HomeMy WebLinkAboutTR-1268Board Of
Southold Town
SOUTHOLD, NEW YORK
Trustees
PERMIT NO ....... .!.26.8 .............
DATE:No.~. ...... 2+.;1977
ISSUED TO ............. S.~.~o. lk,..,Q,oug~y...DeDt ...... of...P, ublic.,,.W, or, ks
Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 615 of the Laws of
the State of New York, 1893; and Chapter 404 of the Laws of the
State of New York 1952; and the Southold Town Ordinance an-.
titled "REF=ULATINC= AND THE PLACING OF OBSTRUCTIONS
IN AND .ON TOWN WATERS AND PUBLIC LANDS and the
REMOVAL-OF SAND, GRAVEL OR OTHER MATERIALS FROM
LANDS UNDER TOWN WATERS;" and in accordance wlfh the
Resolution of The Board adopted at a meefing held on ~9.¥.~......2.., .....
19..~..7...., and in consideration of fha sum of $.._..-....-. .................. paid by
of ............................. ..-...-_ ...................................................... N. Y. and subject 'to the
Terms and Condlfions listed on +he reverse side hereof,
of Soufhold Town 'Trustees aufhorlzes and permits the following:
maintenance dredging at the entrance to Wickham~s
Creek, the dredging being limited to Station 25
and the spoil to be deposited on the northeasterly
s.,ide of .creek a.s .per. am.e.nded _ma]o
all in accordance with fee detailed specifica}ions as presented in
the originating application.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The 'said Board of Trustees h,ere-
by causes its Corporate Seal to be affixed, and these presents fo
be subscribed by a majority of the said Board as of this dat~e.
DONALD B. RYND JR.
-- ATTOF:~N~¥ AT/AW --
70 MBADOWB ROOK ROAD
SYOSSI=T, N.Y, I 1791
Mr. Malvin Gamborg
Gibson Cushman Dredging Co.
38 Homan Avenue
Bayshore,New York 11706
Re: Dredging Project
Wickham Creek
April 10,1979
Helen M.Rynd Property Owner
Dear MroGamborg:
I represent Helen M.Rynd in the matter of the spoil damage
to her property immediately adjacent to Wickham Creek in
Cutchogue, New York. The damage occurred on April 10,1979
as a direct result of the negligence of your dredging crew..
Mr. Chris Kirk of your organization and Mr. Carl Eisenschmied
Principal. Civil Engineer of the Department of Public Works,
Division of Waterways met with my client on April 12,1979 at the
site of the spoil~.~Tr. Eisenschmied stated that the spoil operation
had been improperly carried out and Mr. Kirk agreed to remove the
Sand spill and to" return the property to it's former appearance
by June 1979".
I have spoken to MroR.M.Kammerer, Suffolk County Commissioner
of Public Works a~d he has assured me that Mr. Eisenschmied is
workinE with representatives of your company to have the.shoreline
restored as quickly as possible.
As you are undoubtedly aware, unless my client's property
is promptly and properly restored to it's original condition it
will suffer a sharp decline in market value and additionally be
rendered useless from a standpoint of privacy and utility for
beach and boating purposes.
Due to the fact that my client plans to occupy her home on
Fleet's Neck on a full time basis beEinning on Memorial day
weekend, would you be kind enouEh to see to it that the spoil
is removed and that the property is restored prior to May 31,1979.
I wish to impress upon you the urgency and gravity with which
both my client and I view this matter° The-restoration will,of
course, have to be accomplished to my client's complete satisfaction
prior to our considering this matter to be closed and my
abandonment of thoughts of further legal action.
I thank you for your anticipated cooperation and shall look
forward to the exaeditious handlinE of this matter.
CERTIFIED MAIL NO. 756275
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
DON'ALD B. RYND JR.
-- A'FI'ORN~EY AT LAW --
70 MEADOWBROOK ROAD
SYOSSET, N.Y. 11791
cc: Robert Abrams
Attorney General,State of New York
2 World Trade Center
New York,N.Y. 10047
United 'States Army Corps of EnEineers
Ne~,z York District Field Office
313 ~est Main Street
Riverhead ,New York
William Becker R~Elonal Environmental Officer
Westview Lane
Mattituck.New York 11952
Daniel Larkin
NYSDEC
Buildin~ 40
SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook.New York 11794
Albert M.Martocchia ' /
Supervisor,ToWn of Southold~
Southold,New York 11971
Telephone
516-765-1938
BO
South
11971
September 20, 1979
Mr. Ro M, K~mmerer, Commissioner
Suffolk coUnty Department of Public Works
Yaphank, New York 11980
Re: Maintenance dredging at entrance to
Wickham's Creek
Dear Commissioner K~mmerer:
On November 2, 1977 Permit ~1268 was issued to the Suffolk
County Department of Public Works to perform maintenance dredging
at the entrance to Wickham's Creek, the dredging being limited to
Station 25 and the apoil to be deposited on the northeasterly
side of the creek.
The spoil has not beenplaced where the permit stated it
would be and should be placed up next to the bulkheads to the
east.
We would appreciate your attention to this matter.
Yours truly,
PHILIP G. HORTON, PRESIDENT
BOARD OF TOWN TRUSTEES
PGH/mt
Copies to Mr. C. Eisenschmied, P. E.
William Nicol, President
Fleet's Neck Property Owners Assn.
CoUncilman John Nickles
Boatmen's Harbor Marina
WEST CREEK AVENUE
CUTCHOGUE. NEW YORK
11935
516-734-6993
Marine Supplies
Repairs
C.C. Galardi Yacht Sales
March 31, 1978
Town Trustees
Town of Southold
Main Road
Southold, New York 11971
Gentlemen:
Due to the extreme winter~ the mouth of Wickham Creek
has again severely narrowed.
It is our intent to dredge approximately five hundred
cubic yards from the mouth of the creek to enable boats to
navigate.
Ail concerned agencies have been contacted and an emer-
gency permit has been applied for.
If you have any questions or require fUrther clarifi-
cation with respect to the project, please contact me.
Very t ly y~ s,
SJG:jg
FLEET'S NECK
PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
P. O. BOX 554
CUTCHOGUE, N. Y. 11935
Ms. Joyce Burland
49 East Main Street
Riverhead~ New York
June 28, 1977
Dear Ms. Bur!and:
This letter is intended to inform you of the Association's
~ ~ d~ scussed
feelings coi~cerning the ?;ickham's Creek Dredging Prob_~m, as _
at the Southo!d Town Hall, Thursday, June 23, 1977.
Two very important and possibly precedent setting ideas are of
significance here. Before discussing these I would like to state in
general the acceptable parameters of this project. Dredging to maintain
the mouth of Wickham's Creek is desirable. However, to run past
Station ~2~-25, of the tov~m road is not acceptable for the reasons to be
discussed below. Dredging past this point will be largely on private
creek bottom. The northwest portion of this project should swing as
closely as possible to the bulkheaded area to avoid undermining and
ev~ntua! sloughing off of the median and the marsh.
The question of dredging private property
~.~n public funds is
of primary concern here. There have been no projects in which private
property was dredged at nublic expense, in this case between Station 2
In some cases dredging projects have gone past private property to reach
public facilities. However, this dredging project is a clear cut situation
o£ public funds being used to maintain private bottom lands.
We also feel the question of private interest is of importance
here. The sole benefi~ from an economic standpoint, will accrue to the
ovmers of Boatman's Harbor. There are not public facilities for launching
or docking located at Boatman's Harbor. If truly public facilities existed,
a stronger argument could be constructed for allocating public funds to this
project. There is little public inter~st being shown here.
Dredging past Station ~2L~-25 would add substantial cost to this
projett. ~ith limited funds already available for maintenance dredging in
the Town o£ Southo!d, this additional expenditure could seriously jeopardize
the financial status of other necessary maintenance projects·
cc:
Eisenschmidt, C.
Environmental Quality
Council
~ldSmith, A.
Klein,
Martocchia, A.
Sincerely, ~
President, ..... F. ~T.' P.O.A.
Ju~e 8~ 1977
Southeld To~ao. Board
To~ Ha i I
-o~.~ew~N~~ aetlo}~ ~as takes by the Board of To~,m
'~ . 'vees the ~x, ......... - ~
..... ~.~ of SoutP~ol~ at a reg~!.ar ~ . ~.~
dred~ing
' side in ¢ ~
~Orto~ eld }lataier~
Yours
Muriet Brush, Secretary
Board of To~ Trustees
BARNEY A. EVANS, P.E., L.S.
CHIEF DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
516 924-345!
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
R. M. KAMMERER, P.E., L.S., COMMISSIONER
YAPHANK, NEW YORK, !1980
WILLIAM S. MATSUNAYE, JR, P.E., L.S.
CHIEF ENGINEER
May 3, 1977
Board of Town Trustees
Town of Southold
Main Road
Southold, ~Z 11971
Re:
Proposed Maintenance Dredging at
entrance to Wickhams Creek--Town of
So'uthold
Gentlemen:
Please find enclosed, a permit application along with
permit drawings for the referenced project.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Very truly yo'urs ,
/ /
Co Eisenschmied, P.E.
Principal civil Engineer
Division of waterways
CE:db
Enct. appl. & drawings
cc: Supervisor Martocchia
A/4 - Rev. 6/72
BOARD OF TOWN TRUSTEES
Town Of Southold
Main Road
Southold, New York 11971
APPLICATION TO DREDGE and or FILL
]. -------------------~.s this project involve the use of WETLANDS as defined in the Southold Town Ordinance
in Wetlands? YES or NO. If it does, your applica?ion must be filed through t'he Town Clerk's
Office.
2. Applicant's name and address: .$..u..f..~.Q.%~¢..~.C.Q~D.J;.y...D.~!%t~ .... .O.~...~h~.J,J,.~..~.Q.~3!~..,....R..,.~.,
I<ammerer, Commissioner
3. Contractor's name and address: To be determined by competitive bids. '
4. Explain briefly the purpose of this application: ..R...e..m..~.Z.e.~.~.s-.h..-~..a.~.~.~..c...~..n...d..i..t.~..~..n..~.'a...t...~.~ance
to Wickhams Creek--Town of Southold
5. After issuance of Permit, I expect to: '(mark with an X)
(a) Commence work AT ONCE ............; ASAP .... .x. ...... ; UNKNOWN TIME .............
(b) Complete work in 1 DAY ............ ; 1 MO. × , 1 YR. ' FUTURE
6. Secure the correct Area Map from the Secretan/ of this Board, and by using an X WITHIN
A CIRCLE as a mark, indicate as closely as possible the location of this work. On the reverse
side of this map, provide a SCALE DRAWING which will Show the Ordinary High Water
Mark and the size .and shape of the structure or work. All dimensions offshore of the
O. H. W. M. should also be shown and include any free standing pilings which will remain
at completion.
7. Provide the following documents: (a) A Licensed Eng near s Survey of the property involved.
(b) A copy of the Contractor's Plans and Specifications.
