Condemnation Moves Ahead

In their ongoing effort to resolve the dispute over the ownership of stretches of the ocean beach on Napeague, East Hampton Town officials moved ahead this week with eminent domain proceedings.

The town resolved in 2014 to condemn, depending on the outcome of the current legal proceedings, two separate parcels totaling just over 22 acres of shorefront between the mean high water mark and the toe of sand dunes.

One parcel includes 4,000 linear feet between the end of Napeague Lane and the border of Napeague State Park; the other stretches for 1,550 linear feet from the eastern boundary of Napeague State Park to the road-end at Dolphin Drive.

On Tuesday, a consultant hired to complete a required environmental review before condemnation can take place briefed the town board. To move ahead with an environmental impact statement, he said, the board should declare itself lead agency on the project and then schedule a meeting to hear public comment on the potential environmental impacts of claiming town ownership.