Letters

It appears from a disturbing report in last week’s Express [“Owner, Village Say They’ll Partner,” 27east.com, December 26] that the new owners of the 7-Eleven and K Pasa buildings and Village Hall may already be in active negotiation to advance the developer’s application for a massive new commercial project that will urbanize and diminish our precious waterfront and do immeasurable harm to downtown. It is the most consequential development facing us in at least a generation.

The developers propose to double the size and raise the height of 22 West Water Street and 2 Main Street. This would profoundly harm the character of the village we all work so hard to preserve; isolate a prime section of the waterfront from the rest of the community; violate our Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan in several important ways; profoundly diminish the open sky plane we are legally bound to protect; threaten water quality in the harbor; and contribute immeasurably to our epic downtown traffic and parking problems.

In year-end newsletters to the community, two elite civic organizations have provided summaries of their past activities, talked about the year ahead, and asked for financial and other support going forward. Each of these organizations, Save Sag Harbor and the Sag Harbor Partnership, have in the past proved their strength and commitment to the community, from defeating the CVS proposal to resurrecting the cinema after the fire.

I call on these folks to now pool their considerable talent and resources to engage and fully challenge this plan to overdevelop and change our precious remaining waterfront. The community needs your involvement more than ever.

This may be the most important battle the village has faced in the modern era to protect, preserve and enhance the qualities that make the village so special. I believe such a joint effort will draw other community and civic voices to the fight, and that we can succeed. At the very least, we owe it to future generations of Sag Harbor to try. Our — and their — future depends on it.

When it comes to the waterfront, less is more in preserving our quality of life.

Jim Larocca

Sag Harbor

Larocca was Sag Harbor Village mayor from 2021 to 2023 — Ed.