Skip to main content

Senior Center Site: ‘Best Practices’ to Protect Bats

Thu, 11/14/2024 - 11:19
R2 Architecture

Shortly after Tina Vavilis LaGarenne, East Hampton Town’s acting planning director, gave a presentation to the town board on Oct. 15 about the environmental impacts of the planned senior center, the federal Fish and Wildlife Service issued new guidance on the endangered northern long-eared bat, whose habitat includes wooded areas there and throughout the town.

“Who would have thought the day you’re presenting, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife would come out with their guidance?” Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez half-joked on Tuesday, when Ms. Vavilis LaGarenne updated the board on any effect the new directive might have.

“Only my luck,” answered Ms. Vavilis LaGarenne.

Even with the updated guidance, however, no change to the construction protocol is necessary, she said, as the town is already taking a very conservative approach to tree clearing. Trees will be cleared only between Dec. 1 and Feb. 28. “The winter clearing window is considered to be protective of the bat’s entire life cycle, because they’re assumed to not be in the landscape when the clearing occurs,” she said.

The feds had outlined a new four-step process, which, said Ms. Vavilis LaGarenne, she reviewed with a biologist, who confirmed the town is already using best practices to avoid killing any of the bats.

Councilwoman Cate Rogers ran quickly through the environmental assessment form. “Folks complain about the SEQRA process, but I think you’re seeing it at work in a very positive way here,” she said. “I don’t think we missed any potential impacts during this lengthy SEQRA process.”

“You’ve demonstrated, for example with the seasonality of the bat life cycle here, that new things may pop up, and that is part of the SEQRA process,” said Councilman Tom Flight. “We’ve done the due diligence to explore it and address it as appropriate. At this point in time, I am confident in what our findings of the SEQRA process are.”

“We should draft a part three for an issuance of a negative declaration for the proposed action, and we could entertain that resolution next Tuesday,” said the supervisor.

That will be a consequential work session.

Becky Hansen, the town administrator, reviewed the preliminary 2025 budget with the board last Thursday. “After three work sessions’ presentations in October, the agreed-upon preliminary budget has a spending total of $103,925,137. This is a $202,834 increase from the tentative budget. From the current 2024 fiscal year, it is an 8.8-percent  increase in spending. The changes from the tentative to the preliminary budget mainly consisted of revised salaries for a handful of town employees,” she told the board.

After her presentation, board members voted to override the tax cap levy, which will allow them to vote to adopt the budget, also on Tuesday.

Villages

Volunteers Take Up Invasives War at Morton

Most people go to the Elizabeth Morton Wildlife Refuge in Noyac, part of the National Wildlife Refuge system, to feed the friendly birds. On Saturday, however, 15 people showed up instead to rip invasive plants out of the ground.

Apr 24, 2025

Item of the Week: Wild Times at Jungle Pete’s

A highlight among Springs landmarks, here is a storied eatery and watering hole that served countless of the hamlet’s residents, including the Abstract Expressionist painter Jackson Pollock.

Apr 24, 2025

The Sweet Smell of Nostalgia at Sagaponack General

Stepping into the new Sagaponack General Store, which reopened yesterday after being closed since 2020, is a sweet experience, and not just because there’s a soft-serve ice cream station on the left and what promises to be the biggest penny candy selection on the South Fork on your right, but because it’s like seeing an old friend who, after some struggle, made it big. Really, really big.

Apr 17, 2025

 

Your support for The East Hampton Star helps us deliver the news, arts, and community information you need. Whether you are an online subscriber, get the paper in the mail, delivered to your door in Manhattan, or are just passing through, every reader counts. We value you for being part of The Star family.

Your subscription to The Star does more than get you great arts, news, sports, and outdoors stories. It makes everything we do possible.