Having already assembled a planning reform advisory group, this week Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst promised members of the Bridgehampton Citizens Advisory Committee that she will strive towards creating a more public planning process, where residents can weigh in on development plans and even planned development districts before they get too far down the pike, a criticism with town planning that developers and activists alike have expressed in recent years.

On Monday, August 23 Throne-Holst raised the issue after Bridgehampton CAC chairman Fred Cammann argued that planned development districts (PDD) have “not served Bridgehampton, or really any other place well at all.”

This summer, in the face of several PDD proposals in front of the town board — including one for a mixed-use development in Tuckahoe and another in Water Mill — the town has been criticized for using the zoning tool, which allows developers to forgo seeking a formal change in zoning to accomplish their project and instead asks the town board to overlay new zoning over their parcels for their specific proposal. The concept of the PDD law is that these projects would have to offer a significant community benefit in turn.

This Thursday, the board will host a public hearing that would change the PDD section of the town code to conform with New York State law in regards to what those public benefits should be.

Throne-Holst called the change in legislation “a good beginning,” but added she would like to see the planning reform advisory group, made up of civic group members, planning board members, local attorneys and planners, address the planning process in the town as a whole, with the issue of PDDs at the top of their agenda.

Last year, said Throne-Holst, the town started allowing pre-submission conferences, similar to public hearings, on large projects to hear input from the community before a project was so far down the pike that meaningful change became impossible.

“The idea is before a developer spends thousands of dollars and time and effort in putting together a plan to the best of their ability, the community has a chance to look at the basic idea and weigh in on it,” said Throne-Holst. “It gives the developer the chance to weigh that and develop their plans accordingly, or not, but at least it gives the public the chance to weigh in at an early stage.”

Throne-Holst said she would like to see a similar process set up for proposed PDDs, during which any public benefits would be vetted. The advisory group is also looking at developing a codified list of desired community benefits, hamlet by hamlet, where residents of each community could weigh in on the community benefits they would like to see in their region of the town if a PDD is proposed by a developer.

Creating a clear-cut timeline for how that process, and the planning process in general, is carried out by the town is also a priority, she said.

“It may or may not be able to be done that way, but that is a small laundry list of what we are looking at,” she said.

Cammann said his concern was it seems the PDD process looks at a specific proposal and its community benefits rather than the town understanding what public benefits they would like to see developed.

“The zoning, good or bad, is what we have all become pretty used to and, when a PDD proposal comes in, it is not clear to us that it is beneficial to our community,” he said.

“What was missing, and I think this is what needs to be codified, there needs to be a discussion about whether the benefit should be a specific community benefit or a benefit to the whole town,” said CAC member Janice Delano.

Throne-Holst reiterated that the focus right now is looking at the needs of each hamlet, and that at any pre-submission hearing members of the affected hamlet, or the town as a whole would have the opportunity to weigh in with their concerns.

CAC member Jeffrey Vogel added that he would like to see the CACs have a greater voice in the process, and as of now, he feels often they weigh in, but are not heard.

On the other side of the coin, referencing the stalled condo project at the former Bulova Watchcase Factory in Sag Harbor, CAC member Richard Bruce said he would like to see a process where good projects are shepherded through the town more quickly to encourage good development.

Throne-Holst noted that what is viewed as a good project by some, is often a project detested by others, and whether or not it is a good project tends to be subjective.

For example, with the proposed Tuckahoe PDD, which would create a grocery store, several retail stores and apartments, some affordable in nature, Throne-Holst said she has heard mixed reviews from community members.

“Some people hate it, some people say we need a grocery store in our backyard, we need accessible and affordable retail,” she said.

“I think the end result has to be we create a process that supports what you would call a good application,” she continued. “A process that allows a good application to move forward expeditiously.”

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Kathryn G. Menu

The Southampton Housing Authority is reaching out to local citizen advisory and community groups in an effort to develop a five-year plan to create affordable housing in Southampton Town that is tailor-made to suit its various hamlets and villages.

On Monday, May 24, Southampton Housing Authority Executive Director Richard Blowes and business manager Ann Gajowski presented the housing authority’s mission to the Bridgehampton Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) and asked the membership for support and ideas as it develops its business plan for the future. Earlier this month, Blowes and Gajowski made a similar entreaty to the Sag Harbor CAC.