8. Has any previous application for this work been denied by any other local government.agency?
YES or NO. If it has been, name the agency ..... ]~.q .................................................................
Date of denial ........ .N./.~ .........................
9. If dredging is contemplated, give your estimate of the fol'lowing. .
(a) Average depth of water at M. L. W.wher'e dredging, . ...... ,3...5.] ................................ ft.
(b) Maximum depth of dredging below the bottom ........... 7..'.....b..e...1..o..w.....~..L..W. ...................... ft.
(c) Maximum length of dredged area ..... .1..2...0.Q....1..i,n...e..a...r. ................. ~'~ ...................... ft.
(d) ,Maximum width of dredged area ..... lQ.0. ........ ; ................................................... ft.
(e) Maximum amount of material to be dredged 11000+
, · ........................................... c. yds.
10. If filling is expected, give your es6rnate of the following:
(a) Maximum amount of material required,. ............ ..N../..A.. ............................................... c. yds.
(b) Explain how fill will be obtained and where it will be placed.
N/A
] 1. In requesting approval of this application, I submit that: ] am the person occountab e for the
performance of the work in accord with the plans and specifications attached hereto; I
have read or am familiar with the provisions of any Southold Town Ordinance pertinen'r to
the work involved; and further, I intend to adhere to and abide by the Terms and Conditions
of the Permit.
Ac'~cep'fed
Dated:
WICXHAM CREEK DREDGING
June 23~ 1977
The following people were among those present at this hearing:
Joyce Burland, County Legislator
Rudy Kammerer, Commissioner of Public Works
Carl Eisenschmeid, Head of Division of Waterways
Bruce Collins, Chairman of Council on Environmental Quality
James Bagg, Council on Environmental Quality
Philip Horton, Southold Town Trustees
George Bird, Southold Town Trustees
Joseph Hataier, Southold Town Trustees
Douglas Robertson, Southold Town Trustees
Alvah Goldsmith, Chairman, Southold Town Trustees
Charles Galardi, Boatmen's Harbor
Paul Stoutenburgh, North Fork Environmental Council
William Nicoll, Fleets Neck Property Owners' Association
Frank Kujawski, Chairman, Southold Town Conservation Advisory Council
Justice Martin Surer
Legislator Burland: I would like to introduce Commissioner Kammerer
whom many of you know. Next to him is Bruce Collins who is the chair-
man of the Council on Environmental Quality of which also I am a
voting member as your legislator from this district. Jim Bagg is
immediately on my left. He is on staff for the CEQ. Carl EisensChmeid
is head of the Division of Waterways for the County. Let me just say
that we are here today because since the months have transpired on
this project, it was initiated as you know way back in '76 and a
number of you have participated in discussions regarding'the project.
We began to pick up that in the last ten days or so there have been
other questions that have been raised about the project. We make it
a policy in dredging in Rudy's department and Carl's, and it comes
up all the time in this district, that if there are.any questions on
a project once we get to the stage where we are going to bid and we
haven't gotten everything kind of settled down and all ready to go,
that we just bring the whole matter up again. So, we are here today
to answer your questions about the project, certainly hear your
comments about the project, explain it to you and I think what I
would like to do first, if I could, could I start with you, Jim, to
give us the history of the project and then I think we ought to get
the maps out and see where we are because we might have some misunder-
standing about the extent of the project and we would certainly would
want to open this right back up again. I know that the project started
and the Council from the North Fork Environment, well, it's a long
history. Let me just go through it. In '75 the job was requested by
the Town Board and A1 Martocchia. It was concurred in by the
Legislature in 10/75. It received approval in 11/75 from the Public
Works Committee, the application to New York State DEC was '75. In
December of '75, the application to the Army Corps was made. 4/1~/76
was the public hearing of the State DEC. We made an application in
61/76 to the CEQ. Then in 10/76, we had a conditional permit from the
Kew York State DEC. CEQ approval came, if I remember, there were
quite a number of extensive exchanges between the North Fork Environ-
mental Council and the CEQ of the County. The Army Corps permit came
in 4/77. Application for a town permit was in April of '77. The
resolutions and assurances from the town in June of this year and we
were about to consider a resolution to authorize Rudy to go to bid
on this project when we picked up there were still some questions.
Wickham Creek 2
Those resolutions have been tabled so it's just sitting right now
while we discuss it. Maybe, what we might do is start with Carl and
have you explain as we are now into the project what our permits allow
us to do and the extent of the job. Would you do that for me, Carl,
with the map so we all have an understanding of exactly what we are
looking at.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: We only have three copies. Would you like to put
two on the floor, perhaps? We are permitted by the various regulatory
agencies at this time to proceed from the entrance which is about
station 19 plus 38 some 2,000 feet to station 39 which is just .....
(the maps were taped in the front so everyone could see) To start
again, it's permitted by the various regulatory agencies at this time
to do the entrance work and extend to the interior of the creek some
2,000 feet just past what is now or formerly Danwich Marine Inc. We
have scaled down what the army permitted us, what the state permitted
us and in accord with three recommendations from Chairman Collins'
group, Mr. Bagg's organization, we have narrowed. The Army Corps
permit allows 100 feet. This has been narrowed to 75 as the red
lines indicate in accordance with modifications requested by the
various Councils on Environmental Quality. We also, the state permit
was open ended in that it allowed the material to be placed as the
higher levels of government requested. This resulted in the deposition
on what is called the north or the east side. That's the position we
are in now. Some 10,000 yards of material to be placed on the northeast
side of the waterway and work to begin as soon as this is cleared the
legislator and the commissioner.
Legislator Burland: Let me read and then, Bruce, you might want to
make some comments and then we certainly will want to have all the
questions that are here today. Here is a letter that i received from
Carl that is taken from a letter of Bruce's that I believe, Bruce,
after you met with the Council, the North Fork Environmental Council.
John Wickham: For the sake of the record, I am John Wickham and I
suppose I'm part of the problem. When this was first presented, the
adjacent landowner, we own all the land on the south and west side
and either myself or my immediate family own the entire west side
and south shore of Wickham Creek and most of the head of it. It was
proposed to put the spoil area on the south and west side and I gave
my permission. I attended a subsequent hearing and nothing different
was suggested. It wasn't until I saw an article in the paper, in our
local paper, which said that the spoil area would be on the north
and east side. This was within the past three weeks and I realized
that some changes had been made without my knowledge. I immediately
came to Southold and talked to the supervisor and got in touch with
Carl and said look there have been some changes made without my
knowledge. I might raise some objections. Let me say that since the
channel has been dredged numerous times underpermit from the Town
Trustees that there is a possibility that I own proprietory interest
to the center of the channel. Regardless of that, all of the sand
in the channel, 99% or thereabouts, has come from the beaches to the
southwest, all of which is also the property of my two sons and myself.
It seems to me unfair to put all of that spoil to the east. I will
admit that the beaches to the east and north are undernourished because
that sand has also drifted into the East Creek channel. There is no
Wickham Creek 3
question, but it isn't quite fair to take the sand from my beach,
which has drifted into this channel, and put it on the east side.
I think I can substantiate the fact that sand has never gone across
the channel. It is also always going in and since basically all of
the sand that blocks this channel is on my side of the center line
of the channel, I think it's unfair. Having said that, if you, Joyce,
can make some reasonable assurance to me that the next time this is
dredged that all of the sand will be deposited on my beach, I am
open-minded about this, in other words, I would be perfectly willing
to be fair. I have to say one more thing. Historically, the
channel was not always here. At one time it was far to the west.
My family did not own the beach at the time. It had to be bought
back after the channel was made and my family bought it back at
considerable financial sacrifice. It is entirely possible that if
sand which is eroded from this beach is not put back that in the long
run the beach will be breached again far to the west. Boatmen's
Harbor will be shut off from Cutchogue Harbor. I will be shut off
from my own property and, in general, it will be a very real problem.
There is one other factor. I have agricultural dikes of very
considerable value, a farmland with trees on it of far greater
value behind the dikes and the beach is the first line of defenss.
If that beach is breached, there is a tremendous financial loss. For
all these reasons, this time, yes, but only if there is a firm
promise that if it's every dredged again, all of the sand goes on my
beach.
Ms. Burland: Before I answer that, let me ask you a couple of
questions and Bruce help me here and I know there are others that
want to speak to this. The record that I have indicates that the
site selection for the surplus material was selected because when it
goes back on your property, it simply drifts back into the creek
again and there was some thought that if it was placed on the other
shore, that we would not get the litteral drift that has been
necessitating the dredging of this creek over the years. I don't
know. This is simply a matter of record and I know it was of immense
concern to the Council up here on the north fork.
Mr. Wickham: This is perfectly true and if you fol~low the pattern
that you are speaking of, it will result in their being no channel
at Boatmen's Harbor. I want to say for the record that in one of
the hurricanes about 15 years ago the storm waters did, in fact,
come across the beach and wash out a channel. Fortunately, it was
shallow and the county subsequently built up the berm of the beach
to a higher level but it is possible, For 335 years more or less
the sand has been moving to the north and east. There's no question.
You are abSolutely right. The problem that faces me is it to the dnterest
of the town to stop putting back and we have put it back at least
three times, probably more than that.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: If I might, I would also like to point out that
we are in a controversy between agencies here. There has always
been. Putting the sand back is not the only reason it will erode.
That's a dynamic beach. Whether you put this material back on Mr.
Wickham's property or not, erosion will continue. It will be further
in so that is not really that strong an argument in my opinion. We
have documentation here as of June 21st, which you and I discussed
prior to that, the U. S. Dept. of Commerce, National, OceaniD and
Wickham Creek
Atmosphere Administration, National Marine Fishery Service
recommends spoil placement north. This could be further complicated
by as yet unheard comments from New York State. So, in this and in
other cases we have had agencies, one say put it on the downdrift side
because it will not re-enter the channel. Others says put it back on
the updrift side because if you don't the erosion will continue~only
deeper into the land you won't alleviate that source of flow of
sediment. So, I just wanted to point that out, I don't think that
it's a clear cut situation.
Mr. W.ickham: I have one other comment and this is historical back-
ground. .Prior to the departure of the eel grass in Peconic Bay in
about 1932, this beach was stable. There were pebbles and even
cobbles. As a result of the disease of eel grass, the beach is
nothing but white Sand. Now, within the last year eel grass has made
its appearanc~. ' Now, whether it has come back I can't tell you but
eel grass is in Peconic Bay. 1932 was 45 years ago. It is entirely
conceivable, if not prObable, that in another 25 years or 20 that
there will be enough eel grass to stabilize this beach. This is a
probability but'historically, that beach was stable until 1932.
Ms. Burland: In the letter that I referred to earlier, it is from
Bruce to the Department, the decision of the Council on Environmental
Quality, as I understand it, Bruce, actually' it was the agency that
picked the site. It has been really left up in the air as far as I
can find.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: This is correct.
