This week in Shelter Island history
50 YEARS AGO IN HISTORY
Billy Martin, best known to New Yorkers for his years of managing the Yankees, was fired as manager of the American League West winning Twins
Football quarterback Brett Favre, who played most of his career for the Green Bay Packers, was born in Gulfport, MS
Blues artist Muddy Waters was involved in a car crash in which three others died
The “Jesus Christ Supertar” soundtrack album was recorded
Comic Wendi McLaren-Covey, who is in the cast of the ABC TV show “The Goldbergs” and the film, “Bridesmaids,” was born in Bellflower, CA
And on Shelter Island . . .
40 YEARS AGO
Deer and cars collide
The police blotter had two accounts of a car colliding with a deer on Manwaring Road and another hitting a deer on Manhanset Road. The report attributed the collisions to a typical sign of autumn, saying the signs of the season result in the animals having to forage harder for food, the result being increased motor vehicle accidents.
POSTSCRIPT: Through the years, with the increased deer population, there are collisions involving deer throughout the year and it’s one of many problems the Deer & Tick Committee is working with Shelter Island Police to resolve with efforts to decrease the population of deer on the Island.
30 YEARS AGO
Candidates forum attracts few
Back in 1989, only a few residents turned up for the Shelter Island Association’s Candidates’ Forum that was described as a “lackluster” event.
A Reporter editorial on that forum said candidates either ignored or were ignorant of the issues and voters deserved more than what they got.
POSTSCRIPT: On Sunday, it was a packed auditorium at Shelter Island School to hear from two candidates running for supervisor and five who want to fill two seats on the Town Board.
The event was spirited, but hard to determine whether it changed any minds of potential voters.
20 YEARS AGO
Controversy erupts over merged lots
It was 20 years ago that the code enabled the merging of lots that shared a common boundary and where one or both were under the square footage then established by the zoning code with both lots held by the same owners
But the Zoning Board of Appeals began to receive applications to separate lots and that resulted in controversy that had to be worked out.
POSTSCRIPT: Today, some owners of such merged lots would like to separate them, but a clear decision hasn’t yet been reached about how to handle the requests — whether to undo what happened years ago automatically or consider each application on its own merit.
10 YEARS AGO
Hearing set on big house
Ten years ago, the Town Board set a hearing to occur later in October 2009 on a proposed expansion of a house on Nostrand Parkway.
The existing house was 8,500 feet and the owner wanted to add an addition that would be 406 square feet.
POSTSCRIPT: If that was a big house back then, there have been a few built since them that far exceed even the revision of that proposal. The current application at Nostrand Parkway and Bootleggers Alley seeks to place two structures that would together equal 11,000 square feet of living space and neighbors have warned that many old houses along Nostrand Parkway will be subject to similar construction applications if the pending application is approved.
