Causeway house rebuild goes to ZBA

The Zagoreos house is the only one on the First Causeway. This photo was taken in 2006, before fire damaged the house that the owner proposes to rebuild.

The future of Alexander Zagoreos’s plan to rebuild hisfire-damaged home continues to be a hotly contested topic,discussed at the Zoning Board last night. Though his application tobuild a new home on the first Ram Island causeway was heard afterReporter went to press, the following information was available inhis application at Town Hall.

Mr. Zagoreos has requested a special permit under Section 133-11of the zoning code to construct a replacement house in theUndeveloped Coastal Barrier Zone at 28 Ram Island Drive, which isalso zoned AA/Near Shore Overlay.

Whether the matter even required Zoning Board approval was asubject of debate. A letter to Matt Sherman, who represents Mr.Zagoreos, from Mary Wilson of the building department datedFebruary 1 stated, “Although the site plan submitted indicates noneed for setback variances from the zoning requirements or wetlandsapproval from the Town Board, due to the sensitivity of the siteand concerns regarding the impact new construction may have on thewetlands and Coecles Harbor, both boards wish to weigh in on theproject. The Town Board is expected to approve a wetlands permitfor demolishing the existing house at its next regular meeting.

Zoning Board review is based on a code requirement that “nostructure shall be erected nor operations conducted thereon or usemade thereof other than the use existing at the time of theadoption of this section without a special permit from theboard.

Mr. Zagoreos’s house was built in the 1960s, when there were fewrestrictions on construction in the wetlands. The building permitissued in 1962 drew fire from the Reporter and led to theresignation of the town building inspector.

The replacement house would be 120 feet at its longest point,parallel to and over 50 feet from Ram Island Drive. It isapproximately 30 feet at its widest. The highest section of theroof is 19 feet, 6 inches above its grade (6 feet, 6 inches), whichis 26 feet above sea level. Mr. Sherman said that the existing homeat its highest point is 18 feet above its grade (8 feet), also 26feet above sea level.

The interior square footage of the proposed home, he said, isapproximately 2,240 square feet. The interior square footage of theexisting split level home is a total of about 2,400 squarefeet.

The town had received 14 letters by Tuesday, which ranged fromexpressions of concern about building in “environmentally sensitivewetland areas to outright requests for a denial of the requestedpermit. Three letters suggested Mr. Zagoreos should be able torebuild to the same specifications as his previous home. There wereno letters of support.

The project has sparked debate about the future of the Island’scauseways, which has prompted the Town Board to consider amoratorium on development in the undeveloped coastal district. Ahearing for the moratorium is set for March 19, but will not affectthe Zagoreos project.

In order to view part of Mr. Zagoreos’s application, visit the”Upcoming Hearings tab on the town website,shelterislandtown.us.