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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Supply Management & Watershed Protection 2000 - .4 'z.t*fGik< ;"',..'t\<<' .~"';:_' -*'fI' ',~ :--~.. .:~,:. ~ . . "'... ',.'%".. " :, - _._~'.,/.- ',.. #, \.".... ",' II",)',. ; ..'Be WW PO'.r TOWN OF SOUTH OLD WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT & WATERSHED PROTECTION STRATEGY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION The Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy (WSM & WPS) was prepared to address two issues of considerable significance with respect to the future of the Town of Southold: the protection of the quality and quantity of its groundwater supply for present and future use, and the maintenance of the community's rural/agricultural character. The challenge to developing a successful strategic approach to protect these resources is based on the understanding that in certain respects the pursuit of these objectives may be contradictory, Simply put, the operation of agricultural properties has historically resulted in certain threats to the water supply and quality in the Town of Southold. The strategic approach offered in this document outlines policies and actions that will enhance opportunities for the protection of groundwater resources, while allowing for the continued operation of the Town's agricultural activities. In formulating the proposed watershed protection strategy, the WSM & WPS analyzed the Town's geology and soil characteristics, surface and groundwater resources, land use and development characteristics, and demographic trends. In addition, the analysis included descriptive summaries of prior planning and environmental studies in the Town of Southold, and existing land protection measures. The results of this analytical process yielded numerous findings and opportunities to address a broad range of watershed protection issues The report proposes specific recommendations to address the various issues outlined in the analysis, with the objective of protecting the Town's groundwater and agricultural resources. 1'0\\ Il of Southold W<l(cr Supply' MarutgclIlent & Watershed Protection Straleg\ Executive SUlIllIlar\ ISSUES The preservation of the Town's groundwater resources is critical since the community is dependent on freshwater resources beneath the land as a water supply source for water tor both drinking and irrigation. lr response to this situation, the Town of Southold has implemented many programs 10 protect the watershed and preserve farmland through various comprehensive and master planning etTowi over the past twenty (20) years. Geographically, the primary and most sensitive recharge areas of the watershed are located along the central spine of the Town Based on the environmental significance of this watershed resource, the Long Island Regional Planning Board has designated two areas within the Town's central spine as Special Groundwater Protection Areas (SGP A). The section of the recharge area west of Mattituck Creek is within the North(ast Sector of the Central Suffolk SGP A; the recharge area east of Mattituck Creek is designat,~d as the Southold SGP A. The formulation of the proposed strategies and actions recommended in the WSM & WPS are based on the identifica,ion of key local environmental factors and conditions, and related development activities impacting the subject watershed areas. It is necessary to first understand land development characteristics and trends in the Town of Southold, before assessing potential impacts to environmental resources. Historical development patterns within the Town of Southold have lead to numerous problems relative to the ellVironmental condition of the watershed area For the most part, residential development has occurred in Town along its southern shoreline, with agricultural uses generally located on large interior lots that extend from Route 25 to the north shore of the Town. Currently, residential and agricultural properties comprise relatively the same proportion of the Town's existing land US'l, approximately twenty-nine (29) and thirty-one (3 I) percent, respectively. However, over 15,000 acres, or forty-seven (47) percent of the Town of Southold's estimated 32,250 acres of mainland upland acreage is currently available for development. Residentially zoned land accounts for 14,537.8 acres, or about ninety-seven (97) percent of the land availabb for development in Town. Included in this total are properties that 2 ........ ;'~!'ll.'___ . Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Executive Summary are actively utilized for agriculture, but which could be developed for single-family housing under existing zoning The remaining properties fall within commercial and industrial designations The report indicates that the significant amount of property available for development, along with emerging development pressures, potentially could threaten the existing balance of residential and agricultural properties in the Town. This would have serious implications with respect to the Town's watershed areas and it's agricultural character Residential development trends dating back to the 1960's have resulted in a steady expansion of the Town's housing stock, fueled in particular by the growth of the second or seasonal home market. However, in recent years other factors that are likely to continue into the next decade have contributed to the demand for housing in the Town. Specifically, it is concluded in the WSM & WPS that the scarcity of land available for primary and second homes in towns west of Southold, the expansion of regional employment opportunities, the development of east end tourism attractions and the trend towards smaller household size will result in an increasing demand for housing units in the Town. A key observation with respect to the changing land use dynamics in the Town of Southold is the escalating land prices resulting from the previously discussed demand for residential housing. The increasing cost of land potentially may threaten the economic viability of agricultural properties and result in the loss of farmland for residential development. Farm operations that continue may have to shift their crop production to special niche markets that will allow for higher profitability. This trend may detract from the traditional agricultural scenery and the bucolic setting that has long attracted visitors to the east end, and may lead to land use contlicts between farm owners and the Town's residents. As noted, the Town's land use characteristics and future development trends will have significant impacts on the environmental conditions related to the subject groundwater recharge areas. In particular, the following observations emerged when considering both land development activities and watershed attributes in the Town of Southold: 3 10\\ n of Southold W<-ltCI" Supply M<-lIl<-lgclllcnl & Watershed Protect 1011 Str(jtcg~ E.'\cculi\'c SUIlllIw0 . A significant portion of the open space and related agricultural properties located in the Town of Southold lie along its central spine, within the earlier identified SGP As and the critical aquifer recharge areas The protection measures offered in the proposed watershed strategy are targeted fa]' these central recharge areas with the intended purpose of ensuring the availability of the Town's long term water supply tin residential and agricultural use . The Town contains many areas of environmentally sensitive lands where development activities potentially could have a negative impact on the aquifer recharge areas Development in areas with steep slopes may result in erosion and sedimentation that impacts adjacent ponds and surface water. These freshwater wetlands are of considerable importance relative to watershed protection since they act to store and filter recharge, and are hydraulically connected to the aquifer. In addition, there are areas in the Town which exhibit shallow groundwater that are particularly sensitive to development impacts associated with the installation of sanitary systems. . The primary groundwater quality issue within the associated watershed area results from contamination related to the historical use of pesticides and fertilizers for agricultural purposes. In addition, nitrates associated with the operation of residential sewage disposal systems have also contributed to groundwater contamination. However, the prohibition of the use of pesticides such as aldicarb on the North Fork and dispersal has resulted in a reduction in the concentration found in the groundwater. As a result, it is probable that much of the groundwater on the North Fork will be suitable for consumption without treatment within the next twenty (20) years. . Coastal areas, and othe:c sections of the Town that exhibit a higher intensity of development may be subject to salt water intrusion and upconing, which has the potential to impair water quality as a result of d loride contamination This situation is a result of a thin freshwater lens in these areas coupled with the overpumping of wells. As a result, the availability of potable water in such ar~as limits residential development potential. 4 ".'~"""M'~"_''''~'_~~~''''''''''''_" .""",~",_,.___",,,,__.",,,,.__".....__...,,,,,,_~...,., Town or Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Executive Summar)' The Town of Southold's efforts to preserve and protect open space and agricultural properties over the past twenty years have been moderately successful. Both the Town and Suffolk County operate Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs, which have preserved a total of approximately 2,318 acres since 1974. Therefore, of the current total of 10,232 acres of farmland in the Town of Southold, approximately twenty-four (24) percent are protected from development under municipal PDR programs. In addition, the Town's capacity to acquire land for preservation purposes has been strengthened as a result of the real estate transfer tax funds it will receive via the enactment of the Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation Act of 1998. In compliance with the Act, the Town has prepared a Community Preservation Project Plan (CPPP) to guide future acquisitions ofland for preservation. Further, the Town of S~lUthold has utilized traditional planning techniques such as zoning and cluster subdivision designs, along with its PDR program and private conservation easements to preserve farmland. Through the implementation of a Conservation Opportunities Planning (COP) process, the Town has worked with private interests to proactively use conservation techniques and public funding for land preservation. A summary chart of Town initiatives which benefit open space, rural qualities of the Town and aquifer protection is presented on the following page. The Action Strategies proposed in this document are intended to build upon the Town's existing framework of planning initiatives that have been implemented for watershed protection and land preservation. 5 j'0\\ 11 of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Executive Summary Farm and Farmland Protection Strategy Zonmg Code Implementation nes~n lUll! ~~llltiOIiSb4!.*~WS~WPS_1 Study of farmmg needs in connection with farm 1 commulllty. and efforts to mamtam and protect farm use: strategy targets preservation of prime agncultural land. much of It m the \\ atershed protectIon zone Application of TOV-.'ll 7.onlllg reVIC\\: use of mandatory clustering SEQRA review with-poss;bl~-~equirement of a~l environmental impact statement, mitigation and I measures to protect the environment 1----- ---------f------------ -- ---------- Conservation Opportunitie, Planning Process Cooperative efforts with landowners to achicve State Environmental Quality Review Act Review Community Preservation Project Plan Rezoning Initiatives Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Other Studies, Plans, and Planning Participation balanced development WIth preservation of open space and farmland, meeting the needs ofthe private landowner economIC Identification of target acquisition parcels for a variety of purposes and protection measures including watershed protection. Route 48 study and other zoning review that the Town IS contemplating m order to meet the long-range goals and objectives of the Town in terms of land use. Comprehensive inventory of coastal resources with establishment of policies to achieve state- wide coastal zone management goals; designation of the overall Town as the coastal zone due to the interwoven nature of coastal resources and Town character Scenic By-ways Study; Participation m the Peconic Estuary Program, Public-Private Partnership Strategies; Town Trustees Wetland Protection under Chapter 97. 6 __.___ d I1t Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Executive Summary ACTION STRATEGIES The WSM & WPS proposes a number new initiatives, involving the establishment of new zoning and special district designations, as well as coordinating expansion of services. The following section highlights the action strategies proposed in the document. COORDINATE WITH WATER UTILITY The Suffolk County Water Authority (SCW A) has had an increasing presence on the North Fork, particularly since its purchase of the Greenport Water District in 1997. The Authority recognizes that the expansion of its public water main distribution system will be a major determinate of future development activities in the Town of Southold. This is supported in part by the observation that there are areas throughout the Town subject to salt-water intrusion and up coning, severely limiting the capacity to provide potable water to residential housing in the absence of public water. The potential impact of expanded public water lines to the central area of the Town, which contains a significant percentage of the Town's remaining agricultural and open space properties, creates a number of concerns. Most notable is that much of this agricultural land is within the Town's two SGPAs, and its groundwater recharge area. From an environmental and groundwater protection perspective, it is advisable to limit population density and control growth to the maximum extent possible. This strategy serves the dual purpose of ensuring a sustainable population in the future, and protecting a primary groundwater aquifer recharge area. The Town should seek a commitment from the SCW A to not extend public water lines to such areas, and coordinate future extensions in accordance with its watershed protection objectives. 7 TO\\I1 of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Slr(ltcg~ Executive Summaf\ WATER OUALITY TREATMENIDISTRlCTS State law authorizes towns to create Water Quality Treatment Districts in areas not presently being served by a public water supplier. The districts are empowered to test water quality, install and maintain water treatment systems where necessary, and advise well owners on methods of reducing contamination. It is recognized that areas within the Town's central recharge zonc may currently be impacted by degraded water quality, particularly as a result of ongoing agricultural operations. In order to provide an adequate water supply to existing users within this area, without extending public water and intensifying development, the WSM & WPS recommends that the formulation of Water Quality Treatment Districts be explored The establishment of such 2 district would require a joint effort involving the Town of Southold, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, and the Suffolk County Water Authority The district boundaries and program provisions must be carefully controlled so as to not promote growth in areas of the Town where density limitations and retention of farmland are intended The Watershed Strategy depicts those areas in Town wbere the extension of public water mains is not feasible or practical, and the establishment of a water district may be the appropriate alternative, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAND (CEL) ORDINANCE As part of its watershed protection policy, it is suggested in the WSM & WPS that the Town adopt a Critical Environmental Land (CEL) ordinance that specifically recognizes land within the municipality determined to be environmentally sensitive. The CEL would strengthen the Town's existing development review process by prohibiting development in the following sensitive areas, where construction activities are likely to have a negative impact on the watershed, . Freshwater wetlands and adjacent areas 8 "~'-"-"''''''''.''''~'~-~-_."-__~''_''~'''''''''''''.' ,. ''0 .~~_"....,;.._______,..;.,,~ Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Executive Summary' . Tidal wetland and adjacent areas . Lands with natural slopes in excess of 15 % . Lands with a depth to groundwater of less than 10 feet In order to accomplish this objective, the CEL ordinance should include provisions that remove acreage within an environmentally sensitive area from the density yield for a proposed development. Essentially, these critical environmental lands would not be permitted to contribute toward the minimum lot size of subdivision lots The ordinance would also prohibit alteration of Critical Environmental Lands, in order to assure maximum protection. The CEL ordinance would apply to all lands and all zoning districts within the Town of Southold. The nature and value of these resources are not related to jurisdictional boundaries and warrant maximum preservation by virtue of their occurrence within the Town. WATERSHED PROTECTION ZONES (WPZ's) The WSM & WPS recommends that two Watershed Protection Zones be established within the central area of the Town of Southold, between Mattituck Creek and the hamlet of Southold, and the area west of Mattituck Creek in the vicinity of Laurel Lake. Generally, this recommendation is based on a number of key elements that these areas exhibit which warrant the ~stablishment of this special overlay protection district. In particular, these geographic areas represent large lot holdings, exhibiting contiguous blocks of agricultural properties that contribute significantly to the rural character of the Town. Further, the subject areas are significant recharge areas, lying substantially above the five-foot groundwater contour, and generally coinciding with the SGPA boundaries established within the Town. The legislative intent of the establishment of these protection zones is to heighten public awareness of their critical environmental significance with respect to groundwater and agricultural resources, and to provide a first step for additional planning measures. 9 TOWIl of Southold Watc'i Supply Management & Watershed Protection Stralcg.\ Executive Summary In order to effectively manage the WPZs, the Town needs to reduce development density to maintain the existing landscape to the maximum extent practicahle Therefore, these designated areas should be considere(~ "Restricted Growth Areas" which are regulated by an additional level of development standards and guidelines to achieve the goals and objectives of the proposed Watershed Protection Strategy. Development standards are proposed to include the following measures . Control or reducc development density to limit nitrogen loadlllg, . Eliminate the com;truction of ncw sewage treatment plants in the WPZ's~ . Restrict the storage and use oftoxic and hazardous materials In the WPTs; . Maximize open space and reduce development denSIty near public water supply sources~ . Protect wetlands and adjacent areas, . Provide environmentally compatible stormwater recharge systems~ . Preserve existing,egetation, specimen trees and wooded edges wherever posslble~ . Align contiguous areas of undeveloped open space and farmland through development design~ . Minimize areas established in fertilizer dependent vegetation~ . With the exception of agricultural use, revegetate permanent buffer areas with plantings having a low fertil izer and irrigation dependency; . Identify and prote,;;! species in communities of special concern; . Provide a mechan:lsm for the management of open space and agricultural lands; and . Restrict commercIal and industrial development to protect quality of groundwater recharge and rural characte~, CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION PROGRAM (CSP) A proposal for a Conservati,)n Subdivision Program (CSP) is intended to create a disincentive for landowners to propose traditional developments utilizing cluster or grid style designs within the Water Protection Zones (WJ>Z), and alternatively, redirect their projects within the Town to more desirable locations. The objective of the CPS would be to utilize a variety of public and private 10 '_"_"""'_"^,"M'"".""'._"'__~'''_''''''''''''''_'''__<>''''''''<'..'.>'_.'....._.____""'___~, Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Executive Summary conservation strategies for the preservation of agricultural lands through a voluntary "Conservation Opportunities Planning Process", with the objective of preserving seventy-five (75) to eighty (80) percent of a particular tract of land. Landowners would be encouraged to limit development activities on a subject property and preserve a significant portion of its agricultural component in exchange for public incentives such as, the purchase of development rights, conservation easements, bargain sales or land donations. These conservation strategies are particularly attractive since they leverage public funds, and are therefore cost-effective. The CSP program is targeted to property in the proposed WPZ, zoned either A-C or R-80. These zone designations allow large lot residential developments, and are primarily associated with properties currently in agricultural use. The utilization of the CSP within the proposed WPZ would support the Town's objective of minimizing development and infrastructure throughout this environmentally sensitive area. The proposed CSP offers on-site and off-site development strategies for landowners that are able to preserve seventy-five (75) to eighty (80) percent of their property via the Conservation Opportunities Planning Process for land located in the WPZ. On-site development of the remaining twenty (20) to twenty-five (25) percent may occur based on a yield map that conforms to the underlying R-80/ A-C zoning designation. In addition, the WSM & WPS proposes that landowners have the on-site option of establishing a "Country Inn" facility on the balance of their property. This facility would be permitted to offer overnight accommodations in a residential type structure, utilizing the aesthetic quality and charm associated with the agricultural portion of their property preserved through the CSP. The goal of this proposal is to enhance the economic utilization of the agricultural property to the landowner, in a setting that is harmonious and supportive of its continued farm use. Since the proposed Country Inn facility has a commercial component, it will be necessary to establish appropriate land use standards and controls through the Town's site plan review and SEQRA processes. This would be necessary to ensure that such facilities are in conformance with the Town of Southold's planning goals and objectives established for the WPZ. 11 1'0\\ Il of Southold Watcr Supply' Managcment & Watcrshed ProtectIOn Straleg~ Executive Sum man Off-site development may also be a viable option through cooperative development agreements or non-contiguous clustering. If the off-site development option is selected, an II1crease 111 density on a site outside the WPZ would be permitted under the following guidelines . The off-site locatl ~n IS within the same school distnct . The off-site locati:m IS in the same general \\iatcrshcd area . The off-site 10eatl.Jn IS capable of suSlall1l11g lI1ereased Yield . All developments must conform to Artlele (, ofthc Suffolk County Sanitary Code . If the off-site location is zoned R-40. thc maximum number of umts shall be determll1cd via two yield maps: " 40.000 square foot subdivision map which represents the base density of the parcel, and a 30.000 square foot subdivision map, whicb represents the potentIal increase in units allowable by off-Site development On a zonll1g yield basis. one 80,000 square foot lot within thc Conservation Subdivision, may result in the construction of one single-family unit on an off-site parcel up to the maximum allowable based on the 30.000 square foot yield map, and/or: . If the off-site location is zoned HD, the maximum number of units shall be determined by not more than a twenty (20) percent increase in yield. On a zoning yield basis, one 80,000 square foot lot within the Conservation Subdivision, may result in the construction of two (2) multi- family units, or three (3) retirement units, within the HD parcel on an off-site parcel up the maximum allowable based on the increase of not more than twenty (20) percent of the base density in that district. In the event that a landowner/developer proposes a full yield subdivision of land within a WPZ, without utilizing the Conservation Subdivision Program, it is recommended in the WSM & WPS that such a project be considered a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), This provi:;ion would require the applicant to fully address the environmental concerns associated with the WPZ through the preparation and submission of a Full Environmental Assessment Form Part I. Further, this process would be more likely to result in the preparation of an Envircnmentallmpact Statement for a project that does not utilize the CSP in the WPZ. As a result, the Town of Southold may be able to achieve conformance to its 12 "-"",,,,,,~-,,,,,,,,.,,,~.,,,,,,,,,---,,,,,,,-~",,,,,,,,,,_.,,,",~,,,,,,,'^ Town of Southold Water Supplv Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Executive Summary planning goals and objectives for this environmentally sensitive area via mitigation measures brought forth through a rigorous SEQRA review process. NON-CONTIGUOUS CLUSTERING Non-contiguous clustering is a tool recommended in the WSM & WI'S for utilization in the study area, particularly since its use by private landowners is voluntary and can be facilitated by the Town. Essentially, this process allows a landowner to shift development rights from a site with various features that are environmentally sensitive to a site more conducive to development Sensitive environmental features may include areas with high groundwater, steep slopes or wetlands, or lands within the WPZ or targeted for preservation under the CPPP. The non- contiguous site in which development opportunities are enhanced may be either owned by the subject landowner or purchased. The WSM & WPS identifies the following key parameters that should be considered in the use of non-contiguous clustering. . Seek to redistribute density between lands which are within the same School District; . Seek to redistribute density between lands which are in the same general watershed area; . Increase density only on lands that are capable of sustaining increased yield; . The parcel which receives increased density should be designed in a manner consistent with the Town's current clustering provisions; · All developments must conform to the sanitary control regulations promulgated in Article 6 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code. A landowner/developer may benefit from utilizing the non-contiguous clustering option via a reduction in time necessary to process a development application and the related need for extensive environmental studies, and a reduction in site improvement costs. The WSM & WPS recognizes that this option assists in furthering the planning policies established for the proposed WPZ; however, it is a tool that should be considered in all areas of the Town. 13 Town of Southold Watcr Supply Managemcnt & Watcrshcd Protcctlon Slratcg~ Executive Summary TOWN WETLANDS ORDINANCE The protection of wetlands, and adjacent bufTer areas provides important filtration, retention and recharge functions, as well as habitat and open space Currently, the Town of Southold Trustees are empowered under Chapter 97 of the Town Code to regulate activities within seventy-five (75) feet of the designated wetlands within the municipality. Designated wetlands are generally those regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in accordance with the Enviro:lmental Conservation Law (ECL) Under the ECL, the State DEC is authorized to regulate development activities within one hundred (100) feet of designated wetlands. The WSM & WI'S recommends that the Town amend Chapter 97 of the Town Code to expand its jurisdiction to regulate activities around wetl~nd areas to one-hundred (100) feet. This amendment would re:;ult in a Town wetland regulation consistent with the State's DEC authority, and enhance its capacity to protect these important resources. It is also of note that the State DEC may not map small ponds and wetlands that are of local significance, particularly in light of high groundwater areas in important wetland systems internal to the Town. As a result, such areas are beyond the jurisdictional boundaries of both the State and the Town of Southold. The WSM & WI'S suggests that the Town should explore the legal potential to regulate the small ponds and wetland areas that have not been designated by the State DEe. The Town could utilize its Geographic Information System (GIS) to map these freshwater wetlands and ofter a greater degree of protection to these areas, CREATION OF SUBSTANDARD LOTS There are areas of the TowlI where the pattern of subdivision and development occurred prior to the current zoning and lot :.ize restrictions. The evolution of zoning requirements in the Town ultimately resulted in den:;ity standards that rendered the previously subdivided areas non- conforming in terms of lot size and setback requirements. In recent years, it has been the 14 OJ 1-.. ..~~........",.,,, Town of Soulhold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Executive Summary practice of the Town's Zoning Board of Appeals to allow subdivision of larger lots to create substandard lots which conform to the development pattern of an area. This is accomplished by granting variances for minimum lot size, minimum lot width, and in certain cases where necessary, front, rear and side yard setbacks. The WSM & WI'S recommends that the Town consider the possibility of establishing an open space land preservation fund with fees collected from non-conforming lots that recetve vanances. Each lot that is part of the land division and receives a variance would still be required to stand on its own merits in terms of environmental and community impact. The formula could be based on a cost per square foot relative to the lot size variance issued. The legality of this mitigation fee should be explored, however, the concept may provide a means to offset minor variances and generate funds for future land acquisition. PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION The Town will continue to expand its efforts to increase public awareness and educati~m with regard to the importance of watershed protection and land preservation. The adoption of the WSM & WI'S, along with some of its key recommendations, suclr as the Watershed Protection Zone, will contribute to the efforts to increase the environmental consciousness of the community. The WSM & WI'S recommends that the Town increase public awareness of the importance of significant environmental areas by posting the boundaries of the Watershed Protection Zone. It is further recommended that the Town prepare a small tri-fold brochure providing information on watershed related issues, and distribute it along with other related environmental materials through the mail, or at public locations such as Town Hall. The Town should look to publicize its watershed protection strategies by integrating this program to other locally based . environmental programs, such as the Farm and Farmland Protection Strategy, the Peconic Estuary Program and the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. 15 lown of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed ProtectIOn Stratcg~ Executive Summa~ CLOSING REMARKS The establishment of a successful watershed protection strategy as proposed in the WSM & WI'S will require a commitment on behalf of a broad segment of the Town of Southold community The concept of balancing the need ior watershed protection while maintaining an economically viable agricultural community presents a major challenge to local oilicials, landowners and residents. The WSM & WI'S demonstrates that in some instances watershed protection measures may run contrary to the needs of the agricultural community. For example, farming operations have historically posed a threat to groundwater resources based on past agricultural practices As a result, policies to support their operation must take into account the impact on groundwater resources, Other potential measures to control water supply and quality problems may have unintended consequences. A case in point is the expansion of water mains by the Suffolk County Water Authority to areas that have a limited availability of potable water due to environmental conditions. This expansion'may result in an intensification of residential development that threatens groundwater, and/or additional agricultural land may be lost to housing development. In response to these challenges landowners, developers, residents and local officials must make every effort to work cooperatively with respect to land management. Practical solutions and options are availabl,e that take into consideration the environmental sensitive lands associated with the watersl1ed areas, and the property rights of landowners and farmers, Town officials will be required to take a proactive role with respect to development activities in order for the strategies offered in the WSM & WPS to be successful 4/2000 16 "-'''''-'~'''~'''''';'-''''''''''''''--''''--_._'' Town of Southold Water Supply Management Be Watershed Protection Strategy prepared by: NELSON, POPE It VOORHIS, LLC ENVIRONMENTAL. PLANNING. CONSULTING TOWN OF SOUTHOLD PLANNING BOAROIDEPARTMENT TOWN BOARD JUNE 2000 ... Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy TOWN OF SOUTHOLD WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT & WATERSHED PROTECTION STRATEGY Town of Southold Town Board Supervisor Jean W. Cochran Justice Louisa P. Evans Councilman Craig Richter Councilman Brian G. Murphy Councilman William D. Moore Councilman John M. Romanelli Prepared by: Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, LLC 572 Walt Whitman Road Melville, New York 11747 (631) 427-5665 Contact: Charles J. Voorhis, Managing Partner Town of Southold Planning Board/Department 53095 Main Road Southold, New York 11971 (631) 765-1938 Contact: Valerie Scopaz, Town Planner Chairman: Bennett Orlowski In 1997, Southold Town's Supervisor, Jean W. Cochran, launched a growth management initiative, Southold Township 2000, the focus of which was to develop a series of strategic action plans to guide Town actions in the near future. The Southold Township 2000 program is supported by a $60,000 matching grant from the New York State Department of State with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund Act. The Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy is a required and integral component of the Southold Township 2000 Growth Management Initiative. This report was prepared with support from the New York State Department of State by funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Act. This strategy was prepared by Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, LLC, under contract to the Town of Southold. The project was made possible through the initiative of the Town of Southold with additional funding and support from the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA). The strategy incorporates information, research, data and support, provided by the Suffolk County Department of Planning in u draft technical report. Data and support suppliedfor mapping of many Town resources was made possible through the Town of South old Planning Board/Department Geographic Information System (GIS). The strategy was first issued in March 2000 and was subject to Town review, public information meetings and inter-agency review. This version is revised to reflect input resulting from this process. The report is forwarded with Planning Board endorsement to the Town Board jilr consideration of adoption as a policy document. The implementation of the strategy may be modified to conform to the best interests of the Town through review and public input. Implementation of appropriate recommendations contained herein will occur over time as incorporated into the policy, planning and review process of the Town of South old. Page i Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy TOWN OF SOUTHOLD WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT & WATERSHED PROTECTION STRATEGY 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND 1.2 PROJECT AREA AND Focus 1.3 PURPOSE 1.4 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES EXISTING RESOURCE CONDITIONS 2.1 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES 2.1.1 Geography 2.1.2 Soils 2.1.3 Subsurface Geology 2.1.4 Climate and Precipitation 2.1.5 Surface Water 2.1.6 Groundwater 2.1.7 Groundwater Quality 2.1.8 Existing Public Supplies and Use 2.2 LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERJSTICS 2.2.1 Land Use Characteristics 2.2.2 Demographic and Land Use Trends 2.2.3 Land Available for Development PRIOR STUDIES FORMING PROTECTION POLICIES 3.1 AREA WIDE W ASTE TREATMENT MANAGEMENT (208 STUDY) 3.2 SPECIAL GROUNDWATER PROTECTION AREA (SGP A PLAN) 3.3 PECONIC ESTUARY PROGRAM 3.4 SUFFOLK COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 3.5 NORTH FORK WATER SUPPLY PLAN 3.6 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECT PLAN (CPPP) 3.7 LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM (L WRP) EXISTING LAND PROTECTION MEASURES 4.1 ZONING Com: AND LAND USE REvIEW 4.1.1 Zoning 4.1.2 Clustering Page 1 Page 1 Page 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 4 Page 4 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 6 Page 8 Page 12 Page 15 Page 18 Page 18 Page 24 Page 27 Page 34 Page 34 Page 35 Page 37 Page 38 Page 38 Page 42 Page 44 Page 46 Page 46 Page 46 Page 49 Pageii Town of Soothold Water Sopply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.1.3 State Environmental Quality Review Act WETLANDS PROTECTION DENSITY LiMITATIONS SCSC ARTICLE 6 FARMLAND PRESERVATION 4.4.1 Purchase of Development Rights 4.4.2 Land Acquisition 4.4.3 Public-Private Partnership Strategies Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 5.0 GROWTH FACTORS AND TRENDS Page 57 5.1 GEOGRAPHY Page 57 5.2 EMPLOYMENT Page 57 5.3 REAL ESTATE AND AGRICULTURAL TRENDS Page 58 5.4 WATER IMP ACTED AREAS AND WATER A V AILABlLITY Page 61 6.0 FINDINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES Page 63 6.1 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES Page 63 6.2 LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERISTICS Page 64 6.3 DEMOGRAPHICS AND LAND USE TRENDS Page 66 6.4 EXISTING LAND PROTECTION MEASURES Page 67 6.5 GROWTH FACTORS AND TRENDS Page 69 7.0 ACTION STRATEGIES Page 71 7.1 CONTINUE EXISTING PROTECTION PROGRAMS Page 71 7.2 WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT Page 72 7.2.1 Coordinate Water Main Installation Page 72 7.2.2 Water Supply Options Page 73 7.3 CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS (CEL) ORDINANCE Page 76 7.4 WATERSHED PROTECTION ZONES (WPZ'S) Page 77 7.5 CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION PROGRAM Page 78 7.6 NON-CONTIGUOUS CLUSTERING Page 82 7.7 TOWN WETLANDS ORDINANCE Page 83 7.8 CREATION OF SUBSTANDARD LOTS Page 83 7.9 PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCA TION Page 84 7.10 POLLUTION SOURCE CONTROL AND SOURCE REDUCTION Page 85 8.0 REFERENCES Page 87 Page Hi Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy LIST OF TABLES Table I Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table S Table 6 Table 7 Table 8 Table 9 Table 10 Table II Table 12 Freshwater Wetland Inventory Volume of Freshwater in Each Watershed Area Groundwater Quality Data for 1999 SCDHS Study Annual Pumpage Rates for SCW A Southold Well Fields Year-Round Population Town of South old - 1960-1998 Year-Round Households Town of South old - 1960-1998 Total Housing Units Town of South old - 1960-1990 Seasonal Homes Town of Southold - 1960-1990 Housing Unit Permits Issued Town of Southold - 1960-1998 Town of Southold Employment - 1990 Housing Unit Permits Issued Town of South old -1960-1998 Existing/Continuing Town Protection Measures APPENDICES ApPENDIX A FIGURES Figure A-I Project Location Figure A-2 Generalized Soil Types Figure A-3 Southold Freshwater Wetlands Figure A-4 Hydrogeologic Cross Section and Hydrologic Cycle Figure A-S Primary Watershed Areas and Water Table Elevations Figure A-6 GroundwaterlPesticide Impacted Areas Figure A-7 Saltwater Encroachment and Upconing Figure A-8 Sub-watershed Zones and SGPAlRecharge Area Figure A-9 Existing Zoning and SGP AlRecharge Area Figure A-I 0 Protected Land in Agricultural Use and SGP AlRecharge Area Figure A-II SCW A Well Sites and Existing Water Mains Figure A-I2 Existing and Proposed Water Mains and Southold Protected Lands Figure A-13 Proposed WPZ Boundaries ApPENDIX B EXISTING LAND USE ACREAGE - TOWN OF SOUTHOLD ApPENDIX C ZONING DIMENSIONAL/BULK REQUIREMENTS ApPENDIX D WATER QUALITY TREATMENT DISTRICT LEGISLATION Page 7 Page 11 Page 14 Page 16 Page 24 Page 25 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 57 Page 59 Page 71 Page Iv TOWN OF SOUTHOLD WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT & WATERSHED PROTECTION STRATEGY 1.0 INTRODUCTION This document provides the Town of Southold with a Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy to ensure the protection of sufficient quality and quantity of groundwater supply for present and future use, and to ensure that the rural/agricultural character of the Town of Southold is maintained. It is important to understand that the Town's working landscape lie atop the sole source aquifer, therefore, these objectives could be considered to be contradictory. As will explained further in this report, the challenge to the Town is to define it's future with a protection and management strategy which addresses the need to protect and conserve both resources. Included herein is a statement of the purpose, goals and objectives used to structure the watershed protection strategy proposed herein. The study considers existing resources, including: geology and soil, both surface and groundwater resources, and land use and development characteristics. A key factor in the evolution of the watershed protection strategy was a review of existing land protection measures. With a solid understanding of current resource conditions and present and future land use, demography and development potential, a watershed protection strategy emerged to address these needs. This report provides an inventory and analysis of the groundwater and land use resources to be protected; outlines findings and opportunities, and proposes recommendations to protect these resources. 