Z.B.A. Mulls Golf Bridge Pros and Cons
Representatives of the Maidstone Club continued to press the contention that constructing a wooden bridge spanning a narrow section of Hook Pond north of Dunemere Lane is essential to public safety when the East Hampton Village Zoning Board of Appeals met on Friday.
The private club seeks permits and variances to construct a 352-foot-long bridge to connect the second tee to its fairway, David Dubin, an attorney representing the club, told the board. He said the shared use of the existing stone bridge on Dunemere Lane by motor vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, golfers, and caddies is particularly unsafe in the summer. Citing traffic counts and a letter in support from East Hampton Village Police Chief Gerard Larsen, he called the proposed bridge, which would be approximately 140 feet north of Dunemere Lane, “the most logical, functional, and safest solution for a very dangerous condition.”
Drew Bennett, a consultant for the club, said the club’s plan to clear 2,490 square feet of vegetation and construct gravel paths for golf carts had been abandoned. In response to concerns about an adverse environmental impact on the pond, he said stainless steel would be used to attach the bridge’s timbers.
Widening the existing bridge, which is owned and maintained by Suffolk County, is not viable, Mr. Bennett said. “Once you begin to modify a bridge like that . . . you will likely trigger requirements to modernize the bridge,” he said. “In summary, we found it is a very complicated project” that “may have some unintended impacts.”
Constructing a bridge abutting the existing one, as some board members had suggested, was not possible, he said, as an abutment of rocks or riprap supports it. At a minimum, he said, the new bridge would have to be 17 feet north of the existing one.
Rob Herrmann, an environmental consultant to the board, said that the proposed location, over a narrow span of the pond, was “almost exactly where you would put it” if minimizing impacts on the freshwater marshland was the sole criterion. But he also told the board that the bridge’s 42 pilings would displace some wetlands and that its construction would disturb adjacent vegetation. The bridge could also prevent sunlight from reaching the vegetation beneath it, he said.
Should the board approve the project, Mr. Herrmann recommended it prohibit pressure-treated wood, from which toxins could leach into the water. “In an area like this without tidal flushing, that would be of particular concern,” he said. He also suggested the board require limited disturbance and a revegetation plan.
Some board members continued to oppose the proposal, worrying about the permanent effect on the vista and the potential impact on wildlife in and around the pond. The board received several letters both supporting and opposing the proposal, but many of the former were from members of the club. “Getting a club member who’s a golfer to write a letter and say things like, ‘The bridge will not interfere with or in any way disrupt the natural habitat of the life of Hook Pond’ is a little bit suspicious,” said Lys Marigold, the Z.B.A. vice chairwoman. She identified the author of a letter in favor of the project as “a lawyer in New York that does deals between mining companies” and “not exactly somebody who would influence me that it won’t disrupt it in any way.”
Dianne Benson, chairwoman of the Ladies Village Improvement Society’s nature trail committee, likened the area to “a zoo without cages and keepers, a botanic garden without gardeners,” and read a letter from Dell Cullum, a village resident and wildlife removal specialist.
Construction of a new bridge, he wrote, “interferes with the nesting areas of ducks, swans, herons, and more,” and “could destroy the habitat of turtles, frogs, and salamanders.” The section of the pond, Ms. Benson said, is also a favorite spawning location for carp and a habitat for muskrats. “To jeopardize what little natural habitat we have left just to serve the needs of golfers . . . seems to be almost incomprehensible,” she said. “Most every nature and environment enthusiast that I have talked to in this village feels the same.”
Christopher Minardi, a member of the board, asked for further exploration of widening the existing bridge rather than constructing a new one. “Most of us wouldn’t be here to see it,” John McGuirk, a member of the board, said, referring to how long it would take the county to act should it agree to do so. “My kids would be,” Mr. Minardi replied.
Frank Newbold, the board’s chairman, said the hearing would remain open pending receipt of more realistic renderings of the bridge, a revised site plan and details of any design modifications and a revegetation plan.
In other business at the meeting, five applications were approved. David Geffen, the film and music executive, was granted variances allowing extensive work at 199 Lily Pond Lane, including alterations to the principal residence and a cottage, expansion of a patio, construction of paved areas, alterations to decking, and installation of pool fencing and new retaining walls. Mr. Geffen also received a variance allowing the floor area in the principal residence to exceed the maximum in the village code by 790 square feet. Conditions included compliance with architectural, vegetation, construction, erosion control, and drainage plans, and submission of a survey to demonstrate that the dune topography was maintained.
The board granted variances to Michael Fisch, the chief executive of American Securities, allowing construction of retaining walls, landscape blocks, regrading, and landscaping within and south of the 25-foot setback from the 20-foot contour line of the ocean dune at 174 Further Lane. Mr. Fisch must implement a revegetation plan and cannot install irrigation or apply fertilizers or pesticides within the revegetated area.
Edward Conard, a former managing director of Bain Capital, was granted variances and a wetlands permit to remove and plant vegetation, regrade, and alter and construct retaining walls within required setbacks at 30 West End Road. Mr. Conard must comply with a buffer landscaping plan and forego the use of pesticides or fertilizers in the buffer.
The board granted Arthur Ganz of 26 Gay Lane variances allowing two air-conditioning units to remain within side and rear-yard setbacks. Lastly, a Nassau County developer called Becca Real Estate Holdings was granted a variance to allow a slate walkway to remain within the front property line at 181 Montauk Highway.