The Southampton Housing Authority will work in tandem with the town’s housing office, although it is its own entity. Gajowski explained the authority has also set up a not-for-profit arm, which enables it to bond for its own projects and seek financing through government grants.

Currently, the housing authority owns the Hampton Bays apartments, a 37-unit complex for seniors and the disabled, which Gajowski noted has a waiting list hundreds deep. It also boasts nine foreclosed parcels – all west of the canal – given to the authority by Suffolk County for affordable housing initiatives. 

 “But we are here tonight to work on a business plan, a business plan that works within each different neighborhood,” said Gajowski, later adding their hope to eliminate the feeling in some communities that affordable housing projects are being “crammed down your throats.”

 “We want to identify what is affordable, what is not, what is the supply, what is the demand,” said Gajowski.

Blowes said he normally begins meetings noting that across Southampton everyone seems to agree with one thing – that the region is in need of affordable housing.

“There is no silver bullet,” he added, noting it will take several kinds of affordable housing initiatives to make a dent in demand.

Researching rural housing authorities, Blowes said he has learned that “less is more” in some cases. For example, in Tuckahoe a developer in a planned development district has planned 16 affordable units that Blowes said he doubts will be affordable when rent and maintenance fees come into play. He said he would instead advocate the developer retain eight units to sell or rent at market and give the authority the remainder to run as affordable units.

Blowes said he would also like to develop a program where he is able to offer the housing solely to those working or volunteering in Southampton – something the authority is unable to do when it accepts properties from the county or other municipal sources and grants, which often have their own, clear-cut requirements for the housing.

He said the authority was also interested in working with existing properties rather than adding to density by building new affordable units.

“In many cases, those people will be our own families,” said Blowes noting while his generation is known as the Baby Boomers, his own children’s is now known as the Boomerangs, with many coming home to live with their parents just as his own son has despite running a successful technical business.

Blowes said the authority would like to see if communities would support something similar to a real estate transfer tax, adding if sellers of properties valued over $2 million paid half of one percent towards affordable housing the town would have an estimated $3 million to work with annually. Tax credits and other incentives for developers looking to develop in planned development districts and are willing to include affordable housing is also being explored, he said.

 “One of the things this community could provide is aid from our substantial residents in doing what you are trying to do,” said CAC Chairman Fred Cammann, noting the Bridgehampton community may be low on land for development, but has financial resources in its citizenry.

“There are a lot of derelict properties that are eyesores and not getting any better, continuing to fall a part,” added Richard Bruce, noting the community would certainly support affordable housing development there. Bruce wondered if the former Bulova Watchcase Factory in Sag Harbor could be condemned and made into affordable housing, which Blowes said the Sag Harbor CAC advocated the authority explore for housing in the village.

 “It’s just that we don’t want to take on more than we can chew and we want to have a good foundation in place,” said Blowes.

Blowes urged the CAC to reach out to fellow community members for input and said he promised to return once a draft five-year plan has been created, likely in two months time.

“I can commit to you we will not start anything without coming directly to the community or CAC.”

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Bryan Boyhan

Southampton Town is about to adopt new boundary lines for all of its hamlets and for Noyac, that either means it’s going to be a bit bigger or a bit smaller, depending upon who you talk to.

As proposed the northern boundary is obvious, the bay, and the eastern boundary remains pretty much as everyone is familiar with: all the way across Long Beach to the Village of North Haven at Short Beach. The line jogs down along Noyac Road and the shoreline of the cove to the Village of Sag Harbor and Ligonee Creek. From there it travels south to Middle Line Highway where it then runs back west to Deerfield Road.

And here is where the controversy begins.

As proposed, the line will travel north and west, keeping the Northside Hills subdivision to the east and inside the Noyac hamlet. Crossing Noyac Road it would also take in Sunset Shores and Rawson Estates. These would be the western-most communities in the hamlet.

Which does not sit well with Sherri Kiselyak, who is co-chairman of the Noyac Citizens Advisory Committee. The proposed boundary actually puts her home in Glenview Hills, a couple hundred yards down the road, out of Noyac and into North Sea.

