Little Opposition for Remsenburg Development Project

A proposal to construct was met with little opposition from members of the Westhampton Citizens Advisory Committee at their meeting last Thursday night.

The project, submitted by developer Lawrence Citarelli Jr., and currently being evaluated by the Southampton Town Planning Board, is located just north of South Country Road and west of Nidzyn Avenue, and can only be accessed via Matthews Drive. It is one of the last wooded parcels of any significant size in Remsenburg.

The plan, called The Estates at Remsenburg, also includes donating 5.7 acres to the town. The remaining 17.3 acres will be made into 19 lots, with a home on each. Because Citarelli is staying below the as-of-right development of the parcel, which is 20 homes, he is not required to construct additional affordable housing.

Under a state mandate, any as-of-right subdivision with more than five homes must leave at least 10 percent for affordable housing.

CAC chairman Hank Beck said that because the project is as-of-right, there is not much that can be done about it. He said that previous concerns about additional traffic in Remsenburg as a result of the new homes will most likely be unfounded. He said the development will result in about 30 additional cars in the hamlet, which given the population already in Remsenburg, will be minimal.

During previous discussions on the subdivision, including a presentation at the CAC's meeting last month, and a planning board hearing on July 14, one of the main concerns was the new road, which is proposed to be constructed at the end of Matthews Drive.

Former Town Councilwoman Sally Pope, who was also present at both previous meetings, has started collecting signatures for a petition opposing the construction of the road at the Remsenburg Academy and she has garnered about 250 signatures.

Addressing some public sentiment that the property should have been preserved by the Community Preservation Fund, Beck said that he had spoken to the broker who sold the land to Citarelli, and that she said she had contacted the town and county about purchasing the property, and there had been no interest.

Beck also said there has been concern about the potential effects of a groundwater contamination plume, located north of the proposed development. He said that the plume may have some effect on the development, and that although the soil has tested negative for contamination in the past. He said he would like to see it tested again.

The plume was also mentioned a little later in the meeting when CAC members took a first look at a newly proposed three-lot subdivision in Speonk, located just west of North Phillips Avenue and on the south side of Old Country Road.

Beck said he would speak to Bob Mozer, a hydrogeologist and chairman of the Speonk Remsenburg Civic Association, to find out additional information on where exactly the boundaries of the plume are.

The CAC's next meeting is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 8.