Matters of Scale

Complain as we might about East Hampton Town’s long-term planning, a recent idea from Town Hall, about further restricting the size of houses, has merit. Early opposition from a few property owners and real estate agents should not derail what would be an important conversation.

Responding to concerns that new houses in some parts of town have grown out of proportion to the size of their lots, town board members have been looking at ways to dial back on what is allowed. In this, they are following East Hampton Village and several other East End municipalities, which have adopted laws intended to keep large new construction from overpowering streetscapes.

The town’s coastal areas deserve particular attention in this regard. With requirements set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that dictate minimum first-floor heights, construction and rebuilding can result in visually massive structures that loom over their neighbors. Taking a separate look at these scenic areas would be warranted as the town reviews the various aspects of the proposal.

As a baseline, town officials are looking at the formula used in East Hampton Village. It limits houses to 10 percent of a lot’s area, plus 1,000 square feet. Under town rules, houses now can be up to 12 percent of a lot’s area, plus 1,600 square feet. The village rules are a good starting point. As East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell has said, village house prices have obviously not suffered as a result.

There is bound to be some howling about any new restrictions and, yes, the town has more and larger open spaces than the village, but maintaining local character through limits on house sizes is a communitywide goal.