Zoning Board of Appeals

CITY OF WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT Zoning Board of Appeals Planning & Development Department • City Hall • 355 Main Street • 1st Floor West Haven, Connecticut 06516 Phone 203.937.3580 • Fax 203.937.3742 CITY HALL 1896 -1967 John Clifford, Chairman Chuck Zentarsk, Alternate Ed Wise, Commissioner Rich Deleo, Alternate Brent Coscia, Commissioner open, Alternate Carol Porto, Commissioner Brian Miller, Consultant Aleshia Caple, Commissioner Catherine Conniff, Asst. City Planner Stephen Hotchkiss, Zoning Enforcement/ Inland Wetlands MEETING MINUTES FOR ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MARCH 20, 2024 The West Haven Zoning Board of Appeals held a Public Hearing and Regular meeting on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in the Harriet North Room, Second Floor, City Hall, 355 Main Street, West Haven, CT at 6:30 P.M. PRESENT: Commissioners Clifford, Porto, Deleo, Caple, ZEO Hotchkiss and Assistant City Planner Conniff. Absent were Commissioners Coscia, Wise and Zentarksi. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner Deleo made a motion to approve the meeting minutes for the Regular Meeting and Public Hearings of February 21, 2024, seconded by Commissioner Caple and passed. CONTINUATION: 47 Noble Street: A request to permit a minimum lot area per dwelling unit of 8,950sf where 24,000sf is required and a side yard variance of 5” where 15’ is required for access/egress to the second story to convert a single family to a two-family home in the One-Two-Three Family Residence (R3) zone pursuant to Article 2 Table 12.1 of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner: Patrico Palomeque/Applicant: Sandra Lopez. File # 005-24 V Chairman Clifford state there are only 4 commissioners present and one of the commissioners were not in attendance last month and has not been brought up to date by listening to the recording. Continued PUBLIC HEARING: 437-439 Washington Avenue: A request to mount solar panels which will be visible from the street to allow for maximum sun exposure in the VDO (Village District Overlay) pursuant Article 2 Section 21.5 b VI of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner: Brenda Banuelos, The Black House LLC / Applicant: James Voloshin Jr. File # 013-24 V 1 Applicant, Trinity Solar, Cheshire, CT., stated there are four solar systems attached to four different meters with minimal visibility from the street. ZEO Hotchkiss read comments from the building official into the record. Mailings were submitted to the file. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. 19 Maple Road: A request to permit side yards setbacks of 6’5” on the east side and 9’4” on the west side where 15’ is required for an existing three-story two-family dwelling pursuant to Article 2 Table 11.1 of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner: Adorno Enterprises, LLC/ Applicant: Christopher Adorno File # 014- 24 V Applicant stated he is requesting side yard setbacks for the east and wide side. On the stair side the request is for 7” and the west side is 4’. The building is more conforming to the neighborhood. There will be two units and the parking has been increased from the last application of two years ago. ZEO Hotchkiss stated the applicant has followed the city engineer’s comments about the waterflow. ZEO Hotchkiss read comments into the record from building official. Mailings have been submitted to the file. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. 34 Thomas Street: A request for side yard setbacks of 3.3’ along the Thomas Street frontage where 20’ is required to demolish the existing structure and construct a new single-family dwelling to FEMA standards in a Shoreline Design District (SDD) zone pursuant to Article 2 Table 36.1 of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner: Elrick Properties, LLC/ Applicant: Richard L. Moore, Jr. File # 0015-24 V Applicant stated the property is in disrepair and the foundation was collapsing causing the structure to cave in. A new home will be constructed, be set back and centered on the lot. Quotes have been received for remediation and the demolition will have to be done by hand. ZEO Hotchkiss read comments from the building official into the record. All mailings were submitted to the file. The property itself is an odd shape. