HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Input
Norklun, Stacey
From:Neville, Elizabeth
Sent:Monday, September 14, 2020 8:48 AM
To:Norklun, Stacey
Subject:FW: Thank You for Adopting the Comprehensive Plan; Southold Town Civics
Partnership
Please LF
From: Drianne Benner \[mailto:driannebenner@att.net\]
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2020 8:44 AM
To: Russell, Scott; Evans, Louisa; Doherty, Jill; Dinizio, James; Ghosio, Bob; Nappa, Sarah
Cc: Neville, Elizabeth; Lanza, Heather; bbestny@gmail.com; annemurray@optonline.net; smithanneh14@gmail.com;
joeele45@optonline.net; Standish, Lauren
Subject: Thank You for Adopting the Comprehensive Plan; Southold Town Civics Partnership
The Honorable Scott A. Russell
Honorable Members of the Town Board
Town of Southold
53095 Route 25
P.O. Box 1179
Southold, NY 11971
Dear Supervisor Russell and Members of the Town Board,
The Southold Town Civic Associations would like to thank the Town Board for adopting the new
Comprehensive Plan for Southold. This has been a monumental effort involving years of gathering and
incorporating the community feedback into a Comprehensive Plan that we believe is an essential tool to
securing Southold’s future.
We are ready to partner with the Town and support you in any way we can. We recommend the formation of
a task force or Implementation Committee to expedite and assist in the execution of the plan. As mentioned
previously by a number of civic associations, such a committee could be made up of Town and Planning Board
members as well as community members. It would provide both specific and general assistance in community
engagement, and a support mechanism and process for consideration of priorities, timing and next steps.
We look forward to working with you to implement the new Southold Comprehensive Plan.
Thank you and best regards,
Barbara Best, President, Cutchogue Civic Association
Anne Murray, President, East Marion Community Association
Anne Smith, President, Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association
Joe Polashock, President, New Suffolk Civic Association
1
Drianne Benner, President, Orient Association
ATTENTION: This email came from an external source. Do not open attachments or click on links from
unknown senders or unexpected emails.
2
Norklun, Stacey
From:Neville, Elizabeth
Sent:Tuesday, September 08, 2020 10:21 AM
To:Lanza, Heather; Norklun, Stacey; Terry, Mark; Verity, Mike; Weisman, Leslie; Burke,
John; Dinizio, James; Doherty, Jill; Doroski, Bonnie; Duffy, Bill; Ghosio, Bob; Hagan,
Damon; Standish, Lauren; Louisa Evans; Nappa, Sarah; Neville, Elizabeth; Noncarrow,
Denis; Rudder, Lynda; Russell, Scott; Silleck, Mary; Tomaszewski, Michelle
Subject:FW: Our Response to the Southold Town Comprehensive Plan. 2020
Attachments:1. Town Plan response Aug 31 John R - Response to Southold Town Plan. Aug 30
2020 Ellen Wexler, Southold #2 .docx; 2. Southold Town's Tall Pines are Eco Slum
Complete loss of understory. Ellen .docx; 3. Invasive plants in Southold Town
woods . Ellen .docx
FYI
Elizabeth A. Neville
Southold Town Clerk, Registrar of Vital Statistics
Records Management Officer; FOIL Officer
Marriage Officer
PO Box 1179
Southold, NY 11971
Tel. 631 765-1800, Ext. 228
Fax 631 765-6145
Cell 631 466-6064
From: Lanza, Heather
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2020 8:31 AM
To: Neville, Elizabeth; Rudder, Lynda
Subject: FW: Our Response to the Southold Town Comprehensive Plan. 2020
Public comments for Comp Plan – submitted Friday, Sept 4 via email to Planning.
From: Ellen Wexler \[mailto:ellenwexler@gmail.com\]
Sent: Friday, September 04, 2020 3:39 PM
To: Lanza, Heather <heather.lanza@town.southold.ny.us>; Terry, Mark <mark.terry@town.southold.ny.us>
Subject: Our Response to the Southold Town Comprehensive Plan. 2020
Town of Southold;
Our Response to the Southold Town Comprehensive Plan. 2020
The Southold Plan lists a number of serious environmental and health issues currently facing our
Town and recommends ways to solve these issues for a better future..
1
But the current draft of the Plan overlooks not only the causes of these issues but ignores
the connection between these environmental and health problems. It also seemingly ignores the
findings of environmental and health experts who have researched and reported on these issues.
Attached is our response to the Town Plan. We also delivered to Town Hall hard copies of this response to you
and to members of the Southold Town Board and Town Trustees..
Sincerely,
North Fork Deer Management Alliance members a Southold citizen's group :
John Rasweiler
John Severini
Ellen Wexler
Mimi Ellis,
John Wittenberg.
ATTENTION: This email came from an external source. Do not open attachments or click on links from
unknown senders or unexpected emails.
2
Response to the Southold Town Comprehensive Plan. 2020
North Fork Deer Management Alliance. Southold.
John Rasweiler, John Severini, Ellen Wexler, Mimi Ellis, John Wittenberg.
The Southold Plan lists a number of serious issues currently facing our town and recommends
ways to solve them for a better future. But the Plan overlooks not only the causes of the issues
but ignores the connection between them. Numerous experts have reported that many of the
environmental issues included in this Southold Town report are related, and directly caused by
the dramatic increase in deer population since 1990’s.
Environmental issues considered in the Plan:
1. Protecting Habitats. The loss of woodland’s understory and absence of young trees.
2. The Spread of Invasive Species.
3. Creating Diversity: The loss of biodiversity- loss of native plants, trees, native animals,
and insects.
4. Tick-borne Disease Epidemic. Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, Alpha Gal Meat Allergy,
Rocky Mountain Fever, Borrelia Mayonii, Powassan disease.
The Town Plan, as it stands now, suggests the following actions with which to “solve”
these environmental problems:
1. Use suitable indigenous plants in landscaping.
2. Maintain habitats for wildlife and fish.
3. Adopting a Tree Preservation Local Law for the purposes of protecting woodlands.
4. Manage deer by educating citizens.
5. Work with organizations and property owners to help assess and control ticks and
prevent tick-borne diseases.
6. Control the tick population.
But without understanding the root causes of these environmental problems and the
connections between them the Plan’s recommendations are without value. It does not
address:
Why we have lost native plant species over the past 20 years.
Why invasive species are spreading across our woods yards and farms.
Why we have lost habitats and so are losing animal and plant diversity
Why our woods, once lush and healthy are now barren, empty of understory with few
young trees
What caused the explosion of ticks, and tick-borne disease epidemic since the 1990’s ,
Why seemingly healthy trees are falling, in windstorms, taking down electric wires.
Why is the Land Preservation Fund money from the CPF 2% tax for management and
stewardship of the Town-owned woods not being used to restore the Town’s dying
woods (‘Eco Slums” ) by more rigorous deer hunting to a sustainable number.
#1 Use of suitable indigenous plants in landscaping. Unfortunately, this is a
nonsensical recommendation, as we have predominantly oak forests, and the deer mow
off all small oak trees. They also eat many of our most desirable wildflowers.
#2 Maintain habitats for wildlife and fish. This simply is not being successfully
accomplished. We are losing highly desirable plant and animal species because our
natural habitats have been so severely damaged by a greatly excessive deer population.
Our damaged forest lands are also increasingly incapable of retarding stormwater runoff
Page 2
and promoting aquifer recharging. This will inevitably damage our precious bays and
coastal waters. This is Basic Hydrology 101!
#3 Adopt a tree preservation law. Protecting only well-established, mature trees does
not accomplish the desired goal. Trees age and are damaged by disease, insects and
storms. We must promote the replacement of old trees by younger ones. Conditions to
achieve this presently do not exist in the Town of Southold.
#4 Manage the deer by educating the citizens. Repeated efforts have been made to do
this, and they have been a failure (i.e., there has been no meaningful progress towards
achieving the desired goal). Simply put, the deer population has to be reduced to an
environmentally sustainable level of no more than 10 - 15 animals per square mile. Does
the Plan even state that simple and irrefutable fact?
#5 Work with organizations and property owners to assess and control ticks and
prevent tick-borne diseases. These are non-effective recommendations. Does anyone
doubt that we have a superabundance of dangerous ticks? Furthermore, there presently
are no tick control measures that are environmentally-safe, workable and affordable.
Treating some properties in a checkerboard fashion is simply incapable of providing
community tick control.
#6: Seek to control tick populations. Reduce the tick numbers by reducing their
reproductive hosts (the deer), rather than by treating much of our Town with
environmentally-harmful acaricides. There are no tick specific pesticides, All harm
insects and other invertebrates that are critical elements of natural food chains (e.g., for
songbirds), and some (native bees and butterflies) serve as essential pollinators for
indigenous plants that we supposedly wish to preserve. Include the issue of the difference
between native and non-native, domesticated bees, or how our environmentally-important
native bees live, thereby making them highly susceptible to acaricide treatments.
From Botanist Dr.Tom Rawinski’s report on the woods of Southold following his 2013 visit.
“What we observed came as no surprise to our hosts – the forests have been severely
damaged by deer, to the point where trees can no longer replace themselves.”… “There are
simply too many deer devouring the tree seedlings and saplings. Over many acres, an understory
layer of shrubs and saplings is missing. The forests have become open and park-like . Bird species
that once nested in or otherwise utilized the forest understory have declined dramatically in Southold
- Jeff ( Standish) cited the Eastern Towhee as an example… Southold town representatives raised
the specter of these forests being leveled by the next hurricane to hit Long Island. It is not a question
of if this will occur, but when. They recognize the imperative to restore these forests back to health
before such a disaster strikes. Deer are preventing the regeneration of all tree species in this
forest.”…. “Consider, for example, that there is now little plant life in the forest understory to
bind the soil and to take up nutrients. Have these nutrients become more mobile, and entered
our coastal waters, affecting water quality and perhaps exacerbating the brown tide
situation? A forest is so much more than its trees. It is an interconnected web of
interdependent life forms.”
From Science Daily: “ While we acknowledge that climate change is a long-term stressor that
will lead to significant changes in eastern forest ecosystems, high deer populations have had
a much greater negative impact currently and over the last several decades.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170130224740.htm#:~:text=Summary%3A,by%20eat
ing%20away%20their%20habitat .
Page 3
From The Nature Conservancy “No native vertebrate species in the eastern United States has
a more direct effect on habitat integrity than the white-tailed deer. There are no hard numbers,
but in many states deer populations continue to rise well beyond historical norms. In many areas of the
country deer have changed the composition and structure of forests by preferentially feeding on select
plant species.” https://blog.nature.org/science/2013/08/22/too-many-deer/
Town Plan Goal 4: Monitor and Control Nuisance Species.
Objective 4.1 Manage Whitetail Deer
What is the Town’s plan to reduce the deer population to the recommended 15-10 per
sq mile? A decade of County and Town deer and tick committees has made no
progress at all. Southold Town White-Tailed Deer Management Plan states their goal is “to
restore balance and sustainability to the town’s natural environment.” But Southold Town,
Suffolk County Deer Management Task Force and the County Tick Management committee,
as well as the work of Southold Town Wildlife Management have totally failed to reduce the
deer population, which today is higher and more destructive than when these committees
formed.
From N.Y. D.E.C: “Under ideal conditions, deer populations can double in size every two to
three years. When there is plenty of food available, an average of 30-40% of the deer in a
population have to die every year to keep the population from growing” “ Suffolk County has been
struggling with deer overabundance for some time although it has a liberal bow season in addition to
a special firearms season in January.”
Suffolk County's deer population is estimated to be 25,400 to 34,600 deer.
Suffolk County 2018 deer hunting total was 3,407. Suffolk County has to hunt 10,000 deer JUST
TO KEEP THE POPULATION THE SAME not to mention the hunting needed to reducing that
population to the sustainable number of 10 per sq mile.
Southold Town 2018 total deer hunting was 618 which is nowhere near enough to even maintain
current overpopulation much less reduce the deer population to the necessary sustainable
number.
Town Plan Objective 5.5 Continue to educate the public about the benefits of using
native species in landscaping.
Town residents plant non-native plants not because they are not “educated” but because the
native plants are destroyed by starving overgrazing of deer. Last winter they even ate my
dried ornamental grasses. Unless we all erect unsightly 8 ft tall fencing around our properties,
which many property owners are now doing, it is impossible to grow many of the native plants.
“From the Trip Report September 5, 2013. Reconnaissance Assessment of White-tailed Deer
Impacts in the Forests of Southold, New York. Thomas J. Rawinski Botanist Northeastern Area
State, Private Forestry ,USDA Forest Service”
https://ehamptonny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/723/Trip-Report-Reconnaissance-Assessment-of-
Deer-Impacts-in-the-Forests-of-Southold-PDF
(NOTE: the damage to our environment is worse today than when this report was written in 2013)
“Across much of the Northeast communities are grappling with the issue of white-tailed deer
overabundance – an issue with serious ecological, economic, and human health and safety dimensions.
Overabundance can be defined as too much of a good thing. In the context of deer, it is a consensus
determination that negative impacts of the white-tailed deer outweigh positive. On September 5, 2013,
New York State Botanist Dr. Stephen Young, The Nature Conservancy’s Mike Scheibel and I were invited
by Southold residents John Rasweiler, Jeff Standish, and John Sep to tour the town’s forests. We were
asked to help assess the browse impacts. We visited the Ruth Oliva Preserve, the Reese Property, Tall
Pines, and a forest on Nassau Point. What we observed came as no surprise to our hosts – the forests
have been severely damaged by deer, to the point where trees can no longer replace themselves. There
are simply too many deer devouring the tree seedlings and saplings.
