HomeMy WebLinkAboutMaster Plan Update SummaryMaster Han
Update
Summary
Town of Southold,
Suffolk County,
New York
Town of Sour. hold Planning Board
Raymond, Parish, Pine, & Weiner, Inc.
Planning Consultants
Tarrytown, New York
April 1985
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION ........
GOALS 3
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BO~SING/~SIDEN~AL DEVELOPMENT ......................
ECONOMIC DE~LOPMEN~ .................................
WATE~LFRONT ..... ' ...................................... 3
AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION ............................ 3
ENVIRONMENT .......................................... 4
CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT ................................. 4
COMMUNITY FACILITIES/UTILITIES ...................... 4
TRANSPORTATION ....................................... 5
LAND USE PROPOSALS ...................................... 6
AGRICULTURAL AND RESIDENTIAL ...................... 6
Agricultural Conservation .................... 6
Low Density Residential ...................... 7
Hamlet Density Residential ................... 8
Office/Residential ........................... 9
Residential/Resort ........................... 10
Residential Capacity .......................... 10
COMMERCIAL ........................................ 11
Eam!et Commercia~ ............................ 11
Gene~l Commercial ......................... 11
Marine CoK~ercial/Marine Recreation ~ ~..~ .... 12
LICHT ~DUS~RIAL/OFFICE .............................
RECREA2iON A~TD OPEN SPACE ........................... 13
Recreation ..................................... 13
Open Space ........................... 14
TRANS~ORT/LTIO~/~TILITIES ............................ 15
Alternative Airport Sites ...................... 15
Sound View Avenue Extension .................... 16
East Marion Northerly Road ..................... 16
P~te 4S Improvement ........................... 16
Aid[rich Lane By-pass to Route 48 ............... 16
Moore's Lane By-pass to Route 48 ............... 17
HAMLET STUDIES ............................................ 18
NEXT STEPS ................................................ 20
LIST OF MAPS
Following Page
LAND USE PLA~ ................................... 6
HAMLET STUDY LAND USE PLANS ..................... 19
Mattit~ck ................................... 19
Cutchogue ................................... 19
$outhold .................................... 19
Orient ...................................... 19
INTRODUCTION
A comprehensive Master Plan is a statement of what the Town
considers to be its long range goals and the desirable types and
patterns of development appropriate to achieve those goals. The
plan is comprehensive in that it addresses all aspects of the
community -- residential development, economic development,
natural environment, community services and facilities~ and
transportation systems -- and sets forth the approach to achiev-
ing the desired ends.
The community's Master Plan should never be considered as a
static blueprint to be followed without regard to changing condi-
tions, but rather should be viewed as a dynamic document to be
reviewed periodically and revised as necessary. Moreover, since
the plan is intended as a long range statement, the implementa-
tion of the plan will take place over an extended period of time.
Formal and informal community planning efforts for the Town of
Southold have been ongoing for the last several decades. In 1967
a Comprehensive Development Plan was prepared by Raymond and May
Associates. Zoning amendments were subsequently adopted by the
Town Board and'most portions of the original Plan were later
incorporated into a Development Plan prepared by the Town in
1978. During the early 1980's development pressures have in-
creased on the North Fork. At the sa~e time concern for protect-
ing the Town's natural resources including its water supply,
b~gan to intensify. These circumstances suggested that it was
timely to review ~-he Town's planning objectives and existing
Plan.
· In the fall of 1982, Raymond,'Parish, Pine and Weiner, Inc. was
retained to assist in updating the Town's Comprehensive Develop-
ment Plan.
The updating of Southold's Comprehensive Plan has been divided
into three basic phases. The first phase involved primarily data
gathering and identification and analysis of goals, issues,
opportunities and constraints to be considered in developing a
plan. Several background reports and maps were prepared to
describe and illustrate and analyze existing conditions
including: land use; natural resources; water supply; the
economy emphasizing agricultural, fishing, and tourist
industries, population and housing; community services and
facilities; transportation and historic features; planning issues
and Town planning goals. This material is incorporated into a
report entitled, Master Plan Update - Background Studies. This
material formed the basis for the preparation of the Preliminary
Plan by the Consultants.
The second phase has been the preparation of the Plan itself.
This process included the preparation of a Preliminary Plan by
the Consultants, Planning Board and Master Plan Workshop Come, it-
tee, a series of meetings for public review and discussion of the
Preliminary Plan, and finally the development of a Plan by the
Planning Board. This Plan is the Planning Board's recommendation
to the Town based on the work of its Consultants and input from
the public.
