2026-01-15 · Zoning Board of Appeals
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TOWN OF CORTLANDT
PLANNING AND ZONING BOARDS
ZONING BOARD MEETING
Town Hall
1 Heady Street
Cortlandt Manor, New York 10567
January 15, 2026
7:00 p.m. - 7:32 p.m.
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January 15, 2026
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Wai Man Chin, Vice Chairman
Frank Franco, Member
Benito Martinez, Member
Thomas Walsh, Member
Chris Beloff, Member
Michelle Piccolo Hill, Member
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Michael Fleming, Chairman
ALSO PRESENT:
Chris Kehoe, AICP, Director of Planning
Michael Cunningham, Esq., Deputy Town Attorney
Heather LaVarnway, CNU-A, Planner
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2 (The board meeting commenced at 7:00 p.m.)
3 MR. WAI MAN CHIN: Good evening.
4 Welcome to the January 15, 2026 meeting of the
5 Zoning Board of Appeals. I’d like to wish
6 everybody a Happy New Year.
7 MR. BELOFF: Happy New Year.
8 MR. CHIN: Okay. And our first, well,
9 first thing going to do is we’re going to rise
10 and pledge allegiance to the flag.
11 MULTIPLE: I pledge allegiance to the
12 flag of the United States of America and to the
13 republic for which it stands, one nation under
14 God, indivisible with liberty and justice for
15 all.
16 MR. CHIN: Can we have a roll call?
17 MR. CHRIS KEHOE: Ms. Piccolo Hill?
18 MS. MICHELLE PICCOLO HILL: Here.
19 MR. KEHOE: Mr. Martinez?
20 MR. BENITO MARTINEZ: Here.
21 MR. KESSLER: Mr. Franco?
22 MR. FRANK FRANCO: Here.
23 MR. KEHOE: Mr. Chin?
24 MR. CHIN: Here.
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2 MR. KEHOE: Mr. Walsh?
3 MR. THOMAS WALSH: Here.
4 MR. KEHOE: Mr. Beloff?
5 MR. BELOFF: Here.
6 MR. KEHOE: Mr. Fleming noted as absent.
7 MR. CHIN: Okay. Can we have adoption of
8 the minutes of meeting for December?
9 MR. WALSH: So moved.
10 MR. CHIN: Second?
11 MR. MARTINEZ: Second.
12 MR. CHIN: All approve?
13 MULTIPLE: Aye.
14 MR. CHIN: Meeting’s approved. Okay, our
15 first case is 2025-15, application of Stuart
16 Markowitz for Buena Vista Builders LLC.
17 MS. PICCOLO HILL: That’s actually my
18 case. Do you have anything to say? Hi.
19 MR. STUART MARKOWITZ: Hi, nothing to
20 add to the brief that I sent in, but I’d be happy
21 to answer any questions that you might have.
22 MR. CHIN: And your -- just state your
23 name and --
24 MR. MARKOWITZ: Oh, sure. Name is Stuart
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2 Markowitz. I’m the architect for the project at
3 65 Dutch Street.
4 MS. PICCOLO HILL: Yeah, I mean, I, you
5 know, I personally don’t have any questions.
6 Thank you for everything you sent through. It was
7 very thorough. You know, taking a look through --
8 well, does anyone have anything to add from the
9 audience or anybody else have any questions?
10 MR. CHIN: Anybody on the board?
11 MR. MARTINEZ: Anybody on Zoom?
12 MS. PICCOLO HILL: Anyone on Zoom?
13 MR. CHIN: Anybody on Zoom?
14 MS. PICCOLO HILL: No? So again, I, you
15 know, I didn’t really have any concerns. You
16 know, going through the five factors, again, I
17 didn’t think it was going to change the
18 environment, I didn’t think it was going to
19 change the community. Was it, you know, self-
20 created, yes, these things happen and it’s minor.
21 MR. MARKOWITZ: It was an unfortunate
22 error.
23 MS. PICCOLO HILL: Yeah.
24 MR. MARKOWITZ: There was no real gain
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2 by the, by the owner.
