The East Hampton Town Planning Board is throwing sand in the gears of a proposal for a sprawling commercial development on the site of a former mine in Wainscott.
The Tintle family, owners of a 70.4-acre reclaimed sand and gravel mine at the western end of the Town of East Hampton, proposed subdividing the parcel to allow for a 50-lot industrial park known as the Wainscott Commercial Center.
But on Dec. 1, the board unanimously ruled the draft environmental impact statement was incomplete, according to the East Hampton Star.
One cause for friction between the site’s owners and town officials is a 2019 study by the town that called for more mixed-use development in Wainscott, including park land and low-income housing, the lack of which is a persistent issue in the East End.
The proposal from the Tintles, however, doesn’t include any green space, and only one acre would be designated for low-income housing, yielding eight affordable units.
The 2019 study also envisioned one acre set aside for a potential Long Island Rail Road station, though that didn’t appear to be addressed in the application.
The board asked for an economic analysis about the need for more commercial space in town. It also sought a “comprehensive final grading plan” and “comprehensive final site landscaping plan.” The board’s concerns include soil testing and the impact on ground and surface water as well as traffic.
There was at least one tense moment during the Dec. 1 meeting, when a board member and an attorney representing the Tintle family exchanged words.
“I don’t completely understand why the applicant wants to go through a process of pushing through this [draft environmental impact statement] on a project that none of us are going to vote for,” said Randy Parsons, a member of the planning board.
“That’s a very interesting comment to put on the record at this odd stage of the game,” retorted David Eagan, an attorney for the applicant. “We’re doing what we think is correct under law, under this process.”
Eagan claimed the revised impact statement would be completed soon. According to the East Hampton Star, a public hearing will follow the completion of the study.
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[East Hampton Star] — Holden Walter-Warner