HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB-09/24/2002SOUTHOLD TOWN BOARD
GENERAL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 24, 2002
7:30 P.M.
A Regular Meeting of the Southold Town Board was held on Tuesday, September 24, 2002 at the
Southold Town Hall, Southold, New York. Supervisor Horton opened the meeting at 7:30 P.M. with
the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Present:
Supervisor Joshua Y. Horton
Justice Louisa P. Evans
Councilman William D. Moore
Councilman Craig A. Richter
Councilman John M. Romanelli
Councilman Thomas H. Wickham
Town Clerk Elizabeth A. Neville
Town Attorney Gregory A. Yakaboski
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We have several reports on file in the Town Clerk's Office, as well as
communications. If members of the public would care to review those reports or communications,
they are available at the Town Clerk's Office 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. As
well, as a matter of protocol in the running of the meeting, if you care to address the Town Board on
anything that is on the printed agenda, the printed resolutions, we will offer the floor to you prior to the
voting of the resolutions. If there is a matter that you would like to discuss of town business before the
Town Board that is not on the printed agenda, I will again offer the floor after the reading and voting
of the resolutions.
I. REPORTS
1. Program for the Disabled - August 2002
2. Code Enforcement Report - to date
3. Island Group Administration Claim Lag Report - through August
4. Board of Town Trustees - August 2002
5. Scavenger Waste Treatment Facility - August 2002
II. PUBLIC NOTICES
None
III. COMMUNICATIONS 1. Letter to Supervisor Horton from Susan Kujawski and family re Kujawski memorial.
2. Letter to Town Clerk Neville from Herbert Woodger re passport.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION- JIM AND ADELE RICH
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I would like to take a quick, special moment and ask Mr. and Mrs. Rich to
come forward. Jim and Adele, as most of you probably know, have this long-standing here in
Southold Town. I was asked to come to a dinner-dance boat cruise put forth by the Tifereth
Congregation, I was unable to attend, I discussed this with members of the Town Board and we all felt
2
that in honoring Mr. and Mrs. Rich's accomplishments in the community which are broad and wide-
sweeping of years, ranging from the hospital auxiliary, hospital board to accomplishments in Town
government itself. I believe that you were here in 1970-1977 and then 1978-1981 as not only a Justice
but as well a Town Board member. So I wanted to take this opportunity because I wasn't able to
attend that on behalf of the Town Board, to publicly thank-you and acknowledge you with this
certificate of congratulations. On behalf of the $outhold Town Board, sincere congratulations on being
named Citizens of the Year which is a big accomplishment by your congregation Tifereth Israel at their
100th Anniversary Journal Dinner-Dance. Congratulations. Why don't we move to our order of
business?
Moved by Councilman Romanelli, seconded by Councilman Richter, it was
RESOLVED that the following bills be and hereby are ordered paid: General Fund Whole Town bills
in the amount of $192,691.54; General Fund Part Town bills in the amount of $7,619.90; Highway
Fund Whole Town bills in the amount of $10,103.34; Highway Fund Part Town bills in the amount of
$60,955.01; Capital Projects Account bills in the amount of $14,023.00; Landfill Cap & Closure bills
in the amount of $5,398,826.67; Community Preservation Fund (2% tax) bills in the amount of
$8,884.25; Waterway Improvement Program bills in the amount of $3,332.69; New London Terminal
Project bills in the amount of $16,429.15; Fishers Island Ferry District bills in the amount of
$25,763.39; Refuse & Garbage District bills in the amount of $464,447.40; Southold Wastewater
District bills in the amount of $7,840.58; Fishers Island Sewer District bills in the amount of $69.64
and Fishers Island Ferry District Agency & Trust bills in the amount of $555.80.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
Moved by Councilman Romanelli, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that a Special Town Board meeting be set for Monday, September 30, 2002 at 9:00 A.M.
at the $outhold Town Hall, Southold, New York.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: For the publics' sake, this Town Board meeting will be my opportunity to
present my budget to the Town Board for the fiscal year 2003. This will be at 9:00 A.M. on the 30th of
September.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
Moved by Councilman Wickham, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that the next regular Town Board meeting be held Tuesday, October 8, 2002 at 4:30 P.M.
at the $outhold Town Hall, Southold, New York.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: At this point, as I mentioned, we have the printed agenda with several
resolutions on it. If there is a resolution that a member of the community would like to address the
Town Board on, now is the time to do so. I ask that in addressing the Town Board on the printed
agenda you take your opportunity to do so at one of the microphones provided at the front of the room.
State your name and residence as a matter of record. Would anyone care to address the Town Board?
JOAN EGAN: Joan Egan, East Marion. What I would like to address is something that is very, very
important. A very important issue is on your resolution. First of all, there aren't enough copies out
there but we will manage. Our Southold Police Department is in a lot of trouble. I am not going to
speak factually but I think that it is very important at this point in time that a blood test for steroids,
alcohol and drugs be done before any officer gets in a vehicle. Whether he is a Sergeant, Lieutenant or
the Chief. Too many reports are coming back from New York State Police, Riverhead Police ....
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mrs. Egan, is this on the printed agenda?
JOAN EGAN: On the printed agenda. Yes, of course. You want me to address that, so I will do that
also. You have a lighthouse issue there, I believe. All right, whether you know it or not, Mr. Horton
Bugg Light which was an abandoned lighthouse that was turned over and purchased by the East End
museum. That lighthouse now has been sold by Mrs. Lucy Thompson to Mr. Wiggins, the way that I
found that out is Mr. Worsen who is one of the Directors of the East End museum of which I am a
3
member of, had people going down there. He immediately called Mrs. Cochran to find out what
happened. How could Mrs. Thompson sell the lighthouse? The long and short of it is the lighthouse
issue is a very important issue for all of you to address. No way could it be just turned over. Mrs.
Cochran, who had been Supervisor at the time, doesn't know where the deed is. So we are in so much
trouble out here because of wheeling and dealing with lighthouses, roads and people. If I have
anything else I will let you know. Thank-you very much.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Would anyone else care to address the Town Board on the printed agenda?
With that being said, I think that we should move forward with our printed agenda.
#6O6
Moved by Councilman Richter, seconded by Councilman Romanelli, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby accepts the resignation of Terry
B. Crupi~ Part-Time Senior Citizen Aide II for Fishers Island, effective August 14, 2002.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#6O7
Moved by Councilman Moore, seconded by Councilman Wickham, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby authorizes and directs
Supervisor Horton to sign application for Department of State Grant C006213 for the
implementation of priority LWRP projects in the amount of $50,000.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The Department of State Grant that we are referring to in resolution #607
will enable the Town to implement several storm water runoff proposals, as well as help with the re-
draft of wetland ordinances via obtaining scientific data which we feel we may need in order to
properly address protecting our natural resources. This money has come available under Local
Waterfront Revitalization funding and that is where that is coming from, down from New York State.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#6O8
Moved by Councilman Romanelli, seconded by Councilman Richter, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby releases Scott Hughes from the
title of Deputy Comptroller effective September 27~ 2002 as his six-month appointment will
terminate as of that date.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#6O9
Moved by Justice Evans, seconded by Councilman Wickham, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby grants permission to the
Southold Presbyterian Church to use the following Town Roads for the purpose of holding the
annual CROP Walk for Hunger on Sunday~ October 20~ 2002 from the hours of 1:00 pm to 4:00
pm: Wells Avenue, Pine Neck Road, North Road to Bayview, North Parish Drive, Dayton Road,
North Bayview Road, Cedar Drive, Waterview Drive, Main Bayview Road, provided they file with the
Town Clerk a One Million Dollar Certificate of Insurance naming the Town Southold as an additional
insured and notify Lt. Flatley ten (10) days prior to the event to coordinate traffic.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
AMENDED 10/08/2002
#610
Moved by Councilman Wickham, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
WHEREAS the Southold Town Board has received a petition to amend the Zoning Map of the Town
of Southold by changing the Zoning District designation of SCTM# 1000-74-4-14.1 from Residential
(R-40) and Hamlet Business (HB) to Limited Business (LB) and Residential Office (RO); now therefor
be it
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RESOLVED that pursuant to Section 265 of the Town Law and requirements of the Code of the Town
of Southold, Suffolk County, New York, the Town Board of the Town of Southold will hold a public
hearing on the aforesaid local law at the Southold Town Hall, 53095 Main Road, Southold, New
York at 5:00 p.m, Tuesday, October 8, 2002. The purpose of this Local Law is to change the
Zoning District Designation of SCTM # 1000-74-4-14.1 from the Residential (R-40) District and
Hamlet Business (HB) District to the Limited Business (LB) and Residential Office (Re) District
Designations. The petitioner for this request is Darren Skrezec. The property is approximately 3.9
acres located at the south side of Route 48, Peconic, New York.
The Local Law is entitled, "A LOCAL LAW TO AMEND THE ZONING MAP OF THE TOWN OF
SeUTHeLD BY CHANGING THE ZONING DISTRICT DESIGNATION OF SCTM# 1000-74-4-
14.1 FROM THE RESIDENTIAL (R-40) AND HAMLET BUSINESS (HB) TO LIMITED
BUSINESS (LB) AND RESIDENTIAL OFFICE (Re).