“The 2004 hamlet study made a recommendation that was further west,” maintains Kiselyak, who said that study placed the boundary at Whalebone Landing, which will now be excluded. In addition, Kiselyak said her research has shown local surveyors have long identified properties in her area as being in Noyac, and in fact her deed says she lives in Noyac.

But the town says they are actually giving Noyac more territory to the west. A map prepared during the master plan of the 1970s, and used by the town since then, shows the western end of Noyac to be Deerfield Road. But during the review of the hamlets, the town found that there were people who lived west of Deerfield who had 725 telephone exchanges, and sent their children to Sag Harbor schools.

“Their identity was clearly more Noyac,” said Southampton Town Councilperson Nancy Graboski. And the town re-drew the line — receiving the consent of the North Sea CAC — to follow the school district line, taking in all of Northside Hills.

But that still doesn’t satisfy Kiselyak, who said the “service lines” such as school districts and fire districts are not supposed to determine hamlet lines, and the CAC points to the hamlet study which says “the master plan did not do enough to take into consideration the boundaries of individual residential communities…”

At stake is the voice of the community when it comes to town matters, argued Kiselyak.

“We’re shrinking,” she said, “who’s going to listen to Noyac; they’re so small.”

The town is expected to adopt the boundaries at its meeting this Tuesday.

Popularity: 2% [?]

By Marissa Maier

On Monday, March 29, Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst braved the precipitation at the Ronkonkoma train station to make a surprising announcement. Joined by the supervisors of the towns of Brookhaven, Huntington, Smithtown, Islip, Riverhead and Babylon, Throne-Holst said the municipalities intend to file a lawsuit against New York State over the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) employer “Payroll” tax.

Similar to a lawsuit filed by William Schoolman, President of Classic Coach and the Hampton Luxury Liner, the towns argue the payroll tax bill breached the state constitution. At the press conference, the supervisors pointed out the legislation required a home rule message from the chief executive of each of the counties affected by the tax. The bill also failed to garner support from two-thirds of the state legislature, which is a requirement of a special law, or law that only affects a portion of the state.

“As town leaders, we work most intimately with the constituent base, and together we want to make it abundantly clear to the state that the payroll tax is an unacceptable way to pay for the shortfalls caused by poor financial planning,” said Throne-Holst. “As local representatives, it is our responsibility to stand up to the state for handing down inappropriate and, we believe, illegal ways to tax our residents with no justifiable level of service in return.”

Last year, the state legislature approved the payroll tax as a way to shore up the MTA’s $1.2 billion deficit. The tax charges employers an additional $34 for every $1,000 of payroll and applies to governments, schools and not-for profit organizations. According to Southampton Town, the county has contributed roughly $100 million toward the new tax with the town spending around $50,000. As part of his budget amendments, Governor David Paterson unveiled possible amendments to the payroll tax levy in early February. He proposes removing the fixed tax rate of $34 per $1000 of payroll. Instead, New York City employers would pay $54, while counties lying outside of New York City would pay $17 per $1,000. The state budget will be passed today, April 1.

State Assemblyman Fred Thiele, Jr. of Sag Harbor, though, would like to see an outright repeal of the payroll tax. He added officials in Albany are taking note of these lawsuits.

“There are a number of things they are taking seriously,” said Thiele. “First was the litigation brought by the Hampton Luxury Liner. Now you have a number of towns bringing forward a lawsuit. In addition you had a couple of special elections for assembly seats about a month ago [in which] Democrats lost seats and the MTA payroll tax was a factor in these races.”

Thiele specifically cited assembly seats in White Plains and East Patchogue, which were traditionally held by Democrats but were won by the Republican candidates in the special elections. Assemblyman Dean Murray of East Patchogue was outspoken in his criticism of the Democratic support for the payroll tax, added Thiele, and Murray called for a forensic audit of the MTA’s finances.

“I am glad these actions are being taken right now in the middle of the budget process,” added Thiele of the lawsuits. “It is on the radar screen, but I don’t minimize the fact that Albany seems to be dominated by the New York City interest. Part of the battle we have to fight is with the governor and the two legislative leaders who are from New York City.”

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We’re thrilled to see the anti-MTA payroll tax movement picking up steam here on the East End. Of all the insults taxpayers and residents of this part of the world have suffered in recent years, perhaps none makes our blood boil quite like this ridiculous payroll tax.

