCHER: May I approach?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Sure.
MR. DROUZAS: Can I approach, too? I want to see what you guys are looking at.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Sure. This is the elevation on the ground. You have seven foot here.
Eight foot, nine foot, ten foot. And the retaining wall is here and here (indicating.)
MR. PROVENCHER: The only thing I'm concerned about is there was a road here that goes
to his property line.
MR. DROUZAS: That comes down this way.
MR. PROVENCHER: Actually it's this way. Here's his building, his house and our private road
here. That's what I'm concerned about, this area here.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: He can't go beyond his property line.
MR. PROVENCHER: No, we are not going beyond anybody's property line. But the elevation
here is my concern.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That will change.
MR. PROVENCHER: Right. And how high is this elevation going to be?
MR. DROUZAS: I'm not changing that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: No, it's going in here.
TRUSTEE KING: Like I said, this will be an undisturbed 20-foot section going down through there.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And he'll go through all these plantings.
MR. PROVENCHER: And is there drywells here or anything?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: There is one here and one here.
TRUSTEE KING: This has to be engineered to meet the drainage code of this town.
MR. PROVENCHER: Okay. And as far as the rainfall that will happen here and the side of the
house, it will come this way.
TRUSTEE KING: No, it will all be contained in the drywells. They are actually piped into a drywell.
MR. PROVENCHER: All right, so you guys will guarantee I have a dry basement, then I'll do
whatever you want. I don't have a problem. As long as I have a dry basement.
TRUSTEE KING: There are no guarantees.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: If you find that he's not according to the drainage code then come back to
the Building Department. They are the ones that enforce the drainage code.
Board of Trustees 12 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE KING: They have to maintain it on their property. It can't go on to your property.
MR. PROVENCHER: All right, thank you.
TRUSTEE KING: Are there any other comments?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE KING: Any comments from the Board?
(Negative response.)
TRUSTEE KING: It's really difficult.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think with the plantings on that side and making it non-disturbance
and adding drywells, that it will conform to the LWRP.
TRUSTEE KING: I don't think this freshwater wetland out here, I don't think it's DEC
regulated. And it's, I have some, just kind of different ideas about what started this. I think a
lot of it was from some of the runoff coming down. I don't think, just in my
mind, it's a natural wetland. And over time it developed.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: And that is 100. What's the distance there?
TRUSTEE KING: We had a non-disturbance area on this other plans.
Sorry this is taking so long. I want to make sure it's done
right. We had a non-disturbance area here. (Perusing.)
TRUSTEE KING: This is all non-disturbance here. This is staked hay bales.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think that's what this is here. We could do six foot --
TRUSTEE KING: We want to see you do, before you start construction, replace the hay bale
line so it's adequate. Because I know it's pretty well deteriorated now. Didn't we approve a
four-foot path down to the shoreline?
MR. DROUZAS: Yes.
TRUSTEE KING: There is no mention of it in the original permit -- yes, center. Four-foot path
may be cleared by hand with no machinery, within 100 feet of the wetlands. So we have that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: You have a 25 foot non-disturbance area.
TRUSTEE KING: From the tidal wetlands to the row of staked hay bales is a non-disturbance
area. This whole area here is non-disturbance. From the tidal wetland line to the row of staked
hay bales is non-disturbance.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Row of staked hay bales is on the survey, which is basically around the
six-foot contour line, give or take.
TRUSTEE KING: Yes, just about. I think what we'll do is attach this original one to this one
and stamp them both. Because this has got the hay bale line, the non-disturbance on it. All right?
MR. DROUZAS: Okay.
TRUSTEE KING: I think that's what we should do. Tie this in with this one here.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: You can make them part of your motion that all the conditions of the
previous permit go with this.
TRUSTEE KING: No other comments from the Board?
(No response.)
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 on approve the application. What we want to do is tie in
the original plans with this set of plans we are looking at now that's dated the 17th of
September, 2007. And there will be a non-disturbance area from the tidal wetland
line to the hay bale line. And you can have a four-foot path to the shore, put in place by hand.
No machinery down there. You have all the drywells for the roof runoff.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We can have the girls type in the conditions that are on the previous
plans. Do we need an inspection on the hay bale line?
TRUSTEE KING: No, they are putting it right in place where the old one is, I mean -- maybe
we should be notified before any construction actually starts just to go out and take a look and
make sure it's all right.
I think with the amount of drywells they have and the conditions we've put on it, brings it
into consistency with LWRP, because in my mind most of it was entirely out of our jurisdiction.
That's my motion.
Board of Trustees 13 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MR. DROUZAS: That's it? Do I get paperwork as well, stamped and you'll let me know when
you want an inspection?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes. The girls will type it up and everything will be stamped and within
a couple of weeks you'll receive it.
MS. CANTRELL: You'll get a letter stamped and a letter will be issued after that.
MR. DROUZAS: What about the original plans now, I get a copy of everything you guys stamp
and approve?
TRUSTEE KING: Yes.
MR. DROUZAS: So I have to supply you?
TRUSTEE KING: I think we have enough here.
MR. DROUZAS: You have how many copies -
TRUSTEE KING: We have three sets here. And two or three sets of the old ones.
MR. DROUZAS: All right, so I'll get a set and you'll have two sets.
TRUSTEE KING: Well, at least one.
MR. DROUZAS: All right, thank you.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Number three, PAUL & ANGELA SALERNO request a
Wetland Permit for the existing 41 "x37.5' fixed dock, 35"x14.5' ramp and 6x10' floating dock
with two tie-off piles. Located: 700 Koke Drive, Southold.
Is there anyone here to speak to this application?
MR. SALERNO: Paul Salerno. I purchased the home like 28 days ago and the dock was
built probably back in 1970 something or other. And there is a permit, I think there is a picture
dated back in 1976.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: We have been out a couple of times.
TRUSTEE KING: Yes, I think we checked everything.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: CAC supports the application with the condition that public access
is provided across the dock. I didn't think we felt -- did we want stairs in that?
TRUSTEE KING: I think there was one set of stairs on one side, if I remember right
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Are there stairs?
MR. SALERNO: To get down to the wetland part. That's not public access. It's personal access
to my property.
TRUSTEE KING: I don't think there is really a lot of public access along there. It's bulkhead and it's
a marsh.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'm just reading the recommendations. The full Board has seen it a
couple of times and there was some questions about propedies but that was all resolved.
The LWRP has reviewed it as inconsistent, it being a critical environmental area. However,
it does list in the review in the event that pre-existing dock is approved by the Board of Trustees
it's recommended that the resolution reflect that the structure can not be replaced inkind without
a full review and approval by the Trustees. And the Trustees discussed this also, if at any time you
were to change it, it would have on come into compliance with the existing chapter of the
wetland code. So that the Board doesn't have any difficulties with what you have but it has to come
in for full review if so chose to change it in any way in the future. And that will be part of your permit.
Any other comments from the Board?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make a motion to approve the wetland permit for the existing dock,
ramp and float with the stipulation that if in the future it is to be changed in any way, that it must come
into compliance with the existing chapter 275.
MR. SALERNO: The application was to repair and maintain, correct?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Right. But if you want to change it in any way.
Board of Trustees 14 August 20, 2008
We are stipulating if that so happens in the future you would have to come back in
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: You can repair it as is, inkind, inplace.
MR. SALERNO: Thank you, very much.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: That was a motion?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: And since I read that from LWRP, that would be
the recommendation from the LWRP, that would deem it consistent.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: BARRY BARTH requests a Wetland Permit for the
existing bluff stairs and existing decks 25'x16' and 12xl 3'
attached to each other. Located: 2040 Central Drive, Mattituck.
CAC suppods the application for existing decks however did not inspect the stairs
because of the dense vegetation, therefore offers no recommendation.
And the LWRP found it inconsistent, policy 6.3, protect and restore tidal and freshwater
wetlands are not permitted are near the bluff. Further, five of the six platforms associated
with the beach stairs are not in compliance with 275-11.
So it doesn't conform, this is a pre-existing, nonconforming set of stairs that has been
there for quite a while. Is there anyone here who would hike to speak on behalf of this?
MR. BARTH: Yes, I'm Barry Barth.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We met Mr. Barth out in the field. Just tonight I gave him the CAC's
drawings for under the stairs. We noticed while we were out there, the whole property is very
healthy and vegetated except for under the stairs there is some problem areas, so we
suggested short retaining walls underneath the stairs. If Mr. Barth would like to do that, it's up to him.
MR. BARTH: That's not a problem.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Do you want to add that into this permit?
MR. BARTH: Certainly.
TRUSTEE KING: I would just stipulate there be no excavation, just a board put across down on
top of the ground to stop some of that from coming down.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: CAC recommended that. At what intervals? How often? I don't know
what the plans show.
TRUSTEE KING: Do you have a profile of the stairway, the spacing of the posts?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I don't think so.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: This was, it was a very long stairway and I think we are just concentrating
on the areas where there was erosion problem. I don't think we want ask the applicant to do erosion
control for the entire stairway when it's well vegetated and there is no problem on the entire
stairway. I think we were just talking about the small area where there is an erosion problem.
MR. BARTH: Mostly at the top.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Correct.
MR. BARTH: You had shown five erosion control devices there on the plan.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That was just a generic plan. So you don't have to do five. I think what I
hear Dave saying is we'll leave it up to you where the erosion is and, you know, put it on those
areas that are already eroding and not disturb the other areas.
MR. BARTH: I understand that. I certainly don't want to Jose the stairs.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Is there a condition to rebuild up to code?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Since it's a non-conforming structure, what we would do is add a condition
on to the permit if you were to reconstruct this, you have to conform to the code at that time, the
platforms.
MR. BARTH: Does that include repairs and maintenance?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: No, just rebuilding. You are allowed ordinary repairs and maintenance.
MR. BARTH: There was an issue about the Trustees permit on my deck. I had to file a
separate application for the deck. I had a building permit, I had a certificate of occupancy, but
Board of Trustees 15 August 20, 2008
there was a question about the Trustees' approval or permit.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: This condition would go for the deck as well. So this permit would be both
the deck and the stairs, and that condition will hold for the whole thing.
MR. BARTH: Okay, thank you.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Are there any other comments?
(No response.)
Hearing none, I'll close the public hearing.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I'll make a motion to approve the application of Barry Barth as
submitted with the condition that when or if all the structures are to be rebuilt, that they are
rebuilt to code and to add the supports underneath the stairs where the erosion is taking
place, and no further digging in that area.
Do I have a second?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MR, BARTH: Thank you,
TRUSTEE KING: Number five, Philip R. Anderson on behalf of GARY GUJA requests a
Wetland Permit to construct a docking facility consisting of a 4x16' ramp to a 4x58' catwalk,
elevated a minimum 4' above grade of wetlands, a 3x15' ramp and a 6x20' floating dock
with three secure piles plus one additional ten-inch round tie-off pile.
Located: 372 North Drive Mattituck.
Is there anyone here to represent this application?
MR. ANDERSON: Philip Anderson, project manager and consultant. Mr. Guja is here with me
also. I just wanted to mention, Mr. King --
TRUSTEE KING: That's different than what we talked about in the field. I know. Did you bring
any new plans or anything?
MR. ANDERSON: Yes, I submitted them and Lauren advised me you had received them.
They should have been in yesterday's mail, with a cover letter.
TRUSTEE KING: The only thing I'm looking at this now, it looks like everything we discussed.
What we did is the whole structure is moved further to the south because initially he was just too
close to the neighbor to the north. So it was all moved to the south where there was an open spot
in the wetlands.
MR. ANDERSON: We reduced to the length, if you recall, Mr. King.
TRUSTEE KING: Yes, I was going to get into that a little bit. There's a 4x12 ramp versus 12x16.
The ramp was shortened. The catwalk was shortened. I thought we only put two piles on the
float in place, not three.
MR. ANDERSON: I always like to have a third pile in the crux between the float and the float
ramp, otherwise the float ramp tends to sway side to side. It holds it in place.
TRUSTEE KING: Mostly what we have been approving is simply, it's just a center pile on each end
of the float.
MR. ANDERSON: If you want, I'll omit it. It will hold without it. If you don't want the third pile, the
ramp tends to sway.
TRUSTEE KING: We have been pretty consistent with just the two piles. That will hold it in place.
MR. ANDERSON: That would be fine, Mr. King. We'll omit that.
TRUSTEE KING: We have not been doing any dolphins either. Just single pile. (Perusing.)
Which size piles?
MR. ANDERSON: What do you approve?
TRUSTEE KING: We have been approving eight-inch in the main part of Mattituck Creek, for the
main piles. And I know DEC is not allowing anything but 4x4's through the tidal wetland area.
MR. ANDERSON: If you look at page two, revised plans, I have pile sizes, 4x4' in the
wetland vegetation area, six-inch round seaward. And we omitted that other prior proposed ten inch.
TRUSTEE KING: That's fine. On the float, if you want to go eight-inch piles on that, that's fine.
Board of Trustees 16 August 20, 2008
It's a huskier pile.
MR. ANDERSON: Fine. I have the surveys, Mr. King. Where Mr. Woschuk (sic), the surveyor,
was kind enough to expedite it and plot everything on the survey.
TRUSTEE KING: I don't see a survey here.
MR. ANDERSON: I have them here. (Handing). We also have the Department of State (Handing).
TRUSTEE KING: Can we keep this?
MR. ANDERSON: Yes.
TRUSTEE KING: Do you want this back with your markings on it?
MR. ANDERSON: No, I just submitted that so you could see.
TRUSTEE KING: Okay, so --
MR. ANDERSON: I believe at the last hearing we were held over per the CAC approved
the project and the LWRP was found in compliance with LWRP.
TRUSTEE KING: Yes, CAC supported the application. It was found consistent with LWRP.
And one of the reasons it's found consistent is because Mattituck Inlet is considered a maritime
center and it gets a little confusing to me sometimes why a dock here doesn't
have any impact and a dock on another creek does. But it's the way the LWRP was written.
MR. ANDERSON: What does it mean, maritime purposes; commercial purposes?
TRUSTEE KING: I think it was directed more toward commercial rather than recreational, but
they tied the recreational into this and it's found consistent.
MR. ANDERSON: There are certain lobster fishermen down there.
TRUSTEE KING: So we have to change the description. Are there any other comments?
(No response.)
I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: I'll make a motion to approve the application --
MR. ANDERSON: I just wanted to say, you were talking about your staff when you opened
the meeting tonight, how good they are and I wanted to second that commendation.
Whenever you call, there is a live person to answer the phone, if they don't know the answer to
the question, they call you back timely. They don't let you wait a week or two. It's a good staff.
TRUSTEE KING: Thank you. I appreciate that. I think we have a well run office. Really. Thank you.
I'll make a motion now to approve to construct a docking facility consisting of 4x12 ramp on to
a 4x44' catwalk, to a 3x15' ramp to a 6x20 float, held in place by two eight-inch piles. 4x4 piles
going through the wetland area and six-inch piles seaward of that. I hope that's everything that
we talked about.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And the eight inch --
TRUSTEE KING: Eight-inch holding the float in place. I think that's kind of it. Do I have a second?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I'll second that.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MR. ANDERSON: Thank you, very much.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Number six Peconic Permit Expediting on behalf of PINE NECK
HOLDINGS LLC requests a Wetland Permit to construct a 528 square foot rear deck attached to
the dwelling, and construct a 4x46' catwalk, 4x5' ramp and 6x20' seasonal floating dock.
Located: 1475 Pine Neck Road, Southold.
I think we opened this up last month and we decided to take another look at it.
MR. LEHNERT: This was a carry over from last month.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Just to reiterate the LWRP has found this application consistent and the
CAC supports the application to construct a deck with a condition drywells and gutters are
installed on the house to contain roof runoff and a 20-foot non-turf buffer and swale is installed
to prevent runoff from going into the creek.
The CAC does not support the application to construct a dock because it felt that the
proposed dock exceeds one-third across the width of the creek. But I think we addressed that.
MR. LEHNERT: Rob. Lehnert, Peconic Permit Expediting. We addressed that since the last hearing
Board of Trustees 17 August 20, 2008
in the field visit last week. And you guys got the revised plans I got in last Friday.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: The revised plans show the catwalk going out 53 feet now with a
removable seasonal ramp which seems to be about five foot.
MR. LEHNERT: Close. The float is five foot from the catwalk, if you look at the second page, and
the ramp itself is about nine feet long.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: The length of that ramp is nine feet?
MR. LEHNERT: So it can go up and down, so we don't take up the entire float with ramp.
And it's five feet from the catwalk.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: I think this is what we had discussed. There may be some questions.
Is there anybody from the audience who would like to address this?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Anybody on the Board have any questions?
(No response.)
I think it was pretty straight forward, based on what we discussed.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Were we satisfied.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Were we satisfied it didn't go out any further.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: I believe so, when we went out and it was staked.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Okay. I know there was further discussion.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Yes, whether it went out further than the neighbor's did.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I believe these plans reflect the structure coming at least ten feet in than
the other plans. Than the other version.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Because of the nature of the slope I think we were pretty satisfied with
ten-foot non-turf buffer.
