The Southampton Town Planning Board unanimously voted to require an Environmental Impact Statement for the site of a proposed CVS in Bridgehampton, citing potential impacts the pharmacy could have on traffic and the overall character of the hamlet.
CVS has an application pending approval from the Planning Board for a special exception permit that would make the retailer the sole tenant of the building going up at 2510 Montauk Highway, on one of the corners in Bridgehampton’s main intersection.
The environmental study was called for as part of an overall the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQRA, determination.
The EIS is expected to consist of an analysis of all the environmental impacts related to the CVS, ways to reduce those impacts, and possible alternative uses of the property.
The environmental review is subject to one of two actions, depending on different aspects of a particular project, and in August the Planning Board classified it as an “unlisted action.” According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, an EIS is optional for unlisted actions.
The EIS came at the suggestion of town planner Claire Vail at Thursday afternoon’s regular meeting, after she expressed concern about traffic in that part of Bridgehampton, as well as the proximity of the proposed CVS to historic buildings on the other corners of the intersection.