Southampton to extend development ban at potential burial grounds

The Southampton Town Board plans to extend a moratorium on development and construction in Fort Hill and Sugar Loaf, two areas known to be burial grounds for the Shinnecock Nation, according to the Southampton Press.

They want to extend the moratorium for three more months in order to hammer out final details of a permanent policy for these areas and protocol if human remains are found during construction.

“In this area, if you’re getting a building permit that requires excavation, you are going to have to do some archaeological work,” said Jay Schneiderman, the town supervisor.

Members of the Shinnecock Nation have long pushed the town to better protect graves and last summer a group protested delays in adopting gravesite-protection policies.

[Southampton Press] — Dennis Lynch