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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSouthold Zoning Update Forum Input Orient 2025_5_24Saturday, May 24, 2025 58 attendees Topic Feedback from Attendees Community Character Reduce lawns/no sprinklers Community Character House size – decrease house size on larger lots Community Character Create a separate zone for historic character Community Character Restrict Landscaping hedge size Community Character Fence heights related to deer (focus on deer) Community Character R-40 is a suburban district – should be a smaller residential district needed (R-20 or less) in line with historic character of areas with smaller lots Community Character Zone swimming pools (depth to ground water & lot size) Community Character Keep rural character - 5-acre zoning? Community Character Does the new plan allow for converting existing buildings into multiple apartments i.e. Brown house? Community Character Mixed use is a good idea for a smaller hamlet like Orient Community Character Adjust house size code, especially for larger lots Community Character Add a maximum house size Community Character Design standards for residential development Community Character Historic district overlays with design standards, Exemptions from some regulations,Rigorously enforce dark sky code, Limit hedge height- it’s not the Hamptons!, Forget 8’ fences around sports courts, Revisit lot coverage – include standards for green space Community Character This is a difficult topic – what is community character? Different by hamlet. Different by groups: Developments vs residential Community Character Exclusive Agricultural zones Community Character Disconnect between bone fide farming having 7 acre minimum and 2 acre zoning Community Character Different by demographics – no new people Community Character Needs to be done by hamlet Community Character Hotels, sizes, price points Community Character Simpler process for 1800’s houses Community Character Match lot size by average community lot size Community Character Commercial properties Community Character Pre-existing non-conforming use for obsolete businesses are not marketable should be allowed to get approval for another non-conforming use Community Character May needs different code(s) like frontage W&H, Frontage area Community Character Make town bike friendly - bike paths, More signs i.e. “shared roads with tractors and bikes” Community Character More walking paths too Community Character Design standards for commercial development Economic Development Support affordable housing year-round; do not add to tax burden for this Economic Development Standard square footage (farmworker, accessory use) – or why limit acc. Apts? Economic Development Coastal resilience critical, need overlay zoning for vulnerable areas & causeway Economic Development Wastewater treatment – critical Economic Development Cross communication among town agencies & boards- consistency Economic Development Home business use expansion Economic Development Protect historic hamlet Economic Development Arts cottage industry – allow for crafts in studios on residential lots - they would need to mee safety standards. Example of glass blower shut down as industrial use. Economic Development Enforcement of existing codes is awful – change enforcement process Economic Development Small business needs to be more incentivized/support for them Economic Development Impact of ferry – no truck traffic from ferry Economic Development Conflict between economic developments and open land Economic Development Expand the historic district Southold Town Zoning Update Forum - Orient Hamlet Focus Economic Development Supporting local business, not just housing Economic Development Co-work spaces? Economic Development Co-creating spaces? Economic Development Does code address work from home (internet access)? Economic Development There needs to be a way for people to earn a living Economic Development Small hamlets – what are the updated limited restaurant codes? Need specifics (CB – candy man district) Economic Development All the current stores in Orient are retail or food Economic Development Candyman site and CB district don’t work. Need to allow retail with restrictions like no fast food or formula food. Economic Development No fast food Farms There should not be as of right residential zoning for farms (Our #1 issue) Farms NO agritaimnent: Traffic & parking issues, Harbes traffic nightmare, Animal husbandry & water pollution (ex. Narrow River Rd, farm water runoff with animal waste Farms Roundup & Pesticides – water issue (Farms + in general) Farms Is the AE district needed? What is the benefit? Farms Review subdivision process Farms Limit agritainment due to traffic issues Farms Limit nitrogen pesticides/runoff Farms Less landscaping Farms Where is farm worker housing located? What restrictions/allowances? Farms Support farm stands – buildings, more refrigeration, walls, heating? Year-round viability? Farms Support farmers right to farm Farms What is allowed on land with development rights sold? Farms Principal residence on a farm should be for owner OR manager Farms Agritourism in R-40 or R-80 needs more guardrails Farms Consistency of zoning of 