The third or implementation phase, involves preparation of the
tools necessary to implement the Plan. This phase includes
review and revision to the Town's various land development
regulations including a revised zoning ordinance together with a
proposed revised zoning map.
GOALS
The goals of ~ Town of Southold reflect the Town's interest in
preserving and enhancing the natural and built environments and
p~oviding opportunities for a level of growth and expansion of
the economic base Hhat is compatible with the existing scale of
development, availability of water, existing sensitive
environment of the Town and its historic heritage.
'The following are the goals upon which the Plan is based:
OVerALL PLANNING
Provide a community of residential hamlets that are comprised of
a variety of housing opportunities, commercial, service, and
cultural activities, set in an open or rural atmosphere and
supported by a diversified economic base (including agriculture,
marine co~ercial and seasonal recreation activities).
Maximize the Tow/7's natural assets, including its coastal lo-
cation and agricultural base and achieve a compatibility between
the natural environment and development.
Achieve a land use pattern that is sensitive to the limited
indigenous water supply and will not degrade the subsurface water
quality.
HOUSING/RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
Preserve the existing housing stock and provide the opportunity
for the development of a variety of housing types to meet the
needs of people at various stages of the life cycle, various
income and age levels and household compositions.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Strengthen and diversify the Town's economic base as a means of
stabilizing and expanding the tax base and year-round and season-
al employment opportunities.
WATERFRONT
Protect environmentally sensitive coastal areas, maximize public
access to the waterfront and achieve economic benefits from
water-enhanced and water-dependent activities, particularly well
planned seasonal and commercial activities in appropriate lo-
cations.
AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION
Preserve Southold's prime farmland and encourage the continuation
and diversification of agriculture as an important element in the
life and economy of the Town.
ENVIRONMENT
Preserve and enhance the Town's natural environment including
waterways, wetlands, tidal marshes, woodlands, bluffs, dunes and
beaches.
Maintain and protect Southold's agricultural heritage and pasto-
ral and open qualities.
Ensure that there is an adequate quantity of high quality ground
water to serve Southold's present and projected year-round and
seasonal populations.
Promote a development pattern that is responsive to sensitive
areas exhibiting prime agricultural soils, poor drainage, high
water table, high erosion hazard, flood hazard, sensitive coastal
features, great scenic quality and woodlands.
Maintain and improve surface water quality.
Maintain and protect finfishing and shellfishing habitats.
CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT
Preserve the historic., cultural, architectural and archaeological
resources of the Town.
Preserve and strengthen the hamlets as cultural, residential and
commercial centers of activity in the Town; as a means of contri-
buting to the preservation of historic buildings and areas and
encouraging a "sense of place."
COMMUNITY FACILITIES/UTILITIES
Ensure the provision of an adequate range of community facilities
and services to accommodate existing and future Town needs in a
convenient and cost effective manner.
Maintain and improve existing utility systems and determine where
it is appropriate to expand water supply, sanitary sewer, storm
drainage and solid waste disposal systems in order to support the
desired level of development and to maintain and protect a
healthful living environment, a viable economic base and the
natural environment.
Provide an open space and recreation system adequate in size and
location to accommodate a range of facilities to serve the total
(seasonal and year-round) population.
TRANSPORTATION
Ensure efficient movement of people and goods within Southold, as
well as into and out of Town, in a manner that maximizes safety
and maintains the scale and integrity of residential and agricul-
tural areas.
LAND USE PROPOSALS
In addition to reflecting Town goals, the land use recommenda-
tions are influenced by numerous factors including the charac-
teristics and scale of existing development, characteristics of
the land, past and anticipated trends, quantity and quality of
subsurface water, and capacity of existing services and their
potential for expansion. Moreover, while current patterns of use
and density have influenced the Plan, particularly in a number of
residential areas, other areas, presently vacant or in agricul-
tural use, are designated for low intensity use, based largely
upon ground water considerations. In a number of instances the
Planning Board examined alternatives prior to establishing a
recommended policy.
The land use categories in the Plan are general indications of
how various areas should be utilized and include identification
of lands that should be preserved if and when further development
takes place (see following Land Use Plan map). These categories
reflect desira~Ie predominant land uses and are not to be
construed as zoning regulations.
