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Village sets meetings to discuss Northwind Village proposal

The Greenport Village Board has scheduled two meetings this week to discuss litigation of a controversial high-density housing proposal slated for just outside the village.

At issue is whether the village can — or wants to — annex a 17-acre North Road parcel just outside its boundaries. Zoning for the site, which is located on the southern side of Route 48, currently falls under Southold Town’s jurisdiction.

Property owners Dino and Michael Kontokosta, the brothers that own Greenport-based development company KACE LI, have said that annexation is vital to their 128-unit proposal since Greenport Village zoning laws allow for greater density and the municipality has a sewer system the project could hook-up to. The development, known has Northwind Village, includes plans for condominiums and workforce housing.

Southold Town denied the annexation in 2005, and former Greenport mayor Dave Kapell sued to overturn that decision. At the time the suit was filed, Mr. Kapell said the Kontokostas would cover the village’s legal costs. Village support for the project and the annexation waned after Mr. Kapell retired in 2007 and David Nyce succeeded him as mayor.

Mr. Nyce said the board will hold an executive session Wednesday evening to discuss the KACE lawsuit. Depending on the outcome of that meeting, the board could vote on resolutions pertaining to Northwind Village during a special meeting set for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the firehouse on Third Street.

In September, the state Department of Environmental Conservation determined the project could proceed without major environmental consequences if mitigating actions are taken.

Should the village drop the Kapell-era case, the developers’ options include pursuing their own case against the town and village or proceeding with a scaled-down version of the project that would have far fewer units and comply with the town’s standards.

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