2 acres in AE but bonafide farm is 7 acres Farms Will the new proposals incentivize farming or agritainment? Farms Permitting coordination between Ag. & Comm. Housing Affordability (Any developer) new hotels should produce 30% affordable housing Housing Affordability How about no hotels? Housing Affordability Caretaker/ Employee unit should be affordable Housing Affordability Do tax increases on ADUs make them LESS affordable? Housing Affordability How about converting LARGE (7-10,000) homes to multi-family or caregiving? Housing Affordability LIMIT large house on large lots Housing Affordability Why is the accessory building only available for ‘rental’? Could it also be available for caretaker use (for elderly resident). Housing Affordability New code doesn’t prevent marker rate rentals in ADUs Housing Affordability Define farm worker housing as “employees and their families” Housing Affordability Residential as a primary use - is a total mystery! (referring to the item in the definitions that is misplaced in the code - moving the particulars to use standards for dwellings in various districts Housing Affordability Why only 1st floor for accessory unit? Housing Affordability In the smaller lots, lot coverage should not include impervious surfaces Housing Affordability May need different code like frontage, front height Housing Affordability Creative ways to finance these - subsidies Farms Farmland bill of rights: “Noise & Dust Tolerated” – including harmful agriculture chemicals Farms Monitoring of TOS & Suffolk County development rights restrictions Housing Affordability Consider there may be problems with linking peoples housing to their employment when building worker housing Farms Clear definition of what constitutes a farm (agriculture and markets) Housing Affordability Allow owner to design interior of ADU's, allow for 1.5 bathrooms and multiple floors Housing Affordability Remove principal residents’ restriction – clarify, has it changed? Housing Affordability Accessory units on farms: workers & their families?, limit size to 1500 sf max, what is the minimum?, Add a law for cohousing development, OK on DRS land? Only workers or owners should be allowed to live on the farm Housing Affordability Affordable housing should be within proximity to public transportation Housing Affordability Has town done analysis of labor needs in order to know demands for affordable housing? Natural Resources House size – restrict house size: Look at square foot larger house size formulas, Southampton specifically, Not lot size function, Includes impermeable surfaces, Livable space & lot coverage, Natural Resources open space - limit hedge height for scenic views, some places in Orient have lost the long view Natural Resources Protect historic trees Natural Resources Community character created R-40 zoning (more) Natural Resources Zoning for historic character Natural Resources Make an option for a new hamlet center on higher ground Natural Resources More robust water conservation requirements as condition of approval for site plan Natural Resources Dry cleaners & funeral homes need to be special exceptions! Define Natural Resources Need to address costal resilience! Natural Resources Scenic byways need to protect views-not just block off certain commercial uses Natural Resources Protect wetlands Natural Resources Find ways to conserve rainwater Natural Resources Mitigate sea level rise Natural Resources Stop pollution by forever chemicals Natural Resources Support private wells Natural Resources Apply Community Preservation Fund to protect nature Natural Resources Create permanent “Preserved land” overlay Natural Resources Make a connected/comprehensive biking route(s) map for recreational use and to connect parks & other natural resources Natural Resources Only use pervious parking surfaces for new developments Natural Resources Concern about mono-culture agriculture – study this! General Feedback 200 Tabor Road – should be zones Corridor business, not rural business General Feedback 300 Tabor Road – should be zoned corridor business, not Rural Business II General Feedback 950 Tabor Road – do NOT remove from business zoning and be zoned corridor business with 200 & 300 Tabor Road. General Feedback Limit intensity of use when only one road access General Feedback Finer zoning reflects appreciate existing General Feedback When you click on a property, it should identify if there is an easement and allows you to click & reference that easement General Feedback Town of Southold ~15 square miles out of ~54 square miles are preserved. Rights on preserved land need to be protected. There are also ~350 square miles of water with ~163 linear miles of coastline General Feedback Commercial solar developments on conservation district in Plum Island??? General Feedback Why is state park zoned as residential? Is it protected? Farms Fear of too much conversion from Agriculture to housing General Feedback Consider hamlet housing zoning not R-40 - where there are older smaller lots already General Feedback Residential, if lots are less than 1 acre, create less than 1 acre zoning – create ½ acre and ¼ acre zoning that matches development General Feedback Don’t cut down trees for parking in front of playground