STEINBECK PARK CELEBRATION

HOUSING LOTTERY FOR NEW WORKFORCE HOUSING

More than 65 rental units were available through a lottery held on July 29th at Southampton Town Hall for the newly-constructed apartments at Sandy Hollow Cove in Tuckahoe and Speonk Commons. Over 250 applications were received for the affordable rental lottery for a mix of studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. Applicants had to meet income eligibility requirements under federal housing guidelines. The approved applicants were expected to move in this Fall.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES GROWS IN POPULARITY

More than 500 people attended each of the nine concerts at Good Ground Park this summer, as the sunken amphitheater continues to capture the hearts of the community and entertainers. Some favorites, like Nancy Atlas, returned this summer and there were some new bands, too! A little bit of country started off the “Good Ground on Stage” concert series with a performance by “Southbound”. The summer ended with a blast from the past as “PM Overdrive” played the hits of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The concert series is also a big success with downtown merchants. The “Good Ground on Stage” series exceeded our expectations again this year,” said Hampton Bays Chamber of Commerce President Dot Capuano. “Each concert brings both regulars and newbies to the park and, by extension, to our Main Street restaurants and downtown merchants. The park is doing exactly what was intended, serving as a destination right in the heart of Hampton Bays.” Although summer is over, the fun continues at the park. Good Ground Park will hold a Halloween costume party for the whole family on Saturday, October 26th from 12:30-2:30pm, and a Holiday Tree Lighting Event for Friday, December 6th from 3:30-5:00 p.m.

CMEE RIVERSIDE A POP-UP SUCCESS

The Children’s Museum of the East End (CMEE) opened a Pop-Up Mini Museum for kids in Riverside this summer and it was a great success. About 75 kids and 25 adults participated in the weekly sessions that mirrored some of the exhibits found at CMEE in Bridgehampton. Most of the families came from the Riverside, Flanders area but several families from further west of the area visited the Riverside location. The CMEE Riverside location was sharing rent free space with Head Start on Flanders Road, a town-owned facility. But now that the school year has begun, the Town is working with CMEE to find a more permanent location in the area.

BOAT RACE TIE

The annual cardboard boat race on the Peconic River between the Supervisors of Riverhead and Southampton ended in a tie. It was a close sprint to the end in front of hundreds of spectators on Saturday August 10th, when Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and Riverhead Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith touched the finish line at the same time. The two towns will now share the trophy for six months each before the Supervisors’ race again next summer.

BURY THE UTILITY LINES! 

A group of homeowners in Noyac will soon be taxing themselves to bury utility lines near a stretch of Long Beach. In a required super-majority vote, 4 of the 5 Town Board members voted in favor of funding to allow property owners in the Cliff Drive Utility Improvement District the right to tax themselves to cover the costs of undergrounding power lines. The vote was permitted after it was approved by the State Comptroller, the first such approval for an Underground Utility District in the state. The Cliff Drive Underground Utility District includes 18 properties in an area known as Baypoint. It is delineated on the north by Harbor Drive, on the east by Cliff Drive, on the south by the southern boundary line of 53 Cliff Drive and on the west by Long Beach Road. The group will pay $420,000, over a 20 year period, to bury the wires and eliminate nine PSE&G poles between poles 19 and 29 on Long Beach Road.

VISION LI HONORS SOUTHAMPTON TOWN FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING EFFORTS

Supervisor Jay Schneiderman accepted a Vision Long Island award on behalf of the Town of Southampton for introducing an innovative way to create more workforce housing. The Town recently amended the Accessory Apartment law to permit accessory apartments on smaller lot sizes. “It’s difficult for any municipality to create affordable housing but imagine what it’s like in the Hamptons to find a way to create this commodity,” said Supervisor Schneiderman. The Town of Southampton’s new affordable accessory apartment law requires the lot size be at least ½ acre; the rent shall be set at fair market rent prices and the home must be owner-occupied. About 15 homeowners have already notified the Town that they are interested in taking advantage of the new accessory apartment law.

STEPS TAKEN TO REDUCE
ENERGY BILLS

The Town Board voted unanimously in favor of hiring an administrator for the new Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program. The new CCA program was approved by the Town Board in February and could give ratepayers, as a group, the opportunity to find cheaper rates and electricity from more sustainable energy sources than the Long Island Power Authority. The Administrator will help locate those sources for purchase and evaluate whether they are a better choice for customers. “Other municipalities have done it, but on Long Island, Southampton Town would be the first,” said Southampton Town Councilman John Bouvier. The CCA could also help the Town advance its renewable energy goal of 100% by the year 2025.

SUMMER ART TOUR

The Arts and Culture Committee was on the road again, bringing a bus tour to the Art Barge in Amagansett on Saturday, August 17th. The tour was led by Councilman John Bouvier, OLA (Organización Latino-Americana) Director Minerva Perez and Arts and Culture Committee Chairwoman Hope Sandrow. “This unique tour takes residents and visitors on an intimate tour of some of the finest art exhibits on the East End,” said Town Councilman Bouvier. The Art Barge features the Mable and Victor D’Amico Studio and Archive.

GOOD TURNOUT FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT  AT RED CREEK PARK

This nationwide program is recognized for building stronger bonds between police officers and their communities. Each year, on the first Tuesday in August, Police Departments and neighbors across the country gather for this community-building event. About 175 people participated in this year’s National Night Out at Red Creek Park in Hampton Bays, sponsored by the Southampton Town Police Department and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Kids were treated to pizza and face-painting, and watched some demonstrations, including a close-up look at how an unmanned aircraft, a drone, could be used in an emergency and the importance of enlisting the help of a specially trained K-9 unit.

GOOD SUMMER SEASON FOR PARKS AND BEACHES

Our most popular beach, Ponquogue Beach, grew even more popular with its new renovation this summer. Beach goers enjoyed the new amenities that include an expanded deck and renovated restrooms. Beach attendance was up throughout the Town’s beaches this summer. Close to 43,000 permits were sold, including resident, non-resident, seniors, daily permits and Marine Park permits. Last year there were 41,656 permits sold.

BEACHCOMBER CONTEST

They combed the beach to pick up trash and raked in a good amount during the annual Beachcomber Clean-up Contest. On Sunday, August 25th, Councilwoman Christine P. Scalera, Southampton Village and Purist magazine sponsored the 6th Annual Kids Beachcomber Clean-Up Contest at Coopers Beach in Southampton Village. The Annual Kids Beachcomber Clean-Up Contest is for children of all ages and prizes from Hamptons Trading Company, Flying Point, and others were given out to the top beachcomber winners. Juice Press generously donated fresh juices and snacks for each participant.

BIKE SHARE PROGRAM LAUNCHES IN HAMPTON BAYS

Grab the family or a friend and take a spin on one of the rental bikes now available at Good Ground Park and other locations around Hampton Bays, including the railroad station. Through a partnership with Suffolk County, Zagstar, Inc. will begin a two year pilot program in Hampton Bays. Riders can download the app on their phone and rent a bike for $1/ per fifteen minutes. There are also monthly or annual fees available. “The goal is to help promote health and wellness, reduce traffic and carbon emissions and provide access to many destination points that Hampton Bays has to offer,” said Councilman John Bouvier who co-sponsored the legislation with Councilman Tommy John Schiavoni. In the future, the Town may also consider other bike share programs in other parts of the Town of Southampton.
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