1. ARC-24-0004 (ZON-24-0005) 260 COLONIAL LN (COMBO) The applicant, Maura Ziska (attorney) in conjunction with SKA Architect + Planner, has filed an application requesting Architectural Commission review and approval for construction of a new one-story single-family residence with final hardscape landscape and swimming pool, requiring Special Exception with Site Plan Review approval to develop a nonconforming parcel and a variance to reduce the rear yard setback for the swimming pool. This is a combination project that shall also be reviewed by Town Council as it pertains to zoning relief/approval.
Received via email 6.24.24:
Dear Commissioners:
My name is Matthew Mirones. My wife, Mabel, and I are the owners of 248 Colonial Lane, the abutting property to the west of 260 Colonial Lane. I fully support the proposed design for 260 which appears to be a slightly longer version of same 1-story house that exists there now. The identity of the existing house and the character of the street have been maintained. I have no objections to this proposal and wish Meredith the best of luck with this application and with all future endeavors.
Thank you all for your time and service.
Matthew Mirones
248 Colonial Lane
Received via email 6.22.24:
To whom it may concern,
I write on behalf of Joseph Lieb and myself, both resident owners at 242 Colonial Ln.
We have received plans made by SKA Architects for the property referenced above. The house looks absolutely beautiful and we are excited at the prospect of having such an upgrade to our neighborhood.
We fully support the future work and new home that is proposed for 260 Colonial Ln.
Thank you,
Matthew Sippel and Joseph Lieb
Received via email 6.24.24:
Dear Commissioners,
I am writing to express my support for the application under consideration at your meeting on June 26, 2024, to construct the new one-story single-family residence at 260 Colonial Ln. I welcome the addition on Colonial Ln of the house which is beautifully designed and conceived.
Sincerely,
Karen Egger
216 Colonial Ln
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Received via email 6.24.24:
I live at 255 Monterey Road, and my property is the abutting property directly south of 260 Colonial Lane. I am very familiar with this property since it has been under virtually continuous renovation over the past 5 years. (See attached permit list).
During the years of these interior and exterior renovations, I observed numerous code violations. (e.g. see attached photo). But until now I have never objected to the permits or legal renovations there.
While I have not previously objected to the permits or renovations, I feel compelled to voice my concerns now.
I urge you to deny the request for a special exception and variance. This proposed project is an over-scaled design trying to shoe-horn a tiny pool into the south-west corner of the property and surround it with a 7-foot concrete block wall 162’ in length. That is not in harmony with the neighborhood’s character.
The variance requested pushes the pool closer to my property, only It will have negative impacts to my property since it is shifting the burden of a noisy use & the pool machinery closer to me, only 20’ from my master bedroom. That shift is necessary in order to allow their proposed house
to be wider than would be allowed if the pool was alongside the house (as it currently is). This design also sacrifices needed landscaping between the properties that a proper setback would allow.
The variance requested is causing the proposed house to appear too wide along the street.
This lot is smaller than standard, so any as-of-right use will also have to be smaller. In this case the house seems to be over-scaled based on this very fact. Any proposed house is supposed to be smaller on this smaller lot, not one with the grandiose dimensions of this proposed plan.
The hardship request is not credible. The lot is fully buildable, just not for a house as big as the owners now want. Code has not changed in the years they have owned the property, so they should know what they are getting into if they want to raze the existing house.
There are numerous other errors & omissions in the submitted plans:
The footprint of 249 Monterey Road on A1.1 is incorrect The footprint of 249 Monterey Road on A1.2 is incorrect The streetscape, A.2, displays an incorrect drawing of 248
Colonial. The actual property is currently a single story house.
There are no scale figures in the drawings. A.2, A.6, A.7, etc. And the scale of the proposed house is different from the scale of the surrounding area. Just look at the window sizes.
Sheets A.3 and A.4 omit the 2’6” FPL easement that protects an underground gas line running along the E-W property line. (See attached survey).
There is no landscape lighting plan.
Where will the owner place a generator? Even if that’s not currently under consideration, locating it now will help determine if even more variances will be required in the future.
I urge you to deny the requested special exception and variance. Please tell the owner to go back to the drawing board and return to ARCOM with a more modest project, scaled appropriately for their under-sized lot.
Respectfully,
David A. Kelso
255 Monterey Road
Public Comment, Town of Palm Beach Admin
admin
11 months ago
Received via email 6.17.24:
Dear Architectural Commissioners,
I am writing in support of the new 1 story home being presented for 260 Colonial Lane.
I am familiar with this property and am aware that the existing structure is in disrepair.
I have seen the plans, including the Site Plan, Floor Plan and Exterior Elevations. I think this design is not only very attractive, but also in keeping with the style of the neighborhood. I believe that it would be a very good addition to the street.
Thank you,
Audrey McNiff
270 Queens Lane
Received via email 6.18.24:
Dear Antonette and Jordan,
We the residents of 230 Monterey are writing in support of the proposed plans for the Hunt Residence at 26O Colonial Lane. We believe the proposed plans are representative of the neighborhood style and architecture and would support its construction.
We understand the proposal for 260 Colonial Lane is being presented to ARCOM, and we would like to present our sincere support for this project. We have been and continue to be so pleased with the time, effort and resources that both the town of Palm Beach and considerate Palm Beach homeowners, like my neighbors at 260 Colonial Lane, spend to ensure that new homes on Palm Beach keep our island looking like the true paradise that it is.
We appreciate your consideration and please reach out with any questions.
