HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA-06/24/1975 Telephone 765-2660
APPEAL BOARD
MEMBER
Robert "*Y-/. Gillispie, Jr., ChaJrnlan
Robert Bergen
Charles Grigoni% Jr.
Serge Doyen, Jr.
Fred Huls¢, Jr.
MINUTES
Southold Town Board of Appeals
June 24, 1975
A special meeting of the Southold Town Board of Appeals
was held at 12:00 o'clock noon (E.D.S.T.), Tuesday, June
24, 1975 at the Town Office, Main Road, Southold, New York.
There were present: Messrs: Robert W. Gillispie, Jr.,
Chairman; Robert Bergen; Charles Grigonis, Jr.
Also present: Sherley Katz, Long Island Traveler-
Ma~tituck Watchman; Robert Rinklin, The Suffolk Weekly Times;
Arthur Coffin; Mrs. James (Cynthia) Pirillo.
THE CHAIRMAN: This special meeting of the Southol~Town
oard of Appeals was called for the purpose of making a decision
n Appeal ~. 2053, GreenPOrt Yacht CLUE, Inc., ~ New
York. A public hearing was held on this appeal at
(E.D,S.T.), June 12, 1975. The applicant applied for a special
accordance with the Zoning ,
Sec ;0 B-6 for permission to maintain b~arge
for privatel membership club, to be located at Sixth Street,
Greenport, N. Y. Decision was reserved in Order to check on
various points that were brought up at the hearing in
connection with this application.
THE CHAIRMAN: I will read to you what I have put together
relative to this decision:
Southold Town Board of Appeals
-2-
June 24, 1975
"The Board finds the applicant, Greenport Yacht Club, Inc.,
is a prospective tenant on premises to be subleased from
Southold Resins Manufacturing, Inc. The total area presently
leased by Southold Resins Manufacturing, Inc. consists of
approximately 1.75 acres + including boat basin, as surveyed
by Van Tuyl for Cappa & H~man, December 19, 1967. The west
boundary line of the Village of Greenport passes through the
principal building which is more or less centrally located
on the premises in a north-south direction. From a point
within the building the Village of Greenport line changes
direction and continues in a southeasterly direction crossing
the boat basin and the easterly portion Of the property con-
tinuing into Peconic Bay. The Greenport Yacht Club plans to
moor a barge approximately 35' x 125' with club house facilities
to the westerly bulkhead of the boat basin. Part of the barge
will be in Greenport and part in the Town of Southold, as sited
in survey of June 20, 1975; with sewage and water connections
to the Greenport systems. The proposed location of the barge
is in waters covered by an underwater grant to the owners...
waters which have been used commercially since before 1900.
The Village of Greenport has recently rezoned the Village
portion of the premises to General Commercial, a rezoning
which has been upheld in a Supreme Court decision last week,
and has issued the Greenport Yacht Club a building permit.
Commercial fishing boats are currently using the boat basin
which is partly in the Village and partly in the T~wn. So far
as the Town portion of the prem~ises are concerned, this is a
continuing non-conforming use. In our opinion, mooring the
Greenport Yacht Club barge at the proposed location would not
int.erfere with present usage of the boat basin and would con-
stitute a non-conforming use of a higher character than present
non-conforming uses conducted on the premises, and would
cg~tinue the traditional use of the premises for waterfront
commercial usage.
The Board notes that part of the premises located in the
Town of Southold may be used for part of the parking required
by the 45 members of the Greenport Yacht Club and their guests,
and that such parking would not normally coincide with parking
required by employees of the Southold Resins Mfg. Co. principal
tenant of the premises. '
In our opinion, the Board of Appeals would exceed its
authority in requiring a Special Exception to operate a private
membership Yacht Club in the special circumstances which are
presented in this application; accordingly the Building
Department is directed to ~ssue a building permit to the
applicant, and/or a Certificate of Occupancy. The Building
Permit shall include a restriction against any parking by members
of the Greenport Yacht Club within 50 feet of the westerly and
Southold Town Board ~of Appeals
-3- June 24, 1975
southerly property lines of the Southold Resins Mfg. Co., as
shown on the December 19, 1967 survey of Van Tuyl and marked
in red by the Building Inspector. The building permit shall
also include a provision stating that the direct source of
all exterior lighting shall be shielded from the view of surround-
ing residential areas."
THE CHAIRMAN: That Constitutes my opinion and I have
checked the points of law. Does the Board have any questions
or anything they wish to add?
(There was no response.)
THE CHAIRMAN: We have received a letter from William E.
Young, Commodore, Greenport Yacht Club, Inc. dated June 24,
1975, as follows:
"At the hearing on June 17, 1975 regarding our application
to allow the Greenport Yacht Club to tie its barge in the boat
basin at Southold Resins, Inc., you asked us to furnish a map
showing the proposed parking and the location of the Yacht Club
barge. You also asked for proof that the Yacht Club will be
serviced by the Village of Greenport for sewage, water and
electricity. Accordingly, I am enclosing the following:
(1) Map prepared by Roderick Van Tuyl on June 20, 1975.