Being no other comments, I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I would like to make a motion that we approve the application, that with
the addition of the ten-foot non-turf buffer and the changing of the dimensions and the direction of
the seasonal float at the end of the dock, we addressed the LWRP concerns.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Bob, was there an opportunity, I think the CAC had talked about drywells
and gutters for the roof runoff, that they are not that there. That would also help address the LWRP.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: That was next on the list. And what Dave said.
MR. LEHNERT: That was one of the stipulations.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: We'll accept this and I'll make a motion to approve.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Number seven, Mark Schwartz, Architect, on behalf of RONALD &
PATRICIA ZITO requests a Wetland Permit to demolish walls and roof (foundation to remain)
of existing 10.5x10.3' porch and extend the porch six feet to the east with a new concrete
foundation. Located: 1185 Bungalow Lane, Mattituck.
Jim and I took a look at this in July. It was postponed because the neighbors were not notified
in a timely fashion. I assume that's what you just handed in?
MR. SCHWARTZ: Yes.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And CAC didn't take a look at it. Therefore they don't have
any recommendation. And it's inconsistent with LWRP because it's within a hundred feet of
the wetlands. However, adding a twenty-foot non-turf buffer would bring that further into
consistency.
Is there anyone here who would like to comment?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Mark, I don't see drywells on the plan. We would like to see drywells for
the whole entire house, not just that section. Is that doable?
MR. SCHWARTZ: Okay. Yes, I have on application we would install them for the proposed
addition. You are saying you want it on the entire house.
Board of Trustees 18 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think if we put it on the entire house it would mitigate it that much further
and bring the LWRP into consistency. And also we talked about a twenty-foot non-turf buffer
behind the bulkhead.
MR. SCHWARTZ: The bulkhead is dilapidated completely. I don't know if you had been out there.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes, it was kind of. So we can go from the, where the bulkhead was,
twenty feet back. I think that's where the marsh is. Is there some grasses in front of there?
I can't remember. We may have a picture. Hold on.
MR. SCHWARTZ: I don't think the grass goes right down to the bulkhead, wetland. I think it's
pretty far behind the bulkhead as it is.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It's hard to tell from the older survey.
MR. SCHWARTZ: I do have an updated survey. Do you want me to submit it?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Is it this one?
MR. SCHWARTZ: Yes, it is.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Okay, it's not showing where the vegetation is. So, you know.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Twenty foot is fine. We actually have more than that in some areas.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: So we'll say twenty feet from the high water mark.
TRUSTEE KING: There is no bulkhead there?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: No, there used to be but it's so dilapidated. And there is marsh all
along the whole edge. So if we say twenty feet, we can even do up to ten foot elevation.
Ten foot elevation seaward. That's more than twenty feet.
MR. SCHWARTZ: That's probably forty feet or more.
TRUSTEE KING: This shows a bulkhead here.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And it shows it here. But it's dilapidated. If we do twenty feet from mean
high water and make that first twenty feet from mean high water non-turf.
TRUSTEE KING: We can come up inside where this is. You have 80 feet here.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: This will be the plan that we'll go with, I believe. So we can do this scale.
One inch equals thirty. That's to scale.
TRUSTEE KING: Let's make it fifteen. 65 feet seaward from the addition. That's non-turf across
the property.
MR. SCHWARTZ: All right.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Okay.
TRUSTEE KING: That gives you a little added protection there.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Are there any other comments?
(No response.)
Being none, I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE KING: Second. All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I'll make a motion to approve the application of Mark Schwartz on behalf
of Ronald and Patricia Zito with the condition that 65 feet from the new addition seaward, at that point
would be, from that point seaward, would be a non-turf buffer. And also drywells to be added for
the entire house, not just the addition. And that would bring it into consistency with LWRP.
That's my motion.
TRUSTEE KING: Second. All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Number eight, Suffolk Environmental Consulting on behalf of
ROBERT SWING requests a wetland permit to construct an addition to the landward side of
the existing dwelling, containing 627 square feet +/-, removal of the existing septic system and
replace with an updated sanitary system within the front yard, installation of a retaining
wall (surrounding the sanitary system) measuring 118' +/- in length x 1.3' in height, installation
of a French drain along the southern side yard property boundary and establishment of a
five-foot wide non-disturbance buffer along the landward side of the bulkhead.
Located: 4295 Bayshore Road, Southold.
The CAC didn't make an inspection, therefore they have no recommendation. The LWRP was
not done yet on this application. As such, I'm afraid we can't act on it tonight, but we can certainly
open up the hearing to take public comments on this and discuss the proposed project.
Board of Trustees 19 August 20, 2008
I went out and looked at this myself. Is there anybody here to speak on behalf of this application?
MR. BARRON: Yes, sir Sean Barren, Suffolk Environmental Consulting.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you. When I went out and looked at this application, it looked
pretty straightforward. I noticed you have the proposed wall around the new septic. The new septic
is going completely landward of the proposed addition. It's well outside jurisdiction. You have
a French drain to it, on the, I'll call it the south side of the house to address the drainage,
because this house has quite a slope down from the house to the road. And I commend you
for that. What we would also like to also see on the house is gutters and leaders and drywells
also. You have proposed a five-foot, you said non-disturbance buffer. Normally that's a
non-turf buffer. That's a very narrow lawn area down there so I think the five-foot wide buffer is
sufficient there. So I really had no questions about this application.
Are there any comments from anybody else in the audience pertaining to this application?
(No response.)
Not seeing any. Are there any from the Board?
(No response.)
Like I said, unfortunately we are going to have to table this application because there has not
been an LWRP review done of the application. And I know I said this last month and I want to
repeat myself from last month. I think it's only fair to the applicant when the applicant here turns in
the application on the 7th of July, the LWRP did not go up for review until August 1, and I think
that needs to be addressed administratively in our office. I really think it's not fair to the applicant.
By the way, just so everybody understands, the Town Code states that the LWRP
administrator has 30 days upon receipt of the application to render a decision. And it has not been
30 days yet, so that's why he has not rendered an opinion on the LWRP application yet. So
we cannot act on it yet tonight. So I'll make a motion to table this application.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MR. BARRON: Thank you.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Number nine JMO Environmental Consulting on behalf of NATHAN
SAINT AMAND requests a Wetland Permit to enclose an existing 8xl 3' covered porch and to
convert an existing 12x33' deck into a covered porch. Located: Private Road, Fishers Island.
Is there anyone here to who would like to speak to this application?
MR. JUST: Good evening, I'm Glenn Just from JMO Consulting. If there are any questions from
the Board or the public.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I believe there was a walkway on the beach; a wooden planked walkway?
MR. JUST: I believe there is, yes.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I believe the Board would like that removed.
MR. JUST: For what purpose?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: If you want to look at the picture we have. It was added on and goes all
the way down into the water.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I think part of it we would like to have removed.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It extends across the beach.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: This here. That looks like it's been there a while. It looks like he's just, this
is newly added.
MR. JUST: Obviously.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We don't see A reason for it.
MR. JUST: I'll be honest, we were out there last Tuesday. We didn't go down to the beach.
We walked along the freshwater wetland, which was not impacted by the application. I was
Not aware it existed.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Do you think you would have a problem with your client removing it,
or partially?
MR. JUST: Quite frankly, I would like to go back and look at it myself and talk to the applicant
about it. It's quite a surprise.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It's a structure on the beach.
TRUSTEE KING: It's one that is added way, way down. I don't know if it's necessary. The first
Board of Trustees 20 August 20, 2008
storm will take it away anyway.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We can just make it a determination it's not going to be, not to be replaced
at all.
MR. JUST: I'm sorry. I'm thinking out loud. Is it past the deck that is showing on the survey?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes, it goes down on to the beach.
MR. JUST: It shows the deck, maybe thirty, forty feet above mean high water.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It starts way up here.
MR. JUST: This is the deck goes off on the side and walkway and deck goes off on the side.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And this extension all the way down here.
MR. JUST: That's done since the survey was done as well.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: If I could see that survey again, Glenn?
MR. JUST: (Handing).
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I don't think we had a problem with this part of the path. And this.
Because this was all in vegetation. Somebody had extended it from here all the way to here.
That's the part we want removed.
MR. JUST: Okay. I'm more than happy to contact the client tomorrow. I was not aware of it.
TRUSTEE KING: He may not be aware of it either.
MR. JUST: Fishers Island, probably not. Again, we were there last week. We only looked along
the freshwater wetlands. We didn't go down to the beach at all.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: CAC didn't make an inspection and LWRP reviewed it as exempt.
Are there any other comments from the Board?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Any comments from the audience?
(No response.)
I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make a motion --
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Are you asking us to table this until you can speak to your client about
that walkway?
MR. JUST: We can move on with the application as it is and I'll be more than happy to look into
the situation.
TRUSTEE KING: Why don't we approve it with the stipulation that the section of the boardwalk that
is not indicated on the survey be removed. We are comfortable with what is shown on the survey.
MR. JUST: It looks like it's just laying on the rocks.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes.
MR. JUST: Okay.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make a motion to approve the wetland application for the covered
porch, the deck and the existing wooden walkway that is on the survey; the section that is not on
the survey to be removed.
TRUSTEE KING: Second. All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MR. JUST: Thank you, very much.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Glenn, good luck with the tenant on that one.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Number ten, Swim King Pools on behalf of ROBERT & LISA
DEFRESE requests a Wetland Permit to install a 20x42' inground swimming pool, patio and
16x10' shed. Located: 5223 Indian Neck Lane, Peconic.
I inspected this and I want to know if there is anyone here who would like to come up and
speak to this application.
MS. QUIGLEY: My name is Cathy Quigley, I'm from Swim King Pools.
MR. DEFRESE: Rob DeFrese.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Okay. CAC supports the application with the condition the pool is
relocated away from the large oak tree. I did notice that also. Is the oak tree coming down?
MR. DEFRESE: It would be, yes.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: The CAC would like that not to come down, in order to avoid removal of
Board of Trustees 21 August 20, 2008
the tree. Again, that's a recommendation from the CAC. We do not have LWRP, as one of
the previous applications. So without that LWRP, we can't act on this tonight.
I, myself, didn't see a problem with it. Do you have the shed on here?
MR. DEFRESE: I don't think it's shown on that survey, no.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Okay.
MR. DEFRESE: That was at the last minute I told them do everything at once.
MS. QUIGLEY: I went down to the Board of Trustees and added it on to the survey at the
Trustees office.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I see. It's right off the house, so the corner of --
MR. DEFRESE: Can I approach?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I do see where it is now.
MR. DEFRESE: It's more in this area.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It's almost in line with the house.
MR. DEFRESE: Yes.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: But you understand, the LWRP, we have to wait for that review.
They review our applications and without it, within 30 days, we still have to wait for their review.
MR. DEFRESE: Okay, regarding that oak tree, if I can't remove that oak tree?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: That's a CAC recommendation. I did notice it. I don't think it would
be a problem with this Board's approval.
MR. DEFRESE: Okay.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Since I was the only one that saw it, they don't know what we are
talking about. But we do have to wait for LWRP.
MR. DEFRESE: Okay.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: So this will come up next month. Did you see the dates?
MR. DEFRESE: I did not.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: The 17th will be our next public hearing and at that time we'll have
our LWRP and we can act on it then. I'll make a motion to table.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Architecnologies on behalf of RICHARD MANFREDI
requests a Wetland Permit to construct a second floor addition to the existing dwelling,
second-floor deck and second-floor addition above the existing patio. Located: 240 Sunset
Path, Southold.
The Board was out there and we have reviewed this. All of the additions are landward of
the existing structure. CAC did not make an inspection, therefore it has no comment. And
LWRP finds the action consistent.
Is there anyone here who would like to speak to this application?
MR. NOTARO: Frank Notaro, representing Mr. Manfredi on this application.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think it's a pretty straightforward application. Does the Board have
any questions or comments?
MR. NOTARO: We would contain ail roof runoff.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I was going to say, the drywells, we need to see on the plans. There is
a question where the septic was and we saw the homeowner and she told us where that is.
I believe, really, is that out of our jurisdiction -- it's in our jurisdiction but she noted the septic
was newly updated. Are there any other comments from anybody?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE KING: I got a call from a lady, I thought she would be here. One of the neighbors had
a lot of concerns about the runoff which I tried to explain to her, the new code prohibits runoff from
going onto your property or into the wetlands.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Like I said before, if she thinks it's a problem, they have to call.
TRUSTEE KING: Is there a Petter?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I don't see it. No.
TRUSTEE KING: That was her concern.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: As you know, you would have to conform to Chapter 236 anyway, so.
Board of Trustees 22 August 20, 2008
MR. NOTARO: Yes.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Any other comments?
(No response.)
I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE KING: Second. All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I'll make a motion to approve the application of Architecnologies on
behalf of Richard Manfredi as applied for. And it's, again, consistent with LWRP.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: Do they show the location of drywells there?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: With the condition that the drywells be located on
the survey and the new survey showing that. Thank you, Jim.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: Number 12, Garrett Strang on behalf of LINDA M. LONGO
requests a Wetland Permit to construct an addition to the existing dwelling and new deck with
steps. Located: 1235 Albo Drive, Laurel.
This was supported by the CAC with the condition the existing buffer is maintained; gutters
and drywells installed to contain roof runoff.
It was determined to be inconsistent with LWRP because of the distance from the wetlands
is ninety feet. What was the distance of the wetlands from the previous application?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Manfredi? It was 54 feet and it was to the freshwater wetland.
TRUSTEE KING: It was found consistent?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes, because it was all the proposed structures were behind the
existing structures. I believe that's why.
TRUSTEE KING: Okay.
MR. STRANG: Good evening.
TRUSTEE KING: It says addition. We were out there. I had in my mind it was just going to
enclose that porch. Am I wrong?
MR. STRANG: There is a minor addition where we are going to flush out --
TRUSTEE KING: The bump out. I see.
MR. STRANG: Yes, we'll square that off on the house there. It's about two feet by the width of
the porch will be new construction. The area where that hanging plant is in the photo.
TRUSTEE KING: That stake is for the deck.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes.
TRUSTEE KING: It's only found inconsistent because of this distance. It's just - I mean there a
good size buffer there already.
MR. STRANG: It's a tremendous buffer.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It did have stone all the way around the house. Scott Hilary said that he felt
it was such a minor action but he did, because of the way the law is written.
TRUSTEE KING: That's the problem.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And he hopes in the future when we change things this would be
something that would be exempt
TRUSTEE KING: We are trying to work through this somehow to make some of these applications
a little more user friendly, and this is a perfect example
MR. STRANG: I don't envy your position.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think if we put in the they have to maintain the buffer. They have quite a
good buffer.
TRUSTEE KING: if we put drainage on the roof, gutters and drywells.
MR. STRANG: We can do gutters and drywells.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That may help bring it into consistency.
TRUSTEE KING: That's the only thing we can do. Because the rest of it is well buffered on
the wetlands, there is no doubt. Are there any other comments?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE KING: Anything from the Board?
Board of Trustees 23 August 20, 2008
(No response.)
I think everybody thought this was a pretty simple, straightforward application. Being no
other comments, I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: I'll make a motion to approve the application as submitted with the addition
of drywells, gutters -- leaders to drywells to take care of the roof runoff. And they already have a
very large buffer to the wetland area. There is absolutely no need to increase that. Just maintain
that as it's been. With the addition of drywells, I think that brings it into compliance.
Do I have a second?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Number thideen, Garrett Strang, Architect, on behalf of PAUL
BENTANCOURT requests a Wetland Permit to remove the existing steps to beach and replace
with a 3'6"x45' stairway, on 5'4"x6' top landing and one 3'6"x3'4" intermediate landing, a
minimum two-feet above grade, and a Wetland Permit and Coastal Erosion Permit to remove
and replace the decking surface and guardrails on the existing deck using untreated lumber.
Located: 1825 Aquaview Avenue, East Marion.
The LWRP report finds the application consistent with LWRP policies. The CAC did not make
an inspection, therefore no recommendation was made. And the Trustees met with you out in the
field. I think it was fairly straightforward. I believe we discussed changing the decking and stairs
to open grate.
MR. STRANG: We did discuss that. I did broach that with my client. His concern with that, which
he asked me to convey to the Board, he's concerned with using the open grating, or flow-through,
as its known, for the deck, specifically, is he has older family members that enjoy the home when
they come out and visit and he's concerned they may have an aversion to being on open grating
on the deck where it is and he preferred to use wood planking, if it's agreeable to the Board.
I think the steps to the beach is less of an issue.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Personally, I don't have a problem with it because you have some
vegetation under there now as it is and the spacing on the planking is wide enough that some sun
is getting through.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And one thing we didn't think of is putting furniture on the deck.
MR. STRANG: Also, with the chairs, legs.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think if you keep the same spacing as you have now.
MR. STRANG: We can use the wide spacing and we would probably use mahogany wood.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Just to put on the record, we measured the deck is 16'x8'3". I think if that is
ever replaced we ask that the applicant come in and apply for a full permit on the deck. I don't
think we would allow that under normal circumstances. But it is pre-existing.
MR. STRANG: I thought that was the idea of our application was to bring the
pre-existing nonconforming deck into conformancy with a permit, if you will. We are not changing
the structure, obviously. The structure is there, it's in good and serviceable condition.
It's just the surface of the deck that will be replaced.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Any comments or questions from the Board?
TRUSTEE KING: No, just if that bluff, something happens to it, in that deck area, the deck goes
it probably won't be replaced in that location.
