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Hearings on Gerard Drive Purchase, Historic Easement

Tue, 01/31/2023 - 10:08

The East Hampton Town Board has three public hearings on the schedule for this week's regular board meeting on Thursday at 2 p.m. -- new fees for projects in urban renewal areas, the acquisition of a Gerard Drive property with money from the community preservation fund, and a hearing on easements granted at a Three Mile Harbor-Hog Creek Road property. 

The town recently updated its fee schedule for dozens of services in planning, zoning, and land-use related applications. Now it is proposing another new fee for roadwork and improvements in Urban Renewal Plans that would create an inspection fee for that designated work. 

"The town has found that the costs of inspections are typically similar regardless of the extent or value of the work," reads the proposed resolution under consideration, "and the town wishes to set a fixed fee for such inspections." 

Under the resolution, fees would be set "and amended from time to time" by the town board. The resolution under question does not say what the fee would be. 

The town board will also hold a public hearing on the proposed purchase of the lot at 291 Gerard Drive in Springs, which is owned by East Hampton Gerard Point L.L.C., according to town documents. The town is considering purchasing 1.2 acres of vacant land at that address for open space. The proposed purchase price, to be paid via the C.P.F., is "not to exceed" $1.975 million plus survey, title, prorated tax, and recording charges. Redfin's estimated sale price as of Jan. 17 is $853,000, based, it said, on similar sales in East Hampton. 

The town has previously used C.P.F. money to purchase three lots at the end of Gerard Drive totaling about nine acres.

Meanwhile, a public hearing will also be held on Thursday on historic preservation, scenic, and conservation easements applications filed on Dec. 12 with the town planning board at the property located at 182 Three Mile Harbor-Hog Creek Road. The grantors are identified as Thomas Michael Burke and Rebekah Christian Baker, the latter of whom is a broker at Sotheby's. 

The historic easement is a rare ask of the planning board, according to a source with the town, but according to an online listing at Sotheby's, the property, which is in contract with a list price of $1.745 million, includes an "historic cottage with art studio and outbuildings."

It was once owned by Abstract Expressionist painter and sculptor Nick Carone, and Willem de Kooning reportedly used to hang out there, according to Sotheby's. Ms. Baker is identified as the Sotheby's broker for this property in the online listing.

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