For the uninitiated, this is a tax that all employers must pay ($34 on every $1,000 in payroll) directly to the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), an entity that moves the commuters of New York City and its near suburbs on a daily basis, but which provides laughable service to the East End. This week, Southampton Town discussed joining a lawsuit filed recently against the MTA and its tax by William Schoolman, owner of the Classic Coach and Hampton Luxury Liner.

Schoolman’s anger at the tax is easy to understand. How would you feel if you were a business required, by law, to funnel money directly into the pockets of your competition? If one could even call the MTA Schoolman’s “competition.” With only four trains on a good day, it’s not as if the agency, recipient of billions in taxpayer money, provides even a fraction of the service the Luxury Liner is able to offer on the East End without public funding.

So spurred on by Schoolman’s lead, the Town of Southampton is now considering legal action either by joining Schoolman’s suit or initiating one of their own. Just for the record, Southampton Town (and therefore, taxpayers) have already shelled out $50,000 towards the payroll tax.

Though Governor Paterson recently unveiled amendments to the tax which, if approved, would reduce the liability to outlying areas, like ours, to $17 per $1,000 of payroll, we’d rather just see this tax go away altogether. In fact, why can’t we make the MTA go away as well? Maybe a lawsuit or two will bring the kind of momentum we could use in our favor to finally create the Peconic Bay Regional Transit Authority and take transportation (and ideally, transportation tax dollars) into our own hands.

In the face of financial woes in both towns and people here in dire need of jobs and benefits, the fact that the MTA feels we should give them a handout is absurd and insulting. Now that they’ve got our money, it’s clear from the MTA’s recent threat to discontinue weekend service to the North Fork that we can expect only less service from this entity in the future.

As a side note, the Suffolk County Legislature this week approved a bill introduced by legislator Jay Schneiderman to increase fares on county bus routes. The increase would go toward initiating Sunday bus service, which is currently not available, but vital to workers with no other viable source of transportation to their jobs (certainly not the MTA).

So we would like to take this opportunity to encourage Southampton Town to seriously look into its legal options against the MTA tax and we invite East Hampton, North Haven and Sag Harbor to consider it as well. Maybe Southampton Hospital, an organization that has struggled to support itself in recent years, should join the suit as well. The hospital has paid $150,000 toward the payroll tax so far. We somehow doubt that any hospital workers were able to commute to their jobs by MTA — and are left wondering how much extra they had to pay to get to work on Sundays because the county buses don’t run.

Popularity: 1% [?]

By Marissa Maier

William Schoolman, owner of the Classic Coach and Hampton Luxury Liner, launched a lawsuit against New York State over the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) “payroll” tax in December 2009. Only four months later, the Southampton Town Board is considering joining Schoolman’s case or filing one of their own.

Approved by the legislature in 2009, the “payroll” tax is imposed on employers in all 12 counties the MTA serves, costing them roughly $34 per $1,000 of payroll. And although these figures may seem paltry, the Southampton Hospital has paid around $150,000 for this particular tax.

“The Town of Southampton on behalf of its residents and businesses needs to fight this tax more aggressively,” said councilman Chris Nuzzi, who is leading the push in town hall to take legal action. “We’re in a recession, laying off employees and trying to reduce costs. But the MTA just took another $50,000 from the Southampton taxpayer.”

The MTA and the state appear to be responding to Long Island residents’ public criticism of the tax. In January, the Long Island Railroad, an entity of the MTA, announced plans to eliminate weekday service between Ronkonkoma and Greenport, but recently reneged on this decision. Governor David Paterson unveiled possible amendments to the payroll tax levy in early February. He proposes removing the fixed tax rate of $34 per $1,000 of payroll. Instead, New York City employers would pay $54, while counties lying outside of New York City would pay $17 per $1,000.

“My preference is for the state to rescind the law in its entirety,” said Nuzzi in an interview on Monday when asked about Governor Paterson’s amendments. “As far as I am concerned we still don’t receive in services what we pay for.”

Before the payroll tax was implemented, Suffolk County paid the MTA roughly $250 million through various taxes in 2008. So far, Southampton Town alone has paid around $50,000 for its portion of the “payroll” tax.

