Hampton Bays Civic Association Director Responds to Citizen's Concern

Recently, Dale Nicholl, a Shinnecock Hills resident, wrote a letter to Patch expressing her concerns on the plan to rehabilitate the Canoe Place Inn and build luxury townhomes on the east side of the Shinnecock Canal in Hampton Bays.

In response, Hampton Bays Civic Association Director, Bruce A. King, wrote a letter addressing the concerns of the residents over this project.

From Bruce King:

It Is Worth It, so Hear Our Voices

I will review some statements given by others whose intent has been to confuse the reader/listener and foil this project:

Price or Adding Value to our community: one writer/speaker has stated: the sale price for the Boat Houses will be in the amount of $600K, this is very incorrect. Appendix J-5 of the FEIS shows an appraisal for the Canal, lowest price, 2,000sqft at $950K.

Inevitability of school age children making this project their home: Again this is an incorrect statement as shown by the research conducted by Pearl M Kamer, PhD, and Chief Economist for the LI Association. Dr. Kamer’s study and published report, Multifamily Housing on Long Island: Its Impact on School-age Children & School District Finances: “attached homes- whether rentals, co-ops, condominiums, or town homes-generate much fewer school-age kids than do detached homes and are almost always tax positive for school districts. Tax costs come from single family detached homes-whether they are rented or owned.” According to the study, the multi-family developments within the Town of Southampton averaged 0.08 children per unit, repeat that is 8/100 of a child per housing unit. For the proposed townhouse, that is less than 3 school children (.08X37). I am willing to bet, NO CHILDREN will be registered to the Hampton Bays Schools!

Being a Good Neighbor: Several years ago Kevin McAllister, our own Water Warrior, challenged the developers to be a good neighbor and utilize the “best” “Most up to date” system to treat the Nitrogen in the waste water. R-Squared, the developer, not only took up the challenge, they forced the Suffolk County Health Department to move forward and approve the new systems.

Pollution: ALL of the people complaining about possible contamination of the canal and/or our bays are polluters themselves. They all have either cesspools or septic tanks with a drain to the earth. NO Waste Treatment!

The question has been asked: Where does it go when I flush, it goes

away? No it does not go away, it goes into the groundwater and then into the bay and the sea (ocean). For the most part; Water is Neither Created nor destroyed, it Cycles. Part of that cycle is ground water moving toward the Sea. In your home and business the water goes from the toilet, sink, washer, other, fill in the blank _____, to the ground, and on downhill to the pond, bay and on to the ocean, without treatment.

The system for the new Townhomes separates the liquid form the solids. Solids go to a tank outside the buildings to be trucked away for treatment. The liquids are treated by the Nitrex system and returned to the ground where the normal water cycle continues. The Permeable Reactive Barrier system planned for the CPI is similar in that significant amounts of the harmful nitrogen are removed from the waste water before it returns to the water-cycle and the bay on its way to the ocean.

Public Access: Public access to the canal on the land located between the bridges on the east side of the canal did not exist with any of the previous owners; customers and guests had access. Yes, some people fished on the property by walking through the bushes. That access that once was trespassing will now be guaranteed with dedicated parking. Yes, you could park your vehicle (boat, car, or bike) and purchase a drink or food, you became a customer.

Public access is still available for almost half of both sides of the canal. Anyone interested in casting a line in or sitting and viewing can do so starting on the west side at the Montauk Highway Bridge heading north to the SunRise Highway Bridge and then continuing along the northern end of the canal. The east side is similarly open to the public, with many benches available on this side, starting at the canal locks continuing to the northern end at the jetty.

Renovation of the CPI: Is the CPI a historic building in Hampton Bays? The answer is yes. Did it burn down and was it rebuilt? Yes it was and at a time and style that makes it a historic building for Hampton Bays. As a reference, I ask: is the Whitehouse a historic building? The Whitehouse was completely gutted and rebuilt following the 1948 election. It is all new inside and most of outside. The local committees and associations that evaluate and protect historic sites describe CPI as historic.

Is the CPI worth rebuilding and can it be rebuilt: The decision to

expend the effort and capital to rebuild is a decision made by the owners in conjunction with the officials of the community. Most successful communities today encourage the rebuilding of older classical building and neighborhoods. The rebuilding adds to the success of these forward looking/planning communities. The architectural firm retained by R-Squared specializes in the rebuilding of older buildings that are in need of major renovation. The resume of projects successfully rebuilt demonstrates they can and will do what needs to make CPI a focal point for Hampton Bays.

Is this project GOOD for Hampton Bays and healthier for our marine environment: Most people in Hampton Bays that have voiced their opinion to me; the answer is YES!

Thank you!