HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB-03/10/2025 PH l
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1 TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK: STATE OF NEW YORK
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TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
4 PLANNING BOARD MEETING
5 PUBLIC HEARINGS
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8 Southold, New York
9 March 10 , 2025
5 : 00 P .M .
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B E F 0 R E :
13
14 James Rich, III , Chairman
15 Mia Jealous-Dank, Member
16 Martin Sidor, Member
17 Pierce Rafferty, Member
18 Donald Wilcenski, Member
19
20 Jessica Michaelis , Senior Office Assistant
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22
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24
25
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 2
1 INDEX TO HEARINGS
2 Hearings Held Over Page
3 Old Sound Winery & Farmhouse 3-4
4 North Fork Project 2 & 3 Resubdivision 4-6
5
6 Public Hearings
7 Old Town Farm Standard Subdivision 6-39
8 Evans Standard Subdivision 29-58
9 Summit Ridge Energy Commercial Solar 58-90
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11
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MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 3
1 OLD SOUND WINERY & FARMHOUSE
2 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : The
3 first order, let me read this, is Old
4 Sound Winery and Farmhouse . This site
5 proposes a 4800 square foot winery with
6 a tasting room and basement storage
7 preserving an existing greenhouse, and
8 barn/potting shed and repurposing a
9 historic blacksmith shop for storage .
10 The plan includes 29 parking stalls ,
11 pedestrian access to the winery, a
12 building envelope for a future
13 farmhouse and designated area for
14 agricultural plantings . After
15 Resubdivision, the 12 . 59 acre parcel
16 -spans R-40, 0 . 74 acres and R-80 , 11 . 85
17 acres , zoning in Mattituck, Suffolk
18 County . Tax Map -#1000-122 . -2-8 . 1 and
19 24 . 2 . And I would ask for a motion
20 that we adjourn this hearing without a
21 closing date .
22 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK : So
23 moved .
24 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR: Second .
25 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Motion
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 4
1 made by Mia, seconded by Martin .
2 Any discussion?
3 (No Response ) .
4 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : All in
5 favor?
6 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK : Aye .
7 MEMBER PIERCE RAFFERTY : Aye .
8 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR: Aye .
9 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Aye .
10 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Aye .
11 So the hearing is adjourned for
12 tonight .
13 *************** *************** *******
14 NORTH FORK PROJECT 2 & 3 RESUBDIVISION
15 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Okay .
16 Next hearing holdover is North Fork
17 Projects 1 and 2 . North Fork Projects
18 1 and 2 . This proposed Resubdivision
19 involves a 13 . 65 acres and will
20 transfer 162 , 158 square feet of land
21 from Parcel 1 to Parcel 2 . Following
22 the transfer Parcel 1 and Suffolk
23 County Tax Map #10007122-2 . 8 . 1 will
24 equal 46 . 025 acres and remaining
25 conforming in the R-40 Zoning District .
1
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 5
1 And Parcel 2 , Suffolk County Tax Map
2 #1000-122-2 . 24 . 4 will equal 548 , 558 . 02
3 square feet and remain conforming in
4 the R-80 Zoning District . The property
5 is located at 10020 Old Sound Avenue,
6 Mattituck . Suffolk County Tax Map
7 #1000-2-8 . 1 and 24 . 2 .
8 Do you want to table that too?
9 (No Response ) .
10 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Okay .
11 Does anybody wish to address the
12 Southold Town Planning Board on this
13 North Fork project and Resubdivision?
14 If you do state, either one -- and
15 either dais , and state your name?
16 (No Response) .
17 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Do we
18 have anybody on Zoom?
19 JESSICA MICHAELIS : No .
20 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : So can I
21 get a motion to close this hearing?
22 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: So
23 moved .
24 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR: Second .
25 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Motion
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 6
1 made by Mia . Seconded by Martin .
2 Any discussion?
3 (No Response) .
4 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : All in
5 favor?
6 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: Aye .
7 MEMBER PIERCE RAFFERTY : Aye .
8 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR : Aye .
9 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Aye .
10 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Aye .
11 Motion is closed . Thank you very much .
12 ***************************************
13 OLD TOWN FARM STANDARD SUBDIVISION
14 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Now, new
15 public hearings . This is for all Old
16 Town ,Farm Standard Subdivision . This
17 proposal is for the standard
18 subdivision of a 17 . 46 acre parcel into
19 5 lots , where Lot 1 is 0 . 83 acres . Lot
20 2 is 0 . 8 acres . Lot 3 is 0 . 81 acres .
21 Inclusive of a 0 . 11 acre flag . Lot 3
22 is 1 . 03 acres inclusive of a 0 . 2 acre
23 flag . And Lot 5 is 13 . 6 acres and
24 includes a 3 . 05 acre development area .
25 10 . 25 acres of open space and 0 . 38
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 7
1 acres of wetlands in the R-40 Zoning
2 District . The property is located at
3 2355 Main Bayview Road, Southold .
4 Suffolk County Tax Map# 1078 . -1-10 . 23 .
5 Anyone wishing to address --
6 Martin, you can go first, but please
7 state your name and write your name
8 down . Thank you . Martin Finnegan for
9 the applicant .
10 MARTIN FINNEGAN : Yes , good
11 evening, Martin Finnegan, 1325 Main
12 Road, Mattituck, for the applicant .
13 Just for the record, I am joined this
14 evening by Ed Dart, who ' s the owner of
15 the property and the applicant . As Jim
16 mentioned, this is a five lot standard
17 subdivision, which seeks to only create
18 four new lots on the existing farm
19 parcel . As the Board is aware, this
20 parcel has been operated as the Dart
21 Street Farm by Ed ' s family for decades .
22 What is proposed is to simply add four
23 lots along the eastern edge of the
24 parcel . That will all take access off
25 of the existing town road Willow Pond
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 8
1 Lane . Two of the lots will have direct
2 access to our flags off of Willow Pond.
3 But what is great about what is
4 proposed here, is this is a parcel that
5 could ultimately yield 18 lots . And
6 what the Dart family is proposing to do
7 is to just simply have four lots, and
8 have the vast majority of the parcel,
9 over 10 acres will remain open space .
10 Will remain actively in agriculture .
11 So that the Dart Tree Farm operation
12 can continue . The fifth lot is
13 comprised of that open space area, as
14 well as , a reserve area, which will
15 essentially encompass what is the
16 existing development there . So we are
17 here -- Ed has joined me, as I said, to
18 address any questions that the Board
19 may have . We ' ll leave it at that .
20 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Okay .
21 Anyone wishing to address the Planning
22 Board on this Old Town Farm
23 Subdivision?
24 LAURA BLOOM: -- The houses are
25 facing .
b
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 9
1 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Can you
r
2 please step forward and speak to the
3 Planning Board?
4 LAURA BLOOM : Well, they just
5 answered it .
6 JESSICA MICHAELIS : I 'm sorry. If
7 you address the Planning Board, you
8 have to state your name for the record .
9 You just can ' t speak out loud in the
10 room. It has to be addressed to the
11 Board.
12 LAURA BLOOM : Laura Bloom. And I
13 was wondering what the street was that
14 the houses were actually facing .
15 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : And I
16 think -- you want to answer that,
17 Martin?
18 MARTIN FINNEGAN : Sure . It ' s
19 Willow Pond Lane .
20 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Just state
21 your name for the record, and address
22 your questions .
23 ROBERT BOHN : Robert Bohn, I live
24 on Willow Pond Lane . Adjacent to the
25 current Dart Tree Farm. I just want to
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 10
1 make sure I understood that traffic
2 will be coming out of this development
3 on to Willow Pond Road?
4 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Yes .
5 Yes .
6 ROBERT BOHN : That ' s correct . And
7 excuse my ignorance and things like
8 this, but has any analysis been done of
9 the possible impact on traffic or the
10 ability of Willow Pond Lane as a very
11 narrow road, at least where our house
12 is? Has anyone looked at that has that
13 been analyzed the impact that traffic
14 coming down into Willow Pond Lane .
15 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : I think
16 that ' ll be part of our review . And
17 your comments now -- every comment
18 that ' s made will be addressed in our
19 response to this .
20 ROBERT BOHN : Thank you ..
21 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
22 you .
23 GEORGE BERRY : My name is George
24 Berry . I live on Willow Pond Lane .
25 One question is, when you do a
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 11
1 subdivision, what is actually the size
2 of the lots that you have to have for
3 subdivision?
4 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : It
5 depends what zoning you ' re in and the
6 also the lots . You want to answer
7 this , Brian? Is it easier for you to
8 answer it or -- Mark, I 'm gonna let you
9 answer it more precisely.
10 MARK TERRY : Mark Terry, Assistant
11 Town Planning Director . So the lot
12 sizes are what we call clustered down .
13 When you first look at a parcel, you
14 figure out how many lots can be laid
15 down on that parcel, pursuant to the
16 Zoning District . So if it was 40 , 000
17 square feet, each lot has to be laid
18 out at 40, 000 square feet with the road
19 and everything to determine what we
20 call the yield . Once the yield is
21 established, the Planning Board has the
22 right to cluster the lots down to
23 preserve open space . In this case, 600
24 of this parcel must be preserved as
25 open space . So it ' s a tree farm. And
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 12
1 I think the intent is that it ' s going
2 to be a tree farm in the future . But
3 you will end up with about 30 , 000 to
4 35, 000 square foot lots on the cluster .
5 Just mathematically from the 600 .
6 GEORGE BERRY : In other words,
7 they ' re going to be small lots .
8 MARK TERRY : Unless he did the
9 full yield, they ' d be very small lots .
10 But he dropped a substantial amount of
11 lots down from the total yield to what
12 you see now is -- which is basically
13 five lots on the parcel .
14 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
15 you, Mark. Does that answer your
16 question?
17 GEORGE BERRY : Not really because
18 they put up these small lots , and then
19 they come along, and they put these big
20 mansions up . And there ' s no property
21 left on there . And then they come
22 here, and they ' ve got about 15 cars .
