HomeMy WebLinkAboutPetition against Route 48 & Main St project, Greenport Q
TasiCas
700 Dawn Dr, ,(a
Greenport, NY 11944
(917) 693-2106'.
July 13, 2021
Mr. Scott Russell
Southold Town Supervisor
53095 Main Road
Southold, NY 11971
Dear Mr. Russell,
Attached please find a petition against the proposed development project on Route 48
and Main Street in Greenport.
My neighbors and I are very much against this project and we have outlined our
concerns in the attached petition.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for taking our concerns into
consideration.
Sincerely,
Katie Vasilas
Concerned Resident
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TO1PPd O '1U1 M 1U...0
Petition to stop the proposed development of the Mixed-Use Campus
To: Mr. Scott Russell
Southold Town Supervisor
Mr. George Hubbard, Jr.
Mayor of Greenport
From: Concerned Homeowners of Cleaves Point, Fordham Acres, and
Surrounding Areas
Re: Proposed Development at Route 48 and Main Street in Greenport
We, the undersigned property owners and taxpayers, are adamantly opposed to
the proposed development of the southeast corner of Route 48 and Main Street
in Greenport into a four building, mixed-use complex encompassing dozens of
commercial and residential units. Projects such as this should be reserved for
locations that can safely handle the resulting traffic: are not all located in the
same town and within close proximity to very recent additional construction
projects of this type, and: where the fundamentally small town/rural character
of the immediate area would not be radically transformed as a result of
commercial over-development of open space.
Our concerns are:
1 . Traffic - Sound Ave. is now busy witheastbound est oun traffic
even in winter. Between year-round r oun Ferry traffic to and
from rient Point, and Shelter Island Ferry traffic to and from reen ort
Village; farm, Lavender Field and Golfr r fic in the summer and
ll; and tourists visiting beachesars int the summer, there is n
way the area and this intersection in particular, can handle the additional
traffic this developmentill bring.
2. Public Safety/Emergency Access - This intersection is the ONLYaccess
road forte rest of GreenportMarion, Orient, Orient Point.
it has alreadysite of numeroustraffic accidents over the years.
A major accident could literally close vehicular traffic to all points east.
With added traffic and congestion, and that potential for increased traffic
accidents, how can evacuation routes be managed and emergency
vehicles/first responders have safe and steady access to the towns
further east?
3. Character of the Area - The intersection of Route 48 and Main Street in
Greenport is effectively the gateway to the easternmost end of the North
Fork, an area that is defined by multi-generational farm operations,
beaches, parks, homes and small businesses. It is also the entrance to
Greenport Village for visitors from the east and those coming from the
west along Sound Avenue. Putting a four building, medial and office
complex combined with apartments would radically transform this pivotal
location, to say nothing of the negative impact it would have on the two
historic homes across the way from it on Main Street, and the inn and
adjacent vineyard across the road from it on Route 48. Fundamentally,
people reside in this area for the small town feel that defines it; for the
openness that so many have worked hard to preserve; and for the natural
beauty that is in ever shorter supply. A real estate developer who for
years has seemed intent only on transforming the Town of Southold into
something resembling Western Suffolk county should not be permitted to
deprive generations of residents and visitors from the character that
defines this community. Mr. Russell, you recently voted no on the Depot
Lane development in Cutchogue because you said it would change the
character of that road - a single road; this development would change the
character of this entire area of the Town of Southold.
4. Commercial Space Exists here (With Plenty of Empty Space - There are
already numerous medical offices in the vicinity of Eastern Long Island
Hospital; in the former Capital One bank building on Main Street; and on
the north side of Main Road in Greenport West, to name a few.
Furthermore, there are currently multiple vacancies in both retail and
office properties in Greenport, including multiple spaces for rent on Front
Street and in Sterlington Commons. If there was such a demand for
office and medical space, you would think there would be a waiting list
for commercial units -just the opposite. Additionally, there are existing
medical offices in Southold, Cutchogue, Mattituck, ,Jamesport, and
throughout Riverhead. Plus empty commercial space in all of those
towns.
5. Housing Exists Here - Less than one and a half miles up the same road -
Route 48 - Greenport recently welcomed Vineyard View to the
community, a multi-building residential complex consisting of 50 multi-
family apartment units. Allowing a developer to effectively double the
number of densely-packed, multi-family units on a small stretch of a
heavily trafficked road in a single town makes no sense whatsoever,
especially given the opportunity to spread out construction projects of
this type across the North Fork. This is not about fighting affordable
housing; we all know that the need is real and wil only continue to grow;
that does not mean we should allow it to be built anywhere any developer
wants to place it. Indeed, the developer of this proposed project has
called for each hamlet in the Town of Southold to have a quota for
affordable units, so as to spread them town-wide. Between the 50
affordable units at Vineyard View and the multiple affordable units this
developer is building at 123 Sterling (a project for which he is now
seeking to we-write parts of the approved site plan - let us guess; down
the road, with plenty of office space vacancies here and elsewhere, he
tries to turn unrented office and medical space at this proposed site into
retail space), Greenport has more than met its quota for now and towns
west have land an space to accommodate one or more affordable housing
developments.
6. Tourism -- Greenport depends on tourism. Every major publication from
the NYT to Travel and Leisure write up Greenport constantly. They tout it
as a lovely place to visit and spend time relaxing, eating, and enjoying all
that the North Fork has to offer. If this development is allowed to be
constructed, all the small businesses that depend on tourists will suffer
due to the incompatibility of the town and the project.
7. Lack of Infrastructure - The need to build the proper infrastructure may
unfairly burden those of us in the area with respect to taxes.
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