AGRICULTURAL AND RESIDENTIAL
Future major residential development is encouraged to locate in
and around existing hamlets in order to preserve and enhance the
historic and cultural centers of the community, to support
existing commercial centers, to provide locations for moderately
priced housing and to encourage efficient and effective provision
of community facilities and services including recreation, water
and sewer systems, where appropriate, and public safety (fire and
police).
Generally lower densities are proposed in the remainder of the
Town particularly in agricultural areas, in coastal areas
adjacent to inland waterways and wetlands and where domestic
water supply is uncertain or limited. Even lower densities are
reflected in areas where water is particularly scarce and/or
where extensive areas of environmentally sensitive features
particularly wetlands are found, including part of the area south
of the Main Road in Orient, on the eastern end of Fishers Island,
and on Robins Island.
Agricultural Conservation
Sizable portions of land throughout the Town that are currently
in agricultural use and/or possess prime soils for farming
(Classes I and II) are designated for Agricultural Conservation.
Within these areas, which total slightly less than 10,000 acres
in what is essentially a critical mass of contiguous lands,
non-farm related development should be discouraged.
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The major purposes of this category are to retain farmland,
contribute to the encouragement of farming and agricultural
activities to retain the agricultural and rural quality of the
Town, and to provide some opportunity for rural residential
development.
The establishment of an Agricultural Conservation category
represents an important policy statement. In order to protect
farmland, the basic residential density in this category is one
dwelling unit per two acres. This lower residential density is
one element of a package of techniques to be utilized to carry
out the preservation policy. Use of a combination of techniques
including County amd Town acquisition of development rights,
special agricultural land use regulations, mandatory clustering
of large sites, agricultural use land assessments and possibly a
future system of transferring development rights will be
necessary.
Included within the Agricultural Conservation designation are
properties totaling over 500 acres whose development rights have
already been acquired as part of the Suffolk County Farmland
Preservation Program. This already assures that these lands will
remai~ in agricultural or open space uses in perpetuity. In the
near future, additional development rights will be purchased by
the Town of Southold as part of the Town's Agricultural Preserva-
tion Program. Expanded acquisition of development rights by the
Smffolk County Farmlands Preservation Program will preserve
additional farmlands. The long term viability of this program is
essential to the ability to carry out this policy.
Low Density Residential
Low Density Residential development at densities ranging from one
dwelling per one or two acres for most of the non-agricultural
lands, to one unit per three acres (east end of Fishers Island),
one unit per.five'acres (portions of Orient) and one unit per ten
acres (Robins Island) is recommended throughout most of the
remaining areas of Southold. These low densities are particular-
ly applicable to coastal areas to protect the ground and surface
waters and environmentally sensitive portions of the Town includ-
ing wetlands, beaches, bluffs and dunes. Generally, the Low
Density designation on the plan map indicates one unit per two
acres; however, areas that are predominantly already developed
with greater density are also shown as low density; the zoning
map will indicate the differentiation between areas where two
acre zoning is desirable and areas where one acre zoning may be
appropriate.
This low density, combined with creative development techniques
such as locating permitted residences on non-environmentally
sensitive lands and keeping other lands open (clustering), can
serve to achieve both residential and environmental planning
goals. In northern areas of the Town where there are bluffs,
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beaches or dunes, mandatory clustering is recommended to assure
protection of these features.
Moreover, since most of this area is dependent on ground water
and individual wells, very careful consideration has to be given
to the impact of any proposed development on the ground water
quality and quantity.
Uses in these areas would he primarily residences with a contin-
uation of agricultural activities wherever-feasible.
Hamlet Density Residential
The Plan proposes that the major hamlet centers continue to be
the residential-business-service centers of the Town. These are
also the areas where the Plan reflects the primary effort to
provide lower cost housing. For purposes of the Plan, the major
hamlet centers are Mattituck, Cutchogue, Southold and Orient.
New Suffolk, Laurel, Peconic and East Marion and Fishers Island
are also included as hamlet centers.
Each of the hamlet centers, particularly the major hamlet cen-
ters, can be characterized as a small residential community
comprising a variety of uses and activities, the density of which
is dependent primarily upon the level of utility services,
characteristics of existing development and the ability to
provide moderate cost housing. Greenport, which of course is a
separate village, can also be thought of as functioning as a
hamlet center.
The residential portions of these hamlets (non-residential areas
are defined below) can offer opportunities for more intensive and
varied housing than in most of the remaining residential areas of
the Town.