23 And all the cars are parked on the
24 road. Willow Pond Lane there, there ' s
25 no parking on the road, because it ' s
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 13
1 not right . And it is not right to let
2 these people build these goddamn
3 mansions on these small lots . And I
4 think you guys sitting there should do
5 something about this . If you come by
I
6 Willow Pond Lane -- excuse me, and go
7 down the next road, there ' s about five
8 lots in there that they tore down these
9 little houses that we all built back in
10 the 501s, 60 ' s and 70 ' s . And then you
11 see the mansions up there and there are
12 only for people that live there for us
13 in the Summer . And when they come out
14 in the summertime, they ' ve got a
15 thousand people there in the pools , in
16 the parking . And going up and down
17 Willow Pond Lane, it'' s really a
18 racetrack and nobody does anything
19 about it . And I 'm against this
20 division.
21 UNKNOWN SPEAKER: Me too .
22 UNKNOWN SPEAKER: Me too .
23 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
24 you . Anyone else wishing -- again,
25 please state and write your name down .
i
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 14
1 GINA OSTER: Gina Oster . In my
2 community, Goose Creek Estates, when we
3 moved here 15 years ago, there were
4 about six or seven empty lots . They ' ve
5 all been pretty much developed. I
6 believe the last one is being developed
7 right now . Not only are they putting
8 huge -- the square footage, of the house
9 in comparison to the property is
10 ridiculously disproportionate for a
11 rural area . The parking becomes a
12 problem. And more importantly, ' cause
13 I 'm in landscaping, they clear-cut
14 every tree on the property . Why that
15 is , I have no idea . These beautiful
16 trees that add value to your property,
17 have no value to these developers .
18 Because it ' s much more difficult and
19 costly to build a structure on a piece
20 of property that that is already ,
21 wooded . Now I 'm not saying obviously
22 have to clear some of the things, but
23 they should be a little more
24 discretionary as to what they pick and
25 choose . Now my second question is, Lot
i
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 15
1 5, I 'm unclear as to what that means .
2 It ' s 13 point something acres . How
3 many houses will be on that property?
4 I don ' t understand what they mean by
5 that three acre things set aside .
6 Could someone explain that to me?
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Martin,
8 you want to answer that?
9 MARTIN FINNEGAN : Depending on how
10 big the lot is under our Town Code,
11 there only be one house on it . You ' re
12 not allowed to have -- this is intended
13 to be open space . 60% of the property
14 has to be open space . So 10 acres is
15 going to remain a farm. The three acre
16 reserve area is just for -- there ' s an
17 existing residential structure and the
18 other farm operation buildings . That ' s
19 it . So even though it looks like a big
20 parcel, it ' s -- that ' s it . It can
21 never be subdivided again . There will
22 never be more than the four new houses
23 here . The four new lots .
24 GINA OSTER: Do I have to get up
25 again?
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 16
1 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Yes .
2 Please state your name a second time .
3 GINA OSTER: Okay . Gina Oster .
4 What will be the square footage of the
5 homes put on Lots ' s 1 to 4 , and the
6 square footage of the home put on the
7 13 acre lot? Are there maximums?
8 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Well, I
9 can answer that . There ' s maximums in
i
10 the Town of Southold . So the maximums
11 for each of these lots , I believe the
12 buildings will be governed by the
13 square footage of the lot .
14 GINA OSTER: Right, well, we know
15 that with the square footage .
16 JESSICA MICHAELIS : I 'm sorry, if
17 you speak, you have to be at the
18 microphone . You can ' t go back and
19 forth .
20 GINA OSTER: So -- Gina Oster . So
21 based on the square footage of the
22 lots, which we know, which you ' ve
23 indicated, we should know what the
24 square footage of the structure will
25 be? The maximum that they can put on
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 17
1 those particular lots .
2 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : That ' s
3 governed by the Town Code . Yes .
4 GINA OSTER: Okay . So knowing the
5 Town Code, what -- what is the square
6 footage?
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : I don ' t
8 have it .
9 GINA OSTER: Well, that ' s
10 important . We need to know that
11 because it would address this
12 gentleman ' s concerns , my concerns , as
13 far as trees , parking, everything .
14 That kind of information is very vital
15 to this kind of development .
16 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
17 you for your input . Anyone else?
18 Please state your name?
19 DARLENE CARROZZA: Darlene
20 Carrozza, 350 Willow Pond Lane . I 'm
21 wondering if they would considered the
22 opening on Main Bayview instead of
23 Willow Pond Lane? And also what is the
i
24 east end, the four houses? What is the
25 east end part? ' Cause we ' re at the
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 18
1 bottom of Darts on Willow Pond Lane . Is
2 the east end along Grange or --
3 ( Inaudible . Discussion was not
4 held by a microphone . )
5 DARLENE CARROZZA: Okay . Okay.
6, Okay . So would they consider opening
7 the street to Main Bayview instead of
8 Willow Pond because it ' s at the top of
9 a hill? They ' ll be like coming out and
10 going down a hill .
11 UNKNOWN SPEAKER: They will be
12 cutting through the middle of the farm
13 field .
14 JESSICA MICHAELIS : The meeting is
15 transcribed, so we can ' t have -- it ' s
16 okay .
17 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Sir, you
18 have to wait .
19 DARLENE CARROZZA: That ' s all I
20 have to say . Thank you .
21 ROBERT BOND : Robert Bond, 460
22 Clearview Avenue West . I 'm just
23 curious with regard to like land
24 preservation . Is there a way that Mr .
25 Dart can achieve his financial goal
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 19
1 with the Town buying the building
2 rights for the whole parcel? Eliminate
3 any kind of building whatsoever?
4 Because you know, we all know that as
5 time goes on, things change . And the
6 middle 10 acres and the Lot #4 building
7 envelope is gonna change . I grew up
8 there, right around the corner from
9 Sleepy Hollow by Mr . Berry ' s house .
10 Rode my dirt bike in the field and
11 everything . I lived right by the pond .
12 So my only question is always, where is
13 the land preservation money? Same as
14 the Enclaves . They built that
15 monstrosity, they passed that . Now
16 it ' s dead in the water . Nothing ' s
17 happening . You got a huge open sand
18 pit, and it ' s -- it ' s an eyesore .
19 Whereas they could -have bought that
20 land too . Did anybody offer him that
21 option to buy out all the building
22 rights for the whole land? Or did Mr .
23 Dart even know that or is there money
24 available?
25 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : That ' s
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 20
1 really not the area of the Planning
2 Board. Right now all we can work on is
3 this subdivision --
4 ROBERT BOND : -- put it like in
5 the file? Is the direction to go in or
6 is this something I can do?
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : If this
8 is approved there can be no additional
9 subdivision of this afterwards . I mean
10 that -- that is in law .
11 ROBERT BOND : And in theory that ' s
12 the normal law of the town . But can I
13 as a taxpayer and Southold person, can
14 I facilitate somehow to get the Land
15 Preservation people involved or --
16 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : You got
17 to go to the Town Board for that .
18 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : You got
19 to go to the Town Board or the Town
20 Preservation Community for that . This
21 is not the area of the Planning Board .
22 ROBERT BOND : Thank you .
23 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thanks,
24 Rob .
25 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : I just
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 21
1 like to make another comment . Another
2 comment is we ' re currently working on a
3 clearing limits on building lots as you
4 brought up -- We ' re working on bringing
5 into the subdivisions clearing limits
6 on the lots . So as you said ,instead of
7 clear-cutting the whole property, we ' re
8 going to implement clearing limits on
9 the properties . And we ' re working on
10 that .
11 GINA OSTER: Maybe, I 'm -- Gina .
12 Maybe, I 'm a little naive .
13 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Please
14 state your last name too, Gina?
15 GINA OSTER: Gina Oster . I 'm just
16 curious what is involved when you said
17 "working at" because this is -- I ' ve
18 been here 15 years . I had to literally
19 tie myself to one of the trees . I know
20 -- I 'm not a tree hugger, but at the
21 same token, there was no reason for
22 these trees to be taken down . They
23 were beautiful healthy trees on my
24 neighbor ' s property . And apparently
25 they were on the Town ' s 'property, but
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 22
1 they were kind of creating shade for
2 him and a leaf problem. So --
3 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : I can
4 answer that . This is going through --
5 it ' s gotta go through the code . The
6 Town Code ' s gonna be updated. And that
7 was talked about in the Comprehensive
8 Plan that we did .
9 GINA OSTER: Okay .
10 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : So as
11 we ' re going through the different
12 chapters with that, that is something
13 that we ' re having input to . So we
14 can ' t make the decision right now
15 because it ' s not in the Town Code .
16 GINA OSTER: I understand and I
17 appreciate the fact that it ' s on the
18 Board, and it ' s being looked at, but
19 time is wasting away . Because, you
20 know, property values are up, the
21 highest, and people are developing,
22 very rapidly . So a decision should be
23 made as soon as possible .
24 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : So
25 everybody should be aware of one thing
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 23
1 and I wanna say this . This is the
2 Southold Town Planning Board . We do
3 not have an up/down vote on these
4 items . We have the ability to try to
5 mitigate what they do . The, owner of
6 this property has his property rights
7 in place . As Mark said earlier on,
8 Southold Town now requires 600
9 conservation of land . But say
10 hypothetically, if it ' s an R-40 Zoning
11 District, that '.s 40, 000 square feet . A
12 20 lot subdivision could allow 20 lots,
13 one acre . In this particular case,
14 we ' ve reduced that . The owner is
15 reducing this . And the Planning Board
16 will do what it can to mitigate the
17 damage or the environmental effects of
18 this . But this owner and any other
19 owner has some property rights, that
20 this Planning Board -- this Board
21 cannot take away from them. , So I just
22 want everybody to be somewhat aware of
23 what we ' re doing here . That ' s a fair
24 comment . Thank you .
