The Board of Standards and Appeals granted a developer the right to build on a waterfront parcel of land that includes an unmapped street, but according to Community Board 10 the matter may be subject to further review by the Department of City Planning.
The plan by Schley Avenue Development, LLC is to tear down one existing wood-frame home on several waterfront lots and build four one-family homes at the corner of Clarence and Schley avenues. The plan includes access to a private marina scheduled for development near the end of Clarence Avenue, right at the corner of Schley Avenue, on private property.
According to Community Board 10 district manager Kenneth Kearns, the Department of City Planning, which has review powers over waterfront property, may take a look at plans to construct a marina on the mapped but undeveloped portion of Clarence Avenue. Some members of the board have said that this area could be wetlands, which would have to be protected under environmental regulations.
“The Department of City Planning indicated to us that there are some issues with sightline, waterfront access, and wetlands, and that they may take a look at it,” Kearns said. “We told this to the architect when the project originally came before the board for review.”
Community Board 10 voted overwhelming to disapprove the plans at its April general board meeting. The board’s role is advisory.
The concerns of the board members centered on whether the unmapped portion of the street is wetlands, and the fact that normally a street must be officially de-mapped before any construction can take place.
According to CB 10 Housing and Zoning Committee chairman Peter Sullivan, the marina would be built on pilings near where Clarence and Schley avenues meet.
“Where the two streets meet is the widest part of the property, and originally the owner was going to put pilings in and build a deck over the water to meet zoning regulations for yard use,” Sullivan said. “Then, as time went by, the plans changed and the developer wanted to build a marina that would go all the way out into the water next to a neighboring condominium development. There would be a private road constructed so all of the new houses could access the marina.”
As of press time, a spokeswoman for DCP did not confirm that the agency was reviewing the plans.