3 MS. PICCOLO HILL: Right. So I actually,
4 I didn’t have any concerns.
5 MR. CHIN: Okay. Anybody else?
6 MR. WALSH: No issues.
7 MR. CHIN: Okay.
8 MR. MARTINEZ: I’m not concern either.
9 MR. CHIN: All right, so could we have a
10 --
11 MS. PICCOLO HILL: So, I’d like to make
12 a motion to close the public hearing.
13 MR. MARTINEZ: I second it.
14 MR. CHIN: All, all in favor?
15 MULTIPLE: Aye.
16 MS. PICCOLO HILL: So I would like to
17 make a motion to approve, SEQR Type II, the
18 variance requested, an area variance for an
19 existing chimney in the side yard. They’re
20 requesting a 12 percent variance, SEQR Type II,
21 no further compliance required.
22 MR. CHIN: Second?
23 MR. MARTINEZ: I second it.
24 MR. CHIN: All approve?
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2 MULTIPLE: Aye.
3 MR. CHIN: Okay, Mr. Markowitz, your --
4 MR. MARKOWITZ: Thank you very much.
5 MR. CHIN: -- is approved.
6 MR. KEHOE: So Stuart, I’ll let the code
7 enforcement office know. I have to do the
8 decision and order and then get, you know,
9 probably early next week you can continue on.
10 Okay?
11 MR. MARKOWITZ: Yep.
12 MR. CHIN: It was nice seeing you again.
13 Mr. Markowitz, it was nice seeing you again.
14 MR. MARKOWITZ: You too.
15 MR. CHIN: Okay, our next case is case
16 2025-16. Robert Keeler, RA for the property of
17 Percy and Barbara Montes.
18 MR. ROBERT KEELER: Good evening,
19 members of the board. My name is Robert Keeler
20 registered architect with Keeler Architecture.
21 This is Barbara Montes, one of the owners.
22 Tonight we’re here for a variance. I’m just going
23 to turn it over to Barbara real quick, and then
24 we’ll kind of go back and forth throughout our
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2 presentation tonight.
3 MS. BARBARA MONTES: So I just wrote
4 just a short narrative about our property that I
5 wanted to read to you and, and wanted to
6 emphasize that we’re not looking to expand our
7 property. We’re not looking to intensify
8 commercial use beyond what we have now. We just
9 really want to build back the barn with an
10 accommodation and in that legalize or justify
11 anything else that we have there. So we come
12 before you humbly to seek those, those
13 modifications.
14 And just to note that this property is,
15 it’s very special and it’s quite unique. I don’t
16 know that there’s another one in the town like
17 it. But we exist to serve our community with our
18 daycare center. And the barn that we’re
19 rebuilding and the carport that we’re looking to
20 put alongside of it is going to help us to
21 maintain our equipment. We do all of our own work
22 and so maintaining a property of 10 acres is a
23 lot of work. It takes us a day to mow the
24 property, and that’s just to mow the property.
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2 You have to trim the property and blow, and
3 there’s a lot of work. My husband is there every
4 day and there’s always something to do. Something
5 breaks down in the daycare center and he’s there
6 to fix it.
7 We, we run a very, a tight ship and a
8 top-notch daycare center. We care very much
9 about our community of families and we want to
10 continue to serve them in the best way possible.
11 And redoing the barn with the carport on the side
12 will really help us in that manner.
13 MR. KEELER: So just to go over some
14 basic factors and, and points of the property and
15 maybe a little bit more history. It’s 18 Radio
16 Terrace, Cortlandt Manor. It’s located on exactly
17 8.4 acres of land. It’s in an R-40 zoning
18 district but also has a special use permit is
19 attached to it, which makes it a multiuse and two
20 family residence, which is currently located.
21 The owners had purchased the property in
22 2006. At that time, the radio station that was
23 originally in the dwelling at one point in time
24 had been moved to where the daycare center is
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2 now. That daycare center was established, I
3 believe in, was it ’06 as well?
