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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSummary SDI~MARY OF 198~ ttA~E~T MEETINGS SPONSORED BY Th~ NORTH FORK ~9;IRONMENTAL COUNCIL AND TEE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTh~S Early in 198~ a series of meetings was held in the hamlets of Southold Town to discuss the proposed Master Plan drawn up by Raymond, Parish, Pine end Weiner (RPPW). The meetings were sponsored by the North Fork Environmental Council end the League of Women Voters and were conducted by NFEC President Ruth 01ira and Jean Tiedke of the League of Women Voters, with members of the Southold Town Board. The following is a su,m~ry of these meetings, based on transcripts of tape record- ings made at each session. Each meeting began with statements by the sponsors. Jean Tiedke explained the long history'of planning in Southold Town. Numerous studies of the area's water supply have been conducted since the 1960s, she noted, when M~%lcolm Pirney prepared a report for the U.S. Geological Survey. More recently, reports have been produced by Holzmacher, McLendon and Murrell (known as H2N), Cornell University and Northeast. Several regional studies by groups such as the New York St?.5e Legi~la- rive Comm~ssion on Ground Water Resources and the U.S. Senate's Northe~.st-~Iidwest Coalition on Ground Water Resources have included the North Fork. The arc. a is un- usual because it is one of ten or twelve in the United States t~t has a sole-source acquifer, that is, it depends entirely on rain water to replenish its ground water supply. One of several broader studies of the area was made by Cornell Unive~'sity in the '6Os; it covered population, government services, the economy, recreational needs and the results of a public opinion survey. ~e study concluded that the North Fork's rural atmosphere was its best feature and stressed the import~%uce of agriculture, open space a~]d the w~.ter£ront as a recreational resource. The initial planning report prepared by Raymond, M~y, Parish and Pine (as RPPW was then called) in the late '60s recommended farm preservation, protection of ecologically sensitive -2- areas and limited population increase. The firm saw a real need for year-round Jobs and for a variety of housing, not Just single-family houses on large plots, as well as for more public access to beaches. The report discussed a n~unber of possible solutions to the town's water and waste management problems and urged that there be no increase in strip zoning along what is now county route 48. Finally, Mrs. Tledke summarized a survey conducted by the Leag~le of Women Voters in 1982 among residents of Southold Town. A majority of those responding to the question- naire said agriculture and commercial fishing should be maintained as a sound economic base; they wanted protection of wetlands, woodlands and historic sites, tax incentives to attract business and light industry, and cluster housing to pre- serve open space. Ruth Oliva began her introduct.ory remarks at each meeting by streesin~ that the RPPW report is a preliminary plan intended for discussion purposes only'. is not a zoning map; zoning proposals will follow and be subject ~o fu~-ther dis- cussion. The plan is based on two major premises: that the year-round population of Southold Town will double to ~0,000, and that a transfer of development rights program will be initiated to preserve farmland and permit increased hamlet densi- ties, with public water and sewer systems for the highest-density areas. Strip development along the main roads is strongly discot%raged, but a limited increase in specific light-industrial and commercial areas is included in the p.~;u% as is some expansion of marine and resort facilities. N_rs. Oliva noted that RPiA~ had given no time frm~e for the population increase, but merely set it as the total that could be accomod~ted in view of water resources and other limitations. She went on to e~]ain the tr,~nsfer of development rights concept, which involves upzoning far~land to ten acres, then allowing a fn]~er to sell development r~ts to ,~ buye~ ~tereeted in building in the hamlets. With public water ~ud sewers, as n%?