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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/11/2026 Southold Economic Development Committee Meeting Agenda May 11, 2026 Location -Annex Building, Lower Level, Basement Time — 4 PM Comprehensive Plan Goal - Encourage new and facilitate the growth of existing business sectors that pursue stable and sustainable employment. Annual Objectives — Continue Synergy Summits - Foster Economic Growth, Retain younger population — encourage trade training, Communication and Collaboration among Town organizations, develop business directory and event calendar, partner/share with local organizations (Civics, Rotary, Lions, Chambers), town beautification, WinterFest. Agenda • Call to Order • OLD BUSINESS • Further discussion on Incubator report. Potential to invite guests to gather information on their efforts. Also, MIT Venture Project update. • Organizational Document. • Business Directory. • With fewer objectives, are bi-monthly meetings still necessary? NEW BUSINESS • Discuss plans for EDC projects. Are we aligned with the Comprehensive Plan (see Comp Plan Goals and Objectives attached)? Should we develop a new set of objectives? What happens to WinterFest? Is it prudent to defer the Synergy Summit until 2027? • Invitation for EDC to attend next Chamber meeting on 5/18 at the Hellenic at 6PM. Touch base with them on plans for the WinterFest and other projects. • Is there anything we can do to assist the new Zoning efforts (see Zoning Updated Priorities attached)? • Discuss additions to Alexa's draft of EDC Business Guide e-mailed to Committee on 4/16/26. • Marisa Harney will attend our next meeting. Met her at a NF Civics meeting. She has a lot of experience in banking and would like to help small businesses. • Other new Business. Adjourn EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible Parties Strategy Goal Encourage New and Facilitate the growth of existing business sectors that pursue stable and Sustainable employment. 1.1 Supportthe EDC Town Board,EDC Periodic status meetings.Feedback.Supportfrom othercommittees and Town offices. 1.2 Develop Formal Business Retention and Expansion Program EDC,Fishers Island,Southold Town Surveys,BIZCHATS,EDC Forums with business owners.Meetwith Fishers through town government. Board,Greenport BID,connection Island Community Board. with other relevant town committees. 1.3 Strengthen job-training and workforce development EDC,Schools,LI BOCES,Town Expand Internship programs Board,Suffolk County EDC 1.4 support local businesses through creation of a Business and EDC,schools,Youth Bureau,other Explore existing programs in other parts of LI,NYS. Entrepreneurship Program school districts. 1.5Add low imp act commercial usesfron tin gthe Village Green on FI Planning board,Island Community Workwith ICB. to provide increased opportunities for needed goods and services board,EDC and business opportunities an jobs for local residents. 1.6 Workwith local chambers to develop additional incentives and Chamber,EDC programs to increase membership and active involvement of local Meetings in process.Link between NF Chamber Website and EDC.Shared businesses database of local businesses.Use of Constant Contact. 1.7 Continue supporting business education partnerships such as Schools,Youth Bureau,EDC Intern project expansion,participation Trailblazers.Continuefocus on vocational training,job shadowing programs,internships,and other participate in the School's Business internships with businesses. mentoring programs focused on targeted sectors. Advisory Board 1.8 Seek to reverse brain drain through the attraction and retention of Southold Town Housing Advisory Explore other locations successes. recent college graduates and young professionalstothetown's Commission,Riverhead,Greenport,Fl diverse workforce, Island Community Board,EDC 1.9 Ensurethe provision ofvarious options fortheTown's growing Southold HAC,Southold Senior Explore seniorhousing stretegies developed in other communities and senior population. Services,Peconic Landing,Island Peconic Landing. Community Board,EDC. 1.10 Continueto supporttheArts through the provision of live/work Explore use ofvacant buildings,temporary use of hotel facilities in slow space in appropriate areas of town. Southold HAC,FI, Town Board,EDC season. 1.11 Ensure access to high speed internet and reliable wireless communications. Town Board,EDC Explore recent possibilities,e.g.,fiber,Starlink,T-Mobile.Meetwith Verizon. Goal2 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 quality Town Planning board,Architectural Workwith local businesses to decorate Southold Ham let fo r Ch ristm as and of life f o r town resid ents th ro ugh all f utu re d evelo p m ent in itiatives. review board,E DC,to cat b u sin esses oth er seaso n at events th ro ugh o ut th e year. and Chambers. EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible Parties Strategy 2.2 Determine specific types of retail goods and services,if any,that Planning Board,Town Board,EDC, Review Leakage Analysis in Appendix,develop strategy.Topic for EDC should be actively sought out through a series of public meetings Chambers Forum.ALSO INVOLVES ZONING MATTERS. held by town government. 