 |
Letter to the Editor |
The Suffolk Times Don't give up Cutchogue To the Editor: A visit to Southold Planning Board's scoping session for the draft environmental impact statement of The Heritage at Cutchogue on Aug. 20 seemed like a bad dream, or worse, like an abscessed tooth that 24 years ago had a root canal and is now infected again. Time to remove the tooth! Twenty-four years ago this same development was being rammed through the back doors of Southold Town government. The impacts on our town of The Heritage at Cutchogue are no different from the impacts on our town of Seacroft. Like The Heritage, Seacroft was oversized, with huge impacts on everything -- traffic, water, cesspools, character and architectural integrity -- in a hamlet that has stood for 300 years. The public hearing for the change of zone was done in the middle of winter on Feb. 1, 1983. Despite the Planning Board's recommendation of denial of the zone change, Seacroft got a zone change on July 19, 1983, from the good ol' boys who were on Southold Town Board. The Suffolk Times reported then that the developer said everyone was in favor of the project. Everyone I knew strongly opposed it. After getting more than 900 signatures on a petition, I handed it in to the Town Board. They refused to let me speak and would not accept the petition. When this was reported in The Suffolk Times, I was overwhelmed by support, including legal assistance from environmental lawyer Robert Pike and encouragement from many local residents. To make a very long story short, I did not give up. When the Planning Board required the developers prepare a draft environmental impact statement, the developers stalled, and the Planning Board denied their site plan application. The developers sued Southold Town and lost. Please contact the Southold Town Board and the Planning Board and let them know that we do not want this high-priced, high-density development now or ever. Nancy Sawastynowicz |
|