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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBay Haven Lane Vacant Lot . IT? /r--rt- .. .. 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. . ~. o. 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, & . Eva Marelic