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#611
Moved by Councilman Richter, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby modifies the General Fund
Whole Town 2002 budget as follows:
TO:
REVENUES:
A.2705.50 Programs for the Aging $20.00
Adult Day Care Donations
APPROPRIATIONS:
A.6772.2.100.100 Programs for the Aging
Equipment
Adult Day Care Furniture
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
$20.00
Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
#612
Moved by Councilman Moore, seconded by Councilman Richter, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby modifies the General Fund
Whole Town 2002 budget as follows:
TO:
REVENUES:
A. 1840.60 Programs for the Aging $824.00
Senior Trips & Excursions
APPROPRIATIONS:
A.6772.4.600.200 Programs for the Aging
Miscellaneous
Senior Trips & Excursions
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
$824.00
Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
#613
Moved by Councilman Romanelli, seconded by Councilman Moore, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby authorizes Environmental
Planner Scott Hughes to attend the Storm Water Regulations Workshop on September 25th in
Farmingdale, New York. Travel to be by Town vehicle and the registration fee of $35 to be a legal
charge to the Planning Boards meetings and seminars line (B.8020.4.600.200).
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#614
Moved by Justice Evans, seconded by Councilman Wickham, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby grants permission to Richard A.
& Gladys P. Pandolfi to locate a one family house trailer on their property for the purpose of
living quarters to occupy during the reconstruction of their dwelling after damages sustained from a
fire, location of property 965 Cedar Drive, Southold, New York, for a period of six (6) months.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#615
Moved by Councilman Wickham, seconded by Councilman Romanelli, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby grants permission for the
Mattituck Lions Club to use the following roads on Thursda¥~ October 31~ 2002 at
approximately 6:00 P.M. for the Halloween Parade: Pike Street, Westphalia Avenue, Sound
Avenue, and Love lane, Mattituck provided they file with the Town Clerk a One Million Dollar
Certificate of Insurance naming the Town Southold as an additional insured and notify Lt. Flatley ten
(t0) days prior to the event to coordinate traffic.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#616
Moved by Councilman Richter, seconded by Councilman Moore, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby amends Resolution 533~ adopted
at the August 13~ 2002 Regular Town Board meeting to read as follows:
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby grants permission to the Mattituck
th
High School Student Council to use the following town roads for their 9 annual Homecoming Parade
on Saturday, October 19, 2002 at 12:30 p.m, providing they file with the Town Clerk a One Million
Dollar Certificate of Liability naming the Town of Southold as additional insured and contact Lt.
Flatley at least ten (t0) days prior to the event to coordinate traffic control.:
Pike Street
Love Lane
Sound Avenue
Westphalia Road
Mary' s Road
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#617
Moved by Councilman Moore, seconded by Councilman Romanelli, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby modifies the Police Department
2002 budget as follows:
TO:
A.3120.4.400.700 Vehicle Impound
FROM:
A.3120.4.400.900 Other Prisoner Detention
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
$1300.00
$1300.00
Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
#618
Moved by Councilman Romanelli, seconded by Councilman Richter, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby grants permission to the Orient
Methodist Church to use the following town roads on Sunda¥~ November 10~ 2002 at
approximately 4:00 pm for their Anniversary Parade: Route 25, Village Lane, and Orchard Street,
providing they file with the Town Clerk a One Million Dollar Certificate of Liability naming the Town
of Southold as additional insured and contact Lt. Flatley at least ten (t0) days prior to the event to
coordinate traffic control.
COUNCILMAN MOORE: I will disclose that my father is a part-time minister there but I don't think
that it precludes me from saying yes to this.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
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#619
Moved by Justice Evans, seconded by Councilman Wickham, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold grants the following title change for
Joseph Corbim a Highway Dept. employee stationed on Fishers Island~ from that of full-time
Heavy Equipment Operator to full-time Labor Crew Leader, at a rate of $21.9598 per hour,
effective September 12, 2002.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#62O
Moved by Councilman Wickham, seconded by Councilman Richter, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby authorizes Senior
Environmental Planner Mark Terry to attend a conference entitled "East End Land Use:
Creating New Initiatives" at Southampton College on Tuesda¥~ October 1~ 2002 from 9:30 am to
1:30 pm. Travel to be by town vehicle and $30.00 attendance fee to be a legal charge to the Planning
Boards meetings and seminars line (B.8020.4.600.200).
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#621
Moved by Councilman Richter, seconded by Councilman Moore, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby accepts the resignation of Bret
Hughes from his position as Conservation Advisory Committee Member; and be it further
RESOLVED that Town Clerk be authorized and directed to advertise for members and iunior
members of the Conservation Advisory Committee.
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: Josh, ! wasn't expecting the second part of this resolution and ! am
wondering in view of the re-drafting of the wetlands business and the questions that we have about the
CAC, whether we ought to be recruiting new people. A couple of weeks ago we talked about putting it
off to January. Because ! thought that was when you said we started.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Actually, the CAC now has openings on their council so the Board felt that
it was appropriate at this point to advertise for new membership. If the Board would like to proceed
with that advertising of new membership for the Conservation Advisory Council, we will proceed Any
further discussion?
JUSTICE EVANS: How many openings do we have?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: There is one youth opening, who is a representative from one of our high
schools and there is one opening for one of the adult members, which we will advertise for.
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: ! don't support this resolution because ! think that the Board is going to
be looking at the Conservation Advisory Council reviewing its role in the Town government and with
the Trustees and ! think it would be better to do that review before we recruit new members.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: ! will say yes because ! think that the Conservation Advisory Council is an
important Committee that works hard, not only with the Trustees but is also as my conversations have
gone with the current leadership of that Committee will be doing more conservation advisory and
oversight throughout the town for our more recently acquired wetlands acquisitions and our open-
space acquisitions and ! feel that the Board should have the proper leadership as well as the full
complement of membership.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli, Councilman Moore,
Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton. No: Councilman Wickham.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#622
Moved by Councilman Moore, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby authorizes and directs Town
Clerk Elizabeth Neville to advertise for the part time position of Minibus Driver for the Human
Resource Center in accordance with the job specifications and required qualifications set forth by the
Suffolk County Department of Civil Service.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#623
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Moved by Councilman Romanelli, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby declares the following equipment
at the Southold Town Human Resource Center to be surplus:
Mita DC 1205 Copier # 46106032
Be it Further
RESOLVED that the above equipment be disposed of as it has been declared unrepairable.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: This is an interesting way for a government to be allowed to throw things
away. They have to be declared surplus first.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#624
Moved by Justice Evans, seconded by Councilman Wickham, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby modifies the General Fund
Whole Town 2002 Budget as follows:
TO:
Part Time Employees, Regular Earnings $1600.00
Telephone/Cellular Phone $1000.00
A. 1220.1.200.100
A. 1220.4.200.100
FROM:
A. 1220.1.100.100
Full time Employees, Regular Earnings
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
$2600.00
Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
#625
Moved by Councilman Wickham, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby requests Suffolk County District
Attorney Thomas Spota to designate Southold Assistant Town Attorney Patricia A. Finnegam as
Special Assistant District Attorne% for the purpose of prosecuting violators of the Codes of the
Town of Southold.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#626
HELD
#627
Moved by Councilman Richter, seconded by Councilman Romanelli, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby authorizes and directs
Supervisor Joshua Horton to execute a Cooperative Agreement between the United States of
America Commodity Credit Corporation and the Town of Southold for the implementation of the
Farmland Protection Program.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I don't know if any of you followed it or remember the limited coverage
that it received back in February, myself and two other Supervisors from the East end accompanied by
membership of Long Island Farm Bureau went to Washington, D.C. and lobbied the Federal
Government for funding for farmland preservation. We went down there to lobby that it be
implemented in the Farm Bill in a general sense and achieve that goal where for the first time ever
$980,000,000 was put into the Federal Farm bill for farmland preservation. Southold Town then made
application back in June and we were just awarded or received word that we are in line for $547,000
for farmland preservation. It is a first, unprecedented and it is strictly based on the track record that the
people of Southold Town have endorsed and that the Town Board now and of past has carried out.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#628
Moved by Councilman Moore, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
WHEREAS, local commercial fishermen have stated that the present lighted navigation aid on the
northwest end of Plum Island is often hard to distinguish against the lights on the Connecticut shore,
and
WHEREAS, the North fork Captains Association considers the present light structurally low and dim;
and
WHEREAS, the above requests for an improved light on the eastern side of Plum Gut is over two
years old; and
WHEREAS, Division 18 of the Coast Guard Auxiliary considers the present Plum Island navigation
aid hard to distinguish in periods of reduced visibility; and
WHEREAS, the Captains of the Cross Sound Ferries have stated that the re-lighting of Plum Light
would significantly increase their ability to monitor their position during night time operations when
encountering drift fishermen, swift current chop and adverse weather such as fog, rain and snow and
the result would improve safe navigation through Plum Gut; and
WHEREAS, all concerned consider the waters of Plum Gut to be hazardous, especially during periods
of restricted visibility; and
WHEREAS, all have requested that the Plum Island Light be re-lit with a higher and brighter
automated aid to navigation; and
WHEREAS, the United States Coast Guard has agreed to reactivate the Plum Island Light with an
