The East Hampton Town Planning Board voted at its Feb. 28 meeting to advise the town board of its intent to declare itself lead agency for the proposed new senior citizens center.
The move followed the town board’s declaration that it would seek lead agency status on the project, which calls for construction of a 22,000-square-foot, $31.6 million center on Abraham’s Path in Amagansett, and its declared intention to vote on applying the Monroe “balancing of public interests” analysis that would enable it to exempt the proposed center from zoning standards and procedures.
The Feb. 28 vote was 5 to 2 in favor of advising the town that the planning board objects to the town board declaring itself lead agency and indicating the planning board’s intent to do so. Michael Hansen and Jennifer Fowkes cast the dissenting votes.
The planning board had voted on Feb. 7 to hire an attorney to advise it with respect to seeking lead agency status.
The dispute between the town board and planning board is to be resolved by the commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