~uy as fo%~r ~Luites would be permitted on a single acre, or six units if one is reserved for lower-income housing. Mrs. Oliva also mentioned other farm preservation programs, including' the Southold Town Farm Preservation Program and a land-bank program which Nantucket Inland has instituted, which is supported by a two-percent tax on second-home purchases. Although each hamlet meeting generated discussion of specific aspects of the plan relating to that hamlet, many of the cements eonce~ned broader issues of relevance to all residents of Southold Town. The following are the ~mjor general points raised at every meeting: The projected population increase to ~0,000 was questioned by m~nny participants. At the Southold meeting, Frank Baer compared this figure with the 3~,000 suggested by Raymond, May in 1969 and the 23,000 figure in the 1983 North Fork water supply plan. "Can you imagine the year-round population and the traffic it would cause, being even more than we have at the peak of summertime now?" Further- more, he noted, the year-round ~O,OOO population would swell to a projected 65,000 in summer, according to RPPW (or as high as 8~,000 with sewer and waker boob-ups, according to Jean Tiedke). Baer and other speakers suggested that such nut, bern would cause traffic congestion and crowding in the hamlets and strain the to~'s resouz'ces, from beaches to fire departments. Farmland preservation in general and the transfer of developmen~ rights program in particular were the subject of much discussion. At the Cutchog~e hearing, John Wickham, a long-time farmer and former town planning board chairm~n, ,'~aid that the proposals for ten-acre zoning of farm!aud and transfer of development rights are both "pie in the sky." Farmers would fight the zoning in cern't, he predicted, m~d would have no incentive to participate in the tr~usfer plain. He suggested buil~ng on the existing county plan instead. Wickham noted that at the time of Rsymond, ~'~y's first study there were 100 farmers, with a predicted drop to only 30 by 198~, a figure he believes is j~st about acc~r~te. "If ~ ,~?iculture is es import~%nt as we think it is, then the T~wn r~ally o~'~ht to m~ke a detailed study of the few farmers who are left." Lloyd Terry of Orient also noted the decline in the number of farmers (down to three in Orient) and questioned th~ fairness and feaeibility of the transfer program. "How many of you are buying laud and going into farming?...You are leaving it in the hands of the few existing farmers and you are going to penalize them if they continue to farm...I think we're meddling with private rights." Dan Lathmm of Orient wondered "what happens 20 years from now if the farmer is not able to keep on farming?" The shortage of reasonably-priced housing was a frequently-ex~ressed concern. "The old people are squeezed out and so are the young people," said Betty King of Orient during a discussion of current and proposed zoning regulations. At the Southold meeting, David Mudd suggested that some aspects of the plan amount to exclusionary zoning. "We don't put it in writing, but we're putting it in t~is code," he said, because no provision is m~de for laborers and other low-income workers. Another aspect of the housing problem was summarized by Louise Hales at the Mattituck meeting. She spoke for many older residents when she said "I have four acres and a 13-room house. If I could continue to stay there, I would love it. But you won't let me make it two-fsm~ly, you won't let me convert ~ bazn to anything that can bring me income. Tell me what I am supposed to do." Estelle Ad~m~ of Orient noted that "one of the ways to take care of old people or some of our younger people at rents that are not too prohibitive wou/d be to give permission to owners of larger, older houses to separate them into two living uni~.~ with a stipulation as far as density is concerned." Town Board Member Joseph Townsend explained that such a proposal had been discussed at various meetings prior to the Master Plan and would now be considered in the Plan. He noted 5hat "you have to be careful with enviroumental considerations" but that f~milies tend to be smaller than they were in the past ~und m~ny larg~ old houses have outlived their usefulness as single-f~mily homes and some have in fact already been illegally converted. He predicted that a solution would be fonnd ~n a ye.~r or two. -5- Skepticism about the feasibility of installing public water and sewer facilities in the h~mlets that do not have it was widespread. "It's a tremendous undertaking involving tremendous cost," said John Underhill of Orient, who, like other critics of the proposal, fe~rs that it could result in "a fiasco like the Southwest Sewer Dlstnct?p isl~nd." At the Southold meeting C)~tkia Halsey said "It seems to me this plan is suggesting that we who ~re here, who have been paying taxes for yea~s, are going to be asked to pay more taxes to bring in people we don't know and may or ~y not like." The need for an airport in Southold Town was hotly debated ~t several meetings. Proponents of an airport, led by David Spohn, president of Oho Horth Fork Aviation Association, argued that to~ residents