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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB-10/14/1963 Southold Town Planting Board S❑UTH❑LD, L. I., N. Y. PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS John Wickham,-Chairman Henry Moisa Alfred Grebe Archibald Young William Unkelbach M I N U T E S SOUTHOLD TOWN' PLANNING BOARD October. 14,, 1963 A Regular meeting of the Southold Town Planning Board was. held 7:30 P.M. .,, Monday,, October 14:; 1963 at the Town Office, Main Road,, Southold=; New York. There were present: Messrs. John Wickham,, Chairman,. Henry Moisa,,- Alfred Grebe,,. Archibald Young... and William Unkelbach. Also present: Messrs. John Sherwood,,, Chairman,, Harry Monsell and Bernard Van Popering of the Greenport Village Planning Board. Mr. Rod Van Tuyl appearing for'.Otto W. Van Tuyl,, Consultants,- Lee E. Koppelman,,- Suffolk- County-Director of Planning.. Horace'D. Wellsr,. County Agents, Suffolk- County Extension Service Association.`. Dr. Olaf F. Larsen=, Head of the Department of' Rural Sociology and Professor. G. W. Hedlund.i Head of the Department of Agricultural Economyr, both of the New York- State College of Agriculture...,- Cornell University*, Ithaca.,, New York•, Mr. Bruce Wilkins.,, Department of�Conservation and Jim.Prestonr;. Extension Service -. County-Agent-.Leaders Officei, also of Cornell University. Southold Town Planning Board -2- October 14,, 1963 The Chairman called the meeting to order and introduced the guests. He stated that sometime ago he talked with the people from Cornell and the Extension Field of the State College of Agriculture relative to visiting Southold Town. There are three branches of the College of Agriculturez teachivgl, researcha, and extension. Today these people from 'Cornell arrived and were taken on a tour of Southold Town. Dr. Larsen stated that they were very much interested in what Southold had in mind and found it a very challenging problem and they would be learning from it. He asked for a specific statement of what is wanted of them. Mr. Wickham stated that the Town of- Southold and VELage of Greenport would like to have some agencyt, presumably the Collegei make a study of the economic base of the Town of : Southold. Surveys of the agricultural income in the Town can be obtained from the office of the County Agent.* but until we know the whole economy picture it is meaningless. . What do we set the agricultural income against.:, what is the total economic base? There is shellfishingm, fin fishingz sport boating and the tourist population. Our request is that Cornell University and College of Agriculture;$, on some basis to be determinedz, join the Planning Boards in making some such study. In agricultural products a total of $5='000&000 are sold in the Town of: Southold and we have the shell fishing industry that is a lot smaller but appreciable. . Somewhere there should be some sort of appraisal of this type of income as against the income from summer residents. Mr. Wickham stated that he does not feel the assessment rolls need to be analyzed,, but then possibly they do,a, that is what needs to be decided. Mr. Koppelman stated that the value of the economic base study to the Town of Southold is not only to show the segments but also what you wish to retain. There should be a comparison of. taxation and assessment. If you want to save agriculture there must be some thought given to fair assessment to agriculture. Professor Hedlund asked if consultants are to be in this program and Mr Wickham advised a single firm would be hired eventually but they want someone to perform this service to agriculture in the State and the Town of Southold and the Town .t prepared to grant aid to help defray some of the costs. Southold Town Planning Board -3- October 14,a. 1963 Mr. Unkelbach stated that we are concerned with setting up a Master Plan and that the general trend has been such that - agriculture has been going down hill. Everyone seems to be concerned with the present situation and as it- has been in the past-but what will be the outlook for the next: ten or twenty years? The following statistics were given by Mr. Wells: The acreage of open land and farms for 1950 was 16_i.586 and 1954 it was 16i,165 and in 1959 16.4520 in Southold Town. In the County the acreage was 99.,,000 in 1954 and 89r,000 in 1959. The nain loss was in Brookhaven:, Islip and Huntington. There was very little loss in Southold Town. Mr. Unkelbach feels the effects .will be shown - in the next few years. Mr. Koppelman stated that in the proposed Master Plan study technicians can take what the Town has today and project to the future. However there must be certain goals and a reliable index. There will be water evaluation and evaluation of present resources, and since agriculture is declining.., at what rate and what is the potential for the future. Professor Hedlund asked if the Planning Board wants basic information to help someone who will be making a Master Plan and Mr. Wickham stated that they had a series of meetings with. Planning consultants but feel there is no sense of going into a basic plan until they have the answers to some questions. Water is one problem. The planning consultants advised the Planning Board that they could have the study made and they would not object. A firm was suggested to the Planning Board and when they were asked if they would object if Cornell made an economic study they said no. It is believed this can all be fitted into the 701 Plan. Mr. Koppelman stated that . if the Planning Board hired a general planning firm the economic base emphasis would be less than if a specialist were hired. Dr. Larsen asked if the water resource study and economic base study would be going on simultaneously or whether the water study should be made first and that would indicate the need for the economic base study? Mr. Wickham stated that with the water resources study the emphasis of. importance will be indicated. Southold Taan Planning Board -4- October 141, 1963 Do we use the water for industries,, individual wells,, municipal water works.,, what is the best for the Town of Southold? There- fore there is a very real sense of urgency to get the whole thing into progress. Dr. Larsen asked how long the water resource study will take. Mr. Wickham said that the Planning Board would like to be able to present the Town Board with some definite proposal of what they would like to do and the cost. Then they would get in touch with the planning consultant and ask if they would be willing to undertake the planning for the Town and if so the Town would like to get in under the 701 