25 LYNN SUMMERS : Lynn Summers, 1290
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 24
1 Oriole Drive . For the last five years,
2 many- people have addressed the Town
3 Board and other people of -- I guess
4 Land Preservation, but mostly of the
5 Tree Committee . Now I do understand
6 the rollout of the code comes very
7 shortly. You as a body have a way of
8 communicating with other bodies to the
9 goal that this is not -a place to rape
10 the land. I have -- on Arbor Day, two
11 years ago, I went to a place -- nobody
12 had anything on the planning, where
13 they were raping the land. Taking down
14 trees . I 'm here to stay with that
15 woman and many other people in this
16 town, I ' ve lived here since March of
17 1970 . I am a stakeholder and I 'm
18 saying to you all, do you want this
19 place to look raped? Whether it " s the
20 right of somebody, right now there ' s a
21 planning thing on there . But you need
22 to know -- and I remember I -- I
23 remember Mr . Rich asking the people
24 have -- that have the Enclave, how many
25 trees are you gonna take down? You
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 25
1 refer to that . What -- and when are
2 you gonna do it? And we ' re sitting
3 there now waiting for extension and
4 extension, and there is no tree there .
5 And it makes me very sad and it makes
6 me embarrassed . But it makes me want
7 to even work harder with people, so
8 this does not continue . Thank you very
9 much .
10 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
11 you .
12 CATHERINE LUESCHLER: Catherine
13 Lueschler, I live on Glen Road . And
14 this plan -- And first of all , all of
15 Glen Road has now been completely
16 developed. And all the new houses --
17 there ' s 15 feet around every house .
18 Except in the front yard . And even
19 some of them barely have a front yard.
20 There used to be so much open space .
21 And again, it ' s people who come for the
22 Summer . And they come in with a
23 million cars, and people parked all
24 over the road. And now this plan puts
25 a house 15 feet from my property line .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 26
1 Even the houses -- none of my neighbors
2 have 15 feet on either side .
3 Everybody ' s left room. And everybody
4 who ' s worried about the trees, behind
5 me, most of them are gone already.
6 They ' ve already been taken out .
7 They ' re long gone . So it ' s too late to
8 worry about all those trees that are
9 gone . It leaves nothing for our kids .
10 All we ' re doing is building these giant
11 mansions and there ' s nowhere for our
12 children to go anymore . This is not
13 the same place . I ' ve been living here
14 for 30 years . And this is not --
15 Southold is not the same .
16 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Okay .
17 Thank you for your comments . Did you
18 put your name down? Anyone else?
19 (No Response) .
20 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : You have
21 someone on Zoom?
22 SANDRA BERRY : Sandra Berry, Old
23 Pond Lane, Southold . These flag lots ,
24 they all come out in one spot on Willow
25 Pond Lane . There ' s only one -- one
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 27
1 house actually on Willow Pond Lane or
2 are all -- they did -- they can ' t be
3 four houses there . There ' s not enough
4 room. Which way do they face?
•5 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : The way
6 it ' s set up right now, there ' s one
7 house on Willow Pond Lane and is three
8 -- essentially three flags coming out
9 --
10 SANDRA BERRY : And then those
11 three are behind the one that ' s on the
12 Willow Pond Lane?
13 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : That ' s
14 correct .
15 SANDRA BERRY : And then they all
16 come out the flag lot --
17 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Yes .
18 SANDRA BERRY : The one place they
19 come out . That ' s a lot of traffic
20 coming out of there .
21 'JESSICA MICHAELIS : Just state
22 your name for the record, and then you
23 can address the Board .
24 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Just as
25 a comment, the plans are and the
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 28
1 hallway .
2 HENRY SUMMER: Hi, good afternoon .
3 My name is Henry Summer . I live at 385
4 Brisbane Lane . I 'm out here about
5 seven years now, and we like it . Place
6 IS not like it was when we first moved
7 here . Even seven years ago, we had
8 lots of trees on one side, and now all
9 of a sudden, those trees are gone .
10 There ' s a developed house . No one ' s
11 finishing up, just huge . It looks like
12 it ' s going to be a AirBNB or some kind
13 of like little hotel . Anyway, this is
14 the Planning . This is the time to talk
15 about this stuff . Okay. I -- what I
16 see is that some people -- I have
17 myself, a problem with, I 'm with three,
18 four driveways coming up on Willow Pond
19 Lane . I mean, okay, let ' s say three
20 houses , two cars each minimum. So
21 that ' s six cars , eight cars every day
22 going in and out . Twice a day. That
23 right there, the percentage of traffic
24 increased on that one spot is pretty
25 large percentage . The other thing is
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 29
1 as far as the property rights of the
2 person, I agree, we all have, you know,
3 right to do what we want to with our
4 property, but it is an act -- obviously
5 impacting a lot of other people . And
6 maybe we could plan it some other way?
7 Like that other gentleman said, come in
8 from Main Bayview, what ' s 8 cars there?
9 We already have the planetarium -- I 'm
10 sorry, the observatory. And so I think
11 it ' d be less of an impact . Anyway,
12 that ' s it . Thank you .
13 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Did you
14 sign your name? Thank you . Thank you
15 for your comments . Anyone else? You
16 have somebody on Zoom?
17 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Yes . You ' re
18 un-muted. Just state your name?
19 JANICE TROFANIC : .Janice Trofanic,
20 I live at 995 Gardiners Lane . I 'm
21 worried about the impact of the water
22 table because anytime -- we live in a
23 low lying area and anytime the water
24 is -- the water table is touched, we
25 wind up getting floods . So I 'm just
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 30
1 worried about that impact .
2 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
3 you for your comment . Anyone else,
4 Jess?
5 JESSICA MICHAELIS : John Mara .
6 JOHN, MARA: Yes . Hi, John Mara .
7 I was one -- I prepared something in
8 reference to the Evans Subdivision .
9 This is -- and I understand that -- I
10 . don ' t know if I heard that correctly
11 that this was --
12 JESSICA MICHAELIS : The hearing is
13 next . And we ' ll ask for public input
14 next .
15 JOHN MARA: Okay . Thank you .
16 JESSICA MICHAELIS : You ' re
17 welcome .
18 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
19 you . Anyone else wish to address the
20 Old Town Farm Substandard Subdivision?
21 LAURA DIERKS : Hi, Laura Dierks
22 from 2415 Main Bayview . I 'm the
23 property that was the Darts home on
24 Main Bayview . Prior to the subdivision
25 into its own lot a long while ago . I
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 31
1 just want to speak for a moment in
2 support of Ed, and his property rights
3 in this stance . He is allocating 13
4 acres of this property to stay
5 agricultural . And I think that ' s
6 important . That ' s an important note
7 here . The Pollywada ' s Farm on the
8 other side that is Glen Road was a farm
9 all the way back to the water, as well
10 at one point and has been developed .
11 It ' s -- it is, you know, things change
12 unfortunately or fortunately. I mean,
13 it really -- it ' s just really the way
14 that things go . I think Ed ' s doing his
15 best to try to maintain a bunch of this
16 property as agricultural . And I just
17 want to say that I 'm in favor of his
18 plan .
19 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
20 you for your comments . Anyone else?
21 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Yes . Amy?
22 AMY FAYELA: Hi . My name is Amy
23 Fayela from 1825 Main Bayview Road, on
24 the other side of Darts Tree Farm. I
25 think this property was also part of
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 32
1 Darts originally. And we in general
2 also support Ed, and appreciate that
3 he ' s doing his best to keep the 13
4 acres . I just have one question,
5 actually, and I 'm not sure if this is
6 the right place to ask it, but how is
7 it that once this is subdivided, the
8 remaining 13 acres can ' t be subdivided?
9 What ' s the code or what -- that keeps
10 that from happening in the future?
11 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Yeah,
12 well, that ' s right . It ' s part of the
13 covenant's and restrictions . As we
14 mentioned before, there are property
15 rights, but they have limits . And
16 Southold, we have a fairly complex set
17 of Zoning Laws that do cover
18 subdivisions . And at this stage in
19 time, once you do a subdivision, you
20 really -- that locks you out to do any
21 further subdivisions after it . And
22 this land -- by assuming that this is
23 approved or if it is approved or how
24 it ' s approved, when after this, there
25 will be no further subdivision of the
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 33
1 13 acres . It will remain in perpetuity
2 as an agricultural site . More question
3 will be who or what can be grown there
4 or how it ' s used, but it will not be
5 developed into -- I mean, that ' s --
6 we ' ve had multiple property in Southold
7 Town, it ' s had development rights sold.
8 And as far as agriculture, and we ' ve
9 had a lot of land that ' s been conserved
10 by the approach of using clusters of
11 smaller lots and maintaining a space
12 that ' s open space and that cannot,
13 after it ' s been done, it cannot be
14 resubdivided .
15 AMY FAYELA: Okay .
16 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Chrissy?
17 CHRISSY BERRY : Chrissy Berry. I
18 live on Hiawatha ' s Path in Southold.
19 So first for -- for Mr . Dart, I do
20 appreciate that he is trying to
21 maintain some of the land. The concern
22 of course is those properties that
23 would be going up . But my question is
24 a little more general in that, we keep
25 hearing that it can ' t be subdivided
i
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 34
1 again . Do zoning laws or rules ever
2 change? Enough said.
3 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Yeah,
4 theoretically they ' re not supposed to .
5 The people of Southold Town, the people
6 of Eastern Long Island have -- and I
7 don ' t -- this is not generic -- this is
8 not precise to this piece of property,
9 but there is -- County has bought
10 farmland development rights . The- town
11 Has brought farmland development rights
12 and we have done for the last 20, 25
13 years subdivisions that are no longer
14 free willy-nilly, where you can just
15 take your farm and divide it, divide it
16 up into quarter or half acre lots, like
17 you could do in the 60 ' s and 70 ' s . So
18 there ' s been a huge progress on this .
