HomeMy WebLinkAboutBay Haven Lane Vacant Lot
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213 Fourteenth Street
Palisades Park, NJ 07650
October 8, 2007
RECEIVED
Southold Town Board
P.O. Box 1179
Southold, NY 11971
OCT 1 1 2007
Soutnold Town Clerk
Dear Southold Town Board Members:
I am 'M'iting this letter as a follow-up to my April 7, 2007, correspondence and my
appearance before the Town Board concerning the merger ordinance.
By way of background, my late husband and I purchased a lot in 1983 with an
address of 1160 Bay Haven Lane in Southold and built a house, which we enjoyed with
our children during the summers and holidays. My late husband and I planned to move
to Southold full time after we retired. Subsequently, in 1990, we purchased a vacant
lot adjacent to the house (the "Vacant Lor). The Vacant lot is a corner property, and
my late husband and I purchased the Vacant Lot as an investment that we planned to
sell when we retired and moved to Southold. Each lot was titled in my name and my
late husband's, and each lot is less than a half acre. Each lot also has deeded baach
rights to a private, community beach. After reading an article in the Suffolk Times in
the summer of 2006 concerning the Township's merger ordinance, I retained an
attorney who advised me the t\W lots merged; I could not build on the Vacant Lot and I
would have to sell the Vacant Lot with my house. The Vacant Lot is the only lot on Bay
Haven Lane that is not developed.
During my appearance before the Southhold Town Board, the Board members
said that the Township would look into the merger ordinance. While I noted the merger
ordinance issue was on the Board's agenda from time to time, the status of the merger
ordinance remains the same except for a limited exception enacted by the Board.
Since my appearance before the Board, I received my property tax bill for the 2007-
2008 tax year, and after reviewing my property tax bill, I wanted to know if the Vacant
Lot was being taxed as surplus acreage" or as a buildable lot. To my surprise, I was
advised by the Southold tax offICe that the Vacant Lot was being taxed as a buildable
lot. If the Vacant lot was taxed as surplus aa-eage, I would pay approximately $500.00
less in property taxes per year. The tax office advise me that it does not have the ability
to determine the vacant lots effected by the merger ordinance. It is unconscionable for
the Township to tax the Vacant lot as a buildable lot when the merger ordinance
prohibits construction of a building on the Vacant Lot.
I don't know the legal teRn for the property tax category the Vacant Lot would be assigned. I am using
the tenn "surplus acreage' to describe unused, non-buildable land that is adjacent to my house.
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Southold TOVvTl Board
" October 8, 2007
Page 2.
In addition to the property tax issue, I had to remove a dead tree from the Vacant
lot that was leaning onto the street. I was concerned that the tree may fall onto the
street. Moreover, unknov.n individuals and a neighbor dumped landscape debris, and
bottles and cans onto the Vacant lot. I must now spend time patroling the Vacant lot
for leaning trees and garbage removal. I beleive that my neighbors would rather see a
house on the Vacant lot instead of dead trees and trash.
The Vacant lot has become a financial burden. The Vacant lot is being taxed
at a rate that exceeds its value and I must spend time and money to maintain the
Vacant lot. I am waiting for the Tov.n Board to provide relief from the hardships
imposed by the merger ordinance conerning my property. I don't want to sell my
property in Southold, but I cannot afford to continue to pay property taxes on both lots
and to maintain the Vacant lot.
Very truly Y. urs,
&
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Eva Marelic