automated navigation aid as soon as the lantern room is rehabilitated; and
WHEREAS, East End Lighthouses, Inc. has raised the necessary funds, and volunteer support to
accomplish the required rehabilitation of the lantern room; and
WHEREAS, the American Lighthouse Foundation fully supports the efforts of its Chapter, East End
Lighthouses, in its effort; and
WHEREAS, East End Lighthouses, Inc. has retained the services of Fairweather-Brown Architects to
prepare and submit appropriate plans for the rehabilitation of the lantern room to the New York State
Office of Historic Preservation in compliance with the listing of the Plum Island Lighthouse on the
National Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, the principals of the East End Lighthouses being cognizant of the security requirements
of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center are acceptable to PIADC officials to perform work on the
lighthouse; and
WHEREAS, the officials of Plum Island have made significant contributions towards the preservation
and restoration of Plum Island Lighthouse and have indicated their support to members of East End
Lighthouses, Inc. in the rehabilitation of the lantern room and the re-lighting of this light, and
WHEREAS, the only reason for the delay in accomplishing the rehabilitation of the lantern room and
the installation of a structurally higher and brighter light to improve the safety of vessels traversing the
waters of Plum Gut during periods of restricted visibility, is the absence of an Access Agreement,
which was drafted over a year ago, between the United States Department of Agriculture and the Town
of Southold; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED that the Town of Southold send copies of this resolution to Count¥~ State~ and
Federal officials to request their assistance in the support of the re-lighting of the Plum Island
Lighthouse so as to improve the safety of vessels traversing the hazardous waters of Plum Gut and
reduce the chance of an accident, injury or loss of life.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: This idea was brought to us by Merle Wiggin and the East End Lighthouse
organization. This Town Board realizing our nautical heritage and are quite proud of the fact that we
house more lighthouses in the Town of Southold than any town in the United States of America. We
sought to support East End Lighthouses in their non-profit endeavor.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#629
Moved by Councilman Romanelli, seconded by Councilman Richter, it was
WHEREAS, it is our understanding that the U.S. Government plans to transfer Little Gull and Race
Rock Lighthouses to a nor-for-profit entity who will agree to maintain the structures and provide
access by the U.S. Coast Guard who would maintain the light as a Federal Aid to Navigation; and
WHEREAS, East End Lighthouses, Inc. was formed in January of 2001 with one of its specific
purposes to be in a position to accept the ownership of these two lighthouses and others should they
become available; and
WHEREAS, East End Lighthouses, Inc. is the only dedicated lighthouse organization located in
Southold Town; and
WHEREAS, Little Gull and Race Rock Lighthouses are located in the Town of Southold; and
WHEREAS, the principals of East End Lighthouses have the experience and resources to take on the
task of the maintenance of these two off shore lighthouses; and
9
WHEREAS, Dave Allen, a Director of East End Lighthouses, Inc. and experienced marine contractor
has had thirty years working on Little Gull, Race Rock and Orient Point lighthouses and has therefore
gained a detailed understanding of these lighthouses; and
WHEREAS, East End Lighthouses is a Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation and has the
full support of this national lighthouse organization to take on this task; and
WHEREAS, Race Rock and Little Gull Lighthouses are considered by maritime entities as being the
most important lighthouses in Long Island Sound as they provide the gateway to the entrance and exit
of Long Island Sound vessel traffic; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold send copies of this resolution to County~
State~ and Federal officials and request their support that if the Federal Government decides to
transfer Little Gull~ Race Rock~ and other Southold Town Lighthouses to a not-for-profit entity
under the provisions of the National Lighthouse Preservation Act, it is hereby requested that East End
Lighthouses, Inc. be given favorable consideration.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#63O
Moved by Justice Evans, seconded by Councilman Wickham, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby authorizes and directs
Supervisor Joshua Y. Horton to execute a Stipulation and Release with the Town of Shelter
Island whereby the Town of Southold agrees to pay the Town of Shelter Island the sum of $60,000.
(sixty thousand dollars) resolving the issue of payments and all other issues relating to the
construction, operation, maintenance, management, and final remediation or removal of the scavenger
wastewater pretreatment plant and storage tank located in the Village of Greenport.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#631
Moved by Councilman Wickham, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby sets a public hearing on the
adoption of a Cable Franchise Agreement with Cablevisiom such public hearing to be held at the
Southold Town Hall, 53095 Main Road, Southold, New York, on Tuesday~ October 8~ 2002 at 5:05
p.m
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#632
Moved by Councilman Richter, seconded by Councilman Wickham, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby appoints Valerie Marvin as the
Hearing Officer in the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings against a Town Employee.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
#633
Moved by Councilman Moore, seconded by Councilman Richter, it was
RESOLVED that the Town employee against whom disciplinary charges have been filed is
hereby suspended without pay for thirty days effective upon service of the disciplinary charges upon
that Town employee pending the hearing and determination of those charges.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: It is exactly 8:00 P.M. at which time we have a public hearing set. This is
a hearing on citizen's views on Community Development needs. Community Development needs
refers to the $148,000 we have received through the Federal Government that is administered through
the State through our Community Development Office. Presently much of that money funds the North
Fork Housing Alliance, an operation in Greenport that deals with housing needs throughout the Town
10
as well as various public need projects such as keeping a daycare facility afloat in Greenport, we are
helping it in its operation thereof. So if we could move on to this public hearing.
Moved by Councilman Wickham, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that this Town Board meeting be and hereby is recessed at 5:00 P.M. for the purpose of
holding a public hearing. Hearing on the citizens' views on community development needs.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
The meeting re-convened at
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We will move forward with offering this time to members of the
community to address the Town Board on town related business. Would anyone care to address the
Town Board?
DON WAGNER: Don Wagner, Route 48 here in Southold. ! was shocked this past week, riding on
Route 48 to see the nice, new pavement in the Peconic area. That road, anyone who has ridden it, was
not in that bad of shape compared with our local road, as you have heard me say before. Between
Horton Lane and Boisseau, where it is in desperate need of some repairs. ! think that we should go
after our friends in the County because ! think that they are letting us down, they are not doing their
job. ! have spoken to a couple of the engineers and the latest that ! have back, dated September 13th
says that they are forwarding this information to my pavement management staff and have asked them
to review the condition to determine what short term repairs may be make to improve the road there.
However, ! got finally to the engineer, ! believe that his name is Pella, that is in charge of this and he
said that this area between Horton and Boisseau was a capital project (tape change) in Southold here. !
just want everyone to know and ! would appreciate any contact that you people have in the County to
do something. ! expect a call back from him by Friday or ! will call him. The engineer in charge, !
think maybe we should get after our representative in the Suffolk Legislature, Mr. Carraciola. Because
whoever does the Planning on here, how can you say that you are going to re-surface a road that is in
relatively good shape, that certainly you didn't bounce around the way that you do coming through the
heart of Southold here. So ! would ask if anyone on the Board here could extend a little effort, at least
make a phone call to let them know. Because that is the only way we are going to get it done before
the bad weather and we have only got another month or so to go. Thank-you.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank-you, Mr. Wagner.
JOHN SKABRY: Good Evening, my name is John Skabry and I live in Peconic. Thank-you for this
opportunity to speak with you. ! have a problem with the Zoning Board of Appeals and ! have a
problem with the Planning Board. ! think that they have much, too much power in this town and !
don't have any way to close the curtain and vote for them. ! want to see the all decisions of the ZBA
and the Planning Board placed before the Town Board as happens in many towns. ! think that one of
the reasons that we had to hire another part-time attorney was due to this. The decisions that they
make that are in direct opposition to the people that are the citizens of this town. The people of Orient
for instance, have an Article 78 against the Planning Board and the Town. Its own citizens are fighting
with the town that they live in and they love, including myself. The Zoning Board of Appeals took
two residential lots in Peconic on Route 48 in the middle of our greenbelt, the area that we are trying to
preserve, prime farmland-Bridgehampton loam. They turned it over to a commercial establishment, a
corporation called the Growers and Processors of New York State. They own the Agri-Business Child
Development Centers, twelve of them throughout New York State. They own them and they control
them. Through Federal and State funding of tax dollars they run these day-care centers, all with tax
money. They took those two residential lots, they became non-taxable and now they are going to build
a 1.5 million dollar day-care center there. The only children that will be permitted to go there will be
migrant children. As you and ! know, migrants today are Hispanic and Latinos. Those Hispanic and
Latino children presently attend day-care centers on the North Fork at Stotsky in Riverhead, at the
Church of the Open Door in Southold and at the Perry Center in Greenport. They attend them tuition
free with transportation, which is also provided by Agri-Business Child Development Center. This is
nothing but empire building. The director is in Schenectady, New York. The children that are in those
centers that ! talked about-Perry, Church of the Open Door and Stotsky-those children will now attend
this center. This is called du jour segregation. It is in fact just as bad as de facto segregation.
Something ! have fought against through my life through volunteer efforts. Those Hispanic children
will never have the opportunity to be with my children and my grandchildren, with people of my ethnic
11
background. They will not be permitted with black people as they are now in those three centers. A
noble cause, child care. And anything that we can do to help our Spanish and Latinos but it is wrong,
it is du jour segregation. It is established by the real estate agencies in this town. And politicians that
are not informed, well enough informed to make decisions. Such as the ZBA. When ! moved into this
town, ! built my house 33 years ago next month, we had one part-time attorney, no work was sent out.
