Southampton Town Sued Over Approval Of Sandy Hollow Apartments

Tuckahoe homeowners and a citizens group called the Friends of Sandy Hollow, have filed a lawsuit against Southampton Town for their approval of an apartment complex to be built at 161 Sandy Hollow Road.

The Town Board approved of the 28-unit apartment complex on the 2.6 acre property back in July.

According to the lawsuit, the Town Board failed to: comply with the Planned Development District provisions of the Town Code, obtain a report from the Department of Land Management, consider the needs of the hamlet and give due consideration to the site’s environmental significance; traffic impacts; and impact on wildlife.

The plaintiffs listed in the lawsuit include: Oliver Bailly, Philip Woodie, Jonathan Kayne and Jennifer Kayne whose properties all directly ajoin the property and Robert Terry whose property is 200 feet or less from the property, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also states that if the apartment complex is built, the plaintiffs will suffer damages that include: contamination of their water supply; noise pollution; light pollution; increased traffic; worsened public safety and public health conditions in the neighborhood; depreciation in the rural, residential character of their neighborhood; and depreciation in the special environmental qualities of the Tuckahoe Woods area.

“We want them to follow the law,” said Noelle Bailly, immediate neighbor and wife of plaintiff Oliver Bailly told 27east. “It’s pretty blatant that they broke the law. They can’t be allowed to get away with it.”

The defendants listed in the lawsuit include: the Town Board, the Southampton Housing Authority, Georgica Green Ventures and Glesir Development, the current owner of the property.

According to 27east, the project is meant to target middle-income tenants with 28 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments starting at $950.