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Record of Proceedings

Town of North Salem Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing - October 9, 2025

Town Board & Boards — Thursday, October 9, 2025

BodyNorth Salem, New York

SessionTown Board & Boards

DateThursday, October 9, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 41:50

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Unassigned speaker

0:01

I just can't uh just go.

Speaker 1

0:05

There we go.

0:05

Okay.

0:07

All

Unassigned speaker

0:07

right.

Unassigned speaker

0:25

All right.

Speaker 1

0:26

So we will call this meeting of the Town of North Salem Zoning Board of Appeals to order.

0:32

Uh anyone in the uh in the meeting, please turn in your green cards to the Secretary if you have.

0:39

We'll set the next meeting date for November 13th.

0:44

And we'll start with BA 2526, which is 25 Whittier Hills LLC.

0:53

Uh at 25 Whittier Hills Drive, a special permit for the construction of an accessory apartment above an existing detached garage in an R1 zoning district consisting of approximately one acre uh per Article 13, Section 250-68.

1:10

Uh to begin, I'm gonna read into the record um letter received uh by the zoning board.

1:19

And it's uh from Brian Chipman.

1:22

Uh we don't have an address on that, but we'll assume that he's uh of standing in in within 200 feet of the property.

1:34

Okay.

1:34

Oh, I see, 20, all right, at 20 Whittier.

1:37

Um Mr.

1:38

Shipman has uh he says I have some questions that I would like to address concerning the proposed accessory apartment in a single family home at 25 Whitter Hills Road, North Salem, New York.

1:49

Uh live across the street downhill from 25 at 20 uh Whittier Hills Road.

1:56

Uh in the past few years I've seen the property listed.

1:59

At one point it was listed as having three apartments.

2:02

I understand that there is an apartment above the garage.

2:05

Uh question is that is that the accessory apartment that this hearing is about.

2:12

Uh just to answer that question, we'll determine that uh in the findings.

2:16

Um, or is there another apartment in the house?

2:18

So I see online that the house sold earlier this year and is listed as having four bedrooms.

2:23

Will this proposed apartment entail adding another bedroom to the building?

2:28

Uh most importantly, I would like to know what will be done to ensure there is sufficient capacity in the property septic system.

2:35

Um septic is is not the purview of this board, it is the purview of the um Westchester County Board of Health.

2:43

But we will uh we have comment uh from earlier today from the building inspector and uh that septic system is being addressed by both uh the North Salem Building Department and the Westchester Board of Health.

2:58

Um let's see, this is uh I don't know.

3:03

All right, septic sealed for sufficient, that's answered.

3:07

Um that's all I'm gonna read into

Speaker 2

3:14

the record on

Speaker 1

3:16

that letter.

3:17

So we will open it up uh and if the applicant can come up to the podium and give us a synopsis of their application.

Speaker 3

3:28

Hi.

3:29

Hi, good evening.

3:30

So just

Speaker 1

3:32

your name and address, please.

Speaker 3

3:33

Um Ami Taladi, and the address is 25 Whittier Hills Drive.

Speaker 1

3:38

Okay, and you the applicant?

Speaker 3

3:40

Yes.

Speaker 1

3:41

Okay.

Unassigned speaker

3:42

So

Speaker 1

3:42

you're speaking for 25 Whittier Hills LLC.

Speaker 3

3:45

Yes.

Speaker 1

3:46

Okay.

Unassigned speaker

3:47

Oh,

Speaker 3

3:47

um yes, I'm speaking for my father is not here.

Speaker 1

3:49

Oh,

Speaker 3

3:50

okay.

3:50

He took a fall and like has whole side of the face and it's two hours away, so he can't drive here.

3:55

So I'll do the best I can.

Speaker 1

3:57

Sure.

Speaker 3

3:59

Um, so there is an existing garage on the property.

4:03

Uh huh.

4:03

And we would like to use the space above the garage as an accessory apartment.

4:08

And that would just be and then the main house would I'd like to convert it to a single family home for me and my son.

Speaker 1

4:17

Right.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Zoning And Land Use█████████████████████████████████████████████68%

Procedural███████11%

Water And Wastewater Management███████10%

Technology and Innovation█████8%

Short Term Rentals█2%

Public Engagement█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Town of North Salem Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing - October 9, 2025

The Zoning Board of Appeals met in person and via Zoom at 7:00 PM on October 9, 2025. The board set its next meeting date for November 13, 2025, and held two public hearings, granting both the special permit for an accessory apartment at 25 Whittier Hills Drive and the area variances for a standby generator at 11 Lagoon Plaza.