2.3 Encourage a clusterof light industry uses atthe area surrounding Planning Board,Town Board,Suffolk EDC to bringto the attention of Planning. the North Fork Industrial Park and the Cutchogue Business Center agencies. within the boundaries of existing zoning. 2.4 Expand and Improve Infrastructure as appropriate,to serve EDC.Involves the Board,mosttown Consider breakingthis into manageable parcels such as-Hamlet center existing businesses and accommodate newgrowth. committees,Green port,Riverhead, improvements,bike paths,walkingtrails,sidewalks.Infrastructure Chambers,Planning(ZONING),Island Projects,sewage,water,drainage.Use of shared services,sewers, community board(FI),County and snow removal,mailtenance, waste removal,purchasing.Ferry between State agencies. FI and Southold. 2.5 Collaborate with other departments and regulatory agencies in Most committees,Board,Planning„ Workwith planningto prioritize effort. the Town to increase the efficiency of the regualtory and enforcement FI,Chambers,Trustees,Code process,including updating the Town Code to reflect the most Enforcement,ZONI NG. current land use goals. 2.6 Create a set of architectual,landscape and site design standards Board,Planning,Architectural Review Link with Zoning project. that reinforce the Town's distinct ch a racter to be applied to all new Committee. construction and redevelopment projects through the Town's regualtory process. 2.7 Updatethe buildout analysis every 5 yearsto trackthe Board,EDC,Planning, ZBA. Review BuildougtAnalysisinAppendix. relationship of existing zoning as related to development and the Town's tax base,thus allowing the town to eveluate whether the zoning supports thegoals of viable downtowns and a substantial tax base wh ile retaining the character of the Town. 2.8 Providefindings from the buildout analysis to each of theschool Board,EDC,Planning, ZBA. Link with2.7. didtricts so they may accommodate such findings in future district planning efforts. 2.9 Striveto maintain and create a healthy environmentwith a Board,Building Dep.,AG advisory, Explore applicability of LEED to TOS buildings.Create incentives foruse of dedication to environmental sustainability through encouraging PSEG,Greenport Electric,Relevant green practices.Reach outto LIPAfor presentations to businesses and renewable energy sources and green business practices through conservation committees,Wand Fed homeowners. Town government. Agencies,EDC Goal3 Preserve and Improve the Vitality of Each of the town's Hamlet Centers and HALO Zones as Walkable Local Business Districts. 3.1 Concentrare new residential and commercial development in the HAC,Board,planning,ICB,CIVICS, Develop ways to reuse empty or underutilized property.Provide incentives Town's hamlet centers and encourage infill development,historic EDC like tax breaks,expedited permitting and fee reduction. preservation,renovation,adaptive reuse where possible. EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible Parties Strategy 3.2 Prep area list of priority develop men t sites-specifically within the Assessors,Planning,Board,ICB, Determinewhat organization should drivethis project.Doesn'tseem to be Town'shamletcentersandHALOzones-that qualify for expedited local realtors,Chambers EDC. permitting,funding and incentives. 3.3 Exploreways to overcome the obstacle of linited sanitary flow Board,EDC,Suffolk County The Board and The EDC Should eterminewhat organization should drive credits on individual parcels,in an effortto help businesses and Department of Health,ICB,HAC. this project. landowners in hamlet centers expand oradd accessory apartment. 3.4 Evaluate and update locations in each hamletto ensure Board, EDC,Planning,Zoning,ICB, The Board and The EDC Should eterminewhat organization should drive downtowns remain vibrant and uses are consistentwith the Suffolk Industrial Development this project. community characterof individual hamlets. Agency,Chambers Goal Preserve and Encourage industries that Support Existing and Future Agriculture and Aquaculture uses. 4.1 Prom ite an affordable farmland program to bring new farmers to Possibly expand Peconic Land Trust Incubator Program.Obtain funding. Southold. Bo ard,LI Farm Bu reau,Peco n ic Lan d M ake m o re aff o rd ab le.Co n sid er p reservin f f arm I a n d f o r s p ecif ical ly growin g Trust,LI Wine Country,Cornell,Ag food.Provide incentives. Advisory Committtee,Land Preservation Committee, Conservation Advisory Council,Farm Credit East Riverhed Branch,EDC 4.2 Workwith the LI Farm Bureau,Peconic Land Trust and Cornell LI Farm Bureau,AG Advisory,Land Arrange an EDC Forum directed atfarming community and other interested Cooperative Extension to create community seminars and events Preservation,Cornell,Wine Country, parties to raise awareness of the need. focused on prominent issues