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C.P.F. Referendum Requires Reconsideration

C.P.F. Referendum Requires Reconsideration

How soon we forget
By
Editorial

The East Hampton Town Board appears ready to put a measure on the November ballot intended to provide up to 20 percent of the community preservation fund for water quality improvement. Despite its backers’ good intentions, this has the makings of a massive boondoggle, leaving far too much to the discretion of politicians, if it were approved by voters.

How soon we forget, apparently. East Hampton Town was rock­ed some years ago when then-Supervisor Bill McGintee misspent millions in community preservation dollars. Exaggerated cries that he was bankrupting the town were heard, and the debt to pay it back was hefty.

Now, state and local officials are working on a structure within which millions could be available for a laundry list of water-related projects, including sewage plants and, perhaps, grants to replace cesspools that leach waste into surface or drinking water. How the money would be spent would ultimately be up to future town boards — people not all that different from the ones who ignored the McGintee debacle until it was too late. 

One huge problem is that excessive density has long been constrained by nearness to wetlands or the effect on groundwater of proposed developments. Now, with money for treatment systems, you can expect that to seem like less of a problem. Supporters of the measure say that the money could not be spent on things that “solely accommodate new or additional growth,” in the words of an East Hampton Town staff attorney. The key word here is “solely,” meaning that new and additional growth in once off-limits places might well be within the realm of possibility. As if East Hampton needs any more of anything. Come on, people, think.

Before the measure is taken to the voters, it must be made airtight, leaving no room for otherwise inevitable abuses, given politicians’ demonstrated proclivity to do the wrong thing when given the chance. Taking responsibility for its implementation away from them and placing it with a nonpartisan board should be something getting serious consideration.

Also important is decoupling the water quality aspects of the referendum from a proposed extension of the preservation fund to 2050. They are separate issues and must be presented to the voters as such.

The End of the End?

The End of the End?

The idea of a port of entry there is not all that far-fetched
By
Editorial

“Welcome to New York,” two billboards set up overnight by state workers read, along with six others with similar messages. And Montauk went nuts. To understand why the easternmost hamlet was alarmed, you need to know a little of its history and why the idea of a port of entry there is not all that far-fetched.

Between the late-19th century and the Great Depression, several schemes were floated to build a deep-water port in Fort Pond Bay. This had been a goal for Austin Corbin, an early president of the Long Island Rail Road, who in about 1885 decided it would be lucrative to have express trans-Atlantic liners dock there and discharge New York City-bound passengers onto waiting trains. The plan never evolved, and it faded after Corbin’s accidental death in 1896. 

Various attempts to revive it in one fashion or another persisted, however, including, in 1911, an idea that the ocean liners Titanic and Olympic might dock in Montauk. In 1912, a French investor secured an option on a large suitable tract. The sense was that a Fort Pond Bay port could shave about eight hours off a voyage from the United Kingdom in good weather and up to a full day when there was fog. Finally, in 1931, the chairman of the House Committee on Naval Affairs had Navy vessels sent to Fort Pond Bay to support an L.I.R.R. plan to revive Corbin’s dream.

Subsequent, less ambitious efforts have amounted to nothing, at least so far. At one time, the operators of the Cross Sound Ferry, which has service between Orient to New London, Conn., sought a South Fork terminal, perhaps in Montauk, perhaps at Promised Land in Amagansett. Cross Sound sued East Hampton Town after it adopted a law in 1997 banning most ferries. Although the suit eventually was settled, it could be revived.

Most recently, rumors have been heard that the real reason an investor bought up a number of waterfront properties, including Duryea’s Dock on Fort Pond Bay, is that cruise liners could soon begin calling there, though a spokesman, Marc Rowan, has laughed off the notion. However, the law is just wiggly enough that cruise ships anchoring in Fort Pond Bay is not necessarily beyond the realm of possibility. 

Layer on the general sense that Montauk is changing in ways that longtime residents find disturbing, and it is more or less clear why the state signs set the hamlet’s collective teeth on edge. East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell channeled his best Ronald Reagan in declaring on social media, “Mr. Cuomo, take down those signs.” It added a note of humor to an online conversation that had turned quickly toward vigilante talk of chain saws and strong trucks capable of doing the job. 

Montauk is besieged. We expect that the signs will be gone before too long. But the feeling among residents and fans that Montauk is becoming new, shiny, and unfamiliar is likely to endure.

Like Ants at a Picnic

Like Ants at a Picnic

Taxis are not the source of the problem
By
Editorial

As Fourth of July weekend and the peak of the summer season approach, complaints already have been heard about the plethora of taxis operating in East Hampton Town. Some residents object to places where drivers park to rest. Others find their sometimes littered and noisy congregation points sore points, which may interfere with the public’s access to shopping.  

Another beef is cabs standing in front of various bars and restaurants, sometimes creating traffic hazards. And yet another is that taxi drivers sometimes hunt aggressively for riders or dump people to whom they have made a commitment when they think a better money-making fare is likely.  These might be legitimate gripes, but they miss the underlying point: Taxis are not the source of the problem.