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. Carol Devoe, 28 Thomas St., is in favor and concerned about a tree which is in front of 34 Thomas St. and the sidewalk is being compromised and on city property, Pam Leone, 38 Thomas St., is in favor. Applicant was in contact with the tree warden and he requested that it be taken down. But the arborist said it was a healthy tree and they only trimmed it. Ms. Conniff suggesting contacting the UI. 85 Ocean Avenue: A request for front yard setback of 16.8’ where 30’ is require, a side yard variance to permit 3’ on the west side and 5’ on the east side where 15’ is required to construct a 2  CITY OF WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT Zoning Board of Appeals Planning & Development Department • City Hall • 355 Main Street • 1st Floor West Haven, Connecticut 06516 Phone 203.937.3580 • Fax 203.937.3742 CITY HALL 1896 -1967 John Clifford, Chairman Chuck Zentarsk, Alternate Ed Wise, Commissioner Rich Deleo, Alternate Brent Coscia, Commissioner open, Alternate Carol Porto, Commissioner Brian Miller, Consultant Aleshia Caple, Commissioner Catherine Conniff, Asst. City Planner Stephen Hotchkiss, Zoning Enforcement/ Inland Wetlands new single-family dwelling to FEMA standards in a Single-Family Detached Residence (R2) zone pursuant to Article 2 Table 11.1 of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner: Darcy Canevari Hill/ Applicant: James F. McElroy. File # 0016-24 V Owner stated this is one of the last beach cottages on Ocean Ave. Mr. McElroy the architect stated they tried to remodel but decided it was best to take it down. The house will be elevated and create two off street parking in tandem the house. The first floor will have living area, seconded floor bedroom and third floor master suite. All around the house will be more conforming, predates the zoning and the lot is an irregular shape. Plans were shown to the neighbors who have no objection and signature were submitted to the file. Mailings were submitted to the file. ZEO Hotchkiss read comments from the building official into the record. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. Nicki Galli, 76 Ocean Ave., in favor. 17 Isadore St –#0018-24V Continued 47 Lucey Avenue: A request for a building coverage variance of 26% where 20% is the maximum, a side-yard variances to permit 6’5” on the north side and 14’on the south side where 15’ is required to construct a new 3,538sf single family dwelling with attached garage in a Single-Family Detached Residence (R2) zone pursuant to Article 2 Table 11.1 of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner/Applicant: Robert Turcotte. File # 0017-24 V Applicant stated a prior application was approved for variances. He has since found out that they need a stormwater management system. Engineers were hired and explained why the garage should be on the right side because there is higher elevation. Recommendation is that the house needs to be flipped from the original plans because of the water flow and therefore the variance is being requested for the other side. Mailings were submitted. ZEO Hotchkiss read comments from the building official into the record. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. Khaled Abu-Sitteh, 65 Lucey Ave, is in favor. Suito Gramelis, 65 Colonial Blvd, is in favor. 3 Todd Stockwell, 55 Lucey Ave, is opposed because the side yard setback is now going to be on his side of the property. Since a new foundation is going to be constructed he feels it should meet the regulation f 15’. Applicant rebutted and stated it is out of his hands because he needs to manage the water. He is not pushing the house closer because the existing foundation has been there for 50 years. The neighbor will have more privacy because there will be garage on his side rather than a three-story house with windows. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 47 Noble Street. File # 005-24 V – Continued Deliberation on Public Hearing: 437-439 Washington Avenue. File # 013-24 V Commissioner Deleo made a motion to approve File #013-24V, seconded by Commissioner Caple. Roll call was called. File #013-24V passed 4 – 0. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 19 Maple Road. File # 014-24 V Commissioner Porto made a motion to approve File #014-24V, seconded by Commissioner Caple. Roll call was called. File #014-24V passed 4 – 0. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 34 Thomas Street. File # 015-24 V Commissioner Deleo made a motion to approve File #015-24V, seconded by Commissioner Caple. Roll call was called. File #015-24V passed 4 – 0. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 85 Ocean Avenue. File # 016-24 V Commissioner Caple made a motion to approve File #016-24V, seconded by Commissioner Porto. Roll call was called. File #016-24 passed 4 – 0. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 47 Lucey Avenue. File # 017-24 V Commissioner Porto made a motion to approve File #017-24V, seconded by Commissioner Deleo. Roll call was called. File #017-24V passed 4 – 0. Staff Reports Adjournment: 7:09 p.m. Commissioner Deleo made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Caple and passed. 4