In a letter to the Pine Barrens Commission arguing against a proposed 600-acre golf course resort in East Quogue known as the Lewis Road Planned Residential Development, or PRD, I recommended that the commission create a task force to pursue an independent investigation into the Lewis Road corridor. Here’s why.
Three PRDs were created opposite Discovery Land’s Lewis Road PRD. These PRDs are adjacent to one another, rising up from Lewis Road. This letter is about the PRD closest to Lewis Road. All of the following is documented and archived.
The property in question was owned by a local real estate businessman. This businessman sold the land to a second real estate businessman who filed an application to create a residential subdivision. When the subdivision was one step from final approval, the businessman filed an application to operate a horse farm.
After he received approval to operate a farm, he gave interviews to different papers, including the Long Island section of The New York Times, in which he indicated that he was operating a club. But he didn’t file an application to operate a club. Therefore, by formal resolution on file in Southampton’s Planning Department, the real estate businessman was told to stop any activity for which he didn’t apply and for which he didn’t receive approval.
The club moved to Bridgehampton and filed an application to operate a club. The Bridgehampton application was rejected because it was felt that activity was inappropriate. The club sued, and the courts granted the club the right to operate.
The club had standing by virtue of filing an accurate application. The East Quogue businessman did not have standing and therefore could not operate a club. The East Quogue real estate businessman sold the farm to a third local real estate businessman, a builder who had no interest in farming. However the builder filed an application to create a PRD that allowed him to divide the property into a housing subdivision and create a smaller horse farm that could be unbundled from the housing and sold separately.
An application must accurately reflect the intention of an applicant. Discovery Land filed an application to build a PRD. Wayne Bruyn, the lawyer for Discovery Land, was employed by Southampton’s Planning Department when the East Quogue horse farm applications were submitted. So he’s somewhat familiar with land use on the Lewis Road corridor.
Therefore, it would not have been improper for the Pine Barrens Commission to question whether Discovery Land conformed to the rules governing a PRD. If it was determined that Discovery Land didn’t conform, then Discovery Land wouldn’t have had standing.
Susan Cerwinski
East Quogue
More To Be DoneMayor Jesse Warren helped to put Lake Agawam closer to the top of Southampton Village’s list of priorities. Through decades of neglect and mismanagement, Lake Agawam, once known as the jewel of Southampton, was allowed to become an unsafe toxic...
Be AwareProbably the issue of Gibson Beach access in the Village of Sagaponack will hinge on money [“Gibson Beach Will Become a Sagaponack Village Beach, Instead of Being in Control of Southampton Town,” 27east.com, September 4]. The costs of maintenance is...
Work CollaborativelyAs we transition into the off-season, a glaring issue in Southampton Village needs immediate attention: the continued vacancies in our downtown. This summer, there were at least two vacant storefronts on Jobs Lane, prime spaces that remained empty throughout our...
Dumpster FireI think it is worthwhile to again recap the Trump/Vance campaign “strategy” for last week. On Monday, August 26, Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery, and proceeded to break all rules of decorum there, so much so that the U.S. Army...
Commitment to UnityIf you haven’t yet met John Avlon, candidate for Congress in New York’s 1st District, I encourage you to do so as soon as you can. Avlon’s name was new to me when he started his campaign for Congress to...
Tower Or No TowerMy mother told me today, “It’s too late.” Yes it is. This community that my ancestors helped to found is forever changed. Change is inevitable, but clear disregard for all that makes this place special, unforgivable [“A Fight Over a...
Watch What They DoNick LaLota the letter writer is not Nick LaLota the congressman who casts votes in the House of Representatives — particularly as it relates to reproductive rights. On the same day that I read Mr. LaLota’s rebuttal to my letter...
Fond FarewellA fond wave to Michael Pateman as he leaves the Southampton of his memories and the Southampton of now [“Goodbye,” Letters, August 26]. I remember a wonderful yard sale or two at his and Joanne Pateman’s house where I bought...
