Four new stores pitched for cleared lot on Pike Street in Mattituck

A 5-year-old proposal for additional retail shops along Pike Street in Mattituck has been revived.

Scaled-back plans for the property owned by developer Ed Broidy were presented to the Southold Town Planning Board during a work session Monday. Several years ago, Mr. Broidy planned to demolish a two-story home and replace it with 5,600 square feet of commercial development that would consist of five retail businesses.

The site plan now calls for a 4,500-square-foot building with four retail tenants on the property, where the two-story home was recently knocked down.

The project faced setbacks after a dispute over parking, where Mr. Broidy argued he should be able to factor municipal spaces into his requirement. The Planning Board at the time, however, disagreed and ultimately required he locate all of his required parking on site.

Current plans for the site include all 24 required parking spots located in the rear of the property.

Planning Board member James Rich asked if the applicant, who also owns the adjoining commercial property to the west, would consider combining parking lots with a one-way entrance and one-way exit.

Project architect Anthony Portillo said he’d discuss the idea with Mr. Broidy, but noted that there may be concerns ahead if one of those parcels is ever sold.

“It’s adding parking for all these stores,” Mr. Portillo said. “But I think my client would have reservations [about combining the lots].”

Mr. Rich urged the applicant to consider the option. 

“I certainly don’t know that Route 58 in Riverhead is a primary example of good planning, but there are multiple businesses there that have the ability to get from one business to another without getting out onto the street,” he said.

Planning department staff asked the applicant to submit several additional materials, including a photometric plan and colored building renderings, for the Planning Board to consider before a public hearing can be set.

Mr. Portillo indicated that the existing character of the Mattituck area was considered in his drawings. “We did walk down Love Lane, we really tried to bring in the aesthetic,” he said. “Our thought process in the design was to try to use some of the architecture and the language that’s used on Love Lane.”