Government

‘Riding Academy’ proposes new driveway following complaints by neighbors

A new driveway entrance has been proposed by the owners of a horse farm who want to build a riding academy on their 10-acre property on Ackerly Pond Road in Southold.

The entrance was proposed after three neighbors who share a common driveway with the current entrance to the farm objected to the increased development at a public hearing two weeks ago.

Bruce Anderson of Suffolk Environmental represented Brian Glenn and Lucille Sullivan, who are in the process of buying the property from farmer William Bergrath, at Monday’s Southold Town Planning Board work session.

“Its something that would resolve a lot of the angst expressed by the neighbors,” said Mr. Anderson of the new driveway.

The project has also recently been reviewed by the town’s Architectural Review Committee, which recommended that the property owners build a manure storage container that is emptied every week.

There was some discussion Monday about whether the Planning Board could restrict large gatherings at the property, but special events permits issued by the town are only issued at wineries or on municipal property.

“This is an agricultural reserve. Its use is already established. You can’t do anything other than agriculture on it,” said Mr. Anderson.

Mr. Anderson balked at the possibility that the planning board could limit them to having just 13 horses on-site.

“We’re representing that we’re going to have 13 horses. We only have 13 stalls. You can’t put two horses in one stall,” he said. “But if [a future owner] wants to expand, they should be able to.”

Town planners also suggested placing a restriction on the property against horse shows of any kind.

Ms. Sullivan, who was at Monday’s work session, agreed.

“That I don’t have a problem with,” she said. “Ten acres is too small for a horse show.”

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