Southampton Supervisor's State Of Town Spotlights Public Safety, Quality Of Life

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Public safety and quality of life concerns were key points in Southampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman's state of the town address, which he delivered at Tuesday's town board meeting.

Other issues spotlighted included open and accessible government, the environment, town finances and long range planning

Top on Schneiderman's agenda was the hiring of the new Southampton Town Police Chief Steven Skrynecki, the creation of a new public safety department that would consolidate the resources of code enforcement, fire marshal and animal control, and changes to town code to address residents' concerns.

Two recent code changes already in place create new restrictions on filming in private locations and new limits on the hours of operations of any noisy construction equipment by private contractors in the town on weekends, Schneiderman said.

In addition, Schneiderman announced two additional changes — one placing limits on the number of cars that can be parked at a rental property and a new law that would require a “mass gathering permit” for private parties larger than 75 people, he said. The permit would not impose a fee but would require the applicant to manage parking and comply with noise restrictions.

“We want residents and visitors to enjoy our community without having to deal with excessive noise, over-crowded or unsafe conditions," Schneiderman said. “I believe these are common sense measures we can take to help accomplish those objectives.”

In addition, the town is rolling out a way for residents to report concerns to specific departments, via a new app developed by the town's IT department. The Southampton Online Support System, or SOS, is accessible through any electronic device. It will also give residents a tracking number so they can follow developments on their requests, he said.

With an eye toward open government and transparency, Schneiderman noted that meetings have been scheduled and held at various locations around town. In addition, community planning charrettes have been held, and an electronic survey drew the participation of more than 2,000 residents, he said.

Affordable housing remains a key concern, the supervisor said; to that end, a director of housing was hired to help facilitate the creation of affordable housing opportunities.

“The community has stepped up to the plate on this issue. In Speonk, residents worked closely with the developer to gain support for a small housing development,” Schneiderman said. “Speonk Commons should serve as a model for other communities in our town that recognize the need for more affordable housing to help working families."

Schneiderman also spoke about a referendum that had voters at the polls voting for expansion of the Community Preservation Fund to include preservation of the town's waterways. In addition, he said, the CPF has helped to protect and preserved more than 4,200 acres since its inception in 1999, of which nearly 400 acres were acquired since he took office in 2016, he said.

He also outlined a proposal to add an “organic farming” easement as an option for future farmland preservation that he hopes will stimulate local food production.

Schneiderman also called for a plan to provide 100 percent of the town’s electrical energy needs through renewable energy sources by 2025.

The town's sound financial standing was also noted during the address, with a Triple A status by Moody’s and Standard and Poor's.

“We are proud of our fiscal status but we are also mindful that we need to keep our finances in check," the supervisor said. "We have met a very high standard and intend to keep operating at that level.”

In addition, long range planning efforts were outlined, including a a traffic study for Bridgehampton, the pattern book development for downtown Hampton Bays, a potential partnership with the Town of Riverhead for wastewater treatment in Riverside and other efforts to help local businesses.

Schneiderman said he'd also support a plan to replace the planned development district legislation; a one year moratorium on PDDs is currently in place.

“The new law will provide predictability and be more compatible with the community’s long term vision," he said.