Page 4
Native wildflowers such as the beloved pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) are now largely gone,
and with them the nectar sources that once nourished native insects. Native fruit-bearing shrubs such as
lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum) and wild raspberries are now too stunted to bear the sweet fruit
that would otherwise nourish songbirds and people alike. Over many acres, an understory layer of shrubs
and saplings is missing. The forests have become open and park-like . Bird species that once nested in
or otherwise utilized the forest understory have declined dramatically in Southold - Jeff cited the Eastern
Towhee as an example. We can’t possibly perceive all of the ecosystem-level impacts from
overabundant white-tailed deer. Consider, for example, that there is now little plant life in the forest
understory to bind the soil and to take up nutrients. Have these nutrients become more mobile, and
entered our coastal waters, affecting water quality and perhaps exacerbating the brown tide situation? A
forest is so much more than its trees. It is an interconnected web of interdependent life forms.
That one species – the white-tailed deer – can so radically alter that web of life is difficult to fathom. But
it is happening, to be sure. These are the cascading ecological effects that send shock waves through
the ecosystem, affecting myriad species. It is also amazing to realize how quickly this damage has
occurred. Each of our hosts recalled the days when Southold’s forests were healthy and vibrant – before
the deer population exploded about two decades ago. People still see and enjoy a multitude of trees in
these forests. What they may not perceive is that those forests are doomed unless young trees can be
recruited into the canopy, to replace the ones that die or topple over, as they invariably will do. At Tall
Pines, we saw white pines killed by the salt spray from Super-storm Sandy, as well as oaks toppled over
by its strong winds. Our hosts raised the specter of these forests being leveled by the next hurricane to
hit Long Island. It is not a question of if this will occur, but when. They recognize the imperative to
restore these forests back to health before such a disaster strikes. Deer are preventing the
regeneration of all tree species in this forest. Seeing otherwise common woodland wildflowers such as
Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) and false solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum)
reduced to tiny, isolated individuals; not seeing the otherwise ubiquitous wild sarsaparilla (Aralia
nudicaulis) because the deer had already wiped it out; seeing sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
stems and American beech (Fagus grandifolia) sprouts reduced to less than knee-high stature; seeing
the proliferation of browse-resistant grasses and sedges in the forest understories; and seeing browse
damage to hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula), a plant species fed upon by deer only in
extreme situations…… “
Town Plan Objective 4.2 Work with organizations and property owners to help assess and
control ticks and prevent tick-borne diseases.
The number of Lone Star Ticks and Deer Ticks continue to increase, as does our risk of disease.
There are currently 10 known major tick-borne infections in the U.S. that affect humans, including
Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, Alpha Gal Meat Allergy, Rocky Mountain Fever, Borrelia Mayonii,
Powassan disease. Most of which are carried by species of ticks that need to feed on deer in
order to reproduce.
The New York D.E.C states: “ Few deer equal few ticks.” Fishers Island had no deer- then deer
arrived and so did tick disease. After drastically reducing the deer population they reported
almost no more tick diseases.
STUDY: The Relationship Between Deer Density, Tick Abundance, and Human Cases of
Lyme Disease in a Residential Community . NIH published
HOWARD J. KILPATRICK,1,2 ANDREW M. LABONTE,1 AND KIRBY C. STAFFORD, III
J. Med. Entomol. 51(4): 777Ð784 (2014); DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/ME13232
ABSTRACT White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman), serve as the primary host for
the adult blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say), the vector for Lyme disease, human babesiosis,
and human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Our objective was to evaluate the degree of association
between deer density, tick abundance, and human cases of Lyme disease in one Connecticut
community over a 13-yr period. We surveyed 90-98% of all permanent residents in the community
six times from 1995 to 2008 to document resident’s exposure to tick-related disease and frequency
and abundance of deer observations. After hunts were initiated, number and frequency of deer
observations in the community were greatly reduced as were resident-reported cases of Lyme
disease. Number of resident-reported cases of Lyme disease per 100 households was strongly
correlated to deer density in the community. Reducing deer density to 5.1 deer per square kilometer
resulted in a 76% reduction in tick abundance, 70% reduction in the entomological risk index, and
80% reduction in resident-reported cases of Lyme disease in the community from before to after a
hunt was initiated.
Page 5
What is the Town doing to actually reduce the tick population on public lands and in
the backyard of residents ?
Our children cannot play on the grass for fear of tick disease.
From experience we are afraid to walk on public walking trails that are covered with ticks for
most of the year. We only venture out to the yard to mow our grass wearing knee-high rubber
boots . Not only is spraying for ticks is expensive and harmful to the environment but only
reduces the numbers by 70% and reduces very little the incidence of tick disease in the
residents.
Pamphlets distributed by the State and County on how to protect yourself from the ticks in
your yard have proven to be worthless to most of us who live here.
The tick disease guides suggest daily tick check tasks that are not reasonable. “after being
outdoors put clothing in the dryer” “Wear long pants all summer and avoid grass.” “Do tick
checks of everyone’s whole body regularly”.
The problems with this advice is that ticks can latch on in ten minutes, and some diseases
are transmitted almost immediately. The diseases are apparently most frequently transmitted
by nymphal ticks, after they have picked the diseases up from their reservoir hosts. Nymphal
ticks are very small and difficult to spot. Imagine a poor mother having to thoroughly check
herself and her children each and every day for nymphal ticks. Simply impossible!
Proposed action item #6: Seek to control tick populations by reducing their
reproductive hosts (the deer), rather than by treating much of our Town with
environmentally-harmful acaricides.
Conclusion:
After ten years of research the current draft of the Southold Town Plan describes issues but
suggests actions that will not solve the problems. It does not offer viable solutions. It overlooks
the causes of the issues and their connections to each other. It disregards reports from local
and national environmental and medical experts that the vast overpopulation of deer is a key
component in much of the environmental concerns and damage that faces our town and our
county.
North Bayview Road, Southold. Sept 2001, near what is now Town owned “Tall Pines”. The deer population
had just started to grow beyond sustainable number and woods were still dense and healthy, full of native
animals, insects, ground nesting birds, wildflowers insect.
2017 Same location on North Bayview Road Tall Pines . Labeled an “Eco Slum” by U.S. Botanist by Tom
Rawinski when he visited in 2013, due to severe overgrazing by a too large deer population. No young trees
and no more understory. He reported it was the most damaged woods he had ever seen in the Northeast .
Numerous invasive plants are damaging the environment primarily due to loss of native
understory caused by deer overgrazing
https://www.iwla.org/publications/outdoor-america/article/outdoor-america-2016-issue-1/the-dangers-of-too-many-deer
1.Japanese Stiltgrass
Southold Town property “Tall Pines.” North Bayview Road
Areas infested with Japanese stiltgrass have decreased biodiversity. In addition to the early season plants that are
typically crowded out by invasive species, late season grasses, sedges, and herbs are also affected. Infested areas
also have an increased occurrence of other invasive plants and decreased native wildlife habitat and can provide
good habitat for invasive animals including the cotton rat which can further affect local wildlife. Japanese stiltgrass
is not preferred by grazers such as white-tailed deer, which adds to its ability to out compete native,
preferred vegetation. http://nyis.info/invasive_species/japanese-stiltgrass/
This invasive grass has spread to many areas of Southold Town .Concerned about retaining our native plants
and birds? .We have many invasive species in our preserves as well as in privately owned areas and there has
been no real funding or support to remove them. The Highway Department since has been spreading
Japanese Slitgrass extensively on the roadsides because they mow when the seed heads are present on the
plant . There are several areas where this invasive plant has spread – North Bayview Road, Soundview Rd
and on roadsides in Orient.. Highway Dept should be informed about the problem.
Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District Report 2010 “ Stilt grass prefers shady, wet/moist
environments with high nitrogen and acidic-to-neutral soils but will thrive in dry, open areas. It invades quickly by
spreading both vegetatively and by seed through natural and anthropogenic means. Goal: Prevent spread and eradicate
Japanese Stilt grass by preventing seed set and removing vegetation.” Please see full report for recommendations
1. Dogbane
North Bayview Road
Dogbane appeared a few years ago and has been quickly spreading along the edges of Southold woods
The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center warns, “This species can become a serious weed as it is aggressive
and difficult to control.” Illinois Wildflowers notes “In moist open areas, clonal colonies can spread aggressively
Page 2. Southold woods invasive plants
from underground rhizomes.” Penn State Extension gets more explicit: “Ten-day-old seedlings already have
perennial capabilities; they can resprout if cut off at ground level. Roots grow laterally and send up new shoots,
so one hemp dogbane plant can quickly turn into a large patch. In fields under cultivation, tillage chops the roots
into small pieces. A root segment less than one inch long with a single bud can produce a new plant.” By now I
am hyperventilating. This plant will take over the world, if you let it.”
2. White Pines
Southold Town property Tall Pines.
White Pines are now taking over what was once Southold’s hardwood forests. The deer have eaten the
understory and the young trees- leaving almost empty woods. This results in the increasing number of White
Pines -trees that deer do not eat .
3. Wineberry
“If a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound? Perhaps, but what happens afterward is of growing concern to
scientists studying the invasive plant Rubus phoenicolasius, better known as the wineberry, in the United States. A
recent study in a forest at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md., has shown that soon
after a tree falls, wineberry seedlings pop-up in the gap created by the fallen tree.
The bad news, the researchers write, is “that this invasive will become pervasive even in old stands,” of deciduous
forest. “The good news is that the invasion of old stands can be prevented by simple cultural control.” The scientists
recommend searching new treefall gap areas in a forest every three years and pulling up any R.
phoenicolasius seedlings and young plants that are found there.” Smithsonian -on invasive plants .
4. Wild Garlic Mustard
5. Russian Olive.
Both Wild Garlic Mustard and Russian Olive are now extremely common throughout the Town. Wild garlic
mustard is a noxious, non-native weed spread (but never eaten) by the deer
(https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-
identification/garlic-mustard.aspx).
Excerpt: " Garlic mustard is an invasive non-native biennial herb that spreads by seed. Although edible for
people, it is not eaten by local wildlife or insects. ... Plant stands can produce more than 62,000 seeds per
square meter to quickly out compete local flora, changing the structure of plant communities on the forest
floor." \[There is now a dense stand of wild garlic mustard every year in the woods just across Skunk Lane
from the entrance to Monsell Lane (where Don and Nancy Stewart live in Cutchogue).\]
TO: Supervisor Russell and Members of the Southold Town Board
FROM: Anne Murray, President of the East Marion Community Association
RE: East Marion Plan Recommendations to Draft Comprehensive Plan
DATE: August 24, 2020
EMCA’s purpose is to preserve East Marion’s past, celebrate its present and protect its future.
As a result, the East Marion Community Association has been an enthusiastic supporter of the
town’s comprehensive planning process since it began many years ago. We hosted and attended
many meetings with Planning staff, town officials and residents as part of the process.
We have reviewed the Comprehensive Plan and were encouraged to see that many of our
hamlet’s concerns are included in the plan. We hope that you will adopt the plan as soon as
possible so the town can begin working on the most important next step – implementing the
recommendations made by the various stakeholders in the town.
We believe the town board should consider an implementation strategy that involves a diverse
committee of stakeholders who will pinpoint and prioritize the most pressing issues in each
hamlet and then recommend specific changes to the Town Board for adoption.
EMCA met with the Planning Board three years ago to outline our recommendations for the
plan. They were made after a survey of East Marion residents and a series of meetings to come
to a consensus on the concerns of our hamlet stakeholders. We presented the Planning Board
with the attached documents as part of our comments on the plan. We have included them for
your review and would like you to consider them during the implementation process. We
welcome any comments you may have on our recommendations.
TO: Members, Southold Town Planning Board
FROM: Anne Murray, President of the East Marion Community Association
RE: East Marion Plan Recommendations to Draft Comprehensive Plan
DATE: July 29, 2019
Many things have changed in Southold Town in the ten years since the town began the
comprehensive plan process. In East Marion, one of the smallest and most densely built out
hamlets, we have seen these changes up close and in some ways they altered the character of the
place we call home.
We’ve lost the affordable housing in our hamlet. Homes once occupied by local families are
now short term rentals or they’ve have been torn down and replaced by huge homes once seen
only in the Hamptons that dwarf adjacent houses.
Our water quality has deteriorated with numerous algae blooms on Marion Lake each summer
and our aquifer at risk from nitrogen and salt water intrusion.
East Marion has been shut down by traffic jams which have at times prevented residents from
leaving their homes to enter the Main Road and posed a safety hazard to local residents.
How we deal with the issues that face East Marion, and other hamlets in the town, is vital to the
future of Southold.
In 2016 we conducted a survey of our members and asked them to describe the issues of highest
concern. We followed up with two public meetings and then reached a community consensus on
the issues we wanted the comprehensive plan to address.
Our survey results and the descriptions of the most important issues for our residents are in the
documents I am giving you tonight, and I ask that you enter these documents into the record of
this public hearing. I have also included a detailed survey that describes the threats to East
Marion’s water quality that was conducted by Peconic Green Growth.