(2) Letter from James Monsell, Superintendent of Utilities
dated June 23, 1975.
Mr. Monsell's letter is self-explanatory. Mr. Van Tuyl's
map shows.~he proposed location of the Yacht Club .barge as well
as a layout'of 47 parking spaces allowing 350 square feet for
each parking space. Our membership has never exceeded 45 and
at the present time we have 39 active members. Mr. Howard
Terry, Building Inspector, has computed that the entire property
has enough, sp~ce for parking 108 cars. As you k~ow, Mr.
Taggart ~aslg~ven us permission for an additional 61 spaces
on other portions of his property if thiS becomes necessary.
As you are probably.aware from viewing the property, this
boat basin is a present non-conforming use havin~been~ed
continuously as a commercial marina for tying and~ mooring of
fishing boats. The proposed use by the Greenport Yacht Club
will be an upgrading of this use.
Contrary to what you may have heard, none of the surround-
inq neighbors will be affected by the mooring of our barge~at
Southold Town Board of Appeals
-4-
June 24, 1975
this site and I respectfully submit that the Board should
grant permission to allow the Yacht Club to moor its barge
at this location."
THE CHAIRMAN: We have also seceived a letter from Mr.
James I. Monsetl, Superintendent of Public Utilities, Village
of Greenport, dated June 23, 1975~ as follows:
"The Greenport Yacht Club Barge or Meeting Facility which
was located at the end of Fifth Street in the Village of
Greenport has been connected to the municipal sewer system
since July 1967.
The Barge or Meeting Facility has plans to move to the
foot of Sixth Street; 1/3 of the Barge will be in the Village
of Greenport and 2/3 will be in the Town of Southold.
The Village Sewer Ordinance provides that all structures
or users within the Village of Greenport must be connected to
the municipal sewer system.
The Greenport Yacht Club or Meeting Facility must connect
to the Village of Greenport Sewer System and comply with all
of its rules and regulations.
Water from the public water supply is also available in
this area.
If I can be of further service, please call."
THE CHAIRMAN: The parking site plan which was prepared
by Van Tuyl and submitted to us does not conform with what we
are suggesting, it,s a different plan and does not call for
any buffering zone. I will now be glad to answer any questions.
CYNTHIA PIRILLO: This morning, at 10:30 A.M., I talked
to Mr. Jack Peckham of the Village office and asked what
authority they~had to send you a letter that the Village
had given its permission to the Yacht Club to moor a barge
there. At this moment he has not got the authority.
THE CHAIRMAN: We don't have a letter from Mr. Gordon.
MRS. PIRILLO: I understood it was read at the last meeting.
THE CHAIRMAN: We saw a copy of the Building Permit.
MRS. PIRILLO: The Building Permit is illegal.
Southold Town Board of Appeals -5-
June 24, 1975
THE CHAIRMAN: The Building Permit is illegal?
MRS. PIRILLO: Yes. A Yacht Club is only allowed in a
Waterfront Commercial district, which this is not. The
Planning Board at this time is going to refuse permission
to the Yacht Club. Therefore, if Greenport refuses to allow
the barge to be docked, how are they going to get to it?
THE CHAIRMAN: Presumably, if the Planning Board wants
to block this they can. We are only acting on the Southcld
Town portion assuming that the information we have here is
accurate. You say it is inaccurate.
MR. ARTHUR COFFIN: This is still under litigation.
It is still under appeal. It has not been "settled"
MRS. PIRILLO: Your zoning of that property is still
Residential "A"?
MR. HOWARD TERRY, Building Inspector: Anything we are
suggesting fits our "A" zone anywhere in Town.
THE CHAIRMAN: There are two restrictions of the location
of a membership club; the area covered by accessory buildings
and parking. We have covered parking but it is our belief,
supported by what we know of zoning, that this is a non-
conforming use.., and this use of the premises would affect
the Town of Southold only so far as parking is concerned.
We have provided for that and have directed the Building
InspectOr to maintain a buffer zone of 50 feet on the
westerly and southerly boundaries.
MRS. PARILLO: On the north?
boundary of the Town of Southold?
Should it not be the northerly
MR, HOWARD TERRY: The northerly boundary?is in the Village
of Greenport. What We have is westerly and southerly.
THE CHAIRMAN: (referring to map) The area we are talking
about is here.., these are residential areas, this is the
Village of Gree~port~ this is the water°
MRS. PIRILLO: In other words, he has to be parked back
here.., he has to have enough room for parking in here.
THE CHAIRMAN: These are the areas that are restricted.
This is the underwater boundary line. This is the underwater
grant.
Southold Town Board of Appeals -6-
June 24, 1975
MR. ARTHUR COFFIN: The underwater grant goes out 500 feet
from~the high water tine and is a grant of the Cove Circle
Association. This property was all purchased from the
Ellsworth family and at the time the property was transferred
the people asked if they could rent back the underwater grant.
However, this underwater grant has always remained with the
Cove Circle Association. (referring to map) Physically,
the bulkheading goes down just as it's shown.
