It wasn’t just talk of condominium complexes at last week’s East Hampton Town Board meetings, though that topic certainly boosted attendance. Board members used that to their advantage, reordering Tuesday’s agenda so a presentation on the town’s water quality improvement program could be heard by the maximum number of people.
The program is funded by the community preservation fund, with up to 20 percent of annual C.P.F. revenue allowed for water quality projects. Twice a year, commercial entities and nonprofits can apply to the town for grants to help fund projects that benefit water quality. In fact, the next application window opens on Monday.
Since 2019, $10 million has been outlaid to fund 55 projects, including septic upgrades, stormwater abatement projects, permeable reactive barriers, and even aquatic habitat restoration. For example, the very visible Surfrider Methodist Lane bioswale stormwater improvement project was funded by a 2020 town grant and completed in June of 2022. Roughly 12,000 native plants were installed to create the bioswale.
On the residential side, the program has led to nearly $15 million worth of innovative-alternative septic system installations, 929 total, with 168 completed in 2025.
The grant money has also been used to pay for large town projects. Three slated for installation beginning next year are designed to minimize and treat stormwater before it reaches town ponds.
Despite the successes, Mellissa McCarron, a principal environmental analyst in the town’s Natural Resources Department, asked the board to increase the amount of money that could be awarded to commercial applicants. The department is often seeking to fund large projects of potentially great impact.
“The water quality committee has observed that some applicants have decided not to move forward if the funding awards don’t cover at least 50 percent of the costs,” she said. “We’re proposing awards based on justified installation costs only, with a maximum of 65 percent of the total cost for properties that are located in priority areas, and 50 percent for all other sites. We’re also proposing an increase in the cap set on commercial properties only from the current cap, which is $200,000, to $300,000.” The board was amenable to the request.
The cost of installing commercial septic systems could be over $1 million, said Councilman David Lys, and Ms. McCarron said that since Covid, installation costs had increased by “at least 30 percent.”
“I’m supportive of the recommendations,” Councilwoman Cate Rogers said. “I’m also hoping that the board considers changes to our view on landscaping and what it considers ‘sustainable landscaping.’ As we address how to improve water quality from a way to take nitrogen out of what’s already put in, we should also look to address what we put in to begin with.”
Two Public Hearings
Changes made to two recent pieces of draft legislation were significant enough that they will both require second public hearings.
First, a revision of the accessory dwelling unit law that will allow A.D.U.s on lots as small as 15,000 square feet, to be built by second-home owners, and allow adding extra parking on parcels where they are installed, will be reheard.
Second, the public will speak again on a law that would permit up to four housing units per acre in an affordable housing overlay district.
“This is not ‘as of right,’ ” Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte said. “This would still only be able to take place in the affordable housing overlay district. There’s very few properties right now within that district that could take advantage of this.”
“For anybody to do that, they would need to change the zone, which would require a public hearing, and then also receive a special permit from the planning board, which would be another public hearing,” he said. “So, this is offering a conceptual tool, with many more steps for actual development of such a use.”
No dates were set for either hearing at Tuesday’s meeting, but they are expected in the first half of January.
C.P.F News
In his liaison report, Councilman David Lys said the Ditch Plain dune project should be completed by the weekend. There is leftover sand, which he said will be placed in piles in each of the parking areas near Ditch Plain to be used as needed.
He also said a demolition project at 20 Springs-Fireplace Road, where three farms were recently awarded licenses to use the C.P.F. land, would begin shortly.
In other C.P.F news, last Thursday board members agreed to spend $1.5 million on .48 acres at 225 and 227 Gerard Drive in Springs, after they held a public hearing on Nov. 20. They announced another public hearing, to be held next Thursday, for the purchase of 11.43 acres of vacant land, for $4.75 million, at 171 Cranberry Hole Road in Amagansett.
At the C.P.F. property at 66 Main Street in Wainscott, the board authorized access to Stony Brook University’s Center for Clean Water Technology to collect samples at Wainscott Pond for a potential water quality improvement project. The board also retained Steward Preservation Services for $4,800 as a historic preservation consultant for the 1904 Osborn House.
Two bids were awarded to Ken Rousell Inc.: a Cantwell Court subdivision lot clearing project, for $149,370, and another for the playground installation at Maidstone Park, for $89,675.
In personnel news, Dawn Green received a promotion to senior building inspector in the Building Department. She will be paid $92,978 for the full-time position.
During the public portion of Tuesday’s meeting, Camille Newman, an environmental project coordinator with the Concerned Citizens of Montauk, urged residents to go to the C.C.O.M. website, preservemontauk.org, and follow a link to take action to protect the Endangered Species Act. Comments can be made online until Dec. 22.
Finally, Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez directed residents who are interested in serving on a town committee to email [email protected] for consideration. For anyone interested in serving on an appointed board, she added, such as the zoning board of appeals, there is a more rigorous review.
The town’s organizational meeting will be held on Jan. 6 at 11 a.m.