Today we have, ! don't know how many full-time attorneys-! really don't know-can anyone say? Four
full-time attorneys?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Three.
JOHN SKABRY: Three full-time and how many part-time?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Zero.
JOHN SKABRY: Zero. Well, we are going to hire another one. It said in the paper that we were
going to hire another town attorney.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We have three full-time attorneys and one gentleman who works for a
pittance for the Board of Trustees.
JOHN SKABRY: And some of our works go out to consultants? Am ! right about that?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is correct.
JOHN SKABRY: Has anyone looked at those cases to see how much is our town being sued by the
citizens of our town and how much of it can be eliminated. The Planning Board came upstairs from a
meeting with the attorneys', by the way ! attended all four meetings, on the Grace's Place. Not one
person, except for the real estate agent who sold the property to them, who is ex-Town Supervisor
Frank Murphy, was the only person who spoke in favor of this project. Fifteen people (and ! counted)
citizens of this town, spoke against it at the Planning Board. They came out of the meeting downstairs
with the attorney Matthews from Huntington and the director of the program from Schenectady,
Maggie Evans, with a decision in their minds. We told them that we didn't want the project built.
They could have stopped it by now, by not allowing them a second curb cut. They had one curb cut
approximately 800 feet from Henrys Lane. We had a lady killed 600 feet from there on Peconic Lane
on Friday of last week. ! was a witness to the accident. We told them not to move the driveway from
where it was presently one driveway in the middle of the subdivision, 800 feet from the intersection.
They chose to move it 600 feet closer to Henrys Lane, to where people on my street can not get out
now. This is a 1.5 million dollar commercial establishment that the ZBA allowed to be built on
residential property. It is 7000 square foot. The people that wrote our zoning code, when they said
that you could establish a nursery school with the special exception on residential property was not
talking about a commercial business. The property, part of this subdivision, is also part of a big
conspiracy that ! see for the first time opened up to me. Let me open up your mind a little bit. It was
eight lots. The first two lots to the east were sold for $270,000 to this agency. It became tax-free. The
additional six lots to the west, they were sold, the development rights, this Town Board purchased the
development rights for $400,000. The development rights alone, $400,000 for six lots, the County
bought Strawberry Fields lock, stock and barrel not just the development rights, for 1.5 million dollars
for 33 acres. That is almost, we paid almost double for the development rights for this property than
the County paid for Strawberry Fields. You do the math. ! don't know what else ! can say. ! will
close by saying again that ! believe the ZBA and the Planning Board decisions should all be made by
people that we elect to office. This is a debacle. This does not belong on County Road 48 in the
middle of the greenbelt. The way that you can stop it tonight is by getting in touch with the State and
Federal agencies that fund this organization. Make sure that the children in our town can live an
integrated life, not a segregated life. You are talking to somebody here who has Hispanics and Latinos
in his family, very close in his family. And ! know what it is like to be prejudice against. This is small
town segregation. That is all that it is. Lock, stock and barrel. Let me tell you that ! hope that we can
stop suing one another, why should the citizens of this town be suing its own town? ! have an attorney
now, ! have spent $600 so far on consultation to find out if ! can file an Article 78 against the Planning
Board in my own town. ! am not a johnny come lately. My background, many of you know it, Little
League, 14 years ! brought the Boy Scout Troop from Southold to Maine for one week of camping on
the Fourth of July. That is 14 years that ! never celebrated the Fourth of July in this town. ! am still a
merit badge counselor with Boy Scouts from all of the towns in this community. This is a mistake and
12
this Town Board has to do something about it and something to reduce the amount of lawsuits that are
placed against the Town. Thank-you very much for the opportunity to speak to you this evening.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thanks, Mr. Skabry. Would anyone else care to address the Town Board?
FRANK CARL1N: Good Evening, ladies and gentlemen of the Board. My name is Frank Carlin from
Laurel. Bill, ! would like to ask you this question. Has the Town Board started to consider or
negotiate with the North Fork Animal Welfare League about next years contract, 2003?
COUNCILMAN MOORE: It just so happens that ! wrote a letter to the League last week asking them
to give me some dates when we can commence negotiation of a new contract. So ! have reached out
and hopefully we can start that process shortly. You are right, the contract presently expires December
31 and we would like to negotiate a new contract with them to start next year.
FRANK CARL1N: ! have had a lot of people lately that have come to me, saying what is this fund-
raising about, trying to get a new animal shelter and what is the Southold-Raynor Animal Foundation.
The foundation is to raise money to build this new shelter. It had nothing to do with the North Fork
Animal Welfare League. It is a separate operation. It is the only authorized foundation in Southold
Town to do so, that is approved by the Board and Mr. Raynor. Their job is to try to raise money to
build a long overdue needed animal shelter in this town. As of this date, ! would have to say that the
North Fork Animal Welfare League has neither offered nor donated any financial support to this fund.
You know you pick up the paper or you look at the television, especially in the wintertime and you see
some people reporting conditions in New York, the apartments have no heat or they have no water.
They are able to speak and say what their problems are but you see that animals are different. They
can't speak, they depend upon us to help them. By having a new animal shelter, that would help them
a very great deal. ! am very sure that when this animal shelter gets built, that the people who have
donated towards this shelter that the money that was spent in doing this was not in vain. So that is all
that ! want to say about this tonight but it is separate from the League. A lot of people in this town
don't realize that the Suffolk County Water Authority is not run by the County. It is a private
organization, people still don't realize that. Just because it is called County doesn't mean it is run by
the County, it is not. This is the same thing with these two situations here. The foundation is separate
from the League. Their job is to raise money to built this most needed shelter. The people must
understand that.
COUNCILMAN MOORE: You say it real clear, Frank.
FRANK CARL1N: Talking about the roads, while ! am here ! might as well get a couple of extras. !
want to talk about the condition of Route 48. When you drive from Southold village to Greenport, the
State road is pathetic. It hasn't been re-surfaced in ! don't know how many years. That is bad off
driving, you have to see it to believe it. It is awful. Why can't we get that re-surfaced? ! have been
saying it for years. Well, maybe ! can tell you the reason why. About two years ago, maybe a little
more, the State wanted to spend 9 million dollars on improving these roads out here, resurfacing the
highway, putting curbing in, putting in turning lanes. People complained about it. They didn't want
turning lanes because they couldn't park, they didn't want curbing or construction would have held up
the traffic. So the State backed off and never came back to do it. Maybe that is why. But our roads out
here, our State highways are bad. ! think that some of our representatives in Albany. Another thing is,
while ! am here, ! can't see having three Town Attorneys. ! have lived in this town for 50 years and
they got along with two Town Attorneys with no problem and ! can't see having three. If you want to
talk about cutting down the overhead and the expense, you add more to it. Don't need them. And then
you are going to hire outside consultants yet, don't need them. Like the gentlemen said, if we had a
decent zoning code like ! told Bill Moore to get rid of it and update it, we wouldn't be sued so much
and we wouldn't need all these Town Attorneys. Like ! said, ! saw Bill Moore walking in the hallway
with a 1000 page zoning code under one arm, tilted to one side. ! said you need a pair of shock
absorbers to balance yourself out. Thank-you, goodnight.
GEORGE STARKIE: My name is George Starkie, ! live in Southold. ! have a question. On the Old
Main Road by the Port of Egypt, there is a lot of retaining wall work being done, ! don't see any permit
or anything in that area and ! wonder if you could help me out to find out what is that all about.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: ! think that you are referring to the piece of property on the Bay side on
the south side of the road. Just by the bridge. As ! understand, and again, the Board of Trustees is the
appropriate Board to address on this. ! made an inquiry and apparent the permit is in place and is
13
actually coming to the end of its life and the applicant, the property owner, wanted to get their work
done before the permit expires so they commenced their work. As I understand it now, I don't know
the reason why, there is a stop work order on that and I don't know if there are complications with the
permit or not but they apparently have a legal permit.
GEORGE STARKIE: But shouldn't that be posted where you can see it.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I would think so, yes.
GEORGE STARKIE: The reason that I bring it up is that I have friends that tried to get permission to
do the same type of work on their property and they have been turned down. They say that you can't
do anything like that near the water and now we have someone going ahead here and doing it.
Something is not right.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Which makes me think that is probably why they wanted to get that work
done prior to the expiration of the permit for fear that it would not be renewed. That is speculation but
that is what has been passed on to me by the Trustees.
GEORGE STARKIE: But what I am getting at is how can someone get a permit to do that when other
people can't get the permits to do the same thing?
COUNCILMAN MOORE: The permit is very old.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Again, the answer for that would have to come from the Board of Trustees.
! can get that for you without a doubt. ! have an inquiry about that, to ask what was going on up there,
! found out what was going on-it was a current permit that was coming to the end of its life and the
property owner wanted to get the work done before it expired.
GEORGE STARKIE: How long do these permits last? What is the time?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I don't know what the time limit is. Do you know how long the Trustee
permits are?
TOWN ATTORNEY YAKABOSKI: In the more recent permits, it is two years. The permit in
question is a very old permit and there is some question as to, so there is a stop work order in place as
the Supervisor mentioned to sort some things out.
GEORGE STARKIE: That went awful fast. It's like closing the barn door after the cow went out.
Thank-you.
