HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999_06_23 Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
ZONING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF MAMARONECK
JUNE 23, 1999, IN THE COURT ROOM, TOWN CENTER
740 WEST BOSTON POST ROAD
MAMARONECK, NEW YORK
Present: Thomas E. Gunther, Chairman
Jillian A. Martin
Arthur Wexler
Paul A. Winick
Absent: J. Rene Simon
Also Present: Judith M. Gallent, Esq., Counsel
Ronald A. Carpaneto, Director of Building
Michele DiEdwards, Public Stenographer
Terranova, Kazazes & Associates, Ltd.
49 Eighth Street
New Rochelle, New York 10801
Marguerite Roma, Recording Secretary
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Gunther at 7:55 p.m.
Mr. Gunther informed those present that one of the Board members, Mr. Simon,is ill and unable to attend.
There are only four out of the five members present. For an action to be approved, three members must
vote in favor of that application. The Board will be happy to hear each case. When your case is called
if you would like it held over until the next meeting when a full Board will be present, it will be done
without prejudice.
Mr. Gunther said if anyone is present to hear application#4,case 2357, that case will not be heard as the
attorneys for that matter have requested an adjournment to the August Zoning Board meeting.
DUE TO A MALFUNCTION OF THE TAPE RECORDING SYSTEM USED TO RECORD THE
MEETING,THE PUBLIC STENOGRAPHER'S TRANSCRIPT,AS ATTACHED,WILL BECOME
A PERMANENT PART OF THIS RECORD.
The Secretary read the application as follows:
APPLICATION NO. 1 - CASE 2352 (adjourned 3/17/99;4/28/99;5/26/99)
Application of Eugene Pressman requesting a variance to legalize an existing pillar. The pillar as
constructed has a height of 7 ft. 3.5 in. where 6 ft. is permitted pursuant to Section 240-52B for a pillar
in an R-50 Zone District on the premises located at 209 Hommocks Road and known on the Tax
Assessment Map of the Town of Mamaroneck as Block 417 Lot 107.
After a lengthy presentation as transcribed by the public stenographer and attached, on a motion made and
seconded, it was unanimously
Zoning Board
June 23, 1999
Page 2
RESOLVED, that the Public Hearing of case#2352 be, and hereby is, adjourned to the July 21,
1999 Zoning Board meeting to allow counsel to prepare an appropriate resolution to be voted on at that
meeting.
The Secretary read the next application as follows:
APPLICATION NO. 2 - CASE 2355 (adjourned 5/26/99)
Application of the Gertrude Friedmann Family Trust requesting a variance to legalize an existing deck.
The deck to be legalized has a side yard of 8.0 ft. where 10.0 ft. is required pursuant to Section 240-36
B(2)(a) for a residence in an R-15 Zone District on the premises located at 9 Winged Foot Drive and
known on the Tax Assessment Map of the Town of Mamaroneck as Block 209 Lot 232.
The presentation is included in the public stenographer's transcript, as attached.
After review, on motion of Mr. Gunther, seconded by Mr. Winick, the following resolution was proposed
and ADOPTED unanimously, 4-0.
RESOLVED, that this is a Type II action having no significant impact on the environment
pursuant to 6 NYCRR §617 et seq. Accordingly, no further action under SEQRA is required.
On motion of Ms. Martin, seconded by Mr. Winick, the following resolution was ADOPTED:
WHEREAS, the Gertrude Friedmann Family Trust has submitted an application to the Building
Inspector, together with plans to legalize an existing deck. The deck to be legalized has a side yard of 8.0
ft. where 10.0 ft. is required pursuant to Section 240-36 B(2)(a) for a residence in an R-15 Zone District
on the premises located at 9 Winged Foot Drive and known on the Tax Assessment Map of the Town of
Mamaroneck as Block 209 Lot 232; and
WHEREAS, the Building Inspector has declined to issue such permit on the grounds that the plans
submitted failed to comply with the Town of Mamaroneck Zoning Ordinance with particular reference to
Section 240-36 B(2)(a); and
WHEREAS, the Gertrude Friedmann Family Trust submitted an application for a variance to this
Board for the reasons set forth in such application; and
WHEREAS, this Board has examined the plans, inspected the site, reviewed the application and
has heard all persons interested in this application after publication of a notice thereof and a hearing
thereon; and
WHEREAS, the Zoning Board of the Town of Mamaroneck makes the following findings as
required by New York State Town Law §267-b:
1. The Board fords that the benefit to the applicant from the granting of the variance
outweighs any detriment to the health, safety and welfare of the neighborhood or
community. In reaching this conclusion, the Board considered the following factors:
A. Based on the testimony of the applicant and personal observation, the Board
finds that no undesirable change will be produced in the character of the
neighborhood or detriment to nearby properties created. The unusual
configuration of the property and the location of the house on the property, the
deck, which would normally be in the back of the house and is in fact in the
side yard, has been constructed on the house. It has been there for an
indeterminate but long period of time without any detriment to nearby
Zoning Board
June 23, 1999
Page 3
properties. The adjacent property in the rear, the side yard in this case, is open
land that has no houses on it that would be detrimentally impacted by the
proximity of the deck;
B. There is no reasonable alternative other then tearing the deck down,which under
the circumstances does not appear to be a reasonable alternative;
C. It is not a substantial variance, given the size of the property itself and the
location of the house on the property;
D. There is no adverse impact on the physical or environmental conditions in the
neighborhood, as it has been in existence and has not had an adverse impact up
until now;
E. Although this may be a self-created difficulty in terms of the ignorance of the
applicant or the predecessor in constructing this deck originally, it is not
determinative;
F. The granting of this variance is in harmony with the general purposes and intent
of this Ordinance and will not be injurious to the neighborhood or otherwise
detrimental to the public welfare;
G. The variance is the minimum necessary to alleviate the difficulty detailed in the
application yet also preserves and protects the character of the neighborhood and
the health, safety and welfare of the community;
H. The strict application of the Zoning Ordinance and the Town Code would
deprive the applicants of the reasonable use of the land/or building, and the
variance granted by this Board will enable such reasonable use.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED,that the subject application be and the same is GRANTED, subject to the following
conditions:
1. This variance authorizes the construction as shown on the plans presented and no other.
2. The applicant shall obtain a building permit within six (6) months of the filing of this
Resolution.
3. The building permit shall be void if construction is not started within six (6)months and
completed within two (2) years of the date of said permit.
4. Construction shall be in substantial compliance with the plans submitted in connection
with this application.
This decision shall be filed with the Town Clerk as provided in Section 267-a(2) of the Town Law.
The Secretary read the next application as follows:
Zoning Board
June 23, 1999
Page 4
APPLICATION NO. 3 - CASE 2356
Application of Jorge and Miriam Correa requesting a variance to construct a second floor master bedroom
and bath. The second floor addition as proposed has a front yard of 23.92 ft. where 30 ft. is required
pursuant to Section 240-39B(1); a side yard of 5.60 ft. where 8.0 ft. is required pursuant to Section 240-
39B(2)(a); and further, the second floor addition increases the extent by which the building is
nonconforming pursuant to Section 240-69 for a residence in an R-6 Zone District on the premises located
at 10 Winthrop Avenue and known on the Tax Assessment Map of the Town of Mamaroneck as Block 410
Lot 28.
The presentation is included in the public stenographer's transcript, as attached.
After review, on motion of Mr. Gunther, seconded by Mr. Winick, the following resolution was proposed
and ADOPTED unanimously, 4-0.
RESOLVED, that this is a Type II action having no significant impact on the environment
pursuant to 6 NYCRR §617 et seq. Accordingly, no further action under SEQRA is required.
On motion of Mr. Winick, seconded by Mr. Gunther, the following resolution was ADOPTED:
WHEREAS, Jorge and Miriam Correa have submitted an application to the Building Inspector,
together with plans to construct a second floor master bedroom and bath. The second floor addition as
proposed has a front yard of 23.92 ft. where 30 ft. is required pursuant to Section 240-39B(1);a side yard
of 5.60 ft. where 8.0 ft. is required pursuant to Section 240-39B(2)(a); and further, the second floor
addition increases the extent by which the building is nonconforming pursuant to Section 240-69 for a
residence in an R-6 Zone District on the premises located at 10 Winthrop Avenue and known on the Tax
Assessment Map of the Town of Mamaroneck as Block 410 Lot 28; and
WHEREAS, the Building Inspector has declined to issue such permit on the grounds that the plans
submitted failed to comply with the Town of Mamaroneck Zoning Ordinance with particular reference to
Section 240-39B(1), Section 240-39B(2)(a), Section 240-69; and
WHEREAS, Jorge and Miriam Correa submitted an application for a variance to this Board for
the reasons set forth in such application; and
WHEREAS, this Board has examined the plans, inspected the site, reviewed the application and
has heard all persons interested in this application after publication of a notice thereof and a hearing
thereon; and
WHEREAS, the Zoning Board of the Town of Mamaroneck makes the following findings as
required by New York State Town Law §267-b:
1. The Board finds that the benefit to the applicant from the granting of the variance
outweighs any detriment to the health, safety and welfare of the neighborhood or
community. In reaching this conclusion, the Board considered the following factors:
A. No undesirable change will be produced in the character of the neighborhood,
or a detriment to nearby properties created. The applicant is squaring off the
house and is essentially adding inside the existing footprint. It will increase the
appeal of the house from the curb, will add value to the usage of the house and
given that the footprint already exists there will not be a detriment to nearby
properties created because there is somewhat more volume created within the
same footprint;
Zoning Board
June 23, 1999
Page 5
B. The applicant cannot achieve its goals via a reasonable alternative that does not
involve the necessity of an area variance because the property is nonconforming.
While there is a possibility that the proposed work can be done in the back at
the expense of the availability of deck space given the overall tenor of the
project and what is proposed to be accomplished there is not an alternative that
would not involve the necessity of a variance. The changes are quite reasonable
and can be done inside where the house encroaches on the lot line from its
original construction.
C. The variance is not substantial for the same reasons. There is an increase in
volume on the existing footprint of the house, but the proposed work does not
further encroach into the required yards. In this case, given the architecture of
the house and the character of the neighborhood the increase in volume will look
at least as appropriate as the house now does, if not more so. It does not create
any visual impact. It is not substantial given the circumstances of this
application. Fortunately on the side of the property there is a large setback from
the adjoining properties. There have been no objections voiced from the
adjoining properties, which have been notified of this request.
D. For these same reasons and factors noted, there is no adverse impact on the
physical or environmental conditions in the neighborhood or district.
E. There is obviously no self-created difficulty,because the house was constructed
before the zoning code and as a consequence all the property owners did was
develop the property without conditions.
F. The granting of this variance is in harmony with the general purposes and intent
of this Ordinance and will not be injurious to the neighborhood or otherwise
detrimental to the public welfare.
G. The variance is the minimum necessary to alleviate the difficulty detailed in the
application yet also preserves and protects the character of the neighborhood and
the health, safety and welfare of the community.
H. The strict application of the Zoning Ordinance and the Town Code would
deprive the applicants of the reasonable use of the land/or building, and the
variance granted by this Board will enable such reasonable use.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the subject application be and the same is GRANTED, subject to the following
conditions:
1. This variance authorizes the construction as shown on the plans presented and no other.
2. The applicant shall obtain a building permit within six (6) months of the filing of this
Resolution.
3. The building permit shall be void if construction is not started within six(6) months and
completed within two (2) years of the date of said permit.
4. Construction shall be in substantial compliance with the plans submitted in connection
with this application.
Zoning Board
June 23, 1999
Page 6
This decision shall be filed with the Town Clerk as provided in Section 267-a(2) of the Town Law.
Mr. Gunther reiterated that application#4,case 2357 was adjourned to the August Zoning Board meeting,
as requested.
APPLICATION NO. 4 - CASE 2357
Appeal of Byron Place Associates/Hoffmann of a determination of the Building Inspector that the current
use of the premises located at 10 Byron Place and known on the Tax Assessment Map of the Town of
Mamaroneck as Block 132 Lot 410 is not a legal non-conforming use, or in the alternative, an application
for a use variance to permit light industrial use in an R-7.5 Zone District.
The Secretary read the next application as follows:
APPLICATION NO. 5 - CASE 2358
Application of Deborah and Bill Walters requesting a variance to construct a 21/2 story rear addition and
front entrance vestibule and porch. The 2' story rear addition as proposed has a side yard of 6.4 ft.
where 10.0 ft. is required pursuant to Section 240-38B(2)(a); a total side yard of 14.5 ft. where 20.0 ft.
is required pursuant to Section 240-38B(2)(b); the front vestibule and porch as proposed has a side yard
of 6.4 ft. where 10.0 ft. is required pursuant to Section 240-38B(2)(a); a front yard setback of 20.0 ft.
where 30.0 ft. is required pursuant to Section 240-38B(1); and further, the rear front and rear addition
increase the extent by which the building is nonconforming pursuant to Section 240-69 for a residence in
an R-7.5 Zone District on the premises located at 197 Murray Avenue and known on the Tax Assessment
Map of the Town of Mamaroneck as Block 113 Lot 318.
