At a recent planning board work session, a new site plan application for Olde Colonial Place, LLC, located at 615 Pike Street, was discussed. Plans call for the demolition of an existing two-and-a-half story building and to construct a 60′ by 93′, or 5,580 square foot multi-use, five unit commercial building, no basement, and 21 parking stalls on an .05 acre in the hamlet business zoning district.
Broidy, who owns the building directly next door, lives in Southampton, said uses would include retail, an art studio, a dentist and a takeout establishment.
“I’m in love with Love Lane,” Broidy said, after the meeting.
According to the planning board, 38 parking stalls are required for the plans proposed, with 21 proposed. “They are very short on parking requirements,” said Brian Cummings, town planner, adding that Pike Street has “limited to no” parking and a nearby municipal lot is filled to capacity.
Broidy maintained that there is currently adequate parking in the area; he came prepared with a map and plans for how he’d like to reconfigure parking around Pike Street.
Also discussed were setbacks, overhead electric, and details such as planter boxes.
Planning board staff asked that the applicant come back with a key map showing all existing buildings and uses within a certain number of feet from the parcel.
Planning board member Jim Rich asked if there was any historical significance to the building that would be torn down to make way for the plan. Planning Director Heather Lanza said that would be determined later on in the process.
Broidy, who attended the first meeting of the Mattituck Laurel Civic Association, where some expressed concerns about parking, brought along his plan for parking reconfiguration.
The goal, he said, is to “promote more pedestrian traffic for the historic Love Lane and Pike Street district with additional parking.”
His proposed solutions include the realignment of the parking field behind all stores on the west side of Love Lane and to provide additional parking where the road should be abandoned, in his opinion; that, he said, would add approximately 100 to 120 additional parking spots. He suggested closing off the first 100 feet of Old Sound Road from Main Road and providing an access lane from Love Lane to Route 25 with an island and stop signs.
The abandoned property, Broidy said, could be sold to raise funds for the parking lot alignment and additional parking.
Other suggestions, Broidy said, include a tour bus that would attract new pedestrians to the area; changing Love Lane to no more than one hour parking; relining the parking lot behind stores on the east side of Love Lane to accommodate additional parking; and, no longer allow overnight parking in either parking lot.
