Mattituck could soon have a new affordable housing option for those looking to live and work in Southold Town.
Developer Paul Pawlowski came before the town board Tuesday to present his plan for an affordable-to-moderate income housing project that would be sited on a parcel he’s purchasing on Main Road, across from the former Capital One building, in Mattituck.
“Yes, I’m a developer, but I want to stress that the goal is to work to try and pull off a development of this sort to improve the affordable housing situation on the North Fork,” Pawlowski said to the town board at Tuesday’s work session.
The plan would call the town board to approve a change of zone from residential R-80 to AHD, or affordable housing district.
The 20.8 acre property, Pawlowki said, is in close proximity to public transportation and stores, a wooded area near other residential properties.
Pawlowski, a Mattituck resident, said the parcel could feature up t0 75 one-to-three bedroom rental cottages , with natural buffers on all sides.
The homes would provide an option for workforce housing, as well as for seniors, providing affordable rentals “which are definitely lacking on the North Fork,” Pawlowski said. “What’s out there now are illegal rentals or not-affordable opportunities. There’s no in-between,” he said.
Working with a partner and with his sister as an on-site manager of the development, Pawlowski said he hopes to work within the guidelines of the town’s affordable housing standards and Suffolk County restrictions.
In addition, Pawlowski assured the rental properties would all be well-maintained.
If he receives all necessary approvals, the developer said he could have the project done “start to finish” in 12 months.
He said he’d work with the Suffolk County Department of Public Works so there would not be a “traffic nightmare,” with a goal of respecting the surrounding residence already in existence.
Monthly rents would range from $1,0008 for a one-bedroom, $1210 for a two-bedroom, and $1397 for a three-bedroom unit, as per affordable housing guidelines set by the town board each year.
Councilwoman Louisa Evans asked about the planned on-site sewage treatment plant; Pawlowski said Suffolk County is active in pursuing on-site options and could possibly help defray some costs.
Each unit would have an 1100 square foot “footprint” on a quarter acre each of property, Pawlowski said, all single story, and built on slabs, with no garages and no basements; attic space would be provided.
If the density needed to be decreased, Pawlowski said he could fit two 550-square feet one-bedroom units into one dwelling.
Each unit would cost $135,000 each to build, he said.
Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said the development would serve “mixed age community, with people of all ages.”
Southold Town Special Projects Coordinator Phillip Beltz would have a list of applicants and ensure that each met the town’s affordable housing criteria, he said.
Councilwoman Jill Doherty said Mattituck “is getting saturated. It’s too bad we can’t spread the wealth. Everything’s in Mattituck, in our school district. It’s a lot of pressure. I don’t know how the general population will feel about another subdivision like this in there.”
Pawlowski said the number of children entering the district would be dependent on how many seniors sought rentals. “I don’t think it will tax the school district that much,” he said.
“It depends on the demographics,” Doherty said.
The town board agreed to send the concept to the planning board, so that they could weigh in on the proposal.
“Tell the planning board to think globally,” Doherty said to town planning director Heather Lanza.
