Ex-Civic Zoning Chair Owes $100k In DOB Violations?
A Manhattan Beach neighbor owes more than $100,000 to the city for construction violations on his sprawling home, and now members of Manhattan Beach Community Group are saying the culprit is the former zoning chair of rival civic, Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Association.
From the Brooklyn Paper:
Michael Tropp, who lives on Norfolk Street between Shore and Oriental boulevards, didn’t bother to apply for a permit nine years ago when he connected two neighboring houses to make one huge home. He has since improved the house in numerous ways — all the while racking up fines for illegal work and ticking off his neighbors.
“His house is illegal and he’s out of his mind,” said Oriental Boulevard resident Flori Kostoff of the contentious property owner. “He’s building on other people’s property.”
On top of that, he hasn’t even paid most of his fines.
Most recently, Tropp was fined $25,000 in November for building a brick walkway between the two formerly separate homes. The city scheduled a hearing for Jan. 3, but Tropp didn’t show up, according to city records.
The city has also taken issue with his illegal raised wooden deck and above-ground pool, for which he was fined $4,000 last January.
“His back deck is sitting right above my fence,” said Susan Yellin, who lives behind Tropp on Oxford Street. Yellin added that Tropp even tore down her backyard’s fence to put up his own without permission.
Another Oxford Street dweller, Cy Schoenfeld also claims that Tropp’s two-story-high deck stretches eight inches into his backyard.
“It’s as if no one can stop him,” said Schoenfeld, whose backyard now faces Tropp’s construction site and a sign warning that he has the lot under 24-hour surveillance.
Meanwhile, the Manhattan Beach Community Group is pointing out that Brooklyn Paper missed one important detail: Tropp was the original zoning chair of MBNA when the groups first split.
They write on their website:
Read about the first zoning chairman of our rival group (MBNA). If he pays his 6 figure fines, PS 195 can rehire the 2 excessed teachers or Sanitation can buy over a hundred grand of salt for the next storm or…you get the point.
The story below is true. Will the honorable Mayor make him pay his fines or continue to raise our property taxes and water bills? Read in amazement about this man who was in charge of zoning for MBNA. Unbelievable!
Unbelievable indeed.