“This is exactly the type of project we hoped would come forward,” Ed Haye, a Sag Harbor Village trustee, said at Friday’s special meeting to discuss a 79-unit proposal for affordable housing in Sag Harbor’s downtown office district.
The building was pitched to the village by Adam Potter and Conifer Developers the day after the village board passed new affordable housing legislation.
The overall tone of the meeting was sedate, with a simple introduction to the proposal that didn’t go deep into the weeds with details. However, it was clear that there would be many details to wade through later. Adding a 100,000-square-foot building, with 29,000 square feet of retail space in a flood zone, with a couple of environmental “hotspots” requiring remediation in a 300-year-old fishing village comes with unique challenges.
“They’re going to need approval from almost all boards,” said Liz Vail, the village attorney. She said the developers would need to go before the architectural review board and will need a special permit from the village board, site plan approval from the planning board, and even Harbor Committee approval. The building would also require variances from certain setback requirements.
“There will be mandatory public hearings for the special permit application, probably for the planning board, and definitely for the zoning board of appeals application,” said Ms. Vail. “There will be plenty of opportunity for the public to weigh in on this application going forward.”
“We will have to figure out a way to streamline public comment so the public doesn’t have to go to 15 different board meetings to understand the process,” said Mr. Haye, who, along with Bob Plumb, another trustee, was a leader in getting the affordable housing legislation passed.
Tiffany Scarlato, a former village trustee, and now a land-use lawyer, speaking on behalf of Conifer and Mr. Potter, said the project was “an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” If ultimately approved, the mixed-use buildings would create 62 one-bedroom apartments and 17 two-bedroom apartments above retail spaces that are intended to serve the community, according to Mr. Potter, who is also head of the nonprofit Friends of Bay Street.
The 79-unit development was presented as the “ideal situation” for the developer, and Ms. Scarlato warned that “any significant changes to the size of the project will definitively affect the viability of the project.”
Salvatore Coco, of BHC architects, said the retail spaces act as a complement to the businesses on Main Street. They would be of a similar scale and similar height, but would be mostly service-oriented retail.
That comes as welcome news to people like Michael Hayes, the owner of a UPS Store in the village. “Our current situation is we’re leaning towards not being able to stay here,” he said, noting the impossibility of renting on Main Street proper.
Roger Pine of Conifer Realty said the apartments would be affordable in perpetuity. Right now, individuals making $30,000 a year, or a family of four making $160,000 annually, could apply. He said in Conifer’s experience with these projects, 75 percent of the units would be occupied by locals.
Mayor James Larocca wondered about the ability of Conifer and Mr. Potter to make 100 percent of the units meet the affordable criteria, and the financial feasibility of the project. Mr. Potter explained that it was possible through a combination of tax credits and subsidies from the state and federal governments. It was not so much a rental subsidy that would make the project possible as a subsidy on the development side of the project, he said. There would also be “permanent loan debt” through New York State.
“Someone noticed there is no entry to the housing on these buildings,” said Mayor Larocca, who seemed concerned also about the aesthetics of the renderings. He said when you walk down Main Street, you see doors to residences. Where were the doors on Rose Street? Mr. Coco said that “for security and convenience, there’s one main entrance.”
Mr. Larocca commented that the area along Rose Street was aesthetically very flat.
“We do things like provide a water tower for interest,” said Mr. Coco.
Were there any “broader public amenities” associated with the development? asked the mayor. “The internal courtyard is open to the public,” said Mr. Coco. “It’s intended to be an inviting space that provides access to all the retailers.”
“This is going to be a lot of work,” said Mr. Larocca. “But hopefully with good results ahead.”
The earliest public hearing on the application would be at the village board’s August meeting. The next step is for Mr. Potter and his team to work with the village planning consultants, Nelson, Pope, and Vorhees, to make sure their application is complete.
