Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMichael Domino_114856603082Southold Zoning Update - Full Responses Name: Michael J. Domino Respondent ID: 114856603082 Q1: General Feedback: Do you feel the proposed zoning updates reflect the needs of your community? No / "Respecting the Past, Shaping the Future". Rubbish. Why rubbish? Because it may reflect the loud voices of Civic Associations, but not those of the dozen businesspeople who own the properties in the so called Greenport CB district you plan to down zone into a non- retail commercial zone. Did you ever actively seek...from business men and women who have been supportive of this Town for an average of 40 years (and in one case 145 years).... our input before you wrote this drivel? Absolutely not. I surveyed my neighbors and we all feel blindsided by your proposal. Pages and pages on signs and lighting ( 11 % of the proposal), but 280-38 Coastal Overlay District gets one page....less than 1/2 of one percent of the 208 page report. Comprehsive Goal 7... to facilitate growth of EXISTING businesses blah, blah, blah. Really ? Maybe those in the Hamlet areas but not the new CB district. Goal 12 Prepare the Town for Natural Hazards blah, blah, blah. Where.. beyond the verbal salad and obtuse overlay districts ...is the concrete plan to deal with rising sea level , the submersion of low lying Hamlets like Greenport and Love Lane Mattituck, the attendant salt water intrusion that presently impacts aquifers and septic/sewer system? This proposal is classic re-arragning the deck chairs on the Titanic. You're worried about pedestrian traffic in areas that may soon ... in our lifetime... be flooded on a regular basis because you're unable to focus properly on the real problem that confronts Southold. Heard enough? I've got a lot more. 40% lot coverage on commercial properties that are already sold at a premium ? Eight foot tall evergreens 10 foot on center around property perimeter ? Front yard set back of 100 foot ? Then there is the tree code on residential properties. You say there is no Tree code? Well maybe technically not as a separate code, but it's everywhere in this proposal like meat in sausage ... chopped up and everywhere as in 280- 3A7. In summation...... concentrate less on the recent arrivals who want to transform Southold or those who profess to understand Smart Growth, and incorporate feedback from the practical common sense businesses you profess to support. Thank you, Mike Domino. Q2: Land Use & Zoning: Do these updates make sense for how you want to see land used in Southold? No Q3: Which zoning rules or land-use changes—if any—don’t work for you? see # 1 above or FOIL my comment to the Town Board at the April 15, 2025 TB meeting. Q4: Housing & Affordability: Do the updates support the kind of housing you believe Southold needs? No Q5: What—if anything—would make housing options better for you and your neighbors? Much too complex a problem for a silver bullet politicians dream solution. I will explore options in my upcoming book. Q6: Natural Resources & Environmental Protection: Do these updates adequately protect Southold’s natural resources, such as water, wildlife, and woodlands? No Q7: If not, what else would you like to see in the zoning code for environmental conservation? This will be covered in a book presently being reviewed by my editor. Q8: Community Character & Historic Preservation: Do these zoning updates help retain the character of the Southold you know and love? No Q9: If not, what do you think could be improved to preserve Southold’s unique charm? A deep channel from Northville to Quogue with only one drawbridge for restricted use only would be a good start. Q10: Traffic, and Safety. Do the proposed zoning updates adequately address concerns related to traffic congestion and pedestrian safety? No Q11: If not, what changes would you recommend to improve or prevent further traffic congestion and improve pedestrian safety in Southold? See # 9 above. Whatever happened to the NFEC push for major improvements in safe clean reliable mass transportation to reduce traffic ( cars, trucks) and improve pedestrian safety? Some cynics say that the farmers killed that because it's hard to carry pumpkins on trains and/ or buses. Q12: Support for Agriculture: Do the zoning updates provide sufficient protections for Southold’s farming industry and farmland preservation? Yes Q13: If not, what changes would you suggest to further support agriculture and prevent the conversion of farmland to non-agricultural uses? See # 11 above. Q14: Economic Development: Will the proposed zoning changes foster sustainable economic development while balancing environmental and community concerns? No Q15: If not, how could the zoning updates better support the local economy and businesses? See #1 above. Q16: Additional Comments No response Q17: Demographic & Contact Info. Click this link to enter your email if you'd like to receive updates on meetings and future drafts. Michael J. Domino / mjdsouthold@aol.com / Southold, Greenport Q18: Are YOU responding as a: As the former President of the NFEC, Town of Southold Board of Trustees, Co-Chair of the Tree Committee, etc..