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Politics & Government

Preservation Battle In Bridgehampton Taking Shape

Group for the East End says Salamander habitat threatened by subdivision.

A 48-acre tract of woods in Bridgehampton has become a battleground for builders who want to subdivide and develop the parcel and preservationists who want the land to remain as is.

The proposal for the property, which is owned by CP Bridgehampton LLC,* and is located just west of the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike and south of Scuttle Hole Road, is the construction of Vintage Vines, a 37-lot subdivision — a development that local environmentalists say will disrupt the habitat of the Eastern tiger salamander, an endangered species indigenous to the area.

Michael Clark, a wildlife biologist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, confirmed the threat to the salamander in a letter to the developers — local builder William Koral and former Southampton Town Councilman Dennis Suskind — stating, "Every effort should be made to avoid any adverse impacts to endangered or threatened species and their habitat that could result from the project."

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Jenn Hartnagel, an environmental advocate with the , has been fighting the project since it was first introduced to the Town of Southampton's planning department in the fall of 2007. On Thursday, the town planning board adopted the final environmental impact statement, or FEIS, on the subdivision, according to Jennifer Garvey, spokesperson for Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst. The project still has more approvals to clear.

Hartnagel said she opposes the development going forward not only because of the harm it poses to the salamander but also for the need, as she sees it, to save the open space.

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"Preservation of this parcel of wooded space would help maintain the rural nature of Bridgehampton," Hartnagel said. She noted that the parcel abuts land along its southwest border that has already been preserved by the Town of Southampton, and said "preserving this parcel would ensure that a large tract of contiguous open space be maintained."

However, as it stands now, it is doubtful that the land will remain unspoiled because — even though it is included on the Town of Southampton's Community Preservation List of Priority Parcels — the owner of the land is not willing to sell.

Since it was first introduced to the town's planning department, the project has undergone various environmental reviews, which are mandated by the state, until the planning board accepted the final review last week. Kyle Collins of KPC Planning Services, the Westhampton Beach firm representing the developers, said he was sensitive to the environmental concerns that have been raised and that safeguarding the salamander's habitat has been worked into the blueprints.

According to Collins, the layout proposes the construction of 37 lots, which is 19 less than the 56 lots that are permissible under current zoning, and also sets aside 40 percent of the land as open space, 5 percent more than is required.

"Under the current design the town will be getting 40 percent of the land preserved for free," Collins said, adding that the plans call for the cluster of homes to be constructed in the northern sector of the property leaving the southern portion, which is the primary breeding ground for the salamander, untouched.

And while Hartnagel said the design modifications were "a move in the right direction," she emphasized total preservation remained her group's goal. "Preservation would provide the best practical solution for habitat protection," she said, and remained skeptical as to the motives behind the adjustments. "Although they can build 56 lots, that would necessitate the inclusion of a sewage treatment plant on the site, which is expensive and requires routine oversight and maintenance. Additionally, the lots would be very small if the applicant tried to squeeze 56 on the parcel, roughly .25 acres, not ideally marketable."

But Collins said the plans meet the objectives for open space spelled out by the town's master plan while at the same time addressing the needs of the community. The subdivision, he said, will include connecting trails to the surrounding preserved parcels and provide more than the maximum buffer for the salamander breeding grounds. He also noted that construction of the development would create much needed jobs, and said it's a reality that's not to be overlooked in a stagnant economy.

Still, Hartnagel disagrees that any positive economic impact should trump the environmental concerns raised by her group, and others share her view. 

Theresa Rewinski, who lives near the proposed development site, has repeatedly expressed her opposition to the subdivision to members of the Southampton Town Planning Board. "Enough is enough," Rewinski said. "We worry about the Arctic and other places around the world, but what about right here?" Along with the salamander, Rewinski said the woods are teeming with other species and questions whether the need for more housing is worth the potential loss of more habitat and wildlife.

"What concerns me is what's going to be here in a hundred years," Rewinski said. "What are we leaving to our children and to their children?"

And although the planning board has adopted the FEIS, the answer to Rewinski's question may not come for some time as the Suffolk County Department of Health still has to review the project before the planning board is able to give the developers the final green light — a process that could take up to a year. 

In the meantime, Collins said he would continue to work to mitigate any environmental impacts associated with the development. "I believe the plans meet the objectives for open space and the needs of the community as identified by the master plan of the town of Southampton while still protecting needs of homeowners. It strikes a good balance."

* Correction: An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that the parcel in question is owned by Channing Daughters Winery. According to town records, CP Bridgehampton LLC has owned the property since acquiring it from Walter Channing, a partner at Channing Daughters, on June 8, 2007.

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