The Hamlet Density areas are not shown on the Town-wide plan map,
since in the future, sites will become eligible for these higher
densities on the basis of three criteria: location relative to
the hamlet business area, availability of utilities and provision
of moderate cost housing. There are areas shown in the hamlet
density residential category on individual hamlet maps indicating
locations where multiple dwellings have already been constructed
and/or parcels for which M-Zone approval has been given that are
contiguous to the hamlet central business area.
Each of the major hamlets has a business center. Generally, the
one acre density for residential uses will be retained as the
base in the hamlet center areas and within the radius of approxi-
mately one-quarter mile from the hamlet business district of
Orient and one-half mile from the hamlet business districts of
Mattituck, Cutchogue and Southold hamlet areas, and one-half mile
from the Village of Greenport boundary, a higher density can be
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applied for only~if the criteria outlined here are met. This
provides for a reasonable size hamlet community for purposes of
planning, for provision of service, interaction among residents
and access to various activities.
In order to develop properties for residential uses within this
area at a density greater than the base density, an approved
central water supply is required, and a sewage treatment facility
or connection to a sewer system would be needed. Thus, if public
water service and sewage treatment were not available, the
maxim%~m density permitted would be two units per acre or 20,000
square foot lots for conventional subdivision. If public water
and sewage treatment were available, then areas designated as
Eamlet Density could be developed at densities up to four units
per acre.
To reach maximum indicated densities around the hamlet centers
some expansion of the Greenport water and/or sewage treatment
systems may be required or the creation of new water supply and
distribution systems and sewage treatment systems will be neces-
sary.
However, the maxim%un ~amlet Density development (four units per
acre) would be permitted only where necessary utilities are in
place or can be assured and where there is the provision of
moderate cost housing.
The Hamlet Density category is also designed to support the
establishment of innovative techniques for getting the optimum
use out of existing housing. This could include approaches such
as the creation of accessory apartments in homes where owners
occupy the premises, appropriate utilities are available and
sites are of sufficient size.
Lower cost housing can also be achieved by permitting residences
on upper floors of commercial buildings in the business areas.
Residential/Office
Areas in the category of Residential/Office have been designated
in the hamlets of Mattituck, Southold and Cutchogue. This
designation has been used primarily for areas that are currently
in mixed use alon~ major roads, but which are not appropriate for
commercial or exclusively residential use. These areas serve as-
a transition between more intensive and less intensive uses. The
parcels are generally smaller than those in the office-industrial
park category. Residential use will be permitted in these areas
at a density, of one unit per acre. Nonresidential uses such as
business and professional offices~ insurance sales and real
estate offices are accommodated in'these areas.
Residential/Resort
Two sub-categories of areas to accommodate seasonal and resort
development are included. The difference is in intensity of
activity, since the density will be based upon access, services,
and underlying and/or adjacent residential density. The higher
density, similar to Hamlet Density Residential, is designated
Residential Resort B. The lower density, comparable to the low
density residential category, is Residential Resort A.
In areas designated as Residential/Resort A, the emphasis will
remain on residential development with limited resort development
carefully planned on large parcels and integrated into the
residential environment. The density in these areas will be the
same ~s low density residential densities, i.e. the equivalent of
one residential unit per two acres or less. Areas north of
Cutchogue, possibly served by an extension of Sound View Avenue,
would include lands appropriately utilized for residential/resort
purposes in the lower density category.
Resort and seasonal development at the higher density, an impor-
tant element of ~ Town's economy, is indicated for areas where
seasonal resort development is now concentrated, e.g. motels,
restaurants, campgrounds and where cottages are developed on a
single lot. It is also indicated for areas where such a future
use would be apprqpriate. Those portions of the north shore of
the Town in the viginity of Arshamomaque Pond and north of Chapel
Lane represents e~tensions of areas currently utilized for
seasonal resort ~mmercial businesses. In addition, other
coastal areas of She Town might be utilized for water-related
resort purposes. This type of use can be permitted if it does
not have an adverse effect on environmental features, current
development or on water supply.
Since the resort units could be utilized year-round, possible
impacts of any such development must be considered on a
year-round basis. Moreover, included in both categories would be
uses such as conference facilities and specialized resorts
(tennis, golf, health, etc.).
Residential Capacity
Residential development in Southold is both year-round and
seasonal. Since so much of the seasonal housing may have the
full impact of a year-round unit because it can be utilized
year-round and therefore has the potential to use water and other
services as year-round units, for planning purposes, all housing
is considered year-round.
