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Government / News / Southampton Press / 1801538

New Measure Give Sagaponack Enforcement Power Over Open Space Purchases

authorStephen J. Kotz on Jul 28, 2021

A loophole in state law that prevented the Village of Sagaponack from enforcing open space easements and development right purchases acquired by Suffolk County or Southampton Town has been closed now that legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. has been signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“Sagaponack is a relatively new village,” Mr. Thiele said of the East End’s newest municipality, which was incorporated in 2005, “and you had all these farmland purchases and open space acquisitions that the county or town did and they are not party to any of them.”

Under the new law that goes into effect immediately, the village has the authority to enforce any interest acquired in real estate by any other municipal government, even before it was incorporated.

“I am pleased that after several years of sponsorship, this important legislation has finally become law,” Mr. Thiele said in a release. “Authorizing the Village of Sagaponack to enforce easements is a necessary step toward protecting, and preventing the overdevelopment of our precious open space and other natural resources. I thank my colleagues in the legislature and the governor for recognizing the importance of this measure.”

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