David Geffen Seeks Variances For Oceanfront Home Improvements

No matter how nice a house in the Hamptons may be, some people will always find something to improve upon. That someone might even be worth more than $6 billion.

David Geffen, founder of Geffen Records and co-founder of Dreamworks SKG studios, shelled out $70 million in March to buy a traditional home on approximately 2 oceanfront acres on East Hampton’s Lily Pond Lane. Since then, he’s been trying to get permission from the village to make almost $2 million worth of improvements to the place, which would require variances from the village Zoning Board of Appeals primarily because the house is so close to the beach.

The original application, submitted on April 19, asked for permission to fill in and grade the property, build a second, 1,045-square-foot, attached garage with a rooftop terrace, convert a covered patio into a finished cellar, convert a basement into a screening room,, expand a pool patio and replace air-conditioning units, among other things.

Because many of the proposed improvements would fall within the coastal erosion hazard area and flood zone, the ZBA asked Mr. Geffen’s representatives to revise the proposal, and a new version was submitted on June 24. Again, board members had reservations about the plan, as they noted at a public hearing on August 26, among them that the garage addition would be only 110 feet from the edge of the beach grass, where a 150-foot setback is required.

The house itself is on the ocean side of the entire property, with a stone driveway and a pond sitting between the house and a 1.5-story cottage with a three car-garage and an attic. Also on the south side of the property is a swimming pool, brick patio and tennis court as well a pool house where air-conditioning units are located.

Mr. Geffen purchased the property on Lily Pond Lane from the estate of Josephine Chaus.

The Zoning Board of Appeals will discuss his proposal further at its next meeting on September 23.