The Heritage at Cutchogue condominium project took a step forward last night as the Southold Town planning board passed a resolution to allow workers to begin clearing and relocating trees at the Schoolhouse Road site.
The board accepted a bond in the amount of $150,014 and okayed the special request to start clearing prior to final site approval of the 124-unit condominium complex. The board conditioned the approval on several things, including site inspections, bond submission and notification to neighbors by certified mail.
The developer sought permission to start the initial clearing for phase one of its four phase development because the town prohibited it from clearing between June 1 and July 30. The developer is looking to complete the clearing work before June 1, otherwise it would have to be put off until August, when it would likely be more disturbing to neighbors since it’s the height of the summer season.
Developer Jeff Rimland and project manager Henry Alia presented architect’s renderings at the planning board work session and brought along samples of building materials for the board to examine.
Sanino Winery hearing
During a public hearing on the proposed Sannino Winery and Tasting Room on Alvah’s Lane in Cutchogue, resident Francis Slezak of Cutchogue expressed concerns about the impact the increased traffic would cause on her quality of life. The proposal for a 6,440 sq. ft. wine production and retail facility would, she said, bring traffic and its disturbances to both eastern and western abutting homeowners and church properties.
Estates at Royalton
The Estates at Royalton, a 12-lot development on a 37-acre lot on Cox Neck Road in Mattituck was granted conditional final plat approval, and the board waived the requirement to build 20 percent of the total number of units as moderate income family dwelling units; the developer will make a $424,000 payment to the Southold Town housing fund instead.
Nassau Point subdivision objections
Several Nassau Point residents appeared before the board to oppose the two-lot subdivision application of Thomas Martz at 555 Broadwaters Road in Cutchogue. The Zoning Board of Appeals has approved an area variance that allows one of the lots to be smaller than the 40,000 square feet required by the zoning code. If approved, the subdivision would create a flag lot.
Tom Cornwell, a representative of the Nassau Point Property Owners Association, said that the creation of a flag lot is unprecedented on Nassau Point and that allowing this variance would create “all kinds of havoc.”
Michael Milner, who lives nearby, said that the variance should never have been approved. “What you’re going to end up with is Douglaston, Queens. If we wanted to live in Queens, we would. You’re going to have one house right on top of the other house.”
Nassau Point resident Craig Cantelmo, who lives adjacent to the lot said that allowing the variance would essentially put a house in his back yard.
Planning board vice chairman James Rich said that all comments would be considered by the board as they moved through the application and he left the hearing open.
North Fork United Methodist Church
A hearing on the site plan for the proposed construction of the North Fork United Methodist Church at the corner of Horton’s Lane and Rt. 48 was held open until corrections to notifications were made.