MR. STRANG: I think if the bluff goes, the deck won't be able to go in that location anyway.
TRUSTEE KING: You would not be able to rebuild it in its present location.
MR. STRANG: It would have to be more compliant with current standards, obviously.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: The only other comments I remember discussing is not mowing to the west
of the deck there; not mowing in that area up on the top of the bluff.
MR. STRANG: Yes, it's either having that revert back to natural vegetation or plant something in
there that makes it more natural, Rosa Rugosa or something like that. He was not adverse to that.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Any other questions or comments?
Board of Trustees 24 August 20, 2008
(No response.)
I make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: I'll make a motion we approve the application as described with the mention
that the deck as it exists is 16x8'3"; that the application reflect that they will be using open-grate
decking on the stairs to the beach and using non-treated wood on the repairs on the deck with
the spacing as currently exists to allow sunlight to get under it. And also the stipulation of
revegetating the area just to the west of the deck, on the bluff, the natural plantings. And that's it.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MR. STRANG: Thank you, very much. Have a good evening.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Number 14, William J. Baylis on behalf of the ESTATE OF GRACE R.
LEWIS CIO JOHN NICKLES requests a Wetland Permit to restore eroded beach with clean
sand, landward of mean high water. Located: 885 Rogers Road, Southold.
We did go out and look at this. CAC voted and resolved to support this project. It was
reviewed under the LWRP as described and found consistent.
Is there anybody here to speak on behalf of this application?
MR. BAYLIS: William J. Baylis.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Now, we see a set of revised plans dated August 19. I know when we were
in the field we talked about some drainage issues from a couple of the neighbors' homes that
were probably contributing to the overall drainage problem down there; the cobblestone
driveway house. And we had suggested at the time that maybe beside bringing in sand, that you
think about some planting and maybe some jute matting on either side where you are bringing
in that sand so the sea grasses will help maintain that sand.
You have submitted a set of plans here that proposes work that is more extensive than what
is asked for in the application. As I read these plans, and correct me if I'm wrong, you want to remove
completely the existing ramp and replace with a concrete pad, it looks like, up at the end of the
road, and from there seaward a turf, completely new turf block ramp with a catch basin at the end
of the road leading back to drywells on either side. Am I correct in what I'm speaking about here?
MR. BAYLIS: We are removing the concrete portion at the recommendation of the Trustees and
we are replacing it with a catch basin area to catch the water from road runoff and direct it
sideways into drywells.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: So this turf block ramp is, the proposed turf block ramp is 24'x6'. That's
a completely new structure, correct?
MR. BAYLIS: Well, it's replacing the existing wooden boardwalk that we have and it's
providing greater drainage. It gives, it's a higher elevation than the boardwalk that is there so that
we can have that build up.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I know you have a DEC permit already for this project?
MR. BAYLIS: Yes.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: And the DEC permit is to replace or place 334 cubic yards of sand landward
of the mean high water mark. And the stipulations they have are pretty simple because it's a
very simple project as planned.
I would be interested in hearing some comments from the Board on this. Here is my concern.
I commend you for what you did. But what you are submitting here is very different from what was
approved by the DEC and what was originally applied for from us. And what was reviewed was
just adding some sand back by the CAC and what was reviewed under the LWRP was just
putting some sand in. You now are taking out a structure, putting in a new structure. You are putting
in a catch basin and some drywells, which I think is great. Don't get me wrong. It's just very
different from what has been reviewed. So I would be interested in hearing some comment from
the Board as to what they think of this.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: As I understood when we were out there, we asked them to do this and to
re-submit it.
Board of Trustees 25 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I guess I didn't understand it was going to be removal of the structure
and replacement of two different structures. I shouldn't say two different structures. Concrete pad
and another ramp going down there.
Again, I don't have a problem with the project. My concern right now is what was
originally submitted and reviewed under the LWRP and in the DEC permit is there now going to
be a problem for the applicant.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: (inaudible.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The question was what did the LWRP coordinator do a review of. He did
the review of just putting sand in. That's why it was found consistent. It says specifically the
proposed beach nourishment is preferred approach to erosion control.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Can you explain what turf block is?
MR. BAYLIS: No, I don't know what turf block is.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I spoke to Dave Chicanowitz and he told me that it's, this basically allows
the growth to go through and it just hardens a little bit so you have stability, but everything can move
over it and grow through it. It's not concrete. It's like a matting type thing, same as that.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Grass can grow.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I know the material you are talking about. We saw
this material used on a project down on Indian Neck Lane. I know exactly what you are talking
about now. It was excellent.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I like the design myself.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Is there anybody else in the audience who would like to comment on
this application? Yes. Feel free to step up to the microphone and introduce yourself for the
record, please.
MS. SHINE: Sharon Shine. I'm just confused about what is going to happen, the cement is
coming out, drywells are going in, right? And the turf block you talked about is going over that?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Would you like to come up and see the plan? Or have you one right
there. Okay. Yes, they are taking out the concrete pad that is up there ahead of that ramp that
is pictured there. And the ramp. And they are replacing the concrete pad and there will be
some asphalt there to drain the road end back toward a catch basin that will go do drywells so
you, hopefully, in theory, won't have the runoff problem coming down that created this
problem. And then there will be this turf block ramp in place of that, what you see, that ramp that's
out front there. And this turf block material is one where vegetation can grow up through the
turf block. Then it will be replacing sand on either side of it and revegetating the area.
MS. SHINE: And revegetate that area.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes.
MS. SHINE: And that ramp will go longer than it presently is. The wood ramp would be
extended beyond from what the ramp is now?
MR. BAYLIS: It's approximately the same. It just starts back further.
TRUSTEE GHOSIQ: The hope is you get grass to grow in.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: If you can just address your comments to us, please.
MS. SHINE: I think I'm clear now. Thank you.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you. Is there anybody else in the audience that would like to comment
on this application?
(No response.)
Not seeing any, we have talked amongst ourselves up here, based on these new plans here,
and I think everybody is in agreement that this is a very good set of plans to address the
drainage problem. I'm glad to see the existing pear tree will remain. It's still amazing to me how
a pear tree can grow on a beach. But it's there. But I do commend you for doing like we asked
in putting in the catch basin and drywells and the vegetation and the jute matting as we had
talked about.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I wanted ask, the proposed revegetation area,
what are you revegetating with?
MR. BAYLIS: American Beach Grass.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Just the American Beach Grass?
MR. BAYLIS: If there are any suggestions, we are interested in
Board of Trustees 26 August 20, 2008
maintaining the beach. So anything that you suggest that will root well.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I was concerned about the matting, if this is going to get washed away.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That's what they are talking about, using jute matting in that area. There will
be jute matting in the area so the grasses will grow up and won't wash away in storms. That jute
matting, just so people know, can either be taken away or will naturally dissolve. Either way.
The only thing I would advise you on, you might want to check with the DEC to see if you need
an amendment to their permit to match this project description. I would not want to see you get in
trouble with the DEC for doing something that exceeds the scope of their permit.
So unless there are any other comments, I'll make a motion to close this public hearing.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: Did they say how much sand was going to be added?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes. It's in here. DEC permit is 334 cubic yards. So I have a motion to
close the public hearing.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'll make a motion to approve the application of William Baylis on behalf
of Grace Lewis and John Nickles located at 885 Rogers Road, Southold, and the project will
match the plans stamped August 19, 2008, submitted by Creative Environmental Design, and
will include, since on the plan it doesn't say, it will include a maximum of 334 cubic yards of
sand being brought in to that area.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Number 15, Samuels & Steelman on behalf of GREG & MARTHA
CUKOR requests a Wetland Permit to demolish the existing dwelling and construct a new
dwelling and garage. Located: 7070 Indian Neck Road, Peconic.
Is there anyone here who would like to address this application?
MR. HERMAN: Good evening. Rob Herman of Eh-Consultants. Tom Samuels couldn't be
here tonight and asked if I would cover for him. His office should have faxed an authorization over
to your office this afternoon authorizing me to speak on behalf of the applicant. If you don't have
that, I have a copy of it here.
I believe Tom has spoken with the Board about the project and in a nutshell is the demolition of
an existing nonconforming structure and the construction of a new dwelling that will actually
be setback behind the house line created by the residences on either side of this parcel. And it
will also be setback situated to meet the hundred foot setback of the wetland boundary. There is
drainage, a system of drywells designed to be incorporated for capture and recharge of roof runoff;
a project limiting fence and staked hay bales to be set at the top of the bank during construction,
and there will be the installation of a new sanitary system beyond the Trustees' jurisdiction to
service the new house. If you have any questions, I hope I might be able to answer them.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I think you just listed the reasons we might deem this consistent.
MR. HERMAN: Good.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: We were looking for the house to be moved back and these plans are
much better because now we can see where the existing house is. CAC supports the application
with the condition of a ten-foot, non-turf buffer; the installation of a pervious driveway. Is your
driveway pervious, Rob?
MR. HERMAN: He does not indicate whether the driveway is pervious. The driveway, well --
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It's presently sand.
MR. HERMAN: Well, it is now. It doesn't indicate on the site plan. I mean, it looks like the
driveway will probably be more than a hundred feet back from the bulkhead. So I can't say
whether the proposed driveway is proposed to be pervious gravel or not. I can tell you the
ten-foot buffer is acceptable.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: And the rest of the CAC comments are that efforts are made to save
as many trees as possible and a planting landscaping plan is submitted. Do you know how
much, because it is pretty enclosed with trees.
Board of Trustees 27 August 20, 2008
MR. HERMAN: It's a fairly wooded site. I mean, I have been, I listed the site originally to do
the boundary determination for the wetlands. And it is a predominantly vegetated site in this area.
So, realistically, to come in, the demolition and new construction, especially because the
new construction is being setback, I don't think you are going to lose that row of trees.
But there may be trees behind it in the area of the new construction that may be
lost. But the only thing I could say would be, you know, the
requirement in the permit that the construction area be limited to
that necessary for the new construction and that they don't engage
in a clear cut just for convenience. Which has been known to
happen. But I don't have any specific information in terms of, you
know, mark outs for trees or whatever. If might be a good idea to
arrange a pre-construction meeting, perhaps with Tom Samuels, with
at least one of the Trustees at the site so that the Board has some
sense what the permit of what is going to come down just to make
sure that you don't have a disaster.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: What's the Board's feeling; do we need a site
check or just stipulate that the trees be minimal?
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I would just stipulate that, as a matter of fact,
when we looked at where it was staked, I don't remember there being
too many trees in that spot.
MR. HERMAN: It's fairly open once you step back from the existing
house. I'm just worried about the access, if it's a concern that --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think we can stipulate it that they don't clear
cut to get the machines in. I think that's sufficient.
MR. HERMAN: That's up to you. I know Tom is pretty good about
overseeing his projects, so if you need him to be available, he would be.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: You can see the tape and the flags on both sides.
TRUSTEE KING: The garage is covered too, right?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes, that's way out of our jurisdiction.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Any other comments from the audience?
(No response.)
Any other comments from the Board?
(No response.)
I'll make a motion to close the public hearing.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make a motion to approve the wetland permit
to demolish the existing dwelling and construct a new dwelling and
garage at 7070 Indian Neck Lane. This would come into consistency
with the many changes that Rob Herman mentioned tonight. The house
is being moved back. Did you say to the hundred foot or beyond?
MR. HERMAN: It's the hundred-foot setback from the high water line.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Gutters and leaders, new septic, ten-foot buffer.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Behind the line of the other houses.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Behind the line of the other houses. And this
would bring it into consistency with LWRP. I would also like to
stipulate that during construction, removal of trees be limited to
the minimal amount necessary for the building; the new construction.
TRUSTEE KING: Do you want to add any hay bales during demolition?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It shows it on there.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: And the hay bale line. Do I have a second?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
Board of Trustees 28 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Number 16, En-Consultants on behalf of ELLIOT
BRUCE & ORA JEAN HEATH requests a Wetland Permit to construct onto
an existing two-story dwelling a northerly 9x13.8' two-story
addition with a second-story balcony and 6.5'x18.3' entry porch and
steps in place of the existing one-story southerly portion of the
dwelling; construct onto northerly corner of dwelling a 6.5'x8.5'
patio with pergola; remove existing driveway and masonry walk and
construct new stone walkway and pervious gravel driveway; install
drainage system of drywells; and establish a ten-foot wide, non-turf
buffer on landward side of existing stone driveway located in
existing access easement. Located: 500 Hippodrome Drive, Southold.
The whole Board went out there and inspected this. The CAC
supports the application with no other comment, and it is
inconsistent with LWRP due to the fact that it's approximately 58
feet from the wetland line. So it's within a hundred feet. That
was the reason. We do have a number of letters in the file but
before I read them I'll ask if there is any comment from the audience.
MR. HERMAN: Rob Herman from En-Consultants on behalf of the Heath's
who are also here.
I do want to clarify, you just mentioned wetlands setback.
The wetlands setbacks do show on the site plan by John Ehlers the
existing minimum wetland setback is 62.6'. That's to the corner of
that, if you can just go one slide back, Peggy. I think it was the
first one you showed, kind of shows the front porch. Is that
right, that's the front of the house? To this corner right there.
The nearest corner. And that porch, that's an existing porch with
the second*story deck, that will be, that portion will be
demolished and that's where the major addition is occurring is the
second two-story addition that we are tying into the existing
two-story dwelling. There is a front porch and steps that will then
step out from that but the nearest wetland setback to the nearest
part of the new constructions 68.3 feet. So we are actually, we
are not going as close with any new footprint as the existing
wetland setback is.
I worked with the Heath's for a better part of a year to
really try to contain this addition as much as possible. Most of
the addition, most of the expansion is really square-offs of what
is existing except on the north side of the house where there is a
two-story addition that will extend out. But that's the farthest
distance from the wetlands.
We did receive a copy of a letter from the adjoining property
owner Kathryn Campbell. I just want to try to address a couple
points of Ms. Campbell's because she makes a couple of good points
that will require a couple of changes to the site plan on our
part. It's a long letter. I don't know if you are going to
eventually read the entire thing into the record or not, but I
will, there are some parts of it, probably the major parts of it
address the easement that is shown on the site plan, it's a 15-foot
wide easement, and the stone driveway where the non-turf buffer is
proposed adjacent to, is the driveway that Ms. Campbell uses to go
across the Heath property to access hers.
I think some of what she addresses in her letter is really
beyond the scope of anything that we are proposing to do and
probably outside your purview or interest. But I would like to
address a couple of her points that are well taken. And what she
points out, which is, I regret to say is probably an oversight on
Board of Trustees 29 August 20, 2008
our part, is what we did and what makes the most sense practically
speaking, was to propose a ten-foot non-turf buffer adjacent to the
existing gravel driveway. Because that is the part of the Heath's
lawn that is closest to the driveway that is closest to the
wetlands. But Ms. Campbell points out in her letter that we are in
effect proposing a planted buffer within the boundaries of that
easement, whether the entire easement is surfaced with gravel or
not, she makes a good point that we really can't really propose any
sort of obstructions in that easement. Which we would have to
agree with. She also mentioned that the Heath's have placed some
large boulder-like stones and a couple of shrubs in that area that
she would prefer to see removed. If the Board would like to see
that, the Heath's have no problem doing that.
The other part of her comment relates to the fact that as you
swing around to the northeast, we also have in one location where
the non-turf buffer is again proposed adjacent to the driveway, we
are actually proposing a planted buffer within the boundaries of
Hippodrome Drive.
Again, for all practical purposes, I don't see why this is a
problem. This is really for most people who live on a private
right of way, they have Belgian blocks, aprons and driveways and
lawns and all sorts of things that are actually occurring within
the town's property and would have to be removed if the town or
private road owner ever asked for it. But to be smart and be
careful we should probably not be proposing a planted buffer that
is technically off the Heath's properly. So what we would be
certainly agreeable to doing and should rightly do is adjust the
non-turf buffer so that is it is completely within the boundaries
of the Heath property, which probably the Trustees would not mind
seeing anyway because it will probably result in more of a
replacement of existing lawn.
Because the fact of the matter is whatever that existing area
is of lawn between the buffer and the driveway will just revegetate
on its own, so you will actually end up probably with more than a
ten-foot non-turf buffer.
So those are a couple of points that she makes, and I think
rightly so. She addresses many other issues relating to what kind
of gravel is in the driveway and whether the driveway should be
enlarged out to the full fifteen feet. For the Heath's to agree to
do any of these things simply by her request I think creates really
more of an issue than we intended to because it would require more
excavation, more fill and, rightly or wrongly, it's really a civil
issue and doesn't have anything to do with the Trustees and I don't
think we want to be in the position of proposing more ground work
than is really necessary.
As long as the access is maintained through that driveway now,
I think the Board would probably rather see plantings than a bigger
driveway anyway. If some arm of the town wants to pursue this in
another forum, that's fine, but hopefully we don't, I'm not sure
it's appropriate to do that here.
She does have some questions regarding what type of planting
would be in the non-turf buffer. She seems to be concerned about
the obstruction ofthe right-of-way or visibility. I think the
Heath's would share that concern. It would be Iow growing, native
grasses, ground cover, smaller shrubs that can be pruned Iow. If
the Trustees wanted to see a specific planting plan for the buffer
Board of Trustees 30 August 20, 2008
by the time construction was done and that was to start, I think
they would be happy to do that.