Think of the plague of taxis like ants at a picnic. When they swarm, you lift the plate of fried chicken out of their reach. In the real-world case of East Hampton, sprawling nightclubs and outdoor party hangouts are the attraction; cut down on the number of patrons and the number of cabs drops, too.

As with so many other things, Town Hall seems only able to focus on the symptoms, not the causes. As long as East Hampton has booming clubs with hundreds of drink-swilling patrons, it will have a cab problem. And no amount of regulation of drivers, taxi companies, or anything else will make much of a difference. 

Want a calmer, safer, quieter East Hampton with fewer cabbies arrogantly bombing around without regard to traffic laws? You would have to close the clubs. 

Priority for Cyril’s

Priority for Cyril’s

Returning it to a natural state would be ideal
By
Editorial

Other than for fans of the banana Bailey’s colada, a “for sale” sign on the former Cyril’s Fish House on the Napeague stretch of Montauk Highway is welcome. The eponymous owner of the bar and restaurant decided this spring to not open after losing a case in East Hampton Town Justice Court that involved a raft of building code violations. Now, the property’s owners, who were not involved in the day-to-day operations there, have put it on the market.

For all we know, East Hampton officials may already be contemplating buying the property using money from the community preservation fund. Even if that is not the case, they should take a close look. Among the town’s concerns about the operation was that its septic flow could harm groundwater and reach Napeague Harbor. Buying the property would be a great opportunity to restore the low-lying land before a new owner or commercial tenant comes along and public acquisition becomes much less likely.

Given that the property is separated only by the Long Island Rail Road tracks from Hither Hills State Park and the Walking Dunes, returning it to a natural state would be ideal. And, the bumper-to-bumper tie-ups that Cyril’s generated in its heyday would be forever gone. Given past history, it is conceivable that a future town planning board might allow the place to revert to what it was like at its worst. Eliminating that possibility should be a priority. Knocking the joint down and planting it with native vegetation would be preservation money well spent.

Let’s Pay Tribute to the Fourth of July

Let’s Pay Tribute to the Fourth of July

The official starting point of the American experiment
By
Editorial

On Monday, the South Fork’s only Fourth of July parade will take place in Southampton Village. It is a tradition-filled, small-town affair, with marching groups, veterans and elected officials riding in open cars, and spectators dressed in red, white, and blue waving flags. As lovely as the Southampton parade may be, it raises, at least for us, the question why none is organized in East Hampton Town. One should be.

Amid all the summer hubbub here, many might fail to reflect that the Fourth of July is much more than a chance to see fireworks — or a reminder to get the grocery shopping done before the weekend hordes wipe out the bread aisle. But the date really marks the official starting point of the American experiment: when the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. By signing, on July 4, 1776, the delegates gave force to an idea that had been stirring the colonies for years — a break from Great Britain.

That break was something that the celebrated East Hamptoner Samuel Mulford, known as Fish Hooks Mulford, might have welcomed. He sailed to England in 1704 to demand relief from a tax on whale oil. During the Revolutionary War, East Hampton supplied two militia companies to the Eastern Regiment, as did Bridgehampton. After the disastrous Battle of Long Island in August 1776, local men continued to harass the occupying force, capturing an English ship in Napeague Bay and a skiff filed with coffee and tea in Accabonac Harbor. Some 115 soldiers and supporters of the cause are known to be buried here.

East Hampton’s role in the War of Independence and in the creation of the United States is something that should be commemorated each year. A July Fourth parade seems the right way to do that and to remind us, if only for a few minutes, of the historical ties that make us one nation.

Bonfires? A Downtown Montauk Ban Warranted

Bonfires? A Downtown Montauk Ban Warranted

Montauk’s beaches had as many as 100 bonfires on a summer weekend night
By
Editorial

Speaking at an Amagansett citizens advisory committee meeting recently, Ed Michels, the East Hampton Town harbormaster and the person in charge of the town’s Marine Patrol, said that Montauk’s beaches had as many as 100 bonfires on a summer weekend night. He told the group that as of next week, town officers would begin enforcing a rule that fires be kindled only in metal containers and that a two-gallon bucket of water be kept within 10 feet of a fire at all times. 

The bucket rule, Mr. Michels suggested, was the aspect most likely to give his officers trouble, since those responsible for bonfires might be unlikely to have the correct equipment. Considering this, and the mess often left behind after nighttime parties, one might think the time has come to do away with downtown Montauk beach fires altogether. One hundred is just too many, if you ask us.

Underscoring the scale of problems on the beaches, Marine Patrol issued more than 2,200 summonses last year, though they weren’t all for bonfire violations, of course. As elected officials look for ways to tame the chaos, eliminating beach fires in the downtown Montauk area would be a good place to start.

Feel-Good Measures Won’t Stem the Tide

Feel-Good Measures Won’t Stem the Tide

A region that has grown too populous for its limited landmass and existing infrastructure
By
Editorial

Two recent conservation initiatives from the South Fork’s larger utilities caught our eye and support a sense that the area has reached some sort of maximum. PSEG Long Island and the Town of East Hampton have announced energy awareness days next week with a goal of dialing back on power consumption. At the same time, the Suffolk County Water Authority is pushing a voluntary odd-even day irrigation schedule to cut demand. Meanwhile, cellular companies are scrambling to erect new antennas, and ambulance companies across the region have added paid paramedics to help the volunteers cope with emergencies. 