In the past couple of weeks, Nuzzi asked acting town attorney Kathleen Murray to explore the town’s legal options. Murray will analyze whether the town should join Schoolman’s case or initiate a separate lawsuit.

Councilman Jim Malone and councilwoman Nancy Graboski voiced support for Nuzzi’s idea in a press release distributed last week. Newly elected councilwoman Bridget Fleming and supervisor Anna Throne-Holst have yet to formally sign on to the measure. Nuzzi appeared certain he would receive the backing from the full town board.

“I am hopeful I can build consensus and we can proceed forward here,” said Nuzzi. “This is an important issue that cuts across political boundaries. We need to act in unison.”

As of yet, Southampton Town is the only local municipality to publicly contemplate filing a lawsuit over the tax. Nuzzi said he plans to approach East Hampton Town officials to join in these efforts.

“We are all in this boat together,” noted Nuzzi.

Sag Harbor Village Mayor Brian Gilbride said the village board is watching the plans of the town with keen interest. Asked if the village plans to move in a similar direction, Gilbride said, “The jury is still out.”

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The recently-elected Southampton Town Highway Superintendent on the cost of hauling leaves and why residents should bag their own.

What are some of the changes you’re considering to the leaf and brush pickup program?

I’m trying to go at it in a different way. It takes too long to do cleanup the way it is and I want to solicit public input. There are some things I’ve looked into, including what is done by other municipalities. The time it takes and the cost is prohibitive; but I still want to provide the services.

What would individuals be responsible for?

I’m trying to pull on the resources of the community and see what they think. Many municipalities have switched to biodegradable paper bags for residents to bag their own leaves. We also want to create a voucher system. We would create vouchers you can give to a kid in the neighborhood who cleans up your leaves or a landscaper and it allows them to drop 12 yards of leaves at the transfer station for free.

Would there be a charge for bags?

Some towns charge. My thought is to give each household 25 bags for free. And you can buy them from the town at 47 cents per bag. These are four-foot bags, wet strength — so they’ll hold up if it rains — and biodegradable. It’s a hardy bag.

What happens with the sticks?

They would get picked up.

Can resident leave bagged leaves in front of their house?

We’ll pick them up for free. It’s faster to pick up bagged leaves than having to pick up loose leaves.

Another option is to maybe allow loose leaves in the fall, but no brush. Then pick up leaves and brush in the spring. Spring clean up only takes about six weeks.

Anything that can free up the crews.

What has prompted these changes?

We’re in the middle of March and still in the middle of leaf cleanup from last fall. People are frustrated that it takes so long. I want to do what I believe the people feel is more important, like fixing roads and guard rails, filling pot holes and replacing signage. We lose 600 signs a year that are stolen. That adds up to a lot of money.

I don’t know if residents know all that we’re responsible for; for example, any illegal dumping we’re responsible for cleaning up. If someone is evicted, we have to clean out the house.

I want to devote more time to installing and maintaining drainage. I can’t do it now with the manpower we have. In 1994 the town had 84 highway department employees, today there are 51. I have to use the workforce wisely.

How expensive has the leaf program become?

We’ve been at the fall cleanup for16 weeks, and hope to be done by the end of March.

Just for dumping the leaves at the town transfer station it costs $354,000. Nineteen weeks of labor for 40 employees is $600,000, plus benefits and overtime.

That number won’t change if changes to the leaf program are made — it’s just that they will be devoted to other work.

Fuel for the program is $120,000 for 19 weeks. Outside contractors another $33,000.

In all, it’s $1,326,000 just for the leaf and brush program in spring and fall.

What do you see the people want?

I see that they want everything. They want to continue to have leaves picked up, but they’re concerned about the cost and time. I see they want more of what a typical highway department does.

You’re hosting a leaf forum next week. What do you hope to accomplish?

That I walk away with my head still on my shoulders. That people understand I’m asking for their input and that I want to do what has been neglected for years.

I want to tell people, ‘look, it’s become a monster.’ I want to stick to what’s important. I want to try to do what a highway department does.

I’m not committed to any one program; but the trend is going toward bags, and some sort of self-hauling.

What should people expect?

I’ll be asking if they hire a landscaper, do they do their own yard work. I want to ask for their input.