Finally, I want to thank town Planning Director Heather Lanza and the entire staff of the
Planning Department. We know that they worked very hard on this plan for years and we
appreciate their efforts on behalf of the town’s residents.
TO: Members, Southold Town Planning Board
FROM: Board of Directors, East Marion Community Association
RE: East Marion Plan Recommendations to Draft Comprehensive Plan
DATE: July 29, 2019
The East Marion Community Association has been supportive of and involved with the Town’s
comprehensive planning process since it began in 2010. We have met with town staff to discuss
the overall process and hosted four community meetings at which the various draft chapters were
presented to East Marion residents for feedback. We consider exploring how East Marion
residents want our hamlet to grow in the future to be our most important work.
In addition to being supportive of the town-wide plan, we have come to feel that because each
hamlet is unique, there are ways in which each needs to be treated individually in the
Comprehensive Plan. East Marion is the smallest hamlet in Southold as well as the most densely
populated one. It is the only hamlet that has only one east-west road. East Marion also sits on
the narrowest strip of land between the Bay and the Sound. This means that some issues that
plague all of Southold Town, such as traffic, declining water quality and over-development, are
particularly pressing in our community.
This packet contains:
A brief description of the East Marion Community Association (EMCA) and its work.
A summary of the review of the draft chapters of the Comprehensive Plan conducted by
EMCA members last summer.
Results from a poll of East Marion residents on issues related to the draft plan.
Reports of meetings held in East Marion to thoroughly discuss and arrive at a consensus
on the comprehensive planning issues of particular relevance to our community.
A summary of recommendations from the East Marion Community Association for
inclusion in the Southold Town Comprehensive Plan.
East Marion Community Association
The East Marion Community Association (EMCA) is now in its thirteenth year.
EMCA hosts well-attended monthly meetings on topics of local concern, such as tick- borne
diseases, hurricane preparedness, and affordable housing. We have also hosted candidate forums
for every local election since our formation. On issues of particular concern to East Marion,
EMCA has involved the community in an educational process and arrived at a position through
consensus. This is how we arrived at our positions on a noise ordinance, water quality,
appropriate uses for the abandoned oyster factory property and the future of Plum Island. After
taking a position on these issues and others, we have spoken out at town hall and at other levels
of government.
1
EMCA Review of Draft Chapters of Comprehensive Plan
In the summer of 2016 we formed a working group to review the draft chapters of the
Comprehensive Plan. We combed through the draft documents to ensure that East Marion’s
needs were fully addressed in this plan. During our initial review, we found that although East
Marion has many historic buildings on the Main Road that should be preserved, no mention of
them was found in the draft Comprehensive plan.
Survey Conducted of East Marion Residents
Our next effort was taking a survey of East Marion residents to learn their most important
concerns. There were 195 survey respondents, with half the respondents noting that they live in
the hamlet on a full-time basis.
Asked what they valued most about East Marion, residents cited living in a safe neighborhood,
East Marion’s natural beauty, rural character and the quality of life.
The unique issues our residents were most concerned about were pollution, declining water
quality, loss of water resources, deer infiltration, tick diseases and traffic safety.
Asked their top priorities for East Marion, residents said we should preserve open space,
maintain rural quality of life, limit development on the Oyster Factory property and manage deer
and tick issues, respectively.
Community Meetings
Following the survey EMCA conducted two planning meetings to thoroughly discuss, and then
reach a consensus on, the issues that residents believe are most critical to the future of our
hamlet.
At the first meeting in August 2016 we held roundtable discussions and asked residents to tell us
what they valued most about East Marion, what their top concerns were and what issues they felt
should be priorities for the hamlet.
At the second meeting in October 2016 we presented both the survey results and the issues from
the roundtable discussions to hamlet residents and we were able to reach a consensus on the top
priorities and concerns of residents.
East Marion Plan Recommendations to the Town of Southold for the Comprehensive Plan
After reaching a consensus on the most important issues in the hamlet, a working group of
residents put together the following East Marion Plan recommendations. Our hope is that the
Planning Board will recognize the importance of these recommendations and add these issues to
the final comprehensive plan document as the wishes of the residents of East Marion.
Community Character
The community of East Marion has a rich farming and fishing history dating back to the late 17th
century. The Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities has identified 66 structures
in East Marion to be of historic significance.
2
Recognize the value the need to protect significant historical resources in East Marion.
Include these points of historic significance in Appendix D to the Community Character
chapter of the Southold 2020 Plan.
Protect scenic resources and vistas in East Marion. Prohibit construction or any other
action that detracts from the views in the vicinity of the causeway in East Marion.
Water Quality
Southold Town lacks water conservation measures and wastewater regulation. Both Gardiner’s
Bay and Marion Lake have been impaired by storm water runoff and algae blooms. We
recommend that the town take steps to protect East Marion’s water supply.
The town should consider creating an Aquifer Protection Overlay District (APOD) for the
hamlet.
The town should end the grandfathering of cesspools by requiring that they be upgraded
at sale or during major renovations.
The town should enact a law mandating odd/even water days for lawn irrigation and
require that rain meters be installed for automatic sprinkler systems.
The town should promote water conservation practices, proper pesticide use and
encourage installation of water saving devices such as low flow toilets, low flow shower
heads, etc.
Transportation
The density of vehicular traffic on Main Road continues to increase.
The Superintendent of Highways and Chief of Police should implement additional traffic
flow interruption/traffic calming measures and enforcement of traffic laws in order to
ensure the safe passage of both pedestrians and drivers on Main Road.
Housing
East Marion is Southold’s most densely built-out hamlet. We must carefully manage our use of
developed and undeveloped land. Our quality of life can be enhanced through the rehabilitation
of blighted properties and the elimination of unregulated rentals.
Southold Town should consider the enactment of rental laws which include permits, and
require fire and safety inspections.
East Marion is known for its historic residential structures. Southold Town should review
the existing Maximum Lot Coverage limits, and enact new Maximum Living Area limits,
as done in Sag Harbor and East Hampton, to preserve the character and scale of our
community.
Additional affordable housing will help meet the needs of residents. The Town should
continue the adaptive reuse of existing building stock.
3
EAST MARION Fact Sheet
PECONIC GREEN GROWTH
Water sustains life and symbolizes purity. But water quality is degrading. Our ground and surface waters need
protection. The aquifers are not only sources of drinking water, but flow horizontally to surface waters,
impacting the marine health of our bays. Excess nitrogen compounds are a critical cause of algal blooms, which
lower oxygen levels, create toxins, and ultimately cause fish kills. Contaminants of emerging concern, such as
pharmaceuticals and personal care products, need to be treated before being released to ground and surface
waters. Poor water quality will ultimately impact community character and vitality, which are especially relevant
for our coastal and tourist economies.
The following is a snapshot of local issues that impact excess nitrogen loading. More detailed maps are available
at http://peconicgreengrowth.org/community-maps-2014/ where you can find the areas needing priority action,
as well as identify conditions relevant to your home. Visit our website to learn about options for upgrading your
wastewater system to help protect your environment.
EXCESS NITROGEN (N) LOADING
- Excess nitrogen compounds can be harmful to human health.
- Our surface waters are 25 times more susceptible to N loads
than maximum contaminant levels for drinking water.
- Excess N feeds algal blooms, which in turn create toxins. These
impact fish and shellfish formation and survival rates.
- Excess nitrogen contributes to declines in eel grass and
wetland grass beds. Their loss impacts marine habitats and
reduces their usefulness as property buffers in storms.
EAST MARION WATER QUALITY
- East Marion groundwater has high levels of N compounds.
- Spring Pond is impaired and closed to shell fishing year-round.
- Marion Lake experiences blue-green algae, which is toxic to
humans and pets.
- Dissolved Oxygen in Orient Harbor reaches chronic levels (4.8
mg/L) in the summer and early fall.
- Waters in Orient Harbor are becoming more acidic over time.
- N levels in Orient Harbor are rising. (PEP)
- Eel grass has declined over 50% since 2000 in Peconic Estuary.
- Orient Harbor is a site of significant shellfish restoration
efforts and commercial operations.
- LI Sound has a recommended N reduction goal of 19%.
- A 90 % N reduction is needed to address source loading in the
EM/Orient subwatershed of the Peconic Estuary.
SOURCES OF EXCESS NITROGEN
Peconic Estuary, NF7 Subwatershed is responsible for 7% of all
the nitrogen loading in the Peconic Estuary (43 subwatersheds)
53% septic/cesspool systems
22% atmospheric deposition
10% agriculture
10% fertilizer from lawns
4% golf course
Courtesy TNC and Prof. Christopher Gobler
651 West Main Street Riverhead, NY 11901 T 631 591 2402 www.peconicgreengrowth.org
EAST MARION Fact Sheet
PECONIC GREEN GROWTH
CESSPOOLS VS. SEPTIC SYSTEMS
CESSPOOLS are pits with open joints that dispense all wastewater
directly to surrounding soils. Contaminants and pathogens can
percolate to groundwater. The dissolved solids fill pores in the
soil, reducing oxygen and natural treatment that occurs in soils.
Homes older than 1973 are likely to have cesspools.
SEPTIC SYSTEM: An enclosed tank receives wastewater. Fats rise
and solids settle to the bottom, where microbes treat the solids.
Clarified effluent flows to leaching pits (which resemble
Is this a Cesspool or Part of a Septic
cesspools) or fields for discharge to soils. Roughly 10% of the
System? Answer: Could be either
nitrogen is mitigated.
DEPTH TO GROUNDWATER
The Suffolk County Sanitation Code (SCSC) requires a 3-foot
separation distance from the bottom of wastewater systems to
groundwater to allow for natural treatment and filtering of
effluent. When groundwater is less than 7 feet below grade,
there can be difficulties siting the system. Where depths to
groundwater are less than 13 feet, systems are likely to become
noncompliant as groundwater elevations rise due to climate
change. In EAST MARION 168 buildings (32%) in the PE have
depths to groundwater of less than 13 feet.
SMALL LOT SIZES
EM # Developed Lots by Size
(not in a sewer district)
In East Marion 65% (283) of the developed lots in the PE and 18%
(45) in the LI Sound watershed are nonconforming to the 20,000
200
SF (nominal half-acre) minimum lot sizes SCDHS requires to dilute
150
wastewater to acceptable contamination levels for drinking
100
water. If a community relies on individual wells, this minimum lot
50
PE
0
size is even larger a nominal one acre.
LI
30% of developed parcels in the Peconic Estuary in EM are less
than ¼ acre. This means that contaminant concentrations
discharged from these systems are higher than code.
CLIMATE CHANGE
By 2080 we estimate that 50 buildings in By 2080 an estimated 193 buildings in East Marion will most likely
East Marion will be inundated have their wastewater treatment systems compromised due to
inadequate horizontal distances to surface waters.
INFLUENCE ZONES
źƒĻ źƷ ğƉĻƭ DƩƚǒƓķǞğƷĻƩ Ʒƚ wĻğĭŷ {ǒƩŅğĭĻ ğƷĻƩƭ
404 or 77% of the buildings in the Peconic Estuary and
158 or 53% of the buildings in the LI Sound Watershed
are in the 0-2 year influence zone.
It makes sense to prioritize improvements in the kas
the beneficial impacts will be felt more quickly.
651 West Main Street Riverhead, NY 11901 T 631 591 2402 www.peconicgreengrowth.org
EAST MARION Fact Sheet
PECONIC GREEN GROWTH
651 West Main Street Riverhead, NY 11901 T 631 591 2402 www.peconicgreengrowth.org
!
August 24, 2020
Southold Town Supervisor and Town Board
53095 Route 25
Southold, NY 11971
RE: Southold Town Comprehensive Plan
Dear Supervisor Russell and Members of the Town Board,
The Orient Association (OA) would like to congratulate the Town Board, its Planning Board and
Planning staff for their support and conscientious work in creating a new Comprehensive Plan
for Southold Township. Ļ ƩĻĭƚƒƒĻƓķ źƷƭ ƷźƒĻƌǤ ğķƚƦƷźƚƓ ĬǤ ƷŷĻ ƚǞƓ .ƚğƩķ͵
It has been a years long effort to work with the many interested citizens and community groups
to develop a plan that is responsive to community concerns and plots a vision for fu-
ture. In particular, we note the Plan seeks tomaintain and enhance the community character
by preserving as much open space and farmland as possible, retaining the small-town feel
through land use and transportation policies and zoning. The Plan also incorporates strategies
of protecting domestic and bay water quality, enhancing coastal resilience, and preserving Plum
Island for public use and conservation all of which need short-term attention.
From perspective, we are pleased to see that many of the issues identified in the Orient
Plan 2020 and the Orient Plan Propositions have been heard and reflected in the Comprehen-
sive Plan.
As the Town Board considers adoption of the Plan, there are some issues that OA would like to
call to your attention:
1.!Implementation Process: There should be a clear, transparent process for implementa-
tion of the Plan once adopted. While the Plan calls for the Town Board to determine the
method and prioritization of implementation steps, we believe the Board could benefit
from the establishment of a Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee. Such a
committee made up of Town and Planning Board members as well as community mem-
bers could provide ongoing assistance and recommendations regarding the timing and
selection of key implementation steps. A policy for creating an Implementation Com-
mittee should be included in the Plan.
2.!House and Commercial Building Size Consistent with Community Character: An im-
-town
!