After a lengthy discussion as transcribed by the public stenographer and attached, on a motion made by
Mr. Gunther, seconded by Mr. Winick, it was unanimously
RESOLVED, that the Public Hearing of case #2358 be, and hereby is, adjourned to the July
21,1999 Zoning Board meeting.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
On a motion made by Mr. Gunther, seconded by Ms. Martin, the Minutes of April 28, 1999 were
unanimously approved, 4-0.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of this Board will be held on July 21, 1999.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion of made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
Margueri oma, Recording Secretary
i
x
PUBLIC MEETING OF THE ZONING BOARD
OF THE TOWN OF MAMARONECK
x
Mamaroneck Town Center
740 Boston Post Road
Mamaroneck , New York 10543
June 23 , 1999
7 : 45 p . m .
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49 0
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TERRANOVA, KAZAZES & ASSOCIATES , LTD .
Michele Nieto , Reporter
49 Eighth Street
New Rochelle , New York 10801
( 914 ) 576 - 7431
py
2
1 APPEARANCES :
2
3
4
5 THOMAS E . GUNTHER , Chairman
6 PAUL A . WINICK , Board Member
MR . A . WEXLER , Board Member
7 JILLIAN A . MARTIN, Board Member
MR . J . RENE SIMON, Board Member
8 (ABSENT)
9 RONALD CARPANETO , Consulting Engineer
JUDY GALLENT , Town Attorney
10 MARGUERITE ROMA, Recording Secretary
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12
13
14
15
16
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18
19
20
21
22
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24
25
Proceedings
3
•
1 MR . GUNTHER : I call the
2 meeting to order . I ' m sorry about
3 the slight delay, the high school
4 graduation is going on and I had
5 some difficulty finding a place to
6 park .
7 I would like to start the
8 meeting by noting one of our Board
9 Members , Mr . Simone , is ill and as a
10 result we will only have four out
11 the five Board Members present .
12 We ' ll be happy to hear your case
• 13 this evening , however , for an action
14 to take effect you will need three
15 members voting in favor of a
16 resolution . If you decide that
17 you ' d like it held over until the
18 next meeting when the full Board is
19 expected to be here , just let us
20 know and we ' ll be happy to do that .
21 If anyone is here for
22 Application Number 4 , Case 2357 , the
23 Appeal of Byron Place , the attorneys
24 for this matter have requested that
25 it be held over until the August
Proceedings
4
1 meeting . Is there anyone here for
2 that application? No , okay .
3 Then we will move forward
4 with Application Number 1 , Case
5 2352 , which was adjourned from
6 several prior meetings . Please read
7 the application .
8 MS . ROMA : Application of
9 Eugene Pressman requesting a
10 variance to legalize an existing
11 pillar . The pillar as constructed ,
12 has a height of 7 feet 3 . 5 inches ,
13 where 6 feet is permitted pursuant
14 to Section 240 - 52B for a pillar in
15 an R- 50 Zone District for the
16 premises located at 209 Hommocks
17 Road and known on the Tax Assessment
18 Map of the Town of Mamaroneck as
19 Block 417 lot 107 .
20 MR . GUNTHER : Is the
21 applicant present ?
22 MR . AMODIO : Yes , Michael
23 Amodio for the Pressman family . I
24 believe we have submitted to the
25 Board a letter dated last November
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5
1 1998 . Did every Member of the Board
2 get that letter?
3 MR . GUNTHER : November?
4 MR . AMODIO : The letter , the
5 copy of the letter dated November
6 24th .
7 MR . GUNTHER : I have a letter
8 from Pirro from December 3rd , 1998 .
9 MR . AMODIO : That ' s probably
10 it . Basically it sets forth in that
11 letter our application and sets
12 forth our interpretation of the
13 reasons why the application should
14 be granted .
15 MR . GUNTHER : The three
16 pages ?
17 MR . AMODIO : Yes .
18 MR . GUNTHER : I don ' t know
19 that it ' s necessary for you to
20 review the letter again the Board is
21 well aware of it .
22 MR . AMODIO : That ' s fine ,
. 23 then I won ' t .
24 MR . GUNTHER : I guess your
25 here to answer any questions if
Proceedings
• 6
1 there are any .
2 MR . AMODIO : Yes , such that I
3 can .
4 MR . GUNTHER : Are there any
5 questions from the Board Members on
6 this application? No , okay .
7 Are there any questions from
8 the public regarding any new
9 information , new information only?
10 I realize we ' ve discussed this
11 matter several times because it is
12 held over from several other
• 13 meetings .
14 MR . MAKER : William Maker .
15 am the attorney for the Moralias who
16 are the neighbors who live across
17 the street . The only thing that I ' d
18 like to add , because we have gone
19 over and over this again , is at the
20 last meeting the implication
21 statement was made by not Mr .
22 Amodio , Mr . Games who said that this
23 is nothing but a personal fight
24 between them . That ' s not what is
25 going on here and in an attempt to
Proceedings
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1 try - -
2 MR . GUNTHER : Mr . Maker , if I
3 might interrupt you just for a
4 second . If you have any new
5 information we would love to hear
6 it . We are not here to cover
7 material that has already been
8 covered . I ' d rather save everyone ' s
9 time .
10 MR . MAKER : Then I would like
11 to give the Board three letters
12 signed by three of the neighbors
13 within the vicinity of the property .
14 MR . GUNTHER : Thank you ,
15 would you start with the secretary .
16 Are the letters new?
17 MR . MAKER : Yes , they are .
18 MR . GUNTHER : The letters are
19 from the residents at 205 Hommocks ,
20 212 Hommocks and 220 Hommocks . They
21 read in part ; Dear Members of the
22 Board , we reside at such and such a
23 place . As a resident of Hommocks
24 Road , I am offended on the site of
25 the pillars that abut the Reserve
Proceedings
8
1 Strip , and particularly at the
2 mounds of dirt which are at the base
3 of the downhill pillar which appears
4 to extend well onto the Reserve
5 Strip in an apparent attempt to show
6 a continuous grade .
7 As I understand the facts ,
8 the pillars were constructed between
9 the September of 1995 meeting of
10 this Board whereby an oral vote , the
11 building permit to construct the
12 pillars was revoked , October 25 ,
13 1995 which the resolution revoking
14 the permit was adopted . The
15 applicant then filed an Article 78
16 proceeding against this Board which
17 ended in 1997 before the Appellate
18 Division of the Supreme Court with
19 the height of the pillars being
20 declared illegal .
21 The applicant did not respond
22 to the Court mandate until May 1998
23 when , under pressure from the Town ,
24 he lowered the pillars somewhat but
25 not to the maximum height permitted
Proceedings
9
1 by the zoning code . In particular ,
2 the lower or eastern most pillar was
3 camouflaged to mask its true height .
4 The applicant ' s solution was not to
5 reduce the pillars ' height , which
6 would be the correct and anticipated
7 remediation , but to surround the
8 pillars with mounds of dirt and
9 argue that raising the ground around
10 the pillars was the same as lowering
11 them . By a resolution , dated
12 November 4 , 1998 , this Board
13 rejected that solution with respect
14 to the easterly pillar to the
15 Reserve Strip , which stands further
16 away from Hommocks Road .
17 The Director of Buildings
18 gave the applicant additional time
19 through the early winter of 1998 - 99
20 to comply voluntarily . When
21 compliance was not forthcoming the
22 Director issued a violation on
23 January 25th , 1999 which is still
24 pending . Throughout this time all
25 that applicant needed to do was to
Proceedings
10
1 lower the higher pillar to the same
2 height as its companion pillar ,
3 which this Board found to be at a
4 correct height to achieve
5 compliance , symmetry and harmony .
6 Instead , after constructing the
7 pillars in violation , the applicant
8 asks for a variance .
9 All along the applicant has
10 flaunted the resolutions of this
11 Board, first by constructing the
12 pillar in 1995 barring the period
13 when this Board was waiting to enact
14 its formal resolution revoking the
15 building permit . Second , by piling
16 dirt , and in a most visually
17 offensive manner , around the base of
18 the pillar and arguing that raising
19 the ground around the pillar is the
20 same as lowering its height . What
21 is even more egregious is the fact
22 that this artificial mound has been
23 constructed not upon the applicant ' s
24 property, but within the Reserve
25 Strip to a distance of more than 6
Proceedings
11
1 feet from the common boundary
2 between the applicant ' s property and
3 the Reserve Strip . Not only is this
4 a trespass , but it also changes the
5 grade of the Reserve Strip .
6 To grant a variance under
7 these circumstances , in essence , is
8 to condone the applicant ' s behavior
9 and to set a dangerous precedent for
10 anyone else in our neighborhood ,
11 indeed in the entire Town , who might
12 ignore the zoning laws , construct
13 what they want and then expect the
14 Board to excuse his actions through
15 the granting of a variance .
16 I request that this
17 application be denied and that the
18 Building Department immediately
19 enforce the notice of violation ,
20 dated January 25th, 1999 , for the
21 removal or the appropriate lowering
22 of the pillar . And these letters
23 are signed Gail Hoffman , Shelley
24 Littens (ph) , and Sidney Litter (ph) .
25 They should be marked Exhibit 1 .
Proceedings
12
1 MR . MAKER : Also , I know that
2 the Board and the Director of
3 Buildings has to take certain
4 measures and I ' m sure that ' s been
5 done . I just have an array of
6 photographs taken by Mr . Moralia
7 which I ' d like to submit . One of
8 them was taken of the tape measure
9 that extends from what at one time
10 was the grade before the mounding .
11 It indicates that the pillars are 91
12 inches , which I believe makes them 7
13 feet . How does one go about getting
14 that measurement of how tall it is ?
15 MR . WEXLER : Well , what is in
16 here now is 87 and a 1/2 .
17 MR . MAKER : Okay .
18 MS . GALLENT : That ' s the
19 official measurement .
20 MR . MAKER : I understand . I
21 just wanted to say that from at
22 least that one side it comes to 91
23 inches , at least from that one side .
24 Finally, I think I need to
25 remind the Board , I suppose , that I
Proceedings
13
1 believe that the granting of a
2 variance in light of the factual
3 pattern that occurred , I won ' t go
4 into that again because we ' ve
5 covered that 100 times , I will say
6 that this could lead to a very
7 dangerous precedent . Something
8 which will come up from time to time
9 when other people might do similar
10 things and then you ' ll have to
11 explain away why it is that on this
12 particular variance it was feasible
13 to do so . For the sake of your
14 precedents you should be very
15 cautious and not grant a variance to
16 a person who caused his own problem .
17 MR . MAKER : Do you have
18 anything to say?
19 MRS . MORALIA : Peggy Moralia ,
20 210 Hommocks Road . The application
21 that you basically have been
22 listening to has been from my
23 husband over the past couple of
24 years . I want to make a note to the
25 Board , even though Mr . Pressman has
Proceedings
14
1 asked for a variance he has not
2 lived at this home since last summer
3 and it is now under contract to be
4 sold shortly , I believe for between
5 seven and eight million dollars .
6 I think that this makes a
7 difference in the variance because
8 it ' s usually for a hardship and that
9 they plan on making this their home ,
10 not leaving it to the new people
11 that are going to be purchasing the
12 home . I think that would be a
13 important thing for this Board to
14 know, and you should know that the
15 closing is supposed to be happening
16 sometime this summer . Thank you .
17 MR . GUNTHER : You ' re welcome .
18 MR . MORALIA : My name is Mr .
19 Moralia and I live at 210 Hommocks .
20 I will be brief . Just to repeat
21 what my wife said the reason we hope
22 you will turn down this request for
23 a variance is because the house is
24 being sold . You should keep the
25 violation which is now pending and
Proceedings
15
1 activate it and make them comply
2 with it . You have an opportunity as
3 a Board to make a difference in the
4 law right now .
5 On the other hand how will
6 the title be cleared if there is a
7 violation on the record? That
8 problem will be passed on to the
9 next owners . We ask that you remedy
10 that by making your decision . It is
11 a unique moment . Thank you .
12 MR . GUNTHER : Are there any
13 questions from the public on this
14 application or comments ? Any
15 questions from the Board?
16 MR . WEXLER : Do we have on
17 file any photographs showing the old
18 pier , showing both piers ?
19 MS . ROMA : These are of the
20 singular piers . These are the old
21 ones . I don ' t know if there is
22 anything else . These were submitted
23 the last time they were here .
24 MR . WEXLER : This is just one
25 pier .
Proceedings
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1 MS . MARTIN : Same one here .
2 MS . GALLENT : Do we have any
3 photographs showing both of them?
4 MR . WEXLER : What is the wall
5 that is looking at these piers on
6 the Reserve Strip? The pier that ' s
7 on the left , the one that is - - what
8 is on the other side , is there a
9 wall on the other side?
10 MR . CARPANETO : That ' s the
11 wall that goes down to the front of
12 the property .
13 MR . WEXLER : What height is
14 that wall ?
15 MR . CARPANETO : Five feet .
16 MR . WEXLER : So the pier now
17 is one foot above the wall ?
18 MR . CARPANETO : That ' s
19 correct .
