“We want to get this right, rather than get it fast,” said Sag Harbor Mayor James Larocca, speaking at Tuesday night’s village board meeting of the village’s new affordable housing initiative.
To that end, Bob Plumb and Ed Haye, board members who are spearheading the initiative, have posted a draft of proposed legislation to the village’s website. Residents can check out the website, Mr. Plumb said, “and submit suggestions via email regarding specific points,” rather than hash it out in a public hearing.
The board members stressed that the documents are only preliminary — no details are firm.
Since January, when the initiative was first discussed, the board has abandoned the idea of an affordable housing overlay district, deciding instead to amend specific parts of the village code. That way, said Ed Haye, a trustee, the new legislation will “cover the entire village,” not just a particular district.
According to Mayor Larocca, the amended code would not only allow accessory structures in residential areas, but would also increase the amount of affordable housing allowed in the office and business districts. Board members hope to work with developers on larger projects, just outside the village boundaries, as well.
The current proposal online allows for “the establishment of three-story, mixed-use apartment buildings . . . where at least 75 percent of the units will be affordable.”
The draft documents, however, are not exactly user-friendly, said Bryony Friej of YIMBY, a group that has been outspoken in its advocacy of affordable housing. Ms. Friej thanked the board for the work they’d done, but suggested members provide a simplified “Cliffs Notes” version of the legislation.
Mr. Plumb noted that the board’s authority is restricted to a two-square-mile area in the village that is already “relatively densely built out,” but agreed that a work session with concerned residents would be a good idea.
To reduce any new level of bureaucracy that might come from administering an affordable housing program in a village that is split between two towns, Mr. Plumb will meet with officials of both of them, East Hampton and Southampton. Bonnie Cannon, who heads the Southampton Town Housing Authority, called in to the virtual meeting to offer her support for the initiative, and suggested the board consult with Curtis Highsmith, executive director of the housing authority. “We have had experience building affordable housing,” she said.
Mr. Haye suggested that any future amendments to the code include incentives to encourage homeowners to add affordable housing structures.
After receiving public input on the draft legislation, the board hopes to have firmer details to discuss at their next meeting, on March 8.