KATHY TOLE: Kathy Tole, Greenport. We had made inquiry about this property and if it is the
Town that has put the stop work order and it is in place since there has been wholesale destruction of
the habitats on that property, they didn't just bulkhead, they cleared the entire property. If in fact, they
are doing this improperly, what will the redress be as far as re-establishing the habitat and correcting
the situation? A very delicate area as you know and ! would think that habitat is something that we
should take pretty seriously on the waterfront. Are there plans to do more than just stop them from just
finishing the last five feet or whatever they haven't gotten done so far? Or if it is improper, to have
them restore the property the way it was?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Again, without speaking for the Trustees just speaking to the best of my
ability, ! don't think it is a question of the work that is being done if it is done correctly or incorrectly.
! think that it was actually, ! believe that the question on the permit that initiated on the stop work
order, was not on the merits of structure but more on the merits of the proper name being on that
permit. If in fact somebody in the family who applied for that permit may have passed away and the
current holder is a different name. It is a technicality.
KATHY TOLE: Then is the permit valid or not? If the name is incorrect on it?
TOWN ATTORNEY YAKABOSKI: What the Supervisor mentioned was the initial concern. There
are some other issues being looked at. It is a little premature to speak and I am not at liberty to talk too
much about it. There are other issues being looked at, the Code Enforcement Officer Ed Forrester has
been out there. The Supervisor is correct in everything that he has said so far and to remediation,
14
again, the Supervisor was prudent to say that those kind of issues lie with the Trustees if it reaches the
point where something was done that was not and I am not saying that it has, I am just saying if it
reaches that point.
KATHY TOLE: Do permits normally allow wholesale clearing of the property, such as that? I am not
specific to this permit but generally do bulkheading permits allow clearing of property?
TOWN ATTORNEY YAKABOSKI: Every permit stands on its own merit and facts. It would be
unfair to give a general answer.
KATHY TOLE: Thank-you.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Would anyone else care to address the Town Board?
HOWARD ME1NEKE, PRESIDENT, NORTH FORK ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL: I am
Howard Meineke, President of the North Fork Environmental Council. I think that it is time for a little
sweetness and light for the Town Board, I want to thank the Board members who stuck out their necks
and boldly called for up zoning to join the Rural Incentive District as the basic pieces of the Southold
Town preservation plan. I congratulate you for being upfront and willing to take the heat and from
what we understand, there is probably heat coming. You have to be wary, there is an orchestrated
pressure out there designed to place doubts in your mind and shake your resolve. Fortunately, the
arguments are tired and they don't hold water. The continually carping special interests attempt to tie
lack of affordable housing to up zoning. Nothing can be further from the truth. Do you see affordable
housing now in our current two acre zoning? You don't. Of course not. This argument is a red
herring and I think that it is a shame that people will use a serious social issue like affordable housing
in an attempt to de-rail otherwise important legislation. As we continue to build at current zoning and
to answer the inevitable need of schools, potential sewage treatment, roads in the-all the trappings of
suburbia, taxes will rise precipitously. We have seen it and that will continue to happen. Contrast this
with the results of up-zoning which gives you reduced total housing units and reduced population that
holds down the infrastructure burden and guarantees lower taxes. With lower taxes and lower density
comes an environment where affordable housing is possible. If you have high taxes, talk to me about
affordable, we can't get there from here. After the Board uses the moratorium time to build the basic
framework of legislation using the Rural Incentive District and the up zone, you can move on to the
bells and whistles. By this I mean after establishing what is actually needed to accomplish the basic
preservation of rural Southold, the accessory legislation can be added. For example, specially
designed small lots, duplexes, townhouses, apartment areas to accommodate affordability can be
designed to suit the actual need. Possibly transfer of development rights can be developed to take
whatever is left to go on the farms and move it to some more appropriate place. The point is, you
should do the first things first and I thank you again for making such a good start and there are 140
days to go. Thank-you.
THOR HANSEN: I am Thor Hansen, I am usually here with the Southold Citizens for Safe Roads hat
but this evening I am here with the North Fork Environmental Council hat. Although when I am
through saying what I have, I am not sure that my colleagues over here will think that that hat fits very
well but it is stated a lot that the Board of the North Fork Environmental Council is supporting the five
acre zoning, the minority position of the Blue-Ribbon Commission. I just want to make sure that
people understand that that is not really a unanimous opinion of the Board. I certainly have problems
with it and still do. And I wasn't the only one. But my problem is that I think that we are sort of being
forced by the minority opinion of that Commission to take a precipitous decision too soon. I think, I
don't think that we have this incredible calamity awaiting us in 140 days and I sort of liken it in a way
to what we are hearing from the Federal government now, that we ought to rush unilaterally to
judgment on attacking Iraq against the wishes of most all the Arabs, all the Arabs I would think. And
certainly against the wish of most of the Europeans. In other words, we are being rushed on that one
and I think that we are trying to be rushed on this one. I think that there are a lot of other tools which
the majority opinion of the Blue-Ribbon Commission has brought up to and I think those tools should
be allowed to work for a while before we decide that we are going to jump to five acre zoning. It may
be necessary at some point but up to date, it seems to me that we have come out a little better than five
acre zoning by not declaring (inaudible) So I would like to say that some of us on the Board, I will
speak for myself here, don't feel that we should be rushed to judgment this rapidly. I want to support
the majority opinion of the Blue-Ribbon Commission at this point. Thank-you.
15
VINCENT LAROCCA: Vincent LaRocca, Cutchogue. I would also like to thank the Town Board at
the previous work session for first recognizing how precious the time is in the moratorium and how
easily that time can be frittered away if we don't stay focused on the big issues. I appreciate the Board
for realizing that it can delegate but it can't abdicate. It was a clear sense at that work session a couple
of weeks ago that that was understood and I thank all of you for that. Obviously, I also appreciate the
fact you sent a clear signal to the planning professionals that zoning needs to be a part of the
comprehensive plan. It seems to many of us that that is an obvious conclusion that given the change
that is occurring in Southold and given the fact that in the Blue-Ribbon Commissions six months of
work, that there was not a single community identified within a hundred mile radius of a major
metropolitan area that has successfully preserved itself without the use of zoning regulations. None the
less, you have to address how individuals can use their developments rights, that is never an easy issue
and it will surely be contentious. I guess in a way, I thank Thor for putting an accent of that issue that it
will be contentious on all fronts in fact. When you have to address individual development rights that
is a tough issue regardless of the preponderance of evidence that may indicate that zoning needs to be a
part of the solution. Last Thursday, I attended a Smart World Conference that had the County
Executives of both Suffolk and Nassau County and one of the presenters at that was the President of
the Nassau County Land Trust. I believe that all of you are aware now that Napa Valley Land Trust,
the American Farmland Trust, the Long Island Planning Board, the Suffolk County Planning
Department and all previous Southold Town Boards have all understood the need for zoning
regulations as part of preservation planning. But I asked the Nassau County Land Preservation
President, who of course made a wonderful presentation on how effective voluntary programs can be
as part of solution, and they can be and they are and they hopefully can continue to be but I asked him
the question that I asked the Blue-Ribbon Commission process. Is there a community you found
anywhere in the country that has successfully preserved its rural way of life without the use of
significant zoning regulation. I would like to share his quote to you on that. "Land regulation must be
part of a successful land preservation program. It is not realistic to think that voluntary programs alone
are going to succeed." I just wanted to share that with the Town Board. Thank-you again for keeping
your eye on this ball and keeping on pushing forward in what is obviously going to be a rather
contentious issue in certain circles. Thank-you very much.
CHARLOTTE HANSEN: Charlotte Hansen, Orient. I am not a farmer, I am from away as they say.
But I am a member of the Peconic Land Trust and on the other hand I do not speak on behalf of the
Land Trust. However, like the rest of us we are very interested in preserving whatever we say we want
to preserve here. But I just want to express to you the concerns that I have when I hear all of this
information and again I am not a member of the agricultural community, I was not on the Blue-Ribbon
Commission. But there was a lot of thoughtful work that went into what the Blue-Ribbon Commission
did. These are indeed the people who own the land that was being farmed and as a non-farmer and not
from here, I really have to listen to what they have to say because they gave us a lot of time and a lot of
thoughtful consideration. As merely a citizen who tries to understand what is best for all of us, I am
concerned that if we dispose so readily and too quickly possibly what they had to present, we might be
destroying what we very wish we want to preserve. Which I believe is an agricultural way of life.
Which we all should remember is very different than simply open spaces. I am also concerned about
the fact that many of the organizations that we hear from very vocally that are pushing for five acres, I
don't know why its four or forty or whatever it is but these are organizations that it seems to me are not
part of the agricultural community. If you are a novice in this game, why should we listen to those
who are not agriculturalists as opposed to those who, like myself, are simply from away? And I am
concerned that we are possibly listening too carefully to those who have nothing to do with the
agricultural community. Beyond that there was a time, I think about three or four or five weeks ago,
that Louisa Hargrave made what I thought was an extremely thoughtful presentation here and she
unlike myself is a member of the agricultural community and she ended her presentation with saying
'you know, the simplest is not necessarily the best solution to a very complicated problem' and I would
really hope that the Town Board in any other of the aspects of this very interesting and very informed
community realize what appears to be the easiest is not necessarily the best solution to a problem
Thank-you very much.
