Hook Pond Lane Renovation Causes Neighbors’ Concern

The East Hampton Village Zoning Board of Appeals considered an application on July 8 for extensive variances and a wetlands permit to allow the substantial renovation of a house at 14 Hook Pond Lane, a narrow, private road that leads to the pond and services nine properties. The village is engaged in water quality remediation in the area, and the hearing drew concerns from several neighbors. 

 Greg Blatt’s plans would require variance relief for the house, which is to have a floor area of 8,892 square feet and be 32.6 feet high, where the maximum permitted height is 26 feet. He also seeks variances for patios and a septic system that would fall inside the required setback, as well as for stairs, covered porches, and roof drywells, which would fall 52 feet into the required 150-foot wetlands setback.

A utility easement makes a conforming location for the septic system difficult, William Beeton, an architect on the project, said. The system is to be split and half of it would be in a conforming location, Andy Hammer, an attorney representing Mr. Blatt, said, adding that sanitary flow would be greatly reduced. “We want to make sure it’s in the absolute best location,” Frank Newbold, the board’s chairman, said, “because we’ve all read the news about concerns about the health of Hook Pond.” 

Mr. Blatt also wants the cellar walls to extend beyond the exterior walls of the first story, which the village prohibited last year.

According to Walter Wilcoxen, one of the architects, design began before the law was changed. While a portion of the house’s east and west ends are to be razed, the foundation will remain. “Our contention,” Mr. Wilcoxen said, “is that it’s part of the existing footprint of the building. We’re improving, we think, by cutting back the closeness of the building to the pond.” 

Among neighbors who spoke was Linda James, whose family has had a house on the lane for 48 years. Noting that Hook Pond Lane is a single lane with no curbs or shoulders, she said, “I need to know what impact I can expect as a year-round resident over the projected year of heavy-duty construction.” She asked how the pond and shoreline would be protected from “extensive demolition runoff.” 

Ms. James said she and her neighbors were conscientious stewards of the land and water. “I saw none of this reflected in the application,” she said. “The project proposed is demanding on the pond’s natural resources, now and in the future. The application requesting a wide range of variances needs to be reconsidered with this goal in mind.” 

“I believe we have standard wetlands protection involved,” Mr. Wilcoxen answered. “Once it gets reviewed, if it has to be upgraded, it will be. This is just the beginning of the process.”

Because the plans call for a roof deck, the roof is considered to be flat, determining the limit on the building’s height,  Billy Hajek, the village planner, said. But Mr. Wilcoxen said the planned height of the house complied with the zoning code’s intent. “You wouldn’t know there’s a flat area on the roof. In our mind this is a gabled structure,” which under the code’s formula could be 35 feet high. 

“We’re not denying the deck,” Mr. Newbold said. “We’re just saying, can you accomplish what you want to accomplish within 27 feet?” 

Dwight Chapin, another Hook Pond Lane resident, worried about the height of the house because it is framed by his living room window, as well as its 10 bedrooms, which he said would present traffic problems.

Also speaking out was Jim Dean, a brother of former Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont, who attended with their mother, Andree Dean. “There is already a lot of noise,” he said, adding that a recent party at the property lasted until 1:30 a.m. 

Mr. Newbold asked the applicant to re-examine and try to minimize the variance requests, and Mr. Hammer said he would return with a detailed construction protocol.

“Our point has always been, there’s quite a few things we’re doing to mitigate some problems,” Mr. Wilcoxen said, including eliminating a swimming pool in the wetlands setback and removing an existing structure. “We were hoping . . . you would give us some leeway because we’re making other improvements.”

The hearing was left open and will be revisited at the board’s Aug. 12 meeting.