THE CHAIRMAN: I assume Mr. Van Tuyl knows what he is
doing. You can see on the map the way this has been drawn,
and you can see that Mr. Terry has provided us with a red[~line
showing the 50 foot restricted area. This is what we are
working with.
MR. TERRY: That restriction would apply anywhere in
the Town of Southold to that type of operation.
THE CHAIRMAN: What the Village proposes to do has nothing
to do with our decision. My personal opinion is that the Village
would be in the same position we are.
MR. COFFIN: At your last hearing (you can hear it on your
tapes) you made a statement that a Yacht Club could be in a
Residential area.
THE CHAIRMAN: That is correct. (The Chairman read
from the Ordinance that membership clubs, golf clubs, tennzs
clubs, yacht clubs are permitted in Residential-Agricultural
areas).
MR. COFFIN: Even though they have liquor licenses?
MR. ROBERT BERGEN: All golf clubs have liquor licenses.
THE CHAIRMAN: This ~s Residential-Agricultural as far as
the Town of Southold is concerned. The Island's End Golf &
Country Club is zoned Residential-Agricultural.
MRS. PIRILLO: How are they going to get from here (referring
to map) to there?
THE CHAIRMAN: There is no question that they can obtain
access. That's up to the Building Inspector in setting up the
Building Permit.
MRS. PIRILLO: Where is the barge going to be situated?
/ THE CHAIRMAN: We have a map showing it's about half in
and!half out. This is the location of the barge.
MRS. PIRILLO: The Vil!iage says "No" they can't be there.
Therefore, they can't have one half or one third in here. So,
your ~ecision doesn't apply any more?
Southold Town Board of Appeals -7-
June 2~, 1975
MR. COFFIN: If what Mrs. Pirillo heard last night is,
in fact, true and that is that the Village says you can't
put the barge in my Village, are they now allowed to move
the barge forward? How can you say this position and this
only so the back of the barqe is outside of the Village
line which would cause it t~ jut out into open water.
THE CHAIRMAN: As sited by the survey.
MRS. PIRILLO: If this has to be moved then your
decision no longer holds, it is no longer legally binding?
MR. TERRY: If they want to submit another location,
there would also have to be another application.
MR. COFFIN: I think your conditions should be specific.
THE CHAIRMAN: Part of the barge will be located in the
Village of Greenport and part will be located in the Town of
SOuthold according to the survey of June 20, 1975. Are there
any other questions?
MR. ROBERT RINKLIN, Suffolk Weekly Times: One of the
recommendations is that there will be a 50 foot setback?
THE CHAIRMAN: Yes.
MRS. PIRILLO: Another requirement such as Lighting, will
that be in the conditions too?
THE CHAIRMAN: That will be a part of it; it's covered
in our Ordinance.
MR. RINKLIN: You said there were 108 parking spaces.
THE CHAIRMAN: I read to you what this letter provides
and that is also what Mr. Terry has computed. I believe that
108 cars will be cut in half.
MR. TERRY: I don't believe there would ever be that many
cars.
THE CHAIRMAN: As I understand it the Yacht Club only has
a few big affairs a year. To go over what has been said here,
the rezoning which was approved by the Supreme Court is being
appealed to the Appellate Division, and then they can go
beyond that?
MRS. PtRILLO: Yes.
Southold Town Board of Appeals
June 24, 1975
THE CHAIRMAN: As far as the Town of Southold is concerned,
~his decision covers the Town position as best we cam determine.
Are there any questions from members of the Board? (The Board
indicated that they were in complete agreement with the
findings and suggested restrictions).
After investigation and inspection the findings of the
Southold Town Board of Appeals are as previously stated in
paragraphs 6, 7, 8 9, which were read by the halrman
The Board finds that the public convenience and welfare
and justice will be served and tbs legally established or
permitted use of neighborhood property and adjoining use
districts will not be permanently or substantially injured
and the spirit ~f the Ordinance will be observed.
On motion by Mr. Gillispie, seconded by Mr. Bergen, it was
RESOLVED that the Southold Town Board of Appeals APPROVE
the application of the Greenport Yacht Club, Inc., Appeal No.
2053, and directs the Building Inspector to issue a Building
Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy to the Greenport Yacht
Club, Inc., subject to the following conditions:
That the Building Permit shall includea restriction
against any parking by members of the Greenport
Yacht Club, Inc. within 50 feet of.the westerly and
southerly property lines of the Southold Resins Mfg.
Co. as shown on the December 19, 1967 survey prepared
by Van Tuyl and marked "in red" by the Building
Inspector.
The location of the barge shall be as sited on map
prepared for Greenport Yacht Club, dated'June 20,
1975, by Roderick Van Tuyl, P.C.
That the direct source of all exterior lighting shall
be shielded from the view of surrounding residential
areas.
4. This approval is subject to all rules and regulations
of the Southold Town Zoning Ordinance.
Vote of the Board: Ayes:- Messrs: Gillispie, Bergen,
Grigonis.
Southold Town Board of Appeals
-9-
June 24, 1975
Resp,
~tfully submitted,
~ri~ McDermott, Secretary
Robert W. Giltispie, Jr., Chairm~.n