4 MS. MONTES: We in ’07.
5 MR. KEELER: ’07?
6 MS. MONTES: Yeah.
7 MR. KEELER: 2007. And there was a
8 planning board application that was reviewed by
9 the planning board in 2006, and I believe there
10 was an approval in, the approved plans that we
11 have were in 2007, but the application was in
12 2006.
13 Just a description of work that has been
14 done since the property was purchased, but also
15 just to kind of bring everybody up to date, there
16 was an electrical fire in the accessory barn,
17 which is located in the rear of the property in
18 spring of 2023. Retroactively, they called me. We
19 talked to Martin Rogers and the code enforcement
20 officers that we could submit an application to
21 be replaced in kind, which just because of the
22 need of the structure, the loss of equipment and,
23 and whatnot that was in the structure, kind of
24 just quickest way to kind of rebuild what they
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2 had.
3 So that’s the path that, that was chosen
4 at that time. A permit was issued I believe in
5 the beginning, I think it’s January 3rd of 2024
6 for the reconstruction of that barn. After some
7 time and some, the construction of the barn was
8 well underway, it was kind of thought that maybe
9 we can consolidate some of the storage that’s
10 been kind of spread across the property within
11 that structure a little bit more than what it,
12 what it has been in the past.
13 And so therefore we submitted a, a set
14 of amended drawings for the barn that would
15 basically add a proposed addition for a carport
16 that would be, the roofed area would be 25 by 50.
17 At that time we had some discussions with Michael
18 Preziosi and I believe Martin was retired at the
19 time, so I believe it was John that we, we met at
20 the site to go over what we were proposing and
21 everything else that would be required at that
22 time. Michael suggested that we get a updated
23 survey and do calculations per an email that he
24 had sent to us, which excludes any areas from the
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2 daycare as far as living area calculations. So
3 therefore everything that was put in our memo and
4 on our drawings doesn’t reflect any square
5 footage or habitable space within the daycare.
6 It’s solely the two-family home that we are
7 requesting the variance for.
8 Additional items that were noted at said
9 meeting were some construction activity regarding
10 an existing pool that was previously approved,
11 with a CO, some modifications to that, a pool
12 house that was converted and relocated slightly
13 for a chicken coop and the reconstruction of a
14 new pool house.
15 Since we are before you today, we
16 figured anything moving forward, we should, that
17 we can at this point, include in this
18 application. So there is a pool pavilion that it
19 would be proposed at this point in accordance --
20 in connection with the calculations and the
21 variance that we’re requesting tonight.
22 MS. MONTES: And that’s included in the
23 calculations on there.
24 MR. KEELER: Correct.
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2 MR. KEELER: So after we got the amended
3 site plan, we submitted everything and we came up
4 with a variance that we are requesting tonight.
5 So basically the permitted square footage area is
6 1,752 square feet based on the habitable area of
7 the two-family dwelling. With the existing sheds
8 and containers and whatnot --
9 MS. MONTES: The pool.
10 MR. KEELER: -- the pool, everything
11 associated with the residential structure,
12 nothing associated with the daycare was 5,589
13 square feet, resulting in a request for a 219
14 percent increase and/or variance that we are
15 requesting, which does seem substantial. But, and
16 if you guys go through the document, or the
17 members go through the document, obviously it’s
18 not a typical residential R-40 property.
19 It is quite unique with the history of
20 the, of the radio station and then kind of
21 becoming the daycare and with the commercial and
22 residential use on the property and just the
23 overall area of the property, we believe that it
24 is reasonable with everything being taken into
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2 consideration. Do you want to go through the five
3 factors?
4 MS. MONTES: Shall I read the five
5 factors that we prepared for you?
6 MR. CHIN: Yes.
7 MS. MONTES: So number one, whether an
8 undesirable change will be produced in the
9 character of the neighborhood, or if a detriment
10 to nearby properties will occur. The proposed, we
11 feel the proposed carport will not create an
12 undesirable change to the character of the
13 neighborhood. Our property is uniquely situated
14 at the end of a cul-de-sac spanning nearly nine
15 acres and on all sides of the cul-de-sac, we
16 occupy all sides of the cul-de-sac, including the
17 frontage on the main road down on Dogwood Road.