Other than that, again, there are some other issues that to
be, I think really seem like civil or legal issues that don't have
much to do with this application. But we want to make sure that
our application does not propose anything to exacerbate that
situation. So we will make that change.
Otherwise I think it is a pretty straight forward
application. And the expansion really has been contained as much
as possible in order to meet the Heath's needs.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Thank you. Since you talked about Mrs. Campbell's
letter, I'll start with that. You did surmise it pretty well. A
couple of the areas that she talked about were relocating the
right-of-way, which is not in the Trustees' jurisdiction. A couple
of other runoff issues, because of the right-of-way, again, the
right-of-way is there and we don't have the power to relocate
that. I will however submit this letter to Wayne so he can type
the full letter and that will be part of the full record. Other
than that, you've touched on all of the areas that are of concern
for the Trustees and I appreciate you making those changes.
(Insert letter by Ms. Kathryn Campbell reads as follows)
Ladies and gentlemen, I am the property owner at 570 Hippodrome
Drive, Southold, New York. I am writing in connection with the
environmental review by the Board of Trustees under the Southold
Town Code of the above-referenced request for a permit from the
Board of Trustees to construct several additions (as described
therein) to the house located at 500 Hippodrome Drive, Southold,
which is adjacent to my property.
I regret that I am unable to attend in person the
environmental review hearing scheduled for August 20, 2008, however
I have asked Ms. Jere Jacob to attend as my representative. I am
submitting the following written comments for consideration by the
Trustees in their review of the above referenced application:
1. Request for adjournment.
I note that the proposed additions to the property, including the
location of the non-turf buffer, are not staked-out on the property
as is required. Thus, it is difficult to assess on a site
inspection the precise areas to be affected by the proposed
additions and the impact on my property. Although I have received a
copy of the surveyor's site plan of the proposed additions, it is
difficult to visualize the impact of the proposed additions from
this site plan. It is also unclear whether any of the existing
trees, shrubs or outbuildings are intended to be removed. A
schematic design drawing for the proposed changes would be very
helpful.
I therefore request an adjournment of the August 20 environmental
review hearing so that the additions can be staked-out as required
in order for an informed assessment of the proposed additions to be
undertaken by the Trustees as well as the adjacent property owners.
I note too from the site map that some of the additions are
proposed to be constructed outside the jurisdictional boundary
established by the NYSDEC on February 9, 1992. The application
should explain why this should be permitted.
2. Easement.
Board of Trustees 31 August 20, 2008
Under our respective property deeds (and as indicated on the site
plan), I have a property entitlement to a 15 foot easement of
right-of-way for access to and from Hippodrome Drive over Lot 8 (ie
the Heath's property.) The width of the existing stone drive is
currently less than the 15 foot legal entitlement. Over recent
years this drive has been narrowed and pushed towards the edge of
the tidal wetland boundary by the trees and shrubs planted along
the edge of the drive on the Heath's lawn and by the boulders which
have been placed on their lawn along the drive. The grade is
steeper in the direction of the tidal wetland boundary and less
stable for vehicular access. For the protection of the tidal
wetland area, the stone drive should be set away from the edge of
the wetland boundary and reinstated to a width of 15 feet. This
would require that the tree and shrubs, which encroach on the
easement and which would be located in the area designated for the
non-turf buffer, should be removed.
3. Non-Tuff buffer.
The site plan shows the location of the proposed non-tuff buffer
encroaching on the easement which would contravene my legal
property right. In addition, this will cause the drive to be pushed
even closer to the wetlands which is not desirable. I therefore
request that the proposed non-tuff buffer be located in an area
further away from the drive so that it des not encroach on the
easement.
In addition, the proposed siting of the non-tuff buffer extends
beyond the Heath's property line onto Hippodrome Drive. If it is
desirable to have a non-tuff buffer, the entirety of it should be
located within the boundary line of the Heath property and it
should not be permitted to encroach either on the easement or on
community property of Beixedon Estates.
I note that the southeast end of the easement area near Hippodrome
Drive is covered in plants and shrubs. (This is not indicated on
the site plan.) If this planting is deemed desirable to protect the
tidal wetland boundary, then the 15-foot easement needs to be
relocated to an area which is not covered by the planting and that
area of the proposed non-tuff buffer must be located further away
from the existing stone drive to accommodate this.
I also note that the site plan does not indicate what type of
"native vegetation' will be planted in the non-tuff buffer. I
submit that such planting should be limited to the types of grasses
which are currently growing in the wetlands area and restricted in
potential size when mature (ie, one-two feet in height) so as not
to cause an obstruction to the right-of-way visibility.
4. Tidal Wetland Boundary.
I note that recently along a portion of the tidal wetland boundary
shown on the site plan, some of the planting which protects the
creek has been cut away opening up areas of access over mud banks
to the creek and pond. I do not know why this was done or whether
all appropriate permissions were granted. I submit that these
recently created cut-aways expose the bank to erosion and
consequently expose the creek and pond to environmental damage.
Therefore the Trustees should require that these areas be replanted
with native plantings consistent with the existing vegetation along
the creek.
5. Gravel Surfaces.
Recently the stone drive was resurfaced with large stones that are
Board of Trustees 32 August 20, 2008
round, rather than crushed. Consequently the material is not
compacting as it should and I believe this is teading to road water
runoff into the creek and erosion of the bank along the tidal
wetland boundary. In addition, the surface of the drive is slippery
and unstable. Small vehicles have difficulty driving on this
surface and bicycles can not be ridden at all. I submit that the
drive should be resurfaced using crushed stones that will compact
better (as I have done on my part of the drive.) I also request
that the Trustees stipulate that no heavy construction or goods
vehicles be permitted to use this drive as they are likely to cause
severe damage to the bank and the creek.
The site plan does not show the area of road, Hippodrome Drive, in
front of the Heath's house where recently they have put down gravel
over the asphalt road. I do not know the reason for this but I
submit that the gravel should be removed and the road returned to
its original state. The map line clearly shows that Hippodrome
Drive is not part of Lot 8 but is in fact community property of
Beixedon Estates.
In addition, I note that the fencing which marks the entrance to
the right-of-way is currently located on Hippodrome Drive rather
than on Lot 8. Because of this, during rainstorms, road water from
hippodrome Drive flows rapidly down the road and is channeled
through these fences and into the creek causing erosion and damage
to the creek and pond. Consequently the Trustees should require
that the entrance to the right-of-way be relocated to be situated
on Lot 8 (and not on community property), widened to 15 feet and
set perpendicular to the creek to reduce this water runoff. It is
not necessary that the entrance be marked with fencing.
Thank you very much for your consideration of these points.
Sincerely yours, Kathryn A. Campbell.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: A couple of other letters I'll read for the
record. There is one from Sharon Shine. Would you like for me to
read it or do you want to comment?
MS. SHINE: You can read it.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Okay. Dear Trustees, I live across from
Hippodrome Pond and its tributary into Southold Bay. I'm aware
that estuaries such as this are vital to the health and purity of
bay waters. My concern is that the proposed addition on the Heath
property may affect the health of the estuary and bay. The
tributary has already been compromised by human impact to the
bulkheading that borders the tributary connecting Hippodrome Pond
to the bay. This hardening of the shoreline prevents that section
of the tributary its natural filtering ability. At present time the
estuary supports a variety of marine life, both fauna and flora,
including a nursery for fish. My request is this proposal be
scrutinized regarding the possible environmental impacts. There is
a cumulative affect with each manmade structure that borders our
wetlands, therefore each individual permit must be considered as
part of a larger scenario. Thank you for your attention to my
concerns. Sincerely, Sharon Shine.
And the next letter states: Dear Trustees, since I'm unable
to attend the August 20 Trustee meeting, I ask that this letter
become a matter of record. My home is two lots down from the
Heath's and faces Hippodrome Pond. The tributary that joins the
Pond to Southold Bay flanks the Heath and Kathryn Campbell
Board of Trustees 33 August 20, 2008
properties. Wetlands and land preserve abuts the Pond to the south
and west. Clearly, this is one of the unique natural habitats of
the North Fork.
Whatever decision is made on this permit, my request is that the
Trustees make the health of the pond, tributary and surrounding
wetlands their utmost concern. The pond can only be cleaned by the
current from the bay. Any debris or clotting of the tributary would
rob the pond of its water supply. It would thwart the spartina
grass filtering system for processing pollutants, runoff and
anti-flooding. Additionally, the pond and its environs are the
birthing center and home of a wide diversity of fish, birdlife and
wildlife. They are dependent on nature, and on us, for solitude and
environmental cleanliness in order to live.
Under Chapter 275 of the Town Wetlands Code, the town has a
commitment to protect wetlands, creeks, estuaries and ponds. My
hope is that my letter will reinforce this responsibility.
Thank you for this consideration, sincerely, Vivian Eyre.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: There is one other comment made in Mrs. Campbell's
letter that the project was not staked. However, it was staked.
The ten-foot non-turf buffer was not staked, but that is not a
normal thing that we request. But the new construction, we saw the
stakes and the stakes were out there.
Is there any other comment from anybody in the audience?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: If I could just make a comment, Jill. The last
two letters that Jill just read, I would like to say are very well
written and very profound in their recognition of what our Board is
all about. And we do scrutinize these permits and I do think that
the full Board felt this was a very minor application because it's
an existing home with two minor additions. And again, I think they
are well written and well stated with concerns, but we do take
those into account and again, when we looked at it, it was much
less construction than we are usually seeing along the creek side.
So the letters were well written but in looking at this project, it
is quite minor.
MR. HERMAN: I did also want to point out on the site plan for where
there will be demolition of the existing portion of the dwelling,
that that is called out on the site plan. Just being aware of some
issues the Board has been dealing with on other applications.
TRUSTEE KING: Rob, are there drywells now for the roof runoff?
MR. HERMAN: They are being proposed.
TRUSTEE KING: They are not on the present --
MR. HERMAN: Correct
TRUSTEE KING: So that's a vast improvement.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Right. I think in reviewing this, the applicants
have really considered the wetlands because they could have easily
applied to come further toward the wetland and bumped out that and
squared off that part, and they haven't, so.
MR. HERMAN: I have found that the Heath's are more cognizant than
most, actually.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Are there and other comments?
(No response.)
I'll make a motion to close the public hearing.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
Board of Trustees 34 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I'll make a motion to approve this application as
submitted, with the addition of the drywells -- it's on there.
TRUSTEE KING: The point I was trying to make, the existing house
doesn't have gutters and leaders going to drywells, so this is a
big improvement.
MR. HERMAN: There is gutters and leaders but not going to drywells.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: So the entire structure will be going to
drywells. I think that brings it into consistency with LWRP.
MR. HERMAN: I just have to submit a revised plan for the buffer.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: For the ten-foot non-turf before to be solely on
their property.
TRUSTEE KING: Technically, this whole piece is their property but
they have a 15-foot easement going through it.
MR. HERMAN: Right. What I should say, it's ultimately your call if
you want us to make the change. They are trying to be good
neighbors. If you look at the way the map is drawn, I mean both
the easement and Hippodrome Drive actually go into the wetlands, so
if the easement were really plotted out strictly, you would have
the gravel driveway driving into the wetlands, so.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And to tell you the truth, I don't think the
placement of the non-turf buffer next to the easement is really
under our code. That's a civil situation and that's, if you want
to move it to work that out, that's fine with us. Like you said,
that will give a further buffer, which is obviously fine with us.
MR. HERMAN: I would think we at least probably want to move it
somewhat out of the Hippodrome Drive right-of-way. Just so they
don't establish something that ends up being really nice and really
effective and then for some reason somebody for some other motive
asks them to tear it out and we are coming back to you for
permission to make a situation worse.
We'll give you a revised plan, if you can give us the
flexibility to come back with some form of that buffer, we'll do
that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes. So I'll make that motion.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: What about fences?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's mentioned in Mrs. Campbell's letter. We
talked about the fences, but that has really nothing to do with
this project itself. That is, has nothing to do with this Board.
That's part of the things that has nothing to do with this Board.
MR. HERMAN: The fence you are talking about, it's not in the
easement. That is in the Hippodrome Drive right-of-way, of sorts,
and the purpose of that fence, which by the Heath's recollection
was permitted, although they can't recall whether it was by this
Board or the Building Department.
TRUSTEE KING: It's not on their property.
MR. HERMAN: That's right.
TRUSTEE KING: So how can we make them remove it? I thought it was
just a simple application when we went out there, but I mean.
MR. HERMAN: For the record, the point of the fence is really as a
guide site for would-be travelers who would think Mrs. Campbell's
property was a thruway.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: So I have a motion and we have a second.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
Board of Trustees 35 August 20, 2008
MR. HERMAN: Thank you, Jim.
TRUSTEE KING: Number seventeen, En-Consultants on behalf of ROSA
HODG$ON requests a Wetland Permit to remove and replace (inplace)
existing dock, consisting of a 6'x87' fixed pier, 6'x24' fixed "L"
section, 4.5'x33' step-down platform and a 3'x14' ramp and 6'x20'
float secured by two eight-inch pilings; remove and replace
(inplace) 9'xl 1' pervious patio and 4'x8' steps to dock; construct
approximately 774 linear feet of vinyl bulkhead in place of
existing timber bulkhead; backfill bulkhead with approximately 75
cubic yards of clean sand to be trucked in from an upland source;
and establish a ten-foot non-turf buffer adjacent to the bulkhead.
Located: 4845 Pine Neck Road, Southold.
Rob, we were out in the field and talked to the applicant and
suggested a 20-foot non-turf buffer instead of ten. She was
comfortable with that.
MR. HERMAN: Okay. I trust you.
TRUSTEE KING: So we can go on from there.
MR. HERMAN: Okay. If Ms. Hodgson said that was acceptable to her,
I obviously don't have any problem with it. As I said, the rest of
it, these are pre-existing structures, as I'm sure you can tell
from the age, these things have been there forever.
Just for the record, the letter just, I think Peggy just
mentioned with the LWRP, I'll just briefly read the short paragraph
that I submitted with the letter that says pursuant to Town Code
268-5(a) and the corresponding definitions of action and minor
action by 286-3 a submission of LWRP consistency assessment form is
not required for this application as the proposed work entails only
the maintenance and repair involving no substantial changes in an
existing structure or facility including the replacement of
existing bulkhead on the applicant's property in the same
location.
So I don't think you need be delayed by the LWRP if you are
otherwise moved to act on this tonight. If you have any questions,
I'm happy to answer it.
TRUSTEE KING: I just had one question, Rob. On that platform, it
looks like it's being added landward from what is there? There was
a step down platform when you first get on the dock.
MR. HERMAN: Yes. There is a four-and-a-half step down platform that
is to be replaced.
TRUSTEE KING: Right, and it's, something is changed. Something is
different from the description.
MR. HERMAN: Being extended, you mean? I don't think so.
TRUSTEE KING: I'll see if I could get a picture.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: This one up here, Jim?
TRUSTEE KING: Yes. The deck is being extended landward, that Iow
section. Because that's only twenty-something feet long, if I
remember right. And it says in the plan 35 feet.
MR. HERMAN: It's 33 but that's based on the survey by Peconic.
TRUSTEE KING: It's like a little ramp type thing there. You see,
that means the upper section ramps down to that Iow section. I
have it in my mind he just wanted to extend that whole section to
the land.
MR. HERMAN: I don't think so, Jim. I think it's a platform that is
supposed to be a ramp and step down and the way I'm looking at it
now, is the way Peconic surveyed it as if it is all a contiguous
Board of Trustees 36 August 20, 2008
piece. It's actually shown incorrectly on the plan.
TRUSTEE KING: That was the only question in my mind. Something
just didn't jibe
MR. HERMAN: It was not an intention to change the condition. That
is just --
TRUSTEE KING: So we could just change the description to be a
platform to a ramp to whatever the length of that is. It only
measures 20, 22 feet.
MR. HERMAN: I would have to do that. It's just the way Peconic
showed it, makes the whole structure look like it's more fixed
structure than what is really there. That's just a mistake.
TRUSTEE KING: Okay, you're allowed.
MR. HERMAN: Because it should probably be from this end to that
end, including the gap, is probably 33 feet. I'll have to change that.
TRUSTEE KING: Okay.
MR. HERMAN: I probably should have caught that, but I didn't.
TRUSTEE KING: What about the remains of this. Looks like it might
have been some tort of groin at one time.
MR. HERMAN: Yes. There is no plans to try to --
TRUSTEE KING: Do you want to get rid of it?
MR. HERMAN: I told lan Crowley -- the first time I was there at
high tide I didn't see it and at Iow tide it's really just
shrapnel. So I don't think there is any objection to getting rid of that.
TRUSTEE KING: Clean the area up a little.
MR. HERMAN: I think I advised them that would probably be -- I just
didn't see it until after I filed, so.
TRUSTEE KING: Anybody else on the Board? Audience questions?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I think the applicant has a question. Just
introduce yourself for the record.
MS. HODGSON: Rosa Hodgson. I really don't remember that we
discussed 20 feet. You said ten and I said fine.
TRUSTEE KING: No, remember, I went and taped it out and I said here
is where 20 foot is.
MS. HODGSON: Was that behind the steps?
