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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/12/2026 Economic Development Committee Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Present: Jack (Chairperson), Brent, Brian, Paul, Alexa Seuss (Town Board Liaison), Elizabeth (Secretary), Supervisor Krupski, George Maul (Guest) Absent/Excused: Jennifer, Lucine, Amanda Via Zoom: Rich, Heather Huerta (Youth Bureau Director) Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Jack at 4:06 PM. Welcome & Introductions Chairperson Jack welcomed Alexa Seuss, the new Town Board Liaison, to the Committee. Review of Guidelines and Procedures Jack reviewed key points from the Committee’s Guidelines and Procedures, including the Responsibilities of Members and the Secretary. Appointment of Co-Chair Paul volunteered to serve as Co-Chair. Motion: Jack Second: Brian Vote: Ayes 3–0 The motion carried. Town Board Liaison Remarks Alexa shared opening remarks and expressed her commitment to working with the EDC to accomplish its goals. She emphasized the importance of focusing on two or three initiatives per year rather than many, and noted that Winterfest is not an appropriate responsibility for the EDC, as it serves in an advisory role to the Town Board. Alexa will research potential entities that could take responsibility for Winterfest in the future. Community Engagement Discussion Supervisor Krupski noted that George Maul is very active in the community and would be a strong addition to the Committee. George expressed his interest in helping and contributing positively to the community. Youth Internship Initiative Heather Huerta discussed the Youth Internship Program, including plans for a teen drop-in night and efforts to expand spring and summer internship placements through the Youth Employment Program (YEP). Paul, who serves on the Chamber Board, will schedule a meeting with Heather within the next month to discuss collaboration. Organization Discussion In addition to appointing a Co-Chair, Brian and Jannifer were appointed to manage WinterFest. Discussion also began deciding priorities for the Committee in 2026. There were a few items listed singly in last month’s agenda that fall under the SUMMIT heading. They are Incubator, Business Directory, event calendar, retain youth, town beautification and communication/collaboration. As discussed, this is a long list. This needs to be raised at the next Summit meeting as there are already people committed to some projects. Other Committee Priorities As agreed at the meeting, please review the EDC Goals and Objective Spreadsheet and identify other priorities for the committee to consider in keeping with the 2020 Comp Plan. Spreadsheet attached, for those that were not able to attend the meeting on January 12, 2026. Committee Operations Rich volunteered to draft a standard onboarding document for new Committee members, including the mission statement, annual calendar, subcommittees, and EDC goals. Winterfest Update Brian reported that planning is on schedule, with 52 exhibitors confirmed and plans to establish a waitlist. Additional funding is needed; Jennifer is working on funding efforts. Road Closure Update: Approval from the Department of Transportation (DOT) is still under review. Alexa will attempt to assist with follow-up. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 5:04 PM. Respectfully submitted, Elizabeth Sakarellos Secretary, Economic Development Committee 1/21/26 EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible PartiesStrategy Goal 1 Encourage New and Facilitate the growth of existing business sectors that pursue stable and Sustainable employment. 1.1 Support the EDCTown Board, EDCPeriodic status meetings. Feedback. Support from other committees and Town offices. EDC, Fishers Island, Southold 1.2 Develop Formal Business Retention and Expansion Surveys, BIZCHATS, EDC Forums with business owners. Meet with Town Board, Greenport BID, Program through town government.Fishers Island Community Board. connection with other relevant town committees. 1.3 Strengthen job-training and workforce developmentExpand Internship programs EDC, Schools, LI BOCES, Town Board, Suffolk County EDC 1.4 support local businesses through creation of a Business Explore existing programs in other parts of LI, NYS. EDC, schools, Youth Bureau, other and Entrepreneurship Program school districts. 1.5 Add low impact commercial uses fronting the Village Green Planning board, Island Community Work with ICB. on FI to provide increased opportunities for needed goods and board, EDC services and business opportunities an jobs for local residents. 1.6 Work with local chambers to develop additional incentives Chamber, EDC and programs to increase membership and active involvement Meetings in process. Link between NF Chamber Website and EDC. of local businesses Shared database of local businesses. Use of Constant Contact. 