The Business Alliance Board of Directors sent the letter below to Supervisor Schneiderman and all Town Council members last week in response to the Supervisor’s reported plan to eliminate the Town’s PDD legislation. The first public hearing is tentatively scheduled for the June 13th 1:00 p.m. Town Board meeting; we will keep you updated on this!
May 2017
Hon. Jay Schneiderman, Supervisor Southampton Town Hall 116 Hampton Road Southampton NY 11968
Dear Supervisor Schneiderman:
The Southampton Business Alliance is a Town-wide advocacy group protecting the interests of the business community and the thousands of families that rely on those businesses. We are writing in strong opposition to your suggestion to repeal the Town’s Planned Development District (PDD) legislation.
We don’t see this suggested repeal as “a victory by environmentalists” as reported in The Southampton Press, but rather as a defeat for the Town Board itself and ultimately a defeat for the people of the Town of Southampton.
PDD legislation is a tool for the Town Board to use for projects needing zoning changes that only the Town Board can approve. Without this option available, there is no way to even consider projects that do have community benefits but don’t fall into one or another zoning category.
As seen in the recent Tuckahoe shopping center proposal, if you don’t feel the project has merit, you can simply say no.
PDD legislation is not zoning law in favor of developers. It’s an option to be used at your discretion and allows the people of the Town to voice their opinion.
“We the people” elect our Town Board members, and we trust you to represent the best interests of the people, not of special interest groups from either side of any issue. The Southampton Business Alliance urges you to keep this very important PDD legislation as a mechanism to consider those special projects that do offer significant community benefits.
Thank you.
Sheryl Heather, Executive Director on behalf of the Southampton Business Alliance Board of Directors