Sag Harbor Zoning Changes Move Ahead

Sag Harbor Village officials are moving forward with proposed zoning code changes, including adopting a gross floor area regulation, following a moratorium on major building. The village board will meet with its attorneys and consultants tomorrow at 3 p.m. to introduce the draft law, and a public hearing will be scheduled on April 12, when the board next meets.

At an informational session in January, officials explained the proposals, and made some changes after reviewing the public comments. The size of a house would now be tied to the size of its lot, Mayor Sandra Schroeder said yesterday, though for bigger properties, the allowable gross floor area would be somewhat increased.

A more definitive explanation of “demolition” is provided for houses outside the historic district, she said.

The village would do away with the imposition of an additional fee of $15 per square foot on applications for houses larger than 3,000 square feet. The money would have gone into a fund for affordable housing. The idea, had it met with board approval, would have been the first in the state, though similar concepts have been instituted elsewhere.

The board is also poised to set a hearing on revised amendments that deal with pool setbacks, which had caused a stir. Earlier this year, it was announced that changes had already been made; the proposal will be reviewed again tomorrow.

Mayor Schroeder stressed that the board will not take public comments tomorrow. There will be an opportunity for comments at the hearing on April 12, which will begin at 6 p.m.