But there is more: Water quality degradation is on the rise and up to a fifth of future community preservation fund income could be diverted to build sewage treatment plants and pay for remediation. In addition, traffic congestion has turned ordinarily brief trips into unwanted adventures. It all adds up to a region that has grown too populous for its limited landmass and existing infrastructure. 

Asking residents and business owners to conserve water or reduce their use of electricity might make officials think they are doing some good, but it will hardly make a difference. To save eastern Long Island from the all-but-inevitable will take a whole lot more than photo-ops; it will take a determined effort to reduce seasonal population surges and new residential development as well as to curtail commercial sprawl. So far, we see no evidence anyone is taking on the harder, fundamental questions. 

Yes, many of us may happily install low-flow showerheads — but what is government going to do? 

This Town Board Says Residents Come First

This Town Board Says Residents Come First

A welcome change
By
Editorial

East Hampton Town’s effort to rein in some of the excesses of the summer bar and party scene is beginning to show results. This is a welcome change, as it is safe to assume that the preponderance of residents and season-long renters do not choose to live or summer here to carouse; the area’s natural and cultural attractions are the draw. 

By the numbers, there are already, at peak, too many of us stuffed onto the 42 square miles of habitable area in town. Pile the highly mobile weekend party crowd on top of an estimated almost 100,000 people who put their heads down on pillows in summer, and you have the making of a nightmare. Credit is due the East Hampton Town Board and town staff for trying to gain the upper hand.

That an East Hampton Town Justice Court trial finally forced the eponymous owner of Cyril’s Fish House on Napeague to shut down for good is but one example. For years, officials looked the other way as the restaurant and bar was illegally expanded, with patrons spilling out onto a state highway right of way and traffic tie-ups extending for up to a mile in each direction some afternoons. And to what benefit? The jobs Cyril’s created were not year round, and the money in salaries and supplies flowed out of town as quickly as it poured over the bar. Unfortunately, this has been typical of many of the summer hot stops. For all the trouble they cause in terms of noise, litter, neighborhood annoyances, and police time, they give very little back. 

Separately, the town has begun looking at bar and restaurant liquor permits and whether some might not be in compliance with town regulations on live music. While we are sympathetic with local performers who might see lucrative summer gigs dry up, a quieter, less hectic town is in the greater interest. 

Some might characterize the town’s actions as a war on fun; we see it as demonstrating respect for others while some bar owners and too many of their patrons clearly do not.

The key question for elected officials is in whose interest they should act. For too many years, it seemed the voices of those who stood to gain monetarily at everyone else’s expense took precedence. As it has done concerning helicopter curfews at the airport, this town board seems willing to put residents first.

Cynical Attempt To Fight Zoning

Cynical Attempt To Fight Zoning

A “luxury, inpatient rehabilitation center,”
By
Editorial

The East Hampton Town Planning Board now has in its collective lap a request that could turn the whole town zoning code on its ear. The board has been asked to retroactively okay the Dunes, a “luxury, inpatient rehabilitation center,” in its own words, which sprang up in a house in Northwest Woods about five years ago.

In a bizarre determination that was later reversed, the then-top town building inspector said the facility’s inpatients functioned as a family, thereby skirting the law about group houses, which provides that no more than four unrelated adults may live under one roof. It would be more than ridiculous to think that a facility with “clinical protocols and client relationships with counselors, advocates, and advisers,” according to the Dunes’s website, could be likened to a family home. But that is what it claims. Also noteworthy is that its website refers to those who stay there as “clients,” which ought to be a fairly big clue about what the Dunes actually is.

Once the town rethought the goofball ruling, the Dunes initiated a federal discrimination lawsuit, which was dismissed in 2015. It now says it will take the issue all the way to the United States Supreme Court. This is a shame; the Dunes’s management should have found a facility in a proper location instead of trying to draw the town into a cynical and potentially expensive legal battle.

The danger for the town is that this is not just about money. If the Dunes prevails in winning special status, it might threaten the town’s basic one-house, one-family rule, which was intended to protect community character and prevent overcrowding. Officials already struggle with illegally occupied dwellings. A ruling in the Dunes’s favor might make enforcement all the more difficult. For an organization dedicated to doing good, a legal attack on the town’s fundamental zoning is an unfortunate contradiction, if not an outright affront.

The First Flush

The First Flush

The saga about building the thing has gone on for more than 12 years
By
Editorial

Dare we say it? Amagansett shoppers will soon have a place to pee. With a long-sought Suffolk County Health Department okay finally in hand, the town has begun work on a public restroom in the hamlet’s downtown parking lot. This might not seem like much, but considering that the saga about building the thing has gone on for more than 12 years, is big news. 

Of course, there have been more than a few times previously when construction was believed to be imminent, so it might be prudent to wait for East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell or whomever to make the ceremonial first flush before breaking out the champagne. There’s no saying yet just when that might actually be.