New Plans are in the Works for Gabreski Airport

Last week, the Southampton Town Board voted to approve a resolution authorizing Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst to sign a contract with consultants Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, LLC to prepare an expanded supplemental generic environmental impact statement for proposed changes to the Gabreski Airport Planned Development District.

 The resolution comes after developers of the site, Gregg and Mitchell Rechler of Recher@Gabreski LLC, who also own the Canoe Place Inn property, sent a letter to the town asking for consideration of a proposed amendment to the plan. Highlights of the changes requested in their application include a provision to increase the height of buildings that can be built on the site to a maximum of three stories or 43 feet, rather than the current 35-foot, two-story allowance in the current plan.

 The Rechers and Suffolk County are co-signers of a 40-year lease for the site; the plan is to create a technology park, comprising over 430,000 square feet with construction slated to commence in the coming year.

 The park is expected to generate money for the county, with the hope of over $38 million in rent to be garnered over the coming years to line its coffers.

 The park is expected to include eight buildings, from 5,000 square feet to 70,000 square feet, with businesses, including technology-based industries and even possible plans for film and production companies.

 A cornerstone of the project is a new hotel, which would be effected by last week’s proposed changes. It would mean that the hotel would be three stories, not two, as originally planned.

 Other requested “minor” changes in the amendment, according to the town’s planning and development administrator Jeff Murphree are allowance for an increased floor area ratio to be applied to the overall property, rather than individual lots; an update to the proposed impervious versus landscaped area coverage to reflect the proposed development plan and infrastructure changes made by the county; a modification of sign requirements to include signs that may not face the street and also to address the need for more than one sign at the airport’s entrance reading, “Hamptons Business and Technology Park.”  Finally, there is a modification to required parking based on shared parking ability.

 The proposed changes, said Murphree, “are not insurmountable.” He also reminded that the resolution passed by the board last week was to hire consultants, who worked on the initial PDD in 2006 and 2007.

 Since a new traffic study has been completed, he said, “who’s better than the people who initially did it?”

 Murphree said the two biggest issues concern the floor area ratio and the increased hotel height. The proposed changes, he added, “would have an affect on the footprint of the buildings.”

 Councilman Chris Nuzzi raised questions regarding the larger buildings on site and asked for a work session devoted to the proposed amendment and changes.

 Moving forward, Councilwoman Nancy Graboski reminded that the board still has the ability to “be amenable, or deny the changes.” She said, “This is a good project, at the end of the day.”

 Graboski said that next steps would include the Rechlers going before the planning board for a site plan review. Before that could happen; however, an amendment to the law as it pertains to the PDD would be necessary.

 “The question becomes what is the best way for these proposals to be aired and evaluated,” she said.

 Intense examination and evaluation of whether or not the proposed changes would have significant environmental impact is necessary, especially with regard to the intent of restrictions that were incorporated into the Gabreski PDD law, she said.

 Public hearings will also be necessary.  “Certainly, the town board is very interested in hearing how the community feels about the proposed changes,” she said.