Ian Calder-Piedmonte, an East Hampton Town councilman who is up for re-election in November, might have studied philosophy in college at Cornell, but it seems he was meant to be a farmer.
He was born into a farming family in Michigan, and 45 years later, as co-owner of Balsam Farms, he’s still surrounded by tractors and dust. With Alex Balsam, his college buddy and business partner for the last 20 years, the place has grown from a small seasonal operation to what it is today.
“We grow 200 acres of mixed vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, and some grain,” he said from Balsam’s headquarters on Long Lane. “We have a farm stand in Amagansett and a store in Montauk, which is now in its seventh year.” They also sell their produce to East End farm stands, grocery stores, and restaurants.
The youngest member of the town board, Mr. Calder-Piedmonte was first appointed in January 2024 to fill the vacancy left when Kathee Burke-Gonzalez was elected town supervisor. Last November he won a special election to finish the remainder of her term; November’s election marks his first attempt at a full term.
Prior to his appointment to the town board, he spent 12 years on the town planning board.
“I didn’t know much about planning,” he admits. Mirroring his experience on the town board, he was first appointed to a one-year term on the planning board to fill Peter Van Scoyoc’s term when he was elected to the town board.
“After one year I knew what planning was about and I was happy when I was reappointed for a seven-year term.”
If re-elected, his focus will be on providing more affordable housing for town residents. Closely related is his desire to provide fertile ground for the dwindling middle class to remain, grow, and thrive.
“There’s a real risk of losing our middle class,” he said. “A healthy community needs to be able to house and have jobs for all demographics.”
As part of the town board’s “All Hands on Housing” initiative, he is the board’s liaison to the Housing Department and the Community Housing Advisory Board, which is responsible for disbursements from the community housing fund.
The housing advisory board made its first recommendations on fund disbursements, which right now has a balance of over $15 million, just this year.
As examples of his dedication to the issue, Mr. Calder-Piedmonte cited his support for legislation passed this year that increased the density for affordable housing developments, from eight to 12 units per acre, first for senior citizens and then for all affordable developments.
“I think that’s significant, because it allows for more units in the same area,” he said. “Notably, we didn’t increase the amount in any one development. That’s still 60. We’re not looking for massive developments. I’m also excited about the new push for affordable multiple residence legislation, which will allow for affordable housing on smaller properties. That’s a big deal because we don’t have many larger properties left. Affordable housing is a crisis here and we need all types.”
At present, the town board is only able to place the affordable housing overlay designation over lots of three acres or larger. If the affordable multiple residence legislation passes, the same designation could be placed on lots that are as small as half an acre.
Apart from housing, Mr. Calder-Piedmonte defines himself less by specific issues and more by his approach.
“Fairness is paramount to me. Also, part of my philosophy is taking good ideas wherever they come from while letting go of ideas that might not be the best, even if they came from me. We shouldn’t be afraid to speak openly and change our minds if someone makes a good point,” he said.
Call him a process guy, even if that’s not the sexiest term or rallying cry. Though perhaps given national trends, it’s a big deal.
“Very few things are personal to me. If I disagree with someone about an issue today, and they bring me something new tomorrow, I’m going to listen,” he said. “There’s nuance to absolutely everything. What I want people to know is that no matter what the issue is, I’m not spineless. I will be firm in my opinion if I think it’s right, but I don’t think people will ever think they weren’t heard by me.”
For example, Mr. Calder-Piedmonte often criticized the design of the nowstalled senior citizens center and abstained from a vote that would have made the town board immune from its own zoning laws. His abstention, however, did not stop the board from moving ahead.
“I think abstaining isn’t something you should do often. We’re elected to take part in votes. But there were many years of discussion on the project. Having not participated, and feeling I maybe would have approached it differently, I didn’t want to be a rubber stamp,” he explained. “They had the votes to move forward, I just wasn’t comfortable saying ‘yes.’ ”
He was also an independent voice on the board as it discussed zoning code amendments, which went into effect in July. While he ultimately voted for the entire suite of changes, he spoke out against what he saw as an overly onerous proposal that would have required sellers to provide a topographic map of their property.
“It wasn’t that I was pro-big houses, but if you’re on a flat lot in Springs, should you have to spend thousands for a topographic survey?” he asked. “I think we came up with a good compromise, which came from listening to the building community. That’s why it’s important to listen.”
“We always have to strike a balance of protecting what we have but make it reasonably possible for people who are doing ordinary things, to not let regulation and bureaucracy bog things down.”
He seems set to play a similar role in future discussions on a recently introduced tree protection ordinance.
“Tree protection is good, but we have to be precise and specific and careful about what gets said. You legislate to try to protect against something and people with high-powered attorneys can get around it. Meanwhile, someone just trying to get a permit for their deck can’t get it.”
Mr. Calder-Piedmonte has also shown he is fearless in entering tough conversations, such as at the Springs Park, where entrenched dog interests have come to dominate a place that is meant to cater to all residents, not just dog owners. He is a member of both the Springs Park and the property management committees.
“I don’t want it to be that the only things I focus on are important to me, like agriculture,” he said. “I’ve consciously not been the biggest advocate for everything agriculture. I’m trying to provide a public forum for ideas.”
This is the first of three profiles on the candidates running for East Hampton Town Board.
Election Day is Nov. 11. Should Mr. Calder-Piedmonte get re-elected, his term will run through the end of 2028.