Public Comments & Testimony

Brian Chipman (20 Whittier Hills Road) wrote and spoke about what he described as a past failing septic system and odors, and asked how septic capacity would be ensured. The board responded that septic regulation is under the Westchester County Board of Health's jurisdiction, that the building inspector confirmed Board of Health approval for the property, and that future complaints should be directed to the North Salem Building Department.
Alan Ryder (29 Whittier Hills) asked whether the previous commercial use of the garage and commercial vehicle parking would continue; the applicant answered no.
Jerry Simon, a neighbor, said he intended to believe the owner and hoped they would be good neighbors, but was concerned about a possible Airbnb-type or high-turnover rental situation and asked what safeguards the town would provide. The board stated that this is a legislative question for the Town Board and that enforcement issues should go to the Building Department.
Craig Muncho, another neighbor, asked about LLC ownership. The board said LLC ownership is not a loophole and that accessory apartments may be rented to tenants as long as an owner resides in the primary residence.
A letter from Courtney Smith expressed concern about fumes, noise, and health effects, including family members with asthma and PTSD, and stated a notice error involving 8 Cottage Lane. The board said the notice was confirmed sent and gave assurances about modern generator emissions and noise.

Discussion Items

BA25-26 – 25 Whittier Hills Drive (Special Permit): Applicant 25 Whittier Hills LLC, represented by Ami Taladi, requested a special permit for a one-bedroom accessory apartment above an existing detached garage in an R-1 district on an approximately one-acre lot. The applicant stated the main house would be occupied as a single-family residence and that no exterior changes to the garage are proposed. Building Inspector Jim provided history: the previous owners had maintained an illegal two-family use and studio over the garage; the new owners propose to return the property to a single-family residence with a one-bedroom accessory apartment. Westchester County Board of Health plans were submitted and approved for a total of three bedrooms, two in the house and one in the garage. The board also noted the accessory apartment met the code's floor-area range and parking requirements.
BA25-27 – 11 Lagoon Plaza (Area Variance): Applicant Lori Voss requested area variances to install an 18 kW standby generator with a 200-amp SER ATS on a nonconforming 0.066-acre R-1 lot. The requested variances were: rear yard of 29 ft (35 ft required; 13.3 ft existing; 6 ft proposed); building coverage of 17.5% (10% permitted; 27.2% existing; 27.5% proposed); and development coverage of 32% (25% permitted; 56.7% existing; 57% proposed). Voss stated the new generator would replace an older portable gas Briggs & Stratton unit with a quieter, lower-emission propane Generac unit, that no additional propane tanks would be needed, and that she would plant hedges on three sides for screening. The board found the applicant's need for the generator weighty, including refrigerating medications during power outages, the coverage increases minor, the lot's nonconformity pre-dated the zoning code, and the co-op had approved the generator.

Key Outcomes

Granted BA25-26, a special permit for the accessory apartment at 25 Whittier Hills Drive; the motion carried by voice vote with no audible opposition.
Granted BA25-27, the area variances for the generator at 11 Lagoon Plaza; the motion carried by voice vote with no audible opposition.
Set the next Zoning Board of Appeals meeting for November 13, 2025.

Meeting Transcript

I just can't uh just go. There we go. Okay. All right. All right. So we will call this meeting of the Town of North Salem Zoning Board of Appeals to order. Uh anyone in the uh in the meeting, please turn in your green cards to the Secretary if you have. We'll set the next meeting date for November 13th. And we'll start with BA 2526, which is 25 Whittier Hills LLC. Uh at 25 Whittier Hills Drive, a special permit for the construction of an accessory apartment above an existing detached garage in an R1 zoning district consisting of approximately one acre uh per Article 13, Section 250-68. Uh to begin, I'm gonna read into the record um letter received uh by the zoning board. And it's uh from Brian Chipman. Uh we don't have an address on that, but we'll assume that he's uh of standing in in within 200 feet of the property. Okay. Oh, I see, 20, all right, at 20 Whittier. Um Mr. Shipman has uh he says I have some questions that I would like to address concerning the proposed accessory apartment in a single family home at 25 Whitter Hills Road, North Salem, New York. Uh live across the street downhill from 25 at 20 uh Whittier Hills Road. Uh in the past few years I've seen the property listed. At one point it was listed as having three apartments. I understand that there is an apartment above the garage. Uh question is that is that the accessory apartment that this hearing is about. Uh just to answer that question, we'll determine that uh in the findings. Um, or is there another apartment in the house? So I see online that the house sold earlier this year and is listed as having four bedrooms. Will this proposed apartment entail adding another bedroom to the building? Uh most importantly, I would like to know what will be done to ensure there is sufficient capacity in the property septic system. Um septic is is not the purview of this board, it is the purview of the um Westchester County Board of Health. But we will uh we have comment uh from earlier today from the building inspector and uh that septic system is being addressed by both uh the North Salem Building Department and the Westchester Board of Health. Um let's see, this is uh I don't know. All right, septic sealed for sufficient, that's answered. Um that's all I'm gonna read into the record on that letter. So we will open it up uh and if the applicant can come up to the podium and give us a synopsis of their application. Hi. Hi, good evening. So just your name and address, please. Um Ami Taladi, and the address is 25 Whittier Hills Drive. Okay, and you the applicant? Yes. Okay. So you're speaking for 25 Whittier Hills LLC. Yes. Okay. Oh, um yes, I'm speaking for my father is not here.

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