TRUSTEE KING: From the bulkhead in, I stood there and said this is
where your 20 is. You said, yeah, fine.
MS. HODGSON: I stand corrected. Okay. Would you approve ten?
MR. HERMAN: Go for 15, Rosa.
TRUSTEE KING: He always has to negotiate.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: There is plenty of room.
MS. HODGSON: Compromise is always good.
MR. HERMAN: Jim, where did it hit that little crest?
TRUSTEE KING: It was seaward of it.
MR. HERMAN: 20 is seaward of it?
TRUSTEE KING: Yes, if I remember right.
MR. HERMAN: HERMAN: Rosa, if the buffer is completely on the
seaward side of that slope then just do that because it will
actually look pretty nice and you won't --
MS. HODGSON: To 15, 20 feet I'll leave it up to you.
MR. HERMAN: It's this (indicating.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: 20 feet goes just below that crest, and we also
talked in the field, Peggy just reminded me, to give you the option
of raising the bulkhead a little so you can change the slope if you
wanted to.
MR. HERMAN: But I mean for the non-turf buffer it might even work
well to just have natural grass there. Because from the house,
Board of Trustees 37 August 20, 2008
Rosa, you'll still have the appearance of the flat lawn, then
you'll have that natural area closest to the bulkhead, which may
actually reduce your goose population there.
MS. HODGSON: Thank you. Okay. All right. Thank you.
MR. HERMAN: I think that's fine.
TRUSTEE KING: Anybody else?
MR. HARDY: Doug Hardy, Southold. I would like to make a statement
that, not only against Rosa Hodgson, which they have a lovely piece
of property and she looks like a very charming lady, but to all
future applications that where the bulkhead is footed below mean
high water.
I've prepared a statement which I wish to read into the public
record, but with your permission, I'll hand it to you and you can
see where I'm going with it. I would like to cut out some details
of some important pieces and just mention them briefly.
This application of Rosa Hodgson and all others which seek
approval to construct or replace bulkheads which are footed below
mean high water should be tabled until the Trustees can satisfy two
legal issues and one ecological issue.
Specifically, these three issues are: The legality, and I must
confess, my proof reading is poor. The legality of denying public
access along the shoreline. The legality of advocating jus
publicum title to the public lands to exclusive private ownership,
and the irreparable elimination of tidal wetlands.
To approach the first topic, denial of public access, it goes
back to the founding of the Town Trustees. The Southold Town
Trustees was created by the New York State Legislature in the Law
of 1883, Chapter 615 which states such Board of Trustees -- as an
aside, you were only paid three dollars per diem in 1883 -- or a
majority of them, are hereby authorized and empowered to manage,
lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or any part of all such
common lands, waters and lands underwater, or rights or other
interests therein. Now that looks like you can do whatever you want
with the property. But here is the kicker. Subject as to lands
underwater, to the public right of navigation and to the riparian
rights of adjoining upland owners. Thus, at its founding, the
Trustees were burdened with the Public Trust Doctrine, which
continued those sovereign rights established by the Andros Patent
of 1674.
The Public Trust Doctrine provides that public trust lands,
waters and living resources in a state are held by the state in
trust for the benefit -- and this is important -
of all of the people, and establishes the right of the public to
fully enjoy public trust lands, waters and living resources for a
wide variety of recognized uses. The Public Trust Doctrine is
applicable whenever navigable waters or the lands beneath them are
altered, developed or otherwise managed or preserved. It applies
whether the trust lands are public or privately owned. The doctrine
articulates not only the public rights in these lands and waters,
it also sets limitations of the states, the public and private
owners, as well as establishing duties and responsibilities of the
states when managing these public trust assets. The Public Trust
Doctrine has been recognized and affirmed by the United States
Supreme Court, the lower federal courts and state courts from the
beginning days of this country.
The riparian or water property owner, enjoys certain rights under
Board of Trustees 38 August 20, 2008
English common law. The bundle of riparian rights include the
rights of access to the water, to wharf out, to gain by accretions
and lose by erosion and to replace land lost by avulsion. The right
of access to the water is the most basic right of the riparian
owner, under which other riparian rights are created and protected.
And here is another important consideration. In the event of a
direct conflict between a riparian right and one or more of the
public's trust rights, the public rights will prevail over the
private. And it's cited, the source.
The public right of access has been repeatedly upheld by New
York State courts of which a few are cited here. I have only given
New York State court decisions, just a couple of them, to give you
a tenor of how the court issues are decided. There are many more
in other states and in federal court. Tiffany v Oyster Bay, 1922
-- I'll omit the code. The foreshore or land under the waters of
the sea and its arms, between high and Iow water mark, is subject,
first to the jus publicum -- the right of navigation and when the
tide is out --
MS. HULSE: I'm sorry, sir, if I could just interrupt. I think we
are going a little beyond the scope of this hearing and I think
that the Trustees are versed on the public trust doctrine. We have
your cites. I think maybe that would be sufficient. They will
reference those.
MR. HARDY: I would really like to read this into the record.
MS. HULSE: You are a little bit beyond the scope.
TRUSTEE KING: This could be in the minutes but you don't have to
read the whole thing. It can be included in the minutes.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: You gave a copy to the stenographer. So we'll
stipulate it will appear in the verbatim minutes.
MR. HARDY: I wish to make a few comments.
TRUSTEE KING: We try to limit the comments to five minutes. You
have already been going on for almost ten minutes now.
MR. HARDY: I didn't realize there was a time limit.
TRUSTEE KING: We stated that in the beginning of the meeting.
MR. HARDY: This applicant reinforces the exclusion of public access
by the construction of a cyclone fence which extends below mean
high water along side the public launching ramp at the east end of
pine ramp. This act appears to violate the Town Code Chapter
275-11.
The legal strength of the public trust doctrine implies that
the Southold Town Trustees are in a weak legal position when the
right of public access to the shoreline is being denied. And I
wish to also, it is unclear whether the Trustees have divested
title to the public land for the exclusive use of the riparian
owner, which would be contrary to US Supreme Court and New York
Court decisions. Only one such instance has been noted in
Southold's history when the Trustees transferred title to town land
to the State to form Orient State Park. The general rule favored by
the course is for the good of all the public, not some of the
public.
TRUSTEE KING: Mr. Hardy, Ill have to cut you off now.
MR. HARDY: I really would like to --
TRUSTEE KING: I know you would really like to. I would really like
to go forward with this meeting.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think we can maybe have this discussion under a
different forum, but this is really, all your comments should
Board of Trustees 39 August 20, 2008
pertain to this application itself.
MR. HARDY: They are. Because this applicant is denying public
access and it's legally wrong.
TRUSTEE KING: It has nothing to do with this application that is
before us now.
MR. HARDY: It has to. I cannot walk across that person's property
and I have the right to do so because it is public land. And you
are denying me the right to express this.
MS. HODGSON: You can walk on the sand. You can't walk on the lawn.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Ma'am, please don't get into a debate.
MR. HARDY: There is no sand because there is no beach. It's below
mean high water.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you, for your letter.
MR. HARDY: I'm glad you didn't receive it well.
TRUSTEE KING: I wish we received it earlier.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I saw another hand up.
MR. ROSE: My name is Douglas Rose, I'm an adjacent property owner.
I'm supporting her application for the improvements and the new
bulkhead.
I would just like to so note that also the seaward side of the
existing seven acres which the application is based on is also
under separate ownership, one acre under water. And that
particular piece of property is not pad of the application as I
know it. But it needs to be adjusted as far as the improvements
because it's shifting sands and it's in the navigable waters we'll
call it, of what is the boat ramp which was recently dredged. And I
was wondering if the Trustees are taking that into account or have
any feelings toward that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We did have a brief discussion in the field about
that, but it is not part of this application at this time. We are
aware of it and we don't know what to do with it yet, at this
point.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: You can see it's starting to shoal.
MR. ROSE: It's basically underwater. Unfortunately, um, it's not
a buildable piece. It shows on the tax maps as three-point some
odd acres.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: If you can speak into the microphone so it can be
recorded.
MR. ROSE: It shows on the tax map, it shows as three-point-some-odd
acres. On the actual assessor's map which is in the town, it shows
one acre tax being collected on it. And that's the only thing I
have reference to. My concern is if it is in fact, it is not
necessary that the owner address that at this moment, I just wanted
to know how the town feels about it because obviously it will come
back eventually and it's going to become the responsibility either
of the owner or it will be the responsibility of the tax rolls. As
we found out when dredging season took place, the county and the
town don't have the right to take the spoils that were taken out of
the, we'll call it the channel, which goes down to a public launch
and down to the other people that use the water way. So you can't
put the spoils back on private property, which I agree with. But
there no public property that will surround and protect the Calves
Neck area. You have 150 homeowners, and that shifting sand and
that shifting spoils which used to be a barrier, used to have
foliage on it. It used to have trees on it. It's now barren of all
that foliage and it used to protect them in storms. It no longer
Board of Trustees 40 August 20, 2008
protects them in storms, in fact it's shifting to the point were
you are getting the silt carried down to one of the other property
owners which you listened to this evening, which goes beyond the
bridge and other places. It's just a consideration to be thought about.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you.
MR. HERMAN: Jim, I just want to make a two-second comment, just in
case. For the record, this application includes a proposal only to
replace inkind existing conditions. There is nothing proposed to
change conditions of access, beach access, there is nothing new
here proposed. For the record. Thank you.
TRUSTEE KING: Thank you. Any other comments?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I just want to make a comment about Mr. Hardy's
information. I think he does bring up some very interesting
points. But I think Jim's comment, at this time in our public
hearing, it may not be a time for discussion, but at one of our
work sessions it may be a better forum for us to discuss this, as
Jill had mentioned.
TRUSTEE KING: There is a lot here to digest. What about the LWRP, Loft?
MS. HULSE: It's really a policy of the LWRP coordinator to say it's
exempt. Jill said the Trustees were attempting to put into place
some sort of review by the Trustees office to determine exemption?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's what the talk is from the town board. That
has not been put in place at this time so I don't think we are in
position to call it exempt.
As the Town attorney is here to advise us --
MS. HULSE: I mean, Rob is correct, if it's inkind/inplace minor, it
is going to be exempted. I don't know that it is. I'm sure he's
being accurate, but that's something that the coordinator has to
determine. Unless the Trustees have gotten word from him, I don't
know that he's reviewed it.
MR. HERMAN: I would ask if you could close the hearing and/or move
to whatever your decision conditioned upon a determination from the
LWRP coordinator that it is exempt or consistent, and if it were to
be deemed inconsistent and we have to revisit this, then we would
come back next month.
MS. HULSE: He was obviously out there, so if he can reaffirm that
it's going to be exempted, but.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think it's just a matter he didn't have time to
get to all of these, and unfortunately this is one of them that he
didn't get to.
MS. HULSE: Maybe there is a way he could exempt it immediately
after he goes there so it's not held up for any reason. You know,
I don't understand why if he's there and sees it and determines
immediately it's exempt, that he just doesn't give you a verbal
exempted.
TRUSTEE KING: I mean, he was there. He saw everything.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Scott likes to really review every aspect of this.
MR. HERMAN: That's what I'm saying. If he makes a determination,
rightfully or wrongfully, that it's not exempt and it's
inconsistent, we would have to reopen the hearing next month, but I
would like to assume that he will either find it's exempt or if he
should find, again, rightly or wrongly that it's not, but it's
consistent, that we are not compelled to open the hearing again.
And you can just notify me of that between now and next month.
It's not a big deal. Thank you. I would appreciate it.
Board of Trustees 41 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Is there a motion on the table?
TRUSTEE KING: We can close the hearing and reserve decision. That
will be my motion. I'll make a motion to go offthe public hearing.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
I'll make a motion close hearing and reserve decision on this.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Which allows for the LWRP person to --
MR. HERMAN: So if Scott has comments and we are agreeable to them I
could just give you something in writing.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'm just explaining it.
MR. HERMAN: I didn't mean to interrupt you.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I was just trying to say, what we are saying is
the public hearing piece has been closed and this gives us the
opportunity to wait for the review by Mr. Scott Hilary who is the
review person for LWRP and depending on his review will determine
whether or not your permit is either extended to you or we need to
open, review it again. So a final determination will be made at
next months meeting. I'll second the motion.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MR. HERMAN: Thank you.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Number 18. Costello Marine on behalf of MARTIN
SCHWARTZ requests a Wetland Permit to construct 126' of new
retaining wall using C-Loc vinyl sheathing. Construct new
three-foot wide stairway to beach. Regrade area behind new wall
with clean trucked-in sand approximately 85 cubic yards and
revegetate the disturbed areas. Located: 1950 9th Street, Greenport.
The LWRP review is showing this to be inconsistent with the LWRP.
The applicant has not demonstrated any erosion would warrant the
hardening of the shoreline. The only evidence of erosion was
identified at the westerly corner of the property, where scaring
occurred due to the replacement of the neighboring bulkhead.
Further, the proposed action is not consistent with town code
exemplified in the LWRP.
CAC resolved to not support the wetland application because
the CAC does not support any additional hardening of the
shoreline.
The Trustees did go out there and there was some discussion on
the same issue concerning the hardening of the shoreline and we did
discuss possibly the use of stone covered with sand and putting
some plantings in there. So with that I would ask if there is
anybody here to address this application.
MR. COSTELLO: Jack Costello, Costello Marine. You couldn't have
gone there on a worse time. The beach is pushed back. When I
originally went to the job there was a sheer cliff, only about knee
high, and you know that all the neighbors completely down, four
properties, both directions, all have bulkheads. At the time you
went there, I went there after you, the same day, because I had
spoken to Jill and I found it hard to believe that the sand pushed
back up against the bank and made a nice grade and it looked fine.
But you can see where the neighbor to the east had his return
undermined. So there has been erosion there. And I wouldn't want
to say that the beach has stabilized, but when you did your
inspection it did look good, but whether or not it could sustain
Board of Trustees 42 August 20, 2008
another storm, you can see how far the return is exposed and
therefore they have lost a significant amount of property. I didn't
get all the pictures from the applicant to prove the loss of the
beach but, um, I do have pictures dated April of 2008 showing that
there was more of a sheer bank there, although it was only knee
high, um, but you can see, there is some erosion. And that's to
the east side of the property, not the west side.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Are you against a rock revetment, you don't feel
it would serve the same purpose?
MR. COSTELLO: I'm fine with that if it's something you would
accept. I have actually drawn up new plans that I have with me. I
didn't get them to the office in time for you to look at.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Do you want to bring them up?
MR. COSTELLO: Yes. (Handing). And the signs are still listed on
there, they can be smaller than that. It says two-and-a-half to
three ton. They could probably to one to two ton.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: The first proposal is to construct 120 feet of
single two-and-a-half to three ton rock revetment. Back from the
area behind the revetment, re-grade. Maintain a ten-foot wide
non-turf buffer, revegetate any disturbed areas with beach grass,
American Beach Grass.
MR. COSTELLO: If it's acceptable to the Trustees, I will submit
with those plans -- I talked to the client. They would be willing
to go in that direction of the retaining wall. It's just a single
row of stone, Jim. It's kind of like what we did over on Robin's Island.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Any plantings in between?
MR. COSTELLO: Yes, plantings, we are planning on basically burying
the stones and hopefully it will take. If not, the stones are there
for armor. We were hoping for the retaining walls to match up,
pretty much with everybody else down the beach there.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: It's pretty much what we talked about while we were
in the field.
MR. COSTELLO: If I could give you these pictures to show you what
it was a few months ago.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: We have those in the file. From April 29, 2008.
MR. COSTELLO: Yes.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Any questions or concerns from the Board?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: My only comment is what Jack said, make it a
smaller stone.
MR. COSTELLO: I think he just took that drawing off the Robin's
Island and the numbers didn't get through. A one-ton to two-ton
stone would be fine.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Do you want to change it?
MR. COSTELLO: If you just cross that out so the drawings will look
the same.
TRUSTEE KING: One to two-ton.
MR. COSTELLO: Yes.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Any other questions or comments on this?
(No response.)
I'll make a motion to close the hearing.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I make a motion to approve the application based
upon the new drawings which show instead of using bulkheading we'll
use one to two ton stone revetment with plantings as shown on the
Board of Trustees 43 August 20, 2008
drawing. With that mitigation I believe it would be consistent
with the LWRP, and I'll make a motion we approve that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: Do you want to just initial my changes. I just
changed it from two-and-a-half to three, to one to two.
MR. COSTELLO: Sure. Should I submit the plans to Lauren?
TRUSTEE KING: I think this is all right. It's basically the same
thing, just a smaller stone.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Number nineteen. Costello Marine on behalf of
MICHAEL SLADE requests a Wetland Permit to remove 163 feet of
existing wooden boardwalk to allow for the reconstruction of the
existing bulkhead. Reconstruct 172 feet of existing bulkhead by
resheathing landward side of bulkhead with Everlast 2.1 vinyl
sheathing. Install new 1"x6' tie rod ends welded into existing
backing system tie rods. Reinstall wooden boardwalk inplace after
bulkhead reconstruction is completed. Construct an eight-foot
extension to existing finger pier. Install two new ten-inch
diameter by 30-foot long support pilings at offshore end.
Maintenance dredge an area 50 feet seaward from the existing
bulkhead to a depth of minus four feet below MLW on the east end
and progressing to minus seven feet below MLW on the west end.