18 Only the barn roof line is visible from the road.
19 the carport will not alter that nor be visible
20 from the road, and it actually looks really
21 beautiful, the barn up there, when you are at the
22 end of the cul-de-sac looking at the horizon. The
23 only eyesore is the ash pit, horrible.
24 Importantly, all the structures
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2 identified in the denial letter were preexisting
3 when we purchased the property. We were merely,
4 we were merely renovating them. The pool, we
5 added safer entrance steps and a shallow kiddie
6 area. We reconstructed the pool cabana to make it
7 slightly larger to accommodate the pool
8 equipment, out of necessity following the fire.
9 Since the 2006 planning board approval
10 of our daycare center, we’ve made no major
11 expansions or new structural alterations beyond
12 what restoring what was already existed. The
13 carport simply restores essential functionality
14 for storing equipment used in maintaining the
15 almost nine acres and supporting the daycare. And
16 it will blend seamlessly with the barn using
17 matching materials and scale.
18 Factor two, whether the benefits sought
19 by the applicant can be achieved by some method
20 feasible for the applicant to pursue other than
21 the area variance. And there’s no feasible
22 alternative to attaching the carport to the barn.
23 The barn has always been the central operational
24 structure for the property, housing the
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2 equipment, tools, maintenance supplies and items
3 necessary for the daycare’s daily logistics and
4 holiday decorations. You should all come up in
5 December. It’s stunning. You can actually see it
6 from the Bear Mountain Parkway, all the lights.
7 The proposed location creates the least
8 disturbance. It’s the safest and maintains the
9 property’s historic layout. Given the size,
10 layout, and slope of the land, no other method
11 can reasonably achieve the intended benefit.
12 Later I want to, I have a neighbor who’s
13 here with us and I have two letters from the
14 neighbors that I would like to read that talk
15 about the, the beauty that the, the property has
16 and the structures on it, how seamlessly they
17 fit.
18 Number three, whether the requested
19 variance is substantial. While the numbers appear
20 substantial, the context proves otherwise. The
21 accessory square footage limit was written for
22 typical residential lots, I feel, not for a rural
23 nearly nine acre property with historical
24 structures predating modern zoning. Most of the
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2 existing square footage was preexisting and
3 legally nonconforming long before we became the
4 owners. The proposed carport adds only a modest
5 amount, relative to what previously existed and
6 is essential to restoring the functionality that
7 we lost in the fire.
8 Number four, whether the proposed
9 variance will have an adverse effect or impact on
10 the physical or environmental conditions in the
11 neighborhood or district. No negative
12 environmental or physical impacts will occur.
13 Attaching the carport to the barn minimizes land
14 disturbance and avoids creating additional
15 impervious surfaces. No wetlands drainage systems
16 or natural features are affected.
17 In fact, coverage storage allows us to
18 maintain the property more safely and
19 efficiently, an important factor for both
20 residential use and daycare operations. Our
21 property is unique in many ways. It spans nearly
22 nine acres. It sits alone at the end of a cul-de-
23 sac. We own both sides of the roadway. The
24 topography conceals structures naturally. The
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2 accessory buildings predate current zoning and
3 were grandfathered.
4 One of the most important elements we
5 ask the board to consider is the devastating barn
6 fire. That fire destroyed essential storage and
7 operational space, triggering the need for
8 reconstruction and repairs across the property.
9 Rebuilding the barn was not an elective project,
10 it was a necessary recovery from a traumatic
11 unexpected loss.
12 Our property also supports a state
13 licensed daycare that serves local families and
14 employment for approximately 30 families. The
15 barn is integral to the daycare’s safe operation.
16 It stores outdoor equipment, supplies for
17 maintenance and tools for grounds keeping that
18 keep the play areas safe.
