HomeMy WebLinkAboutField, Abigail 5.2025
Email input from Abigail Field
Received May 30, 2025
Here are some initial thoughts:
1. Hamlet Mixed Use II should not allow for single family homes as a use.
All existing homes would be grandfathered in, and under the perpetual grandfathering, could be
converted back to single family homes if ever made something else. So the elimination would
only prevent new such housing from being built, which is really important to prevent a
recurrence of the four mansions on Griffing Street, which from a community standpoint was a
terrible use of that property.
2. In Cutchogue, along Main Rd--just the properties fronting Main Rd--more properties should
be labeled "Transitional" or even "HMU II" instead of "R-40". Specifically, the stretch between
the western HMU II in Cutchogue on Main Rd, running east on both sides of the street until you
hit the next HMU II/Transition zone. I propose the commercial zoning for only those parcels
fronting Main Rd.
That stretch of land is currently a mix of residential and commercial and it has a sidewalk the
whole way. If more public-facing commercial businesses were opened in that stretch, more
people would be drawn to downtown Cutchogue; it would be a much more meaningful place to
stop and shop. As it is now, many businesses struggle to stay open, and the ones that do are
increasingly offices, not retail. None of the parcels I'm talking about are very large, and they
would not enable big intensive uses as even with the permissive zoning the parcels cannot
support significant build out.
Living in the neighborhood, I consider "Downtown Cutchogue" to be everything from the
Village Green/my house to King Kullen. If more commercial businesses opened in the stretch I'm
talking about, it wouldn't be sprawl, it would be infilling.
The distance from my house to King Kullen is 3/4 mile, and what I'm talking about changing
starts a little east of me, so maybe it's a 2/3 of a mile, a narrow stretch I'm suggesting be HMU
II/transitional. 20 properties total, because they're mostly small.
3. I believe the town should allow existing single family houses to be converted into Multi-
Family homes (owned or rented) as long as a) the number of bedrooms does not increase and b)
at least half the units on the property are affordable into perpetuity. That is, a newly created use
allowed as of right in all residential zones. That said, rules would also be needed about limiting
the change to the footprint/exterior, and probably other things too.
Thank you
Abigail Field