Ms. Burland: If the other agencies differed, I believe there are
three letters that would indicate that the eastern portion was the
best spoil site and one indicated that the west side was the preferable
site. So,~ at the end of the hearings, whatever assurances you were '~
hearing may not have been because they did not make a decision and
they did not make a decision on paper. As far as I can find in the
record, the decision is made in point thr~ of Bruce's letter to the
Department from the Council of Environmental Quality, who had all
this data at their disposal when they made the decision. Point three
says the spoil be placed on the downdr£ft or north side of the creek
mouth to prevent its returning to the creek. Maybe, I can ask you
now to Pick up in getting to that decision because I know it was one
of three points.
Mr. Collins: This is for the most part basic policy of the Council
of Environmental Quality. It has nothing to do with personalities.
I've knownJohn Wickham for a good many years. As a matter of fact,
it wasn'.t until the conflict that I was really aware that that was
John's project. The Council invariably recommends due to beach
dynamics this position of spoil on the downdrift side to try to
prevent the channel filling in more rapidly than it would in other
instances, for instance if the spoil was put on the west side. That
is solely the reason for that and it's policy in almost every decision
that we make to try to put it on the downdrift side. We recognize the
fact that there is East Creek there and some others-that probably
would be affected by the disposition of that spoil but that's the
sole reason and it's basically policy.
Wickham Creek 5
Mr. Bagg: If I might add something here, you point out ~he littoral
drift does go from the south to the north in its natural process and
this creek is being artificially maintained for navigational purposes
and what is happening and to a depth that is probably~much deeper
than it would naturally have. The sand is going down the beach from
Mr. Wickham's property into the creek and is not allowed to go
further so in essence what Mr. Wickham is saying is you are depriving
him of that sand that came from his property. However, the sand that
is now on his property came from the property further ....
Mr. Wickham: We own 3,000 feet of beach there and there is no sand
further up. There are jetties.
Mr. Bagg: I don't know how far your property is but what I am saying
is it comes from the north in a sense and what is happening is without,
you're interrupting the natural process and you are causing erosion
on the northern side of that channel to happen to those people and if
that creek was not dredged and maintained, that sand would bypass and
would nourish that beach to the north of the area. Also, it was~
pointed out that in the 1930's that beach was a stable area and there
were larger pebbles there, it might be pointed out that there is a
jetty on the southern side of that channel and that beach might have
built up and collected the sand,on the northern side of the channel
it has been eroding. I believe this area was dredged in the 1930's.
Isn't that right Carl?
Mr. Eisenschmeid: John Wickham would know.
Mr. Bagg: Was that not the first time that they dredged.
Mr. Wickham: yes.
Mr. Bagg: And prior to that it was a natural system, I believe, so
that the sand was bypassing that creek area.
Mr. Wickham: Your facts are correct. Your deduction is not.
Prior to that there was seaweed. My father had what we called seaweed
fences. There was a mat of seaweed all the way along. I might also
add that we put up that rock jetty at private expense, at our own
expense to help protect as a gesture of good will. I have since
tried to establish a small wooden jetty of the old seaweed fence type.
Mr. Bagg: What is happening to that property downdrift of that inlet?
Is it not a fact that the beaches are eroding?
Mr. Eisenschmeid: No, not really. There was a Mr. and Mrs. Rind in
the office a week ago or two. The supervisor sent them over. We
overlaid that 58, 64 and 72 that happened to be the latest we had.
It didn't appear to be a great process going on.
William Nicoll: I must differ with that.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: You're welcome.
~r. Nicoll: If you had just been down there in the past ten years
since the dredge went through there, there is tremendous erosion.
What the beach was back in 1900 I can't speak for but since the dredge
Wickham Creek 6
put the spoil there, all that spoil has disappeared at the end of
Pequash Avenue. The people have had to replace their bulkheads
from erosion. Those bulkheads were once high and dry. Now, they are
in the water, so there's been tremendous erosion at the southern end
of Fleet's Neck.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I can only tell you what we found when we overlaid
the mylars and I don't see those people here.
Mr. Wickham: Joyce, may I speak just once more.
with this gentleman.
I beg to differ
Mr. Eisenschmeid: Excuse me a minute, John. Are you saying that
erosion takes place on both sides of this. Mr. Wickham states that
it takes place on the west and you say it takes place on the east.
Mr. Nicoll: Let me bring something out. It's considered north and
south according to the map and you're talking east and west.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: Unfortunately, this is in the northeast and south-
west quadrant. It's a 45 degree angle.
Mr. Nicoll: Erosion takes place on Mr. wickham's property and on the
other side but there is interference with the normal littoral drift.
Mr. Wickham: For the sake of the record, my property also included
140 feet to approximately 150 east and horth of the beach, is now
the property of my brother, Henry P. Wickham. I owned it for many,
many years with him and the family before that. That beach was filled
at the time of the last dredging, almost to the top of the bulkhead.
That sand is still there.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: As I said, the people that~live there that were
sent to us by the supervisor and of. course ~they would have better local
knowledge than I do. I'm no~ saying that you're incorrect but you
must recognize that these are dynamic and they do change in ten years.
In '69 it may be back 40 feet. In '70 it may be back out. I am just
saying, I don't know.
Mr. Nicoll: I would just like to interject one thing. His brother,
who lives there~ used to have a dock which was covered by the dredged
spoil and is now sticking about two feet above. That's erosion.
There's no way you can deny that. W/aether it's gotten back as far as
the old bulkhead was, no, it hasn't gotten back that far. In l0 years
a tremendous amount of sand has gone there and it eroded away because
they just took it out of the creek.
Mr. Wickham: For the sake of the record, that sand came out of the
East Creek channel, not out of the West Creek channel, West Creek
and Wickham Creek being more or less synonomous.
Ms. Burland: John, let me suggest something to you. I am trying to
cover the spoil site issue now, but when you tell me that it is
highly possible that you have a proprietory interest in the creek
bottom and I hear that farther up the creek there is an actual deed
to ownership of the creek bottom, Bruce and I then have to put our
Wickham Creek 7
heads together because we are dealing with a very delicate issue in
county government called - shall the county pay to take private land
up off a creek bottom and put them where somebody says, where the
envirmnment says to put them. It's not quite the public - private
issue that we've been hassling now for months in the county but it is
something we are going to have to sit down and talk about because in
other areas there is general public ownership of the creek bottoms
and that gives us a little easier access for another municipality to
come in and do it.
Mr. Wickham: The reason for my statement was that in the Town of
Southold there is a court case in which the decision was that under-
water land.belonging to the Town of Southold, the trustees of the
Town of Southold, dredged under permit from the Town of Southold, the
adjacent property owner had proprietory rights. The court case was
decided in that manner. Since that time the Town of Southold and I
speak as the chairman of the Planning Board, has been very careful
because each case must be decided on its own merits. But we have the
fact that a court case was decided and since that time, there are
trustees enough here to verify my words, since that time we have been
very careful if dredging was done under permit.
Ms. Burland: Paul, I would like to hear from ~he Council and why you
were concerned about the site initially, your reactions.
Paul Stoutenburgh: We objected to the dredging, absolutely thought
it was a farce all the way through for the simple reason that I have
lived there since I was eight years old, at Fleet's Neck, swam in the
channel, boated in the channel, duck hunted in John's creek and every-
thing else. So, I know the area and boats have gone up and down that
without any trouble except for the mouth of the creek. When we wrote
our letter to you people and asked that nothing be done except at the
mouth. We could see no reason for anything further because, first
off, we had our first good set of oysters in that creek and right
along that shore, the south shore, and the dredging that you are
suggesting is going 'to go right up to it and if it's anything like
the dredging I've seen in East Creek, the banks tumble in and we lose
10, 15, or 20 feet of bog and everything goes under water. So, we
objected to it strongly. We thought that it was wrong. We saw 48
foot boats in there that seem to get around. Perhaps, they can't make
a U-turn, they might have to work a little bit to get around but the
majority of boats, particular in the north slip were small boats,
outboard motors. We could see no reason for going up that length.
NOw, this was our objection and we stated it, of course, no one listened,
listened a little bit but not to the whole matter. We felt that we
just couldn't go along with it. We went to your hearing, the DEC
hearing and we were to!id that nothing would be done until the spoil
site was determined. We found out that that wasn't the case. We woke
up one morning and found it would be done. We were very much
disappointed in the results. We had put an awful lot of work into
this. We had some exp!ertise to testify. We feel that the sand should
be put on the north shore because the people there, their bulkheads
are seven foot high already. I can remember as a kid walking along
there, they were only five feet and they are being undermined. The
sand moves along Fleet's Neck beach down into the East Creek. They
just recently, last year, dredged it out which shows there is erosion.
Wickham Creek 8
If you want any more definite proof that that beach is eroding, why
did they dredge it out, because it had filled in the mouth of East
Creek. We felt that this was not absolutely important as far as site
being on John's side. I can sympathize with John but I can't
sympathize whole heart for the simple reason that they just dredged
out Schoolhouse Creek, New Suffolk. This spoil was put on the shore
which is to the extreme west and south of John's property. This
eventually will move along the beach and we felt this would be an
added feature giving John more nourishment to his beach and, for the
first time, have some fill over there. That was why we suggested
that site also. Basically, that's what we felt was important. That
was never dredged all the way up in there by any county dredge. It
was always done just in the mouth of the creek so when they say that
it's been done many times, the mouth of the creek was done many times
but not up to the end of the creek. It was my understanding by your
Council when any new project was~done. We were completely dumbfounded.
We found out that the permit had run out, but all they had to do was
reapply and it was picked right up again. Everywhere we turned we
were stopped so, to be perfectly frank, we gave up on the thing. We
feel the'spoil should be on the Fleet's Neck side to give these people
something that they have not had in the last twenty or thirty years.
We were very concerned about the dredging so close to the edge of the
marsh.
Ms. Burland: Before we go on, are there any more comments about the
spoil site. I know the trustees are here. There was in the paper
some suggestion that someone had come from the Council indicating
that the site was to the south and you pointed out, no it isn't. It's
the north. Actually, on our plans it is the north or east. That's
what we're dealing with now. John has his point of view but the
site is for purposes of information and record. The northeast sector
is the spoil site that has been selected. I know you are here, Alvah,
and I would be happy to have .....
Alvah Goldsmith:~ I think you should recognize the fact that our
problem here is to keep the mouths of these creeks open. Perhaps, the
day will Come when we will have to go further than that, the mouths
of the creeks, but I hope not. With the crunch on finances in the
county and the loss of our dredge that did this work before, it's
going to be more and more expensive just to keep the mouths open. I
object very strongly as a trustee to the use of public funds beyond
the point of maintenance which this goes. It's not maintenance
dredging beyond the end of West Road. No way, shape nor form. And
I think we've got to conserve whatever funds and whatever ability we
have to maintaing the creek entrances to a usable and open condition.
