Study Impact on Cedar Street
The Cedar Street bus depot debate was reignited on Tuesday evening during a school board meeting in East Hampton. Michael J. Guido Jr., an architect hired by the East Hampton School District last October to work on the plan to build a bus maintenance barn and refueling facility on the Cedar Street side of the high school campus, was present at the meeting. He introduced David M. Wortman, a senior environmental manager at V.H.B., an engineering and planning company appointed by the school board to carry out an environmental-impact assessment of the bus depot, should it in fact end up on Cedar Street.
In New York State, most projects or activities proposed by a state agency or unit of local government require an environmental-impact review as mandated by the State Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQRA. The assessment required under SEQRA and presented by Mr. Wortman is neutral on the issue it examines; it will be up to the school board to interpret its contents and draw conclusions.
During an hourlong presentation and discussion, Mr. Wortman offered board members their first glimpse of the assessment, which identifies potential areas of environmental impact around the site, such as traffic, water, and noise, as well as aesthetic concerns. (As of press time, the environmental-impact document had not been made public, although the school is required to do so.)
Mr. Wortman advised the board that, under the SEQRA rules, their next step would be to identify themselves as the lead agency of the process. Following that, the board would have 20 days to make either a positive or negative environmental-impact declaration to New York State.
A negative impact declaration would be made if the school board members determine that a bus depot sited on Cedar Street would have an insignificant environmental impact. The determination, in its official written form, would need to identify and thoroughly analyze the areas of concern, and explain why they were considered insignificant.
Alternatively, should the board determine that the proposed construction might result in a significant adverse impact, it would be required to file a positive declaration and prepare an environmental-impact statement.
J.P. Foster, the president of the school board, suggested that board members take a month to carefully consider the findings of the V.H.B. assessment before any declarations are made. “It is the board’s intention to understand this assessment thoroughly before we can move forward,” he said.
Mr. Foster also pointed out that the board was about to embark on another SEQRA review, for another possible bus depot site, alluding to the potential purchase of the long-disused scavenger-waste facility on Springs-Fireplace Road, which it began exploring as an option to the Cedar Street plan after objections arose.
During public commentary, Jeffrey Bragman, an attorney representing the ad hoc Cedar Street committee, mostly comprised of concerned neighbors, spoke and demanded a public hearing for the plans. “We want a chance to be heard and speak at length, not just a three-minute sound bite,” he said, referencing the time allotted to each member of the public wishing to address the board.
Mr. Bragman also offered the board some friendly advice, “Take a deep breath and pause,” he said. “Get all the information you need to make an informed decision, because all you have now is information provided by your expert and his report.”
“But the plan isn’t complete,” continued Mr. Bragman. “It isn’t enough to say there are solutions for issues like noise control. We need to know exactly where those berms would go, and what visual impact they would have. I’m not being critical, I’m simply urging you to take your time and make an informed decision.”
“I thought that’s what we’ve already agreed to do,” said Jacqueline Lowey, a board member. “We just said we were going to take our time and study the report.”
Richard Burns, the district superintendent, commended the presentation, calling it “a very comprehensive analysis for what the board needs to make a decision.”
Mr. Burns, during a phone interview, also acknowledged that the district is continuing its exploration of the Springs-Fireplace Road location as an alternative to Cedar Street. “We’re in a very deliberate mode,” he said. “This process has been going on for a year and a half. No one can say we’re rushing through it.”
Another spirited discussion at the board meeting centered around the East Hampton athletics department. The middle school has, for several years, allowed students from nearby, smaller districts to combine with East Hampton students on certain sports teams. Consequently, as East Hampton enrollment numbers continue to rise, middle school teams have ballooned to such an extent that many athletes are sitting on the bench with no playing time all season.
J.P. Foster, the board president, began the debate. “Our own students are losing out because we’re bringing in kids from other districts,” he said. “At some point, we have to reassess this, because I want our kids to play.”
Christina DeSanti, the board’s vice president, said, “I want our taxpayers’ kids to play.”
Adam Fine, the high school principal, ended the meeting on a high note, commending the class of 2017.
“Every year I say they just cannot get any better, but this year’s class is every bit as impressive in all that they have accomplished. We’ve had five acceptances to Cornell University, which is unheard of. Plus, Northeastern University, Bowdoin College, M.I.T., Barnard, Boston College, Loyola Marymount, and many others,” he said. “From a small district at the tip of Long Island, this group of students have quietly led the way to becoming outstanding human beings. I couldn’t be more proud.”