19 Five, whether the alleged difficulty was
20 self-created, no, and therefore the alleged
21 difficulty was not self-created. Additionally, we
22 have future plans to create a dedicated daycare
23 accessory building, which will reduce reliance on
24 the barn and allow us to eliminate or consolidate
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2 other small accessory areas.
3 In the spirit of cooperation, we’re
4 willing to remove or consolidate one or two of
5 the small steel containers once the carport is
6 approved and built. While these are modest, this
7 give and take approach reflects our commitment to
8 working respectfully within the board’s
9 requirements. And once the dedicated daycare
10 accessory building is built, we’ll be able to
11 eliminate one of the larger steel containers.
12 MR. CHIN: Okay.
13 MS. MONTES: Those are our five factors.
14 And I was hoping to read some letters of support
15 that we have from our neighbors, if that’s okay.
16 MR. CHIN: Yeah. Yes, that’s okay. And we
17 just, afterwards, please give those letters to
18 Mr. Kehoe.
19 MS. MONTES: We can give them to you,
20 yes. This is from our neighbors. We only have two
21 houses on Radio Terrace. This is our closest
22 neighbor, number 4 Radio Terrace. It was written
23 December 18, 2025. It says to the honorable
24 members of the Zoning Board of Appeals, we are
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2 Erica Stanzione and Waldo Godinho and we’ve
3 reside at 4 Radio Terrace, directly neighboring
4 the property owned by Percy and Barbara Montes at
5 18 Radio Terrace. We have had the pleasure of
6 knowing them both as friends, neighbors, and as
7 the operators of Little Lamb Childcare where both
8 of our children attended daycare and preschool,
9 and my youngest is still there.
10 Their care for the property at 18 Radio
11 Terrace and for the families they serve has
12 always remained steady, respectful, and rooted in
13 community purpose. We would like to note that
14 their parcel is unique in the district, not only
15 because of its important history, but because of
16 the natural landscape and size of the parcel. The
17 accessory structures located on the hilltop
18 portion of the lot fit naturally and harmoniously
19 into the property setting. Nothing feels
20 intrusive or out of character. The elevation,
21 trees and ridgeline create a natural campus like
22 feel that has always existed on the site long
23 before current zoning expectations were in place.
24 The current request, the addition of a
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2 modest carport and pool pavilion, along with
3 other accessory structures, will not alter that
4 balance. It is tucked almost fully behind the
5 ridgeline and will not be visible to neighbors or
6 passing vehicles. It will not change the scale,
7 use, or atmosphere of the property, but simply
8 allow Percy and Barbara to protect equipment
9 essential to daily operations and property
10 maintenance.
11 This property, with deep roots of
12 service, first through radio communication and
13 now through early childhood care, their
14 stewardship has been thoughtful and consistent,
15 and the proposed improvement is a reasonable and
16 appropriate continuation of that legacy.
17 Also to note, Percy is an old school
18 neighbor, always lending a helpful hand to his
19 neighbors, never expecting anything in return. I
20 respectfully urge the board to approve their
21 application.
22 And this is a letter from our neighbor,
23 Charlie Messina, who’s here with us this evening.
24 He writes, to the honorable members of the Zoning
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2 Board of Appeals in the town of Cortlandt, my
3 name is Charlie Messina. I’m writing as a
4 neighboring property owner at 127 Dogwood Road in
5 support of the variance requested submitted by
6 Percy and Barbara Montes at 18 Radio Terrace.
7 This site is historically distinctive,
8 having served as the original WHUD/WLNA broadcast
9 location. The dual structure arrangement,
10 residential home and broadcasting building
11 predates modern zoning and has existed in its
12 current functional form for generations.
13 The accessory buildings situated on the
14 elevated portion of the lot have always been a
15 part of that operational pattern. And due to the
16 natural ridge and greenery, they are visually
17 buffered in a way that makes them feel context
18 appropriate and unobstructive. Even with multiple
19 structures, the property reads as cohesive
20 historic compound rather than a collection of
21 additions.
22 I can state without hesitation that the
23 proposed carport will cause no adverse
24 visibility, noise, traffic, or character impact.