As far as the spoil area is concerned, the reason that we are interested
in it is that if we are dredging in the creeks, it is the property of
the Town of Southold who owns the bottom and we think that we have
some right to demand that our consideration be given to the fact that
our ownership, the Town's ownership, has some bearing on what they do
with it. We are trying to do with it what we consider will be the
most long lasting result of the dredging. I wouldn't be in favor of
taking something out here and dumping it in an area where it is going
right back in with the first storm. This is exactly what would happen
particularly if it is going to be done with a crane because you either
have to bulldoze it for hundreds of yards up the creek or you might
Wickham Creek 9
just as well not do the dredging in the first place. Those three
factors, the fact that we want to maintain the entrances to the
creeks in the town, we want the spoil deposited where it will stay
the longest period without further dredging and we want to make
sure that we're not dredging private property in the process.
Ms. Burland: Any other comments. I think we're dealing with two
problems here. One is where the spoil site should go or will go and,
secondly,~how far up the creek we will go. Any other comments about
the spoil site~before we get into the other portion of the problem?
Mr. Wickham: Joyce, wouldn't it be possible, I've said it before
but I'll say it again, at this particular time this year, I couldn't
care less but it's a matter of the protection of my dikes and
property in the long run is what I'm concerned about. This year, no
problem.
Ms. Burland: The only problem I have with that and it's a considerable
one, and I ask your help here. I don't believe that I can sit here
today and make a commitment to you about a future dredging project in
~three years. Certainly, it would be a matter of record that you felt
that the spoil should go here this year bUt you certainly wanted to
make a claim for~it the next time but I don't believe any of us here
could give you those guarantees. It would be unrealistic. I don't
believe we're authorized to do that. Each dredging pro:ject has a
special process that it goes through with job studied as it existed
at that point in time. I don't know what the regulatory agencies
would recommend. I don't know who is going to be on the CEG help. I
honestly think we do not have the jurisdiction to indicate or make-a
promise.
Mr. Bagg: There's .one thing, too. According to federal law, when a
property owner along the shore line either loses property through
erosion or gains it due to ecretion, it is considered a natural process
and he either benefits or loses, one way or the other, and he has no
claim that he can go down the beach and pick his property up and put
it back in front of his property.
Supervisor Martocchia: I don't think that's accurate.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: No, it's not. That thing's called reliction that
is lessening of the water. There are many things. It's not that
straight forward.
Mr. Bagg: It's not that straight forward but now we are talking about
artificial means with ecretion or erosion.
Mr. Wickham: I want to point out that actually this isn't on some-
body else's property. The hook that they want to take off is my
property. It's on my property. It's mine. It's above highwater
mark. It's mine. I am perfectly willing to be fairminded about it
but I want some assurance from somebody, the supervisor or the town
trustees, I am willing to part with some of my property in good faith
with some assurance that the next time it will be put back where it
came from. Let's be fair.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: The commissioner pointed, Public Works doesn't
Wickham Creek 10
control the deposition.
Mr. Wickham: But the Town of Southold, the trustees, the supervisor,
the Town Board can say alright next time we will be solidly behind
you. That's all I ask.
Ms. Burland: Can we come back to this point. There are a couple of
other comments and then we're going to get into the extent of the job,
the width and how much spoil we're dealing with because there seems
to be some real question.
Frank Xujawski, Jr.: Mr. Collins mentioned that it was now policy
that spoil areas would be downdrift from now on. Then, the problem
for the future seems to be resolved because as each creek along the
bay needs maintenance dredging, which they are going to, at least
until maybe that day when eel grass comes back and beaches begin to
stabilize, but right now, assuming they are going to remain dynamic,
and if it is the policy that spoil areas will always b~ downdrift,
then each beach downdrift of the adjacent creek will always benefit
and you won't have to go through this nor will you have to make
guarantees that in the future years to come, someone will be able to
get a fair amount of spoil because each creek as you go along is
going to be deposited downdrift. Is that correct?
Mr. Collins: That's essentially correct. It's not always that
easy because although the Council feels that this is our policy and
we're a recommending agency, if you go to the County Executive and
the Legislature, they could very well probably agree or disagree in
this matter. In general, it is the policy but don't think for a
moment that it's a hard and fast policy.
Mr. Kujawski: It sounds like a lot of problems would solved if it
became a hard and fast policy.
Mr. Collins: Possibly, it could.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: You want to recognize, also, that the l~ttoral
drift while it is generalized here as being from west to east, it is
not always so or consistently so. It fluctuates. It will go from
east to west depending on conditions. Even within local areas. It's
just not a straight forward west to east flow.
Mr. Collins: There's also the private versus public interest. I
would assume that, for instance, if this is being dredged and John's
property happened to be a county-owned facility or a state-owned
facility or municipal beach, a Town of Southold Beach, without a
question we would recommend probably that the spoil be put on that
side.
Ms. Burland: Let me say, Bruce, that I remember things that have
come up, the spoil has been deposited on both when there is a real
problem. The problem we have in this department, my office, and all
of us that work together is trying to resolve and compromise a number
of different points of view when we feel the dredging is justified.
How much spoil? Where does it go? It is rarely a clear issue so that
we have many sessions and we've been to many of them.
Wickham Creek 11
Mr. Stoutenburgh: I would be in agreement with John in the sense
that the next time dredging came up, we would probably recommend that
it be put on the'other side if there was no great amount of erosion.
We felt that this was a very vital need and, therefore, we can
appreciate John's predicament. I know exactly where he needs it.
I've seen it myself and I would be willing to suggest that it be put
up there. But, in this particular situation, we feel that those people
have never had any fill. They should have some of this to keep this
thing going along. What we are trying to say is that we would
probably go along and put this in our recommendation in the future.
Ms. Burland: That would make a real difference.
George Bird: Has there been any authorization for any kind of work
to be actually done on Wickham Creek yet?
Ms. Burland: Authorization. I believe you have had exca...there has
been .... we have all the authorizations, we were going to authorize
Rudy to go to bid.
Mr. Bird: Another question, then. I was in that creek on Sunday and
on the north side as you say here, or the east side as we call it out
here, of the creek, there is evidence of a dragline having worked in
that creek. There are two large mounds of dirt as of last Sunday and
I mentioned it to someone else today.
Ms. Burland: Can you tell us about that?
Mr. Bird: The only thing I can tell you is there's two large mounds
of dirt there. It looks like work has been done with a dragline.
Ms. Burland: Has anything been done at the mouth of the creek? Not
by the County of Suffolk, but, I believe, on a separate permit?
Charles Galardi: It was done under emergency permit by Boatmen's
Harbor with a permit granted by the DEC.
Ms. Burland: And you took out what, three or four hundred.
Mr. Galardi: 500.
Ms. Burland: 500 cubic yards to open the mouth for boats.
Mr. Galardi: Because the mouth had narrowed to about.twenty feet.
Ms. Burland: That is nov a county project. It requires no county
permits. I believe that is a request acceded to by the town on an
emergency basis when a dragline is done.
Supervisor: Whose signature was on it, Mr. Bird?
Mr. Bird: I've never seen it.
Supervisor: The gentleman back there, whose signature?
Mr. Galardi: Whose signature is on ......
Supervisor: The Town approval.
Wickham Creek 12
Mr. Galardi: I don't know whose signature is on it.
Supervisor: I didn't sign any.
Ms. Burland: I don't know anything about this.
we don't deal with local emergencies.
Help me, Al, because
Supervisor: The only project I know I worked on was through you,
through Carl, through Rudy and it's this particular one we're talking
about.
Mr. Galardi: Mr. Martocchia, are you saying that you are not aware
of that particular project?
Supervisor: Of Wickham Creek dredging?
Mr. Galardi: The mouth of Wickham Creek?
Supervisor: Yes, I'm working on it, but not an emergency permit.
No, I'm not.
Ms. Burland: Who signed the permit?
Mr. Galardi: The DEC.
Ms. Burland: I assUme the town has to approve.
Philip Horton: The DEC does not inform the town trustees of any
permits they put out.
Ms. Burland: Was it a D letter, John.
John: Yes, it was.
Mr. Collins: Where was the digging done, in the creek. In the
mouth?
John: Yes, on the west side. The spoil was placed on Mr. Lister's
property and Little Peconic Bay's property.
Supervisor: The only project I was involved with is the one we are
discussing today.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: Thi~ is my first knowledge of it. We will
probably see the D letter in the index. I hav~en.,t seen it but
probably will.
Ms. Burland: Bruce, on the map and again in your letter to the
department, you said the width of the channel between stations 25 and
31 as designated on the project was to be narrowed from 100 feet to
75. Point 2, the channel be designated to run as close to the north
shore beach as possible without adversely affecting any bulkheads
in order to provide a buffer for the wetlands on the south shore.
Perhaps, you could tell us why those two points were .....
Mr. Collins: I think it is self-explanatory. There was concern, I
Wickham Creek 13
think by a letter from the association here of the wetlands. We felt
that 100 foot channel wasn't necessary in here and it should be kept
to a minimum width as near as possible, I indicated ii. would be done
by a hydraulic dredge. We didn't want the wetlands over onto the
property on John's side shuffling off. That was b~ically the reason.
Mr. Bagg: Essentially, what it really was, the Council being an
advisory group, knowing that there are two sides to any story. It was
a compromise. That's basically what it was.
Ms. Burland: If the trustees look at this, do you object to the
length of the job.
Mr. Goldsmith: Yes.
Ms. Burland: We are looking at a 75 foot width.
Mr. Goldsmith: We don't object to the 75 foot width. The only thing
that we object to is that this is concerned with maintenance
dredging and beyond station 25 upstream of that is strictly a
private concern. It concerns no useful purpose.
Ms. Burland: Alvah, let me suggest to you, again, this comes up
all the time. When we go in a dredge in Sag Harbor, we are dredging
for a town marina there that is used by many citizens in Suffolk
County. The only person that has any benefit is the town and then
there are a couple of guys in the cove that are going to benefit
because they happen to have marinas there. It just happens that the
marina business is on the east and is kind of the life blood of the
east end. We, again, have this problem of what do you call private.
if
Mr. Goldsmith: I think that/it can be rationalized in a case like
this then every private marina would have a claim to preference in
these areas and I still don't think it's fair. It's a business
project and if a business doesn't justify their own maintenance,
then I don't think the county has the responsibility to maintain it
for them. It's just that simple. I'm in the marina business. I
would be delighted to give me a boost on this thing. We've always
felt that we had no right to ask the county. I would be embarrassed
to do so and I think that here is a case where it has never been done
by the county before. It never was required. They did their own
dredging. Now, we are going in and maintain it. i think we need that
money for other more necessary purposes just to keep the mouths of
these creeks open. We're hurting and we're going to hurt if we don't
have the mouths of these creeks open. If we are going to go spending
money that is not necessary in this job, another one is going to
suffer, i see it that way. If we had all the money in the world, I
would say go ahead, go all the way but in these limited conditions ....
Ms. Burland: I believe that the town requested that the dredging
go that far up the creek and I believe I heard that the dredging has
never gone up the'creek.
Mr. Goldsmith: The town trustees have control of the bottom of these
lands and I think Supervisor Martocchia will verify that.
Wickham Creek
Ms. Burland: Bruce, when the project came to you it was that far
up the creek. Your concern was to narrow the channel.
