Comments on: Going to SEEDS

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 04:47:00 +0000

In spite of well-intentioned study projects like SEEDS that advocate for better land use, and even the creation of the Community Preservation Fund (CPF) to take open space out of development, the Southampton and East Hampton Town populations are on pace to grow by another 20% this decade, as they have in the previous two. That will result in a whopping 60% plus population growth on the South Fork from 1980 to 2010!
We need to keep in mind that the “smart growth” advocated by SEEDS is still growth. When you couple our full-time resident population growth with the rapid rate of second home building for part-time residents and the continuing rise in seasonal tourism, you can see why our environmental problems have become so acute. And I see no reason why they won’t get even worse in the next few years.
While I applaud attempts to slow or even cap development on the South Fork, there does not seem to be much will to do so. When you boil it all down, individual property rights trump community rights more often than not, and there is still plenty of legally zoned land available for development in our area, as well as easily acquired variances if not.
In my opinion, we need to start dealing with the impact of a much larger population NOW, because it is already here. And when the baby boomers who own most of the already built second homes start retiring and become full time residents, it will get much worse. Remember, nearly half of all homes on the South Fork are second homes; in other words, our full-time resident population could double without building another home!
That’s why I’ve shifted my focus recently to public transportation development and advocacy. When you talk to residents about the negative impact of this expanded population, it is almost always characterized in terms of traffic issues on our roads and parking problems in our Villages and hamlets.
So, I believe we need to develop a first class public transportation system on the South Fork and the East End, consisting of coordinated rail and bus shuttles that can help some residents, workers, second homeowners and tourists move around without using their cars. If we can get 10-20% of the vehicles off the roads, especially during peak periods, we can reduce or eliminate our severe traffic and parking problems and make things better for everyone, even those who continue to drive.
A group of East End residents has developed and advocated for a service known as East End Shuttle™, as well as our own East End Transportation Authority to operate it. All of our initial research and development work can be found on our website at http://www.eastendshuttle.org. In January, we expect to begin a one year feasibility study funded by a grant from New York State with matching funds from the five East End Towns to prove out the technical and operational aspects of our concept.
I’ll keep you advised of our progress.
Hank de Cillia, Executive Director
Five Town Rural Transit, Inc.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 14:09:00 +0000

I was wondering how the GEIS and SEED effort relates to Southampton Town’s Master Plan and the 1999 Comprehensive Plan, how the Town’s Department of Land Management has responded to the Sag Harbor effort. I don’t have a great deal of knowledge about the comprehensive plan but I know they came up with 350 action items, do any relate to the Sag Harbor development plans?
I generally agree with the idea of a regional GEIS

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 03:01:00 +0000

It might indeed, however, first the local towns and villages have to agree to reference the SEEDS concepts in their planning.
During the SEEDS process, input, opinions and feedback were gathered from government officials, transportation providers, planners, business people and the proverbial man on the street. There was a lot of input, and by and large, the SEEDS report is based on what people in this area want and think will work. So, while nothing is guaranteed, the report should meet with broad approval, as it contains no surprises.
The next step is for the various East End towns and villages to enter into an inter-municipal agreement that in some way moves the process ahead. One thing I neglected to mention in the original post is that in its implementation, SEEDS must be a regional effort. No one town or village can bring about the necessary changes on its own. Except in as much as there will always need to be compromises worked out between the various government entities, none should have to relinquish any soveriegnty.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 23:21:00 +0000

The SEEDS report sounds interesting. It seems like this might be the beginning of the way to finally do things right in this area.
Do you have any idea how local officials, developers, realtors, and other interested parties feel about the report? Also, what would be the next step? Do local entities relinquish any control by adopting SEEDS measures?