East Hampton ZBA keeps multiple records open, schedules hearings and approves a transformer relocation

The East Hampton Town Zoning Board of Appeals at its July 14 meeting took several procedural steps on active applications: it left records open for multiple appeals, closed hearings on others, directed a new public hearing for a hotel modification and approved a utility‑driven transformer relocation.

Chair (speaker 1) and town counsel (speaker 6) told the board the Farrell appeal (75 Eli Brook) required additional notice after the applicant failed to post or mail required notices; the planning department will send required mailings and the board left the written record open until July 28 to allow the applicant to appear and submit missing materials. Richard Normoyle, the chief building inspector (first reference: Richard Normoyle, chief building inspector), testified the stop‑work order stems from unpermitted construction (a garage with livable space intended as an ADU) and flagged missing Board of Health and energy/HERS documentation.

The board heard an NRSP and multiple‑variance request for 248 Old Stone Highway (Peter Bickford). Lori Wiltshire (first reference: Lori Wiltshire, representing the applicant) told the board the dormer additions total 27 square feet GFA and argued the scale would not harm wetlands; planning staff (Jake Kushner, planning department) confirmed the property is a special historic landmark (David Miller House), noted nonconforming setback conditions and said the small GFA increase may not trigger a septic upgrade. After field inspection photos and Q&A, the board closed the public hearing and record for that application.

For Maram Hotel at 21 Ocean View Terrace, planning staff reported cabanas were built roughly 5 feet closer to the bluff crest than previously approved and an unlisted shed was added. Board members agreed the change and the unreviewed structure warrant a new, published public hearing rather than a modification approval — the board indicated a 4–1 vote to proceed to a public hearing.

The board unanimously approved a modification request for 325 Bluff Road (Bluff Road Associates) to change the transformer location to comply with PSEG accessibility and setback rules; planning staff noted the proposed unit is subterranean and not visually intrusive and recommended no opposition; the board recorded the vote as 5–0.

For 273 Old Montauk Highway (Kevin Gaddy) the board kept the record open until July 28 for the town engineer to respond. The board also approved draft minutes from July 7, and voted to memorialize a determination tied to a settlement for 149 Mulford Lane (Brett Lascalzo) with one member indicating she would abstain from that decision. The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m.

Board actions were largely procedural—closing or leaving records open, scheduling a public hearing for the Maram Hotel modification and approving a PSEG‑driven transformer relocation — and several items were set for further review or written resolution.