Mr. Collins: Our concern was to narrow the channel. As to the
extent of the dredging, it didn't go further. It's always been just
as you see it here. Our concern was to narrow the channel.. For 6
months the Council of Environmental Quality has been in. a very, very
sort of wild hassle over the public versus private dredging. We have
sought opinions from the county attorney and were told we were out of
our minds and while we have gained some headway in private versus
public concerns, i.e. outright private marinas, associations and that
type of thing. The public versus private issue as far as a marina
where people are or can get, not an association, but where you can go
rent a slip has not yet been settled. In fact, I think,Jim, you worked
with the dredging program. An operation such as this is a quasi-public
thing. Now, there are some of us that don't see it that way.
Apparently, you and I are two of them. And until that issue is
settled, I really don't know how we are going to resolve this. We
feel in some instances, we have resolved it as far as the outright
private associations are concerned but even then we are a recommending
agency. The final decision as to whether or not this is a priority,
the final decision as to whether or not this in fact is public or
private or quasi-public is for the time being going to have to rest
with the legislature.
Ms. Burland: Which is not a safe place to put it.
Commissioner Kammerer: This public-private problem that has all of
a sudden reared its ugly head is a little bit, in my opinion, warped.
Never have we dug in a private marina. The only digging the county
has ever done is on publicly owned town bay bottoms. Because there
is a private marina nearby does not mean we will help him any other
than clearing the channel out to the bay. It's no more that building
a road because somebody has a house on the road. As far as I am
concerned, the town owns the bay bottom. If the town wants the bay
bottom dredged, that is public property and if somebody benefits,
that is something that is not in my power to determine.
Unidentified: There's one problem here, though, at the beginning,
the fact that they do own, that Boatmen's Harbor does claim ownership
to the middle of that creek.
Commissioner Kammerer: That's something out of my control.
Man: YOu just said that you never dredged on private property.
Ms. Burland: I believe that Paul also said that they never dredged
that far up the creek.
Man: It just so happens as a coincidence that station 31 is also
the end of Boatmen's Harbor property. Isn't that a strange fact?
Why don't you go all the way up to the end of the creek and benefit
everybody.
Commissioner Kammerer: The town trustees claim the bottom of Wickh~m's
Creek, as I understand it. Is that right?
Wickham Creek 15
Mr. Goldsmith: There was a grant of land made by the town trustees
many years ago. Sproessig was the first one to develop that area.
He went to the town trustees, as I understand it, and got a grant of
land and we looked it up in our records and that's when he built that
marina. This property line now, this dredging line, whether it
exceeds that or it's on that or beyond it, I am not sure. The point
of the whole thing, if there were a hardship there, if this was a
necessary thing, it would be different, too. I don't think it's that
vital.
Commissioner Xammerer: That's not mine, that's Carl's. What you
mentioned before about keeping the mouths of the creeks open, I
fully agree with it. If they let me alone and let me have that dredge
and left us to our policy, keep going the way we know how we should
go, there wouldn't be any problem with the mouths of these creeks.
We'd keep them all open. Somebody pull.~d the cork and we're not able
to operate. I don't care if they dig inside the creek or not. That's
up to the people that want it.
Mr. Collins: Is it a fact that this portion of the creek up there,
is it private?
Mr. Goldsmith: We can produce the original grant.
Ms. Burland: Maybe the owners can tell us.
Charlie...
They have their own deed.
Mr. Galardi: I don't know how one can separate. The water flows
over that land that we have title to. The marina itself, when you
are talking about the marina, you are talking about two basins that
go in there. Access to them, boats are traversing over, is for all
practical purposes, it's public. We don't block it off. They use
it to go in and out. Hundreds of people. Police use it, the town
uses it. So my contention is that it's more public than private from
the argument that it's private and just benefitting us.
Ms. Burland: Alvah, too, let me just say that we have so many
projects that we deal with. We have one coming up in Sag Harbor Cove
that would be of great benefit to two marinas in Sag Harbor Cove.
They do a' great business, they're the most popular marinas in Sag
Harbor and I do not consider that dredging for a private person.
They area private .corporation. The dredging will benefit the owners
of the marinas but they are so much a part of the business enterprise
of the east end that if you told me you wanted to get into your hard-
ware store and you better come and plow in front of the store, I would
feel quite the same about it. The other public - private that Bruce
and I have agreed on and are having some time with in the last
legislature is when man has gone up and put an arm out into the water
and then built houses on it and for his boat and there's a bar like
Shinnecock Shores landing and we're supposed to dredge it for the
people. I call that pure private benefit for'the property owners.
Man: I think you mentioned the Sag Harbor dredging project. In this
case you have private property and you.are extending the project into
private property and ending it at that property line. In Sag Harbor,
are you extending the project into private property?
Wickham Creek 16
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I can't let that statement stand about this
private property. We work on the Suffolk County tax map. We have
a copy of it here which shows all. the property that belongs to the
town trustees. The copy of this deed and the map, neither is
confirmed or signed nor was I able to find a record of it in
Riverhead. I am not saying it doesn't exist. What I am saying is
that prior to doing this ....
Mr. Stoutenburgh: We are saying in light of what has happened now,
that as you understand it, do you feel you have a right to go in there
now?
Mr. Eisenschmeid:
ship.
But you and I are in disagreement as to the o~ner-
~ouglas Robertson: I was a member of 'the Board of Trustees when that
marina said they owned to the middle of the channel. Both basins were
worked at the time and it was done with that understanding that the
marina owned out to the center line o£ the creek because they owned
the land. And, therefore, any further maintenance or dredging o£
those basins was a matter of private concern and not part of the town~
And that was approved on that basis.
Ms. Burland: Let me ask you this. When we consider the deeds whether
they are signed or unsigned, let me ask you where does the deed extend?
Mr. Robertson: To the center line of the creek.
Ms. Burland: I understand that but how far does it go down.
Mr. Robertson: It goes from the front of that whole marina and that
basin, the furthest basin to the left, was placed very close to his
property line at that time.
Ms. Burtand:
down.
The question I have is how far does the deed extend
Mr. Robertson: The deed extends from the bulkhead in front of West
Road. In other words, where West Road comes in front of the property.
Here's where, this is West Road and that's a town road as I understand
it, but from that corner right there all the way up to his property
line which is here.
Ms. Burland: So, then, this is the only portion of the project that
would be in question.
Mr. Robertson: 25 to 31, right. That's why we objected.
Man: You know a lot of deeds in the Town of Southold go to the center
line of the highway so it's a safe assumption that you shouldn't be
riding on the roads because they're private.
Mr. Robertson: It's possible that the deed went to the center line
of the highway.
Ms. Burland: Let me ask you this and I certainly will stay here as
long as anyone wants to make comments. I think what we have so far is
Wickham Creek 17
an agreement that in this case whatever spoil is removed and we
have not determined how much will be may in this case go on the east
portion if there is some sense here today that we in future years
would place the spoil on your portion. Not we but those here and it's
a matter of record.
Mr. Wickham: We are not talking entirely about underwater rights and
so forth. I want you to look at the maps again. You are taking some
of my upland. Not only that, you are seriously endangering the rest
of it because it will slough right in because it's nothing but sand.
Ms. Burland: Alright, John, but if we do not go up the creek, tell
me somebody if you're dredging the mouth of the creek, how much of
your land would go.
Mr. Wickham: That whole point.
Ms. Burland: You would consider up in here the mouth of the creek.
Mr. Wickham: Now, I'm bargaining with you~ I'll say I will give
you that in exchange for an assurance. I will sign the papers or
releases.
Ms. Burland: I am not sure we can give you the assurance because it
is the town that initiates the project. Then it goes to the permit.
If the town and the community are together on a request, it goes ever
so much better.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I think Mr. Stoutenburgh said...
Mr. Stoutenburgh: I'm a little confused here and I just have to use
another example to bring this point out, Joyce. There's a creek to
the east and the sand goes along Fleet's Neck and went way out into
the middle of the creek and the county comes in and they take that
pont off because it went on the town property. I thought that creek
was town property there~
Mr. Wickham: We said that the right of ecretion and this is the one
that the Mattituck Park properties have been working on for quite
some time. I think all of you know that in West Creek, west of New
Suffolk, the project was stopped because the Case family sa~id .no that
is our property. I want some assurance from somebody. Here I have
something, upland and we are talking about the protection of the sand
behind. I'm concerned.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I would have to disagree with you. In West Creek
the project was stopped because the Commissioner of Public Works came
out and thought there was merit to the utilization of that thing for
swimming. That was not a consideration.
Commissioner Kammerer: Besides, there was a woman threatening to
throw heresetf in front of the dredge.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: Let me hasten to say that we would always do
preliminary cross-sections. That may be modified. That point may not
be exactly as it is indicated there. These gentlemen would know better.
Mr. Wickham: I think there is more.
Wickham Creek 18
Mr. Eisenschmeid: That could very well be. It might be less.
Ms. Burland: Let me approach it from this end~ I'm sorry tH'is is
so slow but this is kind of how we get to where we have to go. Do I
understand that the Town Trustees, the North Fork Environmental
Council agree that the mouth of the creek ,should be dredged,~ the full
job at tn~ mouth. That would be up to about station 22.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: ~.From 19 to 25 is what we thought.
Ms. Burland: I've got to tell you, Alvah,~that-ti~at may be your
definition of the mouth of the creek but You're suddenly stopping very
short of servicing a business in the area. You are right on ~he edge
of the deed that you claim is his responsibility and yet in every
other area ~nere we have gone in when there has been a business, we
have gone and done it. You say the mouth of the creek stops at 21.
I say fine that's the mouth of the creek. But, you're going way up
to 25.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: Because there's a public landing there, Joyce.
There's a public landing where the town boat comes in right at'the
end of that road.
Ms. Burland: A!right, that' s something I need to know. I'm trying
to get the scope of the project and to be equitable to all concerned.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: It is reasonable to use public funds to go that
far because there is a public landing there where 'the public can come
in and get people on and off of boats.
Mr. Galardi: Why doesn't that same argument that you just made apply
to the traffic that'goes on the water that goes over that land? You
just used the public road as an argument but yet I can't use that same
argument.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: You wouldn't let me come in and land at your dock
and unload and leave my boat in your marina for an hour or two or
three.
Mr. Galardi: Your argument for that street for public access.
the same thing.
It's
Mr. Stoutenburgh: You can use the water but dredging your land ....
Man: The land comes up to reach the water, Paul. I don't know if
anyone has gone in since the winter has gone by ....... this shoal is
not on the marina side, it is on the other side. That's where all the
hangups we are getting. You say small boats never get hung up~ but
we have boats up to 3-1/3 or 4 foot draft that are getting hung up
on the opposite side.
Ms. Burland: Let me ask one more thing because everyone has something
to say and I will certainly stay here. I know Bruce has to go. The
people here from neighborhood associations, have you all had a chance
to speak.~
Mr. Nicoll: I would like to put our name in this public record. You
Wickham Creek 19
mentioned the Co~uucil and Boatmen's Harbor and the Town Trustees.