19 Legally, I do not believe that once
20 development rights have been sold,
21 there can be any further development of
22 them. That does not mean -- and I 'm
23 not talking to you just, strictly just
24 to talk to everybody, that does not
25 mean that there cannot be innovative or
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 35
1 further uses of agriculture that
2 somebody might not like . I mean -- I
3 just -- Don, go ahead .
4 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Also,
5 when the development rights are
6 extinguished on these parcels , it is
7 recorded in the Suffolk County -- It ' s
8 on the deed . So it can never be
9 developed .
10 CHRISSY BERRY : Right, but I do
11 hold exception to the word "never, "
12 because as we know, when administration
13 changes , things can get thrown up the
14 window. And I do appreciate the
15 Southold Town administration, I know
16 you guys work very hard for
17 preservation . I think you guys do a
18 great job with it and you are doing
19 your best . But when there are changes ,
20 those can change the Zoning Laws
21 because if someone is very active about
22 it, things can happen . So I do
23 understand that your intent is that
24 that property will stay undeveloped .
25 But in reality, 10 years down the road,
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 36
1 that may not be the reality.
2 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : I would
3 disagree with that . Because my family
4 sold development rights in 1970 and
5 they ' re still farming . I 'm sure Mr .
6 Sidor can say the same thing . No, it ' s
7 well taken .
8 CHRISSY BERRY : Thank you .
9 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Anyone
10 else? You have another person on Zoom?
11 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Todd?
12 TODD RICHARDSON : Hi, good
13 afternoon . My name is Todd Richardson .
14 I live at 435 Willow Pond Lane . And I
15 also just want to, like the Berry ' s , I
16 want to put in my objection to this
17 subdivision as well . I ' ve sent an
18 e-mail as well . But currently we have
19 25 homes on Willow Pond Lane, Sleepy
20 Hollow Lane -- Sleepy Hollow Lane and
21 Grisane Lane, and they all utilize one
22 entrance in and out of our neighborhood
23 off of Clearview Avenue . So just with
24 the addition of five homes , we ' re
25 looking at a 20o increase in traffic
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 37
1 over these roads that are already
2 heavily trafficked . People fly down
3 Willow Pond Lane . Coming to and from
4 the houses in the back . Also, there ' s
5 significant runoff from the farm that
6 ends up pooling at the bottom of Willow
7 Pond Lane . Kind of right in front of
8 the Berry ' s family home . So there ' s
9 always flooding there anytime we have
10 any kind of rainstorm here, which is
11 coming down the hill . So, and then my
12 other question is , why is the land only
13 being preserved, fronting Main Bayview?
14 You should be preserving the area that
15 your neighbors are fronting . And it
16 seems odd to me that we ' re gonna put
17 all of these people coming through this
18 neighborhood when they could easily go
19 through on Main Bayview . And that ' s my
20 comments .
21 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Do you
22 want to answer that at all or --
23 Please state your name, please?
24 LAURA BLOOM : Laura Gloom.
25 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : And
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 38
1 state --
2 LAURA BLOOM: 750 Clearview
3 Avenue . That there are a lot more
4 children in the area than there usdd to
5 be . They ride their bicyclp-s up and
6 down Clearview and also that hill .
7 George ' s grandchildren, my
8 grandchildren. And it would just feel
9 much better ,if the traffic were going
10 out that way ' cause they ' re not riding
11 up on Bay Main, they ' re riding in the
12 neighborhood .
13 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
14 you . Anyone else?
15 (No Response) .
16 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Do you
17 have anybody on Zoom, Jess?
18 (No Response ) .
19 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK : I move
20 we close this hearing .
21 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Motion
22 made by Mia to close the hearing .
23 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR : Second .
24 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Seconded
25 by Martin .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 39
1 Any discussion?
2 (No Response) .
3 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : All in
4 favor?
5 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK : Aye .
6 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR: Aye .
7 MEMBER PIERCE RAFFERTY : Aye .
8 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Aye .
9 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Aye .
10 Thank you very much for your
11 comments, and all comments will have
12 been recorded and a substantive will be
13 a part of the record. Thank you.
14 ***************************************
15 EVANS STANDARD SUBDIVISION
16 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Next
17 order of business . Okay . Next order
18 of business is Evan Standard
19 Subdivision . This proposal is for a
20 standard subdivision of 5 . 68 acre
21 parcel into two lots , where Lot 1 is
22 1 . 5 acres and Lot 2 is 4 . 1 acres in the
23 R-40 Zoning District . The property is
24 located at 1050 Greton Court,
25 Mattituck . Suffolk County Tax Map
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 40
1 #1000-107-3-2 .
2 Before we get started, I have a
3 short statement to make .
4 JESSICA MICHAELIS : I 'm sorry
5 ladies, can you step into the hall,
6 please? Thank you .
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : This is
8 Evans Standard Subdivision . Before we
9 begin the hearing, I ' d like to
10 acknowledge that we have received
11 public correspondence related to the
12 application before us . Please be
13 assured that all written comments and
14 correspondence have been included as
15 part of the original record for this
16 hearing . These materials will be taken
17 into consideration along with any oral
18 testimony presented here today. Thank
19 you . A general policy, your comments
20 and concerns , and questions are being
21 •transcribed, and they will be included
22 in the project review process . The
23 public hearing is part of this process ,
24 where we collect public input to ensure
25 it is considered during the review .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 41
1 Project managers are available Monday
2 through Friday, 8 : 00 A.M . to 4 : 00 P .M .
3 at the Planning Board Office or by
4 phone 631-765-1938 . You can address
5 project specific questions and concerns
6 with this -- with the -- concerns ,
7 which will be reviewed by the Planning
8 Board . Thank you . Okay . Anyone
9 wishing to address the Planting Board,
10 Southold Town Planning Board on Evans
11 Standard Subdivision? Please step to
12 either one of the mics and state your
13 name?
14 JOHN MEDFORD : John Medford, 505
15 Maple Lane . I know a number of my
16 neighbors have sent in letters, you
17 know, about the Evans project . One of
18 ' our main concerns is , will there be any
19 access through Maple Lane, which is a
20 private road? And I see that you
21 have -- just want to verify the amount
22 of clearing, which is Lot 2 , has 20%
23 clearing, and Lot 1 has 35% clearing?
24 Is that that true?
25 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK : Mark, do
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 42
1 we have any information on that?
2 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : The
3 Planning Board has certainly going to
4 consider restrictions that prohibit
5 access to and from Maple Lane for these
6 lots as part of the condition of
7 approval .
8 JOHN MEDFORD : They ' re going to
9 consider or it ' s an actual fact?
10 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : At this
11 point they ' re going to consider it . We
12 don ' t know that we legally -- let the
13 owner answer this potentially.
14 DOUG ADAMS : Thank you. Doug
15 Adams for the applicant, with Young
16 Associates . We developed the
17 subdivision map before the Town at the
18 moment . The current plan before the
19 Board does have a 35% maximum clearing
20 limit on Lot 1 and a 20% maximum
21 clearing limit on Lot 2 .
22 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : What
23 about Maple Lane?
24 DOUG ADAMS : And we ' ve agreed to
25 no access to Maple Lane .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 43
1 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Okay .
2 Thank you .
3 JOHN MEDFORD : And just one more
4 question . John Medford, again .
5 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Yes,
6 please address us . Thank you, sir .
7 JOHN MEDFORD : All right . As far
8 as where the houses will be developed
9 on the property, is there any site plan
10 for that yet?
11 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : I don ' t
12 have that in front of me .
13 DOUG ADAMS : There ' s a building
14 envelope, but -they have not been
15 developed as of now. •
16 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : And is
17 there any wetlands on it?
18 DOUG ADAMS : Doug Adams again, for
19 the applicant . There ' s wetlands on Lot
20 2 , along the creek and the The
21 locations of the future homes would be
22 just based on what the -- what a
23 building permit application would be
24 allowed to do based on the current
25 code .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 44
1 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Yeah,
2 the current code also prevents clearing
3 on anything with more than 15% grade .
4 So I think there ' s going to be some
5 restrictions on these lots .
6 JOHN MEDFORD: Okay . And one of
7 the other questions we had was the
8 access road coming in from Greton
9 Court . Approximately, how wide will
10 that be? And will all the trees to the
11 Maple Lane side, be removed or will
12 they remain?
13 DOUG ADAMS : Doug Adams , again .
14 The current flag pole, if you will, is
15 25 feet wide and I think a typical
16 driveway is anywhere between 10 and 12
17 feet wide, but that wouldn ' t be an
18 action as part of the subdivision to be
19 no clearing, You know for this current
20 application, but the building permit
21 that would be submitted for a Lot 2 , of
22 course, would you know, that would be
23 subject to that kind of review, I guess
24 at that point .
25 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 45
1 you .
2 JOHN MEDFORD : Okay . So it ' s my
3 understanding once you have a plan,
4 there ' ll be another review? We ' ll be
5 able to put input into that or it will
6 be a final review?
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : You can
8 certainly send in a letter.. We ' re
9 going to have some Site Plan Review on
10 this to move it ahead.
11 JOHN MEDFORD : So when will we
12 receive notification of what and where
13 the house will be located and what
14 percentage of trees will be cut down?
15 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : I don ' t
16 have an answer to that .
17 DOUG ADAMS : I don ' t want to speak
18 out of turn here, but I believe that --
19 that would happen at the time the
20 building permit application is
21 submitted to the Building Department,
22 after the subdivision approved and the
23 map is filed, and potentially a lot is
24 sold.
25 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: It ' s
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 46
1 long process .
2 DOUG ADAMS : Yeah . I mean this
3 process is just to the lines on the map
4 and put any, you know, we have a buffer
5 proposed. That ' s a several -- you know
6 that takes in all of these steep slopes
7 that you mentioned out of the picture
8 for where anything any development
9 could happen .
10 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
11 you .
12 JOHN MEDFORD : Thank you .
13 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
14 you . Anyone else?