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2 The structure is screened almost entirely by
3 topography and will not alter use intensity. It
4 is, however, a very beautiful barn.
5 I know they’re also working on a
6 beautiful pool house pavilion, and I know it will
7 be stunning. Percy and Barbara have consistently
8 demonstrated responsible ownership and have
9 preserved the historic identity and calm presence
10 of this parcel.
11 Their request represents a modest and
12 appropriate improvement, fully aligned with the
13 longstanding nature of the property. I
14 respectfully support approval of the application.
15 Thank you, Charlie Messina.
16 MS. MONTES: So I’ll give these letters
17 to --
18 MR. MARTINEZ: I believe I hear you say
19 that they are the closest one from, from you,
20 right, the two Neighbors?
21 MS. MONTES: The Godinho’s are the
22 closest ones and Charlie is also close to our
23 property because we have frontage on Dogwood
24 Road. So yes, they are our closest neighbors --
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2 MR. MARTINEZ: Thank you.
3 MS. MONTES: In proximity to our
4 property.
5 MR. CHIN: Okay. Thank you. Will you
6 just hand those to Chris Kehoe?
7 MS. MONTES: Yes.
8 MR. CHIN: Beloff?
9 MR. BELOFF: Yes.
10 MR. CHIN: It’s your case.
11 MR. BELOFF: I actually took a point
12 today to go out and take a look at the property
13 and I, I want to thank you for the, your
14 narrative of going over each one of the five
15 factors.
16 MS. MONTES: Thank you.
17 MR. BELOFF: I agree with all of them
18 except one. And I, I think it’s only because I
19 was told here, that, that all things are self-
20 created or, or whatever. But you got four out of
21 the five.
22 MS. MONTES: Thank you.
23 MR. BELOFF: Yeah, I, after looking at
24 it, I mean, none of the neighbors have an issue
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2 where it’s located. I don’t see any impact to
3 anything I, I tend to agree with, with everything
4 that you just explained to us.
5 MS. MONTES: Really, it’s --
6 MR. BELOFF: So I, I don’t have an issue
7 with it. I don’t know if anybody else has
8 anything.
9 MR. CHIN: Well, I’d like to say one
10 thing myself I’ve been living in this town for 45
11 years, and I remember when HUD was still active
12 back then.
13 MS. MONTES: Yeah.
14 MR. CHIN: Okay. And most of the stuff
15 that you have indicated, it was prior to zoning,
16 which is 1951, ’50, something like that. And
17 again, everything was done way back when. And the
18 stuff, basically what you’re doing is cleaning it
19 all up right now --
20 MS. MONTES: We want it to be beautiful.
21 MR. CHIN: -- on a percentage. Okay. So
22 I really don’t have a problem with it either
23 based on what you indicated and what I’ve seen,
24 and I remember. Anybody else on the board?
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2 MR. MARTINEZ: I do not have a problem
3 either. So, right now I think we should vote on
4 it tonight, sir.
5 MR. WALSH: I just have a couple of
6 comments, just questions that I have.
7 MR. CHIN: Yep.
8 MR. WALSH: So the, the daycare center
9 is excluded from any of the zoning calculations
10 in this commercial space.
11 MR. CUNNINGHAM: Those were different,
12 right, that, that was getting its own
13 calculations.
14 MR. WALSH: But this --
15 MR. CUNNINGHAM: Even though it’s, it’s
16 a very unique property, it’s all part of the same
17 lot.
18 MR. KEELER: So just I can give you a
19 little background on that. The daycare is roughly
20 6,000 and change square foot of habitable
21 finished space. After meeting with Michael and
22 John, it was discussed that we -- the zone, the
23 bulk zoning calculations would be prepared with
24 all as far as building coverage and whatnot
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2 except the accessory structures. So, we basically
3 prepared these calculations only using the area
4 of the finished habitable space of the two-family
5 dwelling.