need public access to the air space, Just as they have public access to the roads and water. Spohn pointed out that almost all of the expense of building an airport, as well as the preliminary studies, would be paid for by the Federal GOvernment under the Aviation Development Aid Program. Opponents questioned ths need for an airport at all, saying t~at few residents would use it, and expressed concern about noise ~ud fear that a small airport would inevitably grow into a large one. Ruth 01iva stressed that no location had been picked for an airport and that there would be many public hearing~ following the site study before an airport could be built. The potential i~mpact of M~ster Plan proposals on traffie'~worrisd participants at the meetings. Proposals for additional commercial zones, for marina expansions and above all for road widenings and extensions seemed sure to lead to increased traffic and traffic con~)estion in the view of m~ny speakers. A number of spe~ker~q felt ~h~t tho desire to preserve open space and an agricultural/rural way o£ life must not obscure the need to provide jobs. At the Cutchogue meeting No~ey Dermony com?lained that although "most of us h~ve children who have no place to mnke on income, you don't want to provide any means for them to earn that income. You don't want 8rowkh.,, At the same meeting, Jean Tiedke noted that "s,,mmer employment is great. Winter employment is lousy," and asked -6- "What can we do about that? ~.~at kind of business and commercial activities could we encourage out here, so that come of our kids will stay here, m~d work mud buy a house or bring up their families out here?" Each hamlet meeting also raised questions of specific concern to local recidents. The following .%re among the most importxut points: 0RIENT--F2kS T MARION For residents of Orient, concern about increased traffic focuces specifically on traffic generated by the new and larger ferry boats at Orient Point. "I can't get out on the road with the boat traffic; I have to w~it until all the traffic has gone by," said Gert Reeves, who also complained a~bout the pro- poced ferry terminal improvements. She expressed concern that increased ferry traffic would lead not only to RPPW'~s proposed widening of the ~in road to Man- hasset Avenue in Greenport, but eventually to widening of the main road in Orient as well. As other Orient residents noted, these ferry "improvements" b~nefit outsiders, but not Orient. A proposed comercial zone on the Main Road in Orient worried several residents. Ruth 01iva explained that RPIS~'s reasoning was that increased population north of the main road in Orient and Orient Point would Justify another store to encourage people to shop locally rather than going to Greenpor~. But as Connie Ter~v' noted, "The only reason they won't go to Greenport is if you develop it into a large supermarket; another country store is only going to hurt tile existing Orient Country Store." · There was also discussion of how the proposed M~xster Plan would affect people currently engaged in non-confor~aing bu~,tnesses. Joe Townsend explained that such uses would continue to be allowed. Several residents of East ~rion objecbed to the lack of maps for their hamlet. Since they also vote and poy to~xoe, they felt entitled to maps. M~.rie Smith of East Marion questioned the proposed commercial zone in that hamlet. Congestion on the main road is alreaay great, she noted, with just one store and the post office. She fears that adding s~y more co~mnerci~l activities in East Marion, together with shopping centers at Porky's circle in Greenport "just waiting to see if they'll hs~ppen" will soon lead to strip development. A proposed extension of the Long Way in EGst Marion to comlect it to Dam PondRoad was protested by several East Marion residents, i~e e~lan~tion for the extension is the plan to make the Sound front at Dam Pond a public beach, but residents felt the road extension was ill-advised. SOuTHOLD · ~he proposed recreation area at Goldsmith's Inlet generated considerable discussion about what, if any, sort of recreation areas Southold Town needs. The majority seemed to feel that no more recreation areas were needed. Earl Fultz stressed the need to preserve the fragile wetland. "If you are concerned about ecologically sensitive areas, don't fool around with the beach, because it Is the most sensitive of all." He recommended leaving the area in its natttral c~ate and noted an earlier proposal for a public park between the Inlet and Peconic Dune had been strongly resisted. Such parks, he said, "attract a lot of people. Your police and maintainance costs go up and you're destroying the very look of the place you