Group tries to halt Bayview Avenue project

A group of Port Washington neighbors upset over a development plan approved by the North Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals Wednesday sought to stop construction at the Bayview Avenue site.

Nine neighbors filed for a temporary restraining order in State Supreme Court in Nassau County in an effort to halt the renovation work and new construction at 58 and 60 Bayview Ave.

The group had previously filed a lawsuit appealing the zoning board's granting of a variance at the properties.

The lawsuit names members of the zoning board and applicant Scott Seeman, owner of Bayview Park Properties Llc and the son of town board member Lee Seeman.

The dispute centers on lot width.

In 2010, Scott Seeman bought vacant land at 58 Bayview Ave. and a house at 60 Bayview Ave. He sought to renovate the existing house and build a new house on the vacant lot.

The building department denied the request because both lots were 50 feet wide. Based on town code, the lot requirement in that area was at least 68.69 feet, according to court documents.

Seeman appealed to the zoning appeals board, which granted the variance this March, saying "the block is generally characterized by lots of 50 feet in width or less, and by lots markedly narrower than 100 feet."

Neighbors appealed the decision to the Supreme Court in June.

"The disturbing thing about it is the degree of variance," said Thomas Huszar, one of the neighbors, who worries it could set a precedent.

"This variance is so big that it's going to embolden other people, developers, to buy lots that are undersized."

The group said it sought the restraining order because Seeman began pouring the foundation last month. It wants work to stop until a judge rules on the variance.

Seeman denies the variance decision was affected by his mother's role on the Town Board.

"I've had variances by me in the town denied," Scott Seeman said. "I live in Port Washington; I care about the community like anybody else."

In 2006, Scott Seeman was denied a variance for a detached garage, and in 2007 he lost a variance request related to lot width.

He referred questions to his attorney, Peter Mineo, who did not immediately return a call for comment.

Town Public Information Officer Sidhartha Nathan declined to comment, citing the litigation.