6 MR. WALSH: Okay.
7 MR. KEELER: So there’s an additional
8 area of habitable space but is commercial, so
9 therefore, because of the uniqueness of this
10 property and just, you know, following the
11 guidelines of the DOTS that we prepared these
12 calculations.
13 MR. WALSH: Because the barn serves the
14 daycare center, essentially the commercial
15 property?
16 MR. CUNNINGHAM: It, it serves -- like
17 we were saying, it’s unique in that it serves
18 their residential purposes, because they have to
19 mow and then clean up around their property, but
20 also the daycare as well. Other question, I just,
21 you are planning on future accessory building to
22 the daycare. Would that then trigger, because it
23 is on the same property at additional variance
24 or?
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2 MR. KEELER: I believe the thought
3 process with that is with an accessory structure
4 for, or a structure for, dedicated to the daycare
5 that a lot of the additional areas that we, you
6 know, I, I tried to make it as clear as possible
7 as far as the letters and each structure that’s
8 located on the property now. As that happens, I
9 don’t know if we’ve be back before this board,
10 but that most of those accessory smaller
11 structures could be consolidated and some
12 separation between the residential use and the
13 commercial use could be established.
14 MR. KEHOE: The, the accessory structure
15 associated with the daycare center would require
16 an amendment from the planning board approval for
17 the daycare center.
18 MR. WALSH: Okay.
19 MS. MONTES: Thank you for clarifying
20 that.
21 MR. WALSH: All right, perfect.
22 MS. MONTES: Thank you.
23 MR. WALSH: I have, I, I agree with all
24 the, the factors and where it is in located and
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2 it’s not adverse effect of the neighborhood. So I
3 have no problem voting on this tonight.
4 MR. CHIN: Anybody else on the board?
5 MS. PICCOLO HILL: Yeah, I just wanted
6 to say it’s such a unique property and the fact
7 that it’s multiuse, I think it does sort of stand
8 aside. It’s, we have to look at it in a different
9 way. So I actually didn’t have any issues.
10 MR. KEELER: And I would just add real
11 quick, I met the Montes through my daughter,
12 bringing them and trusting them with, with my
13 daughter and actually my second daughter as well.
14 And they do a tremendous service to this
15 community.
16 MS. MONTES: Thank you.
17 MR. CHIN: Okay. You all, oh, anybody on
18 Zoom or anything like that? Nope. Okay. Mr.
19 Beloff?
20 MR. BELOFF: I would like to make a
21 motion to close public hearing.
22 MR. WALSH: Second.
23 MR. CHIN: On case?
24 MR. BELOFF: On case number 2025-16.
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2 MR. MARTINEZ: I second it.
3 MR. CHIN: Do I have --
4 MR. WALSH: All in favor?
5 MR. CHIN: All in favor?
6 MULTIPLE: Aye.
7 MR. BELOFF: I’d like to make a motion
8 to approve case number 2025-16 for the property
9 owner, Percy and Barbara Montes.
10 MR. MARTINEZ: I would second that as
11 well.
12 MR. CHIN: No wait.
13 MR. BELOFF: Located on 18 Terrace for,
14 for the variance requested to increase the
15 maximum square footage of accessory buildings
16 from 1,752 square foot to 5,589 square foot.
17 MR. CHIN: That’s for the existing and
18 proposed.
19 MR. BELOFF: SEQR type II, no further
20 compliance required.
21 MR. CHIN: Go ahead, second.
22 MR. MARTINEZ: Second it.
23 MR. CHIN: Okay.
24 MR. WALSH: All in favor?
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2 MR. CHIN: All in favor?
3 MULTIPLE: Aye.
4 MR. CHIN: Thank you.
5 MR. MARTINEZ: It’s so beautiful that we
6 second that for the second time. [laughter].
7 MR. KEELER: Thank you very much. You
8 guys all have a great evening. Happy New Year.
9 MS. MONTES: And please come visit when
10 we’re decorated for Christmas. It truly is
11 beautiful. Thank you.
12 MR. WALSH: Best of luck.
13 MR. MARTINEZ: Thank you. Good luck and
14 enjoy.
