The state of the Southold, according to Krupski

Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski highlighted the work of the Town Board and town employees throughout the last year during his second annual State of the Town address at Peconic Landing in Greenport on July 24. 

More than 100 community members, local advocates and elected officials listened as Mr. Krupski listed notable developments in the township since last year’s address. 

The town’s comprehensive zoning update, a massive project with two years of public outreach and forums, has entered its next phase: planning department review. A notable item from the draft that is on the chopping block is the elimination of retail and restaurant uses in business zones. This will be changed to allow the existing uses in those zones. 

“We will have time as a board to consider the comments from the public and make the necessary changes to the original draft,” Mr. Krupski said. 

A master cell plan is out for public review and input in hopes to improve wireless communications infrastructure on the North Fork. 

“Code is being drafted to adjust current restrictions such as height and location, as reliable cell service is a public safety issue,” Mr. Krupski said. 

The Suffolk Times printed and posted a breakdown of the plan and how to participate in a Google survey about local cell service recently. 

Mr. Krupski also noted a newly passed irrigation code — regulating automatic sprinkler systems to an odd-even day schedule dependent on corresponding address numbers, which also requires new systems to be equipped with a smart controller and at least one rain sensor among other regulations — as automatic lawn watering demand puts a stress on the aquifer. 

“By not automatically running during and after rain events, a great deal of water will be saved for when it is really needed,” Mr. Krupski said. 

The sprinkler law was drafted in partnership with the town’s Water Advisory Committee, lawn irrigation industry leaders and the Suffolk County Water Authority. It was also subject to several public hearings.

Mr. Krupski gave a shout out to the town’s short-term rental task force and its recommendation to hire a company to track and report short-term rental activity, a restricted use in the township. The program contracted by the town, Rentalscape, has helped code enforcement identify more than 400 properties that violated town code as of June this year. The town’s legal department is drafting legislation to be presented in the fall and will be subject to public hearings. 

Long-term coastal resiliency plans in Southold are also on the moving track, with Route 48 being one of three roads in Suffolk County that will be prioritized for coastal hardening as part of the 2026 county budget. Engineering for that project will happen further down the road, but $2 million was earmarked for preliminary engineering costs. Mr. Krupski said the Town Board will meet with state representatives and the town’s emergency management team to discuss conditions of Route 25. 

Local community housing developments in Southold include the hiring of community housing project supervisor Andrea Menjivar earlier this month. The Town Board also passed a subsidy framework and implementation plan to increase access and opportunities to fund housing projects this June. 

“We must learn from the past community housing projects and keep this housing affordable in perpetuity,” Mr. Krupski said. 

Some red tape was cut down by the Town Board in May, as a provision requiring a three-year certificate of occupancy for accessory structures to become accessory dwelling units was removed. 

Land preservation in Southold, a town endeavor to preserve community character, recharge stormwater, reduce light and noise pollution, reduce traffic, and provide room for recreation, is a program Mr. Krupski touted as “well run and successful.” Throughout 2024, 38 acres of farmland were protected, eight acres of open space were protected and 32 acres of open space were protected in partnership with Suffolk County. 

A police body camera program adopted in 2024 was fully implemented in April this year. The average response time from Southold Police Department is roughly 3 minutes. 

Other notable town work to date includes the elimination of 59% of stormwater outfalls since 2019, 42 new or enhanced drainage installations throughout town, plus an expanded tree removal and pruning program to limit the amount of hazardous trees. 

“Our town isn’t an accident,” Mr. Krupski said. “Decades of planning and hard decisions have shaped what we are today. I will continue to work for you to retain the character of our town and our town as a community.”