Not Minor Matters - 27 East

Letters

Southampton Press / Opinion / Letters / 1805961
Aug 10, 2021

Not Minor Matters

One should not let Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman’s (and others) personal attacks on a citizen who exercised her rights to challenge a government decision distract one from the serious substantive problems [“Court Reverses Decision On Hampton Bays Downtown Overlay District,” 27east.com, July 28].

Stating that 1,200 people participated in a process is misleading. It does not mean that 1,200 people supported the board’s ultimate plan for the Downtown Overlay District in Hampton Bays.

The Town Board should not be surprised at the court’s recent decision. Throughout this process, many people testified and commented about inadequacies in the plan, the changes from the previous plan, and the inadequacies in the environmental review.

A court ruled that the town failed to comply with the law. The town failed to address the existing Superfund designation at the fire department property. The town segmented its environmental review by breaking Montauk Highway into one little piece. The town failed to consider the long-term and cumulative effects of what it was doing.

These are not minor technical matters but substantive issues affecting the current and future quality of life in Hampton Bays. The board doesn’t seem to take these matters seriously.

Mary Pazan

Hampton Bays