After public hearings Friday, the Shelter Island Town Board approved $4 million in year-end CPF acquisitions for about 30 acres of land.
Lisa Kombrink of the law firm Twomey, Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo, LLP in Riverhead reported to the board. In her capacity as special counsel to the Town in CPF (Community Preservation Fund) matters she presented three projects:
- O’Connor/Casterno acquisition at 4 Nostrand Parkway
- Sylvester Manor Quaker Corner conservation easement
- Peconic Land Trust/Smyth acquisition at Ned’s Lane
At the close of the public hearings, the Town Board approved all three.
Year-end CPF acquisitions
4 Nostrand Parkway
The 7.68-acre property is on corner of Nostrand Parkway and West Neck Road. Sandra D. O’Connor, Russell H. O’Connor and Linda Casterano are the owners, Kombrink said.
After an appraisal, the CPF Advisory Board agreed to a purchase price of $1,650,000. Once it owns the land, the Town will remove structures and the property will remain undeveloped in perpetuity, Kombrink said.
Gordon Gooding, chairman of the CPF Advisory Board, said the property has significant value for aquifer recharge in a sensitive area. He noted that a nearby project calls for 11,000 square feet of living space.
This purchase, he said, “is going to protect that area from more development … you could have three more 11,000 square-foot houses if this was developed.”
“I’d like to thank the family,” Kombrink said. “We were able to negotiate the contract relatively quickly, once the offer was made, to bring it to you today before the end of the year.”
Sylvester Manor Quaker Corner conservation easement
Next, Kombrink presented a proposal for the grant of a conservation easement on about 16 acres of Sylvester Manor land along North Ferry Road (Route 114). The cost is $2,055,000.
The purpose, according to the hearing notice read by Town Clerk Dorothy Ogar, is for the “preservation of open space including agricultural lands and lands of exceptional scenic, cultural, educational and historic value.”
Known as the Quaker Corner, the wooded parcel includes headwaters of Gardiners Creek and abuts the Town-owned Gardiners Creek Preserve. Sylvester Manor will retain ownership and responsibility for maintaining the property.
Read more about the conservation easement in this Gazette post.
Ned’s Lane
Lastly, the board heard a proposal to acquire about 6.07 acres in undeveloped parcels in a cul-de-sac called Ned’s Lane. They’re behind the private tennis club on west side of North Menantic Road.
The Peconic Land Trust (PLT) in contract to purchase the lots from the Smyth family for about $1.25 million using funds from New York State water quality grant, Kombrink said. It will immediately sell the land to the Town for $312,500, or about 25 percent of the purchase price.
“This is a unique project and is a very good example of two important forces working together to acquire property,” Kombrink said.
Melanie Cerillo, director of conservation planning for the PLT, spoke up from the audience.
“We really appreciate your partnership on this acquisition,” she said. “You’re ending up with 6 plus acres at a fraction of the cost.”
While the principal purpose is water quality protection, Kombrink said the site might eventually include a small parking area so people could walk trails there.
“It’s a deal; it’s Christmas time,” said Town Councilman Jim Colligan. “It’s the next best thing to a present.”
The deal was part of a $9-million investment between the PLT and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). As part of this funding, the DEC reimbursed the PLT three-quarters of the acquisition costs to preserve the six acres on Shelter Island.
With state support, the PLT is partnering with the Peconic Estuary Program to pool resources and expertise to identify and acquire land or development rights on parcels that meet source water protection criteria. The Ned’s Lane parcels are in proximity to one of Shelter Island’s public water supply wellheads.
The state estimates the land will replenish the aquifer’s water supply with 3.5 million gallons of water annually. The Shelter Island parcel represents the third acquisition completed under the PLT’s successful Regional Aquifer Protection Land Acquisition Program.
