Seek Input on Plan for New Restrictions on House Sizes

Sag Harbor residents can air their concerns or voice their support for proposed village zoning code changes during two public hearings slated for Tuesday.

The proposed amendments stem from work done over the past year, particularly during a six-month moratorium on large-scale residential building projects following public outcry about large houses replacing smaller ones. One of the most contentious proposals has been the introduction of gross floor area regulations based on the size of a property.

New limits on house sizes begin to kick in on properties that are 6,250 square feet (initially, new limits would have affected all properties larger than 5,000 square feet). Smaller properties will be governed by the existing 20-percent-coverage rule. The maximum house size on a 25,000-square-foot lot would be 4,000 square feet. A house any bigger would require a special permit.

In the historic district, proposed changes involve the definition of demolition and the prohibition of solar panels, if they are visible from an adjacent property or street.

Pools are a subject of one hearing, though the village backed off an initial change to setbacks that elicited negative feedback.

The amendments have the full support of the board, Mayor Sandra Schroeder said on Tuesday. “I think it will be an improvement for our village. I really do,” she said, adding that the goal is to try to keep the village as it is. She rebuffed the idea that the changes would have an impact on property values. If the code still needs tweaking, it can be done in the future, she said. “Nothing is perfect, especially zoning. We have to start somewhere, and this is it.”

Tuesday’s hearings begin at 6 p.m. in Municipal Hall.