!
tial construction and additions are in scale to the
surrounding neighborhoods. The Town Board should consider adding to Chapter 3 Ob-
jective 2.2 a statement that the size of homes significantly contributes to supporting the
ies. Limits to lot coverage, height, and maximum liv-
ing square footage should be considered a priority when revising the zoning code as a
means of preserving community character.
3.!Orient Hamlet Historic District:
should called out as a priority. Codifying the historic architectural design standards of
the Historic Preservation Commission as detailed in Chapter 5 Objective 2.2 D | is essen-
tial in the short term to conserve this fragile resource.
4.!Farmland Preservation and Farmer Support: While the goal of Agriculture policies are
an overall goal of retaining at least 80
10,000 acres in agricultural use. We question why plan policies would concede 2000
acres of conversion to non-agricultural uses as a goal. We believe that the goal should
be preserve substantially all of the agricultural lands now remaining as a matter of local
5.!Design Guidelines: The Plan appropriately calls for the development of design guide-
lines for residential and commercial uses. Consider amending the language of Chapter
5 Objective 1.4 to indicate that a main intent of residential guidelines will be to create
new homes and additions that enhance community character of individual neighbor-
hoods and protect scenic resources. Design guidelines that are developed for both resi-
dential and commercial uses should be codified and required. These guidelines will be
consistent manner.
6.!Economic Sustainability of Agriculture: The proposed language of Chapter 7 Objective
4.8 could be very problematic in the future as other non-agricultural landowners may
seek the same considerations. Generally speaking, zoning is not for the purpose of en-
hancing value but of identifying appropriate land uses and use regulations. Consider
adopting the following language instead:
hĬƆĻĭƷźǝĻ Ѝ͵Б
/ƚƓƭźķĻƩ ĻĭƚƓƚƒźĭ ƭǒƭƷğźƓğĬźƌźƷǤ ƚŅ ğŭƩźĭǒƌƷǒƩğƌ ƚƦĻƩğƷźƚƓƭ ǞŷĻƓ ĻǝğƌǒğƷźƓŭ ǩƚƓźƓŭ ƚƦΏ
ƷźƚƓƭ͵
\[ğƓķ ǒƭĻ ğƓķ ǩƚƓźƓŭ ƩĻŭǒƌğƷźƚƓƭ ƭŷƚǒƌķ ƦƩƚǝźķĻ ŅƚƩ ğ ĬƩƚğķ ƩğƓŭĻ ƚŅ ğƦƦƩƚƦƩźğƷĻ ğŭƩźĭǒƌΏ
ƷǒƩğƌ ğĭƷźǝźƷźĻƭ Ʒƚ ĻƓŷğƓĭĻ ǝğƌǒĻ ğƓķ ĻĭƚƓƚƒźĭ ƭǒƭƷğźƓğĬźƌźƷǤ ƚŅ ğŭƩźĭǒƌƷǒƩğƌ ƌğƓķƭ͵
!
!
We thank you for the years long effort to put in place a plan that can now be implemented with
the urgency it deserves. We urge you to take action on recommended changes in Plan lan-
guage prior to adoption or formally indicate the intention to incorporate these points
into the Implementation process.
Sincerely,
Drianne Benner
President, Orient Association
cc:
Southold Town Planning Board
Heather Lanza, Southold Town Planning Department Director
Attachments:
Orient Plan
Orient Propositions
Orient Association Letter to the Planning Board August 2019
!
Orient Plan 2020
Drafted January 2016
Orient Association
Orient Plan Working Teams
1
Orient Plan 2020
Contents
Part 1: Vision
Background and Introduction
Historical Perspective and Community Character
Part 2: Population/Demographics
Orient Population
Local Economy
Housing
Human Services
Parks and Recreation
Transportation
Infrastructure & Disaster Relief
Part 3: Natural Resources
Land Preservation
Plum Island and the Plum Island Ferry Terminal at Orient Point
Water
Plants and Animals
2
Part 1: Vision
A Vision for Us: What will Orient Look Like in 2020?
The Orient of 2020 is a place that enchants natives and newcomers alike. The late Stewart
Sense of
is familiar. That barn may have collapsed before we were born, that boat sunk, but the essence
Were he still alive in 2020, Stewart Johnson probably would be pleased
by what he found in Orient.
Orient is still a diverse community that draws inspiration from its rich farming, fishing and
seafaring history, with full and part-time residents, young and old, who value its sense of place.
It is also a community that is rising confidently to the present-day challenges posed by
unceasing development pressure and a steady influx of ever-wealthier residents.
Those challenges include ensuring that Orient continues to attract and retain a wonderfully
varied assortment of people; that stunning views of farmland, wetlands and open water
paramount among them the sweeping vista that greets visitors entering and leaving the hamlet
on Main Road are protected; that more land is preserved for farmers of the future and for
passive recreation so that local residents can work creatively and productively; that ground
water quality is protected and Orient Harbor is measurably cleaner than in the recent past.
The Orient of 2020 recognizes that its many historic homes add significantly to its visual appeal
it is
to
unpretentious character.
3
To prevent sprawl and protect scenic vistas, new development has been clustered close to the
hamlet center. Commercial activity stil
business district, with each of the establishments accessible to many residents on foot or
bicycle.
Meanwhile, town zoning regulations are in place to make sure that any planned redevelopment
of Plum Island and the ferry terminal serving it at Orient Point respects the open space that
currently exists on Plum Island and is undertaken with utmost sensitivity to the wishes of the
wider community.
In 2020, thanks to broad support of enlightened policies, Orient a community with diverse
perspectives, occupations, income, and age, drawing upon our roots in farming and fishing is
well on its way to assuring that, as Stewart Johnson
This plan aims to maintain centuries-old traditions for generations to come by: protecting our
natural resources, especially our aquifer; and improving surface water conditions in the bays
and Sound; continuing to expand land preservation and encouraging new farmers to keep our
land in food production; and expanding housing stock with within the hamlet district, with new
development focused on in-fill in existing developments where there are open lots. Upland
expansion is particularly desirable because it minimizes surface-water pollution.
We also seek to retain and maintain our historic housing stock and foster construction that is
sensitive to our architectural traditions as houses are replaced or built in parcels yet to be
developed. This plan also encourages us to envision and support local environmentally friendly
businesses that keep the community close knit and serve the needs of full-time residents.
Background and Introduction
A diverse group of Orient residents worked for over a year to create the outlines of the 2020
Orient Plan, which was then tested in a broad series of stakeholder meetings with Orient
4
residents. This document reflects a consensus from those stakeholder discussions and has the
endorsement of over half the local residents, both full-time and second home owners.
What all these painstakingly researched and thoughtfully written sections add up to is a very
ambitious plan for Orient that advances the conversation about the direction our beloved
community should take to make it even better than it is now.
Historical Context and Community Character
Orient has a long legacy of preserving land for the common good. Currently, Orient has more
overall preserved land and more contiguous preserved land than any other hamlet in Southold
Township. This has occurred because of a consensus from the earliest founding families
forward that certain places should be dedicated for the common good. Long Beach and parts
of Hallock Bay wetlands, for example, were set aside in 1640 by the founding families and held
under their stewardship for over 300 years. It was deeded
to the state and county park systems. Other sections of Orient, such as the county park at
Orient Point, were
Additional investments in the common good include Poquatuck Hall, the Orient Wharf,
Poquatuck Park and the buildings currently held by the Oysterponds Historical Society and the
William Steeple Davis Trust. For so small a village to have such a sustained history of
community engagement and investment helps to profoundly shape the character of Orient
ary Society presentations, temperance meetings and early
That same quality continues 100 years later with sell-out crowds to
discuss ferry traffic or attend a song swap or poetry jam.
In addition, Orient has a general store and post office, both of which are critical to village life as
they provide a daily meeting place for all the residents of Orient. Continued operation of a local
post office is considered essential to maintaining community character.
5
Part 2: Population/Demographics
Orient Population: Who Lives Here?
hƩźĻƓƷ źƭ ƭƒğƌƌ: About 700 people live in Orient full time.
number as it was in 1830. Orient represents only three per cent of
resident population.
Second-home owners essentially double the population when everyone is in Orient. We know
that because when the 1990 Census was taken, 334 houses were occupied and another 344
1
were not. The precise figures may have changed but the balance of full-time and seasonal/
second-home owners are probably much the same now: 50:50.
political clout based on size alone is not very big, but Orient residents are some of
the most active and engaged citizens of the Town. When we pull together, we can influence
what happens in Orient and in the broader township.
hƩźĻƓƷ źƭ ğŭźƓŭ: permanent residents are older on average than in Southold Town, 58 years
versus 48 years. Over a third of permanent residents are retired. That includes people who
first came to Orient as second-homeowners and then retired here fulltime. Many current
second-home owners and renters seem to be in their thirties and forties and have children. This
creates some important diversity.
1
D emographic information contained in these pages is primarily T-R- bdmrtr c`s` from
088/+ with updates in 1//8- As such, it tells us about those people who have their sole or
primary residence in Orient. Second home owners are not counted.
6
hƩźĻƓƷ źƭ ĻķǒĭğƷĻķ: twenty per cent of full-time residents obtained a graduate or professional
degree versus fourteen per cent for Southold Town. Many second-home owners are also highly
educated.
Median household income for permanent residents has declined in Orient since 1990 (from
$57,000 to $54,000). It has gone up slightly in several other hamlets. We hypothesize this is a
result of an increase in the number of retirees, on fixed or restricted incomes, and perhaps of
some younger families living on reduced income. Second homeowners, almost by definition,
have considerably higher than average incomes.
Goals:
!Actively decide, as a community, what type of population we want Orient to have in the
future. With little intervention, the proportion of second homeowners is likely to
increase and Orient might become a retirement and second/seasonal homeowner
community. If we want the diversity and richness of younger families and children, we
need to explore ways to make that possible
!Address the disparate needs of a population with a high percentage of older retirees, an
increase in seasonal younger kids, and the decline of children residing full time
!Ensure those who are less affluent do not get lost as the community becomes more
affluent
!Maintain community life in ways that appeal to different interests of Orient society and
that encourages all to participate in some activities
How:
!If we want younger people who grew up in Orient to be able to stay here as well as and
housing at prices that
are affordable to working people.
7
The Local Economy
In the 1700s and 1800 rily based on farming, fishing and
shelllodging facilities were beginning to be built
both hotels and rooming houses. And with the advent of the 20th century, land once dedicated
to agriculture was starting to be used for residential and recreational purposes.
Today, ever more affluent seasonal homebuyers drive up land and housing prices in Orient, as
they do in Southold in general. This makes Orient prohibitively expensive for local working
families to stay in the place where they grew up, or for others to move here. (If all or most of
the homes are purchased by second-home owners as older full-time residents die or leave, then
the village could be changed irrevocably.)
Occupations for currently working adults who live in Orient include:
Farming and fishing 1%
Services 9%
Construction and related 16%
Sales 30%
Professional 36%
Most of these jobs are located at least a 30 minute-drive from Orient. For the few teachers and
other professionals employed in Orient itself, the high cost of housing requires them to
commute to work from a location that is more affordable.
Orient is also profoundly impacted by two commercial operations: the Cross Sound Ferry
terminal and its adjacent parking lot, and the Plum Island agricultural research facility and its
ferry terminal at Orient Point. Any expansion of ferry traffic and changes from the potential
federal sale of Plum Island could impact Orient in unforeseen ways.
8
Goals:
!Encourage diversity of employment in Orient so that it continues as a vibrant working
community
How:
!Telecommuting jobs
!Encouraging business development in other parts of Southold that Orient people can do
!Monitor Plum Island closely for potential impacts
Occupations: Agriculture and Aquaculture
Orient currently has 415 acres in crop production and 164 acres in nursery production. In
Orient, where some family farms have been in continuous cultihere
are presently just 10 working farmers. While family farmers across the nation are aging, this
problem is particularly acute in Orient, where three of the biggest food-producing farms are
managed by people in their sixties. With few exceptions, younger farmers are not taking the
place of those retiring because the high price of acreage makes it nearly impossible to turn a
profit.
Open-water aquaculture and shellfish farming are also important to Orient and will continue to
be so if surface-water quality can be improved and maintained at levels that are viable to fish,
shellfish and eel grass. Orient is becoming well known for its excellent oysters and oysters
provide an additional benefit to the community by serving to clean the waters in which they
reside.
Farmed aquaculture and shellfish are beginning to be discussed in Southold. In fact, the first
permits have just been granted. In Orient, we need to make decisions about whether and under
what conditions we want this.
Goals:
!Encourage younger farmers and housing for same
9
!Find ways to make agriculture economically feasible
!Identify the types of agriculture best suited to Orient and those not well suited
!Ensure that development of any land-based aquaculture facilities, greenhouses, on
premise food production, etc. preserve view sheds and protect water, air, character and
quiet
How:
!Fortuitously, these initiatives are occurring at a time when the Slow Food Movement
and the publication Edible East End are promoting locally grown food. But it will take
considerable community education to create a consensus on sustainable land use, the
importance of organic and other conservation practices, incubation of young farmers
and ways to promote small-farm viability.
!Orient endorses Southold Town recommendations to develop systematic approaches to
preventing soil depletion, controlling nuisance wildlife, reducing crop disease, and
increasing sustainable practices.