1.1 BACKGROUND The preservation of the Town's water resources and rural/agricultural character is of vital importance to the residents of the Town of Southold because it is our sole source of drinking water and irrigation. The Town of Southold has implemented many programs to reduce development density and protect farmland through comprehensive and master plan efforts over the past 20 years. These programs form a sound basis for further efforts to ensure future protection of water supply and agricultural resources. The Town of Southold continues to be progressive in plarming efforts and is currently engaged in an active public/private cooperative program in acquisition of farmland development rights as well as other land protection programs. Regional planning entities have provided guidance in the form of studies and reports that establish the technical basis and importance of resource protection. Studies of the Long Island Regional Planning Board include the 208 Areawide Waste Treatment Management program, and the Special Groundwater Protection Area (SGP A) study. The SGP A study is of particular importance with regard to balancing low density land use options such as agricultural use with future water supply needs. Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) completed the Suffolk County Comprehensive Water Resource Management Plan, and the North Fork Water Supply Plan; these studies further document water resources and protection measures for Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy future wastewater disposal and water supply protection. The Peconic Estuary Program (PEP) is a multi-governmental effort that is also an important component of Town planning as related to watershed protection efforts. Most recently, the Suffolk County Department of Planning has provided guidance to the Town in a draft document entitled Ground Watershed Protection and Water Supply Management Strategy, Southold Township 2000. The Department of Planning provided a compilation of technical memoranda, and included preliminary recommendations for consideration by the Town. Section 5.0 contains a detailed review of documents, studies, and reports used to form the basis for recommendations contained in this watershed protection strategy. 1.2 PROJECT AREA AND Focus The Eastern portion of Long Island is comprised of two narrow peninsulas separated by Flanders Bay, Peconic Bay, Gardiners Bay. The Town of Southold occupies the eastern 20 miles of the northern peninsula which is commonly referred to as the "North Fork" (Appendix A; Figure A- 1). The Town is also comprised of a chain of islands east of the North Fork consisting of Plum, Great Gull, Little Gull and Fishers Islands which are a continuation of the northeastward- trending peninsula, and Robins Island which is located in Peconic Bay. The general area of concern encompassed within this study, consists of the portion of the Town which occupies the eastern 42.90 square miles of the North Fork of Long Island from Laurel on the west to Orient Point on the east. Discussion of the Town setting and resources shall be limited to this region. The Town relies on freshwater resources beneath the land mass for water supply. The central spine of Southold is the primary and most sensitive recharge area. The recharge area west of Mattituck Creek is referred to as the Northeast Sector of the Central Suffolk Special Groundwater Protection Area (SGP A); the recharge area east of Mattituck Creek is referred to as the Southold SGP A. These areas were defined by the Long Island Regional Planning Board in the SGPA study, and are considered to be the key water supply source areas essential to the Town's future water needs. These central recharge areas of the Town are intended to benefit from protection measures identified in this report, in order to ensure the availability of long term water supply to sustain the expected growth of the Town. In addition, the recharge areas for the groundwater coincide with existing open space primarily in agricultural land use categories. The agricultural resources of the Town provide rural character and open space, features which establish the visual character of Southold. The working landscape also plays a key role in the local economy. 1.3 PURPOSE The purpose ofthis report is stated as follows: To design, adopt and implement a strategy Jor the protection and management oJthe sole source aquifer oj the Township oj Southold. The strategy shall define the areas to be protected, areas suitable Jor development, areas designated Jor Jarm and agricultural NN Page 2 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy protection and how the watershed will be managed in order to ensure the highest quality potable drinking water for private water supply wells and preserve rural character. 1.4 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The goals of this study are listed as follows: 1. To protect and preserve a healthful drinking water supply sufficient to serve the existing future residents of the Town, while maintaining and enhancing the natural resources and quality of life in the town. 2. To provide public drinking water to existing residents and businesses in need without precipitating uncontrolled growth. 3. To manage future growth to ensure a sustainable drinking water supply from the Southold Township sole source aquifer. 4. To preserve the Town's farming blocks in order to protect farming operations, limit the need for additional drinking water in these areas, and provide, through agricultural best management practices, a continual improvement to the groundwater quality in the area. 5. To conserve drinking water supplies by reducing wasteful water use. 6. To integrate land conservation, agricultural activities, and development control to preserve a sustainable balance between water recharge and drinking water use. 7. To constructively protect the Town's sole source aquifer from contamination by inappropriate land use practices. The objectives of this study are listed as follows: I. Develop land management and zoning strategies: . To prevent inappropriate land uses or practice from occurring within designated groundwater protection areas; . To guide development in order to minimize its impact on the groundwater aquifer; . To scale development to a level which respects the limitations of water supply. 2. Develop strategies to mitigate or remove existing threats to designated groundwater protection areas, or mitigate possible deterioration to drinking water quality, especially in private wells. 3. Promote and guide compact, orderly growth into areas where sustainable drinking water supplies exist. 4. Preserve and protect groundwater recharge areas in and around existing and planned drinking water supply well-heads. 5. Accommodate growth and change within the Town which: respects the geographical and geological limitation to the drinking water supply; does not damage the groundwater aquifer; does not, by cumulative impact, destroy the fundamental economic base, environmental character and unique way oflife which make up the quality oflife in the Township of Southold. NM page3 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 2.0 EXISTING RESOURCE CONDITIONS 2.1 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES The following section describes the geological, soil and topographical features present within the Town of Southold. Information for this discussion was obtained from United States Geological Survey papers, Suffolk County Soil Survey, topographic maps as well as referenced studies and reports. Understanding these features as they relate to groundwater protection and management issues is vital in examining how past and future growth within the Town impact groundwater which is the sole source of drinking water on the North Fork. 2.1.1 Geography The North Fork region of the Town of Southold is naturally divided by salt-water pond, marshes and inlets into six distinct island like areas which are surrounded by water to the north, east and south (Crandell, 1963). The topography of the region, which generally slopes from the north to the south, is characterized by two predominant features which consist of the Harbor Hill end moraine and a glacial outwash plain. The Harbor Hill end moraine consists of a prominent ridge which extends towards the northeast along the shore of Long Island Sound. This feature was formed approximately 22,000 years ago in the latter part of the Wisconsin Stage of the Pleistocene Epoch and marks the maximum advance of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (Sirkin, 1995). The glacial-outwash plain extends from the ridge to the south at a slope of approximately 20 to 30 feet per mile and consists of a gently rolling topography with numerous shallow depressions throughout. The outwash plain was formed during the recession of the Laurentide Ice Sheet as erosional processes resulting from glacial melt water carried sediments away from the moraines and distributed them throughout the region. 2.1.2 Surface Soils The USDA Soil Survey of Suffolk County, New York (Warner et al., 1975) provides a complete categorization, mapping and description of soil types found in Suffolk County. Soils are classified by similar characteristics and depositional history into soil series, which are in turn grouped into associations. A soil association is a landscape that has a distinctive proportional pattern of soils. It normally consists of one or more major and at least one minor soil series. For the purpose of this study knowledge of the soil associations that are present in the Town of Southold is useful as a general guide in managing a watershed, planning projects and community developments. An examination of the individual soil types which are present in the Town is not included in this discussion since it is not possible to make regional decisions based on the extensive and random distribution of individual soil series across the study area. A focus on soils comprising farmland and geographic areas within the SGPA is useful for more localized planning. _'PaIr Page 4 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The soil survey identifies the Town of Southold as lying within an area characterized by Carver-Plymouth-Riverhead, Haven-Riverhead, and Dune land-Tidal Marsh-Beach Association soils. The aerial extent of each of these soils can be found in Appendix A; Figure A-2. Carver-Plymouth-Riverhead Association soils are characterized as deep, rolling, excessively drained and well-drained, coarse to moderately textured soils on moraines. In the Town of Southold these soils are found predominantly along the north shore along Long Island Sound. Carver-Plymouth-Riverhead soils are also found on the south shore along Peconic Bay in the areas of Great Hog Neck and Little Hog Neck and within an area that extends through the hamlet of Mattituck along Mattituck Creek from the north shore to the south shore of the North Fork. The rolling landscapes, wooded areas and proximity to the water make soils in this association desirable as prime homesites. The sand texture and steep slopes make the soils in much of this association poorly suited for farming and the slopes are the dominant limitation to use of these soils for building sites. Haven-Riverhead Association soils are characterized by deep, nearly level to gently sloping, well-drained, medium-textured and moderately coarse textured soils on outwash plains. These soils are the predominant soil type found within the North Fork area of Southold. Due to the gently sloping to nearly level topography and good drainage, these soils are utilized primarily for farming purposes but are also suited for the development of residential housing. A dominant soil series within this association consists of the Haven loam. This soil is comprised of deep, well-drained, medium-textured soils that formed in a loamy or silty mantle over stratified coarse sand and gravel. This soil is found on outwash plains and have a high to moderate available moisture capacity, a naturally low fertility and good internal drainage. This soils permeability is moderate in the surface layer and subsoil and rapid or very rapid in the substratum. This soil is used extensively for crops, and is well suited to all crops grown on the North Fork. Identification of these soils may be helpful to identify areas to target as open space or agricultural land. Dune land-Tidal marsh-Beaches Association soils are comprised primarily of sand dunes, tidal marshes and barrier beaches. These soils are found as a small sand spit along the south shore of Orient Point. Due to its limited extent and barren nature this area is not considered to have a significant influence on water conservation within the Town of Southold. 2.1.3 Subsurface Geology The subsurface geology underlying the Town of Southold within the North Fork as described by Crandell, 1963, is comprised of four geologic units. The first and deepest is comprised of crystalline bedrock which is found at a depth of approximately 600 to 1,000 feet below sea level (bsl). Above this bedrock lies the sedimentary deposits which form the three major water bearing units which underlie the Town of Southold. liMY Page 5 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Found lying immediately atop the bedrock is the Raritan formation which is comprised of the Lloyd sand member and an overlying clay layer. The Lloyd sand member lies beneath the Town at an elevation of approximately 500 to 800 feet bsl indicating a thickness of approximately 100 to 200 feet. These Lloyd deposits are comprised of coarse quartz sand, gravel and sandy clay with isolated layers of clay dispersed throughout. The overlying clay layer is encountered at an elevation of 350 to 675 feet bsl indicating a thickness of 125 to 150 feet and consists of a gray clay to silty clay with some sandy layers. Directly above the Raritan lies the Magothy formation. The Magothy has been observed beneath the Town of Southold at an elevation of 250 to 400 feet bsl indicating a thickness of 100 to 275 feet. The Magothy is comprised of fine to medium sand mixed with silt and clay and some beds of coarse sand and gravel. The Magothy is present under a majority of the North Fork, however it appears to be absent from the areas which comprise Orient Point, East Marion and eastern Greenport. The upper most unit underlying Southold consists of the surficial deposits which comprise the Upper Glacial formation. The Upper Glacial is encountered throughout the North Fork at surface elevation which ranges from 100 feet above sea level (asl) at the bluffs along the north shore to approximately 10 feet bsl in isolated depressions encountered throughout the North Fork. The thickness of the Upper glacial ranges from 240 to 500 feet. These deposits consist primarily of stratified and unstratified sand and gravel interspersed with clay and isolated beds of clay. Geologic studies (Bohn-Buxton, et ai, 1980) have also identified an extensive clay layer within the Upper Glacial formation which extends from Riverhead to the area in the vicinity of Dam Pond located just west of Orient Point and may be related to the Smithtown Clay found in west-central Suffolk County (Koppelman, et aI. 1992). This clay layer is encountered at a depth of approximately 50 feet bsl to 100 feet bsl across the North Fork and ranges in thickness from 20 to 90 feet. 2.1.4 Climate and Precipitation Primarily due to its insular local, its latitude and the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, Southold has a predominantly temperate marine climate (Crandell, 1963). Temperatures are moderate and precipitation is abundant during the fall, winter and spring. A brief dry spell commonly occurs during the summer. Annual rainfall is approximately 46.5 inches per year with an annual temperature 51 degrees F. Southold's climate is unique due to the moderating effect of its geographic location. The resulting climate is an important factor in the presence of certain agricultural uses including vineyards. 2.1.5 Surface Water As previously noted the North Fork is naturally divided by salt and fresh water ponds, marshes and inlets. These surface water bodies are dispersed throughout the North Fork and contain fresh water and tidal wetlands. fiiM Page 6 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Freshwater Wetlands The fresh water wetlands are located primarily within the inland portions of the North Fork and are comprised of lakes, ponds, streams and marshes. These features were formed during the retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet when fresh melt water collected in the kettle holes and depressions formed during the glacial advance. These areas are of critical importance to the watershed underlying the North Fork since they are major conduits of groundwater recharge in the region and represent ecologically sensitive resources. Activities within 100 feet of State designated freshwater wetlands are regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (NYSDEC) Freshwater Wetlands Permit Requirements Regulations 6 NYCRR Part 663 in accordance with Article 24 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law. In addition, Southold through the Town Trustees regulates activities within 75 feet of Town designated wetlands under Chapter 97. These requirements were enacted to preserve, protect and conserve freshwater wetlands and regulate their use and development to secure the natural benefits which they provide. Within the Town of Southold the NYSDEC has identified 125 surface water bodies as freshwater wetlands; these areas comprise approximately 104.82 acres of wetlands. These freshwater wetlands are catalogued by the NYSDEC on a series of six United States Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5 minute quadrangles. An inventory of the quadrangles and the number of freshwater wetlands depicted on each is presented in Table 1. Freshwater wetlands are illustrated in Appendix A; Figure A-3. TABLE 1 FRESHWATER WETLAND INVENTORY 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Number ofFresbwater Wetlands Greenport 5 Mattituck 43 Mattituck Hills 5 Orient 14 Plum Island I Southold 57 Total 125 NiP&w Page 7 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Tidal Wetlands The tidal wetlands are located principally along the exterior coastline regions of the North Fork and are comprised of coastal fresh marshes, intertidal marshes, coastal shoals, bars, flats, littoral zones, high marshes, salt meadows and formerly connected tidal wetlands. These wetlands contain saline waters which originate from the ocean fed surface waters surrounding the North Fork. These features are formed by coastal processes and, with the exception of formerly connected tidal wetlands, are subject to tidal influence. These areas are not only vital to the ecological systems to which they serve but also function to control storm surges during flood and major storm events which may impact sensitive watershed areas. Due to the sensitive nature and ecological importance of these areas they are limited in their compatibility to development and land use. As a result the NYSDEC has enacted the Tidal wetlands Land Use Regulations, 6 NYCRR Part 661 in accordance to Article 25 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law whose purpose is to protect and regulate their use and development. The NYSDEC maintains a series of tidal wetlands maps which document the location and type of tidal wetlands within New York state and includes a complete inventory for the area of Southold within the North Fork. All tidal wetland systems must be field checked and delineated by NYSDEC for regulatory purposes. State jurisdiction may extend landward as far as 300 feet. As with freshwater wetlands, the Town Trustees regulate activities within 75 feet of tidal wetland boundaries. In summary, freshwater wetlands are dispersed throughout the inland areas of the North Fork. Unique to this area is the fact that tidal wetlands can extend inland and be found within close proximity to freshwater wetlands. Both are influential in the recharge and maintenance of sensitive watershed areas and are sensitive to certain types of land use and development. Both of these areas are regulated by the Town and are inventoried and catalogued by the NYSDEC who have imposed regulations related to land use and development in these areas. 2.1.6 Groundwater Groundwater on the North Fork is derived from precipitation. Precipitation entering the soils in the form of recharge passes through the unsaturated zone to a level below which all strata are saturated. This level is referred to as the water table. In general, the groundwater table coincides with sea level on the north and south shores of the North Fork, and rises in elevation towards the center of the North Fork. The high point of the parabola is referred to as the groundwater divide. Differences in groundwater elevation create a hydraulic gradient which causes groundwater to flow perpendicular to the contours of equal elevation, or generally toward the north and south shores from the middle of the North Fork (Freeze and Cherry, 1979). Near the shore, water entering the system tends to flow horizontally along a shallow flow system and is discharged from the 111M; Page 8 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy subsurface into streams or marine surface waters as subsurface outflow. Water that enters the system farther inland generally flows vertically to deeper aquifers before flowing toward the shores (Krulikas, 1986). The major water-bearing units beneath the North Fork include the Upper Glacial aquifer, the Magothy aquifer, and the Lloyd aquifer and are contained within the same geologic formations discussed in Section 1.2.2 (Jensen and Soren, 1974; Koszalka, 1984). Within the North Fork water for supply purposes is derived principally from groundwater contained under the water table conditions of the Upper Glacial aquifer. Groundwaters contained within the Magothy and Lloyd aquifers have been determined to be primarily saline and are not suitable for consumption or irrigation (Shubert, 1998). A cross- section illustrating the major water bearing units, and the vertical dimension flow components is provided in Appendix A; Figure A-4. The fresh waters of the Upper Glacial aquifer underlying the North Fork occur in a series of irregular shaped lenses or mounds that are bounded both laterally and at depth by glacial deposits with salty groundwater. This chain is broken down into discrete watersheds which are separated from one another by salt-water marshes and inlets which are also underlain by salt-water (Crandell, 1963). The reader should be aware that these watershed areas have been defined differently in various studies. The actual boundaries of the watersheds are not as important as an understanding of the hydrologic dynamics taking place within specific geographic areas. The areas described below provide a useful overall description of the watershed areas for the purposes of this strategy. A figure provided in Appendix A (Figure A-5) illustrates the primary watershed areas of the Town of Southold. . Western Southold area - A seven square mile area that extends approximately from the Town of Southold border to Mattituck Creek and is approximately three miles wide across the North Fork. . Mattituck-Cutchogue-Southold area - A twenty five square mile area bounded on the west by Mattituck Creek extending east to Hashamomuck Pond and ranges from 1.5 to 4 miles in width. . Greenport-East Marion area - A seven square mile area which extends eastward from Hashamomuck Pond to Dam Pond with a width of 1 to 1.5 miles. . Orient Point - A five square mile area extending east from Dam Pond to the end of Orient Point and is approximately I to 1.5 miles wide. . Little Hog Neck - A 0.75 of a mile area which comprises Little Hog Neck . Great Hog Neck - An approximately 2.5 square mile area comprised of Great Hog Neck In each of these watershed areas encounters the salt water interface. fresh water has filled the glacial deposits until it Since the specific gravity of the fresh water is less 111M Page 9 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy than that of the underlying salt water, the fresh water tends to "float" on the salt water within the boundaries of each watershed area. Due to this difference in specific gravity a ratio develops which generally results in fresh water extending 40 feet below sea level for each foot it extends above sea level. This is referred to as the Ghyben-Herzberg relationship. The upper surfaces of the watershed areas are marked by a chain of groundwater mounds aligned along the axis of the North Fork. A groundwater divide passes along this axis and generally follows the northeast trend of the North Fork. From the vicinity of this divide, groundwater moves vertically and horizontally in directions towards the salt- water bodies which surround each watershed area resulting in groundwater flowing radially outward from the inland water table mounds. The horizontal groundwater velocity within the North Fork ranges from 0.5 to I foot per day (SGPA, 1992). The direction of groundwater flow in each of the watershed areas is generally perpendicular to the lines of equal elevation of groundwater or the groundwater contours. The water table elevation map of the Town of Southold illustrates these groundwater reserve areas and is included in Appendix A; Figure A-5. As noted in the figure, groundwater flows radially and generally toward the nearby marine surface waters. The figure also illustrates the largest of the groundwater reserve areas noted as the Mattituck-Cutchogue-Southold Area, comprising approximately 25 square miles. A large portion of this area has groundwater at elevations of 5 feet above sea-level or greater, indicating freshwater depths of more than 200 feet as determined by the Ghyben-Herzberg relationship. This is the largest groundwater reserve area in the Town and is considered an important resource for protection. The primary recharge area for this reservoir is in areas where groundwater is above the 5 foot elevation; as the elevation provides a hydraulic gradient which induces vertical recharge. This area also coincides with the greatest expanse of agricultural land use and open space which will be described in Section 2.2. The water budget (i.e. the movement of water between the atmosphere and land masses) for an area is expressed in the hydrologic budget equation, which states that recharge equals precipitation minus evapotranspiration plus overland runoff. Figure A-4 (previously referenced) provides an illustration of the hydrologic water budget. This indicates that not all rain falling on the land is recharged. Loss in recharge is represented by the sum of evapotranspiration and overland runoff. The equation for this concept is expressed as follows: R=P-(E+Q) where: R = recharge P = precipitation E = evapotranspiration Q ~ overland runoff The calculation of the water balance for a water budget area is partly dependent on the type of land coverage within an area. The natural water budget of an area is changed by the manner in which the land is used. The quantity of recharge will be determined by the lilli' }" , .'P&W Page 10 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy degree to which the site is covered by impervious surfaces. Construction of impervious surfaces results in the reduction of vegetation. Vegetation reduces the amount of water available for recharge as a result of evapotranspiration. Reduction of vegetation (increasing the impervious surface area) at a site will result in an increase in the catchment, charmelization and recharge of stormwater runoff to the ground, with a concomitant reduction in evapotranspiration. While this increases the quantity of water available for recharge for an area; of concern is the quality of this recharge and the quality will be determined by the type ofland uses that are being created. With regard to armual recharge, only 50% of the total armual precipitation (46.5 inlyr) is available for recharge (Peterson, 1987). This is due to atmospheric loss of water from plant transpiration as well as evaporation, resulting in the term evapotranspiration. As a result precipitation accounts for approximately 17,000 Million gallons per year (MG/y) of recharge to the Upper Glacial aquifer. The saturated deposits underlying the North Fork are estimated to contain approximately 938,636 million gallons of fresh water. However, approximately only 22 percent of this total volume can be withdrawn for consumption due to capillary forces which restrict the movement of groundwater (Crandell, 1963). The approximate volume of water available for removal each watershed area is presented in Table 2. Additional information on public water supplies and use in contained in Section 2.1.8. TABLE 2 VOLUME OF FRESH WATER IN EACH WATERSHED AREA Watershed Area Estimated Volume (million l!a1lons) Western Southold 46,000 Mattituck -Cutchogue-Southold 134,000 Greenport- East Marion 10,400 Orient Point 10,400 Little Hog Neck 1,000 Great Hog Neck 4,700 Total 206,500 Source: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Town of Southold, Suffolk County, New York, USGS; USGS Water Supply Paper 1619-GG N'R,W Page 11 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 2.1.7 Groundwater Quality The Town of Southold has two Special Groundwater Protection Areas (SGPA's) as defined by New York State Law. The Long Island SGPA Plan (Koppelman, 1992) was prepared by the Long Island Regional Planning Board in 1992 in order to study land use and to protect groundwater quality within several SGPA's throughout Long Island. This plan provides useful technical information regarding groundwater quality and is also discussed in more detail in Section 5.1 as it relates to groundwater protection policy. The western part of Southold Town partially includes the Northeast Sector of the Central Suffolk SGP A. This SGP A is located in the area of Mattituck west of Mattituck Creek, surrounding the Laurel Lake area. The overall SGP A extends to Riverhead as well as part of the South Fork, and farther west as far as Coram in central Brookhaven Township. The portion in Southold Town comprises only a fraction of the overall SGPA. In general, agricultural contamination is documented in several areas of the SGP A including the Southold portion. The Southold SGP A is entirely within Southold Town, and is a central watershed feature According to the SGP A Plan the primary groundwater quality issue within the Southold SGP A consists of contamination primarily from pesticides used for agricultural purposes. Pesticides have contaminated groundwater throughout much ofthe horizontal and vertical extent below the Southold SGP A (SGP A, 1992). Pesticides such as aldicarb, carbofuran and dichloropropane have also been detected in wells across the subject SGPA and are very unreactive and mobile. The use of some of these chemicals has since been banned in Suffolk County. Concentrations of these pesticides may be found to decrease due to mechanical mechanisms of natural attenuation; however, the total mass of the contamination is not reduced by biological degradation or absorption. Approximately 10% of the private wells sampled each year are found to exceed the 7 parts per billion (ppb) drinking water standard for aldicarb and concentrations have hovered near this standard in some public supply wells within the North Fork area (SGPA, 1992). However, given the relatively short time that aldicarb had been used on the North Fork, the subsequent ban on its use and the reduction in concentration that has occurred due to dispersion, it is probable that much of the groundwater on the North Fork will be suitable for consumption without treatment within the next 20 years. Fertilizer contaminants can be found throughout the vertical extent of the aquifer system. Nitrate concentrations in agricultural areas frequently exceed the 10 parts per million (ppm) drinking water standard and are occasionally found as high as 20 to 30 ppm. Elevated chloride and sulfate concentrations are usually found with elevated nitrates but are often not found above their respective drinking water standard of 250 ppm. With regard to nitrates, a reduction in concentration is dependent on future land use and agricultural practices (SGP A, 1992). tlP&W Page 12 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy In June of 1999 the SCDHS published a report entitled Water Quality Monitoring Program to Detect Pesticide Contamination in Groundwaters of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, NY to provide a comprehensive examination of pesticide impacts on Long Island groundwaters. Primarily, five pesticide types were analyzed, these include: chlorinated pesticides, methyl carbonate pesticides, semi-volatile pesticides, chlorinated acids and dacthal metabolites. In addition to pesticides, samples were also analyzed for several other compounds to develop a broader profile of groundwater quality and include metals, volatile organic compounds and micro extractables. Within Southold, 445 samples were collected from various monitoring, private, domestic and supply wells. Of these 445 samples collected, 227 detected concentrations of I or more pesticides with 185 detections above their respective Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) which are equivalent to the New York State Drinking Water Standards. A list of the compounds detected and the range of concentrations for each is provided in Table 3. Figure A-6 contained in Appendix A illustrates groundwater impacted areas of the Town. As noted earlier, the North Fork is surrounded on three sides by salt water and is separated into four island-like areas by salt water inlets and marshes. As a result, salt water encroachment into the aquifer underlying the North Fork has impacted groundwater quality along the Southold shorelines and within the village of Greenport. The degree of saltwater encroachment is governed by the Ghyben-Herzberg relationship discussed in Section 2.1.6. Saltwater encroachment occurs naturally due to tidal fluctuations. Pumping of large amounts of freshwater for irrigation or public supply in coastal areas may increase the inland extent of saltwater encroachment. Since freshwater sits as a lens upon the more dense saltwater the effects of regional pumping results in the increase in vertical as well as lateral encroachment of salt water. This vertical component is commonly known as "upconing" and occurs more rapidly than lateral encroachment, which must displace a volume of freshwater greater than that displaced by upconing (Heath, 1998). }'igure A-7 of Appendix A provides an illustration of these aspects of saltwater encroachment. It should be recognized that the impact of saltwater encroachment may be minimized through proper pumping management and well placement strategies. In addition, the extensive clay layer present in the Upper Glacial aquifer in a majority of the North Fork may help prevent the upconing of saline groundwaters (SeW A, 1992). 