15 JESSICA MICHAELIS : John?
16 JOHN MARA: Yes, hi . This is John
17 Mara . I 'm a lawyer and a certified
18 stormwater inspector . I previously
19 worked as a stormwater inspector, and
20 I ' ve lived in the area for over 20
21 years . My family owns property in the
22 area . I ' ve kayaked Long Creek for over
23 20 years and gone to Long Island Sound
24 many times . This is a very unique,
25 beautiful waterway . I 'm here because
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 47
1 I 'm concerned that this -- that this
2 subdivision is at odds with the Town ' s
3 Comprehensive Plan and also Chapter 240
4 regarding the subdivision of land .
5 Namely Section 4 and Subsection ' s A
6 through J. The language, as you know,
7 is very strong . Regarding the must
8 language, I see a major conflict that
9 is at odds with the strong commitment
10 to the preservation of the waterway, of
11 the preservation of the ecological
12 function, of the creeks , of the, you
13 know, of the estuary resources . So I
14 see major issue with the potential
15 subdivision . Specifically, I 'm
16 concerned with land disturbing
17 activities in this sensitive and highly
18 unique environment . According to the
19 Southold Town, we have estuary
20 resources of natural significance .
21 That ' s on Page 161 of the Comprehensive
22 Plan, also listing the Objective 5 . 3,
23 with the objective to restore tidal and
24 freshwater wetlands . As we know
25 development will cause land disturbing
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 48
1 activities , erosion, which will cause
2 sediment, which will clog and harm
3 wetlands . So that ' s something that we
4 need to be concerned with. And by land
5 disturbance, I mean digging, clearing,
6 grading, building, laying utility
7 lines , causing erosion and
8 sedimentation . As I stated, I believe
9 sediment is the number one pollutant in
10 surface water pollution . It damages
11 wetlands and water quality. So I see
12 this as being a major negative in the
13 community because this is a very kind
14 of fragile, unique area with the steep
15 slope . As I ' ve kayaked, I ' ve seen this
16 area . It ' s , you know, there ' s steep
17 slope and there ' s a proximity to this
18 waterway and the wetlands . There ' s a
19 lot of nesting habitat and it ' s already
20 a very overburdened area, with a lot of
21 different stakeholders in the area .
i
22 There ' s a marina there . There ' s a lot
23 of stuff going on . There ' s a lot of
24 residents . So this -- kind of an over
25 taxed and over burden impacted waterway
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 49
1 as it is , and I ' ve seen the water
2 quality decrease over the years . And
3 it ' s somewhat on life support and
4 putting this there is only going to add
5 to the detriment . So I see a very
6 unique waterway that has been used for
7 fishing, used for recreation, even bird
8 hunting . Even duck hunting . So I see
9 it as a very important and historic
10 place, with its history and also its
11 access to the sound. So again, with
12 regards to the law, I see this as a
13 major issue with the Comprehensive
14 Plan. Specifically with regard to
15 preserving the rural and natural
16 character . And, you know, the cultural
17 heritage . And under 240 . So that ' s
18 all I have to say about that . Thank
19 you . I also have another resident here
20 on Zoom, if he ' s able to speak. I
21 yield back . Thank you .
22 DR. JOHN MARA: Hello?
23 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
24 you .
25 DR. JOHN MARA: Yeah, I 'm --
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 50
1 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Just state
2 your name .
3 DR. JOHN MARA: I 'm Dr . John Mara,
4 I 'm a cardiologist and I ' ve lived on
5 Long Creek for 21 years . And I want to
6 continue living there until I 'm old and
7 gray . I wanted to say thanks for
8 allowing me this opinion . I really
9 respect the rights of the land owner .
10 And I 'm not always . against subdividing
11 properties, particularly if they ' re on
12 flat land. But I really think this
13 subdivision will diminish the land ' s
14 ecological value . And it will
15 negatively affect the waterway by the
16 construction of the property ' s needs,
17 which will be utility lines , sewer
18 lines , electrical power lines, septic
19 systems , and use of heavy equipment .
20 And most importantly, tree removal,
21 which will lead to a lot of sediment
22 polluting Long Creek, which as we know
23 drains right into Long Island Sound .
24 As I kayak the waterway, I see that
25 it ' s struggling over the years with
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 51
1 algae and pollution from the
2 development in this area, and it ' s
3 really slipping into a really negative
4 waterway with pollution . So my concern
5 is really the loss of character and
6 integrity of the North Fork due to this
7 erosion and deposition of sediment, and
8 I call it a land disturbance . Finally,
9 I looked at the Town of Southold
10 Comprehensive Plan document and I
11 looked at the Zoning Laws and I believe
12 this product is in absolute violation
13 of the general requirements . The Town
14 needs to self-police its own law, and
15 respect the laws to be consistent . For
16 example, J, the Town must protect and
17 preserve the ecological function of
18 creeks, Long Island Sound, and all
19 tributaries to them. H, the Town must
20 preserve and protect natural resources
21 and lakes , tidal waters, and wetlands .
22 D, the Town must demonstrate character
23 that is not a menace to neighboring
24 properties , and this , to me, is an
25 absolute menace . B, the Town must
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 52
1 achieve desirable relationship to
2 general land forms , and its aesthetic
3 character to natural drainage . So I
4 think these Zoning Laws must be
5 respected. Finally, this is state
6 land, and it ' s said to be the most
7 valuable resource in New York State .
8 So preservation and protection of this
9 coastal wetland is so important . Let
10 me just say a few years ago, one of
11 your trustees called me to ask me if
12 they could use my property on Long
13 Creek to access to the creek to go duck
14 hunting . This was a few years ago and
15 I allowed that . I grew up in Upstate
16 New York and did some hunting, and I ' d
17 like to preserve this kind of thing for
18 the future users . And can you imagine
19 if more properties are subdivided and
20 there ' s more houses, how can anyone be
21 using that state land for any kind of
22 hunting at all? So thanks again for
23 allowing me this opinion . And it is an
24 absolute negative for the creek and its
25 tributary to Long Island Sound .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 53
1 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
2 you for your comments . Anyone else?
3 DOUG ADAMS : Hi . Doug Adams,
4 again . I ' ll just say this about the
5 future development of a Lot 2 , which it
6 would be the lot that would be
7 considered, you know the closest to the
8 creek. So by this plan we would be
9 placing the seaward building envelope
10 of the lot -- for the lot over 300 feet
11 away from the creek . It also keeps it
12 out of any steep slope . So if you ' re
13 looking at this property, all the steep
14 slopes are basically seaward of the
15 line on the map that we ' re agreeing to
16 have a buffer . And so, also Chapter
17 236 of the Town of Southold Code
18 requires that we do a Storm Water
19 Management Control Plan at the time a
20 building permit is applied for . Not
21 now . But at the time, and that
22 includes things like that you see on
23 normal erosion sediment, control plans
24 of which we design and have designed
25 for years that protect basically from
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 54
1 construction activity, so then things
2 like that leaving the construction
3 area . So I think all those things
4 considered, leave it that the Town is
5 considering all those things when they
6 think about approving this application.
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
8 you . Anyone else? You have somebody
9 else on Zoom?
10 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Go ahead
11 Mr . Shashnik .
12 MR. SHASHNIK: Hello?
13 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Mr . And Mrs .
14 Shashnik, would you like to address the
15 Board?
16 MR. SHASHNIK : Yes , yes . Can you
17 hear me?
18 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Yes .
19 MR. SHASHNIK : Okay . Thank you so
20 much. I would like to first concur
21 that -- as an attorney, I also have to
22 agree with the Attorney Mara, that it
23 seems that this subdivision is in
24 violation of Southold ' s Town
25 Comprehensive Plan, specifically in
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 55
1 violation of Chapter 10 ; Land
2 Preservation, with its goals and
3 objectives that it favors preservation
4 of open space . To continue to preserve
5 lands with high quality natural
6 resources, including wetlands ,
7 watersheds, shoreline, significant
8 trees and woodland and wildlife
9 -habitat . Having lived here for over 30
10 years, the area specifically has the
11 woodland and the wildlife habitat that
12 would be specifically endangered in
13 violation of the subdivision . Also,
14 the character of subdivision, the way
15 it ' s proposed, it ' s likely that there
16 may be some -- it would be inconsistent
17 with the character of the adjacent
18 properties . It might down the road, I
19 understand it ' s a subdivision on this
20 point, but it might cause some private
21 nuisance and the violation of -- in
22 terms of the buffering, you know, with
23 -- when they take out the woods with
24 the building what they would be doing,
25 it might definitely cause some nuisance
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 56
1 to -the adjacent landowners . So there ' s
2 also concern that during construction
3 of the future down the road, that there
4 may be some potential, you know, to get
5 in and out, if you decline the usage on
6 Maple Lane . You know, there may be
7 some easement that they may choose to
8 drive over some of part of the
9 properties to resort out driving out
10 from Maple Lane . So I was also
11 wondering if it might be preferable to
12 perhaps move the proposed right-of-way
13 to the other side of the property . To
14 minimize the nuisance and basically to
15 minimize the -- and any type of threats
16 that quite adjacent landowners . Thank
17 you .
18 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
19 you for your comments . Anyone else?
20 Do you have- anybody else?
21 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Mr . Noll?
22 BRIAN NOLL : Yes, how are you? So
23 I 'm a resident of Maple Lane, and I
24 don ' t know if anybody has been on the
25 road before, but it ' s in pretty bad
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 57
1 shape . It ' s a very narrow road . So
2 all the residents on the street, we ' ve
3 pretty much spoken together or
4 communicated, via e-mails or texts .
5 And we have concerns that gonna be
6 using as an egress . So, I , you know
7 some of my neighbors have written
8 letters . And, you know, willing, I
9 will do so as well . But if possibly,
10 you know, I believe having the
11 right-of-way on the other side of the
12 property is probably a, you know, a
13 good choice for us . Thank you .
14 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Thank you .
r
15 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Anyone
16 else? Anybody else, Jess?
17 (No Response) .
18 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: All
19 right . Then I move we close this
20 hearing to Evans Standard
21 Subdivision .
22 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Motion
23 made by Mia .
