Letters

At the last East Hampton Town Planning Board meeting, a discussion was had over affordable housing and the site at 350 Pantigo Road.

Kirby Marcantonio pitched an idea about the renters having “ownership.” Again, as he has stated previously, this is a novel approach, and he is putting ideas out for consumption. This has the potential to get murky, though there are multiple provisions on affordable housing. For one example, “limited equity” is available to be used nationwide. I’d personally love to see a plan in writing.

Eric Shantz also brought up something I have never heard anyone from the Town of East Hampton mention publicly: That is the availability of subdividing lots. A 20,000-square-foot lot could allow two homes, three homes and four homes for the additional 10,000 subsequent footage.

I floated this idea when I ran in 2021, when I mentioned that the town could buy lots on my road, Bay View Avenue, and add the potential appropriate housing. After all, these lots were all subdivided 20-foot-by-100-foot lots originally. Urban renewal helped to combine all the lots on this road. Now that thought is just a memory.

It would do us all a better good to know history and act quicker than let opportunities slip away.

Still here.

Joe Karpinski

Amagansett