Housing
Existing housing stock consists of 660 to 700 mostly single-family homes. There are very few
multi-unit dwellings for lower-income buyers or renters in the hamlet. Housing is concentrated
in the village, along Route 25, and in a few postwar development areas. Many of these homes
are very old, with aging infrastructure. Most are built on lots that are less than one half acre
and the houses themselves are 1,500 - 3,000 square feet.
Older homes are built closer to the street, some of which have sidewalks. Variety in housing
setbacks, along with sidewalks with street trees, adds to the sense of a pedestrian-friendly
village where children can play and bike safely.
Postwar developments including Brow Greenway East and Orient-by-the-
Sea have slightly larger lots, no sidewalks and some larger houses. Pedestrian traffic and
10
cycling are observed to be less common in these areas. The most recent developments
Grandview and Lands End are larger still both in lot and house size. Mostly, these
developments are set well back from the main road, often behind trees, fields and older houses
on the Main Road.
Some of the newest and largest lots and houses are more visible, set in fields that used to be
farmed. It takes time for landscaping and trees to grow around them. Many use privet hedges
to interrupt the viewsheds.
Within the village, lot sizes do not conform to current zoning, with a typical 105-foot width
compared to the regulated 150-foot width. Total lot size is also typically one-quarter acre
compared with currently mandated half-acre minimums.
IƚǒƭźƓŭ ağƩƉĻƷ
Housing prices in Orient are very high, averaging $819,400 for a detached single family home.
The primary market for home sales is second-home buyers. ermanent residents tend to stay
put.
Second-home owners are also the people building new houses. There are about 150 lots
available in Orient, already approved for building and another 125 150 building lots could
become available as additional farmland is subdivided. (The actual number depends on sub-
division and preservation rules.) New homes would, of course, increase the population of
Orient and would also increase the property tax base by a substantial amount.
IƚǒƭĻ {źǩĻ
As a result of doing this planning, we have discovered that current regulations permit the
building of a 21,750 square foot house on a 1-acre lot. That would be an 8,700 square-foot
footprint rising 2 ½ stories that contains a total of 21,750 square feet of livable space.
11
Houses of this size are incompatible with the existing houses in Orient and threaten to destroy
its character, just as has already occurred with the construction of outsize homes in
Amagansett and Montauk. Shelter Island and Southampton were sufficiently concerned by this
trend that they changed the allowed house size to 8,000 square feet; then they decided that
was still too big and changed it to 6,000 square feet.
Goals:
During meetings of Orient hamlet stakeholders in 2012, a number of key characteristics were
identified as desirable goals. These included:
!Maintain the small scale of existing development
!Protect historic buildings (beyond those already protected on Village Lane)
!It was also recommended that additional lots in the hamlet district have half-acre or
!Establish restrictions for lot coverage limits, setbacks of homes and require sidewalk
installation.
!Avoid off-street parking lots
!Avoid significant expansion of the current business district.
!Follow the example of Shelter Island and limit residential buildings to 6,000 sq. ft
!Find a way to provide workforce housing/ housing that new farmers and people who
grew up in Orient can afford.
How:
!By modifying certain code restrictions on preserved land, there might be flexibility to
allow limited low-cost housing to be built adjacent to land with agricultural covenants in
place.
!Provide technical options for appropriate house size limitations as has been done in
similar hamlets
!Encourage in-fill development to be a few houses (4 to 5) on private roads (rural vs.
suburban layouts) with shared wells and waste systems. Provided that house size
limitations have been adopted.
12
Human Services
Many human service needs are addressed by existing Town and County programs. These
include:
!Meals on wheels
!Case management
!Transportation services
!Residential repair
!Entitlement counseling
!Caregiver support groups
!Adult day care services (in Mattituck only)
Within Orient, the most critical group is senior citizens. Southold Planners, in their document on
human services, have said that residents throughout Southold Town do not know what services
are available, and that access can be an issue for those who live further east.
Goals:
!Assist outreach efforts to ensure that all Orient residents who could benefit from these
services are both aware of and able to participate in them
!Assess activities and events offered in Orient to help older or disabled residents (and
visitors) to participate. Access to transportation and reducing social isolation are critical
issues facing residents aging at home. Models exit for community efforts to reduce
isolation and provide access to necessities.
How:
!Conduct a survey of Orient residents to determine what additional needs residents may
have
!
Boston), online sharing programs
!Make more activities available in Orient, including taking advantage of the Greenport
Library outreach program
13
!Possibly offering longer distances or at
night
!A community bulletin board and blog. Sharing enabled by technology should be
considered to support improved connections between
!Many community groups could be helpful with both running the survey and procuring
improved services; these include the Orient Community Association, the Orient
Association, the Oysterponds Historical Society, the public school, the Orient Fire
Department, churches, and the town government.
Parks & Recreation
There is a surprising number of public and local parks within a hamlet as small as Orient, and
most are open to widespread use. Orient Beach State Park attracts residents throughout
Southold and Riverhead townships who lack access to other beaches. It is heavily used for all
forms of recreation.
The County Park at the Point is also available to all. Other beaches and parks are designated for
the use of Orient residents (and their guests). These include the beaches at Narrow River
(eastern and western ends).
ict and is available only to
Orient and East Marion residents, although a state beach next door is open to all.
Private fishing charters leaving from both Orient Point and Greenport offer another form of
recreation. In addition, fishing, clamming and scalloping are open to all residents with a fishing
license throughout the bays in Orient.
The public-school yard has a baseball diamond and tennis court and other sports fields that are
open to the public during school holidays and the summer months.
14
Cycling and walking parks through preserved land is desirable.
Goals:
!To encourage activities that bring residents together in our recreational spaces
!Provide community wide oversight of public spaces and advocate for the common good
when issues arise
How:
!Work with the town to better understand what land is available for public access;
determine if volunteers can be organized to help create/maintain public pathways
Transportation
wƚğķ ƭǤƭƷĻƒ
For Orient residents, the Main Road (Route 25) is the sole connection of their rural peninsula to
the rest of Southold Town. For the New York State Department of Transportation, Route 25 is
ic travelling to or from the ferry
service between Orient Point and New London. The extreme contrast between the views of the
state and residents unction creates powerful disconnect within
the community.
Orient citizens complain that ferry traffic dominates the road, with motorists bound to and
from the ferries often behaving aggressively, especially eastbound drivers as sailing time
approaches. Speeding, tailgating and illegal passing are frequent occurrences.
New York State DOT traffic reports for 2010 show an average two-way traffic east of the
junction of Route 25 and County Route 48 (at Greenport) as 4,200 vehicles per day; with 3,600
vehicles per day reported at Orient Point. The state reports that six per cent of the vehicles are
buses or large trucks. The speed limit on the Route 25 is 40 miles per hour upon entering the
village, 30 miles per hour in the school zone during school hours and 45 miles per hour east of
15
the Orient Inn. Traffic monitoring near Narrow River Road during June 2008 found that 74 per
cent of the eastbound and 68 per cent of the westbound vehicles exceeded the speed limit.
According to the state, Route 25 is paved with asphalt over concrete on graded and drained
native soil. The traffic travel width is twenty feet with two seven-foot wide shoulders, which are
reasonably surfaced and maintained and frequently used by pedestrians and bicyclists.
There is a fair amount of pedestrian and bicycle traffic on the three roads at the western
entrance to the village. Pedestrians and bicyclists cross Route 25 here and the buses operated
by Hampton Jitney and the county stop here. A traffic sign reduces the eastbound speed limit
to 40 miles per hour when leaving the causeway and entering the village, but there are very few
other visual clues telling drivers that they are leaving a 50 miles-per-hour zone and entering a
pedestrian zone.
The Y intersection at Village Lane and Route 25 encourages drivers to take the turn onto Village
Lane too quickly. The problem is compounded by the hedges on the adjoining property, which
obstruct pedestrian view of traffic at the turn. The town zoning ordinance 208-106b, limiting
hedges that obstruct views of traffic on corner lots to 2 ½ feet, must be enforced.
ŷĻ /Ʃƚƭƭ {ƚǒƓķ CĻƩƩǤ
The Cross Sound Ferry reported in 2010 that it carried 450,000 vehicles and 1.3 million
passengers per year, including 195,000 passengers on the high-speed Sea Jet service. The
company provides onsite parking in Orient for 250 cars.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council recently included a proposal in its regional
Administration and sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the plan
proposed upgrades to ferries to allow them to carry an additional 3,000 trucks per year,
16
2
bringing the total truck traffic on the Orient section of Route 25 to 15,000 trucks per year.
Community opposition seems to have stopped the proposal from being included in the NYMTC
plan, but it has not been eliminated from future consideration in federal legislation.
Also raising the possibility of still more heavy truck traffic locally was federal legislation
proposed in 2015 that would preempt New York State limitations on the size of tractor trailers,
greatly expanding the size of vehicles using the single rural road that provides access to our
community.
tĻķĻƭƷƩźğƓ ğƓķ /ǤĭƌźƭƷ bĻĻķƭ
Bicyclist and pedestrian traffic are increasingly common, especially during the summer months.
Safety is the paramount concern.
The county bus system is currently insufficient to be a viable alternative to car travel to and
from Orient.
Train service and many coach/Hampton Jitney services terminate in Greenport, creating
additional transportation issues for Orient residents.
Air traffic being routed up Long Island Sound and across the North Fork peninsula on their way
to East Hampton are a persistent noise problem.
Goals:
!Ensure that safety is paramount and that obstacles to safety are minimized or
eliminated
!Rationalize speed limits to make them consistent from the causeway to the point.
!Encourage Southold Town to improve transportation options that reduce car traffic.
17
How:
!Traffic calming and speed-bump additions might mitigate the impact of these traffic
hazards.
!Tall privet hedges block sight lines and cause traffic hazards. The town zoning ordinance
208-106b, limiting hedges that obstruct views of traffic on corner lots to 2 ½ feet, must
be enforced. And additional regulations should apply on Route 25 where hedges impair
sighting around curves and driveways.
!Creating off-road bike trails may be possible because of the large amount of preserved
land in Orient. Making roadside shoulders safer for non-vehicular travel and possibly
adding yellow lights at key intersections might also improve safety for residents.
!Review the configuration of the pedestrian crosswalks and sidewalks along Route 25
between Oysterponds Lane and the school and fire department to improve safety,
taking into account crossing traffic at Youngs Road into Village Lane.
!Recommendations to slow traffic include: making crosswalks more visible with a colored
and/or textured surface and adding signs announcing the need to stop for pedestrians .
We should also consider traffic cameras in school zones, which are allowed by New York
State, and explore the possibility of curb extensions or pedestrian islands if the road
width will allow them.
!Improving both frequency of service and on-time performance of public buses is
important with an aging population on an isolated peninsula.
Infrastructure & Disaster Relief
Because Orient is surrounded by water and connected to the rest of Southold Town by a very
narrow causeway, facilitating disaster relief is particularly important when planning for
hurricanes, flooding and other natural weather events. Part of the causeway is predicted to be
underwater at high tide within 10 years because of rising sea levels, making Orient a virtual
island. This flooding already occurs routinely during major storms. In addition, parts of Village
Lane are now below sea level and will flood regularly as Peconic Bay water levels continue to
18
rise. Other potential dangers include increasing droughts and the potential for fire in our
historic, but aging houses.
Orient currently has several property-tax-supported institutions and services including its own
school district, fire department, and mosquito abatement program. The Orient Fire Department
is a volunteer organization with trained EMTs and sufficient equipment to deal with immediate
triage in the event of a limited disaster. The Orient public school is an officially designated
disaster site with a Red Cross trailer on the property. However, the school lacks cooking
facilities, but the adjacent church has them.
Electrical lines are above ground throughout most of the Orient Peninsula and along the
causeway, making power especially vulnerable in times of high wind and major storms. Natural
gas lines run along Highway 25 and are vulnerable to damage by uprooted trees. Some
residents use heating oil and propane, so heat, cooking and hot water potentially are available
to them in the event of a disaster. In addition, many residents added natural gas generators for
electricity following Superstorm Sandy.
Police services come from Southold Town and are unlikely to be available if the causeway
floods.
Local cell towers mean that phones are likely to keep working as long as they can be recharged.
In addition, the Fire Department has radio communication devices to reach hospitals, other fire
departments and police in the event of an emergency.
During Hurricane Sandy, the fire department was able to supply water and showers to those
without power for their wells. Because Greenport runs its own utility plant, electrical power
was available in Greenport when all other hamlets had none; Orient residents could use the
Greenport Library for electrical charging of phones and computers during a disaster.
19
Generators at the school, church and fire department in Orient may be able to serve the same
function.
The Department of Homeland Security identifies critical infrastructure
and networks, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that their incapacitation
or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national
Goals:
!Work with Orient Fire Department and others already involved to see if there are
additional ways in which Orient residents can plan for emergencies and respond when
one happens
!Similarly, find out if there are mitigation measures that could be implemented to
address sea rise and flooding if resources were available
How:
!Create an integrated emergency zone that includes the school, church and fire
department for longer range emergencies.
!Update coastal floodplain and erosion-hazard line maps
!Assist as appropriate in education the community about potential hazards.