1I'P&tiY Page 13 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy TABLE 3 GROUNDWATER QUALITY DATA FROM 1999 SCDHS STUDY Compound Maximum Contaminant Level Concentration (NYS Drinkinl! Water Standard) Alachlor 2 ug/I I to 8.3 ug/I Aldicarb 2 ug/l I t041 ug/I Atrazine 3 ug/l 0.26 to 0.96 ug/I Carbofuran 40 ug/l I to 2.9 ug/l 2,4 D 50ug/1 0.6 to 0.98 ug/I Di-ethylhexylphthalate 2.2 to 10.6 ug/l DEP 0.6 to 12 ug/I Dinoseb 7 ug/l 1.4 to 2.61 ug/l Ethylene Dibromide 0.05 ug/l 0.01 to 1.87 ug/I Metalaxyl 50ug/l 0.26 to 2.7 ug/I Metolachler 50ug/1 0.2 to 2.5 ug/I Oxamyl 50ug/1 I ug/I Simazine 4ug/1 0.3 to 0.46 ug/I Tetrachloroterephthalic 50 ug/l 7 to 441 ug/l acid TEP 0.5 to 134 ug/I PercWorate 3 ug/l Nitrate lOug/1 1.1 to 26.1 mg/I Arsenic 50 ug/l 4.6 to 7.6 ug/l Mercury 1.0ug/l Cadmium 5 ug/I 1.0 to 2.25 ug/l Delia 1.5 ug/l 13 Perch 13 ug/I MTBE 2 ug/I Dea 0.5 ug/l Dicamba 0.8 ug/l Prometon 50ug/1 0.57 to 3.8 ug/I Metribuzin 50ug/l 0.3 ug/l MCPP 50ug/1 1.8ug/1 11M Page 14 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 2.1.8 Existing Public Supplies and Use Groundwater on the North Fork is used primarily for public consumption and for agricultural purposes. The portions of the Town that have public water supply receive water from the Suffolk County Water Authority's well fields which are distributed across the North Fork. The Suffolk County Water Authority (SCW A) became involved in providing water services in the Town of Southold in the late 1980's, via the acquisition of existing water supply entities. The Town first requested that the SCW A purchase a failing water company providing services to the Captain Kidd Estates in western Mattituck. Since that time the SCW A has expanded its activities, most notably through the acquisition of the Village of Greenport Water Utility Company. The Greenport company dates back to 1887, and was formed to provide safe drinking water to residents within the Village. The company was purchased by the Village of Greenport in 1899, which then expanded the water service area beyond the boundaries of the incorporated Village. The Draft Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) prepared by the Town of South old (Town of South old, 1999; draft manuscript), summarizes the current status of the SCW A as follows. The SCWA now owns about 196 acres of land within the Town: on which are located 13 well fields and pumping stations, plus one under construction. There are a total of 19 active wells and 5 inactive wells. The total annual pumpage from these wells is approximately 400 Mg/y. A listing of these wells and their annual pumpage volumes is presented in Table 4. This list is arranged geographically by well field site from west to east. Most of the water pumped for public supply is eventually returned to the water table, mainly through cesspool and septic systems. It has been estimated (Franke and McClymonds, 1972) that in unsewered areas on Long Island, which include the North Fork, approximately 85% of the total public supply pumpage is returned to the groundwater system. This results in approximately an additional 340 Mgly being reintroduced to the Upper Glacial aquifer underlying the North Fork. II~ Page 15 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy TABLE 4 ANNUAL PUMPAGE RATES FOR sew A SOUTHOLD WELL FIELDS Well Field LoelltioD 1998 AnllllalPumpllge O~llllons) Bergen Avenue Presently Not In Service Laurel Lake 18,300,000 Sunset Drive 3,417,200 Inlet Drive 23,051,000 Mill Road 7,514,000 North Road Presently Not In Service Ackerly Pond Lane 39,063,800 Kennys Road 123,996,900 Middle Road 110,507,000 North Road 32,275,000 Geyer (North Road) Presently Not In Service Brecknock Hall 35,247,000 Island End Presently Not In Service Long Way Presently Not In Service Main-Bayview 1,400,300 Rocky Point Road Presently Not In Service Browns Hills Road 5,088,750 Totals 399,860,950 Water supply for agricultural irrigation is provided through the use of private wells maintained at each farming location and this use is the largest cOnsumer of water On the North Fork (SeWA, 1992). Information On the amount of irrigation water that is derived from private wells generally is not known. However, an average irrigation rate has been calculated to be 140,000 gallons per day per acre per year (SCDHS, 1983). This rate has been determined from the irrigation rates required for each type of crop grown On the North Fork as well as estimates of the total acreage devoted to each crop type. The total volume of water required for irrigation during 1980 was determined to be approximately II'II&W Page 16 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 2,800 Mg/y. Based on estimated land use projections it was estimated in the North Fork Water Supply Plan (1983) that by the year 2000 the annual water use for irrigation would be will be reduced by 500 Mg/y to 2,300 Mgly. This projected decline was predicted to result from an anticipated reduction in agricultural activity on the North Fork with replacement by other land use types. In fact, agriculture still remains a dominant land use. Further, because there have been major shifts in the type of agricultural crops in production over the past 20 years, it may be useful to re-evaluate the agricultural irrigation component. In 1992 Leggette, Brashears & Graham (LGB) prepared a report for the SCW A regarding public water supply for the Town of Southold. The report identified potential water supply well fields for public water expansion in the Town and determined that the daily sustained capacity of the well-field network was approximately 3.2 Million gallons per day. The report estimated that this additional yield could supply a population of approximately 30,000 people within the Town of Southold. However, the report did not appear to factor in seasonal population increases, compromised water quality, and prolonged drought conditions; therefore, the ceiling of 30,000 population is suggested as a conservative measure. In its master plan for enhancing the public water supply for Southold, LGB recommended that the placement of well fields be based on the consideration of several factors which are provided below: . Placement of well fields should occur along the central spine of the North Fork which consists of the Harbor Hill terminal moraine. This will provide an area with the greatest aquifer thickness and will mitigate the possibility of vertical salt-water encroachment. In addition, the presence of the clay layer within the Upper Glacial aquifer will reduce the potential of upconing of saline water. . Well fields should be placed in reasonably close proximity to population centers to avoid excessive water main length which can result in pressure losses through the transmission pIpes. . Storage tanks must have an overflow elevation of 185 feet above sea level. The tallest tanks which can be constructed are ISO feet, which means that they must be located at 35 feet above sea level. . Well locations should be placed in the area of the fresh water mound centered beneath Cutchogue Station, between Mattituck Creek and Richmond Creek. This area would provide groundwater which is downgradient of the groundwater divide, sufficiently distant from tidal water, within a relatively thick fresh-water lens, reasonable close to population centers and in areas where property may be readily available. Based on these factors six potential locations for well fields were recommended. The Suffolk County Water Authority continues to evaluate potential sites for public water supply well fields and water main distribution based on water quality and public needs. The Water Authority continues to find that producing water supply is difficult due to compromised water quality in many areas of the Town. NPaM;' Page 17 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Proteetion Strategy 2.2 LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERISTICS 2.2.1 Land Use Characteristics The Suffolk County Planning Department, in cooperation with the Town of Southold prepared a land use inventory of the Town in 1998. The land use analysis is presented in the County's Ground Watershed Protection and Water Supply Management Study - Southo/d Township - 2000, dated May 1999. The land use inventory was prepared at a tax map scale and field verified. The County's Geographic Information System (GIS) was utilized to link land use data with parcels shown on the Suffolk County Real Property Tax Map. The following analysis of the land use characteristics of the Town of Southold is based on information and data drawn from this inventory. The Suffolk County land use inventory classified properties based on thirteen (13) general land use categories commonly used for planning purposes: Low-density residential Medium density residential High density residential Commercial Industrial Institutional Recreation and open space Agriculture Vacant Transportation Utilities Waste handling and management Surface waters These land use classifications were utilized for the County inventory because they are suitable for characterizing community layout and function, determining land available for development, estimating future population levels and preparing master plans. In addition, the land use study divided the Town into fourteen (14) sub-watershed areas, and collected data based on the boundaries of each area. Information on Sub-watershed Zone 130, Fisher's Island, is excluded from the land use analysis. The location of sub-watershed zones, as well as the SGPA boundary and the primary recharge area (above the 5' groundwater contour) is provided in Appendix A; Figure A-S. The following summary of land use is excerpted from the Suffolk County study and provides a brief summary of overall land use in the Town of Southold. Following the summary, a review of land use will be presented, based on the data exhibited in Table 1 of the County study, entitled; Existing Land Use Acreage - Town of South old. This table is contained in Appendix B of this report. The Existing Land Use map for the Town of Southo/d and data shown in Table 1 illustrate that nearly one-third (31%) of the mainland upland acreage (32.244 acres) in the Town of Southold is in agricultural use. Residential use occupies 29% of the town-wide acreage. Generally, the residential development is situated in close proximity to the shoreline while the agricultural property is located on large interior lots. Vacant property accounts for 17% of the acreage within the town. Recreation and open space compromises only 11 % of the town; Orient Point State Park and its underwater lands, publicly owned wetlands in .iM Page 18 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Orient, recent public acquisitions around Laurel Lake, and several private golf courses are the largest holdings in this category. Transportation related activities occupy 6% of the town. Most of the institutional acreage in the town is located on Plum Island. Results of Sub-Watershed Land Use Analvsis This analysis provides a geographic description of each sub-watershed zone along with generalized land use information. Following is a summary ofland use within these Sub- watershed Zones. . Sub-watershed Zone 0 Zone 0 is comprised of Robins Island and Plum Island, and has a total of 1,278 acres. Robbins Island has a total of 455 acres, all of which is classified as low-density residential development. Plum Island is comprised of 823 acres, all of which is classified for institutional use. Zone 0 accounts for approximately four (4) percent of the total area of the Town of South old. . Sub-watershed Zone 10 Sub-watershed Zone 10 is centered in the hamlet of Laurel, and extends from the Town of Southold's western border to the Horton Creek area. To the north, this zone is generally bounded by County Road 48, and to the south by the shoreline. This sub- watershed has an area of 2,328 acres and contains about seven (7) percent of the Town's total area. The majority of its land is dedicated to agricultural use, which covers 888 acres, or approximately thirty-eight (38) percent of the zone. Low to medium density residential development accounts for approximately twenty-five (25) percent or 578 acres of the land use within the zone. An additional fourteen (14) acres is dedicated to high density residential housing. The land use pattern in Sub-watershed Zone 10 is generally reflective of that found throughout the Town of Southold. Residential development is situated along the southern shoreline, and agricultural properties are located to the north. Vacant land is notable in this zone, accounting for 298 acres, or about thirteen (13) percent of its total acreage. Recreation and open space areas are found on 204 acres within the sub-watershed, totaling approximately nine (9) percent of the land use. Commercial, industrial, transportation and institutional uses comprise limited acreage in this zone, and for the most part are situated along Route 25. . Sub-watershed Zone 20 Sub-watershed 20 generally encompasses the section of Mattituck hamlet south of County Road 48 and extends into the Cutchogue area. Its southern boundary is provided by the shoreline, extending from the west side of Horton Creek to the just beyond the boundaries of West Creek. This zone has an area of 2,735 acres, representing approximately 8.5 percent of the Town's total acreage. Agricultural uses located in the northern portion of the zone account for 1,014 acres, or about thirty-seven (37) percent of tllI&W Page 19 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy the sub-watershed's land use. Low to medium density residential development is centered around the numerous surface water areas, such as Horton Creek, Deep Hole Creek Down's Creek and West Creek, located along the southern coastal areas. Residential areas, primarily in the low to medium density classification, cover 843 acres, or an estimated thirty-one (31) percent of the zone's land use. Vacant land situated throughout the sub-watershed is also a significant land use factor in Zone 20, equaling 421 acres, or about fifteen (15) percent of its area. Limited commercial uses are located along Route 25 in this zone. Recreation and open space areas account for 194 acres, or about seven (7) percent ofthe total acreage in this zone. . Sub-watershed Zone 30 Sub-watershed Zone 30 is centered in the hamlet of Cutchogue, and includes those areas south of County Road 48, extending to the shoreline. For the most part, those areas along the southern shoreline fronting on Cutchogue Harbor are included in this sub-watershed. The zone has a land area that equals 2,830 acres, which represents almost nine (9) percent of the Town's total area. Agriculture is also a major land use activity in this zone, utilizing 1,026 acres, or an estimated thirty-six (36) percent of the sub-watershed's land use. Residential development remains a significant land use in the western sub- watershed zones of the Town, with low to moderate density housing totaling 937 acres, or approximately thirty-three (33) percent of the land use in Zone 30. Residential areas are situated in close proximity to the shoreline and bay areas, with agricultural lands located to the north, in the vicinity of County Road 48. Vacant properties total 369 acres, about thirteen (13) percent of the land use in the zone. Recreation and open space, commercial, industrial and institutional areas each comprise less than five (5) percent of land use in the zone. . Sub-watershed Zone 40 Sub-watershed Zone 40 includes areas within the hamlet of Peconic south of County Road 48, and extends from Little Creek around the southern coastal areas fronting on Hog Neck Bay into Bayview. This sub-watershed has an area of2,946 acres and contains about nine (9) percent of the Town's total area. The majority of its land is classified as agricultural, covering 1,043 acres, or approximately 38 percent of the zone. Low to medium density residential development accounts for approximately 25 percent or 956 acres of the land use within this zone. An additional eight (8) acres is dedicated to high density residential housing. The land use pattern in the western section of Zone 40 contains a mix of residential and agricultural acreage situated from County Road 48 south to the shoreline. Residential use is concentrated in the eastern portion of the sub- watershed around the bay areas, particularly in Bayview. Vacant land is significant in this zone, accounting for 553 acres, or about nineteen (19) percent of its total acreage. Recreation and open space uses are located on 204 acres within the sub-watershed, totaling approximately six (6) percent of the land use. As in adjacent sub-watershed areas, the limited commercial, industrial, transportation and institutional uses that exist in Zone 40 are generally situated along Route 25. III_ Page 20 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Sub-watershed Zone 50 For the most part, Sub-watershed Zone 50 includes the areas of Southold hamlet and the Village of Greenport south of County Road 48 to the shoreline, and extends eastward to Truman Beach on the Orient causeway. This is the largest sub-watershed zone included in the analysis, with an area of 6,805 acres, representing slightly over twenty-one (21) percent of the Town's total acreage. Vacant land and agricultural uses predominate in the northern portion of the zone, between County Road 48 and NYS Route 25. Vacant land accounts for 1,819 acres, or about twenty-seven (27) percent of the land use in the sub- watershed. Agricultural uses total 917 acres, representing about thirteen (13) percent of the land use in the zone. Residential development is concentrated in the Village of Greenport, with related residential development located along the southern coastal areas. In terms of acreage, residential uses total 2,311 acres, or approximately thirty-four (34) percent of the land use in this zone. Recreation and open space and transportation activities also account for significant uses ofland in Zone 50, totaling 565 and 628 acres, respectively. In terms of sub-watershed zone percentages, approximately eight (8) percent is used for recreation and open space, and about nine (9) percent for transportation purposes. These classifications are generally represented in the land use activities associated with the Greenport Harbor area. Limited commercial and industrial uses in this zone totaling 379 acres, or about 5.5 percent of its land use, are generally located along NYS Route 25 or in the Village of Green port. . Sub-watershed Zone 60 Sub-watershed Zone 60 is situated in Orient, extending from Truman Beach eastward to the general vicinity of Platt Road, and including both the north and south shoreline areas. This zone has an area of637 acres, representing just under two (2) percent of the Town's total acreage. Agricultural, residential, recreation and open space and vacant land uses are generally dispersed throughout this relatively small sub-watershed. Residential development comprises 244 acres, or approximately thirty-eight (38) percent of the zone's land area. Agricultural uses cover 123 acres or about nineteen (19) percent of the total acreage in the sub-watershed. Vacant land accounts for 113 acres, or just under eighteen (18) percent of the land area in Zone 60. With the exception ofrecreation and open space uses, which total sixty-six (66) acres in this sub-watershed, the remaining land uses have limited representation. . Sub-watershed Zone 70 Sub-watershed Zone 70 encompasses the eastern most mainland section of the Town of Southold, from the eastern boundary of Sub-watershed Zone 60 to the area near the entrance of Long Beach State Park. The zone has a land area that equals 2,116 acres, which represents almost seven (7) percent of the Town's total area. Agriculture is the major land use activity in this sub-watershed, covering 848 acres, or approximately forty (40) percent of the acreage in the zone. The agricultural areas generally lie south ofNYS II'M Page 21 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Route 25, extending towards the southern shoreline. Recreation and open space and vacant properties total 447 and 378 acres, respectively. The recreation and open space areas are largely associated with Orient Point County Park and other shoreline areas, in total they cover over twenty-one (21) percent of the acreage in the sub-watershed. Vacant properties, which represent about eighteen (18) percent of the total land use in the zone are dispersed throughout the various development zones. Residential development accounts for a total of 319 acres, or fifteen (15) percent of the zone area, and is located along the north and south shorelines. The transportation land use category accounts for 118 acres of the zone acreage, due mostly to the location of the ferry terminal at Orient Point. The remaining land use classifications have a limited representation in Zone 70. . Sub-watershed Zone 80 Sub-watershed Zone 80 is comprised of the barrier beach extending westward from Orient Point, with Orient Point County Park and Long Beach State Park the predominate land uses. This zone has a total land area of 1,299 acres; 1,225 or over ninety-four (94) percent is dedicated to recreation and open space. In addition to the State Park, a bird sanctuary located at the western end of the barrier beach is included in this total. The remaining 74 acres are primarily comprised of vacant land (25 acres), transportation and utility uses (24 acres) and 21 acres for residential use. . Sub-watershed Zone 90 Sub-watershed Zone 90 is located along Hogs Neck Bay in the southern coastal area, extending from Little Hog Neck to Nassau Point. This zone has the lowest acreage of all the sub-watershed areas, totaling 166 acres, and representing less than one (1) percent of the Town's total acreage. Residential uses are the predominant land use category, comprising 108 acres, or over sixty-five (65) percent of the land use in this zone. Residential uses border virtually the entire coastal area associated with the sub- watershed. There is no acreage within the agricultural, commercial or industrial classifications. Vacant land and recreation and open space areas comprise seventeen (17) and (10) acres, respectively. . Sub-watershed Zone 100 Sub-watershed Zone 100 generally encompasses the hamlet of Matti tuck, north of County Road 48. This sub-watershed has an area of 4,676 acres and contains roughly 15 percent of the Town's total acreage. The majority of its land is classified as agricultural, totaling 2,470 acres, or approximately fifty-three (53) percent of the acreage in this zone. Residential development, mostly within the low to medium density classifications comprises 1,141 acres, accounting for about twenty-four (24) percent of the land area of this sub-watershed. Vacant properties also represent a significant percentage of the land use in this zone, equaling 603 acres, or approximately thirteen (13) percent of the total area. The remaining ten (10) percent of the land area in this zone is distributed among the commercial, industrial, transportation and recreation and open space categories. 11M Page 22 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The land use pattern within this zone is varied. Agricultural uses that extend to the northern shoreline are found on both the western and eastern boundaries of this sub- watershed. Residential development exists in the center of the zone, extending to the northern shoreline, separating the two agricultural areas. Limited commercial and industrial uses are generally found along County Road 48. . Sub-watershed Zone 11 0 Sub-watershed Zone 110 includes the areas of the Peconic and Southold hamlets north of County Road 48, extending along the northern shoreline areas to Horton Point. This sub- watershed has an area of 3,072 acres, comprising approximately ten (10) percent of the Town's total area. The majority of its land is classified as agricultural, covering 1,432 acres, or over forty-six (46) percent of the land area of the sub-watershed. The agricultural properties are predominately located along the north shore of the zone. Low to medium density residential development accounts for 641 acres, or approximately twenty-one (21) percent of the acreage in this zone. An additional seven (7) acres is dedicated to high density residential housing. The residential areas are concentrated in the Horton Point area on the north shore. In addition, the amount of vacant land is considerable in this zone, accounting for 514 acres, or about seventeen (17) percent of its total acreage. Recreation and open space uses are located on 124 acres within the sub- watershed, totaling approximately six (6) percent ofthe land use. Limited concentrations of commercial and industrial activity are found along County Road 48. . Sub-watershed Zone 120 Sub-watershed Zone 120 is located along the northern coast of the Town, extending from Horton Point to Rocky Point. This sub-watershed zone has an area of 1,356 acres, representing about four (4) percent of the Town's total acreage. Residential uses comprise the majority of the acreage in this zone, totaling 512 acres, or about thirty-eight (38) percent of the acreage in this sub-watershed. Existing residential areas are found along the north shore to the east ofInlet Point County Park and at Rocky Point. Vacant land comprises 372 acres, about twenty-seven (27) percent of the total acreage in the zone. Vacant land is found throughout the zone, generally north of NYS Route 25. Recreation and open space are also significant land uses in this sub-watershed, accounting for 251 acres, or about nineteen (19) percent of the zone area. Agricultural properties are a limited land use in this sub-watershed, covering only ninety-one (91) acres, or less than seven (7) percent of the land use in the zone. . Sub-watershed Zone 130 The sub-watershed zone is comprised of Fisher's Island. Fisher's Island is not part of this watershed protection strategy as it is subject to different water resource and land use factors. .iM Page 23 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 2.2.2 Demographics and Land Use Trends The Suffolk County Planning Department (SCPD) included an analysis of demographic and land use trends impacting the Town of Southold in its Ground Watershed Protection and Water Supply Management Strategy - Southo/d Township 2000, dated May, 1999. The study evaluated population and density indicators, household data, housing unit statistics and building trends. This section is based on the information presented in the County analysis, particularly in relation to the impact of demographic trends on future land use activities in the Town of South old. Demographic Trends . Year-Round Population, Households and Housing Since the Town of Southold has a significant second home population, particularly during the summer months, it is necessary to consider year-round and seasonal trends in population and housing in order to evaluate current and future demographic conditions. The year-round population in Southold in 1998 was estimated to total, 20,710. Relative to the Town's 1960 population of 13,295, this represents an increase of 7,415, or approximately a fifty-six (56) percent net increase in the number of year-round residents over a 35-year period. Based on year-round population data presented in the Suffolk County Technical Report, the increases in population were greatest during 1960-1969 and 1970-79, as compared to growth since 1980. However, population numbers and the rate of growth have increased slightly during the 1990s, in comparison to the prior decade. Table 5 demonstrates the year-round population increases for the Town by decade. TABLE 5 YEAR-RoUND POPULATION TOWN OF SOUTHOLD - 1960-1998 Year Population NetChange from ~.Cl)ange from Previous Decade Previous DllCadll 1960 13,295 ---- ------ 1970 16,804 3,509 26.4% 1980 19,172 2,368 14.1% 1990 19,836 664 3.5% 1998 20,710 874 4.4% Source: Southold Township 2000. Suffolk County Planning Department. May 1999. The number of year-round households has been increasing steadily in the Town of Southold since 1960. Table 6, demonstrates the growth in the number of households over the period 1960-1998. .MY Page 24 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy TABLE 6 YEAR-RoUND HOUSEHOLDS TOWN OF SOUTH OLD -1960-1998 Year HOllsehOlds Net CIlange from % Change from Previous Decade Previous Decade 1960 4,384 ---- ------ 1970 5,829 1,445 33.0% 1980 7,461 1,632 28.0% 1990 8,125 664 8.9% 1998 8,640 515 6.3% Source: Southold Township 2000, Suffolk County Planning Department, May 1999, As evidenced in the preceding table, the number of households have increased in the Town increased from 4,384 in 1960 to 8,640 in 1998. The addition of 4,256 households represents a ninety-seven (97) percent net increase in the number of Townwide households from 1960 to 1998. It is important to note that, the percentage growth of households in the Town of Southold since 1960, ninety-seven (97) percent, significantly exceeds the Townwide population increase of fifty-six (56) percent during the same period. The County concluded in the Southold 2000 Study that, " The growth rate in households has exceeded the growth in total population because household sizes have continued to decline in South old. This trend toward smaller household sizes has also taken place both regionally and nationally. " Although the growth in the number of households in the Town continues, the rate has decreased since the 1980s. Future household growth will be based on the number of new and converted housing units created within the Town, and trends with respect to household size. Generally, it may be expected that household size will continue to decline due to changes in the household structure, such as individuals living alone and the growth of non-traditional living arrangements The growth in housing units has exceeded year-round population increases in the Town of Southold since 1960. As shown in Table 7, housing units increased to 12,979 as of 1990, from 7,972 in 1960. The construction of 5,007 new housing units represents approximately a sixty-three (63) percent net increase during the subject 30-year period. TABLE 7 TOTAL HOUSING UNITS TOWN OF SOUTHOLD-1960-1990 Year 'QoI/sing Net Changefl'oUl 'Y. SItAAg~ from Units Previous Decade PreVioI/s Decade 1960 7,972 ---- ---- 1970 8,740 768 9.6% 1980 11,130 2,390 27.3% 1990 12,979 1,849 16.6% Source: Southold Township 2000, Suffolk County Planning Department, May /999. N'M Page 25 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The growth in housing units in Southold has occurred at a higher rate relative to year- round population and household increases since 1980, largely due to second home construction. . Seasonal Population and Housing Seasonal homes for vacation, recreational or occasional uses historically have had a significant impact on the demographics of the Town of Southold, particularly during the summer months. Table 8 provides a historical perspective with respect to the Townwide growth of seasonal homes. TABLE 8 SEASONAL HOMES TOWN OF Sou'mOLD - 1970-1990 Yellr S$sllnal Net Change frllm ~. Ch~!tg~ ftQm Hilmes Previllus l>eclIde Previllus Oecade 1970 2,674 ---- ---- 1980 3,185 511 19.1% 1990 4,152 967 30.4% Source: Southold Township 2000, Suffolk County Planning Department, May 1999. Seasonal homes increased to 4,152 in 1990, from 2,674 in 1970. This development of 1,478 homes represents a net increase of seasonal homes estimated at over fifty-five (55) percent during the subject twenty (20) year interval. The Suffolk County Planning Department (SCPD) estimated seasonal population in the Town of Southold based on available data from the 1990 U.S. Census and in-house sources. Based on the County study, it is estimated that the population of the Town of Southo/d more than doubles during peak seasonal times, expanding from the year-round 1990 figure of 19,836 up to 45,339 during peak seasonal times (an increase of 25,503 or 129%). . Land Use Trends The demographic trends in the Town of Southold related to year-round and seasonal population and households will guide its land use activities for the foreseeable future. The demand for new housing is expected to continue based on the following: Year-round population increases resulting from expanding employment opportunities to the west. The scarcity of available residential development sites in towns to the west. Reductions in the size of households. The historic growth of seasonal homes and the expected continuation of this trend. .'P&ti; Page 26 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The primary development trend that has occurred within the Town of Southold since the 1960's has been the growth of single family residential development on land that was previously utilized for agriculture. Residential development pressures have historically moved from west to east on Long Island. Table 9 provides data on the number of housing unit permits issued within the Town of Southold for each decade dating back to the 1960s. TABLE 9 HOUSING UNIT PERMITS ISSUED TOWN OF SOUTHOLD-1960-1998 J)ecade Permits Issued 1960-69 1,627 1970-79 1,915 1980-89 1,772 1990-99 1,688 Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Southold Building Dept. The steady issuance of housing permits since 1960 in the Town of Southold has coincided with the increase in population and households described in the preceding analysis. Further, the establishment of more stringent land use regulations has limited development potential in the towns to the west; and the strong economy and stock market have contributed to the increasing development pressures within the Town of Southold. Year-round and seasonal population growth will continue to fuel the demand for new residential developments on available sites on a Townwide basis. New developments are likely to occur on vacant properties, as well as land currently used for agriculture. In summary, the expansion of the Town's housing stock is likely to be it's predominant land use trend in the next decade. The national trend in telecommuting is evident in Southold enabling former weekenders to work out of their second homes on a year-round basis. In addition, as the growth in employment opportunities increases to the west and tourism and the number of second-homes increases, the population growth and the related demand for housing in the Town of Southold will continue to increase. In addition to new housing development, it may be expected that new retail and commercial services will be attracted to the Town in order to provide necessary services. The development of facilities to house these businesses is expected to occur along the Town's transportation and business corridors. 2.2.3 Land Available for Development The Southold Township - 2000 study also projected future building activity on the land available for development. The following discussion is based on the land use information collected and presented in the County study. II'M Page 27 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Methodology Land available for development is defined as "vacant land or land that has not yet been developed to the maximum extent as permitted by municipal zoning law." Land available for development is categorized as follows: . Residential Vacant, residentially zoned, non-subdividable property Vacant, residentially zoned, subdividable property Residential developed, residentially zoned, subdividable property Agriculturally used, residentially zoned, subdividable property . Commercial Vacant, commercially zoned property Agriculturally used, commercially zoned property . Industrial Vacant, industrially zoned property Agriculturally used, industrially zoned property . Special Cases Large parcels that have near-term, redevelopment potential Undeveloped, old-filed map areas The analysis of available land for development in the Town of Southold utilized a GIS land database to examine property in terms of its sub-watershed zone, parcel size, and predominant zoning designations. This detailed land use information allowed for a projection of the number of dwelling units that could be developed on land available in each of the thirteen (13) sub-watershed areas previously discussed in the land use analysis. It should be noted that, the analysis included several key development assumptions and constraints related to both planning and legal issues that will impact the projected number of dwelling units constructed in the Town. The following statement excerpted from the Suffolk County study summarizes the methodology applied to determine land available for development. "The potential number of dwelling units within the vacant, residentially zoned, non-subdividable property category is equal to the number of tax map parcels in the subject category. A residentially zoned tax map parcel classified as vacant, residential~y used or agriculturally used was considered subdividable and available for development if it was greater than or equal to twice the minimum lot size as required by existing zoning. Agriculturally used parcels with severed development rights owned by Suffolk County or town governmentsJarmland held in private conservation land trusts, and subdivision reserves for agricultural use owned by property owners associations were manually deleted from the GIS generated list of parcels available for development. However, land in State Agricultural Districts is considered available for development, since the development status of such land can change. " 11M Page 28 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The dwelling unit yield for residentially zoned properties that were subdividable was based on the yield per acre for each of Southold' s residential zone categories, and the number of acres. The dwelling units per acre were further adjusted based on factors to estimate development yields based on existing zoning, as prepared by the Long Island Regional Planning Board, 1978 (Koppelman, 1978; Vol. II, Table 9-2, p. 309). The projections also took into consideration the Suffolk County Department of Health Services sanitary code, and vacant lots in partially developed subdivisions and in old filed mapped areas. Commercially and industrially zoned land available for development were aggregated by sub-watershed zone, however, they were not included as potential areas for residential growth. Results of the Land Available for Development Analvsis The study concluded that over 15,000 acres, or forty-seven (47) percent of Town of Southold's estimated 32,250 acres of mainland upland acreage, is potentially developable. Residential and agriculturally zoned land accounts for about 97 percent of the land available for development, the remaining properties fall within commercial or industrial designations. The analysis found a total of 14,537.8 acres of residentially zoned land available for development in the Town of Southold. These residentially zoned areas could potentially yield 8,324 new dwelling units in the Town. The magnitude of this increase is significant. In 1990, just 10 years ago, the Town had a total number of dwelling units of 21,279. Therefore, the land available for development has the potential to increase the number of housing units by approximately sixty-four (64) percent, relative to 1990. Development of commercially and industrially zoned land available for development would result in a thirty-one (31) percent and a 231 percent increase respectively. With respect to watershed protection, the potential for residential development in the various defined sub-watershed zones must be examined. The sub-watershed zones that are of critical importance are those that are associated with the groundwater recharge areas, and the Southold Special Groundwater Protection Areas (SGPA's) presented previously in Section 2.1.7. These two areas are highly interrelated, with the SGPA's lying within the boundaries of the groundwater recharge areas. (Please refer to Appendix A; Figure A-8 which depicts the boundaries of both environmentally sensitive groundwater areas superimposed on the sub-watershed zones map.) The following sections discuss land available for development within each sub-watershed zone, with consideration of the significance related to the SGP A and groundwater recharge areas. . Sub-watershed Zone 0 The analysis determined that due to existing development and institutional uses, this sub- watershed, comprised of Robins Island and Plum Island, does not have any acreage available for development. RIMY Page 29 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Sub-watershed Zone 10 This watershed zone centered on the western boundary of the Town in Laurel, has 1,209.6 acres, or approximately fifty-two (52) percent of its total acreage available for development. This represents about eight (8) percent of the land available for development in the Town of Southold. Of the total acres available for development in this sub-watershed, 1,115.7, or about ninety-two (92) percent are zoned for residential development. It is projected that if developed, the available residentially zoned acres would generate 534 new dwelling units. Of the total 1,115.7 available residential acres, 698.9, or about sixty-three (63) percent is on agricultural property currently zoned for residential use. Although Sub-watershed Zone 10 contains a significant portion of the Town's land available for development, the zone lies outside the Southold SGPA, but does contain a large portion of the Central Suffolk SPGA Northeast Sector. . Sub-watershed Zone 20 Zone 20 has a total of 1,531.8 acres, or approximately fifty-six (56) percent of its land available for development. This totals roughly ten (10) percent of the land available for development in the Town of Southold. The majority of the available land in this sub- watershed (1,520.9 acres) is zoned for residential use. This acreage could potentially generate 751 building lots for housing. It is also important to note that, 812.1 acres, or about fifty-three (53) percent of the available residentially zoned land is currently used for agricultural purposes. The Mattituck sub-watershed is key in terms of ground water resources due to the fact that a significant portion of its northeastern section lies within the elongated groundwater recharge area. A review ofthe land use pattern in this sub-watershed reveals that existing residential development is concentrated along the zone's coastal areas. The majority of its available land for development located in the northeastern section. Therefore, there is significant potential for development in the groundwater sensitive areas of this sub- watershed zone. . Sub-watershed Zone 30 Sub-watershed Zone 30 has 1,234.2 acres, or about forty-four (44) percent of its total acreage available for development. With respect to the entire Town, this represents approximately eight (8) percent of the available land for development. Of its total available land, 1,215.1 acres (98 percent) is zoned for residential use, which, if developed, would yield 783 residential lots. Agricultural properties comprise 686.1 acres, or an estimated fifty-six (56) percent of the total available residentially zoned properties in this sub-watershed. This sub-watershed is similar to Zone 20 in terms of its potential impact on the groundwater recharge area. Existing residential development in Cutchogue is located primarily along the southern shoreline on the Peconic Estuary. The northern half of Zone 30 lies within the critical groundwater flow system, as does the majority of its acreage available for future development. 