application. Dr. Larsen asked to what extent of this work the Planning Board is asking Cornell to project into the future. Mr. Wickham stated that there are two things involved,, the study.and the consultant operation. Mr. Koppelman advised that if there is a question of personnel needed in the field.,,- Cornell should set up a program and if they have areas where they cannot get people down here.,, the County people will do the leg:. work. Mr. Wickham stated that the County=s surveys are general and Mr. Koppelman said only because the County cannot do comprehensive planning. On a specific point they can do an i ntens ive study. Mr. Wickham asked if it would not be possible to have a graduate student live and work out here for two or three months or possibly two students for one-half that time. Relatively good figures can be obtained from the shell fishing industry and also a potato survey for 1962 is available and there are just a few other crops which could be filled in quite rapidly. As far as sport fishing and the summer resident picture and the sport boating business,, the research work has never been done. Mr. Young asked Mr. Koppelman if the Planning Board is going about this preparation for a master plan in the correct way and Mr. Koppelman stated that.,; yes,,, they were. However it should be called a comprehensive plan because the Planning Board .would not receive such a complete picture if they only had the consultant do the surveys. Southold Town' Planning Board -5- October 14r 1963 Mr. Unkelbach stated that to .most people in. Southold Town farming is a way of lifer, but if speculation buyers paid some of the farmers enough as in the west-end of the Island at least .90% of the farmers would sell out. Should we look forward to the changes in the future? Mr. Koppelman stated that we are fairly convinced that in the next two decades we will have two million people in Suffolk County. 90/ of the population is now in the west-end of the County. He does not envision speculators are going to change anything overnight. Before you can come up with these completely different plans you have to know what the alternatives are and agriculture is an alternative. Mr. Sherwood said that he has listened to the discussion relative to agriculture and shell fishing_-,but,,Greenport feels that- they have the best harbor in the world. Five million- dollars worth of fish and previotusly,:many'_potatoes-ch - -j came into their harbor each year. Nothing has been said about improving the Greenport seaports; and Greenport feels it. should be a deep seaport. There is a big claming industry also. It has been more or less felt'. by most people that the Greenport bay is for tourists but it isn'ta, it is' a producing port. Mr. Sherwood feels that the Boards are marking time and not- getting anywhere. Mr. Koppelman stated that he feels the time the Boards are spending now is for their benefit and well spent. They have developed this water resource problem which is unique and he would not have thought of it as being so important but he now realizes it is. As far as a deep water port; Greenport does have a deep water port but there must be something to ship in and out. This study .will develop the need for industry and the type desirable to the Town. He feels that the Board, is now ready to bring in the consultant and tie this all together. Mr. Wickham stated that three definite fields have now been set up,t fresh water resourcesr, salt water resources and, agricultural resources. The clamming industry meant a great deal to the Town of Southold but today things are not organized and figures on this can't be obtained anywhere. Mr. Wilkins' department- would be the ones to undertake this research. Mr. Wilkins asked what importances these figures would have on industry and Mr. Wickham stated that there must be a point of reference. There has to be a base. Southold Town Planning Board -6- October 14.,, 1963 Mr. Wickham stated that they would like to have the college set up a program on some basis where the Planning Board would assist in living or transportation costs for their personnel. Mr. Wickham previously discussed this with the Supervisor and he felt it was reasonable. The Planning Board will hire a consultant but fit in the separate water and economic base studies. Professor Hedlund asked Mr. Koppelman if he felt the consultants would be willing to take studies from others and Mr. Koppelman advised that the consultants he had recommended have men who are on college boards and in fact-have recommended the water consultants to him. The consultants would not put in the time to come up with an intensive individual water study or economic base study. Mr® Koppelman suggested that the Cornell people come up with a program,, let the Planning Board know what it is...,, get a program from Malcolm Pirnie on the water and then reinterview the consultants. When a consultant is chosen then start the 701 application. Mr. Monsell as a point of information advised that there is to be a 12" water main from Greenport to Southold via the North Road and 20 acres north of- Southold Village has been purchased for a pumping site. Professor Hedlund asked who they would be responsible to and who their work would be turned over to and Mr. Wickham advised that they would be paid by the Town of Southold but would be working with the Planning Board and their work would be turned over to the Planning Board. A time limit was spoken of for the completion of the work by Cornell and a 15 month time was set beginning at the time the application is filed for the 701 funds. Cornell will not be able to have someone to do their field work until next summer and then the report will have to be prepared. Cornell agreed to forward a letter to the Planning Board within a month setting forth their program for the project. In connection with the proposed bridge the Town should be assessed to decide what should be protected so that the Town will not be left cold in the future. Southold 'Town' Planning Board -7- October 14,; 1963 On motion of Mr. Moisa,, seconded by Mr. Unkelbach,, it was RESOLVED that the Planning Board of the Town of Southold extend their appreciation to Dr. Larsen,; Professor' Hedlundr, Professor' Wilkins,, Mr. Preston;, Mr. Wells,,. Mr. Koppelman and all of the members of the Greenport Village Planning Board for coming to this meeting and spending the time and interest to assist the Planning Board to date. Vote of the Board: Ayes:- Mr. Wickham,, Mr. Moisar' Mr. Grebes Mr. Young, and Mr. Unkelbach. Meeting adjourned at 10: 00 P.M. Respectfully submitted,. d" Judith T. Boken,. Secretary John Wickham,. chairman