!The Congregational Church would be a refuge in a disaster since it now has a generator
as well as a kitchen and bathrooms,
20
Part 3: Natural Resources
Natural Resources
The beauty of the Orient peninsula and its importance for recreation and farming, mean that
protection of its natural resources is critical to any long-term plan. This includes:
!Preserving agricultural land and open spaces
!Improving and protecting water all around us and beneath the ground
!Protecting soils
!Improving wildlife habitat
!Reducing invasive species.
Land Preservation
Orient has been particularly successful in preserving land. This has been achieved through a
combination of: the foresightedness of original farm families; the 2% land preservation tax; the
desire of current farmers and land-owners to take advantage of preservation funds for farming;
the efforts of non-profit groups such as Peconic Land Trust and GFEE; and a determination on
the part of the community to learn from the experiences of the South Fork.
As we write, new initiatives are underway to add two farm tracts on Main Road to a contiguous
preserved parcel and the Tuthill family is creating conservation subdivisions on four parcels of
their land that will preserve 80% of that land.
Over the years, several hamlet stakeholder meetings have identified protection of the
causeway area and the farm fields at the eastern end of the causeway as being of essential
importance to the community. Taken together, they comprise a stunning vista that is one of
Route 25 and the smaller roads around the Village.
21
!Orient currently has about 1,500 acres in some form of farmland preservation;
!Another x acres of agricultural land are not-preserved
!Four hundred acres of unpreserved open space remain.
!In addition, there are 400+ acres of wetlands, and close to 500 acres of parklands.
!At minimum 60% of all remaining land that could be developed should be preserved
!With current zoning rules, we estimate that another 125 - 150 houses could be built on
that land
!In addition, there are about 150 lots already legally subdivided into buildable lots.
Put another way, Orient currently has about 700 residences. If all the remaining land that can
be developed is developed, we would have an additional 300 houses under current zoning
rules.
Goals:
!Preserve at least 80% of the remaining open space and ideally 100%. (Note: The
Southold Town Comprehensive Plan goal is to preserve 80% of the remaining open
space.)
!Keep current farmland in productive farming using covenants as it is preserved.
!Concentrate new construction of residences and farm buildings (e.g. large greenhouses)
in ways that make them invisible from route 25 and set well back from smaller roads.
!Put limits on housing sizes so that the scale of Orient is retained.
How:
!
ll the remaining open space using a
combination of county preservation funds (which will increase with home sales), sale of
development rights and private contributions.
!Explore the use of
production or the common good rather than non-agricultural purposes. (Southampton
has started to do this.)
22
!Revise house size codes for Orient such that the maximum is 6,000 sq. feet on any size
lot as has been done on Shelter Island.
Plum Island and the Plum Island Ferry Terminal at Orient Point
The 840 acres of Plum Island contain the largest area of pristine natural terrain in all of
Southold. It is the home to numerous native animals, birds, and plants, including several
threatened species. The rugged park-like setting also contains historic sites, including a 19th
century fort.
For many decades, the Western end of Plum Island has also housed a modern research facility,
which served as the animal disease research laboratory for the United States. The work of this
facility is now scheduled to be moved to the Midwest. The U.S. General Services Administration
has proposed that Plum Island be sold and has suggested the possibility of extensive residential
and commercial development following such a sale.
Such alternative uses of Plum Island would strip the community of an invaluable natural
resource. Significant residential or commercial development would seriously overburden roads
and emergency services, as well as other Town and local infrastructure. It would strain an
already fragile and compromised watershed. Development would dramatically change the
rural, agricultural, historic tone of this end of the island. Orient would cease to be Orient but
become a thruway to a suburban sprawl.
In 2013, the Town of Southold proactively adopted zoning regulations for Plum Island that
substantially maintain the current patterns of uses. The Town has classified the already
developed 160 acres of the island as the Plum Island Research District and limited its use to
research or educational purposes. Approximately 600 acres of the island has been designated
the Plum Island Conservation District. Permitted uses in this area are limited to a nature
preserve, a public park, a natural resources educational facility, and a museum in existing
historic structures. The area immediately surrounding the ferry terminal on Plum Island has yet
23
to be formally zoned (check) and the ferry terminal on the Orient side is zoned as Marine II. The
Town has also deferred decisions concerning the extent of commercial alternative energy
activities that might be permitted within the Conservation District.
In its current state, Plum Island is cherished as a natural resource for the Town, and for Orient
in particular. It provides a magnificent natural setting, a home to numerous species of native
birds, animals and plants. The island has modest water resources and can continue to provide a
small, but significant number of jobs for residents of the community.
Goals
!
Ensure implementation of the research and conservation zoning regulations that the
Town has enacted for Plum Island
!
Implement zoning regulations for the ferry terminal properties on Plum Island and
particularly in Orient to ensure that there is no increased traffic through the hamlet and
the current character of the area surrounding the terminals are not significantly
changed. Change Marine II zoning to effect these changes. (Note: Marine II permitted
uses: residences, recreational and commercial marinas, docks, piers, charter boats,
beach clubs, yacht clubs, sports facilities, boat yards and marine repair; mariculture,
aquaculture, and R&D; retail sales of fishing, diving and bathing supplies.)
!
Limit the construction of alternative energy facilities on Plum Island to the level
necessary for use on Plum Island itself, and only in areas directly adjacent to the existing
research facilities.
!
Preserve the water resources on Plum Island and limit any tapping of those resource to
use by residents and businesses in the Town of Southold.
How:
!Work with broad based coalitions to ensure Plum Island is preserved as the natural
resource that it currently is
24
Water: A Critical Resource
Orient is almost an island. Gorgeous bays, Long Island Sound and Gardiners Bay surround us.
Water for drinking, residential use and farm use lies beneath. Every living thing depends on
these waters for their lives and often their livelihoods. The future of Orient depends on
restoring and protecting water quality.
DƩƚǒƓķ ğƷĻƩ
All of Long Island depends on underground water for residential, agricultural and commercial
use. On much of the Long Island, there are three deep aquifers. In most
of Southold Town, only the top one exists (the Upper Glacial Aquifer).
The Upper Glacial Aquifer is sole source of water for drinking, household use and
irrigation. This aquifer is relatively shallow and replenished solely by rain and snow.
Suffolk County Water Authority supplies public water to many people in Southold. That water is
taken from the same aquifers and treated as necessary with chlorine. Ninety-nine per cent of
Orient homes rely on individual wells and it is up to each resident to learn about and, where
necessary, take appropriate action to improve water quality, using filters to remove nitrates
and iron.
s been impaired by chemicals
we put on the ground and pour down the drain: fertilizers, pesticides, discarded
pharmaceuticals, residues from old gas stations, and more.
Most of the wells in Orient contain some contaminants but it is important to know that these
exist at levels below the limits set for safe human consumption. Some Orient wells contain
nitrates at levels that match or exceed public health standards. It is also important to note that
this safety level is set for the most vulnerable among us: nursing mothers and babies under 6
months. The greatest danger facing the Orient aquifer is overuse through increased household
25
consumption, home irrigation systems and single use pools. Portions of the Orient aquifer are
already depleted enough that salt water is intruding into drinking wells.
{ǒƩŅğĭĻ ğƷĻƩ
We are all aware of problems in Peconic Bay: red tides, brown tides, fish die-offs, feeble scallop
harvests, disappearing eelgrass, and excessive algae. Much of this is caused or made worse by
nitrates. Nitrate levels in surface water are much more damaging, as water-based species
cannot support the level of nitrates humans can tolerate.
Surface water quality is a particular problem in Orient because the core village is located on
very low-lying ground, so waste water reaches surface bodies in a very short time. Sea rise in
Peconic Bay has made the situation even more critical. Orient also has extensive flood plain
areas that further compound ground pollution to surface water. Both Hallock Bay and Little Bay
are vulnerable to agricultural runoff and the resulting nitrate pollution.
While agriculture is usually seen as a key culprit in nitrogen pollution, recent studies show
home wastewater causes over 60 per cent of the pollution in Orient Harbor. The continued use
of cesspools in densely populated areas is particularly problematic. Suffolk County is the only
county in the United States that still permits the installation of cesspools. Everywhere else a
more advanced septic system is required. Recent research in Orient shows that many of us do
not know whether we have a cesspool or septic system (Peconic Green Growth).
ğƷĻƩ vǒğƓƷźƷǤ
Long-time farmers tell us that Orient has never run out of water. There have been long periods
without rain, but agricultural wells have never dried up. Nevertheless, we should not be
cavalier about this. Climate change is likely to bring more droughts and less snow. Rising sea
levels and storms are likely to cause saltwater intrusions.
26
Southold Town places heavy reliance upon its \[ƚĭğƌ ğƷĻƩŅƩƚƓƷ wĻǝźƷğƌźǩğƷźƚƓ tƌğƓ, adopted in
2005. The LWRP, which provides an in-depth analysis of the town's coastal resources and a
framework of goals and projects, divides Southold Town into sections (technically known as so
). Orient is comprised of two reaches of distinctly different geological character,
impacting water supply and management. Route 25 is a convenient dividing line between one
on the north side and the other on the south.
Goals:
!Greatly reduce the concentration of nitrates reaching bays on both Peconic and
Sound sides. Pay particular attention to Orient Harbor where the concentration of
houses in low lying areas creates the most pressure on the health of our waters
!Increase the awareness of Orient residents about water and wastewater: the issues, the
solutions and the need for all to share responsibility
!Get funding for water and wastewater improvement projects that will reduce the
burden on individual home and business owners in restoring and preserving water
quality in Orient
!Encourage water conservation, particularly in times of drought.
How:
!Endorse changes to Suffolk County health department codes to support innovative on-
site systems for waste disposal
!Mandate upgrades to septic tanks during any home expansion or improvement.
!Support efforts of Peconic Green Growth and the Peconic Estuary Program in
developing a well-conceived plan to create test sites in Orient by 2016 for community-
based advanced sewage disposal.
!Supplement the recent improvements to storm water runoff drains along Highway 25
with additional storm water drainage at most hamlet street ends and along Narrow
River Road.
27
!Recruit/have at least one member from Orient as an active member of the town water
quality protection and conservation committee.
!Encourage the development of alternative agricultural practices, including organic,
sustainable farming and integrated pest management. Discourage further expansion of
vineyards on agricultural land until viticulture is sustainable without the use of
problematic fungicides.
!Educate Orient residents to reduce the amount of lawn fertilizer and prescription drug
and pesticide residue from home use getting into surface and ground water.
!Explore the feasibility of designating Orient as an SPGA (special groundwater protection
area). The Department of Environmental Conservation has designated certain locations
within Southold Town as SPGAs because of their importance in recharging the
underground aquifer. Orient, with a very fragile aquifer could certainly qualify.
!Continue mitigation efforts, such as installing dry wells, improving storm water drains
and adding plantings along roadsides and sidewalks to contain runoff
!Reduce usage of potable water in some non-essential uses, such as irrigation of lawns.
(Orient residents can also participate in the Peconic Estuary Homeowners Rebate
Program for water conservation practices.)
!Wetlands are key protectors of surface water bodies, creating coastal buffer zones to
minimize pollution and prevent erosion. Encourage the use of native vegetation to
stabilize wetlands and shorelines and all efforts to maintain natural watercourses and
drainage systems. Because Orient has over 500 acres of preserved wetlands, these
programs can have an early impact on water quality.
Soil
Orient, like much of Southold, has two types of soil: on the Sound side, the soil is deep, coarse
textured, and fast to drain reaching the underlying aquifer quickly. This area covers land that is
prized for homebuilding because of its proximity to water, rapid permeability, and the wooded
and rolling nature of topography. However, there is also a high potential for soil erosion due to
development since it removes hard to replace native vegetation.
28
On the south side of Route 25, the soil on the glacial outwash plain leading to the bay is
characteristically deep, rich, well drained, moderately coarse and nearly level, making it highly
suitable for agriculture. The areas melt water creeks and smaller bays support shellfish.
Significant areas of Orient have a clay subsurface, which accelerates nitrate and nitrogen
loading in water runoff into the bays and creeks.
Goal
!Soil protection can be achieved by following agricultural practices mentioned elsewhere
and by preventing erosion using native shrubs and windbreaks.
How:
!Any new development should include remediation to prevent soil erosion.
!Work with groups supporting regenerative agriculture; work with the Town to improve
and continue composting of organic materials
Plants and animals
Southold Town has seen dramatic losses of native trees and shrubs, starting with the earliest
colonial settlers. The further east one goes, the fewer native species remain, and Orient is at
the center of the process, with many invasive species now outpacing native plants.
Wetland
preserving plant, animal and aquatic species diversity. Increasingly clogged by Phragmites and
other newer invasive species, these are areas have become stagnant and anaerobic. It will
require significant community effort to eradicate these invasive species, much the same as East
Marion did on their inland lake.
Orient is on a major flyway for migrating song and shorebirds. Protection and expansion of
habitat is important; requiring new construction to restore surrounding habitat would help
enormously.
29
Goals:
!Reduce and/or eliminate invasive and nuisance wildlife and plant species
!Reduce white-tailed deer populations to sustainable levels
!Safely remove invasive plant species and stop their spread
!
!Protect wetlands and the habitat they provide for native fish, turtles, shorebirds and
shellfish
!Educate and encourage residents to plant and nurture native species
How:
3
!Plant new native and drought tolerant trees along roads and in open areas to increase
habitat for pollinators.
30
Uif!Psjfou!Qmbo!Qspqptjujpot!
Ubcvmbujpo!pg!Wpuft!