All the best,
Doug and Barbara Faron
Received via email 6.14.24:
Dear ARCOM members-
I’m writing in support of the project at 260 Colonial Ln. My house at 255 Colonial Ln. is right across the street and looks directly onto the proposed project. I wholeheartedly support this project. I have looked through the plans and think they fit perfectly within the neighborhood and I’m looking forward to looking out onto such a beautiful new home! I hope ARCOM agrees, as I’d love them to get started as soon as possible. Thank you!
Mara Raphael
255 Colonial Lane
Received via email 6.24.24:
Dear Commissioners:
My name is Matthew Mirones. My wife, Mabel, and I are the owners of 248 Colonial Lane, the abutting property to the west of 260 Colonial Lane. I fully support the proposed design for 260 which appears to be a slightly longer version of same 1-story house that exists there now. The identity of the existing house and the character of the street have been maintained. I have no objections to this proposal and wish Meredith the best of luck with this application and with all future endeavors.
Thank you all for your time and service.
Matthew Mirones
248 Colonial Lane
Received via email 6.22.24:
To whom it may concern,
I write on behalf of Joseph Lieb and myself, both resident owners at 242 Colonial Ln.
We have received plans made by SKA Architects for the property referenced above. The house looks absolutely beautiful and we are excited at the prospect of having such an upgrade to our neighborhood.
We fully support the future work and new home that is proposed for 260 Colonial Ln.
Thank you,
Matthew Sippel and Joseph Lieb
Received via email 6.24.24:
Dear Commissioners,
I am writing to express my support for the application under consideration at your meeting on June 26, 2024, to construct the new one-story single-family residence at 260 Colonial Ln. I welcome the addition on Colonial Ln of the house which is beautifully designed and conceived.
Sincerely,
Karen Egger
216 Colonial Ln
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Received via email 6.24.24:
I live at 255 Monterey Road, and my property is the abutting property directly south of 260 Colonial Lane. I am very familiar with this property since it has been under virtually continuous renovation over the past 5 years. (See attached permit list).
During the years of these interior and exterior renovations, I observed numerous code violations. (e.g. see attached photo). But until now I have never objected to the permits or legal renovations there.
While I have not previously objected to the permits or renovations, I feel compelled to voice my concerns now.
I urge you to deny the request for a special exception and variance. This proposed project is an over-scaled design trying to shoe-horn a tiny pool into the south-west corner of the property and surround it with a 7-foot concrete block wall 162’ in length. That is not in harmony with the neighborhood’s character.
The variance requested pushes the pool closer to my property, only It will have negative impacts to my property since it is shifting the burden of a noisy use & the pool machinery closer to me, only 20’ from my master bedroom. That shift is necessary in order to allow their proposed house
to be wider than would be allowed if the pool was alongside the house (as it currently is). This design also sacrifices needed landscaping between the properties that a proper setback would allow.
The variance requested is causing the proposed house to appear too wide along the street.
This lot is smaller than standard, so any as-of-right use will also have to be smaller. In this case the house seems to be over-scaled based on this very fact. Any proposed house is supposed to be smaller on this smaller lot, not one with the grandiose dimensions of this proposed plan.
The hardship request is not credible. The lot is fully buildable, just not for a house as big as the owners now want. Code has not changed in the years they have owned the property, so they should know what they are getting into if they want to raze the existing house.
There are numerous other errors & omissions in the submitted plans:
The footprint of 249 Monterey Road on A1.1 is incorrect The footprint of 249 Monterey Road on A1.2 is incorrect The streetscape, A.2, displays an incorrect drawing of 248
Colonial. The actual property is currently a single story house.
There are no scale figures in the drawings. A.2, A.6, A.7, etc. And the scale of the proposed house is different from the scale of the surrounding area. Just look at the window sizes.
Sheets A.3 and A.4 omit the 2’6” FPL easement that protects an underground gas line running along the E-W property line. (See attached survey).
There is no landscape lighting plan.
Where will the owner place a generator? Even if that’s not currently under consideration, locating it now will help determine if even more variances will be required in the future.
I urge you to deny the requested special exception and variance. Please tell the owner to go back to the drawing board and return to ARCOM with a more modest project, scaled appropriately for their under-sized lot.
Respectfully,
David A. Kelso
255 Monterey Road
Received via email 6.17.24:
Dear Architectural Commissioners,
I am writing in support of the new 1 story home being presented for 260 Colonial Lane.
I am familiar with this property and am aware that the existing structure is in disrepair.
I have seen the plans, including the Site Plan, Floor Plan and Exterior Elevations. I think this design is not only very attractive, but also in keeping with the style of the neighborhood. I believe that it would be a very good addition to the street.
Thank you,
Audrey McNiff
270 Queens Lane
Received via email 6.18.24:
Dear Antonette and Jordan,
We the residents of 230 Monterey are writing in support of the proposed plans for the Hunt Residence at 26O Colonial Lane. We believe the proposed plans are representative of the neighborhood style and architecture and would support its construction.
We understand the proposal for 260 Colonial Lane is being presented to ARCOM, and we would like to present our sincere support for this project. We have been and continue to be so pleased with the time, effort and resources that both the town of Palm Beach and considerate Palm Beach homeowners, like my neighbors at 260 Colonial Lane, spend to ensure that new homes on Palm Beach keep our island looking like the true paradise that it is.
We appreciate your consideration and please reach out with any questions.
All the best,
Doug and Barbara Faron
Received via email 6.14.24:
Dear ARCOM members-
I’m writing in support of the project at 260 Colonial Ln. My house at 255 Colonial Ln. is right across the street and looks directly onto the proposed project. I wholeheartedly support this project. I have looked through the plans and think they fit perfectly within the neighborhood and I’m looking forward to looking out onto such a beautiful new home! I hope ARCOM agrees, as I’d love them to get started as soon as possible. Thank you!
Mara Raphael
255 Colonial Lane