Approximately 350 cubic yards of dredged spoil to be trucked off
site to an approved upland disposal site. Located: 1435 West Road,
Cutchogue.
There is no LWRP, so we cannot make a decision on this
tonight. The CAC supports the application. I did have a brief
conversation with Jack Costello and talked about some of our
concerns with this application.
First we'll start with the floating docks. On the, right
where those two sail boats are, are not permitted. And I don't
think the Trustees would like to consider them. The other issue is
we really are not sure where the property line is on that side. So
we need to clarify the property line on that side. The other issue
is we did find in the minutes that the four docks that are there
were accepted, I think in 1996, so those are proposed, but the
floats were never mentioned. And I don't think we have a problem
with the addition of that one, with the one float, with the one
catwalk being extended.
The other thing is with the dredging. Again, we looked at
the, in 1995-96, a permit was given to dredge that area and it's
pretty much the same area, a little bit bigger, it does extend, it
looks like it extends on to the town property and going back where
those floats are. So again we need to see the property line area
there. And I don't know how the Board feels about the applicant
dredging on to town property, going over the property line on
that. So that's something else we need to discuss.
And the biggest issue we have -- Lori, we may need some help
on this -- is this property is zoned residential. The history of
this property has always been what it is today, with several boats
on it. My question to you, Lori, can we continue expanding this
knowing that it's not the proper zone and it's a nonconforming
use? What is the Board's obligation here?
MS. HULSE: I'll have to look into that.
Board of Trustees 44 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I mean the history, it's been this way.
MS. HULSE: I'm assuming it's not going to be problem but if it's
not going to be approved tonight anyway, I'll look into it.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It has to be tabled anyway but I'll give Mr.
Costello a chance to answer some of these questions. Again, with
the LWRP, we have to wait for that.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I believe when we go back and look in the file, I
could be wrong, I believe 1985 is when this was created. And there
were three finger docks there at that time. And that was it. It
was then expanded in, I believe 1995 with a permit and in 1997 with
a amendment to a permit and somehow this fourth finger got in
there. It doesn't matter. It's there. At that time, that was all
pictures and the file shows that was that fourth finger landward
was all beach. They then put rock revetment in and expanded this
properly or this marina even farther. So it is interesting that
over the years, you know, a residential property has been able to
expand into a working marina.
MS. HULSE: It was not rezoned, obviously, from 1995 to 1997, so.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That we know, yes. And I have a survey here from
VanTyle from 1980 showing the three docks and the ordinary high
tide mark. So it's been there for quite a while. So I would --
MS. HULSE: Honestly, though, if the use is not appropriate in the
zone even if permits were given, it could be something that is a
problem for the applicant. So I'll look into that.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Thank you. Does anybody have any comment?
MR. COSTELLO: I don't have answers to the questions, so, there is
only so much I could say. I do have a survey here. It does seem
like some of the dredging would be on town property, toward the
channel. That's not really the biggest part of it. You can see
where it's shoaled up in and around. I don't know whether or not
the marina is ever going to expand it but you can see where the
first boat in there is basically sitting on bottom at Iow tide, or
close, and I think that was really his major concern, if it ever
did shoal again he wanted to keep an active dredge permit for it.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's where Dave was saying there was more sand
there at an earlier time, and it has been permitted to be dredged
there previously.
MR. COSTELLO: Right. I don't pass this property line, I think the
county maintains that anyway. So it's a point for him, if somebody
else will dredge it anyway. It's where the bulkhead had leaked,
against the bulkhead it's spots where the sheathing had completely
given out. It was a concern, and he didn't want to replace the
bulkhead and not be able to dig out in front. It was more a
maintenance thing, not trying to expand it, just maintain what he's
lost due to the bulkhead failure. If you want that written into
the application, that would be fine, just a maintenance to regain
the fill that we lost.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: All right, so I don't know, are there any other
issues that I missed that we need to continue?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The only other comment that I would make is, since
this is a marina, in my opinion, I don't know if that's legal, but
this appears to be a working marina, there is no bathroom
facilities there, and I'm not recommending the addition of bathroom
facilities, other than possibly port-a-johns, because if not,
people are just going to be using their boats and possibly pumping
right out into the harbor. So it's just a suggestion.
Board of Trustees 45 August 20, 2008
MR. COSTELLO: Does Southold Town have a pump out boat that is
available to them?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It's right there. But it's only available on
weekends. I'm just suggesting that part of the problem could be
alleviated with port-a-johns. But it's just a suggestion.
TRUSTEE KING: The biggest problem is the floats.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Absolutely.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think the consensus of the Board is we want
those floats removed.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: When the county dredge operator was there he said
fiat out with that float and that sail boat, the sail boat is in
the county maintained channel. And so he looked at me. He didn't
understand how they were even there.
MR. COSTELLO: Who was that? Wayne Miller?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes.
MR. COSTELLO: Okay.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: All right. With that I'll make a motion to table
this application to next month for LWRP and, Mr. Costello, you can
come up with a property line and a couple of other --
MR. COSTELLO: Are you concerned about just the telescope property
line from corner?
TRUSTEE DQHERTY: Yes.
MR. COSTELLO: Are you concerned about the property line with the
adjacent Southold Town property, the right of way there also?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes.
MR. COSTELLO: Where the two connect.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes, give us both. Just make it clear so we know
what we are approving and what we are not. The file is a long
file. It's a big history on this and there is so many different
surveys in here and so we want to try to tighten it up a little.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: We need to go back to Patel.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Motion to reopen the application of SHEILA PATEL.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Okay, we started this earlier and, for comment, and
opened up the hearing. When asked if anybody was here, there was
no answer. In any case, going back to that, we were all there and
took a look at it and we really found that it was vegetated very
well. It was basically the suggestion that we had was to either
use helix screws only or to put a bulkhead landward of the existing
one and then tie it in so you don't have to disturb all of that
good vegetation that is there.
MR. COSTELLO: The vegetation can be redone afterwards. I don't
know establishing vegetation there will be a big deal. It's more
of an esthetic thing and defining their backyard. I mean, I don't
think the vegetation witl really have a problem reestablishing
itself after the retaining wall is there.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Yes, but I think the feeling of the Board is
that -- we have pictures in the file. My feeling is it's already
native natural vegetation and I think that was the reason for the
Board's recommendation to put it just behind the existing one.
Board of Trustees 46 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Rather than disturb the top of the bluff. The top
of the bluff seems pretty healthy.
MR. COSTELLO: So you want to put the new retaining wall just
landward of the old one.
TRUSTEE KING: Can you just leave the old one alone, just put a new
one behind it and don't worry about it?
MR. COSTELLO: It depends what is holding it up.
TRUSTEE KING: That would take all the pressure away from it with a
new bulkhead behind it.
MR. COSTELLO: I could bring it up to the applicant and see what
they would say. I mean one of the things we don't want the water
going over the bluff, you know, which the Trustees are trying to do
anyway. It's going to catch the water and hopefully percolate down
through the ground and not go over the bluff and cause erosion.
That's the whole idea anyway. But I don't know how much, the
backyard they are willing to sacrifice to do that.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: What is the depth of the lawn; a foot? At the top
of the bluff where basically the hay bale line is now.
MR. COSTELLO: Right.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: All right. So you want to table this so you can
talk to them?
MR. COSTELLO: I can't really say they'll give up a foot or two of
their propedyto do that. It's probably better offtabling ittosee.
TRUSTEE KING: That would be our recommendation.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I'll make a motion to table until next month.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE KING: We'll take a break.
(After a short recess, these proceedings continue as follows.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Patricia Moore on behalf of THOMAS & ANDREW ZOITAS
request a Wetland Permit to install an ingreund swimming pool,
patio and landscaping within 100 feet from the top of the bluff,
retain a 30-foot non-turf buffer and construct beach access stairs.
Located: 62555 North Road, Greenport.
MS. MOORE: Do you have the new drawings?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Hang on. This was reviewed by CAC and the gAO
supports the application with the condition -- this is back on June
11. GAG supports the application with the condition of a 30-foot
non-disturbance buffer plan be submitted to control erosion
underneath the proposed beach stairs. It was reviewed in July
under LWRP and was found to be consistent provided that the
proposed actions meet sub-policy 6.3 below; best management
practices are used including the applicant to maximize an 80-foot
perpetual non-disturbance buffer maintainin9 existing indigenous
personnel. And I believe that's it.
Before we start, I do want to read into the record, we have
received one additional letter. There are several letters here in
the file but most of them were read last month because they were
received prior to last month's meeting. But we do have one
additional letter dated August 6, received August 7, from Ronald
Surprenant, addressed to the Board of the Trustees.
Gentlemen, my previous letter focused on the behavior of the
clay soil at this location during the four seasons varied weather,
Board of Trustees 47 August 20, 2008
in particular the effect of hydraulic pressure was emphasized. At
that time of the writing, the septic system was being dug. As part
of my remarks made at the Board's July 23rd meeting I indicated
during a conversation with an excavation worker, I was told that
that lost the hole. Specifically, the hole caved in, crushing the
concrete rings within which digging was being done. What really is
relevant when one wants to dig and maintain a pool in this clay,
here are some questions that are not rhetorical but which need to
be addressed and answered.
At the July 23 meeting, landscapers plans for the pool and
patio were submitted. We were told the patio surrounding the pool
would be sloped. Sloped in what direction? Where would runoff
water go? What are the patio blocks are slabs made of? Is the
patio pervious? Where does backwash water go? Will there be
seasonal pumping of the winter cover water? If so, where does that
go? If these issue are not in the Board's 100-foot area of
jurisdiction, do the questions or issues get forwarded or shared
with the Building Department or Zoning Board? Very truly yours,
Ronal Surprenant.
Like I said, the other letters were already discussed
previously. Now, is anybody here who would like to speak on behalf
of this application?
MS. MOORE: Yes. Patricia Moore, I'm here on behalf of the Zoitas
family.
I delivered to you after our -- we had a field inspection and
based on the field inspection, I delivered to your office revised
steps down to the beach and a revised planting plan that is, I
believe, consistent with some of the comments that were made at the
field inspection.
To begin with, the stairs. The stairs, what I did is, in
order to be able to draw these stairs within the area that was
identified as a cleared path, I had John Metzger map out for me the
location of the cleared path which, as you described, I think you
recall, starts at the top and works it's way down to stone then
from the stone it starts working it's way, cut backs and starts
working in the opposite direction.
We did in fact map that area. Do you have the survey, the
revised survey?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Stamp dated August 20.
MS. MOORE: Yes, the August 19 map. That's the survey map
revisions. It should be the same one.
What we have to do is, if any of you have ever hiked, it's
switchbacks. That's what you have to do here because you have to
go down a very steep incline. And we started where you guys
identified the path to the stone. But from that point forward it
was extremely steep. So there is a short switch path that goes and
then it continues back down and then again the switch path back and
it evens down to the beach. I'm hoping the DEC will see this as a
reasonable, because our original request was close to the property
line and pretty straight because it was the shallow, the shortest
distance. But this one obviously is a longer distance. Um, it
will make for a very expensive stairway but certainly a safe one,
and it is staying within the area, most of it, will stay within the
area of the path that is already cleared. So we did try to
accommodate the comments that you made at the site. So I gave you
the survey and then the drawings that show the structure itself.
Board of Trustees 48 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE BERGEN: In looking at the structure it itself, I'm trying
to see on here, it's tough to read the size of the landings.
MS. MOORE: The landings are within your code requirements.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: 32-square foot.
MS. MOORE: Yes, no more than 32-square feet.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you. These are pretty extensive, these
stairs.
MS. MOORE: They will be, yes. And we could go back to a previous
design that was straight but that would have moved it over some, so
TRUSTEE BERGEN: And that straight design was more than 15 feet off
the property line, correct?
MS. MOORE: Yes, the design that is proposed, we've had three
designs. We had the first one, then the second one. The second is
15 feet from the property line and more straight. Sorry, I don't
have it in front of me but I know I have it. It might be easier to
find it in your file at this point.
TRUSTEE KING: This looks awfully complex to me.
MS. MOORE: It's actually not. If you look at the survey. It's a
little easier. If I could come forward and help out here. Let's
see if I could do it this way. I think it's easier. Starting at
the top, here's the top. You have to work your way down.
Remember, this is the top on this end. You are working your way -
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: That's the beach.
MS. MOORE: Oh, I'm sorry. It's late. Thank you, I'm glad you are
paying attention. Here we go. The steps are somewhat long and
stepping down. So they are not steep steps town. Then you get to
the landing where you have steeper steps down. Then you again have
a very, then you have the steep steps again going down. Um, and
then there is a small switchbacks are here. That's this portion
here. And then down to the level of the beach.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: At the bottom, why do you have to angle it like
that?
MS. MOORE: You start going out to the beach. It's trying to limit
the length to anchor the slope. If you wanted to go straight.
TRUSTEE KING: Why can't this be a platform and then go straight
down from there?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: She is saying the slope is too steep.
MS. MOORE: It's a very steep slope, so you have to go --
TRUSTEE KING: I've walked down it to the beach. I didn't think it
was that steep.
MS. MOORE: Not everybody is as agile as you.
TRUSTEE KING: Somebody else didn't quite make it.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That will be off the record, please.
I have here the July 23rd plans so we can see what was
proposed before. And this was the straight beach stairs but were
close to the neighbor's property.
MS. MOORE: Closer.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes, closer to the neighbor's property.
TRUSTEE KING: It's a lot less disturbance to do it that way, I
guess.
MS. MOORE: That's why it was suggested, because it was less
disturbance.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That's what I'm thinking, less disturbance and less
structure than to go back to the original plan than this.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I admit when we were out there, it looks like this
would be work better because it's already cleared.
Board of Trustees 49 August 20, 2008
MS. MOORE: Yes, but you really go straight down. We submitted
both. Choose which one. I know it's probably nice if we could move
it away because I'm sure the location here is most desirable for
the owner because it's kind of centered, but it is a very, it's an
elaborate structure and probably will cost four times what the
other one costs.
Are you inclined to go with door number two, rather than this
door number three?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Do we have all the stairs back, first?
MS. MOORE: I could identify the picture.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: The July 28 set of plans for the stairs, which have
the stairs located farther to the east.
MS. MOORE: That's fine.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Those seem to be preferable.
MS. MOORE: That's fine. Now, with respect -- some of the comments
being made, if you recall, the pool, the house and the pool were
taken out of the jurisdiction. It's 100 feet back. It's a small
area of disturbance, that's why I incorporated it into the
application so that you obviously would know there is activity
going on. The landscape plan that is proposed, I think is more in
keeping with what you had requested.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Could I just back up for a second before we get to
the landscaping. Just a couple of issues that came up with the
proposed pool. Yes, I agree, it's outside of our jurisdiction but
I just had some questions. Is there going to be a drywell or how
will you handle the backwash from the pool?
MS. MOORE: Yes, there will have to be some form of drywell. I think
that's the code requirement anyway. Any area that is deemed
impervious will require drywells, and I don't know that the patio
is pervious or impervious at this point.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That was my next question, if you knew if the patio
was pervious or impervious.
MS. MOORE: If it's impervious, we have to have a drywell to capture
all the water runoff. If it's pervious, obviously it doesn't.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you. I wanted to address some of the issues
in the letter, realizing, of course, it is outside of our
jurisdiction, concerning the pool.
Now we can get to the landscaping part of this. When we had
been out in the field, we had looked at this area and walked
through this area, and I'm looking at a set of plans that are
stamped August 20.
MS. MOORE: Dated August 19, for the record.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Dated August 19. Thank you. And these set of plans
show a path through what is now a heavily wooded area and it looks
like this heavily wooded area is being, it appears the majority of
the vegetation is being cut out because you have a great deal of
Rosa Rugosa, large bed of Rosa Rugosa, going approximately 100
feet, maximum of 100 feet here, from the coastal erosion line to
the edge of the Rosa Rugosa, which is right now heavy vegetation.
MS. MOORE: I would actually correct some of that. The vegetation,
when you go behind, we identified the trees, that there is a line
of trees, and behind the trees is what would be classified as the
weeds. There is ground cover but it's mostly weeds and it's vines
that are, that have that particular tree is a dead tree that is
covered with a wild grapevine. And as you could see below is, I
don't know what they are called -- natural plantings, lovely. We
Board of Trustees 50 August 20, 2008
pull them out of our yard but what we are proposing on doing is you
can see the line of trees that have been identified. There are,
there were three, I guess he counted, maybe five trees that are
kind of tightly knotted and within that cluster of trees, closer to
where it says eliminate vines, prune trees, keep viable trees, cut dead trees.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Well, if I may, and I'll ask for the rest of the
Board's opinion on this, what we found there when we walked through
there, I did not find any, if many at all, dead trees. They all
seemed to be fairly healthy cherry trees in there. Many of them
are covered with vines. I think what we've talked about, and
again, I'm just giving my perspective, was to remove all the choker
vines, and I had down in my notes, we measured from the stake, the
seaward side of the pool, the stake that is on the northwest side
of the pool and measured out approximately 30 feet to where that
tree line was and said that's where I was comfortable with a lawn
area, and beyond that I was not comfortable with taking out the
trees and vegetation.