24 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR: Second .
25 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Second
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 58
1 by Martin .
2 Any discussion?
3 (No Response) .
4 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : All in
5 favor?
6 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: Aye .
7 MEMBER PIERCE RAFFERTY : Aye .
8 MEM,BER MARTIN SIDOR: Aye .
9 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Aye .
10 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Aye .
11 All right . Hearing is closed.
12 **************** **********************
13 SUMMIT RIDGE ENERGY COMMERCIAL SOLAR
14 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Last
15 hearing for the evening is Summit Ridge
16 Energy Commercial Solar . This proposed
17 site plan is to construct a commercial
18 scale 3-megawatt solar energy facility
19 consisting of 7 , 900 solar panels, 2
20 inverters and 2 transformers on 20 plus
21 or minus acres . Located in the cap of
22 the Southold Town landfill and adjacent
23 to the Southold Town Transfer Station
24 in the Light Industrial District,
25 Cutchogue, with a Suffolk County Tax
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 59
1 Map #1000-96 . -1-17 . 5 . And for the
2 record, we will keep this hearing open
3 to get a couple of more referrals at
4 the request of the Town Recycling
5 Division, wishing to speak -- and the
6 Town Engineer .
7 JEREMY KARPF: Good evening . My
8 name is Jeremy Karpf . I 'm here
9 representing Summit Ridge Energy, the
10 developer for the project . I 'm also
11 joined on Zoom by two colleagues , Laura
12 Lefebvre and Steve Meersma from our
13 consultant TRC . Summer Ridge Energy
14 was founded in 2017 . And is one of the
15 largest owner and operators of
16 commercial solar assets in the US,
17 having developed and owned more than
18 600 megawatts and is a market leader in
19 several states . And has mobilized more
20 than $5 billion in project capital .
21 First, I want to go through sort of the
22 timeline and life of the project . This
23 project went out to RFP in the Spring
24 of 2020 . Summit Ridge then presented
25 to the Board, and in August 2020 was
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 60
1 awarded the project . And we executed
2 our initial ground lease in January of
3 2021, at which time, we filed for
4 interconnection and received our CSER
5 study back from the utility, with a
6 cost of around $500, 000, which was then
7 paid. Development on t-he project
8 stopped and started, but gained
9 momentum in 2024 . And TRC along with
10 Summit Ridge held a pre-submission
11 conference on June 27 , 2024 , where my
12 colleagues met with Planning, Zoning,
13 and Engineering staff . Our application
14 went in January, and it was made a Type
15 2 SEQRA. As you said about the project
16 itself, it is proposed to be a 4 . 6
17 megawatt DC 3 , just over 3 megawatt AC
18 project, that would be ballasted on top
19 of the cap landfill . It would consist
20 of a split array on, either side of the
21 existing access .drive . And each array
22 would be surrounded by a fence with
23 locked gate . There were no wetlands
24 identified on the site, and no tree
25 clearing would be required .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 61
1 Additionally, the U . S . Fish and
2 Wildlife Service determined that there
3 was unlikely to be take of the Northern
4 Long Ear Bat, and a determination of no
5 effect on the piping plover or Rufa Red
6 Knot . The inverters and transformers
7 for the project, which would be the
8 only thing that makes noise, are
9 located between 250 and 300 feet from
10 the fence line, with the closest
11 residential location about 500 feet
12 away from the proposed equipment, and
13 around 850 feet from the First Baptist
14 Church . Therefore, the project should
15 not cause any noticeable noise to any
16 resident in the area . A visual
17 assessment was completed by TRC, and a
18 photo log is included in our Exhibit 0 .
19 This project fits New York State ' s
20 Climate Smart Communities, or fits
21 Southold ' s Climate Smart Communities
22 Pledge, and would further Southold ' s
23 reputation as a clean energy community.
24 And it also fits within New York State
25 70o renewable by 2030 . Zero emission,
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 62
1 electricity sector by 2040 and 850
2 reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
3 by 2050 goals . And I ' d be happy to
4 answer any questions regarding the
5 project .
6 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
7 you . You wrote your name down?
8 JEREMY KARPF: Yes, I did.
9 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
10 you . Anyone else?
11 BARBARA TAYLOR: My name is
12 Barbara Taylor . I live at 21755 North
13 Road, Cutchogue . And I ' ve been there
14 since 1984 . I ' ve been out here since
15 1972 . And the Town of Southold is a
16 beautiful area . And I 'm just concerned
17 that history may repeat itself . In
18 1929, when there was that hurricane,
19 and they had nowhere else to put the
20 landfill, they put it in the back of
21 us . And we ' ve lived with it for
22 several years . Now, we ' re talking
23 about solar panels . Southold Town is
24 quite big . You mean to tell me they
25 can ' t find anywhere else to put these
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 63
1 solar panels except for in our
2 backyard? I don ' t think so . And
3 furthermore, I 'm concerned about what
4 hazards it would cause the two
5 inverters and the two transformers .
6 I 'm concerned about penetrating the
7 cap . We don ' t want to be like the Town
8 of Brookhaven . And how will this
9 benefit the Town of Southold? And I do
10 believe that ' s all that I have to say .
11 I am against it, and I ' d like it noted .
12 Thank you .
13 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
14 you very much . Anyone else? Yes .
15 JEREMY KARPF: Jeremy Ka'rpf again .
16 I just wanted to quickly address those
17 concerns . The choice to put it on the
18 landfill is because it is a cap
19 landfill, which is a brown field and
20 cannot be further developed. And so we
21 look at it as a unique and beneficial
22 secondary use for otherwise vacant land
23 that cannot be developed . When it
24 comes to the inverters or transformers ,
25 both would be located on a concrete
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 64
1 pad, and would have all required
2 mitigations to ensure that there was no
3 discharge . And the fact that the
4 project would be located on top of
5 concrete ballasts, Summit Ridge and our
6 partners have extensive experience
7 developing on top of landfills . And so
8 we can say that there would be no
9 penetration of the cap . And yeah --
10 thank you very much .
11 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: A
12 follow-up question for this topic .
13 Would there be any noises or sounds
14 that would impact the local
15 neighborhood?
16 JEREMY KARPF: No . Let me --
17 Jeremy' Karpf again . No, let me just
18 get my note . No, the noise producing
19 elements would be the inverters and
20 transformers . And based on the
21 submitted plans , those would be located
22 between 250 and 300 feet from the fence
23 line, with the closest residential
24 structure, about 500 feet away. And
25 so, no, there would be no noise to any
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 65
1 neighbor .
2 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK : Thank
3 you .
4 BARBARA TAYLOR: I ' d just like to
5 Town Board members to maybe take a trip
6 down to Edward Avenue in Riverhead and
7 see what those solar panels look like .
8 And would you want that in your
9 backyard?
10 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: So I ' ll
11 clarify my question . What are the
12 decibel levels that will be heard?
13 JEREMY KARPF: I can get you those
14 exact numbers . My recollection of it
15 would be 100 feet away was 30 or 40
16 decibels , and we ' re talking 500 plus
17 feet to the nearest residential
18 structure .
19 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: Thank
20 you .,
21 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Anyone
22 else?
23 JESSICA MICHAELIS : I have someone
24 on Zoom. Alex O ' Mara?
25 ALEX O ' MARA: I 'm Alex O ' Mara, a
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 66
1 member of Friends of Oregon Road. Our
2 mission is to protect Oregon Road from
3 threats of overdevelopment . And we
4 originally coalesced in opposition to
5 the proposed BESS on Oregon Road.
6 Today we ' re talking about the solar
7 farm, but there ' s a connection to the
8 BESS here that shouldn ' t be overlooked.
9 In theory, the solar farm seems
10 innocuous and a positive move towards
11 green energy, but our concern is that
12 it ' s a Trojan horse . What I mean by
13 this is that the developer ' s original
14 bid for this proposal included a BESS,
15 but the BESS was later removed from the
16 plans,. So the question is , where will
17 the solar energy be stored? Do we have
18 assurance that the energy will be fed
19 directly into the grid? There ' s a
20 cle,ar risk that this developer of the
21 solar farm or another developer,
22 Whether it ' s KCE who proposes to build
23 the BESS or another developer will use
24 the solar farm as the principal
25 justification for why a BESS on Oregon
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 67
1 Road makes sense . Then Oregon Road
2 will be plagued by a BESS and likely a
3 substation as well . If anything, since
4 the original BESS moratorium hearings
5 nearly two years ago, we ' ve learned
6 much more about the dangers of BESS
7 technology . Although as an aside, I
8 think it ' s important to note that the
9 Town ' s BESS Task Force did not
10 adequately explore those risks . Since
11 most of the experts they consulted with
12 were actually paid by the BESS
13 industry. So I asked this Board for an
14 express assurance that this solar farm
15 won ' t serve as the reason down the road
16 for why we have to have a BESS on
17 Oregon Road . Thank you.
18 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Thank
19 you for your comments .
20 JEREMY KARPF: Jeremy Karpf again
21 for the developer . She is right that
22 the initial proposal included a battery
23 storage system, which was ultimately
24 removed . The intention of it was to
25 partake in the New York State energy
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 68
1 incentive programs , but after further
2 . conversations with the Town, the choice
3 was made to remove it with no intention
4 to put it back . As for where the
5 energy is going, the energy will not be
6 stored, no battery system. But it will
7 be fed directly to the LIPA grid. And
8 the first homes that would be powered
9 by it, all electrons are created equal .
10 And so it ' s basically the closest . And
11 so the neighbors to the project would
12 be the ones who in theory would be
13 receiving the electricity from the
14 project . But it ' s not exactly a
15 one-to-one, but 100% of the energy
16 would be put onto the grid for use
17 within LIPA.