20 MR . WEXLER : So in essence
21 the wall is fine it ' s the cap or the
22 pediment or the top piece of masonry
23 that ' s on this wall that is the
24 problem?
25 MR . CARPANETO : Correct .
Proceedings
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1 MR . GUNTHER : Counsel , I have
2 a question for you with regard the
3 application . Town Law 267 has the
4 Board weighing the factors for
5 granting the variance as to whether
6 the benefit to the applicant is
7 exceeding the detriment , health ,
8 safety and welfare of the community .
9 In the case where the applicant has
10 gone in the face of prior
11 resolutions in terms of requesting
12 action to be taken or action not to
13 be taken and done their own thing ,
14 do those same set of standards need
15 to be applied?
16 MS . GALLENT : Absolutely,
17 those factors and the self - created
18 hardship factor .
19 MR . GUNTHER : What is the
20 ruling on the self created hardship?
21 MS . GALLENT : What do you
22 mean?
23 MR . GUNTHER : What does it
24 require?
25 MS . GALLENT : It is relevant
Proceedings
18
1 for consideration in an area
2 variance , but not determinative .
3 You use it if you suspect a
4 self - created hardship for the area
5 variance . It ' s something that
6 you ' re entitled to take into
7 consideration , but it is not a
8 determining factor . You may find
9 that the hardship is indeed
10 self - created , but that does not
11 mean - - you may consider it .
12 MR . GUNTHER : Are there any
13 legal implications for the Reserve
14 Strip , for the owners of the Reserve
15 Strip because there was no mention
16 of the Reserve Strip other than it
17 being aggrieved by a mounding of
18 dirt against the pillar?
19 MS . GALLENT : I don ' t know if
20 this is what you mean , but if I know
21 what you ' re saying I assume that it
22 is trespass .
23 MR . WEXLER : Let me ask you a
24 question , this was determined to be
25 seven feet ?
Proceedings
19
1 MR . GUNTHER : Seven - -
2 MR . CARPANETO : Seven feet
3 and three and a half inches .
4 MR . WEXLER : And the
5 measurement was taken at the top to
6 the theoretical base of the column?
7 MS . GALLENT : It could be an
8 order to be removed .
9 MR . WEXLER : If a variance is
10 granted to let this pillar remain , a
11 condition to that variance could be
12 to remove the offensive part ,
13 correct ?
14 MS . GALLENT : The variance
15 would permit the entire pillar from
16 below the dirt so that that dirt
17 would no longer be necessary .
18 MR . WEXLER : Well , they took
19 a measurement of 91 inches and the
20 other measurement is 87 . 5 inches .
21 There is an average to that and I
22 think there is a way to relieve the
23 offensive irregularity of the
24 mounding of the earth .
25 From my point of view we can
Proceedings
20
1 get this cleared up . I think when
2 you look at these two piers as a
3 pair and one of them is on the
4 left -hand side as it adjoins the
5 existing stone wall , man-made
6 existing stone wall , at this moment
7 in time it looks right . It ' s on the
8 other side where the land stems off
9 and you cannot look at that pier as
10 being left by its lonesome .
11 I feel that the two piers are
12 at the same height and are in proper
13 relationship to that wall . The two
14 piers not the same height , I ' m
15 giving you my analysis , and
16 aesthetically I don ' t think it
17 affects the health and I don ' t think
18 it affects the welfare of the
19 environment . It ' s not a lonely
20 structure and it ' s not out of
21 character with the structures that
22 are there on that street , which are
23 reminiscent of a time that has long
24 gone past .
25 MR . GUNTHER : I will make a
Proceedings
21
1 motion that this is a Type - 2 action
2 with no further action being
3 required . Is there a second?
4 MR . WEXLER : I will second .
5 MR . GUNTHER : Would anyone
6 like to make a motion?
7 MR . WEXLER : I will make a
8 motion on the merits of application
9 case 2352 , the application of Eugene
10 Pressman requesting a variance to
11 legalize the existing pillar . The
12 pillar as constructed has a height
13 of 7 feet 3 . 5 inches where 6 feet is
14 permitted pursuant Section 240 - 52B
15 for a pillar in an R- 50 Zone
16 District on the premises located at
17 209 Hommocks Road . I move that it
18 be approved based upon the fact that
19 the benefit to the applicant out
20 ways the health , detriment and
21 safety of the neighborhood .
22 I would like to point out
23 that as a test that I feel that the
24 granting of this variance will not
25 create any undesirable change in the
Proceedings
22
1 character of the neighborhood or
2 that any detriment to the nearby
3 properties will be created . I feel
4 that there is no other way that the
5 applicant can achieve their goal
6 without the necessity of an area
7 variance .
8 MS . GALLENT : Did you already
9 pass the first factor?
10 MR . WEXLER : I felt that it
11 could not - -
12 MS . GALLENT : You didn ' t
13 discuss it and you need to .
14 MR . WEXLER : The pillars on
15 the Reserve Strip exceed the six
16 feet in height . It ' s in character
17 for the Hommocks Road area and I
18 feel that the pier , as a pair with
19 the adjoining pier , should be
20 maintained at that height and
21 reducing that one foot would be a
22 detriment to the aesthetic value of
23 that Reserve Strip .
24 Whether the applicant can
25 achieve their goals by reasonable
Proceedings
23
1 means without the necessity of an
2 area variance ; I feel in this case
3 that the applicant if he was to
4 reduce both of these piers would not
5 be in keeping with aesthetics of the
6 existing wall on the left -hand side
7 in relationship to the pier and to
8 that wall .
9 MS . GALLENT : But we ' re only
10 talking about reducing just the one
11 pier , that ' s what is at issue here .
12 MR . WEXLER : I think they
13 should be - - my point is that
14 because the piers , in this instance ,
15 are a statement of an entry, even
16 though it ' s not the primary entry to
17 the site , I feel it should be
18 symmetrical in height and reducing
19 that one pier would break that
20 symmetry and in my mind would cause
21 a detriment .
22 As to whether the variance is
23 substantial ; given the size of the
24 property they have and given the
25 size of the variance that is being
Proceedings
24
1 requested I feel that this is not a
2 substantial variance that is being
3 requested . In the scope of the
4 environment , the variance will not
5 cause an adverse physical or
6 environmental condition to the
7 neighborhood . And I feel that there
8 will be no adverse physical or
9 environmental condition of the
10 district .
11 MR . GUNTHER : Why?
12 MR . WEXLER : For the reasons
13 that I mentioned . I feel that the
14 piers - - I know that there are piers
15 on this street and in this community
16 and they are this height if not
17 larger .
18 There is , I think , some
19 self - created hardship , a bit , but I
20 don ' t think given the extent of the
21 walls that were built and how you
22 would solve that pier in relation to
23 the other pier that exists and even
24 though there is some self - created
25 hardship , I feel that it ' s the right
Proceedings
25
1 solution for that condition based
2 these piers as an entry statement .
3 I would like to make a
4 condition that the applicant remove
5 the mounding and return the Reserve
6 Strip to its natural topography in
7 that area and remove the intrusion
8 that this would create on the
9 Reserve Strip on this property and
10 restore the grade .
11 MS . GALLENT : Restore the
12 grade to what ?
13 MR . WEXLER : As best as they
14 can to within the natural grade . I
15 don ' t want 18 inches of mounding of
16 earth .
17 MR . GUNTHER : What I would
18 like to do to get this moving
19 forward is to get a sense of the
20 Board as to whether it is acceptable
21 to them and then Counsel can
22 appropriately draft the words to be
23 sure that we covered all of our
24 bases as required by 267 . I know
25 what your sense of it is .
Proceedings
26
1 MS . MARTIN : I agree that
2 aesthetically it would be preferable
3 to have the two columns at the same
4 height , however , I haven ' t
5 necessarily been persuaded by the
6 evidence of anyone in this case that
7 there was a need to put a gate or
8 fence or something here . There is
9 no evidence that such a gate or
10 fence existed or was planned which
11 in my mind would make the equal pier
12 more necessary .
13 MS GALLENT : What do you mean
14 when you say gate or fence?
15 MS . MARTIN : Between the two
16 piers and I do see that there is
17 something there . I ' m a bit troubled
18 by the self - created aspect of this
19 case and I would require that the
20 applicant reduce the height of the
21 pillar .
22 MS . GALLENT : So you would
23 deny the variance?
24 MS . MARTIN : Yes .
25 MS . GALLENT : You would not
Proceedings
27
1 vote in favor?
2 MS . MARTIN : No .
3 MR . WINICK : I ' m thinking - -
4 frankly I ' m concerned , I understand
5 what the case law tells us that the
6 fact of whether or not there has
7 been a self - created difficulty it is
8 not supposed to be determinative to
9 the factor .
10 However , I ' m inclined to look
11 at this in a different way , which is
12 if I mean to deny the resolution
13 because the sense is that there is a
14 great impact on the community or the
15 impact such as it is is wholly
16 adverse to the community . If the
17 pillars were not specifically
18 aesthetic and I guess what one has
19 to do is to go back and say if this
20 was in front of us what would we do ,
21 without the variance how much is
22 this thing over the permitted
23 height ?
24 I won ' t vote for this I think
25 it is too extreme . First of all , I
Proceedings
28
1 have to say that I would not vote
2 for this and they broke the
3 ordinance and I suppose it ' s up to
4 the Town Board what they want
5 litigate . My feeling is that there
6 is no pressing need for this because
7 it is essentially entirely an
8 aesthetic concern . Again , this is
9 extreme and I would not have
10 presented it with a wall in the
11 first place . The wall and the
12 pillar combination are not justified
13 under the ordinance and I think ,
14 Tom , I don ' t think I will go for it .
15 MR . WEXLER : Early, before
16 you were on the Board , early on this
17 case the elevations that were
18 presented to us for were for much
19 higher walls . The way you generally
20 solve the differential of grade ,
21 when you have a sloping and the
22 building of wall , is you would step
23 the wall on the other side . The
24 wall would come like this and the
25 pier makes the natural transition
Proceedings
29
1 and the wall would go down here and
2 go down here . In this instance
3 since there is no - - there isn ' t a
4 wall between these two piers and
5 it ' s a freestanding element you
6 would have probably expected on the
7 other side of that pier to step the
8 pier and step on the other side to
9 start your wall down .
10 You ' re looking at this
11 application as one lone item . This
12 was before for us for four years ,
13 which is incredible and when you see
14 the long elevation you might change
15 that attitude . I do see it in
16 context by which it ' s not some lone
17 item and he did not come to us which
18 is unfortunate . If you would have
19 seen this you might have taken a
20 different approach .
21 It ' s presented to us as a
22 single pier , but the fact is that
23 it ' s a continuation of a long wall
24 that wraps around to the main piers
25 of the house . It ' s really much more
Proceedings
30
1 than just this in it ' s visual
2 impact .
3 MR . GUNTHER : My opinion of
4 the case is while I had originally
5 started with the thought of trying
6 to find a way to get the application
7 concluded , potentially with a
8 variance , but I think in further
9 review of the case with the
10 perspective shown here and no one
11 else has ever voiced an opinion ,
12 other than the one individual across
13 the street , and the creation of and
14 the discussion of the self - created
15 difficulty I think sort of turns the
16 corner as well towards wanting to
17 deny the application . So in that
18 light I would vote against it and I
19 think we ' ll make an alternative
20 application , alternative resolution
21 to deny the application .
22 Do we need similar findings ?
23 MS . GALLENT : Absolutely .
24 MR . GUNTHER : Can I borrow
25 your cheat sheet . The standards are
Proceedings
31
1 the benefit to the applicant versus
2 the detriment to the health , safety
3 and welfare - - Counselor , does it
4 matter if the applicant , if it is
5 determined that he was selling the
6 property does that have any bearing
7 on the application?
8 MS . GALLENT : The variance
9 has to do with the language and not
10 the identity of the owner .
11 MR . GUNTHER : Which is the
12 undesirable change in the character
13 of the neighborhood or detriment to
14 the community , while I don ' t believe
15 that there will be a detriment to
16 the nearby neighbors , there is a
17 detriment specifically noted in a
18 Reserve Strip which is owned by the
19 surrounding neighbors and shared by
20 the resident of the Hommocks Road
21 area as noted in Exhibit 1 presented
22 by three different neighbors .
23 Second , can the applicant
24 achieve their goals without
25 reasonable hardship ; that is a
Proceedings
32
1 definite yes by merely reducing the
2 size of the pier which was
3 originally requested .
4 Whether the variance is
5 substantial ; one might conclude it
6 is substantial when compared to what
7 is specifically required .
8 MS . GALLENT : Can I just
9 interject , the case law on that
10 factor as to whether it is
11 substantial is purely mathematical ,
12 whether it ' s 50 percent , whether
13 it ' s 100 percent . That is what the
14 Court needs . It is done as a
15 qualitative one . When the Court
16 says look at the impact it means if
17 the impact is great than it ' s
18 substantial .
19 MR . GUNTHER : The impact is
20 moderate .
21 MS . GALLENT : Then it ' s
22 moderate . It seems tied into the
23 fact that it ' s not qualitative as
24 opposed to the quantitative
25 judgment .
