Expansion Of Mansion Proposed Near Lake Agawam Causes Stir In Community

One of the first houses on Lake Agawam in Southampton Village is the subject of heated debate over a proposed expansion to the historic property, part of which sits on wetlands.

Planned renovations for the mansion on First Neck Lane, known as Mocomanto, include a 7,556-square-foot floor plan, complete with a new “L”-shape addition with a garden shed and two-car garage. The plan also includes a remodeled porch, elevated roof height and an addition on the front of the residence, which would remain largely in the same location as the current structure.

The primary requests before the Southampton Village Zoning Board of Appeals—as described by attorney John Bennett, who is representing the applicant, Kenneth Fox—include a wetlands special permit for the one-story addition to the north side of the residence. Under village code, structures need special permission to be located closer to wetlands than setbacks would normally require. An addition to the front of the structure and the existing porch, along with the relocation of stairs and the existing driveway, also requires a wetlands special permit. The applicant also needs ZBA approval to exceed the village’s permissible residence height of 35 feet by approximately 5 feet.

After the application was presented to the board on Thursday, June 22, attorney Patrick Fife, representing neighbors who oppose the project, voiced multiple concerns on the application, arguing that it would be “disastrous” for Lake Agawam and for the historic nature of the area.

He cited a section of the village code that aims to protect watershed areas, such as the lake, noting that the code states that a permit should be issued only if there is a pressing economic or social need that “outweighs the loss or detriment of the wetlands.”

“People are petrified to have their children go near the lake,” Mr. Fife said, referring to a recent toxic cyanobacteria bloom that formed in the lake. “The lake’s a mess. Granting approvals to allow development of this magnitude is going to destroy the lake and forever change the character of this neighborhood.”

As part of the ZBA application process, Mr. Fox has proposed a few “mitigation measures” in response to concerns about zoning and the environmentally sensitive nature of the wetlands where the property is partially located. The application proposes eliminating an existing cottage on the property, which under the village’s zoning codes, would eliminate its pre-existing nonconforming use. A 40-foot-wide wetlands buffer along Lake Agawam has also been proposed, as there is currently very little vegetative buffer protecting the lake.

The application also calls for removing two grandfathered wastewater systems located 140 feet from wetlands and replacing them with a new system 200 feet away from the wetlands.

However, Mr. Fife argued that the proposed mitigation measures would be counteracted by the expansion, disputing the actual number of bedrooms proposed in the residence. Mr. Bennett cited Suffolk County documents that determine what is technically considered a bedroom, which, he argued, would be nine after the expansion. Mr. Fife disagreed, stating that other rooms in the home, such as a fitness room or sitting room, could potentially be used as a bedroom and that the count was actually 16.

Mr. Fife also pointed out that Mocomanto is listed in the New York State and National Register of Historic Places, and is “one of the most prominent historical homes on Lake Agawam.”

Mocomanto was the home of the Betts family, one of the founders of the Southampton summer community. Mr. Bennett later argued that the property is privately owned and extensions to historic homes are allowed under the law.

The ZBA is expected to discuss the application again at its July meeting.