Letters

Hampton Bays residents demonstrated their commitment to the future of Hampton Bays with an unexpectedly large turnout for Supervisor Jay Schneiderman’s listening session. After the inexcusable revelations of the planning contract debacle and the raucous community meeting to promote the Hampton Bays Downtown Overlay District, Mr. Schneiderman proposed several listening sessions to hear from Hampton Bays residents concerning the future of Hampton Bays.

The session revealed one clear point: There was virtually no support expressed for the HBDOD by the residents who attended the meeting. Residents who spoke at the session repeatedly voiced their concerns of the negative consequences of the increase in density, generated by the HBDOD, would have on the Hampton Bays hamlet. Speakers pointed to current traffic and parking problems that the hamlet experiences, which they felt would be adversely affected by a large HBDOD residential development. Residents also expressed concerns about the impact that an increase in density would have on our school district and the subsequent effect on our school taxes.

The planned location of the sewage treatment plant, a major component of the HBDOD, was another point of contention for many speakers. They were critical of its exposure to both Good Ground Park and Good Ground Cemetery, and located just one block away from Main Street.

Several speakers urged Mr. Schneiderman to stop the town’s appeal of the lawsuit decision that nullified the Southampton Town Board’s approval of the HBDOD. Mr. Schneiderman refused to commit to such an action. Mr. Schneiderman’s refusal is particularly upsetting in that it again demonstrated the town’s deceptive strategy of engaging Hampton Bays residents while at the same time pursuing a court ruling that would allow the town to move forward with the HBDOD. The plan was previously approved by the board and could move forward as it is constituted without further Town Board action.

The residents of Hampton Bays demonstrated their interest in the future of Hampton Bays. They want to move forward, but this can only happen if Mr. Schneiderman intends to listen in good faith and do the will of the people.

Ray D’Angelo

Hampton Bays