Depending on a number of factors, including how many development
rights are acquired from farmland, the eventual extent of water
and sewer service, and how many of the existing approved lots are
developed, the plan has a capacity for 10-14,000 additional
10
dwelling units (year~round and seasonal from all residential
categories as well as residential uses in hamlet business and
marine business categories). This range includes approximately
2,500 existing infill lots and mapped unbuilt subdivisions. This
new development would be added to the 7,500 existing year-round
and nearly 3,000 seasonal units.
While further refinement of this number will be necessary as
policies are adjusted over time, the lower figure assumes that
about 2,000 acres of farmland are preserved through the Develop-
ment Rights progra~ and no significant water or sewer expansion
takes place. If the household size stays at the current figure
of about 2.5 persons, and the lower figure is utilized then there
would be approximately 25,000 additional residents. It is likely
that abo~t one-third will be seasonal. Therefore, the probable
additional year-round population would be about 17,000 above the
c~rrent population of nearly 20,000. If two-thirds of the larger
number of 14,000 were utilized, an additional 24,000 year-round
residents might be anticipated. This is within the capacity of
the available wate~ supply as projected by ERM Northeast in their
North Fork Wate~ Study a~d Southold Town Water Study.
COM~_ERCIAL
Hamlet Commercial
Retail commercial uses and commercial services are, in general,
recommended only in hamlet centers. Expansion of "strip" retail
commercial uses along the Town's major corridors, State Route 25
and County Route 48, will be discouraged since this type of
development can weaken existing commercial centers which have
capacity for expansion, result in increased traffic congestion
and conflict, and' undermine the visual and aesthetic appeal of
the Town.
Within the areas designated as Eamlet Commercial, retail uses
predominate; however, there may also be some office, public,
semi-p~blic and residential uses that are part of the cultural
and activity cores of the communities of Southold Tow~. Laurel,
Mattituck, C~tchogue, New Suffolk, Peconic, Southold, East
Marion, Orient and Fishers Island all have areas indicated as
Hamlet Commercial.
General Commercial
In several areas of the Town there are existing concentrations of
commercial developmen~ within the hamlet area but outside the
hamlet center. These areas have been designated General Commer-
cial. Several key locations are: west of Mattituck center; east
of Cutchogue; north and west of Southold, and west of Greenport.
While some retail uses may be found currently in these portions,
future commercial use would more appropriately include auto-
oriented business, wholesale and distribution business,
11
contractor yards and other heavy commercial activity. Since some
of these activities would not be appropriate in the hamlet center
business areas, these two types of commercial areas can comple-
ment each other and tend to avoid dilution of the hamlet center
commercial uses.
There are several areas designated in this category where there
is already concentration of commercial uses. In a few cases the
plan shows an expansion of the area currently used for general
commercial purposes. In some of these latter areas, a more
restrictive or limited type of business zoning would be appropri-
ate.
There are numerous individual businesses scattered throughout the
Town located in areas planned for non-commercial activity that
have not been shown on the planning map. While these uses would
remain and retain appropriate zoning, the planning for these
areas reflects the broader policy of encouraging concentration of
commercial activity and avoiding spot zoning and strip develop-
ment. The expansion of commercial development, therefore, would
be limited to areas designated in the Plan.
Marine Commercial/Marine Recreation
Marine-related water-dependent uses are encouraged at appropriate
locations on or near the coast and/or along creeks and bays where
they do not negatively impact on residential neighborhoods or the
natural environment. The demand for expanded mooring and storage
space is high and is likely to grow, but potential sites are
limited. Given this limited availability of appropriate water-
front sites including creeks, alternate .approaches such as
on-land stacking of boats have to be considered. The Land Use
Plan distinguishes between strictly recreation-oriented marine
activity, Marine Recreation, and more intensive commercial marine
activity, Marine Commercial.
The Marine Recreation category is recommended for locations along
creeks that have suitable harbor areas, but less tidal flushing
than is possible in bayfront or soundfront locations.
Opportunities for boat docking and launching including marinas
and yacht clubs will be provided. Opportunities for restaurants,
bed and breakfast establishments and resort hotels or hotels can
also be available under more limited conditions.
The Marine Commercial category is utilized for more intensive
commercial marine activity, which could include marinas and boat
yards with boat building, mooring facilities for recreational
and/or commercial boats, mariculture operations and where
appropriate, fish processing facilities or ferry terminals.