18 JOHN KONGOLETOS : Hi, I 'm John
19 Kongoletos, BESS Task Force Chair .
20 I ' ll add a note to the audience .
21 Any -- as of late 2024 , there were no
22 comments that were submitted on the
23 BESS Task Force Draft . Please submit
24 any comments either in regards to the
25 content or in the process , as that --
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 69
1 the actions that the Town Board will be
2 taking on that draft during this
3 calendar year . And I don ' t want to
4 wait the last minute to have those
5 comments included in the
6 recommendations . Thank you .
7 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Could
8 you make that more clear? You ' re
9 saying you represent BESS and you ' re
10 trying --
11 JOHN KONGOLETOS : No, I do not
12 represent BESS . I was the Chair of the
13 Task Force convened for producing the
14 draft recommendations .
15 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : I 'm
16 sorry I didn ' t hear you well .
17 JOHN KONGOLETOS : That ' s quite a
18 right .
19 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : I ' d just
20 like to put one comment on the record
21 that I ' d like )to have a lot more
22 information about the actual cap that
23 is on the dump . And the possible -- I
24 mean is there any history of replacing
25 them or when it gets replaced or if it
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 70
1 ever gets replaced, does it break down
2 like any other types of tarp or
3 plastics? I 'm not sure what the
4 materials made of, but I would like to
5 for the record have that information
6 given to us .
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Okay .
8 Something we can certainly request .
9 Anyone else?
10 BARBARA TAYLOR: I am just
11 concerned if the solar company comes
12 in, what else will come in?, You know,
13 McDonald ' s came in, nothing else came
14 in, but I 'm concerned about if the
15 solar company comes in, what else will
16 follow, as far as the business .
17 NICK KRUPSKI : Good evening,
18 Board. It ' s nice to be on this side of
19 the dais . Nick Krupski, Southold Town
20 Solid Waste Coordinator . Thank you for
21 holding the hearing back. Mike Collins
22 and I just got the referral today. So
23 I won ' t say too much tonight into the
24 record for now, but I mean, if
25 ultimately generation of clean energy
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 71
1 is a good thing . My main concern with
2 as the site manager there is preserving
3 - that cap . So that ' s something we
4 should, you know, dig into the data on .
5 So, thank you very much .
6 JESSICA MICHAELIS : There ' s --
7 there ' s someone else on Zoom. Alex
8 O ' Mara, I think you addressed the Board
9 already, but if you ' d like to add
10 another comment?
11 ALEX O ' MARA: Yeah, `it ' s a
12 question . And I ' d like to hear from
13 Summit why they pulled their plan for
14 the BESS from these new -- from the new
15 proposal?
16 JESSICA MICHAELIS : So -- I mean,
17 that ' s up to the Chairman --
18 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : If he
19 looked at that, why the some - why the
20 BE,SS was pulled from the ' plan?
21 ALEX O ' MARA: Correct .
22 JEREMY KARPF: Jeremy Karpf again .
23 I mean due to the moratorium and
24 conversations with the Southold
25 administration; the choice was made . to
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 72
1 move away from that . The reason it' wa"s
2 included to begin with was to
3 participate in the New York State
4 Program, but we would more than happily
5 forgo that in order to build this
6 project .
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : So we
8 will look for some more information on
9 the cap as Don requested . It ' s
10 longevity. It ' s life expectancy or how
11 it ' s made . I guess those are really
12 the questions .
13 JESSICA MICHAELIS : I have another
14 person on Zoom.
15 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Okay .
16 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Linda
17 Dambassis?
18 LINDA DAMBASSIS : Yes . Yes . Hi .
19 JESSICA MICHAELIS : I think you
20 must have two Zooms going . Can you
21 turn one of them off?
22 LINDA DAMBASSIS : Yes .
23 JESSICA MICHAELIS : So there ' s not
24 an echo .
25 LINDA DAMBASSIS : I 'm going to
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 73
1 turn one off . Yes . Thank you . Just to
2 follow up on what the lady -- the first
3 lady who spoke is, are there any other
4 places where something so huge, so
5 dramatic, can be put in? This is a
6 very -- I know it ' s Light Industrial
7 Zoned, but it is still a rural area
8 with many, many, many homes in this
9 area . Did you look at other options
10 and why did you choose this?
11 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : You want
12 to answer that?
13 JEREMY KARPF : We responded to an
14 RFP issued by the Town of Southold to
15 do a solar development on top of the
16 capped landfill . That ' s how the site
17 was chosen and Summit Ridge was the•
18 proposal that was accepted to do that
19 development .
20 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : S6 you
21 responded to a request by the Southold
22 Town Board?
23 JEREMY KARPF: Yes, sir . That ' s
24 my understanding . It predates my
25 joining .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 74
1 BARBARA TAYLOR: I was wondering
2 why the Town of Southold would request
3 that?
4 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : That ' s a
5 question for the Town Board.
6 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : That ' s
7 exactly right . We ' re appointed board .
8 We can ' t answer for them. And I 'm not
9 sure which Town Board or how long ago
10 the request was put out . That ' s fine .
11 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: Anyone
12 else?
13 STEVE AMIAGA: My name is Steve
14 Amiaga . I live on Cox Lane about half
15 a mile away from this proposed
16 location . I have ' two questions
17 regarding the design of the project .
18 One would be on the solar panels . And
19 on my house when -- when we have more
20 snow than we ' ve had in the last two
21 years , which is none the solar
22 generation goes to zero . Until that
23 snow is removed either by the Sun or
24 warming temperature . That ' s the one
25 thing . Is there ' s something in this
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 75
1 plan to remove snow? And my experience
2 -- experience in working in other solar
3 projects is that mostly when they get
4 covered by snow, they don ' t generate
5 power . The other question is not so
6 much about the Piping Plovers , but the
7 seagulls in this particular piece of
8 property are a lot . And I wonder if
9 what ' s left when the seagulls go away
10 will reduce the output of these solar
11 panels . And on my home installed solar
12 panels, we ' re not supposed to clean
13 them. But maybe there ' s a plan to
14 clean these, but there ' s a lot more
15 seagulls at that location than there
16 are at my house . So I would urge us to
17 perhaps get some commentary on how
18 those 'two things would be addressed?
19 JEREMY KARPF: I guess I ' ll
20 start -- this is Jeremy Karpf again for
21 Summit Ridge . I guess I ' ll start with
22 the Seagulls . I mean, there ' s a
23 operation and maintenance plan that ' s
24 submitted, that would include, I
25 believe, quarterly visits to inspect
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 76
1 the arrays, at which time, it ' s
2 possible that -- there could be future
3 proposed cleaning of them. But at this
4 time, I do not believe that that is the
5 plan . Possibly bringing water to hose
6 them down would probably be the extent
7 of it . If at all . When it comes to
8 the snow, he ' s absolutely correct .
9 During the winter when snows knows
10 covering the panels, it is not able to
11 generate . That ' s built into the model
12 as to the total expected output for the
13 project . And I guess the only other
14 point I would make would be the angle
15 of the panels on a project like this is
16 typically different than what one would
17 have on their home . I believe these
18 are 35 degree slope . And so as soon as
19 it begins to thaw, it does tend to
20 slide of-f . Whereas on a roof, it can
21 be a bit of a shallower grade . And
22 therefore doesn ' t come off as easily,
23 but yes , when covered in snow, they
24 would not be producing energy .
25 LAVERNE TAYLOR: Laverne Taylor,
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 77
1 21775 County Road 48 . I have a
2 question for them. Did you find any
3 environmental problems when you were
4 researching all this to put it where
5 you ' re going to put this solar panel?
6 Did you come up with anything, like
7 pros and cons?
8 JEREMY KARPF: Jeremy Karpf again .
9 If Laura or Steve, who have been
10 working on the project longer than
11 myself might be able to provide further
12 context .
13 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Steve is on .
14 Do you want him to answer that
15 question?
16 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : If he
17 can, sure .
18 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Oh Laura .
19 Steve- and Laura .
20 STEVE MEERSMA: Hi, this is Steve
21 Meersma, with TRC Engineers . As Jeremy
r
22 mentioned, I ' ve been involved in the
23 project for some time as a professional
24 engineer . And I can speak to two
25 issues that came up . One, the landfill
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 78
1 cap and its integrity . The landfill
2 went through a very rigorous process
3 with New York State Department of
4 Environmental Conservation, review of
5 plans and engineering documents around
6 the closure of the landfill, as well
7 as , its ongoing operations and
8 maintenance . There was a professional
9 engineer oversight and certification of
10 the closure many years ago in 1998 , I
11 believe . The landfill is quite stable .
12 And we ' ve done a little bit of
13 investigation too . For instance,
14 document the cap thickness over the
15 landfill to support our design work .
16 The cap, for instance," starting at the
17 -- this -- the cap is 6 inches of
18 topsoil, 12 inches of what ' s called
19 barrier protection layer, dirt . Below
20 that is a geo-synthetic layer for
21 drainage that ' s connected to a
22 geo-textile or a fabric . And then the
23 key element of the cap is beneath those
24 layers . So about 18 inches below the
25 surface is a textured 60 mil high
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 79
1 density polyethylene geo-membrane .
2 That is, you know, very, very, you
3 know, quite, quite thick. You know, if
4 you were to hold it, you know, it ' s a
5 strong plastic material . And beneath
6 that is a 12 inch layer of sand for
7 venting of any gases in the landfill .
8 So it ' s a very strong, significant
9 cover system. The goal is, as Jeremy
10 said, during construction, to not
11 damage the integrity of the cap system,
12 especially the geo-membrane number one
13 priority. In order to accomplish that,
14 there ' s several things that will occur .
15 One is the use of lightweight
16 equipment . You know, large trucks will
17 not be allowed to be on the landfill .
18 And so loads will be kept at a minimum.
19 As Jeremy said, the panels themselves
20 will be supported on concrete or stone
21 ballast, heavy material to hold down
22 the panels from wind, etcetera, and
23 support the racking that will in turn
24 support the panels . In addition, so --
25 we do very detailed geo-technical
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 80
1 calculations . We ' ve had a meeting back
2 in 2023 with New York State DEC,
3 specifically the Division of Materials
4 Management . They regulate and oversee
5 the landfill through this closure phase
6 or, you know, post closure phase .
