Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: April 30, 2026

FOLLOW THE CODE

To the Editor:

I attended the public hearing last Wednesday evening where the applicant for 9 Cartwright Road was seeking two variances for an ADU on a property that is 1/4 acre in size and located in the Near Shore Overlay Peninsula District (NSOPD).

I encourage the ZBA to deny this application. Matt Sherman gave a very impressive presentation, and the applicant is a well-liked member of our community. It was evident to me that the ZBA members all like and want to help the applicant, who is also a member of the ZBA. I understand the desire to help friends and colleagues, but breaking laws and ignoring the Town Code makes the ZBA review process arbitrary and subjective.

The said property is in the NSOPD district, in which the Town Code explicitly prohibits accessory apartments, as does the Community Housing Plan. Restrictions also exist in the current 1994 Comprehensive Plan. 

Lastly, the applicant is not eligible for a special community housing license. I encourage the ZBA to follow our laws and Code. We do a disservice to our Island and its community when we fail to do so.

KAREN KIAER, Shelter Island

KAASIK AUDITORIUM

To the Editor:

With this year’s school play, “Little Shop of Horrors,” I am counting at least 40 Shelter Island High School plays that the Kaasik’s have directed and produced. All have which have been extremely entertaining and community events that couldn’t be missed. They are events that highlights the students and adds to their experience, sense of achievement, and dedication towards a very successful part of the school year that they can be proud of.

Forty years of hard work, day in and day out, in the school auditorium. There is no financial benefit rewarded to the Kaasik’s, which they do not ask for. Their benefit is the feeling of exhilaration on a job well done. It’s knowing that they are helping out all the students who have benefited from their teaching and encouragement and that will last a life time.

Forty years of hours upon hours spent at the auditorium, their home away from home. It is my feeling that the auditorium should be named The Kaasik Auditorium. It is more than well deserved.

CHUCK HOFFMAN, Shelter Island Class of 1974

GIVE NEW YORKERS A BREAK

To the Editor:

New York has long been a leader in clean energy innovation. I commend the New York State Legislature and Gov. Kathy Hochul for their continued commitment to sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As the former Director of the Town of Brookhaven Office of Energy and Sustainability, I had the privilege of implementing the Green Homes–Go Solar Program. In doing so, I saw firsthand how smart public policy, paired with incentives, can transform markets, reduce costs for residents, and accelerate meaningful environmental progress.

That’s why I strongly support the Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power Act (S6570, A8758) which would raise New York’s distributed solar target, as well as the Solar Within Reach legislation (S2626, A1373), which would increase the residential solar tax credit to up to $10,000. These measures will deliver real, measurable impacts, improving affordability for working families while advancing our climate goals.

Solar energy remains one of the most proven, scalable, and cost-effective solutions available today. That said, large-scale solar requires properly sited and responsibly managed battery storage to ensure energy reliability. With strong safety standards and community input, battery storage can successfully support this transition. 

Affordability must remain central, especially as global instability drives up oil and gas prices. Solar provides a direct hedge, giving residents greater control over their energy costs.

While we continue to explore emerging technologies like hydrogen, geothermal, and even future innovations like zero-point energy, we must focus on what works now. Solar works. It is available, scalable, and already delivering results across New York. 

By expanding solar incentives, supporting responsible battery storage, and maintaining a balanced, forward-thinking energy strategy, New York can continue to lead, both environmentally and economically.

SARAH ANKER, Former Suffolk County Legislator