A detailed study of land use along Springs-Fireplace Road and its surroundings is to be commissioned by East Hampton Town Board in an effort to improve commercial and residential development, traffic circulation, and the area’s visual character.
The planning firms that are conducting the town’s hamlet studies — Dodson and Flinker, and Fine Arts and Sciences — will oversee the new study, which is expected to cost about $120,000. It will include a traffic analysis from L.K. McLean Associates, an engineering firm.
Lisa Liquori of Fine Arts and Sciences presented a draft proposal to the board at a meeting last month. The study, she said, will focus on the area around Springs-Fireplace Road from its intersection with North Main Street to Abraham’s Path, and from Accabonac to Three Mile Harbor Roads.
Springs-Fireplace is one of the most heavily traveled roads in East Hampton, and contains the largest commercial and industrial uses in the town, the proposal noted. “The roadway also serves as the gateway to Springs and is one of the primary thoroughfares to the [town’s] most densely developed residential communities.”
“We’ll look at traffic and land use, and assess the cumulative impacts of the pending development on traffic conditions,” Ms. Liquori told the board. The study will identify the places where a large number of traffic accidents occur, the type of vehicles using the roads, and the available on and off-street parking.
“We’ll make recommendations to improve traffic safety and reduce congestion, improve functionality, improve visual character, and reduce potential environmental threats from new development,” Ms. Liquori said.
As part of their land use assessment, the firms will establish which businesses are not conforming to approved site plans. “We’re not looking to bring forward violations, we’re just trying to show what’s there,” she said.
They will also look at existing affordable housing, such as second-floor apartments, and estimate the maximum potential for new businesses and residences. A plan to provide more open space and more screening from industrial uses will be developed, Ms. Liquori said, and the firms will provide suggestions for managing future growth.
The East Hampton Town Planning Board, which has urged the town board to conduct a traffic study of Springs-Fireplace Road and has resisted approving new businesses in the area until one has been done, is providing the town board with a list of applications now under review. They include a proposal to build a car wash adjacent to the recycling center. The East Hampton School District also has plans to build a bus depot next to the recycling center.
“Aside from downtown Montauk, this is one of the most affected areas of East Hampton that we see right now, so I think it’s important to move forward with this,” said David Lys. His colleagues agreed.
“After the planning board offers their input, we’ll finalize the scope,” said Kathee Burke-Gonzalez.