Traffic problems at Harbes farm a concern for Planning Board

The Southold Town Planning Board wants members of the Harbes family in Mattituck to visit a work session in the upcoming weeks to discuss handling traffic around their Sound Avenue farm, which is dangerously congested during the fall pumpkin-picking season.

The board has been examining a site plan addition for a winery and wine production facilities at the farm for more than a year.

The Planning Board is seeking the assistance of the town’s transportation commission and highway department in helping to quell the traffic issues there.

Members of the Planning Board said at a work session Monday that much of the problem at the site comes from unclear access issues to the portion of the farm on the south side of Sound Ave.

Chairman Don Wilcenski said there’s “no consistency in fencing on the south side” of the property, and added that Highway Superintendent Pete Harris has complained about the lack of maintenance of curb cuts on the south side.

“There are people pulling in on one side of the road and crossing,” he said.

The Harbes family wouldn’t be able to post a traffic crossing guard, but they could have employees on the side of the road directing cars to appropriate parking areas on the site.

Planners agreed to attempt to set up a meeting with the property owners.

Read more about Monday’s Planning Board meeting in Thursday’s paper.