GERALD WALZ: My name is Gerald Walz, I am from Mattituck. Last time I spoke on this issue, I
brought up a magazine, a travel magazine that referred to underrated and overrated and discussed the
difference between South and the North Fork. Well, I can do that again, because in one of the largest
travel magazines in the country, The National Geographic Traveler, has an article featuring the North
Fork comparing it to the South Fork. Needless to say, we come out ahead. This time they don't
feature Toms' farm, it is Harbes. But you know, you have to give some breaks to other farmers also. I
would like to read just one short paragraph from this story and then I want to make a comment about a
16
couple of people who just spoke from Orient. Because they have one hell of a nerve. Let me read the
article first. "! recently read a New York Times article quoting a local real estate broker, 'We see the
North Fork as the next area of development. People are going there because it is quiet.' Another agent
claimed that nothing is happening here that hasn't been happening here for a long time. As long as we
have agriculture, the sea and second home-owners, we will be okay. To me (the writer is saying) but
like a Mississippian as long as we have the land, cotton and boll-weevil, we will be okay." Now in
terms of a couple of speakers from Orient ....
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Sir, ! just ask that you address the Town Board and not offer rebuttals in
reference to people in the audience.
GERALD WALZ: ! have a drivers license, ! have been driving for a long time but ! am not a road
engineer, ! am not a traffic engineer and ! live in Mattituck. And ! am not quite certain that ! should
understand or do understand the problem that Orient has with the ferry. ! don't see what the great rush
is to do something about that, since it doesn't particularly effect me as it does apparently a few people
in the Orient area.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Would anyone else care to address the Town Board?
TIPPY CASE: My name is Tippy Case and ! am from Southold. ! listened to the article that Gerry
read and it breaks my heart because ! think that this place has changed since ! was a kid here. ! will do
anything that ! could to keep the flavor of Southold as it has been and in the direction that it should be.
And ! thank you for what you are doing to keep the flavor of Southold with your support of up zoning
and ! ask you, ! want to encourage you to keep doing it. Thank-you.
GAlL STARKIE: ! am Gail Starkie. While ! am in favor of discussing the issue of up zoning, ! feel
that there are many other solutions that have to be considered in the whole problem and one of the
things that occurred to us, my husband and I, when we were in the Keys in Florida, was what they saw
as a solution. This may not work for us, however, ! think this is an area that we have to look into.
They decided a good six, eight years ago that they were only going to issue 10 building permits per
year in all of the Keys, now that sounds very extreme. However, that is a concept that has worked well
in keeping another fragile area from being over-built. And ! think that we should also explore some of
these other issues as well.
MELANIE NORDEN: Melanie Norden, Greenport. ! just wanted to say that ! am very much from
here, ! will never be from away and ! think that to devolve the discussion into a matter of farmland and
agricultural preservation as the only preservation that we are focused on, is to limit the issue. The issue
is one of quality of life and the preservation of quality of life and every citizen out here, whether they
own one acre or 500 acres has a stake in that future. But whether they hope to own any hope to own
any property, whether they own property, whether they were born here, grew up here, if they reside
here, they have a right to explore the future of this area and its preservation. This is not to say that
every farmer who owns property doesn't have sacrosanct and sacred right as well. And more of it to
say that all of us farmers don't care deeply and abidingly about the future of the North Fork, which !
believe that genuinely they do, but this is not an issue merely for farmers or for developers or for real
estate people or for other special interests. It is an issue that will affect all of us. It is complex and it
needs to be looked at in a much wider, deeper economic social esthetic mix that is so important to
creating and establishing a future. ! think this Board is well on its way to trying to do that against
incredible pressures and odds but lets hope that we don't divide now between those people who have
this interest and those people who have that interests because we really will not go forward. This is a
preservation, quality of life interest that effects everyone. No one has a bigger or lesser state. If they
breathe air here, they live here.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: ! just thought of a funny anecdote. ! understood where Ms. Hansen was
coming from in her remarks and ! also very strongly identify with yours. My family came here in 1640
and my father his life growing up in Orient and when he moved out of Orient to Greenport, he moved
west, he went to Orient Country Store with me as a kid and got an earful about being no longer from
Orient and where was his passport. ! remember ! was horrified, ! was eight years old and the guy at
the Country Store asked my father where his passport was and ! think he meant it. Would anyone else
care to address the Town Board?
DONNA GRAY: My name is Donna Gray and ! am from Southold. Tom, when you and Vinny were
addressing the Democrats the other night, you said something that ! thought sounded very interesting.
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You talked about variegated up zoning. I wondered if you could address that and expand on it, if you
can?
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: I am not really sure that I can tonight. I am not sure that I can expand
on variegated up zoning. What ! can say, is that there is a place in this Town for a range of tools,
applied very carefully, in certain areas and maybe not in other areas, for certain purposes. And to
integrate those tools to accomplish those goals we want to do. ! don't think that we have had a debate
in this Town yet, we have seen pressure, we have seen publicity, we have seen advertisements taken
out of the newspaper that ! regard as unfair and unsubstantiated. We have really not had a debate with
experts, with authorities to tell us what really can we expect from the use of some of these tools. !
think that is the kind, ! am not sure ! would call it variegated zoning, but ! think there is a place for
certain tools in certain places and ! think the whole Board is looking for the rational to support how we
are going to go forward with those tools.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Would anyone else care to address to the Town Board?
(tape change)
JOHN NICKLES, JR.: The article that the gentlemen referred to about real estate brokers and how it
was done everywhere else. ! can't speak for them, ! can speak for myself-! do it full-time, ! have done
it since 1995. My business is primarily second home owners, ! wish it wasn't, ! wish that there were
more primary home owners, people that ! grew up with that could buy houses here. The reality is the
market is geared towards a second home owner. ! have to say that in my line of work, ! should be for
five acre zoning because when you reduce the supply of potential developable real estate out there,
when you do that, it is going to drive the market even higher than it is now. That is only going to make
me more money. Now ! am going to take my real estate cap off and put my Southold Business
Alliance cap on, ! can't be for five acre zoning because ! don't think that it is right. ! think that there
are a lot of other issues here that have to be thought out very carefully and before we artificially affect
the real estate market and the affordability in this town by doing something that is going to reduce the
supply of the real estate, we have to think about what it is going to do in the long run. People who are
for five acre zoning, they give very good arguments about taxes and about that it is already not
affordable and that is some kind of red herring argument. Yes, you could say that. If we are not going
to address the affordability of living in this town and respect the people who live in this town first, then
we are just not going about looking for the solution in the right way. Thank-you.
JOSEPH LIZEWSKI: ! think that this is going to be one of the biggest issues that has ever hit this
town. ! would like to tell you that ! think that it is so big that ! think that at least you should have some
hamlet hearings on this because ! think that there are a lot more people who are really interested in this
and should be told what the effects of this are. Now ! don't know if you have done a study on the
economic effects of this but ! have to tell you that some of the things that have been said here today are
mind boggling to me because ! look at affordable housing and ! realize that this town has been
prejudiced against affordable housing since day one. There is nothing in your code book for affordable
housing. There is very little that is really there that allows an affordable house, like an apartment, we
don't allow that, we don't allow town houses, there are a lot of things that we have never really looked
into and to think that you are going to do this after you are going to put five acre zoning in is mind
boggling to me because it has never been done until now. Every Town Board has had this problem so
anytime anyone tries to build anything that is at all applicable to the lower financial class of people, we
have an outcry from the neighborhood. We have elitists who didn't step forward when this thing
happened in Southold, in Cutchogue at the dump where we have the commercial property and so, there
are people who didn't say anything about that and the reason that they didn't is because up zoning is so
good for them that they have forgotten about the class of people who live there. Now, ! have to tell
you that we have been looking at this and there is probably 1500, 1800 people who actually work in
the this town who come from that Latino background, Polish background, etc. and they make up the
real backbone of an awful lot of work that gets done out here. If you want to look at the greenhouse
industry, the restaurants, you look at some of the painters who have hired full crews, you want to look
at the people who are really doing the work out here for maybe $10-$12 per hour, they really make up
a big part of this town and how it runs. You want to talk about economy, you look to those people.
What are you going to do with five acre zoning, you are going to tell me that after you put five acre
zoning in that you are going to provide a place for these people to live? You think that it is going to be
easy? That house that they live in now that is pretty run down is going to be worth a lot more money,
they are not going to be welcome here. Where are you going to get these people from? Where are you
going to get the people that work at the vineyards, the nurserys, the greenhouses, etc. and they really
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do the toil, they really do the toil. You look around and you talk to your businessman, you are going to
find out that that is really true. You are not going to provide for them with five acre zoning, you are
going to tell me after you put five acre zoning in, then you will decide on where you are going to put
apartment houses? If you can't do it now, how are you going to do it then? You think that it is going
to be any easier? You think that it is an easy task to put housing in this town where working people
can live? You haven't been able to provide for your young forever. They leave by the droves but that
is okay, they have to go somewhere. It happens everywhere, but where are they going? You don't
provide jobs for them because you are a tourist economy. But we do have to have people here to cut
your hedges, we have to have people to paint your houses, you have to have these people. Now what
effect is this going to be on the economy? You want to talk about the environmental impact, how
about the people impact? How about the people impact and how it is going to affect the people who
actually live here now and use those people and work here. You know what the trade parade is like in
Southampton, just looking at that. That is coming your way if you do it. To say that you are going to
do something afterward, I really don't trust you. You haven't done it till now and you have been in
existence forever. That is never been something that this town has been able to tackle. It has never
been able to do it. Every time somebody decides to put up an H-D area, the whole neighborhood is up
in arms, sitting down here shooting at you. And you fold. So you are going to tell me that you are
going to provide for that afterwards? All these things will be right afterwards, and this has to come
first? They don't come first. The people come first. The people who live here have to be looked at.
