Politics & Government

Bittner Preserve Getting Close to Public Access

Parcel located near Peconic Dunes Camp is getting close to opening to public, says Land Preservation Department.

The Southold Town Land Preservation Department is asking Town Board members for community preservation funds to finish projects such as telephone pole removal and a parking area at Bittner Preserve in Peconic.

The 58-acre parcel, located betweenand Peconic Dunes Park on Long Island Sound, was purchased in 2008 jointly by Southold Town and Suffolk County through federal grants. The park was supposed to open in the spring of 2009, but work still needs to be done to make it safe and accessible to the public, says land management specialist Laura Klahre.

“We haven’t set an absolute deadline as to when the park will be open, but we’re getting there,” she said. “We’re on the same page as Suffolk County, now we’re just crossing T’s and dotting I’s.”

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Last week Klahre proposed a plan to the Town Board that included upwards of $30,000 in projects to be covered in Community Preservation Funds then reimbursed through a New York State grant. Those projects include installing a bluestone parking area, removing an existing metal gate and contracting the Long Island Power Authority to disconnect wires from old utility poles in order to return the area to its most natural state for visitors.

“The county loves the plan,” Klahre said. “We’d like to move forward with some of these projects before the overall plan is approved.”

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The Town Board approved the draft plan at last week’s regular meeting.


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