Wetlands regulations under study

Protocol dictated a discussion of possible changes to the Town’s wetlands regulations last week when a new Planning Board member stood to talk at a Town Board meeting about a change he believes is necessary.

Michael Shatken, a retired architect who continues to provide information to the Town’s Community Housing Board, is someone Town Board members want to hear from on what he described initially as a dissenting view. But concerns arose, because although they welcome alternative suggestions from committee members, those views had not been heard by Planning Board members.

While he was finally allowed to speak about his suggestions, he was told to hold off on a fuller presentation until after he has spoken with the Planning Board.

The issue deals with the Town Code’s effort to prohibit construction within 75 feet of the wetlands area. But the existing code, while not outright banning construction in an additional 25-foot buffer, deals with issues of restrictions to prevent circumstances such as runoff into roads and waterways where construction could be a problem.

The Town Board is looking at whether it wants to make changes to either the 75-foot area and/or the 25-foot additional buffer.

Conservation Advisory Committee Co-Chairman Howard Johansen said the CAC is seeking guidance from the Town Board about how that 25-foot buffer should be treated. Members aren’t looking to change pre-existing situations, but on new purchases, they believe use of that area should be limited and excavation should not be allowed in that area.

Planning Board Chairman Ian McDonald said in the 1990s, the Town was looking at the Department of Environmental Conservation for guidance on what regulations should be employed. There was no disagreement about not allowing construction in the 75-foot area, but there’s a need to define what happens in the additional 25-foot area. Further regulations should be based on data and science, Mr. McDonald said.

When Mr. Shatken got up to speak and described his views as “dissenting,” Mr. McDonald alerted the Town Board to the fact that his views had not been heard by the Planning Board.

Buffers in surrounding East End towns are generally 100 feet, Mr. Shatken said, as he briefly cited sources to support his view.

Local knowledge needs to be included in deciding what to do, but what’s happening in surrounding areas should provide a benchmark for consideration, Mr. Shatken said.

Mr. Shatken agreed to take his case to his new Planning Board colleagues before the issue comes back to the Town Board. At that time, the Town Board will welcome hearing views from Planning Board members, those that agree with a majority opinion and any others who might have alternative opinions, Supervisor Gerry Siller said.

Grant clearance

Aware there have been times when a grant was approved but turned down because its purpose was to fund a project not high on the Town Board’s agenda, there was a move last week to clear applications before they are submitted.

Mr. Siller explained that when a town gets a grant it chooses not to use, it hurts future applications.

Accordingly, Town Engineer Joe Finora discussed a possible application for a Federal Emergency Management Agency Transportation Safety and Resiliency Grant that would be administered by New York State and could bring between $200,000 to $250,000 to the Town.

The grant would help finance changes being made at both North and South ferry landings to deal with rising sea levels, especially during major storms. The Island, because of its dependence on ferry service, is uniquely qualified to get such a grant, Mr. Finora said.

In an emergency when a patient needs to be able to reach a hospital on either the North or South forks, having raised ramps is critical, he said. The grant would pay for 75% of the project, while the town would be responsible for between $50,000 to $62,500, depending on the size of the grant.

Money is available to pay the Town’s share either from funds left from its sale of a cell tower a few years ago, or from money recovered because of the COVID crisis, Deputy Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams said. There would also be money available to cover the entire cost if it became necessary to cover the grant until that money was forthcoming, she said.