Southold approves $6.1M to preserve 50 acres of land

Southold Town Board approved the use of $6.1 million in Community Preservation Fund money on April 7 to protect nearly 50 acres of farmland and open space — expanding a large block of preserved land and securing new access to Southold Bay.

The purchases include a 35.92-acre vineyard on Main Road in Cutchogue and a 13.65-acre undeveloped waterfront parcel on North Bayview Road in Southold.

The larger parcel, Pellegrini Vineyards, sits alongside roughly 187 acres of farmland already preserved by the town or Suffolk County and near roughly 400 acres of protected land overall. About 30 acres of development rights could be purchased for approximately $2.5 million, or $84,500 per buildable acre subject to survey. 

“It’s the final piece in the puzzle of a massive block of preserved land between Elijahs and Alvahs Lane,” town land preservation coordinator Lillian McCullough said, calling it a “long-range goal” for the town. 

The Suffolk Times reached out to Pellegrini Vineyards for comment following the hearing. 

Town plans require that at least 80,000 square feet of the nearly 6-acre reserve area remain tied to the preserved land and not be subdivided, ensuring the property’s long-term viability as a farm. The property is listed in the town’s Community Preservation Project Plan for its agricultural value.

The second parcel, a 13.65-acre stretch of vacant land near Reydon Shores, extends to Southold Bay and is zoned residential. 

The town and Suffolk County will enter a 50-50 partnership to acquire the $3.6 million property for open space use at a rate of about $265,000 per acre, with the town’s share totaling roughly $1.8 million. The land is owned by the Jamal Manassah 2022 Revocable Trust and the Estate of Raymond J. Kerester.

The conservation easement purchase is contingent on Peconic Land Trust’s acquisition of the property, with the organization expected to manage it alongside nearby preserved lands. 

“There’s quite significant frontage on Southold Bay,” Ms. McCullough said. “It’s a really beautiful view. I’m excited for people to be able to see it.” 

The property is listed in the town’s Community Preservation Project Plan for use as a nature preserve, recreation area, open space and wetlands protection, and is considered important for flood protection in the area. 

“This is a really, really beautiful piece of property, that I have no doubt would have been a hot commodity on the open market,” Ms. McCullough said. “They chose a path that was not necessarily the fastest, but we got there and we’re at a really good result for the town and for everyone involved.” 

Town Supervisor Al Krupski thanked the community for their role in bringing attention to land preservation in the Great Hog Neck area 20 years ago after the town had focused preservation efforts around Laurel Lake and Pipes Cove. Residents approached the board and voiced concern at the time about overdevelopment in the area and asked them to take a look at preservation in the area.

“Piece by piece by piece, there were a lot of meaningful acquisitions for public use — and this is no exception,” he said. “This is one of the smaller ones, but it does provide for meaningful access to the bay and it’s just nice to have that for those residents out there.”

The deals were made possible through partnerships with landowners, Ms. McCullough said, thanking those willing to work with the town.

“We are especially grateful to any landowners who are willing to work with municipal partners and make a long-lasting impact on the town like this,” she said. 

A separate public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, at 6 p.m. to consider using $3.8 million in CPF funds to preserve nearly 35 acres of vacant agricultural and residential land on Middle Road in Southold. The parcel purchases would be a 50/50 partnership with Suffolk County for open space preservation. The land is owned by Moffat Farm LLCs.

Two of the properties are already listed on the town’s Community Preservation Project Plan Eligible Parcel List and the third, 0.47 acre parcel is being added to the list for establishment of parks, nature preserves or recreation areas.

The land could be used for passive recreation, wetland protection, shoreline protection, habitat protection and protection of forested land, according to the public hearing notice.

A more detailed description of the properties is available at the Land Preservation Department office in the Town Hall Annex.