want to keep." The erosion east of Goldsmith's Inlet concerned several speoJcers. Jetties were both attacked and defended. The status of various areas ~hown as open spo~ces ~zld wetlands, of which have housing on them, was discusced. It ~as explained that no one will under any circ~tmetances be fo:'c,~d to ].ea'.'e existing homes no n,at~er what the zoning. On behalf of Ct~ster Instit~t% Fred Adler read a letter from Institute President George Lonn.ga urging the to:~m to consider preserving the f'armland around the Institute. "Encroachment of surrounding development has already affected the -8- quality of astronomical observation at Long Island's finest observatory," wrote LomSga. Since the Archaeological Society on Long Island and the Long Island Indian Museum are adjacent to the Institute, Lomsga suggested that the area be preserved as a cultural enclave. The pr~posed extension of Souadview Avenue was questioned. Margaret Skabry said that she and other residents of Henry's Lane opposed the road extension and proposals for new resort recreation and residential areas near the Sound. ~ey fear that the road will endanger their homes, as well as bre.%kup nearby farmland. There was some discussion of the business zoning on route h8 and the Main Road. Although there is already commercial development on both sides of route 48, RPPW believes further development on the north side should be discouraged, so has recommended an area that would in effect be a light-industrial park bo provided on the south side of the road only. Some speakers questioned this plan. CUTCHOGUE - NEW SO~QLK The proposed extension of Souadview Avenue was also questioned at the Cutchogue meeting. "¥~y would you want to extend a road in an area that you want to maintain as a low-density agricultural area?" asked Jack Tabor. Eu~h Oliva explained that RPPW's reasoning was to progide access for development to the Sound end of a series of "bowling alley" lots, keeping the adjacent are~ open. The wisdom of having a business zone across from tho Key'~oods ~hopping area was questioned. Carl Beulah suggested that unless it were restricted to professional offices, traffic problems would be great. To Jo~u McCowan of New Suffolk "It's the kind of zoning we've seen blight highways all over weste~ Suffolk County." Another speaker felt that such a zone ~uld no~ only slow down ~raffic but cause accidents and le~d to widening of Ii, in Ro~d. However, Noncy De~neny, who owns a parcel of 1~,t on !%~[n Eoad up for rezoni.~g, oaid that "Somewhere, lhere has to be room for exp~nsion." She would li!~o to see doctors' or dentists' offices on her property. Poor drainage is a problem in several places, especially at Pequash Beach mud Ackerly Pond Road. Ruth Oliva noted that new sub-divisions are required to keep all storm Em-off within the property, while Jean Tiedke said that IIPPW had been advised to pay more attention to drainsge. The problem has been exacerbated by the filling in of natural drainage areas, she added. MATTITUCK The marine commercial zoning along ~ttituck Inlet was vigorously opposed by many speakers. As president of the Captain Kidd's Civic Associabion, Cleo Tsounis said that the association's board had voted unanimously against the proposal. "You are taking an area which we have been trying to improve for years and you are d~stroying it further," she said. Adding trucks and commercial vehicles to the already heavy automobile traffic on the narrow, winding roads leading to the proposed marine commercial zone would be disastrous. Several speakers were concerned that fish processing plants and other proposed co~mnercial facilities would pollute the creek and destroy adjacent recreational facilities. "Who will want to swim, visit or picnic on the beach if it is located rig~t next door to a fish processing plant or a marina?" asked Vera Otero. Robert Nagel noted that increased traffic, garbage, noise and speeding boats have already altered the area in and around Mattituck Creek. He is extremely concez~ed about what increased marine commercial activity at the Inlet might do to wmter quality and shellfishing. Paul Edwards deplored the noise and bright lights of the existing facilities and said further development should be for local fi.'~hernuan and small boats only. The president of the Mattituck Creek Watch Do.a~ sa~d the Master P]a~; proposal would tulm an area extending all the way down the Creek into "a nightmare of pollution, bulYJ~eading ,%nd busJ no~." Several speah~(u~ e::pressed o!,~ositiou to a proposal to develop the Cooper farm. "You are not preservlug ~ho land by ,1own-zoomings,," said Cleo Tsotmis. "Taking away the only farm in the area is no~ n~ imp~ovem~mt."