David Geffen’s ‘Soft Touch’ Renovation
The extensive plans proposed by David Geffen, the music and film executive who purchased 26 and 30 West End Road for $50 million from Courtney Ross last year, represent a “very sensitive, soft-touch renovation,” his representative told the East Hampton Village Zoning Board of Appeals on Friday. Nonetheless, as the properties front the ecologically distressed Georgica Pond, the board closely scrutinized the application and promised that its environmental consultant would do the same.
In addition to the two lots on which a main house, guest house, and other structures are situated, Mr. Geffen purchased two adjacent vacant lots from Ms. Ross, the founder of the Ross School, who announced in 2013 that she planned to travel the world on a private yacht.
Mr. Geffen proposes to make alterations and construct additions to the pre-existing nonconforming houses, which date to the 1920s. At 26 West End Road, he also plans to construct a swimming pool, patios, decks, and a screened porch. At the 30 West End Road parcel, he intends to replace an existing accessory building with a stone patio, fireplace, and pergola and construct a detached garage. He also proposes to upgrade an existing septic system.
The plans require a number of variances as the structures are within required wetlands and side and rear-yard setbacks. Variances are also required to allow a pre-existing cellar to remain under the screened porch — village code prohibits cellars from extending beyond the exterior wall of a building — and to permit the proposed garage to be situated in the front yard.
“What we’ve tried to do in a very defined way is mitigate in terms of what we’re asking to add,” Lenny Ackerman, an attorney representing Mr. Geffen, told the board. “We’re, in fact, removing an equivalent amount.”
The residence at 26 West End Road would be reduced by 821 square feet. Rather than removing 107 cubic yards of concrete, which Mr. Ackerman said would be “devastating environmentally,” the new swimming pool would be constructed within the footprint of the existing pool and be 230 square feet smaller. It is to be upgraded, chlorine-free, enclosed by a gate, and situated at least two feet above groundwater, he said. The upgraded sanitary system would be farther from the pond and its leaching field more than 200 feet from wetlands.
The residence at 30 West End Road would be reduced from three bedrooms to two and its sanitary system upgraded. “We’ve taken away more than we’re adding and replacing,” Mr. Ackerman said. “It’s really a very sensitive, soft-touch renovation. The applicant bought the house based on views of the water. We’re trying to maintain that.”
Frank Newbold, the board’s chairman, asked Mr. Ackerman if his client would be amenable to creating a natural buffer area. “Currently, it is pre-existing nonconforming lawn almost all the way to the wetlands,” he said.
Mr. Ackerman indicated that his client would agree. “I encouraged the client, and with the architect’s good work, we were able to mitigate in many respects without overburdening the site environmentally,” he said.
Billy Hajek, a village planner, asked the board to proceed slowly. “Everything that’s proposed is in such close proximity to the pond,” he said. He recommended that the board ask the applicant to show evidence that the existing buildings are structurally capable of accommodating the proposed renovations, and for details of the structures’ separation from groundwater. He recommended a requirement that the dwelling be fixed with roof leaders and gutters, and for evidence that their dry wells have sufficient capacity. He also asked the board to refer the application to Rob Herrmann, an environmental consultant.
The hearing was left open so that Mr. Herrmann could review the application. It is to resume on Dec. 11.
The board also announced several determinations. Howard Schultz, chief executive officer of the Starbucks Coffee Company, and his wife, Sheri Kersch Schultz, were granted a variance to install a sculpture within the side-yard setback at 14 Gracie Lane, and to permit lot coverage of 28,104 square feet where the maximum permitted under the current code is 25,567 square feet.
Billy and Kathy Rayner of 85 West End Road were granted a coastal erosion hazard area variance to allow the construction of a 525-square-foot basement that will require excavation of 21 temporary pits around its perimeter; construction of a 677-square-foot second-story addition and elevated walkway with a pergola connecting the residence to the garage/studio; the increase in height of an existing trellis from 8 to 16 feet; removal of a garden wall and construction of a new wall, and the continued existence of an enclosed frame porch, air-conditioning units, a bin, a pool equipment vault, a fish pond, slate walkways, rock walls, a grotto and pavilion, and a fountain.
Rajesh Alva’s appeal of a code enforcement officer’s interpretation that a front porch is not part of the first story of a building under which a cellar may be constructed as a matter of right was denied. His request to construct approximately 585 square feet of cellar area beyond the exterior walls of the first story of the building at 40 Cooper Lane was also denied. His request to construct three window wells within the side-yard setback was granted.
The Sikorski family was granted a variance to allow the enclosure of a veranda and the conversion of some adjacent attic space, which will increase the gross floor area of the residence at 43 Middle Lane to 539 square feet more than the maximum permitted under the zoning code.
Edwin Lee and Nancy Andrews were granted variances to alter a pre-existing garage that is within the side and rear-yard setbacks and to allow coverage in excess of the maximum permitted so that they can construct a new house at 21 McGuirk Street.
Alfred Ross of 33 Cove Hollow Farm Road and Janet Ross of 102 Apaquogue Road were granted freshwater wetlands permits to allow the removal of phragmites and other nonnative species by hand-cutting and digging to promote the re-establishment of native plant species.