Government Briefs 03.03.16

East Hampton Town

Hamlet and Business Studies

Residents of East Hampton will be asked to share thoughts, concerns, wishes, and other information regarding their hamlets at a series of upcoming meetings with consultants who are beginning studies of each individual hamlet, as well as a business study of the economic state of the town.

The studies are to develop into a set of planning recommendations that would guide public policy, zoning, legislative, and other decisions by the town board in order to address needs and problems and to provide for the best future development.

After a presentation at a town board meeting at Town Hall on March 15, the consultants will lead a 4 p.m. session, also at Town Hall, focusing on Wainscott and Amagansett, and a 7 p.m. session on the Montauk downtown and dock areas, at a Montauk location to be determined.

The Montauk areas will be the subject of a repeat discussion the next day, March 16, at 1 p.m. in Montauk, with another at Town Hall focusing on Springs and on areas of East Hampton, outside the incorporated village, at 7 p.m.

Each session is expected to last about two or three hours.

To Lower Speed Limits

East Hampton Town officials agreed last Thursday to seek authority from the state to regulate speed limits within the town.

To maximize safety for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians, the town wants to lower the speed limit on some roadways to 25 miles per hour, where it is generally 30 miles per hour, and to 15 miles per hour in school zones.

As speed limits are now set by the state, local municipalities must submit a “home-rule” request in order to be able to set them locally.

Increased Tax Exemptions for Vets

The maximum amounts on property tax exemptions for veterans in East Hampton will be increased, according to a vote of the town board on Tuesday.

Up to 15 percent of the assessed value of qualifying properties will be exempted from taxation, with a new maximum exemption amount of $75,000 or a calculation based on the assessors’ equalization rate, whichever is less. Recommended changes to other exemptions for veterans in particular categories were also adopted.

In response to public comments at a board meeting last week questioning the impact of the exemptions on other taxpayers, who must pick up the slack, Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell said Tuesday that the exemptions could result in between $50,000 and $100,000 in town taxes not being collected; that amount, apportioned among the tax bills for the remaining taxpayers in the town, would perhaps result in a $2 a year increase for each, he said. Mr. Cantwell said he believed that, if asked, those taxpayers would be willing to shoulder the additional cost in order to recognize veterans for their service.