The Fleet's Neck Property Owners' Association has been involved in
this from the beginning and we represent over 300 people. We have
a concern, a very definite one. One point before you call somebody
else, I used to have a friend of mine that used to keep his boat
right up on one of those corners there and, even after this thing
was originally dredged, he had trouble getting out. It was always
shoal on the marsh side and ti~at's necessary for the protection of
that marsh.
Ms. Burland: Let me understand something. Paul indicates that the
upper portion of this creek has never been dredged before.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: Originally.
Ms. Burland: Originally, this was back i~ ti~ 30's
orig~na~ date of the hydraulic dredging?
That's the
Mr. Stoutenburgh: I believe they used hydraulic.
able to tell us that.
John would be
Ms. Burland: It was a hydraulic dredging operation and it went all
the way up. I am trying to get at the reason why the station was
selected, because that's where it went originally. It was privately
done in the first place.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: ~ That's why I say it should have had an environmental
impact.
Ms. Burland:~ The Council says this is the first time a hydraulic
dredge has been up.there and they require an EIS. It is an eXisting
waterway that hadbeen hydraulically dredged.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: Yes, you would have to use a hydraulic dredge in
there, so.maybe you should have an impact statement.
Ms. Burland: Alright, let me make this suggestion and I will stay
on and anyone that wishes to. John, for your purposes and the
purposes of the town, let me say that this public - private issue will
have to go back to the legislature. We're in a hassle with three or
four of them. They are none of them concerning any commercial business.
This is the first one we've had that is an upper portion of a~creek
where a request has been made for a commercial usage, not for the
others we are dealing with. They are all private people who oWn their
boats and want to get in and out. It's a slightly different case,
Bruce, that you and I have talked about. We haven't had one like this
and I want to tell you this is tough because there have been other
areas of the county where we also have commercial interests whose boats
are used by .... How many people from Suffolk County use your marina?
Mr. Galardi: 90 out of 104.
Ms. Burland: Well, this is a commercial operation for the benefit of
citizens with boats in Suffolk County. Therefore, we are going to be
in a little bit of a hassle if we say you can't go to Boatmen's Harbor
but you sure can go to Sag Harbor. Anyway, this part of the problem
must go back in the shop. While we are there, may I ask the Board of
Trustees, perhaps the Council and John to sit down and come up with
Wickham Creek 20
some document of agreement. I believe that~is what you'are asking
for and that would become a matter of record so whatever yardage we
eventually take out of this project at whatever time, we will have
settled that problem. How far up aad down we go we will sit down
with it. I am sure Boatmen's Harbor will come into it. The trustees
will come with their argument and the members of the committee that
makes these decisions. We are going to have to hear you out. My
personal opinion is because I've seen so many of these commercially
helpful projects throughout the east end in the year and a half, I
hate to cut someone off who falls right within the same category as
dredging we have been doing all along.
Mr. Goldsmith: May I just say that we are not trying to cut anyone
off. We just feel in the present state of finances, the present state
of the economy, that we should limit ourselves to the minimum. God
bless us, I hope we can some day dredge the whole works out but I
think right now is not the time to start expanding the operation ....
Ms. Burland: But, Alvah, but we are down there battling for funds
for contract dredging that will cover the work necessary, commercially
on the east end. I don't know if we are going to get it but ....
Yes, Jim.
James Bitses: There seems to be a little confusion. Where a property
owner owns property to the center of the road and the town or the state
or whomever takes an easement for use, in other words, by eminent
domain, takes part of that land and denominates it a road, he still
technically owns to the center line of that road. However, that land
is usable by anyone that passes through because it is taken for public
use. Where a person owns land on the shor~ of a lake, all the
contiguous property owners of the lake own ~he center of this lake.
In other words, pie-shaped pieces running to the center. However,
they cannot fence off this land. They must leave this land free for
the navigation of all the owners of the waterfront, the ritarian
owners. Where property lines run under and it becomes more complex
when you have old grants and grants for taking of salt hay, but
generally speaking, even in tidewater, where the property line runs
into the center of the creek and the creek has been used for passage
to and fro by the other ritarian owners and one of the ritarian owners
happens to be a public launching ramp, the owner of the land under
the water, truly he owns the land under the water, but he can't fence
it off and he cannot block it off from ingress and egress for all the
users of that particular creek and in the case, the public. So, I
just wanted to clarify that point.
Man: I would like to ask where the public launching ramp is do~a
there at Boatmen's Harbor. I have never been able to find it.
Ms. Burland: That's a good question. Is it a launching ramp, Is it
a tie-up dock. It's a dock.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: Mr. Bitses, I think there's a little difference in
what we are talking about here. You are talking about an easement.
We are talking about a bona fide deed.
Mr. Bitses: There's an easement of ritarian use by all contingent
people on the creek.
Wickham Creek 21
Mr. Stoutenburgh: We are talking about bottom land that is being
dredged. That's what concerns us. We are not talking about the
water part. We are talking about the bottom.
Commissioner Kammerer: His argument is sound. By the same purposes,
you couldn't repair the road based on the same argument.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: No, because when you give the easement, you give
that easement ....
Mr. Bitses: He is raising a legitimate question.
the bottom owners are objecting ....
I don't think
Ms. Burland: We're past that. We're moving by inches up this creek.
Mr. Nicoll: As spokesman for the property owners' association, we in
no way object to them dredging as indicated by the red line. We
simply disagree with public funds being used for private benefit. They
will benefit moneywise from dredging that area. We feel that they
should pay for that. Secondly, we would like to know why you would
stop at station 31. That seems to be an incredibly arbitrary line.
Ms. Burland: I think we have established the reason it was stopped
there is that is the extent of the initial dredging. Now, if we go
beyond the initial of 30 some years ago, then you have environmental
impact statements and all kinds of things. In other words, as I
understand, it's going up to the point where the creek was initially
privately dredged.
Mr. Nicoll: May I ask a third question. It's a serious question, by
the way, it is not as a joke. If I were to pull not into one of their
slips but the area that has been dredged and decided to go fishing
there, what right would they have to ask me to move out of there?
They do not have any right because I have a right to use that public
waterway. Is that not correct?
Joseph Hataier: May I answer~that? According to the U. S. Federal
laws, if you anchor there you are trespassing. They can ask you to
move.
Mr. Nicoll: That's what I assumed. So they do have property rights
to that, so they do have control of it.
Mr. Hataier: Under the water, yes.
Man with Mr. Galardi: We have a lot of people coming down, fishermen,
that not only use the public dock but land across our gas docks and
some of our piers and the basin to the northwest. This is mainly
when the boats aren't in, early season and late season. We allow
them to do this and we also found the baymen come in there and drop
anchor and nothing is ever said to these people that they have to get
out. We have the rights and we own the bottom. We have not put poles
out there, we have not put up a fence or anything like that. It is
public waterways used by everybody. Incidentally, of those 104 people,
59 are Southold Town taxpayers so it certainly is a community facility.
Ms. Burland: Keep their boats there?
Wickham Creek 22
Man: Keep their boats there , are taxpayers.
Mr. Eisenschmeid:
slips?
you have transients? Do you have overnight
Man: We have transients but I would say probably if we get maybe
a couple of dozen ....
Mr. Eisenschmeid: But you have provision for them?
Man: Yes, we do. We have the capacity of 5,000 gallons of gas.
Most everyone in that area buys gas from the marina which is past
that station 19.
Ms. Burland:a May I ask, this will now be discussed. We are going
to have a meeting with John Klein on the public - private issue. I
didn't mean to be offhand by saying the legislature is a bad place
to put the issue but as long as you can get eleven of your friends to
go along with you, you may not be delivering the best public policy.
It works out that way. Somebody says if you give me my dredge job,
I'll give you yours. We still have not dealt with the issue of
whether the county should spend public funds to benefit private
ownership. This is a real question and we'll just have to deal with
that. I would appreciate it very much if any of you here, I think
the trustees mightlslend a couple of paragraphs and send it to me and
say our position is the following so that I have that in my file as
a matter of record. If the association could put its thoughts and
feelings about this public - private issue, if the owners could do
the same, then we have a case to take down and say, now how do you
feel about the policy of this particular issue. Could you do that
for me because I think from the station that is about where the town
tie-up is~ 25, the rest of it is going to have to go into that group
in county government which is the presiding officer, the county
executive, the county attorney, Rudy, Jim Bagg, me and the head of
the public works committee and we are going to have to figure out what
Suffolk County is going to do when it is clearing out private water-
ways that are sincerely, if you think this is difficult you ought to
see some of the cases. We have to deal with where there is no public
purpose at all to the dredging request. I would very much appreciate
that as a matter of record if you could get that off to me. Just a
simple Statement, Anyone else in the room that wishes to make their
own personal statement, I would be very happy to have that, too.
Man: I own the property adjacent to the Harbor. I would like to
know how do you get one of these special D permits because I may have
to get it, too. We've got some sand, You don't know about it.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I know about it but it's not concerning the
county. Are you speaking as a point of information. You have to
make application to Mr. Larkin who is the Local Tidal Wetlands
Administrator and state your proposition and what you wish to do and
it's my underst~ing that he'll make that decision. I'm not involved
in it in that sense. I am familiar with it from....
Man: The D permit was issued, right?
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I have no idea, sir. Not to us.
Wicknam Creek 23
Ms. Burland:
how long?
A D permit was issued to you recently within the last
Mr. Galardi: Couple of weeks.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I don't know. We don't operate that way. It
serves no purpose from the county's standpoint because we have so
many'other regulatory agencies because we've never done it,
Man: Doesn't the town finally have to give the signature on that
thing.
Mr. Eisenschmeid:
know.
You would have to check with the town.
I don't
Mr. Horton: To the best of my knowledge the secretary of the Board
of Trustees hasn't received anything as far as to what D permit
Boatmen's Harbor got. They did not have any town authorization to ~
do anything as far as the Board of Trustees knows. Anybody else can
go to the state, get the permit, do the work, but they're in violation
of the Town Trustees and the Town Board regulations. Boatmen's
Harbor has no permit for what they've done already.
Man: That makes a sham of this whole thing.
Mr. Horton: It is.
Mr. Nicolt: We have absolutely no control over our local waterways
and that's what they're telling us.
Ms. Burland: Well, you do and T think what you're hearing is their
procedure, but the county was not involved. What has happened in this
particular is that the town makes an application and says will you the
County of Suffolk come in and ....
Mr. Nico!l: My point here is that I would agree with Boatmen's
Harbor. They should have been given that permit, absolutely, they
have the need to open the mouth of that channel but, then again,
nobody know~ about it, so this gentleman, Mr. Larkin, issues a permit.
You don't know about it, the Town Trustees don't know about it.