7 We ' re required to submit a detailed
8 engineering report with Construction .
9 Essentially construction ready plans,
10 detailed calculations, copy of the
11 lease agreement, you know, several
12 other matters . This is all in
13 accordance with DEC ' s requirements .
14 And no work can occur at the site as
15 far as construction goes without first
16 getting New York State DEC ' s approval .
17 And then providing them advance notice
18 at the, you know, in it, as the
19 construction is going to begin. So
20 again, there ' s knowing every intent to
21 not damage the cap and preserve it .
22 It ' s intended -- as it ' s buried and not
23 exposed to the elements , especially
24 sun, the cap is , you know, very
25 long-lasting . You know, if it ' s 30
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 81
1 years old now, it ' ll be there in
2 probably the same condition more or
3 less 30 more years . So, that ' s what I
4 had to say on that issue . Thank you.
5 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Can I
6 make a comment?
7 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Yes ,
8 please . Go ahead.
9 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Yes, I 'm
10 gonna make a couple of comments . And
11 this is gonna be part of the record.
12 So they get answered on our end too .
13 First of all, I know the last
14 administration with the Green New Deal,
15 there was a lot of money subsidized to
16 put all these solar panels in not only
17 on homes, but in projects just like
18 this . I guess my question is , can you
19 give us an address where another one is
20 built on a capped landfill? You don ' t
21 have to answer this now, but this is
22 the information I would like to see .
23 And the second thing is , which concerns
24 me just not for this , for all of them,
25 the longevity of the panels themselves .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 82
1 And when they do break down a fall
2 apart, who discards them and where do
3 they go? I know there ' s tons of
4 companies that are in solar now, but
5 quite honestly, my feeling is that the
6 government subsidy is running out . So
7 I just wonder if a lot of these
8 companies are gonna be around . If
9 these fail, and I 'm hoping the Town
10 Board will take that into consideration
11 of getting any costs for disassembling
12 these if something does go bad or
13 wrong . So nobody has to answer those
14 questions, but for the record .
15 JEREMY KARPF : Jeremy Karpf for
16 the developer . We will -- we would be
17 and I believe may already have
18 submitted a decommissioning plan and
19 would expect to put a decommissioning
20 bond down for exactly that . The
21 ultimate removal of the array, and all
22 of its equipment and elements . Your
23 first -- could you remind me of the
24 first piece?
25 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : It ' s ,
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 83
1 it ' s -- it ' s fine . You don ' t need to
2 answer . We ' re going to -- we ' ll get
3 all those answers in writing to you .
4 It ' s getting late . I can ' t remember
5 what I just said.
6 JESSICA MICHAELIS : We have two
7 people on Zoom. Okay. Kevin --
8 KEVIN O ' MARA: Yes , I 'm here .
9 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Just state
10 your name for the record, please?
11 KEVIN O ' MARA: Sure . Kevin O ' Mara
12 also with Friends of Oregon Road . I
13 actually have three questions . One is
14 related to what happens and who ' s
15 responsible if the cap is pierced or
16 damaged in some way? Is the Town
17 liable and if the panels all need to be
18 removed for the cost of that?
19 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Okay .
20 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : No, I
21 think that ' s a question that we can --
22 Well, some questions are not
23 necessarily going to be answered here .
24 You ask them and then they go into the
25 record and we will solicit answers to
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 84
1 them.
2 KEVIN O ' MARA: Okay, that ' s fine .
3 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : I mean,
4 your questions are good. I also have a
5 question about frost line . I mean, 18
6 inches doesn ' t seem to me to be, maybe
7 deep enough, but it doesn ' t seem to me
8 to be where we go with Building Code
9 frost line . So anyway, continue your
10 questions, please .
11 KEVIN O ' MARA: Okay . Just as an
12 aside, I mean, a lot was made of a 60
13 mil layer -- but I mean, I think all of
14 us have seen 10 mil contractors bags .
15 So if you imagine the layers, the
16 thickness of 6 contractor bags, that
17 really isn ' t that much if it ' s a 60 mil
18 layer . Secondly, the gentleman from
19 Summit mentioned that there were
20 discussions with the Town at the time
21 that the BESS was dropped. Can you
22 confirm whether KCE was part of any of
23 those discussions?
24 JEREMY KARPF: That was prior to
25 my involvement on the project . So I am
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 85
1 not certain of who was or was not
2 involved in those discussions .
3 KEVIN O ' MARA: Okay . Okay . Just
4 do you know who the discussions were
5 with? Was it with the Town? I mean
6 was it with the Town Board or the
7 Supervisor?
8 JEREMY KARPF: Again, I -- Jeremy
9 Karpf, I was not yet involved in the
10 project for those discussions . As I am
11 aware, there were discussions and the
12 choice was made to move away from it .
13 Based on a combination of the
14 discussions, the moratorium in general,
15 opposition to energy storage in
16 Southold, which we were happy to do .
17 KEVIN O ' MARA: Right . No, I
18 understand . So I guess if somebody
19 could follow-up on that question . And
20 the third question is, have there been
21 discussions directly between Summit and
22 KCE about using a KCE built BESS for
23 energy storage?
24 JEREMY KARPF: Summit Ridge has
25 developed standalone energy storage in
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 86
1 other places . That is not a firm that
2 we have partnered with on any of them.
3 So I do not believe there would be any
4 partnership in this case either . We
5 have a really strong relationship with
6 HANWA and we have procured multiple
7 batteries through them, and it ' s
I
8 included Tesla, and other battery
9 manufacturers . But KCE, I think you
10 said, is not one of them.
11 KEVIN O 'MARA: Okay . My question
12 was different . And it wasn ' t whether
13 you ' ve approached KCE about batteries .
14 It was have you had discussions between
15 KCE and Summit about using the KCE BESS
16 that has been proposed for energy
17 storage?
18 JEREMY KARPF : No . To my
19 knowledge, there ' s been no discussions
20 between Summit and KCE in any form.
21 KEVIN O 'MARA: And my last
22 question is , has Summit had any
23 discussion with any other battery
24 storage system developers in the event
25 that KCE were to withdraw from the
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 87
1 project on Oregon Road and look to
2 bring another developer in?
3 JEREMY KARPF: Summit Ridge is not
4 involved with that project in any facet
5 and there have been no discussions
6 regarding that project in any form.
7 KEVIN O 'MARA: Okay . I thought
8 you said it predated your time . So I
9 think what you mean to say is while
10 you ' ve been on the job, there have not
11 been discussions, but you don ' t know if
12 some may have proceeded your
13 involvement?
14 JEREMY KARPF: I have the internal
15 information, and there was -- I --
16 there was no connection between or
17 discussion in any form on that project .
18 We became aware of it as we were
19 pursuing --
20 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : I 'm
21 going to, call an end to this line of
22 questioning right now. Thank you . If
23 you have a question about the site
24 plan, sir, get to it . Otherwise, thank
25 you .
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 88
1 JESSICA MICHAELIS : You can
2 address the Board. Just state your
3 name for the record, please? Would you
4 like to address the Board?
5 TOM UHLINGER: Me? '
6 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Yes , just
7 state your full name for the Board?
8 TOM UHLINGER: It ' s Tom Uhlinger .
9 I live on Oregon Road in Cutchogue .
10 And the question T have is the battery
11 storage that ' s proposed, where is the
12 energy going to be stored? And that
13 question hasn ' t been answered. I only
14 came on recently . So if it has been
15 answered, then that ' s fine . I ' ll find
16 out . If not, could you please let me
17 know?
18 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : This is
19 -- this is a review for a Solar system
20 not a battery storage .
21 TOM UHLINGER: Isn ' t that an
'22 integral part of it? Where does the
23 energy go?
24 UNKNOWN SPEAKER: It was asked and
25 answered. Into the grid . It goes
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 89
1 straight , into the grid . It services
2 the local area . Question was asked and
3 answered earlier .
4 TOM UHLINGER : I 'm sorry, I was
5 not on earlier . I do work . Thank you .
6 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: I move
7 we adjourn this application until the
8 next public meeting .
9 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Any
10 second?
11 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR: Yes, second .
12 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Any
13 discussion?
14 (No Response) .
15 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : All in
16 favor for adjournment, keep this
17 hearing open to --
18 JESSICA MICHAELIS : I 'm sorry,
19 Tom, were you finished speaking? You
20 have your hand raised again?
21 TOM UHLINGER : Sorry, it ' s easy to
22 touch the wrong thing . Yes, I 'm done .
23 JESSICA MICHAELIS : Thank you .
24 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Motion
25 for adjournment . So we have a motion
MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 90
1 to -- all in favor to adjourn the
2 meeting, but keep the hearing open to
3 reschedule, I guess next month. So
4 that the referrals can be revised by
5 the Town Engineer and t'he Sanitary
6 people .
7 MEMBER MIA JEALOUS-DANK: Aye .
8 MEMBER PIERCE RAFFERTY : Aye .
9 MEMBER MARTIN SIDOR: Aye .
10 MEMBER DONALD WILCENSKI : Aye .
11 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Aye .
12 Opposed?
13 (No Response) .
14 CHAIRMAN JAMES RICH III : Okay .
15 Meeting adjourned .
16
17 (Whereupon, the Public Hearing
18 Concluded . )
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MARCH 10, 2025 PLANNING BOARD 91
1 C E R T I F I C A T I O N
2
3 I , Jessica DiLallo, a Notary
4 Public for and within the State of New
5 York, do hereby certify:
6 THAT, the within transcript is a
7 true record of said Board Meeting .
8 I further certify that I am not
9 related either by blood or marriage to
10 any of the parties to this action; and
11 that I am in no way interested in the
12 outcome of this matter .
13 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have
14 hereunto set my hand this day,
15 April 3 , 2025 .
16
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18 ( J si DiLallo)
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