Proceedings
33
1 MR . GUNTHER : Must all of the
2 five factors be totally conclusive?
3 MS . GALLENT : No . They all
4 should be in the end more heavily in
5 the favor one way or the other .
6 MR . GUNTHER : For instance ,
7 you could say it is not substantial
8 and still have the variance .
9 MS . GALLENT : Yes , you could
10 because it ' s a totality sort of
11 approach .
12 MR . GUNTHER : Maybe when it
13 comes down to the drafting of the
14 actual resolution in terms of the
15 findings you could do the
16 appropriate wording to get the point
17 across that because of the totality
18 of the sizes of the nearby
19 properties it may not be a
20 substantial element since the
21 properties are large . However , by
22 the location and impact into the
23 Reserve Strip it is moderately
24 substantial .
25 Whether the variance will
Proceedings
34
1 have an adverse impact on the
2 physical or environmental condition
3 of the community or neighborhood or
4 district ; yes , it will have an
5 impact by its position on the
6 Reserve Strip .
7 And whether the difficulty
8 was self - created ; well , I believe
9 that it was self - created in that the
10 applicant had due notice before and
11 after as to what was required , a
12 substantial notice as to what was
13 required within the Town Zone .
14 Is there any discussion?
15 MR . WINICK : I would just
16 observe that I think that the
17 standard that Ms . Gallent has stated
18 would have substantial impact I
19 think if you measure it from where
20 Mr . Carpaneto measured it . That ' s
21 an awful lot of pillar and that ' s
22 what I say , physically it is
23 imposing compared to what is
24 permitted as of right . There is a
25 substantial physical difference
Proceedings
35
1 which will bear on the people
2 visually from the Reserve Strip .
3 Obviously, it ' s not this whole thing
4 this is just - -
5 MR . GUNTHER : It ' s a three
6 percent enlargement .
7 MR . WINICK : So I take the
8 mathematics of it .
9 MR . WEXLER : Interestingly in
10 that Reserve Strip on Hommocks Road
11 there are piers that are bigger ,
12 taller , broader and more massive
13 than that pier and more visual to
14 the general public and they are
15 there in the community and in a
16 funny way they make that community
17 because the original pillars are
18 much bigger than what we build today
19 in every aspect of the massing of
20 it .
21 MR . WINICK : But it ' s as to
22 the environmental impact , you can ' t
23 Say it ' s not out of character . It
24 doesn ' t matter what they look like .
25 We can ' t say it ' s not out of
Proceedings
36
1 character with the environment .
2 MR . GUNTHER : Any comments on
3 the resolution? Would you be in
4 favor of it ? Was the change too
5 substantial in its nature ?
6 MS . MARTIN : Yes .
7 MR . GUNTHER : Can we instruct
8 you to prepare an appropriate
9 resolution? Do you think it ' s
10 appropriate to hold off the vote
11 until then?
12 MS . GALLENT : Absolutely , you
13 have to vote on the resolution .
14 MR . GUNTHER : Application
15 Number One , case 2352 is now
16 adjourned until our next meeting .
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Proceedings 37
1 MR . GUNTHER : Application number
2 2 , case 2355 .
3 MS . ROMA: Application number 2 ,
4 case 2355 of the Gertrude Friedmann
5 Family Trust requesting a variance to
6 legalize an existing deck . The deck
7 to be legalized has a side yard of 8
8 feet where 10 feet is required
9 pursuant to Section 240-36 B ( 2 ) (a ) for
10 a residence in the R-15 Zone District
11 on the premises located at 9 Winged
12 Foot Drive, known on the Tax
13 Assessment Map of the Town of
14 Mamaroneck as Block 209, Lot 232 .
15 MR . GUNTHER : Is the applicant
16 present?
17 MR . BRYCE : I am the attorney
18 for the Trustee of the Gertrude
19 Friedmann Family Trust . The home was
20 built in 1951 , but we don ' t know when
21 the Friedmans built the deck . We only
22 came across the problem when we needed
23 the C of 0 .
24 Mary Joe Slike (ph) along with
25 Counsel submitted to you a survey and
Proceedings 38
1 if you look at the survey, you can see
2 that the deck was supposedly put in,
3 but it ' s not in the back . It ' s really
4 the only way you can put it which is
5 on the deck . There are rocks , there
6 is very little choice on how to set
7 this house on this property .
8 If you do not to permit the
9 new owners to have the deck they will
10 have to take down the deck . There are
11 few homes in the 1990 ' s that don ' t
12 have some little place to have
13 breakfast outside . This deck is only
14 11 feet by 9 feet wide, all right .
15 The problem with the variance
16 is we need 2 feet because you ' re
17 saying we need a 10-foot setback on
18 the side yard and right now there is
19 _ just an 8-foot setback . Also, behind
20 that is conservation land, beautiful
21 land . It ' s really a very small deck
22 to have breakfast on and to look at
23 the birds . To my knowledge there are
24 no neighbors there, it ' s not as if
25 they are hurting anyone, they are not
Proceedings 39
1 in the view of any neighbors or
2 anything . The deck is just there for
3 quite and peaceful enjoyment of this
4 property . So based on that issue,
5 that it ' s only 2 feet, that says they
6 will not be able to have a deck .
7 Finally, for just a little
8 sympathy, the reason the house is in
9 trust is because the surviving
10 beneficiary suffered a massive stroke
11 and lives in an apartment in
12 Mamaroneck . The cost that she would
13 have in tearing down this deck will take
14 away from the substantial amount of
15 money that the sale of this home will
16 give her in generated income for her
17 for the rest of her life . She is
18 wheelchair bound and requires a
19 _ full-time aid . So this was not done
20 with any intent of offending people .
21 The deck itself is well within
22 the scale of the house, it is a very
23 tiny deck and we really hope that you
24 would grant us the variance .
25 MR . GUNTHER : Do you have any
Proceedings 40
1 pictures?
2 MS . ROMA: No pictures were
3 submitted, I don ' t think . There are no
4 pictures in the file .
5 MR . GUNTHER : Are there any
6 questions from the Board Members? No,
7 okay . I ' ll make a motion that this is
8 a Type-2 Action under SEQRA requiring
9 no further action . Is there a second?
10 MR. WINICK: Second .
11 MR . GUNTHER : All those in
12 favor say aye .
13 THE BOARD : Aye .
14 MR . GUNTHER : Would anyone
15 care to make a motion on the merits of
16 this application?
17 MS . MARTIN : I would like to
18 move to make a motion that the case of
19 _ Application Number 2 , case 2355
20 regarding the premises located 9
21 Winged Foot Drive, based on the
22 testimony of the applicant and my
23 personal observation in viewing the
24 premises itself I would like to find
25 that the benefit -- I would like to
Proceedings 41
1 propose that the application for this
2 variance be granted on the basis that
3 the benefits to the applicant out way
4 any detriment to the health, safety
5 and welfare of the neighborhood or the
6 community . Specifically, I find that
7 there would be no undesirable change
8 in the character of the neighborhood
9 or any detriment to the nearby
10 properties .
ii Due to the unusual
12 configuration of the property, the
13 location of the house on the property
14 provides that the deck, which would
15 normally be in the back of the house,
16 is now in the side yard . Because the
17 deck has been constructed on the house
18 for an indeterminate amount of time,
19 - but for quite a period of time I feel
20 there will be no detriment to the
21 neighboring properties . In fact, the
22 adjacent property to the side yard, in
23 this case, is open land and does not
24 have any housing on it that would have
25 any detriment due to the proximity of
Proceedings 42
1 the deck . Also, it is not reasonable
2 to tear the deck down and under the
3 circumstances it ' s not a substantial
4 variance given the size of the
5 property itself and the location of
6 the house on the property .
7 There is no adverse impact on the
8 physical or environmental condition in
9 the neighborhood or district and the
10 deck has not had an adverse impact up
11 until now.
12 Although there may be a self
13 created difficulty in terms of the
14 ignorance of the applicant or the
15 predecessor in constructing this deck
16 originally, I don ' t find that the deck
17 can go anywhere else, so I would move
18 to allow the deck .
19 - MR . GUNTHER : Is there a
20 second?
21 MR . WINICK : Second .
22 MR . WEXLER : Can I ask a
23 question, this deck now is small , what
24 if the new owner in the future wants
25 to make the small deck 30 feet long,
Proceedings 4?
1 can that person do that now that we
established the side yard at 8 feet?
4 MR. WINICK: As long as it' s as of
5 right.
6 MR . WEXLER : Well , I want to
7 know that .
8 MR . CARPANETO : According to
9 our past experience the variance has
10 only been granted for as long you as
11 stay in the house .
12 MR . GUNTHER : So this is 9
13 feet by 11 feet .
14 MR . CARPANETO : Unless you
15 specify that it ends there .
16 MS . GALLENT : This issue is an
17 issue we have litigated every time
18 that it ' s come up .
19 - MR . WEXLER : I 'm just curious .
20 MS . GALLENT : The Court that
21 litigated the language of that
22 resolution does not sufficiently give
23 the holder of the variance that . Any
24 change at all to that side yard
25 requires an additional variance so we
Proceedings 44
1 have to change the language to avoid
2 that interpretation of the Court .
3 MS . MARTIN : Should we put in
4 the interpretation .
5 MR . GUNTHER : No, it ' s standard
6 in everyone, the only thing this
7 covers are the specific details in the
8 application that was presented and no
9 other .
10 MS . GALLENT : So the answer
11 is , no, they could not . They would
12 have to file another application . The
13 language now reads any construction,
14 any other construction requires a
15 variance .
16 MR . WEXLER : So there is a
17 safeguard .
18 MS . GALLENT : We thought the
19 _ other was a safeguard, the Court found
20 that it wasn ' t .
21 MR . GUNTHER : There was no
22 vote, all those in favor say aye .
23 THE BOARD : Aye .
24 MR . GUNTHER : Are you voting?
25 MS . MARTIN : It was my
Proceedings 45
1 resolution .
2 MR . GUNTHER : So .
3 MS . MARTIN : Aye .
4 MR . GUNTHER : Please read
5 Application Number 3 .
6 MS . ROMA: This is the
7 Application of Jorge and Miriam
8 Correa requesting a variance to
9 construct a second floor master
10 bedroom and bath . The second floor
11 addition as proposed has a front yard
12 of 23 . 92 feet where 30 feet is
13 required pursuant to Section
14 240-39B ( 1 ) ; a side yard of 5 . 6 feet
15 where 8 feet is required pursuant to
16 Section 240-39B ( 2 ) ( a) ; and further the
17 second addition increases the extent
18 by which the building is nonconforming
19 - pursuant to Section 240-69 for a
20 residence in an R-6 Zone District on
21 the premises located at 10 Winthrop
22 Avenue and known on the Tax Assessment
23 Map of the Town of Mamaroneck as Block
24 410, Lot 28 .
25 MR . GUNTHER : Hello . Please state
Proceedings 46
1 your name and address for the record .
2 MR . SCARLATO : John Scarlato, 57
3 Valley Terrace, Rye Brook, New York,
4 S-C-A-R-L-A-T-O .
5 MR . SCARLATO : We are bringing an
6 application for a variance because we
7 are adding a bedroom and a bath
8 because the house itself does not
9 conform in the set backs of today ' s
10 codes with the existing one-car garage
11 and family room that already exist .
12 And all we are going to do to the
13 Dutch Colonial is extend it over the
14 existing garage and family room which
15 are located at the front yard because
16 the house is actually lined up with
17 the street .
18 We are going to take the existing
19 _ house and create another dormer in
20 order to make it look like a full
21 Colonial . We feel that by doing this
22 to this house we will enhance the
23 neighborhood and make it look like the
24 other houses in the area .
25 So we are actually only looking
Proceedings 47
1 for a variance for an ear of the lot,
2 we are not changing the size of the
3 house or anything . The house is
4 actually small for the size of the
5 lot . When the house was built in the
6 1920 ' s they built houses closer to the
7 road and closer to the set backs then
8 it would be today . So we ' re already
9 nonconforming . We are only here
10 because the house basically is not in
11 the right position as if it would have
12 been built today . So that ' s basically
13 why we are here tonight .
14 MR . GUNTHER : Where did you just
15 say the house is?
16 MR . SCARLATO : As of today, in the
17 front yard or the side yard because
18 it ' s too close to the road . Even
19 _ though the house does not conform to
20 the lot the footprint will not be any
21 different than the house is now. We
22 are just basically going over the
23 envelope, we are not changing
24 anything, there will be no change,
25 we ' re just making the house bigger .
Proceedings 48
1 The house, as far as the area for the
2 lot, is actually undersized and even
3 with the addition we ' re not really
4 asking for a variance .
5 MR. GUNTHER: Five other houses on t h e
6 same side of the street are closer to
7 the front lot line than this house,
8 and all but two of the houses on the
9 other side of the street are closer to
10 the front lot line .
11 MR . SCARLATO : Correct, it ' s an
12 area of Town that predates zoning .
13 Does anybody have any questions?
14 MR . WINICK: There is a
15 substantial deck in the backyard if I
16 remember correctly .