11M Page 30 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Sub-watershed Zone 40 Sub-watershed Zone 40 contains 1,548.5 acres available for development, about fifty- three (53) percent of the total acreage of the zone. This figure represents approximately ten (10) percent of the total acreage available for development in the Town of Southold. Of its total available land, 1,547.9 acres over ninety-nine (99) percent is zoned for residential use, which if developed, would yield 846 lots for dwelling units. Agricultural properties comprise 711.9 acres, or approximately forty-six (46) percent of the total available residentially zoned properties in this sub-watershed. This sub-watershed also is of considerable significance with respect to the protection of future groundwater resources in the Town of Southold. As in the cases of Zone 20 and Zone 30, the majority of the developed area of Zone 40 lies along the southern coastal areas ofPeconic and Bayview. The northern half of Zone 40, along with the majority of its land available for development, lie within the SGP A and the elongated groundwater flow system. . Sub-watershed Zone 50 Sub-watershed Zone 50 contains 2,747 acres available for development, roughly forty (40) percent of the sub-watershed's total acreage. The available land for development in Zone 50 is equal to approximately eighteen (18) percent of the Town of Southold's total developable acreage. Of the land available for development in this zone, 2,557.3 acres, (over 93 percent) is zoned for residential use, which if developed, would yield 1,907 residential lots. Agricultural properties comprise 613.9 acres, about twenty-four (24) percent of the total available residentially zoned properties in this sub-watershed. A small portion of the eastern boundary of the two critical groundwater areas lie within the western section of Sub-watershed Zone 50. The majority of the acreage that lies within important recharge areas, is land that is available for development. . Sub-watershed Zone 60 This eastern sub-watershed has 290.9 available acres for development, about forty-six (46) percent of the acreage in the zone. The available acres in Zone 60 represent approximately two (2) percent of the total land available for development in the Town. Of the total acres available for development in this sub-watershed, 289.8, or over ninety- nine (99) percent are zoned for residential development. It is projected that if developed, the available residentially zoned acres would produce 151 building lots. Of the 289.8 available residential acres, 698.9, or about sixty-three (63) percent are currently located on agricultural properties zoned for residential use. Sub-watershed Zone 60 contains a limited amount of the Town's land available for development, further, the zone lies outside the Town's two critical groundwater sensitive areas. .'PaIr Page 31 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Sub-watershed Zone 70 Sub-watershed Zone 70 has 898.8 developable acres, about forty-two (42) percent of the total land available for development. The available acreage for development in this zone accounts for approximately six (6) percent of the Townwide total. Of the total acres available for development, 897.3, (over 99 percent) are zoned for residential development. It is projected that if developed, the available residentially zoned acres would generate 412 dwelling units. Of the 897.3 available residential acres, 433.6, (about 48 percent) are currently located on agricultural properties zoned for residential use. Zone 60 lies outside the Town's two sensitive groundwater areas, limiting the impact of future development to more localized shallow flow groundwater systems. . Sub-watershed Zone 80 Sub-watershed Zone 80 has only 24.7 acres of its total 1,299 acres available for development representing about two (2) percent of the available land, and less than 0.2 percent of the Townwide developable acreage. Of the total acres available for development, one-hundred (100) percent are zoned for residential development. It is projected that if developed, the available residentially zoned acres in Zone 80 would generate 17 residential lots. There are no agricultural properties within this sub- watershed. Zone 80 lies outside the Town's two sensitive groundwater areas, limiting the impact of future development. . Sub-watershed Zone 90 Zone 90 has just 32.9 acres of land available for development, representing about twenty (20) percent of its total acreage. These available acres amount to less than one (I) percent of the total land remaining in the Town of Southold for development. All of the available property is zoned for residential use, and if developed, would generate 26 building lots. Neither of the two groundwater sensitive areas lie within this sub- watershed. . Sub-watershed Zone 100 Zone 100 has 2,839.8 acres ofland available for development, representing almost sixty- one (61) percent of the acreage in the sub-watershed. The total developable acres in this zone represent nineteen (19) percent of the Townwide available acreage. Of its total available land, 2,807.1 acres (about 99 percent) is zoned for residential use, which if developed, would yield 839 residential lots. Agricultural properties comprise 1,129.3 acres of the available residentially zoned acres, or an estimated forty (40) percent of the total acres within this zoning category. This zone has the potential to yield a large number of building permits, given the pattern of land available for development and the existing developed areas in and around Mattituck Inlet in the central part of this zone. A large area in the southeastern section of Zone 100 lies within both the Southold SGPA and the groundwater recharge area. In addition, a portion of Zone 100 also lies within the Central Suffolk SGPA Northeast Sector. N~ Page 32 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Sub-watershed Zone 110 Sub-watershed Zone contains 1,935.3 acres available for development, representing about sixty-three (63) percent of the total land area of the zone. This acreage amounts to approximately thirteen (13) percent of the total land available for development in the Town of Southold. Of its total available land, 1,780.4 acres or about ninety-two (92) percent is zoned Jor residential use, which if developed, would yield 839 building lots. Agricultural properties comprise 1,129.3 acres, or approximately sixty-three (63) percent of the total available residentially zoned properties in this sub-watershed. This sub- watershed is of considerable importance with respect to the protection of future groundwater resources in the Town, as a significant portion of the Southold SGP A and the groundwater recharge area lie within the southern portion of Zone 110. Further, the section of this sub-watershed area lying within the environmentally sensitive groundwater areas is largely undeveloped. . Sub-watershed Zone 120 Sub-watershed 120 contains 759.8 available acres for development, which represents approximately fifty-six (56) percent of its total land area. The available acreage in the zone is equal to approximately five (5) percent of the total land available for development in the Town. Of its total available land, 748.7 acres or over ninety-nine (99) percent is zoned for residential use, which if developed, would yield 801 lots for dwelling units. Agricultural properties comprise 71.5 acres, or approximately ten (10) percent ofthe total available residentially zoned properties in this sub-watershed. Neither of the two sensitive groundwater areas discussed in this analysis extend into Zone 120. . Sub-watershed Zone 130 The sub-watershed zone is comprised of Fisher's Island. As previously noted, Fisher's Island is not part of this watershed protection strategy as it is subject to different water resource and land use factors. Several conclusions can be reached in review of the results of the land available for development analysis. 1. There is a considerable amount of land available in the Town of Southold which has growth potential. 2. Agricultural land represents a large portion of these developable lands, and the bulk of this land lies within areas that have been identified as important groundwater recharge and water supply areas. 3. Factoring in water supply information presented in Section 2.1, it is concluded that most of the more developed sub-watershed zones will require public water to support existing use, a condition which will become even more critical as growth and infilling occurs. 4. It is expected that public water will have to be supplied through controlled withdrawal in areas capable of sustaining pumpage. NM Page 33 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 3.0 SYNOPSIS OF STUDIES FORMING PROTECTION POLICIES A number of studies have contributed to the current environmental planning body of knowledge that is implemented through land use review and ongoing planning initiatives at all levels of government. This section is intended to document long-standing and recent studies/plans that have shaped watershed protection policy at the local and regional levels. 3.1 AREAWIDE WASTE TREATMENT MANAGEMENT (208 STUDY) In 1978, the Long Island Regional Planning Board in conjunction with other agencies, prepared a plan for wastewater handling and water resource management on Long Island under a program funded by Section 208 of the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments. The purpose of the 208 Study was to investigate waste disposal options and best practice for ground and surface water protection. The study delineated Hydrogeologic Zones for the formulation of management plans based on groundwater flow patterns and quality (Koppelman, 1978). The North Fork region was identified as lying within Groundwater Management Zone IV, a shallow flow area underlain and surrounded by saline water and having local water quality problems. Most of the groundwater impacts identified were associated with agriculture, but many residential areas were found to contain good quality water. In the hamlet of Greenport some salt water upconing had been observed as a result of overpumping for water supply. The 208 Study recommends that development in this zone utilize public sewers if available, or provide for wastewater collection/treatment where the wastewater generation rate is 600 gallons per day per acre (gpdlac) or more. In addition, the 208 Study recommends the following: 1) that stormwater runoff be controlled on-site by preventing sediments, nutrients, metals, organic chemicals and bacteria from reaching surface and, eventually, ground waters; 2) that on-site disposal systems should be maintained properly; 3) optimize the timing of fertilizer application, to reduce nitrate contamination from agriculture; 4) minimize population density by encouraging large lot development and protect additional protection for existing wetland and marsh areas; 5) control establishment of new landfills and the expansion of existing ones; 6) reduce excessive use of irrigation water to minimize saltwater intrusion; 7) optimize pumping patterns to minimize saltwater upconing; and 8) prohibit use of certain chemical cleaners in on-lot systems. Suffolk County Department of Health Services established Article 6 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code in 1981, to implement the density restrictions recommended in the 208 Study. As noted in Section 3.2, Southold is identified as Zone 4, and density is limited to 300 gallons per day per acre in areas with no public water, allowed to be increased to 600 gpdlacre in areas with public water supply. The purpose of this section of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code is to limit nitrogen loading from sewage disposal for best groundwater management practice. .'MY Page 34 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 3.2 SPECIAL GROUNDWATER PROTECTION AREA (SGPA PLAN) The SGP A Plan makes several recommendations for watershed management to preserve and enhance groundwater quality within the SGPA's. A "Special Groundwater Protection Area" is defined in the NY Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) as: "A recharge watershed area within a designated sole source aquifer area contained within counties having a population of one million or more which is particularly important for the maintenance of large volumes of high quality groundwater for long periods of time. For the purposes of this article, each "special groundwater protection area" shall be classified as a critical area of environmental concern as used under article eight of this chapter (Section 55-0107 EeL Article 55)." Southold Town included a defined Special Groundwater Protection Area, consisting of a 2,900+ acre corridor extending from the east side of Mattituck Inlet to the area in the vicinity of Route 48 and the Long Island Railroad. In addition, a small area of the Northeast Sector of the Central Suffolk SGPA is located in the area west of Mattituck Creek in the vicinity of Laurel Lake. The SGP A Plan makes specific recommendations for development within each SGP A, as well as general recommendations which are applicable to all of the identified SGP As. The following text will briefly discuss these recommendations. General Recommendations Chapter 2 of the SGP A Plan provides general recommendations that pertain to all Special Groundwater Protection Areas on Long Island. The chapter provides a regional overview of groundwater resources on Long Island and discusses opportunities for protection and enhancement of groundwater quality. The plan then outlines general policy considerations, watershed rules and regulations, and best management practices (BMP). The primary focus of the plan is the use of existing local land use regulations and sanitary codes to manage development, and to reduce residential development density to a level which is environmentally acceptable. Protection of open space through clustering, rezoning and outright acquisition is also identified as an important means of protecting the quality of groundwater recharge. The plan also discusses the use of existing regulations to control the discharge of hazardous materials from industrial and commercial development. The Policy Considerations section of the chapter sets a goal of non-degradation of the aquifer, recognizing that some tradeoffs will be necessary based on economics or other social considerations. The plan also discusses the regulation of sewage treatment plants within the SGP A, best management practices for limiting fertilizer and pesticide use in landscaped areas, and preservation of open space and other land use considerations. A primary groundwater concern associated with development on Long Island is nitrogen loading due to on-site disposal of sanitary waste effluent and lawn fertilization. Best management practices (BMP's) discussed within the chapter for residential lands include limitations on clearing, fertilization, irrigation and the reduction in the overall use oflandscaped areas. II'JI&W Page35 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The open space section of the chapter discusses acquisition and other methods for preservation of open space within the SGPAs. As acquisition of the entire SGPA areas is clearly impractical, the plan suggests that limitation of residential densities to five acre zoning and clustering be utilized to protect remaining large, undeveloped parcels. Five acre zoning is presented as a goal within the plan; however, it was recognized that the individual Towns and villages have final jurisdiction over residential densities. The plan recommends that multifamily and condominium development be limited, and if social need warrants such construction, sewer hookup should be provided. In areas which are already developed at higher densities the plan suggests that further development be allowed, with upzoning of un subdivided lots where possible. Specific Recommendations Chapter 3 of the SGP A Plan inventories the characteristics of each individual Special Groundwater Protection Area and provides recommendations based on issues, problems and opportunities which are specific to each SGPA. To protect groundwater in these areas the SGPA Plan offers several recommendation for the Southold SGP A to mitigate the impacts of existing and future development including: . The Town of Southold and Suffolk County should continue to purchase farmland development rights and encourage programs to protect farmlands. . Support should be given to the Cornell Cooperative Extensions efforts to introduce and secure adoption of best management practices for agriculture. . Farmland should be upzoned to require five acre minimum lot size but should provide for the transfer of development rights to sites outside the SGP A at the currently prevailing two acre density . . The transfer of development rights in nearby hamlets or along the Long Island Sound shorefront where acreage is still available should be permitted to offset very low density zoning. Suffolk County should utilize funds from the sales tax program to acquire wooded watershed lands within the Southold SGPA. Several recommendations are provided in the section of the plan dealing with the Central Suffolk SGP A Northeast Sector. Those recommendations that pertain to the Southold portion of this SGP A are listed as follows: . Suffolk County, together with the Towns of Riverhead and Southold should expand the existing agricultural preserve. The County should continue to acquire development rights under its Farmland Preservation Program. . The County and the Town of Southold should use a combination of selective acquisition, TD.R. and mandatory clustering to assemble and protect a 200+ acre watershed preserve in the vicinity of Laurel Lake. Such a preserve would comprise both woodlands and portions of farm parcels. . The Town of Southold should facilitate the phase out of the former mining operation and of the small industrial use on Sound A venue. Both properties should be converted to residential use and further industrial development should not be permitted in this part of the SGP A. ~CM ,,~j' Page 36 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . The Towns of Riverhead and Southold should review their zoning ordinances and amend them as necessary to preclude the expansion of commercial activities beyond the limits of those SGP A areas where such activities currently exist. 3.3 PECONIC ESTUARY PROGRAM (PEP) The Peconic Estuary Program is funded in part by the US Environmental Protection Agency with assistance from the NYSDEC and the SCDHS. The primary agency has been the SCDHS Office of Ecology, contributing administration, staff, technical and mapping skills to the advancement of the program. The Peconic Estuary lies between the north and south forks of Long Island, and is a water resource important for economic vitality of the east end for its beauty and natural resources. The Estuary has been studied through a series of reports under the PEP, and policy guidelines have emerged that are incorporated into land use review to protect this valuable resource. This includes: a no net increase in nitrogen load, review of projects by the Suffolk County Planning Commission, prior recommendations for 2-acre residential upzonings and other water quality preservation measures. In September 1999, the draft section of the program titled "Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan was released. The Plan builds on prior findings and establishes management actions in the following areas: . Brown Tide Management Plan . Nutrients Management Plan . Habitat and Living Resources Management Plan . Pathogens Management Plan . Toxics Management Plan . Public Education and Outreach Management Plan The plan is solidly based on scientific principles and proposes to continue to reach management decisions based on the science of protecting the Peconic Estuary through comprehensive site- specific studies. New standards are recommended for surface water quality with regard to total nitrogen of 0.45 mg/l and 0.4 mg/l for areas with less 3 meters of water depth. This standard is slightly more stringent that a previously adopted NYSDEC total nitrogen limit of 0.5 mg/1. This is intended to meet help meet a dissolved oxygen standard of 5 mg/1. A hierarchy approach to management is being proposed by applying different management techniques to different water bodies based on water quality objectives and water quality standards violations. The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan proposes to use a Hydrodynamic and Eutrophication Model as a tool to evaluate water quality in the main bays This in turn would be used to simulate water quality based on land use projections, in order to provide a management tool for planning decisions. The primary result of this would be to develop a nitrogen load allocation strategy for the entire watershed. This could have implications with regard to agricultural practice, and land use density. .'M Page 37 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan is part of a continuing a scientific study which will ultimately assist with land use recommendations. The need to protect the Peconic Estuary has implications with regard to tourism, economic vitality and land ownership. Overall the goal of protecting and enhancing the Peconic Estuary is critical to the long term economic and social well-being of the east end. 3.4 SUFFOLK COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN In January of 1987 the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS), Division of Environmental Health prepared the Suffolk County Comprehensive Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP) to ensure an adequate and safe water supply for Suffolk County residents through and beyond the year 2020. The goal of the plan was to maintain water supply self-sufficiency within seven Water Management Areas which included the Riverhead ISouthold area and several County-wide insular areas which partially consist of Nassau Point (Little Hogs Neck), Great Hogs Neck and Greenport. The portion of the plan which discusses the North Fork was derived from the North Fork Water Supply Plan (NFWSP) prepared for the SCDHS in 1983. Therefore, the North Fork Water Supply Plan is reviewed in the next section as related to the Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy. 3.5 NORTH FORK WATER SUPPLY PLAN The North Fork Water Supply Plan (NFWSP) was prepared in 1983 by ERM consultants under contract to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. The objective of the NFWSP was to develop and evaluate several alternative water supply plans which could safely meet present and future potable water requirements and recommend a future course of action. The need for this study was driven by the water supply problems facing the RiverheadlSouthold area which were determined to have resulted from a relatively limited freshwater supply, partially contaminated due to agricultural practices (primarily pesticides and nitrates) and threatened by saltwater intrusion due to regional over-pumping of supply and irrigation wells. In addition, it was recognized that further demand due to increasing pressures of development would further stress this limited resource. The total area encompassed by the plan included the towns of Riverhead and Southold; it was recognizes that hydrogeologic conditions vary significantly throughout the area. As a result five water supply zones were established for the planning purposes of the NFWSP and presented below: Zone I Begins at the western Town boundary of Riverhead and extends easterly to the Hamlet of Riverhead. The Magothy aquifer in this zone contains sigoificant freshwater. Zone 2 Begins at the Hamlet of Riverhead and to the Mattituck Inlet to the east. In this zone the presence of saltwater increases with the Magothy aquifer as one progresses to the east until the freshwater lens terminates at the Mattituck Inlet. Zone 3 Extends from the Mattituck Inlet to Hashamomuck Pond. ~!::1IW ".-0.'8' Page 38 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Zone 4 Extends from Hashamomuck Pond to Dam Pond Zone 5 Extends from Dam Pond and continues through Orient Point. Zones 3 through 5 were all defined by three isolated fresh groundwater lenses. The NFWSP drew several conclusions regarding the groundwater quantity and quality, water supply alternatives and implementation of the alternatives. With regard to the groundwater quantity it was determined that there was sufficient fresh groundwater available to satisfy the needs of the overall planning area; however, critical water supply conditions were found to exist in Zone 5 where the projected water supply requirements [0.4 million gallons per day (mg/d)] were nearly equal to the available supply (0.46 mg/d). Also groundwater supply conditions in Zone 4 were also considered critical although some extra available supply was noted (0.9 mg/d available versus 0.63 mg/d required. Groundwater contamination was found to be extensive and it was predicted that this would remain so for many years. Alternative water supply solutions were recommended to proceed immediately and were proposed to consider that the limited volume of fresh water would be further reduced due to contamination related to agricultural processes. As alternatives, the study found that a combination of residential public water systems and individual home treatment units would be essential. In addition, some form of direct governmental involvement would be required for implementation ofthese alternatives. The NFWSP concluded that the Town of Southold could best implement the recommendations of the study through the following actions: . Forming town Water Management Programs, as administrative functions, to coordinate all water supply activities in the respective towns. . Forming Water Supply Districts or extending existing districts boundaries to purchase, own and operate private water companies or to construct new public water systems. . Forming Home treatment Unit Districts (covering all or portions of the town area not served by public water) and owning and maintaining the home units. In addition to these conclusions the NFWSP offered several general and area-specific recommendations to meet the studies objectives. The General Recommendations as they apply to the Town of South old are provided below: . Implementation of preventative measures to minimize or eliminate additional groundwater contamination. . Provide a safe, dependable water supply to the North Fork through the temporary use of individual home treatment units and public water supply systems. However, home treatment should not be relied upon as a long term remedy. Measures should be undertaken to remediate the underlying aquifers. N~ Page 39 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Administratively, the Town of Southold should establish Water Management, Water Supply districts and/or water improvements encompassing parts of or entire area within Southold. . Utilize the technical and administrative water supply experience of the Village of Greenport. Within Southold, the Town should establish its own water supply staff, contract with Greenport for personnel services beyond those currently provided by the Village, or employ a combination of Town staff and Village services. . Town Water Management Programs should include home treatment as part of their overall responsibilities as Home Treatment Unit Districts. To ensure safety and reliability, the town Home Treatment Unit Districts should own, operate and maintain the home treatment units. . In areas of existing development where groundwater is contaminated, the Water Management Programs should provide public water systems, if economically feasible, through Water Districts. If not, home treatment units should be publicized and recommended . Proposed new subdivisions in areas of groundwater contamination or potential contamination must be connected to existing public water supply systems. If these are not available, then new public supplies are to be constructed and deeded to a town Water District. . If an existing home is sold in an area of suspected groundwater contamination the appropriate regulatory agency should sample and test the home well with the results attached to the deed. If water quality is not adequate as per the standards the current or new homeowner should be required to make provision through the Water Management Program to provide a safe supply of water prior to sale of the home. . The placement of vending machines, if accepted by the public which purify local groundwater and sell it at nominal cost by the Water Management Programs throughout the area as an interim measure until other recommendations of the NFWSP are implemented The following presents the area-specific recommendations outlined in the NFWSP as they apply to the Town of Southold: . MattitucklCutchogue - The Town of Southold should acquire and operate the existing water system in Mattituck Hills (Captain Kidd); measures should be taken immediately to upgrade the performance and reliability of the system and to augment its source of supply. In the remainder of the MattitucklCutchogue demand center (including Cutchogue, Mattituck, Little Hog Neck, East Cutchogue, Fleets Neck, New Suffolk and Indian Neck) it is not economically feasible to provide public water supply systems. These areas should continue to utilize individual home wells; when treatment is required, it should be provided through the Home Treatment Unit District. . Southold/Greenport - The Greenport Municipal System, which presently serves Greenport and parts of Southold, should continue to rely on local groundwater sources. However, major improvements to the system are required. An agricultural well on County Route 48 (on the Donohue Farm) should be upgraded (450-gpm total capacity) and used for public water supply. A 2.2-mgd reverse osmosis treatment plant should be constructed in stages to treat the water from the Donohue Well and existing plants no. 6 and 7 used for removal of nitrates, pesticides and herbicides. .'iM Page 40 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy After implementing the improvements, the Greenport system should actively attempt to further expand into other areas adjacent to the existing system. Such expansion should not be permitted, however, until the recommended modifications have been completed. The activities of any Town Water Districts should not impact the existing customers of the Greenport system who are located in the Town; their charges should only reflect the costs of operating the present Greenport system after it is upgraded. In the remainder of the Greenport/Southold area, including Great Hog Neck and East Marion, it is not economically feasible to provide public water supply systems. These areas should continue to be served by individual home wells, with treatment as required, provided through a Home Treatment Unit District. . Orient - The Orient area, with its relatively low density of development, cannot economically support public water supply. Existing development should continue to be served by individual home wells with treatment as required. The available fresh water supply is limited and future development should be tightly controlled and result in water requirements consistent with the permissive sustained yield of the aquifer in Zone 5. It is further recommended that only variances resulting in less water usage be approved. If future development is more water-use intensive, the permissive sustained yield in the area will be exceeded and other more costly solutions will be needed. . Neighborhood Systems - Public water systems for existing isolated neighborhoods in areas of groundwater contamination are generally not economically feasible. Therefore, it is recommended to continue to serve these areas by individual home wells, with required treatment provided through a Home Treatment Unit District. . Regional Pipeline System - The development of a major supply of uncontaminated groundwater in eastern Riverhead and piping it via a major transmission main to the eastern portions of the study area was a major alternative considered in the study. It is not recommended for the following reasons: (a) The pipeline would encourage levels of development which appear to be inconsistent with the current life style of the people and the general character of the area. (b) The construction of such a pipeline would require the early commitment of major financial resources and resolution of numerous institutional issues. Both types of problems would require a great deal of time for resolution; the water supply problems of the North Fork cannot tolerate significant delays. (c) The pipeline alternative is economically competitive with treating local sources of groundwater in Mattituck, Cutchogue, Greenport and Southold onlv if an uncontaminated supply can be found in the Magothy aquifer, below the clay layer and above the saltwater interface in eastern Riverhead. Preliminary data indicates such a supply exists, but its extent and yield needs to be verified with pump test information. To move further west in Riverhead into the Peconic Valley, where clean groundwater is known to exist in sufficient quantity, is not economically competitive with treating local sources of supply. . The cost estimates presented in the report for home treatment units should only be incurred by those homes requiring home treatment units. If a home's well tapped a clean supply, that home would not pay for any treatment costs. However, in the case of community-type water 1IP6W Page 41 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy systems, all homes would have to pay for the water service, regardless ofthe quality or safety of the local groundwater. Numerous technical and financial problems associated with providing water supply to contaminated areas of the North Fork were identified by the NFWSP and the report suggested that preventive measures must be undertaken in conjunction with several of the recommendations presented above. These measures would eliminate or minimize additional contamination. The following preventive measures were recommended by the NFWSP as they apply to the Town of South old: . Expand the SCDHS observation well network and home well sampling program. . Support the Cooperative Extension Service, Cornell University and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research and education programs directed to the homeowner and farmer relative to usage, dosages and timing of application of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. . Support the testing of agricultural chemicals by State or Federal agencies in the local environment as a precondition to use by the farm community. . Prohibit or control the sale or use of products and chemicals which threaten the groundwater resources. . Control industrial, commercial and residential activities which impact negatively on groundwater quality. . Incorporate detailed water quantity and quality considerations into rezoning and variance decisions because of the critical water supply problems which exist in most of the study area. If rezoning and variance decisions result in more intensive water usage than is currently anticipated, costly water supply treatment systems (desalinization, for example) may be required. . Encourage water conservation through public information programs and require water-saving fixtures in new home construction. . Continue public information and education programs to emphasize the fragile nature of the area's water supply and to foster cooperation in the solutions to those problems. Many of these programs have been implemented by jurisdictions since the completion of the NFWSP; however, there are a number of opportunities which exist to further implement the recommendations of this study which remain valid. Understanding of the background studies that have shaped the policy of agencies toward water supply management is important to formulate further recommendations consistent with prior comprehensive planning efforts. 