Qfsdfoubhft!sfgmfdu!uif!ovncfs!pg!ZFT!ps!OP!wpuft!ejwjefe!cz!uif!upubm!ovncfs!pg!cbmmput!dbtu!)475*/!
Bduvbm!ZFT!boe!OP!wpuft!dbtu!gps!fbdi!qspqptjujpo!tipxo!jo!qbsfouiftft/!
Cvjmejoh!tj{f;!Voefs!dvssfou!{pojoh!svmft-!b!ipvtf!dbo!dpwfs!31&!pg!b!qbsdfm-!9111!tr/!gu!
po!bo!bdsf-!cvu!uijt!dbo!sftvmu!jo!b!31-111!vtbcmf!tr/!gu/!ipnf!)!3!203!tupsfzt*!sfhbsemftt!
pg!uif!tj{f!pg!ofbscz!ipnft/!Tjnjmbsmz-!b!6-111!tr/!gu/-!3!203!tupsfz!ipvtf!dbo!cf!cvjmu!po!
205!bdsf/!Uijt!nfbtvsf!xpvme!mjnju!ofx!ipvtf!dpotusvdujpo!ps!tjhojgjdbou!fyqbotjpot!tp!
uibu!uifz!bsf!opu!upp!nvdi!mbshfs!uibo!uiptf!pg!uifjs!ofjhicpst/
Op!dpotusvdujpo!tibmm!cf!qfsnjuufe!uibu!xpvme!sftvmu!jo!pwfsbmm!ipvtjoh!tj{f!)vtbcmf!
trvbsf!gppubhf*!uibu!jt!pvu!pg!tdbmf!xjui!uif!fyjtujoh!ipvtjoh!jo!uif!jnnfejbuf!ofjhi.
cpsippe<!uijt!qspwjtjpo!tibmm!cf!jo!beejujpo!up!{pojoh!sfrvjsfnfout-!jodmvejoh!mpu!dpw.
fsbhf-!tfucbdl-!ifjhiu!boe!puifs!mjnjubujpot/
Usbggjd!po!Nbjo!Spbe;!Uijt!nfbtvsf!xpvme!sfrvjsf!uibu-!cfgpsf!boz!qspqptfe!cvjmejoh-!
fyqbotjpo-!ps!dibohf!jo!vtf-!uif!qspqfsuz!pxofs!efnpotusbuf!uibu!usbggjd!xpvme!opu!cf!
nbef!xpstf!cz!uif!qspqptbm!ps!dibohf/!Uijt!xpvme!bqqmz!up!xjofsjft-!puifs!dpnnfsdjbm!
bdujwjujft-!ipvtjoh!efwfmpqnfout-!boe!Qmvn!Jtmboe!bttpdjbufe!qspkfdut/
Dpotusvdujpo-!efwfmpqnfou-!boe!dpnnfsdjbm!bdujwjuz!tibmm!cf!mjnjufe!boe!nbobhfe!tp!
uibu!uifsf!jt!op!nbufsjbm!jodsfbtf!pg!wfijdvmbs!usbggjd!po!Nbjo!Spbe!jo!Psjfou<!uifsf!
tibmm!cf!op!dibohf!jo!dbufhpsz!ps!tdpqf!pg!vtf!uibu!xpvme!nbufsjbmmz!jodsfbtf!tvdi!
usbggjd/
Bewbodfe!tfqujd!tztufnt;!Dvssfoumz!pme!dfttqppmt!dbo!cf!sfcvjmu-!boe!nbshjobmmz!fggfd.
ujwf!tfqujd!tztufnt!dbo!cf!vtfe!jo!ofx!dpotusvdujpo/!!Uijt!dpousjcvuft!up!ojusbuf!qpmmvujpo!
pg!pvs!esjoljoh!xbufs!boe!cbzt/!Uijt!nfbtvsf!xpvme!sfrvjsf!cftu!qsbdujdft!xifo!ofx!
dpotusvdujpo!ps!nbkps!xpsl!jt!cfjoh!epof/!Ju!bmtp!qspnpuft!b!tvctjez!qsphsbn!up!ifmq!qbz!
gps!vqhsbeft/
Bmm!ofx!dpotusvdujpo-!ps!tvctuboujbm!sfopwbujpot!boe!fyqbotjpot-!boe!bmm!vqhsbeft!ps!
sfqmbdfnfout!pg!fyjtujoh!dfttqppmt!ps!tfqujd!tztufnt!tibmm!jodmvef!bo!jotubmmbujpo!pg!bo!
foibodfe!tfqujd!tztufn<!uif!Upxo!tibmm!vtf!jut!cftu!fggpsut!up!tfdvsf!tvctjejft!gps!vq.
hsbejoh!pg!fyjtujoh!tztufnt!up!foibodfe!tfqujd!tztufnt/
Bhsjdvmuvsbm!qsftfswbujpo;!Pggjdjbmt!buufnqu!up!qsftfswf!gbsnmboe!xjui!qvcmjd!gjoet-!cvu!
uifsf!jt!op!gpsnbm!sfrvjsfnfou!qsfwfoujoh!uibu!gbsnmboe!gspn!cfjoh!uvsofe!joup!b!qsjwbuf!
mbxo!ps!b!ijhi.ifehfe!hbsefo/
/Bmm!qvsdibtft!pg!efwfmpqnfou!sjhiut!po!mboet!dvssfoumz!cfjoh!vtfe!gps!bhsjdvmuvsbm!
qvsqptft!tibmm!jodmvef!dpwfobout!jo!effet!sfrvjsjoh!qsftfswbujpo!pg!ijtupsjd!wjfxtifet-!
boe!fjuifs!bdujwf!gbsnjoh!ps!efejdbujpo!up!qvcmjd!vtf/
Qsftfswjoh!uif!wjfxtifet;!Dvssfoumz!uif!wjtub!bmpoh!Nbjo!Spbe!boe!uif!dbvtfxbz!jt!kvtu!
pof!gbdups!jo!bo!fowjsponfoubm!jnqbdu!tubufnfou-!boe!uiftf!tubufnfout!bsf!opu!sfrvjsfe!
po!bmm!qspkfdut!uibu!dpvme!dpnqspnjtf!pvs!ijtupsjd!wjfxt/!Uijt!xpvme!sftusjdu!dibohft!uibu!
tjhojgjdboumz!ebnbhfe!uif!ijtupsjd!wjfxtifet/
Up!ifmq!qsftfswf!pqfo!wjtubt!boe!dpnnvojuz!dibsbdufs-!dpotusvdujpo-!mboetdbqjoh-!
ifehft-!gfodjoh-!tjhobhf!ps!puifs!bdujpot!uibu!nbufsjbmmz!jnqbjs!uif!ijtupsjd!wjfxtifet-!
jodmvejoh!uif!wjdjojuz!pg!uif!dbvtfxbz!boe!Spvuf!36-!tibmm!cf!qspijcjufe/
Tupsnxbufs!svopgg;!Dvssfoumz!uifsf!jt!tjhojgjdbou!svopgg!joup!Psjfou!Ibscps-!Ibmmpdlt!
Cbz!boe!uif!Mpoh!Jtmboe!Tpvoe!gspn!bekbdfou!spbet/!Uifsf!bsf!tpnf!qjqft!boe!dvmwfsut!
uibu!dbssz!spbe!efcsjt!boe!qfuspmfvn!xbtuf!ejsfdumz!joup!pvs!xbufsxbzt/!!Uijt!qspqptbm!
xpvme!sfrvjsf!b!qmbo!up!sfevdf!uif!qpmmvujpo!pg!pvs!xbufsxbzt/
B!qmbo!up!qsfwfou!ejsfdu!tupsnxbufs!svopgg!gspn!spbexbzt!joup!Psjfou!xbufsxbzt!tibmm!
cf!efwfmpqfe!boe!jnqmfnfoufe/
Qftu!dpouspm;!Xf!bsf!tusvhhmjoh!xjui!effs-!ujdlt!boe!puifs!jotfdut-!qisbhnjuft-!njmf.b.
njovuf!wjof-!lopuxffe-!boe!puifs!qftut/!Uijt!xpvme!dsfbuf!b!tztufn!up!gpdvt!dpssfdujwf!
bdujpo!uibu!jt!gjof.uvofe!up!pvs!dpnnvojuz/
Bo!Psjfou!Qftu!Dpouspm!Ejtusjdu!tibmm!cf!ftubcmjtife!up!dpouspm!jotfdu!boe!bojnbm!qftut-!
boe!jowbtjwf!qmbou!tqfdjft/
Usbggjd!dbmnjoh;!Sftjefout!bsf!pgufo!usbqqfe!jo!uifjs!esjwfxbzt!cz!uif!dpoujovpvt!tusfbn!
pg!ijhi!tqffe!Gfssz!usbggjd/!Cvtft!boe!bvupt!tusvhhmf!up!foufs!Nbjo!Spbe!ofbs!uif!tdippm-!
gjsfipvtf-!Wjmmbhf!Mbof!boe!Zpvoht!Spbe/!Uijt!qspqptbm!xpvme!sfrvjsf!b!qmbo!up!fbtf!
uiftf!usbggjd!qspcmfnt/
B!usbggjd!dbmnjoh!qmbo!gps!Nbjo!Spbe!tibmm!cf!efwfmpqfe!gps!uif!bsfbt!bspvoe!Wjmmbhf!
Mbof!boe!uif!Dsptt!Tpvoe!Gfssz<!uif!Upxo!tibmm!vtf!jut!cftu!fggpsut!up!pcubjo!dppqfsb.
ujpo!gspn!uif!ofdfttbsz!bhfodjft!up!csjoh!bcpvu!jnqmfnfoubujpo/
Efwfmpqnfou!cbtfe!po!jogsbtusvduvsf;!Dvssfou!sfhvmbujpo!bmmpxt!gps!npsf!efotf!dpo.
:
tusvdujpo!!jo!cvtjoftt!boe!nbsjof!ejtusjdut!jg!uifsf!jt!Upxo!xbufs!ps!tfxfs!tfswjdf!qsftfou/!
Uijt!qspqptbm!xpvme!sfnpwf!uijt!fodpvsbhfnfou!pg!efotfs!dpotusvdujpo!boe!npsf!joufotf!
vtf/!Ju!bmtp!xpvme!tusfohuifo!{pojoh!bt!b!nfbot!up!qsftfswf!dpnnvojuz!dibsbdufs/
Uif!bwbjmbcjmjuz!pg!qvcmjd!xbufs!ps!tfxfs!tfswjdft!tibmm!opu!cf!b!cbtjt!gps!jodsfbtjoh!
qfsnjuufe!mboe!vtf!efotjuz
Pg!uif!475!cbmmput!dbtu-!466!jodmvefe!b!obnf-!boe!:!eje!opu/!Gps!fbdi!qspqptjujpo-!uif!qfsdfoubhf!pg!bopoznpvt!
cbmmput!xbt!tjhojgjdboumz!npsf!ofhbujwf!uibo!uif!tjhofe!cbmmput/!Xijmf!xf!btlfe!uibu!bmm!cbmmput!cf!tjhofe!up!
fotvsf!fmjhjcjmjuz-!uif!votjhofe!cbmmput!bsf!jodmvefe!jo!uif!upubmt!bcpwf!cfdbvtf!uifz!ufoe!up!tmjhiumz!sfevdf!uif!
mfwfm!pg!foepstfnfou!pg!uif!qspqptjujpot-!boe!xf!xjti!up!cf!bt!dpotfswbujwf!bt!qpttjcmf!jo!tubujoh!uif!tvqqpsu!gps!
uiftf!nfbtvsft/!Pnjuujoh!uifn!xpvme!tmjhiumz!sbjtf!uif!foepstfnfou!mfwfm!po!tfwfsbm!jufnt-!cvu!opu!nbufsjbmmz/
Orient Association
Southold Town Comprehensive Plan
General Comments
Executive Summary
The Southold Town Comprehensive Plan has many laudable goals. We have high level
comments on a number of chapters but will keep this feedback concise as we will be delivering
detailed feedback before the Town Board considers the Comprehensive Plan in its entirety. A
general comment on the implementation process is to structurally include the Civic
Associations in the decision making process around priorities, timelines and, and execution.
The issues facing Southold Town are urgent and change is occurring quickly. The opportunity to
proactively protect the community character that draws people to the Town is now.
The Orient Association is focused on the priorities of house size limitation, the preservation of
our water quantity and quality, traffic calming and supporting Plum Island remaining in the
public domain. There are many related and secondary issues, but by focusing on these, there is
the hope that the character of our hamlet will be preserved and enhanced.
1. Vision
We agree with the vision, but with the hope that a vibrant economy includes more that
supporting tourism and that there is the development of local food and other businesses that
complement the natural resources that Southold Town enjoys.
2. Demographics
The demographics of Southold Town is changing rapidly. There are fewer children of school age,
there are more second home owners, and moderate income families are in general being priced
out of the community. The population is aging and the services needed to support retirees is a
high level need. The educational system that exists to support that families in Southold needs
to affirm that every dollar spent on education is getting a top return for the children educated
in the community.
3. Land Use
Consider adding to section 2.2 that the size of future homes significantly contributes to
supporting the character of Southold's communities. Limits to lot coverage, height, and
maximum living square footage should be considered a priority when revising the zoning code
as means of preserving community character.
