Planning Board closes hearing, reserves decision on two‑lot subdivision at 98 Monroe

The Town of Babylon Planning Board closed a public hearing Jan. 27, 2025, on a minor two‑lot subdivision application by MR Property Builders LLC for the parcel at 98 Monroe Street at the northeast corner of Du Bois Avenue and Monroe Street and reserved its decision to allow further review.

The applicant’s attorney, Nicole Blanda of Bizzelle Blanda & Visconti, told the board the original parcel is an oversized Residence B lot of about 17,500 square feet and that the proposal would divide it into two lots. "No objections to any of the 23 conditions, nor are there any objections to the 13 proposed covenants," Blanda said, and she confirmed the applicant accepts the planning memo and its conditions.

Under the proposal, Lot 1 would keep the existing two‑story dwelling at 98 Monroe and comply with Residence B minimums at 10,000 square feet and about 100 feet of frontage. Lot 2 is proposed as a 75‑by‑100‑foot lot (7,500 square feet). Blanda said variances granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) include reducing Lot 2 frontage from 80 to 75 feet, lot area from 10,000 to 7,500 square feet, and a small 2‑foot rear yard variance for the proposed dwelling. For the existing dwelling, the ZBA granted a reduction of the rear yard from the 40‑foot requirement to 33.6 feet. Blanda said the ZBA hearing was held July 25 and the variances were approved Aug. 1 (dates given by the applicant).

Blanda described the proposed new home as a two‑story house with four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms and an internal garage; the cellar would remain unfinished. She said site changes already made include removal of a concrete patio and closure of a second driveway apron on Du Bois, with Belgian block curbing installed as shown on the survey. The applicant said all other setback requirements for the 75‑by‑100 lot are met.

To address neighborhood character, the applicant offered covenants that Blanda read for the record: single‑family, owner‑occupied use only; no accessory apartments; no second‑story decks; no "high ranch" style houses; no enclosure of front porches; no conversion of garage space; no side‑yard decks; no further expansion of the dwellings; no further subdivision; restriction on planting bamboo; and a maximum building height of 30 feet.

Blanda told the board the planning memo indicated "all departmental comments have been addressed." No board member questions were recorded during the hearing, and no members of the public spoke specifically in opposition to the application during the hearing.

The board took a procedural vote to close the public hearing. The chair called for a motion; Frank Santos moved to close the hearing and Dan Tukhan seconded. The chair called the question, members responded "Aye," the hearing was closed and the decision was reserved. The board left the record open for written comments and instructed interested parties to contact the planning department for follow‑up; the planning office hours were given as 9 a.m.–4 p.m. and a phone number was provided (631‑957‑3103), and comments may be submitted "by email, planning comments at town of Babylon dot com," as read into the record.

No final approval or denial of the subdivision was recorded at the Jan. 27 meeting; the board reserved its decision for later consideration after review of the record and any remaining site plan issues.

For more information or to submit written comments, the planning board said documents and plans are available for inspection at the planning office in the west wing of Town Hall during posted hours or by phone or email as provided during the hearing.