Application: Subdivide St. Gabe's into eight lots

The Shelter Island Town Planning Board has received an application to subdivide 25 acres of the St. Gabriel’s Spiritual Center for Youth property into eight lots.

According to a letter to the planning board from Inter-Science, a Southampton-based development consultancy, the Passionist fathers, who own the property at the end of Burns Road on Coecles Harbor, are seeking the subdivision for “future planning purposes.”

St. Gabriel’s is zoned residential with a minimum required lot area of 40,000 square feet. In accordance with subdivision regulations, the property allows for 21 residential lots with access to the lots through the creation of a road.

In May of 2009 the property was put up for sale with a Bridgehampton agent of Brown Harris Stevens real estate at an asking price of $19.9 million.

Town Councilwoman Christine Lewis said the owners of the parcel “must be making a decision that they’re to subdivide it  because they’ve had no success trying to sell the whole parcel.”

Ten years ago, the Town Board approved the acquisition of the upper eight acres of land at St. Gabriel’s. The land is the site of the annual Fire Department chicken barbecue and was acquired in a county and town preservation program.

It was agreed at the time that should the church ever sell its it’s remaining property, the town would be given the first option to buy.