Marine Commercial areas could also include some water-enhanced
uses such as restaurants, resort hotels or motels, and marine
oriented retail stores or museums.
12
This category is generally used for prop%rties that front on the
bays where there is extensive tidal flushing. An exception to
this is a site proposed for Marine Commercial use on the eastern
side of Mattituck Creek since this creek is the only harbor area
available to commercial fisherman on the northern Sound side of
the Town.
Proposed sites for marine commercial use primarily reflect sites
that are currently utilized for boat mooring and marine commer-
cial purposes. In addition, marine-related areas in the vicinity
of Budd's Pond and Sage Boulevard have been proposed for
expansion to help in meeting future water-related needs.
LIGHT INDUSTRY/OFFICE
This category has been designed to accommodate major economic
development activities. The Light Industrial/Office Park
category is .proposed for several accessible areas on the
periphery of the hamlet centers, e.g. west of Mattituck, north of
Southold hamlet, and west of Greenport which might ultimately be
served with utilities and would be most appropriate for the
establishment of an office park, research center or light indus-
trial park. Land north of Cutchogue hamlet near the Town
landfill site may also be appropriate for such uses. Portions of
these areas are already in such use. Any uses in these areas
should be of the type that will not negatively impact the ground
water. The areas are of sufficient size to permit adequate
buffering to protect adjacent properties.
Existing smaller industrial areas are included in the Light
Industrial category. These areas will require a separate zoning
designation to account for the locations that may not be able to
meet lot and coverage standards of the larger areas.
RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE
Recreation
Areas indicated in the Recreation category include:
(a) parks and beaches that are publicly owned by New York
State, Suffolk County, Southold Town, or one of the
' four Park Districts in the Town;
(b) privately owned or group owned recreation facilities
such as property owners' association beaches and golf
clubs;
(c) proposed sites for new or expanded park facilities to
create additional recreational opportunities, provide
access to the waterfront and preserve sensitive en-
vironmental features.
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The major emphases of the Park and Recreation element are Go
assure access to a range of passive and active recreation areas
or facilities for persons in all areas of the Tow~ and to expand
access to the water. A site for a major year-round swimming/
recreation center to serve the entire Town is adjacent to Peconic
Senior/Youth Center. It is centrally located and accessible from
all areas.
The Plan includes proposed expansion of parkland near Peconic
Dunes Camp and possible new parkland sites near Arshamomaque
Pond, Dam Pond,~ in Bayview off Southold Bay and in the Pipes Cove
and Gull Pond areas outside Greenport.
The Plan incorporates a policy of protecting and increasing
opportunities for public access to the water as well as a policy
of setting aside localized neigkborhood playground/park areas and
beaches through the development process.
Recreation facilities may be public such as Town or Park District
owned facilities or they may remain private such as association
beaches and private clubs. All of these contribute to the
resources available to residents.
Open Space
The Open Space category is utilized to designate areas that are
set aside for open space/preservation purposes, e.g. Nature
Conservancy holdings, as well as to designate those lands con-
taining sensitive environmental features such as dunes, bluffs,
beaches, and wetlands that should be kept open and preserved even
as part of larger developments. The category also includes
cemeteries. The open space category is used as a planning tool
and will not appear as such on the Town's Zoning Map.
Areas shown in the Open Space category on the Plan include
privately owned but undeveloped areas containing the above
mentioned sensitive environmental features (whereas environ-
mentally sensitive features have generally not been shown in
areas that are already primarily developed). This open space
category has been utilized to highlight natural areas in need of
protection and preservation so that careful planning can be
undertaken if any development is proposed that might negatively
impact environmental features. A mapped inventory of natural
resources and environmental features within the Town on both
developed and undeveloped parcels can be found in the Master Plan
Update - Background Studies report.
The planning policy is to keep these areas open, but not neces-
sarily public. Much of this land will always be privately owned,
but needs to be protected. In some cases, it may be possible and
desirable to cluster development in an adjacent area to avoid
building in these environmentally fragile and/or erosion prone
14
portions. In other cases it will be desirable to increase public
access to coastal features, especially beaches. Access via
easements that may be obtained as part of the development process
should be pursued. It may also be desirable to acquire some
larger parcels through donation or purchase.
Thus, this category does nQt indicate that all properties includ-
ed should be available for public access, but it can give the
Town guidance in identifying natural areas that need protection
and/or might be suitable for Town acquisition and/or use.