3.6 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECT PLAN 1998-2001 The Town of Southold Community Preservation Project Plan (CPPP) was prepared in July of 1998 as ajoint effort, involving the Town of South old's Planning Department, Land Preservation Committee and Central Data Processing Department, and the Peconic Land Trust. The CPPP was prepared in response to the enactment of the Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation :>,ii" i 1IP6W Page 42 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Act (PBRCPA) in June of 1998, which authorized the creation of a fund for land acquisition financed by revenues generated by a newly established real estate transfer tax. The legislation required the preparation of the CPPP to guide the acquisition of properties with funds generated by the real estate transfer tax. The Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation Act of 1998 required that the CPPP provide for preservation and protection of land based on the following characteristics and attributes: . Open space and agricultural lands . Parks, nature preserves, recreation areas . Lands of exceptional scenic value . Fresh and salt water marshes, wetlands . Aquifer recharge areas . Undeveloped beachlands or shorelines . Wildlife refuges with significant biological diversity . Unique or threatened ecological areas . Natural, free flowing rivers or river areas . Historic places and properties, whether listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places or protected by municipal law . Any of the aforementioned types in the furtherance of the greenbelt The contents of the CPPP document are based on the legislative requirements contained in the Preservation Act of 1998. The plan document presents the methodology utilized by the Town to develop the listing of properties eligible for participating in the program and the factors that were used to prioritize properties for either preservation or protection. The CPPP also provides a descriptive analysis of the alternative mechanisms that the Town has implemented, or may use in the future, to protect or preserve specific properties in cooperation with their owners. In addition, the CPPP includes a map and companion listing of eligible parcels that should be preserved or protected through the use of Preservation Act funds. Planning Framework The planning process involved Town personnel, advisory committees and members of various civic, environmental, business and community organizations. The Town's Planning staff developed the initial listing of eligible properties, in cooperation with the Data Processing Department, utilizing its Geographic Information System (GIS). This preliminary listing was reviewed by the involved parties for both accuracy, and to recommend the inclusion of additional properties, or the deletion of certain parcels. Further, throughout the planning process an effort was made to take into account the recommendations of previously completed Town of Southold planning studies with regard to land preservation. As a result, the CPPP Map and List of Eligible Properties reflected the views of prior Town documents with respect to the protection and preservation of land based on their ecological, historical, scenic, cultural, recreational or economic value. It should also be noted that, the Town planning process incorporated the information and policy recommendations offered in the extensive number of planning documents and studies prepared by federal, state, local, grassroots and foundation-funded groups in past years. The CPPP also N'N Page 43 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy reviewed the past successes in protecting agricultural properties via the purchase of development rights programs operated by the Town of South old and Suffolk County. Preservation /Protection Strategv The CPPP chose a flexible approach in determining the mechanisms that should be employed to preserve each of the properties included on the Map and List of Eligible Properties. Basically, a parcel that reflects multiple characteristics and attributes, as defined in the Preservation Act of 1998, and faces an imminent development threat, will receive the highest priority for acquisition and preservation. The Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board (Fund Advisory Board) is identified as the organization responsible for implementing the CPPP. In order to leverage the limited funds available for land acquisition, the plan recommends that the Fund Advisory Board utilize the Town's established Conservation Opportunities Process (COP) as a primary method to preserve and protect land. The Conservation Opportunities Process defines the particular attributes of a subject parcel that should be protected, and offers a range of options that best preserve and protect the property, and satisfy estate planning needs. This voluntary process may includes CPPP funds for acquisition, purchase of development rights, conservation easements, land use controls limiting site development and numerous other legal alternatives involving land trusts and foundations. 3.7 LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM DECEMBER 1999 The Draft Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) dated December 1999 was prepared by the Town of Southold Planning Department, with technical assistance from the New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources. The L WRP provides planning and environmental information and data that may be utilized to formulate development strategies to encourage and protect the waterfront areas of the Town of Southold. Essentially, due to the geographic features of the Town, as defined by its extensive coastal areas and inland wetlands, the entire municipal area of the Town of Southold is included within the analysis. The Draft L WRP provides an extremely detailed inventory and analysis of the land use and development, public access and recreation, natural resources, historic resources, archaeological resources, scenic resources and development constraints in the Town of Southold. The document also provides land use and environmental information based on ten (10) geographic areas in Town, identified as reaches, to assist in the development of localized waterfront protection strategies. With respect to watershed protection, the L WRP presents detailed environmental data and analysis useful in the development of strategies to preserve and protect ground water resources. An important element of the Draft L WRP is its inclusion and review of the key series of plans that have been prepared at the state, regional and local level, which have affected past planning decisions in the Town of Southold. The recognition of significant prior planning efforts, and their contribution in terms of environmental information and policy development, provides an outstanding framework to guide the development of a revitalization program for Town of Southold waterfront areas. Planning initiatives that are incorporated in the Draft L WRP include studies of regional significance, such as the Long Island Sound Coastal Management Program (USCMP) and The Long Island Sound Study - The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (USS). The USCMP focuses on the conservation and development needs of lIiM Page 44 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy the Long Island Sound coastal region, while the LISS concentrates on environmental problems that are Soundwide. Prior plans and studies oriented to specific local issues also contribute to the analytical basis of the Draft LWRP. Included within this category are plans and studies such as; the Peconic Estuary Program, the Town of Southold Comprehensive Plan, and the Open Space Preservation Plan. The Draft L WRP assesses the opportunities for land use changes for each of the ten (l0) identified "Reach" areas based on the results of the inventory and analysis. Three distinct land use situations are identified within each Reach: Existing stable uses, Areas subject to development pressure, and Underutilized sites. Areas of existing stable uses are generally characterized by fully developed subdivisions, with limited potential for infill development. Environmental constraints, such as a shallow groundwater table, result in stable use areas in a number of the reaches. Areas subject to development pressure generally exhibit ample vacant or agricultural land and the availability of utilities such as public water. Underutilized sites account for a wide range of land use situations encountered throughout the various reaches. Areas that exhibit limited road access, deteriorating infrastructure, conflicting land uses, or inappropriate zoning may fall within this classification. Further, for each reach the Draft L WRP highlights "Areas of Special Concern" based on observations such as the potential for erosion, flooding and the impact of infill development. The protection of wildlife and the maintenance of good water quality are also discussed with respect to the environmental setting and issues in each of the reaches. In particular, properties that feature unique natural or cultural resources that need protecting, face inappropriate development or redevelopment opportunities, or where existing development could be upgraded are listed and examined in detail. In many cases, these situations involve ponds, creeks and related wetland and coastal areas. The Draft L WRP also identifies the key issues regarding the critical environmental conditions in each of the ten (10) reaches. The document outlines the status of agricultural properties in terms of their potential for future development, harbor management issues regarding the utilization of waterfront properties, marine activities, and the protection of fishing and related recreational activities. The analysis assesses opportunities for public access and recreation, the protection of habitats and wetlands, the prevention of flooding and erosion, and the protection of water quality and scenic and historic resources. In certain instances, traffic and transportation management are defined as key issues based on the level of congestion. Declining traffic safety and the increasing incidences of speeding are seen as two of the critical issues. Traffic along two major corridors, County Route 48 and New York State Route 25 impact numerous reach areas and present significant planning and management challenges. . . . . The studies outlined above have played a vital role in helping various levels of government to establish measures to address water resource and land use needs. The result involves existing land protection measures that are in place based on this foundation. Existing land protection measures which partially address the Town's unique resources are outlined in the following section. '>, "1' , lI:i~ Page 4S Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 4.0 EXISTING LAND PROTECTION MEASURES 4.1 ZONING CODE AND LAND USE REVIEW The Town land use review procedure as implemented through the Zoning Code and staffiPlanning Board review, determines the type of land use development which occurs in the Town. The Zoning Code and zoning map establishes the basic pattern of development which is permitted to occur, based on residential, industrial and commercial land use districts. Techniques such as clustering provide an important tool to protect unique resources on a given parcel of land. The State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) provides a tool to evaluate a site's resources, analyze impacts of a project and explore mitigation and alternatives to minimize potential environmental impacts. These existing land protection measures are described in more detail below. 4.1.1 Zoning Zoning is regulated under Chapter 100 of the Code of the Town of Southold. The purposes outlined in the Zoning Code are consistent with the purpose, goals and objectives of the Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy. The purpose of a Zoning Code is to ensure provision of public resources and services and provide sites for a wide array of uses in a safe and harmonious manner. The Town of Southold establishes specific purposes in the Zoning Code that relate directly to watershed protection efforts as identified in this study. These are: . The enhancement of the appearance of the Town of Southold as a whole, particularly its open and rural environment. . The encouragement of flexibility in the design and development of land in such a way as to produce the most appropriate use of lands, to facilitate the adequate and economical provision of streets and utilities and to preserve the natural and scenic qualities of open lands. . The fostering and protection of agriculture and fisheries. . The protection of the subsurface water supply and surface waters. The incorporation of these specific purposes into the Zoning Code demonstrates the Towns commitment toward maintaining the rural/agricultural quality of the Town and protecting the water supply resource. The Zoning Code determines land uses permitted within each use district. Just as importantly, it also outlines those uses that are not permitted. Some districts include provisions for uses by special exception/permit from a separate authority; either the Town Board or the Zoning Board of Appeals. In addition, the Zoning Code outlines the dimensional requirements for development within each zoning district. Dimensional requirements typically include: minimum lot size; lot coverage, front side and rear yard 11M Page 46 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy setbacks, parking requirements for commercial/industrial development, etc. The Town Zoning Code includes the following use districts: Residential . Agricultural-Conservation (A-C) District (equivalent to 2 acre zoning) . Low-Density Residential District R-40 (equivalent to I acre zoning) . Low-Density Residential District R-80 (equivalent to 2 acre zoning) . Low-Density Residential District R-120 (equivalent to 3 acre zoning) . Low-Density Residential District R-200 (equivalent to 5 acre zoning) . Low-Density Residential District R-400 (equivalent to 10 acre zoning) Note: Low density and A.C zoning equivalents above are based on 40,000 sf I acre . Hamlet Density (HD) Residential District . Affordable Housing (AHD) District Business . Resort Residential (RR) District . Residential Office (RO) District . Limited Business (LB) District . General Business (B) District . Hamlet Business (HB) District . Marine I and Marine II (MI, MIl) Districts Industrial . Light Industrial Park/Planned Office Park (LIO) District . Light Industrial (LI) District The zoning dimensional and bulk requirements for all of the zoning districts in the Town of Southold are included in Appendix C. Appendix A; Figure A-9 depicts the Zoning of the Town Southold, with the SGPA and water recharge boundaries superimposed on the map. An overall premise of Town zoning involves the placement of more centralized uses in the hamlet center areas of the Town. This would include service oriented businesses in the Hamlet Business, General Business and Limited Business districts, as well as Hamlet Density residential and the Affordable Housing district. Business use districts are also located in appropriate areas outside of hamlet centers to provide services where transportation systems are adequate. Residential Office zoning is used as a transition use between hamlet centers and surrounding lands or as a corridor zoning district, with surrounding zoning involving R- 40 and other low density residential zoning. Resort Residential is a district reserved for specific application where appropriate, primarily on the waterfront. Marine zoning districts are located in appropriate areas along the coastline. Industrial use districts are an important mix in local zoning, providing tax revenue, jobs and product. Typically industrial uses are located outside of hamlet centers adjacent to primary transportation arterials. The Town is involved in reviewing the location of industrial and business zoning (and allowable uses), in order to ensure that such uses occur in environmentally appropriate locations within the Town. The Agriculture-Conservation (A-C) District coincides with farmland areas within the more rural portions of the Town, and is considered more specifically below. " .'M Page 47 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The A-C District together with the R-80, R-120, R-200 and R-400 low density residential districts, were created with the express intent of preserving rural character and farmland. The purpose of these districts is stated below: "The purpose. . . is to reasonably control and, to the extent possible, prevent the unnecessary loss of those currently open lands within the town containing large and contiguous areas of prime agricultural soils which are the basis for a significant portion of the town's economy and those areas with sensitive environmental features including aquifer recharge areas and bluffs. In addition, these areas provide the open rural environment so highly valued by year-round residents and those persons who support the Town of Southold 's recreation, resort and second-home economy. . . . At the same time, the town has an obligation to exercise its authority to reasonably regulate the subdivision and development of this land to further the same purposes while honoring the legitimate interests offarmers and other farmland owners." The A-C and other low density residential districts (except R-40) allow development of residential lots based on a minimum lot size of 80,000 square feet or larger. The district also allows agricultural operations and accessory uses, as well as the seasonal sale of products grown on premises. The A-C District dominates the central part of the Town of Southold between Mattituck Creek and Southold. This area coincides with the SGPA boundaries and the recharge area above the 5 foot groundwater contour (refer to Appendix A; Figure A-9). Large lot agricultural land uses are predominant in these areas, with scattered residential subdivisions on smaller lots that pre-date the current zoning. A notable exception is the LIO/LI industrial area which is located adjacent to the Town solid waste transfer station northwest of the comer of Cox Lane and Middle Road, bounded on the north by Oregon Road and on the west by Depot Lane. The A-C and the R-80 Districts also dominate the area west of Mattituck Creek to the Town line where large lot holdings currently exist and farm use and rural quality characterize the area. By contrast, the most developed portions of the Town exist outside the study areas. To this extent, east of Hashamomuck Pond, the R-80 District is prevalent and large lot holdings are interspersed. The East Marion area includes mixed uses involving R-80 on lands with larger lot sizes, as well as R-40 subdivisions, HD District and scattered RR and HB zoning. Orient and Orient Point are dominated by R-80 and R-200 zoning applied to large lot holdings many of which are in agricultural use. Scattered existing residential subdivisions in the R-40 zone exist outside the central areas of Orient/Orient Point. Zoning is an essential tool that should be used to establish a growth pattern in the Town. The A-C and other low density residential districts were intended to maintain large lot holdings and agricultural use. The Zoning Code also includes a number of supplemental provIsions that assist in directing orderly growth. These include Landscaping, Screening and Buffer Regulations, contained in S100-210 through 215. These standards allow the Planning Board to require landscaping to enhance the appearance and natural beauty of the Town, protect property IiP61T Page 48 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy values within the Town and minimize land use conflicts. Other provisions require buffers adjacent to creeks, and building setbacks adjacent to wetlands with cross reference to Chapter 97 Wetlands, of the Town Code which will be discussed in Section 3.2 of this report. Article XVIII 9100-180 and 181 of the Zoning Code is devoted to Cluster Development which is discussed in the following section. 4.1.2 Clustering Clustering is a term used for a method of subdividing land which reduces lot sizes in order to create blocks of open land. The base yield of a parcel of land based on its zoning. Once the yield is established, lot sizes are reduced below the zoning lot size, in order to preserve open space including agricultural use and natural features on a site. The Town of Southold Zoning Code includes a clustering provision to allow flexibility in design of residential development in order to achieve the following: . Maximum reasonable conservation of land and protection of groundwater supply and groundwater recharge areas. . Preservation of agricultural activity by encouraging retention of large continuous areas of agricultural use. . Variety in type and cost of residential development, thus increasing the choice of housing types available to town residents. . Preservation of trees and outstanding natural features, prevention of soil erosion, creation of usable open space and recreation areas and preservation of scenic qualities of open space. . A shorter network of streets and utilities and more efficient use of energy than would be possible through strict application of standard zoning. Clustering is a very effective tool for achieving many of the goals and objectives of this Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy. The Code mandates clustering where the original lot exceeds ten (10) acres in size, and encourages it where appropriate to achieve the goals noted above. In addition, the Code specifies minimum lot sizes based on available utilities such that the minimum lot size shall be: 30,000 square feet without public water or sewer; 20,000 square feet with public water; and, 10,000 square feet with public water and sewer. This provides maximum flexibility for preservation of open space in consideration of a site's features. Clustering can be used to protect the following resources that may be present on land use project sites within the Town of South old: . Agricultural land use Rural open space quality Groundwater recharge areas Groundwater impacted areas . . . 11M Page 49 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Steep slope areas . Archaeologicallylhistorically sensitive areas . Areas of high groundwater . Areas with constrained soils . Maximized wetland buffers Clustering has been on a case-by-case basis based on site resource evaluation. Areas of contiguous open space can be planned as a result of several development projects within an area, either through short term project coordination or long term planning. The use of clustering to preserve site features will continue and can be used with even more emphasis as a watershed protection strategy. 4.1.3 State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) The State Environmental Quality Review Act is contained in Article 8 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law, with enabling regulations contained in 6 NYCRR Part 617. This Act requires decision-making bodies to consider the environmental consequences of funding, decisions and approvals. The regulations provide an orderly means for agencies to perform initial screening review of an action to determine it's significance, and to identify other agencies which might be involved in approving an action. Through coordination between involved agencies, a lead agency is chosen. After review of an action, the lead agency must determine the significance of an action and issue either a Negative Declaration (finding that there is no significant environmental impact) or a Positive Declaration (thereby requiring an Environmental Impact Statement). An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a document that describes the project and evaluates site resources. The impact of a project is then analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to determine impacts. This impact analysis may identify adverse impacts that can not be avoided, or may result in the recommendation of mitigation measures to mitigate an impact. An EIS must also consider viable alternatives to an action, and particularly those that may reduce impacts. The EIS process involves preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement which is reviewed and modified or accepted by a lead agency. A Draft EIS is then subject to a minimum 3D-day public/agency comment period which could include a public hearing. All substantive comments on a Draft EIS must then be responded to in a Final EIS (response to comments). Following a lO-day circulation and waiting period on a Final EIS, the lead agency and all other decision-making agencies must issue a Statement of Findings on the Final EIS, followed by a decision on the action. The Statement of Findings is intended to give strongest consideration to environmental consequences of a project, but must also weigh in social and economic factors. This allows agencies to balance decisions based on social need and economic value, as well as environmental considerations. NP&v Page 50 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The Town of Southold has adopted a SEQRA ordinance based on Article 8 and Part 617; Chapter 44 of the Town Code of the Town of Southold. Local municipalities often adopt a list of Type I actions to define those actions which are locally significant. The State Environmental Quality Review Act includes a Type I action list. Type I actions are those projects that are more likely to require an environmental impact statement and therefore require submission of a Full Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) Part I, and coordinated review with other involved agencies prior to a lead agency issuing a decision. The Type I list enables agencies to identifY those actions that are of consequence based on local factors. Actions that are not specifically listed as Type I actions or Type II actions (generally minor actions that do not require review under SEQRA) are Unlisted actions. Unlisted actions require case-by-case review with optional lead agency coordination and issuance of a Determination of Significance. Through an update of Chapter 44, the Town of Southold has an opportunity to define locally significant Type I actions. The State Environmental Quality Review Act is a very important tool to ensure that significant projects with potential to adversely impact identified resources are analyzed and mitigated. Less significant projects can be evaluated internally by an agency, and approvals must be justified by identifying reasons for a Negative Declaration if an agency finds that no significant impact will occur. 4.2 WETLANDS PROTECTION The North Fork contains both tidal and freshwater wetlands. Tidal wetlands exist along the coast, and extend to the interior of Southold Town in creeks and embayments. Freshwater wetlands exist where the groundwater table intersects the land surface or the depth to groundwater is shallow enough to allow wetland indicator vegetation to thrive. As noted in Section 2.1.5 of this strategy, fresh water wetlands are located primarily within the inland portions of the NOJih Fork and are comprised of lakes, ponds, strearus and marshes; these areas are noted to be of critical importance to the watershed underlying the North Fork since they are major conduits of groundwater recharge in the region and represent ecologically sensitive resources. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulates wetlands under Article 24 of the Environmental Conservation Law, with regulations contained in 6NYCRR Part 663. Within the Town of South old, the NYSDEC has mapped 125 such features, with the largest number of wetlands in the Mattituck and Southold USGS Quadrangle maps. The protection of wetlands is an important existing land protection measure. The NYSDEC has jurisdiction within 100 feet of all State designated wetlands, referred to as an Adjacent Area. Therefore, the wetland feature, as well as a substantial buffer around a wetland can be preserved. The regulations contained within 6 NYCRR Part 663 Freshwater Wetlands Permit Requirements Regulations, indicate that commercial development within 100 feet of wetlands (within an adjacent area) requires a permit and is presumed to be incompatible. Some forms of high density residential development are considered to be commercial for the purpose of permit review and may also be presumed to be incompatible uses within 100 feet of freshwater wetlands. Low .IM Page 51 Town of South old Water Supply Mauagemeut & Watershed Protectiou Strategy density residential structures may be compatible within an adjacent area, but also require a permit for construction. It is noted that continuing agricultural activities are considered to be exempt both within freshwater wetlands and in adjacent areas (Part 663.4). However, filling of wetlands for agricultural purposes is considered incompatible within designated wetlands, and is usually incompatible (requiring a permit) in an adjacent area. For actions which require a permit, the State typically seeks to maximize setbacks and natural buffers in order to provide maximum protection of the value and function of wetlands resources. Actions which do not involve any activity within 100 feet of a designated wetlands are beyond NYSDEC jurisdiction, thereby providing an incentive to place all activity beyond 100 feet. This further maximizes wetland protection, providing open space and groundwater recharge potential in ecologically sensitive areas. In considering the 125 freshwater wetland systems within the Town of Southold, this offers the potential to protect a portion of the Town's resources through existing land protection measures. In addition, Southold through the Town Trustees regulates activities within 75 feet of Town designated wetlands under Chapter 97. These requirements were enacted to preserve, protect and conserve freshwater wetlands and regulate their use and development to secure the natural benefits which they provide. Since the Trustees ordinance defines wetlands as those areas under jurisdiction of the NYSDEC under Article 24 of the Enviromnental Conservation Law, this regulation essentially duplicates the State wetlands permit program. The Town may wish to consider expanding jurisdiction to 100 feet consistent with the NYSDEC regulations, or may wish to explore the legal potential to regulate those wetland areas which the NYSDEC is not able to regulate because such features are not included on the approved maps. It is expected that this would constitute a very small number of wetland systems. 4.3 DENSITY LIMITATIONS SCSC ARTICLE 6 In 1981, the Suffolk COlmly Department of Health Services adopted Article 6 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code for the purpose of implementing parts of the 208 Study. Article 6 re- affirmed the zone delineations of the Areawide Waste Treatment Management (208 Study) by providing geographic bOlmdaries for "Groundwater Management Zones"; Southold Town was identified as Zone 4 (SCDHS, 1985). The Article established density limitations in unsewered areas to control nitrogen load from sewage disposal and the impact on ground and surface water resources. Article 6 requires that lot sizes in areas with no public water be a minimum of 40,000 square feet in size. In areas with public water, lot sizes may be reduced to 20,000 square feet. For design flow purposes, a dwelling unit is defined by SCDHS as generating 300 gallons per day. Therefore, Article 6 limits density to 1 dwelling unit per acre in areas without public water and 2 dwelling units per acre in areas with public water. Article 6 therefore establishes land use density limitations in areas which do not have access to sewage treatment. Public sewage treatment is limited to the Greenport sewer district which serves most of the Village of Greenport and has been expanded to limited areas of the Town lying in proximity to Greenport Village. For much of the agricultural areas of Southold Town, zoning is more restrictive than Article 6 limitations, particularly in the Agricultural-Conservation lIMy Page 52 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy (A-C) and R-80 districts which require a minimum 80,000 square foot lot size. In areas where Town zoning allows higher density, or for commercial/industrial zoned land, Article 6 densities would apply. For non-residential development, design flow parameters have been established based on the type of use. In each case, design flow must not exceed 300 gallons or 600 gallons per acre as noted above. New developments which provide a means of sewage treatment may be developed to the limit allowed by Town zoning. This would only be possible on larger sized parcels due to the setback requirements for sewage treatment installations requiring 150 feet separation to a property line and 200 feet separation between a plant site and a habitable structure. Development potential is therefore based on both zoning and Article 6 density limitations. The majority of land in the Special Groundwater Protection Area and in the critical recharge area of the Town is zoned Agricultural-Conservation (A-C) district. It is noted that Article 6 does not apply to lots which existed on the Suffolk County Tax Maps at the time of adoption of the Article in 1981; therefore, undersized single and separate lots can be developed. 4.4 FARMLAND PRESERVATION Agriculture plays a vital role in the economic well being of the Town of Southold and its residents. In addition to farming and related business activities, agricultural uses have contributed greatly to the scenic amenities associated with the communities of the Town of Southold, complementing the quaint historic hamlets that provide an attractive residential setting and encourage tourism. However, the percentage of land in the Town of Southold in farm use has been steadily declining since the mid 1950's. Currently, properties in residential use account for a similar percentage of the Town's land use (29%), relative to properties in agricultural production (31%). An additional 17 percent of the Town's land area is currently vacant. Depending on what strategies the Town adopts, this vacant land can be either be redirected to agricultural use or developed. This presents an opportunity to encourage a portion of this land to ultimately be used for agriculture, particularly over the watershed areas. In response to this trend, the Town of Southold has implemented a number of strategies over the past twenty-five (25) years to preserve remaining farmland. Those strategies are summarized in this section. 4.4.1 Purchase of Development Rights A development right is one of a property owner's "bundle of rights" which allows an individual to utilize their property for a use permitted under local land use ordinances. Local governments have instituted Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs in which landowners sell all, or a portion of their development rights to a municipality for a particular property. The purpose of such an arrangement is to ensure that the subject property remains in its existing use, thereby preventing its future development. The Town of Southold and the County of Suffolk operate PDR programs designed to protect farmland. Participation in a PDR program is voluntary, and allows land owners the opportunity to retain an ownership position in the property that enables them to continue farming, and also allows sale of the property or the ability to pass the land on to their .'M Page 53 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy heirs. In addition to the financial compensation the landowner receives for the sale of the property's development rights, real estate taxes are reduced and estate taxes will ultimately be lower. From the local government perspective, the public is assured that the portion of the property from which the development rights have been purchased will not be developed. Both Suffolk County and the Town of Southold have been successful in preserving agricultural land through their Purchase of Development Right's (PDR) programs. Suffolk County has operated their PDR program since 1974. During the past twenty-five (25) years, the County PDR program has been responsible for the preservation of approximately 1,330 acres ofland at an estimated cost of $7.5 million. The program has recently been refunded via a County environmental bond issue, which designated $20 million for farmland preservation within Suffolk County. The Town of Southold first initiated its PDR program with a bond act to fund the acquisition of development rights in 1983. Since that time, there have been numerous Town bond issues to finance the purchase of farmland development rights. In total, the Town has purchased the development rights to more than 988 acres of agricultural land for approximately $7.5 million. Of the remaining 10,232 acres of farmland in the Town of Southold, 2,318 acres or twenty-four (24) percent are protected from development under the County ~md the Town PDR programs. 4.4.2 Land Acquisition The purchase of private property for the purposes of preservation is an option utilized by municipal governments to protect properties with valuable environmental resources from future development. The Town has favored the PDR program, but in recent years has become much more open to pursuing this method. The adoption of the Farm and Farmland Protection Strategy by the Town Board in January of 1999, is evidence of this change in policy. One example is the partial acquisition of the Fort Corchaug site lying on the west side of Downs Creek, Cutchogue in the south part of Sub-watershed Zone 20. Suffolk County government has utilized land acquisition methods to preserve properties which have environmental value, including some purchases within the Town of Southold. County purchases have generally been in coastal areas as these lands exhibit extreme environmental sensitivity. Within the past two years there has been a increased level of cooperative partnership between the County and the Town to acquire important watershed parcels. As a result of the enactment of the Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation Act in June of 1998, the Town of Southold has created a land preservation fund. This fund is financed by the imposition of a two (2) percent real estate transfer tax on all property transactions. The Community Preservation Project Plan (CPPP), identifies the properties the Town wishes to protect. Future acquisitions will take into consideration both environmental conditions and the preservation objectives of the community. A 111M Page 54 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy significant percentage of land targeted for acquisition lies within the recharge areas of the Town. The Community Preservation Project Plan is reviewed in greater detail as a study forming watershed protection policies in Section 3.0. 