HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistory and Background
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SOUTH OLD'S PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT
History and Background
The Town of Southold started work on a plan for development more than 7 years ago.
The first studies were made in 1964 and 1965 by Cornell University as a pilot research project.
These studies included agriculture; part-time residents, and tourism; finfish and shellfish; and im
economic base study. Reports were submitted and are available for further study.
A study of the fresh water resources of the Town was made by Malcolm Pirnie Engineers
in 1965 and report submitted. This report indicates that we were currently using for all purposes
about % of our total safe water resources at that time with 1h whith could be used for addi.
tional growth. This would accommodate approximately twice the 1965 population if other uses
remained constant and more at the expense of agriculture.
The planning consultants, Raymond and May, selected by the Town corelated all findings,
made studies of population centers, traffic flow, possible bridge impact, population density, and
other factors and prepared, first, a report of findings, and then a plan for development and de-
velopment plan map. The latter were subsequently revised and presented at a series of Infor-
mation Meetings in 1969. The map at that time consisting. only of a small scale, colored map
printed on the information folder. The meetings, while generally favorable, indicated that
there were twO general areas of disagreement: first the airport north of Martituek, and second, the
future of agriculture in the Town. As a result the airport was dropped from the plan and a
comprehensive study of the future of agriculture was undertaken. Ninety-six of the Town's one
hundred farm operatioos were interrogated (3 more are Riverhead based). The 6ndings are avail.
able in the Sullivan Report. They show that % of Southold's farmers plan to continue farming for
the next 10 years, another third mayor may not continue, and. finally one third plan to sell
out in the near future. This report also showed the amount. of owned land in these operations
to be the same percent as the Cornell Study found 5 years earlier.
The next step was to hold another meeting in 1970 presenting all the information so far
accumulated and the response at this meeting indicated that those attending favored adoption. At.
that time Part Two Comprehensive Development Plan, Town of Southold by Raymond and May,
Planning Consnltants was released and placed 0 n file in eath library and Town office in the
Town. This we recommend with the deletion 0 f pages 41 to 47 inclusive being the airport study.
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Southold's Plan For Development
page 2
Most of the time since then has been spent in preparing a large scale map which, if ad.
opted, will be the Plan For Development Map of the Town of Southold.
The Map
The map should, theoretically, show such development as is best for the Town of South.
old as a whole. Since the original planni~g effort was to cover 15 years or target date 1980,
this map does not include plans for more than the next ten years.
By far the great..t portion of the Town is shown as a single residential and agricul.
tural (A) %one. The State Legislature, County Planning and the Bi.County Planning Conunis-
sions, all emphasize the importance of pr..erving agriculture and the Cornell Study points out its
importance in retaining OUI part.time r..ident industry. The special Agriculture Study indicat..
that farmers, generally, are in accord. Neighborhood business is. clustered around existing centers
of population in an attempt to avoid "ribbon" development. Light indusrcy is encoUIaged, partic-
ularly research type, and boat building and maintenance. Some growth in the motel business is
anticipated and some general industry. However, industri.. which are heavy users of fresh ,water
should not be solicited.
Wetlands
Wedands are shown on the map even though they are generally included in the "A" %one.
They are both of fresh and salt water origin but typically are areas below the " ft. COntOUI where
the land is regularly inundated.
Wedands are shown on the map to emphasi%e their importance to the Town and to fa.
cilitate a program of assistance in their pr..ervation. They should be preserved because of their
ecological value, their buffer value, and their scenic beauty. It is planned to offer to wedand
owners use assessment contracts under which the a....sment for tax purposes coul4 be limited. to
the use and not related to- development value. Such contracts are provided for under Section 241
of the Genetal Municipal Law of the State.
Any planning effort is quite simply an attempt to peer into the future. No one really
knows what will happen by 1980. It is, however, reassuring to find that at the one third mark
the Town is well within the range projected by Cornell as regards population, agriculcw:e, and
tourism. The Planning Board is confident that the projection will continue to be reasonably
accurate and unh..itatingly recommend this plan and map to the people of the Town.