Business

Strong’s seeks to build two new boat storage buildings

Strong’s Yacht Center has submitted a site plan application for the construction of two buildings for boat storage, one at 52,500 square feet and the other at 49,000 square feet.

The proposed buildings would be in addition to 69,245 square feet of existing buildings on 32.6 acres of split Marine II and R-80 zones on West Mill Road in Mattituck.

“It would be an extension of what we’re currently doing,” applicant Jeff Strong said during a Planning Board work session last Monday afternoon. “There’s seven buildings along the waterfront now, and thankfully those will be full this winter. So it’s really just for increased capacity for winter storage.”

About 6.1 acres of wooded area will remain on the Marine II zoned land and 16.4 acres will remain on the R-80 zone land.

Planning board member Mary Eisenstein asked the applicants how many jobs this may create.

Mr. Strong said service work won’t be done in those buildings specifically, but holding more boats could potentially increase their staff.

“It will definitely enhance the need for painters, fiberglass people, technicians and those types of things,” Mr. Strong said.

He added that right now, there are about a dozen full-time employees. With the addition of these two storage buildings, that number could increase to 25 to 30 on a full-time basis.

The board also needs Strong’s to provide parking information. Town code requires 53 spots for the larger building and 49 spots for the smaller; however, the board said if they don’t believe that many parking stalls are necessary, they can submit a letter explaining why.

“For the purpose that it’s for storage, from our perspective, the increased parking is almost nothing,” Mr. Strong said.

The planning board decided to find the application incomplete to allow the applicants time to provide parking information, a more detailed key map, and exterior signage information, if needed.

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