Government Briefs 09.25.14

East Hampton Town

Chain Store Law Takes Effect

A new law requiring chain stores hoping to open here to obtain a special permit and undergo particular planning board review was passed by a majority vote of the East Hampton Town Board last Thursday. Councilman Fred Overton voted against it.

A chain store, or “formula business,” was defined as a retail store, restaurant, tavern, bar, or fast-food or drive-in restaurant that is among 15 or more similar businesses meeting at least two of several criteria, such as having a standardized menu, design, or merchandise. Such enterprises will need to submit a traffic study for town review, and its plans will be aired at a public hearing before a decision is made on a permit.

Chain stores will be allowed in neighborhood business, central business, and waterfront zones if found compatible with the existing, surrounding uses, and with the provisions of the town’s comprehensive plan pertaining to East Hampton’s unique character and environment. They will be required to have “a unique visual appearance that is consistent with the character of the town,” different from its counterparts elsewhere. Only one formula business will be permitted per building or lot, except at multiple business complexes.

At hearings in April on the draft law and on a revised version in July, the town board heard comments both for and against the proposal.

Two New Advisory Committees

The town board established two new advisory committees last Thursday by unanimous vote.

A property management committee will study several town holdings where various types of public use have been proposed, and make recommendations to the board. The properties include the Duck Creek Farm and the Brooks Park site in Springs, the former Boys Harbor Camp on Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton, and the Fort Pond House in Montauk. Councilman Peter Van Scoyoc will work with the group, which has seven appointed members. The town, according to its resolution establishing the committee, “wishes to determine the best public uses for such properties, create management plans, and develop guidelines and procedures for the uses and maintenance of these properties.”

Thirteen members were appointed to an agricultural advisory committee, with Councilwoman Sylvia Overby as its liaison. The group will be asked to advise the board on “all agricultural related issues and make recommendations relative to the town’s comprehensive plan to protect our farmland and sustain a healthy industry.” East Hampton, the resolution notes, has approximately 1,440 acres of prime farmland and has “a history of a well-established agrarian society.” The farmland across the region is reportedly ranked first in New York State and is among the top 10 areas in the United States.

New Police Contract

The town board voted last week to approve a contract with the East Hampton Police Benevolent Association after a collective bargaining effort.

The agreement includes a provision that newly hired officers pay 15 percent of their health insurance costs. Supervisor Larry Cantwell said this week that this was the first time the town had successfully negotiated an employee contribution toward insurance costs with the P.B.A. According to the town’s labor counsel, he said, it was also a first among East End towns.

The police officers’ previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2012. The new agreement will be retroactive, covering Jan. 1, 2013 through Dec. 31, 2016. It calls for 2.5-percent wage increases annually for 2013 and 2014, a 2.25-percent increase for 2015, and another 2.25-percent increase effective Jan. 1, 2016.

Solar Energy Leases

SunEdison, a solar energy company, will be given an option to lease 24 acres of town land to establish alternative energy facilities, according to a vote of the town board last week. The company is among those that have submitted proposals for solar power sites in the town.

Its plan must undergo site-plan and environmental review. In the meantime, SunEdison will pay the town, for up to three years, to maintain the option to lease 12 acres of a 21-acre site on Accabonac Road for $29,595 a year, 5 acres of a 9-acre property on Bull Path, for $18,905 per annum, and 7 acres of a 50-acre tract on Springs-Fireplace Road, all in East Hampton, for an annual payment of $32,400.J.P.