Letters

Michael Wright’s article [“Hampton Bays Pattern Book Tinkering Continues as Board Seeks To Assuage Critics of Redevelopment Guide,” 27east.com, July 24] completely mischaracterizes the Southampton Town Board’s recent actions with regard to the adoption of the Hampton Bays pattern book.

The Town Board did not, as he states in his opening sentence, bow “to pressure from a small but vocal group of Hampton Bays residents” by removing zoning elements from the pattern book. As I discussed in my recent Letter to the Editor [“Parade of Horribles,” Letters, July 25], an earlier board meeting held on July 9 found all of the speakers from the public that afternoon, hailing from all sides of the Hampton Bays downtown redevelopment debate, united in the call to remove the zoning elements from the pattern book. We all advocated the obvious point that the inclusion of potential changes to zoning in the pattern book, prepared as a component of the town’s Comprehensive Plan to guide future development within the Hampton Bays downtown/central business district, is inappropriate, as any zoning change that conflicts with current zoning can only be adopted by the Town Board as a legislative change to the zoning code.

The Town Board agreed with that position and directed the Planning Department to remove the offending elements. Further, the public hearing held on July 23 was adjourned to August 27 because contemplated revisions to the pattern book were not yet complete and the public will need time to review the changes and offer additional public comment.

Nothing changed from July 9 to the present. The five speakers from the public during the July 23 public hearing, three of whom are members of the Hampton Bays Civic Association board of directors and at least one of whom is a member, said little more than what had already been said by all concerned and did not change the pattern book’s trajectory toward adoption one iota.

While they did go on as usual that even the consideration of a redevelopment plan will invite wrack and ruin to the hamlet of Hampton Bays, the unity of the opposing sides on the only substantive issue of import in these public hearings is the real story. So, why the faulty framing?

John J. Leonard

President

Hampton Bays Alliance