My choices are to do nothing, keep it as it is, or do we make some changes, or just drop it. The first 20 minutes people can socialize, have some coffee. We’ll have easels up showing what other municipalities are doing. I have a short presentation and then we’ll open it up for comments and suggestions.

I’m not leaning one way; but I will say, right now, the leaf program as we have it, stinks.

The leaf forum will be held this Saturday, March 27, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the clubhouse of The Bridge Golf Club in Noyac, 1180 Millstone Rd.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Noyac residents have waited six years to have a traffic calming plan in place in front of Cromer’s Market, and have suffered much longer with a roadway which has become increasingly dangerous. Two fatalities and a number of accidents in the vicinity the past year alone should flag this stretch as a priority for the Town of Southampton.

We were happy to report several weeks ago that the town was intending to begin a re-design of several hundred feet of the roadway, actually moving a portion of Noyac Road about a dozen feet south of its present location, giving drivers more room and a safer way to enter and exit the parking lot in front of Cromer’s and the Whalebone General Store. In summer months in particular, this can be a treacherous place to get in and out of.

At Tuesday night’s Noyac Civic Council meeting, newly-elected town highway superintendent Alex Gregor reviewed with the audience of Noyac residents the plan that has seen numerous drafts and revisions, and we’d have to say the thirty or so in attendance were happy to see a plan that can move forward.  We heard Mr. Gregor say he hoped to have work begin on the project shortly after Labor Day.

We also heard something else in his voice: a bit of hesitation.

In his presentation, Mr. Gregor appeared less certain the project would actually be started this year. Even civic council president Chuck Neuman appeared concerned, fearing that if the project was passed over, Noyac would again have to wait through another cycle of project funding.

At issue is a piece of land that must first be deeded to the town from a subdivision across the street from Cromer’s, upon which the road would be moved. Mr. Gregor said he has urged town attorneys to push to finalize the deal, but it has not yet been done.

We are incredulous that after so much time, the town may once again drop the ball on a project in the hamlet — and one that clearly has health and safety issues. If they fail to move on Noyac Road this year it will simply underscore that Noyac truly is the town’s poor stepchild.

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Mirroring a similar debate at Southampton Town Hall – one that will likely be resolved by this week’s election – last week Sag Harbor Citizen Advisory Committee members Eric Cohen and Bill Collins entered a heated discussion about whether the town should utilize available grant monies and create a sustainability coordinator position.

On February 23, the Southampton Town Board tabled a resolution creating the position of sustainability coordinator, a position envisioned as one that would oversee conservation and energy issues within the town. The position, which would have been funded through a $206,600 grant from the United States Department of Energy, stalled after board members Chris Nuzzi and Jim Malone expressed concern the job would eventually become a civil service position funded by taxpayer dollars. However, according to the resolution, the sustainability coordinator would be a non-union position in the town.

According to Cohen, who broached the subject hoping to garner the support of the CAC in asking the town move forward with the hire, despite the support of Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst and councilwoman Nancy Grabowski, without Malone or Nuzzi ready to approve the position, and without a fifth councilperson, the board was at a stalemate. A new vote is expected later this month, on March 23.

“It’s budget neutral,” explained Cohen, who said he was quite upset the town had not moved forward last month. “If we don’t take this grant someone else will take the grant.”

“This is why we are in such financial problems,” countered Collins, arguing the grant is funded by federal taxes.

“What I am saying is the money has already been spent,” replied Cohen. “It is a question of whether it comes here or goes elsewhere.”

Cohen argued that in addition to being funded by grant monies this year, the coordinator is responsible for securing grants to continue the position in coming years. There is also a financial benefit to having the coordinator, he said, as they will be charged with promoting and helping to find funding for energy saving projects within the town and for residents, as well as implementing sustainability programs that require a coordinator in order for the town to be eligible for grant monies.

“Because in theory you are opposed to spending taxpayer money, we can’t have the benefit,” asked Cohen. “Let’s let another town have it?”

Collins said often once a town position or department is created, no matter what, that department is never disbanded or the position eliminated.

“But if the person hired is doing something beneficial for the town and the individual saves the town money, wouldn’t you say that is a good hire,” countered Cohen.

Collins said he would like to see an in-house hire, rather than a new town employee, but Cohen said the town has looked in-house and failed to find someone interested or qualified for the job.

