'Stop The Madness': Residents Ask For 'Broad' Development Moratorium

SOUTHOLD, NY — Residents turned out in force Tuesday at a special Southold town board meeting meant to discuss a possible moratorium on hotel development.

But, one by one, residents stood to implore the board to discuss a broader moratorium that would give the town a breather from development while zoning updates were being considered townwide this year.

Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski said the plan was to discuss what the town board might consider in a possible moratorium on hotel development. With five hotels new already along in the process townwide, there's "been a lot of activity in the past year," Krupski said.

The supervisor added that any new moratorium needed to have clear parameters and a set goal. The town's zoning updated is set to end in March, 2025, Krupski said — that zoning update is not. centered on just hotels but on every zoning use townwide.

Southold Town Attorney Paul DeChance said if the board reached consensus and decided to enact a moratorium, a resolution would need to be voted upon to set a public hearing, with the public hearing set 45 to 60 days after that and the Suffolk County Planning Commission notified. The moratorium, if enacted, would not be in effect until July or early August, he said.

The town has the "framework" to deal with applications currently in the pipeline, he said.

Issues to be considered during a possible hotel moratorium, Southold Town Planning Director Heather Lanza said, would be an analysis of hotel buildout under the code, how many parcels the town has, the size of the parcels, an analysis of density and hotel rooms per acre, as well as other issues.

Councilman Greg Doroski said the issue of protecting the working waterfront must be considered; Councilwoman Jill Doherty said the town did not marinas and other businesses to impact aquaculture.

"Balance is the key word," Lanza said.

Assistant Town Planning Director Mark Terry said the moratorium, if enacted, gives the town direction and allows for a focused look at the zoning map. "The comprehensive plan talks over and over about controlling sprawl."

Krupski said the moratorium would be a "deep dive. We need to find out where the environmental restraints are. This is not a cease use; we're finding out what the opportunities are."

Councilwoman Anne Smith said it was important for the board to align decisions with the comprehensive plan.

Councilman Brian Mealy thanked Greenport Village Mayor Kevin Steussi for attending, and he also thanked all the civic associations and residents that have weighed in. "We're not in it alone," he said. "This is a complicated dance and I don't want to dance by myself. The community is interested — and we have to do this right."

Doroski said it was critical to define "new construction," if the moratorium were to move forward. The board agreed that the moratorium would address only new hotels, where a hotel use had not existed previously Any existing hotels would not be impacted by a potential moratorium, they said.

The board also discussed the length of the possible moratorium, perhaps to match the end of the zoning update; DeChance said the board would be best served by requesting a 12-month moratorium.

Residents stood up to plead for a pause. "We need to take a time out," said resident Ted Thirlby, who said he's lived in Southold for 38 years. "We've seen a lot of pressure coming from developers. Our current codes are not protecting us and don't reflect the wishes of the community."

Thirlby, who supported a moratorium, pointed to one controversial hotel project as an example of plans that had a community concerned about issues including quality of life and traffic. "We need to clarify our goals and integrate that vision into the town code," he said.

Jen Hartnagel, speaking for the Group for the East End, also said they supported "a broader, 12 month development moratorium."

East Marion Civic Association President Ellen Zimmerman agreed. "We strongly support a broad moratorium beyond the hotel issue until the zoning discussion is done."

She discussed concerns regarding traffic on the single road in and out of East Marion, should development increase at full buildout. "We all remember what happened when visitors to the lavender farm brought traffic to a standstill," and that was only for a brief period of the year, she said. Zimmerman also raises concerns about runoff to the fragile aquifer.

She read comments from members of the organization. "Stop the madness," one wrote. "We support a comprehensive moratorium on development until the zoning update is complete. It's needed," another said. "We're losing our quality of life to entities without vested interest in the long term."

Resident and business owner Paul Romanelli said he believes the request for a hotel moratorium "started because of one hotel nobody, or not everyone, wanted here in town." He pointed out the plans were approved for that project because the property where it is slated to be sited is zoned for hotels as of right.

"I'm against the moratorium," he said. "This moratorium is a reactive approach to one hotel that started it all. It's like throwing spaghetti at a wall right now."

Instead, Romanelli suggested that the zoning update community meetings. "This moratorium is a monkey wrench that doesn't solve the other issues that need to be resolved through zoning."

Romanelli said that despite opposition to some planned hotel projects, the owners have property rights in their investments. He said he was a Cutchogue stakeholder in prior hamlet meetings, where areas were identified for affordable housing. "None of it was followed up on, and it's affecting us now," he said. "This is not about a moratorium, it's about creating a plan and sticking to it."

A moratorium, he said, could also impact the local economy.

Catherine Harper, who has lived in Mattituck for 35 years, said she understands the need for balance but feels the scale is "tipping to non-residents" and supports a wider moratorium. "Please don't let developers' interests take priority over Southold residents. We've invested in our community and shared quality of life." Pointing to another planned hotel, she said: "We need that like Niagara Falls needs more water."

A steady line of residents stood to voice support for a comprehensive, 12-month moratorium, a "pause."

"Let's do the right thing and save what's left," one resident said.

Margaret Steinbugler of the North Fork Civic Association said in a 2022 survey, residents expressed their top three concerns as overdevelopment, water quality in bays and the Sound, and traffic; the goals were to preserve rural character, protect natural habits, limit new subdivisions and the size and number of new hotels, she said.

"Even two years ago, there was broad support for controlling overdevelopment," she said. "The majority of residents are behind a broader moratorium."

Dinni Gordon, who serves on the Greenport zoning board of appeals and code committee, said the recent Greenport moratorium on new projects, since lifted, allowed for a "new level of scrutiny" for new projects but also protected owners from proceeding with plans as long as those plans did not involve a change of use. She, too, said a wider moratorium, not just for hotels and resorts, would give a pause.

"A moratorium," she said, "sets the stage for a fresh approach to planning and zoning. It doesn't completely protect us from luxury clubs, or marinas as hotels, but it's an expansion of local authority we did not have before. For Greenport, it was a pause that refreshed, and it gives residents control over the environment they cherish."

Barbara Friedman, president of the Orient Association, said 96 percent of that group expressed support for the North Fork Civic Association's letter to the town board, asking them to consider a broader moratorium.

Anne Murray of East Marion also urged for a "full moratorium. It is alarming that the town gained 1,442 housing units from 2019 to 2020. In East Marion alone, the number went from 863 to 946 units, a total of 83 more homes. According to the comprehensive plan, the full build out is expected to be 1100 housing units in a tiny, two-square mile hamlet. It’s getting closer every month," Murray said. "We need to seriously consider what the town will look like 20 years from now. It’s time for a building moratorium so we can figure it out."

Charles Gueli, president of the Mattituck Laurel Civic Association, also supported the broader moratorium, saying the purpose was to "keep property rights from compromising community rights."

Mayor Steussi said Greenport Villagne and Southold needed to work together collectively and include more commercial uses and not just hotels in a proposed moratorium. "Many things are at risk here, including the lives we have chosen,|" he said, extending his hand in support; he also serves as part of Southold's zoning advisory committee after an invitation to join by former Supervisor Scott Russell and Mealy.

"In Greenport, the community has spoken very loudly," he said. "We all believe we need some pause."

Krupski thanked Steussi fo being such a good partner.

Theresa Dillworth, on the board of the MLCA, said she would be in favor of a moratorium on all building and new construction.

Chris Baiz of the Old Field Vineyards expressed the need for new employment and service capability opportunities. "We have an enormous gap between youth and retirement," he said.

The board agreed to continue the discussion at its work session Tuesday and perhaps move forward with a resolution then.