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Home My WebLink About10/02/2025 Town of Southold Water Advisory Committee— Meeting Minutes October 2, 2025 Attendees: Kate, Kariane,John, Maggie, Caroline, Anne Murray, Vinnie Orlando,Joe Finora Agenda: 1. Education on Irrigation Leg to professionals Committee has $1500 budget available Created one-pager but do we need to create a designed one Irrigation professionals want a one-pager to give to customers to prove why their quotes are higher to be in compliance Outreach: Spring presentation to North Fork Chamber of Civics Add to Water Committee web site East End Beacon, North Fork Sun, Suffolk Times Irrigation Professionals Association—can they email members Could town host November meeting for irrigation professionals (would town consider creating Southoldtown-specific license for contractors—does the Suffolk County list of licensed contracts have a breakdown specific to irrigation professionals—could Southold request or FOIA from the county) Can town attorney create town document with town seal using KD's one-pager NEXT STEPS:John recirculate one-pager will speak to town attorney about converting one- pager, and ask Ben if the State has confirmed that it registered the legislatures. Interest in hearing town's position on SCWA North Fork Pipeline Public hearing Oct 8: "SCWA to receive public comments regarding the application of the Monroe Balancing Test elements to determine whether the North Fork Pipeline project is immune from local zoning and land use review." 2. Recommendations to town board on zoning update Drafting team to speak to Bob DeLuca to get guidance on making major recommendations in this area Concluded: will gave WAC recommendation to Heather/Planning for her to incorporate as she deems appropriate, and then she will present to the Town Board. Motion to approve the Summary Recommendation: approved Summary Recommendations DRAFT Purpose:The Water Advisory Committee (WAC) recommends town-wide aquifer protection measures be incorporated into the Zoning Update. Regulations for the entire Town of Southold that are protective of the sole source aquifer will act to improve the quality of groundwater(for drinking) as well as surface waters and natural resources within the Town. • Create town-wide Water Quality Protection Overlay o Encompass water recharge and surface water quality o Example: East Hampton Aquifer Protection Overlay+ Harbor Protection Overlay • Critical Environmental Area: see maps o combine,N_X D S.Si nific_ nt C stay Habitats and NYSDEC CriticaV EnvironmentaV ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... Areas _ .p from Southold Town Comprehensive Plan Figure 6.5 (_C_�_ ..p�_�_�.._ ....p_ .g_!� with Town of Southold Water Supply Management and Watershed Protection Strategy Map (NPV 2000 report Figure A-13,Pr.opq�_ _d V�.P (.V�f_ E ,f E cur 0 n e).._ r u d ue s....p 2&g.._Q ) = entire town. • Expand SGPA and strengthen regulations re: development in deep water recharge areas o WAC recommends that the deep groundwater recharge areas of Southold be protected from degradation of water quality resulting from over development of residential, commercial and industrial uses through a process of defining and adopting planning restrictions. o The deep groundwater recharge area for the town is represented at a minimum by the Special Groundwater Protection Areas (SGPA's) as defined in 1" .L.2n. Island C`orrrrfn�iy Spil rc �r ✓ r f�rccicr� ro f�fr�, released in ..... 1992 by the Long Island Regional Planning Board. o We recommend a section of the zoning laws be assigned to protect deep recharge areas and then reserved for the planning work to be done after the completion of the current zoning update. o Examples found in ter Protect,on. npng eg_ _ _ . _ _ V ur Cr a spreadsheet Factors contributing to the WAC recommendation for protection of the entire town: • Two deep recharge areas (SGPA Southold and SGPA Central Suffolk) identified in the 1992 study jhf LQjjg.Lg!2. Cc Lnp. psi ...:S cigf... r r ✓ r f r c i r r f fgr . o provide most (more than most) of the water supply for the town of Southold. o located roughly above the 5' groundwater elevation contour and are located in the central portions of town parallel and underlying NYS Route 25 and County Road 48 both east and west of Mattituck Inlet. ,( CpEuuv fV • The 0-2 year travel time for groundwater to the surrounding water bodies as defined in the Su ffoc k Co_ u n .Y.._Su bwatersh d.Wastewater Mann& [ _�1 [ V , mapped a region along the town's shorelines where the elevation of the water table is close to sea level. Se.e r ap. o Depth to groundwater is shallow in these areas and the aquifer is thinnest. o most densely populated regions of the town and consequently, most at risk of contamination from waste from human activities: septic system recharge, fertilizer runoff, and improper disposal of household chemicals and emerging contaminants. o salt water intrusion has been experienced in the near shore areas where private wells withdraw more water than the thin lens of water can sustain resulting in upconing and horizontal migration of the salt water interface. • Reports of increased chlorides in private wells (particularly Orient and Cutchogue). • These shoreline areas within the town where public water is not available require protection of the aquifer. • The interior of the town is more sparsely developed due to agricultural land use and public water has not been made available due to an agreement between the Town, SCDHS and SCWA to limit development over the deep recharge areas. o Maintaining open space is the best possible way to protect the groundwater resource. Balancing the use of the open space for agriculture and maintaining that open space to protect the town's groundwater supply is critical to the future of Southold's water supply. We recommend that the town set aside in reserve a section of the new zoning regulations and that the planning department engage with the issue of using planning techniques to minimize residential development in the SGPAs. Specific groundwater protection Recommendations for townwide zoning update -examples • Deep Recharge: no new subdivisions o "Subdivision. No lot or land wholly or partly within the overlay district shall be subdivided (unless by subdivision waiver) except pursuant to Chapter l93. of this Code. (East Hampton 255-3-65A)" • Deep Recharge: No transfer of sanitation credits o "Whenever feasible, the Town Board shall limit any transfers of credits to the Harbor Protection Overlay District, Water Recharge District or Flood Hazard Overlay District from the same Harbor Protection Overlay District, Water Recharge Overlay District or Flood Hazard Overlay District." (East Hampton 250- 40-30-C) • Deep Recharge: Open space requirements o "H. Where a parcel is located in Residence Zone CR-200, CR-120 or R-120 and is in the Aquifer Protection Overlay District, at least 65% of the parcel shall be preserved. In CR-80 or R-80 within the Aquifer Protection Overlay District, 50% shall be preserved. In all other cases in the Aquifer Protection Overlay District, 35% shall be preserved. The Planning Board may require an open space easement running to the Town as a condition of approval. In addition, the Planning Board may require development to be located on the portion of the parcel or tract that minimizes the impact on groundwater recharge. The open space requirement of this subsection shall be in lieu of the requirement of§ 7.- ZA.of this article. Lands within individual lots covered by a perpetual scenic or conservation easement may be calculated as open space under this subsection where the overall density of the property is reduced by 50% or more as a consequence of the easement. o It is the policy of the Town to maximize the preservation of agricultural soils and groundwater recharge lands. The preservation requirements of this section are minimum requirements and shall not preclude the preservation of additional open space by the Planning Board whenever possible."(East Hampton 247-8 H & I Town Code) • Critical Environmental Area Designation: Critical environmental areas are defined in the town. o Critical area designation. Lands located within the overlay district are hereby declared to be critical areas of environmental concern pursuant to Chapter,'2_8' of this Code.(East Hampton 255-3-65B)"Lands within the overlay district are designated critical environmental areas pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act.Q_l?t.l.].Editor's Note:See§8-0101 of the Environmental Conservation Law."(Southampton 330-66) • Additional examples can be found in the Water Protection Zoning �u�V fur o Maximum disturbance areas o Lot clearing o Native vegetation clearing restrictions o Lot coverage o Impervious surfaces o Setbacks o pools 10/2/25 cy,mm,am