Residents charge Board rushing to judgment on house project

At the same time that the Town Board is considering a resolution aimed at limiting the size of structures built on lots, it’s examining a proposal for workforce housing that could allow two connected units to be built on a lot meant for a single house.

That’s how some at Friday’s Town Board meeting characterized what they view as a direct conflict in public policy.

The discussion was initiated by Planning Board member Emory Breiner who asked how many existing houses would become nonconforming to the zoning code if the Town Board enacted a provision that would change the formula. It now limits the percent of lot coverage that can be developed without a variance in favor of a formula based on square feet of living space.

Numbers discussed at recent Town Board work sessions aren’t set in stone, but Councilwoman Mary Dudley said they’re simply an example of a possible formula.

“We don’t want to create a nightmare,” Councilman Paul Shepherd said. In the past, finances helped to control the size of houses being developed on the Island, he said. That has changed with more deep-pocketed residents moving to the Island. The discussion about proportionality came about because “people screamed” about the size of some houses being built here, he said.

That brought Greg Cranford to his feet to question how the same board that is considering limiting house sizes could be entertaining an application for a proposal to build a three-bedroom unit with an attached one-bedroom unit on a lot meant for a single-family house.

His reference was to a prefabricated unit real estate broker Janalyn Travis-Messer has proposed for a site on Route 114 at Hedges Road that potentially could be built in what is called “a floating zone” created for “workforce” housing.

The Community Housing Board vetted the proposal to determine that sufficient information was filed to enable the Town Board to review the application.

Once the Town Board has an opportunity to study the proposal, it would schedule a public hearing before it determines whether or not to issue a special permit.

Mr. Cranford and his neighbors have objected to the structure, most arguing that it would pose parking problems and expressing concerns that the three-bedroom unit could house as many as six people.

The proposed units aren’t subsidized housing, but are meant for people in the workforce whose income hits a level that enables them to rent a reasonably priced unit without any financial assistance. The rental cost is also limited based on the number of bedrooms per unit.

There seems to be “an activist mentality on the board,” Mr. Cranford said, insisting that it was “rushing these things.”

Board members refused comment, with Supervisor Jim Dougherty pointing out that the initial discussion on the workforce housing site wouldn’t take place until this week’s work session and that no decisions have been made.

APPOINTMENTS
With only a couple of weeks to go until her retirement as building permits coordinator, Mary Wilson learned Friday her successor would be Lori Beard Raymond. Ms. Raymond’s title will be building permits examiner.

Ms. Raymond, 51,  and her husband Greg moved to Shelter Island in 1997. She previously lived in upstate New York and Iowa as well as New York City.

She has extensive experience working with building departments, planning boards, architectural review boards and contractors throughout the United States and around the world. She has also worked on Shelter Island and the Hamptons and knows both Ms. Wilson, who retires at the end of June, and building inspector Bill Banks, whose retirement is effective June 17.

She’ll begin her work on June 13, enabling her to train with Ms. Wilson for a couple of weeks before Ms. Wilson’s retirement.

“I’m looking forward to using my skills in the job,” Ms. Raymond said.

Mike Scheibel, who has been chairman of the Deer & Tick Committee, has agreed to another term. His term would have expired on June 24. With the reappointment, he is slated to continue as committee chairman through June 24, 2019.

HEARINGS
Property owner Walter Richards is seeking permission for a mechanical shop that would be operated by former Shelter Island High School graduate Phil McEnroe at 22 East Thomas Street. He needs a special permit from the Town Board for the operation.

At Friday’s public hearing, Mr. Richards told the Board that Mr. McEnroe is a graduate of the HB Ward Technical Center in Riverhead and said has been maintaining Mr. Richards’ landscaping mechanical equipment for a few years.

Mr. McEnroe’s skills have been under-used, Mr. Richards said. The two men would be partners in the new business.

In response to neighbors’ concerns, Mr. Richards said there was ample room at the back of the property to park cars so they wouldn’t be on the roadway. He also promised fencing to keep people from accessing neighboring properties and said he has no plans to grow the business beyond the initial installation.

The operation would require Zoning Board of Appeals approval, Mr. Richards said. Assuming approval, it would then have to meet State Department of Motor Vehicles requirements with respect to safety and fire codes, he said.

The hearing was closed, but not put to a vote Friday.

In other actions, the Town Board:
• Postponed a decision on an application from Michael McLean of 44-46 Tuthill Drive, who wants to move an existing dock to make it easier to access his boat with grandchildren in tow. At issue for the Town Board is the ownership of the property and that needs to be resolved before approval.
It’s a question the Waterways Management Advisory Commission has raised, but not  yet resolved with Mr. McLean.
• Kept open an application from Martin and Helen O’Neill of 5 Shorewood Court for a mooring about 420 feet out from their property.
• Recessed a hearing on an application from Samuel Lawrence Davis of 18 Shorewood Road who wants to remove an existing 6- by 24-foot dock and construct a new offshore end dock with a 73-foot splash board system below. The couple proposes to reinstall a 32-inch by 30-foot floating dock and associated anchor piling in a new location; and remove and reinstall in a new location a single pile mooring pile with two 3-pile mooring dolphins in Shelter Island Sound. The WMAC hadn’t yet evaluated the application.