PUBLIC/SEMI-PUBLIC PACILITIES
Major Public/Semi-Public uses in the Plan primarily include
schools, governmental offices, places of worship, firehouses,
police station, libraries, post offices and museums.
Most of the sites except schools, are not necessarily distin-
guished on this Plan map since they are integral parts of res-
idential neighborhoods, agricultural or business areas. The Plan
policy is to retain these uses where they exist.
No major new sites or major expansion are anticipated.
Second firehouse sites in Cutchogue and in Orient are proposed as
part of the Plan, but no specific sites have been incorporated
into the Plan. In selecting sites, better access to portions of
the service area are the primary consideration.
Whenever there are plans to relocate a post office in the Town,
every effort should be made to keep the facility near the hamlet
center.
A portion of the Town landfill site is included in a proposed
industrial area and the remainder is shown in the Agriculture
Conservation category. The landfill site is limited in the
extent of its current use, but more study of the alternatives for
solid waste disposal is necessary.
TRANSPORTATION/UTILITIES
In addition to roads, the Transportation/Utilities designation is
used for train stations, ferry docks, utility companies' prop-
erties and the existing airports in Mattituck and on Fishers
Island. The Plum Island Ferry Dock, however, is shown in the
Marine Commercial category.
Alternative Airport Sites
A study underwritten by the Federal Aviation Authority is expect-
ed to establish whether an airport is feasible and if so the most
desirable location in the Town for a new general aviation
15
airport. It is anticipated that the existing Mattituck airport
will be retained, primarily as an aircraft service facility.
Sound View Avenue Extension
The Plan includes a proposed new road in the northwestern portion
of the Town which would be an'extension of Sound View Avenue
eastward from Mattituck to Bridge Lane north of Oregon Road in
C~tchogue.
This road will be located so as to facilitate utilization of the
Long Island Sound waterfront, provide scenic vistas, and provide
opportunities for limited residential and/or residential resort
development without intrusion into areas designated for agricul-
tural use.
While the road is shown schematically, actual plans may indicate
locating the road at varying distances from the Sound and bluffs
(in any case, beyond the Town's required setbacks) in order to
provide for public enjoyment of scenic vistas.
East Marion Northerly Road
Another road has been proposed in the northern portion of East
Marion to facilitate east-west traffic and improve circulation in
this low density residential area, as well as to provide suitable
access to the proposed park west of Dam Pond.
Route 48 Improvement
The Plan includes a proposal to improve Route 48 from the vicin-
ity of Kenney's Road north of Southold to Manhasset Avenue east
of Greenport. Route 48 west of Kenney's Road has already been
widened to four lanes; this improvement should be continued
eastward to ease congestion on Route 25 by accommodating truck
traffic and second home and seasonal traffic heading to or from
the eastern portions of the Town. The increase in capacity will
not be of such magnitude as to encourage large increases in
traffic, but is important to reducing congestion and maintaining
the quality of the hamlets.
Aldrich Lane By-pass to Route 48
Several alternative approaches to relieving congestion in the
hamlets of Mattituck, Cutchogue and Southold as well as the
Village of Greenport have been explored. The Master Plan in-
cludes the Aldrich Lane by-pass as the most comprehensive ap-
proach to relieving traffic congestion on Route 25, by detouring
through traffic from the far western portions to the eastern
portions of the Town, as well as in the reverse direction.
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Signs'should be improved on Route 25 in Laurel directing truck
drivers and travelers to the eastern portions of the Town to
utilize Route 48 as an alternative to Route 25. In a similar
fashion, drivers traveling westward from Orient, East Marion and
eastern Greenport should be encouraged by well-designed and
placed signs to take Route 48 and Aldrich Lane rather than Route
25.
Moore's Lane By-pass to Route 48
For those who wish to travel through some of the hamlet areas,
but avoid the Greenport business district and ferry traffic, the
New York State Department of Transportation is recommending
re-routing of Route 25 through traffic to and from East Marion
and Orient to Route 48 via Moore's Lane, just west of Greenport.
While there is some objection on the part of the Greenport
business community to this recommendation, two signs -- one
indicating VGreenport Business Area" and another indicating
"Through Traffic" -- could be used to give travelers,
particularly truck drivers, a suitable choice of routes.
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HAMLET STUDIES
As part of the master plan update, each of the four major hamlet
centers including Mattituck, Cutchogue, Southold and Orient were
examined in some depth and more detailed plans were prepared.