Orient has a Historic Preservation District yet it is not included in the table or on the map of the
Village. Include the historic district in the Village and on the map of the Village so that there is
no confusion as to its borders. In addition, if Plum Island is included in Orient, include that map
as well. Also, identify the location of the 365 acres of R-400 zoning.
4. Traffic
Stakeholder meetings decided to focus on traffic calming for the Orient/East Marion areas with
two primary proposals:
!Establish a uniform speed limit between the Greenport blinking light on Rt 25 and the
ferry in Orient. The speed limit currently changes 7 times between these two points.
!Extend the 30 MPH school zone 100 yards westward and have it start at Oysterponds
Lane; keep the 30 MPH zone in effect on a 24/7 basis
These goals have not changed. The Orient Association Traffic committee continues to work on
implementing these goals.
5. Community Character
Consider adding Objective 1.4: The main intent of the residential design guideline will be to
create new homes and additions that enhance community character and protect scenic
resources. In concert with limitations on overall house size specified in Ch 3, objective 2.2, the
design standards would support and conserve the design characteristics and qualities of
individual neighborhoods and hamlets."
There is also a discussion about how residential design guidelines are voluntary and commercial
is not voluntary. We should urge that all design guidelines for both residential and commercial
be codified, so that they may be used by the town's decision bodies in determining approvals
for new development in a consistent manner. For example, any new subdivision whether
residential or commercial should have conditions of approval that incorporate the
implementation of whatever guidelines are established.
6. Natural Resources
Water
Shallow aquifers throughout Southold Town combined with unreliable recharge due to weather
and climate change makes conservation efforts essential. If voluntary conservation does not
work, mandatory usage limitations should be put in place.
While the draft plan mentions watering lawns, other household uses are equally important.
Because household water use is more constant, toilets, washing machines, showers, faucets
and leaks contribute more water waste than lawns. The larger the house, the water use
increases exponentially and requires mandatory conservation measures like low flow fixtures.
In addition, the fast pace of private pool installation is putting great demands on our water
supply. Like Shelter Island, Southold should require pool water to be trucked in from up island.
Surface water quality is especially vulnerable to increased population and runoff filled with
contaminants. The presence of cesspools in older homes and low lying areas is causing algae
blooms and sea grass die back. Modern waste water treatment must be a top priority for
Southold with funds available for replacing old systems. Marine life is the backbone of
surface water should be of the highest priority.
Land
Soil conservation is essential both for farming and to prevent water runoff. The large volume of
agricultural and landscape waste produced in hamlets with active farming makes local compost
operations viable and desirable. Local compost can be redistributed directly back to adjacent
farm sites.
Invasive species are destroying both marine and land habitats at a rapid rate. Without focused
attention to these problems both wetlands and forests will be irredeemably damaged. Climate
change is also exacerbating these problems, with plant species growing at increased rates. Wild
grape which was never a problem now covers entire trees. In addition to Japanese knotweed
and Mile-a-minute vine mentioned in the draft plan, wild grape, Oriental bittersweet and
mugwort are crowding out native species throughout the town, as are phragmites in vulnerable
wetlands.
No native plant restorations can be mentioned without dealing with the over population of
deer, which pose a public health and environmental challenge. The deer herd is destroying
under-story trees and native plants at unsustainable levels in Southold town, as well as
transmitting tick-borne diseases. Reducing the deer herd to 1990 levels (90% reduction) is
imperative to restoring native habitat throughout Southold Town.
7. Economic Development
The desire to preserve agriculture as a leading part of the economy of Southold Town
permeates the Comprehensive Plan. It is part of the community character that many embrace.
However, there are underlying issues that need to be addressed to support agriculture. These
are complex problems that are at the intersection of an aging farmer community, affordable
Leveraging the local, sustainable food movement and supporting farming by enabling young
farmers to thrive by providing a network of public and private resources would be a beginning.
For Objectives 1.3 and 1.7, consider asking local and statewide business sponsorship of the
curriculum and on the job training of high school students. Include symposiums and local
business to promote hiring and training local students, and actively exposing them to diverse
employment options. Provide incentives for businesses to do this.
We agree with the goals and will propose ideas on implementation that address these issues.
8. Housing
We support the Goals and Objectives of this section of the plan pretty much in their entirety.
Prices of houses have gone up way beyond the reach of many residents who grew up and
would like to stay here.
This is largely due to second homebuyers and retirees coming to Southold and able to spend
more. Many people who do own a house would not be abl
People coming here for work, especially on farms, face terrible housing options.
Affordable h, but it is a concern. We want
new farmers to be able to live on their land. We want farm workers to have a decent place to
live. We do not want the Town of Southold or Orient itself to become a place of rich, white
Median household income in Southold: $81,158
Affordable house in Southold: $202,900
Median home price in Southold: $565,000
Consider including:
Goal 1: Create Affordable Housing Stock
Obj. 1.1 Convert existing stock (houses, barns, etc.) into affordable housing;
!
housing stock into affordable rental units
!Consider Town Housing fund to set up revolving grant assistance program to
enable households on Housing registry to rehab or buy homes on existing
market
!Consider allowing seniors to live together in a dwelling and share common
space
Obj. 1.2 Create/Encourage development of new affordable housing
!Allow smaller house sizes (850 sq. ft.)
!Identify locations appropriate for denser development for affordable housing
with public input
Goal 2: Promote awareness about housing issues
!Affordable Housing / Workforce Housing has negative image
Goal 3: Retain Residents in Existing housing
!Year round population is 60 years or older; Help them age in place. (NORCs)
Goal 4: Quality of life
!Address neglected homes and blighted properties. Protect safety of tenants in
rentals. Enforce codes. Address violations. Rehab some units. Prevent
overcrowding/!!
Goal 5: Develop Best Practices in Housing
!Keep reviewing
Land Trust. Trust buys the land, builds the homes, sell them but retains ownership
of the land. Thus house prices much lower.
Big House Sizes
Consider as bigger houses creep into Southold the effect it will have on the existing housing
situation. Will it make it even less possible for local people to buy? Will local tradespeople and
small business people be able to afford to live here?
When Southold wanted to make a concerted effort to conserve land, it created the Land
Conservation Fund. In a referendum, the people agreed to contribute 2% of their sales price to
the preservation fund. This has helped Southold enormously and it helps in a way that does not
inflict too much pain on those contributing.
Southold also has a Town Housing Fund. The Town already asks people who develop five or
more houses to dedicate 20% of the stock to affordable housing. Alternatively, they can opt to
amount developers must pay in lieu of building the moderate-income housing units. The buyout
amount is currently set at twice the amount of the median income of a family of four for
Nassau/ Suffolk County per unit required and not constructed. Most opt to do this.
What if everyone who built a new house in Southold or (substantially) renovated an existing
one were made to donate to that fund. If one wants to build an 8,000 sq. ft. house on 5 acres,
then you donate $x to the housing fund to subsidize less wealthy residents. This might apply to
all building, or beyond a certain size. This may make people think twice about building really big
houses and provides funds for affordable housing.
House Size
Consider whether limiting house size as an issue is contained in this chapter or on Community
Character. There is some
logic to have it in both chapters.
9. Agriculture
Advancing Agriculture
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO GROWTH IN OYSTERPONDS IS KEY. ADVANCING FARMING MUST
TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT OUR HAMLETS ARE SURROUNDED BY WATER; AND THAT TYPE,
SIZE AND SCOPE EFFECT SUSTAINABILITY. ECO FARMING IS A MORE APPLICABLE TERM THAN
AGRI-BUSINESS. (WHY ALL CAPS?)
!to the ferry, the
us.
!If the Main Road were part of a Historic District or a Heritage Route, it may insure that
road would not be made wider.
!Consider requesting that NFPC sharply limit any promotion of tourism to our area.
Encouraging New Farms
!Farms should be allowed to have multiple agricultural uses without minimum lot size
requirements.
!Promotion of conservation subdivisions is a positive step. Consideration of set
case-by-case basis is a good way to avoid a full subdivision process.
!Expansion of lot coverage for greenhouses should be approached with great caution as it
threatens to urbanize farming.
Promoting Best Practices
!
by Cornell to better understand safe and sustainable conservation uses and practices; to
learn about grants; and to get connected to fallow land Inventory.
!Information a
made widely available to every gardener and farmer. Some farms are now using clover in
between planting rows to control weeds with success.
!Conventional methods of universal pest removal should be reviewed; trials using new
approaches based on scientific studies should besupported.
!Weather data can be gathered and made available to more carefully monitor climate
change anLocal well experts and farmers may have much
to add to the research.
!Composting organic waste
!Management of compost can be considered a form of soil restoration and handled
locally, rather than relying solely on outside management systems to deal with all waste. We
can become a model for small farming communities.
10. Land Preservation
Continuing the process of preserving land in Southold Town is important. It is most
important that if public dollars are used for land preservation, that the land is kept either in
open space, accessible by the public, or in active farming. The key to affirmative farming
easements is to monitor and enforce such easements. Where land is preserved for farming,
the intention is that it be farmed, and not converted to hedged-in estates. Viewshed
protection should also be enforced on preserved lands.
8.5.19
Cutchogue Civic Association
Proposed Addition of ‘Beach Access Protections’ to the Southold Comprehensive Plan
A. Erosion of Beach Access Rights on the North Fork - Background
Rights-of-way to the Peconic Bay, Long Island Sound, and the surrounding creeks and inlets are a key
part of the North Fork community identity. Growing up on the North Fork, most of us spend many
summer days at the beach often accessed via rights-of-ways at the end of our streets.
The cultural character of dozens of rights-of-way on the North Fork, established by deed or by historical
prescriptive has been disrupted and is now endangered.
In recent years, several rights-of-way in Cutchogue, for example, have been lost, and others on the
North Fork are now under threat of extinction from newcomers who have purchased properties
adjacent to them. The new property owners have used aggressive tactics, including erection of physical
barriers, intimidation, and baseless lawsuits against community residents who are for the most part
financially defenseless in protecting their access rights.
The maintenance and trustee permit process should include additional oversight procedures for
properties abutting rights-of ways. This oversight should include closer inspection of applications to
ensure that accurate data has been provided in consultation with and consideration of the surrounding
neighborhood residents.
Policies should be adopted for protection against erection of barriers and alterations on registered
rights-of-way.
B. Remediation Proposals for Preserving Rights of Way
1. Create and maintain a Right-0f-Way Registry
2. Quit Claim Deeds should not be accepted as proof of ownership on a waterfront property.
3. Permit processes for waterfront properties should include title searches that validate bargain
and sale transfers if the property involves a right of way.
4. Strengthen code violation enforcements specifically where the property involves a Right of Way
5. Tighten oversight on Maintenance Permits when the property involves a Right of Way
6. Tighten oversight on Trustee Permits when the property involves a Right of Way
7. Allow for retraction of permits when a property is later identified as a Right of Way
8. Tax Assessors office procedures should be enhanced to include examination of the right of way
registry, ensure that for properties related to right of ways, any changes to the SCTM tags are
based on a title search, bargain and sale, and not quit claim deeds.
9. Trustees should adopt the proposed pledge modeled after East Hampton’s pledge, both
included as addendums in this document.
C. Proposed Pledge
BY SOUTHOLD TOWN TRUSTEES
IN SUPPORT OF PRESERVATION OF BEACH ACCESS RIGHTS
WHEREAS access to beaches in the Town of Southold is one of its most important resources as well as a
fundamental right of its residents, and
WHEREAS the pursuit of recreational activities on beaches is the basis of our culture, economy, and the
heart of our desire to reside in Southold Town, and
WHEREAS recent efforts to eradicate beach access is an outrageous assault on those traditional values
and rights of the residents of Southold Town, threatening the heritage and the well-being of our
community,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT KNOWN, THE SOUTHOLD TOWN TRUSTEES PLEDGE:
1. To aggressively defend the present lawsuits pending against the Trustees and Town of Southold
and any other legal attempts to wrest ownership or control of rights of way or beach access
from its citizens.
2. To ask the Town Board to authorize the use of Town funds for legal expenses incurred to defend
citizens against lawsuits jeopardizing their beach access rights.
3. To take whatever steps are necessary, including legal means, ensure the beaches, which are one
of our most significant recreational, economic, aesthetic and environmental assets, remain
accessible for the benefit of all town residents and protect them from threats and efforts to
privatize them.
th
August 14, 2020
Town of Southold
53095 Route 25
P.O. Box 1179
Southold, NY 11971
Re: Southold Town Comprehensive Plan
Thank you for allowing community input regarding the Southold Town Comprehensive Plan.
We are appreciative for the change in policies that have already been made by the town
regarding increasing the density for affordable apartments in the Affordable Housing District
(AHD) and allowing apartment buildings to be located in commercial zones. Below are
recommendations on behalf of LIBI that we believe should be done regarding affordable
housing:
A zoning analysis should be performed to indicate vacant or under-used parcels in
existing developed areas capable of increasing density
Grants from both the state and federal level should be more publicized and available to
buyers who qualify based on income level. Doing so would increase an individual’s
ability to have the opportunity of homeownership.
The town should rezone properties on their own motion for multifamily housing without
waiting for a developer to request such a zoning change
1757-8 Veterans Memorial Hwy., Islandia, NY 11749 *Phone: 631-232-2345 F: 631-232-2349
www.libi.org lois@libi.org mitch@libi.org