You want to save the environment, for who? The people the need to be, I agree with Ms. Norden,
everybody is at stake here. Including that 1500-1800 people who don't speak English who don't come
in here. But they do a lot of your work. This whole thing to me, I look at this and you look at the bias
in the community and the discrimination, this is discrimination at its highest. This is discrimination for
an elite society that we have already seen. Save it. How many people do you think are going to be
here in 10 years, you save it with the supply and demand. How are the people who work here now
going to stay here? Sure, I am going to make money, everyone is going to make money but once you
you leave, you are not coming back. You are not going to afford to come back. You want to change
this community, this community is important. This community is important to everybody. You are
going to change it for good, you change it for good, you are not going to have them. It is not going to
come back, you don't change this world back once it gets changed. You are going to weigh this thing
and I think that the people in this town need a little bit more to what you are going to do and what it is
going to effect and how economically it is going to effect here and how it is going to effect .... The fire
departments are actually running now, they get money, to try to get people to join them. You have 85
or 90 men, we don't have enough young people in Cutchogue to stay with it. It is tough. We have to
call for EMT's from Mattituck all the time because we don't have enough people in our fire
department to now cover that thing. Let me ask you something. One of you get a heart attack, do you
think that someone who owns a five acre lot is going to come running out of their house, jumping in a
fire truck, going down to there and coming down to you? Do you really think that? I would like to see
that. How many of these organizations that you have that are supported by the work and file of this
town, the Historical Society, the Lions Clubs, the Kiwanis, every thing that you have. Do you think
that you are going to continue with that with five acre zoning? You don't think that you are going to
change the character of this town, the flavor of the people who live here? You are right, everybody
deserves to be looked at. Just like Ms. Norden says, this is every bodies fight, this is not just a few
people, a few elitists who want to save it quickly. It is not a quick answer, it is not a quick fix. The
people who have this land, who stayed here, I look at these farmers and some of these people and you
know what they say? They don't want to sell their rights, you know that? Because they have been
successful. So now we have to figure out a way to take them, we have to figure out a way to take
them. We have to think about a way to eliminate those rights because (inaudible) we have to go
another way. We have a real problem here and somebody is going to really step to the plate and
realize that the people in this town are just as important as everything else. If you eliminate these
people, and you will, because five acre zoning is certainly an elitist idea, you are going to have a
different town 10-15 years from now. You can all come back and visit but your children certainly,
most of you are not going to live here either. And you have to realize that. The supply and demand is
going to do it. Just like John says, everybody is going to make a few bucks but you are not coming
back. Thank-you.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Would anyone else care to address the Town Board?
JOAN EGAN: Joan Egan, East Marion. We will start with the unusual, Mr. Richter, have you gotten
the police reports from Mr. Horton. The answer to that is yes or no.
COUNCILMAN RICHTER: No.
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JOAN EGAN: No. and I saw a very serene look on your face when you heard about the drug thing.
Mr. Moore, have you done anything for me? The answer to that is yes or no. No. Mr. Romanelli, ! am
hearing wonderful things about you. Is it true?
COUNCILMAN ROMANELLI: Absolutely.
JOAN EGAN: You have not done what you were supposed to do though in getting protection around
the excavation. Have you? And what have you done about the noise control?
COUNCILMAN ROMANELLI: Nothing.
JOAN EGAN: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and we are
almost into October. So when are we going to do it? When? Why did you take this job? Why did you
bother running for the Town Board when you didn't want to do the job, tell me that? You can't answer
me right. Mr. Yakaboski, (inaudible). Mr. Horton, has Mr. Yakaboski addressed the issues that !
brought up in a letter to him in May regarding taping when you call the police department that they
should say "Southold Police Department, you are being taped." Has he done that? No. Has he gotten
the regulations and the rules who controls insurance on 48 and 25 and all our roads? Has he,Mr.
Horton? Have you received any reports from Mr. Yakaboski, that ! addressed to Mr. Yakaboski that !
addressed in a letter to him and then ! sent a letter to you covering the letter that ! sent to him? The
answer to that, Mr. Horton, is yes or no.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Actually, I am entitled to more than yes or no, Mrs. Egan and I would like
to say that perhaps the blame should be laid on me for Mr. Yakaboski not giving that answer. May !
answer, Mrs. Egan? Because Mr. Yakaboski makes a point of getting me reports that ! request, so !
will make a point of requesting those.
JOAN EGAN: And how many times have you done that?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I ask a lot of Mr. Yakaboski, you can rest assured.
JOAN EGAN: How many times have you asked Mr. Yakaboski to do for me what he should have
done...
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I haven't. That is why I would like to apologize and say that I will take
care of that.
JOAN EGAN: Has Mr. Moore, has either one of them addressed the issue that he thinks is amusing
because you didn't do it right, either one of you for me. My home is in danger. Now, ! would like to
ask you this Mr. Horton, if ! have a problem, a serious problem like a fire or a flood because Zoning
Board and regulations did not do it properly, do they get sued? Does the Town get sued? What
happens to their job when they do such a terrible thing as not doing their job?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Joan, quite honestly, you lost me on that question. But Mrs. Egan, ....
JOAN EGAN: They have not done what they are supposed to do and if my house goes on fire..
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mrs. Egan, ! think that the best thing to do is to contact me, as you know
can do and we will talk about it.
JOAN EGAN: Now, that is a wash. I have done that over and over for two years. Two years, Mr.
Moore and what have you done, zero. What do you find amusing that you didn't do your job? You
can't (inaudible) then get off the Board.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank-you, Mrs. Egan. ! would also like to say to my Board that there are
times that perhaps we don't particularly like what is coming to us or feel that the questions are
unreasonable but at the same time everybody that addresses us are residents and we need to treat them
as such. Thank-you, Mrs. Egan.
ERIC KYLE: Good Evening, my name is Eric Kyle and I am a resident of Mattituck. I would also
like to thank the Board for having courage, however my perspective is slightly different. ! would like
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to thank those Board members who have resisted the all out push for five acre zoning at all cost
without thought to consequences or other alternatives to it. I think that whatever happens relative to
the debate that is currently going on that we need to think carefully and consider all these options
together and do it in a thoughtful manner that ensures results and not rush to a predetermined outcome.
That is all I have to say. Thank-you very much.
DOUGLAS COOPER: Doug Cooper, Mattituck. Thor Hansen and his wife, I have to give them a lot
of credit and respect for standing up and stating their opinions because one of the things that has
bothered me over the last several months that I have been disappointed, dismayed and insulted by the
lies and distortions and fear tactics that has been propagated by some of the leadership of the
environmental groups pushing five acre up zoning. Are they saying that the end justifies the means? It
seems that they are more interested in the welfare of their wallets than the welfare of our town. These
zealots deserve nothing. They claim they now how best to preserve our town. We should be listening
to those groups that have a successful history of preservation, the Southold Town Farmland and Open
Space Committee, Peconic Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy and others. At a time when
Southold's preservation successes are at a high point, why take a step backwards? The Blue-Ribbon
Commission was made up of many interests in our town. The environmentalists, planners, Town
Board, farmers, business, citizens. This diverse group came to a strong majority agreement on its
recommendations. I urge this Board to follow these recommendations and in particular to use
monitoring systems to base any possible future up zoning on. A year and a half ago there was a push
that something was imminent; we had to do something immediately. That did not take place, by the
previous Town Board, this is on up zoning, we were told-the farmers and land owners, who met with
the Town Board at one meeting, if we agreed to five acre up zoning we would be able to develop our
property much quicker. And this was pushed on us but we don't want to. We would like to preserve
the farm, I still farm some land that has been in the family for 200 years, other land that has been in the
family for 70 or 80 years. I would like to see it preserved as much as possible. But it is our future, it is
our assets and should not be stolen away from us. I urge this Town to consider all the possible tools, I
urge everyone to use facts and reason not fear tactics, not lies, not distortions, let's work together. We
can find many workable tools to help us in the future. Thank-you.
VINCENT LAROCCA: First of all, I would like to briefly address a concern that has been expressed.
