Politics & Government

Village Pitches Eco-Park to Town; More Details Needed, Supe Says

Greenport officials foresee an energy creation/education project on nearly 9 acres it owns outside village bounds, though a formal site plan is needed for the town to consider its role in moving it forward.

After discussing the plan with village trustees last month, Greenport Mayor David Nyce presented a plan to Southold Town Board members on Tuesday morning that would create an 'Eco-Energy Park' on about nine acres the village owns bordering the Long Island Sound.

The parcel, known as Clark's Beach, falls outside the incorporated village bounds, and as a plot within Southold Town, and Nyce said on Tuesday he and village leaders are hoping to partner with the town in making the project come to life.

"The expense to put together the numbers necessary to determine if the electric portion is feasible is tens of thousands of dollars," Nyce said. "We get billed by LIPA by the hour. So to take all that information, not only through the course of a year, but over the past five years, is a substantial amount of data to compile."

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Nyce presented the plans with a/b architect principals Hideaki Ariizumi, Glynis Berry, and creative consultant Lillian Ball. While Nyce noted at the presentation that the project in its current form is rather conceptual (a PDF of the project is attached), Southold Supervisor Scott Russell said on Wednesday that the lack of details would prove difficult for the town to devote any resources of its own to it at this point.

"The issue isn't number crunching," Russell said. "There are uses they are looking for in there that are not allowed in a residential zone ... So when they talk about an education center – that is a great use, but then there are septic issues to consider.

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"I'm not saying we don't support the idea, but I'm saying with the current code, if they want us to envision those uses, they need to give us a more specific site plan ... It's difficult to get a sense of the project until it is sent to the Planning Board, and they evaluate the impact of the use of the site."

Nyce addressed concerns that the project, as proposed in conceptual form, doesn't conform to current zoning.

"This concept understands that almost everything we are proposing is not allowed as of now. But I did not want to let that constrain what the concept could be. Thus, the idea of going out and looking for community support."

He added that Tuesday's presentation before the board was to make them aware of the concept the village is moving forward with, and from Tuesday's meeting, he will be seeking planning grant funding to come up with more formal plans.

"As a courtesy, I wanted to give the town board a copy of the concept we are working on. I will have to get monies from the village to do more of a planning grant idea to flesh out the numbers and get a full proposal together. The next step is community outreach and then we can start putting together a more formal proposal."

Village officials will be receiving feedback from the community at a meeting at Floyd Memorial Library next Wednesday, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Ball said she foresees the property as an "eco-tourism" driver, though the wind, solar and tidal energy created on site would directly benefit individuals who pay into Greenport Village's electrical plant, which runs separate from Southold Town. Indirectly, Nyce noted, excess energy created could be sold back to Long Island Power Authority, which would benefit LIPA users in Southold as LIPA is required to increase its renewable energy usage.

According to the presentation prepared for the village, currently, during peak months the overage represents a high percentage of the monthly costs, compared to a lower percentage of consumption.

For example, in July, 2012, overage represented 27.8 percent of the power used but 78.9 percent of the costs, the presentation stated.

Trails would be created to link the facility to other public lands, including a bay-to-Sound trail system.

In addition, a new entry and spaces to accommodate 40 spaces would be designed; a solar charging station for electric vehicles would be provided; permeable pavement installed; electric car parking would be available, and a bike rack offered.

A stabilized route to support fire and maintenance truck access to the site and existing sewer outfall system would be created.

Other overall site improvements would include removal of debris, including abandoned cars and concrete rubble, identification of native and invasive species at the site, and removal of invasive species, restoration of wetlands and roadside grasses, stairs, a path, bluff protection enhancement at the base of the cliff face, and collection of building, solar panel and path stormwater run-off for reuse, irrigation, and rain gardens.

A community garden and composting area has also been proposed, as well as signage for entry, identification of natural species, explanation of systems, sustainable practices and other educational purposes.

Natural and artistic components underlying the park's theme, such as living bridges and fences, a boardwalk, a micro-wind sculpture, and "dark sky" lighting and reflective installations would be implemented.

The education and conference center, under solar panels, would feature a meeting and conference center, exhibition space and data monitoring presentation, a kitchen, public bathrooms using composting, urine collection, gray water systems and other sustainable wastewater treatment options, bathrooms and shower facilities for overnight stays  -- those could be a separate structure and part of the project's second phase -- a utility room, office space and storage, as well as caretaker accommodations.

Finally, camping facilities would be created, with up to 20 cabins or camp sites for overnight stays.

Lisa Finn contributed to this report.


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