On this plan dated August 20, when I'm measuring from that
corner of the pool, using the scale you provided here, it's
approximately 80 feet. So this plan as submitted is proposing to
go in 50 feet further than approximately that hay bale line right
now and taking out all those trees, which are all healthy trees
which are being choked by vines.
So my feeling was that we remove the vines, the underbrush --
and this is just my feeling, I feel the underbrush could go and
what remains are all the trees to remain healthy in there, with
some limited pruning possibly allowed, that we would have to look
at pretty closely. That was just my feeling and I welcome other
comments from the Board.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: What does the LWRP say?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: LWRP finds it consistent. I will again say, it
says if proposed actions are approved, the best management practice
is recommended requiring the applicant to maximize an 80-foot
perpetual non-disturbance buffer maintaining the existing
indigenous vegetation.
MS. MOORE: Well, I think this plan is actually to scale and 80 feet
is to the patio, approximately. When I look at the, if I'm reading
the scale correctly, one inch equals ten feet.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes. You are correct. I stand corrected. To the
corner of the pool, I am sorry, it's approximately 40 feet. So I
stand corrected. It's approximately 40 feet to the edge of the
proposed pool. Not the patio, but the proposed pool.
MS. MOORE: I think that they actually showed the trees that are
there. The tree line that you are observing is the tree line being
preserved here. What we are proposing on doing is planting the
Rosa Rugosa behind all that. I think the previous picture showed
it. That's the tree line that you are seeing.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Okay. I follow you.
MS. MOORE: And then behind that you see the tree line still.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: The underbrush starts where this next one takes
over.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's the seaward end of the tree line.
MS. MOORE: Yes, this is the one. That's the tree line that has,
most of that canopy there is vines. So there is some, you know,
that may also be the corner here that is being preserved that says
dear, no machine.
Board of Trustees 51 August 20, 2008
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes, that's the last picture we took. That's
looking at the path looking west where you proposed the Rosa
Rugosa. That's where that is. Where the grape vines are.
MS. MOORE: Those trees are, as I recall, there weren't any trees in
the area of the Rosa Rugosa.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Those are mostly the grapevines. Then there is
the trees.
MS. MOORE: There was a cherry that was, just the tree was there
because the tree itself was dead. It was covered in the wild
grape. That's what I think you are seeing there. I remember
that's what, when we were standing in the path, that's what we were
looking at. So I believe that's what he's preserved here. Well,
he's cleaned out the area, the Iow undergrowth.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: It appears on here it will be from the coastal
erosion line landward it's going to be approximately 30-35 feet
will be completely cleared out of everything and then Rosa Rugosa
planted in there. That's what it appears from this plan. Now, if
I'm reading this wrong, please let me know.
MS. MOORE: It's actually between 25 and 30 from the coastal hazard
zone. That area there is about, I see the first outline of the
tree, the canopy of the tree, within that area, about 30 feet of
it, in the area of the Rosa Rugosa. But that again is the best
management practices. You are using a native --
(Board members perusing.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I would just like to know if there is anybody else
from the audience here who wanted to comment on this application.
(No response.)
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Jim just had a comment, maybe we could consider
doing this in stages. Clear some of the underbrush, go out and
look, don't clear any of the trees, us go out and look, then see
where to continue from there.
TRUSTEE KING: It's so dense you don't even know what's there.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Go in by hand.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I just want to read the definition from our
chapter that says a non-disturbance buffer is an area typically 50
feet wide immediately landward of the wetland boundary, shoreline
structure or other line, etc., where no operations, maintenance or
other activities takes place. And we often come up on this and I
said it before, to me, non-disturbance area means exactly that.
MS. MOORE: We are not suggesting a non-disturbance -- you may be,
but it's not acceptable given the fact that you defined it as
landward of the wetland. We are talking about landward of the
coastal erosion barrier, where this is what we are facing. And I
believe that the client is offering a vegetated buffer that is
consistent with the native species and best management practices.
Rosa Rugosa is a standard top of bluff planting. So I think he's
offering you an extreme amount of vegetated buffer. Here you are
talking about an area that is significant as a natural buffer. You
have about 45 to 50 feet of vegetation that is being provided.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: My understanding of the Peconic Estuary Program
and Nature Conservancy is that a non-disturbance area, these areas,
are to remain natural and as a habitat that they are in existence
at this point. Not to be redone and landscaped, although you are
providing native plantings. I believe the intent is to leave it
remaining natural. And it's being done all along The Sound shores
and many of our shores, where the intent is to keep it in its
Board of Trustees 52 August 20, 2008
natural habitat.
MS. MOORE: I will professionally disagree with what the code
provides for. Each of you has your own opinion, and I certainly
respect your opinions. I think what my client is offering is a
significant improvement and certainly if you want to do this in
stages, I don't have an issue, there is a lot of construction that
still has to take place and I think he wants to make sure while the
contractors are there, get the stairs in and so on. The plantings
and vegetation will be once everything is stable there. So we are
not necessarily rushed to have the planting. I would just like to
know that there is a planting plan in place so that he is prepared
for it and it's part of the overall stability of the property. But
I can tell you, assure you, that they will not accept an 80-foot
non-disturbance buffer. That is completely unreasonable given the
circumstances here. And let me tell you that there is already
fragmentation of the natural habitat because you have both
properties on either side that are clear with grass completely to
the top of the bluff.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Which are past practice and what we are trying
to do at this point is improve and change that.
MS. MOORE: And we are providing habitat for Rosa Rugosa, and the
trees and natural vegetation, will provide a natural habitat and
there is an interest in preserving blackberries, bayberries,
anything that is found there that is of native species. That's why
I have professionals that are looking at this, because I want to
make sure that we preserve that which is, you know, valuable.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I understand with respect to your opinion but
the improvement is in the eye of the beholder, and we see it
different ways.
MS. MOORE: This is a client that did not go 50 feet from the top of
the bluff. This is someone who is willing to consider alternatives
of building back 100 feet back from the top of the bluff. I think
that should be something that should be recognized.
TRUSTEE KING: All these new houses along the bluff have been pushed
back 100 feet.
MS. MOORE: No, you can make an application for closer. We see them
all the time. I see them all the time.
TRUSTEE KING: New construction?
MS. MOORE: Yes.
TRUSTEE KING: I haven't seen any lately.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Well, I think Jim's suggestion has merit. And I
would like to hear what the other Trustees think. But myself,
personally, I would support the idea of doing some things in
stages, and as far as I'm concerned, when I stay stages, the first
stage for this whole area is, I would support the cleaning out of
all the choker vines that are in those trees before you even start
trimming the trees or removing dead trees, just to clean out all
the choker vines, see what it looks like at that point, then we can
selectively propose, if needed, trimming of trees. That's just my own feeling.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Are we then setting a precedent so that whenever
this issue of non-disturbance recommendation best practice comes up
we would then go through a stage inspection of said replanting
revegetation area?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I think we've had some recommendations of
non-disturbance which we have made non-turf before. I don't know
that we've always totally gone with every recommendation of
Board of Trustees 53 August 20, 2008
non-disturbance that has been proposed. I can't think of one in
particular, off the top of my head. Maybe someone else can. But I
guess what I'm saying here is I recognize and appreciate
non-disturbance buffers. I really do. At the same time, I feel
that what is healthy for the environment here is getting all those
choker vines out of there. I don't think it's healthy for those
trees that are in there. I think it will eventually kill those
trees in there, and I would like to see the choker vines addressed
first, and the underbrush, and then work from there. That's just
myown opinion. You know, the other four Trustees may disagree
with me on that.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I've already spoken, so.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I think that's a good plan to do it in stages.
One comment on this drawing, he writes eliminate vines, prune
trees, keep viable trees, remove dead trees. I would not approve
this plan with all that because that leaves it up to the applicant
to decide if these trees are dead and thereby they can just clear
cut this whole thing. That basically allows that. And I would
like to tighten that up. And I think it's a good idea to do it in
stages. And I agree with Dave about the choker vines, it will
eventually kill all those trees, then you won't have them. And it
defeats the purpose of us trying to keep them.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: I certainly suppod getting rid of the
bittersweet. It's an invasive species. I'm more apt to suggest a
non-disturbance buffer myself but if we have to do it in stages and
then go out and see what's there, you know, once we get the
bittersweet out of there, I'm willing to go take another look.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: At that point we can say that's enough, we don't
want you to clear anymore. We can decide that.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Bob mentions bittersweet but I think the wild
grapevines also.
MS. MOORE: Yes that's the underbrush that's the invasive. Somebody
used underbrush. I don't know if that's correct terminology.
Choker vines and underbrush. Remove bittersweet
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Underbrush is general. Take that out. That's
anything that's under the brush.
MS. MOORE: Choker vines, bittersweet and --
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Jim, your feelings on this?
TRUSTEE KING: I would like to do a little bit and see what it looks like.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: What Dave is suggesting also, the grape. It's a
food source for some of the species, but.
TRUSTEE KING: Do it by hand, no machinery in there and see what it
looks like. I do know some of the new houses down on Oregon, they
put 50-foot non-disturbance zones in at the top of the bluff.
MS. MOORE: I have been involved with many of those. Those are
actually non-turf and they are, they become non-disturbance after
they have been planted. They have mostly been cleared to the top
of the bluff, then you end up with vegetation.
TRUSTEE KING: I looked at one not too long ago. It was a four-lot
subdivision and it was non-disturbance, 50 foot.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: We just looked at that a couple of months ago. I
almost killed myself going down there.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Are there any other comments?
(No response.)
If not, I would like to make a motion to close the public hearing.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
Board of Trustees 54 August 20, 2008
MS. MOORE: Before you close the public hearing, how are we going
to do this, so I understand.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: What I was going to suggest is, first off, we go
with the 7/28 plan of the stairs, and that with regard to the
proposed actions, landscaping actions, that we start with, we
approve or we allow, I should say, the elimination of choker vines
on all the trees seaward of the present hay bale line, a four-foot
path to the stairs as depicted on the plans, that no machine, all
this cutting will be done by hand, no machines will be going
through there, and that we'll consider for review after that work
is done any further landscaping, again, seaward of that, of the
present hay bale and silt fence line. That's what I was going to
suggest.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Is that your motion?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: No, I never got that far. The public hearing is
still open. That's what I was going to suggest when we got to that
point. If that's okay with everybody, then I'll make a motion to
close the public hearing.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: That's okay with me.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Do I hear a second?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I'll make a motion to approve the application of
Patricia Moore on behalf of Thomas and Andrew Zoitas located at
62555 North Road, Greenport; that we'll approve the stairs to the
beach as depicted in the July 28, 2008 plans; we will, regarding
the landscaping, we'll approve the four-foot path from the lawn
area to the stairs as per the August 19, 2008, landscaping plan,
and; we'll approve the removal of choker vines from the trees
seaward of the present silt fence and hay bale line.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Excuse me, did you say you approve this plan
dated?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: No, I haven't said that. I did not say that. The
path as depicted on the plan.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Thank you. Sorry.
MS. MOORE: Can we plant Cape American beach plugs along the
disturbed area of the stairs so that we can make sure that area is --
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Yes. Thank you. Absolutely. And that no further
clearing will be done in the area seaward of the present hay bale
and silt fence line without further review from the Trustees.
That's my motion.
TRUSTEE KING: Second. All in favor?
(Trustee King, aye. Trustee Doherty, aye. Trustee Bergen, aye.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll vote nay. I believe the non-disturbance
area that was recommended by the LWRP review person and keeping it
in its native species and habitat should be restored, should
remain. So I vote nay.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I vote nay also. Same reason.
(Trustee Dickerson, nay. Trustee Ghosio, nay.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Thank you.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Let the record show this has passed, three votes
to two.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Number 21, Patricia Moore on behalf of MARIA
Board of Trustees 55 August 20, 2008
TRUPIA requests a Wetland Permit to construct a 4x55' catwalk using
Fto-thru decking, four-inch posts in the marsh and six-inch piles
in the water, and with steps to grade; and install an inground
swimming pool Located: 1395 Sleepy Hollow Lane, Southold.
Is there anyone here who would like to speak to this application?
MS. MOORE: Yes, thank you. Based on the Board's request, I had Bob
Fox identify the 50-foot setback all the way around. I went to
take a look. He just identified the 50 feet. That was just a
reference point for the Board because you wanted to know where the
line would be as it was flagged, and it is somewhat consistent with
previous approvals that this Board has granted.
if you go back, and I went back in my file to some of the
older approvals, it is consistent. The house was approved, I
believe, at 75 feet from the wetland line, which is about right
with the flag plus 25 is where the previous Board, previous
jurisdiction line. So the house was at 75 feet. I have an old
survey, I don't know if you need it or not. This was when the
house was originally constructed, it had proposed the area, the
75-foot mark, and it was approved by this Board. Well, this Board
had no jurisdiction. It was 75 feet. The DEC identified it in 1992
as the area of jurisdiction. If you would like it, I know it's in
some of your older files --
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: What is it showing?
MS. MOORE: Well, this is the old -- this was an old map, document
in the '90s. It's a VanTyle map that was --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: July 3, 1992, it was stamped by the DEC.
MS. MOORE: Right. This was the line where it was originally lined
by the DEC, tidal wetland line, and it was, they created the
50-foot non-disturbance buffer at that time. So what you are
seeing there now is a lot of the non-disturbance buffer that has
grown up and matured.
So, 15, again, as a reference point to where the pool would
be, if you see on that '91 map, there was a decking area that was
proposed on the east side of the house. That was the area that was
to be additional deck, which she never built. So, if you can see
on the east side of the house, it is an area that is kind of an
octagonal deck area, that's the area that most likely will be the
area where the pool is to be placed. And what we tried to do is,
again, the staking was, our limits for the 50 feet. Then certainly
within -- actually if you look at the picture you have right now,
it's perfect. That is the logical area for a pool, which is behind
the house.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Is that the small flags?
MS. MOORE: I saw the small flags. I think those are sprinklers.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: It's a sprinkler flag.
TRUSTEE KING: I thought it was the outline of the pool.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: That was the footprint of the pool.
MS. MOORE: Thank you. I was told he didn't make it there, but I'm
glad he did. All right. I have different people going on here.
Nobody reports back, so.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Actually, the Board as a whole I don't think has
a problem with the pool.
MS. MOORE: Fine. On to the next subject.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: CAC does not support the application based on
esthetic values and requests the Board of Trustees obtain a
rendering of the area.
Board of Trustees 56 August 20, 2008
I think it would be interesting to have a conversation that
might follow the format of the LWRP because he has separated the
two structures. He's given a review for the pool as consistent.
That's the good news. And he has done a second review for the dock
as inconsistent. So I'll just read the consistent report for the
pool, provided that the proposed pool and related structures are
placed at a minimum setback of 50 feet from the wetland boundary,
which is exactly what the Board wanted to state also.
As far as the dock is inconsistent in its LWRP review, the
proposed action is located in Goose Creek, a critical environmental
area, nominated by Southold Town worthy of protection; critical
environmental area may be more stringent requirements. He goes on
to list the dock review and makes a point that the proposed action
if approved will result in habitat destruction and impairment with
physical loss of significant fish and wildlife habitat within a
critical environmental area. If a dock is constructed, the loss of
high and Iow intertidal marsh habitats will occur. The proposed
action and associated impacts could be mitigated by seasonally
mooring a vessel in public waters. This alternative would lessen
the potential impact to the high and Iow intertidal marsh habitat
within Goose Creek. And I believe I have two more pages here. He
mentions fragmentation of the habitat again. The proposed action
is private and noncommercial and will not support a pattern of
development that enhances community character nor preserves public
access or public recreational activities.
The Trustees actually walked, after they went out to the
flagged area -- this is to the north. So there is a dock
immediately north of it, but as we continued around the south bend,
this you might recognize, was the picture I used at the beginning
of our Power Point, and we even went farther around.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Can I just make a comment about that.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll go back. I just want to show this expanse
of pristine marsh.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: On the older survey, the, that area there, which
is not Maria Trupia's property, says "park and playground" so it's
a park and playground of the subdivision, in the marsh. I'm just
making that point.
MS. MOORE: Thank you. Glad you did. If I could go back a little
bit in time. This application was first made in October of 2006.
I came to the Board with a different design proposal, which was a
4x160' dock, which we went to the property. This is a map that
would be, let's see, originally certified September of '06 and
amended November of 2006. The Trustees at the time made a
recommendation that the dock be brought down to a Iow sill and have
the mesh, the mesh material on the top. But the length was in
theory was approved. And the Board was prepared to approve it, but
at the time I was getting correspondence from the DEC that led me
to believe that they were going to start making revisions and
modifications to the dock right off the bat.
So what I asked the Board to do is hold off on that approval
because I wanted to be sure that I had a structure that was both
approvable by this Board and also the DEC. It took us until, oh
gosh, I have the recent stamped map, from the DEC, it took us until
December of 2007 for the DEC, after many contortions or
reconfigurations of the dock, to approve a 4x55' dock that is Iow
sill and with steps to grade. So they certainly kept in mind the
Board of Trustees 57 August 20, 2008
location and we compromised a great deal because, as you could see
from the previous picture, we had the property owners to the north
that have significant docks with a ramp and to a float. And we
have the pleasure of having a catwalk with steps down. So
essentially what it allows for is kayak or small boat access but
without really being able to use it for a boat of that size.
