Shelter Island ZBA wants more complete plans
Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Doug Matz sent a message to applicants to ensure that plans they submit are complete.
Speaking at the February 10 ZBA work session, Mr. Matz said plans must show everything on the site, including generators, air conditioning units, pool equipment and, of course, the structure or structures involved in the application for lot or use variances or special permits.
What ZBA members are proposing is that when a variance is granted, the record is clear so future ZBAs have the history of what exists on each property and what conditions, if any, could affect future requests for variances.
Looking at some past approvals, reading minutes of meetings and trying to trace the history on some properties has proven challenging, Mr. Matz said.
Actions
The ZBA is poised to reject one pending application while approving two others at its February 24 meeting.
Jerrell and Justine Watts of 46 Ram Island Road have a generator on their property that was installed 30.5 feet from the front property line instead of the required 50 feet.
They argued that moving it would not only be costly, but if placed legally, would be nearer to neighbors’ houses and, therefore, more disturbing to them. .
“They should go back to the electrician and make him put it where it belongs,” ZBA member William “Pitch” Johnston III said.
There are many other places on the property where the generator could be set without need of a variance, Mr. Matz said.
John and Blair Borthwick of 71 Nostrand Parkway will get approval with some conditions for a special permit allowing them to merge two parcels, making changes to a main house and converting a second house into guest quarters that wouldn’t contain kitchen facilities.
The ZBA’s reasoning is that the changes will result in eliminating an existing nonconforming situation of the house that is to be converted to guest quarters. With restrictions to be written into the approval, any future owner of the property would be unable to add to that structure unless it was moved to another area of the property where it would fit within allowed lot lines.
As for the main house, most of the work to be done is interior and nothing will increase the footprint.
Mark and Mary Kanarvogel of 39 Stearns Point Road will get approval for changes to their pre-existing nonconforming house allowing them to raise an enclosed porch to the level of the house and make some interior changes.
