Matthew Siegfried, the owner of 154 Marcy Street in West Babylon, asked the Town of Babylon Zoning Board of Appeals on July 10 to amend an earlier approval and permit a rebuilt pool deck that would raise his lot coverage from 20% to about 30.26%. The board closed the public hearing and said it would reserve decision.

The application seeks to rebuild a pool deck and modify a prior variance that in February 2024 had approved a building-area variance while denying certain setback relief. Architect Bernard Rogers told the board that the new deck removes the portions previously in setback and that the new design is fully setback-compliant: "Our proposed deck is completely setback compliant," Rogers said.

Neighbors said the applicant has not complied with conditions the board set in the prior approval. Elizabeth Arena, of 152 Marcy Street, and other nearby residents told the board they had expected shrubs or trees to be planted and a recalculation of open ground area to show sufficient area to absorb storm runoff. "He was supposed to submit a survey... he did not do," Arena said, adding that her basement has experienced flooding she attributes to the property's prior overbuilding. Jessica Rena, another neighbor, told the board: "They had 6 months to comply. They've done nothing, but put up more spotlights that are pointing directly into our backyard with cameras."

Siegfried addressed the board and framed the hearing as limited to lot coverage: "It's really just about law coverage. It's what the hearing is for," he said, while disputing that the matter was a civil dispute. Architect Rogers confirmed changes on the plans — removal of the portion of deck that violated setbacks and removal of a fire pit — and said the shed would be relocated to a legal position. Rogers also offered to submit photographs of the current yard and said the proposed wood deck would be porous, allowing water to pass through.

Board members pressed whether previously required plantings would be installed; counsel and the applicant later reported that after a brief private conference Siegfried agreed to plant arborvitae along the west side, a concession recorded for the hearing. The board closed the hearing and announced it would reserve decision and mail the written determination to the applicant.

Discussion versus decision: the transcript shows extended public comment and questioning (discussion) and — after the parties conferred — an applicant concession on planting (direction/commitment). The board did not announce a final vote during the meeting; it explicitly said it was reserving decision.

Proper names involved in the hearing include Matthew Siegfried (applicant), Bernard G. Rogers (architect), Elizabeth Arena (neighbor), Jessica Rena (neighbor) and counsel referenced by the board. The board asked for and noted several documents in the record including a planning division memo (06/30/2025), an environmental-control memo (07/08/2025) and a survey by Peter J. Barbizon dated 06/10/2023.

The board will issue a written decision after completing its review; the hearing record remains closed.