How Does Our Garden Grow? Very Well!

Posted on August 1, 2011 by admin

As everyone probably knows by now, the Hampton Bays Civic Association, though a late comer, is taking part in the Good Ground Community Garden a project spearheaded by HB teacher, Joan Moran.  HB Civic is the proud cultivator of Bed #5 which is currently very lush with a wide variety of plants.

 

After a late start, Nancy King and Andy Godfrey teamed up to get the garden planted hitting the ground running around the first Saturday or so in June.  Tomatos, eggplants, lettuce, beans, radishes and more were planted, some from seed and some from plants.  The weeks since have shown great progress with a number of items havng been harvested including lettuce, basil, arugal, radishes and green beans.

We are still waiting to see if our zucchini will bare fruit but they appear to be growing well.  The eggplant harvest should be ready any day now.

This project has turned out to be an interesting and entertaining pursuit and the various gardners in the project have done a great job in making the Good Ground Community Garden an enormous success.  Stop by and have a look.  It is located behind the Hampton Bays Middle School.

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Civic Association Paddles for the Bays

Posted on June 21, 2011 by admin

Early in the morning on Saturday, May 21, 2011, HBCA president and vice president, Bruce King and Andy Godfrey, hit the water at Haven’s Beach in Sag Harbor. As part of a flotilla of more than two dozen paddlers they made there way up the coast and across the bay on a fun and informational tour led by Peconic Baykeeper, Kevin McAllister.

HBCA President, Bruce King, Paddle for the Bays, 5/21/11
Peconic Baykeeper, Kevin McAllister.
Peconic Baykeeper, Kevin McAllister “Paddling for the Bays” – Haven’s Beach – 5/21/11
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HBCA Participates in the Community Garden

Posted on June 21, 2011 by admin

We are excited to be a part of the Good Ground Community Garden Project.  The garden is a place where children can go “to FEEL the earth and to GROW and HARVEST food”.  After a late start, our crops are planted.  Now all we have to do is to keep the weeds out and wait for things to start to popping up.

Check out the garden page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Good-Ground-Community-Garden/178781268847427

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Canoe Place Inn & Canal Properties

Posted on June 21, 2011 by admin

Canoe Place Inn & Canal Properties: Here is an outline of what the developer can do with the current zoning known as “as of right” as well as the PDD proposal with no  zoning restrictions.

(10 East Side of Canal (2 parcels—approx 6.63 Acres) Zoned Resort Waterfront Business/Motel (RWB/MTL). Proposal: Forty Town Homes with private recreational facilities and parking on 3.9 acres. Public promenade along the canal.  The MTL parcel (2.73 acres) across the road is slated for use as an off-site sewage treatment plant.

“As of right” The two parcels would yield approx. 25 Motel Units. CPI Site (1 Parcel, approx. 5.65 Acres) zoned RWB. Proposal: Restoration of the historic inn use, inclusive of 20 Transient Units located within the building to supplement the proposed catering/meeting facility and tavern uses.  Five cottages on site would be restored for extended stay guests.

As of right” The applicant is asserting the pre-existing rights to 28 Units at the CPI plus the 5 cottages and a 35,000 sq. ft. nightclub. Assuming pre-existing rights to the Inn units were granted, conversion to the condominiums status could be theoretically be feasible under existing Town Code.

The above scenario entails a cross-transference of rights— i.e. 33 Units from the West to the East and 25 Units from the East to the West side of the canal. Such a transfer would leave a difference of 7 additional Units (i.e., 40 minus 33) o the East. 

One main public benefit offered by the developer is the renovation/rehabilitation of the Inn in exchange for requested density at the Canal.

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Membership Renewals

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

Thank you all for your wonderful response to our membership drive. We are grateful for both renewals as well as new members. To those who donated more than requested, we send a very special note of thanks. Your support re-energizes our efforts towards improving the quality of life of all hamlet residents.

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Community Pride Day

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

Show your pride in our community by joining in the events of the day which include at 10:30 the HB Community Garden ground breaking ceremony. Activities for children of all ages. Live music and local vendors will make this an event worth attending: HB Middle and Elementary School on Ponquoque Avenue, 5/14, 10:00-2:00.

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Canoe Place Inn & Properties on the East Side of the Canal

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

Keep the evening of June 23rd open to learn about the proposed plans for CPI and the property on the eastern side of the canal located between the LIRR bridge and Montauk Hwy. Scott Pollack of Arrowstreet Architecture & Planning will present the proposed design and architectural drawings and answer questions from the public. This event is being presented by the HBCA in cooperation with both the Hampton Bays Beautification Association and the Hampton Bays Historic and Preservation Society. The meeting will be held at the HB High School auditorium at 7:00 p.m.

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DGEIS Update

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

The public comment period has ended as the study moves into its F(final)GEIS stage. HBCA members, along with the general community, undertook a petition campaign to remove a recommendation from the DGEIS to expand Good Ground Road to connect with Rt.24 at the Hampton Bays Diner. Signatures were submitted to Town Hall on 4/21. Thank you to all who participated to date. We continue to seek additional signatures and await news of the success of our efforts at having this provision deleted from the DGEIS.

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PDD Update

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

PDD (Planned Development District) Nearing a Town Board Vote on Adoption: A public hearing is scheduled at Town Hall for 5/10 at 1 p.m. The Town Board may vote on a resolution to adopt the majority of the legislation at the close of the hearing. Another hearing is scheduled on 5/24 at 6 p.m. to consider a separate piece of the legislation designating all PDD applications as Type I SEQRA (environmental quality review) actions. A petition requesting immediate adoption of the proposed legislation at the 5/10 hearing is being circulated to all Civic/CAC (Citizen Advisory Committee) groups in conjunction with the 600 member strong Group for the East End.

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School Budget Debuted

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

Lars Clemensen, Superintendent of Hampton Bays Schools, along with Larry Luce, School Business and Facilities Manager provided the details of the 2011-2012 $44.9 million school budget, which reflects a 2.6% increase over 2010, reportedly the smallest increase in more than ten years. The projected property tax rate is expected to increase 5.9%. The biggest budget cost accelerator is a 42% increase in the cost of pension benefits mandated by the state but funded locally. Superintendent Clemensen called for the convening of a constitutional convention as the only avenue to effect meaningful pension benefit reform.

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