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Dering Harbor board rejects building application

REPORTER FILE PHOTO Dering Harbor trustees met February 21.
REPORTER FILE PHOTO
Dering Harbor trustees met February 21.

It was business as usual during a brief 30-minute meeting of the Village of Dering Harbor trustees on Saturday, February 21, until the board reconvened after an executive session to discuss a “possible legal matter.”

In the announcement that followed, Mayor Tim Hogue reported that the board voted unanimously to adopt the following resolution concerning a former Dunhill property building application: “… the village has received a building application and plans and has not transmitted the application or plans to the building inspector … the village has been made aware of information that the building plans submitted are fraudulent and on the advice of counsel, the building plans are to be returned to the applicant.” There was no one in the audience when the board reconvened, the mayor said, and no further discussion.

As has been reported previously, there have been problems concerning contradictory information in earlier applications and plans submitted to the building inspector — all involving a property on Dering Woods Lane, previously owned by Adam Dunhill and now represented by the One Dering Woods Lane LLC.

Asked for comment about the decision earlier this week, Mayor Hogue wrote: “The Village of Dering Harbor received notification that the application and plans that were filed with the village did not accurately represent what the applicant intended to build. The Village of Dering Harbor is therefore returning the plans and application and requesting that a proper application and set of plans indicating what is intended to be constructed be filed with the village for processing.”

Other Business
• Bank resolutions: The mayor reported that he had recently received notification from JPMorgan Chase Bank that fees for handling the village’s accounts would increase by $200 a month. Following discussion with Bridgehampton National Bank, Mr. Hogue recommended that the village move its accounts to BNB, saving $2,400 a year in fees. The trustees agreed.

• Tax cap: The board agreed to set a public hearing on Saturday, March 21 regarding a resolution that would authorize the trustees to exceed the state-mandated tax cap, if that was necessary, in adopting the village’s 2015-16 budget.

• Road run-off/dry wells project: Work has been delayed on the Dering Woods and Yoko roads due to negotiations with Cablevision on the cost of relocating some of its cables on Dering Woods Road; the weather has been another factor in the delay.

• Dock Ordinance: Mr. Hogue said that language for a new proposal governing docks was still being reviewed but reiterated that any draft would be circulated to the residents and the town in advance of any public hearing.

• Snow budget: There was some concern that snow removal due to this winter’s storms may exceed the amount budgeted, Mr. Hogue said, but the village received kudos from one resident in the audience, Karen Kelsey, for the good job in clearing the roadways.

• Village elections: Mr. Hogue announced that a legal notice had been posted in the Reporter, as required, setting the village board elections for June 16, 2015 from 12 noon to 9 p.m. in the Village Hall. The trustees approved his recommendation to appoint town resident Joseph Cunningham and village homeowners Betsy Colby and Esther Hunt as poll inspectors. Up for election to 2-year terms are the seats currently held by trustees Heather Brownlie and Richard Smith.

The next meeting of the board is scheduled for Saturday, March 21 at 10 a.m.