17 MR . SCARLATO : That ' s as of right,
18 we are allowed to do it . The only
19 _ variance we are asking for is just to
20 align the house and make it a full
21 Colonial . We are using the same exact
22 same footprint, so we are just filling
23 in, we ' re not changing anything . We
24 don ' t need the area variance for
25 anything else, it ' s just that we are
Proceedings 49
1 to big for the lot, we are here
2 because it doesn ' t conform.
3 Therefore, we are redoing the house .
4 MR . WEXLER: There is a structure
5 in the back of the property what is
6 that?
7 MR . SCARLATO : That ' s an old
8 garage, it ' s basically a shed . I
9 guess originally it was a one car
10 garage .
11 MR . WINICK: It ' s set on the
12 property line .
13 MR . SCARLATO : I guess the
14 previous owners ahead of them had
15 added a garage and a family room and
16 just left the garage there .
17 MR . GUNTHER : Any other questions?
18 MR . WINICK: I have none .
19 _ MR . GUNTHER : Any questions from
20 the public on this application?
21 MR . GUNTHER : I ' ll make a motion
22 that this is a Type-2 action and
23 requires no further action under
24 SEQRA. Is there a second?
25 MR . WINICK: Second .
Proceedings 50
1 MR . GUNTHER : All those in favor
2 say aye .
3 THE BOARD : Aye .
4 MR . GUNTHER : Motion is carried .
5 MS . GALLENT : This application was
6 sent to the Westchester County
7 Planning Board because we are required
8 to under the State law, and the
9 Westchester County Planning Board
10 reviewed it and declined to comment .
11 MR . GUNTHER : Does anyone care to
12 make a motion on this application?
13 MR . WINICK: I ' ll make the motion
14 on Application Number 3 on case 2356 .
15 This is the application of Jorge and
16 Miriam Correa requesting a variance to
17 construct a second floor master
18 bedroom and bath .
19 _ This application should be granted
20 on the following basis; I find that
21 there would not be an undesirable
22 change to the character of the
23 neighborhood or a detriment to the
24 nearby properties . I think here that
25 the applicant is engaged in the great
Proceedings 51
1 sport of Larchmont and of Mamaroneck
2 which is the squaring off of their
3 house and adding essentially inside to
4 the existing footprint . It will
5 essentially, as per Mr . Scarlato ' s
6 statement, probably increase the
7 appeal of the house aesthetically from
8 the curb and it certainly will add
9 value and it will add to the usage of
to the house . The footprint is already
11 there and there will be no detriment
12 to the community . This way they will
13 have some more volume within the same
14 footprint, so that there will be no
15 undesirable change at all .
16 As a result of the work being
17 applied for, I do not think that the
18 applicant can achieve his goals via a
19 - reasonable alternative which does not
20 involve the necessity of an area
21 variance simply because the property
22 is not nonconforming . If you look at
23 the application and the work as a
24 whole -- what I 'm saying is I don ' t
25 think that the work could be done in
Proceedings 52
1 the back because that would cut into
2 the available deck space which is also
3 part of this project . I don ' t think,
4 given tenor of the project, that there
5 is an alternative that would not
6 require the necessity of a variance .
7 I don ' t see how this construction on
8 this property could be done anywhere
9 else without the house encroaching on
10 the lot lines .
11 From the original construction I
12 don ' t think the variance is
13 substantial . Again, for the same
14 reason it is not a substantial
15 increase in the volume of the existing
16 footprint on the house without further
17 encroaching at all into the lot
18 restrictions .
19 - MR . GUNTHER : Would you just
20 elaborate on that particular point
21 because to qualify that by merely
22 saying it is not a substantial increase in
23 volume by increasing the footprint of
24 the house is not enough . And it is a
25 substantial increase in the volume .
Proceedings 53
1 MR . WINICK: Well , this may be ,
2 but mathematically it ' s not
3 substantial .
4 MR . GUNTHER : In this case,
5 because^--
6 MR . WINICK: Simply because given
7 the architecture and given the
8 character of the neighborhood that
9 sort of increase, that value is at
10 least minimul . The house, in my view,
11 from looking at the surrounding
12 community will look more appropriate
13 than it does or at least the same .
14 This will not create any sort of
15 sufficient impact . And I would not
16 have to consider it to be a self
17 created difficulty given the
18 circumstance of this application and
19 _ simply for the --
20 MR . WEXLER: If we could entertain
21 that the property to the left of the
22 house is 20 to 25 feet away from the
23 property as opposed to the required 10
24 or 8 feet, whatever it is , to the
25 existing open space --
Proceedings 54
1 MR . WINICK: Fortunately, there is
2 a larger set back with the adjoining
3 property over here and we have no
4 adjoining property holder because, of
5 course, we would have noticed them in
6 the ordinary course of business as to
7 when this application would be heard.
8 For the same reasons that I ' ve stated
9 I would find that there is no adverse
10 impact on the physical or
11 environmental condition in the
12 neighborhood or the district .
13 This is obviously not a
14 self-created difficulty because this
15 nonconformance was from before the
16 zoning code and they brought the
17 property in that condition and it was
18 certainly nothing that they did, they
19 - did not create the difficulty . So on
20 those grounds I move to grant the
21 variance .
22 MR . WEXLER : I don ' t think that
23 before the zoning code that there was
24 a garage in the back in of this
25 driveway . This was built somewhere,
Proceedings 55
1 this was built before the garage was
attached to this house .
MR . CARPANETO : The house is old .
4 MR . WEXLER : You couldn ' t get to
that garage way? You ' re saying that
that ' s the original way of getting
into that driveway, along the side of
8 the house to the left and that the
a room above that was there before the
10 enactment of our zoning?
11 MR . CARPANETO : I would have to
12 assume so .
13 MR . WEXLER : It was between that
14 period of time when the changes were
15 done to the house before the zoning
16 enactment?
17 MR . WINICK : For for all those
18 reasons I would move that we grant the
19 _ variance for the reasons I have
20 stated .
21 MR . GUNTHER: Is there any other
22 discussion? No, okay . I ' ll second
23 the motion . All those in favor say
24 aye .
25 THE BOARD : Aye .
Proceedings 56
1 MR . GUNTHER : Application Number
2 4 , Case 2357 the appeal of Byron Place
3 Associates is adjourned to our August
4 meeting . Please read Application
5 Number 5 , Case 2358 .
6 MS . ROMA: Application of Debra
7 and Bill Walters requesting a variance
8 to construct a 2 1/2 story rear
9 addition front and entrance vestibule
10 and porch . The 2 1/2 story rear
11 addition has a side yard of 6 . 4 feet
12 where 10 feet is required pursuant to
13 Section 240-38B ( 2 ) (a) ; a total side
14 yard of 14 . 5 feet where 20 feet is
15 required pursuant to Section
16 240-38B (2 ) (b) ; the front vestibule and
17 porch as proposed has a side yard of
18 6 . 4 feet where 10 feet is required
19 _ pursuant to 240-38B ( 2 ) (a) ; a front
20 yard setback of 20 feet where 30 feet
21 is required pursuant to Section
22 240-38B ( 1 ) ; and further, the rear
23 front and rear addition increase the
24 extent by which the building is
25 nonconforming pursuant to Section
Proceedings 57
1 240-69 for a residence in an R-7 . 5
2 Zone District on the premises located
3 at 197 Murray Avenue and known on the
4 Tax Assesment Map of the Town of
5 Mamaroneck as Block 113 , Lot 318 .
6 MR . GUNTHER : Are you ready, sir?
7 MR . BRYCE : I 'm John Bryce, I 'm
8 the architect for this project,
9 B-R-Y-C-E .
10 I just want to go through what we
11 are proposing and then the owners can
12 speak about some of the reasons of the
13 things that they are asking for . Do
14 you all have copies of the plans?
15 What I would try to do is show you
16 what we ' re doing .
17 I ' d like to correct one thing on
18 the application, which we have already
19 - agreed to, which is the front entrance
20 vestibule which was originally part of
21 the application has been omitted .
22 MR . GUNTHER : That was deleted
23 from the original plan?
24 MR . BRYCE : That was shown on the
25 original application .
Proceedings 58
1 MR . GUNTHER : For clarity sake , so
2 everyone is on the same page, the
3 front addition, the front vestibule
4 and porch that was proposed is no
5 longer proposed and will not occur .
6 MS . GALLENT : So there is no front
7 yard setback?
8 MR . GUNTHER : So this application
9 we are looking as proposed is for the
10 setback in the back and the side?
11 MR . BRYCE : On the side, correct .
12 MR . WEXLER : The addition is in
13 the back too, but the variance is not,
14 it ' s for the side .
15 MR . BRYCE : That ' s correct . The
16 current house is a two-bedroom house
17 that ' s really very small . We are
18 proposing to extend the house along
19 _ the back in this zone and above the
20 family room here, which is the
21 existing family room, this is what you
22 would call the main dining room and
23 the two story portion here, in order
24 to gain a three-bedroom house with a
25 new kitchen and family room
Proceedings 59
arrangement .
MR . GUNTHER : Mr . Bryce, can I
3 just ask you to swivel that a little
bit this way so the people in the
5 public can see what you ' re planning .
r MR . BRYCE : Okay .
7 MR . GUNTHER : If anyone can ' t see
move up .
9 MR . WEXLER : Can I have you to go
1�_t back to the variance on the other
11 side .
12 MR . BRYCE : There is currently^--
12 we are adding a small portion on to
14 this area here which is part of the
15 existing kitchen .
1 ,. MR . WEXLER : So it ' s a variance on
17 both sides .
18 MR . BRYCE : So we are adding to
19 - the ground floor what will result in
20 the kitchen and a family room and a
21 living room and a dining room with a
22 powder room with a pantry and a small
23 study . On the second floor what will
24 result is three bedrooms ; in this
25 portion of the second floor will be the
Proceedings 60
1 master bedroom which is being added on the
2 second floor and a laundry room and a
3 bathroom. And this is the third floor
4 which is currently not really
5 occupied, and which we will just
6 continue calling it a game room.
7 Currently there is a very large
8 deck which extends along the kitchen
9 aligning with the existing house and
10 it extends quite deep . We will be
11 removing that deck in order to build
12 this addition . In fact, the deck is
13 quite a bit further out than the
14 addition would be . Currently from the
15 rear wall this kitchen is about 12
16 feet out the from the existing rear
17 wall, the deck is about 20 feet out in
18 terms of the appearance of the house .
19 - This is the existing house here,
20 and as you can see from the photo this
21 is a small family room, which is
22 currently where the family room exists
23 on the second floor . In a very
24 similar fashion of the existing house
25 we plan to fill out the corners on the
Proceedings 61
front side and this no longer is the
front entrance .
MR . GUNTHER : So the existing door
4 today will remain the same?
5 MR . BRYCE : Door and stoop, yes .
6 The side will certainly not be
7 extruding out fran the second floor. So that
8 on the side it will look virtually the
9 same as it looks now, with these
10 applied gables at the end here and in
11 the back .
12 This is second floor addition on
13 top with the family room that comes
14 out and this is the kitchen extension .
15 So in short, what we are proposing
16 today is a house along the lines of
17 the existing house which has an 8 foot
18 setback and we are building on top of
19 _ the existing family room to create a
20 bedroom up here and we are creating a
21 master bedroom and bath on the second
22 floor, and a new family room. I hope
23 that ' s all clear .
24 MR . GUNTHER : Would you just point
25 out on the side elevations , right and
Proceedings 62
1 left primarily, as you look at the
house on the right-hand side the
3 windows, where any new windows would
4 be?
5 MR . BRYCE : There are new high
windows in the living room which you
see here .
MR . GUNTHER : Are there windows
9 there now?
10 MR . BRYCE : In fact there is a
11 large area of glass block currently in
12 the family room, which will be removed
13 and clear story type windows will be
14 installed .
15 MR . GUNTHER : At what height?
16 MR . BRYCE : I think somewhere
17 about 5 feet, 4 1/2 feet up here .
10 MR . GUNTHER : If you were here
19 - they would be at approximately here
20 you would be able to look outside .
_'_1 MR . BRYCE : I would say that ' s
22 approximately correct .
23 MR . GUNTHER : You ' re replacing the
24 windows now with less window surface .
25 MR . BRYCE : Absolutely .
Proceedings 63
1 MR . GUNTHER : Okay, please
2 continue .
3 MR . BRYCE : These are the two new
4 family room windows here , which are
5 not existing, they are new windows in
6 the new family room where the existing
7 dining room had been which are being
8 removed on that side . We are removing
9 from the existing dining room, here,
10 those two windows where the new
11 addition is being built .
12 MR . GUNTHER : So the windows , if
13 you just move that down, those are the
14 new windows that you just pointed out
15 to me?
16 MR . BRYCE : These windows are
17 replacing this window right here and
18 these two windows , I guess you could
19 _ say, will be replacing those windows .
20 MR . GUNTHER : At least on the
21 first floor of the house, is that
22 maybe only one window towards the end
23 of the house?
24 MR . BRYCE : This is actually in
25 the vestibule which is not being done .
Proceedings 64
1 MR . GUNTHER : This is to the
2 right?