1.7 Continue supporting business education partnerships such Schools, Youth Bureau, EDC Intern project expansion, participation Trailblazers. Continue focus on as vocational training, job shadowing programs, internships, participate in the School's internships with businesses. and other mentoring programs focused on targeted sectors.Business Advisory Board Southold Town Housing Advisory 1.8 Seek to reverse brain drain through the attraction and Explore other locations successes. Commission, Riverhead, retention of recent college graduates and young professionals Greenport, FI Island Community to the town's diverse workforce, Board, EDC 1.9 Ensure the provision of various options for the Town's Explore senior housing stretegies developed in other communities Southold HAC, Southold Senior growing senior population.and Peconic Landing. Services, Peconic Landing, Island Community Board, EDC. 1.10 Continue to support the Arts through the provision of Southold HAC, FI, Town Board, Explore use of vacant buildings, temporary use of hotel facilities in live/work space in appropriate areas of town. EDCslow season. 1.11 Ensure access to high speed internet and reliable Explore recent possibilities, e.g., fiber, Starlink, T-Mobile. Meet with wireless communications. Town Board, EDC Verizon. Goal 2 Promote Economic Development that ensures an Adequate Tax Base Without Compromising the Unique Character of the Town. 2.1 Promote public-private partnerships and ways to improve Work with local businesses to decorate Southold Hamlet for Town Planning board, Architectural quality of life for town residents through all future development Christmas and other seasonal events throughout the year. review board, EDC, local initiatives. businesses and Chambers. EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible PartiesStrategy 2.2 Determine specific types of retail goods and services, if Planning Board, Town Board, Review Leakage Analysis in Appendix, develop strategy. Topic for any, that should be actively sought out through a series of EDC, ChambersEDC Forum. ALSO INVOLVES ZONING MATTERS. public meetings held by town government. 2.3 Encourage a cluster of light industry uses at the area Planning Board, Town Board, EDC to bring to the attention of Planning. surrounding the North Fork Industrial Park and the Cutchogue Suffolk agencies. Business Center within the boundaries of existing zoning. Hamlet 2.4 Expand and Improve Infrastructure as appropriate, to serve EDC. Involves the Board, most Consider breaking this into manageable parcels such as - existing businesses and accommodate new growth.town committees, center improvements , bike paths, walking trails, sidewalks. Greenport,Riverhead, Chambers, Infrastructure Projects, Use of sewage, water, drainage. Planning (ZONING), Island shared services , sewers, snow removal, mailtenance, waste community board (FI), County and Ferry between FI and Southold. removal, purchasing. State agencies. 2.5 Collaborate with other departments and regulatory Most committees, Board, Planning, Work with planning to prioritize effort. agencies in the Town to increase the efficiency of the , FI, Chambers, Trustees, Code regualtory and enforcement process, including updating the Enforcement, ZONING. Town Code to reflect the most current land use goals. 2.6 Create a set of architectual, landscape and site design Board, Planning, Architectural Link with Zoning project. standards that reinforce the Town's distinct character to be Review Committee. applied to all new construction and redevelopment projects through the Town's regualtory process. 2.7 Update the buildout analysis every 5 years to track the Board, EDC, Planning, ZBA.Review Buildougt Analysis in Appendix. relationship of existing zoning as related to development and the Town's tax base, thus allowing the town to eveluate whether the zoning supports the goals of viable downtowns and a substantial tax base while retaining the character of the Town. 2.8 Provide findings from the buildout analysis to each of the Board, EDC, Planning, ZBA.Link with 2.7. school didtricts so they may accommodate such findings in future district planning efforts. 2.9 Strive to maintain and create a healthy environment with a Explore applicability of LEED to TOS buildings. Create incentives for Board, Building Dep., AG advisory, dedication to environmental sustainability through encouraging use of green practices. Reach out to LIPA for presentations to PSEG, Greenport Electric, renewable energy sources and green business practices businesses and homeowners. Relevant conservation committees, through Town government. NY and Fed Agencies, EDC Goal 3 Preserve and Improve the Vitality of Each of the town's Hamlet Centers and HALO Zones as Walkable Local Business Districts. EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible PartiesStrategy 3.1 Concentrare new residential and commercial development HAC, Board, planning, ICB, Develop ways to reuse empty or underutilized property. Provide in the Town's hamlet centers and encourage infill CIVICS, EDCincentives like tax breaks, expedited permitting and fee reduction. development,historic preservation, renovation, adaptive reuse where possible. 3.2 Prepare a list of priority development sites - specifically Assessors , Planning, Board, ICB, Determine what organization should drive this project. Doesn’t seem within the Town's hamlet centers and HALO zones - that local realtors, Chambersto be EDC. qualify for expedited permitting, funding and incentives. 3.3 Explore ways to overcome the obstacle of linited sanitary Board, EDC, Suffolk County The Board and The EDC Should etermine what organization should flow credits on individual parcels, in an effort to help Department of Health, ICB, HAC.drive this project. businesses and landowners in hamlet centers expand or add accessory apartment. 