Ms. Burland: It changes the quantity for our job, you see. Now, so
that everyone will havethe same understanding, this resolution
authorizing, the department to go to bid will remain on the table until
we get a resolution. I think the spoil site is coming along o.k. but
the public-private is something that will hang us up so there will be
no action on this job by the county until we have a resolution and a
meeting about it. Let me just tell you that the reason this did go
to an authorizing resolution to bid is that we are trying to cluster
the work in the township so we can get a bid on two or three jobs and
possibly bring the price down. Then, we don't have to mobilize every
time we have a job in the east end and this is how we are trying to
move the work along without our county dredge and bring its costs down
so we have Hall's and Wickham's linked and thought - great we'll go to
bid. The thing was fine until we picked up the newspaper. We will now
just go ahead singly with Hall's. We're not going to wait on this to
do Hall's. Go to bid on that one and see how quickly we can resolve
Wickham Creek 24
this. Any other comments or suggestions.
Mr. Bagg: Is there going to be a transcript covering this meeting or
anything, any notes? The Council would like to receive any notes
covering this meeting and, also, any comments sent to Ms. Burland we
would like to receive as far as this public versus private interest.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I would like to have minutes but Ms. Burland's
correspondence is her own as far as we're concerned.
Mr. Nicoll: You mean if I send a letter to you, you two ~entlemen
will not get it?
Ms. Burland: I will send it to them, absolutely. I'll get it out of
my office. Also, don't be surprised if I call you up, the principles
involved, of the town, the trustees, the owners of Boatmen's, the
council and say, we're just going to sit down together and see where
this thing is going. I would hope that we will have a policy meeting
with John Klein before we do this. This is now presenting some
serious problems. We have four or five that have nothing to do with
the commercial interest in the dredging.
Mr. Stautenburgh: I have a question of concern. Maybe, Mr.
Eisenschmeid can help me and Bruce, also. How about the width. Is
this determined primarily if the county dredge was going to be used
here.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I can only answer for myself. From the engineering
standpoint, this was designed on the 25th percentile of the boats that
we see using it. This is designed for a boat with a three foot draft.
It is designed on eight features, depth of all boats except the upper
25th percentile so it's not deep enough for him, it's too deep for
this guy. But, there are eight design factors that go into it - the
wind conditions, directions, pitch roll and this type of thing. That's
how this is designed. That's what you asked me - the width. We felt
at that time and we still feel that 100 foot would be preferable if
you have two or three boats, both navigating this thing longitude and
depending on the tide and so forth, but the CEQ would not pass it and
we said fine but this is what we feel is right. You say it will not
fly that width, so we went 12-1/2 feet on each side. I don't know if
that answers your question from the Public Works standpoint.
Mr. Stoutenburgh:
no objection.
The point is with less width we would probably have
Mr. Eisenschmeid: Sure, but just like designing a highway, there
are constraints, public welfare hazards, and somebody has to be
responsible for them. That's how we came to it..As long as someone
goes on record below a certain minimum and saying, this is your idea,
great. If you were to say I want it 28 feet, I would have to say to
you the average boat that comes in there ~has a 6 foot beam and the
AECE recommends such and such and I would have to go to the commissioner
and say I can't. Is this what you're driving at?
Mr. Stoutenburgh: We are more concerned with the ecology of the area
tha~ we are for the private concern.
Wickham Creek 25
Mr. Bagg: To begin with, they agreed with the environmental council
out here that the project should be scoped down and the question of
really going up as far as the marina, however, the Dept. of Public
Works received the request from the town, so we came to the compromise
saying, put it on the downdrift side and scope the project down. We
tried to write it so it would appear that the wetlands would not
slough off.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: Which, essentially, I think, followed your
recommendation.
Ms. Burland: The response of the CEQ was predicated quite largely
on the letter from the Council. It was very much a part of the planning
that was done. May I ask, just to get it clear in my mind, does the
Council have any objection to the dredging up to the point of 25?
Mr. Stoutenburgh: No.
Ms. Burland: That is up creek. We are talking about halfway up.
Mr. Eisenschmeid:
of the project.
So, essentially, we have agreement on 50 or 60%
Ms. Burland: This is why we sit down together. It's the upper
portion of the creek that brings up the public-private question in
all your minds. Then, you have an environmental question in your
mind, Paul, from that point to the initial edge of the dredging 30
years ago.
Mr. Stoutenburgh:
the north side.
Mr. Eisenschmeid:
I would like to see it as close as possible to
We agree.
Ms. Burland: In fact, the red line could be moved north.
Mr. Eisenschmeid: I think what Paul is saying and we agree with him,
that as far north as you can without dangering the bulkhead. We wOuld
be happy to do that. '
Ms. Burland: Alvah:
Mr. Goldsmith: Maybe, we can speed this thing up. I think we have,
everyone has pretty well expressed their opinions. We are aware of
the public advantage in the public-private interest and I think that
the trustees are pretty much of the same opinion that, if this is
kept to a minimum and it is kept nearer to the marina side, it would
be an advantage· and whatever your group decides will be alright as
long as it's a minimum. We don't want to stop this project. We don't
want to hurt the marina. We certainly don't want to hurt any private
business. We like to help them to what they are entitled to, but...
Ms. Burland: May I tell you right here in the family that when this
question comes up, it could be ominous for the east end and its
businesses if we have to go through this for every single dredging
project where there is a benefit to a boat supply or a marina or a
restaurant owner on the water.
Wickham Creek 26
Mr. Goldsmith: No, but in most instances you have a dredging area
that affects a lot of people, some more than others. Some benefit
more than others the same as a highway or anything else. This is no
question. It is only when, after a certain job is privately maintained
over the years and then we are supposed to approve of the county
coming in anddredging this an additional distance, we feel we would
be out of order if this wasn't thoroughly discussed and thoroughly
understood. We sure don't want to stop it but we would certainly want
to keep the cost of a minimum so that we could keep going on the rest
of them.
~Mr. Wickham: May I say one more thing again as an adjacent property
owner. I would have no objection to extending it all the way up
if, particularly if~it was all the way up and even further to the
north than'is here shown. There is no reason that the last couple
of hundred feet can't be swung up towards the marina. The comments
of Paul about this ~sloughing off are very real and this is where the
oysters are and there's no reason if it could come this close at
this time, you see, there's no reason why the red line can't come
right over there.
Ms. Burland: You are talking about swinging the whole thing up.
Mr. Stoutenburgh: I am 100% for that.
Mr. Wickham: Then, there's no reason why it couldn't be continued
from this point right in this direction and keep away from this
because here, actually, it's closer to the bog than it is down here
and I think this is a mistake. You see the angle is changed right
here. It should go right on up like that.
Ms. Burland: Now, Charlie, what's you draft here now. This is
where you have the bad turnaround, down in here. Well, we can't
dredge there anyhow. We are always going to have a problem there
because we can't go in there.
Mr. Galardi: There's a bar in this area.
Mr. Wickham: I'm perfectly willing to take that off and have it go
right up through here instead of coming closer to the bog.
Mr. Galardi: We have sailboats here that draw 3-1/2 feet.
Ms. Burland: But, they're not getting hung up on the bog, they're
getting hung up on the bar. Carl, if we moved that ......
Mr. Eisenschmeid: It would probably have to be resubmitted, but we
can probably handle it on the phone .....
Ms. Burland: So, we all agree today that if, when the public-private
question is determined and fully discussed and it certainly has to be
brought up. I hope it kind of ends up in our favor because it comes
up so often and it's a benefit to the community in general, that we
understand that the project would swing up and if we do go up in that
area that we would move it up and stay away from the shoal ....
(more discussion about exactly where the red line should go) I think
Wickham Creek .~ 27
it's important ~hose here from Boatmen's Harbor to let me know as
part of the testimony of today exactly the kind of business they do
as to the percentage and where the people come from, public applica-
tion, the amount of gas, you are the largest area for boats in the
area to use, whatever case you have for a service operation that is
commercial, of course, but it is also a service operation, I believe
it is important.
Mr. Galardi: Do you want me to state this now?
Ms. Burland: I would just as soon get it in writing. I have taken
my own notes and I believe it is in the record. Any other comments?
Al, do you and John and the trustees want to get something ~ogether
that will satisfy John as far as the spoil site. I think we have
half the problem solved. I thank you all very much for coming.
Respectfully submitted,
Muriel Brush, Secretary
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
October 26th, 1977
KAMMERER, P.E., L.$.
COMMISSIONER
Mr. Alvah B. Goldsmith
Southold Town Trustees
Main Road
Southold, ~f 11971
Re: Halls & Wickhams Creek, Town of Southold
Dear Alvah:
Please find enclosed, a copy of contract plans for Halls and
Wickhams Creek which are to be let as one contract.
You will note that the last contract page which covers
Wickhams Creek, has been revised to show hydra'ulic excavation
from station 19+00 to station 25+00 which is in accordance,
I believe with your Town Board's intentions.
May I therefore, request issuance of the Trustees permits
which has been held in obeyance pending the noted revision.
Cordially,
C. Eisenschmied, P.E.,L.$.
Principal civil Engineer
Division of Waterways
CE:db
Encl.
cc:
Supervisor Martocchia
Legislator Burland
YAPHANK AVENUE · YAPHANK, N.Y. ! ! 980 · (5~ 6) 924-3451
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK
DEPARTMENt Of PUbLiC WORKS
S°luttlold ToWn Trustees
Main Road
Southold, NY 11971
A'ug'ust 28th, 1978
Re:
KAMMERER, P.E., L.S.
COMMISSIONER
Wickham Creek - Town of Southold
Permit ~1268
Gentlemen:
Please be advised that operations will commence at the above
captioned projec~ on or about 8/28/78.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
C. Eisenschmied, P.~,L.S.
Principal Civil Engineer
Division of Waterways
CE: db
YAPHANK AVENUE
YAPHANK, N.Y. I '1980
924-345!
JOYCE C:. BURLAND
LEGISLATOR, I ST DISTRICT
CHAIRMAN:
PARKS, RECREATION & CONSERVATION
MEMBER:
HEALTH
PUBLIC WORKS & FACILITIES
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK
COUNTY LEGISLATURE
July 21, 1977
LEGISLATIVE OFFICE:
49 BAST MAIN STREET
RIVERHEAD, NEW YORK ! ! 901
HOME OFFICE:
P,O. BOX 897
BRIDGEHAMPTON, NEW YORK 1193Z
(Sl 6) $37-0858
Muriel Brush, Secretary
Southold Town Trustees
Southold Town Hall
Main Road
Southold, New York 11971
Dear Muriel:
The minutes you sent me from our Wickham's Creek
meeting a~e superb, and I want to thank you for all the time
you devoted to preparing them. You are a wonderZ
I have made copies and'forwarded them to the Waterways
Division and the C.E.Q. We are certainly in your debt for pro-
viding us with such a detailed account of the proceedings.
JB/tt
Joyc~/Burl.and
County Legislator,
tst District
BOAIi
Telephone
765-1938 1971
July 27, 1977
Hon. Joyce Burland, Legislator
Suffolk County Legislature
County Center
Riverhead, New York ll901
Dear Legislator Burland:
In the matter of the county dredging of privately owned
underwater lands at taxpayers' expense, the Board of Southold
Town Trustees conveys herewith its expression of opinion for
record with your committee examining this problem.