My client is willing to accept that compromise but at this
point we have all of the approvals that we need and we are coming
back to you with a significantly reduced plan from the original
plan that was submitted and the Board was prepared to accept at
that time.
You have the pictures and I have them as well, of the adjacent
docks, and as you accurately pointed out, it's a park next door,
and it was acquired, it was an open-space park and playground area
for the subdivision, and I think the town ultimately ended buying
another piece as well. So what you are seeing is a line of public
or non-developable land and you are seeing that is --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: My comment about the park and playground was not
only for that but there might be other conditions. Sometimes the
Planning Board puts conditions on the park and playground area. So
I think that's something we have to look into
MS. MOORE: Actually, I have the subdivision map. And there is
actually no condition, and I would be happy to share that
subdivision map with you. It's a filed map.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: It just says "open meadow" and I don't know if
that's part of it.
MS. MOORE: It is south of lot 14, which is that area reserve park
and playground about 40,000 square feet in size. And the only
restriction on this map is that the cul de sac ended without any
fill. It says not to be filled. So the area seaward of the cul de
sac, of the road end, had a restriction of no filling. So aside
from that there is no, none that affect our ability on our end to
put any structures. Any marine structures. This is the one print
that I have. I can't give it away. I would be happy to make a copy
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Any other Board comments?
(No response.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I do recall from a couple of years ago what was
originally proposed, and this is a great deal different.
Personally, my one concern was, or a concern I have, is the wood
chip path in that I'm, I know that's a high marsh/Iow marsh line
and I'm afraid with Fall tides, Spring tides and storm tides
those wood chips will just end up going all over the place and into
the water and everything else, so I'm just not in favor of a wood
chip path. I don't mind a regular path but not a wood chip path
there. That's my only --
MS. MOORE: Last time she was here she didn't have a problem letting
it dissipate.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Agree to not to replace the woodchips. Okay.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: I have no problem with the pool but that's an
awfully nice marsh and I hate to fragment something like this.
Particularly since it seems to me access is pretty easy. We walked
right down to the water. You can access the water from there,
kayak. I don't know.
MS. MOORE: Keep in mind what was approved by the DEC is almost the
equivalent of the kind of paths that are generally found in parks
because they are Iow sill, again, the marsh will continue to grow
Board of Trustees 58 August 20, 2008
through it, it just provides a stable area for access. And it is,
I mean it's significantly less than what is, everybody around Goose
Creek is enjoying. And Mr. Trupia does want you to know the reason
it's pristine and beautiful is because she has been keeping it that
way, that there is a reason that everything looks as nice, is that she has not --
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I know this Board has seen plenty of docks put in
areas where, as you say, the vegetation, when it's two feet above
grade and has that FIo-thru decking with vegetation growing right
up and through the decking, so I personally feel the marsh will
completely regenerate and restore itself fairly quickly after this
proposed dock would be put in. The fact they are using four-inch
posts ten-foot on center with only six-inch piles down into the
water and if they were not jetted in, or dug in, I would not have a
problem with this.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: After having a very lengthy discussion with Mark
Terry, the LWRP reviewer and listening to all of his listings of
environmental reasons to not permit this dock, I would be inclined
to approve a pool but not a dock in this area and I'm prepared to
make that motion as soon as I get the heads up and close the public
hearing.
TRUSTEE KING: I'm ready.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make a motion to close the public hearing.
MS. MOORE: I would just point out if you please go back to the
transcript of the 2006 hearing where the Board was prepared to
approve a much larger structure. I think in fairness to the
client, she's gone through an extensive process to get this dock
and we are now back to you to reduce what has was originally
proposed and I would hope that you'll honor the direction you gave
us. The design of this structure was really at with the assistance
of this Board both in its location and its height and material.
Because it was proposed closer to the property line and it was
moved away and I mean every aspect of this was done with this
Board's guidance.
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Pat, I'll honor the people that elected me to
make my best decision and over time things don't always remain the
same and this Board takes a lot of time, maybe not monetary
expenses but a lot of time to pursue many of these decisions. And
I think I just made a motion to close the hearing. So I'm moving
forward in the way that I feel is the best for our community and
I'm going to make a motion to close this public hearing.
TRUSTEE KING: Second. All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Lori, can I do a two-parter here in one? Can I
approve part of this application and deny --
MS. HULSE: Yes.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Two separate motions or one motion?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: I'll make one motion. My motion would be to
approve Maria Trupia's request for a Wetland Permit to install an
inground swimming pool that would be setback 50 feet from the
Wetland line and deny the proposed structure for the catwalk --
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: The pool and patio behind the 50 foot Wetland line
or just the pool?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: This says inground swimming pool.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Right. But the patio around the pool to be 50 feet
away?
TRUSTEE DICKERSON: Pool and related structures must be setback 50
Board of Trustees 59 August 20, 2008
feet. And to deny the catwalk, decking and pilings. That is my
motion.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Second
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(Trustee King, aye. Trustee Doherty, aye. Trustee Ghosio, aye.
Trustee Dickerson, aye.)
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I vote nay and I want to note for the record that I
do not have a problem with the pool so I wish it had been two
separate motions because then I would have been voting yes for the
motion for the pool. But it has to go down as a nay.
(Trustee Bergen, nay.)
MS. MOORE: I'm very disappointed because we did this application to
the DEC with -- Jim, you specifically gave me the specs of this
dock out in the field and we re-drew it and re-submitted it and
took a year-and-a-half to get this through the DEC. So it's very
upsetting that you would lead an owner into that kind of regulatory
nightmare, then come back --
TRUSTEE KING: I don't believe she was led into anything.
MS. MOORE: I have been involved in it. I was there. She was not
there. I was there in person and I met with you and I came to this
Board for a meeting. We had a discussion about the size, the
dimensions, everything. And it was drawn with this Board's
specifications in mind and I got the DEC and all the other agencies
and now this Board is reneging on what would have been a larger
structure and had we taken the approval that you were prepared to
give that night, but in fairness to everyone, including this Board,
I came back with a smaller proposal. So it's very disturbing that
this is the way you chose to deal with this application.
TRUSTEE KING: Number 22, Patricia Moore on behalf of MICHAEL &
SUSAN JEFFRIES, requests a Wetland Permit to install an inground
swimming pool 56.6 feet from the top of the bank and terrace with a
Iow brick retaining wall 45.6 feet from the top of the bank.
Located: Private Road, Fishers Island.
I'm just looking through some of the old stuff. There was a
previous application for a cabana, pool and all that. Nothing was
done with that?
MS. MOORE: No, I think that was with the old house. When the old
house was up, yes. No, they ended up not building that because they
demolished the house and rebuilt it, so.
TRUSTEE KING: This is a major reconstruction going on.
(Board members perusing file.)
MS. MOORE: Are we ready to start?
TRUSTEE KING: Sure, Pat. Go ahead.
MS. MOORE: We submitted to you, Quincy provided, there are two
drawings here, one is L-501, which is the pool/terrace section.
Quincy, why don't you describe what it is you are trying to show
here.
MS. HAMMOND: I'm Quincy Hammond, landscape designer, Hollander
Design. We are proposing a 12x28' pool located off of the back of
the house and the corner of the pool is 56.6 feet from the top of
the bluff. And the pool is contained within a retaining wall,
brick retaining wall that is 45.6 feet from the top of the bluff.
The retaining wall would have plantings in front of it so you
wouldn't see that. That was a question that the ZBA had at the
last hearing. There are other sections provided on L-5.02 which
Board of Trustees 60 August 20, 2008
may be somewhat confusing unless we look at the plan drawings that
were submitted earlier, and I can clarify where the sections were
taken. I'll come up.
MS. MOORE: This might be helpful. That's the survey of the
original house. It doesn't show the pool. This is the landscape
plan that we had given you originally. It's in color. A large
one. And the cross-sections I marked out, let's see, where is it.
MS. HAMMOND: There is one taken from this point across the bluff
and then there is one just for comparison from the face of the
house, across the bluff. This corner of the house is 53.6 feet, I
believe, from the top of the bluff, and this is 45.6 feet off the
bluff, and I wanted to show you how much steeper the bluff is at
this point than it is at this point. Primarily to illustrate the
decreasing impact as you move around the site.
TRUSTEE KING: Here is where we have a conflict.
The CAC did not make an inspection, so no recommendation was
made. Now, the problem that I see, you are considering the top of
the bluff here. The LWRP coordinator is considering top of the
bluff up here. That's the problem.
MS. MOORE: That is a problem. In fact I wanted to give you the
survey because in fact the town has already established from the
application with the house as to what is deemed to be the top of
the bluff here. Remember that Fishers Island is essentially
hills. All of the properties are hills. And when I spoke to the
LWRP coordinator, Mr. Hilary, he takes it as a, I guess
theoretically, he uses the theory that all, eventually all of the
land could become, go back to its natural state. I'm not sure, and
I'm paraphrasing what he said, but he looked at -- there is a
discrepancy in the way 275 defines top of the bluff versus the
zoning.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: We have been discussing it.
MS. MOORE: Right. And the fact that here on Fishers Island you
don't really have a bluff and that's why the cross-sections are
important because what Quincy did is she shows you the slopes and
the zoning definition is the more accurate one with respect to
precipitous slope. You go to the top of the bank then you reach
the precipitous slope. That's were you typically have a bluff of
Long Island Sound type of bluff. The problem we have in 275 is that
you could essentially call any hill a bank or a bluff and that's
not the situation you have here on Fishers and many other areas of
town. We've tried to, again, the two cross-sections, provide a
technical description of what we are talking about here with the
slopes. And even if you were to take the 275 definition, it's not
a zero. Because if you take the top of the bluff as it's been
historically described, the 275 talks about 25 feet landward of
that top of bank. 25 feet is still 25 feet. We still have another
25 feet before we reach a structure. So his zero makes no sense
whatsoever. That analysis.
I think that you have already established what the setbacks
are here because we established the setbacks with the construction
of the house. The pool, if you look at the survey and you see the
area that is called "terrace" on the house plan, that survey that
has my orange line on it, if you see the area that is described as
terrace, that's essentially where the pool is going, in that
general area. So, we are trying to keep the activities within the
scope ofthe area that was to be disturbed originally. Originally
Board of Trustees 61 August 20, 2008
it was going to be a terraced area which steps down. Now it's a
pool with grass around it. So we've actually reduce the, we
eliminated the terrace and established a lawn area, grass area
around the pool.
TRUSTEE KING: My feeling, I been out there numerous times. This is
a previously developed piece of property with the lawn going down
to, what they say is the top of the bluff. I think what Scott has
done, he's looked at these elevations and gone right up to where
the pool is, 32, and in his mind, that's the top of the bluff. In
reality if this was a completely undeveloped piece of property,
maybe we would look at this and say, yes, that's the top of the
bluff. But--
MS. MOORE: That's what he's doing. He's taking a very conservative
reading.
TRUSTEE KING: The house and everything is there. This makes
absolutely no environmental impact whatsoever down below. So
that's my feelings.
TRUSTEE BERGEN: I agree with Jim. After going out there and
walking it, I went all the way down to the beach and looked up from
the beach, and I agree. I have no problem with this plan as
proposed.
TRUSTEE KING: The only thing I would suggest, I would like to see a
little more of a buffer area down at the lower edge of that lawn.
MS. HAMMOND: Absolutely. I have a planting plan.
TRUSTEE KING: See if we can get a nicer buffer in there.
MS. MOORE: In you would like us to submit the planting plan, it's
ready, and I think it's done. We can give it to you. That's not a
problem.
You are talking about the planting plan at the edge of the
bank. The planting plan she has here is the one behind the wall.
I don't know that you, do you want that one as well or --
TRUSTEE KING: I was more interested down where the vegetation is
now, the natural vegetation the bring everything back up into the
lawn mark.
MS. HAMMOND: Sure, we had a ten-foot buffer at one point, which
we've already planted on the wetland side. So would that be
appropriate to carry along? That all native planting.
TRUSTEE KING: Sure, that would help.
MS. HAMMOND: We would be allowed to maintain the little pathway
down to the beach.
TRUSTEE KING: Yes, just get rid of some of that lawn area.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: And put the path down there.
TRUSTEE KING: Do you want to indicate the path?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Might as well.
MS. HAMMOND: It's on the survey.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: As long as it's somewhere.
MS. HAMMOND: Thank you.
TRUSTEE KING: Are there any other comments on this application?
(No response.)
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
the condition of an added ten-foot non-turf buffer along the bottom
edge of the lawn, seaward edge of the lawn, increase that, and
Board of Trustees 62 August 20, 2008
maintain -- the path down to the beach to be maintained. And like
I said before, this is a highly developed piece of property and I
would agree that the bluff in this case is down more toward the
shoreline and not where the location they said the pool is going to be.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Does it have a drywell for the backwash?
MS. HAMMOND: The construction for the drywells have been underway
way for some time. They'll tie in.
TRUSTEE KING: You say there will be plantings in front of the
retaining wall around the pool?
MS. HAMMOND: Yes.
MS. MOORE: Do you want that in your file?
TRUSTEE KING: No, that's not necessary
MS. HAMMOND: It's on the seaward side. You eventually won't see
the retaining wall at all.
MS. MOORE: Do you want us to give it to you so it's in your file?
TRUSTEE KING: You can if you want.
MS. MOORE: That way there is no argument that we were talking about it.
TRUSTEE KING: It might, in considering how developed this property
is and what is going on there, I would find the addition of a pool
is consistent. I would make a motion on we find this consistent
with LWRP. I would make a motion to approve the application.
Second?
TRUSTEE BERGEN: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: Number 23, Patricia Moore on behalf of PETER &
SABRINA PEZZINO requests a Wetland Permit to demolish the existing
dwelling located 87 feet from the wetlands and to construct a new
dwelling and sanitary system 100 feet from the Wetlands. Located:
3120 Grathwohl Road, New Suffolk.
The LWRP coordinator has found it to be consistent with the
LWRP and the CAC resolves to support the application. There is no
stipulations and as I recall we were out in the field and we didn't
have any problems with it either. As a matter of fact --
TRUSTEE KING: This gentleman has been sitting here all evening and
I think he wants to comment on this one. Please, come up to the
microphone. He's been patiently sitting there.
MR. ZORY: Frank Zory, 60 Wicks Road, New Suffolk. There was a
fellow here before. He said in 1920 you guys got three dollars a
session. I hope you got a raise since then. I thought I was going
to be out of here in half an hour. I have no problem with the
hundred feet because that's the law, to the water line, but the
only thing I was concerned about was the distance of the building
to my property line, which is five feet on the survey. And I was
under the impression it had to be ten feet from the line. So I
went to the town hall --
TRUSTEE KING: That would be a zoning issue, I believe.
MS. MOORE: Actually, we were at the zoning board and we are waiting
for a hearing.
TRUSTEE KING: That's a zoning issue.
MS. MOORE: So you get to do this all over again. Sorry.
MR. ZORY: I went to the town hall by Capital Bank. I went to the
first office. She said go around to the second office. She sent
me to the third office. The third office sent me to the second
office and second office sent me to the first office and first
Board of Trustees 63 August 20, 2008
office said come here tonight. That's why I'm here. Maybe
somebody made a mistake.
Anyway, what happens from here? If I think it's too close and
it should be according to the piece of paper that the lady gave me
at the office, ten feet one side, 15 on the other or a total of 25
feet, and the way it's drawn here is ten feet on one side and five
feet on the other side, should 15. To me it's too close. How do I
-- what do I have to do?
MS. MOORE: You'll get a notice of the zoning board hearing and at
the time that the next, when I give you that cedified mail letter
like you got for tonight, you can certainly call me, I would have
told you this, but you can come to the zoning board hearing and
express your opinion.
MR. ZORY: Where is that?
MS. MOORE: Back here, but it's during the day.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: I'm sorry you went through all the confusion.
What happens is when the applicant applies to the Building
Department they look at it to make sure it meets the current code.
If it doesn't, they deny that application and that's what pushes it
to the zoning board. Then you'll get notified as a neighbor. And
you'll get noticed as to what time and day that hearing is and the
place. Unfortunately we can't help you with that here because it's
a building code.
MR. ZORY: It's a different group of people that do it?
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: The Zoning Board is similar to what you see here
tonight.
MR. ZORY: I looked on the piece of paper. It's number 23. Is that
posted outside here so you could come here like a day before and
see where you stand so you don't have to hang around?
MS. MOORE: It's in the paper. But I post the property.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: You can go to the office, the zoning board office
and ask to look at their agenda.
MR. ZORY: And you get an idea what time to come in.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Yes.
MS. MOORE: I have to give you the time, too.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: The Zoning Board is set up ail different. Go to
the Zoning Board office and they'll explain it.
MR. ZORY: Thank you.
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: Does the Board have any questions or comments?
TRUSTI=E DOHERTY: No. I agree with that man. It's too close to the
side.
TRUSTEE GHOSIO: I'll make a motion to dose the hearing.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
TRUSTEE GHOSlO: I'll make a motion to approve this application as
written, to demolish and build a new house.
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
MS. MOORE: And for the record, the existing house is two feet from
his property line.
TRUSTEE KING: Motion to close the hearing. Motion to adjourn
TRUSTEE DOHERTY: Second.
TRUSTEE KING: All in favor?
(ALL AYES.)
OCT 2 7 ~2008