3 MR . BRYCE : That ' s correct .
4 That ' s part of the bay window in the
5 back .
6 MR . GUNTHER : And on the second
7 floor obviously that area doesn ' t
8 exist .
9 MR . BRYCE : Right, correct . So
10 that would be on the second floor
11 where we are adding two small windows
12 in the back of the master bedroom.
13 MR . GUNTHER : Okay .
14 MR. BRYCE: Which is here .
15 MR . GUNTHER : I just have a second
16 question for you and that has to do
17 with shadows . It appears from the Tax
18 Assessment Map of the Town that the house
19 _ is almost situated facing due west .
20 So hence, the shadows would only be
21 created either in the front of the
22 house or the rear not to the right or
23 the left?
24 MR . WEXLER : No, the house sits^--
25 let me get my map out . This is the
Proceedings 65
1 north arrow, this is the north arrow
2 and the sun moves like this , it goes
3 from east to west .
4 MR . GUNTHER : It rises in the east
5 and sets in the west .
6 MR . WEXLER : The shadows are on
7 this neighbor, this house at 201 ; is
8 that correct?
9 MR . BRYCE : We haven ' t done a sun
10 study .
11 MR . WEXLER : Your transverse
12 access of the house is north\south .
13 MR . GUNTHER : Okay, that was my
14 question . Any other questions from
15 Board Members?
16 MR . WEXLER : Have you looked at
17 any other alternatives?
18 MR . BRYCE : Well , we looked at a
19 - number of alternatives , many
20 alternatives . However, we felt that
21 on the whole this solution had the
22 least amount of impact and the least
23 degree of variance that we could have
24 and still achieve all the extras.
25 Obviously, making the rooms narrower,
Proceedings 66
1 they ' re already fairly narrow so we
2 didn ' t want to make them narrower .
3 MR . WEXLER : On the first floor or
4 the second?
5 MR . BRYCE : Both .
6 MR . WEXLER : The variance you ' re
7 asking for is basically a two-foot
8 variance on the side?
9 MR . BRYCE : Correct .
10 MR . WEXLER : You can build this as
11 of right 10 feet from the property
12 line .
13 MR . CARPANETO : 10 and 10 .
14 MR . WEXLER : So it ' s 6 feet on the
15 side?
16 MR . CARPANETO : 10 and 10 .
17 MR . WEXLER : Not 20 together?
18 MR . CARPANETO : No, anything
19 _ within the 10 feet .
20 MR . WEXLER : So the impact is 2
21 feet?
22 MR . BRYCE : That ' s correct . And
23 looking at these, which we d i d earlier o n,
24 you know, the family room is now 12 ,
25 almost 11 feet, it ' s about 11 feet 10
Proceedings 67
1 inches or so .
2 MR . WEXLER : But your kitchen is
3 14 by 13 feet, you have an island
4 here^-- what is that?
5 MR . BRYCE : A seating area .
6 MR . WEXLER : So you have about 5
7 1/2 feet here, so you could move it
8 over a little bit .
9 MR . BRYCE : On the second floor
10 it ' s a new wall .
11 MR . WEXLER : Not a new wall .
12 MR . BRYCE : We tried to look for
13 the impact . What is shown is --
14 bedroom number two on the second floor
15 is built above the existing family
16 room, above the existing garage
17 section .
18 MR . WINICK: What is the width of
19 - the bedroom, the master bedroom?
20 MR . BRYCE : Well , it ' s essentially
21 the same as -- it ' s about 11 , 11 feet .
22 MR . WEXLER : Close to it .
23 MR. GUNTHER : Any other questions?
24 No, okay . Are there any questions
25 from the public on this application?
Proceedings 68
1 MR . BRYCE : The owner would like
2 to make a statement as well .
3 MRS . WALTERS : My name is Deborah
4 Walters , I live at 197 Murray Avenue .
5 I would just like to tell you what
6 sort of hardship we would have if this
7 isn ' t granted and why it ' s so
8 important to us . We ' ve be in the
9 neighborhood, in this house, for
10 almost 10 years and we are very much a
11 part of the Larchmont community and
12 I ' m very involved in the community and
13 my husband is very involved in the
14 local sports with the kids and a
15 million other things . We vote on
16 every issue, we are just a very
17 intrinsical part of the community .
18 We have looked at other houses ,
19 _ however, moving within Larchmont is
20 not feasible because of the market .
21 We have looked at real estate and we
22 have gone and we have looked at other
23 communities , but there is just so
24 little out there right now. We are a
25 growing family of four and this house
Proceedings 69
1 is simply not big enough for a growing
2 family of four . We have had one set
3 of neighbors that has changed three
4 times already in the time that we ' ve
5 been there and we don ' t want it to be
6 a transient neighborhood, we want it
7 to be a permanent neighborhood .
8 We want to have a permanent home
9 for us and we can ' t do that if we
10 can ' t do this , and we have looked at
11 many different ways of trying to do
12 this and this is the only way that it
13 just makes sense for our family . We
14 are not doing a tremendous project, we
15 just want it be so we don ' t have to
16 move . If we did have to move we would
17 have to look in Connecticut because
18 there is just nothing right here and
19 _ our kids would have to change school
20 systems and all that, which is really
21 something we don ' t want to do at all .
22 We love this community and we want to
23 stay here .
24 Also, we do think that it ' s going
25 to be done tastefully and it ' s not
Proceedings 70
1 going to offend the integrity of the
2 neighborhood and it will upgrade the
3 value of the immediate neighborhood .
4 I think that ' s it , thank you .
5 MR . GUNTHER : You ' re welcome .
6 MRS . WALTERS : We also have a
7 couple of people here who are in
8 support of it, neighbors and friends
9 that just know us and they got the
10 notice so they' re here .
11 THE AUDIENCE : I ' d like to speak
12 on behalf of the Walters .
13 MR . GUNTHER : I ' ll call each
14 person one at a time . But the lady
15 over here had her hand up first .
16 THE AUDIENCE : My name is Rob
17 Miginty and I reside at 201 Murray
18 Avenue which is the property that is
19 - directly to the right of 197 . We are
20 directly north of it and we are the
21 property that would probably be most
22 affected by this addition .
23 And you can see the Walters are
24 proposing to -- they are adding a 2
25 1/2 story addition to this house that
Proceedings 71
1 will run pretty much the entire length
2 of the existing house all the way to
3 the back and very close to our
4 existing deck in the back of the
5 house .
6 So as Mr . Bryce explained they ' re
7 going to be going up above the den and
8 plus go up 2 1/2 stories . What is
9 going to result is a narrower lot .
10 It ' s a 50 foot lot, and what is going to
11 result for us is we will then have a 2
12 1/2 story addition looming over our
13 outdoor living space as well the
14 indoor living space . This addition,
15 I think, is going to be approximately
16 6 feet from the property line and our
17 setback isn ' t much more . So from our
18 deck and outdoor living space we --
19 _ I 'm almost able reach over and touch
20 this building .
21 Mr . Wexler pointed out that there
22 will be shade . But the addition is
23 also going to result in a tremendous
24 loss in the quality of the life that
25 we now enjoy out there . We are
Proceedings 72
1 definitely going to loose some of our
2 view and the openness of the air flow,
3 the light, the space is going to have the
4 same effect to the inside of the
5 house .
6 On that same side of the house is
7 our den which is actually a sunroom,
8 it ' s all windows so it enjoys all the
9 sun, it has a view of the backyard,
10 it has air and light which we could
11 potentially lose that in the house, as
12 well as the same for the bedrooms .
13 Just so we understand this 2 1/2 story
14 structure is going to be very close to
15 this house . The lots are 50 feet wide
16 and they ' re small houses .
17 Secondly, the addition is going to
18 make it necessary to remove a tree, either
19 - 100 or 200 years old, I don ' t know,
20 but it ' s about 100 feet tall and it
21 shades the house and it shades our
22 deck . Obviously, I think trees are
23 importan , the Town chooses to display
24 them right here, it ' s just going to
25 result in another loss for what we
Proceedings 73
1 currently enjoy .
2 MR . WINICK: Whose property is the
3 tree on?
4 MR . MINGINTY : It ' s on the
5 Walters ' property, but again the tree
6 is going to have to be removed . One
7 of the best things about this house,
8 because it ' s a small house, our house,
9 was the yard and the deck, the outdoor
10 living space which as you probably all
11 know is hard to find in this Town . So
12 this will definitely result in a
13 tremendous , tremendous loss to the quality
14 of life that we currently enjoy.
15 I ' ve lived in this community my
16 whole life, I ' ve grown up here and
17 when it came time for us to purchase a
18 house we wanted to stay in this
19 _ community . When we purchased this
20 house we expected to continue to enjoy
21 everything that is there now. But
22 it ' s completely out of character for
23 this Town to allow this monster to be
24 built on such a small piece of
25 property .
Proceedings 74
1 I don ' t know how I can stress this
2 enough, but I think 2 1/2 stories of a
3 flat walled surface looming on top of
4 our outdoor living space is going to
5 result in a tremendous , tremendous
6 loss to us . Where now we have a
7 beautiful yard we are going to be
8 looking at a building within 6 feet of
9 us , the side of a house, which is why
10 they placed the windows where they
11 did, they ' re up high becuase the
12 properties are so close .
13 Would you like to say anything?
14 MRS . MIGINTY : I guess the
15 emphasis should be when you ' re in our
16 bedroom, when your in our bedroom and
17 you look out the window there is an
18 open space and that would be a loss to
19 _ us . Like Robert said I ' ve lived in
20 this Town since 7th grade, I ' ve lived
21 here for the majority of my life,
22 except when we were in Yorktown .
23 We purposely brought this house
24 because we wanted to give our young
25 children the same gifts we were given
Proceedings 75
1 growing up . Parking here today,
2 tonight we walked that same platform
3 we did many years ago .
4 We too like the Walters love this
5 community and I totally like my
6 neighbors . This is the last place I
7 wanted to be, I 'm not looking to make
8 trouble between us , but I feel it ' s
9 not in our best interest to grant this
10 variance . The Town has these laws to
11 protect our community . There is a
12 limited amount of space there now and
13 I 'm not looking to have that be
14 different .
15 Two things that the Walters '
16 family brought up tonight that I
17 disagree with is the windows they ' re
18 thinking about putting in the dinning
19 - room right over here what currently
20 exists there, although it ' s a larger
21 window area today, but what it is is a
22 solid block of glass so there is no
23 noise coming through . And in terms of
24 two families living close together I
25 think this would lessen the privacy,
Proceedings 76
1 if that makes sense . They also
2 represented their home currently as a
3 two-bedroom house and to the best of
4 my knowledge, having visited it, it ' s
5 a three-bedroom home . And when they
6 did consider selling the home it
7 certainly wasn ' t presented as a
8 two-bedroom home, so I disagree with
9 that point .
10 And although you ' re not here to
11 think about a tree, the tree is
12 heartbreaking to me because it ' s so
13 beautiful . It ' s as high as the sky
14 and as wide and provides us with
15 beauty and coolness and shade and I
16 don ' t want to lose those qualities ,
17 but I ' m trying to focus on what is
18 important because I know your time is
19 - valuable . So thank you for your
20 time .
21 MR . MIGINTY : May I just ask one
22 more question, earlier it was stated
23 that the variance was for 2 feet when
24 it is actually for 3 feet 6 inches .
25 MR . GUNTHER : It ' s stated in there
Proceedings 77
1 what it is and that is all we will
2 consider is whatever it states .
3 MR . WEXLER: there are two side
4 variances ; there is the side that is
5 facing your house which needs the two
6 foot variance from your house . It
7 should be 10 feet, but it ' s probably
8 going to be 8 feet . You really should
9 check that .
10 THE AUDIENCE : The survey says --
11 MR . WEXLER : It ' s going to be
12 closer to the property line , what is
13 the accurate measurement on that?
14 MR . MINGINTY : It ' s not our side
15 yard with the 6 . 4 ?
16 MR . WEXLER : 6 . 4 is where they are
17 putting a small addition and windows
18 and where they need a 3 . 6 foot
19 _ variance .
20 MS . MIGINTY : We thought that
21 referred to our side .
22 MR . WEXLER: No, it doesn ' t the
23 majority of the construction --
24 THE AUDIENCE : Is the variance
25 they ' re asking for between these two
Proceedings 78
1 properties , what are they asking for?
2 MR . WEXLER : The space that exists
3 now it probably looks , it looks like 8
4 feet 1 inch and probably about,
5 probably about 16 feet between the
6 houses where 20 feet would be
7 required .
8 MR . CARPANETO : Between the two
9 houses?
10 MR . WEXLER : I 'm looking at the
11 Tax Assessment Map, it looks like it ' s
12 about the same setback .
13 You have to realize, too, for a
14 moment keep this in mind, they have as
15 of right a right to build 10 feet from
16 the property line a house 2 1/2
17 stories high . So the impact is what,
18 two feet . I don ' t think it ' s a
19 - minimal impact, but they have a right
20 to build 10 feet from the property
21 line 2 1/2 stores high . The question
22 is how do you soften the impact if it
23 was built within 10 feet or even at 10
24 feet becuase they ' re not required to
25 get a variance and that is what you
Proceedings 79
1 would have to look at .
