Town Board O.K.’s dwelling unit near wetlands
The Town Board voted to allow Shelter Island teacher and resident Lynne Colligan to create an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in the basement of her house at 9 South Cartwright Road, currently listed as part of the Near Shore and Peninsula Overlay District. The special district is in the Town Code to restrict construction near wetlands.
The Board voted on three separate resolutions on the issue: to allow the Town to become the “lead agency” implementing regulations under the State Environmental Quality Review Act; finding that acting to allow the ADU won’t have “significant adverse impacts to the environment;” and finally amending the zoning map to allow the construction.
Each vote was three in favor and two opposed, with Councilmen Benjamin Dyett and Albert Dickson turning thumbs down and Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams and Councilwomen Meg Larsen and Liz Hanley voting to approve the resolutions.
Long known for his passionate defense of ground and surface waters, Mr. Dickson, who is retiring from the Board at end of the month with a year left in his term, spoke out against the resolutions before and after the vote. In startling, personal remarks in a public setting to Ms. Brach-Williams, Mr. Dickson said, before the vote, “Amber, I’m looking at you. You have to vote ‘No.’”
Mr. Dyett took a more legalistic approach for his vote turning down the resolutions because, as he reasoned, the Board was changing the Town Code without going through proper procedures. But he did say that voting for the resolution amounted to “malfeasance.” Ms. Larsen countered that it wasn’t a matter of changing the Code, “But how we interpret the code.” Town Attorney Thomas Crouch agreed with her.
After the vote, Mr. Dickson noted the Island’s vulnerability to polluted water and how the present Town Board as well as those in the past have taken an attitude of, “We accommodate. We move along. We make it easy … I find this egregious.”
Filling the Seat
Ms. Brach-Williams outlined the three options to fill a Board member’s seat when it is vacated. The Board can vote to appoint a candidate, usually after interviews are conducted among candidates. It can also pass a resolution asking the governor to hold a special election. Or the Board can leave the seat vacated until the next general election.
Ms. Brach Williams said the Board will advertise and place notices on social media asking those who want to serve to submit resumes and interviews will be scheduled.
The last time a seat was left vacant was in January 2024 when Ms. Brach-Williams assumed the chair of supervisor and her Town Board seat was left vacant. Eleven candidates were interviewed but none received the necessary votes to be named. Her seat was vacant for a year, leaving a four-person Board.
Block Grants
The Board discussed applying for Suffolk County’s Community Block Grants, which has a deadline of Dec. 1. These are federal grants administered through the County to develop projects in municipalities. Ms. Hanley speculated on getting funds for a permanent space for CAST, and Ms. Brach-Williams thought a worthwhile request would be to have an Americans With Disabilities Act-approved elevator at the Community Center and Legion Hall. A public hearing will be scheduled to discuss options.
Comprehensive Plan
The Board spent time making edits to the draft Comprehensive Plan (see Town’s website) — mostly tweaking and correcting language and maps. Public hearings will be scheduled for next month on the Plan.
Ms. Brach-Williams took issue with a letter to the Reporter last week from resident Stephen Jacobs calling the process “rushed.”
“We have been working on this for a year,” the supervisor said, and were now close to putting a complete Plan before the public. “This is not rushed.”
