Beach club seeks OK for past construction

Atlantic Beach Club representatives are seeking to legalize additions made to the 14-acre beachfront property over decades without building permits.

Representatives of the Atlantic Beach Land Company, which operates the private-membership club at 1393 Beech St., have petitioned the Town of Hempstead Board of Appeals to approve seven zoning changes that incorporate old additions to the property.

The club is seeking special exceptions to use the existing clubhouse as a "place of public assembly and amusement," as well as the continued use of two storage containers and two trailers used as offices.

Representatives also are seeking variances for off-street parking and approval to maintain several of the 189 cabanas, some which have additions that are higher and larger than permitted. They also want to build an addition to an existing cabana that makes it bigger than permitted in a flood zone.

"We are now seeking basically to legalize structures, such as cabanas, that have been there for a number of years," said Christian Browne, the attorney representing the beach club, who was an appeals board member until he resigned in November. Some of the changes date to the 1950s, Browne said Thursday.

The beach club, located in the incorporated area of the town, was established in 1939. The property was sold to the Atlantic Beach Land Company in 2007 for $9.5 million and had a market value in 2010 of $5.5 million, according to Nassau County property records.

Four of the seven appeals board members heard the proposals at a Feb. 15 public hearing. Frank Mistero and Kimberly Perry were absent. Board member Katuria D'Amato, a club member and wife of former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, and board counsel Arthur Nastre, who previously represented the club, recused themselves because of a possible conflict of interest.

Barry Nelson of East Meadow, speaking as the club's real estate expert at the hearing, said the zoning changes being sought "wouldn't materialistically change anything on the property."

The cabana proposed for additional construction has a seven-foot ceiling. The beach club is requesting to double its size and increase the height to nine feet, town spokesman Michael Deery said yesterday.

Jack Azizo, who said his family has lived in the Water Club neighborhood next to the beach club for two years, opposed the cabana expansion, saying it would block the view of the ocean.

"We would like to work something out with the Atlantic Beach Club," Azizo said. "We don't want this to be the first step of increasing the size of the cabanas."

Browne said the cabana's location on the property means an expansion wouldn't affect surrounding areas.

"I don't see a zoning legal right to see the ocean as it is today," Browne said.

The appeals board will continue its public hearing about the changes on March 16.