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Neighbors and board press applicant for narrower roof and garage relief at 84 Scotts Landing Road
Summary
At its May 21 meeting the Southampton Zoning Board heard a lengthy presentation and resident testimony on a major variance request at 84 Scotts Landing Road. The applicant requested large pyramid (sky‑plane) variances for a new two‑story house and a detached garage; board members urged design changes and mitigation and held the hearing open for further review and redesign.
The Southampton Zoning Board of Appeals heard an extended presentation and public exchange on May 21 over a proposed demolition and new two‑story residence with a detached garage at 84 Scotts Landing Road in North Sea.
Daphne Vaughn of Surfside Environmental Planning described the proposal, saying the lot is nonconforming in width and that the applicants seek pyramid variances totaling 1,787 cubic feet for the residence and 1,272 cubic feet for the detached garage, along with setback relief for the garage. Vaughn noted the property fronts on Peconic Bay, that town environment staff issued a letter of non‑jurisdiction because the work is more than 200 feet from mean high water, and that a DEC application is in process.
The applicant’s architect (John) and the homeowners said the design responds to recently updated State flood‑elevation guidance and that raising first‑floor heights increased the apparent roof encroachments. The architect said the house must meet new New York State freeboard requirements and that design elements such as dormers, gambrel roofs and a turret drive some of the pyramid calculations.
Board members flagged the scale of the requested relief and pressed for mitigation. One member questioned a projecting tower or cupola that contributes to the pyramid encroachment and called it an architectural element rather than a functional necessity. Another asked whether lowering first‑floor ceilings or flattening roof elements would reduce the requested relief. The architect said reducing interior ceiling heights would affect the building’s character but that the team is willing to explore edits.
Katie Lee Beagle, a nearby resident and the property’s owner (she stated her address on the record), told the board the structure is their main residence and that they want a garage to protect a vehicle from heavy winds. Vaughn said three adjacent neighbors provided letters of support and that the property has certificates for existing structures dating to the 1970s and 1980s; she also supplied aerials to show precedent in the greater neighborhood.
Board members repeatedly cited neighborhood precedent and the risk of setting a new standard. One board member asked the applicant to provide documented examples of nearby pyramid relief approvals that match the scale claimed in the applicant’s aerial exhibits. Another urged the applicant to submit revised drawings with reduced pyramid relief and asked the applicant to consider alternative garage roof forms to reduce encroachment.
After discussion the board voted to keep the public hearing open for further materials and redesign work and scheduled the matter for continued review on July 2, directing the applicant to return with revised plans and any additional evidence the board requested.
Next procedural step: the public hearing remains open; the board expects revised drawings and will reconvene the matter on July 2.
