Public hearing scheduled April 5 on affordable apartment complex in Southold

The town Planning Board will hold a hearing next month on a proposal for a new affordable apartment complex in Southold.

In January, the Town Board approved a change of zone from Hamlet Business to Affordable Housing District for a 1.12-acre property just east of Town Hall.

Officials also approved a resolution granting the developer 15 sanitary flow credits to use toward the project, which calls for creating 14 apartments. 

Two apartments would be located inside an existing home along Main Road while the others would be split among three two-story buildings proposed for the rear of the property.

Each two-bedroom apartment would be approximately 813 square feet, according to documents filed with the planning department.

The developer, Todd Feuerstein of HC NOFO LLC, has also proposed using an innovative/alternative wastewater treatment system and code-compliant number of parking stalls.

During a Planning Board work session Monday, some members said they’d like to see improvements in the walkability of the property, including pedestrian access to Main Road and the Feather Hill complex next door. Town planner Mark Terry also suggested access to Main Road from the rear apartments. “I think it’s important to connect [to] Main Road because it has sidewalks, whereas Traveler Street does not,” he said.

Board member Mary Eisenstein asked Mr. Feuerstein if he’d be willing to consider adding a sidewalk to the rear of the property along Traveler Street. “Because that’s what we’re talking about is walkable, pedestrian friendly,” she said.

Currently, access to Main Road would require pedestrians to walk down a 12-foot-wide driveway used by the home that’s already on the property. 

“It’s definitely not something I’m opposed to, as long as it’s not going to create a dangerous situation for anybody,” Mr. Feuerstein said, also adding that he was open to the idea of adding a sidewalk along Traveler Street heading east toward the post office.

Because the property is located within a historic district, the applicant must also receive a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission and approval from the county health department.

Given the site’s new Affordable Housing District zoning, officials said the Planning Board may make a determination with regard to setbacks, since some of the existing side yard setbacks do not conform to current requirements for AHD properties.

The Planning Board hearing is set for Monday, April 5.