Residents oppose East Market subdivision

Residents called on the Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 27 to reject a developer’s plan to raze a Hurricane Sandy-damaged home on East Market Street, subdivide the property and build two single-family homes.

The owner of the property, Henry Terranova, applied for a variance to subdivide the 80 x 100 property at 413 E. Market. Terranova told the board that he purchased the property seven months ago and, if the variance is approved, he plans to knock down the existing vacant home in order to build two separate single-family homes that are compliant with Federal Emergency Management guidelines and include off-street parking.

“We would not at all have a reverse effect on the neighborhood,” Terranova said. “We don’t believe it represents any undesirable change to the neighborhood. It’s not a substantial variance.”

But residents turned out in force at last month’s meeting to oppose the project, saying that a subdivision would detract from the character of the community. Approximately 75 people — the majority of those in attendance — stood up when zoning board members asked how many were opposed to the project. The board’s Stuart Banschick said that a sign on the property implied that the project included two attached, two-family homes, which created some confusion. The sign has since been removed.

“The picture on the sign is what generated the opposition,” Banschick told the developer. “The sign that’s on the building shows one giant … four-family home — it’s in your picture.”

But Terranova and an associate, Brian Drazen, of Next Generation Modular Homes & Additions, said that such a project was never intended. The sign, he said, was placed on the property by the real estate company, the Long Beach-based Tripodi Group.

“I believe it was out there that we intended to put two two-family homes on there. and that’s just not our intention,” Terranova said. “We never considered that — I saw the sign there and really didn’t pay attention to what was on the sign.”