Raising Grade of Lot Leads to Flood Concerns and An Extra Floor for Greacen Point Home

by Meg Yergin -

The Planning Board’s (PB) review of 1011 Greacen Point Road continued on September 10, 2025.  This controversial project has gone through numerous revisions since the amended site plan review kicked off on February 12, 2025. See HERE. Neighbors vigorously object to aspects of the project citing increased flood risk, the loss of mature trees, and the large size of the home they claim is out of character with the neighborhood.

The latest site plan includes a new proposal for bringing in dirt (fill) to be added to raise the house above the existing level of the land.  Neighbors have repeatedly requested the house not be raised above the current grade of adjacent lots out of concern for increased stormwater runoff and flooding.  See HERE.

Managing the Ground Fill

The applicant previously planned to hold back the new ground fill by constructing a 4-foot retaining wall topped by highway bollards along the property line shared with a neighbor.  In response, neighbors argued that locating a wall within the minimum side yard setback violates the Code and using it for an elevated driveway ramp would be dangerous for the next-door property.

In response the applicant eliminated the retaining wall in the new site plan.  Instead, the added ground fill will simply slope sharply down to the neighboring property at a 1:1 angle stopping just at the property line.  This slope will be covered by Geotech fabric to mitigate erosion.  This design still requires cutting down the trees currently bordering the property.

Line of trees to be cut down to make way for new home at 1011 Greacen Point Road.

The new site plan also indicates ground fill will be added to the wetlands buffer area to mitigate the steepness of the slope in the rear of the property.  One neighbor at the meeting pointed out that this means the project requires a new wetlands permit (see Section 192-4 of the Code) and consistency review by the Harbor Coastal Management Commission.  Chapter 240-5. 

Opposition to the Modified Plans

At the September meeting, PB Chair Seamus O’Rourke told the project’s architect David LaPierre that creating a steep slope directly into a neighbor’s property that does not catch stormwater runoff is not appropriate.  “I don’t think that’s good design practice” he said.

Robert Gaudioso, the attorney representing neighbors, told the PB that the slope with a 4-inch perforated pipe at the bottom to catch water run off “is a terrible idea and will never work.”  He said, “The house pushes every limit.  It’s [built] right up to the set-back line.”  He suggested that the applicant move the garage to the front of the house and drop it down two feet to resolve issues with the side yard bordering the neighbor’s property.  See

HERE.

Change in Grade Level Leads to Additional Floor

The property owner has pointed to the recommendation by the Village’s engineering consultant, John Kellard, to raise the house two feet to prevent it from being flooded as a reason for increasing the grade.  However, by bringing in ground fill to change the average existing grade of the land, the applicant is also seeking to build a home with two and a half stories as permitted under the Code plus an extensive bottom third floor the applicant claims fits the Code’s definition of a cellar. 

At the PB’s earlier meeting in February, LaPierre said

“…our average grade number is very important to this conversation because of the stories and how the village calculates stories, how the building height is calculated…”

LaPierre explained how, after lowering the garage and driveway ramp from its original height in response to neighbors’ pushback, other elements of the project were raised to maintain the average grade of the ground at a certain height.  See HERE Village of Mamaroneck Planning Board Meeting 2/12/25 - LMC Media Time Stamp: 26:16 

In the Village, single-family homes may only be built with two and half stories under the Code.  However, if a space partly below grade has more than half of its height below the finished grade adjoining the building, the Code considers it to be a “cellar” and not a story and is permitted.  See Definitions HERE.

The proposed design of the bottom floor at 1011 Greacen Point Road includes a bedroom, two bathrooms, a lounge area, a playroom, an exercise room, a wine room, a pantry, a golf simulator, and a row of French doors that open out to covered terraces and the backyard.  See the applicant’s architectural rendering of the rear of the home below.

Architectural rendering of rear of home proposed for 1011 Greacen Point Road

Neighbors Object to the Size of the Home

Many neighbors sent letters before the meeting telling the PB that the proposed house is out of character for the neighborhood due to its size and proportion to the lot.  The property owner previously received a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) in April 2023 to build the home 8.9% larger than permitted by the Code.  Neighbors have disputed the floor area calculations that the applicant submitted to the ZBA for this variance request, arguing that the home would be larger than the applicant reported and also larger than any other home in the neighborhood. See HERE.

Neighbors also reminded the PB that Greacen Point Road has a history of flooding and that flood risk is exacerbated when mature trees are cut down to make way for development.  One neighbor provided photos of flooding on the street caused by stormwater after it rained on September 29, 2023.

Looking southeast from the corner of 1120 Greacen Point Rd. at floodwater on Sept. 29, 2023

Next Steps

Due to the latest modifications to the site plan as well as missing information identified in an independent engineer’s report submitted by neighbors, the PB asked the applicant to submit a new Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).  See HERE.  The PB also asked the applicant’s engineer to calculate the stormwater runoff rate for the slope planned for the side yard.

O’Rourke read a letter to the PB from the ZBA into the record which states:

“In light of the numerous substantive issues raised by the Greacen Point Opposition Application, the ZBA respectfully requests that the Planning Board tables consideration of the application filed by the Property Owners for 1011 Greacen Point Road until the ZBA has had a full opportunity to consider the arguments.” See HERE.

In addition, PB member Richard Litman reminded the PB that they had voted to hold off making their decision regarding the amended site plan at their June 11, 2025 meeting until they receive a zoning compliance determination from the ZBA.  See HERE. O’Rourke expressed his view that there was no reason not to progress on the items requested from the applicant at the same time the ZBA reviews the appeal. 

The ZBA hearing of the neighbor’s appeal of the project’s zoning compliance opened on September 4, 2025.  See HERE. The ZBA plans to continue the hearing at its November 6, 2025 meeting.

The next meeting of the PB is scheduled for October 15, 2025.  The meeting’s agenda is not yet available.