Whereas, Suffolk County is almost unique in the extent and
importance of its waterways, creeks, lakes, wetlands and attendant
wa~er based resources and for the past 300 years or so local
government has provided the needed control and jurisdiction in
these areas, this Board contends that:
1. County facilities, which would not be otherwise available
to the townships, is a necessary responsibility and obligation of
the County to property maintain and improve these attributes, in
much the same way that the County Highway Department serves the
highways°
2o__Final decision and control of any dredging in these
areas should be the prerogative of the respective local governing
agency after proper consideration has been accorded to the require-
ments of Federal, State or County recommendations and standards
covering such a project.
3. Any single statement of general policy, to wit: "The
County approves the dredging of privately owned underwater lands
at taxpayer expense" cannot provide the proper evaluation of a
dredging application because the factors involved are too numerous
and complex.
Hon. Joyce Burland
-2-
July 27, 1977
4. An application involving the dredging of privately owned
underwater lands must involve consideration of at least four major
factors:
a. the extent and use of the waterway by private owner-
ship
the protection and use of the area by commercial
interests such as marinas, baymen and other dependent
interests
c. availability of facilities for use by_the public
d. the environmental impact of any changes to be made
5. ThiS Board believes there are very few cases in Suffolk
County which would require dredging of.private underwater lands
and, though it might favor this being done .under certain
circumstances and in a decision involving only a single application,
any general policy allowing private dredging to be done at taxpayer
expense would open the door to mass dredging at tremendous cost
and would be impossible to control.
Yours truly,
AlvahB. 'Goldsmith, Chairman
Board of Southold Town Trustees
Douglas Robertson, Trustee
Philip G. Horton, Trustee
George Bird, Trustee
Joseph Hataier, Trustee
Copies to
Hon. John V. N. Klein, County Executive
Mr. Bruce Collins, Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality
Mr. Carl Eisenschmied, Department of Public Works
Supervisor Albert M. Martocchia
Mr. Paul Stoutenburgh, North Fork Environmental Council
Mr. Frank A. Kujawski, Jr., Conservation Advisory Council
COPY
NORTH FORK ENVIRONMENTAL GOUNCIL, lNG.
¢
Box 31 I, Sou+hold, New York 11971
Ju.ae 23, 1977
Mrs. Joyce Burlaud
County Legislature
Cou.aty Center
Riverhead, h~/ 11901
Dear Joyce:
This letter is ia reply to your request for the
NFEC Wetlauds Co~wmittee ouiuioa o.a (1) private property and
(2) private interest with regard to the use of ~ublic fu~nds
for dre dgi.ag.
Some of our raembers have been i~.volved ia dredgi~ng
operations since the county dredge first came i.ato our creeks o.a
the i~or. th Fork. T~oughout th~s period there have been ma.ay
occasions when the proposed dredgiug was questionable because it
iavotved ~ri~ate .~aterest.
Another aspect of this whole problem is the situatio~n
of private property.. To our k.aowiedge there has .never bee.a any
d~edgi~ng of p~m ate property here on the ~'~orth Fork that iuvolved
public fu.ads. This is a completely a~iffereat situation tha_~
privat~ i.a~erest. The use of public fu~-ds for dredging of private
property uo~ would surely set a precedent S~d make it hard to live
with in the future. Therefore:
t. Private Interest -W~ are against the use of
public fu.ads for ~redg'img when it will benefit only a seisct
pri~ate sector. Should there be a public boat ramp, dock, etc.
within the area, we would be inclined to view the situatio~ with
more !e nie~cy.
2. Private Pro~e.rt.y- Here we see the issue more
clear cut. Public funds should act go for the\,bettermeat of
private property. Any improvement should b~ uddertaken by the
privat~ land owner a~ it has been i~ the past.
Sincerely yours,
NORTH FOR~ EhnJ!}~O!',~]~NTAL COUi~CIL, I?~C.
CC: A!vah Goldsmith
Carl Eis e.aschmied
Joh~n Kle i .n
Jim Bagg
PS: bs
Paul St outeaburgh
Chairman
We tlaads Committee
·
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
R.M. KAMMERER - COMMISSIONER
YAPHANK, N.Y.
NOTES:
UTILITIES
THE LOCATION OF EXISTING GAS, WATER, ELECTRIC 8~TELEPHONE LINES SHOWN ON THE
PLANS IS NOT GUARANTEED. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL SATISFY HIMSELF BY PERSONAL
INVESTIGATION AND RESEARCH AS TO THE EXACT LOCATION OF ALL UTILITIES PRIOR
TO WORKING IN THE AREA.
RACE
LOCATION MAP
GOLDEN NEMATODE QUARANTINE
THE CONTRACTORS ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE GOLDEN NEMATODE QUARANTINE
OF THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS REGULATING
THE MOVEMENT OF TOPSOIL, MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT IN NASSAU AND SUFFOLK
COUNTIES,AND CONCERNING THE EUROPEAN CHAFFER REGULATING THE MOVEMENT OF COUNTY
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT IN OR FROM KINGS COUNTY. DETAILED INSTRUCTION AND
ASSISTANCE IN THE NECESSARY STEAM CLEANING MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE FIELD PUBLIC
AGENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRIOUL'FURE AND MARKETS GIVEN BELOW' DEPARTMENT OF
OFFICE ADDRESS
NEW SOUTH ROAD AT COMMERCIAL
HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK
TELEPHONE: WE 1-04-05
ST.
MR. W. BROWN or MR. MORGAN
DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 8~ MARKETS
R O. BOX 96
HICKSVILLE, N.Y.
OF SUFFOLK
PLANS FOR THE
WORKS
PROPOSED MAINTENANCE DREDGING
HALL'S.
AND '
WICKHAM
UNAUTHORIZED ALTERATION OR ADDITION TO
THIS PLAN IS A VIOLATION Of SECTION 7209
OF THE NEW YORK EDUCATION LAW.
MADE BY ,.,4 /-./~,',,~']',-~'.,~'
TRACED BY
COMPARED BY
CHECKED BY~
DATE~
DATE~
DATE~
DATE
TOWN OF" SOUTHOLD
SUFFOLK COUNTY N.¥
ALL WORK CONTEMPLATED UNDER THIS CONTRACT TO BE COVERED.
BY AND IN CONFORMITY WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS ADOPTED NOV. I,
1968 AS AMENDED BY PART I,JANUARY 1977 BY THE COMMISSIONER
OF PUBLIC WORKS OF THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK,N.Y. AND ENTITLED
"PUBLIC WORKS SPECIFICATIONS" EXCEPT AS MODIFIED ON THIS '
PLAN AND. IN THE PROPOSAL.'
SHEET
4
LIST OF~
TITLE SHEET 8~ LOCATION MAP
iTABLE oF. EARTHWORK- TYPICAL CHANNEL
- !SECTION',- BENCHMARKS'-CONTROLS-
,COORDINATES (HALL'S CREEK)
DREDGING PLANS (HALL~s CREEK)
TABLE OF EARTHWORK-TYPICAL CHANNEL
SECTION - BENCHMARKS-'CONTROLS --
COORDINATES-DREDGING PLANS
. (WICKHAM CREEK)
PROJECT SCALE DATE SHEET
NO.
HALL ~S CREEK 8 WICKHAM CREEK
RECOMMENDED BY .~--~ ~d~/~:'.~-~ DATE ~--~--77
CARL EISENSCHMIED-PRINCIPAL CIVIL ENGINEER- DIVISION OF WATERWAYS
APPROVED BY ~/~ ~~~ DATE
' WILLIAM S. MATSUN~YE JR. - CHI~ E~GINEER
......... R.M% ~MMERER-)COMMISSlpNER OF PUBLIC WORKS '"
APPROVED bY 4 ~~~~ DATE
JOH~ ~. N KL~I~=~OUNTY EXECUTIVE
DATE
ALBERT M. MARTOCCHIA-SUPERVISOR-TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
APPROVED JOYC?.~(~.-~IU-RLAND- LEGISLATO'R -DISTRICT NO. I
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK PROJECT SCALE DATE SHEET
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS NO.
R.M. KAMMERER- COMMISSIONER
YAPHANK, N.Y. ?..~ d',x/'~',z~'~ .,5'../?,? ~o./'~
HALL'S CREEl(
GENERAL NOTES
COORDINATES ARE BASED ON THE LONG ISLAND SYSTEM OF PLANE COORDINATES USING THE LAMBERT
CONFORMAL CONIC PROJECTION WHICH ARE PARALLEL AND PERPENDICULAR TO A MERIDIAN PASSING
THROUGH THE ORIGIN WHICH IS THE INTERSECTION OP LATITUDE ,~0~ $0' NORTH AND LONGITUDE 7,~° 00'
WEST AND GIVEN COORDINATES, N ICC, 000 FEET AND E2,000,000 FEET.
PROBINGS ARE SHOWN THUS: 8°7. THE HEAVY DOT INDICATES THE LOCATION OF THE PROBINGS AND
/ ' J, ~ ' . ATTHEF~GURE~ND~CATES THEDEPTHPENETRATEDBEL~wMEANL~wwATER~N~ROCl(wASENC~UNTEREDDEPTHS SHOWN.
-- MINIMUM DEPTH OF EXCAVATION SOUNDINGS, PROBINGS AND LAND ELEVATIONS ARE EXPRESSED IN FEET AND TENTHS AND REFER TO THE
. ~ 2' -- AREA A \ LOCAL PLANE OF MEAN LOW WATER WHICH IS I.,~,~6 FEET BELOW MEAN SEA LEVEL BASED ON TWO
TABLE OF BENCHMARKS
-- TITLE ELEV. DESCRIPTION
TABLE OF COORDINATES
STATION (E) COORDINATES(N) DESCRIPTION
E~EFATION 0.0 FEET MEAN ~OW WATEH '
T YPICA,'L CE/ WNEL SECT/OH
NOT TO SCALE
TABLE OF EARTHWORK (APPROZ)
UNAUTHORIZED ~LTER~TION O~ ~DDITION TO ~TATJO~ TO STATION CUBIC YARDS
THIS PL~N IS ~ VIOLATION O~ SECTION,
OF THE NEW YORK EDUCATION L~W. ~dX
MADEBY ~ ~~ .DATE ~/~ ~/~ ~0 ~//0~ ~ ~
TRACED BY ~ ~7~g~ DATE //// ~ ,
COMPARED BY ~~ DATE
CHECKED BY. ~~ . DATE ~//~ ~
GREAT
PECOIV/C
PROJECT
NO.
SCALE
/' =~0'
H~LL 'S
DATE
CREEK
SHEET
BAY
l]]d 09 = HDNI I .' 37VDS
7 N /INRO3 X70dXRS'Q7OHiROS dO N~Oi
X]]H3 INVHNDIi
QNV
HOHHVH ]RDOH31 RD
ONIDQ3~4Q ]3NVN]I NIVIN HOd SNV ~d
ONI~ OHS d VIN