4.4.3 Public-Private Partnership Strategies The Town of South old has begun to implement new strategies for land preservation based on cooperative arrangements involving land conservation organizations and property owners. This strategic approach incorporates traditional plarming techniques such as zoning and cluster subdivision designs, along with its PDR program and private conservation easements in order to preserve farmland. Conservation Easements are voluntary agreements between landowners and qualified recipients, such as a municipality or a charitable conservation organization. The purpose of the easement is to restrict in perpetuity the future use of a portion of a private property; this restriction may be to retain the land in a natural state, or may permit continued agricultural use. The significant benefit to the landowner is two-fold; it allows the owner the ability to retain ownership and utilize the property in accordance with the easement, and the easement may be considered a tax-deductible charitable gift. This method has been used most effectively in preserving continued agricultural use. To effectuate this protection, Town officials representing the Town Board and its Land Preservation Committee and the Town Planning Board work cooperatively with a private preservation organization, the Peconic Land Trust, and property owners to determine the most appropriate combination of plarming tools to encourage the protection of farmland. This partnership has proved successful in a number of instances where a purchase of development rights was combined with a reduced density or cluster development plan and a conservation easement to preserve continuous areas of farmland. This strategy facilitates the maintenance of contiguous farm properties, which otherwise would have been negatively impacted by residential subdivisions splitting the farm properties into separate entities. From a financial perspective, this approach leverages limited Town funds and allows for expanded land preservation activities. In addition to these proactive measures, the Town has implemented a Conservative Opportunities Plarming (COP) process. The goals of the COP are as follows: 1. To make landowners aware of public and private conservation tools and techniques that may be useful by providing them with a range of options that meet dual goals: economic and environmental. 2. To provide landowners with basic information about their land (soils, topography, natural features, etc.) so that they can make informed decisions. 3. To define areas that maybe suitable for public or private conservation. .i~ Page 55 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Town land preservation efforts have been extremely successful in permanently preserving agricultural lands. A map illustrating protected lands in agricultural use is provided in Appendix A; Figure A-tO. . . . . Various levels of government, and particularly the Town of South old, have made major strides in preserving and protecting farmland, open space and water resources. This is clearly demonstrated by the existing land protection measures outlined in this section. The value of the resources identified in prior sections of this report reflect the need for continued efforts as well as increased levels of protection. 111M; Page 56 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 5.0 GROWTH FACTORS AND TRENDS An understanding of growth factors and trends is crucial to developing a cohesive and effective groundwater strategy. The information presented here is key to understanding Section 6.0, Findings and Opportunities and the recommendations set forth in Section 7.0 Action Strategies. 5.1 LOCATION The Town of Southold is the eastern-most township on the North Fork of Long Island, and is bordered to the west by the Town of Riverhead, to south by Peconic Bay and to the north by Long Island Sound. The Town is long and narrow, extending approximately twenty (20) linear miles from its western border with the Town of Riverhead to the end of the North Fork at Orient Point. The average width of the municipality is approximately three (3) miles, and the total land area comprises about 42.90 square miles of the North Fork. In addition, there are five islands that are within the municipal limits of the Town of Southold; Robins Island, Plum Island, Great Gull Island, Little Gull Island and Fishers Island. The Town lies completely outside of the Long Island urbanized area, as classified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The geographic location of the Town of Southold limits commutation to other job centers, particularly New York City. As a result, residents of the Town work locally or in other job centers primarily in Suffolk County. These locational characteristics tend to limit the potential for growth, particularly as a function of employment which will be discussed in greater detail in the next section. 5.2 EMPLOYMENT Residents of the Town of Southold are employed in a broad range of industries both within the municipality and in neighboring communities. In 1990, the population of Southold was 19,836, approximately 43 percent, or 8,515 residents of that total were employed. Table 10 provides the most recent available information on employment characteristics ofresidents within the Town of Southold. TABLE 10 TOWN OF SOUTHOLD EMPLOYMENT-1990 Oceullati.on Number Pereental!e Professional/Administrative 3,574 42% Services/Technicians 1,727 20% Sales 1,160 14% F armingIFishing/F orestry 327 4% Manufacturing 1,367 16% Transportation 360 4% TOTALS 8,515 100% Source: 1990 us. Census .IM Page 57 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy These data indicate that the majority of the Southold residents in the labor force, approximately 42%, are employed in professional and administrative positions. Significant numbers of Town residents are also employed in service occupations (20%), manufacturing (16%) and sales (14%). It is important to note that only about 4% of the residential population were employed in farming related activities in 1990. The local employment structure in a municipality is a strong indicator of the type of population growth that may be experienced in the future. The availability of employment opportunities and the distance residents will journey to work will impact the local demand for housing. The employment statistics for the Town demonstrate that Southold residents seek a broad range of job opportunities outside of the agricultural and tourism base of jobs available locally. In fact, data presented in the 1990 U.S. Census indicates that the median travel time to work for Town of Southold residents was 20.2 minutes. This finding seems to indicate that a significant number of residents in the west part of the Town are likely to travel outside the Town's boundaries to their place of employment. Therefore, it may be concluded that job development in nearby neighboring jurisdictions will contribute to the growth of the Town's population and its housing stock in the future. A finding included in the Scenic Byways Corridor Management Plan prepared by the Scenic Byways Steering Committee in 1997 supports this observation. The plan estimates that in 1997 a total of $550 million in economic activity and personal income was generated within the Town's economy. Residents that work outside the Town of South old contributed approximately nineteen (19) percent of that total. The local business community contributed about twenty (20) percent of the dollars generated within the Town's economy, while agricultural activities generated approximately sixteen (16) percent. The Scenic Byways Steering Committee plan also noted the significant impact that retirees have on the local economy. The plan estimated that approximately thirty-two (32) percent of the local economy was based on transfer payments associated with retired individuals. An estimated thirty (30) percent of the Town population is age sixty (60) or older. This population may also contribute to the local work force. The availability of jobs and the need to seek a diverse range of employment opportunities tends to retard growth that would otherwise be associated with job availability. The implication of these findings is that while rapid growth is not expected as a result of existing or new job opportunities, the bucolic character and natural resources of the Town of Southold will continue to attract both retirees, and residents employed in a variety of occupations and locations. 5.3 REAL ESTATE AND AGRICULTURAL TRENDS The primary development trend that has occurred within the Town of Southold since the 1960's has been the growth of single family residential development on land that was previously utilized for agriculture. Residential development pressures have historically moved from west to east on Long Island. As available land for development becomes scarce to the west, developers are seeking property within the Town of Southold to subdivide and construct housing. As a result, .II&W Page S8 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy development pressures escalate the value oflocal real estate, and properties that had been farmed for generations are sold for development. In addition, the economic difficulties experienced by farmers during this time period further contributed to the loss of agricultural land to residential development. This trend was fairly consistent through the 1960's, 70's and 80's; however, within the past decade, less growth was observed as measured by the number of housing unit permits issued by the Town. Table 11 provides data on the number of housing unit permits issued within the Town of Southold for each decade dating back to the 1960s. TABLE 11 HOUSING UNIT PERMITS ISSUED TOWN OF SOUTHOLD -1960-1998 Decade Permits Issued 1960-69 1,627 1970-79 1,915 1980-89 1,772 1990-98 1,688 Source: us. Census Bureau and Southold Building Dept. The steady issuance of housing permits since 1960 has increased the number of year-round households in the Town of Southold to 8,640 in 1998, from 4,384 in 1960. This results in a ninety-seven (97) percent increase in the number of households within the time period under consideration. Further, it is important to note that an inventory of agricultural land conducted by the Peconic Land Trust in May of 1999 revealed that currently there are pending residential subdivision applications on nine farmland parcels totaling 329 acres. It is also important to consider that, due to number of circumstances impacting the Town, the real estate market for residential development is peaking. Both the establishment of the Pine Barrens Reserve limiting development potential in the towns to the immediate west, and the strong economy and stock market have contributed to the increasing development pressures within the Town of South old. This observation is supported by the views of various individuals involved in both agriculture and the real estate community. According to Joseph Gergela, Executive Director of the Long Island Farm Bureau, Inc., "Land is getting more scarce, and most of the farmland is very desirable because it is already cleared. The real estate market [in the Town of Southold) is as hot as it's ever been."(Newsday, November 12, 1999). Further evidence of the upward pressure on real estate values in the Town of Southold is the selling price per acre of land. Syma Gerard of Syma Jaffe Gerard Real Estate of Eastport indicates "In the first half of this year [1999]. farmland in the Town of Southold on the North Fork sold for an average of $18,000 to $20,000 an acre, compared to $11,000 to $13,000 five years ago." (News day, November 12, 1999). 11M Page 59 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy It is anticipated that regional growth trends will continue to fuel the heightened development pressures being experienced within the Town. For example, development activities within the neighboring Town of Riverhead, such as the redevelopment of the former Grurnman/US Navy property in Calverton for industrial use, and tourism attractions such as the Splish Splash Theme Park and the Tanger Mall Shopping Outlets will further contribute to local development pressures. The market for second homes is also expected to remain strong due to the vacation amenities associated with the area. According to the Town of Southold's Draft 1999 Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, "if the Town were to continue growing at an average of 14.5 percent [per decade} as it has since the 1950s; if two-acre zoning were to remain in effect; and ifno additional land were protectedfrom development; the Town could be expected to reach saturation population in less than 40 years ". (Town of South old, 1999-1). In the face of development trends and the escalating costs associated with purchasing land and expanding agricultural operations, local farmers have begun to explore alternative crops. Farmland that was once utilized for potatoes is now devoted to specialized niche markets, such as vineyards, which are able to generate higher profits on an acreage basis. These changes have occurred due to the relatively small size of east end farms and the economic realities associated with expanding operations. This need to improve crop profitability has also lead to an increase in the number of nurseries and greenhouses on Southold farms and has resulted in various local land use conflicts. "Greenhouses and nurseries afford greater yield and higher profits per acre than most other crops grown in Town. The greenhouse trend is causing much controversy within the Town. Many residents insist that the growing number of greenhouses is destroying the open vistas that add to the beauty and attractiveness of the Town. However, given the prohibitive cost of acquiring more land, greenhouses are becoming one of the most profitable ways for local farmers to make a living on existing holdings. " (Town of South old, 1999-2). Sod farming has remained a significant crop among the local agricultural community; however, it tends to be dependent on regional construction and development trends. Vegetables, berries and fruits have remained stable products grown by Southold farmers, particularly due to the retail sales that occur at local farmstands. In summary, real estate housing and agricultural tends within the Town of Southold are highly inter-related. As the growth in employment opportunities increases to the west and tourism and the second-home market expands, the demand for housing in the Town of Southold will increase and land prices will escalate. This will threaten the economic viability of agricultural properties and is expected to result in the loss of farmland for residential development. Farm operations that continue will shift their crop production to special niche markets that will allow for higher profitability. This trend may in some cases lead to conflicts between farm owners and the residential community due to the construction of greenhouses and other facilities. This conflict is based on the observation that these structures detract from the bucolic beauty and scenic views that attract residents to the area. N'M Page 60 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 5.4 WATER IMPACTED AREAS AND WATER AVAILABILITY Water quality in the Town of Southold as discussed in Section 2.1.7, is found to be impacted by various land use practices including agricultural use. Nearly half the wells tested on a Town- wide basis had one or more pesticide concentrations in excess of maximum contaminant levels. Fertilizer use has caused nitrate concentrations in agricultural areas frequently exceeding the 10 parts per million (ppm) drinking water standard and occasionally found as high as 20 to 30 ppm. Coastal areas where development is more concentrated tend to experience salt water intrusion from the surrounding bays, and salt water upconing from the salty aquifer below as a result of well pumpage. As new commercial and/or residential land uses are contemplated, consideration must be given to the availability of potable water to service new developments. Article 4 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code requires water availability for approval of subdivision or development, as required in the following provision of the SCSC: "No realty subdivision or development shall be sold, offered for sale, leased or rented by any corporation, company or person, and no permanent building shall be erected thereon, until a plan of such realty subdivision or development has been approved by the Department in accordance with Article 6 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code, including approval of the plans for water supply facilities for said realty subdivision or development and the filing of such approved plans in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Suffolk. " Water supply may be from an approved on-site well, connection to an existing public water system, or may involve a community, or non-community water supply system. In some cases, on-site water treatment may be approved in connection with an on-site well. In some cases, development has been restricted as a result of the inability to provide potable water. Areas with significant water quality impairment, which do not have access to public water mains are unable to receive the necessary approvals for construction and occupancy. As a result, water quality has acted to limit growth in some areas of the Town. As noted earlier, the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) purchased the Village of Greenport Water District production wells and distribution system, which not only operated within the incorporated Village, but extended its services to areas beyond the municipal limits. In addition to the purchase of the Village district, the SCW A has increased its presence on the North Fork in recent years via the extension of water mains and the acquisition of future well field sites. As noted in the Draft L WRP, the SCW A currently operates 57.5 miles of water mains in the Town of Southold, with an additional 17 miles planned in the near future. The planned expansion of water mains and the development of new wells will be a key determinate in the direction of future land development in the Town of Southold. From a historical perspective, development has concentrated in the Town in areas either serviced by public water, or in sections of the Town where environmental conditions did not limit water availability via private wells. Therefore, the availability of public water mains is expected to increase the potential for growth in a number of areas in Town where development is currently limited. NIM Page 6 t Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Coastal areas which experience salt water intrusion and upconing are expected to benefit from new water main extensions. Existing residences that maintain private wells with elevated chloride levels will be able to connect to public water thereby providing quality water and eliminating the maintenance and operation of private wells. Infill of development in accordance with zoning is expected to occur in these areas. New development may also be promoted as a result of the availability of water. As water mains are extended to interior sections of Southold, existing residents will also benefit as in the coastal areas; however, new water mains may promote development of water impacted areas in the SGPA, groundwater recharge areas, or other central parts of the Town (particularly agricultural lands) which are currently more rural in character. As a result, consideration must be given to maintaining a balance of growth by planning the extension of water mains to coincide with areas of need and areas which can sustain further growth. Ultimately zoning will detennine development densities and ultimate build-out; however, the growth limitation that water supply creates is recognized and should be managed. . . . . Sufficient groundwater of acceptable quality to be used as drinking water supplies is a key issue in determining growth in the Town. Due to water quality stresses including pesticide/fertilizer impacts in many areas of the Town, the Suffolk County Water Authority must carefully manage water main expansion to ensure that adequate water supply can be provided to existing Town residents. It is anticipated that existing developed areas and expected infill within these areas will consume available water supply for the near future, particularly where the water quality has been impacted by contamination. A phased extension of water main service is recommended so that priority areas in greatest need are serviced in a timely fashion. The determination of phased extensions should be the focus of ongoing joint assessments by the SCW A, the SCDHS and the Town Planning Department. Water treatment or water transmission options are not necessarily economically viable options, thereby necessitating a balanced approach to land use and water supply needs. In addition, further groundwater protection and management studies are currently underway by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services including water quality testing, groundwater modeling and a Source Water Assessment Program. These measures will enhance pollution risk assessment and provide information for water resource planning. Finally, efforts to improve water quality must be supplemented by education and through cooperative efforts with the farming industry and residents ofthe Town. The unique and sensitive nature of the Town's resources, and the growth potential which has been identified warrants further measures to ensure that the values that are aesthetically and economically important to the Town remain. The conclusions drawn from the preceding sections of the strategy are discussed in the next section, with a statement of the opportunities for further protection measures to keep pace with growth and the resulting stress on the Town's resources. IIII&W Page 62 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 6.0 FINDINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES Sections 1.0 through 5.0 of this strategy provide a large body of information pertaining to the Town's water resources and land development characteristics; existing policy and implementation mechanisms for watershed protection and trends in land use and demography. This section reviews and summarizes the key findings with respect to this body of information, and further identifies opportunities which exist to supplement and improve the existing land protection measures. The following subsections state each key finding, followed by a description of the opporttmity which exists with respect to the finding. This information will be used in directing the Action Strategies identified and discussed in Section 7.0. 6.1 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES . Prime agricultural soils coincide with large tracts of farmland in the central areas of the Town, and are also coincident with the SGP A and aquifer recharge area. . Large tracts of land should be maintained through acquisition and purchase of farmland development rights. . The Town contains areas of environmentally sensitive lands including steeply sloped areas, areas of high groundwater, and freshwater wetlands. Steep slopes occur in limited areas particularly along the north shore, along the Peconic Bay and around some freshwater lakes. High groundwater occurs anywhere where the land elevation nearly intersects the water table. Freshwater wetlands are abundant within interior areas of the Town of Southold. These features are particularly important as regards groundwater protection. Shallow groundwater is easily impact due to limited vertical unsaturated leaching depth, and installation of properly functioning sanitary systems is difficult. Wetlands act to store and filter recharge and are hydraulically connected to the aquifer. Development of steep slope areas can cause erosion and sedimentation, particularly in areas adjacent to ponds or surface water. All these features are environmentally important and should be preserved and buffered. . The Town should consider an ordinance for environmentally sensitive land that would define such areas, establish yield restrictions, and ensure preservation and buffering. The Town should also consider updating the Wetlands ordinance to be consistent with NYSDEC Article 24 and increase the level of protection of wetlands. . The SGP A and the adjoining aquifer recharge area are important to the long term economic stability of the Town of South old for water supply purposes. . Land use intensi~v should be removed from the SGPA and aquifer recharge area to preserve recharge areas from land uses that would degrade the water supply. . According to the SGP A Plan the primary groundwater quality issue within the Southold SGP A consists of contamination related to pesticides used for agricultural purposes. Pesticides have contaminated groundwater throughout much ofthe horizontal and vertical extent below the Southold SGPA and include the inorganic constituents of fertilizers and Ulhcu "PO.D' Page 63 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy that aldicarb had been used on the North Fork, its subsequent ban and the reduction in concentration that has occurred due to dispersion, it is probable that much of the groundwater on the North Fork will be suitable for consumption without treatment within the next 20 years. With regard to nitrates, a reduction in concentration is dependent on future land use density and agricultural practices. . Agricultural practices should be improved through ongoing education and research, through more extensive and focused use of conservation plans, by greater utilization of organic farming techniques, and the use of alternate crop types, etc., in order to reduce chemical application and fertilization load. Cornell University and the Long Island Horticultural Lab (part of Cornell Cooperative Extension) have been conducting research and coordinating best management efforts with active farmers. Although best management practices have been in use for the past 2 decades, more needs to be done to ensure that agricultural use continues to become more compatible with water resource protection. . Salt Water intrusion and upconing, caused by a thin freshwater lens coupled with overpumping of wells, particularly in coastal areas, has the potential to impair water quality as a result of chloride contamination. . Public water should be extended to coastal areas and areas that have been more intensely developed due to past land use practice. Extension of public supply should be phased in coordination with the capabilities and qualities of the groundwater resource. Public supply well fields must be situated in areas where there is adequate thickness of the freshwater lens to support sustained pumpage. Many uses are competing for a limited water supply, including public supply wells, private supply wells and agricultural irrigation wells. The resource is limited and stresses over time have degraded water quality. Pumping must be carefully regulated to prevent saltwater intrusion and upconing. Educational efforts should be escalated to better promote groundwater protection and to improve irrigation pumping. . Water impacted areas currently limit ability to use land as a result of lack of potable water. Extension of water mains by the Suffolk County Water Authority has the potential to promote growth as a result of new potable water availability where none currently exists. . Extension of water mains to impacted areas within the SGPA and the aquifer recharge area could increase land use intensity and further compromise water resources and rural character. Accordingly, extension of water mains should be planned in conjunction with local land use management programs so as not to cause adverse growth potential which may further burden both water supply and land resources. 6.2 LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERISTICS . Residential use occupies approximately twenty-nine (29) percent of the acreage within the Town of Southold. Residential development is generally situated along the southern shoreline of the Town, in low to medium density, single-family categories. . Residential use is compatible with the goals and objectives of the Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy, provided density is consistent with groundwater protection policy and unique environmental features are preserved. Infill of homes should occur in a manner that does not further burden resources. Non- .iPOli' Page 64 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy conforming lots should receive variances provided sanitary/well setbacks can be met and other identified environmental resources are not impacted. Such lots should be evaluated to ensure that adequate infrastructure exists and consideration should be given to contribution of dollars to further land protection funding in exchange for variances. . Agricultural properties comprise nearly one-third (31 %) of the total land area in the Town of Southold. For the most part, agricultural uses are generally located on large interior lots that extend from Route 25 to the north shore of the Town, but key acreage lies to the south and should not be ignored or dismissed. Vacant properties, which account for approximately seventeen (17) percent of the Town's acreage, are generally inter-dispersed among the agriculturallands. . Agricultural land use is key to the rural character of the Town, and ifproverlv manae:ed can be comvatible with water resource vrotection. A significant opportunity exists by preserving large tracts of farmland through existing land protection measures. . Industrial, commercial and retail uses are generally situated along the Town's major transportation corridors, such as County Road 48 and NYS Route 25. In addition, commercial clusters exist in the Town's village and hamlet centers. . The Town is addressing appropriate locations for commercial and industrial development for resource protection and tax revenue generation, as well as the need to strengthen the hamlet business districts through other studies and zoning initiatives. These efforts are compatible with the Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy and should be continued. . Over 15,000 acres, or forty-seven (47) percent of the Town of Southold's estimated 32,250 acres of mainland upland acreage, is still available for development. Residentially zoned land accounts for 14,537.8 acres, or about ninety-seven (97) percent, of the land available for development in Town. Included within this total are properties currently utilized for agriculture, but which could be developed for single-family housing under existing zoning. The remaining properties fall within commercial or industrial designations. . Current land use measures, acquisition efforts, and purchase of development rights programs, will not in themselves preserve the watershed quality and rural character of the Town as stated in the goals and objectives of this strategy. Opportunities exist to create additional land use protection measures primarily through codification in the zoning ordinance. Land use controls considered for implementation must be non- confiscatory, and politically and economically feasible, and implemented in a manner that is consistent with protection policies and the goals and objectives of this Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy. Creative land use techniques should be employed to reduce land use intensity in the SGPA and aquifer recharge area. Use of clustering and density incentive programs to ensure that development occurs in appropriate areas, residential land development controls, preservation of environmentally sensitive lands, and public awareness and education, should be employed. N'PaMy Page 65 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . A significant portion of the residential properties available for future development lie within the boundaries of two critical groundwater areas within the Town of Southold; the areas of the Town with groundwater elevations higher than 5 feet above sea level. One lies west of Mattituck Creek and includes a portion of the Central Suffolk SGPA Northeast Sector, and one lies east of Mattituck Creek to the hamlet of South old, referred to as the Southold SGPA. . These areas should be managed to reduce intensity of use (through zoning and control of infrastructure improvements), and provide appropriate development controls. It is recommended that the larger, centralized and predominantly agricultural area between Mattituck Creek and Southold be defined as an area in need of greater land use controls to ensure protection of recharge quality. 6.3 DEMOGRAPHICS AND LAND USE TRENDS . The year-round population in Southold in 1998 was estimated to total, 20,710. Relative to the Town's 1960 population of 13,295, this represents an increase of7,415, or approximately a fifty-six (56) percent net increase in the number of year-round residents. The rate of increase declined during the 1980s, relative to prior decades. However, since 1990 the growth rate has begun to increase in response to increased development activity and regional economic prosperity. . The trend in population growth is expected to further increase Town population, increasing stress on water resources and rural quality of the Town. Water resource studies from 1992 estimated that the Town could sustain an additional population of approximately 30,000 people based on water supply sites identified at that time. Water quality problems increase the cost of developing additional water supplies. If all land available for development were to be developed, projected population would be 63,000 Townwide. Full development will negatively affect the water supply resource as well as the rural character and quality of life. Land acquisition and purchase of farmland development rights must be continued as these measures reduce land available for development. . The number of households in the Town of South old increased to 8,640 in 1998, from 4,384 in 1960; this represents a ninety-seven (97) percent net increase. The growth rate in households in Southold has exceeded the growth in total population because household sizes have continued to decline in town. This trend toward smaller household sizes has also taken place both regionally and nationally. The number of housing units in the Town of Southold increased to 12,979 in 1990, from 4,384 in 1960, a net increase of 5,007 units or approximately sixty-three (63) percent. The growth in housing units in Southold has occurred at higher rates relative to year-round population and household increases since 1980, largely due to second home construction. Unless the economic trend shifts dramatically or the Town acts to reduce the potential population density, the expansion of the Town's single-family housing stock is likely to be its predominant land use trend in the next decade. Factors that will contribute to the demand for housing units in the Town of Southold over the next ten (l 0) years include: 1. The growth in employment opportunities in eastern Suffolk County (i.e. Brookhaven and Riverhead Towns). 2. Expansion of east end tourism attractions, regional economic prosperity, leisure time and the resulting expansion of the second home market. lIiM Page 66 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 3. Scarcity ofland available for the primary and second home markets in Towns to the west of Southold. 4. Smaller household sizes and social changes in family structure. . As population increases, and resultant demand for housing adds pressure to increase the availability of single family housing stock, the Town must be ready to ensure protection of water resources and rural character of the Townfor long term economic stability and preservation of the existing quality of life important to the residents. . Seasonal or second homes increased to 4,152 in 1990, from 2,674 in 1979. This development of 1,478 homes represents a net increase of seasonal homes estimated at over fifty-five (55) percent during the twenty (20) year period. It is estimated that the population of the Town of Southold more than doubles during peak seasonal times, expanding from the year-round 1990 figure of 19,836 up to 45,339 during peak seasonal times (an increase of25,503 or 129%). . While seasonal occupancy is an important economic factor for the North Fork and Southold Town, it places added stress on the Town's water resources over short periods of time during summer months. Water use control through installation of public water mains in areas with smaller lot sizes and higher intensity of land use must be instituted to benefit water resources through regulated pumping of public water supply well fields. The limited nature of water resources requires that residents of coastal areas be made aware of the need for ongoing water protection and conservation. 