3.4 Evaluate and update locations in each hamlet to ensure Board, EDC, Planning, Zoning, The Board and The EDC Should etermine what organization should downtowns remain vibrant and uses are consistent with the ICB, Suffolk Industrial drive this project. community character of individual hamlets.Development Agency, Chambers Goal 4 Preserve and Encourage industries that Support Existing and Future Agriculture and Aquaculture uses. 4.1 Promite an affordable farmland program to bring new Possibly expand Peconic Land Trust Incubator Program. Obtain Board, LI Farm Bureau, Peconic farmers to Southold.funding. Make more affordable. Consider preservinf farmland for Land Trust, LI Wine Country, specifically growing food. Provide incentives. Cornell, Ag Advisory Committtee, Land Preservation Committee, Consdrvation Advisory Council, Farm Credit East Riverhed Branch, EDC 4.2 Work with the LI Farm Bureau, Peconic Land Trust and LI Farm Bureau, AG Advisory, Arrange an EDC Forum directed at farming community and other Cornell Cooperative Extension to create community seminars Land Preservation, Cornell, Wine interested parties to raise awareness of the need. and events focused on prominent issues including how to Country, EDC Forums. startup a small agricultural business and where to go for help or find available resources for land. 4.3 Consider revising the town code to bring back the "set-off," ZONINGEDC will bring to the attention of Planning. and allow local farmers to subdivide their property by splitting off just one lot. 4.4 Support the local Agriculture industry, and the increase of a EDC Forum opportunity to raise awareness of the need. EDC, LI Farm Bureau, local diverse range of local goods in the North Fork. restaurants, Farm Stands, NF Promotion Council, Greenport BID, Chambers 4.5 Continue to cater to the "locavore" population through EDC, CIVICS, Chambers, AG Leverage corrent "Shop Local" and CSA initiatives. encouraging greater participation in the community-supported Advisory, local framers, wineries, agriculture program, in addition to promoting the purchase of Seafood providers various types of local produce native to Southold town, EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible PartiesStrategy 4.6 Broaden opportunities for landowners to explore the Link with 2.9. EDC, Land Preservation, interrelatinship of africulture and renewable energy. Conservation Advisory, Peconic Land Trust, Wine Country, AG Advisory 4.7 Continue to pursue relationships through Cornell Support programs like SPAT, develop programs to encourage Cornell, Suffolk County Marine Cooperative Extensuon and other key players to promote the individual involvenent and advertise the opportunities. Environmental Learning Center, Town's aquaculture industry,and the Slothold Project in Shellfish Advisory, AG Advisory, FI Aquaculture training (SPAT). Harbor Committee, Peconic Land Trust. 4.8 Consider the economic impact to agricultural landowners ZONINGECD to bring to the attention of Planning. when considering zoning actions. 4.9 Continue to explore additional means to control the Town's Research what other areas impacted by large deer poplations are Deer mamagement Task Force, deer population.doing. Explore male sterilization. Land Preservation, Farm Bureau. Goal 5. Preserve, encourage and continue to support existing and future maritime uses as an impousiness Sector within the Town's economy. 5.1 Maintain consistency with the policies adopted under the ZONING, TrusteesECD to bring to the attention of Planning. Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. Not an EDC initiative appears to be Trustee related. 5.2 Develop and implement Harbor Management Plans for all Board, Trustees Town creeks and harbors to establish orderly development of these areas and maintain water quaklit. EDC meet with Transportation and recreation to determine a 5.3 Create a series of Blueway Trails around mainland Transportation Committee, Land Southold.Preservation, Recreation, strategy. Greenport, NY State Department of Env. Conservation, EDC 5.4 Consider amendments to the zoning of larger marinas to ZONINGECD to bring to the attention of Planning. better accommodate and position them as aviable use in the Town's economy. Related to 5.3 5.5 Preserve the senic views along the Town's shoreline Recreation, Peconic Land Trust, through continued acquisition of waterfront property, balancing ICB, EDC the use to include preserved land and a range of outdoor activities and public recreation. Work with Fed, State amd local authoities to manage 5.6 Work with Federal and Stete governments and EDC, FI Harbor Committee, ICB, municipalities to develop regiona fisheries management plans inequitable commercial fishing and landing quotas. SOUthold Baymen's Assc, FI for commercially viable marine species located in the Town's Lobsterman's Assn, CT and Mass waters. departmwnts's of Env. Protection, US Wildlife Service EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible PartiesStrategy Consider docking facilities and bicycle rental facility. 5.7 Enhance tie connection between Mattituck Inlet and the EDC, Transportation, Recreation, hamlet center. Mattituck Chamber, Board, EDC