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Home My WebLink About03/2010ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS TO: FROM: RE: DATE: Town Hall Annex, 54375 Route 25 P.O, Box 1179 Southold, New York 11971-0959 Fax (631) 765-9064 T~lephone (631) 765-1809 Elizabeth Neville, I / Leslie Kanes Weisman, ZBA Chairperson/Department Head/Member MONTHLY REPORT for: March 2010 April 13, 2010 II. IlL Requires Immediate Attention: Nothing at this time Items of Concern: As discussed in the February 2010 monthly report, the ZBA office still needs tm additional part time staff person to work on data entries of legacy files from 1957- 1999 that pre-date the creation and use of our current computer tracking system. At the request of the Chairperson, ZBA Consultant Linda Kowlaski has now trained all three of our own staffmembers on how to do this task as part of her contract to assist with the operation of the new Municity system for the department. Staff is now engaging in this work on a weekly basis as time permits. However, progress is necessarily slow and the department continues to need additional staff hours dedicated to this task. As discussed in the January 2010 monthly report, the ZBA continues to respectfully request that the Town purchase the webcam equipment that will enable Member Homing to deliberate on decisions from Fishers Island at our monthly Special Meetings, thereby increasing the time available for public hearings at the Regular Meetings of the ZBA, and Member Homing's ability to participate fully in all decisions rendered by the Board. Policies: In an ongoing effort to ensure that Board decisions are complete and comprehensive, the Chairperson has added the following language to the "ZBA Questionnaire for Filing with Your ZBA Application" under #F: "Please attach all pre-certificates of occupancy and certificates of occupancy for the subject premises. If any are lacking, please apply to the Building Department to either obtain them or to obtain an Amended Notice of Disapproval." Atier discussion at the Code Cmt. meeting on 3/18/10, the ZBA and Building Department have agreed to institute the following procedures: 1. Once a decision has been rendered by the ZBA, our office will send a set of the finally approved, stamped and signed drawings with a copy of the decision attached to Building, Trustees, Planning, Landmarks and/or any other agency reviewing tile application. 2. When an application to the Building Dept, requires variance mlieff¥om the ZBA, the Notice of Disapproval will be based upon the applicant's required submission ora survey by a licensed surveyor or engineer, showing all as built and proposed IV. VI. improvements with setbacks. The 'l'o~m Attorneys w511 propose codifying this procedure to the Town Board To ensure that all Members of the Board of Appeals are well informed about their obligations to conduct themselves with the highest level of legal and ethical standards, a document titled "Guidelines to Open Meetings Law and Ethical Issues" has been adopted as ZBA policy. This document was drafted by Asst. TA Andaloro, discussed by the Board on February 25th, slightly modified and then duly adopted during the work session of the Regular Meeting of the ZBA on March 25, 2010 (vote of the Board: ayes: all). The Board is pleased to provide this document, upon request, to other Town boards or committees for their review and considerafiom and thanks TA Andaloro for her assistance. Financial/Budget Issues: ZBA Consultant Linda Kowalski Billing for March 2010: 21 Hours ~ $652.47 (partial billing) Personnel Matters: The Chair is pleased to report that ZBA Consultant Linda Ko,va]ski has completed thc basic job training of our new ZBA Secretary Vicki Toth. Ms. Kowalski is now instructing and assisting Ms. Toth on increasingly complex and technical areas of her responsibilities as Secretary and Board Assistant. In Match file Chairperson submitted Ms Toth's 90 day probationaD' evaluation detailing her excellent performance to date in acclimating herself to this challenging v)sition. The Chairperson is working with Ms. Toth on training in those aspects of writing draft findings that pertain to Town Code and State Statues; (she is already proficient in entering inlbrmation related to property facts, legal notices and various administrative agencies and requirements). The Chair/Department Head is now scheduling a monthly meeting with staff to discuss office operations, ideas for improving our service to the public and inter- depa~mental coordination, and issues of concern. Activities of the Board/Accomplishments: Regular Meeting: Date: 25, 2010 Call to Order: 9:00 AM Adjourned: 3:00PM Public Hearings: Total: 9 Number of new applications heard: 9 Number of Carryovers from previous hearings: 0 Number closed reserving decision to later date: Number closed subject to receipt of additional information: 3 Number adjourned to another date: 4 Number adjourned w/o a date: 0 Number of Resolutions passed: 16 Number of decisions made: 3 Next Regular Meeting: April 22, 2010 Speeitd Meeting: Date: March 16, 2010 Call to Order: 6:01 PM Adjourned: 7:16PM Number o1' assigned draft findings discussed: 6 Number of decisions made: 6 Number of'Resolutions passed: 9 Number of Site Inspections ~nade by Board members: 9 x 5+ 45 Municit¥ Work Sessions: None this month Meetings attended by ZBA Chairperson (and others) · 3/12/10, Met with Assr TA Andaloro re: litigation · 3/12/10, Met with office staff ,, 3/17/I0, Met with Asst. TA Andaloro re: certain draft findings · 3/18/10, Code Cmt. meeting re discussion on code changes to definitions: demolition, additions/alterations, reconstruction, renovation, enlargement etc~ and to discuss improving consistency in documents used by ZBA and Building for Notices of Disapproval, decisions, and issuing building permits. (Also attending were Vice-Chairperson Goehringer and Member Dinizio) · 3/19/10, Met with Trustees and Assr Town Attorneys re concurrent jurisdiction (also present were ZBA Vice-Chairperson Goehfinger and S~retary Vicki Toth) · 3/I 9/10, Met with Assr TA and Building Department re: determination of possible res jud icata on a certain application, and review of various prior ZBA decisions relative to building permit issuance 3/19/10, Met with Asst. TA re: various matters before the Board · 3/22/10, Attended Department tleads Meeting · 3/29/10, Met with Assr TA Andaloro re certain legal procedures and litigation - 3/29/10, Met with Assr TA and Building Dept. (M. Verity and P. Conklin) re Chairperson's proposed new language to incorporate in ZBA decisions to reduce likelihood of applicants/agents submitting to Building, drawings with changes from those cited in ZBA decisions. · 3/31/10, Met with Supervisor Russell to discuss Department staffing needs · 3/31/10 Monthly staff meeting with Chairperson/Department Head Staff Activities Number of pcopte assisted at the counter: 86 hours spent assisting: 21 (March) Number of people assisted at the counter: 55 hours spent assisting: 10 +/- (Feb.) Nmnber of people assisted at the counter: 34 hours spent assisting: 7 +/- (Jan.) (Assistance includes filling out new applications, mailings and postings, providing copies of decisions, FOIL requests and other materials, and general inquiries) Meetings attended by staff · 3/12/I0, Staff' meeting/trai~fing with Chairperson/Department tfead · 3/I 9/I 0, Vicki Toth attended a meeting with ZBA Chairperson concerning concurrent jnrisdicliou with Trustees · 3/31/10, Monthly staffmeeting with Chairperson/Department Head