A conundrum of our remaining multi-generational family farmers (inaudible) and not sold. At the
same time, we recognize what happened to all of Long Island, all of the communities that haven't
taken serious action. I believe that the work of the Commission and the introduction of a Rural
Incentive District solves the conundrum. Those land owners who are committed to ultimately
preserving their land preserve their current zoning rights. Those who do not choose to commit to
preserve their land are subject to the community hold rights to protect its interests. It is important to
remember this, you have an offering to purchase those development rights now for over 20 years since
the last up zoning. The land owners have been well aware of the rules, they have been well aware of
the opportunity to sell their development rights and they have the right to choose as investors and land
owners not to sell them. The community has still said that we want to continue to make that offer and
we will create a district so long as you commit to preserve. I think that that is an important component
of all the plans that are being discussed. It shouldn't be forgotten that (inaudible) the very conundrum
that has been presented. The affordable housing line is a very important one, Josh. I know that it is
very important to many of us. But we can't hide behind zoning and affordable housing. Affordable
housing on Long Island proves clearly, if you think that you are going to develop your way into
affordable housing, it doesn't work, look at all of Long Island. Look at New York City, look at
Garden City, look more closely-look across the water at Sag Harbor. Just the New York Times a
couple of weeks ago, the problem for the vast majority of current citizens and this is what I hear from
people on both sides of this issue, the current citizens of Southold, the current citizens of Sag Harbor
are being forced to leave upon retirement because they can't afford the taxes. You must control the tax
base. You control the tax base and keep development down, that is why the purchase of development
rights is a wonderful investment long-term because you keep your taxes safe. That is why zoning tools
that restrict the amount of development allow those current, the thousands and thousands of current
Southold citizens not be forced to leave Long Island because they can't afford to pay the taxes. So I
think that it is important to look at the fact on this issue not let certain people hide behind affordable
housing because they wanted to have maps on development rights under current zoning. Because this
has a very insidious impact and we won't be able to unwind it once those taxes get out of control. We
can't say, look-we blew it, Suffolk County Planning Department has showed how additional residential
development increases taxes. Sag Harbor, two weeks ago, the mayor is concerned about how many
people are being forced to leave there. All of Long Island are your example. Yes, it is true. I identified
myself as a resident, I am a legal resident of Southold, of Cutchogue. I guess I should have said that I
21
am from away, away. Actually, I am away, away from Sicily. If that matters. And before, not so
away, away, I am away, away from Brooklyn. And before away, away from Brooklyn, I was away,
away from Port Washington and after that Huntington, and after that Port Jefferson. So maybe I am
actually uniquely qualified to say that I have lived in Port Washington, I have lived in Huntington, I
have lived in Port Jefferson and I have seen the development stampede through all of Long Island.
And I believe, who ever said earlier, it is very disgraceful in this community to start being divisive on
how many years you get a passport to Southold or how many years here before you have an informed
opinion. We should all be fortunate that whatever side of the issue you are on, we are here because we
care about our town. I think that it is very divisive to use reverse discrimination to say that if you are
wealthy, you don't have an opinion and you don't care. You are allowed to come and say that. That is
unfortunate. I hope, Josh, that you don't have a tolerance for any kind of discrimination like that. So
there is my away, away.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: If you listen through several conversations, you will note that I, that there
is no discrimination.
VINCENT LAROCCA: I know you do. The last thing that I want to point out to the Town Board
members, there I digress, is back to the issue that we are discussing here is whether or not we need
zoning as part of this procedure. We have tendered examples from all over the country. In fairness to
Tom, the Blue Ribbon Commission had six months to vest its issues. By identifying what tools would
work and where. You haven't heard one thing tonight to counter the issues that all the communities
within 100 miles of a major metropolitan area preservation requires zoning regulation as a component
of the solution. And nothing has been said to the contrary here tonight to refute that. Thank-you for
that chance to address you one more time.
RONNIE WACKER: Ronnie Wacker, Cutchogue. I was a member of the Blue-Ribbon Commission.
I just wanted to tell you a story about a number of years ago, when I was eight years old, I came out
with my family to visit with some friends of theirs in Hempstead. Hempstead then was really quite
rural, it was a pretty area, it was a lovely place. But has anyone been to Hempstead recently? And
would you ever want to live there anymore? It is crowded, it has horrendous taxes for a very
unattractive area. This is what has happened in every community west of us. It is happening in
Wading River, there was a story in the Times not too long ago about the problems in Wading River,
what was his name, the girl that was saying that the real estate people were saying to him that we have
to go out further, we have to go out further. They are going out further. What is happening to us is
what is happened over in Southampton. If people don't plan for the future, then the future is going to
overtake them and I think that it is going to overtake us if we don't plan for it here. The taxes will be
so horrendous that none of us will be able to afford to live here. They are getting higher all the time.
We have had new schools built and they are all ready asking for more money to build larger schools.
We have to provide for them and if we have to pay for fire departments, this will be another expense
and addition. I think that we really have to consider, if we are going to think about affordable housing
we have to think about it right now, not after up zoning or considering not up zoning. For myself, I
think that we ought to up zone to 20 acres. But I am not in a popular group with that idea. It just
seems to me that if you are a farmer, you need more land to farm. Actually, five acre is good but how
do you farm around five acres? I don't know. It is like a jig saw puzzle. But I do think that we ought
to benefit from the experience of communities to the west of us and think carefully about it.
DOUG COOPER: Ladies and gentlemen, I am angry and appalled by the attitude of people who have
spoken here poking fun at Thor Hansen and his wife because they disagree with their opinion. It
sickens me that when you can't argue a point by strategy that you attack people personally and you
make fun of them. I would like to offer my apologies to Mrs. Hansen. Another point, you talk about
taxes. Part of the rhetoric from the NFEC leadership, or some of that leadership I should say, is that
property values will go up and they are right. Put in five acre zoning and property values are going to
go up. Then how long will it be before property is re-assessed? You talk about taxes and once it is re-
assessed, your property will double in price and then the tax will double in price. Thank-you.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Would anyone else care to address the Town Board?
HOWARD ME1NEKE: Just very, very quickly. There was something said and I think that you folks
would have taken offense. Someone talking about affordable housing said that we tried to do this for
years and years, nothing ever happened and I don't trust the Board to do this. Well, I think that if we
here can't trust the Board, we might as well go home and stop this whole charade. The point still is
that there is logic. Affordable housing happens when taxes and the cost of running a town are in
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control. So, I do trust the Town Board to do affordable housing. But I think that if you leave two acre
zoning intact when you will over-develop and run up taxes and have to build infrastructure, possibly
sewage treatment, you will get your costs so high that you can legislate and do some zoning for
affordable housing but your costs will be high and it won't work. So the logic says that you get your
costs under control and do the thing that keeps your taxes and the cost of running your town such that
you can have affordable housing and then you legislate and you do some zoning and you create the
duplexes, townhouses, apartments, whatever you do. So ! think that in the emotion of the day people
are losing track of logic. We can't lose track of logic, you have got to do it in an order that works. If
you do affordable housing, which is in effect increasing density in certain areas, while you let the
density increase in other areas, you have increased density and you have increased taxes. And nobody
here can say that that is not true. Thank-you.
EDWARD BOOTH: I am Ed Booth from Southold. All my folks are from here as they say. A lot of
them are out there in the graveyard. But it seems to me that logic seems to be the important thing. !
wrote a letter to the editor about a month ago and the thing that ! was trying to get across was that the
five acre zoning cry, it seems to me is being (inaudible) that the record has been very much better than
that in the last decade. That the number of housing per acre is better than the five acre zoning. In
other words, if we all went to five acre zoning, then there would be only one family per five acres.
Whereas, ! believe it is a fact that the number of acres per family, per home in the last five or ten years
has been more like 10 or 11. Now this is working fine. As someone said, if it is not broke, don't rush
to fix it. What is the implication of that? In my case, ! own about 40 acres. ! am not a farmer, my
father is a farmer, ! inherited that. What ! hope is that five acre zoning will not appear because ! don't
want to break up that area into five acre lots. ! would much rather have the good people in Southold
come around and say that they will buy the development rights. You know, work something out here.
Sell a couple of lots (inaudible) you ought to come up and see us sometime it is real (inaudible)
available in Southold to look at. So ! hope this crowd will think about that kind of thing, not rush into
five acre zoning but consider the success that has been had so far with the Land Trust and various
sources. Thank-you.
JOHN NICKLES, JR.: (inaudible) Mr. Meineke is correct about logic. Mr. LaRocca and Mr. Meineke
have said twice that nobody can disagree with the part about the taxes and how taxes can make things
unaffordable. That is not today, that is not at the end of this six month moratorium, that is not when
you decide to put five acre zoning in, if you do. That is years out, those implications about Mr.
Meineke and Mr. LaRocca are talking about, about the tax consequences, about the cost of living in
Southold, that is future. That is down the line. What we are talking about now is the cost, is the cost
to people right now when you put five acre zoning in and you artificially effect the value of real estate
out here, that happens immediately. ! am a real estate broker, ! am a professional in this, ! understand
supply and demand. ! live it and breathe it every day and ! know it for a fact. So this is something that
if you decide upon five acre zoning right now to avoid the taxes that are going to occur two years, five
years, ten years, twenty years, ! think that that is mistaken when you could monitor this preservation of
Southold Town and decide when it becomes appropriate that the taxes are going to be reaching a
threshold that is out of control or whatever other statistics or data that you find requires a drastic
measure like five acre zoning. Thank-you.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Would anyone else like to address the Town Board?
Moved by Councilman Wickham, seconded by Justice Evans, it was
RESOLVED that this Town Board meeting be and hereby is adjourned at 9:39 P.M.
Vote of the Town Board: Aye: Councilman Wickham, Councilman Richter, Councilman Romanelli,
Councilman Moore, Justice Evans, Supervisor Horton.
This resolution was duly ADOPTED.
Elizabeth A. Neville
Southold Town Clerk