2 MR . MINGINTY : But considering the
3 width of the property which is only
4 50 feet I think would make it --
5 MR . WEXLER : they are allowed to
6 build 10 feet from the property line
7 whatever the impact .
8 MR . MINGINTY : But again that ' s
9 right in front of -- that building
10 will be right in front of our outdoor
11 living space .
12 MR . WEXLER : We can only look at
13 this in the context of what the
14 request is .
15 MR . MINGINTY : If you would like
16 to see what I am talking about we have
17 photographs?
18 MS . MARTIN : Sure .
19 _ MRS . MINGINTY : The ones that are
20 foggy are what it is like to look out
21 of our window.
22 MR . GUNTHER : As soon as they ' re
23 marked in the record we will be happy
24 to pass them around .
25 MRS . WALTERS : Can I see those?
Proceedings 80
1 MR . GUNTHER : Are you finished?
2 MR . MINGINTY : Yeah . I just ask
3 that you, I plead with you not to
4 grant this variance . Thank you .
5 MR . GUNTHER : Is there anyone else
6 in the public who would like to speak?
7 THE AUDIENCE : Yes .
8 MR . GUNTHER : Sir, if you ' re the
9 owner I ' ll come back to you last .
10 Take notes on anything that you hear
11 and we will let someone else talk, we
12 will go around the room to see who
13 else will be affected, and who has an
14 opinion to state and then lastly I
15 will come back to you and your
16 architect . We ' ll take the lady in
17 blue next .
18 THE AUDIENCE : My name is Mary
19 _ Hargrave and we live across the street
20 from the Walters . I wanted to say
21 that we ' ve been in the neighborhood
22 for about 30 years and we know the
23 houses are small , we had to add on to
24 our house, we added a den . Our next
25 door neighbors, right next door to us
Proceedings 81
1 the Mooks (ph) last year or the year
2 before have added a second story . I
3 think they ' ve enhanced the house, so I
4 find it really difficult -- I think
5 there is an inconvenience for anybody
6 when somebody adds on to their house .
7 I know we were within our variance
8 limit, but you have a neighborhood
9 with small houses and when we added
10 our garage and we were within our
11 rights , but you can ' t do something
12 without bothering some people .
13 I understand the situation with
14 the Walters , they have growing
15 children and I have been in the house
16 and it ' s a very small house and I do
17 know that we all have to live as
18 neighbors and this neighborhood is
19 - very nice, it ' s a great neighborhood .
20 So I am very much in favor of them
21 being granted the addition . I think
22 it would enhance their house and they
23 are very nice neighbors and we would
24 hate to loose them.
25 MR . GUNTHER : What is your
Proceedings 82
1 address , please?
2 MS . HARGRAVE : 6 Colonial Avenue .
3 MR . GUNTHER : Thank you .
4 THE AUDIENCE : My name is Mark
5 Stein, I 'm a friend of the Walters
6 and a resident of the Town of
7 Mamaroneck . I 'm here because I care
8 about these people and I care about
9 this issue . These are exactly the
10 kind of people that this community
11 and this Town should be looking,
12 driving to find and keep within this
13 community . They are good neighbors ,
14 they participate in all the positive
15 ways you would want to have citizens
16 of the Town participate, they are just
17 charitable people . I hope that these
18 are the types of things that this
19 _ community is looking for as they' re
20 facing this very emotional and
21 important moment in their lives ,
22 because it ' s going to determine their
23 future .
24 I have seen them struggle with
25 this issue and it ' s been an emotional
Proceedings 83
1 one . They have looked for a way to
2 try to find a way to stay in their
3 house with a minimal amount of impact .
4 They are the last people in the world
5 to do something to affect their
6 neighbors unnecessarily and they have,
7 they felt they had found a way to stay
8 in the house with a minimal amount of
9 impact . I care about this issue
10 because to me it appears to be so
11 technical .
12 As the last speaker said we all
13 have to find ways of making our houses
14 livable and if I was doing
15 construction and asking for a variance
16 because my construction exceeded, by a
17 small amount, what the zoning called
18 for I would hate to be turned down
19 _ under those conditions . I think,
20 frankly, it ' s unfair to consider or
21 dwell on, for example, the cutting
22 down of a tree which is fully within
23 their right to cut down or to talk
24 about a 2 1/2 foot -- 2 1/2 story
25 addition when what we are talking
Proceedings 84
1 about is 2 feet as I understand it .
2 And as a citizen of this Town I don ' t
3 want to see that 2 feet will get in
4 the way of the joy and happiness of
5 this family and that they won ' t be
6 able to stay in this house .
7 This whole thing appears technical
8 to me and I don ' t think that this is
9 the message to send to the residents
10 of the Town . So I strongly urge this
11 committee to grant the variance and
12 allow these fine people to continue
13 with their plans .
14 MR . GUNTHER : Mr . Stein, what is
15 your address?
16 MR . STEIN : 25 Huegenot Drive .
17 MR . GUNTHER : Thank you . Are
18 there any other comments on this
19 _ application?
20 MR . WEXLER : You mean from the
21 public?
22 MR . GUNTHER : Do you have any
23 questions?
24 MR . WEXLER : You said any more
25 comments .
Proceedings 85
1 MR . GUNTHER : I was directing it
2 out there . Mr . Walters , you wanted to
3 say something .
4 MR . WALTERS : I am Bill Walters ,
5 her husband . I don ' t know what to say
6 when people like Mark -- Mark did a
7 great job and I thank you for that .
8 By the way, I think if you ' re familiar
9 with the area and you go to 197 Murray
to Avenue you will see that any kind of
11 changes can never ever be described as
12 towering and looming . We had a
13 conversation with our neighbors about
14 what we are doing and we love our
15 neighbors and it ' s really unfortunate
16 that we are here having this
17 discussion .
18 We did have a discussion with them
19 _ and at that time they told us they
20 could -- that they had thought about
21 the changes and they could live with
22 them. The tree did upset them. So we
23 felt like we didn ' t have any problems
24 with our neighbors .
25 We have been going over these
Proceedings 86
1 plans for a year and a half with our
2 architect because we wanted the house
3 to fit in with Murray Avenue . We went
4 over the house that we have planned
5 and all the materials that are used on
6 the street and some of the appeal of
7 the other houses . Murray Avenue is a
8 very, very noisy street, but what I
9 like best about our house is the
10 backyard . You can ' t get a backyard
11 like this unless you spend hundreds of
12 thousands of dollars or a million
13 dollars anywhere right now, but we
14 have a patch of land in the back -- we
15 are happy to have a small house with a
16 nice little piece of land in the back .
17 And we have spent the last year and a
18 half to have some kind of balance .
19 _ I live in a house with three girls
20 and we thought we could grow into this
21 house . We don ' t want a big house with
22 no backyard, and we have looked for a
23 house . We have only one bathroom and
24 we have struggled for a balance, we
25 don ' t have a bathroom upstairs and we
Proceedings 87
1 feel we have an unusable basement , we
2 don ' t have a family room and bathroom
3 upstairs . We can live with some of
4 that, but not all of that .
5 I think a lot of the proposed
6 changes that we are setting forth, if
7 you really look at some of the
8 dimensions, they are not outrageous
9 and I think if you look at that you
10 will see what I 'm talking about . What
11 we are doing in the backyard, first of
12 all , if we went so far back we would
13 ruin the view and they are wrong,
14 they ' re saying basically that we would
15 ruin their view. The backyard is just
16 as important to us as it is to them.
17 Unfortunately, because of the side
18 areas that we have that doesn ' t afford
19 _ us a lot of room. And there is, in
20 essence, a block of glass in our
21 dinning room which enforces a little
22 bit of privacy . That happens to be
23 one of the rules of living in one of
24 these houses , we have accepted the
25 fact that you loose a little bit of
Proceedings 88
1 privacy . We are very, very happy in
2 this community and we don ' t think
3 these changes are outrageous and we
4 hope you grant the variance . Thanks .
5 MR. GUNTHER : Your welcome . Yes ,
6 Ma ' am?
7 MRS . MINGINTY : If I could add
8 something . I live at 201 Murray
9 Avenue and just as Bill stated --
10 MS . ROMA: Come over here by the
11 microphone .
12 MRS . MINGINTY : As Bill stated we
13 live in very small homes . My house is
14 a crummy little house, but the
15 backyard is the best part of the house
16 and for me to be sitting next to a
17 wall is going to be a lot less
18 enjoyable . Bill also mentioned that
19 _ he has three girls in the house,
20 three growing girls , I don ' t think
21 that Debbie counts , it ' s two growing
22 girls . I just don ' t think she should
23 count as one of the growing family
24 members .
25 MRS . WALTERS : We have been saying
Proceedings 89
1 a family of four all day .
2 MR . GUNTHER : Are there any other
3 questions from the public?
4 MRS . WALTERS : Just one quick
5 thing, I 'm Debbie Walters . In terms
6 of the beauty of the backyard, just as
7 Bill said, that ' s one of the reasons
8 that we want to stay. You have a view
9 all throughout the backyard and our
10 neighbors the fact that they say they
11 will be looking at this tall looming
12 structure that ' s not accurate because
13 they still will have the beauty of the
14 entire backyard, all of the trees and
15 the lush greenery is still going to be
16 there . This is not going to change
17 the quality of the land back there ,
18 otherwise we wouldn ' t want to do this .
19 _ MR . GUNTHER : I have a question
20 for the Director of Buildings , with
21 regard to tree removal do they need
22 anything from the Town to do that?
23 MR . CARPANETO : If the lot is 20
24 feet by 20 feet square they probably
25 would not be required by the Town to
Proceedings 90
1 get a permit to remove that tree .
2 MR . GUNTHER : I ' ll repeat that
3 answer for those who didn ' t hear . I
4 was questioning the Director of
5 Buildings with regard to the removal
6 of the tree . The response was if the
7 lot is 20 by 20 square feet a permit
8 is not required to remove a tree .
9 MR . CARPANETO : Correct .
10 MR . GUNTHER : Do any of the Board
11 Members have any questions?
12 MR . WINICK : I have a question for
13 the architect, maybe you can help me
14 because I don ' t have a scale here,
15 what is the current depth of the
16 backyard and what is it going to be
17 after the the proposed addition?
18 MR . WEXLER : It ' s a big backyard .
19 _ MR . WINICK: That I got .
20 MR . BRYCE : The lot depth is 120
21 by 50 feet, there is a 30 foot
22 proposed deck which is approximately
23 41 feet from the property line . The
24 lot depth is 120 feet and there is a
25 30 foot proposed deck which is
Proceedings 91
1 approximately 41 feet from the
2 setback . Which is at least
3 approximately 80 feet .
4 MR . WINICK: From the end of the
5 proposed new construction?
6 MR . BRYCE : Approximately 79 and a
7 half .
8 THE AUDIENCE : And what is it now?
9 MR . BRYCE : From the deck?
10 MR . WEXLER : Probably about 12
11 feet more than that . The deck however
12 is approximately 10 feet less . The
13 deck is quite -- it ' s almost the
14 entire length of the house, it ' s very
15 large .
16 MR . WEXLER : You finished?
17 MR . WINICK: Um-hum.
18 MR . WEXLER : This is not very
19 - different from -- these circumstances
20 are similar from ones that we ' ve had
21 in the past a couple of times .
22 MR . GUNTHER : Several times .
23 MR . WEXLER : And we also seemed to
24 accept one case which was after the
25 fact . We seem to come up with
Proceedings 92
1 solutions that got the applicant the
2 space that they required and which
3 minimized the impact on the neighbors .
4 I think in a couple of instances this
5 is not much different than that . From
6 my point of view, again as a member of
7 the Board, the applicant has the right
8 to build 10 feet from their side yard .
9 They ' re asking for a two foot variance
10 which would be 8 feet in the side yard
11 because they are going to build a 2
12 1/2 story structure . The actual space
13 that you ' re claiming that you need is
14 from the second floor ceiling down not
15 above .
16 I think you have an opportunity to
17 get what you need spacewise and
18 restucture the addition in the sense
19 _ of the roof structure to minimze the
20 impact that will result and the
21 structure will have less of an impact
22 than that with a building 10 feet from
23 the property line 2 1/2 stores high .
24 If you want me to do this pictural
25 terms I can if you want, do you mind?
Proceedings 93
1 MR . BRYCE : Please .
2 MR . WEXLER: You ' re building out
3 the back, you have a gable that ' s on
4 the lower right-hand elevation, go to
5 your scale and stay in that plane and
6 go to the ridge beam of that gable
7 and eliminate it so that the front
8 elevation -- there are two ways you
9 can do this, eliminate this gable edge
10 in that elevation, first you can make
11 the eve line clean across , you can
12 leave it just like with a clean line
13 and make a hip, or you can express
14 the gable on the front . I mean there
15 are couple of solutions on how to do
16 it that will keep less of an impact
17 than if you build it as of right at
18 that point . I can be wrong, but I 'm
19 _ just talking from my experience and
20 the way the sun moves . Do you
21 understand what I 'm trying to say?