6.4 EXISTING LAND PROTECTION MEASURES . Both Suffolk County and the Town of Southold have been successful in preserving agricultural land in Town through their respective Purchase of Development Right's (PDR) programs. Since 1974, the County's PDR program has been responsible for the preservation of approximately 1,330 acres at an estimated cost of $7.5 million. The Town of Southold initiated its local PDR program in 1983, since that time the Town has purchased the development rights to more than 988 acres of agricultural land for approximately $7.5 million. Of the remaining 10,232 acres of farmland in the Town of Southold, 2,318 acres, or twenty-four (24) percent are protected from development under the County and the Town PDR programs. Both governmental entities have taken steps to refund their respective PDR programs, and remain committed to its objectives. . The PDR program has been extremeZv successful and should be continued. Additional land use protection techniques are needed in order to ensure orderly development that will not compromise the Town's water resources or rural character of those lands that may be subject to development in the future. . The Town of Southold's efforts to acquire land for preservation purposes has been strengthened as a result of the enactment of the Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation Act of 1998. This legislation creates a land preservation fund financed via a two (2) percent real estate transfer tax on all property transfers in the Town. In compliance with the Act, the Town has prepared a Community Preservation Project Plan (CPPP), to guide future acquisitions of land for preservation. The bulk of the land targeted coincides with aquifer recharge areas as well as sensitive coastal areas. N1Pc,wT Page 67 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Similar to PDR, land acquisition is a successful preservation technique that should be continued. Parcels have been targeted and as funding is available, acquisition efforts should be implemented. . The Town of Southold has been successful in preserving land based on cooperative arrangements involving land conservation organizations and property owners. This strategic approach incorporates traditional planning techniques such as zoning and cluster subdivision designs, along with its PDR program and private conservation easements in order to preserve farmland. In addition to promoting desirable land use objectives, this approach leverages limited Town funds, allowing for expanded land preservation activities. . Cooperative land preservation efforts involve multiple entities including the Town, conservation organizations and property owners. Public education and awareness playa vital role in the success of these programs. Individual homeowners commitment to protecting the resource works hand-in-hand with the overall community investment in the future of the Town. The Town should aggressively continue these programs which will be strengthened by designation of key resource areas and controls, and ongoing public awareness and education. . The Town has implemented a Conservation Opportunities Planning (COP) process aimed at providing landowners with information on public and private conservation tools and techniques. The evolution of the COP process, in conjunction with the expanded use of cooperative arrangements utilizing traditional planning techniques, conservation easements and land acquisition funds may prove to be the most effective land preservation strategy available to the Town. . This Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy is important in furthering the goals of the Town through the COP process. The identification and protection of environmentally sensitive areas (wetlands, steep slope and high groundwater areas), protection of the recharge areas and SGPAs, furtherance of planning techniques for land preservation, and coordination of water main installation, are key elements of this strategy that are consistent with the COP process. . The Town of Southold through the Town Trustees regulates activities within 75 feet of Town designated wetlands under Chapter 97. These requirements were enacted to preserve, protect and conserve freshwater wetlands and regulate their use and development to secure the natural benefits which they provide. Since the Trustees ordinance defines wetlands as those areas under jurisdiction of the NYSDEC under Article 24 of the Environmental Conservation Law, this regulation essentially duplicates the State wetlands permit program. . The Town should consider expandingjurisdiction to 100 feet consistent with the NYSDEC regulations, or may wish to explore the legal potential to regulate those wetland areas which the NYSDEC is not able to regulate because such features are not included on the approved maps. It is expected that this would constitute a very small number of wetland systems, but would increase protection of natural resources that are of local importance. IIINT Page 68 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . Existing land protection measures include; zoning code provisions and land use review, wetlands regulations at the Town and State level, density limitations under Article 6 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code and farmland preservation efforts. . There are few environmentally focused development guidelines or standards for as of right use of residential or commercial zoned land in the Southold Town Code. At present, zoning dimensional requirements and case-by-case review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act are the methods by which development is controlled. This presents an opportunity to provide guidance for best management practice in exercising reasonable control over development projects. The SGPA plan and other policy documents reviewed indicate that such measures are reasonable to promote clustering, nitrogen loading, industriallcommercial discharge control, fertilizer use, and preservation of natural areas, buffers and conservation easements. The Town should consider enacting ordinances for critical environmental lands, and watershed areas. 6.5 GROWTH FACTORS AND TRENDS . The employment statistics for the Town of Southold demonstrate that residents seek a broad range of job opportunities outside of the agricultural and tourism base of jobs available locally. Journey to work data indicates that Southold residents are likely to travel to job centers outside of the Town for employment. Therefore, it may be concluded that job development in neighboring jurisdictions will contribute to the growth of the Town's population and its housing stock in the future. The primary development trend that has occurred within the Town of Southold since the 1960's has been the growth of single-family residential development on land that was previously utilized for agriculture. Real estate housing and agricultural trends within the Town are highly inter- related. As available land for residential development in Towns to the west becomes scarcer and employment opportunities expand in the region, the demand for housing in the Town of Southold will increase and land prices will continue to escalate. . As identified in the sections of this document on demographic trends, South old is expected to experience pressure for additional development of single family residential housing. Measures such as this Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy and other programs identified herein are important to ensure protection of water resources and rural qualities important in the Town and should be instituted and continued. . Escalating land prices may threaten the economic viability of agricultural properties and result in the loss of farmland for residential development. Farm operations that continue may have to shift their crop production to special niche markets that will allow for higher profitability. This trend may detract from the traditional agricultural scenery and the bucolic setting that has long attracted visitors to the east end, and may lead to land use conflicts between farm owners and the Town's residents. . Retention of large areas of agricultural use coincident with prime agricultural soils and groundwater recharge areas, maintenance of large tracts of land, and land use buffering, are important techniques to encourage continued farming and reduce potential conflicts. Encouragement of traditional agriculture through PDR, economic incentives and .'M; Page 69 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Cooperative Opportunities Planning and public education and awareness may tend to ease the trend in farm practice. Traditional agriculture mixed with niche market farming, is expected to continue and will be subject to a host of factors including family interests and needs, farm produce outlet market conditions, growth factors and trends as related to land value; all of these factors are economically related and are therefore often difficult to control at the government level. The Town should continue to coordinate with the farming community through committees and relationships developed under the Farm and Farmland Protection Strategy. 11'M Page 70 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 7.0 ACTION STRATEGIES 7.1 CONTINUE EXISTING PROTECTION MEASURES The Town of Southold is engaged in a wide range of planning initiatives, many of which involve principles and practical aspects of watershed protection. Programs and the relationship to the WSM&WPS are provided in Table 12. TABLE 12 EXISTING/CONTINUING TOWN PROTECTION MEASURES E.tt:itf!.P~otec~on.~~asure l)\lsCl'ii)ti6i1 and R~blti\li$l1ipto WS~~M<1l>S Farm and Farmland Protection Strategy Study of farming needs in connection with farm community, and efforts to maintain and protect farm use; strategy targets preservation of prime agricultural land, much of it in the watershed protection zone. Zoning Code Implementation Application of Town zonmg revIew; use of mandatory clustering State Environmental Quality Review Act Review SEQRA review with possible requirement of an environmental impact statement, mitigation and measures to protect the environment. Conservation Opportunities Planning Process Cooperative efforts with landowners to achieve balanced development with preservation of open space and farmland, meeting the economIC needs of the private landowner. Community Preservation Project Plan Identification of target acquisition parcels for a variety of purposes and protection measures includin~ watershed protection. Rezoning Initiatives Route 48 study and other zoning review that the Town IS contemplating in order to meet the long-range goals and objectives of the Town in terms of land use. Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Comprehensive inventory of coastal resources with establishment of policies to achieve state- wide coastal zone management goals; designation of the overall Town as the coastal zone due to the interwoven nature of coastal resources and Town character. Other Studies, Plans, and Planning Participation Scenic By-ways Study; Participation III the Peconic Estuary Program; Public-Private Partnership Strategies; Town Trustees Wetland Protection under Chapter 97. ... ac." .'rowir Page 71 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy This matrix demonstrates the Town's commitment to preservation of the resources important to the community. However, these efforts are not sufficient to protect water supply. The Town must adopt additional strategies in order to protect, preserve and enhance the water supply and water resources and the agricultural/rural quality of the Town of South old. 7.2 WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT The land use protection goals of the Town must be coordinated with the water utility, and must be consistent with the health and drinking water regulatory agencies, in order to be most effective. The WSM&WPS has evolved through communication and coordination with these entities as well as with input from the community at large, community representatives and public officials. This section documents the current and future water supply management efforts of the Town through this Strategy, and identifies measures to integrate these efforts with the water utility and health agency. 7.2.1 Coordinate Water Main Installation The Suffolk County Water Authority has had an increasing presence on the North Fork particularly since its 1997 purchase of the Greenport Water District. The Suffolk County Water Authority has been active in acquiring lands for the purpose of new and expanded well fields and well fields protection. Appendix A; Figure A-II presents a map of lands owned by the Suffolk County Water Authority in the Town of Southold. Significant recent acquisitions include acreage in the vicinity of Laurel Lake in the western portion of the Town. The Suffolk County Water Authority recognizes not only the need to protect watershed areas for existing and future well fields but also to carefully control the pumping and distribution of water. As discussed earlier in Section 2.1.8, in 1992, LBG prepared a water supply report for the Suffolk County Water Authority. This report identified potential water supply well fields for public water expansion in the Town and determined that the daily sustained capacity of the well-field network was approximately 3.2 Million gallons per day. The report estimated that this additional yield could supply a population of approximately 30,000 people within the Town of Southold. However, the report did not appear to factor in seasonal population increases, compromised water quality, and prolonged drought conditions; therefore, the ceiling of 30,000 population is suggested as a conservative measure. Given that current population levels are over 20,000, not including summer population which is estimated to be over 40,000, it is clear that the Town needs tight land use controls and control of growth. The Suffolk County Water Authority intends to be proactive in the role of regulating pumpage and coordinating water main installation. As discussed in the technical sections of this report dealing with groundwater, the areas in proximity to the coast are most subject to salt-water intrusion and upconing, which can degrade water supply wells. In addition, areas of the Town near the south coast are more densely developed based upon: I) the desirability of these locations; 2) the historic second home turned to year-round home trend of many of these seasonal cottages; and 3) the higher density land use permitted by N'P&WT Page 72 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy zoning. Over time, these areas require public water supply installation, due to the inability of small private wells to provide potable water. As a result, the existing public water main distribution system is more complete in coastal areas. Figure A-ll also maps those areas currently serviced by public water mains. For future water supply planning purposes, the Suffolk County Water Authority intends to provide a more complete distribution system to service the more densely developed areas of the Town and expected growth areas. The Water Authority will extend and interconnect water mains where possible to service existing residences and lots where infrastructure exists and infill of development is expected to occur. This enables the Water Authority to meet the water supply needs of the Town by providing potable water in areas most in need. Figure A- U provides a map which illustrates the existing water mains as of April 2000, general areas expected to be serviced by public water main extensions, and protected lands. This map will be further assessed for priority scheduling and implementation as appropriate in a coordinated effort between SCW A, SCDHS and the Town. There are areas of the Town however, where extension of public water mains may not be feasible or practical. The central part of the Town coinciding with large agricultural areas between Mattituck Creek and Southold is such an area. This region also coincides with the SGP A and the groundwater recharge area. These interior parts of the Town are currently not served by public water supply. Existing development and agricultural irrigation needs are served by private wells. This area is currently sporadically developed and zoning is predominantly Agriculture-Conservation district. As a result, the expected future development density would be relatively low. In addition, the Town's Farm and Farmland Protection Strategy has targeted the preservation of most of the land in this area. Some small developed areas exist within the targeted preservation areas. Where groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals or landfill leachate has occurred, the Town should work jointly with SCW A and SCDHS to explore possible options to provide potable water. Care should be taken not to encourage future residential development in these areas. From an environmental standpoint, and based on an evaluation of groundwater resources, it is advisable to limit population density and control growth to the maximum extent possible in this area. From a water supply standpoint, the goal should be to serve the existing Town population, and plan water main infrastructure for those areas where growth can be accommodated without overburdening the resource. This serves the dual purpose of ensuring a sustainable population in the future and protecting a primary groundwater aquifer recharge area which is coincident with large land holdings that provide rural character and quality within the Town. The Town should work with the SCW A to ensure that the mutual land and water supply protection goals of the Town and the SCW A are met. The Town should seek written assurance that SCW A will not extend public water mains to areas where limited growth is a goal. 7.2.2 Water Supply Options As a first priority, the coordination of water main installation addresses the water supply needs of existing residents and those undeveloped lots adjacent to areas where water main extensions are proposed. Those areas not served by public water may require a variety of water supply options in order to ensure safe drinking water for existing and future uses. The basis for this priority was discussed in the section above and is summarized below: .'NT Page 73 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy I. There is a limited water supply in the Town of Southold, in terms of both quantity and quality, but especially quality. 2. The land use planning efforts of the Town are directed toward reduction of density and preservation of agricultural use through non-traditional developments with little or no infrastructure in the central agricultural areas and water recharge zones of the Town. 3. It may not be economically feasible or practical to extend water supply to areas of low density development with limited infrastructure. 4. Existing developed areas should have a priority in receiving the limited water supply due to the hydrologic sensitivity of coastal areas, existing population densities and water quality impacts. Water supply options are necessary for those areas that are not a priority for water main extension. Figure A-12 is provided to generally illustrate those areas where extension of public water mains is expected. It is recognized that some areas in the central recharge zone may currently be impacted by degraded water quality, necessitating consideration of temporary or permanent water supply options where development already exists. Land use proposals in such areas will continue to be reviewed by the Health Department for water supply compliance using on-site wells placed in an effort to obtain suitable quality water. For those applicants not able to meet water quality objectives, public water will be required, and if not immediately available, the subdivision application will be denied. There are some areas where on-site treatment may not be economically feasible, such as areas downgradient of the landfill where a variety of organic and inorganic compounds may be present and more than one treatment process may be needed. Such areas may be considered for smaller "satellite" supply facilities, limited/restricted extension of water mains, or application can be made to the Suffolk County Board of Review to relax well depth standards if monitoring demonstrates that there is a level of minimum contamination above a deeper plume. Other areas where limited/restricted extension of water mains may be appropriate includes residential areas that may be impacted by commerciallindustrial use. SCDHS has conducted a number of studies where chlorinated solvents and gasoline related compounds have been detected in residential private wells. Through land use review, it may also be possible to utilize contiguous or non-contiguous clustering to situate development in areas able to yield on-site water supply, or shift development to a location more accessible to limited/restricted water main extension. Water supply measures noted above are available immediately in order to meet water supply needs on a case-by-case basis. An additional water supply option, which may be appropriate for consideration, is the establishment of water quality treatment districts. New York State created enabling legislation for the establishment of Water Quality Treatment Districts as Subpart 5-5 of the Public Health Law, 9 225. In general, this State Law enacted in 1984, authorizes counties and towns to create, by resolution or petition, new districts, known as Water Quality Treatment Districts, in areas not presently being .iP&\J Page 74 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy served by a public water supplier. The district would test water quality, install and maintain water treatment systems where necessary, and advise well owners how to reduce contamination. A copy of the legislation adopted by New York State under the Public Health Law is included in Appendix D. Similar to other special districts in a township, the Town can designate a geographic area by tax parcel or boundary description and assess uses within the district for the purpose of accumulating funds to provide necessary water treatment. A comprehensive approach works to the benefit of all users in the district. The Town would be in a position to evaluate and possibly contract with the Suffolk County Water Authority to provide cost effective and adequate treatment units. . By utilizing accumulated assets and the leverage of the Suffolk County Water Authority for purchase and installation, resident needs could be met in an economical manner. The logistics of setting up such a district are well established through Town tax assessment procedures. The Suffolk County Water Authority has indicated a willingness to help in implementing this program with the Town where appropriate, and such districts would be require cooperation as well as review and approval with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. As provided for in the legislation, the establishment of a Water Quality Treatment District would provide a means to test water quality, install and maintain water treatment systems, and advise well owners and Town residents how to reduce contamination. This measure is available on a case-by-case basis, but is not viewed as a long-term substitute for water main extension or other water supply options. Additional groundwater management work is underway by SCDHS to better understand the status of water resources in the Town of Southold. These efforts are ongoing, and will provide information which will allow the Town, the Suffolk County Water Authority and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services to continue to evaluate water supply options. The Water Supply Management & Water Protection Strategy is not intended to be a static document. As information becomes available, the Strategy will be subject to refinement and evolution. Current efforts include the extension of the Suffolk County groundwater model, coupled with the Source Water Assessment Program to better delineate water impacted areas and non-impacted areas. This will greatly enhance pollution risk assessment capabilities and ultimately, groundwater management strategies. The emphasis of water supply options is the protection of the health and welfare of residents of the Town of Southold. New uses will continue to be subject to requirements of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services to demonstrate the ability to provide acceptable water supply. Water supply options must be implemented on a case- by-case basis to determine the most suitable option. The program must be monitored so that it does not promote growth in areas of the Town where density limitations and retention of farmhmd are intended. The Town intends to work closely with the SCW A and the SCDHS to ensure that these land use goals and water supply needs are met. lIiP&tir Page 75 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 7.3 CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAND (CEL) ORDINANCE The Town of Southold has vast environmental resources as described in Section 2.0 of this document. At present, the potential negative impacts of development to these resources are evaluated on a case by case basis as projects are proposed. Through this review, appropriate mitigation measures incorporated into project design, or required through the environmental review process which may involve the preparation of an environmental impact statement. It is suggested that the Town consider adopting an ordinance which specifically recognizes lands of the Town of Southold which the Town finds to be environmentally sensitive. The primary critical environmental lands of the Town include the following: . Freshwater wetlands and adjacent areas . Tidal wetlands and adjacent areas . Lands with natural slopes in excess of 15% . Lands with a depth to groundwater less than 10 feet The protection of these wetlands as biofilters, retention areas and recharge zones is important for groundwater protection. Preventing erosion potential and loss of soil on steep slope areas is important for ground and surface water protection as well. Areas with shallow groundwater are susceptible to groundwater degradation due rapid infiltration of contaminants and difficulty in maintaining properly functioning sanitary systems. In order to recognize and preserve these resources, it is recommended that no development occur within these critical environmental lands. For the purpose of project yield, it is recommended that surface water wetlands and areas with greater than 15% slopes, be subtracted from the gross acreage of the property to determine "developable land". For example, in calculating subdivision yield, wetlands on a property would be delineated for the purpose of NYSDEC Article 24 implementation and/or Army Corps of Engineers Part 404 Wetlands. Areas with slopes in excess of 15% over a rise of four feet or more, would be delineated by a project engineer or surveyor based on a two foot topographic contour map acceptable for subdivision submission. These critical environmental lands would not be permitted to contribute toward the minimum lot size of subdivision lots. A conforming yield map would have to be prepared which respects these areas including a minimum 100 foot buffer surrounding any designated wetlands. Using this approach, a yield map for a property would be established. The Town's cluster provision could then be used to ensure expanded buffers and maximum preservation of these resources. There may be circumstances where controlled development within 100 feet of wetlands, within areas having slopes of more 15%, or within areas with groundwater depth of less than 10 feet, may be appropriate. The Town may wish to consider empowering the Planning Board to vary these requirements when no other alternative exists. This provision could be provided for in the ordinance. The Critical Environmental Lands ordinance would apply to all land and all zoning districts within the Town of Southold. The nature and value of these resources are not related to jurisdictional boundaries and warrant maximum preservation by virtue of their occurrence within the Town. ~C:1U! ..rowd' Page 76 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 7.4 WATERSHED PROTECTION ZONES (WPZ'S) A significant finding of the Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy is that the central part of the Town of Southold, between Mattituck Creek and the Hamlet of Southold, and the area west of Mattituck Creek in the vicinity of Laurel Lake are significant areas in terms of the following key elements: . The areas are comprised of large lot holdings; . The areas are currently predominantly in agricultural use; . The areas are the largest contiguous block of agricultural use in the Town; . The areas lie substantially above the five foot groundwater contour and therefore are significant recharge areas; . The areas contribute significantly to the rural character of the Town; and . The areas coincide with the Southold Special Groundwater Protection Areas of the Town. These significant blocks of land clearly warrant additional protection measures to ensure that the above-noted features, are maintained. First and foremost is the designation of the geographic areas for legislative purposes. It is often difficult to translate key environmental elements to a geographic boundary location. The designation of such areas heightens public awareness and provides a first step for additional planning measures. The primary area for protection is the area above the five-foot groundwater contour. However, the use of such a boundary would bisect private parcels and would not fully address the need to protect and preserve agricultural lands and rural quality. For this reason the designation of WPZ's are expanded to contain within them logical blocks of contiguous predominantly agricultural land. The West WPZ is therefore defined generally coincident with the area above the 5 foot contour within which is the SGP A area, in the vicinity of Laurel Lake between Sound Avenue and Main Road, east of the Town Line to Mattituck. The East WPZ is defined generally as the area extending from Long Island Sound on the north, to Route 25 on the south, between the area immediately east of Matti tuck Creek, to the Hamlet of Southold. For mapping purposes, the suggested WPZ boundaries have been prepared and are presented in Appendix A; Figure A- n With the creation of the Southold Watershed Protection Zones, it is important to establish the legislative goals and intent of the designation of such an area. The goals and objectives of this strategy as contained in Section 1.4 provide the intent for the creation of the WPZ's. Also with the creation of such districts are important to establish development parameters which achieve the goals and objectives as stated by the Town. In order to effectively manage the Watershed Protection Zones, the Town needs to reduce development density to maintain the existing landscape to the maximum extent practicable. Therefore, any development, which does occur, should be greatly restricted. For the purpose of the Southold WPZ's these areas are considered to be Restricted Growth Areas. As such, the standards and guidelines proposed are the minimum management tools to be considered, leaving NP&w Page 77 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy open the possibility of additional control measures which will be considered in a subsequent section of this strategy. A summary list of standards and guidelines is provided below. . Control or reduce development density to limit nitrogen loading; . Eliminate the construction of new sewage treatment plants in the WPZ' s; . Restrict the storage and use of toxic and hazardous materials in the WPZ's; . Maximize open space and reduce development density near public water supply sources; . Protect wetlands and adjacent areas; . Provide environmentally compatible stormwater recharge systems; . Preserve existing vegetation, specimen trees and wooded edges wherever possible; . Align contiguous areas of undeveloped open space and farmland through development design; . Minimize areas established in fertilizer dependent vegetation; . With the exception of agricultural use, revegetate permanent buffer areas with plantings having a low fertilizer and irrigation dependency; . Identify and protect species in communities of special concern; . Provide a mechanism for the management of open space and agricultural lands; and . Restrict commercial and industrial development to protect quality of groundwater recharge and rural character. Certain guidelines may also be appropriate to apply to development proposals in the restricted growth areas. These guidelines are considered advisory, and are intended to be used at the discretion of the Town in project review, depending on the significance of the action and the sensitivity of the resource. Recommended guidelines are summarized as follows: . Seek to achieve a concentration of total nitrogen in recharge of 2.5 mg!l or less; . Provide more stringent well head protection for water supply properties based on a scientific understanding of hydrologic resources; . Apply stricter setback requirements from wetlands and surface waters; . Provide creative stormwater detention areas for recharge and storage of stormwater based on natural topography and functional pond creation; . Provide mechanisms for prevention of soil erosion during construction; . Avoid construction in areas with slopes greater than ten percent; . Review agricultural and horticultural projects for conformance with best management practices; . Consider cultural resources, scenic byways and viewsheds, and recreational resources as part of project review. The standards and guidelines recommended as part of the Southold Watershed Protection Zones will ensure that consideration is given to natural and human resources in project review. It is recommended that, where possible, clustering and other techniques be utilized to reduce or withdraw any development activity from the central parts of the WPZ's. Additional protection measures are considered in subsequent chapters of this strategy. 7.5 CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION PROGRAM (CSP) This section outlines a program to further restrict development within the Watershed Protection Zones. The concept behind the Conservation Subdivision Program is to not encourage traditional development within this important watershed area, even under the stringent standards and guidelines outlined in the preceding section. JlPaIr Page 78 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy In concept, the intent is to provide incentives that would make it more desirable to seek alternative methods of development. There would be a disincentive for landowners to propose traditional development projects involving typical clustered or grid style developments. The intent would be to redirect development within the Town both to more desirable locations, and also with the intent of achieving other planning purposes. The purpose of the Conservation Subdivision Program is to facilitate the maximum preservation of open space and farmland, with the lowest possible development density and road/utility improvements. The definition of a Conservation Subdivision is proposed as follows: The use of a variety of public and private conservation strategies for the preservation of agricultural lands and soils through the subdivision process that result in the preservation of seventy-five to eighty percent (75-80%) of a particular tract of land. Through a "Conservation Opportunities Planning Process" a private/public cooperative partnership is formed that is a cost-effective approach to protecting farms and farmland by leveraging limited public funds for the purchase of development rights with limited development and other private conservation strategies including conservation easements, bargain sales, donation ofland, etc. The Conservation Opportunities Planning Process; a) incorporates the long and short term goals of the landowner in the overall plan, b) defines areas within the landowners property that contain prime agricultural soils and other resources that qualify for protection through the purchase of development rights program or other public and private conservation techniques, and c) assists landowners in exploring alternative conservation planning tools for the future use, ownership, and management of the property . The CSP would complement ongoing planning efforts of the Town through public-private partnerships strategies fOf land protection. The preservation of seventy-five to eighty (75-80) percent of a tract of land is an aggressive goal that can be met through cooperative efforts with landowners. The intent of the Town is clear through the designation of WPZ's as areas in need of more stringent controls. These areas are designated with the intent of minimizing development and infrastructure to the maximum extent. The majority of land in the WPZ's is zoned A-C or R-80. As a result it is recommended that the Conservation Subdivision Program would be a voluntarv program primarily targeted toward R-80 and/or A-C zoned land within the Watershed Protection Zones. Any landowner wishing to participate in the program could enter into discussions with the Town Planning Staff to structure a Conservation Subdivision. A project would be an Unlisted Action for purpose of SEQRA with the application for a Conservation Subdivision. The achievement of 75-80 percent of a tract of land will be achieved primarily through purchase of development right. In addition, in some cases arrangements have also been made to gift land and realize the tax benefit. As the program is optional, and not all land is proposed to be used or subdivided at one time, it is expected that continued funding of the PDR program through Town and County efforts will be adequate to facilitate the purchase of development rights when needed for agricultural land preservation in the WPZ's. The development of the remaining 20-25 percent of the tract of land may occur through limited on- II'PbV Page 79 Town of Southold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy site development at the underlying R-80/A-C density (established through a conforming yield map), or through an Off-Site Development Option. On-site development may occur in the Watershed Protection Zone through the establishment of a Country Inn, a facility which provides overnight accommodations in a residential type structure. The Country Inn must gain aesthetic quality and charm from the agricultural land use on the balance of the property. Limitations on maximum number of rooms, size of the building, setbacks, parking accommodations, and sanitary disposal, will occur through Planning Board site plan review and confornlance with an amended section of the ordinance, and Suffolk County Department of Health Services density conformance. The goal is to preserve a significant area of farmland, while providing an economic value to the landowner, in a setting which is harmonious and supportive of continued farm use, all in a manner which does not burden natural or human resources. There are a variety of ways in which to achieve a Country Inn use in connection with an agricultural setting. It is expected that a Country Inn will involve overnight accommodations and amenities, food service, parking, outdoor recreation, etc., and therefore is more characteristic ofa commercial use that a residential use. For this reason, the yield (on a number of rooms per acre), and the size of the Inn must be carefully considered, in order to ensure that the scale is consistent with the planning goals of the Town. It is recommended that the Country Inn use be permitted by Special Exception to be decided by the Planning Board. The Country Inn would be allowed on any parcel zoned A-C District as a presumptively compatible use, provided it conforms with the parameters established above. The Country Inn site would be subject to full site plan review, with consideration of the overall farm acreage for the purpose of determining yield, and siting the Country Inn parcel. The Country Inn use would be subject to the State Environmental Quality Review Act as an Unlisted Action unless it is designated a Type I action pursuant to the SEQRA Type I list. The program can be designed to work with parcels where development rights have already been purchased, by allowing landowners to essentially contribute to further open space/farmland acquisition, based on land value. The Country Inn concept may represent a valuable land use tool in connection with this WSM&WPS. The use of Country Inns provides the Town and its residents the opportunity for a number of benefits including: preservation of farmland; economic value to the landowner; and creation of uses that serve an existing tourist base providing regional economic benefit. The establishment of Country Inns must be monitored to ensure that the overall planning goals of the Town continue to be served by the program. Off-site development may also be a viable option through cooperative developments or non- contiguous clustering (see following Section 7.6). If the Off-Site Development Option is selected, an increase in density on a site outside the WPZ would be permitted under the following guidelines: . The off-site location is within the same School District; and . The off-site location is in the same general Watershed area; and . The off-site location is capable of sustaining increased yield; and . All developments must conform to Article 6 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code. Suffolk County has recognized that this form of development may be an appropriate planning tool. This provision provides t1exibility for shifts in development density without necessarily requiring the construction or tie-in to sewage treatment facilities; and .Pow Page 80 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy . If the off-site location is zoned R-40. In the case ofR-40, the maximum number of units shall be determined by providing two conforming yield maps, one based on 40,000 square foot lots which represents the base density of the parcel, and one based on 30,000 square foot lots which represents the potential increase in units allowable by off-site development. On a zoning yield basis, one 80,000 square foot lot within the Conservation Subdivision, may result in the construction of one single family unit on an off-site parcel up the maximum allowable based on the 30,000 square foot yield map, andlor, . If the off-site location is zoned HD. In the case ofHD land, the maximum number of units shall be determined by not more than a twenty (20) percent increase in yield. On a zoning yield basis, one 80,000 square foot lot within the Conservation Subdivision, may result in the construction of two (3) multiple family units, or three (3) retirement (age restricted to 55 and older) units, within the HD parcel, on an off-site parcel up the maximum allowable based on the increase of not more than 20 percent of the base density in that district. By contrast, a full yield subdivision of land within a WPZ, but outside of the Conservation Subdivision Program, would be considered a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Type I Actions require the preparation and submission of a Full Environmental Assessment Form Part I and coordinated review with involved agencies, and these actions are more likely to require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. As indicated in Section 4.1.3, the Town through the State Environmental Quality Review Act and Chapter 44 of the Town Code has the ability to define locally significant actions as Type I Actions for the purposes of SEQRA implementation. Therefore, it is proposed that the following actions be considered Type I Actions for the purpose of implementation of SEQRA: "Proposed subdivision of land in a Town of Southold Watershed Protection Zone without the benefit of the Conservation Subdivision Program ". Environmental review of a non-CSP project would consider the following additional factors: . Analysis ofland use, zoning and land use plans for conformance with the goals and objectives of the CSP in achieving density limitations and facilitating the protection of agricultural use and rural character; . Conformance with the standards and guidelines of the WPZ; . Visual and aesthetic impact analysis of a project on its surroundings; . The need for adequate buffering of adjacent farm use including potential reforestation of substantial buffers to enhance the compatibility of use and the agricultural longevity of lands in the WPZ; and, . Use of clustering to achieve maximum preservation of open space and alignment of agricultural use in order to promote continued farm practice. The creation of a Conservation Subdivsion Program would provide guidelines for development and a better understanding of the Town's intent within areas determined to be Watershed Protection Zones. The CSP would be voluntary, with incentives to participate in the program. It is believed that the commitment of the Town Planning Staff in seeking creative development scenarios and redirection of density, coupled with public education and awareness of the critical need to protect agricultural/rural character and water resources, will facilitate the success of this program. ~cu "~d' Page 81 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 7.6 NON-CONTIGUOUS CLUSTERING Non-contiguous clustering involves more than one parcel of land where the parcels do not lie adjacent to each other. The concept as suggested here involves preserving and protecting the resources ofthe parcel which has the greater enviromnental sensitivity. Non-contiguous clustering is a tool which can be used by private landowners and facilitated by the municipality. It is suggested as being worthy of consideration to expand the plarming tools of the Town on a voluntary basis in cooperation with landowners. A landowner that owns several parcels within the Town may wish to explore enviromnental site conditions to identify potential development constraints. This can be accomplished through private consultation with an enviromnental consultant or through consultation with Town Plarming staff. Resources worthy of protection may include, but are not limited to: . High groundwater areas; . Steep slope areas; . Wetlands and adjacent areas; . Contiguous open space; . Constrained soils; . Significant habitat areas; . Lands within the Watershed Protection Zone; and, . Lands targeted for preservation under the CPPP. Upon identification of any of these or other potential enviromnental constraints, a landowner may explore several options. I) Determine if his/her holdings include other nearby less sensitive lands. 