Some Speed Limits Lowered to 20

The East Hampton Village Board reduced the speed limit from 25 to 20 miles per hour on several streets and adopted a few uncontroversial laws at its first regular meeting of 2017 on Friday. However, it took no action on proposed zoning code changes.

With no public comment, the board was unanimous in voting to prohibit left turns from Pleasant Lane onto Newtown Lane and to add a one-hour time limit in designated parking spaces on Pleasant Lane. The streets that will now have 20 miles per hour speed limits are King Street, McGuirk Street, Middle Lane, Mill Hill Lane, and Meadow Way.

Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. confirmed the delay in enacting the zoning changes, saying the hearing would remain open “because of the specific content and the volume of the new language as it relates to definitions and the legislative intent.”

The three primary objectives of the proposed zoning amendments, according to Bob Hefner, the village’s director of historic services, are to create separate side and rear-yard setback requirements for accessory buildings and structures that are less restrictive than those for a principal building. The setbacks would be doubled, however, for accessory buildings and structures deemed “noise makers,” such as playing courts, swimming pools, pool equipment, and pool houses.

“This change recognizes the historical development pattern of the village, where garages and sheds are often spread out on a property, closer to the rear and side property lines than the house,” Mr. Hefner told the board. “In addition to allowing development that reflects existing neighborhood character, these new setbacks for accessory structures will greatly diminish the zoning variances sought for quite minor improvements.”

On the recommendation of the village’s planning and zoning committee, the amendments would also create a new method of calculating setbacks for narrow and shallow lots. The new method is intended to be easier and to yield more consistent results. The committee had found that current alternative setback regulations were subject to great interpretation, were difficult for the average resident to calculate, and artificially reduced the width and depth of properties, allowing too much relief for construction of principal buildings.

The amendments would also exempt parts of a house that do not contribute to its mass from the principal setbacks for a residence, instead making them subject to the proposed accessory structure setbacks. With this change, most window wells, cellar stairs, Bilco doors, exterior chimneys, stoops, and open porches would be permitted to extend beyond the principal structure’s setbacks.

“Overall,” Mr. Hefner said, “these changes make the zoning code clearer, more uniform in its application, and more reasonable.”

The mayor invited the public to comment using written or electronic correspondence. Becky Molinaro, the village administrator, said after the meeting that the board would accept comment until its next  regular meeting, on Feb. 17.

Also at the meeting, the board scheduled a special election on June 20 to fill a one-year term on the board of the late Elbert Edwards. The mayor had appointed Philip O’Connell to the post, but because Mr. Edwards died in the midst of a four-year term, Mr. O’Connell must stand for election.

The board also voted to accept the retirement of Dan Reichl, a code enforcement officer. Mayor Rickenbach spoke of Mr. Reichl’s “sterling record of 13 years of service” and called him “a hard act to follow with respect to the discipline and the caring” that he brought to his work.