15 MR. CHIN: Okay. All right. Okay. We
16 have one old business and that’s case 2025-6,
17 application of Paolo Patino and Miguel Rodas for
18 area variance at 60 Caroline Drive. And this was,
19 whose case was this?
20 MR. WALSH: Mr. Beloff.
21 MR. KEHOE: Also Chris I think.
22 MR. BELOFF: Yeah. I don’t, is applicant
23 or anybody here, I mean --
24 MR. CHIN: Oh yes.
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2 MR. KEHOE: Excuse me. Are, are you here
3 for 60 Carolyn?
4 UNIDENTIFIED MAILE: No, sorry.
5 MR. KEHOE: Okay.
6 MR. CHIN: Okay, nobody --
7 MR. KEHOE: So I, I think you discussed
8 at the work session may be holding the final vote
9 till next month?
10 MS. PICCOLO HILL: Mm-hmm.
11 MR. CHIN: Yes.
12 MR. KEHOE: Okay.
13 MR. CHIN: And I would recommend that
14 you get back in touch with them if they don’t
15 show up, we definitely will vote on this case
16 next month.
17 MR. KEHOE: Right. So it’s just out of
18 an abundance of caution, kindness to give them
19 one more chance, rather than doing it tonight.
20 MR. CHIN: Exactly.
21 MR. KEHOE: Okay. So I’ll reach out to
22 them again. I did reach out to them about this
23 evening’s meeting. I’ll make another attempt to
24 see.
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2 MR. CHIN: Well reach out for one more
3 time and then we will vote on it next, next
4 month.
5 MR. FRANCO: We’ll vote. We won’t
6 abandon, we’ll vote, vote up and down.
7 MR. CHIN: We’ll for denial or approval.
8 MR. CUNNINGHAM: A vote to approve or
9 deny, right.
10 MR. FRANCO: Yes.
11 MR. CHIN: Okay. So Mr. Beloff --
12 MR. KEHOE: Is there anyone on Zoom? I
13 know it’s not a public hearing, I just was
14 checking.
15 MR. CHIN: Oh, anybody on zoom? No?
16 MR. KEHOE: Yeah, we, I did have a phone
17 call from the neighbor that’s very concerned.
18 MR. CHIN: Yeah.
19 MR. KEHOE: So, and I did say that it’s
20 not a public hearing but just making it clear
21 once again for the record, that no vote will be
22 taken tonight, that the vote will be taken at the
23 February meeting.
24 MR. CHIN: Okay. Mr. Boff, can you just,
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2 just indicate that we’ll adjourning this until
3 next month and that the people have to be here
4 next month or else we’re going to vote yes or no
5 on the denial or approval of the case.
6 MR. BELOFF: So on case 2025-6, at 60
7 Carolyn Drive this case will be adjourned until
8 next month, where we will have a vote yes or no.
9 MR. CHIN: An approval or denial.
10 MR. BELOFF: Approval or denial.
11 MR. CHIN: Second.
12 MR. WALSH: Are we making a motion?
13 MR. FRANCO: Yeah. Second.
14 MR. CHIN: All approve?
15 MULTIPLE: Aye.
16 MR. CHIN: Okay. Do I hear a motion to
17 adjourn this meeting?
18 MR. MARTINEZ: I make a motion to
19 adjourn this meeting.
20 MR. CHIN: Second.
21 MS. PICCOLO HILL: Second.
22 MR. CHIN: All approve?
23 MULTIPLE: Aye.
24 MR. CHIN: Good.
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CERTIFICATE OF ACCURACY
I, Claudia Marques, certify that the foregoing
transcript of the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting
of the Town of Cortlandt on January 15, 2026 was
prepared using the required transcription equipment
and is a true and accurate record of the
proceedings.
Certified By
Date: January 29, 2026
GENEVAWORLDWIDE, INC
228 Park Ave S - PMB 27669
New York, NY 10003
Geneva Worldwide, Inc.28 Park Ave S - PMB 27669. New York, NY 10003