At the July and August Board of trustees meetings, the main topics of discussion were the Southampton Center for the Arts (including a selection of an architect for the proposed renovation), the public hearing on the new zoning under the Village Center Master Plan, a presentation on a requested enovation/relocation of the Southampton Village Volunteer Ambulance Corps building and the completion of the Highway Zoning change which could permit the approval of the Fresh Market on the former Glennon Cadillac site.
The firm of Machado & Silvetti has been selected to restore and renovate the existing site at 27 Job’s Lane, which is slated to become the home of The Southampton Center for the Arts, a newly formed 501c3 not-for-profit. The firm has done impressive work for the Getty Museum and the Rockefeller Barns at Pocantico Hills. They anticipate that the design and scope will take shape as the use of the facility is established over time. The Village has already approved an open pavilion for the grounds which could be operational next year with both musical and theater performances. The Founders Committee of the center is currently seeking donations.
Discussions concluded regarding the initial visioning phase of the Village Center Master Plan. Much public comment was received and the Village included many of these suggestions. The board has asked for a final version of the vision to be prepared and approved, after which actual zoning text will be completed. A public hearing will be conducted to allow for comments on the actual text to ensure that it matches the vision and comments made by the public. We will continue to participate in the important review process.
The Southampton Village Volunteer Ambulance Corps gave a presentation on the current facility and the department’s request for expansion or a new facility. The current site does not have sufficient space for housing the 4 vehicle fleet so it is not optimal from a size viewpoint. In terms of location, in the summer months traffic congestion slows response time and it is dangerous for the vehicles (and volunteers) to respond quickly. The 40 year old facility would require significant expenditure (estimated at $4.1 million) to meet current needs. Other possible locations are the Windmill Lane Firehouse (estimated at $4.5 million) or a completely new building next to the Police station (estimated cost of $5 million). The Association suggested adding on to the newly built firehouse and sharing facilities. This may be looked at. The Corps will be holding several open houses to allow the community to see the existing facility and the various plans.
Lastly, the environmental impact statement regarding the highway zoning change was delivered to the board. It essentially states that a Fresh Market at the former Glennon Cadillac site would have minimal impact on traffic or the environment. The public meeting on this change will be closed after the September 13th Trustees Meeting. The Association has requested our engineering consultant to review the report as the conclusions seem illogical.
In other business, at its July meeting, the ARB rejected the application of MetroPCS to install a cell tower in the steeple at the Presbyterian Church. MetroPCS subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Village challenging the decision. Also, Southampton Association member Michael Irving was sworn in as a Village Trustee on July 1, 2012. We appreciate his future good efforts on
behalf of our Village.
September 6, 2012