Existing conditions and various factors affecting planning,
including types of development, vacant land, parking and traffic
patterns, natural or environmental features, and historic areas
were analyzed. Various existing issues, implications of current
land uses and problems and opportunities, associated with land
development were examined; vacant areas were studied and possible
future uses of or ~evelopment patterns on these parcels were
explored; the relationship between natural features such as
creeks and wetlands and vacant parcels and means of protecting
the natural features and ground and surface waters were examined;
the historic character of each hamlet and historic buildings
within h~mlet areas were identified; and the desire to preserve
agricultural areas was considered.
A plan was developed for each of the Town hamlet areas (see
following Hamlet Land Use Plan maps). Each hamlet plan was
designed to:
- maintain the hamlet as a community focal point and an
activity center;
- strengthen the existing retail and service commercial uses
in the hamlet centers;
- provide adequate parking for commercial and public uses;
- provide for a range of housing for younger and older resi-
dents with a range of income levels within the hamlet areas,
with higher densities near the center and lower density in
outlying areas. The base density of one unit per acre is
shown on the hamlet maps and the range of possible densities
would be limited by the availability or provision of
utilities and the provision of lower cost housing;
- recognize that transition areas exist between the hamlet
business areas and outlying residential areas;
- provide for some auto-oriented, general commercial uses at
the outer edge of the hamlet to complement hamlet center
commercial uses;
- where appropriate, provide areas of sufficient size to
establish office parks or light industrial parks to offer
opportunities for expanded economic development within the
Town;
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- provide areas for recreation activities as well as open
space areas for passive recreation opportunities and for
protection of envirorumental features;
- suggest road improvements where desirable for smoother
traffic flow within %he hamlet and/or the Tow~;
- preserve agricultural use of land where prime soils exist
and a sufficient number of contiguous parcels have remained
in farming activities to maintain the viability of agricul-
ture in relative proximity to the hamlet center,
- protect the quality of ground and surface waters and natural
environmental features.
19
Residential Low DenalW ~ Light Indm~t~a]
(1 D.U./2 acr~)
~ Realdenfial Low Density ~
(1 D.U./acre) R~3-eation
~ Resida~dal/Offie ~ Cpen Space
~ Ha-nle'EBusiness ~ ,~d~onl
c..~ ~.,i.~ [~ Train S*tion [ 2r'ld Use Plan
.... ~, Mattituck
Marine Recreation _ _. Public Parking Area ~b~ ~*'"~ '~ -"
__ Master Plan Update
Light Indus~-iaJ/ '--
Office Park ' Town of ~outhold, Suffolk County. New York
Agr[cul'~ral ~ Light Industrial/ Pro~ Road
Conservation Offic~ Park I I Improva-nent
Residential Low Density Reo'eation
D.U./acre)
[~ H,mlet Density
(4 D.U./acre) Open Spare
Hamlet/Busine~ _ .. Public Parking Area
Master. Plan Update
Genara~ Business Train Station Town of S~uthold Suffolk County, New York
I-ow Density Marine Recreation
Residential
'1 ~_U/=acres, Busfne~ Land Use Plan
R.o~ ~ ~en ,pace Up~t
R.idenda, B Master Plan e
Bu.~..= Schoo, Town of ~ut~ld, Su~IK ~u~, N~ York
NEXT STEPS
This Master Plan reflects extensive discussion throughout the
community and a consensus on the policies and the Plan itself.
The Plan, having been adopted by the Planning Board, will form
the basis for a series of implementation steps. These steps will
include: adoption of the Plan, with or without modification by
the Town Board; review of the proposed zoning ordinance and
adoption of proposed zoning changes to implement land use
recommendations incorporated in the Plan; review existing
subdivision regulations and regulations dealing with environ-
mental protection and historic preservation; a comprehensive
program to protect agricultural lands including establishment of
mandatory clustering (also necessary to preserve sensitive
environmental fea~res listed as open space areas and aquifer
areas); provisions of a series of measures to encourage and
facilitate the develo~pment of lower cost housing particularly for
younger and older s~gments of the To~rn's population; coordination
of traffic improvement recommendations witt~ the New York State
Department of Transportation and the Suffolk County 5igh~ay/~ub-
lic Work~ Department; and development of a capital expenditures
program, to o~tline a~d establish a means for providi~q necessary
p~blic improveme!nts including water and sewer and recreation.
20