Since 1984!   Click these photos for more information

In 1984, Southold Town Board spot rezoned almost 50 acres of farmland in the heart of Cutchogue to permit high density residential development. If it was not for Nancy Sawastynowicz collecting over 800 signatures on a Petition and convening a public meeting at the Depot Lane School with concerned citizens including Danny Lyons and John Wickham in protest, Cutchogue Village would have already been overwhelmed by 350 new houses.

Also in 1984, a developer from Babylon dumped 50 truckfuls of dirt on the sand in preparation for building a house on the beach at the head of Cutchogue Harbor. Southold Town Building Department approved a building permit for a large rectangular house on the beach based on an environmental permit for a small octagonal house on stilts. If it were not for Benja Schwartz uncovering the mistake there would be a house there today. The Suffolk Times opined: “that a home on that location would be about as appropriate as a nuclear reactor at Founder's Landing.”

In 2007, the proposal for high density housing on the edge of Cutchogue Village was resurrected. Nancy and Benja organized Group for Cutchogue with the help of Roberta and Fred Lee, Julia Hopkins, Maril and Yippy Sawastynowicz and many others.

A Petition with well over 1,000 signatures was reluctantly received by Southold Town Board. Despite insistence that it would be illegal to rezone the property and suggestions that Town Hall is ruled by politicians not by citizens, the zoning was modified. The developer refused to modify his plans to comply with the new laws and started a lawsuit to try and get them invalidated by a court.

The story of Cutchogue continues ...

Please help us develop a sustainable legally protected Cutchogue by contacting Group for Cutchogue.