including howto startup a small EDC Forums. agricultural business and whereto go forhelp orfind available resources for land. 4.3 Consider revising the town code to bring back the"set-off,"and ZONING EDC will bring to the attention of Planning. allow local farmers to subdivide their property by splitting off just one lot. 4.4 Supportthe local Agriculture industry,and the increase of a EDC,LI Farm Bureau,local EDC Forum opportunity to raise awareness of the need. diverse range of local goods in the North Fork. restaurants,Farm Stands,NF Promotion Council,Greenport BID, Chambers 4.5 Continueto caterto 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 promotingthe purchase of various Seafood providers types of local produce nativeto Southold town, 4.6 Broaden opportunities forlandowners to explorethe Link with 2.9. interrelatinship ofafricultureand renewable energy. EDC,Land Preservation,Conservation Advisory,Peconic Land Trust,Wine Country,AG Advisory EDC Goals and Objectives-2025 Responsible Parties Strategy 4.7 Continueto pursue relationships through Cornell Cooperative Cornell,Suffolk County Marine Support programs like SPAT,develop programs to encourage individual Extensuon and other key players to promote the Town's aquaculture Environmental Learning Center, involvenentand advertise the opportunities. industry,andtheSlotholdProjectinAquaculture training(SPAT). Shellfish Advisory,AGAdvisory,FI Harbor Committee,Peconic Land Trust. 4.8 Consider the economic impactto agricultural landowners when ZONING ECD to bring to the attention of Planning. considering zoning actions. 4.9 Continueto explore additional means to control theTown's deer Deer mamagementTask Force,Land Research whatotherareas impacted by large deerpoplations aredoing. population. Preservation,Farm Bureau. Explore male sterilization. Goal5.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 underthe Local ZONING,Trustees ECD to bring to the attention of Planning. Waterfront Revitalization Program. 5.2 Develop and implement Harbor Management Plans for all Town Board,Trustees Not:urrn IEDC iirniifiiurdve appears to be Trustee relented. creeks and harbors to establish orderly development of these areas and maintain water quaklit. 5.3 Create series of Blueway Traits around mainland Southold. Transportation Committee,Land EDC rneet rrriitlh Transportation and recir adorn to deterrrnlune a Preservation,Recreation,Greenport, stiratel . NY State Department of Env. Conservation,EDC 5.4 Consider amendments to the zoning of larger marinas to better ZONING ECD to bring to the attention of Planning. accommodate and position them as aviable use in theTown's economy. 5.5 Preservethe senicviews alongtheTown's shoreline through Recreation,Peconic Land Trust,ICB, F'er a ed to 5,13 1 continued acquisition of waterfront property,balancingtheuseto EDC include preserved land and a range of outdoor activities and public recreation. 5.6 Workwith Federal and Stete governments and municipalities to EDC, FI Harbor Committee,ICB, WoirlkMtlh IF ed,State ttrrnnd local au.ufllnariit: es to irrnai nage,ilunequ.uiltn hre develop regiona fisheries management plans for commercially viable SOUtholdBaymen'sAssc,Fl coinrnrirneirn:fat ii§IlfliirugaindUainiffiirgquotas. marine species located in the Town's waters. Lobsterman's Assn,CT and Mass departmwnts's of Env.Protection,US Wildlife Service 5.7 Enhance tie connection between Mattitucklnletand thehamlet EDC,Transportation,Recreation, Consider nsider lnor,ycle reintai.tunn;lili y. center. Mattituck Chamber,Board,EDC SouthoCd7own Zoning Uy ate � Pua3 aw Respecting the Past, Shaping the Future Zoning Update Advisory Committee Recommendations for Priorities May 4, 2026 1. Definitions • Consolidate and reconcile all definitions in the Town Code into a single chapter. 2. Improving the Big House Law • Significant work has been completed on this • 3-D Modeling: Visual representations of proposed revised regulations o Setbacks, sky plane, maximum size, lot coverage 3. Objective Design Standards for Non-residential Development: • Significant work has been completed on this • `Setting the rules at the door' for commercial development • 3-D Modeling: Visual representations of proposed revised regulations o Setbacks, skyplane, lot coverage, parking requirements 4. Community Housing (aka Affordable Housing) • Revise the code (several chapters) to align with Town Housing Plan • Identify and remove obstacles for creating more community housing • Consider adding inclusionary zoning requirement to Conservation Subdivisions 5. Agriculture • Revise code to better support the business of agriculture 6. Working waterfront • Revise the code to better support local marinas 7. Water Quality and Quantity • Revise the code to better support water conservation and water quality 8. Coastal resilience • Revise the code for better coastal resilience This document was prepared with funding provided by the New York State Department of State under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund.