Shelter Island Historical Society offers parking revisions
The Town Board may have worked through a major stumbling block in a revised parking proposal as it assesses the Shelter Island Historical Society’s plans for its new vault, classroom and display space.Builder Chris Fokine outlined plans for 17 spaces, five of which will be handicapped accessible, on a paved area of the site, while another 33 would be what he described as provisional spaces.
The 17, besides being on a newly paved area, would be lined. The other spaces would be in an area of the site on grass and would be used for major events. But fewer such events are planned, according to Janet D’Amato, acting president of the Historical Society.
“With the new building, we really want to change the focus of what we do and where we do it,” Ms. D’Amato said.
While the Historical Society has a few events of its own each year, it will consider lending space to other community organizations such as the Island Gift of Life that may need to use the barn for an event. But it won’t entertain requests for using the site for weddings, she said.
The reason for not paving the provisional parking space is to avoid turning the site into a parking lot, Ms. D’Amato said.
“We really want to be good neighbors,” she said.
Mr. Fokine said the nature of Shelter Island would be changed by paving over much of the grounds to provide parking that is hardly used.
“These things have been going on for years,” Mr. Fokine said about events at the site.
“We like mud, we like grass,” he said when a question was raised about dealing with the provisional parking spots during inclement weather.
Town Board members planned to review the environmental report so they could pose additional questions to Mr. Fokine and Ms. D’Amato in the future.
To start construction, the Society needs both a special permit from the town and a permit from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services as well as to pass muster with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation with respect to various environmental issues.
Grants
The town has been caught in a Catch 22 in which it needed to lay out money to get grant projects rolling before it could apply for new grants. But a group of town officials have worked out plans to avoid spending down its reserves or borrowing money until the grant funds flow.
Tuesday afternoon Councilman Jim Colligan told his colleagues that a meeting this week among various officials focusing on grants has worked out details for getting projects moving without the need to deplete the town’s fund balance account or borrow money that would incur interest payments.
Brewery
Shelter Island Craft Brewery has had its ups and downs when it comes to getting all paper work in order, but is now on its way to getting approval for its operation.
After discussing efforts to improve the parking situation on Jaspa Road, Town Board members told owner Jim Hull he can expect approval of his operation at the Town Board’s April 1 meeting.
