Letters

Your article [“Traffic Solutions Will Require Remaking the South Fork, Experts Say, and May Be Unlikely To Ever Happen,” 27east.com, October 23] should send a message to us, an unambiguous message, loud and clear.

Bill Hillman, the county’s chief engineer, stated the harsh reality that there is no practical solution to our crushing traffic nightmare. Therefore, we must face reality. If the quality of life is not to deteriorate further for current town residents, whose interests should come first and foremost, we should be making demands on all town boards, elected, appointed and staffs regarding our future.

Yes, housing is pretty unaffordable for many out here. This situation is not limited to our town but should be our primary focus. And how do we get this housing, both affordable and market rate? It usually requires an agreement to increase density.

For example, a builder buys property zoned to allow 10 houses. He proposes building 14 houses, of which two would be affordable. Or, as currently being bandied about in Hampton Bays, building about 150 apartments in strictly residential buildings, when our small village business zone allows for none. We know the Long Island Rail Road realistically will not be able to absorb the additional traffic created. Plus, additional strains would be placed on services and quality of life for current residents to meet the newly created demands. So where is the benefit for us?

Years ago, our town adopted plans to keep us from losing our charm and character, while taking into account future growth allowed under zoning rules. Now, it seems, we have abandoned all pretense of sensible growth by changing the rules to satisfy traffic demands, which cannot be satisfied and only made worse by increased population density, especially in the western end of town, where land is more affordable and maximum profit can be realized by developers.

What can we do? To begin, we should insist that zero density incentives be given until this problem is solved. Since qualification for affordable housing does not require current town residency, only employment in town, our people may not benefit at all. Admittedly, we can recognize that moving from Yaphank into Water Mill could eliminate that car from traffic for part of the journey. On the other hand, moving from Yaphank into Eastport or Hampton Bays does nothing to help.

Too many have not thought this through. We hear terms like “affordable housing for our children” and say “yes,” not realizing that our children may not get any. I will say that most housing advocates appear motivated by good but seem blind to the downsides.

So, I beg everyone to think this through. How close will we come to rampant suburbanization before we realize all we will lose and how little we will gain?

Marion Boden

Hampton Bays