Town of Huntington Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting – May 28, 2026

The Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Huntington met on May 28, 2026, beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance and the unanimous approval of the May 7, 2026 minutes. The board held seven scheduled public hearings, acted on several applications, and addressed other business including an independent traffic expert contract and zoning interpretations.

Consent Calendar / Routine Approvals

• The board unanimously approved the minutes of the May 7, 2026 meeting.
• Public Hearing #23683 (34 Snowball Drive, Cold Spring Harbor; Brian and Kerri Kaley) was adjourned to June 4, 2026 due to a death in the family.

Public Comments & Testimony

• For most hearings, no members of the public asked to speak. At 165 Depot Road, neighboring resident Frank Farrow of 87 East 12th Street, Huntington Station, said he had no objection to the lawn mower repair business, but requested written conditions prohibiting the storage or repair of cars, trucks, or body work on the site to preserve property values and prevent a future vehicle storage lot.

Discussion Items

• #23688 – 19 Pumpkin Street, East Northport: Homeowner Michael Toppi sought accessory structure relief to legalize an existing 144-square-foot framed shed with a small overhang and changing-room wall coverings. It sat 2.5 feet from the property line instead of the required 10-foot setback. Toppi stated it remained storage-only, had no AC or plumbing, and relocation would require demolition and rebuilding. He submitted a letter of support from the adjacent neighbor at 17 Pumpkin Street.
• #23677 – 110 Kenneth Avenue, Greenlawn: Jay Kohler of TOC Architects, representing Nicholas and Dana Orefici, requested side yard relief to maintain an existing one-story addition connecting the detached garage to the dwelling. Connecting the garage made it part of the principal dwelling, raising the required side yard setback from 10 feet to 25 feet; the existing setback was 12.6 feet. Kohler argued the garage itself was not enlarged and the condition was technical rather than the result of a new encroachment.
• #23692 – 11 Sandy Hollow Road, Northport: Architect Matthew Busch, for John and Alesandra Hall, requested front, side, and rear yard relief for a proposed second-story addition and renovation with a covered porch. The proposal closely mirrored approved but unbuilt application #21388 from April 2016, with identical side and rear setbacks.
• #23639 – 24 East Carver Street, Huntington: Attorney Michael McCarthy, for D&D Properties LLC, sought to legalize a pre-1934 structure in the C1 zone as a two-family dwelling. Town code defined multiple-family dwelling as three or more units, so two-family use was not as of right. McCarthy offered two routes: a variance from the multiple-family definition, or a special use permit using R5 zone two-family design criteria, which currently requires owner-occupancy that his clients do not intend. He accepted a condition that the detached garage remain a garage. The planning board suggested the town board consider a code amendment. The board closed the hearing and reserved decision to confer with the town attorney on the proper avenue.
• #23666 – 165 Depot Road, Huntington Station: Attorney Ryan Brown of Breslin & Brown PC, for 165 Depot Road Property Corp, requested a special use permit plus parking setback and buffer/stall-size relief to legalize an existing lawn mower and snowblower service/repair business with outdoor storage on a 0.18-acre split R5/C6 parcel. The parking setback was 2.99 feet where five feet was required. The planning board recommended fencing outdoor storage, which the owner accepted. The applicant also agreed to conditions barring storage or repair of cars, trucks, and body work unless the applicant later obtains a special use permit.
• #23685 – 57 Idle Day Drive, Centerport: Attorney Ryan Brown, for the Douglas P. Esposit 2012 Revocable Trust, sought accessory structure relief to maintain a former Gold Coast-era pump house as a workshop with first-floor workshop use, second-floor storage, and fixed stairs. Earlier 2003/2004 applications to use it as a cottage were denied. The owner accepted conditions including no overnight habitation, removal of kitchen/cooking items and bathroom, and unfinished second-floor storage. A neighbor at 58 Idle Day Drive submitted a letter of support.

Other Business

• ZBA 23434 – 385 Lock Hill Road car wash: The board approved a resolution to hire VHB Engineering for an independent traffic evaluation at an initial cost of $15,000. One board member stated he would be prepared to vote no because the neighbors and applicant had already presented expert proof, but the resolution passed.
• ZBA 18412 – used car sales/limousine leasing: The board advised the applicant that a full used car sales use is prohibited and that the existing pre-existing nonconforming use cannot be expanded; the applicant must return to the board for relief.
• 20 Winter Lane accessory structures: The board considered a partial grant and partial denial. The property has 2,780 square feet of accessory structures where 1,200 square feet is permitted, including a 688-square-foot roofed patio, a 748-square-foot cabana, a 64-square-foot shed, and a pavilion over a koi pond that neighbors opposed because it was built too close to the property line, built without a permit, and negatively affected the neighbor. The board granted the variance for the patio, cabana, and shed, but denied the koi pond pavilion, requiring its removal.
• ADU 2208 – 106 East 2nd Street, Huntington Station: An accessory dwelling unit application needed no variance for unit size or parking, but the property lacks a certificate of occupancy for the residence built after 1934. The board agreed to issue a standard preliminary letter contingent on the applicant first obtaining a certificate of occupancy from the building department.

Key Outcomes

• Granted unanimously: #23688 with standard no-habitation conditions; #23677; #23692 in the R40 zone; #23666 with a negative declaration, special use permit, and no-car/truck conditions; #23685 with no-habitation, no-plumbing, no-kitchen, and no-bathroom conditions.
• Reserved decision: #23639, with the hearing closed while the board determines whether to grant a definitional variance or special use permit.
• Approved: hiring VHB for $15,000; partial grant/partial denial at 20 Winter Lane; preliminary ADU letter contingent on a certificate of occupancy.
• Next meeting: Adjourned to June 4, 2026.