A group of concerned residents turned out Monday for a Southold Town planning board meeting where they expressed fears that a planned conservation subdivision in Orient could alter the character and sweeping views in their bucolic community forever.
Residents spoke out at a hearing held over regarding the proposed Tuthill project that would call for an 80/60 conservation subdivision of four parcels totaling 112 acres into 17 residential lots, with 94 acres to be preserved. One parcel, North Dyer, on the north side of Route 25, equals 21 acres proposed to be subdivided into six lots ranging in size from 0.7 to 0.9 acres; the property includes a 0.7 acre private right of way and 15.6 acres of preserved subdivision open space inclusive of six acres of unbuildable lands.
South Dyer, located on the south side of Route 25, 460 feet west of Oysterponds Lane behind Latham’s Farmstand, equals 35.3 acres proposed to be subdivided into five lots and includes a reserve area for agricultural related use where the lots range in size from 0.5 to 0.9 acres; property includes a 0.5 acre right of way and 28.5 acres of open space inclusive of 15 acres of unbuildable land.
A third parcel, North Brown, located on the north side of Route 25, equals 28.7 acres proposed to be subdivided into five lots ranging in size from 0.7 to 0.8 acres; the parcel includes a 1.2 acre private right of way and 23.7 acres of open space inclusive of two acres of unbuildable lands.
The fourth parcel, South Brown, is located on the south side of Route 25 east of Platt Road and equals 29.6 acres proposed to be subdivided where one lot equals 0.92 acres; the property includes 25.5 acres of open space inclusive of one acre of wetlands.
Planning director Heather Lanza spoke to the public at the hearing and explained that at the last hearing an incorrect section of code was referenced. Basically, when two or more properties are held in common ownership by the applicants and the properties are not adjacent or contiguous, the planning board can and may require clustering of the cumulative permissible yield onto one or more of the parcels, subject to the town board’s approval via a resolution.
Should the town board agree, the code would allow for the town to move lots from one property to another if the properties are all being considered together in a subdivision application, with an eye toward giving the planning board flexibility in subdivision design and protect the maximum amount of sensitive land.
Though the Town Code provides little specific guidance on how and when this section may be used, the rationale behind it is to give the planning board flexibility in subdivision design. This flexibility is provided to help the board design subdivisions that protect as much sensitive land as possible.
Should the planning board decide to use that section of the code, they would make a recommendation to the town board regarding the issue of transferring lots from one parcel to another; the town board would then review the situation and prepare a resolution for a vote.
The application also involves the creation of an open development area and the town board will hold a hearing on that.
Planning board chair Donald Wilcenski said the board had decided that the hearing would be left open for written and public comments in the future; residents stepped up to the podium to thank the board for leaving the hearing open.
Reg Tuthill brought the board and the public up to date, explaining that the entire property so far had been surveyed and a use analysis is ongoing; next steps involve working with the Orient Fire Department to address concerns.
Orient resident Bill Ryall, who is on the board of the Orient Association and the Group for the East End, said he was speaking only for himself and said he felt one issue was particularly critical. “We noticed in doing the zoning analysis,” he said, that the proposed project allows for “very, very large houses,” particularly in the south field. Ryall said the project could have 64 houses, or 110,000 square feet of houses on the five lots on the South Dyer parcel; as it stands most of the buildings on Village Lane would total only 120,000 square feet in total.
“We all know this is crazy, but this is what is happening in some places,” Ryall said, adding that on Shelter Island, the board adopted an 8,000 square foot maximum for houses and later reduced that number to 6,000 feet.
“We could say no one in in their right mind would do this, but a lot of people are not in their right minds and they could,” he said. Ryall added that the provision in the law allowing for the movement of buildable lots could be productive. “It is possible that all or most of the five houses provided for the south side of Latham’s Farmstand could be re-situated with no visual impact and much less of environmental impact,” he said.
Ryall said he understands that the Suffolk County health department often says properties of under an acre can’t get wells and septic fields on their parcel but there are new technologies to consider. The land in South Dyer is very close to the wetlands, Ryall said. “It doesn’t take long after you flush the toilets before a septic field is leaching into the bay and wetlands.”
Orient resident John Henry spoke out about preserving the view. “I feel passionately about the South Dyer property and while it is a private property it’s also a treasured view,” he said.
Should homes be built “eight times the size of Poquatuck Hall, he said, “it would disfigure” Orient forever, he said. “When so much beauty hangs in the balance, it’s great that the board will allow for future public comment.”
Bob Hanlon, president of the Orient Association, said he was concerned personally about the impact the number of potential houses on South Dyer could have on the environment.
Thomas Foster of Orient said he had questions about what types of agricultural uses could be allowed and also said he enjoys the viewshed.
Wilcenski reminded those in attendance that the planning board is at the beginning of the fact finding process and all questions would be answered during the process. “We know this is a large project and the Tuthills have worked long and hard,” he said. He added that the hearing process was commenced early due to the size of the project to allow for public input.