22 You can take what you see at 10
23 feet from the property line and they
24 can do that and you ' ll be confronted
25 with only 34 feet, 33 feet from the
Proceedings 94
1 main ridge line .
2 MR . BRYCE : That would be a 31
3 foot wall . The other way you ' re
4 confronted with a sliding back .
5 That ' s a tremendous reduction in
6 impact because when you ' re standing
7 there you ' re going to see the sky,
8 you ' re not going to see the house . It
9 allows for the same mostly, not
10 entirely, but mostly it will be the
11 same space .
12 MS . MARTIN : What gets eliminated?
13 MR . WEXLER : What is eliminated is
14 the third floor .
15 MR . GUNTHER : The less useable
16 space of the third floor .
17 MR . WEXLER : That ' s the addition
18 to the third floor that ' s there now
19 _ which is a small price to pay since
20 they say they don ' t use it .
21 It will probably cost you less to
22 construct too, by the way, in dollars .
23 You might have to relocate your
24 fireplace in the family room where it
25 sticks out right now. It doesn ' t
Proceedings 95
1 seem very difficult to do .
2 MR . WINICK: That as I understand
3 it is one alternative, 10 feet would
4 be further in and the backyard would
5 pick up two feet .
6 MR . WEXLER : I ' m looking at what
7 would be less of an impact instead of
8 a two-foot addition into the side
9 yard, with a lower heighted structure
10 than a considerably higher structure
11 if it was placed two feet further out .
12 The economies are the same and the
13 footprint doesn ' t change other than
14 the width and it ' s no closer to the
15 property line . Anything else that you
16 would build to gain space they might
17 end up not getting a variance and they
18 might go further out in the backyard .
19 _ MR . WINICK: Which presumably
20 will have a greater impact on someone
21 sitting on the deck .
22 MR . WEXLER : Potentially, it
23 depends on how it was laid out,
24 potentially .
25 MRS . WALTERS : Do you think we can
Proceedings 96
1 just speak to John just for a second?
2 MR . GUNTHER : Sure . Let ' s take a
3 five minute recess .
4 (Whereupon, a recess was taken by
5 all parties . )
6 MR . BRYCE : My clients were having
7 a little bit of trouble understanding
8 the implication of what is being
9 suggested. We have been working on
10 this for a year and a half and we have
11 worked on this a very long time and
12 they have a pretty good understanding
13 of what is now proposed . It ' s kind of
14 hard to jump ahead and see what the
15 change might potentially be .
16 It ' s clear it will take some space
17 from the third floor and while their
18 kids are still young and they are not
19 - allowed up there unsupervised .
20 MR . WEXLER : But you need to
21 enlarge the third floor in order to
22 use it and that ' s not from us that ' s
23 from the State of New York. You can
24 not use the third floor as occupiable
25 space, not useable space and not a
Proceedings 97
1 bedroom. It can be everything but a
2 habitable space, it can ' t be a den or
3 a family room or a recreation room,
4 it can be anything you want to call
5 but it can ' t be maintainable .
6 MR. WINICK: That means it can ' t
7 be heated, it can only be storage .
8 MR . WEXLER : You cannot occupy
9 that because it ' s above the
10 construction, two stories of framed
11 construction .
12 MRS . WALTERS : What about the fact
13 that this --
14 MR . WEXLER : It ' s an education
15 because not everyone would know about
16 this . You can only use it if it
17 preexists, you can ' t enlarge it .
18 MR . CARPANETO : To use .
19 _ MR . WEXLER : If you want to get a
20 variance from the State you have to
21 put up a sprinkler system, an upstairs
22 sprinkler system. Eventually the
23 State might make everyone put a
24 sprinler system in the whole house .
25 MR . WINICK: Can I ask a question
Proceedings 98
1 about what you ' re saying as an
2 alternative, just because I think --
3 my observation is that he would not
4 have presented this if he knew he
5 would be facing all of this
6 opposition . And we take all of this
7 very seriously and we understand that
8 nobody wants a delay, however, if we
9 are told to vote I ' ll vote, but I
10 really feel that I ' d like to see more
11 of what the alternatives are . It
12 sounds to me that maybe your clients
13 need to understand that also .
14 They can submit the plans the way
15 they are and we will vote on them, but
16 as an alternative, I ' d like to see Mr .
17 Wexler ' s alternative in which you
18 started changing that line that you
19 _ talked about . And if there is a way
20 so I can see how the supposed impact
21 will be lessened to the adjoining
22 property . They can certainly meet
23 some of the concerns , whether or not
24 Arthur ' s suggestions help I don ' t know
25 because this is not what I do, I don ' t
Proceedings 99
1 know if there is a feasible
2 alternative . If you want to try to do
3 that on third floor you have to
4 compromise in some manner and give
5 them back some of the use of that
6 space . I have two many right angles I
7 need --
8 MR. WEXLER : But that ' s not what
9 is in front of us . They have 2 1/2
10 stories of liveable space, but that
11 half of a story is not really
12 habitable . The two stories is not
13 what is in front of us .
14 MR . WINICK: I would have some
15 trouble voting on this matter . I
16 would rather have your responses to
17 some of the concerns here .
18 MR . WEXLER : What are they going
19 _ to do for the future devlopment?
20 MR . GUNTHER : May I make a
21 suggestion that the applicant may want
22 to accept and take an adjournment of
23 the application until our next meeting
24 and they will be the first application
25 at our next meeting and --
Proceedings 100
1 MR . BRYCE : What is the date of
2 the next meeting?
3 MR . GUNTHER : We ' ll set that in
4 just a moment, and this way you will
5 have an opportunity for you to relook
6 at your plans and the other options
7 that you have in terms of sketching
8 out other views that may soften the
9 impact of what you ' re proposing .
10 I don ' t think the Board is ready
11 to act on the application at this
12 point . I would like to take another
13 little look myself and in the meantime
14 we can ' t pass a resolution on the
15 matter based upon what we think we are
16 going to see, and we can ' t draw the
17 plans for you . You have an architect
18 and that ' s what his job is for .
19 _ MR . BRYCE : I didn ' t suggest that
20 you do that .
21 MR . GUNTHER : We did that in terms
22 of proposing something as an
23 alternative for you to consider and
24 discuss with the applicant and what
25 sometimes happens is people leave here
Proceedings 101
1 and draw things and say what do you
2 think of this . We prefer that you
3 take the time and think of all the
4 types of ways to occupy the house and
5 figure out what is appropriate or not .
6 If you want to come back with the same
7 application that ' s up to you, if you
8 want to submit an alternate
9 application that ' s another approach .
10 MR . BRYCE : It would be useful if
11 the Board would give us some guidance .
12 MR . GUNTHER : I can run through
13 the Board and ask them their sense of
14 the application so you have a sense
15 of where they stand . I ' ll start off .
16 I have heard what everyone here is
17 talking about in terms of the impact
18 within a fairly close space and having
19 _ lived through this same situation in a
20 number of other applications to this
21 Board over the years I ' ve sat here and
22 heard very similar stories and
23 looked at similar properties . I know
24 there is a way to deal with it by
25 softening the impact so everybody is
Proceedings 102
1 happy . This is not an easy task, but
2 maybe this can be cut maybe in half .
3 I think that is the only way that this
4 is going to happen .
5 I think you ' re fighting for
6 everything and I think there can be
7 some moderation in what you ' re
8 proposing . That ' s my viewpoint .
9 Maybe we ' ll start off at the other
10 end .
11 MR . WINICK: I want to make very
12 clear that I have not reached a
13 judgement about this application in
14 front of us . I really feel that I
15 need to, in light of what the
16 neighbors have said, take another look
17 at the property to really get a sense
18 of the space that ' s involved . I ' ve
19 _ seen other applications like this
20 since I ' ve been on the Board and I
21 live 8 feet from the neighbor next to
22 me, so I live these issues all the
23 time .
24 I think it would obviously be
25 better for the application that ' s in
Proceedings 103
1 front of us , but for me I would like
2 to see that thought through, I mean I
would like to see a glimmer of what
Mr . Wexler was suggesting . I think
that you should make the changes to
your application, with our
7 suggestions , that you think are
8 appropriate .
9 MS . MARTIN : It seems that if I
10 had to choose between the two I would
11 choose the second, Arthur ' s
12 suggestion . If it was something that
13 was in front of us that would be
14 preferable to me given the concerns of
15 the neighbors . It doesn ' t solve all
16 of their concerns , but it seems to
17 solve some of them. So I ' d like to
18 see if that ' s an option for you, and I
19 _ also will go back and take another
20 look and walk the property, I ' d like
21 to do that .
22 MR . BRYCE : Okay, that ' s helpful,
23 thank you .
24 MR . WEXLER : Need I say more?
25 MR . WALTERS : We are all new at
Proceedings 104
1 this game and at this point I just
2 don ' t want to leave here for a bunch
3 of reasons , but it seems to me what I
4 thought was a really good plan,
5 obviously it ' s really not because you
6 feel that we are impacting our
7 neighbors . We really thought that
8 with this two feet we would go forward
9 in planning and we hired a bunch of
10 of contractors because we thought we
11 would be able to start as of August
12 1st . We have gone to contract and we
13 have given the kitchen people money,
14 we have laid out a lot of money at
15 this point in time . We had a
16 time-table where this guy is actually
17 planning or was planning on starting
18 this project as of August 1st .
19 _ Some of this seems subjective to
20 me, however, we will sit down with
21 John and try to address some of the
22 concerns that the Board Members have .
23 My fear is because this is subjective
24 we may not be satisfying what you guys
25 are looking for .
Proceedings 105
1 MR . GUNTHER : I can understand
2 your anxiety and all I can tell you is
3 that it ' s not our position to draw
4 your plans for you, but to vote on
5 what is presented to us . And we
6 would not have approved this if you
7 had pushed us to a vote . So rather
8 than putting us and you in that
9 situation my sense of the Board is
10 that it won ' t be approved . So,
11 therefore, my suggestion to you is to
12 come up with an alternative that
13 softens the impact .
14 We just wanted to give your
15 architect an sense of what we are
16 suggesting . He ' s an architect and
17 this is what he does and he can do it
18 better than I can . And if he comes
19 _ back to us with something that softens
20 the impact of what is there I will
21 vote in favor of it, generally
22 speaking .
23 MR . WEXLER : At the next meeting
24 even if you don ' t have it quite pinned
25 down, but I think your architect is
Proceedings 106
1 going in the right direction and from
2 that point on the approval could be
3 done with conditions to the approval .
4 I don ' t think I should be -- I
5 shouldn ' t be saying this .
6 MR . GUNTHER : Then don ' t .
7 MR . WEXLER : I only talk for
8 myself .
9 MR . WINICK: There is a July
10 meeting and it ' s possible --
11 MS . MARTIN : Can we set the date?
12 MR . GUNTHER : What is the fourth
13 Wednesday of July?
14 MS . ROMA: It ' s July 28th .
15 MR . WEXLER : What about doing it
16 the third one?
17 MS . MARTIN : The 21st I won ' t be
18 here .
19 - MR . WINICK : I might be in
20 Hauppauge .
G1 MR . GUNTHER : Take a hotel room.
22 MS . MARTIN : Is it improper to
23 move it earlier in the month?
24 MR . GUNTHER : What is the
25 backlog?
Proceedings 1!-'
MR . WEXLER : How many
applications do you have for the next
meeting so far?
4 MR . CARPANETO : For the next
meeting we sent out a couple of
notices , but we haven ' t gotten
anything back .
MR . GUNTHER : Can we do this the
week of the 21st?
10 MR . WALTERS : That is a week
11 before our proposed start date .
12 MRS . WALTERS : That will be
13 Wednesday July 21st .
14 MS . MARTIN : That is the next
15 meeting .
lc MR . WINICK: It ' s a common place
17 anxiety .
18 MR. GUNTHER : Any more questions
19 - from the Board Members? No, okay .
20 Are there any more question from the
21 public?
22 MR . BRYCE : Just one more
23 technical question, by when would the
24 Board like to see the ammended plans?
25 MS . ROMA: Everything has to be in
Proceedings 108
1 a week ahead of time .
2 MR . BRYCE : So by the 14th .
3 MR . GUNTHER : Mr . Bryce started
4 this so I 'm going to ask him for his
5 permission to adjourn your
6 application over to our next meeting
7 which will be July 21st .
8 MR . BRYCE : Yes .
9 MR . GUNTHER : I ' ll make a motion
10 that Application Number 5 , case number
11 2358 be adjourned to our next meeting .
12 MR . WEXLER : Second .
13 MR . GUNTHER : All in favor say
14 aye .
15 THE BOARD : Aye .
16 MR . GUNTHER : Next on the adgenda
17 is the approval of the minutes from
18 the meeting on April 28th . Do I have
19 _ a motion to approve?
20 MS . MARTIN : So moved .
21 MR . GUNTHER: All those in favor
22 say aye .
23 THE BOARD : Aye .
24 MR . GUNTHER : The time is 10 : 10
25 the meeting is adjourned .
Proceedings 109
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