A local property owner has pitched a proposal for a zone change on a parcel located on Main Road in Mattituck that could lead to the development of new businesses and some apartments.
Paul Pawlowski came before the Southold planning board at their work session Monday to discuss a change of zone from the parcel’s current residential, or R-80, to general business. The land is located close to Main Road, across from the Capitol One building, near Tony’s Asian Fusion in Mattituck. The proposal would be to develop the 3.8 acres that fronts Route 25 and donate the remaining 17 acres to Southold Town for preservation, he said.
Pawlowski said he wanted to garner planning board input about the idea.
“The main reason is because it seems like it’s a mistake that the road frontage is zoned R-80,” he said, adding that he lives in Mattituck and the property “sit’s in no man’s land” in a transitional area between the business corridor and the Laurel Links area further west.
The zone change, he said, would seem to be a natural fit for the area. “Our goal is to be conforming,” Pawlowski said.
His vision would be for a “campus style business location,” that would have curb appeal and “never look like a strip mall.”
Pawlowski said by no means would he look to maximize density; he would incorporate large, green buffers into the design, as well as proper parking setbacks.
The plan would be to site incorporate general business with mixed use, businesses on the first floor and apartments on the second. Although the apartments would be rented at market value, as rentals, they would be affordable, he said.
Each apartment would be one or two bedroom unit, Pawlowski said.
“It seems like the perfect piece of property if the town needs to expand,” he added, stating that very few parcels remained in Mattituck for development.
Parking spaces would be “sizable”, he said, adding that businesses on the parcel would not compete with those on Love Lane. “As a resident, I respect that,” Pawlowski said.
Planning board chair Donald Wilcenski said the idea of apartments was “intriguing”; Pawlowski said a prior proposal for affordable housing at the site was no longer on the table. He added that neighbors in the area would be happy to have the land on the back of the property undeveloped.
The planning board agreed to review the concept and put their thoughts into writing for the town board’s review.
