Amagansett’s town-owned parking lot north of Main Street in the hamlet’s commercial core could be expanded and reconfigured in time for Memorial Day weekend, the East Hampton Town Board was told on Tuesday, though one board member suggested that such a timeline might be unrealistic.
With only three of five members present at the meeting, Councilman David Lys, Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, and Councilman Jeff Bragman agreed that Councilwomen Sylvia Overby and Kathee Burke-Gonzalez should weigh in on the project before a decision is made. Mr. Lys, who had just laid out the plan to expand and reconfigure the lot, nevertheless said the project might be at a point at which the town can “put a shovel in the ground.”
Amagansett merchants and the hamlet’s citizens advisory committee have long complained of too few parking spots in the existing lot, especially in season. The town spent $1.125 million in 2016 to acquire an adjoining parcel northeast of the lot, and then hired a consultant to design and prepare bid documents. Survey work followed, and the first engineering plans were submitted the following year.
The new parcel will have 44 spaces, including one for handicapped drivers, joining 141 spaces in a reconfigured lot. Ten of those will be designated handicapped, for a total of 185 spots. The project includes resurfacing and restriping of the existing lot, as well as ramps and walkways compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Security cameras and lighting, which could be solar-powered, will also be added, Mr. Lys said.
The sanitary system serving the comfort station that was recently constructed at the lot’s northern edge may be upgraded to an innovative alternative system, though board members did not feel that that was urgent. The question will be put to the town’s advisory committee on water quality for review, Mr. Lys said. A new sanitary system would not be part of contractors’ bids on the overall project.
Also to be decided later are time restrictions on parking, a matter that a subcommittee of the Amagansett Citizens Advisory Committee will consider in the coming months. Now, spaces are designated for 30-minute, two-hour, or 24-hour parking.
An alley between the lot and Main Street is also to receive an upgrade, Mr. Lys said, a project that would see removal and replacement of broken concrete on the walkway and removal of overgrown trees.
The total anticipated cost is $684,579, with a little more than half of it accounted for via existing bond authorizations. Mr. Lys said he would like the town to issue a request for proposals as soon as possible, allowing bids to be delivered and opened by early March, and, for contractors, a window to complete the work ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
Mr. Van Scoyoc felt that “we’re ready to move forward with putting out a [request for proposals] for the work,” and said he too would like to see it completed prior to the tourist season. Mr. Bragman, however, called that time frame “a rush, and not a good idea,” suggesting that a post-Labor Day start date would be more appropriate. Outstanding design questions, such as the lighting plan, must still be resolved, he said, and trees should be incorporated into the plan. He proposed a public hearing “so everybody can look.”
“We’ve talked about it for four years,” Mr. Van Scoyoc responded, calling any changes made to the plans insignificant. “I’d rather not delay another whole season for something the public has made clear they support and feel there’s a need.”
Mr. Lys said the full board should discuss the project at its Feb. 4 work session, and that residents could contact his office if they would like to see the plans.