2) Explore the potential to acquire other nearby less sensitive lands. 3) Consult with Town Planning staff to determine other development options which may include, combining the project with a pending development project which can sustain additional density. 4) Seek other methods using the Town Planning toolbox to ensure that development of a sensitive site occurs in a manner which protects environmental resources. There are several development parameters, which should be considered III the use of non- contiguous clustering. These are as follows: . Seek to redistribute density between lands which are within the same School District; . Seek to redistribute density between lands which are in the same general watershed area; . Increase density only on lands that are capable of sustaining increased yield; . The parcel which receives increased density should be designed in a manner consistent with the Town's current clustering provisions; . All developments must conform to Article 6 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code. Suffolk County has recognized that this form of development may be an appropriate planning tool. This provision provides f1exibility for shifts in development density without necessarily requiring the construction or tie-in to sewage treatment facilities. Non-contiguous clustering can be a useful plarming tool to protect enviromnental resources. It should be maintained as a voluntary program for private landowners that can be encouraged and facilitated by the Town. The primary incentive to explore this program is a potential reduction in .MY Page 82 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy the processing time for an application and the potential to reduce the need for extensive environmental studies. An additional benefit is a reduction in improvement costs, as compared to non-coordinated development of more than one parcel. This tool can be particularly useful in protecting and enhancing the Watershed Protection Zone; however, it is recommended as an available tool for any area and any zoning district within the Town. 7.7 TOWN WETLANDS ORDINANCE Wetlands have been documented as important hydrologic features within groundwater recharge areas. The protection of wetlands, and adjacent buffer areas, provides important filtration, retention and recharge functions, as well as habitat and open space. In order to protect additional wetlands and adjacent buffer areas, Chapter 97 of the Town Code should be amended to provide a 100 foot jurisdiction area around freshwater and tidal wetlands of the Town of Southold. The ordinance currently empowers the Town Trustees to regulate activities within 75 feet of Town designated wetlands. Designated wetlands are generally those regulated by the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation under Article 24 and Article 25 of the Environmental Conservation Law. Expansion of jurisdiction to 100 feet would be consistent with Article 24 of the ECL for freshwater wetlands. Through the expansion of the regulatory area, the Town would encourage applicants to set back all activities at least 100 feet from freshwater wetlands providing a substantial adjacent area buffer. This will enhance protection of these important resources. Article 24 of the ECL only regulates those freshwater wetlands mapped by the NYSDEC. This leads to confusion regarding small ponds and wetland areas that are not mapped by NYSDEC. Such areas may be regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers under Part 404 of the Clean Water Act, however, under Army Corps Nationwide permits the adjacent area is not regulated and minor fill activities can occur. Small ponds and wetland areas may be local significance particularly in view of high ground water areas in important wetlands systems internal to the Town. The Town may wish to explore the legal potential to regulate those areas which the NYSDEC does not regulate. This would enable the Town to preserve and protect local features as well as adjacent areas which provide a buffer to small ponds and wetlands. The Town may also wish to map the freshwater wetlands within the Town, so that regulated areas are identified. This information could be incorporated into the Town Geographic Information System (GIS) for reference. All wetlands should be subject to field delineation as part of the permit process currently in place under Chapter 97. 7.8 CREATION OF SUBSTANDARD LOTS There are areas of the Town where the pattern of subdivision and development occurred prior to the current zoning and lot size restrictions. Later establishment of zoning requirements raised the zoning standards thus making lots within these previously subdivided areas non conforming in terms of lot size and setback requirements. As these lots are developed, variances for minimum lot size, minimum lot width, and possibly front rear and side yard setbacks may be necessary . .11&1; Page 83 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy The Zoning Board of Appeals sometimes considers the division of land where the proposed new lot sizes are close to but not exactly in conformance with minimum lot sizes required by zoning; however, proposed lots may be generally in keeping with lot sizes in the neighborhood. An example would be an application to create two lots on a lot which is 70,000 square foot (sf) in size in an R-40 zoning district. If an application conforms to the general pattern of development and lot sizes in an area are not expected to cause a significant adverse environment impact, the Board of Appeals may consider such an application favorably. Such applications provide an opportunity to generate revenue for the purpose of acquisition of suitable more open space to offset the slight reduction in lot size on the example land division. A possible formula would be: for every square foot that a proposed land division is deficient from the required zoning, a mitigation fee of 50 cents would be required. In the example noted above, the land division falls 10,000 sf short of the required zoning, therefore a mitigation fee of $5,000 would be required. Any funds generated as a result of this type of application would be utilized for the purpose of acquisition of appropriate open space for watershed protection. Each division of land must still stand on its own merits as it is reviewed by the Zoning Board of Appeals for community or other potential issues or impacts. The legality of this mitigation fee should be explored, however, the concept may provide a means to offset minor variances and generate revenues for further land acquisition. While it is beyond the scope of this study, further examination of single and separately owned, substandard lots may be appropriate. A determination of the number of undeveloped small lots would be necessary through building file review, tax map and air photo examination and field confirmation. The location, available infrastructure, and density of single and separate lots would then be determined, allowing conclusions to be drawn with regard to environmental impacts and population potential. Recommendations concerning land use controls, acquisition, or other measures could then be formulated based on the findings. There must be a careful balance between preserving the rights of property owners, and protecting the environmental resources and character of the Town. 7.9 PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION The Town will continue and expand programs for public awareness and education with regard to further the goals and objectives of this strategy. The Town of Southold's preparation of this Water Supply Management & Water Protection Strategy is a continuing step in raising the awareness of the Town's unique water resources and rural qualities. This strategy has been prepared with supporting background materials and technical information to integrate the strategy with ongoing Town planning initiatives. The creation of the Watershed Protection Zones is a key element of the strategy. The designation of this area for its extensive agricultural use and water recharge quality will define a geographic area of the Town worthy of management, protection and preservation. The Town should further the public awareness of the importance of this area by placing signs along key roadways to designate the area. Appropriate signage will be visible to residents and visitors of the Town. MIN Page 84 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Critical to the success of the public awareness and education program is the dissemination of information to the residents of the Town. The strategy itself should be made available at Town Hall and local libraries. The Executive Summary should be distributed to key interests in the Town, made available at Town Hall, and distributed to those who request information. In order to reach more of the general public the Town should consider preparing a small tri-fold brochure, suitable for mailing as well as display and handout at Town offices and community facilities. Handout material will provide a number to contact for additional information. The expected level of interest may necessitate commitment of Town personnel resources to insure that the public receives accurate and thorough information. It is recognized that the Town is engaged in a number of planning initiatives at this time. These efforts, including land acquisition priorities and public-private partnership strategies for conservation planning, may provide a mechanism for the Town to promote its watershed protection strategies within an existing framework. The Town is actively engaged in a Farm and Farmland Protection Strategy which may provide similar opportunities. The Peconic Estuary Program in which the Town is actively participating, specifically identifies public awareness and education as a key component of that program. It may be possible to integrate the Town's watershed protection initiatives into ongoing public awareness and education aspects of the Peconic Estuary Program. Finally as the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program is finalized and proceeds through the adoption process, further public awareness will be promoted due to the overlapping nature of watershed protection and coastal resource management. 7.10 POLLUTION CONTROL AND SOURCE REDUCTION An integral part of the WSM&WPS is pollution control and source reduction. Agricultural land use has been demonstrated to be a contributor to groundwater pollution resulting in elevated pesticide concentrations and nitrates from fertilizer application. Residential development at higher densities (particularly where extensive landscaping is present) may also result in nitrate impacts to groundwater. Additionally commercial and industrial development may introduce a wide variety of chemicals to groundwater such as gasoline and additives, solvents, metals and other exotic chemicals. Many programs are in place at the County, State and Federal level to control storage, use and disposal of chemicals, particularly from commercial and industrial use. The reduction of groundwater pollution from these sources must be combined with land use planning efforts in order to ensure adequate water supply as population growth continues. Agricultural land use is encouraged as part of this Strategy, as it maintains open space, rural character, and limited population density, all land use considerations that benefit long term water supply. However, while maintaining agriculture, it is important, indeed critical, to seek ways to reduce the groundwater impacts of such use. The Findings and Opportunities section of this strategy indicates the following: Agricultural practices should be improved through ongoing education and research, through more extensive and focused use of conservation plans, by greater utilization of organic farming techniques, and the use of alternate crop types, etc., in order to reduce chemical application and fertilization load. Cornell University and the Long Island d"CM ..ro.I' Page 85 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Horticultural Lab (part of Cornell Cooperative Extension) have been conducting research and coordinating best management efforts with active farmers. Although best management practices have been In use for the past 2 decades, more needs to be done to ensure that agricultural use continues to become more compatible with water resource protection. Continued cooperative efforts between the fanning industry, research groups, and government agencies is encouraged in order to further reduce chemical application and fertilizer loading. The Farm Bureau and Cornell Cooperative Extension should continue and expand their efforts in this regard. The Peconic Estuary Program is also dedicated toward improving communication and cooperation toward this goal. The SCDHS Long Island Sound Study (USS) North Shore Watershed Management Program will draw on Peconic Estuary Program (PEP), Agricultural and Environmental Management (AEM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) analyses and recommendations. AEM and IPM refer to efforts between the scientific and agricultural communities to reduce the use of chemicals in fanning by management and control of pests. Both the PEP and USS are developing regional nitrogen load allocation targets, with specific focus on subwatersheds; these will integrate and refine results of this Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy. This Strategy is supportive of such efforts, and the Town is dedicated to assisting this effort where possible through ongoing local governmental involvement and cooperation. The creation of Watershed Protection Zones must include (at some point) the adoption of standards for pollution control including reduction of nitrogen loading through density control, wetland protection, reduction of runoff and sedimentation and increased use of best management practices for all land uses including agriculture. For other than agricultural use, there exists a recommended limit on the amount of fertilized vegetation in order to reduce nitrogen loading, and to maintain naturally vegetated lands where possible. The standards and guidelines recommended in the WPZ's will further help efforts for pollution control and source reduction. The Town will continue and expand these efforts to encourage non-fertilizer dependent landscaping, sensitive environmental design, and improved stewardship of the Town's resources through educational and land use review processes. 11'M Page 86 Town of Sonthold Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy 8.0 REFERENCES Crandell, H. c., 1963, Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Town of South old. Suffolk County New York, U.S. Geologic Survey Water-Supply Paper 1619-GG. Freeze, Allan R., Cherry, John A., 1979, Groundwater, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, Inc. Heath, Ralph, C., 1998, Basic Ground-Water Hydrology, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2220. Jensen, H.M. and Soren, J., 1974, Hydrology of Suffolk County. Long Island. New York, Hydrologic Investigations Atlas, Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. Koppleman, Lee, Kunz, A., Tanenbaum, E. and Davis, D., 1992, The Long Island Comprehensive Special Groundwater Protection Area Plan, Long Island Regional Planning Board. Koppleman, Lee, 1978, 208 Areawide Waste Treatment Management, Hauppauge, New York: Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board. Koszalka, E.J., 1983, Geohydrology of the Northern Part of the Town of Brookhaven. Suffolk County, New Y ork~ U.S. Geologic Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 83- 4042. Long Island Almanac, 1996 Long Island Almanac, Twenty Eighth Edition, Long Island Business News, Ronkonkoma, New York Newsday, November 12, 1999, " The Enduring Question: To Sell of Hold Down the Farm" N ewsday - Real Estate Section, Friday November 12, 1999. NYSDEC, 1980, Article 24 ofllie New York State Environmental Conservation Law Freshwater Wetlands Permit Requirements Regulations. 6NYCRR Part 663, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York. Shubert, C. E., 1998, Areas Contributing Groundwater to the Peconic Estuarv. and Ground-water Budgets for the North and South Forks and Shelter Island. Eastern Suffolk County. New York, U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 97-4136. Southold, Town of, 1999-1, Draft 1999 Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, Town of South old, New York. N'M Page 87 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy Southold, Town of, 1999-2, Southold Town Farm and Farmland Protection Strategy, Draft September 1999, Peconic Land Trust and Town of South old, New York. Southold, Town of, 1997, Scenic Bvwavs Corridor Management Plan, prepared by the Scenic Byways Steering Committee, Town of South old. Southold, Town of, 1973, Code of the Town of Southo1d New York, General Code Publishers Corporation. Suffolk County Planning Department, 1999, Ground Watershed Protection and Water Supply Management Strategy, Southold Township 2000, Draft Report, Suffolk County Planning Department, Hauppauge, New York. SCDHS, 1987-1, Suffolk County Sanitary Code-Article 6 Realty Subdivisions and Other Construction Projects, Amended March 4, 1987, Code of Administrative Regulations, Hauppauge, New York. Suffolk County Department of Health Services, 1999, Peconic Estuary Program, Comprehensive Conservation and management Plan, Draft Report, Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Riverhead, New York. United States Census Bureau, 1990, 1990 United States Census. 11M Page 88 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy APPENDICES N'IaSI1 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy ApPENDIX A FIGURES rI'JI&W Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy ApPENDIX B EXISTING LAND USE ACREAGE - TOWN OF SOUTHOLD N""P6W.' ".' . !, ________....1 , .'~l, . Table 1 - Existing Land Use Acreage: Town of South old (excluding Fishers Island) -1998 C:\lllRVlLOCALSTU\SOUTHOLD\SHLD-FIWPD April 5, 1999 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy ApPENDIX C ZONING DIMENSIONAL/BuLK REQUIREMENTS .'11&11 , Fii f;;: , ,,",',.":.ii\ii~''J;i;:ii~';;:,,-+,:,; ;",;;;;iili.i;;;j;t:"'C'{;;~",";it\i'1" '" Town of Southold Bulk Schedule for Residential Districls [Added I-ItMl9 by 1.1. No. 1-19891 Column No. il iii ;. v vi vii Ix x xi xii Residential Unit Where Community 2-Familv Detaehl'd Water and Sewer Dwelli~ in R.NO DI8lrid A-C R-40 R-80 R-120 R-200 R-400 HD RR RO Available District Minimum Requirements for I-family detached d~lJingsl Lot aite (square feet) Lot width (foot) Lot depth (feet) Froot yan! (foot) Side yanl (foot) Both side yards (feet) Roar yanl (foot) Livable Door area (square feet per dwelling unit) Maximum permitted dimensions: Lot coverage (pertent) Building height (feet) Number of stories NarES, I See text of c:hapter and Density and Minimum Lot Size Schedules for applicable districts. I Except one-bedroom or studio in multiple dwelling may have six hundred (600) square feet. Minimum floor area may be reduced up to two hundred (200) for moderate- and/or lower.-eost dwellings. , Except one-bedroom or studio in multiple dwelling may have six hundred (600) square feeL 1lO,000 175 250 60 20 45 75 850 40,000 160 175 60 15 35 50 850 20 35 2~ 1lO,000 175 250 60 20 45 75 850 20 35 2~ 120,000 200 300 60 30 60 85 850 200,000 270 400 60 30 60 100 850 400,000 270 400 60 30 60 100 850 20,000 75 120 85 15 30 35 850' 20 35 2~ 10 35 2~ 5 35 2~ 5 35 211 20,000 75 120 35 15 30 35 850' 25 35 2~ 40,000 150 175 50 15 35 60 850 25 35 2~ 20 35 2~ 10,000 60 IlO 30 15 30 30 850 160,000 270 400 60 30 60 85 S50 25 35 2~ 10 35 2~ 2-25-89 r . Town of Southold Bulk Schedule for BUlJinell!l, Office and Industrial Districts [Added 1-UH19 by 1.1. No. 1-1989] LlO LB HB B Light Industrial Ll UmJted Hamlet General M-l M-Il Park/Planned Ught District - B......... Buaine88 Marine] Marine II Office Park Industrial Minimum requirements for business. office. indlJS- trial or other nonresidential use' Lot size (square feet) 80,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 80,000 120,000 40.000 lnt w;dth (feet) 175 60 150 150 150 200 100 lnt depth (feet) 250 100 150 150 150 300 150 Front yard (feet) 60 I. 50 35 35 75 50 Side yard (feet) 20 10 25 20 25 30 20 Both side yards (feet) 45 25 50 45 50 60 40 Reer yard (feet) 75 25 35 25 25 7. 70 Landscape area (percent) 35 25 35 25 20 35 25 Maximum permitted dimensions Lot coverage (percent) 20 40 30 30 30 20 30 Building height (feet) 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 Number of stories 2% 2 2 2 2 2 2 NOTES, I For minimum requirements for residential U8eS, refer fint Ul Density and Minimum Lot Site Schedule for Nonresidential Districts and then to appropriate indicated column in the Bulk Schedule for Residential Uses. In the Marine I and Marine II Districts, only land above mean high water shall qualify for area calculations. 2.25.89 .,',,_..... .+"~O;"W,;;'i~T.~.~ Town of SoutboJd Density and Minimum Lot Size Schedule for Residential Districts1 [Added 1-10-89 by 1.1. No. 1-1989] R-4O R-80 11-120 R-ZOO R-4OO HD A-C ResIdential - Re8ldenUal Residential Residential Hamlet RR RO AgrleuIturaI- Low-Density Low-Density Low-Density Low.Denllity Low.Del1llity Density lleoor' Residential DbtridB Coneervation (One-Acre) ~Acre) (Three-Acre) (Five-Acre) (Ten-Acre) Residential Residential Office MINIMUM wr SIZE (........leet~ I-family detached dwelling Residential unit without utilities 80,000 40.000 80,000 120,000 200,000 400,000 20.000 (vii) 20,000 (vii) 40.000 Residential unit with community water NA NA NA NA NA NA 20,000 (vii) 20,000 (vii) NA Residential unit with community water NA NA NA NA NA NA 10,000 (xi) 12,000 (xi) NA ami """" 2-family detached dwelling 2-funily dwelling without utilities 160,000 (xii) 80,000 (iii) 160,000 (xii) 240,000 (v) 400,000 (vi) 800.000 (v;) 40,000 (ii) 40,000 (ii) 80,000 (iii) 2-family dwelling with community water NA NA NA NA NA NA 40,000 (ii) 40,000 (ii) NA 2-family dwelling with community water NA NA NA NA NA NA 20,000 (vii) 20,000 (vii) NA ODd """" Multiple dwelling unit or townhouse: Multiple dwelling or townhouse without NA NA NA NA NA NA 20,000 NA' NA utilities Multiple dwelling or townhouse with NA NA NA NA NA NA 20,000 NA' NA community water Multiple dwelling or townhouse with NA NA NA NA NA NA 10,000 NA' NA community water and sewer Motel, botel or conference center guest unitt Guest unit without utilities NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 6.000 NA Guest unit with community water NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 6,000 NA Guest unit with community water and NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 4,000 NA """" Nonresidential use (as permitted) Use with or without utilities 80,000 40,000 80,000 120,000 200.000 400,000 NA 40,000 40,000 KEY, NA = Not applicable. NOTES, 1 Roman numerals refer to applicable column in the Residential Bulk Schedule. Where no Roman numeral is indicated, refer to the district column in the Residential Bulk Schedule. ! For multiple dwelling, hotel, motel and/or conference uses (where permitted), this table refers to minimum lot area per unit. Refer to the Re8idential Bulk Schedule for total lot size, yard and setback dimensions for the applicable district, unless more-restrictive requirements are indicated in the text of the chapter. I [Amended 8-1-89 by LL. No. 14-1989] 10 - 25 - 89 ,"~",1!l - - - - _. -' -., ._, -;'''''-'''~'~- '<AAtJ :~ ifnr'1l""", '.~ 1#1 Town of Southold Density and Minimum Wt Size Schedule for Nonre8idential Districtsl [Added 1-16-89 by 1..1.. No. 1-1989) LID LB HO 0 Ughllndustrial LI Limited Hamlet General M-I M-II Park/Planned Light District Bushlell8 Business Businel!l8 Marine I Marine II OffICe Park Industrial MINIMUM wr SIZE (square feet); Business, office, industrial or other nonresidential use Use with or without utilities 80,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 80,000 120,000 40,000 l~family detached dwelling Residential unit without utilities 80,000 (Hi) 20,000 (vii) NA 40,000 40,000 (vii) NA NA Residential unit with community water NA 20,000 (vii) NA 20,000 20,000 (vii) NA NA Residential unit with community water and sewer NA 10,000 (xi) NA 10,000 10.000 (xi) NA NA Hamily detached dwelling 2-family dwelling without utilities 160,000 40,000 (ii) NA NA NA NA NA (xii) 2-ramily dwelling with community water NA 40,000 (ii) NA NA NA NA NA 2-family dwelling with community water and sewer NA 20,000 (vii) NA NA NA NA NA Multiple dwelling unit or townhouse! Multiple dwelling or tnwnhouse without utilities NA 20,000 NA NA NA NA NA Multiple dwelling or townhouse with community water NA 20,000 NA NA NA NA NA Multiple dwell inK or I.ownhou!lC with community waler and ~'wer NA 10,000 NA NA NA NA NA Molel, holel or conference center R'JIelt uniF Gum IInit without utilities NA 6,000 6,000 NA 6,000 6,000 6,000 GUelt unit with community water NA 6,000 6,000 NA 6,000 6,000 6,000 Guest unit with community water and sewer NA 4,000 4,000 NA 4,000' 6,000 4,000 KEY: NA;;:: Not applicable. NOTES: 1 Roman numerals refer to the applicable column in the Residential Bulk Sehedule. 2 For multiple dwelling, hotel, motel and/or conference uses (where permitted), this table refers to minimum lot size per unit. Refer to the Residential Bulk Schedule for total lot size. yard and setback dimensions for the applicable district, unless more-restrictive requirements are indicated in the text of the chapter. 3 [Amended 8-1-89 by 1..1... No, 14-1989] 9.25 - 91 Town of South old Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy ApPENDIX D WATER QUALITY TREATMENT DISTRICT LEGISLATION II'Pal1 I( I SUBPART 5-5 WATER QUALITY TREATMENT DISTRICTS (Statutory authority: Public Health UW. S 225) Sec. I 5-5."1 5-5.2 5-5.3 5-5.4 5-5_5 5-5.6 5-5.7 Purpose Applicability and scope Definitions Submission for approval Amendments and modifications Watcr quality District operation II ~ Historic:aJ Note Subpart (~~ 5-5.1-5-5_7) filed Nov. 7. 1988 eff. Nov. 28. 1988. J !i 5-5.1 Purpose. The roles contained in this Subpart have been promulgated to provide protection for persons served by nonpublic water supplies. and to conform to the requirements of the County Law and the Town Law. . \I Historical Note Sec. filed Nov. 7.1988: amds. filed: March 19. 1991 as emergency measure. expIred 90 days after filing: June 18. 1991 eff. July 3. 1991. 'I !i 5-5.2 Applicability and scope. This Subpart sets the requirements for State approval relating to the formation and operation of water quality treatment districts within New York State. I( Historical Note See..filed Nov. 7.1988 eff. Nov. 28.1988. I !i 5-5.3 Definitions. As used in this Subpart. the following words and terms shall have the indicated meaning. except as otherwise specifically provided: (a) Nonpub.lic war~r system means any water supply serving less than 25 individuals on i1 daily basis and having less than five service connections. (b) point-or-us< ,,,,almen' means any type of chemical added to the water or any type of treatment device or system of devices installed on a water line within the property line of a consumer or on a nonpublic water source to improve wa.ter quality. (c) Service connection means the peninent pip.es. valves and fittings that connect a distribu- tion system to a consumer's facility. (d) State means the State Commissioner of Health. or his designated representative. (e) Water quality treatm~nt district means a district established under applicable provisions oC the County Law and the Town Law which allow county or town ownership and operation of point-oC-use treaunent systems. -;Ii "i' .-"i," \~ , ~ '~ ,,]1 I Historical Note Sec. filed Nov. 7.1988; amds. filed: March 19. 1991 as emergency measure. expired 90 days after filing: June \8. 1991 eff. July 3. 1991. Amended (b). (e). I 1-1-95 (Reissued 7(95) 113 Health I ~ ll~ . ~ 5-5.4 Submission for approval. Maps. plans and specifications submitted to the State for approval shall be signed and sealed by an engineer licensed to practice in New York State. Approval will be based on completeness of submission. appropriate treatment for the contaminants. demonstrated effectiveness of treaOUenl units. provision for adequate installation. operation and maintenance of treatment units and protection of the occupants and operators. Submissions shall include. but are not limited to. the following items: . (al A map of the proposed water quality treatment disaict. The map or maps shall include: (I) location of disaict boundaries: (2) existing public water system boundaries adjacent to or within the proposed water quality treatment district: (3) sites of proposed installation of point -of-use treatment systems: (4) sites of samples collected to detennine water quality. Number and distribution shall be adequate to detennine extent and degree of contamination: and (5) sites of existing installations of point-of-use treatment systems. (b) Plans and specifications of the proposed point-of-use treatment systems. (c) Plans and specifications of typical installations. (d) An engineering repon detailing the following items: ( I 1 test results of sampling conducted to determine water quality at water sources within the proposed disaict; (2) alternate non-point-of-use treatment solutions considered: (3) alternate typos of point-of-use treatment considered: (4) results of pilot srudies: (5) recommended alternative showing the type and location of proposed point-of-use rreaunent systems; (6) evaluation of existing point-of-use treatment systems and necessary improvements: (7) operation and maintenance of the point-of-use treatment installations: (8) operator qualifications and training; (9) administration and financing of the water quality treatment district. If all or pan of the water quality treatment disaict services are to be subcontracted to another agency. private company or individual by the county or town. the qualifications and responsibilities of the subcontractor shall be included: (10) monitoring (parameters and frequency) of the point-of-use treatment systems and sources within the water quality treatment district: and ( 11) disposal of waste water and materials. ~ I , II "'j' ,,'- f ~ :-' i1 ,,:'1 ~rm fli '2*}1 1,,' ", ""'," ". ''''I ~.' &!$i ('9 )~I Historical Note Sec. filed No\'. 7.1988: amds. filed: March 19. 1991 as emergency measure. expired 90 days after filing; June 18. 1991 eff. July 3.1991. \11" \~~ :,__','c , ~ 5-5.5 Amendments and modifications. All amendments to water quality treatment district plans and modifications to tbe approved plan of operation must be submitted to the State for approval before adoption. Historical Note Sec. filed Nov. 7. 198&: armis. filed; March 19. 1991 as emergency measure. expired 90 days after filing: June 18. 1991 efL July 3.1991. ". !::_- ;, " 114 Health (Reissued 7/95) \.\.95 ~ ,. ; CHAPTER! STATES~~ARYCODE ~ 5-5.7 ~. I ~ 5-5.6 Water quality. Treated water quality must meet all applicable water quality standards or guidelines for community water systems as defmed by Subpan 5 -1 of this Pan. Historical ~ol~ Sec. filed Nov. 7. 1988: amds. filed: March 19. 1991 as emergency measure. expired 90 days after filing; June 18. 1991 eff. July 3.1991. I ~ 5-5.7 District operation. The water quality treatment district shall comply with all conditions detailed in the written approval from the State. and all provisions of this Subpan. (a) All treatment systems in the water quality treatment district shall be under responsible charge of an operator with demonslI"ated knowledge and experience with the type of treaunent systems in use in the district as determined by the Stale:. (b) The water quality treatment district shall monitor treated and untreated water for the parameters and at the frequency stated in the written approval. Samples taken to demonstrate compliance with water quality standards or guidelines shall be analyzed in an approved laboratory as defined by section 5.1.74 of this Pm. Analysis of operational samples shall be made by an analyst with demonstrated competence using appropriate equipment. as determined by the State. (c) The water quality treatment district shall repon all available sample results to the State quarterly within 15 days of the end of a quarter. except when treated water exceeds a standard or guideline requiring State notification. Results exceeding a standard or guideline requiring State notification shall be reported to the Slate and to the impacted consumers in the water quality treatment district within 48 hours of learning the results. (d) The water quality treatment district shall submit an annual report covering the previous calendar year to the State on or before July I st each year. The annual repon shall contain. but not be limited. LO the following applicable items: (1) number. type and location of treatment systems in service. and the number and type of treatment systems added or deleted during the year; (2) effective life of units; (3) treatment system failures; (4) maintenance problems; (5) operational problems; (6) supply problems; (7) changes in types of lreaunent devices in service; (8) consumer complaints: (9) summary and trends in monitoring test results: (10) changes in water quality treatment district boundary; (11) changes in water quality treaODent dismct operational and/or administrative proce- dure; and (12) list of names. addresses and telephone numbers of administrators and operators afthe water quality lreatment district. I I I I I I I I I I I Historical ='lote Sec. filed :"oJov. 7.1988: amds. filed: March 19. 1991 as emergency measure. expired 90 days after filing: June 18. 1991 efr. July 3.1991. Amended (aHc). I I 1-1-95 (Reissued 7/95) 115 Health I ~ t:1