“I like to see government conservative in its spending, but I have never been a believer that we don’t have to pay for what we want,” said Cohen.

“And believe me, if this guy doesn’t deliver the goods, he won’t slip under the radar,” agreed CAC chairman John Linder.

Failing to reach consensus, Cohen said he would rather the CAC not weigh in on the issue as a body, although members later said they would write personal letters of support for the position.

In other CAC news, the head of Southampton Town Code Enforcement Donald Kauth approached the committee in what he said was a renewed effort by his department to reach out to civic associations in the town. After walking the committee through the code enforcement department’s role in the town, Kauth said it was his hope organizations and individuals alike continue to inform the department about any concerns they may have. The code enforcement department can be reached by calling 702-2927.

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John Linder, the chairman of the Sag Harbor Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), wants to ensure large developments are not railroaded through the Southampton Town planning department without ample public input from town residents, he said during a meeting last Friday.

Linder would like the CAC, a civic organization regulated by Southampton Town, to be allowed to comment on issues like the development of the former Bulova Watchcase Factory, which is located in the Village of Sag Harbor and therefore is not subject to the CAC’s jurisdiction.

To this end, during the committee’s monthly meeting on January 8, Linder suggested the committee focus its efforts on the town’s planning department and board, with hopes of gently expanding the role of CACs in development issues on the East End.

The recommendations followed a meeting with Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne Holst, who will host regular sessions with CAC chairs to take the pulse of the town at large.

“Anna, to her credit, seems to be welcoming and open to all this input,” said Linder. Frank Zappone, Throne-Holst’s deputy supervisor who will oversee the town’s interaction with the CACs, has asked that all CACs come up with a list of issues they would like the town to focus on in the coming year, said Linder.

Linder suggested the CAC concentrate on improving planning and zoning processes in the town by weighing in on developments in their hamlets at the beginning of the process rather than at the end, when changes become more difficult.

“We want to establish a culture that stresses planning over processing,” said Linder, citing the Town of East Hampton’s policy on public input early on in an application as a model for the Town of Southampton.

Linder said he would like to see a member of the board assigned to a geographic area and available to community leaders during the course of an application. He also said he would like to see professional standards set for board members, with performance evaluations and legislation in place that would allow for the removal of a board member if just cause was established.

“I am not sure I like that,” said CAC member Eric Cohen.

Linder also suggested the town re-examine the zoning for each hamlet, using community input, and the establishment of affordable housing guidelines for each community based on the hamlet’s wants and needs. He said there should be a focus on the town’s code enforcement department, and to ensure it is doing its job.

Shana Conron said she believed the Sag Harbor CAC should concentrate its efforts particularly on code enforcement and making changes to the planning process.

“I would rather work on two projects that may become a reality,” she said.

Linder agreed that while the rest of the CACs in Southampton Town may focus on this general list of priorities, he would also like to see Sag Harbor concentrate on code enforcement and development.

“This is a good beginning, because it will create a forum to address these issues,” said Linder. “What I am looking to do with this opportunity is, one, gently expand the CAC border and borderline issues so that, for example, we could get more involved in a project like Bulova; if the hope now is that someone will find new financing and bring a project to Sag Harbor that everyone wanted – one with mixed uses.”

The Sag Harbor CAC opposed the approved, and now stalled, luxury condo project at the historic watchcase factory, hoping for mixed uses at the site as well as affordable housing.

Linder said he would also like to revisit establishing affordable housing on the Sag Harbor-Bridgehampton Turnpike, although he admitted that budgetary concerns from the federal government down to the village government could make that project an uphill battle.

“I don’t know how this can happen, but we can at least begin a process,” he said.

In other CAC news, Cohen suggested the committee consider expanding its borders to include members of the Sagaponack community that disbanded their CAC after the hamlet became a village.

“We are called the Sag Harbor CAC, but we don’t really represent Sag Harbor,” said Cohen. “I was thinking we might want to change our name to the South Sag Harbor CAC – we might get more members that way.”

Linder said he would like to reach out to the community first to see if there was interest.

“I don’t know that we need to test this,” said Cohen. “They are unrepresented now, so if they join, great. I think it is really who we represent anyway.”

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