By Dan Israeli
Members of the city's Zoning Board of Appeals are expected to rule on the application, submitted by the lot's owner, Yoram Mossaleff, for three variances from city zoning regulations to build an L-shaped building made up of six two-story homes at their Sept. 27 meeting. Standing in the way of the residential development is the lot's location in a business district, necessitating a use variance. The other two variances are for rear yard area and height.
Mossaleff was represented by attorney Bennett D. Krasner and the project's architect, Denise Bradley. The lot is located behind a commercial building on West Beech Street and across West Penn Street from Long Beach Catholic Regional School. Neighbors testified that such an area wouldn't benefit from the addition of a multi-unit dwelling. Krasner did not return calls for comment.
"It's a very busy area, and to add to it would be over the top," said Michael Byrne, a neighbor on nearby Pennsylvania Avenue. Byrne, a member of the city's Planning Advisory Board, is also a member of PONY, a neighborhood activists' group consisting of residents from Pennsylvania Avenue, Oceanview and New York Avenue in the West End.
According to Byrne, the lot in question cannot withstand the density of the project, nor would the proposed building commensurate with the look of the area. "Even if they grant a change of use, the image of that corner should continue," he said. "We want it to be consistent, and with this project, image wise, the density would be incongruous."
Also opposing the project is the West End Neighbors Civic Association, which said in a statement that the development is too large for such a small area. "Our members are concerned about overdevelopment," read the statement. "It would essentially wall-in the beachfront neighborhood."
The group, which has been working with the Long Beach Police Department and city officials to improve pedestrian safety, said it fears that the project can have a detrimental effect on the high-traffic area. "We have serious questions about the economic and environmental impacts such a project would have on an already congested neighborhood. This project would only exacerbate the problem we are working to resolve."
Besides congestion and traffic concerns, there is the matter of a sewer line that runs under the lot to a piece of property on Beech Street owned by Arcadia Management. According to city Building Commissioner Scott Kemins, the two parties, Mossaleff and Arcadia Management, would need to work out an easement agreement that would allow the redirection of the line. In addition, the proposed building would need to have its own sewer line built, as required of all new homes in the city.
While Byrne said he is confident the Zoning Board will determine what is proper for the lot, he noted that the usage issue does add another element to the decision making process.
"The fact that it's a commercial piece of land and a residential project does make it a little more complicated," Byrne said. "The truth is we would love to see the lot developed and get some people living there, as long as it complies with zone and code."
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